Losing Those Last Thirty Pounds: Part-Deux

courtesy of... snegidhi.com
So, how am I going to do this reboot? Well, let me break it down into groups:
Exercise... I have been going full-tilt with exercising for just about four years now (minus taking a break for one week after every 6-8 weeks) and I think I'm going to give myself a rest. During those four years, I have been doing strength training, cardio (walking, Nordic Track, and bike riding), and most recently, yoga and Pilates. As a side note, I have to say that I really like yoga and Pilates. I never thought I could get a good workout from them, but that was until i tried doing it.

Anyway, I'm going to take a few weeks off from exercising and give my body a chance to heal and forget the rigors of daily exercise. My reasoning behind doing this being, that when you do an exercise routine repeatedly, your body will "remember" how many calories it needs to burn in order to get through that routine. Now, if I stop exercising for a few weeks, my body should forget and thus burn more calories and hopefully "reboot".

Starting back up:
My main form of exercise is the Total Gym. Now, if you are not familiar with this piece of equipment, it uses your own body weight as the resistance. You lay on a bench, which you can adjust downwards to produce less resistance or you can adjust it upwards to produce greater resistance. For example, when I started using the Total Gym just over three years ago, I was 296 pounds. That's how much weight I was using to pull myself up. Now, I weigh 220...you can see the difference right there. There's just a little over 70 pounds of difference and I wonder why I'm not seeing any results.

Yep, I'm slow :) SO, I'm going to invest in some weights and attach them to my Total Gym. They have provided a weight bar on the base of the bench, so I can attach the weights there. I think I'll add between 50-70 pounds of weights and see how that goes. This means that I'll have to move the bench down to one of its lowest settings, but that's alright. It'll be just like starting over, which in effect, I'm doing.
Nutrition:
This happens to be my weakest point. Unfortunately, it also happens to be the foundation to any fitness program. I have a bad habit of skipping meals and sometimes just eating popcorn. If you try and starve yourself, your body will go into what's known as "starvation mode" and whenever you do happen to eat, your body will immediately convert those calories to fat, which kinda defeats your entire purpose. So, learn from my mistakes and don't do this. Ideally, you should strive to have 4-5 smaller meals throughout the day.

Control your portion size. Being on a diet doesn't mean that you can't have some of your favorite foods. It just means that you need to control how much of them you eat.

Just now, I mentioned the dreaded Die with a T word. I am really trying to get away from using that word and working toward a lifestyle change. For me to lose this weight and keep it off, I'm going to have to change my lifestyle. Just going on a diet will not cut it. Why? Because after I lose the weight and go off the diet, I'll gain the weight back and the cycle will begin again.

Well, enough of my yammering. Although this is done mainly for my benefit and to have a "chronicle" of this particular roadblock, I hope that it may help someone out there that might be going through the same thing.

Just remember, no matter how you may be feeling now, you are not alone in this. Keep looking forward, because looking back is not an option.

First in series... Losing Those Last Thirty Pounds: part-1

Losing Those Last Thirty Pounds: Part-One

Photo courtesy of... funnyfailpictures.com
Losing those last 20 or so pounds can be an aggravating process. It can seem like it takes longer to lose those last few pounds then it did to lose those first 30-plus pounds. You know what, it bites!
I've been trying to lose my last 30 pounds for over a year now and guess what? I still have 30 pounds left to lose. What's going on?? What am I doing wrong? I've been asking myself these questions for the last few weeks now and I MIGHT have an answer. I say might, because since I don't have a personal trainer and I don't have a fitness guru to talk to, I have to rely on my own instincts and gut feelings. So, what am I going to do?
Well, before I get into that, let me go back in time and tell you where I started (warning: dream sequence)...

