4...3...2.....eh...Houston, we have a problem!

It's been a rough couple of days of missed workouts.  Stomach bug, sore throat, headaches, dizziness, etc.  The only silver lining is that my diet has been on track.  Been eating nuts, hummus, baby carrots, a small amount of Ancient Grain crackers, and juice; lots of juice!  Another silver lining has been sleep.  I've slept fairly solid the last couple days off.  I'm looking forward to hitting it hard as soon as my body doesn't feel like it's gonna implode!  As soon as that happens, I'll get back to some workouts.

Seventh Workout - Full Body, TRAD, 20:00

PRIMARY FOCUS: Full Body (Actually Legs, Lower Back, & Rear Delts)
TYPE: TRAD (Traditional Workout, Not as intense & slightly modified w/reduced rest periods)
TOTAL WORKOUT TIME: 20:00

GROUP 1:
Set 1:
10x Standing Hip & Hamstring Curls – each leg (position 6 on machine)
10x Standing Hip & Hamstring Curls – each leg (position 8 on machine)
10x Standing Hip & Hamstring Curls – each leg (position 10 on machine)
(30 seconds rest)

GROUP 2:
Set 1:
20x Bent Over Dumbbell Butterflies (8lb)
10x Lower Back Hyperextensions
(10 second rest)

Set 2:
20x Bent Over Dumbbell Butterflies (8lb)
10x Lower Back Hyperextensions
(10 second rest)

Set 3:
20x Bent Over Dumbbell Butterflies (8lb)
10x Lower Back Hyperextensions
(Finished)

Sixth Workout - Full Body, HIT, 16:45

PRIMARY FOCUS: Full Body
TYPE: HIT
TOTAL WORKOUT TIME: 16:45

WARM-UP (no rests):
30 secs Jump Rope, 40x high knees, 10x shoulder rotations (both directions)
30 secs Jump Rope, 40x high knees, 10x shoulder rotations (both directions)
(10 second rest)

GROUP 1:
Set 1:
15x Modified Wide grip Pull-ups
10x Deep Squat Press w/2 (25lb) Dumbbells
(10 second rest)

Set 2:
15x Modified Wide grip Pull-ups
10x Deep Squat Press w/2 (25lb) Dumbbells
(10 second rest)

Set 3:
15x Modified Wide grip Pull-ups
10x Deep Squat Press w/2 (25lb) Dumbbellsf
(20 second rest)

GROUP 2:
Set 1:
20x Side Lateral Dumbbell Raises (10lb)
30 second Plank
20x Standing Zottman Curls (alternating arms) w/2 (15lb) Dumbbells
(10 second rest)

Set 2:
10x Side Lateral Dumbbell Raises (10lb)
10x Side Lateral Dumbbell Raises (5lb)
30 second Plank
20x Standing Zottman Curls (alternating arms) w/2 (25lb) Dumbbells
(Finished)

It's beginning to look a lot like....

It's beginning to look a lot like my exercise program is working. (not what you were expecting? lol)  I know it's only been 6 days, but today my chair dips were easier to the point that I could do all 3 sets of 10x without tapering down the reps (like I did earlier in the week).  Also, my hanging leg lifts were a solid 3 sets of 10x with only an extra grunt on the very last 2 reps of the last set.  I'm feeling motivated having completed the full workout today, and it was a doozy.  You may not think going from 12 mins to 15 mins is much of a deal, but remember this when you're going up stairs and think, "almost there."  Only instead of 3 more steps, you got 3 full minutes of steps!  After my shower I was still hot and burning calories for the next couple of hours.  In fact, as I write this almost 3 hours later, my body is still tingling.  My joints feel well-lubricated and my body feels stronger.  I still look fat, but hey, Rome wasn't built in 6 days!

