Monday I got to the Crystal Pool and Fitness Centreat 4:00 o’clock. I was greeted with a big welcome from Josh Taylor, administrator of health and fitness programs at Crystal Pool. Dana at the front counter had me checked in, in no time. Boom I met with Kevin Clarke my trainer. My one hour workout included, bike warm up, weights, treadmill and post stretch.

Workout #1 (Kevin had a great first workout prepared for me)

5 minute bike warm up

3x12 standing squats

3x12 leg press

3x10 bench press

3x10 tricep extensions

10 minute treadmill 3 mph with 3% incline.

We chose weights that both worked me and were still comfortable.

Post stretch of the quads and gluts. That’s it, simple and done.

Ok, I felt like Bambi on ice (not very graceful) trying to make it down the stairs after my workout because I didn’t know if my rubber legs were going to hold me.

Right after my work out I met with Heather from Pure Nutrition Consultingfor a one hour consultation. Heather is a professional with extensive knowledge and education in nutrition. We reviewed and discussed my diet for the last 3 days which I had recorded and with me. Heather will have an eating plan for me within the week. Heather asked me if I had ever been on a diet. Well, I was on a doctor supervised diet at age 15, on a weight loss program with high school football and with Simon Fraser football which was complete with weekly weighins to name a few. And I had a contract incentive to report to training camp under 275 pounds my first year with the BC Lions. So there you go.

I am starting to see how the metabolic testing at PISE, exercise and diet fit together. It’s a lot different than my experiences 25 years ago. The metabolic testing indicates my caloric expenditure at rest and with light, medium and heavy workloads. And those numbers relate directly to my daily caloric exercise expenditure and caloric intake through my diet. I guess I can dance around the math I want; I still have to exercise and eat sensibly. That’s where I am lucky to have the current professional knowledge of both Heather and Kevin. I will be sharing their expertise in my blogs to come.

By the way, there is still time to enter the Health Club Challenge and follow along with me: You can enter until Jan. 31 by going to Times Colonist Health Club Challenge

Dennis lives in beautiful downtown Victoria with Ally his wife and their little dog Henry. Dennis is a full time Real Estate Agent with DFH Real Estate. Follow him and his Health Club Challenges and progress here and on Twitter @dennisdfh.