Hydrostatic (underwater) Body Fat Testing
FitnessWave's Hydrostatic Testing has become universally regarded by industry exports as the "Gold Standard" in body fat testing and most accurate method for body fat determination. By obtaining your land weight and water weight (based on buoyancy) their specialized computer program can scientifically calculate your body fat as a percentage of total weight. An ordinary land scale cannot tell you if weight loss is muscle or fat.

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The Absolute Truth About Weight-Management

There are two approaches toward weight-management. The first is the "magic-theory." The second is the "Fitness or Lifestyle" approach.

The Magic Approach
The magic-theory often incorporates restricted-calorie starvation diets, pills, hypnosis, pre-packaged foods, etc. You may remember the infamous liquid-diets, grapefruit diets, amphetamine diet pills, the Hollywood Diet, Scarsdale Diet Plans, "fen-phen" and the Atkins Diet fad.

The magic theory approach is appealing because it requires no responsibility. You simply fall into a "system" and "they" tell you what to do. You don't even need to think. (You just need to suffer). The system has all the answers. And if you fail, well, then it's your fault because you weren't a good "dieter." The magic-theory has left millions of people in hopeless despair (and hungry) in their never-ending quest to be thin.

The Lifestyle Weight Management Approach
Meanwhile, beneath the clamor of misleading advertising, dieting "gurus" and multi-level weight-loss schemes, the Fitness Industry has quietly and methodically helped millions of people throughout the world achieve long-term weight-management and fitness goals. How? By using common sense!

Weight-management programs designed by Lifestyle Weight Management Coaches focus on two primary elements proper nutrition and productive exercise.

Fitness experts also focus on body-composition (body-fat vs. lean body mass) instead of body weight. Your lean body mass represents your metabolism. As we age our lean body mass declines and our metabolism gets lower/slower. Strength training is important to any weight loss or weight management program.

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Testimonials

Phu's Story

I'm a 31 year old guy that's been fat (270 lbs. at 5'8") my entire life.  I've tried pills, exercise, joined fitness clubs, bought thousands of dollars of in-home gym equipments ........ only to give up after a while and revert to my old, comfortable ways. 

Well, at the beginning of this year, I told myself I'm going to lose the weight, I'm going to be healthy!  I have a one year old baby now, and boy if there's anything that's going to make you get your priorities straight? 

My wife works at Santa Ana College with Cher & Carl Carrera (they have shared her success story on WBF website, and Cher referred us to Lisa Dougherty.  So I thought I'd give it a shot and give Lisa a call.  After talking to her and reading through WBF website, I told my wife I didn't want to do the program.  I thought, they're only going to say what I already know; eat healthy and exercise.  How hard can that be?  I don't need to pay hundreds of dollars for that?  So, I decided to call up Lisa and tell her thanks, but no thanks.  When I called up Lisa, she talked me back into joining her program.

Besides marrying my wife, that has been the BEST decision of my life.

The program began with some tests; Lisa did a food/nutrition analysis of my diet and I got dunked (way cool).  Getting dunked (Fitness Wave) is an underwater weight test and breathing test that gave me critical numbers about my metabolism and body fat %.  With these numbers, Lisa mapped out a program that was going to change my eating habits, and she hooked me up with Kent (my personal trainer ) to get me to begin exercising regularly, all with a goal of losing 90 pounds (down to about 180 lbs.) by the end of the year.  My first goal was to be down to 248 lbs. by April 1st.  It's March 30 when I wrote this article, and yesterday when I weighed myself, I was 248.8 lbs.  So, goal #1 accomplished!  Next goal, 218 by July 1st.  Hope y'alls check back next at the next newsletter for an update.

But losing 21 lbs in 3 months is only a small part of my story.  I want to share with you how my life has completely changed.  In the beginning, I just wanted to lose the weight.  I thought about getting the lapband procedure.  I thought about lipo suction.  I thought about low carb diets , and high carb diets, low protein diets, and high protein diets .  But I also knew that if this was going to be a life changing decision, it would require life style changes .  And this is where Lisa's program is the best program out there.  It's really quite a simple and logical program. 

• Eat a balanced diet of healthy, nutritious foods . 
• Eat in moderation
• Exercise consistently

I used to think that eating healthy only means eating low calorie or low fat foods . Boy was I wrong.  I'm Vietnamese, and the 2 biggest killers amongst Vietnamese are hypertension and diabetes . 