Fifth Workout - Full Body, HIT, 15:00

PRIMARY FOCUS: Full Body
TYPE: HIT
TOTAL WORKOUT TIME: 15:00

WARM-UP (no rests):
15x shoulder rotations (both directions), 10x star jumpers, 10x Side Overhead Reaches (each side)
15x shoulder rotations (both directions), 10x star jumpers, 10x Side Overhead Reaches (each side)

GROUP 1:
Set 1:
10x Hanging Leg Lifts
15x Bench Modified FlyPress (25lbs)
(10 second rest)

Set 2:
10x Hanging Leg Lifts
15x Bench Modified FlyPress (25lbs)
(10 second rest)

Set 3:
10x Hanging Leg Lifts
15x Bench Modified FlyPress (25lbs)
(30 second rest)

GROUP 2:
Set 1:
20x Kettle Bell Swings w/Deep Squats (25lb)
10x Chair Dips
10x Incline Dumbbell Curls (15lb)
(10 second rest)

Set 2:
20x Kettle Bell Swings w/Deep Squats (25lb)
10x Chair Dips
15x Incline Dumbbell Curls (15lb)
(Finished)

Fourth Workout - Fully Body, HIT, 11:00ish

PRIMARY FOCUS: Full Body
TYPE: HIT
TOTAL WORKOUT TIME: 11:00?  (Forgot to time first group)

WARM-UP (no rests):
40x high knees, 10x shoulder rotations (both directions)
40x high knees, 10x shoulder rotations (both directions)

GROUP 1:
Set 1:
15x Deep Squat Press w/2 (15lb) Dumbbells
30 Second Plank
(10 second rest)

Set 2:
15x Deep Squat Press w/2 (15lb) Dumbbells
30 Second Plank
(10 second rest)

Set 3:
15x Deep Squat Press w/2 (15lb) Dumbbells
30 Second Plank
(30 second rest)

GROUP 2:
Set 1:
15x Modified Close Grip Chin-ups
10x Wide Push-ups
(10 second rest)

Set 2:
15x Modified Close Grip Chin-ups
10x Wide Push-ups
(10 second rest)

Set 3:
15x Modified Close Grip Chin-ups
10x Wide Push-ups
(Finished)

It's a CHOICE - Do whatcha gonna do...

Did my third workout tonight and my body can feel it.  Even after two workouts I felt the difference.  When I woke up this morning, I felt so light as I sprang out of bed.  During tonight's workout my muscles felt sore and tired.  My throat was tired, my head was tired, my eyes were tired, and even my lungs were tired.  But I reminded myself that worst part of a workout routine is the beginning stages; and the worst part of quitting during the beginning stages is you have to enter those beginning stages again some day in the future!  Nobody likes that!  lol  I think the people who quit after a week or month, are the same people who say they hate exercise.  Heck!  I would hate exercise too if my entire knowledge of working out involved repeated beginning stages!  Give your body a chance to crave the exercises you may hate now.

A friend at work told me that she doesn't exercise NOT because of not having enough time in the day, but because she was too tired!  I thought, "Wow!  This may be the real dilemma most of us face!"  Maybe it's not a time issue after all, but a fatigue issue.  It's medically proven that (in general terms) the more fit a person is, the more energy they will also have.  Another point is that our body's heart has to work much harder for every pound of fat it possesses.  All that said, TIME may be nothing more than a convenient excuse, where FATIGUE is the real culprit!

When the dust settles, it is a question of CHOICE.  Do what you choose to do, not what someone else tells you or tries to guilt you into doing.  I won't judge.  I've been there.  Nobody should judge for that matter.  We all have our weaknesses and strengths.  If your choices are true to your ideals, you should have nothing to regret.

But hey!  This is a weight loss blog, so time for me to get some sleep before tomorrow's workout!

God Bless!

Third Workout - Full Body, HIT, 13:30

PRIMARY FOCUS: Full Body
TYPE: HIT
TOTAL WORKOUT TIME: 13:30


WARM-UP (no rests):
10x Squatting Side Kicks (each side), 15x Alternating Arm Rotations (both directions)
10x Squatting Side Kicks (each side), 15x Alternating Arm Rotations (both directions)
(20 second rest)

GROUP 1
Set 1:
20x Side Lateral Dumbbell Raises (10lb)
10x Hanging Leg Lifts
(10 second rest)

Set 2:
20x Side Lateral Dumbbell Raises (10lb)
10x Hanging Leg Lifts
(10 second rest)

Set 3:
20x Side Lateral Dumbbell Raises (10lb)
10x Hanging Leg Lifts
(30 second rest)

GROUP 2
Set 1:
20x Bent over Butterfly Dumbbell Raises (5lb)
15x Sit-ups
(10 second rest)

Set 2:
20x Bent over Butterfly Dumbbell Raises (5lb)
15x Sit-ups
(10 second rest)

Set 3:
20x Bent over Butterfly Dumbbell Raises (5lb)
10x Sit-ups
(Finished)

THANKS to ma Peeps!

