Doctor WhoM

I'm in. Don't have time to put my 3 goals down but will do it on my page tomorrow

8/6/11 Warm up Jog in place and knee lifts Beginner Body Weight Workout Squats 20/20 Knee Push-ups 10/10 Lunges 20/20 Dumbbell Rows (15#) 10/10 b/l Plank 30 sec/ 30 sec Jumping Jacks 30/30 I feel dead. Couldn't even do a partial 3rd set. Not sure why I'm so tired and feel weak. I also slept in this morning much longer than I planned to. So need to figure out what drained me yesterday because I don't think I did anything different. Other than not work out yesterday at all. So maybe that is what it is. I will do a small work out tomorrow Sunday 8/7/11 just so i don't have a non work out day again before starting a really busy two weeks. My work out for tomorrow will be a minimum of 30 reverse squats done in sets of 10. (don't have to be consecutive) Knee push-ups 30 done in sets of 10 (also not consecutive) Hip raises 30 done in sets of 10 (yada) Jog around the block at least twice So here is looking forward to being stronger and more energetic tomorrow.

So new news for my battle log. I'm putting on hold my couch to 5k program for two weeks for several reasons which I map out below. First I don't want to bite off more than I can chew in this new fitness thing so want to focus on doing the beginner body weight plan every other day. Also my wife says she is wiling to do the couch to 5k with me but she is going away on vacation for 2 weeks tonight. And third I was talking to one of my athletic classmates and he thinks that soreness in my legs could be partially due to a weak core which is allowing my hips and pelvis to move to much side to side so I think taking off the next two weeks from doing a dedicated running plan and focus more on my strength training and specifically on strengthening my core Plan I will focus on my core by doing planks during the beginner body weight workout circuits and also doing four 30 second planks on off days and doing a minimum of 2x 10 reverse crunches (I don't like those things but I can feel them working and I want to kick their butts so bring it). I also will focus on the elusive pull-up. (still need to get the pull-up bar)

Onlykickingpigeons, Thanks for stopping by and for the comment on stretching. Actually based on more recent suggestions [reference to come I hope] people are only supposed to stretch after a workout not before. So that is where I'm at at this point in time. I also know that I need to stretch more as my IT band (guessing that is what is tight) or glutes are so tight that I'm having trouble sitting in that it kind of hurts when I sit down in a chair. So that is why I want to stretch out more. For warming up purposes I think your 20 seconds is just right. On to the battle log. Yesterday Wednesday 8/3/11 Stretching workout only. As I was not going to be able to run due to the tightness in my upper legs. Also my wife says she is wiling to do the couch to 5k with me but is going away on vacation for 2 weeks that and I was talking to one of my athletic classmates and he thinks that soreness in my legs could be partially due to a weak core which is allowing my hips and pelvis to move to much side to side so I think taking off the next two weeks from doing a dedicated running plan and focus more on my strength training and specifically on strengthening my core by doing planks during the beginner body weight workout circuits and also doing four 30 second planks on off days and doing a minimum of 2x 10 reverse crunches (I don't like those things but I can feel them working and I want to kick their butts so bring it). I also will focus on the elusive pull-up. (still need to get the pull-up bar) Today Thursday 8/4/11 Warm-up 5 min jog/run around my very long block .5 miles (actually did it in 4 mins) In some ways this was cool in that as a nerd I could extrapolate that just possibly I could run an 8 min mile. It is sad in that I use to run a 5 min 21 second mile in high school. Wait another goal to add in the future. I think yes. Beginner body weight workout Body Squats 20/20/10 Knee push-ups 10/10/10 Lunges 10/10/5 b/l (and that is actually the amount I'm supposed to do except for the half one at the end Dumbbell row (15#) 10/10/10 b/l Plank- 30 sec/ 30 sec/ 30 sec (I set a timer this time and realized that my mississippi 1 -15 is actually much closer to 30 seconds than it is 20 seconds ever) Jumping Jack 30/30/30 Cool down- some stretching but I slept in today so didn't stretch as well as I wanted to once again. I need to find a good 10 minute stretching routine and follow it as one of my new goals will be to be able to touch my toes.

