Paulie's Gym Log
 

My husband and I are members of David Lloyd, and after about 9 months of inactivity I'm back at the gym :) . This time last year I was just about living there, but following a spell of depression and being dosed with Prozac I just didn't feel like exercising and couldn't be bothered to go. As a result, I put a load of weight on again which made me more depressed and even less inclined to exercise.

Since starting Atkins though I feelo that I have a lot more energy and want to get back into the exercise habit.

I'm starting off fairly gently, this is what I've done the past couple of days:-

10 minute warm-up on the treadmill - random programme, level 6 and speed 6kph.
As long as I can manage on the X-trainer. (My legs are starting to really ache after about 5 mins at present :rolleyes: )
9kg on the fly - 3 sets of 12 reps
17kg on the seated row - 3 sets of 12 reps
8kg on shoulder press 3 sets of 12 reps
12kg on the shoulder ? - sets of 12 reps

Legs:leg curl and leg extn - weights vary, 3 sets of 12 reps
leg press - 52kg - 3 sets of 12 reps.
Abductor - 20kg - 3 sets of 12 reps

10 - 15 mins on the bike, level 5.

I think that's about it - watch this space.

I know I won't be able to get every day as I work shifts, but every little helps ;)

Oops... forgot to mention the abs machine 21kg, 3 sets of 12 reps..

Not sure if I'll get down there today, I can certainly feel what the leg press did to my quads. I certainly need to something with my legs!!

Monday September 30th 2002

Got down to the gym early today, not too busy and no queuing for the machines.

10 min warm-up on the treadmill seemed a bit easier on the old legs on the inclines.

Managed the full 10 mins on the cross-trainer today :clap:. I went back to the old programme of doing a level for 30 secs and then increasing by one. Slow going, but it's improving.

Did all the leg extns and presses without too much of a problem. Hopefully once I start doing step again my legs will be a bit stronger.

Pec deck felt easier, but the last set on the chest press was a killer.

Used 405 cals in the hour, so I'm quite pleased with that. Maybe the early morning workout suits me.

Wednesday March 5th 2003

Yeah, OK it's been a while since I last updated this log. Hopefully this is the first of many visits.

Did the normal 10 mins warm up on the treadmill. Did the full 10 mins on the cross-trainer :clap: on level 4. Pec Deck at 9 kilos, 3 reps of 12, seated row 17 kilos, 3 x 12, shoulder press at 8 kilos, 3 x 12, chest press at 19 kilos, 2 x 12 (poss a bit heavy). Legs OK. 412 cals, 45% of which was fat.

Hopefully I'll get down there again on Friday.

Friday March 7th 2003

Well I made it down to David LLoyds. Feeling a little bit stiff around the chest and shoulders from Wednesday night, but then that's to be expected seeing as I've hardly used my muscles since I don't know when :) .

11 mins warm up on the treadmill (mis-keyed the time).
10 mins on the X-trainer (found it hard going on the legs today after about 5 mins or so. Started on Level 5, went down to 3 and then up to 4)
3 reps each of 18 kg on seated row (up 1 kg from Wednesday :thup: ), 9 kg on pec deck, 8 kg on shoulder press and 18 kg on chest press.
Leg abductors on 10 & 11 kgs, leg curl on 16 kg and 14 kig on leg extn.
3 reps of 21 kgs on abs machine.
5-6 minute cool down on treadmill just to bring heartrate down.

443 cals and 40% of them fat.

Spoke to Lesley about getting back into step again, she said I should be OK with her classes and not to go back to beginner level, just a case of getting back into it and gaining confidence again.

Hope to get back down here on Sunday seeing as I'm short shifts this weekend.

Sunday March 9th 2003

Made it down to David Lloyds again today. Felt quite lethargic when I arrived but managed to clock up 501 cals of which 45% were fat.

11 mins on treadmill at incline 6 and speed 6.
10 mins in X-trainer (Took a lot to stick with it for the full 10) :)
Abs:22 kg x 33 reps
Leg Curl:16 kg x 3 reps
Leg Extn:13 kg x 3 reps
Pec Deck:9kg x 3 reps
Seated Row:18kg x 3 reps
Shoulder Press:8 kg x 3 reps
Chest Press:17 kg x 3 reps
Leg Abductor:3 reps.

I have booked in for the step class tomorrow night :spin: . Seeing as it is over a year since I last did one, it will be interesting to say the least. Watch this space :lol:

Monday March 10th 2003

Well, I stood outside the studio door tonight at 6.30pm just wondering what I had let myself in for! It must be getting on for nearly 18 months since I last did one of Lesley's step classes :eek: .

Obviously the whole routine was new to me. The rest of the class were about 3 weeks in to it. Considering I hadn't been for ages, I didn't do too badly. Yes, I got lost a few times, but I wasn't the only one :) . I had to think about some of the instructions, like hop overs, switch straddles, but it did all start coming back. I stuck out the full hour and was rewarded with using 553 cals. I'll try to get another gym session in on Wednesday and if possible (and assuming I can still walk) another step class, maybe Thursday :hyper: . I'm day shift all weekend (12 hour shifts) , so I won't get down then.

I was reading in a magazine last night that it takes 3 weeks of exercising before you start to notice much difference in your fitness level and can be 7 - 12 weeks before you see any great changes. I'll just have to keep thinking positive this time.

Wednesday March 12th 2003

Got down to David Lloyds at 2pm, so it wasn't too busy. My calf muscles had stiffened up considerably since yesterday :( . I figured a little gentle exercise might help. This is what I did today:-

11 minute warm-up on treadmill.
10 mins on X-trainer. (Second half wasn't too bad this time).

