Running Session #11 and Strength Training #10

Saturday I continued my running. I was going to go to the gym since I skipped Friday but they were closed when I got there. The running was tougher because it was warmer but I still made it through. I've got to do it tonight, but I'm sure it will be fine.

Here's how yesterday's Strength Training went:

3x5 Squats 165lbs
3x5 Shoulder Press 90lbs
3x3 Negative Pullups 152lbs
15 NS crunches

It amazes me how much I can squat. I'm pretty much doing double my starting. Hooray for having a strong core! I got through my shoulder presses and lowering the weight increase to +5lb helped. I struggled a bit on the pullups, so I may stay where I am for now. Crunches were easy, which means, it's time to start adding weights, so long as I remember.

Yoga #2 and Running Session #10

Woohoo! I've hit the double digits with my running sessions and my running time! *dances*

Today I started week 4 of Couch to 5k and man did I think I wasn't going to be able to do it. I went from running 90 seconds, walking 90s, running 3 minutes, walking 3m, to running 3m, walking 90s, running 5m, walking 2.5m, and repeat. That's a total of 9 minutes of running to 16 minutes. I was telling myself I was probably going to collapse and die. Instead, after I got the three-four minute I hit a second wind and I made both running. My legs weren't moving great cause they were cramped up, but I still did it. I'm so proud of myself.

As for yoga, it was good. I am really liking it. It's pretty relaxing and it helps me work out all my knots.

Strength Training #9

Here's what I have for today:

3x5 Squats 155lbs
3x5 Bench Press 105lbs (almost)
1x3 Deadlifts 190lbs

So I am starting to stall on my exercises. It's perfectly normal since you'll advance in muscle quickly in the first few weeks and then slow down. I haven't stalled on squats yet, but I am for deadlifts and both my presses. I'll keep going with squats until I hit a cap for that too. I still need to eat better to help myself along.

Tonight, we yoga! (Yoga is a verb now. Verbs are cool)

Strength Training #8, Running Session #9, and the Weekly Weigh-in

Man I suck with updates. Here's how Strength Training went:

3x5 Squats 145lbs
2x5 Shoulder Presses 95lbs
-2x5 Shoulder Presses 85lbs
2x3 Pull-ups
15 NS crunches

The shoulder presses were murder. I couldn't do a complete set of the new weight because my triceps just aren't strong enough. I tried doing the pull-ups but they were shot from the presses. I took a break, went back (after my crunches) and did two more sets at last weeks weight. Those were a lot easier but now my triceps are feeling it. It's a good thing.

I found out I've been doing squats wrong and i could damage my ACL. For those of you who don't know, it's a ligament that connects the femur with the fibula (upper and lower leg bones) so damaging it is bad. I'm glad someone let me know. I'm going to be sure I fix my technique today.

As for the running session, man jogging for three minutes is a bitch. I think I need to really clean up my diet. I've been eating some crap lately and my body is feeling it. That being said, no diet can make me deny Geoff's Superlative Sandwiches. Holy fuck are they good. Actually, assuming they're using fresh ingredients like I think they are, they're a pretty healthy place to eat. They make their bread on the spot and man do they know how to make a sandwich.

So weekly weigh-in! Not as exciting as the last few weeks but meh:

Weight: 223lbs
Net change since last weigh-in: +1lbs
Overall net change: -5lbs
BMI: 29.4
Net change since last weigh-in: +0.1
Overall net change: -.7
Body fat: 21.2
Net change since last weigh-in: -1.1%
Overall net change: -4.6%

Now the weight gain is because of two things: one, lat week's less than stellar diet and two, weight lifting. Because of my not-so-good eating an weight lifting, I gained more muscle than I lost fat. I'm guessing this will happen a few times, but I'd really like to meet my weight goals. The moral of the story here is: I need to eat better.

Running Session #7 & 8 and Strength Training #7

God I suck at updating. I think I need a daily reminder on my calendar to say "Update your blog damn you!" Okay let's do the running sessions first:

Holy fuck running for three minutes is tough. I feel like death each time but I always make it through. Next week I'll be going for five minutes. Who knows how I'll make it through that.

Strength training is getting tougher too. Here's what I lifted Friday:

3x5 Squats: 135lbs
3x5 Bench Press 95lbs
1x5 Deadlifts: 175lbs
15 NS crunches

Good news is, I'm going very deep on the squats. Yoga helped with that. I think I'm definitely going to keep going. Next session is Wednesday for the Beginner Yoga so that should be fun.

The bench press was definitely tougher. I really had to push myself to make my last set. I'm upping my protein intake since I normally only have about half what I'm supposed to (leaving my body to take the rest from my fat) but since I'm thinking I might plateau soon, I want to get over that fast. In better news, I'm getting good at those NS crunches, so I'll be adding weights soon.

I made a math error with my deadlifts so I only increased them by 10lbs not 15lbs. I supposed it's for the best since I over did it a bit on my last deadlift. My lower left back was displeased with me and I had it in on a heating pad for the rest of the day. It's perfectly fine now but I think I need to brush up on my technique.

