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sugirandom · 7 years

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365 days of writing: day 99

Day 99: Ranting about Anime again…

This is the last two-digit number entry for the year. I can’t believe I’ve almost made it to one hundred entries on here. First of all, my lunch with Cindy yesterday went well. She was perfectly fine with the news that I started transitioning a year ago and in fact didn’t really make a big deal about it at all. She seemed to be more interested in my time in Japan than anything else. We also talked about what she’d been up to and I congratulated her on getting into medical school. The lunch was great and I’ll have to go to that place again since it’s so close and not too expensive at lunchtime. After lunch she drove me back home and headed back to her apartment that’s about 45 minutes away from here. I was grateful she came all this way just to see me and also that she’s just as sweet as she was before.

Today I took care of some chores and my ab workout despite being tired and boy now that I’m on the intermediate section of the 30-day workout it’s gotten tougher. It’s mostly because the repetitions are pretty high at this point so I get pretty tired. I couldn’t hold my plank stance for the whole time but it only took me two seconds to get back into the stance so… I guess I was close enough? I fought my perfectionistic nature that would consider it a failure. I guess I’m doing better with that since I didn’t end the workout feeling like a failure. My mom is going to merit tomorrow and is going to take me with her as a guest so I’ll get to work on some other muscle groups at the gym tomorrow.

Since I didn’t get my T-shot I do have a bit of a drop in my mood but I’m trying to fight it off and hope that the power will be on at the doctor’s office tomorrow or at the very least that they’ll give us a good option for backup if they aren’t. The idea of being too late on my Testosterone makes me feel a little paranoid. I think if I can get my shot tomorrow working out right after I get the shot will be the perfect thing to do since they don’t want you to sit around too much after getting the shot, I guess cause it can make you sore.

I’ve also been studying Japanese and Italian online and once I finish the level one of Italian I think I’ll try their German 1. My Japanese studying has been mostly reviewing JLPT-related terms as I think I already mentioned. I’m a little disappointed that some people I messaged on the dating site I use haven’t gotten back to me but I looked closer at some of their pages and they did answer “No” to the “Would you be willing to date a trans person?” It kinda gives me a bad taste in my mouth thinking about it and I don’t really care if Poppy’s bothered by the fact that I think unwillingness to date a trans person seems a little too judgmental but whatever I understand people have preferences and what not. I just get bent out of shape about people who I know will never accept me as a genuine man just because I was born the wrong sex.

Oh well, I still have to go down and get my laundry but other than that I’m probably going to chill up here for a while and watch some youtube videos and catch up with Anime. I guess at this point in Dragon Ball I’m going to start the first tournament saga and this will be the true test as to if my interests have truly changed or not because most of what I saw from Dragon Ball Z…other than perhaps one or two episodes involved fighting tournaments and I wasn’t very keen on it. So, if I end up enjoying it perhaps my interests have changed and if I don’t then…IDK I’ll probably trudge through it since I doubt every saga of DB is going to be fighting-tournaments. I think that even with DBZ I just had the bad luck of always seeing that saga when I caught it on TV for some reason…other than the one time I saw an episode from the Frieza arc and had no idea what was going on.

I also have another episode of SnK season 2 to watch. Today…yay? I hope… still salty about episode one so will they make it up to me? I mean I don’t hate season 2 so far I just felt underwhelmed. Oh and after that I’m going to try watching Linebarrels of Iron again…unless I feel a dire need to watch something I really want to watch. I mean…LoI seems tropey so far and like it could either be ingenious or…really bad. It’s basically got a stellar staff and cast but… it fits all the tropes of a Mecha series too. I like that the main character is a jerk and that people don’t like him and there seems to be promise of karma coming back to him later but..it could go either way. It is kinda frustrating that they are a little too proud of how much of a jerk our main character is and every episode I’ve seen so far has felt the need to constantly have the female lead and many of his former friends tell him how ‘dispicable’ he is. Of coruse he likes to throw a fit about it too, yelling at them because he’s clearly delusional about it all. I like to jokingly sum up the show by saying that it’s sort of like a less-smart Light Yagami was given a Geass, except this time no one really likes him. Ehh, perhaps if I feel up to it I’ll write my reactions to the episodes I watch, if I don’t feel too tired or completely forget my reactions so…umm if I do it look forward to that?

#365 days of writing #day 99 #Sugi writes

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soysaucevictim · 5 years

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Wrapping up with Week 5 of things. As well as the start of some new stuff.

(Even though this is going to cover a few more days than that.)

Nov. 16

I woke up a bit before 11AM, today.

Did a bit of the usual, before getting in my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 3′ side leg raise hold with EC (from floor). I find this an enjoyable exercise, it feels real nice in knees and hips. =w=

(After eating and letting it digest a bit...)

Second. Day 24 of the 30DoHIIT. Ab Work, Level 3. This was left untouched since old version. This was pretty doable - but the flutter kicks and scissors were when it got real. Was a little dubious since I ate a lot of Chinese food not long before - but I think it was long enough to not have much issue.

Third, Day 24 of the PGC. 2′30″ overhead flex hold. This is getting painful enough to get my eyes watering - but I could still manage it. And in all honesty, sometimes I get dry eyes and that actually felt pretty refreshing! Swings and roundabouts.

Though I did get some more drawing done... I didn’t gt to bed on time. Again. orz

Nov. 17

I woke up a bit before noon today.

Most of my day was spent on the usual, but I did do dishes, make dinner, and my exercise.

First, Day 25 of the 30DoHIIT. High Knees, Level 3. I got through it by the skin of my teeth and my pace did slow down a lot. Let’s just say, it was pretty intimidating - doing effectively 1′30″ high knees multiple times. Hard to definitively say whether the new version was very much easier than the old (which had less active time per set, but more sets). orz

Second, Day 25 of the PGC. 2′40″ un/clenching fists. I can feel myself approaching a plateau with this - but I was able to will myself to keep going at a decent pace (hovering around that .gif). Forearms felt the burn real good.

