The Journal - here goes post number 2

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WalterJ

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Over the years I have let myself get into pretty bad shape (6’ and 270lbs) and I am looking to rectify that. Also over the years I have amassed quite a collection of exercise equipment that sits in my basement collecting dust.

Weight Bench (I actually use to use this a lot and as recently as 4 years ago)
Free Weights: Barbell and dumbbell
A weight machine with cables and plates that I really want to get rid of
A Weight machine that works on resistance via electricity… I think
A Total Gym
A chin up/Dip/Push up station
2 stationary bikes, 1 I really need to get rid of
A Bowflex
A treadmill, the newest acquisition just this past year.
2 heavy bags

Now I recently started a short routine that I got form Men’s Health that consists of 9 different exercises on 3 different days that are basically low weight and high rep. I did this because 4 years ago I decided to jump right back into training with both feet and injured myself. I tore a ligament in my elbow and strained my back. Apparently I thought I could do the same strength routine I did before I hurt my back about 3 years prior to that. I also found out I was wrong so I decided this time to start a bit slower and so far so good.

25 reps
Bench Press – using the bowflex
Chin up – using the bowflex
Dead Lift – Using a barbell

40 reps
Dumbbell single-arm shoulder press
Dumbbell single-arm row
Dumbbell lunge or step-up

15 reps
Barbell bent-over row – Using a barbell
Dip – currently using 2 chairs
Squat – using dumbbells

All are being done with light weight and I am a bit embarrassed to even say how light. Not that I was ever a power lifter but for example old days the Dead Lift was 175lbs today I am only working with 50lbs. I can see though that if I keep this up that the Bowflex will need to be replaced by free weights. It is a nice machine, although in retrospect to expensive, but it is simply not as good as free weights in my uneducated opinion

Now I am trying to figure out how to incorporate the treadmill and/or a stationary bike. My only issue here is time. I need to do everything in the morning before work which translates to about 6:00am and I have only to about 6:45am. The evenings are by far much more sporadic with helping my wife with the kids and getting those things done around the house that need to be done. I have however signed up for a taiji class one night a week.

So this is where I am at right now. I also know I need to look into eating better as well and I am looking into a few books on that.
 
Got waylaid by illness and had to stop everything
First got laryngitis and then gastroenteritis.

But today (02/02) I am back on track for an out of shape old guy.

Got up at 5:30 did 40 crunches and 3 whole leg raises and then started Tony Horton's 10 minute trainer and I survived the 10 minutes of cardio and I am tired but I am feeling pretty good otherwise.
 
kittyhartman26 said:
Sorry to hear you got sick, but at least you're back now! Good job so far and good luck on everything!
Click to expand...

Thanks



Well Day 2 of the 10 minute trainer - Total Body

I made it through fine but to be honest I did not like it much. It looked good when I watched it but doing it I was not as impressed. Could be I could not keep up with parts of it (to fast) but to be honest it seems to me that he is trying to fit to much in for the time allotted. 10 minutes for total body, IMO, is to fast and does not focus on anyone part enough to make it woth much.

I was pleased with the cardio and the yoga is tomorrow so I will see how that goes but the Total Body was a bit of a disappointment to me.
 
Walter, I am sure you have already read the stickies, but the best, safest, sure way to lose weight is a 3-pronged approach in equal importance:

1. Cardio - get that heart rate up to at least 70% of your maximum heart rate (assume 220 - your age as your max heart rate) for at least 20 minutes, 30 minutes is better. For calorie burning and heart health.

2. Weights - this creates EPOC (excessive post-exercise oxygen consumption) to speed up your metabolism and increase strength.

3. Control your diet. Eat less than you burn. Go on , register, and log your diets.

45 well planned minutes / day will get you in shape.
 
Just a bit of clarification

First I am not putting every last single thing I do in this journal I am just tracking the 10 minute trainer because that is the thing I am most likely to stop if I don't.

I am in what I would call horrible shape 6 foot 266 lbs and I am working my way back into a good workout program. I could stay in my recliner napping or I could start light and work my way back, I chose to work my way back.

This is just a journal to keep me going.

Am I dieting? Yes

Am I going for walks during the day at work? Yes about 20 to 30 minutes worth between 4 and 5 days a week

The 10 minute trainer is an addition to what I was doing.