Taking a Day Off from Exercising

I'm in kind of a funk today, because I'm not going to exercise. Yep, you heard me right! I'm taking two days off from my exercise routine. I've worked out every day this week and even though I'm feeling guilty about not exercising, my body is telling me to take a rest.




image courtesy of... icanhascheezburger.com

Since I started my weight loss regime and exercising a little over three years ago, my routine has changed drastically. When I first started, I concentrated on strength training and avoided cardio like the plague. Then, when I started feeling guilty about avoiding the cardio, I did that instead of the strength training. As you might be able to see, I did either one or the other during the week...not both.

Well, no more! Over the past few months I have been incorporating both strength training and cardio in my weekly work outs. I discovered a few good videos through Netflix; one is a Boot camp exercise video, which is 30 minutes of non-stop action and the other is a Pilate's/Yoga mix (40 minutes). I have to admit that when I first saw the Pilate's video, I didn't figure that it would give me much of a workout However, after doing it the first time AND only being able to make it through 20 minutes of it, I have a new respect for it. I have to say that when I finally finish the 40 minutes, I look like I have just gotten out of the shower! I combine these videos with my strength training, alternating each day, and I find that I much more satisfied with my workouts.

Now, back to the resting thing.

 I am at the point where I am so used to exercising each day, that whenever I take a day off, I feel guilty about doing so. Today, as I write this, I am again struggling with taking time off. My body is sore from my week's activity and I KNOW that I have to give my muscles a chance to recover, but I still feel bad for not working out. It may sound strange or even bizarre for me to feel this way, but I do. My mind is telling me that I have to rest, but my gut (as ample as it is) is telling me to ignore the aches and pains and just go for it.

Well, I am forcing myself to take time off and recover. It may not seem like it, but the recovery period is just as important as the actual exercising itself. Your muscles get stretched and torn while working out, that's how they grow, and they must have time to recover and heal. Otherwise, you could do serious harm to yourself. So,  instead of sitting here and feeling guilty over the fact that I'm skipping a few days, I'm going to enjoy myself. I'm going to focus on the fact that my muscles are getting a much-needed rest and that I will be ready to begin again next week.

My First Time with Pilates

Well, today I took the plunge and decided to give Pilates a try. Since I started on my weight loss journey, I have mainly concentrated on strength training and, when I guilted myself enough, cardio. Yep, I am not a major fan of the cardio workout, but at the same time I realize that it is an extremely important part to any fitness plan. I have tried using the Nordic Track and and I became so bored with using it, that for a span of several months, I didn't do any cardio at all.

However, a few months ago, I got the bright idea to actually use my wife's bike and go riding. Yeah, I know, what a concept: actually leaving the house and riding - gasp - outside. I really enjoy riding the bike, but I am always trying to find something different to break-up the monotony. So, with this in mind, I started doing some research and found that Pilates seemed kind of interesting. Pilates is a body conditioning routine that helps to not only build flexibility, but also strength, endurance, and coordination in the legs, abdominals, arms and back¹.

I am using the Winsor Pilates system, which incorporates a cardio portion into its workout. I tried it for the first time today and I have to say that by the time I was finished, I was wiped out!! I was only able to get through the first three-quarters of the cardio portion before I couldn't continue.

Needless to say, by the time I was finished, I could have used one of these...







¹http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilates

Dieting/Fitness

I have provided a short snippet for each post, so hopefully it give you an idea as to what the entire article is about. Just click on the link, to read the entire article.


Dieting/Fitness...

Counquering a Weight Loss Plateau

n August, 2007, I began my weight loss program. I weighed 296 pounds of pure, unadulterated fat (can we say Jabba the Hutt??). In November, I weighed 254 pounds, with 15 of that in muscle. In December...254lbs. In January....254lbs. In February....254lbs. What is going on here!!!! I am killing myself with these exercises and this diet, but I'm still at the same weight!!! I'm losing inches, but I'm not losing pounds. I am no longer a fitness nut. I QUIT!!!!! Has this ever happened to you?



