Healthy weight loss

As once again, the battle of the bulge sets in to our house hold, I am attempting to engage my husband in a bet - to see which of us can lose the same percentage of body weight first. He has declined. Wimp. I am determined to lose weight once again.

This time I am going to do it. Not only am I focusing on a watching what I eat but have joined a gym where a physical therapist is going to work with an exercise person (I believe the term the gym uses is 'exercisologist') to come up with a plan for me which will then be updated every three months. I believe this strategy is going to be a tad more effective than me going to the gym and looking at the little pictures on the sides of the machines and figuring out how I think I should use them.

Yesterday I met with the physical therapist. She wanted to see how fit I was or wasn't. First we talked about all my minor issues - recovering from left ankle sprain, right tennis elbow, stiff left shoulder from breast cancer surgeries, lymphedema issues in my left arm, and my partially torn right ACL from 10 years ago. She said they weren't really minor.

Then I said well there is my little back issue which is my real problem. She had me balance on one foot, touch my toes, check my reflexes, test my flexibility, and discuss my back. The back pain doctor said permanent 20 lb weight limit, no treadmill, and no twisting of my back, ever.

Thanks to my three month exercise class I feel much better than in the past and can actually touch my toes, etc. But then she had me lie on my back and pulled on my toes. That was a VERY bad thing. When the pain subsided, we decided I wouldn't do that ever again. We did come up with a list of exercises she thinks I can do - which would be nice. I think I did freak her out a little as she told me that if I ever feel pain while I am there I should tell them immediately.

The gym is actually very nice with wood lockers that come with keys. It is very quiet and nice with big flat screen televisions hanging from the ceiling. I am probably the youngest person there - the approaching 80 set was well represented. I plan on going three times a week and eat like a rabbit for a while. No actually I want to alter my eating habits and work out regularly and get back into my former wardrobe for my inner size 8 self that is screaming to get out.

I am aiming for a healthy weight loss through proper eating and coached workouts. I am not aiming for a program like Biggest Loser where you are screamed at on the show. I don't think that show promotes healthy weight loss. It promotes a crash diet which is rewarded publicly. I think my weight will be in private that will be rewarded with something I will appreciate for years to come. But will highlight the skinnier me. Now I just have to figure out how to get my husband to diet without him knowing it so we both lose weight.