Third, today’s DD. 30 plank jacks with EC. This was pretty doable, though weird for me to do after my workout. Which kicked my butt. But I got through it. :U

Last, Day 22 of the G2B. Finally got back on track and hit the yellow zone. Let’s try not to drop off the wagon like that for awhile.

Nov. 18

Been up since a bit after 10AM.

Spent a bit of time with the usual and organizing some stuff, before getting in my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 40 flute flexes with EC. Not much to say other than I found it very fun to do! :D

Second. Day 26 of the 30DoHIIT. Active Plank, Level 3. This was left untouched since the old version. This was very doable with steady breathing - but the last set got pretty real. Push-up form wasn’t amazing - but I felt it! :,D

Third, Day 26 of the PGC. 2′40″ overhead flex hold. This was also manageable work - with a return of watering eyes. Probably will be the case for the remaining days of the challenge.

Last, Day 23 of the G2B. This time I went to bed in the green zone - mostly because I knew I had to get up earlier tomorrow.

Nov. 19

I woke up around 8:30AM, today.

Got to the facility a bit too late for group today, but that’s okay. I spent my time there drawing and socializing, before heading back home.

At home, spent some time with the usual, before doing my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 20 push-ups with rotations with EC. Push-up form wasn't stellar, but acceptable. Being a bit sleep-deprived did make things a touch harder than it needed to be, but mission accomplished. :P

Second. Day 27 of the 30DoHIIT. Cardio HIIT, Level 3. Was a bit dubious, because I was pretty tired from not enough sleep. But I managed to get through it okay.

Third, Day 27 of the PGC. 2′50″ un/clenching fists. I pretty much strictly followed the pace of the .gif, which I only just realized goes at a rate of 1 rep/sec. At first, I thought that was easy, but in the last minute or so was pretty tough!

Last, Day 24 of the G2B. I think it was largely due to tiredness- but I was able to get to bed in the green zone.

Nov. 20

I got up a bit before noon.

Spent a short time with the usual before the internet went out. Happy the PSPS Warning didn’t lead to a power outage for my place. But it did suck not being able to get some ref pictures, catch the DD, and whatnot.

I did end up playing a couple games of rummy, did some dishes, and made dinner before exercising.

First. Day 28 of the 30DoHIIT. Half Jacks, Level 3. The main difference with the older version is not incorporating a squat - so it used to be a bit harder. This was super fun, because I like jacks a bunch.

Second, Day 28 of the PGC. 2′50″ overhead flex hold. This was pretty painful, but I got this.

(After spending some time working on art and listening to music...)

Last, Day 25 of the G2B. Another day I managed to get to the green zone with, which I was happy about.

Nov. 21

I woke up a bit after 8AM again, today.

Got to the facility, did some drawing, socializing, and attended WRAP Group.

Got home and not long after, the internet came back on. So I spent a few hours with the usual before exercising.

First, yesterday’s DD. 30 single leg deadlifts with EC. I ran with assuming a foot drop was still good - so it was pretty doable with my energy levels and sore lower back muscles (probably from those glute flexes).

(I also attempted today’s DD, but I was way too tired for an elbow plank hold. orz )

Second. Day 29 of the 30DoHIIT. Ab Work, Level 3. Untouched from old version. But it was pretty challenging - by the time I got to those knee-to-elbows, I felt like my abs would fail on me and lose my balance. I managed to get through it in one piece!

Third, Day 29 of the PGC. 3′ un/clenching fists. I think I matched the pace of the .gif. This always get my forearm muscles feeling stiff and somehow bigger? Muscle fatigue does funky stuff to the proprioception. :,D

Last, Day 26 of the G2B. I managed to get to bed in the yellow zone, this time.

Nov. 22

I wke up a bit after 11AM, today.

Mostly did the usual, before doing some dishes and making dinner. All the exercise I did today was catch up on the DDs.

First, yesterday’s DD. 2′ raised leg elbow plank hold, without EC. I did try this yesterday but was too sleep deprived. I did better today - but indigestion made it untenable. So this was split into about 1'20"/40". Blah. orz

Last, today’s DD. 25 W-extensions with EC. This was far more manageable - but not super nice with that indigestion.

I also did not go to bed on time.

Nov. 23

I woke up a bit before 11AM.

Spent a bit of time on the usual before starting on my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 1′ chest squeeze with EC. This was fun, definitely still gets the arms trembling near the end.

(After FAR too many distractions...)

Second. Day 30 of the 30DoHIIT. Cardio HIIT, Level 3. 3 pretty explosive cardio exercises, this time. It kicked my butt and I was a bit worried about some indigestion I had going in... But I got through it in one piece. (Not sure how this matches up with the old version - while it did have more sets, it had side-to-side jumps instead of [basic] burpees.)

Third, Day 30 of the PGC. 3′ overhead flex hold. That was certainly a willpower game - but these 10″ increments definitely made this more manageable. It did get some waterworks going, too! Pffft!

Fourth, Day 1 of the Daily Gratitude Challenge. I think this will be a good thing to try to incorporate more regularly, There may be repeated items - but I’ll try to come up with new stuff. But to start off, I’m grateful:

That I had the help I needed to get some benefits, over the course of the last few years. I’m still trying to process this.

That DAREBEE exists, it made it possible for me to keep exercising for more than 4 years now.

That I have been able to create art and continue to try fostering a growth mindset in this front.

(After some time doing last minute planning for what I’m going to do next...)

Last, Day 27 of the G2B. This was a yellow zone, day.

Nov. 24

I woke up a bit before 11AM, today.