Tonight I'll be doing my lifting. I would have done it this morning but they shut the gas off to my house at 9ish, which would me no hot water for showers. Considering how sweaty I am after a workout, I like a proper shower, not a cold one.

Yoga #1 and Weekly Weigh in!

Weight: 222lbs
Net change since last weigh-in: -3lbs
Overall net change: -6lbs
BMI: 29.3
Net change since last weigh-in: -0.4
Overall net change: -.8
Body fat: 22.3
Net change since last weigh-in: -1%
Overall net change: -3%

So far so good with the weight loss. I wish I could lose it faster but hey, what are you gonna do?

Yesterday I decided to try yoga. Interesting stuff. It was fairly relaxing at the end. I think I might make it part of my normal exercise regime since it wasn't strenuous enough to constitute a full day's work out for me, but it was tough. My body stretched in ways that just weren't natural.

Running Session #6

Man I can't believe I'm already on #6. This session was my best yet. I was tired at the end but I didn't feel like death afterwards. I maintained a good pace throughout and recovered quickly in each of my walking periods. Of course next time I go up to the next level. I must admit it is a well paced program and I am definitely increasing my stamina.

Strength Training #6

Yesterday I did my strength training and here's how it went:

3x5 Squat: 125lbs
3x5 Shoulder Presses: 85lbs
3x3 Negative Pull ups: 140lbs
15 NS crunches

Well the squats were standard. They haven't gotten any tougher since I started them. The shoulder presses got harder though. I had trouble on my last set, but we'll see how the next time goes. If it's THAT much trouble, I may only increase by 5 next time, but I'd rather not. Maybe I need more protein for muscle?

I learned that I've been doing my pull-ups wrong. I had my hands too close together. Chin-ups are close together, pull-ups are spread apart. Otherwise you will kill your wrists. The abs are getting easier! I did fifteen with minimum strain. A few more like that and I'll start adding weights.

Today I'm either going running or swimming. Part of me doesn't want to take a break from my running, but I need to improve my swimming too. We'll see.

Strength Training #5 and Running Session #5

Today will be a double post, since I was bad and didn't post yesterday. We'll start with the weight lifting:

3x5 Squat: 115lbs
3x5 Bench Press: 85lbs
1x5 Deadlift: 165lbs
15 NS crunches

I almost gave up on the crunches again because it hurt my sore abs, but after the first 3-5 the pain was nearly gone and I got the other 10 or so done. The deadlift was still a bitch as was the bench press, but I'm handling the additional weight well. I was worried about the lifting since I had bloodwork and my left arm was a bit shaky but I didn't have a problem. I also squated deeper this time and now my ass is a bit sore (cue sexual jokes).

As for the running I'm on Day 2 of Week 2 and it went well. It was a bit cold and wet but it didn't notice except the one time I went through a puddle. I thought I had it cleared but alas, no. I forgot my frakking water bottle four minutes into the warm up and had to go all the way back home. I really need to work on my memory. I'm also using less water on the actual run. Before I'd consume the whole bottle by the time I got back home, now it's only three-quarters of it. Hooray for improvements!

Tomorrow is my off-day, so no post then.

Running Session #4

So today I started the new week of C25K. This week I jog for 90 seconds and walk for two minutes. Holy fuck, between that and the 75% humidity out today, it was harsh. I made it through, of course, but man the humidity was a killer.

Now I am currently fasting because I have blood work to get done tomorrow. I'm going to look into the Intermittent Fasting Diet, since i'll be fasting for 12 hours at least anyhow.

Tomorrow we lift heavy things!

Strength Training #4

First, let me say this: fuck everything about this weather. I did not feel good all day today, but I still exercised, so yay for me! Here's how it went:

3x5 Squats: 105lbs
3x5 Shoulder Presses: 75lbs
3x3 Negative Pull-ups: 130lbs
5 NS crunches
5 leg lifts
10 crunches

Unfortunately, doing those NS crunches killed my abs. It hurt to do them. Normally I'd power through, but with my stomach disagreeing with me and the heat, I wussed out. I feel guilty about it, but at least I did do some ab exercises.

Weekly Weight-in #2

So last week I miscalculated and I was 228lbs. I was hoping I was wrong since that made me obese by the BMI, abet barely. Oh well, I fixed that this week with this weigh-in:

Weight: 225lbs
Net change: -3lbs
BMI: 29.7 (overweight)
Net change: -0.4
Body fat: 23.3
Net change: -2.5%

WOOHOO FOR A SUCCESSFUL FIRST WEEK!

Running Session #3

Sorry for the late post. I ended up running in the evening rather than the morning due to a dentist appointment. I'm going to have to do the same for tomorrow with my physical at 9, so tomorrow's strength training update might be late as well.

Any who, running was a bitch today because of the heat and humidity. With the air being thicker and hotter (that's what she said?) running was more difficult. I found it easier to maintain a pace and my stamina IS increasing, so that's good.

Next time is going to be a bitch and a half though: one, I've finished week one of C25K, and week 2 is a bit tougher. That's not a big deal by itself but it is supposed to hit 93 Thursday. My body will HATE me. I'll need to either bring extra water, or be careful about how I ration it. I'm going to try and go in the morning to avoid the worst of it.

