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Workouts 5/25 – 5/31/2014
June 2, 2014
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Well this week didn’t start off well. Sunday was my rest day and as I stated in my last post I lost 2.5 lbs. Monday (Memorial day) was suppose to be my leg day and I procrastinated all day til the day was over and the workout was not completed 😦 Therefore, I told myself that tomorrow (Tuesday) was going to be a bitch because I was going to have to add the missed workout on top on the days workout planned! So Tuesday is going to look like a long workout because, well, it was! On my weigh in on Sunday, 6/1, I lost 1 lb. God, the pounds coming off are moving so slowly!!!!!!!!!! I need to remind myself not to put a lot of value on the scale and to go by how I feel and I can definitely say I feel stronger. I feel it but I can’t say I see the results yet. I guess the weight loss would be one of the results that is paying off, but my diet is also a big part of that. I am eating really clean. Drinking lots of water!! Fruits and veggies have become my friend. I can say I have cut out sugar and pretty much decreased my sodium intake substantially. You can do all the training you want but if you don’t eat right, you will never see the benefits of your hard work in the gym. Exercise and nutrition go hand in hand. Got to do them both!!! So here is my workout for the week. Pretty much the same as last week with some few changes.
Oh, by the way, after completing this weeks workout I will have completed Phase 1. Next week I enter Phase 2 which bumps me up to training 6 days a week!!
Sunday: Day Off
Monday: Procrastination Day!!!!!! Zippo done
Tuesday: Legs (missed workout from yesterday!) Back/Biceps ( 3 x 10 – 15 reps, 45 sec rest between sets)
Legs: 6:40 pm
Leg Extension
Plle Dumbbell Squat
Dumbbell One-Legged Deadlift
Lying Leg Curls
Seated Calf Raises
Standing Calf Raises
Legs Completed: 7:17 pm
Back/Biceps : 7:23 pm
Wide Grip Seated Rows
Wide- Grip Lat Pulldown
Seated Cable Rows
Smith Machine Bent Over Row
Alternating Dumbbell Curls
Incline Dumbbell Curl
Alternate Hammer Curl
Back/Bicecps completed: 8:10 pm
Wednesday: Chest/Triceps (3 x 10-15 reps, 45 sec rest between sets)
Pushups (modified)
Incline Dumbbell Press
Dumbbell Flyes
Decline Dumbbell Flyes
Decline Close-Grip Bench to Skull Crusher
Lying Tricep Press
Tricep Dumbbell Kickback
Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension
Cable One Arm Tricep Extension
Cardio: 40 min on incline trainer
Thursday: Legs (3 x 10-15 reps, 45 sec rest between sets) ( Almost didn’t get done was tired and irritated)
Leg Extensions
Plle Dumbbell Squats
Dumbbell One-Legged Deadlift
Lying Leg Curls
Seated Calf Raises
Standing Calf Raises
Friday: Shoulder/ABS (3 x 10-15 reps, 45 sec rest between sets)
Seated Dumbbell Press
Back Flyes with Band
Front Dumbbell Raises
Arnold Dumbbell Press
Side Lateral Raise
Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raises
Crunches
Lying Leg Raises with Stability Ball
Oblique Crunches (Floor)
Saturday: Day Off
The first four weeks are done!! I made it through Phase 1. In the original workouts there are lunges and hyperextensions for the back. Since I have bad knees (5 surgeries) and a bad back (Double low back fusion) I have to side step these exercises and look for alternate movements. Go to bodybuilding.com and look up Jamie Easons LIVEFIT workout for the EXACT workout plan.
Workouts 5/18 – 5/24/ 2014
June 2, 2014
This week went well. At my weigh in I lost 2.5 lbs. Yay!!!! Made it through week 3 of my program. This week was tough because it had me weight training five times during the week. There were moments of procrastination, but I pulled myself together and got through it. Once again the workouts below are 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps. I have a home gym and this is where I train. Some of the exercises had to be modified since I didn’t have the equipment. You can find this workout on bodybuilding.com, Jamie Easons LIVEFIT program.
