Guilt

My husband was raised by loving, but strict, Catholic parents. He attended mass every week, completed the requirements for his first communion, and dutifully learned the rituals of the Catholic church. To this day, he carries many of its teachings with him. Namely, guilt. He’s loaded with it. But that’s fine with me, it’s one of the top ten reasons I married him. I knew he’d never cheat on me, the guilt would kill him. Yes, his abundance of guilt was quite a seductress, that and his hair. He’s got great hair.

It's Not the Vegetables, It's My Cooking

I’m kind of odd, if you haven’t already guessed. Adding to my long list of quirks is my love affair with vegetables. I eat meat too, but I prefer the flavor of veggies over just about anything else.

For example, during a fabulous Italian vacation a few years ago, my friends, husband and I stopped in a quaint little restaurant in Siena for dinner. After an exhausting day of sightseeing, we were famished. Our server, Ercole, was amiable and enthusiastic about the food. He recommended a local red wine and several of their hearty pasta dishes. Satisfying my companions’ hunger were heaping plates of spaghetti bolognese and pici al ragu. And what Italian delight did I order? A plate of grilled vegetables. Like I said, I’m kind of odd.

My Hips Don't Lie

Shakira’s song, Hips Don’t Lie, played on my ipod today which made me think about my hips. ‘Cuz after a week of cardio and strength training, they are definitely talking to me.

And they are suggesting—quite adamantly—that they were not built for running. Sitting, yes. Walking, sure. Birthing babies, absolutely. But running, um, no.  Getting this 40+ inch backside in motion is a feat unto itself, and sustaining the running without the natural side-to-side motion throwing me off the treadmill, well, that’s a miracle.

What Is Wellness Anyway?

We had some friends over for dinner the other night. For their sake, I’ll disguise their names and call them “Matt” and “Melissa.”

During the evening I chatted excitedly about my blog. “It’s called The Wellness Project,” I told them.

“Ooh, that’s a terrible name,” Matt said, “I’d expect better from you Dianna.”

Stunned, I looked down and then shrugged my shoulders and stated, “Well, I like it.”

Realizing his gaff, Matt quickly back-peddled and said, “Oh, well, then it’s perfect.”

Don't Disco on the Treadmill

Today, I learned a couple of things during my cardio interval training run at the gym.

First, “John” from yesterday, is not only rude and impatient, but also, a horrible listener.

Oh No You Di'n't

Waking up on the second morning of the program, I knew I couldn’t procrastinate any longer. If I was going to get all three cardio workouts in that week, I needed to start exercising NOW. I ambled off to American Family Fitness where I’m a member, and decided to try the interval training setting on the treadmill as Dr. Lowry suggested.

Shaken, Not Stirred

In addition to eating loads of fresh fruit, vegetables, and lean protein, I’m supposed to drink two Ultra Meal shakes a day. Ultra Meal is a nutritional supplement.

On the first day of the program, I dutifully opened my jar of chocolate flavored Ultra Meal powder, added the appropriate amount of water, and stirred it to prepare my shake.

The Last Supper

There’s a lag time between the wellness evaluation, the fitness orientation, and the actual start of the program. You don’t start the nutrition and fitness plan the second you sign up. For me, it took about a week to get everything in order. So, I set my start date for the following Sunday. (Mondays are bad enough I figured, why add a new diet to the misery.) All this, of course, meant that Saturday was The Last Supper.

I'm a Gym Rat. No Wait, That's Not Me

Sitting down with the lovely Marq McKenney from the Advanced Wellness Centre, I realized I was in for a change. Marq is my personal trainer for this adventure. Well, he’s actually everyone’s trainer. When you sign up for the program Marq is part of the deal. But since I’m a bit of a control freak and Marq is really sweet and cute, I like to think of him as mine. Just mine.

So, MY personal trainer Marq, sat me down to go over the fitness requirements of the In8 program.

Food Is Not Entertainment

During the first Nutrition Workshop last night, Dr. Lowry drilled this point home. “Food is not entertainment. It is fuel for your body. Food is ENERGY.”

Um, yeah. Don’t tell that to The Food Network with its 24-hour food programming schedule. Or TLC, home of Cake Boss. And what about Bravo’s Top Chef?

I beg to differ Dr. Lowry. Food is definitely entertainment.

Did You Just Call Me Fat?

The starting point for this adventure is the Wellness Evaluation—a comprehensive exam to determine my overall level of health.

Knowing I couldn’t have food or coffee before the exam, I scheduled it for first thing in the morning. I arrived at the Centre with my Venti Nonfat Latte from Starbucks in hand, but untouched. 

The Conception

Hi, I’m Dianna and I’m on an 8-week quest toward a healthier life.


Why?