The Chances

How a 250+ Pound Couch Potato Got Healthy

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

I think I've worked out the logistics of keeping my lunch break to a minimum while still making it to the gym: change at work while "available", go work out, come back and change at work again, while "available". Cardio at home after everyone's in bed (10pm). As a feeble attempt at starting a new routine, after Biggest Loser tonight I ran a mile on the treadmill @ 7mph, and burned 95 more calories for the day.

Speaking of which, my treadmill's got quite the limitations compared to the ones at the gym. I hadn't really noticed because it'd been a while since I used mine. I was able to get an incline of 12% and a speed of 12mph (not simultaneously hehe) on the ones at the gym, but mine appears to have a max 10mph and max incline of 10%. Without the gym treadmills I wouldn't have been able to run the sprints I've been doing @ 12mph, or the ones at the 12% incline. Another interesting thing is that the ones at the gym have a minimum incline of 0%, but mine won't go below 1.5%...

THEREFORE, my workout here at home was tougher @ 7mph than the ones I had done at the gym the past few days. I suppose that's a good thing, but after a mile I had to stop!

That's all for now. 5k tomorrow, woo! And my boss shouldn't be too uptight, 5k + walking back is no more than 45 minutes.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

I was wondering when this would become an issue. I need to pare down my time away from work when I go to the gym. My boss asked how long I'm gone when I go to the gym, and I honestly told him an hour and 15, sometimes an hour and 20. He then said he can't have me gone that long in the middle of the day.

Alright, so... 45 minutes to work out with no cardio after, cool. 5 minutes there, 5 minutes back, ok. 55 minutes... it looks like I'll just have to do what I used to do when I worked out in the workout room here at work, change my clothes before I leave, then change my clothes when I get back.

Alright. DAY 16...

Circuit 1
Wide-grip Lat Pull-downs: 3 reps @ 120lbs, 8 reps @ 80lbs, then hold 30 secs
Medium Underhand-grip Pull-downs: 20 reps (to failure), then hold 30 secs
Dead Lifts: 10 reps @ 135lbs
Hamstring Curls: 20 reps (to failure) @ 120lbs

Circuit 2
Seated Cable Rows: 3 reps @ 140lbs, 8 reps @ 100lbs
Lateral Shoulder Raises: 10 reps @ 15lbs
Lunges (Basic): 10 reps alternating legs
One-Leg Pelvic Thrust: 40 reps (20 each leg)
Rock Star Jumps: 20 reps

Circuit 3
Military Shoulder Press Prone on Body Ball: 10 reps @ 10lbs
Frog Kicks: 20 reps
Butt Kicks: 1 min

Circuit 4
Crossover Lunges w/Hammer Curls: 20 reps @ 10lbs
Bicep Curls: 20 reps (to failure) @ 20lbs
Bicycle Crunches: 50 reps (25 each leg)
Hill Run: Incline 15, 7mph

Circuit 5
Rock Star Jumps: 20 reps
Ball Crunches: 20 reps
Hanging Abs w/Twist: 30 reps (15 each side)

5 min jog after
Total calories burned: 295

Monday, March 24, 2008

Today's the start of Week 3 of Jillian Michaels's Making the Cut, designed to lose pounds... but I've actually GAINED. When I started the program I was at 166, this morning I was at 170. I'm still that inch down around the middle though, so can I call it "muscle weight"? :P

Alright, along with the start of Week 3 is the new week of workouts. Away we go... for the record, today is DAY 15:

Circuit 1
Body Ball Pushups: 10 reps
Push-ups: 20 reps
Cable Leg Extensions: 10 reps each leg (20 total)
Step Plyos: 1 min

Circuit 2
Dumbbell Presses on Body Ball: 10 reps alternating arms (5 ea)
Half Crow Push-ups: 5 reps ea leg (10 total)
Harpies: 20 reps
Jump Squats: 10 reps
Warrior Pose w/Tricep Press: 30 secs each leg

Circuit 3
Dips: to failure (9 reps)
Hanging Abs: 15 reps
Static Lunges w/Lateral Shoulder Raise: 10 reps each leg (20 total) @ 10lbs
Side Step Plyos: 1 min

Circuit 4
Pike Push-Ups: 10 reps
Squat & Military Shoulder Press: 10 reps
Dropsies: 8 reps ea leg (16 total)
Jump Rope: 1 min

Circuit 5
Bench Dips w/Feet on Body Ball (utter failure, was supposed to do 20, did 5 due to balance issues)
Bicycle Crunches: 30 reps
Plank Twists: 20 reps each side (40 total)
Boat Pose: 30 secs

43 min total circuit training, 300 calories burned
15 min treadmill run @ 7mph, 174 calories burned
474 total calories burned

Friday, March 21, 2008

Day 12... IN THE CAN! Same workout as Tuesday, not nearly as sore today as I was then though. Body must be adapting, time to change it all up on Monday again. :)

I changed up the order of the exercises a bit because in two separate circuits, someone was using a machine I needed at just the right time. No big deal, I just hadn't had that happen at this gym until now. It's not like there were many people there, this dude just happened to go where I wanted to go.

At any rate, 50 minutes, 349 calories burned.