Reaching For A Different Me

Boo-yow

I think I'm going to start posting my workout log in this journal. I keep a log on paper, but it'd be nice to have it here for reference as well. Plus anyone who's reading this can either tell me what looks good and what doesn't.

Last night I did:

  • Dumbbell Squats* ===> 3x10 @ 80 lbs
  • Sumo Squats w/ Weight Bar ===> 3x10 @ 22 lbs
  • Dumbbell Military Presses ===> 3x10 @ 50 lbs
  • Dumbbell Straight-Leg Deads* ===> 3x10 @ 30 lbs (I'm still afraid to go higher)
  • Dumbbell Bent-Over Row* ===> 3x10 @ 50 lbs (on each arm)
  • Tricep Extensions ===> 3x10 @ 30 lbs (both arms simult.)
  • Crunches* ===> 3x10 @ 10 lbs
  • Supine Hamstring Curl (ball) ===> 3x10 @ ??????

* = Weight should probably be increased

I know I missed the chest. I was waiting for the bench to clear up and it never did.

On a side note: Does anybody know if it's possible to make an HTML table with these bulletin board formatting codes? I'd much prefer to make a table than a weird looking list.
 
Yesterday's Workout Log:

  • Dumbbell Squats ==========> 3 x 10 x 90 lbs
  • Sumo squats w/ Weight Bar ===> 2 x 10 x 22 lbs
  • Dumbbell Military Press=======> 3 x 10 x 50 lbs
  • Dumbbell Straight-Leg Dead ===> 3 x 10 x 40 lbs
  • Dumbbell Bent-Over Row =====> 3 x 10 x 50 lbs
  • Dumbbell Bench Press =======> 3 x 10 x 80 lbs
  • Crunches ===============> 3 x 15x 25 lbs

I upped the weight on some of these lifts. It was pretty intense for me. I got home from the gym and just crashed. Took an hour long nap after having skim milk and homemade chicken noodle soup.
 
My Lazy-Bones Routine

I know I'm not the only one who suffers from "blah" days every now and then.
Today was definitely one of them. I thought of tons of reasons why I really needed to skip the gym tonight....none of which were valid. In the end I told myself, just go do a light workout.... at least you'll be doing something.

So I went, and ended up doing a decent routine anyway, but I left out some of my standard lifts...not sure why. At the end, I was just said...screw it, I'm done.

Here was my routine today:

  • Dumbbell Squats ===========> 3 x 10 x 90 lbs
  • Dumbbell Straight-Leg Deadlift==> 3 x 10 x 40 lbs (nice and slow)
  • Lat (behind the head) Pulldown==> 3 x 10 x 87.5 lbs
  • Lat Pull-Down ==============> 3 x 10 x 75 lbs
  • Upright Row (resistance band & weight bar) ====== 3 x 15 x ?????

I left out dumbbell bench presses, bent-over rows, crunches. *sigh*
I just wasn't motivated today. I'm sure Wednesday will be better though.

I've also been contemplating throwing in some cardio.... since my goal right now is to lose the fat.
 
Mentally realizing the "reasons" for not going to the gym as "invalid" was terrific; just forcing yourself to the gym to get it started is sometimes all it takes. This can get the blood and heart pumping along to motivate one to complete the workout. WELL DONE. young man!


Peace and happiness to you!


Chillen
 
Thanks, Chillen !

I read a quote somewhere that "champions are made in the off-season"....or something similar. I just have to keep reminding myself that people who are committed keep going, even when they really don't feel like it.

I was proud of myself today -- a colleague took me out for lunch at CiCi's pizza. I bee-lined it for the salad and filled up as much as I could on lettuce and veggies, with water to drink. Then I treated myself to a little bit of pizza. In the past I would have had 3-4 plates of the greasy stuff...and of course, about 3 glasses of soda.
 
openczun said:
Thanks, Chillen !

I read a quote somewhere that "champions are made in the off-season"....or something similar. I just have to keep reminding myself that people who are committed keep going, even when they really don't feel like it.

I was proud of myself today -- a colleague took me out for lunch at CiCi's pizza. I bee-lined it for the salad and filled up as much as I could on lettuce and veggies, with water to drink. Then I treated myself to a little bit of pizza. In the past I would have had 3-4 plates of the greasy stuff...and of course, about 3 glasses of soda.
Click to expand...

That's correct!!!!! YES! Pull this feeling into your heart!

UH!

Stirring up the heart is always in the growing season.
You just have to give it a reason!

Lets this feeling FLY!

Remember this day. Remember the tools you used to make you go train. Most importantly, remember how you felt afterwards, baby!


YOU ROCK!


