We were back at the gym yesterday, since I know I’m going to be at knit-night tonight. The warm up, squats and even push-ups went well (I managed to squat 32.5kg on my second set, and did twos sets of 10 push-ups, on my knees) but there was a class on in the studio by the mats we do the other exercises on, and they had the door open for some reason. While the ball thingy and the bent over row went well, by the time we were doing side-plank I was ready to go and punch the woman taking the class. Add to that my arms were no longer working (20 push ups will apparently do that to me) and I just couldn’t do it. Terrible. Perhaps a slightly longer rest between sessions is called for. Perhaps I was just having a bad night. Anyway, we did the cardio/intervals – I was on the cross trainer again, so my arms got a bit more workout! Still, I’m getting on okay with that and 20 minutes in total (including warm up and cool down) is a sensible amount of time.
We plan to go back on Thursday I think, which is three days rather than two. Hopefully that will make all the difference.
Oh, we had stew again last night. This time with venison in. I’d recommend it! simply pat the venison dry and then coat with flour, fry lightly for just a couple of minutes until brown, add crushed garlic and fry until that’s brown, then stick it in a casserole dish with a bunch of veggies and enough stock to cover. I also like to add a couple of teaspoons of corn flour to thicken the gravy. Cook for like three hours, and then reheat the next day. (it’s way better if you eat it the day after you cook it, the flavour gets to permeate) Venison is a lean meat (being wild and all) and very tasty, and all the veggies make it filling too. Serve with a slice of home-made honey-and-sunflower-seed bread. Spot on.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Workout B, and the perils of hunger
Yes, we did workout B on Saturday, the first day I could move all of my limbs without them aching badly. (how in need of a workout was I?)
Either I didn't work out as hard as I could have, or my body was more ready for it, but today I don't ache so much.
Workout on Saturday was mostly bodyweight exercises. I did step-ups with two 10kg dumbbells and superset that with chest presses. I used 6kg each hand for that. I could probably have done more.
Then we did hip extensions, one-arm-raised push-ups, plank and something which I've been calling superman. Follow all this with a 22 minute intervals session, and you're done.
I felt pretty good afterwards, though the changing rooms were packed. I hate that. I don't mind having to share a changing area, but when you're pushed for space to stand, never mind put your bag, it just ends the session on a low.
Then I had steak for lunch. Yummy, but probably not aiding in the weight-loss. Hmm. And we bought cake.
Had the usual roast chicken and veg today though, and leftovers in home-baked bread for lunch tomorrow. Then we have Venison Stew for dinner tomorrow (I cooked it tonight while the oven was on for the roast) which should last two days I think.
Hopefully I'll get a good night's sleep tonight, which will leave me all raring to go for another session at the gym tomorrow night.
I have found that doing the same workout as OH (though with different weights) is really quite motivating, it makes it almost fun. Actually, the weights part is fun anyway.
My boss commented that he doesn't think that muscular women are very attractive. Now, while I don't want to look like the lady on this page I don't think that muscular women are not attractive. You can go too far.
Too far, that would require an obsessive personality, right?
Either I didn't work out as hard as I could have, or my body was more ready for it, but today I don't ache so much.
Workout on Saturday was mostly bodyweight exercises. I did step-ups with two 10kg dumbbells and superset that with chest presses. I used 6kg each hand for that. I could probably have done more.
Then we did hip extensions, one-arm-raised push-ups, plank and something which I've been calling superman. Follow all this with a 22 minute intervals session, and you're done.
I felt pretty good afterwards, though the changing rooms were packed. I hate that. I don't mind having to share a changing area, but when you're pushed for space to stand, never mind put your bag, it just ends the session on a low.
Then I had steak for lunch. Yummy, but probably not aiding in the weight-loss. Hmm. And we bought cake.
Had the usual roast chicken and veg today though, and leftovers in home-baked bread for lunch tomorrow. Then we have Venison Stew for dinner tomorrow (I cooked it tonight while the oven was on for the roast) which should last two days I think.
Hopefully I'll get a good night's sleep tonight, which will leave me all raring to go for another session at the gym tomorrow night.
I have found that doing the same workout as OH (though with different weights) is really quite motivating, it makes it almost fun. Actually, the weights part is fun anyway.
