Day 74

Lifted various free weights.

Did most of my regimen again, with some variation and some emphasis on core.  Roughly:

• chest press (40lb dumb bells)
• dead lift (135 lb bar)
• sit ups
• curls (35,30,25 lbs each hand)
• hanging knee lifts
• overhead press (30,25,20 lbs each hand)
• a few squats with 25 lb dumb bells.

Then I did 10 minutes of elliptical to knock loose anything else.

Felt fine.  I don't know if i'm getting stronger or bigger, but that regimen will probably maintain some strength/durability.  I'll keep doing push-ups and squats at home since the muscles seem to bear it.

Day 73

Jogged 4.77 mi - avg 6.36mph.

My best jogging day yet -- probably due to coming off of a long break(holiday weekend & missed my Friday workout due to a meeting).   I also ate a lot over the weekend, which can only help fitness.

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We checked out a new trail this weekend with the family -- Sope Creek -- which was excellent.  Great rocks and water for kids to play on and a little bit of exercise for me -- more than i'd get eating brownies, anyway.

View Sope Creek Entrance in a larger map

Day 72

37 minutes on an elliptical machine.

I was looking for something to do on Thursdays that wouldn't leave me spent for Friday's "boot camp" class.  I considered swimming, but I'm still angry at it.  Jogging makes my calves sore.  Lifting is right out.

So i tried the elliptical machine -- not bad.  I did about 37 minutes (including cool down), mostly on level 11, and apparently burned 420 calories.  It got my heart up and made me sweaty, but i wasn't winded like i get with running.  I tried to use mostly arms, and those pulling (to hit biceps - i get enough triceps elsewhere).

I feel fine now, we'll see if i'm fine tomorrow.  Could be just the thing for Thursdays.

Day 71

Jogged 4.45 miles in 45 minutes - a 5.9mph pace.

Not one of my good days, but acceptable.  I was a little stiff/sore from lifting yesterday, and felt the jogging in my legs more than I'm used to (normally breathing is the sole constraint), but I think I was just feeling wimpy and didn't push too hard.  I did do two miles out of the gate, then walked a lot in the middle.  I did 2 minutes at 9mph at the end, though.

I also did about 10 pullups and 20 hanging leg-lifts just to drive home the point that arms and abs need to get stronger.  I did a few extra push-ups last night too.

Weight-wise I'm continuing to generally fall - averaging around 176 the last few weeks but dipping as low as 174 today (middle of week 18)

(red = week's max, green = week's min, blue = week's avg).

Day 70

Lifted heavy things.

I again hit my core extra hard with situps and leg lifts, and the other dumb-bell based arm/shoulder and leg/back stuff I'd been doing: chest press, overhead, squats, curls, and deadlift with a bar.

I tried to do a little extra weight on some exercises to get stronger, but couldn't do as many reps that way.  I'll try that for a while and see if it does anything.

Day 69

Jogged 4.65 mi in 45 minutes.  a 6.2mph pace.

My best 45 minute stint yet, despite some stiffness in the legs from Friday's boot camp.  I didn't think I'd be able to complete a mile, but I ticked off two at 7.5mph before my first walking spell, and after just a couple minutes bumped back up to 7.0 for another 1.5mi.  Then I walked again, and finished up the 40 minutes with 3.5 minutes at 8mph, then the 5 minutes of cool-down.

Pretty good, and I think i'll be well enough tomorrow to lift.

Day 68

Third boot camp class - hardest one yet.

I took the day off yesterday to be ready for it, but i wasn't even close.  I'll keep at it and get better or die trying.

I cheated on my "no sweets during the week" policy, but didn't immediately die.  I may be plateauing weight-wise -- i wonder if my diet will need to change if i have less fat to burn off.

Day 67

Jogged 4.4 miles in 45 mins - a 5.9mph pace.

I am surprised at how little I am sore from yesterday's lifting.  I feel it, but it's not at all debilitating like I'm used to.  Nevertheless, I felt pretty terrible during the run - probably because I ate and drank immediately beforehand.

I've gotten a couple comments at work about being gaunt and malnourished.  The wife assures me these people are crazy.

Day 66

Lifted various heavy things.

I hit my core harder than usual via sit-ups and hanging leg-lifts.  Otherwise did some chest press, overhead press, squats, and curls with dumb bells and some dead lifts with the bar.  I'll feel it tomorrow, but for now i feel pretty good.

I am somewhat shamed since my 5 year old, on a whim, did 70 situps a couple days ago -- I can't even get close to that.  I'll keep hitting stomach hard.

I need to find a good way to get upper back.

Day 65

Jogged 4 miles over 42 minutes.