Why you Need to Add Strength Training to your Routine

Don't you just love counting calories? I know, I hate it too, but it is an important part of any lifestyle devoted to staying fit. Dieting is only part of the equation when trying to lose weight. You must also adhere to some sort of exercise program, which includes both weight training and cardio workouts. Why must I do both? Well, you CAN get away with doing only one or the other, but if you REALLY want to lose weight, and lose it quickly, you need to include both in your weight loss regimen.



How to Find the Right Exercise Equipment

Okay, you have decided to take the plunge and stick with this exercise thing, but you want to buy exercise equipment that will last past the 90 guarantee. We have all been there: you’re rocking-out to your tunes and pedaling away on your stationary bike, only to see yourself flying over the top of the bike and landing on the floor with a handle in your hand. What happened?



My Total Gym and Me

As you may know, one of the pieces of equipment I use in my exercise routine is the Total Gym. Well, over the course of a few months, I have had several people (OK, 3 people) ask whether it really works. So, in response to those "several" comments I will, over the course of the next few days, give you my review of the Total Gym.



Tips Before Starting your Weight Loss Routine

s you begin your new fitness routine, there are a few things that you might want to do. By taking these few extra steps, you will be able to monitor your weight-loss much more effectively. These few steps should take you only a few minutes to complete and by doing so, you will have those all-important baseline measurements that you can use to show off to your friends at a later time.



Exercise Delemma

I am facing a dilemma: I need to change-out my exercises, but I really do not want to miss-out on the benefits of the exercises I am currently doing. Now that I have totally confused you with that statement, let me try to explain. For the past several weeks, I have been concentrating on strength training. That is, I have been using my Total Gym almost exclusively. Yes, that's right, I have been sadly neglecting my Nordic track.

Make Your Own Back2life Exercise Machine

I was bad and stayed up a little later than usual last night, but just when I was about to switch the TV off and go to bed, I saw this contraption being advertised. It was so ridiculous, I just had to stick around for a few minutes and watch it. From watching the infomercial, I noticed that all the person does is lay on their back, put their feet on this machine and gently push down. That's it! I actually started laughing when I saw this. However, when they announced the price for this miraculous contraption, I started to choke on my diet Pepsi. Do you want to take a guess as to how much they are asking for this thing? Did you guess $19.95? Well, if you did, you would be ever-so-wrong. How about 2 easy payments (I love that term) of $19.95? Nope, keep guessing.

Try FIVE easy payments of $19.95. Can you believe that there are people out there that will rush to their phones and order this piece of junk? I have one question: where are these people? I would love to find out how I can lead these people to my site. I have a very easy-to-use Amazon link they can use and once there, they could go hog-wild and buy the place out. I mean, if they can throw away over $200.00 (including processing and shipping) on this thing, they can surely part with a few hundred at Amazon.

Now for the kicker: does this thing actually work? I have no idea, but if you truly cannot live without this machine, I will share something with you that will allow you to save $200.00...

1. Grab a pillow


2. Lay down in front of your favorite sofa or chair


3. With your butt against the edge, place your feet on top of the cushion


4. using your legs, gently press downward


5. repeat for twelve minutes

There, I just saved you $200.00. Now, might I interest you in...

Back in the Exercise Saddle

After more than a month of not doing my usual exercise routine, last week was my first full week back exercising. You see, I had taken a little "me time" and built a two-tier forty-foot retaining wall. So, after that wonderful vacation, I strapped-on my Total Gym and began anew. Yes, it was almost like starting all over again. Even though I was very active and using my muscles while building the wall, I was not using the same muscles in the way I normally do while exercising (Do you think I can make this sentence any longer or more confusing?).

After the first day back, I was extremely sore, but it felt good (if that makes any sense). The next day, I worked a totally different set of muscles: legs, stomach, and back. Without giving you a boring play-by-play, I will skip forward and let you know that by today, I was basically back to where I left off. Yes, it will take another day or two to get all the way back, but I am getting closer. Although I can't say that I missed not exercising, I do have to say that even though I ache all over, I feel great.

