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- Jennifer Lieberman (center) with Mary Patterson (left) and Debbie Meyers at the Atlantic Club in Red Bank. Photo by Scott Longfield
The Home Stretch
Take it off program yields great results
By Jennifer Lieberman
Jennifer Lieberman, classified manager at The Two River Times™, is participating in the Take It Off weight loss program at the Atlantic Club in Red Bank.
Take It Off uses one-on-one coaching and a customized meal plan to help participants lose up to 24 pounds in 12 weeks. Membership at Atlantic Club is not required.
Jennifer is keeping a diary of her progress. This is the final installment.
Week Nine
I'm on vacation this week so I won't be meeting with Debbie Meyer, my trainer, or Mary Patterson, my coach. Needless to say I'm a little nervous given my recent two-pound weight gain. Mary told me to stick to the principles of the Take It Off Program. I'm going to stay with family so we will be grocery shopping and I will have a lot of control over what's available to me. I'm going to shop ahead of time so that I have the right foods on the way there. It's a long drive. I will shop when I get there as well. My little cooler will come in handy too, so I can keep snacks with me if we are out for the day.
I hope I can pull this off.
This is also a perfect opportunity for me to use some of the knowledge that Debbie taught me. With some small hand weights, a jump rope and a Pilates ball, I can work out anywhere. The only thing I need is some good motivation, and nothing motivates me more than to know that lot's of people will read this. Wish me luck!
Week Ten
I lost four pounds on vacation! I am exactly 1.6 pounds from my goal of 10 pounds. My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw the scale. Here's why I think I pulled it off. I was more active than when I'm home. I was up and down stairs and walking in town. My late night eating was also eliminated because I was in someone else's house. Plus, I continued to work out and follow the eating plan. The prospect of gaining more weight was also frightening me a little, so I stayed solid in my resolve that I was not going to gain weight. I would have been happy to stay the same, but this is even better. My family had a big house and some workout equipment so I worked out almost everyday. With a trail nearby I had no excuse to skip my running either.
Week Eleven
A four pound weight loss is hard to beat. I lost .6 this week. That's one pound to go. With one week left on the program, Mary and I talked about how I'm going to keep my weight off. Not being accountable to someone else is scary, but the good news is that maintenance is not that hard. It just requires a steady exercise routine, a weekly weigh in to avoid denial, and maintaining a food journal even if no one else is going to read it. The best news of all is that next week I will learn how I can incorporate more foods into my eating plan.
Debbie showed me a routine that used only my own body resistance and it kicked my butt. It also showed how much progress I've made. My heart rate was up but I recovered fast, a good sign that you're in good shape. It's a perfect routine to do when the Atlantic Club is crowded because you only need about five feet of space and no weights or machines. Next week is my last week I'm going to miss Debbie and Mary.
Week Twelve
I gained the .6 back, but who cares? Debbie measured me and I lost an amazing 9.75 inches overall! Even though I didn't lose the last pound, I still lost 9 pounds, and I am thrilled with my results. I could not have done it without Debbie and Mary and the tools I learned from The Take It Off Program. I have also received a lot of encouragement from other Atlantic Club staff members. When I would walk past they would take notice of my progress as well. Working out in a positive environment is very encouraging. I always feel welcome when I'm at the club, which makes my fitness journey that much better.
For my last week Debbie and Mary gave me excellent tools that I can take with me. Mary taught me how to make permanent changes rather than seeing this as a "Diet. This will be easier now that I can start incorporating more foods in my diet, such as adding a starch with dinner. I can also eat some heavier starches such as pasta more frequently, although Mary advises that I work them in slowly. In addition, I can have more dairy; I used to have two servings, now I can have an additional four ounces. More fats and varieties of meat are also allowed. I can't wait!
Debbie used our last session to write down some workouts for me so I have a lot of choices. This will keep me excited about my workouts, and it will also take some of the guess work out of it. This is a very valuable tool that will keep me on track. Thanks to Debbie, Mary and the Take It Off Program, I have acquired the skills to get in shape and stay that way!