CthulianDreams, Welcome to the rebellion. I just wanted to take the time to welcome a fellow new comer and also to complement you on your goals and your goal setting ability. It looks like you have a really good plan there. (Actually I might change part of mine to continue the beginner body weight workout but post pone my couch to 5k until the week of the 21st) I'm not sure if I will do that or not but it makes sense in a lot of ways and I sort of feel like my legs are dieing so... I am going to take a look at the different links you posted such as simple fit and the run for your life event. That sounds like a lot of fun and since I'm here in the east it wouldn't be that far to travel if it looks worthwhile and fits in my schedule. Anyway welcome to the rebellion and best of luck and strength with following through your well thought out plans.

JT, As a fellow new person to this forum I wanted to say welcome. It looks like you have started on the correct path in that you have had a realization that you want to change and you are taking the steps to change. Kudos on taking a week off from work. It sounds like you are an extremely busy person (and calling yourself as a returning nomad was very appropriate) as far as traveling goes so taking time off to relax and refocus are so important (at least in my personal experience) Heading off to the gym is also great. My only suggestion for you at the moment is make sure you make your goals as specific is possible and if you can give yourself milestones to meet. Then write them out for yourself. Whether you decide to share them here or elsewhere is a personal decision. As an example the goal of getting in shape while commendable is very broad and broad goals are harder to meet. Anyway welcome to the rebellion and good luck on setting goals and meeting them Dr. WhoM

Thanks for the clarification Lyssi. The morning workout happened. Battle log filed. I will definitely have to move towards the heavier weight any ways as the 10# i'm using isn't as much of a challenge as I thought it would be. So I think I will try what Centurion is doing and just do a couple less reps with heavier weights. I just need to get over to my classmates house and get the pull-up bar so I can start. I could theoretically do pull ups on one of my door sills but I can't actually do pull ups and the ceiling is too low for me to jump up and do the negative training style so. Next step is get the pull up bar and go from there. I'm going to go search for centurion's posts this evening when I have a moment. Hope you have a great work out today.

8/2/11 Beginner Body Weight workout take 1 Warmed up for ~5ish mins jogging in place and just moving my body around to try and wake it up Body Squats 20/20 Lunges 10/10 b/l Knee Push-ups 10/10 Dumbbell rows 10/10 b/l (10#) Plank 15 sec/15 sec Jumping Jacks 30/30 So I was only able to do the circuit twice and I was only able to do half of the lunges. As soon as I finish documenting this I need to go find some stretches specifically for my quads as they are tight and not doing what I want them to do. Also I was weaker in the plank than I expected to be. The plank is something I have halfheartedly been doing in the past and I could usually do more than 20 seconds a repetition. I also was only just doing a plank at that time and not the other exercises in a circuit so I'm sure that explains a large part of this sad weak story. So goals for Thursday. 1) Do a minimum of two complete circuits. ie 20 lunges b/l each circuit 2) Use a heavier weight for the dumbbell rolls probably 15# 3) Hold the plank for longer than 15 seconds (goal is 20 seconds both times) Goal for tomorrow. Get out of bed and do my couch to 5k run Week 1 second run

Lyssi and Darth Frivolous. Thanks both of you for responding to my question. I have a friend that has one of those pull up bars and he said I could use it (a long time ago) so I just need to walk over and get it. I still haven't read all the way through the article but will get to it before Wednesday. So Lyssi if I understand you correctly you do the beginner work out minus the dumbbell row and then work on the pull ups the day after? So alternating every other day between pull up workout and beginner workout. That makes sense to me for sure as there is only so much I should be making my body do at this point in time. I'm heading to bed now as I need to do my workout in the morning before work and since it is a new thing I'm still trying to figure out how my morning routine works. I will report back on my battle log how the workout goes. I'm actually quite sore today in my quads from the running and the 50 squats from the day before so tomorrow is going to be a battle for sure. Again thanks to both of your for your help, suggestions and encouragement.