Chillen
 
Today was a good one for a few reasons ---
  1. My wife was having an night out with her friends, so I was pressed for time and consequently spent less time between sets.
  2. My workout on Monday wasn't that great, so I knew I had to make up for it
  3. Pretty girls were at the gym......before you laugh, it actually causes me to focus on my workout more intently. I'm a one woman man.

So here's what I did:
  • Jumping-Jacks. I always forget to list these (my warm-up)...100 fast-paced.
  • Dumbbell Squats =========> 3 x 10 x 90 lbs
  • Dumbbell Straight-Leg DL ===> 3 x 10 x 40 lbs (very slow movement)
  • Dumbbell Sumo Squat =======> 3 x 10 x 50 lbs (really slow lift)
  • Upright Rows (using resistance bands) ======> 3 x 10 x ???? (very slow movement)
  • Dumbbell Bench Press ===========>3 x 10 x 80 lbs (again, very slow movement)
  • Crunches ===================> 3 x 15 x 25 lbs
 
Hoooo, Dowgy!

Today's workout was a little different. I threw in some additional leg and buttock exercises to work my lower portion just a bit more. Wow. Here's what I did today:

  • Dumbbell Curls ======> 3 x 11 x 20 lbs (each arm)
  • Dumbbell Bench Press ==========> 3 x 10 x 80 lbs
  • Lateral Raise =========> 3 x 10 x 10 lbs
  • One-Dumbbell Front Raise ======> 3 x 10 x 20 lbs
  • Dumbbell Squats =========> 3 x 10 x 90 lbs
  • Dumbbell Straight-Leg Deadlift ======> 3 x 10 x 40 lbs
  • Dumbbell Bent-Over Rows========> 3 x 10 x 50 lbs (each side)
  • Abduction Machine ======> 4 x 10 x 70 lbs
  • Adduction Machine ======> 4 x 10 x 50 lbs

Needless to say, I was pretty dang tired, but pretty pumped when I was done. My hips are still going crazy, though
 
openczun said:
There's a certain excitement that comes with making a decision. Recently, I decided I was done being a couch potato, done ignoring my diet, and done not being able to perform daily tasks that require a little bit of strength. I decided to hit the gym and do it right.

...And as you can see from the images below, I n eed to hit the gym. :). This is my starting point. Hopefully someday I'll look back at these and say "wow".


I must admit, I was little overzealous when I began attempting to construct my workout. So props to the folks on the board who saved me from destroying myself.

I did the reformed workout tonight and it really tired me out. It generated a whole slew of questions though, for which I hope I can find answers. If not, I'll just ask around again.
Click to expand...

Hey mate :) welcome to the forums. By just looking at your pictures i can imagine you having a very nice physique ;) really cool journal name :D i will follow this one for sure.
 
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Thanks, you two.

The biggest challenge right now is schedule. It's crunch time at work (big project rollout = long hours). I'm still making time for my workouts though, especially because they provide bit of stress relief. I don't think it's a chemical thing though. I'm so tired when I get home that I don't give a flying crap about anything but sleeping and eating. ha ha.
 
Ok, here's the log from tonight. I got tired quickly tonight for some reason, so it was a struggle to finish the rows.

  • Dumbbell Squat ======> 3 x 11 x 90
  • Dumbbell Straight-Leg DeadLift ========> 3 x 10 x 40 lbs ( I wanted to go for 50 today, but the weights went missing)
  • Dumbbell Bench =======> 3 x 10 x 80 lbs
  • Single Dumbbell Front Raise =======> 3 x 10 x 25 lbs
  • Dumbbell Bent-Over Rows ==========> 3 x 8 x 50 lbs (each arm)
  • Crunches ===========> 3 x 10 x 25 lbs
  • Calf Raies ===============> 3 x 20 x 80 lbs

Some lifts are really tough to finish 3x10. Others aren't as bad -- still difficult, but not a struggle.

On another note:
I'm the last guy to be judgmental, but it's really easy to spot the guys in the gym who haven't fed their brains with knowledge before heading in there. I don't know everything, and I doubt I ever will. I just get a little smile and a bit more motivated when I'm in there because I look at some of these guys and say "Yep. I did that. That used to be me".

I guess an apt analogy would be it makes me feel like I've graduated kindergarten -- still a long way to go, but passed the first step.
 
Thanks. I do what I can to do things right. Obviously, that wasn't always the case.

