I feel the need, the need for... consistency

[Mikey Fitpants]

Hello All

 

I'm new to the site and I'm hoping I've found a new home for a fitness blog. I used to use a site that closed down and I moved to a Facebook group, but the daily blog thing just didn't work on there, and I know I do better if I feel I have to check in each day (ish) - it gives me some accountability.

 

Over the years I've had a personal trainer, then I went to the gym myself, got a bad back and had a year or so off, went back to classes (circuit, yoga fitness, spinning), was short of cash for a while and started doing Insanity and P90X at home. 

 

I was then bought to a stop when I tore a muscle in my left arm (didn't realise it was such a serious injury for months) and just as this was getting better my dodgy back returned worse than ever and I had about a year and a half twisted out of shape. I had/have a slight problem with my right knee too and that had really started to impact my training and might have contributed to the dodgy back, it's hard to tell.

 

The last couple of years I have been more focused on overcoming the injuries and trying to get all my joints working properly. The Alexander Technique has helped me immensely. 

 

So now I'm ready to get back to training each week. My goal is to get back some CV ability, get toned up again and make sure I have good all round flexibility. I'm not looking to win any awards, the goal is to keep my body working well as I'm hoping to get another 40 years out of it (I'm 50 later this year) and I want to remain independent and pain free in the years to come. Each week I'm intending to do a couple of Insanity workouts, a couple of trips to the gym for some weights, and the P90X yoga. I did Insanity 3 times last week and was going to do yoga on Sunday night but didn't so then I was going to do yoga last night and didn't.

 

So, tonight I'm back to leaping about in front of the TV with my mate Shaun T and I'll report in later. I'm hoping to get to know some of you over the next few months and I will endeavour to be a supportive member of the community. I am quite nerdy too

 

Consistency starts today!!! Yeay.

[Mikey Fitpants]

Right. So, I've kicked off with my favourite workout - Insanity Pure Cardio. All went OK but I did have quite a few stops. I've learnt the hard way that keeping form is more important that keeping going  I shall do better next time.

 

Tomorrow I will go to the gym to do my weights. I'm effectively doing Starting Strength which is a program by Mark Rippertoe. Each session is only 3 exercises - 3 sets of 5 for each. Session 1 is dumbbell squat, chest press, dead lift, session 2 is squat, military press, clean. I do find it hard to come home after work and then head back out on these cold winter evenings so I'll take my gym stuff and go on the way home tomorrow. Also tomorrow I'm having two root canal fillings in my front teeth - it's going to be a fun packed Wednesday.

[Mikey Fitpants]

Just had a bit of a moment there when I thought this was some sort of gaming forum and not about physical fitness at all, but I think it is about physical fitness.

[Mikey Fitpants]

No workout today. The root canal trip to the dentist went a bit weird when the squirty air thing has squirted air into or under the flesh on one side of my face. As far as I can tell I have subcutaneous emphysema, pressing the skin makes a squidgy noise. Hopefully it will clear in a couple of days. Needless to say I'm not in the mood for weights tonight. I shall feed the cats and retreat to bed.

[Mikey Fitpants]

Right, so - so much for consistency. I didn't go to the gym as intended yesterday because I was feeling a bit sorry for myself over this air in my face thing. The right side of my face was a bit swollen and was still making that squelching noise when pressed. I didn't hurt but it felt unusual. So I ended up taking it really easy yesterday and slept quite a bit, which I do think is a good idea when your body has some healing/repair work to do. Basically, a good excuse for a nap.

 

My face is pretty much back to normal today so I don't think I can legitimately get any more skive mileage out of it. So, I hereby declare and promise that I will be going to the gym this afternoon to do the weights. It will be squats, chest press and deadlifts today. 

 

 

[Dark_Mother]

Do you have a routine you can do at home? It might be nice to have an oh-crap option if you can't motivate yourself to leave for the gym. That way if your brain is like mine and says...

 

 

you might look over and see a dumbbell in the corner of the room or something and be like, "Uhg, I guess there's no reason I can't do that."

 

I've no doubt you can get yourself to the gym if you so desire. Kick some butt! Can't wait to see how you do today!