My boss commented that he doesn't think that muscular women are very attractive. Now, while I don't want to look like the lady on this page I don't think that muscular women are not attractive. You can go too far.
Too far, that would require an obsessive personality, right?
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Tonight's Workout
We did the first of the workouts today.
Squat - 27.5x8reps, 30x8reps
push-up - kneeling, 2 sets of 8
Dumbell Row - 6kg each arm, 10 reps, 2 sets.
Crunch / Side Plank, 2x10 and 2e/s x15secs
Intervals for 20minutes.
It was good. My legs ache a bit now.
Squat - 27.5x8reps, 30x8reps
push-up - kneeling, 2 sets of 8
Dumbell Row - 6kg each arm, 10 reps, 2 sets.
Crunch / Side Plank, 2x10 and 2e/s x15secs
Intervals for 20minutes.
It was good. My legs ache a bit now.
Not going well today...
Bother, blogger lost my post...
What I was saying is that I've eaten two nut-based snack bars today. I like nuts. I like snacking. I tend to snack when I'm bored or unhappy, as well as when I'm hungry. Very bad.
Perhaps I can curb that by either bringing better snacks to work (I'm sure there was a recipe somewhere for peanut butter bars which were allowed...)
We're starting the new workout programme tonight, it's meant to take only 45 minutes - though it ends with 20 minutes of interval training. Eek! I am looking forwards to it, sort of.
What I was saying is that I've eaten two nut-based snack bars today. I like nuts. I like snacking. I tend to snack when I'm bored or unhappy, as well as when I'm hungry. Very bad.
Perhaps I can curb that by either bringing better snacks to work (I'm sure there was a recipe somewhere for peanut butter bars which were allowed...)
We're starting the new workout programme tonight, it's meant to take only 45 minutes - though it ends with 20 minutes of interval training. Eek! I am looking forwards to it, sort of.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Restraint
When there are Belgian chocolates on the desk it’s very hard not to eat them.
So I have had one. Two.
I am creating the programme for the gym tonight. It’s going to be based on Turbulence Training. The idea behind it is quite simple, if you keep doing just the same thing over again your body gets used to it and then you don’t get as much benefit out of it. So instead you do interval training and weight (or resistance) training. It’s the same concept used in my “Lift like a man, look like a goddess” book. However, I found the exercises in that were quite complex, and therefore hard to remember – especially if you’re changing every few weeks.
I always prefer a program with weight training in. Especially squats (hence my resolution to double my squat weight this year). I don’t know why I find weights more satisfying, perhaps it’s just in contrast to how mind numbing running is. Yeah, the iPod helps, but…
So, anyway, OH has found me a program, which I’m hopefully going to follow for four weeks.
It consists of a 20minute interval programme which I will probably do on the stationary bike or the treadmill (the bike is pretty good) and then there’s a weight program which, according to the blurb, should only take 25 minutes. Sounds good to me!
The only mildly concerning part is that the training recommends that you also do 30 minutes of light exercise on a non-workout day, such as walking or yoga. I don’t think that knitting will count, so I have to think of something like that to do on the non-gym days. Though swimming is also acceptable, swimming (or yoga etc) would mean being in the gym again, and frankly the idea of being in the gym every day is not one which appeals to me at all. If I had a dog, I would walk the dog. My walk to work is only 15 minutes (so I guess that I do 30mins if I walk there and back…) gah.
And I have to try to eat healthily. Nothing processed it recommends. This is fine; we make our own bread and cook most things from scratch. Snacking is my main downfall. There is a recipe for fruit loaf on the bread maker, I wonder if that would count as a healthy snack? (It’s certainly better than a fruit & nut!)
So I have had one. Two.
I am creating the programme for the gym tonight. It’s going to be based on Turbulence Training. The idea behind it is quite simple, if you keep doing just the same thing over again your body gets used to it and then you don’t get as much benefit out of it. So instead you do interval training and weight (or resistance) training. It’s the same concept used in my “Lift like a man, look like a goddess” book. However, I found the exercises in that were quite complex, and therefore hard to remember – especially if you’re changing every few weeks.
