Well, I have started my Gym Log. the plan is to post here if any modifications to the workout routine are made. I also plan to post what was done on what days according to my claendar/chart. But I will do this in groups of days to minimize how much time I waste in front of the puter!!! LOL!!

Right now I am Basically following the Advanced Training Program on the Total Gym. It is in the manual that came with the El Cheapie Total Gym 1000 I got from my sister, basically unused!!!

I want a better machine, but eh, free is free! I have tweaked the routine a bit based on areas I need to target and due to the glideboard having thin, relatively useless padding on it. (I did mention this is their cheap retail model, right?) But anything is better than nothing.

Two of the exercises, where you have to lay on your chest, hurt the very bottom of my rib cage so I do not do em....

I am trying to kill this machine so I can get a beter one!! Like the XL or one of their premium models like the 1400. But as long as the free one is suitable, why invest more?? (So I am cheap, sue me! LOL!!)

I have considered taking the glideboard to the local upholsterers to have more padding added, but that will depend on the cost factor too.

Days 1&3 are-
Butterfly
Seated Press
Front Deltoid Raises
Side Deltoid Raises
Rear Deltoid Raises
Seated Curls
Laying Curls
Pully Ab Crunch
Twister

Days 2&4 are-
Seated Row
Arm Pullover
Seated High Pull
Leg Pull
One Legged Squat
Tricep Extension
Laying High Pull
Side Squat
Cardio Pull

All the exercises here are currently with the glideboard set at the 5th level, except the Deltoids in days 1&3 and the twister, these are on level 3.

I also do at least 20 minutes a day on the Gazelle for my Cardio work, most days it is more like 30 minutes. The goal with the cardio on the Gazelle is every day at least 30 minutes, sometimes I will go downstairs and do more if I am bored, restless etc...

Weight training is almost always in the morning, and I prefer the cardio in the morning as well. If I do not have time to weight train in the am, it goes to night time. If I miss a day, that just slides to the next day. There is no Monday, Tuesday thing, just day 1,2,3 etc.. I have a chart done up with all the exercises on it and a calendar so I can track which day of the schedule I am on.

I intend to add an ab lounge to my home gym, and would love to add a Bowflex, or that awesome looking machine that Weider makes, but alas, the money is not in the budget. The Ab Lounge is a reality though, a treat to myself for losing 85 pounds! That will come in March or April. I just have to work out at least 4 times a week, and not cheat on the WOE, and that baby is mine!!

That's about it for now...

Okay, now that I let my Alligator mouth overshoot my jaybird brain.....

This week so far has been interesting, dismal might be closer to it!!

I posted on Sunday last when I started this log. Monday I did 25 minutes on the Gazelle and the day 1&3 workout, great start in keeping true to plan!

But that is where it ends....well, sort of.

Tuesday was 20 minutes on the Gazelle.

Wednesday, I walked 3 miles at the mall, and did 2 reps of 12 bicep curls and 2 reps of 12 laying curls on the total gym.

Today, as of right now? Nada!

So, I go now to put in 30m minutes on the Gazelle!

Tomorrow I have the day off, and there is some major duty shoveling to dig out from this snowstorm, but guaranteed, I will be in the gym doing the day 1&3 workout as planned!

I do have my exercise charts all blown up and laminated and the calendar to mark my progress all set up, so that in itself is some progress!

I will see about getting some pics up this weekend of the workout dungeon, er, gym. Which in reality is two machines on some carpet in the basement of my 102 year old house.

Just dropping by to say you can fix the padding problem yourself easily and cheaply.
for about $10 if you have a staple gun
or $20 if you need a staple gun

Obviously you need a staple gun, they sell em at wally mart for a pretty good price, then go to no MANS lands.. you know the arts/crafts/fabric dept of walmart. Get some padding, they have all kinds just ASK for help. Then find a fabric you like.. the lady there will cut it.

Get the stuff home. take the board off... lay the padding down, lay the fabric on top, flip it and go crazy with the staple gun. The more you do this the better you get, but since you are looking for comfort and not beauty .. i thought this idea might be for you?

Bren

Thanks Bren!

What a great Idea!

And at the same time......

Boy do I feel like an idiot!!

I have a staple gun, and plenty of staples!

I know how to do that! I have always known how to do that and I have re padded many a kitchen chair seat,etc., that very way!

I am gonna go to Uncle Wally's tomorrow!

Though I may want a heavy vinyl to cover the seat due to the whole sweatin on it thing.....much easier to keep clean!