[Mikey Fitpants]

That's not a bad idea actually. I do have a bench, a bar and some plates and a set Bowflex here at home, and numerous weights routines I can follow - I'd probably do something from Body Beast. It is awfully cold at the moment so staying in the warm does feel tempting. Plus, weights are not my favourite, I prefer the CV and yoga. However, today I got my gym kit on immediately after returning from shopping and I went and did my 3 sets of 5 of barbell squats, chest press and dead lifts.

 

I'm also in ketosis at the mo and will be really reducing my calorie intake for a couple of weeks. It something I do once or twice a year usually just for a week, but I'm going for two this time. And I'm experimenting with carrying on doing some exercise - I normally take a break from exercising thinking I won't be ale to access enough calories. So I'm actually finding out for sure this time.

 

Thanks for the encouragement Dark_Mother - I feel I have kicked a bit of butt today     

[Dark_Mother]

Nice job! Way to get it!  Sounds like you are quite prepared with at-home alternatives. No reason you can't do things like Yoga in the comfort of your own home either provided you have internet access (which I'm gonna assume you do lol).

 

I'm told ketosis can take quite a bit of time, and that it's sustainable if done in certain ways; meanwhile, certain other ways can supposedly offset the benefits of it. I'm no expert, and maybe you've done more research on it than I ever have. I can say that keto diets make my anxiety go nuts! Not sure why, but it does. That makes sense why you wouldn't want to push yourself in too many ways simultaneously. I'm led to believe that increased healthy fats with moderate protein intake could give you enough calories, but for me, working out always makes me hungry. Lots to consider I suppose. @_@ 

 

Keep doing what works for you and be nice to yourself in the process. You've got this.  

 

 

 

 

 

[Mikey Fitpants]

Thanks

I got into ketosis within a day this time without that awful thick headed day when your liver runs out of glycogen for your brain and you have to wait until the ketone system gets going. Maybe it happened over night.

So, I did Insanity Fast and Furious this evening. The main thing I have taken from today is that even though I'm only on about 600 calories a day I can still manage some challenging exercise and feel fine. I did have a mild bit of DOMS from yesterday before I started but that's gone at the mo.

As explained in my opening post my fitness is a long term healthy life goal, but I'm adding in a short term goal too. The only place I really carry any fat is my stomach and I'd really like to flatten it down a bit. Plus, a tubby belly like mine is usually indicative of visceral fat around the organs. So here's a photo of my tummy measurement today. I'm taking it as 40.5", and I've set a goal to get it down to 37". That might be a bit hopeful but I can but try

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[Mikey Fitpants]

Right. So yesterday I did P90X yoga - another one of my favourite vids. It's pretty serious stuff though and clocks in at 90 minutes. The first 10 mins are easy enough, then the next 20 mins really gets tough as it keeps adding an extra move into the sequence. I had a pause at that 30 minute mark. The next 17ish minutes are also really tough and have some of the hardest poses in the workout. Again, another pause after that. The last 40 mins is a bit kinder, but it does start with some balance postures and I was terrible at those yesterday. There's a bit called 'yoga belly 7' that made me realise how weak my abs are right now. And to see my gut hanging down towards my face during shoulder stands was actually a little disturbing (but also motivational)

 

I did chicken out on a few bits as I don't feel i'm quite up to strength yet and I don't want any injuries. Also, I still have a bit of DOMS in my hammies from Friday so overall I felt a bit creakier than I normally would. Basically it was blummin' tough. Good first attempt back though. P90X yoga is one of those vids that I find I usually get quite good at again pretty quickly.

 

I hope everyone else is having a good day and managing to stick to their fitness/life goals   

[Dark_Mother]

Way to go! I've not heard of P90X yoga, but P90X itself has quite a reputation as a butt kicker, and yet you plowed through it like a boss.

[Mikey Fitpants]

P90X yoga is just one of the workouts in P90X. I've done a number of Beachbody programmes over the years - Insanity was the first one I tried and I was blown away by how good it was. Here in the UK we would have Beachbody infomercials that would play on the Sky digital channels when the actual channel was off air. Usually these infomercials are for utter garbage products so I never really gave them any attention. Then I actually sat and watched one for Insanity one time and though "huh, that actually looks quite hard and quite good fun" so I gave it a go and loved it.