Now, if you need to skip your normal exercise routine for an extended period of time, when you start back up, you might want start a little bit slower than you normally would. Since your body is no longer used to your routine, it will take a little time for it to catch-up. So, if you find yourself not being able to run as far or lift as much weight as you used to, don't be discouraged, because you will soon be running and lifting at your old levels.

My Almost Exercise-Free Day

I'm being lazy today, so I am going to republish an article that I wrote last year. I hope all of you had a great 3-day weekend.





Originally published as Weight for Weight on 11 July 2008. Hope you enjoy...




I'm sitting here writing this article and all the while, I'm being watched. It is an evil force that keeps my mind from writing. It keeps calling to me and mocking me for not doing what I should. I try to ignore it, but it's like that song you hear on the radio and just can't get out of your mind. I can't escape it. It's like a mantra I cannot ignore. It is..........my exercise machine.

Yes, it's my Total Gym. I have it in the living room only a few feet from me, because there isn't room for it in anywhere else. You see, I decided not to exercise today because I just don't feel like it. But I am in such a routine, that I feel REAL guilty if I skip a day. I know it won't hurt to not workout ONE day, but I can't escape this guilty feeling. I keep thinking that if I would have exercised like I usually do, I would be done by now. Don't you just hate that!

As I sit here, being taunted, I look at the clock and tell myself that I could be done by the time this TV show is over. Well, the show's over and I'm still sitting here. Oh well, I'm just going to get it over with. This procrastination is getting me nowhere.

Have you ever felt like this? It is surprising, that every time I come across a problem or roadblock in my fitness regime, I discover that I am not the first to experience it. I am not alone in this and neither are you. We can get through this together. Hang in there. I know I will.

Well, let's burn some calories.

A New Fitness Site

I am honored to announce that I have been asked by Mountain Woman from Red Pine Mountain to co-author a new blog, which will focus on becoming fit through movement. We are not talking about jogging 20 miles a day, but by starting out slowly and building endurance. Exercise can take many forms and we will be discussing the various types of activities you can do. We also want to make it a point to offer help and advice for those who need it. We have both been through the dense weight-loss jungle and we would like to be your guide.

So, I invite you to stop by Get Moving with Mountain Woman and tahtimbo for a visit and if you know of anyone who is on a diet or is thinking of losing weight, please have them stop by.

Exercise or Yardwork

When I started my retaining wall project last month (yes, shameless promotion), I was currently in the habit of exercising 5-6 times per week. I was determined to maintain that schedule throughout the construction process, because I knew that I would feel guilty for not working out. Well, that lasted for all of three days. The first two days went fairly well; I exercised and than I went and spent three hours weeding the berm. However, on the third day, I began digging the trenches; this did not go so well. I was so exhausted from the exercising and the digging, that I all but collapsed when I was finished for the day. I discovered right then and there, that the yard work I was doing was providing me with more than enough exercise, thank you very much.

You see, I had it engraved in my mind that if I skipped a day of exercise, I would be sabotaging my whole fitness routine. Strange, I know, but that's what my mind-set was. Looking back on everything, I have come to realize that it is not just the fact that I am setting aside a certain amount of time each day to expend energy, it is the fact that I am actually expending energy. Whether in the form of a structured exercise routine or in the way of yard work: it is the fact that I am actually doing something physical.

Now, you may be asking what all this has to do with the title of this article? Well, simply put: it doesn't matter whether you do your usual exercise routine or do yard work. It matters that you get out there and do some sort of physical activity. So, put the guilt away and go get that yard (or mine) in shape.

How to Find the Right Exercise Equipment

Okay, you have decided to take the plunge and stick with this exercise thing, but you want to buy exercise equipment that will last past the 90 guarantee. We have all been there: you’re rocking-out to your tunes and pedaling away on your stationary bike, only to see yourself flying over the top of the bike and landing on the floor with a handle in your hand. What happened? Well, it was day 91 and the screw worked itself out from the handle. Your $99.00 Stationary Bike just became a weight lifting machine for the garbage men. Don’t worry, there is a way to avoid this scene. Not all exercise machines are built the same. Once you find out HOW you want to use the equipment, it will make it easier for you to choose the right one.

