This morning I completed 20/20 Phase I.  The program has been a lot of work, but at the same time, I can't believe it's already been 4 months.  Wow!Now that I'm into Phase II, the program changes a bit, however, I'm still continuing in a Phase I mindset.  I'd like to continue to lose weight and get in better shape, so Phase II (for me) is more about making sure I can do this on my own.Here are some stats after the first part of the program:Weight Lost75 lbs.Body Age*28BMI-10 points!Cholesterol135TGY77HDL45LDL75LDL/HDL Ratio1.5CHO/HDL Ratio3.0* Body Age is calculated through the software the Pro Club uses that computes your overall health and fitness levels based on a number of tests.  (Chronologically I'm 33 -- the first body age test had me at 39 ... Yikes!)

Today I had my 10 week check-in for the 20/20 program.  My total calorie count over the program has been below what my nutritionist would like to see, but still acceptable.  (The big problem I have is keeping the fat down ... carbs are reduced greatly and my biggest concern, so unless I'm eating chicken or fish all day, I'm running out of options.)  In my case, I've been exercising a lot more than anticipated or expected, so the progress has been real good.  At week 10, I'm down about 53 pounds total, with very little of it lean.  My thighs and arms are down about 2 inches total each, and my waist is down a total of about 7 inches.  So ... so far, excellent progress.  Blood pressure pretty normal, too, around the mid 120's over mid 70's.   Most importantly, my tolerance for the more rigorous exercise is way up, both in terms of my personal stamina and heart rate.  (Hills that I could never do on my mountain bike are now completely doable.  I almost think it's a fluke that I did it, except I've done them now dozens of times ... even as Savannah, playing the role of Queen Nefertiti, is towed in a child buggy.)Some people have asked what the plan is like ... I guess the answer would depend on what you're in it for and what aspect (diet, exercise, etc.), but assuming it's weight loss/nutrition, I would classify the diet as a less radical Atkins diet (South Beach?) with very intensive exercise.  Although the diet portion will vary from person to person, it generally follows a week or so of "baselining" on protein shakes and chicken.  Over time, veggies, dairy, cheese, fruit, beans and grains are slowly added in (usually in that order).  Meal tracking is a pretty essential part of the process.The exercise is fairly rigorous.  3 times a week with a personal trainer, 2-4 times a week unsupervised.  It works out pretty well -- it's hard work, of course, but there's enough variety in it especially since the weather is warmer.My great weakness in this program:  Peanuts.  Yeah ... peanuts.  It's not so much the calories in them (I'm fine there) but the fat content: they keep pushing me over my limits.  (And, weigh out 1 oz of peanuts and tell me that's all you'll eat!) Thankfully, though, they're mostly poly and monounsaturated ... at least that's keeping my nutritionist from slapping me.

I don't think anyone else has done this yet, so I thought I would start a series of entries as I go through the 20/20 LifeStyles program.  Microsofties are familiar with this program (and usually know of someone who's been through it), so I thought I'd start a series on entries to go along with my journey through the program.So what is 20/20?  It's a Wellness program, essentially (the official site is here).  But beyond anything else I've seen, 20/20 is about discovering yourself, and understanding your body's metabolic, mental, and physical health.  Let's face it: having been in computers most of my life, it's been too easy to ignore these things.  As we get all-consumed in staring at computer monitors and software, drinking and eating junk, and not watching our exercise or eating habits, those habits become routine and before long, become our lifestyle.  The focus here is to reprogram ourselves back into balance.  In the past, I've been successful at weight loss, my job, my family, exercise, and many other things.  But I've found that I've never been uber successful at all of these things simultaneously: and there's no reason why I can't be.In the 20/20 program, you work very closely with a medical doctor, psychiatrist, dietician, and physical trainer throughout each week.  The goal is to understand your body's reaction to exercise, food, stress, and emotion.  Every known metric is measured along the way (the usual stuff like blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, lean body mass, etc.).  Your diet is measured and evalutated.  Because you're being studied from many angles, it has a much more life changing impact than just the typical "eat more greens" advice we get at the annual physical that most of us don't do.  In fact, the success rate is in the 90%+ range.The length of the program varies -- but generally it's about 15 or so weeks long and a fairly significant time commitment at the Pro Club.  The goal is to make true lifestyle changes over this time span.So, stay tuned as I post my results and experiences going through the program, and what's involved each step of the way.