 

I had also seen bits of the P90X infomercial too and thought it seemed more for body builder uggs. But after my experience with Insanity I sat and properly watched the ad, decided Tony Horton actually seemed quite good and gave that a try too. Once again, very impressed. The yoga session was an inspired inclusion and really convinced me that Beachbody know what they are doing. I've also done Asylum 1 and 2 (both really challenging) and Body Beast (really didn't think it would be for me but loved it), dabbled a bit with P90X2.

 

So today I was back at the gym. Most Mondays I go for reflexology where a nice lady rubs my feet for about 40 mins. I'm not totally convinced about how areas of your feet are connected to parts of the body, but when I do have a bit of an issue somewhere it does seem that the correct area on my feet can be a bit tender. I'm less convinced that massaging that area of the foot then has an effect back in the body, but maybe there is some sort of 'energy flow' thing that acts as an indicator in your feet. It's just very nice and relaxing and it's a weekly treat. As soon as I got back from reflexology I decided to get my trip to the gym done, otherwise there would be a chance I would keep procrastinating and end up not going.

 

Today it was barbell squats, overhead (military) press, and clean. This is slightly my least favourite of the two workouts - military press is a bit harder the chest press (more body stabilising going on) and clean is just a bit more complex than deadlift and so feels 'riskier' somehow. But I did pretty well and will see how I progress over the next few weeks.

 

Yeay, exercise   

[Mikey Fitpants]

Did Insanity Pure Cardio this evening. Did OK but had a few stops. To be able to do something like this while on about 700 calories a day is such a revelation. Keto is cool.

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[Kestrel Grey]

I'm impressed with anyone who can keep up with P90X. I tried it in my college days several times and couldn't get through the whole 90 minutes of any session.  Do you find it easier to get home workouts done than gym ones? Just wondering because I have to go out for hard workouts myself. It's too easy to quit part way when I'm at home.

[Mikey Fitpants]

Since about 2011 when I had a couple of years without much cash I borrowed Insanity (which became mine because my mate didn't want it back) and started working out at home for free. When I started P90X (2nd hand copy) I got some second hand Bowflex off ebay and a cheap door frame pull up bar off Amazon and so managed to get that underway for about the cost of two month's gym membership.

 

Since then I have continued to work out at home and bought more equipment and workout out routines over the years once I was earning again. So I really don't have a problem to get workouts done at home. In fact, I find that getting changed into gym clothes and heading back out into the cold night air is more likely to discourage me. 

 

I am going to the gym a couple of times a week at the moment though because I want to use a squat rack. If I can go during they day then it's easier

 

 

[Mikey Fitpants]

So, I took yesterday as a rest day because I didn't finish work until late.

 

I went to the gym this afternoon and did squats, bench press and deadlift. Upped all the weights. I'm not sure how much the bar weighs, but if it is an olympic bars then I shall assume it weighs 20kg. So....

 

squats 40kg (2 x 10kg plates)

bench press 35kg

dead lift 45kg

 

All exercises are 3 sets of 5 reps. 

[Mikey Fitpants]

On Friday I did Insanity Fast and Furious. It was one of those days when I really wasn't in the mood and could quite happily have skived off, but I put my gym kit on and got started. Once I got going I did pretty well. Just from a consistency point of view it's completing workouts when you feel like this that count the most.

 

I had D&D on Thursday night (usually lots of snacks around), poker on Friday night (snacks and a meal), and a day out in London yesterday. Went down on the train and saw Cirque du Soliel at the Royal Albert Hall. I had breakfast on the train and a meal out after the show. I saw this as a challenge to go about normal activities but still stay in ketosis, and I'm pleased to say I managed it and it was fairly easy.  

[Mikey Fitpants]

Today was P90X Yoga. Man, this was tough again today, but I did loads better than last week.

 

I am feeling a bit worn out though. I did a lot of walking yesterday so it wasn't really a rest day. I'm going to go swimming tomorrow and then might take Tuesday as a rest day, I'll see how I feel on Tuesday evening.

 

I hope everyone is getting on OK with their exercise and other life plans. Peace out. xx

[Mikey Fitpants]

I've been swimming today I was planning on doing 50 lengths, but I got there later than expected. It reached 40 but then was running out of time for the last 10. I do often think that if I take it steady I could keep swimming for ages. I've never tried to see how long I could go. Most public pools here in the UK only have short times for public swim, the rest of the time is for schools or other lessons/classes. I'm not sure if you can get more than about 2 hours as one session.