Wally's carries Vinyl!!!!!!!!
heheh glad to hear it will look pretty! LOL

Today I did my Day 1&3 on the total Gym and 25 min on the gazelle...

And I didn't make it to Wally World...maybe next week? I did find a way to do the two exercises painlessly though. A small piece of padding under my ribs does the trick nicely!

I am also posting pics in the Exercise Gallery....

Saturday the 18th...

Woke up late, no time to work out had to bugger off to a meeting and was gone from noon till 2 am!

Sunday the 19th, 30 min on the Gazelle, and days 2&4 of the workout, but only 1 rep of each.

Today, nothing yet, but will do the cardio and days 1&3 in an hour or so....

Gotta stay current and be kept accountable!

Well, here we are again!

Tuesday, Wed and Thurs I got in a much bastardized versions of a workout. I did manage cardio time every day though. Friday the 24th I did a proper workout according to the charts on the wall.

Saturday we were in Milwaukee for a wedding and I did a little over 2 miles on my sisters treadmill and used free wights to do curls and tricep extensions. I did 2 reps of 15 with the dumbells.

Sunday was a day off. And we spent much of it traveling.....

Today, I am heading down to the gym (such as it is) to do 30 min on the gazelle and the days 2&4 workout.

It is funny, I was sailing along, working out every day, and getting 30 min of cardio in the morning as well as more of the same, frequently, in the evenings. Then I started this exercise log and the wheels fall off!!!!

It was if all of a sudden life put a ton of, um, special challenges in my way.....

It will not beat me, I will continue on with my regimen as planned!

I have tomorrow and Wednesday off, so there will be no problem or issues with my workout.

Till later this week, ladies and gentlemen....take my advice...pull dowm your pants and slide on the ice!

Well, the week went pretty okie day!

I managed one workout each day, except Tuesday. Saturday and today I did not workout. My sis and her hubby were up and I had to work Saturday.

Though was moving boxes of furniture around back in our shipping Dept, and they probably averaged about 50 pounds each, so I got some muscle work in!!!

Tomorrow morning is coming fast, gotta hit the hay!

Ug.....

My Total Gym is trying to kill me!

Monday I did my cardio, then I did 10 reps of 10 on biceps, triceps and all 3 shoulder workouts.........Ya, I know. After doing that I deserve to die! But I calculated out my rep level ala: Vince Gironda's workout, then did it. However, today I read vince said to start out at 3 reps of 10 and ramp up weekly to 8 or 10 reps of 10. I paid for it!

So, yesterday I did my day 1&3 workout and 15 min on the Gazelle. The only difference is I dropped back to the 3rd resistence level for all exercises and di a full 2 reps of 15 for each exercise. Ow......

Ya, I iz stoopit! I didn't realize how stiff I would be on top of the workout from the day before!!

So, today what did I do? I went and walked about 3 1/2 miles in the Mall and am now sitting down to a lunch of a 3 egg omlette with breakfast sausage, avocado, onion, cream cheese, salsa and topped with shredded sharp cheddar. It tastes like an egg burrito!!!

Tonight I will do some ab and leg work and take it easy.

Addonis wasn't built in a day!

Wow, it has been a while!

Workouts have been progresing well, though not every day as planned. I have changed em up a bit and now do the 10/10 at least twice a week, with one being on the weekend. Also they are generally done in addition to whatever I do that day.

On top of that, the 10/10 now includes twp biceps exercises, two triceps exercises, A chest exercise and a back/shoulders exercise. It takes near about 55 minutes to get through it all....

I make it a goal to do the cardio daily and the weight trainig at least every other day. I do go a few days in a row, but then will skip a day or two if I push too hard and am sore. Gotta rest the muscles to avoid an injury.

Also, for the most part everything is on level 4 on theTotal Gym. Except for one exercise where I am working the front shoulders, that is still on level 3. It seems to be a real weak spot for me, so I am pushing it, but not too hard. And since it is rediculously easy to change levels and re configure the machine, it is not a hassle.

I still cannot say enough about the Gazelle! That was also a very smart investment! I am up to about 30- 40 minutes easily now, though I probably do 25 to 20 minutes most often (Time constraints). It is interesting though, 15 minutes feels like nothing! It takes about 20 minutes before I even feel like I am breaking a good sweat!

