I am owning up to a "skip day" of sorts. I just posted in my regular journal about spending 1 1/2 hours earlier today shoveling the heaviest now we've seen in ages (wet and packed from freezing rain and driving) in order to clear our driveway. It was a mix of cardio, heavy lifting, and core stabilization and because I have a major work/business deadline to attend to, I need to use it as my "gym substitute". I'm trying not to feel guilty but it's already 3:30pm and I still have "miles to go before I sleep" for this album design to get done. What was that crap about "life balance" I've been spewing all week? ROFL


ETA (Sunday): My right bicep is groaning at me quite a bit, which suggests I had a helluva workout shoveling yesterday. I've decided to officially ignore any feelings of guilt!

It was back at the gym again for me today and it felt good to be there! I noticed that my breakfast was a little lean today and I think I felt it a bit. I'm sure I was tired from the weekend too, though I got through the workout just fine. Another observation I've made - and a possible reason for my struggles today -- is that my trainer is now so impressed with me that I think his expectations (or rather, challenges) are a good bit greater than they were before...so he's giving me things to do where I struggle a lot more and sometimes...*gasp* FAIL! Ok, that's a wee bit harsh, but honestly I do push myself hard and I think it's good for me to see my limitations but also try as I go, because next time I just might be able to do it!

I had a funny thing happen today. As I was on the stability ball I tipped right over backwards and landed on my head and shoulders kicking my feet over my head. My trainer was in a panic but I was FINE. I am convinced it's because of my strength and body awareness. I'm not afraid of falling and toppling...I did years of martial arts, getting battered and bruised and learning how to fall. So no harm, no foul. But it was kinda bizarre!

Two great moments for me...was when I was doing those crunches on the ball my trainer was looking at me and said I was "wasting away". I laughed. It felt good that he's noticing so much since we work together every week. The scale has dropped 8 pounds since I started working with him, but he's convinced that I look like I've dropped much more. The other great moment for me today was how impressed he was at the weight I was moving. To be sure I FOUGHT for some of the last reps on these...but he was still very impressed, especially with regard to my chest press work.

We didn't have my sheet there today so we had to wing my weights, and used a sliding scale approach...warm-up, add more, add more, add more. I think I managed to meet or beat my weights from the last time. I indicated the range where I could, but in some cases just showed the max weight I did for at least the last set.


Warm-up: 10 minutes elliptical

Abs/Core


Plank with forearms on stability ball and feet on BOSU call - holding for 45 second, 2 sets - 1 set for 30.

Long-lever Crunches ON stability ball WITH blue medicine call [modified with back bend stretch to floor, touching medicine ball to floor] - 25 reps, 2 sets

Bicycles - 50 reps (25 each leg), 2 sets [great form all through]

Push-ups, regular - 10 at the end, on my own (not trainer suggested)


Heavy weight set

Chest Press - Incline (chest/shoulders) - warm-up set (10#) and 3 sets of 8 (30# each side added first full set, 35# each side added last two sets) [Machine base weight is 10# - TOTAL MAX WEIGHT FOR DAY=90#]

Iso-lateral row (back) - warm-up set (45 each side added) and 3 sets of 8 (55/60 each side added) [Machine base weight is 24# - TOTAL MAX. WEIGHT=144#)

Iso-lateral shoulder press (shoulders) - warm-up set(10# each side added) and 3 sets of 8 (35# each side added) [Machine base weight is 10# - TOTAL MAX WEIGHT=90#)

Squat (legs) - warm-up set (25# each side added) and 3 sets of 8 (up to 70# each side added) [Machine base weight is 75# - TOTAL MAX WEIGHT=215#)

Leg Extension (legs/quads) - warm-up set (35#) and 3 sets of 8 (65#/70#/75#)

Prone Leg Curl (legs/hamstrings) - warm-up set (30#) and 3 sets of 8 (40#/45#/50#)

Pull-up - modified/assisted on machine - next level up, 3 sets of 8 (new level of difficulty from last week, reps increased)


Cardio: 45 minutes elliptical, heartrate average 140+ with random intervals

Wow - you're strong! You're doing so well, Lisa. Keep it up!