We Vietnamese are more susceptible to hypertension because we eat a lot of salty foods.  Almost every meal involves fish sauce , which is loaded with sodium.  Another example is Pho.  A bowl of Pho has about 2000-2500 milligrams of sodium.  Well, your recommended daily intake is 2500 milligrams of sodium.  So, if you eat of bowl of Pho, that's almost equal 100% of your entire day's recommended sodium intake. 

The other killer in the Vietnamese community is diabetes.  Simply put, diabetes when your sugar levels are high.  Well, almost every Vietnamese meal is served with white rice , which turns into sugar, but without any nutrients.  That's why we see so many older Vietnamese die of diabetes.  So, what I've done and what I'd recommended to everyone, especially my fellow Vietnamese, is to switch to brown rice .  Brown rice has all the nutrients that white rice has been stripped of.  But even if you do switch to brown rice, you must moderate your intake (because us Vietnamese eat too much rice to begin with!).

Aside from eating less fatty and lower calorie foods, and watching my sodium and sugar intake, I've also learned you must eat a balanced diet.  Fats, carbs, proteins, dairies, sugars, sodium, vitamins etc., are all important.  So, the key is getting the correct amount of each nutrients into your body.  That's why Atkins or all these other diets that over-emplasize some nutrients and while depriving your body of others, might help you lose the weight in the short-run, but will do tremendous harm to your body in the long-run.

These are just some of the things I've learned about nutrition.  But nutrition is only half the story.  Eating right without exercise is like going to a basketball game and leaving at halftime. 

Before I started exercising, my body used to get really tired at the end of a long day's work.  My joints would ache and I just wanted to sit on the couch and watch TV.  I didn't have the energy do anything.  Since exercising consistently, the aching of my joints have disappeared and my energy level is way up, especially after a good workout day (in which I burn over 1000 calories easily).  I've learned that you can eat the healthiest foods in the world, but if you don't exercise, you will not be a healthy person.  The foods you eat will turn into fat instead of muscle, and your body will get used to being lazy and inactive, and in turn, it will affect your body, metabolism, energy level, and psyche.  So, as Covert Baily said, eating right has to be coupled with exercise.  No exceptions!

So, all in all, the program has gone great.  I don't feel like I'm on a diet, but more that I've made a lifestyle change ; to be more healthy, to be more balanced, to be more fit. And I hope my story will inspire others to do the same. You owe it to your loved ones, and to yourself.

Phu Nguyen

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Carl and Cheryl's Story

I’ve always been proud of my husband, Carl, for regularly donating blood: almost ten gallons of whole blood and/or platelets over three decades. I especially support and am in awe of his commitment because, as a survivor of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and thyroid cancer, I am not eligible to give blood. A couple of years ago, Carl was asked by the Red Cross to consider donating platelets (apheresis) instead of whole blood. The apheresis process takes a little longer but allows up to 12 donations each year. So, one Saturday each month, we make “our” donation: I donate a few of the scant hours I would normally spend with my husband and he donates his blood/platelets.

Then it happened. It was October ’07 when Carl went to make his monthly platelet donation, his blood pressure was too high, and he was sent home. It was a huge wake-up call. We both knew that we were overweight but that hadn’t seemed to keep us from doing things that were important to us. But THIS was important and something had to be done.

I knew the problems… (1) I never really learned how to cook so we ate out almost every night and (2) we didn’t exercise. I also knew that we needed help. Not the ready-to-eat kind of help we had tried before. We had lost weight yo-yo style several times before: Grapefruit & Chicken, Low Carb, No Carb, Slim-Fast, Medifast, NutriSystem, Lindora. You name it; we had lost weight doing it. We were both really good following meal plans and losing weight but the pounds had always returned just waiting for the next diet attempt.

Thankfully, an extensive internet search led me to Whole Body Fitness. I explained our situation to Lisa who was sure she could help us evaluate, rethink, and organize our lives in a healthy way to help us lose weight and adopt habits that would sustain the loss and improve our overall health. There would be no pre-packaged foods, no vitamin shots, no pills, and no unrealistic expectations.

