Making Changes

January 1, 2009 will be a day of change for me. I'm not making any New Year's resolutions that I can't keep. I'm turning my physical life over. From January 1 to January 31, my weight-loss journey will be in the hands of ... MY HUSBAND!! Scary? Not at all.

For the past year, my hubby has made phenomenal changes to his body. He lost 20 lbs of flab and has replaced it with about 15 lbs of muscle. He's in the best shape he's been in since high school. He works out consistently, eats well, has quit smoking and dipping and has cut back his alcohol intake by about75% or more. He's a great role model and I don't know why I never noticed it. He spends quite a bit of time online and in magazines and books researching fitness programs, exercise methods, nutrition and etc. His workout approach right now mirrors that of the Navy Seals. He is a healthy man and he knows what he is doing.

I made a deal with him. I would follow his plan for one month. If, on January 31, I'm not happy with my progress for whatever reason, he will step aside. I really don't see that happening. I've seen my workout calendar for the month of January already and, as long as I'm faithful to it, I know it will work. It's a balanced mix of cardio, strength training and rest. It changes daily, so I know I won't get bored. I don't know that I've ever been this excited about a life change. His eating plan for me is surprisingly lenient. I will consume a majority of my daily calories pre-workout. My dinner will be the same dinners we've been having, but we'll work together to keep an eye on our portions. I'll get a pre-bed snack of berries and yogurt, a cup of tea, or something similar. Basically, he believes I'll actually consume more throughout the day, but that it will be more spread out and that I'll pay more attention to how much and when I'm eating it in relation to my workout. If you're looking for something to compare it to, I guess it is close to Phase 2 of the South Beach Diet, but I will be watching calories fairly closely. Sounds smart.

Now, I'm not going to be unrealistic and pretend that this is going to be easy-peasy. I know that there will be days when I hate him just like other people hate their personal trainers. But, I know that he wants me in better shape so that I can enjoy a long, active life with him. My focus on those days when I want to shove a dumbbell up his nose will be the big picture. He's not doing this to control me, he's doing this to be an active part in my improving health. I have a long way to go, but I know that this is something that we can do together.

I'm going to do my best to blog more often, especially when this "program" starts. I think we're breaking new ground here, both in our relationship as a couple and with regards to my physical health. It will be nice to have it documented.