
Lisa Joy is a friend and Pilates client who has embraced the opportunity to change her life physically, emotionally, and spiritually, by targeting specific self-limiting beliefs and behaviors. Lisa and I met at the YMCA 5 years ago. Lisa has a degree in exercise physiology and is a licensed massage therapist. Lisa provides exceptionally skilled, therapeutic massage services at the Kettle Moraine YMCA. Her clients include physical therapists and athletes who praise her therapeutic touch, clinical judgment, and both intuitive and experienced techniques. In addition she has a calm, compassionate demeanor that puts clients at ease during massage sessions. This same attitude is present when she cares for her horses and dogs on her farm in Campbellsport. Auburn felt both relaxed and confident thanks to Lisa's natural teaching ability as she instructed Auburn on her 15 year old Paint horse, Sweet Talker. The same knowledge that guides Lisa to deduce what clients need to heal, relax, and feel well is applied to her interaction with animals as well as in her ability to instruct horseback riding to children.

Lisa recently invited my family to spend an afternoon fishing on her lake and introducing Auburn (a fellow animal lover) to her menagerie of pets. Ron and Trey enjoyed the time together and even caught a few fish from Lisa's paddle-boat. Days later Ron was still complaining of muscle pain from the bicycling effort! Lisa rents a quaint cottage in the midst of hundreds of natural acres of land providing space for her two Sheltie dogs to roam and her horses to graze. The old barn/farmhouse is a scene from American Pickers containing ancient carriages, rusty plows, gas-lit lanterns, and artifacts seemingly from the early 1900's.

In addition to her background in exercise physiology and massage Lisa also has a history in dancing. Both her parents were professional dancers and she acquired a love for choreography, theater, and drama as a child and young adult. In addition she participated in beauty pageants and won multiple titles in her teens and twenties. Today, at 51 years of age, dancing, horseback riding, music, and theater are still a part of her identity. Although these interests help describe her personality, her participation is limited due to her obesity. The weight gain has occurred slowly and steadily to her current life threatening weight of 280 pounds. Like many women a combination of factors including post-pregnancy weight never lost; a stressful, unhappy marriage (ultimately ending in divorce a couple years ago); job transfers and insecurity; financial and relationship stress have all contributed to her current health crisis.

Last week Lisa completed a registration form for The Biggest Loser. I took this picture of her in our basement as she needed to attach a photo to the online application. I was delighted when she shared her intention. In the years I have known her I was never certain the extent of her commitment to her well-being. Although she would talk about wanting to lose weight it often seemed she was trying to avoid the most practical program...a healthy diet, a routine and intense exercise regimen, and self-belief that she is capable of creating lasting life-style change. Lisa admits that when she commits to a decision she is steadfast on following through--the toughest challenge for her however has been to commit to herself, to her health, for her life-span. She has been reluctant to embrace her one glorious, crazy, beautiful, life! She's not alone! Fortunately Lisa has noticed a recent shift in her attitude. When you announce your intention to be a contestant on the Biggest Loser you announce you are ready for dramatic change. Right now Lisa doesn't have the benefit of "The Biggest Loser Ranch," surrounded by chefs, dietitians, trainers, doctors, producers, and counselors. She can't remove herself from her stressors, from her work, from her responsibilities and focus solely on her weight loss efforts. But just like all of us Lisa can take an inventory of how emotions (anger, resentment, loneliness, sadness) relate to unhealthy behaviors. We can change habits with conscious living. Being deliberate, being disciplined and being accountable is her challenge. Lisa plans to attend a friend's wedding in California December 30th--approximately 6 months from now. The mere act of flying to California alone for a wedding of a friend you have not seen since high school is, in my mind, a great act of courage and faith. To go there in the healthiest, most joyful state is simply a bonus!

Lisa and I discussed sharing her journey on the Home Training website. You will meet Lisa in the days and weeks ahead as I have encouraged her to blog and journal her progress. Writing lends to accountability; sharing thoughts with others helps us problem solve, allows us to discover we are not alone in our struggles, and teaches us to value that even difficult circumstances can contribute to positive growth and success. We are different than who we once were; even as adults we grow every day. We note these changes when we consistently document them. We grow in emotional, spiritual, and social maturity. Our decisions and behaviors become more intentional and less reactive and impulsive when we enlist others to help us maintain focus. In addition, Lisa loves to have fun but just as she has deprived herself of healthy food and exercise she has also withdrawn from participating in fun, meaningful, leisure activities. Lisa is the true reality...a woman who loves to care for others but in the process has neglected her most valued commodity, her health.
Please join us on this 6 month journey as an online community. Research suggests strong social support improves the likelihood of success for anyone struggling to overcome addictions. You, readers, are part of the landscape and setting, part of the production team as well as the trainers and cheerleader's for Lisa Joy's healthy living reality show.
Thank you for encouraging and supporting Lisa Joy through this experience. I am grateful for her openness to share as well as her willingness and courage to help others who are looking to make significant changes to their behavior and ultimately to their lives.
Thank you for reading!
Please join us on this 6 month journey as an online community. Research suggests strong social support improves the likelihood of success for anyone struggling to overcome addictions. You, readers, are part of the landscape and setting, part of the production team as well as the trainers and cheerleader's for Lisa Joy's healthy living reality show.
Thank you for encouraging and supporting Lisa Joy through this experience. I am grateful for her openness to share as well as her willingness and courage to help others who are looking to make significant changes to their behavior and ultimately to their lives.
Thank you for reading!