Also time is am issue, I don't have much to spare these days and I am doing what I can do to fit this in and so far that means 5:30AM.

I did have a rather strenuous workout plan 20 years ago before a major injury and I am certain that if I return to that in my present condition I will re-injure myself. Been there done that (a bit less than 10 years ago) do not want to do it again .

I do realize that 10 minutes a day will not get one back into shape if they are doing absolutely nothing else. However I am looking for a way to work myself harder and yesterday the cardio did just that. However today’s total body, although I could not keep up with it in places, I feel did not do as good a job as the cardio. It is to fast and spend too little time on the exercises. Tomorrow is Yoga and I will see how I feel about that. I also did yoga, briefly, several years ago but it was aggravation the ole back so I stopped.

Thanks
 
Well today was Yoga Flex from teh 10 minute trainer. I did like it much better than total body but again I think it is a bit to fast but that is I guess to be expected since he is trying to fit it into 10 minutes. And it did not hurt my back so that is a good thing.

Tomorrow it is back to Cardio
 
Well I was not to happy with myself at first but I’m ok now.

I did not do the Cardio of the 10 minute trainer today. I got up and my right knee was rather sore so I did not do the routine since it has a bit of hopping and jumping in it. I was going to so it anyway at first but I then th9ought that was the attitude that got me hurt the last time I tried to workout and loose weight.

So…. I went to my living room and sat there for a minute and then thought…HEY there are some things I can do

So I did 80 crunches 10 full sit-ups and 10 leg raises

I wish I could say I did 15 good pushups but if I am being honest here I did about 5 good ones 5 not so good and then 5 bent leg.

I then thought you know there were some things I use to do back when I trained martial arts so I did 10 per kick per leg slow round house and crescent kicks over a target set at waist high. I then did some leg kick stretching, kind of like a goose step and then I got brave and did 12 front snap kicks per leg. And then some target drills, slow with hand strikes and then I got even braver and went into a horse stance and did some strike training and that is when the knee said enough…so I stopped. But it felt mighty good to do that stuff again.

So I did actually work out


On the way into work today this all got me thinking to back when I did actually train before the injuries. I was of course MUCH younger, worked second shift, was not married and had no children and had nothing but time during the day so I worked out about 2 hours a day strength one day cardio the next day for about 5 to 6 days a week. And every day was Martial arts training, forms, kicks, strikes, etc. I was doing about 150 kicks per day and an a whole lot of hand strikes on a heavy bag.

Now today I am pretty sure that workout would but me in the hospital but it made me remember how much I did not like an exercise program for exercise sake. Nothing wrong with it but it just was not for me. I tried an aerobics class and hated it I went to a gym for a bit and simply couldn’t stand it and I realized then (but had forgotten until today) how much I needed a goal to be focusing on. In the case then it was being better at martial arts. This leads me to something that has been bugging me since a member of my family gave me the 10 minute trainer. It is, to me, exercise simply for the sake of exercise. I do think it is a good program (but to be honest 10 minutes is not enough) but I do believe if I focus on this I am setting myself up for failure. Yes I do want to be in better shape and yes I do want to be around for my wife and kids for some time to come and yes I do want to get back into training Martial Arts but getting up at 5:30 and going to my basement and blindly following a workout routine on a DVD is just not something I have ever been a big fan of for me. So I think I need to rethink this and change my focus a bit.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not giving up or stopping but I might just see if I can find the work out I did years ago and simplify it a bit…ok a lot…. And go from there.
 
Well no entry yesterday because I didn’t do anything yesterday but think about this process and go for a ½ hour walk. That of course was followed by a senior moment and a memory of back when I tried this before and over did it and reinjured myself. I bought Power90 back then but never got a chance to use it and it has been sitting in my DVD collection collecting dust for years and I forgot all about it…damn… I am old :).

Well I took it out today and I did the cardio and I like it better than his 10 minute trainer. It has stretching, Power Yoga, basic cardio stuff and kicks and punches which I like a lot.

I also did some of the martial arts stuff from the past early this morning but it was more meditative than cardio or strength.

So I think I will go with “old” Power90 for a bit (not P90X) it is a longer workout and I rather like it. However I did discover that I can’t do jumping-jacks anymore but I’m working on it.
 
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