I Don’t Live on a Ranch by Lori Harlan

I am really looking forward to watching the Biggest Loser tonight and it started me thinking about the many obstacles faced during my own 12 week Challenge. Would I have been more successful if I was given the opportunity to go away to the ranch, instead of working the Challenge into my everyday life ?

The first thing I thought of is the poor planning of the timeframe of the Challenge. Who in their right mind would start a challenge that would include Halloween, a six day vacation to Disney World, Thanksgiving and then culminate the week of Christmas?!!! Somebody was not paying attention during that meeting! The reality of it is, life happens 24/7 and there is never a “perfect” time to start life changing habits. Or is there? We can pick out any time of the year and say it’s not a good time for us because of work, stress, vacations, holidays, ect . Actually, anytime to change your life and make it healthier and more vital is a perfect time! Yet , how I wish I just had a break to go to the ranch…

On the Biggest Loser, the contestants are given the opportunity to leave all the challenges of the “real” world and focus just on themselves, probably for the first time in their lives. They get a personal trainer, personal chef, therapist and support of other people going through the exact same challenges as them. What a gift. What an opportunity. We all know that is not what we have to deal with. I have to work my 2 training sessions in during my lunch break of a 10 hour day and then figure out how to get 4 twenty minute cardio sessions in a week. Sorry Ian, one or two is about all I’ve been able to muster. There are endless invites to join friends at Chili’s for a drink and some nachos and I’ve indulged in a few of those. We won’t even discuss my hormonal cravings and chocolate addiction that forces my daughter to hide her Halloween stash in a different place every few days after I’ve tracked it down with the keenness of a bloodhound on a fresh trail.

After much reflection, I have decided I have been given a great gift and opportunity too with this Challenge. Personal training has helped in many more ways than I could have imagined. Aside from becoming a stronger, healthier and more competitive person, it has made me realize this is a permanent change. Not for just 12 weeks, not just to fit in the dress for my sister’s wedding (which I had to have taken in 3 times!), not just till next swim suit season. Ian and his team of awesome trainers at Facts Fitness have made me realize this is something I can and want to do for me all the time. That I can see small gradual changes that will make a huge impact on my health and the quality of my life in my future. That every workout is a new opportunity to improve myself. That I didn’t have to go to the ranch after all.

~Lori

October 1, 2008 – The Beginning of the Challenge!

Being involved in the wellness field, you meet a lot of people who are also involved in health.   Some are ok, and some are phenomenal.   A few years ago, I was introduced to one of those phenomenal people, Ian Savitz.    Ian is the vice-president of FACTS Fitness.  Established in 1996, FACTS Fitness is the premier commercial fitness management and corporate fitness Management Company based in the suburbs of Philadelphia. FACTS Fitness provides unsurpassed professionalism in all facets of corporate and commercial facility design, fitness management, corporate wellness and programming. 

With over 12 years experience, FACTS Fitness now serves over 5000 clients and members with superior facilities, innovative programming and exceptional customer services.  They have a stellar reputation in the wellness community.

Being a team athlete my whole life, I was not into individual fitness, which is probably why I have let myself go. 

My quest for fitness is not the same one I had in my twenties – that to fit in a size 8.  Being 5’11, I tried and tried on my own to lose weight and to exercise only for that purpose. 

That was until I had my daughter, Nat. 

Nat is built like a steam engine.  Because I had preeclampsia, she was evicted 4 weeks, too soon.  Nat stunned the staff at Paoli because she weighed over eight and a half pounds – despite not being fully cooked. 

I actually finished the pregnancy at negative 10 pounds after having her – and I thought I was great.  That was until I had to pick her up. 

As a chiropractor and the wife of one, I get adjusted every two weeks on average – based on my job and preexisting scoliosis.  My body never hurts.  I take care of my bones like some people take care of their skin, pristinely.    But something happened when Nat turned 1.   

She passed the 30 lb. mark.   

I frequently carry her on my left hip.   I started to notice that just about every week, my upper back would have sharp pain causing me great pain and I would have to put her down.  It affected my job.  Made me have headaches.  My husband would adjust it, only to have it pop back out and strain the next time I picked her up. 

My poor left shoulder would groan and shudder after about 2 minutes after picking her up.  I was worried, because not until last week, she did not walk, so I had to carry her.  And she loves to be held!   What was I going to do? 

In comparison, I easily carried her sister, Aly until 1st grade.  What was wrong?   What was wrong is 10 years had passed and I was de-conditioned.  My diet was ok, but I never lifted a thing.  As a doc, I know that de-conditioning leads to frequent injury which is what was happening to me!  My work requires that I am physically able to see patients, and with carrying Nat, it was affecting my work, which was already double what it was last year!   

No longer was my NEED to workout cosmetic and vain, it was a necessity to continue to be a great mom and run my business!  I had to fix this! 

I was scared to workout with just anyone, because if I exercised to the point of muscle exhaustion, I could not work.  I needed someone with an awesome reputation and who was experienced to get me great results fast.  Not only would I look better, I could function better and help more people in my work, feeling great! 

After reconnecting with Ian, from FACTS Fitness at a Main Line Chamber event, it came to me.  He was just the guy! 

Ian and FACTS Fitness Director of Marketing, Debbi McArthur came out to the office to meet.  After talking a bit, Ian mentioned that his company, FACTS Fitness, has a 12 week body challenge, that measures not only weight loss, but fat percentage, strength and endurance.  That rocks because it is not all about the number on the scale.  They use 12 weeks, because people can turn around their health in that time, and he has seen amazing transformations.  I wanted that to be us. 

A light bulb went off.   I wanted in.   Many people don’t know, I am extremely competitive.  Targets appeared on Dr. Arthur and Lori’s back.   I said to Ian, “Could you train them, too?  We all should be in this as great role models.”   Ian graciously offered to hold the challenge in our office. 

He would train us two times a week and we were to do cardio 5 times per week.   He would measure and monitor us at the halfway point and at the end.  It was on! 

Stay tuned to our online journal.  Soon we will have you cast your votes to see who you think will win the King of Prussia Family Wellness Center, 12 week Challenge!