Ah, my favourite! This one isn't as bad as it sounds, though I generally don't enjoy ab exercises.
3 sets of 10 with a 5kg ball.
I think I'm done in here.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Medicine ball crunches
LifeFitness Chest Press
This machine, the LifeFitness Chest Machine, works anterior deltoids, triceps and pectoralis. The whole top row.
First set. 25 kg. 10 reps. Easy.
Second set. 30kg. 10 reps, still not too hard.
Final set. 35kg. 10 reps. First 8 are ok, the last two are torture. Ok, that's probably more like it.
Horizontal leg press
Onto an old machine now, no signs or branding on it. But its clearly a horizontal leg press. This machine is working leg muscles. Leg muscles, I've heard, are like engines. They will work your whole body out, turn that fat loss engine on if you build them.
First set. 10 reps of 60kg. Ok, I could work harder.
Second set. 10 reps of 65kg. Harder. I'll stick to this weight.
Final set. 10 reps of 65kg. Good. What's next.....
The LifeFitness Pulldown machine
Onto a new machine today. Keep it easy for now. 35kg. This machine works the biceps and latissimus dorsi. Mid back that is.
First set. 35kg. Ok. Quite easy compared to last machine.
Second set. Up to 40kg. Still ok, a strain but not too hard.
Final set. Up to 45kg. Still not that hard, though my triceps are hurting?! Anyway, my head is light. A good sign.
Next....
Fly machine
I'm back on the fly the next day. Not recommended I know. The muscles still *hurt* 35kg, reps of 10
First 10. Ouch. Sore at the side of the pecs, near the arm.
Second set. Sore just to stretch back and grab the fly machine handles. But 12 reps aren't that hard.
Final set. 12 this time. I squeezed the last out, knowing I would be blogging it here. Knowing someone is watching seems to be motivating.
Is chewing gum a food?
Does chewing gum count?
Elevenses
Before I get too hungry, I get half of my packed lunch out of the fridge.
A sandwich (2 slices burgen bread - the weight loss bread), with turkey and jarlsberg cheese.
With some nuts and raisins on the side.
Breakfast - coffee and porridge (again)
Started the day, today, with some Uncle Toby's porridge, and a large mug of Lavazza Coffee Espresso home brew coffee.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
How to lose weight by training at the gym
Tonight I went back to the gym, after 2 days rest. My abs were still hurting from Monday from a weak attempt at sit-ups.
Today's weight
Started on the scales. 82.10kg. Hmmmm .. still got 7kg to go
Stairclimber machine
I climbed on the stair climber machine for 7 minutes, 50 seconds - the equivalent of 50 floors according to the machine. That should sweat me out, lose some weight.
I was listening to The Field - Over the Ice. Good motivating tune.
Very very tiring, the last 10 seconds were impossible.
LifeFitness Shoulder Press machine
This machine works Deltoids and Triceps. At this stage I don't have any triceps. None.
I started with a 25kg weight. I haven't done any weights in a while, so I feel that my muscles have sort of atrophied. I didn't want to overdo the weight, especially as I was going to be pulling 12 reps, with 3 sets.
I usually do 10 reps, but decided today I should work on doing 12, if possible. I usually want to stop at 8. So today I noticed that writing this down, as I was doing the workout (I write in a notebook, then blog later - more about that later), I feel as if it motivates me. I feel as though I have an audience that I can't let down, that I can't look bad in front of. Kind of the same feeling as having a personal trainer.
The next set I stopped at 10. I plain forgot I was meant to do 12. The final set I stopped at 10, but this time it wasn't because I forgot, but because I was just exhausted - I wanted to stop at 8 to be honest.
LifeFitness Fly Machine
After the Shoulder Press, I moved onto the fly machine. I selected 35kg to start. The first 10 reps were easy, the last 2 a bit harder. I'll move up to 40 on the next set, I thought. 12 reps of 40kg was indeed harder on the second set. This time I really felt it on my chest. I looked up at the machine to see which muscles it's supposed to work - the Pectoralis Major and the Anterior Deltoids apparently. Back and Chest that is.
The final set, 12 reps - feeling shaky - that's a good sign.
Medicine ball
Then I moved onto the medicine ball, extended leg situps. A 4kg ball, unfortunately I couldn't find anything heavier. 10 of them. That's all. Abs still sore since Monday. Then another round of 10. The Field's Everday on the iPod. Final set of ten. Ouch.
Stretching Station
Then I moved onto the stretching station, where I stretched my quads and hamstrings. My hamstrings are really weak, if weak is the right word. Not very flexible, bendy. Something I should work on.
The rower
I finished off with 8 1/2 minutes on the rowing machine.
Overall a pretty good workout, to start. I haven't been to the gym in a while. My only exercise has been cycling to work. I'll need to up the visits, pretty quickly.
Today's BMI - 27.4
Above is my BMI as it stands today.
Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women. BMI Categories: * Underweight = <18.5 * Normal weight = 18.5-24.9 * Overweight = 25-29.9 * Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
From the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
Sandwich
A pre-gym snack - 2 slices of Burgen Mixed Grain (the weight loss bread), 2 slices Turkey, and a slice of Jarlsberg cheese before the gym.
On way out
On the way out of the office tonight, I was feeling pretty hungry. I guess that was the light lunch ! Luckily there was a pear in the kitchen, which I grabbed and ate on the lift downstairs. Bit hard, but edible.
Cycled home, as usual - 4km each way every day - not a lot, but it adds up.
Eggs - stave off hunger when losing weight
Eggs are a great source of protein, and have a remarkable effect to stave off hunger, when you are a man trying to lose weight.
I find that boiling is easiest, and is the healthiest method too.
The power of keeping a food diary for men in losing weight
One of the common problems when men are trying to lose weight is dishonesty.
Dishonesty in admitting to themselves, and to others, what they have eaten.
This can manifest in 'forgetfullness', the denial of what they have actually eaten during the day, and consequently the inability to lose weight.
This blog won't let me forget what I have eaten.
Late morning - Sardines
I had brought a can of sardines into work, so at 11.30am I opened a can of sardines. Yum, straight out the tin.
Breakfast - coffee and Uncle Toby's
Coffee, home made with a dash of milk.
And some porridge again. Uncle Toby's. With some milk.
Yum.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Healthy japanese lunch
7.30am - breakfast
Started the day with coffee, homebrew on the italian coffee pot.
Along with some porridge - Uncle Toby's Traditional.
Both with a dash of milk.
Good start to the day.
Monday, May 5, 2008
My goal - reduce to 75kg
This weblog tracks my journey to a smaller mass.
I found some old training records today, that showed my weight as 75kg - that was 2 years ago. At the gym today I was 82kg. Darn.
In mid April I had set myself a goal. Get down to a lower weight in 90 days. That's not a goal! Its not precise enough. I've played with the 80kg figure, the 78kg figure. No. I need a stretch goal.
My goal? 75kg in 90 days. Plus the clock is already ticking.
So today I start the countdown. The goal date is 15 July. 75kg.
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