Probably the first question we all have is: why do they build machines that will fall apart so fast in the first place? It is very simple: Economics. They know that a majority of the people who go out and buy exercise equipment are not going to be using it after about six weeks. By this time the newness will have worn off and more likely than not, the machine will end up spending its remaining days as a clothes hanger. They count on the fact that most people will grow tired and bored with the whole routine. They know that the consumer has already seen a significant weight loss (close to 10 pounds, most of it water with 2-4 pounds in fat), and now that their body has adjusted to the routine, the weight will come off a little slower. Discouraged, the consumer will just quit and go on to the next item on their To-Do list.

To avoid these machines you will need to do two things: Research and Research. Yes, I said it twice because it is the most important thing you can do. If you are going to spend several hundred dollars on a QUALITY exercise machine, you need to know that it will be the right machine for you. Ask yourself some questions: What do I want to do with it? Do you want a treadmill, an elliptical Bike, a stationary Bike, a Weight machine, or a combination of several? Find out what type of workout you want to do. This is the first step.

Secondly, after you have decided on the machine or machines you want, go to places like Amazon and read the customer reviews on the equipment. This is a very important step, because these people are actually USING the product you want to buy. Learn from their experiences. Don’t get focused on just one name brand. Look at them all. Chances are the best one will come out on top.

Thirdly, after you have read customer reviews, checkout what the experts say about them. They will have the technical insight, which you will find very informative. They will give you information regarding the stability, construction, and comfort of the equipment. Look for items such as steel vs. aluminum construction. If you are searching for a treadmill, make sure that the motor is powerful enough for your intended use. A good 3.0 CHP (Continuous Horse Power, yes there is a difference) motor is a good baseline. Make sure that the deck is wide enough and long enough for you to have a comfortable stride (a good base line here is 20 inches wide by 55 inches long).

After you have read all the reviews from both consumers and experts, you should have a pretty good idea as to which piece of exercise equipment you want to purchase; However, there is one more step you should take: go to a store which sells the model you wish to purchase or a gym and try it out (again, if it is a treadmill, something else you might want to do is ask the Cardiologists in your area which type they use for stress tests). Take a look at it and actually try it out. If you like what you see and feel, then you are ready to make your purchase.

Again, we are back at the internet. Now that you know the make and model, search for the most inexpensive price. As you search, be sure to make note of the warranty information. Make sure that it is the same one from the manufacturer Also, check for shipping costs. Some companies will include the shipping cost in the price of the machine. Check those that offer it separately and compare the two. Sometimes you may be getting free shipping, but paying more in the end. I hope that this has given you a few ideas as to where to start your search for quality exercise equipment. If you have additional questions, let me know and I will be more than happy to help you in your quest.

Now, if you just want to work your upper body, then here is something that I have been using for the past several months. It's called the


As you might be able to tell from the photo, it fits in your doorway and you use if to do pull-ups and chin-ups (you can also get a great ab workout using it). Just be sure to measure your doorway, to make sure that it will fit. As I said, I have been using it for several months, along with the Total Gym, and the results have been fantastic.

Related articles:

Tips on How to choose a Treadmill

My Total Gym and Me

Fitness Tips: The Exercise Excuse

How many times have you been thinking about starting an exercise regime, but have come up with a variety of excuses as to why you shouldn’t. Some of my own favorites are: I’ll wait until I can afford some new workout clothes; I need a treadmill before I can workout; I don’t have an iPod, and my personal favorite……I’ll wait until I lose some weight first.

Now, I personally have used each of these at one time or another and I must say, I can make it sound convincing. After I convince myself that I need to wait, I promptly forget about the excuse I used and continue on the same way. A couple of months later, when I again deign to see myself in the mirror, the cycle starts all over again.