First, today’s DD. 40 scorpion twists with EC. This is still among my favorites. It's very easy to find yourself shimmying backwards on accident, though. :,S

Second, I reattempted Day 23 of the 30DoHIIT... But I was just not up for it. Like at all. I’m not a fan of planks and I’m mildly annoyed that THIS was the only time I did Level 2 with in this program run. But it still puts me above my PBs in challenge levels (though, because of version changes, that may be not super accurate for comparison.)

Third, Day 1 of the Kick Master Challenge. I wanted to pick a challenge that was fun legwork and relatively aerobic. 40 turning kicks (20/20) and 40 side kicks (20/20) in one workout. I pretty easily managed doing this in one go. Maybe I’ll alternate sides to make it more challenging. :Ic

Fourth, Day 1 the Dead Hang Challenge. I think this would be a good upper body challenge to complement the KMC and helpful for progressing towards pull-ups. Today was 2x10″ dead hangs. It’s surprisingly challenging to do so for even 10″, but manageable. We’ll see if I can keep up with the increments, either way I’m going to see some progress!

Fifth, Day 2 of the DGC. I’m grateful:

For the things that inspire me to make art, be it Sanders Sides, ask blogs, or more.

For my friends online and off, I feel like I should reach out to them more, though.

That I’m able to get mental health support from the local community.

Last, Day 28 of the G2B. Yellow zone again.

Nov. 25

I woke up a bit before 11AM.

I did my exercise earlier today.

First, today’s DD. 1′ calf raises with EC. Counted 67 reps, this time - I wanted to stay above 1/sec and oof... that pace was pretty tough! :,D

Second, Day 2 of the KMC. 2x 10 slow side kicks (5/5) + 10 fast side kicks (5/5). I think I kept the rest period shorter than prescribed, because it was a bit easy.

Third, Day 2 of the DHC. 20″ dead hang. That was pretty tough. It might be nice to get some distraction set up to make this a bit more tolerable. But I still did manage.

(Because I was a bit thrown off by some news... I didn’t get to the DGC. But I did shower and some of the usual before winding down again.)

Last, Day 29 of the G2B. Just barely missed the green zone, but good enough.

Nov. 26

I got up a bit after 8AM, today. I’m quite tired.

I got to the facility, attended group, got frazzled by a conversation (nnng, gotta let that one go), went to the diner (because I could actually do that... and I kind of wanted to chill out, even if it was raining), and did a bit of drawing.

Got home, spent time on the usual and baked some pizzas before getting in today’s exercise.

First, today’s DD. 2′ elbow clicks with EC. I counted 129 reps, happy I managed to stay above 1/sec.And it certainly got pretty challenging to will the elbows to touch in the last ~50 reps. :,D

Second, Day 3 of the KMC. 2x 20 turning + 20 side kicks. I just did it in one superset - and this was pretty fun.

Third, Day 3 of the DHC. 2x10″ dead hangs. O think this was modestly more tough than the first time - probably due to being a bit sleep deprived and overfull. But again, doable!

Fourth, Day 3 of the DGC. I’m grateful:

For my therapist and their insights.

Whenever I have (electrical) power.

That I haven’t had any acute episodes of hip pain, since I started exercising.

Last, Day 30 of the Get to Bed on Time Challenge. This was yet another yellow zone day.

---

I think this is a good place to end this post with a summary about my experience, here. Since I’ve started and finished everything I meant to for now, it’s a bit of a jumble.

I finished the 30 Days of HIIT Program and the Power Grip Challenge a couple days later than I meant, by Nov. 23. I managed to get Level 3 for every day other than #23, which I got Level 2. Mildly disappointed about that. But in terms of Levels, I definitely beat my PB, for what it’s worth (I think that generally, the older version was harder in structure). This challenge was pretty fun and painful in a good way (the tears were nice for dry eyes... pffft!)

I finished the Get to Bed on Time Challenge, several days later, by Nov. 26. Obviously, had a few hiccups and failed to get to bed a few more times than intended. But, it can’t be said that progress in sleep hygiene hasn’t been made, as a result. I hope I can actually keep this up, going forward.

I started the Daily Gratitude Challenge in Nov. 23. I think this was an opportune time to try to do this more often. I see the value in taking inventory of good things.

I then started the Kick Master & Dead Hang Challenges in Nov. 24. I figured these complemented each other in terms of focal muscle groups. Former is just fun leg work, for unsurprising reasons. The later will help me work towards being able to do an actual pull-up.

Now, these new arrangements are a bit easier than a full-blown workout. But I’m going to make space for this year’s holiday events. Hopefully I don’t miss out on most of them. Might periodically do old DDs.

#adventures with fitness #long post

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booksbroadwaybbc · 6 years

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Lets Transform Ourselves Day 28 "The Rebuild" (Pics on /r/dailyprogression) via /r/selfimprovement

Lets Transform Ourselves Day 28 "The Rebuild" (Pics on /r/dailyprogression)

Background information:

I'm a 20 year old Middle-eastern guy who's very figgity, impulsive and really only thinks about the short term benefits of everything. I used to be addicted to Gaming, but ever since i became 18 years old i decided to leave that part of me behind. I live in a lower-class home, we live off of welfare and I've had the fortune of being born with an above average-IQ which has led to me being able to go to university with a loan.

Last year 2017 December 17th I quit university, broke up with my girlfriend (whom i lived with for 4 months), ditched all my junky friends and moved back to my hometown.

So this is what I'll be doing every single day.