Weights:
18 kg on seated row x 3 reps
9 kg on pec deck x 3 reps
8 kg on shoulder press x 3 reps
17 kg on chest press x 3 reps
13 kg on leg extn x 3 reps
16 kg on leg press x 3 reps
Level 10 weights on leg abductors x 3 reps.

11 minute warm down on treadmill.

According to the watch I used 422 cals of which 45% was fat.

I've signed up for the step class tomorrow night :eek: , hopefully my legs will be less stiff and I'll have a bit more co-ordination.

Thursday March 13th 2003

I did 11 mins on the treadmill at level 6, speed 6 and random hills before the class. It was an "Old School" Reebok Step class with trad warm up, the step routine and then abs work at the end. Still raising the arm movements and adding in the "jacks" does raise the heart rate. I did my leg abductors when I came out and all in all used 503 cals, 40% or which was fat.

I probably won't get down here again until Monday, for Lesley's class, unless I can manage to do something Sunday night after work - we'll see.

Sunday March 16th 2003

A bit of an unplanned gym visit today. I was day shift (0730-1930) and had been up since 0530 so I wasn't sure whether I would feel much like doing an hour in the gym when I finished. I had to9 go down to David Lloyds to pick Derek up so I put my kit in the car. To be perfectly honest, I would have been quite happy just sitting in the lounge with a coffee, but I thought I'd give it a go. This is what I did.

11 mins on treadmill, random, speed 6.2 and level 6.
10 mins on recumbant bike, level 5.

Weights
9kg on peck deck x 3 reps
18kg on seated row x 3 reps
17kg on chest press x 3 reps
8 kg on shoulder press x 3 reps
13kg on leg extn x 3 reps
16kg on leg curl x 3 reps

15 mins on treadmill on fatburning programme to warm down.

I didn't really have the energy for the x-trainer which is why I substituted the bike. I could certainly feel it on my quads ;) . Used 381 cals which wasn't too bad.

Monday March 17th 2003

I did Lesley's step class again tonight. She was starting a new routine with the step north to south which was a change. As it was a new routine and we had 7 combinations to learn it was a bit slower than last weeks. I still managed to clock up 503 cals, 40% of which were fat. Average heart rate was lower than last week, probably because the workout was slower with us learning the routine rather than me getting fitter! Afterwards I did the leg abductors.

It will probably be Saturday before I get back, as I'm working Wed and Thurs and have a full day on Friday. I might try to get down for an hour after work on Thursday if I'm not too knackered!

Thursday March 20th 2003

Didn't make it down to DLL tonight, it was nearly 8pm by the time I got home and I'd been up since 5.30am. I hope to put some of my weights up a bit next week. Should be able to manage more on the seated row, and maybe add the lat pull-down. I might try putting the bike in as well as the x-trainer, I'll see how it goes.

Sunday March 23rd 2003

Finally made it down to David Lloyds this afternoon. Derek was playing tennis so I went in the gym. I put some of the weights up a bit, this is what I did:-

11 mins warm up on treadmill level 6, speed 6.
10 mins on X-trainer, starting level 1, increasing every 30 secs to level 7 and then decreasing to level 5 and staying there.
11 mins on recumbent bike, level 5 (new exercise)

Weights:-
1 rep 10kg on pec deck, 2 reps at 9 kg. Will try to 2 reps at 10kg next time and gradually work up to 3.
3 reps 18 kg seated row (up 1kg)
3 reps 17 kg on chest press
3 reps 14 kg on lat pull-down (new exercise)
3 reps 23 kg on ab machine, plus a few extra curls using ab trainer upstairs.
3 reps at level 1 on leg abductors (2 machines)
2 reps 13 kg on leg extn.
3 reps 16 kg on leg curl

Warm down on treadmill on fat burning programme for 10 mins.

Total of 633 cals, 45% of which are F A T .

I'm doing Lesley's step class tomorrow night. Hopefully, after having done the routine last week and getting a bit more "au fait" with the terminology I'll be a bit better ;) .

Monday March 24th 2003

Came down to David Lloyds to do Lesley's step class. It was the same routine as last week with a couple of new combo's at the end. I did a lot better this week - I think it's finally starting to come back to me ;) .

After the class, I did a few weights, as follows:-

3 reps 18 kg on seated row.
3 reps 14 kg on lat pull-down
2 reps 10 kg on pec deck
1 rep 9 kg on pec deck (I'll get to 3 x 10 soon)
3 reps level 10 on both leg abductors

Total of 545 cals and 40% fat.

:cheer:

Wednesday March 26th 2003

Down to David Lloyds again today. Arrived at 1pm, so it wasn't too busy. Varied things slightly today as follows:-

Total of 11 mins on treadmill. I started on level 7, speed 6, however I noticed that even when I was on a zero incline, I was still walking up hill :confused: . I then realised that I had got onto one of the treadmills that they have set up on an incline, to make you work harder :exclm: . Seeing as this was supposed to be my warm-up, I did 6 mins on it and then chasnged to another treadmill and did 5 mins on level 6, speed 6. Walking on an incline really works your glutes though :thup: .

From there I went on the X-trainer and did 4 mins on level 5, then 5 mins on fat-burning programme and then 2 mins on reverse programme which works the quads and calf muscles more.

3 reps of 12 at 18kg on seated row.
3 reps of 12 at 10kg on pec deck. :cheer:
3 reps of 12 at 14kg on lat pull-down.
3 reps of 12 at 17kg on chest press.

10 mins on recumbant bike level 5.

3 reps of 12 at 16 kg on leg curl
2 reps of 12 at 13 kg on leg extn
1 rep of 12 at 10 kg on leg extn.

4 reps of 10 at level 8 on both abductors. I have reduced weight and increased reps

8 mins of warm down on fat burning programme on treadmill. Had to cut it short as I had an appointment in beauty salon!

In total - 471 cals, 50% of which were F A T