I am also starting to use HITT tactics on the Gazelle. Go merrily along at my normal pace, then go ape for about 30 to 60 seconds. Then Go merrily along for a minute or three, then go ape again! It seems to be really effective in upping my heart rate, without taxing my endurance or stamina. I like the effects on my body too!

I am going to start posting pics in my gallery, about once a month to show progress. I am also using a site called Fit Together ( http://www.mybodycomp.com/index.aspx ) and do a body composition measurement/calculation once a month. I feel the body composition is far more accurate than the BMI.

Ug.

I have worked out approximately 5 times in the last couple of weeks! Not good!! When I have worked out it has been good quality workouts, not some half assed hodge podge thing that I have done in the past when pressed for time.

Fortunately the tax issue is done now and I have been back on track as of late.

Also, I am taking my bicycle out tomorrow for the first ride of the season!! I can hardly wait!!

I am revamping my regimen a wee bit. I am going to make absolutely sure that I have at least 20 minutes of cardio at least 4 days a week, minimum. No matter what else I do or do not do! I also am shooting for no more than one day between cardio sessions. You know do 3 days, miss one, do two more days, miss one, do 5 days, miss one etc... Only one day off in a row for the cardio!

As to weight training, at least 3 times a week, one of which would be the 10 reps of 10 I have been doing.

As soon as I carve the time out of my schedule I will add more workout time as practical. Which, with my job going bye - bye that should be an easy task! I will soon have plenty of time to hit the Total Gym and the Gazelle to my healthy hearts content.

Oh, bike riding will be in addition to the cardio, not in place of!

It is funny, when I started this regimen, I was able to find the one or two times a day to work out. Now it is tough. I had a business project (taxes to be filed) take an in-ordinate amount of time, thanks to my lousy book-keeping habits. That is behind me now, and more time is opening on the horizon.

It was never a burden, physically to do the two a day schedule, but I wonder if the no time issue was due to a mental lack of drive. You know, my mind allowed anything to hijack my time. Lazyness and procrastination has always been the downfall of many good plans in my life.

In fact, I'm kind of doing that right now. SO, I am gonna sign off and go use the gazelle for a while!

I know nothing is easy, and nothing good is free. SO, I have to suck it up, pay the price and get this former fat body into shape. No one will do it for me!

Have a Happy Easter!

(P.S. Easter Bunnies make great Hasenpfeffer!!)

Okay, now that we are almost 2 weeks out from Easter I have some stuff to log.

I did a 15 mile bike ride on Wednesday, and will do an 8 miler today. I did 40 pushups yesterday, 2 groups of 10 in the morning,and the same at night. I will be doing at least 20 a day for a while as my oldest needs to build his upper body strength to pass a fitness test for Scouting. He will be doing 10 pushups morning and night, and I will be right there with him.

Also,since he needs to build some upper body strength, I am devising a workout he can do on the total gym 3 times a week. Nothing mind boggling or intensive,but he can do that while I am on the Gazelle.

Workouts are becoming more regular again, but next week comes the job hunting. I will make sure the workouts are a priorty with the job hunt. I am also going to bike around and pick up applications to work that into the hunt.

Today I also do my Total Gym workout.

Some positive movement forward......

Guten Tag!

Well, did the 8 miles yesterday,and almost 7 miles this morning (6.67 according to this - http://www.usatf.org/routes/map/ ).

Though it was bloody cold and damp today. I wore an all balck sweatshirt and black sweatpants with a yellow t-shirt. I looked like a bumble bee from hell! But I was comfy!

My son had his first workout last night and we did pushups last night and this morning. He is doing well, considering. I am more concerned with him getting his form correct for right now sohe does not injure himself.

I did my days 1&3 workout yesterday while he did his 4 upper body exercises. Well my syandard 1&3 less the crunches and twister that is.

Tonight? It is Gazelle time baby!!! 30 - 45 min on it, as well as the pushups.

I feel good...

Just thought I'd chime in...

Finished my workout tonight about 9:15 pm... better late than never!

Tomorrow the kids are off school, so I will be sure to get a good 45 minute cardio in for the morning, and prolly a good Total Gym session. Tomorrow would be a Day 2&4 workout.

My son needs to do his workout too. He procrastinated his way out of it tonight. Gee, I wonder where he got that trait from?

He has been pretty good about his pushups though... me too for that matter.

Rained all Day here, off and on so I scrubbed the bike ride. I don't really mind the rain, but the whole bike brakes not working/ idiot drivers thing kept me off the bike.

Maybe Wednesday.