Amy and I made a ten week commitement to exercise. One of my friends at work is doing a 16 week intense program called 20/20 at work. It’s a benefit at work that is designed to cut health costs through combating the weight related issues of heart disease and diabetes.
This is how it works. If your BMI is some number; if your cholesterol is some number; and/or your diabetes number (I forget how this is measured); then you qualify for this benefit. You go on a draconian diet and start exercising 5 times a week. It costs some money out of pocket, plus whatever you spend on exercise stuff (you must have a heart rate monitor for example). You meet with a dietician weekly, a psychologist to discuss your food issues, a physician etc. If you miss more than three visits you are kicked out. You don’t get your money back. They have something like 96% success rate.
Details here: http://www.2020lifestyles.com/2020Programs/tabid/1265/Default.aspx
I’ve known a couple people now who have done it. It’s a love hate thing. Most love the results and even all the work, but it’s hard.
So Amy and I are doing fake 20/20. We are watching what we eat and exercising 5 days a week. It’s been hard, to be honest. I am in worse shape than I thought (denial – disappointment). I’m gettting some of the cardio back faster than I thought (happy) but it was a bit of a slap in the face to find that what I thought was intense, really wasn’t that intense (heart rate monitor don’t lie – frustration).
For me, I am supporting my car-pool buddy at the same time so that later we can both get back to car-pooling. I’m hopefully reversing some of my cardio numbers. I committed to doing that this year and over the year have finally seen some positive movement (down) in my overall numbers. I was walking 3-4 times per week, too, but low intensity (it turns out).
I’m interested in any of the thoughts and programs any of you have tried.
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