Deborah Regen

Client Background

Deborah (Debbe) Regen came to me June 23, 2004, a 59 year-old female, 5'3", 250 lbs. She was a non-smoker, having recently quit having smoked 2-3 packs/day for 37 years. With no history of surgery, she had injured a left rotator cuff muscle from a (previous) weight-lifting session. She sought the help of a chiropractor and physical therapist and finally received steroid injections to relieve the pain. She also had a 15 year-old left ankle injury from running that she found relief with acupuncture.

Problems To Be Solved

With regard to strength training, Debbe was unaccustomed to vigorous exercise and her mother had osteoporosis. In 1994, her doctor diagnosed her with fibroid cancer. She refused to accept this and sought the help of a holistic healer and female chiropractor. With visits of at least twice weekly, the fibroid(s) shrunk and her medical doctor dismissed her until 3 months later. At this time she stopped smoking, reduced her intake of alcohol a great deal, began yoga, and learned meditation. She experienced a huge weight gain during that time, always 'battling the bulge' with various plans. She became discouraged and gave up on weight reduction. She had a pair of 'goal-pants' she wanted to fit into. She hoped the introduction of exercise would help her lose weight and complement her holistic approach.

She had low self-confidence, half-believing she could realize her goals of getting fitter, and perhaps conquering her cancer. She lacked energy, was slightly annoyed, felt empty, and a little confused. Debbe was extremely intimidated by others in the gym and would start each workout concerned of others watching her. One of my goals was to balance her emotionally and completely change her outlook on exercising for herself, especially in a gym setting.

Plan of Action

Debbe and I sat down with the IART questionnaire and discussed her goals and past history. Debbe, had excellent motivation and impressive attention to detail. I quickly learned that we would have to work through lack of motivation at the start of every session. I wanted to teach her to love working out, instead of feeling as though she was dragging herself into the gym for nothing. Her holistic approach was apparent ("my HEALER, not my doctor!"), so I honored her beliefs and tailored our sessions accordingly, by introducing the mind/body/soul approach to exercise. I let her know that together we could increase her muscle mass, reduce her body fat, but that exercise was not a "cure" for the fibroids. She was aware of this although with her holistic approach I believe she was expecting her fibroids to shrink somewhat more with the introduction of exercise.

One of Debbe's goals was to increase her endurance while walking, so I devised a walking program for her that started with 20 minutes on the first day (she could already tolerate this), increasing to 60 minutes over a 12-week period. There was one day of rest each week, however I advised her to monitor her fatigue level so that she wasn't overtraining. This helped Debbe to get in touch with her body.

Since Debbe was a strength-training neophyte, I prescribed a full-body program, concentrating on multi-joint exercises with a few single-joint moves to keep it interesting.
She consistently blamed inattentiveness on ADHD. I mixed words of motivation with commands that would help her stay focused on the exercise.

Her program consisted of:

Warm-up 6-8 minutes walk on treadmill
Incline Chest Press machine
Shoulder Press (this did not bother her healed rotator cuff injury) machine
Seated Row machine
Triceps Cable Pushdown
Bicep Curl dumbbell
Leg Press
Leg Extension
Leg Curl
Ab Low Cable Crunch on Bosu Ball
Cool-down: Walk on treadmill, stretching 15 minutes

Cadence: 2/4

TUT: 90 seconds. Since we were using light weights, I wanted to stick to the higher time on the muscle to recruit as many muscle fibers as possible. The longer time also enabled Debbe to really focus on the exercise and hone it.

Duration: We trained together twice a week with weights. The other days she would walk on her own or in the gym. Depending on time/energy levels, I would concentrate on the MJ moves only, aiming for about 30-40 minutes at a relaxed pace for the first 2 months. As she became more accustomed to the exercises, I began to make her move more quickly between each station, in a circuit format. This gave her an empowered feeling, and she was eventually starting to "own" the gym and truly enjoy her workouts.

The abdominal crunch I devised really works. The rope cable is attached to the low cable. The trainee sits on the floor resting the lumbar curve against a Bosu ball, grasps the ends of rope with each hand. Trainee then pulls up to keep tension by resting hands at shoulder-level, elbows bent, and performs a 10-30 spinal flexion with contracted hold at top of phase. The obliques can be worked as well, cinching the waist to perform the movement. Debbe loved this exercise. The increased blood-flow and the strengthening she received from training her torso and back really helped alleviate some of the pain of her fibroids.

Nutrition: Debbe read a lot about food, took a holistic approach that included many supplements/greens, and consulted her healer about food. I provided her with new information concerning hydrogenated fats, excessive sugars, and listening to her body in terms of what she needed. Debbe has a tendency to listen to others rather than herself, so I tried to give her back some control her by providing her with a food/mood chart that lists what she eats and how these foods make her feel. She became more aware of food as fuel, and incorporated some healthy foods she loved back into her plan.

