Fitness is Just a Phone Call Away

Albuquerque Tribune - Evening Apr 25, 2006

Fitness is Just a Phone Call Away
Clients ring personal trainer Brenda Rule-Osburn to motivate, instruct them
Richard Stevens Commentary

Brenda Rule-Osburn, a certified personal trainer, will be a contributor to the Recreation Corner that will run Friday in The Trib’s sports section from May through August. The Recreation Corner will debut May 5 with golf tips from Puerto del Sol pro Todd Kersting. Rule-Osburn’s column will debut on May 12.

If you are looking for a sweaty time, call Brenda Rule-Osburn. If you are looking to burn calories, drop pounds, grow muscles, get in shape, eat better, strengthen your heart and maybe even live longer, call Rule-Osburn.

Or, as one of her clients puts it, if you are looking for a “gentle kick in the butt,” call Rule-Osburn. Yes, fitness might be just a phone call away. Rule-Osburn, 46, is a certified personal trainer who has expanded — and maybe improved — her business by hooking up with a California-based company called Fitness By Phone. Of course, you don’t lose the pounds and change your lifestyle simply by chatting with Rule-Osburn on the phone. She has her rules. You have to eat smarter. You have to set goals and keep charts. You have to wear a calorie counter called Caltrac. You have to move, move, move. But Rule-Osburn can be that kick in the butt that sometimes accompanies the advice, the charts, the goals.

This personal motivation by phone has been used successfully in many professions. Now, some of the gurus of the gym have gone long distance. One of Rule-Osburn’s prize clients is Tammy Wiggins, a nurse in Indianapolis.

“I love the program,” said Wiggins, 42, married with two children. “Brenda is a great coach and she has put together an excellent program of things I would never think to do on my own. And she’s there 24-7 for me. She is there to push me, but always in a positive way.

“I had my doubts that a program like this would work long distance but I’ve lost 52 pounds since June of 2005. She is that voice in the back of your head telling you to keep going, that you can do it.”

A client of Fitness By Phone typically keeps a diary that tracks diet, exercise, calories burned, heart rate, etc. Rule-Osburn critiques the progress — or lack of progress — and makes changes. Or simply does some gentle motivating.

“We set goals and the goals are nutritional as well as physical,” she said. “And I’m always there if they need to talk.

“They are given tools that give immediate results and we establish a relationship of accountability to me and to themselves. But ultimately I strive to teach my clients to be accountable to themselves.”

Rule-Osburn admits her Fitness By Phone coaching often resembles baby-sitting. Kind of like telling a kid to do their homework — or eat their veggies. But the adults usually get into the physical progress and therefore into the physical process.

“A gym can be overwhelming,” said Adrianna Hermosillo, 36. “I walk into a gym and I don’t know where to start.

“With Brenda, I’m seeing results and I’m being pushed to get those results. I need that motivation. I need that push. This is like having a friend who knows everything there is to know about conditioning and is willing to share it with you.

“She is strict with you when it comes to working out, but when it’s one-on-one on the phone, it’s like talking to a friend.”

Rule-Osburn offers different Fitness By Phone programs that range from $150 to $400. The more expensive packages include personal workouts in her home gym. You can also use her home gym to work out on your own. Her garage-converted-into-a-gym is a maze of fitness paraphernalia that includes treadmills, elliptical machines, free weights, Bowflex and even the Chuck Norris-hyped Total Gym.

“Her exercises are awesome,” said Hermosillo. “I’ve been doing this for (two months) and I don’t think I’ve done the same exercise twice.”

Rule-Osburn says the motivation factor for her clients vary but she prefers the ones who are in it for the sake of good health. The dropping of pounds will be a bonus. Wiggins said a strong motivation for her was to “lose inches.” Hermosillo admits it was “the vanity factor.” And Wiggins also has another goal: “One of my goals is to fly out to Albuquerque this fall and finally meet her.”

Stevens is the Tribune’s deputy sports editor. You can reach him at 823-3663 or rstevens@abqtrib.com.