Well, it serves me right for partying last night because I felt it at the gym today! UGH!!!! Ok, well maybe it wasn't that bad. I still did "well" but it was a struggle. I have this habit of being very willing to own up to my transgressions, so I think it's important to note that I was also VERY sore and tired from my challenging workout on Monday. I struggled on the upper body especially...wimping out on the last few reps of the last set on the shoulder press and inclince chest, but otherwise I still held my own.

In my defense, it IS possible I need more than one day of rest for this particularly heavy workout. I am considering going back on Saturday to see if it helps.

I decided to forgo cardio today and will take care of that tomorrow or possibly Friday, with the idea of going back to the gym on Saturday.

Warm-up: 5 minutes elliptical

Abs/Core


Plank with forearms on stability ball and feet on BOSU call - holding for 45 second, 3 sets.

"Leg lift" crunches (with pelvic tilt - holding bar - feet don't touch floor) - 15 reps, 3 sets

Bridge with feet on stability ball - in motion (pulling feet back, bending knees, and contracting glutes and hamstrings) - 10 reps, 3 sets

Bicycles - 40 reps (20 each leg), 3 sets

Push-ups, regular - 10 at the beginning


Heavy weight set

Chest Press - Incline (chest/shoulders) - warm-up set (10#) and 3 sets of 8 (worked up to 40# each side) [Machine base weight is 10# - TOTAL MAX WEIGHT=90#]

Iso-lateral row (back) - warm-up set (45# each side) and 3 sets of 8 (worked up to 60# each side) [Machine base weight is 24# - TOTAL MAX. WEIGHT=144#]

Iso-lateral shoulder press (shoulders) - warm-up set(10# each side) and 3 sets of 8 (worked up to 35# each side) [Machine base weight is 10# - TOTAL MAX WEIGHT=90#)

Squat (legs) - warm-up set (25# each side) and 3 sets of 8 (worked up to 70# each side) [Machine base weight is 75# - TOTAL MAX WEIGHT=215#)

Leg Extension (legs/quads) - warm-up set (35#) and 3 sets of 8 (60#/65#/70#)

Prone Leg Curl (legs/hamstrings) - warm-up set (30#) and 3 sets of 8 (40#/45#/50#)

Pull-up - modified/assisted on machine - next level up, 3 sets of 8 (new level of difficulty from last week, reps increased)

I'm honestly starting to wonder if it was the partying on Tuesday or if I was just wiped for other reasons...female stuff, stress, etc. It's hard to say but whatever the reason I've been forced to 'listen to my body' this week...like I lecture everyone else to do! I did abs and heavy weights on Wednesday and took the last two days off, but today I really felt I needed to go back to the gym and do SOMETHING. So I took my trainer's advice and just did abs/core and cardio. What's interesting is that while I struggled because I'm so tired, I still did really well with abs and push-ups. The cardio was just medium to high heartrate, but also pretty good. I'm pleased with myself for getting through it but not doing too much. I'm still sore in certain spots so I was happy to keep it focused but light.

Abs/Core

Long-lever Crunches ON stability ball WITH blue medicine ball [extra stretch back] - 20 reps, 3 sets

Plank with forearms on stability ball - holding for 45 second, 3 sets.

"Leg lift" crunches (with pelvic tilt - holding bar - feet don't touch floor) - 20 reps, 3 sets

Bridge with feet on stability ball - in motion (pulling feet back, bending knees, and contracting glutes and hamstrings) - 10 reps, 3 sets

Inchworm - 4 sets, holding stretch/plank for 15 count

Push-ups, regular - 10, 3 sets alternating in-between leg lifts


Cardio

45 minutes - elliptical/arc trainer - medium to high heartrate

Wow! As if I didn't feel run-down enough, my trainer absolutely kicked my a$$ today. OMG I told him I was tired and he pushed and pushed. It was wild. It really told me what I'm made of (the material is called "pansy" LOL). Afterwards I made him write it all down for me so I could keep track of it and he says "oh did we do all this today? Wow, that's a lot!" DUH! Thank you, Captain Obvious! Anyhow, today focused on new techniques and back to some explosive high heartrate work, which is fine with me. I thought we had 2 sessions left, but he said we'd make it 3 so that's awesome. I have a few more weeks to keep focused and really strengthen and slim myself, which is great. And it's not to say I won't continue on well...with tons of ideas...but there is something about working with a trainer and I do hope to do so again in the future if we can find a way to afford it.

