The Slave Driver

As I said yesterday, I am in the process of developing a "new normal." You may know from all of my posts that I run (slowly), do yoga, and in the summer, swim (equally slowly).  I am determined to improve my running speed and my resistance to injury.  I have learned the best way to meet this goal is by weight training.  Of course, I knew this before, I just haven't done it.  Sure, I have used my rather large library of workout materials to create workout after workout, time after time.  After coming home from work, running or swimming, and walking the puppies, the couch beckons and I heed its siren call.  No more.  As part of my "new normal," I am determined to incorporate regular weight training into my day on a regular basis.  Luckily for me, Daughter is newly graduated with her BA in Exercise Science.  So, while she is taking her breaks from studying for her fitness trainer certification, I asked her to devise a workout for me.  I let her know that I am easily bored, like lots of variety, and....want her to keep me accountable.  Good daughter that she is, Daughter sent me a "kick your tooshie" workout for all of the main muscle groups, broken down into three separate workouts.  I dutifully did all of the exercises in three days. I asked her for a different workout.  This was her response (personally, I think she's enjoying telling me what to do):

"So Miss "I got through everything in three days", that was the plan. I sent you three days worth of exercises. I am not giving you anything else as exercises. I need you to master the ones I gave you before we move on. However, If they are too easy, add weight, add stability ball, add more reps. I will however send you exercises to help with your balance that you can add in. With the amount of cardio you are doing, you either need to take more days between resistance training, or separate cardio and resistance more. I do not want to completely overload your body with a new exercise every two seconds, you need to master exercises and increase the weights and reps rather than that. As well, if you are doing both cardio and resistance training you need to eat a lot and give yourself AT LEAST one day off from every form of exercise. Otherwise, you will overtrain and you will hurt yourself. I know you do not agree with me, but trust me. If you want to call me and yell at me about it, feel free, Momma."

Ouch!  I asked for an accountability buddy, and I really got one - in spades.  Yes, you don't need to remind me that I asked for it.  That's OK.  It's what I need to keep me moving in the right direction.

Here in the Trenches, a lot of our clients could use accountability buddies like Daughter.  They need help making sure their emails to their former spouse are neutral and business-like.  They need help grieving.  They need help choosing a new partner so they don't fall for the same type again and again.  They need help moving and sorting. They need someone to keep them on the path to their "new normal."  While they're in the Trenches, we do a lot of that for them.  Soon, however, their case settles, and we leave the picture.  Who takes our place?  Is it a therapist?  A family member? A friend?  Is it different people for different things?  They need to have at least one accountability buddy to keep them moving forward, or we will see them again.  Here in the Trenches.