New Beginning

It was almost a year ago that I started this blog with the goal of documenting my weight loss, and I am now heavier than I was a year ago. There are many reasons including the fact that I have been completely inconsistent in my approach to losing weight. I get very motivated for a period of a month or two, I experience good results, and then I get content and don't continue to follow through. I have been rewarding myself whenever I get a good start by going back to my old habits of over consuming.

I look at my wedding photos, and while they are great and I couldn't be happier with how the wedding turned out, I look fat in all those photos. So fine, I will forever be documented as heavier than I would like for my wedding, but that doesn't mean that I have to accept it going forward.

So I've taken the first real concrete step to changing my habits and lifestyle so that I can get to my goal weight and be a much healthier person: I got my doctor to recommend me for the 20/20 Lifestyles program at the ProClub- my gym here in Seattle. I'm not sure how long the program is going to be- it is a minimum of 12 weeks but can go all the way to a 32 week program depending on the starting point. I'm basically physically fit at the outset, but I need to lower my blood pressure, my cholesterol and my blood sugar levels. I will learn in the program how to do all of that since the program combines physical training with meeting with a dietician weekly as well as some group sessions with others like me. Now I have to say at the outset, I'm not really looking forward to the group sessions… I don't want to have to sit around explaining why I am overweight… I have a very good idea why. But the program does boast very good long term results:

• Participants lose an average of 43lbs or 17% of their body weight;
  
• 73% normalize blood glucose levels and eliminate the need for medication;
  
• 79% normalize blood pressure and eliminate the need for medication;
  
• 61% normalize their cholesterol and eliminate the need for medication
  

I'm on blood pressure medication but nothing else at this point, and my readings for glucose and cholesterol don't yet warrant medication, but if I don't do something substantial now to change the way things are going, I will likely have to take medication in the future.

So I am going to do this program and follow it very strictly, and I WILL lose the weight and be healthier.

Oh and with the new weight I do plan to get back into half marathons and 10Ks and the like, and I bet my performance will be better than ever!

I'm excited to get started and I will start regular blogging again once I start in a few weeks so that I can document how things are going and to stay motivated!