Waking up in the morning at 7:30 AM

Meditate for 10 minutes

Practise a skill/craft in my case Programming for 2 hours (not currently bec of holiday)

Walk for 2 hours per day

Do 60 Pushups + 240 Situps And Plank for 1 minute straight

Read a book (Currently : 4-Hour work week) for 2 Hours

Go cycling for 1 hour (not currently bec of holiday)

Be hygienic

Eat clean and track the calories that i'm taking

Log of 1st of September - Current time 11:53 PM :

I wanted to stop wasting time, the way things were going I was heading to the land of laziness. I didn't want to reach that destination so I flipped the tables, right when i woke up till the end of my day I wanted to be productive or at least push the limits of what a post-productiveperiod person can accomplish. The holiday that I took with my family really did me in and i'm seeing the consequences of it now in my weight and also in my habits that i need to completely rebuild. It's going to be heavy but I know I can do it again.

I'd like to see this as Day 1, and just forget about the past logs and past productive cycles. Because it really does feel like day 1 or maybe it's just me thinking that and i'm actually having more progress. Anyway today I woke up very late something that most people would find normal on a sathurday but it was at 11 AM. Waking up late is like drinking alcohol the experience itself is nice but after a while you realise you fucked up. Just think about it if you sleep at 11 PM and you wake up at 11 AM that only gives you 12 hours worth of doing stuff. Now in these 12 hours you might eat for an hour, piss or shit for half an hour and do things with your family for an hour. Leaves you about 9 hours left to be productive, without even counting in the post waking laziness and pre-sleep tiredness. But if you wake up at 7 AM consistently, you'll have a full 13 hours of productivity hours ( Including everything). And this is what I need to start doing, and i'll be doing it anyway since I'm going to university again.

I had breakfast, cleaned myself in the shower and right after I did that I went for the 2 hour walk. I wanted to get as much energy as i could and the best way to do this is by walking, granted walking does take a bit of physical energy away the pro is that your mental energy skyrockets. This is due to hormonal changes when you exercise, primarily caused by the increase of endorfines. (feel good hormone). I really enjoyed the 2-hour walk and i felt a little bit of soreness in my feet when i started but that didn't last the whole trip. Once I got back it was 15:30 PM and I really didn't do anything but eat walking does get you hungry. I ate some noodles and grapes whilst watching Dexter, currently at season 7.

After watching dexter I went over to my family in the living room and also had diner, not much obviously because i had eaten an hour before it. I managed to pack 2600 calories for the day and i'm very disappointed with that number as I really need to lower my caloric intake to see any impact of my diet whatsoever. After diner I changed clothes, and got on my racing bike and raced through the city. I've been listening to the same songs every single freaking time and it's really bugging me, so I just changed up the songs here and there so it'd satisfy my needs. Do you also get that feeling when you listen to your favourite song and it's amazing, but then you listen to it 1 million times and it just becomes absolute shit. yeah that's what bothers me sometimes. I cycled for about 50 minutes, untill my little brother calls me with his iphone and gets me to bike all the way back. I promised him i'd watch an animated series with him and well gotta back up my words I guess.

Before chilling with my little brother I also wanted to get my push-ups and sit-ups done and also meditate. So what I do is go to my parents room, since there is more space there my room has 0 space. I lay down and start doing my push-ups usually i do these near my room in the hall but there was a visitor so that would've been odd. Now I said i would do 75 push-ups rather than 60, I didn't manage to do so I will be doing it next time. 60 push-ups are good enough. Now for the sit-ups I really need to start to add more variety in them, most of my sit-ups consist of upper-abs training and my lowerabs have been lacking. I managed to do both the 60 pushups and 240 situps and after i got that done I did the 1:10 minute plank which also went great !

I showered real quick after the exercises and laid on my new bed and started a meditation session. This was really needed as my head was just empty this time around I wanted to fill it up with thoughts so i could direct myself better. This usually happens to me after drinking a lot, the days after the day i am drunk i will feel less conscientious and just litterly don't even think about my actions. Also called impulsitivity. Whilst meditating the voice that i listen to tells me that i need to think about my goals and aspirations, and it was just great to do this and get a clear picture of where i want to go in the future. after the session it was time to chill with the little boy ! Watched an animated cartoon called "FMA brotherhood" and it was great.

Now it's 11 PM and I haven't read or programmed and man I really need to get some sleep since university is starting soon (3rd of sep). So I just picked one and did that halfway, I read about 20 pages of the book "4-hour work week" by Tim Ferris. I didn't manage to get a lot of information, but most of it was about what happens after you "succeed." When you have a lot of money and time, most people will become clueless for a period of time and ask themselves why they did it in the first place and what the meaning of life is. When those kind of questions are actually best to remain unanswered as they're just blunt stupid questions really. They don't comedown to one thing and you could litterly answer it with everything and there's no right or wrong. That's why sometimes you just have to let things be.

Now Guys as i'm writing this it's midnight and i'm about to get a good night of sleep. Tomorrow is sunday so i'll be a bit easier on myself, it was sort of meant to be my restday but because of all the improductive things i've been experiencing lately (holidays) I'll be as productive as i can be. I hope you're still enjoying these logs and are thrilled about me nailing down my routines again ! You're going to freaking make it, I know it. Laters.

pics on r/dailyprogression

Submitted September 02, 2018 at 01:16AM by AttackPrince via reddit https://ift.tt/2LO9Lx1

#IFTTT #reddit

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thesimplyluxuriouslife · 7 years

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201: Design an At-Home Strength Training Program That Works

