Strength Training - June 6th, 2008
I started with 15-mins on the treadmill and then did:
A: Front Squat/Push Press - 45t/10, 50t/10
B1: Step-up (12″) - 10e/10, 12e/10
B2: Dumbbell One-point Row - 20e/10, 22e/10
C1: Static Lunge, Rear Foot Elevated - 7.5e/10, 10e/10
C2: Push-up (full) - 10, 10
D1: Plank - 30+30sec (on 6″ step), 25+20+20sec (on floor)
D2: Horizontal Wood Chop (on floor) - 30t/10, 32t/10
I followed with making up the workout to 60 mins with a short walk on the treadmill.
HRM: 598 cals, Max: 158 (89%), Avg: 132 (73%)
Wasn’t feeling 100% on this. I have to say that I truly love the front squat/push press, even though I felt like I was not going to make those last few reps. My balance is still crappy on the one point row and the lunge, but the weight I’m using doesn’t really seem to affect it. The planks are just sad, no matter how I look at them. I have one more stage 2 workout then on to stage 3. I’m not really sure how I feel about this since I think the bodyweight matrix is going to be impossible for me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to try it, but the only time I’ve tried it (in the pool) I could barely manage the jumps. On the last two workouts I’ve tried a few of the lunge jumps, just for fun, and I’m not sure that my knees will take it. Oh well, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Now, on to the general feelings of lassitude I’ve had lately. I keep looking for a better word, but it really does fit. I don’t think it’s food related (ie. I don’t think eating more is the solution). I think it has more to do with the weight loss journey in general. I’ve recently found my food/weight loss logs from the first time I hit 300 pounds. And they’re a little depressing. A quick summary:
It starts with a return from a vacation (16-day cruise, + 5 days on land) in which I actually maintained my weight.
01/11/05 - 299.5 (~1800 cals)
02/07/05 - 297.0 (~1700 cals)
03/07/05 - 292.5 (~1500 cals)
04/04/05 - 288.0 (~1400 cals)
05/02/05 - 285.5 (~1300 cals)
06/06/05 - 282.0 (taken in hospital, may not be valid)
12/05/05 - 309.5 (stopped weighing)
12/06 ~330
06/07 ~330
12/7/07 - 358.2
March 7th was when I started an exercise program. Although it took some time to work up to it within a few weeks it was an hour of intense (for me) cardio 5 days a week (office gym). I also had a job where I could be (and was) on my feet most of the day. Looking at it dispassionately I see someone whose weight loss had slowed and just kept cutting calories. Having said that I use the term approximately since I see some days with no logging. This probably means my eating was out of control and I chose not to log it.
That’s what I’ve promised myself not to do this time. I’ve had two bad days since December and I logged the slips meticulously. I think I’m afraid of something that hasn’t happened yet. How stupid is that? Tomorrow will be (by the calendar) 6 months since I started back to losing weight and I’m depressed by the fact that I hit 300 even this morning on the scale. I’m down 58.2 pounds in that time but I keep feeling it should be better, or that I should be more fit, or something.
I know I’ll get past it, and I will keep going, but damn, I feel like crap today. I’m feeling very sorry for myself, and that’s something I don’t usually do. Or at least it’s not something I admit to.
I think I’ll go outside into the almost unbearable heat (wasn’t I bitching about the cold a day or so ago) and try ripping apart the barbecue I’ve been avoiding for pretty much a year. Sadly I think I’ve let it get past the point of no return - last night I believe one of the knobs caught on fire and melted. I missed it, but it’s gone and there are definite flame signs. The sad part is that I have some of the parts to repair it, so I should at least see what I can do and then see what other parts I’ll need to order
(This was actually written earlier for another my training log I keep on another site. I tend to cross post a lot of things at the same time. It was actually written about 5 or 6 hours ago, so the general despair is over. I am probably going to make some changes for the next month, possibly not participating in the forums here for a while. I do plan to keep up the blog as it’s only a temporary thing.)
Oh, no! No, No, No! Don’t you even go there! 58.2 pounds?? You’re my hero! You have so much to be proud of. I read your blog and I think, “My God, where does she get the energy and drive for those workouts?”
I get down sometimes too, but I came to a realization recently. I’m trying to think of it as a job. I’m a teacher. Most of the time, I’m enthusiastic and I’m good at what I do but some days, I don’t even want to get out of bed. I really don’t want to go to work! Still, I drag myself up, drink a couple cups of coffee, and go to school. I might not want to be there but I do what I’ve gotta do.
I think this is kind of the same thing. We don’t always want to do what we need to do but it’s just a job. We gotta go and do the best we can even if the enthusiasm isn’t always there. It won’t be gone forever and tomorrow might be the best day yet. Hang in there and, if you lose track of what you’ve done, go to Home Depot and heft one of those 50 pound bags of cement over your shoulder. That’s a lot of weight!
Ya know, approx. 10 pounds per month sounds EXCELLENT to me. It sounds like a very healthy and reasonable amount. You’re adding to your muscles, and your heart is getting healthier.
Also, I don’t think I’ve ever done ONE push-up correctly, let alone TEN!
YOU ROCK!!
Patty - I know it’s a good achievement, but sometimes how far I need to go can be a little overwhelming. I’m somewhat back to normal this evening.
Susan - that’s actually 2 sets of 10 push-ups, but it wasn’t as hard as you think. Start with 60-degree push-ups and move them down closer to the floor. I did 60-degree using the treadmill, then 45-degree using the desk. I couldn’t find anything at the right height for a 30-degree (although someone later suggested a sofa would be about the same height). The I did a combination of push-ups on my knees with toes… until I could get to the point where I could do them all on my toes.
I’m certainly not an expert because I haven’t done pushups for at least six years but I used to. The way I learned to do them was with a balance ball. I would lie on it with the ball around my pelvic area and do push-ups from there. After a while, I strengthened my arms and was able to do them correctly.
Your method sounds good, real. I might try to get back into it using what you did. My arms are so weak. It’s pitiful!