Day 24

I've decided to do something about my lackadaisical workouts at the gym. They aren't as intense as I need because of several factors inherent in gyms...mainly, other people. Ya see, in the Body for Life program, there is a specific way to work out that can be rather difficult if there are other people using the equipment or other people waiting to cut in between reps. It's a system of 12 reps and wait a minute, 10 reps with a bit higher weight and rest a minute, then 8, then 6, then back off the weight a bit and do 12 and without rest do another 12 with a different positioning. Then...rest a couple of minutes while you move on to your next type of exercise.

You get into a zone and it can be a pain when you are into it and have to step aside while somebody takes several minutes cutting in, or having your whole schedule thrown off because all the equipment is being used. So I've decided to do my workouts at home with dumbbells and the first thing I needed was a weight bench. Nothing fancy, just a basic bench.

I mosey down to the local sporting goods store called Dick's...which is aptly named because it seems to employ a lot of them. Found one that I liked and waited around for a half an hour for somebody to show up and sell it to me. Left. I guess they were not interested in customers that day. Went over to K-Mart and saw the same bench for $30 less, so I grabbed it.

Three hours later...



I am in control of my workouts again.

Day 16

Guess what?

My weight is now 209 lbs. That's eight and a half pounds in two weeks.

happy dance, happy dance

Still trying to get my computer back up to snuff so I can share the joy with all the other BFL's over at YouTube.

Day 11

My arms are killing me!

Day 10

Okay...so I know it's been awhile.

The challenge is still going. I'm eating well, actually..probably a bit less food than I really need to build up some muscle. I would give anything to find a decent Myoplex pudding recipe. I haven't checked my weight because my experience has been that I always lose a few pounds during the first week or two, so I'm not going to set myself up for disappointment when the losses start to steady out afterwards.

My exercise?

sheeeeee

This damn yuppie gym I go to is driving me crazy. I have never been to a place that was so detrimental to working out as this place. Every morning, all the cardio machines are filled with designer clad kids strolling or softly pedaling whilst reading a magazine or watching TV. The weight machines are basically the same...and NOBODY understands the concept of multiple sets. This morning, just as I was was finishing up my last 12 on a lat pull and switching weights to do another 12 for my high point...some dillweed starts carping on me that "you're suppose to share, you've already done one set let me do one". I tried to explain that, sure, I would let him in between sets, but that I was just about to finish my last one myself". He wouldn't hear of it so I got up, watched him do four reps, then mosey on over to another machine. Pretty much throwing that whole routine off for me.

This happens all the time. Friggin yuppies so wrapped up in themselves and in a hurry to go through the motions to feel like they had a workout so they can hit the Starbucks before the office.

I'm alternating on whether to start driving to another YMCA about 20 minutes away that's in a, shall we say, lower economic demographic area but has people in it that are there to get fit rather than get seen....or getting a membership in another gym closer to home that has the advantage of being open 24 hours a day.

Either way, I'm not going back to my usual gym.

Day 2