Two months later, in December ’07 we began with a hydrostatic weighing (Does this bathing suit really fit?) and three days of keeping track of everything we ate. We sent all the information to Lisa and, when we finally had our first face-to-face meeting, she had evaluated our eating habits and come up with a plan. Lisa began showing us how to substitute low-calorie, high-nutrition items into our meals. I remember being especially struck by her concern that we learn to avoid the deprivation that often accompanies “dieting.” She asked, “What can you not live without?” For Carl the answer was “a glass of wine with dinner” and for me it was simply “sorbet.” Ok then, “we’ll budget it in.” We also planned a sensible and realistic exercise program and Lisa explained the magic of the number 3500. We left that first meeting with a notebook full of articles to read, videos to watch, and self-evaluations to complete. It was just the beginning of our physical and mental makeover.

We continued to meet with Lisa both in person and with coaching calls. We kept our diet diaries, exercised with heart monitors, and watched the pounds melt away. Carl (an engineer) and I (a math teacher) decided to be hydrostatically weighed on a quarterly basis because of the satisfaction we both get from numerical data. But the progress was just as obvious to see by the fit of our clothes and the extra room in our seats at Angel stadium.

It didn’t take long, just a few weeks, for Carl’s blood pressure to drop enough that he could resume his monthly apheresis sessions. After about three months, I was able to quit taking medication for elevated cholesterol. I’m now a size 6 and 20% body fat. Strangers at the park where I like to walk/jog have told me that I’m “obviously a runner” and I’m happy with the way the backs of my arms don’t jiggle anymore. Carl has a 32-inch waist and is now 17% body fat. We’ve each lost about 40 pounds and have now moved on to maintenance…yes, Lisa is helping us with that too.

Unlike the glossy and brightly packaged (but, oh, so temporary) silver-bullet “programs,” the Whole Body Fitness philosophy is a common sense, low profile, “I should have had a V8” approach to fitness that can work for a lifetime. Carl and I plan to continue periodic hydrostatic weighing and coaching calls with Lisa, eating delicious and healthy foods, and exercising for cardiovascular, muscular, and skeletal health. The support and education that we received through Whole Body Fitness will stay with us for the rest of our lives. Thanks.

Sincerely,
Dr. Cheryl Carrera

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Monica Hirtreiter

Educator…coach…motivator…knowledgeable…intelligent…inspirational guide… mentor…friend…empathetic…problem solver…truly dedicated… always interested…constantly striving to be the best she can be. All of these words can be used to describe Lisa Dougherty!

Lisa’s approach to weight management is like her…multifaceted. The program is not just a cookie cutter of “don’t eat this” and “do that”- but the program is individualized to each person and their specific needs. Lisa listens and analyzes what is happening with each of her clients and makes sure that everyone (no matter where they are starting out from) gets to the same place. Thru books, videos, and hands on working in her kitchen- to a totally comprehensive binder…Lisa provides the tools and structure for TOTAL SUCCESS!

By the time I went to Lisa I was 345 lbs and had pretty much given up hope of my life ever returning to “normal”. From the first time I met Lisa, I could immediately sense her commitment and dedication along with her unique blend of support and non judgment. She is a solution finder…and is in all honesty… a rare find of skill and will- that I have not known to exist in many people. She immediately made me feel comfortable speaking about my weight- not a topic I would frequently visit. I had been on Jenny Craig for years and I did loose over 100 lbs on the program, but it was not permanent and also not practical in many ways. However- there is life after Jenny Craig and you don’t have to keep eating Jenny’s little meals that would have trouble filling Barbie herself- or declining dinner invitations on a weekly basis. Forget Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers or any other “diet” that you have been on…Lisa teaches healthy eating balanced with exercise will equal weight loss and also better health! At this point in my life it was looking like I was going to need to resort to gastro bypass surgery just like Carney Wilson, Randy from American Idol and so many other people have done. I know from experience that these surgeries can be life savers, but I really wanted to try to not have to go through such a drastic surgery –which isn’t easy considering my size. Surgery is not without risk and I knew that what ever I did this time would need to be a PERMANENT SOLUTION to a life long problem.