Monthly Progress

Cardio: Debbe achieved her goal of walking 60 minutes about 3 weeks sooner than expected. She improved her gait, breathing pattern, and arm swing.

The weights increased at a steady rate. As she was making progress with technique and became more confident in the gym, I increased resistance and decreased rest time. I didn't mix up the order much because she was extremely particular about learning the routine precisely. To combat a plateau, I managed to change her routines subtly by adding some isolation exercises and upping the ante each time.

Overall Results:

Strength: Her strength increases are apparent although a portion can be attributed to improved neurological efficiency. Debbe did not want to undergo the BioAnalogics body comp. test, so we relied solely on visual changes, clothing, and how she felt. She ended up being able to fit into her 'goal pants' and I could see the change in her mid-section after a couple of months. It was quite satisfying to see the physical changes occurring, as well as the emotional improvements. She was brighter, happier, empowered, confident, beautiful, and craved exercise. I would often hear Debbe saying "I'm DOIN' it!!" as she powered through a set, and this became so consistent that when she left I gifted her those words in a frame. It motivates her to continue her fitter lifestyle.

As a trainer, these are the goals that I strive to achieve ­ helping a trainee incorporate fitness into their life, and the aesthetic benefits soon follow. With Debbe Regen, this is demonstrated by the fact she looks forward to continuing our sessions one year later. The photo set below is from May 2004 to December 2004.

Client's Comments

Please accept this letter as testimonial of having worked with Kim De Lutis, CEP of the International Association of Resistance Trainers.

As a holistic believer, I was led to Kim by my healer due to a recurring illness. As a trainer and human being, I found Kim to be upfront, straightforward, available beyond the call for training, honest, friendly, and flexible. Having been told by others that I am not the easiest person with whom to communicate, Kim never made me feel 'different.' On the contrary, she re-enforced to me that I was no different than any other trainee. When I was troubled and needed to talk about my feelings in regard of my strength training, Kim always took the thyme with me to talk out my concerns, fears, and questions. I knew we were a perfect match.

As an overweight (250lbs) 59 year-old, I came to Kim with desperation and great need to become healthier. I had no idea how unhealthy I was until I started training with Kim. I prided myself for the last 12 years in eating healthy, thinking healthy, and being healthy, although I sought Kim out due to wanting to be healthier. With Kim's help, I discovered that I could make even healthier changes and that physical exercise is of equal importance as is emotional and spiritual exercise. Before I engaged Kim, I thought I was in touch with my body as well as my mind and spirit. From June through October 2004, I found a tremendous difference while partaking in Kim's training method. In addition, my weight dropped to 186lbs over a period of 4 months. This was a by-product, not the focus, of my training.

From November 2004 through May 2005, I made a geographical change and was out of the area where Kim practices. During this period, I realized that her training changed me significantly, both emotionally and physically. Both friends and family noticed a change in me; they couldn't quite pinpoint what it was, although I knew and could feel the difference.

After relocating and finding another gym and trainer, the real test kicked in. My new trainer seemed to badger me and concentrate on my 'troubled' areas. It felt as though when she would give me a new exercise, she would negate my feelings when I would tell her they didn't feel right or comfortable. Kim would always ask me if I felt comfortable and corrected my technique, asking if my lower back was hurting, or other areas that she knew shouldn't have felt unnecessary strain or tension. Kim would always reassure me and explained what muscles were being worked so that I could concentrate on those muscles doing the actual movement, instead of just "going through the motions." The new trainer was hurtful and created a toxic environment for me. When Kim invited me to keep in touch with her by email and phone after I left NH, I was grateful. I decided to work out by myself under Kim's supervision. I am so grateful for Kim for not severing the chord and giving me gratis advice and support at the drop of a hat.

In January 2005, I turned 60. I look better -- I can actually see my waist! I will be having surgery soon and feel like I am going in stronger than ever! I look forward to returning to Kim's expertise in the strength training field after my surgery counting on her to help me to recover and regain what I had back in October 2004.
I welcome seeing her again, getting back to our sessions, having her encourage me, and re-designing my individual program with a different set of goals 11 months later.

The most important lessons Kim's program has given me, I have incorporated into my new lifestyle, those being:

1. Have fun with your workout
2. Stop when feeling dizzy, faint
3. Compete with oneself and not others
4. This is MY gym first
5. Strength training creates better self-esteem/confidence
6. Less is more
7. Losing weight is not my focus
8. Enough is enough!

To make a summation of Kimberly De Lutis and her manner of strength training is a complex and yet simple one to state. She works the whole body, mind, and soul in her technique with an open mind and heart for the individual person she is helping train. I would recommend Kim to anyone whom expressed an interest in better fitness. Kim's success is reflected in her clients' results, which is one of HOPE for a new and good change to better one's life. I am blessed to have her in my life ­ as a strength trainer and now a good friend!

Sincerely,
Deborah Regen