The saying, “Why put off for tomorrow what you can do today,” comes to mind. We can always find a valid excuse for putting something off; however, what we need to do is to find a valid excuse for actually doing it. We need to stop making excuses and start doing something. We don’t need new clothes to sweat in. We don’t need a treadmill when there is a perfectly good sidewalk outside. We don’t need an iPod to keep us company for 20 minutes, try silence and good old fashioned imagination. Once we put the excuses aside, we can begin to put the pounds aside.

Dial M for Muscle

As you gaze down upon the Scale of Doom, you notice that it has not moved a bit in fact, you may have gained a few extra pounds. You have been very faithful in fitness routine, so what’s the problem? Is this another weight loss plateau? If you are less than six weeks into your routine, chances are it’s something else. Yet, for those who do not know, it can be every bit as sinister as a plateau. It goes by many names, but I like to call it…Muscle Mass or MM, for short. That’s right, with all that exercising, you are actually toning and building muscle while you are losing fat. Since you are gaining muscle weight, that addition will show up on the scale. This is something that I discovered by accident.

I had been working-out on a regular basis and being faithful to my diet, but the weight was just not coming off. When I went to take my weekly measurements, I noticed that my waist size had actually decreased. How can I lose inches, but not lose weight? This is where MM comes in. I was so obsessed with the Scale of Doom, that I never even noticed that I was building muscle. It was a pleasant shock when I actually looked at myself in the mirror and noticed muscle where none had before existed.

So, next time you step upon the scale and notice no change, just remember that you're not only losing the fat, but you're gaining muscle.

Overcoming A Weight Loss Plateau

This originally ran in April of 2008...

In August, 2007, I began my weight loss program. I weighed 296 pounds of pure, unadulterated fat (can we say Jabba the Hutt??). In November, I weighed 254 pounds, with 15 of that in muscle. In December...254lbs. In January....254lbs. In February....254lbs. What is going on here!!!! I am killing myself with these exercises and this diet, but I'm still at the same weight!!! I'm losing inches, but I'm not losing pounds. I am no longer a fitness nut. I QUIT!!!!!

Has this ever happened to you? Well, this is what happened to me and no, I did not quit. Instead, I did some research, because I knew something was going on; I just didn't know what it was. Somewhere out there someone HAD to have gone through this same thing. The first question was to know what it was called. So, I went "college" on myself and picked the word Plateau. I was right. The attached article goes into more detail, but I'll give you the nuts and bolts of it right now.

Here's what happened: When I started to exercise, I naturally weighed a lot more, so there was more mass to move, thus more calories to burn. As I continued to lose the weight, my body had less mass to move, thus less calories were burned. My body eventually became used to my exercise routine and knew how many calories to burn for the workout. You see, I did not alter my workout; I did the same thing every day. Thus, my body did not have to extend itself. Here's an example of what I am talking about: Let's say you start jogging. The first day you huff and puff and eventually you reach the 1 mile goal. Fast-forward 2 weeks. Do you still huff and puff after 1 mile?? Probably not. Your body has gotten used to the run and has adapted to it. Now, do you just stop after running that 1 mile, or do you stretch it to 2 miles? My guess is that you will stretch it. The same scenario is applicable to strength training. You need to continue to challenge your body in order to continue to lose the weight.

What I needed to do is to trick my body. Give it the unexpected. So, I took a week off and researched different ways of doing my exercises. I needed to maintain the exercise routine, but not the routine exercises.

After the week off, I began again. However, this time I did different exercises and in a different order. I don't do them in the same way every day, like I used to. I mix it up. This way my body does not know what to expect. It can't get lulled into a routine. It doesn't know how much energy it will need to complete the exercise routine.

Guess what?? IT WORKS!!! The pounds are once again starting to come off. I am also a lot happier, because each day my workout is different. I like that.