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #201

~Subscribe to The Simple Sophisticate: iTunes | Stitcher | iHeartRadio | YouTube

"Exercise should be regarded as tribute to the heart." —Gene Tunney

Disspell the myths, push through the pain, discover what you do not know so the wrong information no longer holds you back. The concept of good overall physical health is a tripod: aerobic, strength and flexibility. A regular regimen which includes these three components will offer a firm foundation of lasting health. When we pair strong physical health with emotional and mental health, we are a mighty force with the potential to live well. As 2018 began, one of my resolutions was to improve the quality of my strength program. As I shared in TSLL's first book, in chapter six which focuses on health and beauty, my approach to creating a strength program is to hire a personal trainer for at least one session and hire them to help you design an at-home working routine. Having done this more than thirteen years ago, I realized I may need a refresher to my routine. The opportunity to work with an expert in the field of fitness as well as health and nutrition was something I didn't want to squander. Yes, I know the basics of health. As a collegiate athlete who has competed at the national level, and throughout my entire childhood, as well as coached varsity volleyball in high school, I knew the general concepts of proper form, body awareness and possible exercises. What I didn't have was accountability and someone to push me further than I would push myself. After all, having the energy and the time to accomplish what I want is typically the biggest obstacle I run up against, as I have a feeling most of us do, when it comes to changing the quality of our lives. It's not that we don't know better or don't want to make the change, it the ability (willpower, time, support) that is lacking. Wanting to gain as much benefit from my sessions as possible, I had a list of questions in my mind to address my concerns and questions as well as a clear set of objectives I hoped to attain. Objectives:

an effective strength routine I can complete at home

a challenging routine that keeps my body toned, lean, and strong

to habituate in my mind the act of the created routine

Questions & Concerns:

How to not become bulky, what causes this to happen?

What should I eat and when to support my objectives?

How often and how long?

What equipment do I really need at home to complete my routine?

For ten weeks, each Monday, I met with my personal trainer at a local gym. For an hour we went through a training session which was different each week. Later in the week, I would take an hour at home and follow that particular week's strength routine, fitting in a total of two strength routines each week. Part of the reason I hired the trainer for 10 sessions was to accomplish my third objective: to create a habit. Sure enough, now that I have been on my own for two weeks, every Monday afternoon or evening, I carve out 1 hour and get to work. I have chosen a day that works best with the rest of my schedule (blogging and teaching, as well as my walking schedule with the dogs). I have also found tending to my first strength routine of the week on Monday is a wonderful way to start the week as I feel I have accomplished something that does take a lot of willpower, and at the beginning of the week, I have far more than I would have on even Tuesday, let alone Wednesday or Thursday and especially Friday. The component my trainer made available through our sessions together was her knowledge of eating well paired with proper fitness. As a nurse and health coach, she answered many questions that I raised as well as offered a multitude of different ideas for eating well and what to eat directly before and after my training sessions (good carbs and protein). The benefits of regularly incorporating a strength routine into your overall health regimen are immense now and throughout your entire life (US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the age of 85 just released her new book The RBG Workout which include many of the exercises in my new workout - planks anyone?), and below are the most important reasons to create a plan that is effective and consistently adhered to as reported by the Mayo Clinic.

Reduce the potential of osteoporosis in later years. Bone strength is greatly increased with regular strength training.

The calories keep on being burned. Metabolisms increase, caloric burn continues long after the workout and thus a leaner body results (so long as the eating regimen is in proper alignment).

Can reduce chronic pain and health maladies such as back pain, heart disease, depression, diabetes, arthritus and obesity.

Improves the mind's agility. Some studies have revealed a connection between regular strength training and the mind's ability to learn new skills and improve memory and analytical thinking.

The truth about about strength training and losing weight is that as The New York Times reported in 2015, if we do not pair our physical fitness — both aerobic and strength training — with a diet of moderation and balanced nutrition, we thwart the positive results that can be possible. (read: How to Enjoy Eating Every Day and Love the Results, episode #165) What does my new strength training entail? Below are the components.

2-3, 45 minute - 1 hour sessions each week

Goal each week: work out both upper and lower in either individualized sessions or combo sessions

Visit WorkOutLabs.com to see in illustrations as well as build your own routine based on the part of the body you want to train.

Begin with a 5 minute aerobic warm-up: walking, rowing, stairs, etc.

Determine what will be the focus: upper, lower or both

determine how many sets and how many repetitions in each set

I usually choose to do three sets of 10, or graduated, 12-10-8; four sets if I am feeling as though I have energy

Begin with the most challenging items first (to boost your confidence and get them out of the way)

Incorporate abs into every workout by simply keeping them tight to maintain your balance and proper form.

Create circuits of 2-4 different exercises, each with their sets and repetitions as it creates "segments" for your workout.

Example: Ab workout — knee tap crunches, plank hold and hallow hold (each 10x or 10 seconds, 3 sets of each)

End with a full abdominal segment

5 segments is usually what I include in strength routine

Drink water throughout

Never back-to-back sessions

Equipment used:

5 pound hand weights (see in the above image - linked here)

15 lb kettlebell (seen in the image with Norman), 20 and 25 lbs are also something I might add in the future as I used these graduated weights in my workouts with my trainer.

Resistance bands with handles in three varying strengths (seen in image above - linked here)

Resistance bands, loops in five different strengths (seen in image above - linked here)

Considering the following equipment:

Bosu sports balanced trainer (half ball) for ab and arm work - push-ups

Exercise ball - for abdominal and hamstring work

An elimination or reduction of the following foods:

pasta

alcohol

highly processed foods

added sugar

Sample Lower Body workout:

5 minute warm-up - walking or jumping jacks or jump rope

walking lunges, air squats, 1 leg deadlift (10x, 3 sets)

sled down and back in the hallway (see image with Norman in the chair below), kettlebell squats, knee to chest with 1 second pause (works the abs and arms as well). 3x, 10 each or 10 yards for the sled each way.

banded kickbacks, ball hamstring curl, ab sit-ups, wall sit (3x, 10 repetitions)

ball v-up, reserve side lung (3x, 12-10-8 repetitions)

ab work: leg lifts, with weight behind head to overhead, oblique twists, straight arm pulses; 12-10-8

Sample Upper Body workout:

