Resistance training may be used to build muscle, lose weight, increase strength or to tone. Depending on the objective, one’s program should be tailored to achieve the desired result.  Resistance training can fit easily into any fitness program, with the details worked out to fit in and facilitate reaching the program goals.

What’s in it for me? Why should I make such great effort to get my heart rate and breathing increased? And why should I do this day in and day out? What am I wanting from this program which asks for such a commitment from me?

It is all about the circulatory system and respiratory system.  These systems are the sources of many of the most serious illnesses and diseases resulting in shortening of lives and impairing the quality of lives.  By taking action to maintain or improve these systems, better fitness and health are sure to follow.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Aerobic exercise is the best activity for improving the fitness and health of the circulatory and respiratory systems.  By planning and following a regular aerobic exercise program, one is taking the most effective direct action known to improve health and avoid illness.  Use this valuable tool to your advantage.

I’ve just lost one of my closest friends to ovarian cancer. She’d been my buddy for almost 30 years. We met as mini-skirted Brits in New York. There wasn’t much we didn’t share. I remember how she comforted me on an early failed romance by giving me a cup of tea, hot-buttered cinnamon toast and a good ego-boost. Later, it was my turn when she went through the misery of divorce from a man she always loved. The day she called me about her illness was just another day at my desk. Me, “How are ya?!” Her, “It isn’t good, Jane.” I went for a long walk in a cloud of disbelief trying to imagine what things would be like without her. It took eleven years. She beat the odds by six. I put that down to her indomitable spirit. Even after forty sessions of chemotherapy she would often tell me how grateful she was for everything she had in life. She turned her hospital visits into parties for the nurses. Then she pulled her own plug. “That’s it,” she declared over the phone from her hospital bed. “No more chemo, no more prodding and pulling.” And she checked herself out. Preparing me, she said, “You’ll be shocked at how thin I am.” And I was. Two weeks before she died, she had thirty people over for a party she called, “A Celebration of Life.” This is the time of the year I’ll miss her the most because she especially loved the holidays. She began the ramp up at Thanksgiving and moved into Christmas like Santa driving a Porsche. Christmas trees, lights, gifts, mince pies, crown roasts and candles. Candles — she never put two candles on the table when ten would do. Why am I telling you all this? Because I want you to know that what she looked forward to most of all during her illness, the thing that gave her the biggest lift, was a visit to our local salon for the works – facial, manicure, pedicure, waxing (she didn’t have a hair on her head but her body hair flourished) and getting her various wigs styled. She had one long blonde one that made her feel sexy. So, as we approach the holiday season and get caught up in its commercialism, always remember that the gift of your hands can, for a moment, help a woman forget that she’s dying and make her smile. “Jane, I feel like a million bucks!” A million was cheap. The happiness in her voice was worth much more than that. I’ve always felt proud to be part of this caring industry. Now the gratitude swells my heart. Thank you for everything you do for all the women out there who need to forget something for a while. Our appreciation and gratitude for your partnership with us. We all wish you a holiday season full of satisfaction and hope.

Talk to you soon, Jane

I just came back from a trip to Moscow where Bob and I opened up our new distributorship. It was my first time in Russia and so I was amazed at the huge scale of everything including the Kremlin, which is very beautiful. So are the women, by the way. Now I’m beginning to understand why so many of our top models are Russian. The Guild of Professional Beauty in the UK just rated us as the number one makeup brand in the professional industry there. All thanks to our hard-working distributor, David Alpert. Kevin Mendelson, our gifted national trainer, was invited to New Zealand and Australia to show off his talents. He was a huge success. We’re now in 43 countries and counting!

I got some great questions the other day so I thought I’d post the questions with my answers. I know they are questions on a lot of your minds.

Lisa asked: “a few things i was wondering is how long it took for you to see some physical kind of result from diet/exercise? and in the first few weeks of starting how much weight was lost? and also how long did it take for you to lose a dress size?”

-How long it took for you to see some physical kind of result from diet/exercise?

Ugh! This question is tough. My best answer – a while. LOL. But seriously, after about 30 pounds I was really starting to see and feel a difference (remember I was 315 pounds so it took a lot of loss to see the difference). Now it seems with every 10-15 pounds I can see changes. But honestly, even with a couple a pound loss I see little changes like my double chin doesn’t look so big and puffy.

-And in the first few weeks of starting how much weight was lost?

I have been losing SLOW. I’ve only made gradual changes, so the weight loss is gradual. Even in the beginning I only lost about 5 pounds the first week I think, then it slowed to the current rate of 0.5-1 pound lost per week. It’s been
pretty steady at this pace.

-And also how long did it take for you to lose a dress size?

I’ve been tracking jeans size. I started at a TIGHT 28. Quickly – after about 20 pounds lost – I went to a 26, another 20 pounds to a 24, and now (25 more lost) I’m sitting at a 22. So I went from a 28 to a 22 in 65 pounds. That’s pretty slow. Don’t expect to see the sizes change too fast. I keep thinking, “I’m almost in a 20, I’m almost in a 20″; but I’ve been saying that for a couple months now. LOL. Time, time, time; it takes time!

My advice for you is to focus on exercise if losing dress sizes is your focus. I hear great stories from people about how they tighten up really quick and lose dress sizes with exercise. I must say I hate exercise and avoid it like the plague. But I know I’d be A LOT more successful if I worked out more. That’s my new years resolution – exercise! (Isn’t that my new years resolution every year? yes it is!)

And please don’t diet like crazy, and do drastic things. Everything in moderation is key. I think telling yourself you CANNOT have something is the worst thing to do. It just makes you want it more. Tell yourself you can have what ever you want… but just a little. Just try to cut out the junk from your diet – cakes, cookies, sweet are my absolute downfall.

But my best advice is just to keep at it. Results WILL come if you work at it long term. You wont lose the weight in a day, a week, or a month. It takes time! But DONT give up!!! You can do it! I can do it! We can do it. Better yet… we WILL do it!

Read the last Mail Bag question