almostfit's 2009

almostfit · 01-26-2009, 06:50 AM

After the first week of my new healthier diet combined with daily exercise I have to say I'm feeling much much better. Sore muscles yes, but 200% more energy~!
I've been doing my gym routine every day which consists of 5 min high intensity bouts of cardio (rower, treadmill, cross trainer etc) in between all the exercises. Which are (lets see if I can remember the proper names!)
seated rower, 3 sets of 10 on 40
bicep curls on the pully machine, 3 sets of 15 on 6.75 (?)
tricep push downs on the same machine, 3 sets of 15 on 8.25 (?)
Knuckle push ups (ladies) 3 sets of 10- pathetic I know, but I'm getting stronger.
Crunches with a weighted ball, 2 sets of 25
Leg extensions (i think thats their name? lower abdominal workout) 2 sets of 12
And on days when I'm feeling up to it I'll do more cardio, 20 mins some days , 40 mins others, 60 mins on others.
Also I've done 3 pilates classes this week and extra walks because it's been such nice weather!

Food-wise I've been doing well without driving myself crazy and counting every calorie. I've changed to eating 5 or 6 small meals a day instead of 3 large ones and have been limiting my breads/pastas/rice etc. We tried a little wholemeal rice which I like and I think I will incorporate from now on. Lots of stirfrys, grilled meat and veg, homemade tomato pasta sauce over meat and veg etc. I've been eating fruit and yoghurt or muesli for breakfast, fuit and veg as snacks, sandwiches on wholegrain bread for lunch, or veggie stirfrys or salads. I've increased my protein slightly but I'm not 100% sure how much I should be eating. I usually have a palm size bit of chicken, fish, lean red meat. But I've been having tuna when I'm feeling ravenous after some work outs this week. I think I'll need to look into that.
Also does anyone know how bad skinny cows are for you? The nutritional values don't look bad but I'm suspicious.

WolfLady · 01-26-2009, 07:51 AM

Holy cow, I feel tried just reading that!!

stikfigure · 01-26-2009, 05:04 PM

love your motivation! thanks for sharing that.
I hope you're rotating the exercises if you're doing something every day - to avoid over training / burnout....?

5kgLifter · 01-26-2009, 07:54 PM

This is a great log, keep it up. I used to do knuckle push-ups, and still do on occasion, a throw back from my Tae Kwon Do days...doesn't it just empower you

Is skinny cow, like Laughing Cow light cheese, or is it another product?

Palm-size protein is what I normally go by as well, you won't be going far wrong that way...

almostfit · 01-26-2009, 11:37 PM

stikfigure- I haven't been rotating, I've been doing that every day and getting mighty sore. I'm getting anew routine on saturday so I'm going to get them do give me one that uses different muscle groups each day! Got to love all the new things I'm learning from this site!

5kgLifter- knuckle pushups feel so much better on my weak wrists/forearms I much prefer them, I think I enjoy them because I used to do them when I did karate. I'm starting to think I should incorporate some martial-arty exercises, do you do any?
& Skinny Cows are this low fat no added sugar ice cream. I was looking for something to cure my monthly chocolate/sweet craving. The nutrition info doesn't look bad but I'm guessing they're full of chemicals and badness.

5kgLifter · 01-26-2009, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by almostfit

stikfigure- I haven't been rotating, I've been doing that every day and getting mighty sore. I'm getting anew routine on saturday so I'm going to get them do give me one that uses different muscle groups each day! Got to love all the new things I'm learning from this site!

5kgLifter- knuckle pushups feel so much better on my weak wrists/forearms I much prefer them, I think I enjoy them because I used to do them when I did karate. I'm starting to think I should incorporate some martial-arty exercises, do you do any?
& Skinny Cows are this low fat no added sugar ice cream. I was looking for something to cure my monthly chocolate/sweet craving. The nutrition info doesn't look bad but I'm guessing they're full of chemicals and badness.

I look at Shaolin exercises from time to time, I think I just have the bug and am attracted to martial arts in general...it's also nice to see whether you can still cut the grade with head high kicks and such as well...it's like 'Hey I can still do that, it's so cool' very exhilarating. But, mostly I'm into my weights and cardio at present.