7/31/11 20-minute Hotel room Workout a la Steve. 25 Jumping jacks 15 body weight squats 10 push-ups 10 lunges b/l 10 hip raises 25 Jumping jacks Body weight squats 20/20/10 Incline Push ups 15/15/8 One-armed dumbbell row (10#) 10/10/10 b/l Reverse Crunches 10/10/10 Stretching afterwards Chops x 10 Full body stretch x 5 b/l I didn't stretch enough and felt this morning 8/1/11 Couch to 5k week 1 I got up and I got out and I did it. My total distance according to http://www.mappedometer.com/ was 2.67 miles in 35 mins. I then stretched for about 5 mins. Not long enough I know but it is a start. I need to add flexibility to my goals (so need to do some research on how to work at being more flexible too). So I have my beginning stats for this life change and we can only go up hill from here. I look forward to running farther on Wednesday and I look forward to either doing 3 complete sets of the 20 minute hotel workout tomorrow or I might switch over to the Beginner Body weight workout instead as I have since yesterday found that post and it looks more difficult and what I should be aiming for. So until tomorrow.

Thanks so much for your encouragement Darth Frivolous. I have just found the beginner body weight workout and am planning on facing it for the first time tomorrow. I know I'm going to be sore as I'm already sore from the hotel workout and my first day of couch to 5k. I started a workout post in the workout battle logs section. I really think that is going to be key for me. Just the ability to see what I have done and see what I need to be doing the next time. It also gives me the encouragement of seeing improvement. I have a question for you. Where are you fitting in the doing a pull up aspect of your workout? That is something else that I want to work on but I'm not sure how to fit it in. Do you just give it a go every once in a while during the day? or do you make a concentrated effort after your workout? or what? I saw a section about working towards doing pull ups but haven't had a chance to read it yet. Anyway I have to get to work. So thanks so much for sharing your story. I will let you know how the workout goes for me tomorrow.

I'm here and I'm ready and willing to Fight!! I was just introduced to this site about a week ago but didn't take the time to read any of it until yesterday evening. I read "What the Hell are you waiting for" and it really struck a chord with me. So why keep waiting. I have been actively seeking but not doing an exercise routine for the last couple months. This is after having not exercised seriously for over 12 years (I use to run cross country in High School but got really sick and stopped and never started up again.) I started watching what I ate using the app Lose it in October of 2010 and started to realize how much I was eating and started cutting back on my calories to more appropriate for my activity level (ie sedimentary studying) So just by adjusting my diet I've lost 25 lbs in the last 10 months. I kind of plateaued out at 210 for about 5 months and only in last month in a 1/2 have I dropped below that to 205 as of yesterday. So that is sort of where I've been now to the future. My goals for joining the Rebellion 1) Do a full body work out 3x a week. (I did the "Hotel workout" this morning and felt great afterward. I struggle at the end and only was able to do 2.5 reps in the 15 mins but it is a start that is documented and we will see how it goes on Tuesday when I face it again. 2) Gain some community here for exercising. I am truly embarrassed by my lack of strength, endurance, and speed. Most of the people that I know that exercise are distance runner or bikers and I'm not able to keep up with them so I don't ask to exercise with them. So I'm looking forward to the support that can be offered from this forum. 3) Gain some community from around me for exercising. I plan to take the support that is offered here and the skills, endurance, strength and speed I gain from working out and then find people around me with similar interests who are willing to support me as I support them in their decisions to live life to the fullest. 4) Run a 5k before Halloween (even if it means me making a 5k course and running it on my own against the clock). I will be using couch to 5k for my training and I start tomorrow. Wish me luck 5) To spend less time on my computer and more time interacting with the world around me especially my family, and taking pictures, and exercising out side while the weather is nice enough. (This week 2 hours maximum daily on the computer, take my kids for a walk twice. Go for a bike ride longer than 2 miles. Take 5 pictures that I'm satisfied with and like.) So this is me and these are my goals for the next 10 weeks. I'm glad I found this site and look forward to getting to know and support some of you guys and I'm looking forward to your support as well. I know that I will need it. Doctor WhoM