Here's the routine from last night:

  • Dumbbell Squats ===================> 3 x 10 x 80 lbs
  • Dumbbell Straight-leg DeadLift ====> 3 x 10 x 50 lbs
  • Dumbbell Bench Press ==============> 3 x 10 x 80 lbs
  • Machine Rows ======================> 3 x 10 x 90 lbs
  • Single Dumbbell Tow-Handed Front Raise ====> 3 x 10 x 25 lbs
  • Crunches ==========================> 4 x 15 x 25 lbs

I didn't think the YMCA had the row machine, but I saw it hidden in the corner.

I also lowered the weight on my squat by 10 lbs because I wanted to go slowly and concentrate on my form....which, coincidently, looked pretty good.

I've come to the conclusion that I love the . It works my shoulders and upper pecs well AND works my stabilizing core too. If I bend my knees slightly, it also works my glutes and lower body a bit as well.

Nutritionally, I've been holding to my 1700-1800 calories per day pretty well.
Weekends make it easy because I don't have work interfering. For meals through the week, I've been eating a bowl of all-bran for breakfast, a homemade protein bar (got the recipe from this forum) for mid-morning snack, misc lean meat and carb for lunch 1, 5 oz tuna and baby spinach for lunch 2, and whatever my wife cooks for dinner, which usually is a lean meat and some veggies for me....and if there are enough calories for the day left, I have 2-3 tbsp of NPB as a dessert treat. And of course, between 60-80 oz water throughout the day.
 
I didn't make it to the gym yesterday and I won't get there today either. My body is fighting an illness right now and consequently I feel very weak.

Rest assured I will be there on Monday. Unless , of course, I'm dead.
 
Awful, Awful, Awful.

We battled illness in our house the last week. I haven't worked out since Friday. And since hardly anything would stay down (um...or in) I felt trying to count my calories was a futile effort. I finally feel better, but now I have to work overtime to make up for lost time.

So, I'm on a slippery slope right now. My enthusiasm for nutrition and exercise is waning, but not depleted. I am still reading the forums. Still reading articles from nutritiondata.com, t-nation, etc... to keep my head in it all. I'm making a pact with myself to get back to it on Monday (we'll be on the road most of the weekend)

This isn't a call for some encouragement, though. I know what I have to do. I will do it. If you want to throw some my way though, I'll gladly accept it. :D
 
OK, I'm Motivated Again

Originally, I was going to head back to the gym on Monday. Instead, I'm going back tomorrow morning !

I happened to be at the store this evening and tried on a pair of pants. My waist is two sizes smaller than when I started. I'm pumped. To be quite honest, I think I could have even gone an additional size lower.

So I'm definitely seeing some improvement over the last 1.5 months. It's enough to get me back sooner rather than later.
 
Hey openczun, many times it is hard to get back into the routine after something happens that knocks you out, even for a short period. Hang in there and get back at it and you will be able to accomplish everything you want. If you can get back into your routine after being out for a week with an illness, that is a huge step to your ultimate success. I want to see the workouts posted again. :)
 
Thanks for the encouragement, Drex. :)

Here's what I did Saturday. I was somewhat pressed for time, since we were going to be traveling. I also wasn't sure how my body would react if I did all the lifts I normally do, so I cut back a little.

  • Dumbbell Squat =========> 3 x 8 x 80 lbs
  • Dumbbell Straight-Leg DL===> 3 x 10 x 40 lbs
  • Dumbbell Bench =========> 3 x 9 x 80 lbs
  • Dumbbell Bent-Over Rows ===> 3 x 10 x 45 lbs (each arm)
  • Single-Dumbbell Front Raise ===> 3 x 8 x 25 lbs
  • Crunches ==============> 3 x 15 x 25 lbs

I did the SLDL ultra slow, and really felt it the rest of the weekend in my hamstrings.

It felt good to get back into it, really.
 
Giddyup.

Today's routine:

  • Dumbbell Squats =============> 3 x 10 x 90 lbs
  • Dumbbell Straight-Leg DL ========> 3 x 10 x 50 lbs
  • Dumbbell Bench ==============> 3 x 10 x 80 lbs
  • Machine Rows ================> 3 x 10 x 90 lbs
  • Single Dumbbell Front Raise ======> 3 x 8 x 25 lbs
  • Crunches ==================> 3 x 15 x 25 lbs

I noticed today that I had a lot more energy to complete my routine. I'm convinced I need to do some research on pre-workout eating. If I eat too little, I get light-headed and feel weak. If I eat too much, I feel like I'm going to throw up. There's got to be a happy medium.

Regardless, I'm happy to be back in the saddle again.
 
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Getting down is a part of human nature; getting back up is the true prize. You accomplished that my friend.

I don't see any cardio listed. Are you doing any?

As for eating, I do best when I eat 1 - 2 hours beforehand, but everyone is different so you need to experiment.
 
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