Eating plan is still the same. I try and stay between 1200 – 1500 calories. On days I am not training I stay closer to 1200. The coconut water, to me, is not very tasty. I’m still drinking it because I know it is good for me, but I drink it fast to get it down. Some of you might like it. I’m just struggling with it. Chia seeds are my favorite. The fiber content is great and I love sprinkling it on yogurt.
So below was the workout for this past week……….
Monday: Legs/Calves (3 sets x 10 – 15 reps) (45 second rest between sets)
Leg Extensions
Wide Stance Barbell Squat
Lunges
Dumbbell One – Legged Deadlift
Lying Leg Curls
Seated Calf Raise
Standing Calf Raises
Tuesday: Back/Biceps (3 sets x 10-15 reps) (45 sec rest between sets)
Wide Grip Seated Rows
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
Seated Cable Rows
Hyperextensions (back extensions) on stability ball
Alternating Dumbbell Curls
Incline Dumbbell Curls
Alternate Hammer Curls
Wednesday: Chest/Triceps (3 sets x 10-15 reps) (45 sec rest between sets)
Push Ups (m0dified, my upper body strength is still not the greatest right now)
Incline Dumbbell Press
Dumbbell Flyes
Decline Dumbbell Flyes
Lying Triceps Press
Tricep Dumbbell Kickbacks
Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extensions
Cable One Arm Tricep Extension
Cardio: 30 min Treadmill, 15 min Bike = 45 min Cardio routine
Thursday: Legs (3 sets x 10-15 reps) (45 sec rest between sets)
Leg Extensions
Wide Stance Dumbbell Squat
Dumbbell One-Legged Deadlift
Lying Leg Curls
Seated Calf Raises
Standing Calf Raises
Cardio: 30 min on bike
Friday: Shoulder/ABS (3 sets x 10 – 15 reps) ( 45 sec rest between sets)
Seated Dumbbell Press
Back Flyes With Band
Front Dumbbell Raises
Arnold Dumbbell Press
Side Lateral Raise
Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise
Crunches
Leg Raises With Stability Ball
Saturday: Cardio Day
01:06:00 walk/jog on the incline trainer
Weigh In: -2.5 lbs
Workouts 5/11 – 5/17/2014
May 24, 2014
Sunday: Day Off
Monday: Chest/Ticeps
Pushups
Dumbbell Bench Press
Flat Bench Dumbbell Flyes
Pushups
Standing Dumbell Extensions
Triceps Pushdown
Cardio: 40 min walk on treadmill
Tuesday: Back/Biceps
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
One- Arm Dumbbell Row
Seated Cable Rows
Underhand Cable Pulldowns
One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl
Standing Bicep Cable Curl
Cardio: None
Wednesday: Legs/Calves
Lunges
Leg Extensions
Wide Stance Dumbbell Squat
Leg Curls
Standing Calf Raises
Seated Calf Raises
Cardio: None
Thursday: Shoulders/ABS
Seated Dumbbell Press
Dumbbell Front Arm Raises
Side Lateral Raise
Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise
Exercise Ball Crunch
Air Bike
Cardio: None
Friday: Off Day
Saturday: Cardio (Long Day)
01:05:00 X9i Incline Trainer
Sunday the 18th was my weigh in date. Down 1/2 lb. I guess it’s better than nothing. I have to learn to quit defining my journey in weight loss by the scale. Such a bad habit and one that is hard to let go. I’ve been told to judge my progress by how I feel, how my clothes fit and do body measurements. The scale is the worst thing you can use because of body fluctuations. Plus with all the weight training I have to remember I am gaining muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. Also fluid intake, especially for women, can mess with your weigh ins on the scale.
When I am doing these exercises above, I usually go 3 sets x 10 – 15 repetitions. I keep a journal of my workouts so when repeating the same exercise next week (if that is what the plan calls for), I have an idea of the weight to start with. Sometimes I go up in weight, and other times I stay the same. I’ve actually had to drop my weight down to finish off a set a couple of times. Just depends on the muscle group (like my shoulders are weak).