In a nutshell, here is what I did:

• Take a week off
• Come up with new exercises or a different way of doing the old ones
• Change-up the routine. Don't do it the same way each day.
• Do both strength training and cardio

webmd.com

Climbing Back on the Exercise Horse

For those of us who have been out of the habit of exercising on a daily basis, getting back onto that horse may seem like daunting task. What used to be an everyday ritual, now becomes a monster looming in the shadows. What used to be embraced (well, sort of), now becomes something to be shunned. Why, because we have gotten used to the freedom that comes with not being tied-down to an exercise schedule. Just as we hate to go back to work after a vacation, so too we hate to go back to exercising.

It has been just over two weeks, and since I began my diet last August, this is the longest I have gone without working out. The first week was the hardest, because I could actually feel my muscles wanting to be exercised. Now, into my second week as my ankle heals and I am getting ready to resume my routine, I find that it is going to be like starting all over again. You see, I have gotten used to not working out and I no longer feel guilty if I don't exercise. So, I need to re-establish a routine and force myself to stick to it. I will once again need to set aside a certain portion of the day and devote it to my exercise routine.

Now that I have it set in my mind to begin anew, how will I go about achieving this? I plan to go slowly. I must bear in mind that my muscles have had over two weeks of rest and I will NOT be able to perform the same exercises at the same level as I used to. I need to realize that until my muscles become accustomed to the routine once again, I will need to reduce the level of resistance. I will need to slowly (this being the operative word) work myself back to the level I was at before my injury. Lastly, I need to listen to what my body is telling me, so I don't end up back on the crutches.

If you are in the process of resuming your exercise routine after a long break, go about it slowly and carefully. Don't get discouraged that you can no longer do what you were once able to do. Your body will soon adjust and you will be back in the saddle again.


* Yes, that's Koko in our ornament box.

What a Pain in the Ankle

For the past two weeks, I have not been exercising as I should. This may not come as a shock, because most of us took a break for the holidays. However, my absence from the exercise world was not one of choice; it was one of necessity. Stupid here, got himself injured while working out.

I woke up on a Tuesday with a sore ankle and instead of just foregoing my inverted leg pulls, I went ahead and did them anyway (this particular exercise puts a great deal of strain on the foot and ankle). All went well until later in the day when my ankle got worse and worse. By dinner time, I was back on my crutches and by the next day, I could barely put any weight on my foot. I spent my New Year's Day in bed with my foot propped-up on a pillow. As of this writing, I am able to walk around again, albeit with the use of a cane, but still able to get around.

I wasn't going to mention this at all, but I feel that there may be someone out there who can learn from my stupid mistake. You see, I got over-zealous and did not listen to what my body was telling me. Yes, I usually have pain when I am working out, but it is a muscle pain, which is normal. This pain was not an exercise-related pain. This was a "something-is-not-right-don't-push-your-luck kind of pain." (have I used the word "pain" enough?) Well, I pushed my luck and I paid the price. Moral of the story: Listen to your body and pay attention to what it is telling you. I am hoping by the end of this week to be able start working myself back into an exercise routine, which will be my topic for next time.

A New Year's Resolution

Well, a new year is fast approaching and with it comes the dreaded New Year's Resolutions. I for one, have never really opted-in for this tradition, but I think that this year I may make an exception. Why? The simple fact is I need something to motivate me to climb on that dastardly NordicTrack and actually use the thing for something besides a storage rack.

As you may know, I have discussed this particular aversion before, but I feel that I need to re-address this issue once again. I am the sort of person who does not like doing the same thing over and over again. I like diversity in my workout routine, which sort of flies in the face of using treadmills or ski machines, but I know that cardio is an integral part of any exercise program. When I visited the doctor last month, he mentioned the same thing: don't neglect the cardio portion of your workouts.

So, why not just get off my rear and go for a walk? Walking is an excellent way to keep in shape and lose weight, but I am just not interested in doing it. I used to love jogging, but I get shin splints so I can't do that, either. This kind of puts me in a quandary, what should I do? I really enjoy my Total Gym, but I can no longer neglect that other thing. So, I feel that the best way to ensure I actually use it, will be to make a New Year's Resolution.