5 minute warm-up - see above

inchworm with pushup, walking lunges with bicep curl, shoulder taps, wall touch sit-ups; 4 sets, 5-10 repetitions

push ups, upright row, chest press; 3 sets, 12-10-8

tricep curl, row, box push-up, lateral raise, overhead press, bent over fly; 3 sets, 12-10-8

ab work: wall touch, knee touch, knee to chest, plank knee to chest; 3 sets, 10 repetitions

Sample Combo workout:

pick and choose 2-3 of each workout above

~Norman as weight on the "sled". Counter-clockwise beginning in the lower lefthand corner: (1) First go-round, Norman are you ready? (2) after two lengths of sliding - I've got this; (3) Are we done?; (4) I am exhausted as you look, but anytime you want to push me again, I am here.~

Results and Outcome Thus Far The positive changes I have seen 12 weeks into my new strength training are gradual, but promising. While I do not get on a scale as muscle mass weighs more than fat, I instead pay attention to how my clothes fit: are my pencil skirts tight or do they easily slip on? which loop in my belt am I using? Can I fit comfortably into my jeans? While our bodies do fluctuate throughout the month, understanding our body's rhythms and how we feel after eating certain foods is part of understanding and determining whether our bodies and thus our health is on track. One improvement I have noticed is that my ability to hold poses in yoga has improved which is something I have always wanted to do since I began yoga more than seven years ago. And one of my fears was not realized (bigger shoulders). Yes, my shoulders and arms are slightly more defined, but they are no larger than they were when I wasn't doing my strength training. With the attention to a well-rounded arm strength routine, my entire arm is more capable of holding my body. One detail that was an important point for me to learn was that my body will swell up approximately 2-3 days after a strength training session. While I knew it would be sore (and it was especially so after the first week's session), I didn't realize it was also sweeling due to the body and muscles attempting to heal itself. It is important to note this temporarily change because it will feel (because it is) as though your muscles are expanding, but they will heal and in 2-3 days, the swelling will be gone. Since I keep my weights small (5lb for arm workouts and use high repetition), bulkiness is not something to fret about as was one of my questions from the beginning. The key to losing inches or maintaining the weight we have if that is the goal is to eat smart but not deprive ourselves and workout consistently while mixing up the routine we do each time to keep our muscles on their toes. I don't know if I'll ever fit into size 4 (US) jeans again as I am currently between a 6 and an 8, but the size doesn't matter so much anymore as my goal is to keep my body healthy and strong so I can be hiking, paddleboarding, taking yoga classes and cross country skiing well into my 80s and 90s, as well as go on lengthy walks with my dogs. I hope my experience has helped you, and while this is my tailored routine based on my time with a personal trainer, I do encourage you to seek out an expert in fitness and nutrition who can give you a personal plan for strengthening your body as well. As an investment in our health, I am confident you will see great value in receiving answers to questions you may have regarding your health and fitness journey. ~SIMILAR POSTS/EPISODES from the ARCHIVES YOU MIGHT ENJOY:

~Why Not . . . Lose Those Last 10 Pounds?

~To Get and Stay in Shape: Keep It Simple, episode #190

~15 Things to Do to Not "Feel Fat", episode #52

~Learn more and sign up for TSLL's Weekly Newsletter

Petit Plaisir

~Paris in Stride: An Insider's Walking Guide by Jessie Kanelos Weiner and Sarah Moroz

~Learn more about why I love this book in a full review here.

~Sponsor of this week's episode:

Audible

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blogmidouni · 8 years

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Hailey Lost Over 100 Pounds (and She Eats Dairy and Gluten!)

A few years ago, Hailey Hechtman looked at pictures of herself at a wedding and didn't recognize the woman she saw. She realized that she had turned to food for comfort and put everyone else's needs before her own. Sound familiar?

Hailey: Before

We can all learn from Hailey's journey; the moment she dedicated herself to her health journey, the weight fell off, and she did it without eradicating major food groups or restricting calories like crazy. Hailey went from a size 22 to a size 8, but what's most inspiring is the joy she's found. Her brave commitment to her health and self-care is an example of how we must better ourselves in order to give to others and live our happiest, healthiest lives.

POPSUGAR: What made you decide to start your weight-loss journey?

Hailey Hechtman: For the majority of my childhood, into my teens and through my early adulthood, I had been overweight. From the time that I was a kid, I compensated for the lack of attention and involvement from my family with food. I am not entirely sure how this started, but there was certainly something within me that felt alone, ignored, and isolated, which for brief moments in time was put to the back of my mind when I ate. When it came to my weight, it was something that I ignored, something that when I looked in the mirror I tried to pretend wasn't real or was OK somehow, even though deep down I knew that I wasn't happy with not only the way I looked but the way I felt.

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"I remember sitting on the couch in my apartment almost in shock. Was that me? Is that what I really looked like?"

I was the kind of person, especially as a teen and into my twenties, that would focus all of my energy into other people; their problems, their dreams, their dating lives. All of it was fundamentally more important to me than having to face my own reality. I was the kind of friend that would spend every waking hour trying to help you without ever reflecting on what I needed to be happy, and by virtue of my dedication to others, I thought that I was happy. I got all of my validation from how much people relied on me and none of it from my own accomplishments.

When I was 20, just having finished my second year of university, my perspective changed. I had just gone through a breakup with a long-distance boyfriend who was supposed to be my date to my cousin's upcoming wedding. I went to the wedding alone, enjoyed myself, had a great time . . . but then I saw the pictures. I remember sitting on the couch in my apartment almost in shock. Was that me? Is that what I really looked like? I got up off the couch and for the first time in many years, walked to the scale. I stepped on . . . 287 pounds. I cried and said to myself that day, standing on that scale, that that was the heaviest I would ever be. From that moment on I committed to dedicating my time over that Summer away from school to becoming the me that I deserved to be, that I could no longer just keep hiding from my body and instead owed it to myself to take the time to get healthy, fit, and work on my self-care.

