Week 1 Weigh In is in the Books

Last night was the end of week 1 of the new PointsPlus program and I have to say it was a good evening.

I managed to shed 4.2 lbs this past week by using the new program and getting back into the gym groove.

Here is my new schedule for each day of the week (or at least most days of the week) - get up at 5:40 am and throw on some gym clothes and walk out the door and head to the LA Fitness near my work. I pick one of the weight routines from my book (trainer sessions) hit the weights and then at least 25 minutes of cardio (I hope to increase this to at least 35 min). Then off to work and go about my day as normal.

Things I've noticed since doing this:

1. My energy level has increased.
2. I feel great once I'm done in the morning.
3. I need to increase my protein so that I have more fuel for the day.
4. I'm jump-starting my metabolism into high gear.
5. I have to be really organized and stick to my evening schedule - preparing meals for the next day and getting my work clothes together.
6. I can do this and for the most part I enjoy this - I hope to start seeing results in the weight training department soon.

Things about the new plan:

1. Your body works harder to process protein and fiber so eating foods that are high in protein and fiber contribute to weight loss.
2. Getting used to the fact that calories are not the center of the plan anymore - since calories from various foods are processed differently by the body.
3. Now the focus is on the energy available after food is processed by the body so it is a more accurate measure of the food's impact on my weight.
4. Getting active is so important and critical to my success on this program.

The jury is still out on the new program because it is going to take me a while to get used to it, but so far so good. I'm committed to sticking with it so here we go onto week 2! Let's see what's ahead this week in the challenges to overcome section.