I definitely did NOT want to work out tonight.  My body and joints were a little sore from last night’s workout, and I didn’t get much sleep again.  But, here’s the deal; it is soooo easy to come up with reasons why there doesn’t need to be a workout.  Oftentimes these reasons would fall apart during even the weakest debate to defend them.  The fact is, most of us starting out NEVER FEEL like working out: Even truer, MOST of us NEED to.  This is where my friends and family come in via Facebook.  I may have skipped tonight’s workout with very good intentions on making it up tomorrow night, but I don’t have to.  Why?  Because the accountability I felt setting up my workout and psychologically getting myself ready was all thanks to my friends and family on Facebook.  I had no trouble deciding to shut-up and sweat tonight.  Thanks!

BLOG DEFINITIONS

(note: These are MY definitions and are NOT industry standard.  I only share these so you know what I am actually doing.)

A REP – A repetition (rep) is the number of times you perform a movement. It is identified by a number immediately followed by an “x.” (i.e. 20 reps = 20x curls, 20x push-ups, etc.)

A SET – A set is typically 1-4 Exercises that are performed in tandem with less than 10 seconds rest between each exercise. (Example: A set of 3 exercises = 20 reps of curls, followed by 20 reps of push-ups, followed by a 45 second plank) Once Set is completed, there is a 30 second or less rest before initiating the next similar set.

A GROUP – A group is a Set of exercises where the sets are repeated a number of times in tandem. The rest after a Group is 30 seconds.

HIT – High Intensity Training where rest times are short (typically 0-10 seconds between exercises & 30 seconds between sets) and the exercise period is intense or high effort.  Always warm up before attempting this type of workout.  Benefits of HIT involve shorter workouts, high oxygen intake, and extended calorie burning.  If you’re new to HIT, you will feel worn all the way out after the workout for 30 minutes to half a day, depending on how out of shape you are.  When I started, HIT would make me near worthless for the rest of my day.  lol

TRAD – Traditional exercise where a single exercise is performed with 30 seconds or more of rest between each set.

REP UP – A type of HIT where the weight stays the SAME or is DECREASED each set, but the REPS are INCREASED to maintain the intensity.

REP DOWN – A type of HIT where the weight is INCREASED each set, but the REPS are DECREASED to make it possible to perform each rep with proper form.

Second Workout - Full Body, HIT, 14:30

PRIMARY FOCUS: Full Body

TYPE: HIT
TOTAL WORKOUT TIME: 14:30

WARM-UP (no rests):
30 secs Jump Rope, 10x Side Overhead Reaches
30 secs Jump Rope, 10x Side Overhead Reaches

GROUP 1
Set 1:
20x Kettle Bell Swings w/Deep Squats (25lb)
15x Chair Dips
(10 second rest)

Set 2:
20x Kettle Bell Swings w/Deep Squats (25lb)
10x Chair Dips
(10 second rest)

Set 3:
20x Kettle Bell Swings w/Deep Squats (25lb)
5x Chair Dips
(30 second rest)

GROUP 2
Set 1:
10x Standing Zottman Curls (alternating arms) w/2 (25lb) Dumbbells
30 second Plank
(10 second rest)

Set 2:
10x Standing Zottman Curls (alternating arms) w/2 (25lb) Dumbbells
30 second Plank
(10 second rest)

Set 3:
10x Standing Zottman Curls (alternating arms) w/2 (25lb) Dumbbells
30 second Plank
(Finished)

First Day Workout! - Full Body, HIT, 12:00...here we go!

PRIMARY FOCUS: Full Body

TYPE: HIT
TOTAL WORKOUT TIME: 12:00

WARM-UP (no rests):
40x high knees, 10x shoulder rotations (both directions), 15x squat twist punches
40x high knees, 10x shoulder rotations (both directions), 15x squat twist punches

GROUP 1:
Set 1:
15x Push-ups
15x Modified Wide grip Pull-ups
(10 second rest)

Set 2:
15x Push-ups
15x Modified Wide grip Pull-ups
(10 second rest)

Set 3:
15x Push-ups
15x Modified Wide grip Pull-ups
(30 second rest)

GROUP 2:
Set 1:
15x Deep Squat Press w/2 (10lb) Dumbbells
15x Sit-ups
(10 second rest)

Set 2:
15x Deep Squat Press w/2 (10lb) Dumbbells
15x Sit-ups
(Finished)