Finally at 152 again (see signature for the summary of my journey), back to where I was when I did my first Body for Life challenge a couple years ago.

I love lifting, and for the life of me can't figure out why I don't do it more regularly. So maybe a public journal will help.

For the record, this will be Body for Life, but not a formal challenge (or perhaps . . .). I will be using both my Bowflex and free weights. The reps will be in sets of 12, 10, 8, 6, 12. Weights will start low and increase with each set, but go down one level for the final set of 12. Typical BFL.

I am planning on lifting on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and cardio on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and rest on Sunday.

Feel free to give me a swift kick in the butt if I don't check in on a regular basis.

So, here goes.

Bowflex: 30, 40, 50, 60, 50

Chest: Bench press
Triceps: Triceps press
Chest: Flyes
Back: Standing lat pulldowns (wide arm)
Back: Sitting lat pulldowns (close grip)

Free weights

Biceps: Bicep curls (each dumbbell): 5, 8, 10, 12, 10
Back: Dumbbell pullovers (total weight): 10, 12, 15, 20
Shoulders: Standing rows (each dumbbell): 5, 7, 10, 12, 10

(Hey, guys! What am I forgetting?)

Edited to add shoulder presses. Thanks, Galadriell!

Something for the shoulders maybe?

I like the title of your gym log, and I like your spirit . Congrat for the weight loss. I am sure that you will forget about size 10 very soon from this training program.

Oh yea. Shoulders. Give me a second and I'll run up and do a routine, just to get it in today.

What do you do for shoulders other than just presses?

I prefer standing lateral raises, seated bent-over lateral raises and my favorite: Arnold presses.

" Give me a second and I'll run up and do a routine, just to get it in today. " - I like this fast reaction .

Standing lateral raises: http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises...teralRaise.html

Seated bent-over lateral raises: Can't find this one; can you describe it?

Arnold presses: Can't find this one; can you describe it?

Geez. I forgot all about the "rows" for shoulders. I hate the shoulder presses. Not comfortable for my body, for some reason. I think I'll switch and do dumbbell rows next time: http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises...UprightRow.html

And thanks for the pep talk. This is great fun when you have someone to share with.

Tomorrow will be cardio, and then lower body on Saturday. I'll have to think about what I want to do for lower body. Definitely quad extensions and hamstring curls. Some step ups or lunges (probably the former). And some calf raises with dumbbells. Oh, and abs. Hate crunches, but I have a number of other ab exercises I do.

Thanks again for your support.

Hi, Peg! Things have been a little up in the air lately, so I haven't been posting much. Things are looking decidedly up lately, and I'm feeling like getting back into the swing of things.

good luck I will keep and eye on your log

Hi there Bawdy Wench, I was wondering what happened to you and so I asked Dana and she said you were sticking to the journal. It's good to have you back. I can see you are doing great. Keep lifting those weights. Peg

Ireland? I'm sooooo jealous (turning *green* so to speak!) Sounds like you had a great time. Welcome back to the fold of eating well and exercising!

Thanks, Spud! We had a glorious time. It was our second trip there, and it was every bit as magical (if not more so) than the first time. I'll be posting stories, etc. in my journal, if you're interested.

Thanks - I'm looking forward to reading it. I'll have to venture over that way some day - it sounds very endearing.

Hello, again! It's been "only" almost 11 years since I last posted in my Gym Log.

In those years, I had a full knee replacement in one knee, and then just last year I shredded my meniscus in the other knee and had surgery to clean it up. Still not back 100%.

Both those events took a toll on my activity level. I'm now 61, and feeling lousy. My weight is WAY up, thanks to menopause primarily (I gained almost 50 pounds in 18 months after my last period), but also to being too lax about things. I did get down to the 160s in 2011 using hcg, which has been the ONLY thing that will get the weight off ... which is why I've decided to do it again (details in my journal).

The plan I'm doing advocates exercise, whereas the original plan by Dr. Simeons said absolutely no exercise. The calories are a bit higher on this plan (550 - 750, the higher end being on days you exercise) and you are allowed more protein, which would definitely support the workouts.

I do yoga usually twice a week (sometimes 3 times), but because of my knees I can't do anything even resembling strenuous. Still, I credit the yoga with getting me as far as I am.

