TypeC Exercise Challenge and Contest

[Haphazard]

.8 mi to school

25 min. tae bo

the best thing about looking stupid is doing it together.

 

[kyuuei]

Cheat day number 1

Sister's sick and I've been baking all day with her trying new recipes and lost track of time, and I'm going to a movie with a friend and I don't wanna be back before midnight. Gym class will suffer as a result.

Will get bonus points for unused cheat days as incentive to not cheat? I figure cheating once a month will result in only 6 cheat days used..

 

[Udog]

Will get bonus points for unused cheat days as incentive to not cheat? I figure cheating once a month will result in only 6 cheat days used..

Nope - no bonus for extra cheat days. They are there to be used, and you've certainly earned it.

The math says that you can use 1 cheat day every 2.6 weeks and make it, so you are right on schedule.

 

[wolfy]

Deadlift Worked up to 160kg for 3 reps
Front Squat 60 3x8
Romanian DL 80 3x8

 

[Tallulah]

Just did a three mile cardio walk. Ate well today, and had a small piece of birthday (my roommate's) cake and small scoop of ice cream.

 

[cafe]

Walked, did crunches, ate salad, one diet soda. Have no idea how many calories I've eaten today. Will care tomorrow. Er . . . today, but after it's light and stuff.

 

[Zoom]

Lifted weights Monday and today. Just got back a few minutes ago from the gym.

 

[Laurie]

I worked out, last thursday I didn't get to it because I was gone all day. I did it as soon as the kids left the house this morning so I could get to my study and get working out done

 

[Udog]

Walked, did crunches, ate salad, one diet soda. Have no idea how many calories I've eaten today. Will care tomorrow. Er . . . today, but after it's light and stuff.

Shortcut: Just measure the calories of the 'junk' food you eat. The sodas, ice cream sandwiches, etc. Healthy food has a tendency to take care of itself, calorie wise. Often times it's the junk food that kills us, and as such that's a good place to direct your energies at first.

Lifted weights Monday and today. Just got back a few minutes ago from the gym.

Ooo... good job. What kind of lifting do you do?

 

[Udog]

By the way, I've been feeling notably more energetic the past few days. I think this is all paying off a bit. The only thing holding me back right now is my lack of sleep (5-6 hours / night ain't cutting it, sadly). Physically feeling my lack of sleep hold me back may motivate me to go to bed an hour earlier, though.

I worked out, last thursday I didn't get to it because I was gone all day. I did it as soon as the kids left the house this morning so I could get to my study and get working out done

Ooo... good adjustment. I have to do something similar with the gym, where I go straight to it after work or first thing in the morning. If I don't, I lose my momentum and don't go.

 

[Laurie]

I'm so tired I'm having to drink a red bull after working out. I think my allergies (and kids) are keeping me up at night so I'm not sleeping well.

 

[kyuuei]

^ Energy is something I struggle with when sleep is fleeting. I'll go through a cycle of time a few times throughout the year where I end up incapable of getting good, long rest for several reasons (stress, busy schedule, mind won't shut the eff up..).

I have no idea if this will help you or not, but I find that it's helped me more energy-wise to work out in the evenings after the day is done with and spend a good 30 minutes doing nothing but cool downs and stretching after the workout. A nice cool shower later you feel tired but good and clean.

 

[Haphazard]

.8 mi to school

20 min weight training

when do I see improvement?

 

[Udog]

I went to the gym and did my "A" schedule, and then went for a 60 minute walk in the woods. No harrowing tales of death.

I'm so tired I'm having to drink a red bull after working out. I think my allergies (and kids) are keeping me up at night so I'm not sleeping well.

I have no idea if this will help you or not, but I find that it's helped me more energy-wise to work out in the evenings after the day is done with and spend a good 30 minutes doing nothing but cool downs and stretching after the workout. A nice cool shower later you feel tired but good and clean.

This is a good suggestion. Elaur, do you have any down time? Between the workouts, work, etc - do you have any time to just relax, read a book, stretch, do yoga, take a warm bath, or other relaxing activity? Even 30 minutes can make a huge difference.

