ChaLEAN Day 2

Workout: ChaLEAN Burn Intervals
46 min.

ChaLEAN Ab Burner
10 min.

HR monitor battery needs to be replaced. I thought I had a spare battery, but couldn't find it, so, I wasn't able to use it today. Would have been interesting to see those results!

Wow! That's quite a great full body workout! Those muscles were burning with those workouts! I mostly kept up with ChaLEAN, there were a few of the routines that I had to pause a bit, or quit 5 or 10 sec. before they did. The Ab Burner, however, was a different story!! Actually, I was trying to do the standard workout, what Chalene was doing, and then I'd remember to watch the modification, which was definitely more doable! I'm definitely looking forward to the improvements in my abs and core that will result with that workout!

Goals:

1. Workout: ChaLEAN Burn Circuit 2
   
2. Eat 5-6 small meals every day.
   
3. Drink 6 bottles of water.
4. Take my vitamins.

ChaLEAN Day 1

Workout: ChaLEAN Burn Circuit 1
39 min. (with a few pauses to write down my workout details)
burned 269 cal.
HR max: 152
HR ave: 127

I didn't start when I planned ... but I did start!

Workout: Burn Circuit 1
Sumo Squat with Hip Lift: 15#/12 (Not sure if I can get to 10 reps with 20#, but I think next week I need to try.)
Lunge with Posterior Fly: 10#/12 (Surprised that my shoulder didn't hurt with it ... but I think I'll wait a week before increasing the weight.)
Push-Up with Leg Lift: 5 (toes)/5 (knees) (Will add a push-up next week.)
Dead Lift with Posterior Fly: 5#/12 (Definitely need to increase the weight on this one next week.)
Lunge with Core Rotation: 15#/10 (I think I was gripping the weight too tightly, forearms got a great workout with this one!)
Bench Press & Leg Lower: 15#/11 no band (Abs really felt this one! I did the leg lifts, just without the band. I think I will focus on keeping my legs straight with my lifts next week.)
Squat with Side Bend: 15#/12 (Hands felt like they couldn't hold the weight ... kept expecting my hands to let go!)
Forward-Lean Lunge with Dbl Arm Posterior Fly: 5#/12 (Will increase my weights here, too. Looks like I can stuff the 5 pounders into the back of the closet! ... not bad, considering I haven't done any strength training in a while--except if you count work.)
Chest Fly with Hip Lift: 10#/12 (Did the extreme push-ups on my knees. Wow! Eight-count push-ups are incredibly difficult!!)

Plan for my next Burn Circuit 1 workout: No more 5#, and some of my 15# will increase to 20#.

Wow! What a workout! My body feels great! I definitely worked my arms, back, core and legs! I do love the quickness of the workout, you push yourself hard for a shorter time period. But, I do feel like I could still do some more exercise, I don't feel completely wiped out.

I've already plugged in all the workouts into my calendar, so, I don't want to shuffle them all a day or two later. So, I'm rearranging the schedule a bit, and won't take the rest day tomorrow.

Goals:

1. Workout: ChaLEAN Burn Intervals & Ab Burner
   
2. Eat 5-6 small meals every day.
   
3. Drink 6 bottles of water.
4. Take my vitamins.

ChaLEAN Day 0

I am starting ChaLEAN, so here are a few pieces of information I need, before I begin the process, to remind me where I started.

Fit Test Results: . . . . . 2/15/09
Push-Ups: . . . . . . . . . 10 (toes)
Crunches: . . . . . . . . . 1
Squats: . . . . . . . . . . 26
Forearm Plank:. . . . . . . 15 sec.
Overhead Shoulder Press:. . 5#/13; 10#/9
Bicep Curl: . . . . . . . . 10#/11
Sit and Reach:. . . . . . . 2" beyond feet

I was surprised that I needed higher weights for the shoulder press. Historically, I have weak shoulders, which require slowly increasing the weight. The muscles were burning, but there was not weakness felt, or sharp pains. (Encourages me that even though my exercise hasn't been optimal, it's not been as horrible as it could have been.)

Measurements: . . . . . . . 2/15/09
Chest:. . . . . . . . . . . 40.5
Right Upper Arm:. . . . . . 13.5
Left Upper Arm: . . . . . . 13.5
Waist:. . . . . . . . . . . 37
Hips: . . . . . . . . . . . 45.5
Abductors:. . . . . . . . . 42.5
Right Thigh:. . . . . . . . 25.5
Left Thigh: . . . . . . . . 25.5
Weight: . . . . . . . . . . 173.8 lbs.
Body Fat Percentage:. . . . 34.6%

Not the greatest numbers. But I've gotta start somewhere. The bodyfat percentage was recorded using the biofitness website. I've got a bio-impedence device for measuring body fat, which I will probably use, however, it needs to be used at the same time every day. I usually use it first thing in the morning, when I first get out of bed.

Pictures:

Pictures are coming. They're on the camera, just need to get them on the computer, and then crop, etc.

Starting Over

Starting over. It does seem like a lot of my posts start that way for me. There's a certain repetitiveness in them along those lines. But, I can take comfort in the fact that I do indeed start over! That each drop-off in exercise routines doesn't mean an end, but a detour in my journey ... and it is a journey!

I went to day shift last summer, in an attempt to help me feel better, and to have more energy. All most immediately I felt better, though it took a couple months to sleep better. However, my energy continued to lag. I had finally decided to just accept the fact that I was lazy ... my lack of energy obviously had nothing to do with working the night shift for so many years since I continued to have little energy.

When I went to see my doctor for my annual physical, I brought with me a list of lab tests that I wanted ... all related to energy. Vitamin D, Vitamin B12 (I've been a vegetarian my whole life, with short bouts of veganism), Thyroid (any excuse is acceptable), and a CBC. Turns out, my body needed a little tweaking. My Vitamin D was extremely low, Vitamin B12 was in range, but low-ish, Thyroid was in range, Hemoglobin a little low, and on the Chemistry, my Albumin was also low. Within a week of taking Iron, Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 supplements, I woke with more energy! I was surprised and impressed with how quickly it turned around for me! I've also really tried to focus on increasing my protein intake.

So, with all those additional factors taken care of, I think I'm ready to get back on a program again. With the encouragement of a friend, I have decided to give ChaLEAN a try. It looks like a little less time committment than P90X or P90X+, which when just starting out, is a helpful thing.

So, I'm starting tomorrow ... a little valentine for my body! Measurements and photos will be posted soon.