| Mother,
Son Win Health Contest |
| Pair
to Begin
12-Week Training Course |
By Erin E. Fogg 
Observer Staff Writer |
| Bette Sullivan has tried everything. From Weight Watchers
to the Atkins Diet, from the Grapefruit Diet to the Cabbage
Soup Diet, her eating habits have swung up and down much like
a yo-yo. |
| "I just couldn't seem to stick to anything," she
said. "Nothing seemed to click." |
| Sullivan, 44, has struggled with her weight all her life,
finding it difficult to commit to eating and exercise programs
for any significant amount of time. She knew that her inconsistent
behavior was also taking a toll on her family life. Sullivan
said she finally decided what she needed was a lifestyle change,
not a short-term fix. |
| Just as 2004 was about to come to a close, she came upon
an announcement for the "New You in the New Year"
Contest, sponsored by The Observer and ReCharge Wellness.
When she noticed the makeover could apply to two family members,
she quickly sent in an application. "I thought I had
nothing to lose," Sullivan said. |
| The possibility of sharing the experience with her 15-year-old
son Brian, who had gained weight due to medication he was
on, is what appealed to Sullivan the most, she said. "I
know that trying all these fad diets isn't setting a good
example of how he should be building a healthy lifestyle,"
Sullivan said. |
| Her e-mail entry, running several paragraphs long, convinced
the staff at ReCharge Wellness that she was willing to make
the 12-week commitment. While Donald and Laura Poindexter
said the contest was open to everyone, they especially hoped
for a parent-child team who was enthusiastic about undergoing
the "wellness makeover." |
| "Out of all the applicants, Bette put the most time
into it," Donald Poindexter said. "It was exactly
what we were looking for." |
| As the contest winners, Bette and Brian Sullivan committed
to resistance training three times per week, a 30-minute cardio
workout twice per week, and five cooking and nutrition lessons
over the following 12 weeks. |
| While both participants have similar goals of losing weight
and toning their muscles, Donald Poindexter said his focus
as their personal trainer is going to be slightly different.
Bette is already flexible, but needs to stabilize her joints
more and get her muscles fired up, he said. |
| "I think Bette will be a quick turnaround," Donald
Poindexter said. "She looks like she responds well to
exercise." |
| On the other hand, his goals for Brian are a bit different.
Weight loss is the ideal result, Donald Poindexter said. But
if he stayed the same weight, slimmed down a bit and built
more muscle, he would be equally as pleased. |
| "Brian is a tougher case because he is still growing,"
Donald Poindexter said. |
| Laura Poindexter explained ReCharge's fitness philosophy
as beginning with correcting muscle imbalances through flexibility.
From there, the client is shown how to stabilize their joints
and gradually build up to strength training. Unlike some fitness
programs that focus first and foremost on strength, she said
Bette and Brian Sullivan's plan will begin with the basics. |
| Michele Powers, ReCharge Wellness Center's registered dietitian
and chef, will take over the pair's nutrition training. During
her first session with Bette and Brian Sullivan, Powers said
she will be focusing on basic nutrition counseling. She will
discuss portion size, balance in the diet, challenges they
face, and then help them develop a meal plan. |
| After the initial counseling, Powers said she will take
them into the kitchen at ReCharge, showing them simple recipes
and how to cook for themselves. At the end of each of the
five sessions, they will be able to take the food home. |
| "It's teaching them hands-on skills, low-fat cooking
techniques, variety and balance," she said. |
| Unlike some dietitians who are more clinical about nutrition,
Powers said she prefers to take her clients into the kitchen
and empower them with knowledge of healthier eating and cooking
habits. |
| Health was Bette Sullivan's main goal in bringing herself
and her son into the wellness makeover, she said. During her
years stuck in the yo-yo position, she said she would find
a few temporary fixes that improved her appearance, but never
reached the root of the problem. |
| "You can look better and not be healthy," Sullivan
said. "What I'm really excited about getting out of this
is I'm going to be getting healthier." |
| Editor's Note: The Observer will document the progress of
Bette Sullivan and Brian over the 12 weeks of their health
training with occasional articles. |