Hailey: After

PS: What's your favorite way to work out?

HH: When I first started trying to lose weight, exercise was terrifying. I had never been an athletic person; in fact, I often used to pretend that I wasn't feeling well to get out of gym class and would hide out in the bathroom if a friend asked me to go to the gym with them. I knew though that I would have to work out in order to see results and become a healthier person.

I started simply with walking. The first few weeks I would walk for 30 minutes around my neighborhood and then the next few weeks for 45 minutes. I kept increasing this as time went on. I also tried to incorporate bodyweight exercises like squats and crunches, which when I was nearly 300 pounds left me sore in a way that I had never been before. Despite the level of discomfort, the newness felt like a really nice change of pace and I began to start enjoying my workouts as they got progressively longer and varied.

"I committed to becoming the me that I deserved to be; I owed it to myself to get healthy."

PS: What's your weekly exercise schedule?

HH: Now, six years later, I love working out and have actually found that it replaced food as an excellent way to relieve stress and make me feel in control. On an average week, I work out four to six times and try to keep it as fresh and engaging as possible. Twice per week, I will do strength training with heavier weights, including squats, side bends, kettlebell swings, seated boats with weight, as well as ab training like planks.

Related: This Is What It Looks Like to Lose 30 Pounds in 4 Months

Two days per week I do lighter weight cardio workouts with exercises that incorporate getting my heart-rate up and using light dumbbells such as weighted jumping jacks and weighted high knees. On the other one or two days per week I work on decompression including mobility flow exercises, foam rolling, and yoga to help with recovery. During the day, I spend a lot of time sitting at my desk however I am very lucky to work only 15 minutes from my home, which means that I end up walking at least one hour per day between going to and from work at the beginning and end of the day as well as home for lunch.

PS: How do you keep workouts exciting?

HH: It is really important to me that working out feels energizing, fun, and empowering. For me, this has been possible because of all the great resources available online. I have a variety of different people that I follow on Instagram who post new workouts on a daily basis which really helps to give me ideas for developing my own routines. I am big fan of supersets and so often I will spend time doing research and then combining moves that I feel will enhance my workout and engage my body in a different way.

Related: Katie Has Lost 220 Pounds So Far Without Calorie Counting or a Gym

PS: How much weight have you lost?

HH: I have lost over 100 pounds and have been able to keep the majority of it off over the past four years; I went from a size 22 to a size 8 to 10. I fluctuate a little bit here and there but focus mainly on being healthy, fit, and strong.

PS: What was the first big difference, other than the number on the scale, that really made you feel proud and excited?

HH: For me the first big difference was having a different sense of space. I remember when I was overweight, I took up so much more of an area, my arms could not simply sit at my side, they instead jutted out or when I was sitting in class in university I could not put down the little side table attached to my seat as it did not sit flat. Once I lost the weight this changed; I felt more confident when I was walking around and didn't feel awkward about where I stood, or if I was in the way, like I had felt before. I also enjoyed a new sense of self-esteem that I hadn't had; I was able to work on being more assertive and was able to feel worthy enough to start focusing my energy on what I wanted out of life. I overall felt a lot happier and more able to enjoy where I was in life.

Hailey: Before and After

PS: How do you track your weight loss?

HH: When I first started losing weight, I tracked my weight loss using the scale, but as I got more and more comfortable with the process, I started instead to watch how clothing fit me. The biggest difference I noticed was how quickly my old clothing became baggy and how my wardrobe for the first few years was constantly evolving. Now, I do not track weight loss rather I just take time to be mindful to how my current clothing fits me and where progress is happening in terms of my workouts.

"I love working out . . . it replaced food as an excellent way to relieve stress and make me feel in control."

PS: What's a typical day of meals and snacks?

HH: For me, I am a real creature of habit when it comes to food. I usually start my morning off with a bowl of oatmeal made with almond milk that has chia seeds, flaxseeds, peanut butter, blueberries, and a little bit of maple syrup mixed in. A few hours later, while at work I will have a morning snack of half an apple and a small bottle of kefir. For lunch, I typically have a sandwich with either egg or hummus in a whole grain pita, veggies, and a 1/4 avocado mixed with cocoa powder and honey for dessert. In the afternoon, I will have a turkey pepperoni stick and a small container of rice pudding. For dinner, I will have a piece of salmon or turkey, with sweet potato, mini potatoes or brown rice, asparagus and kale with a bit of BBQ sauce, and following my workout I will have a smoothie with berries, half a banana, some whey protein, peanut butter, and spinach. I love these foods and have found that I am always feeling pretty energized throughout the day.

PS: What's the range of calories you eat per day?

HH: Although I am very consistent with what I eat, I still do find it helpful to track what I eat. I use the S Health App on my phone to not only see the amount of calories that I am taking in but the nutritional balance of what I am eating. I aim to have a good balance between carbs, fats, and proteins and get most of my daily vitamins from the food that I eat. I usually eat about 1800-2000 calories per day.

Related: This Inspiring Mom of Two Lost 40 Pounds With Tone It Up

PS: What are the healthy staples that are always in your fridge?

HH: In my fridge I always have spinach, lemons (I drink water with lemon, cucumbers, turmeric, and cinnamon every day), kefir, natural peanut butter, and whole grain pitas. I really like keeping stocked on oatmeal, almond milk, and maple syrup in my cupboard.

Hailey: After

PS: How do you strategize for meals out?

HH: I don't tend to eat out that often, but when I do, I just make sure to eat proportionally. For example, my partner and I will usually order a pizza on a Friday night and I will have two slices and put them over a bed of spinach. I feel like you should still enjoy the foods that you want and that eating out should be about having flavors that you don't get to experience very often, so I don't tend to deny myself; I just try to keep it reasonable and add it to my phone so that it counts towards my nutritional balance.