For the chocolate sweet craving you might find some of the darker chocolate works, 70%, even a square a day is good, it is full of, I can't remember what it is, but it's the same stuff you find in a glass of red wine...and is good for you. Never seen the Skinny Cow stuff over here, but low fat, no sugar ice cream is at least better than full-fat full sugar...as a treat to satisfy cravings.

almostfit · 02-05-2009, 05:35 AM

so here's my new routine, it's great

Every day: back exercise, seated, chin down, arms straight down thumbs pointing out, draw shoulder blades together tense back muscles hold for up to 60 secs 6 times a day

Day 1:
10 mins Cardio (rower/bike/cross trainer/treadmill/stepper/stair master)
Super sets of Knuckle push ups 3x max & Cable seated chest fly 3x10 on 10kg
10 mins Cardio
Super sets of Dumbell shoulder press 2x10 (at the moment) and Dumbell side front vaise 2x10
10 mins Cardio
Super sets of Dumbell Swiss ball Hammer grip tricep press 2x10 with 5kg and Tricep 21's ( 7 top half, 7 bottom half, 7 full range) on 11.25 x2
Oblique exercise- rolling legs from side to side pulling them up with abs. 2x10

Day 2:
10 mins Cardio
Super sets, step up on box 4 with reverse lunge (killer, thighs still in pain) 3x10 each side with sumo squats with hip extensions 3x10 each side
10 mins Cardio
Super sets of Straight arm pushdowns 2x10 on 11.25 with standing row 2x10 on 19.75
10 mins Cardio
Super sets of Bicep 21's (7 full range, 7 bottom half, 7 top half) x2 on 8.75 with dumbell hammer curls 2x10 each side with 5kgs
Hover 20 seconds x 3

I'm doing it 6 days a week and I feel great, I can see the changes in my body already

stikfigure · 02-05-2009, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by almostfit

so here's my new routine, it's great

Every day: back exercise, seated, chin down, arms straight down thumbs pointing out, draw shoulder blades together tense back muscles hold for up to 60 secs 6 times a day

Day 1:
10 mins Cardio (rower/bike/cross trainer/treadmill/stepper/stair master)
Super sets of Knuckle push ups 3x max & Cable seated chest fly 3x10 on 10kg
10 mins Cardio
Super sets of Dumbell shoulder press 2x10 (at the moment) and Dumbell side front vaise 2x10
10 mins Cardio
Super sets of Dumbell Swiss ball Hammer grip tricep press 2x10 with 5kg and Tricep 21's ( 7 top half, 7 bottom half, 7 full range) on 11.25 x2
Oblique exercise- rolling legs from side to side pulling them up with abs. 2x10

Day 2:
10 mins Cardio
Super sets, step up on box 4 with reverse lunge (killer, thighs still in pain) 3x10 each side with sumo squats with hip extensions 3x10 each side
10 mins Cardio
Super sets of Straight arm pushdowns 2x10 on 11.25 with standing row 2x10 on 19.75
10 mins Cardio
Super sets of Bicep 21's (7 full range, 7 bottom half, 7 top half) x2 on 8.75 with dumbell hammer curls 2x10 each side with 5kgs
Hover 20 seconds x 3

I'm doing it 6 days a week and I feel great, I can see the changes in my body already

That is awesome! Good for you! Nothing beats listening to your own body's feedback, so if it's working - HOOORAY!

almostfit · 02-12-2009, 11:01 PM

I've been doing my routine 6 days a week and walking to work (40mins nice and hilly) a couple of days a week.
I can really feel the improvement, especially in my thighs and biceps & triceps, I'm getting stronger and feeling great.
I got these gloves the other day because I'm getting hard skin on my hands from the weights & machines and they have wrist straps which is helping me so much! I can do more pushups and feel so much stronger through my wrists when I'm working.
I've been getting better at running. I'm not great or anything but I'm improving so I'm happy. In my routine the 10 min cardio sections are rotated but at least one set a day has been (1min walk 6, 1 min jog 7, 30 sec run 9) x4. At first I was really puffed and sweaty but it's getting easier and I'm thinking about increasing the time I do it to 20mins or would it be better to increase the speed? or add an incline?

Keep smiling

5kgLifter · 02-13-2009, 07:48 PM

It's better to increase the time until you get to at least 20 minutes, although 45 minutes duration is better as a foundation for altering the exercise to increased inclines, or intervals etc. So you may decide to build your time up a bit more until you can comfortable exercise at a low MHR% i.e. 60% for 45 mins before upping tempo and difficulty levels.

I tend to try to incorporate at least one longer session of an hour now, because I've read that LIIT and HIIT both give different benefits and both compliment one another, so Tuesday I actually did a 1 hour session and enjoyed it because it shows that aerobic endurance is good, certainly better than it was when I began exercising; and then Thursday and Saturday, I throw in 2 HIIT sessions which are challenging in a different manner. It also keeps the variety there, so that boredom has less chance of setting in.