Battling at the Speed of Lou

[Lou186000]

Managed to get a strength session in. Didn't really want to, so I count it as a huge win that I even started, much less finished.

 

Today I did a new one, but accessible for me: the Darebee Iron Maiden workout (which my fingers constantly insist on typing as "Iron Mainden"). I managed 4 sets of the following circuit, and did a faceplant on the push-ups in the 5th set so called it good:

 

circuit

40 squats

10 push-ups

40 punches

40 lunge step-ups

10 raised leg push-ups

40 punches

 

At the end did two sets of 20 alternating bicep curls.

 

Protein shake, shower (possibly not in that order), then walk the dog.

 

 

 

[Lou186000]

No DOMS today, but my forearms are a bit tight, and I imagine that's from yesterday's pretty good strength session. At the moment I'm planning to aim for tue-thu-sat this week for strength sessions, with cardio on the other days. But I haven't really decided how to do the days: cardio each morning with strength in the evenings? I think I'll lose more weight more quickly if I do it that way. And I'll admit it's nice to see the scale go down again for the first time in months, so I want to build on that. The single concern about planning to work out in the evenings is that I'm totally capable of deciding I'm too tired to deal with an evening session and blowing it off. But I have been successful with this before, and with really good results. Maybe that'll be the goal for this week, a Lou-only self-challenge.

 

With this in mind, I can do the next strength session tomorrow and not wait until Tuesday. The motivation for the tue-thu-sat routine is that I find it a bit easier to do only two early morning strength sessions during the week. Rising and simply moving is a tad easier for me (mentally and physically) than rising, focusing, and doing strength. Plus, I think I'm stronger in the evenings, despite mental fatigue from a day of adulting.

 

Okay, that's a plan. For this week, cardio in the AM before work, strength sessions on mon-wed-fri evenings. I'll find a new strength routine for tomorrow, something to change it up a bit.

 

Already did a good cardio this morning. I’ll see if I can spend some day on music. Tonight I’m attending my 3rd local acoustic jam, a group I spotted on meetup.com. Last week was a ton of fun, looking forward to more for a few hours tonight. I kind of do this instead of dinner, so I’ll have to be cautious to not overeat when I get home.

 

[Lou186000]

Alrighty then.

 

One pretty dang good day:

• met my goal of morning cardio!
• met my goal of eve strength session!

Strength session was the Darebee Postal workout. KILLER. I tried this workout about 3 weeks ago and while I think it went better today, but I could still only get two sets of this circuit in.

• bodyweight rows (to failure). I did 14 on the first circuit, 9 on the second
• 20 lunges
• 20 lunge step-ups
• 40 overhead punches
• 10 push-ups
• 10 shoulder taps
• 40 punches
• 10 wide grip push-ups
• 10 shoulder taps

TIme to wind down and then bed.

 

 

[Lou186000]

The week has been going well. I had some responsibilities to attend to tonight so I didn't start my strength session until after 10pm, which is usually my bedtime. But I felt strong enough and I didn't want to miss a day when I'm building such good momentum. And yesterday went really well too -- I had two cardio sessions, 30 min each, good nutritional input (for the most part), and a good night's sleep.

 

Did cardio this morning and got in my strength session just now, which was a Darebee Fremen:

 

I completed just under 3 and a half circuits of the following:

• 10 squats
• 5 push-ups
• 10 shoulder taps
• 10 squats
• 5 close grip push-ups
• 10 plank arm raises
• 10 squats
• 5 wide grip push-ups
• 10 planks with rotations

Two observations: First, I'm getting through the sets more quickly, and second, the sets definitely feel easier than they used to.

 

Okay, winding down, and off to bed. My late bedtime might nuke the possibility of morning cardio, but we'll see.

 

 

 

[Lou186000]

The week has gone well, and I'm pretty proud of my efforts: up every morning this week (so far) for an early morning walk/run. I'm leaving today's strength session until tomorrow, I've been tied up this afternoon/evening, but I don't mind letting it go for just a day.

 

 

 

[Lou186000]

As I promised myself, strength session is done for today. I'm keeping up with the mostly bodyweight stuff from Darebee.com and liking it. Today's was the first routine I've done that involved light dumbbells for most moves: the Armory+ workout.

 

I managed 5 circuits of the following, using an 8lb dumbbell in each hand:

• 30 punches
• 10 squats
• 30 punches
• 10 squats
• 30 alt bicep curls
• 10 push-ups
• 30-count elbow plank
• 30-count side plank

The planks were the toughest part for me, but I managed. By the 5th circuit my arms were drained enough that I had to take a couple of rest breaths during the sets of punches, but I didn't rest long enough to call it a "rest."

 

Off to make a protein shake then hit the shower.

 

Also, realizing that I'll have to create some sort of calendar/log thing so I can see what I've done at a glance without having to read through this battle log. I write my sets on a clipboard as I go through the workout and keep the paper, but none of it's really organized. 

 

 

 

[Lou186000]

The personal program is going well. Tonight was my first strength session for this week, the Darebee Postal workout. Holy guacamole that was tough. But I made it through three sets of the circuit, so go me! Here's the circuit:

• bodyweight rows (to failure)
• 20 lunges
• 20 lunge step-ups
• 40 overhead punches
• 10 push-ups
• 10 shoulder taps
• 40 punches
• 10 wide grip push-ups
• 10 shoulder taps

The last 10 push-ups I did the final few on my knees, and they were still hard to do, but I finished, dangit.

 

Winding down, then off to bed.

 

[Lou186000]

Well, today could be a duplicate entry for April 13th, which isn't bad. Did cardio in the morning and just did a Darebee Fremen circuit. I completed just under 3 and a half circuits of the following:

• 10 squats
• 5 push-ups
• 10 shoulder taps
• 10 squats
• 5 close grip push-ups (I tanked here on the 4th circuit)
• 10 plank arm raises
• 10 squats
• 5 wide grip push-ups
• 10 planks with rotations

Felt good, but it was hard. One thing I did today is I got my session in a few hours earlier rather than the last thing in the day. This is a challenge because I have to be sure dinner is taken care of for the family (I'm the first grownup home). Motivation to prepare a few meals ahead of time, which I've never been good at.

 

Next strength session will be Saturday!

 

 

 

[Lou186000]

Just finished 5 circuits of the Darebee Armory+. Planks are the hardest bit. Feel like I did the sets a tad more efficiently this time around, and also bet I'll be able to add a circuit next time too. Using 8lb db in each hand.

 

Next strength session will be Tuesday, so two days of active recovery. Tonight's anniversary dinner out, so almost certainly this will be a treat/spoil/off-the-wagon meal, but it should be nice nevertheless.

 

 

[Lou186000]

Today was Darebee Postal day. I've replaced the pull-ups with bodyweight rows.

 

Last time I did this routine a week ago I had to do the last few push-ups on my knees, and even those were hard. This time `round I was able to do bona fide push-ups all the way through all three circuits, but I wasn't fast at the circuits themselves. Still, feel like I'm getting a bit stronger.

 

Also, after months of not losing weight, I'm refocusing on food intake, recording much better in myfitnesspal, and starting to shed some pounds again. Recording my food input definitely makes a difference, at least for me.

 

Off to unwind, then bed.