Going from Gold to Silver

So the medico my doc sent me too runs something called a Met-Syn program - short for Metabolic Syndrome. My only risk factor is the weight, all my other indicators (bloodwork = excellent, blood pressure = perfectly normal, cardiovascular response = excellent, strength and coordination = fine, etc etc... I'm the fittest fat man I know...).

Their schtick is they have a very extensive assessment (at $250, thankfully fully billable to extended benefits, it had better be) and then they have you join "the program". Now, the program is, looking at it from a detached point of view, working out at their mini-gym three times a week while they put you through an all cardio workout and keep tabs of everything and monitor your progress with the assistance of a heart rate monitor.

One of the reasons I posted my little comment about time management myths the other day is that I don't see being able to get to the facility (only 10km away, but in about the most inconvenient place you could imagine relative to work, daycare, and my home) without either sucking up that 90 minutes of family time in the evening, or making it exceedingly awkward to get back home in time to take my daughter to her wonderful family daycare; said morning program is from 6:30-7:30am.

So, huzzah, there's a "silver" program that's only twice a week. I said I'd try it, and my first morning's tomorrow - but, and this is a big but, if all the workout at their facility turns out to be is a glorified cardio workout attuned to my key heart rate on ye olde heart rate monitor, then I'm not going to stick with it - I have a YWCA membership, and if all that I really need to do is go more often, then so be it.

After all, I know what all my key heart rate target zones are, I know my food plan works (restarted last week and lost 3lbs already) and my solution of brining lots of fruit to the office to nosh on instead of the endless parade of donuts, cookies, pizza etc works brilliantly.

It's not the money for the program - between my wife and I the extended health benefits will reimburse me for it - it's the time and aggravation to get there, especially when I can get to the Y, work out for an hour, and be home by 7:45am. I can't do that with the MetSyn program.

I'll go tomorrow, but if it doesn't work out in terms of getting me home on time, then I'll have to persuade them to either work out something with me where they can advise and monitor me via the heart rate monitor records and checking in regularly.

If not, oh well. It was still time and money well spent, and knowing what I need to do is more than half the battle. I also know what supports I need, and I can find those as needed (the YW has lots of personal trainers who can advise me, not as well as the MetSyn guys, but a good coach is a good coach).