A new challenge...

Ok, my workouts have become fairly routine for me, but again my knees are not as good as I hoped they would be. I think more weight training on my legs with strong cardio work is going to help them some more, but not to the extent I was hoping. So what else can I do to create less stress on my knees, well it looks like I need to lose some weight.

I never took on this project as a way to lose weight, it was a project to help my knees while applying other areas to help my golf game. I have realized over the last 6 weeks that my body wasn't designed to carry 200 lbs while participating in activities. My healthy weight chart says I should weigh somewhere between 161 and 178 lbs. I have lost 3 lbs. since taking on this project 6 weeks ago, but have done nothing at all to change my diet except to cut down on soft drinks. (I drink more tea and water now) If anything, I may eat a little worse now than before. Not necessarily what I eat, but how much.

My goal now is to attempt to eat more small meals, instead of 2-3 big meals. Another focus will be to cut out snacks late in the evening, but the most difficult will be to eliminate fast food!!! Finding things I like to eat to replace these weak areas is what will be most difficult. Eating less at each meal will be fairly simple, especially if I drink plenty of water.

As of this morning I weighed 195lbs, and I look to weigh 175 lbs by May 1st. This should be easily attainable as I would have 72 days to lose 20 lbs. But, you never know til you try. The first 10-12 should be a piece of cake...it's the last 8 or so that will be difficult.

Since the start of college, I believe 163 lbs is the least I have weighed. I lost 20 lbs the summer between my sophomore and junior year, as I watched how much I ate and I also worked a very physical job during that summer. I had no specific goals that summer concerning weight loss, I just did it because I wanted to.

My exercise of the day is the Leg Press. I have added this to my routine on my own as I am really looking to improve the strength in my quadraceps and hamstrings to improve my knee stability. I have kept my weight fairly low looking to add more weight each time I work this exercise. I started at 270 lbs (barbell weights), I'm not sure how much the sled weighs, but I am up to 340 now after 3 sessions. 340 was still easy as I controlled the weight very slow through each set of reps.

Like all the other exercises, I do 3 sets of 15 reps. I think this is my favorite exercise, as it seems to give my knees the most benefit along with the leg extensions. These along with the lunges can really fatigue the legs.

The WGC match play pairings have been announced and JB Holmes plays Tiger Woods in the first round, Wednesday, February 20th. Coverage begins tomorrow on The Golf Channel from 2:00-6:00pm

We have hired our new Assistant Golf Professional, Joshua Mers from Bowling Green, KY. Josh has previously worked at Spring Valley Golf Club in Lexington, KY following completing his BA degree at the University of Kentucky. But he is returning to the golf profession after working for Sentry Insurance as an account representative traveling western Kentucky. Josh will begin work in mid-March and I hope everyone welcome him upon his arrival.

"PRO"