That photo above? That's all I can show you of what I'm starting today. A certain doctor whose work I respect has a book coming out later this year and I agreed to follow the doctor's program for the next 12 weeks.  I had to sign a contract saying that I wouldn't reveal any details and part of the paperwork was a release for television. 

Which means it behooves me to knock this out of the park so I can be a shining example on the teevee.

The eating plan is a lot like what I've been doing so I'm not making any big changes to my diet. I'm just going to (drumroll, please) ...

FOLLOW THE PROGRAM.

I had to submit "before" photos wearing a sports bra and workout capris, shooting angles from the front, back and both sides. No flattering angles, no Photoshop. 

As I looked objectively at those photos I thought to myself "It is what it is. Look at it this way -- you'll never be bigger than you are right now." 

And while I've always said that while the scale hasn't gone down at least it hasn't gone up. I was looking over my weight stats on the Withings page and I can't really say that right now. From March 2014 to today, I've gained 10 pounds. Bleah. (Funny aside: Just as I was typing this sentence, the golf commentator on the TV uttered the word "Inexcusable." I feel the same way.)

I have no problem being hard on myself, so don't tell me that 10 pounds is no big deal because for me it is. 

Those 10 pounds really are inexcusable. Sure, there may be a few contributing circumstances (IT band problems lessening my cardio, the start of perimenopause, Costco-sized bags of leftover party snacks -- you get the picture) but at least I haven't had to buy bigger clothes, so there's that.

I'm really motivated to do well for these next 12 weeks. For the first time I think ever, I have outside sources depending on my compliance, and I don't want to let them (and myself) down. 

I went back off the electronic grid and returned to using my Fitbook. I pulled out a fresh, new Fitbook because each book is 12 weeks long, and I want to have a standalone document of this program. I'm also, for the first time, going to use all the pages in the Fitbook, not just the food journaling ones. I'm planning out my workouts and my meals, logging my measurements and writing down the good and bad of the week and what I hope to will accomplish.

I'm one meal down (a peach smoothie and coffee) and have a fridge full of produce. After I hit "publish" I hit the gym with my kid. I have vowed to drink more water and also vow to find a new hobby after dinner (like, perhaps, obsessive brushing and flossing) so that I keep the evening polar bear at bay.

And here's something for my FitBloggin' friends

Remember that session I led about keeping the momentum going and blogging through the good and bad? I got a lot of great comments on my post-FitBloggin' blog post on that, and one of the comments, from Denise, asked: "Were you thinking about doing some sort of weekly link up or check in? If so, count me in."

Short answer: Yes. Long answer: I'm writing something in the next week or so for the FitBloggin' blog on that very topic and we'll either have that link-up or check-in there or here. 

So, I repeat -- Who's with me?