Here is what I did today...some quantities are unknown because I just did what the trainer told me to do and for how long he said. He explained later that when I go back I wouldn't do this whole set. Praise Jesus! (Sorry, no offense intended) Because I just couldn't do this again!

Abs/Core

Side Plank (bent arm) with feet on BOSU ball - 30 seconds, 2 sets each side

Oblique crunch - leg stretch and touch, multiple sets, trainer counted

L-shaped crunch with medicine ball - 2 x 25

Superman on BOSU ball - 1 minute, 3 sets

Resistance

Squat jump on step (2 risers) - 30 seconds, 2 sets

Switch foot on medicine ball - 45 seconds, 3 sets

Push-ups using step, alternating hand position (one hand on floor and one on step - walk hand up and other over to switch) - about 6 push-ups each time, give or take, 3 sets

Single leg squat jumps - seemed endless!

"Matrix" - side lunge with shoulder press and forward lunge with shoulder (with #15 total weight)

Jump lunge - at least 10 jumps, 3 sets (goal=15)

Inverted push-ups - hanging from Nautilus - 8, 3 sets

Squat reach with medicine ball, upper position on toes, 15, 3 sets


Cardio

Treadmill 30 minutes, 3-4 mph, high incline, heartrate 140+

For the record I am suffering for the effort put forth yesterday! It was actually difficult for me to go up and down the stairs this morning. <groan> I'm trying to keep moving and keep positive. The funniest thing was my trainer saying I didn't have to do ALL of this next time...uh yeah...riiiight...like I would've attempted that! NOT! LOL Ah well, just like the last time he made me do heartrate pounding work, I am once again humbled...

I'm still suffering today from Monday's workout. I've been "walking funny" which makes me laugh everytime I say it but it hasn't been quite as funny since I've been so busy at home and it's not fun for it to be painful to go up and down steps! Yikes!

Today I dragged my sorry, overly tired, begruding a$$ to the gym. I know that's NOT like me at all, but with being that sore and still being so tired (can't remember being this tired and it's still lingering from last week) going to do a hard workout was really the last thing I wanted to do. So I made a deal with myself, that any kind of workout was better than none at all. And I went. And I did abs/core and some cardio. And it was pathetic. BUT, I did it. That's got to count for something, right?

Here is what I managed to accomplish:


Abs/Core

Plank with upper body on BOSU ball - 45 seconds, 3 sets

Side Plank (bent arm) with feet on BOSU ball - 30 seconds, 2 sets each side

Leg-lift crunch - 15, 1 set

Oblique crunch - leg stretch and touch, 15 each side, 1 set

L-shaped crunch with medicine ball - 3 x 15

Push-ups - 10, 1 set

Cardio

Elliptical 40 minutes, varied resistance, heartrate 120-ish (legs too sore to do more)

I'm so wiped I've decided to take a bit more time than usual off from the gym. I will return on Monday, but until that time will only be midly active at home.

I'm gonna get this right one way or the other....I was losing the weight on Atkins but I guess I was doing it wrong because I got blasted from another group of folks and they're not as impress with my fat lost but after talking with the diet lady and understand what I was trying to do with my limited knowledge.....needless to say I understand more now and will be reading and studying more soon enough at the college, I've decided that I need to learn more for my kids as well as myself so we can all remain healthy for along time to come.
Hope you are feeling better! I have more aches and pains in places I didn't know where there from this pass week. Six of us guys "along with our women" got the barn up and partial sealed this past week. We got the electricity ran and inspected and the power turned on.
Then this weekend we rode four wheelers and barbecue and just enjoyed the peace and quite for a change. I'm gonna really love living up there!
I'm gonna head off to check the mail and get Gabe out of the house for awhile. Have a wonderful day and thanks for coming by to check on me!
Ron