"Be self-reflective and focus on what has brought you to wanting to make a change."

PS: Do you use a fitness tracker?

HH: I don't use a fitness tracker, however the app on my phone does count my steps during the day and I usually try to aim for 10,000, which given my walks to and from work is almost always achieved. For me, tracking my fitness progress is more done just by creating workouts for myself for the week and then going through them. Sometimes when it is really busy I will do one less day of high intensity and one more day of stretching, but ultimately I just aim at being healthy and fit on a schedule that works for my lifestyle.

PS: What advice do you have for anyone starting out on a weight-loss journey?

HH: My best advice would be do it on your own terms. I know a lot of people who have found success with a specific diet or exercise program, but for me, as part of my journey to become more self-confident and intrinsically motivated, it was more important to build something customized. I would suggest that if you are trying to lose weight, look at the reasons why you gained it in the first place, take some time to be self-reflective, and focus on what has brought you to wanting to make a change.

Related: 1 Woman's Beautiful Story of Losing 75 Pounds, While Gaining Confidence and Inner Strength

It is helpful to take a strengths-based approach to getting healthy by focusing on what you are capable of and what motivates you rather than what your deficiencies have been. I would also say never lose touch with the person you were before you lost weight. I learned after a lot of looking back that my problem wasn't that I cared about people too much or that I was too open; my problem was that I didn't have a balance between myself and others. Now, I focus on nurturing healthy relationships, being a great partner to the man I love, a good friend to those that matter, and work in a field where I am able to use my skills of support and encouragement. We all have great qualities. It is just that sometimes we need to find new ways of expressing them.

Hailey wants any readers who struggling with weight loss to know that she'd love to be your coach or offer support in any way she can. Email [email protected] if you'd like to learn more about her story or her tips.

from POPSUGAR Fitness http://ift.tt/2jF7F5T Hailey Lost Over 100 Pounds (and She Eats Dairy and Gluten!) POPSUGAR Fitness from Weight Loss & Diet Plans http://ift.tt/2jFAJu5

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ouraidengray4 · 8 years

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What's Healthier Than Following Fitness Gurus on Social Media? Unfollowing Them.

Prior to deleting practically half my Instagram feed.

When I first began following social media fitness stars, I felt like I’d discovered a whole new world. I’d been trying to slim down, and although I knew the basics of working out and eating well—I’d grown up playing sports and have always maintained a fairly healthy diet—I found that I had trouble staying motivated. But I felt genuinely inspired by the drive and success of all the lean, toned people offering workout advice and healthy recipes on every social media platform from Pinterest and Twitter to Facebook to Instagram.

I loved the creativity of the workouts and recipes I was seeing, and I started following lots (and I mean lots) of fitness accounts. I loved seeing a photo of a woman my age wearing a pair of spandex shorts and a sports bra—sans shirt, all the better to show off her chiseled abs—paired with the caption, "Strong is the new sexy. Get your workout in today." I wanted to feel comfortable working out in just a bra and spandex, and I thought that if I worked out hard the way she did, I’d be able to.

These influencers exponentially expanded my workout horizons. I’d see a video of some hyper-jacked female athlete busting out ring dips in the middle of a CrossFit workout and think, "That looks fun. I can do that." Scrolling a little farther down, I’d see a yogi effortlessly flip herself upside down into a handstand against a wall, then break out into upside-down wall push-ups. I told myself I could do that too. They made it look so easy and fun. Marathon running and powerlifting too? Sure. If they could do it, so could I.

I was sold on doing all of these workouts, despite the fact that I’d never done CrossFit, disliked yoga, have never been able to run long distances to save my soul, and hadn’t actually lifted truly heavy weights since high school. But all that didn’t matter; I had become motivated to look like these social media fitness mavens, and I was going to make it happen.

Until I couldn’t make it happen. I found that I couldn’t do more than one ring dip without my arms collapsing under me. Handstand wall push-ups? I’d never even been able to do a somersault—I’d always had an irrational fear of breaking my neck. Marathon running? That lasted five minutes until I decided to go back to doing my good ol’ treadmill sprints. Powerlifting? Yeah, no. A fractured spine from a couple years back guaranteed that effort wasn’t going to be successful. Suddenly, much of my newfound motivation was gone. It was hard to accept myself as I was. I vowed to be like these fitness gurus one day... it was just going to take hard work and time.

My Instagram feed had become a cesspool of kale salads, bulging quad muscles, protein powders, sunset yoga poses... I felt like I was suffocating.

I soon found myself absolutely surrounded by #fitspo. I couldn’t look at Pinterest without seeing hundreds of ripped bodies doing backbends and deadlifts, telling me not to expect a change if I didn’t make one. I couldn’t scroll through Facebook looking for the funny birthday video my friend posted without coming across a dozen workout videos and perfect bodies first.

And Instagram... dear Lord, my Instagram feed had become a cesspool of kale salads, bulging quad muscles, protein powders, sunset yoga poses... I felt like I was suffocating.

I fell into a back-and-forth, love-hate relationship with my social media accounts. I felt motivated and then unmotivated. I’d go for a run and think, "Man, I just ran three miles. For someone who doesn’t run long distance, I did well." But as soon as I was proud of myself, I’d check my social media and see a photo of some perfect-looking woman running down a beach, followed by the caption, "Just finished my 12-mile morning run. What are you doing to better yourself today?" There went my motivation, zapped right down the drain.

Change came one day when I’d decided to skip my workout. I’d done a killer HIIT and weights workout the day before, and my body was screaming at me to rest. But then on my Instagram feed, I came across a video of a yoked fitness guru slamming weights around angrily. "Sore is just an excuse," read the caption. "How many excuses have you made today? Get off your ass and move!" Suddenly, I wasn’t motivated anymore. I was pissed.