My diet has remained the same. 1200-1500 calories is what I am shooting for in a day. I take multi-vitamins, Calcium, Fish oil, baby aspirin (for my hear) and Osteo Biflex for my joints. I also take EAS Betagen with Revigor to aid in muscle soreness and recovery. I use Body Fortress Whey Protein, which is easily found in the grocery store, Wal-Mart, or health food stores. This works for me. I just started drinking coconut water and put Chia Seeds in most of what I eat. I can’t tell a huge difference right now because I just started and will keep you posted on what I think about the products.
I can see by what I have posted that I need to increase my cardio. I will try this next week and see if it helps at all. Next week will be challenging as the workouts are 5 days a week instead of the 4 I have been doing. Til then stay safe and stay strong!!
Overtraining
May 29, 2013
What is overtraining? Wikipedia defines it well: Overtraining is a physical, behavioral, and emotional condition that occurs when the volume and intensity of an individual’s exercise exceeds their recovery capacity. They cease making progress, and can even begin to lose strength and fitness. Overtraining is a common problem in weight training, but it can also be experienced by runners and other athletes.
Well I experienced this last week. On a day I was supposed to run, I could feel my body temperature elevated and I didn’t have the enthusiasm that usually occurs on my cardio day. I just didn’t feel right. The problem with the signs of overtraining is many of us ignore them and proceed to complete the workout only to find ourselves injured or disappointed in our performance. I know with myself I always feel guilty for not completing the workout and when I do I am left feeling disappointed because it wasn’t my best.
Some of the signs of overtraining are as follows: Mood swings, repeated muscle soreness, illness, increase in morning heart rate, joint pains, lack of sleep, decreased performance, lack of ability to concentrate, increased injuries, and fatigue. These are just a few of the symptoms. If you go on the Internet and research overtraining, you will find many other suggestions and descriptions. I have been researching the effects myself because I feel like my training is not at its best. Therefore, I have been taking more days off in between workouts to allow myself to recover. I am still dealing with an injury around my upper left hamstring area and have been pushing through my workouts anyway which is not good.
I am one of these people that think a little of anything is better than nothing at all. But when you are injured, that is just not the case. And I struggle with the down time. I feel because I have been pushing myself hard, injured and all, my body has gone into the overtraining mode. When I look at some of the symptoms above, I can pick out several that I am dealing with.
So how do you combat the overtraining syndrome? Take a day or two off and try to relax. Decrease your intensity level, increase your sleep cycle, treat yourself to a massage, stretch, eat clean (diet is everything!!), and don’t get disappointed because you need to take an extra day off! You will find by resting your body appropriately, you will see gains in endurance and muscle strength 🙂
WORKOUTS: I always close by adding some of my workouts down below. All workouts are performed using the NordicTrack X9i Treadmill. Awesome machine!!
5/25/2013 South Kaibab Trail – Grand Canyon 3.41 miles
5/28/2013 Tower Bridge, London England 3.09 miles
In between these workouts I was weight training in my home gym. I actually found on bodybuilders.com a weight training program I am going to try. It’s by Obi Obadike. Obi is considered the world’s most ripped fitness model Obi Obadike Overtraining and Strength workout. The workout is basically as follows:
Obi’s Training Split
- Monday- Chest/Biceps- 30 minutes of high intensity cardio
- Tuesday- Legs/Triceps/Abs- 30 minutes of high intensity cardio
- Wednesday- Shoulders/Back- 30 minutes of high intensity cardio
- Thursday- Light Chest/Biceps/Abs
- Friday- Off
- Saturday- Off
- Sunday- Off
I’m going to see how this works for me starting next week. I will be sure to blog my opinion on the plan. The one thing I will be adding is on Saturday’s, I will make it my long jogging day.
And my quote for the day is by Michael Jordan….
“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career.
26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed.
I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.
And that is why I succeed.”
Live To Win! 