Today I went to the gym to meet my trainer and actually started to cry in the locker room, I was so scared to work out. That's how tired and stressed I've been feeling. Weird, right? I've been an emotional wreck, lately. But I told my trainer and he came up with a great workout. It was amazing, really. It was enough to be really tough but yet it did "kill" me like last time. Instead is was "just right" I guess is the best way I can describe it. It was also very unique. I'll do my best to describe it...

Warm-up
5 minutes elliptical

Resistance/Core

Rolling push-ups on stability ball:
Tummy on ball, walk hands out (ala wheelbarrow style) until feet are on ball, do push-up, pull ball in with feet (for a reverse crunch), then walk back. Repeat many times. 3 total sets.

Push-up alternate weight lifts:
Push-up position on 5# weights, shift weight and lift one weight, pulling weight up to chest. Switch. Repeat many times (Approx. 8-10) 3 total sets

Squat with overhead press - 12.5# weights 3 total sets (alternating with above sequence)

Squat with overhead press - using weight bar and toning cord (handle around bar for resistance). 3 sets of 15

Pull - using weight bar and toning cord (handles around bar for resistance). 3 sets of 15

Nautilus - 35# - reverse lunge pull back, 2 sets of 15, alternating feet
Nautilus - 35# - press, forward stance, 2 sets 15, alternating feet with no pause, 1 standard set of 15
Nautilus - 20# - flies, 3 sets 15

Planks - 3 sets, 1-minute holds. (This was the last part of the workout - I nearly died but I did it!)

Cardio
30 minutes elliptical to complete today's workout.

Well, I made it back to the gym today for #2 of the week and was feeling a LOT of relief to finally know what was going on with my body. If I'm to be honest, I guess I was concerned (when I didn't quite know) if I could do something "wrong". Knowing I'd be fine today, I managed through a nearly identical workout to last time and was pleased with myself. I struggled with a couple things (like the squat/overhead press with the toning cord) but I made it through. I did skip cardio not only to give myself a break but also because my Mom was waiting for me. I'll head back tomorrow for that.

The details of the day...

Warm-up
10 minutes elliptical

Resistance/Core

Rolling push-ups on stability ball:
Tummy on ball, walk hands out (ala wheelbarrow style) until feet are on ball, do push-up, pull ball in with feet (for a reverse crunch), then walk back. 5 reps, 3 sets.

Push-up alternate weight lifts:
Push-up position on 5# weights, shift weight and lift one weight, pulling weight up to chest. Switch. 20 count (10 each arm) 3 total sets

Squat with overhead press - 12.5# weights (2) 3 total sets (alternating with above sequence)

Squat with overhead press - using weight bar and toning cord (handle around bar for resistance). 3 sets of 15

Pull - using weight bar and toning cord (handles around bar for resistance). 3 sets of 15

Nautilus - 35# - reverse lunge pull back, 3 sets of 16, alternating feet
Nautilus - 20# - press, forward lunge, 3 sets 16, alternating feet
Nautilus - 20# - flies, 3 sets 15

Inchworm - 4 (Hold at low position for count of 10)

Planks - 3 reps, 1-minute holds. (I did it again! It didn't seem quite as hard as the last time, though it was still really tough. It might've been better for me because I count slower and check the clock and make a minute faster than I realize. I still can't believe I held these for so long!!!)

I went back to the gym today and did my cardio...

30 minutes on the treadmill, 10 warm-up, 10 intervals, and 10 staying warm and fast into a cool-down. The intervals were about 5 of running for about 1 1/2 minutes (better time than before when I could only do 30-60 seconds). I'm going to keep playing with intervals as I believe they are really the key to effective cardio.