I always prefer a program with weight training in. Especially squats (hence my resolution to double my squat weight this year). I don’t know why I find weights more satisfying, perhaps it’s just in contrast to how mind numbing running is. Yeah, the iPod helps, but…
So, anyway, OH has found me a program, which I’m hopefully going to follow for four weeks.
It consists of a 20minute interval programme which I will probably do on the stationary bike or the treadmill (the bike is pretty good) and then there’s a weight program which, according to the blurb, should only take 25 minutes. Sounds good to me!
The only mildly concerning part is that the training recommends that you also do 30 minutes of light exercise on a non-workout day, such as walking or yoga. I don’t think that knitting will count, so I have to think of something like that to do on the non-gym days. Though swimming is also acceptable, swimming (or yoga etc) would mean being in the gym again, and frankly the idea of being in the gym every day is not one which appeals to me at all. If I had a dog, I would walk the dog. My walk to work is only 15 minutes (so I guess that I do 30mins if I walk there and back…) gah.
And I have to try to eat healthily. Nothing processed it recommends. This is fine; we make our own bread and cook most things from scratch. Snacking is my main downfall. There is a recipe for fruit loaf on the bread maker, I wonder if that would count as a healthy snack? (It’s certainly better than a fruit & nut!)
Saturday, January 10, 2009
In the beginning...
...there was a pair of size 12 jeans.
And she tried them on, and they fit, and the fit was good.
Indeed. Even despite the measurements I took last night (apparently night time is a bad time to do this) I can still fit into my size 12 jeans. Okay, they're a New Look 12, but they are also proclaiming to only be a 40" hip. They do have elastane, but can 2% elastane equal a 3 inch stretch?
Not that I'm complaining.
And she tried them on, and they fit, and the fit was good.
Indeed. Even despite the measurements I took last night (apparently night time is a bad time to do this) I can still fit into my size 12 jeans. Okay, they're a New Look 12, but they are also proclaiming to only be a 40" hip. They do have elastane, but can 2% elastane equal a 3 inch stretch?
Not that I'm complaining.
Friday, January 09, 2009
Revitalised
Yeah, I know, I haven't posted here in a while.
It probably will not end up being a regular thing, but as one of my 2009 goals is to lose at least an inch around my waist, I'm going to aim to keep a track of my progress (or lack thereof) here.
Wish me luck!
Stats
Weight: 11 st 11
Fat %: 34.8
Water %: 48.6
Bone %: 3.7
Muscle %: 36
Bust: 38.5
Chest: 32
Waist: 33.5
Hips: 43
Thigh L: 25
Thigh R: 25
Bicep L: 12
Bicep R: 12
Hopefully this will become less of a rant and whinge about how awful I feel about myself (depression feeds depression) and more about ways in which I'm trying to lose those few inches and the like.
I will be doing some before-and-after photos, but I'm currently in my PJs, so that wouldn't really be sensible. Next gym visit, I promise.
Interestingly, when I started this diet blog (when I really felt at my fattest, my measurements were Not as bad as now, I wonder how much tighter I was pulling the tape than now...
Also, though it was entertaining to read my "what I ate today" posts, I'll not be bringing them back either. I might talk about the exercise I'm doing, or motivational things I've found, but that's all.
It probably will not end up being a regular thing, but as one of my 2009 goals is to lose at least an inch around my waist, I'm going to aim to keep a track of my progress (or lack thereof) here.
Wish me luck!
Stats
Weight: 11 st 11
Fat %: 34.8
Water %: 48.6
Bone %: 3.7
Muscle %: 36
Bust: 38.5
Chest: 32
Waist: 33.5
Hips: 43
Thigh L: 25
Thigh R: 25
Bicep L: 12
Bicep R: 12
Hopefully this will become less of a rant and whinge about how awful I feel about myself (depression feeds depression) and more about ways in which I'm trying to lose those few inches and the like.
I will be doing some before-and-after photos, but I'm currently in my PJs, so that wouldn't really be sensible. Next gym visit, I promise.
Interestingly, when I started this diet blog (when I really felt at my fattest, my measurements were Not as bad as now, I wonder how much tighter I was pulling the tape than now...
Also, though it was entertaining to read my "what I ate today" posts, I'll not be bringing them back either. I might talk about the exercise I'm doing, or motivational things I've found, but that's all.
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