[Mikey Fitpants]

I had a rest day on Tuesday. I had this massive desire for food too, so I listened to my body and eat quite a bit more than I am eating most days at the moment. Still stayed in ketosis - I had doner kebab meat with some salad and chilli sauce. I tried a new takeout place but won't go back there again - nowhere near enough kick to the chilli sauce, I couldn't even really tell there was any.

 

Yesterday I went to the gym on my way home and did squats, military press and clean. Stayed at 10kg plates (45kg incl the 25kg bar) for squats, 3.75kg for military press and 5kg for clean. The squats were tough and I'm having to be super careful with my lower back. I have to strengthen it without hurting it which seems like quite a fine line at the moment. The plan is to keep the weight the same until I'm more confident with how my lower back feels. 

[Kestrel Grey]

Did you have a back injury?  Being careful is wise, and all that swimming must strengthen it too.  

[Mikey Fitpants]

Yes, I've had a lot of trouble with my back over the last 13 years on and off - I have to be careful. It is a limiting factor.

 

I'll do my best to log the last week - Thursday last week was Insanity Pure Cardio. I managed to improve my stamina, took fewer rests. Last Friday and I did squats, bench press and deadlift at the gym.

 

I then had a night out on Friday and this actually wiped me out more than expected. I thought I'd be fine by Sunday but I still felt a bit washed out and so took the whole weekend off.

 

I was going to swimming on Monday but then I had to swap a job to that day and so went swimming on Tuesday instead and did 50 lengths.

 

Yesterday I was expecting to have the afternoon free but didn't leave work until much later and so didn't get time to fit in any exercise. I think I might struggle today too - I probably won't be home until 10.30pm tonight. So, the plan is to do Insanity tomorrow night, fit in a trip to the gym on Saturday, then yoga on Sunday. Need to get my shit together!!!!!!  

 

[Mikey Fitpants]

Hmmm, I think maybe a few days off from some of my normal routine might have helped my back. I do find it hard to know when an ache or a pain needs stretching and mobilising or just needs to be left fr a few days to settle. My conclusion is that sometimes what I'm doing to assist a problem is actually perpetuating it. For example, when I tore my supraspinatus attachment ligament on my upper arm for months I was stretching thinking I was helping with some sort of muscular tension but all I was doing was keeping the tear open on a daily basis. So, I'm thinking that some of my lower back mobilisation stretching over the last few weeks might be been keeping a bit of inflammation irritated or something. These things are tricky.

 

Do something to help, do nothing, do something that continues or worsens a problem - I suppose it has to be trial and error. 

[Kestrel Grey]

It would help if our bodies gave us a little more information when something hurts! I'm glad resting helped this time. 

[Mikey Fitpants]

It would. I sometimes feel like I'm  trying my best to help my body out and it thanks me by responding incorrectly and hurting and stuff. Stupid body, doesn't it realise I've only got it's best interest at heart. To be so uncooperative at times feels a bit ungrateful 

 

Anyhow, I had another skive day on Friday - it had been a busy few days, busier than expected - and all I wanted was to eat something and take it easy. I think I was in bed by about 9pm

 

So, yesterday morning I went to the gym and did squats, shoulder press and clean. I didn't do many of the clean because the inner part of my hammies (especially in my right leg) just didn't feel right and I didn't want to cause an injury.

 

Recently I have been listening to podcasts from Peter Attia and reading some stuff on his website. He has some particularly good stuff on there about getting ready for exercise:

 

https://peterattiamd.com/move-defines-live/

 

I did the foam rolling facia release vid this morning. Man did that find some spots. I'm going to have a look at the next two in a few mins.

 

I'm going to do his warm up things before my next gym session too:

 

https://peterattiamd.com/glute/

 

I'm hoping to make Sunday yoga day, but this week I'm going to do Insanity Fast and Furious instead, then hopefully go swimming tomorrow and get back into a routine of sorts this coming week. I'm planning to add in the foam rolling I did this morning into my week too, maybe on my rest day.

 

I hope everyone is getting on with their stuff OK and achieving their goals   Peace out