.8 mi to school

20 min weight training

when do I see improvement?

What kind of improvement are you looking for, Hap? And all told, how long have you been doing what you are doing now?

 

[Haphazard]

What kind of improvement are you looking for, Hap? And all told, how long have you been doing what you are doing now?

I've been doing what I've been doing for four weeks now.

I mean anything. My balance hasn't improved, my strength hasn't improved, I haven't lost any weight. I think I'm mostly concerned about this balance. I tried slowing down all the hopping around on one foot we do for this gym class and I still found it extremely difficult just to stay up.

 

[Udog]

I mean anything. My balance hasn't improved, my strength hasn't improved, I haven't lost any weight. I think I'm mostly concerned about this balance. I tried slowing down all the hopping around on one foot we do for this gym class and I still found it extremely difficult just to stay up.

4 weeks is enough time to possibly notice a weight change.

4 weeks is enough time to notice increased strength - that actually requires about 2 weeks, and after that muscle size may slowly start to increase. However, we've already talked about how your technique (and lack of proper instruction from your teachers!) may have been keeping you from seeing results there. I wouldn't even count the time spent before you started making adjustments.

I don't know anything about improving balance - that's completely out of my league. Sorry. :\

What is causing you to lose your balance? Is your head spinning or anything like that?

 

[BlackCat]

Got my routine done for the week...

It's crazy. On the crunch machine that they have, I went from just doing 30 pounds at first to doing 120 pounds now, and went from just doing 20 reps to doing 80. You are basically lifting the weights WITH your abdominal muscles.

The people that I know have commented on how much bigger I've gotten muscle wise, and how much skinnier I'm looking and just generally how much better I'm looking. I sure am feeling great too.

 

[BlackCat]

I've been doing what I've been doing for four weeks now.

I mean anything. My balance hasn't improved, my strength hasn't improved, I haven't lost any weight. I think I'm mostly concerned about this balance. I tried slowing down all the hopping around on one foot we do for this gym class and I still found it extremely difficult just to stay up.

Just keep walking.

Walk your ass off. Both literally and figuratively.

When I was younger in the 14-16 range, I didn't have a gym, and I remember one summer I felt bad about my weight, so I just exercised by walking and biking. I rode my bike around a lot, just to explore. I also played airsoft.

Make the exercise fun if you don't have a gym.

 

[kyuuei]

Haphazard, strength wise it's difficult for me to notice anything until a longer time passes. I've been recently worried about my weight as well, and I didn't notice any changes until I started watching what I ate as well as exercising. If you live a very active lifestyle, you don't need to worry so much about what you eat, but for us that live normal ones diet will be an essential key to noticing weight loss. Also, I'd recommend whatever strength training you're doing to be alternating - One day Less repititions and more weight, and the next the opposite. This will build both endurance and strength. I also recommend working out until muscle failure with strength training, instead of doing repetitions. When you count, you're putting a limit on what you're muscles are capable of. So I'd just test your abilities, record them, and then don't count while you exercise for a week or so. Then come back and test them again and see how you've progressed.

Balance issues can stem a lot from a lack of strengthened core muscles - your abdominals and the muscles in your legs.

Increased abdominal work will help, and working with those huge bouncy-balls will help with balance issues too as they force the muscles that control balance to work. In aerobics class, the instructor said she can always tell who has a strengthened core by the amount of balance people have when they first get on one of those big execise balls.

I would also incorporate lunge work into your walking to help with your legs. They're easily done, hurt fast, and are god-sends for building up leg muscles and they also force you to work out the muscles that control balance in the legs. Like, lunge to a light pole or something, then walk to recover and do it again. Or maybe when you get to a light pole, do 10 pendulum lunges (where your right foot is stationary and your left foot lunges forward.. comes back to the standing position.. then lunges backwards, and goes back to the standing position again.) and then walk to the next light pole and do the other leg.

 

[kyuuei]

Oh yeah. Did I mention aerobics kicked my ass today?