What I have gained from working with Lisa is not just some lost pounds but I feel like I now have control of my life! I am responsible for myself again. I already feel 100% better physically…I have lost weight…gained energy…lost my sense of hopelessness…and gained control of my life! Trust me about one thing…if I can do it anyone can do it! I didn’t have any idea how to cook…my grocery shopping consisted of whizzing past the produce on my way to the Dorito’s. I ate out probably at least 5 days a week and about the only thing that really got used in my kitchen was the microwave. I had never been to Mother’s Market and literally felt like a fish out of water as I wandered around looking at different items and wondering what the heck anyone did with these items. I drank Diet Coke like it was attached to me by an IV. It’s hard for me to imagine that was my life. I now understand that food is food. I don’t need butter lathered over everything…there are actually these things called spices!

I have so much to thank Lisa for…that one letter just doesn’t seem enough to cover it. She is an absolutely remarkable person that has changed my life and the lives of the people around me. Suddenly people are now asking me for nutritional advice and recipes and telling me what an inspiration I am to them in their lives! I could have never foreseen the change that has taken place…it is a complete lifestyle change! I have enjoyed my time with Lisa and felt like she was invested in my success with me…not just there to collect a check. Her job is part of her and it is a real gift that she is able to share so much of herself with her clients. Her dedication is something that you don’t see very often and her attitude is to be admired and emulated! Lisa is always available and accessible to answer any questions or concerns in an organized and professional manner and has a great list of referrals for just about any topic. The program is extremely well organized and her approach is subtle and effective. At no time did I feel overwhelmed or like I wasn’t able to do it. I have lost 20 pounds in 10 weeks and more importantly I have gained hope…more energy…an understanding of proper nutrition and exercise…and motivation to reach my goals!

I have adopted the motto: “It doesn’t matter if it takes a long time getting there; the point is to have a destination”. Thank you Lisa for being my tour guide on my destination to good health and fitness!

Monica Hirtreiter

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Theresa Kasprzyk
Director of Development American Family Housing

Re: Lifestyle Weight Management Program

I started working with Lisa Dougherty, as my personal fitness trainer, in March. After a few sessions it was clear that I was being coached by an expert in health, fitness, nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle. Weight loss and fitness were the main reasons for hiring Lisa, but I was also looking to make some lifestyle changes that would help me form better habits so I wouldn't slide back into my old pattern of losing weight and gaining it back later. Lisa explained her most successful clients participate in fitness training and the Lifestyle Weight Management Program, and that I would gain a deeper understanding of how exercise and nutrition go hand-in-hand in creating the body I wanted. Her program is not a diet. It is about being good to your body and giving it what it needs to be the best it can be.

Over the next six weeks in the LWM program I was given all of the tools and support I needed to make the changes in my shopping, dining and eating habits that are now integrated into my daily routine. Lisa analyzed what I was eating from my food diary. I went to FitnessWave and had my body fat and metabolism measured. We met at her home for in depth discussions of how we would work together and what results I could expect. She brought out a lot of things from her own pantry to show me how to make better choices comparing brands and products. She also told me how she manages her nutrition with her busy schedule. I saw first hand how it could be done and that I really had limitless possibilities in creating a fun and healthy menu. Faithfully, I followed Lisa's lessons. I took her suggestions. I did my homework. I read the materials and watched the videos. I asked my questions. Lisa gave me great insights into how the body really responds best to a variety of whole foods rather than prepackaged meals, fast food, or even my daily breakfast smoothie.

I honestly did not know how absent of nutrition my eating habits had been! Lisa prepared an analysis that showed on a graph how little value I was getting for the vast amount of calories I was consuming. Each week, I turned in my food diary and upon reviewing it with Lisa, I made subtle changes week by week. I put her program to the test and everything she suggested is based on sound nutrition, realistic planning, and practical guidelines for optimum health. As I implemented each change, I noticed my energy increase; I began sleeping more restfully; I managed my high stress job better; my workouts were more effective; and the pounds were dropping.

The LWM program has taught me how to make smart choices for my body when it comes to shopping for groceries, preparing my food, dining out, and eating well for the rest of my life. To date, I've lost 20 pounds and I feel great. Working with Lisa is great experience. She required a lot and matched every effort I made with equal enthusiasm, support, encouragement and expertise. I've completed the LWM program and have not stopped using the principles that have become healthy everyday habits. I highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to improve their health, lose weight or experience how good you can feel if you treat yourself well.

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