As usual, it was a combination of jogging and walking, and it was less than my "big" jog day where I go a little further and a little faster in 45 minutes.  I wasn't feeling great this morning for some reason -- maybe it was the sore calf, maybe the banana i ate in the morning, or perhaps the hundred pounds of ice cream i ate this weekend.

In any case I went slower and easier than usual, so hopefully I'll be fresher for tomorrow's lift and core beating.

I gained 5.5 lbs since Friday!

Day 64

Class - Boot Camp

That's a tough class.  More strength today than aerobic stuff, I thought, and I was able to do a little bit more. Lots of jumping jacks, and squat thrust-type things, push-ups and crunches and leg lifts and stuff for obliques, and variations on lunges.

I need to work on my core -- my abs are woefully inadequate to do the things the instructor demands.  I think my workout from Tuesday was a good start -- if I can hit my core really hard twice a week I think i'll make some progress.

the class is not what I'd call "fun" but it is profitable suffering, and misery does love company.

Day 63

Shazbot & Sux0r & Swimming.

I forced myself to swim.  I swam only 4 laps before deciding to give up.  Then i swam one more to spite myself.  I'm sure it was mostly psychological, although my shoulder nagged me a little, and unlike previous sessions of swimming I felt my soreness.  So I gave up after 5 laps and soaked and sulked in the hot tub.

Weak sauce.  At least I'll be well-rested for tomorrow's boot camp.

Day 62

Jogged.

4.44 mi in 45 mins - 3.5 mi of jogging, .94mi walking.  Average speed 5.92mph.  This is slower than usual, but satisfactory in my mind.  My legs were a little sore from yesterday's squats, but not bad.

My heart still gets really high (>190bpm) when I'm jogging -- i wonder if that'll come down with time -- and I don't feel like I'm able to go a lot further.  Perhaps this is one of those plateaus I'll suddenly break through at some point.

Continuing to stretch -- another week or two and I bet I'll be able to touch my toes for the first time.  Pretty exciting!

Day 61

Lifted following a loose adaptation of my original routine:

• chest press: 2x35 lb dumbbells - sets of 12, 10, and 8.
• dead lift: 135lb - sets of 8,7,5
• stomach: about 40 situps and about 40 hanging leg lifts.
• squat: did 3 sets of 12 holding 2x25lb dumbbells.
• curls: did 3 sets of 12 with 2x25 lb dumbbells.
• overhead: 3 sets of 10, with 25, 15, and 10 lbs -- those are so hard!

then biked for 10 minutes with my heart at 160bpm, then stretched.

I am pleased -- it took a little over 45 mins, wasn't TOO strenuous (hopefully i won't be sore for days), but hit the big areas and places i need it (core & overhead).

*Edit:
I noticed a couple hours afterward that i feel good from exercising for the first time in a couple weeks.  Not just not sore, but actually good.

Day 60

Jogged (+walked) 3.7mi in 35 minutes.

I went easier today because I was still very sore from Friday's "Boot Camp" class.  Even so, the shorter time meant i spent a greater proportion jogging than usual, so my average speed was 6.4mph rather than 6.1.  I jogged around 2.5mi of the 3.7, and did the last 90 seconds of my last jogging stint at 9mph.

I am ambivalent regarding my exercise - on one hand i am extremely pleased with my vastly improved cardio performance and weight loss, but on the other am amazed at how sore i frequently am and how challenging i found friday's class.  I'll try to see it as a challenge to improve.

My weight loss is definitely noticeable -- I've dropped 2 belt notches and have gone beyond the "clothes fitting better" phase into the "clothes fitting worse" phase as they become looser.  I don't see significantly more muscular definition, but I can feel more of it as my fat recedes.  I wonder how long this can go on.

I wish I wanted to swim - I know it's good for me, and it was great when i was too sore to do anything else, but, alas, I still grin inwardly every time i walk past the pool and don't have to get in it.

Day 59

Did a fitness class called "Bootcamp"

It was a combination of strength and cardio - lots of jumping jacks and pushups and lunges and situps and knee-lifts and sideways trotting and other things whose names i don't know.  It was an hour long, comprehensive and VERY hard - I'd guess I probably only did a third of the reps he requested.

They do it every friday - I think I'll go back.

Day 58

Light Jogging.

I was still sore from Monday, and added soreness from Tuesday, so that this morning I was laughably debilitated.  I debated not doing anything, but the wife encouraged me to at least walk and stretch.

So I walked (and added a little jogging).  I went 2.5mi instead of 4.5, taking 24 minutes instead of 45, jogged 1.5mi instead of 3, on a 0 incline instead of 1, and burned 300 calories instead of 600.  Then I stretched.

The upshot is that i came out of exercising considerably more limber and spry than I went into it.