Sunday

Well, somewhere in-between church and plans for a birthday dinner for Mom I managed to sneak out of the house and do a complete gym workout. I skipped a couple things my trainer showed me this week and made up my own routine, and I also saved time by doing interval training on the elliptical. I felt like although it wasn't AS challenging a workout as I have done, it was still a really good one, so I was pleased with the results. The combination worked out well since I pushed hard with HIIT at the end today.

Warm-up
10 minutes elliptical

Resistance/Core

Rolling push-ups on stability ball:
Tummy on ball, walk hands out (ala wheelbarrow style) until feet are on ball, do push-up, pull ball in with feet (for a reverse crunch), then walk back. 5 reps, 2 sets

L-shaped crunch with medicine ball - 25 reps, 2 sets

Long-lever Crunches ON stability ball WITH blue medicine ball - 25 reps, 2 sets

Crunches WITH stability ball - 25 reps, 2 set

Push-ups - 10, 1 set

Nautilus - 35# - reverse lunge pull back, 3 sets of 16, alternating feet
Nautilus - 20# - press, forward lunge, 3 sets 16, alternating feet
Nautilus - 20# - flies, 3 sets 15

Cardio

30 minutes elliptical, 10 warm-up with increased intensity, 10 minutes of intervals, and 10 cool-down.

Today was my second to last day with my trainer and I have to tell you that I'm going to miss this a LOT. I'm hoping that I can carry myself through when I'm on my own. My trainer is giving me an extra session next week for free and promised me that we'd write all sorts of things down and he'd give me guidance on variations of workouts to do by myself. Basically I know it'll be a few weeks of stability-related resistance, then heavy weights, then explosive. The great thing is that I've written it all down (in Word documents and in my gym log) so I just need the guidance from him on how to mix and match.

We had another unique workout today...one of those where we did a variety of things and when we sat down for me to write it all out, we were impressed!

Advice given - While my trainer appreciates my enthusiasm, he cautioned me not to push myself so hard all the time. For example, when I was doing bar/BOSU push-ups he called for 8 and I did an extra. He said it's great that I'm always trying to improve, but sometimes I need to hold back and give my body a chance to catch up. It was a point well taken.

Compliment moment - At one point my trainer went around a piece of Nautilus equipment and said he actually "lost" me visually. ROFL The best part of that compliment is that I was wearing a bright MAGENTA outfit, so it's pretty damn hard to lose sight of me at the gym!

Warm-up
10 minutes treadmill

Core

Rolling push-ups on stability ball:
Tummy on ball, walk hands out (ala wheelbarrow style) until feet are on ball, do push-up, pull ball in with feet (for a reverse crunch), then walk back. 5 reps, 1 sets

Leg lift crunches - 15 reps, 3 sets

Bridge with feet on stability ball - in motion (pulling feet back, bending knees, and contracting glutes and hamstrings) - 10 reps, 2 sets

Plank with forearms on stability ball and feet on BOSU ball, ONE LEG hold for 30 seconds (1 set each leg...couldn't keep the left leg for the whole time but fought 3 times for it!)

Resistance

Nautilus - reverse push-ups (hanging and pulling up) 2 sets of 8
Nautilus - 20# - lat pulls, 4 sets alternating position (1 lat standing, 1 reverse lat sitting, 2 rows kneeling)
Nautilus - 20# - flies, 2 sets 15
Nautilus - 5# - reverse flies, 2 sets 15

Jump squat with hand weights (5# each) - 2 sets of 5-10 or so (these KILLED ME)

Push-up alternate weight lifts:
Push-up position on 7.5# weights, shift weight and lift one weight, pulling weight up to chest. Switch. 10 count (10 each arm) 2 sets

Walking lunge with medicine ball and upper torso rotation - 2 lengths of gym floor (4 rows of equipment)

Side lunge with overhead press, 7.5# each hand - 2 sets of 15

Forward lunge on BOSU ball - 1 set with 7.5# handweights and side lat raise, 1 set just lunges (for better form)

Push-ups on weight bar balanced on BOSU ball - 2 sets of 8

Cardio

25 minutes arc trainer, 10 warm-up with increased intensity, 10 minutes of intervals, and 5 cool-down.