So, my New Year's Resolution is to use that thing at least twice a week (unless I have to shovel snow, that can count as my cardio workout). There, I've done it. Now, millions of people, well maybe four or five, will read this and hold me accountable. I do have one question, though: how long are these resolution things supposed to last?

New Exercises, Same Muscles

I have been doing the same exercises for some time now, so I decided to try something new. I started looking at the exercise guide that came with my Total Gym and I discovered a few new ones that I had never tried. I think that the reason I never tried them is because they looked similar to the ones I was currently doing. So, I gave them a shot.

I must say that even though they seemed so similar, I am SO Sore. Okay, I have been exercising these muscles for months, why should they start being sore now? Well, as I was complaining about this, my wife pointed out that even though I was exercising those muscles, I was only doing so in one particular way. With these new exercises, I was working the same muscles, but from another angle.

Obviously I am no personal trainer (although I wish I had one), so I did not know that I should do different exercises on the same muscles. Subtle though they may be, it really makes a difference. I have been working out for over a year now and it seems that I am always stumbling upon something new. This coming week, I am going to work through the soreness and continue these new exercises. It will be interesting to see the results.

The Leaves of Autumn

Yesterday, I decided not to workout, but guilt finally got the better of me so, I decided to rake the leaves in our backyard. I feel that if I don't exercise every day, I start to feel guilty. I have the strange mindset that I have to EARN the calories I ingest. Weird, isn't it? Anyway, I had been meaning to do this for some time, but I wanted to wait until a majority of the leaves had fallen off the trees. Of course, there is always that ONE tree that has to wait for the last minute and then drop all its leaves overnight.

Finally, a few days ago the tree lost its leaves and I was ready to venture out and conquer the yard. There were so many leaves on the ground, that you could not see any of the grass. With rake in hand, I ventured out and started to rake. Naturally, the day I pick to do this has to be cold and windy. The temperature was around 48 degrees and the windchill knocked that down into the 30's. Just over an hour and six, large yard bags later, I was finished. I felt that I really had a great workout and I was able to complete a chore that needed to be done. Basically, I felt that I killed two birds with one stone. I went inside to get warm and rewarded myself with a hot cup of coffee.

Today, I woke up and I could barely move. Every muscle in my body was sore. When I do my strength training, I am in the habit of doing very intense workouts. I am used to having sore muscles, but never anything like this. I can only imagine that I was working my muscles and not even realizing that I was doing so. My point: even doing routine yard work is a great source of exercise. So, if you get bored with your routine and you have a yard full of leaves (or any other outside chores), go ahead and skip your routine and hit the outside world. Not only will you get a much-needed chore accomplished, but you will get a good workout as well.

Just do it...

I must say that so far, I am sticking to my guns and I'm exercising on my Nordic Track. Has it been fun? NO, but I'm doing it anyway. Why, because I said I would. I need a little self-discipline in my life, so I figured I could start here.

You may be wondering why I shy away from my ski machine. Well, the simple answer is, I get bored while exercising on it. Yes, I use an iPod to listen to my music, but that doesn't help the fact that I am doing the same thing over and over for 25 L-O-N-G minutes. I currently have the machine facing my bedroom window, so at least I can look out and watch the weeds grow.

With the Total Gym, I am at least able to switch and do different exercises. I am always doing something different so, even if I am doing an exercise I hate, I know that I will be done after a certain number of reps. Not so with the Nordic track, I'm stuck doing the same throughout the entire workout.

To make a long story short, I am going to continue giving my Total Gym a break for the rest of this week and starting next week, I will be going to a 3-on and 2-off schedule. This means that I will strength-train on M,W,& F and do the Nordic Track on T & Th. The following week, I will switch them around, etc. Now, all I need is the self-discipline to continue with that schedule.