When I had my knee replacement, they said I could expect only 115 to 120 degrees of flexion in that knee. I did a Google search on the replacement unit I had, and it said it supports up to 150 degrees of flexion. I told my surgeon and physical therapists that 150 was my goal. They laughed hysterically. The laugh was on them, though, because due to the yoga, I was able to get to 140+ degrees. They were stunned. So was I, as a matter of fact, but then I put my mind to it and made it happen.

So it's time to make things happen again. I'm feeling way too old in my body, and yet very young in my brain. I want those two feelings to get closer together.

When I started the hcg round in 2011, I was at the same weight I'm at now, except I'm carrying much more fat now, meaning I've lost significant muscle. The only way to get that back is to start working out again.

This is going to be very hard for me, so if anyone feels up to it, I'd really appreciate some support. I find I need accountability, so this is it. I need to make the commitment. TODAY.

Hey, BawdyWench! Welcome back to your workouts! I'm happy to support you in that. I don't keep a workout log on this site, but I have little notebooks going back years and years. Even though I've had a few lapses, for the most part I've been more faithful to working out than to diet, and I credit keeping fit with staving off "old age" pretty well so far. (Turning 70 this year.)

What's your plan?

I'll say you're staving off "old age" pretty well. You look AMAZING!!!

I have to be careful of my knees, so I'm starting off slow, in a Body for Life kind of workout. Here's the plan:

Day 1: upper body
Day 2: HIIT
Day 3: lower body
Day 4: HITT
Day 5: upper body
Day 6: HIIT
Day 7: rest

The next week you start out with lower body, so you're only working upper or lower body twice in a week.

It's pyramid approach. You do 12 reps, then 10 reps, then 8 reps, then 6 reps, and back to 12. You start with light weights and progress with each set. Today I worked the upper body with free weights at 3 lbs, 5, 8, and 10.

Chest press
Tricep dips (lying on bench)
Flyes
Pullovers (2 dumbbells in one hand, lower over head behind you; you're lying down)
Bicep curls
Arnolds
Standing rows
Bent-over rows

Then with the Bowflex I did a couple versions of lat pulldowns.

I don't know the real names for the things I do, but I know they're "real" moves.

Then I did just a half mile on the treadmill, incline of 2, at 2.8 mph ... about 15 minutes. I used to love to walk and walk and walk and walk. Now the medial meniscus on both knees really hurts when I do. I don't even know if I still have a medial meniscus on my replaced knee. I shredded it on my left knee, so it's no wonder it hurts. I'm going to have to take the HIIT/cardio very slowly.

My plan is to do either HIIT or, if that's too hard on my knees, just steady-state cardio and alternate it from the recumbent bike, the treadmill, and the elliptical.

I'm very lucky in that I all have this equipment (and more) in our basement. I also have a ballet barre, a Total Gym, and some gimmicky other things. Plus floor mats, yoga equipment (blocks and straps), a large ball, etc.

If only I'd use it ...

Well, I'm starting to now!

Well, thanks--but keep in mind that my avatar is an old picture! My gallery has some newer ones, with the facial wrinkles in fuzzy focus. Wish I could get guns like that again, but surface chubbiness is hard to fight at this age.

Your workout program sounds entirely too ambitious! Don't burn out. I have never liked HIIT, and think it's way too hard on knees, heart, and other good but older body parts. Walking, a little light aerobics/step, or some movement incorporated into light weight workout is plenty for me. I had the Body for Life book once upon a time, but...too strenuous for me even ten years ago.

I love my little workout space in the basement. I put down a couple of gym-style rubber mats that I bought online. I've got hand weights 3,5,8,10, and my favorite thing: a padded 15lb. bar. Used to use it for Body Pump. It's nice for warm-ups and lighter days. I also have a barbell I can load to a lot more than I'll ever lift. I use it for squats on days I'm feeling ambitious. I've got a step, a treadmill DH brought with him, and best of all, a tv and DVD player. I've got a whole shelf of great video workouts to suit the mood or the time frame.

I used to do a lot of Cathe Freidrich--pretty heavy. That's where I got those biceps in the picture. I weighed about 135 at the time. Still, I'm pleased that I do not have batwings to this day, and I work those triceps hard whether I feel like it or not.

Nice to have a Bowflex! I picked up a mini-tramp at a garage sale, but I don't use it much. Considered getting a ball, but decided it isn't worth the space. For years, I sat on a ball at my desk at work. Naturally people thought I was eccentric, and that was part of the appeal.

Best wishes with your workout plans!