I met with my new personal trainer today. He is going to be a great fit for me and works for a very reasonable price ($45/hr, plus $60 for each 6 week plan). Our first session today was hard and he had a lot of great advice. I feel certain that if I stick to his program I'll be 15-20 lbs lighter by April

Today the single calf lifts were the hardest part... I figured I had more calf strength than I did, but I haven't been running so apparently they need some work. Shoulder presses were embarassingly hard as well.

On the other hand, I was surprised by my abilities in the roman chair... I was certain that I couldn't do a single knee up. I'm also pretty decent at stiff legged dead lifts! I just need to remember to slow down each movement and to get zen when I do them. I tend to go too fast.

I think I was most thankful for the nutrition advice. It's good to hear one plan from one person who knows their stuff. I'll be looking for good morning and afternoon snacks and I'll have to watch my carbohydrate intake (keeping it under 150 grams per day). I'll also need to elevate my protein intake.