And so it begins....

Hello friends,

So, after weeks of eating and drinking whatever I like and exerting myself as little as possible and the inevitable weight gain, it is time to get down to business! This past Monday, Sept. 21st, I started the Weight Management and Exercise Program at my place of employment, St. John Westshore Hospital. It is sponsored by our Wellness Committee. Frankly, I wish the hospital would do more to promote wellness for their employees but that is another subject all together.

The program works like this: It is 8 weeks long. We meet every Monday at 4:30pm. It starts out with the weigh-in (cue impending doom music) and some nutrition/diet education given by a dietitian. After that, we have 45 minutes of low impact aerobic/strength training given by a certified exercise instructor. The cool part is that you pay $100 up front but have a chance to "earn" back some of your initial investment. 100% attendance earns $20 refund, each pound lost earns $2 refund, and each pound lost and maintained through January 4th, earns an additional $2 refund. So, I figure if I play my cards right and stick to it, I can potentially end up paying $16 out of pocket. We'll see.

I will give you my initial numbers so that we can track my progress together. At the first class they took our weight, body fat percentage, BMI (Body Mass Index), and waist measurement. Here is the painful truth:

As of 9/21/09:

Weight: 155.6 lbs
Body Fat: 34.7%
Waist: 36.5 inches
BMI: 29.4

Ouch, I know. Here is my ultimate goal and the optimal levels:

Weight: 115-120 lbs. (although I would love to get down to 110, that may be slightly unrealistic)

Body Fat: 21-24%

Waist circumference: Less than 34 inches

*BMI: 19-25

*For those of you unfamiliar with the BMI measurement it is simply a height to weight ratio and in my opinion, is not an accurate measurement because it does not take into account any variables, but can still be a useful marker.

As you can see, I have a loooong way to go but I am determined to forge my way ahead! After our exercise class on Monday, I decided I still had enough endorphins flowing through my veins to take a jog (just one measly lap; 1/2 mile) around the pathway in front of the building. Wow!! About halfway around, I was comforted by the fact that I was mere steps away from the emergency room because I thought I was going to collapse! I was so surprised at how out of shape I have gotten!

Come Tuesday morning, I was so sore I could not make it down steps without a firm grip on the railing or walls! Bending over to pick something up was a huge feat! I was happy to be sore because that meant my muscles had been challenged, or tortured whichever way you want to look at it!

The other thing we have to do is to keep a food diary. Which means writing down and tracking everything that goes into your mouth. I've never been a big fan of these things because of the hassle. However, I am going to do it this time the best I can. I vow to write down the good, the bad, and the fattening!!!

Wish me luck and tune in next week!

In good health,

Mary Lou