Strength Training #3

Today my weight lifting was as followed:

3x5 Squats: 95lbs
3x5 Bench Press: 75lbs
1x5 Deadlift: 150lbs
3x5 NS crunches

Oh fuck those crunches to death. They work great but dear gods my abs HATE ME. I almost stopped at 2x5 NS crunches, but I decided to power through and I'm glad I did. The deadlifts didn't help either. My back was a bit annoyed from the deadlifts and the crunches made it peeved but it's all good.

The deadlifts were not fun. I could handle the extra weight but my body hated me. I'm glad I only need to do one set of five for those. The bench presses were a bitch too but I definitely could manage them.

In better news, I've definitely lost some of my gut. It's only about a centimeter or so but progress is progress!

Running #2

Today I did day 2 of the Couch to 5k program. It was easier than last time. I still wanted to die afterwards but I kept on going. I took a different route this time since I was a bit short last time. I went over so my cooldown took a bit longer than normal, but that's fine. I rather enjoyed seeing new parts of my neighborhood. I've been through them before but I rarely navigate our side streets so it was fun to see.

Tomorrow is my day off. Every good routine needs an off day for your body to recoup. Then I start my full week of exercise Monday.

Strength Training #2

Today I did the following:

3x5 Squats - 85 lbs
3x5 Standing Shoulder Press - 65lbs
2x3 Negative Pull ups
3x5 NS (Needsize)crunches

I kept the squats what I did before since it was only my second time. I think it was a mistake, they weren't as challenging as last time. I'll be uping them by 10lbs for next time.

The shoulder presses are new. I'll be alternating them with bench presses. I decided to start with the same weight as the bench press and it was a good move. They were fairly challenging without killing myself. Killing yourself is bad I've learned. Once you do it, you're dead and there is a giant mess on the gym floor. Granted, it's not your mess but it's someone's.

I wasn't surprised I couldn't do a vanilla pull up.With my high weight and low upper body strength, it wasn't going to happen. I can't wait for the day I can do one though. until then I'm stuck with negative (assisted) pull ups. I'm supposed to do three reps until failure. I got two sets done before I gave up. I'm going for three next time.

To finish it off I did Needsize crunches. The idea is to get on a slanted board, have your torso sit straight up, lower it until it is parallel with the floor, and hold it for five seconds. I always thought my abs were strong. Needsize answered that with a "Oh dear gods no." Those were some of the toughest ab exercises I've ever done.

Ab exercises are important for beginning strength training since your back isn't strong and when you do squats, a lot of the slack will fall to your abs. Squats will work on your abs (hell, squats work on your whole body) but extra is good. Starting Strength recommends that you do your ab exercises after your workout but not on your off days. That way weak abs don't mess up your squats and hurt you.

First weigh-in/report

So this post will be a bit of a clusterfuck since it's to record two days of data.

Weigh-in #1:

Weight: 226lb
BMI - 29.8lbs (overweight like WHOA)
Body Fat% - 25.8

Well fuck, that's depressing. I was wearing gym clothes so I took off two pounds but still, fuck.

Strength Training Session #1

I started on a Wednesday so a Wednesday program is what I did for Starting Strength.

Squats 3x5 - 85lbs
Benchpress 3x5 - 65lbs
Deadlift 1x5 - 135lbs

The squats are about average for a newb. I'm not sure about the bench press, but my upper body strength has never been great. The deadlifts are about average as well. HOORAY FOR MEDIOCRITY! Ah hell, if I were strong and mighty I wouldn't be doing Starting Strength.

I also learned why there is only one set of deadlifts. One, you feel dead inside afterwards, and two, holy crap WHY? Honestly, anymore than one set and serious back problems could ensue. They aren't dangerous if you limit them to one set though (just don't overdo it people! Lifting under your potential is way better than over).

Running Session #1

So the run had a five minute warm-up walk, and alternated for 21 minutes between 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of running. Then there was a five minute cooldown walk. Sounds easy right? Well for you readers of Facebook, you know that now my everything hurts. That was tough as hell. I powered through it though. I didn't quit once though my jogging was pretty weak by the end.

I shortchanged my run by a bit (distance wise) and I was going to do my cooldown walk around my house since the timer wasn't up yet. However, my dog Lily protested to me walking around the house without greeting her, so I just walked up and down my hallway. She was confused as hell.

About this blog

I'll be using this blog to record my weekly weigh-ins, as well as how well I do at my two exercise programs. This blog will be a fun way for my family, friends, and I track my progress.

I'm using two programs for my weigh loss:

On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I use the Practical Programming Novice Program for Starting Strength. Starting Strength is what it sounds like: a beginner's program for strength training. It comes heavily recommended on Reddit's Fitness subreddit (or /r/fitness).

On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays I'm doing the Couch to 5k (C25K) Program for cardio. I feel both cardio and strength are good for proper fitness.

Every week I'll be doing a weigh in with my weigh, BMI, and body fat. Every month there will be a shirtless photo of my progress (ladies avert your eyes. I know, it's beautiful to look upon, but you must resist, lest you be driven mad).