One Week In

I've lost a total of 5 lbs on the Atkin's Diet so far.

Yesterday, I went to a water aerobics class in the morning and swam 20 laps in an hour in the evening.

Today, I ran 1 mile in 15 minutes doing intervals of 7.5 with breaks of 3.2. I did that for 10 minutes, anyway. The last 5 minutes, I walked at an incline of 2 at a speed of 3.2.

I'll be back at the gym tonight another 20 laps (or more...depends on how many I can do in an hour).

Weight Loss Occurs

After 4 days on the Atkin's Diet, I've lost 4.5 lbs.

As opposed to the 1lb I lost eating a balanced diet and working out almost everday for the month before that.

I don't recommend the Atkin's diet to just anyone - it has a very specific target of people.

However, if you've attempted the balanced and calorie controlled diet, have exercised regularly, and have decent cholesterol and blood pressure and still have not lost any weight, I would strongly suggest discussing this option with your doctor.

Its target is Insulin-resistant people. And its "low-carb" associations are mostly myth - such as you are only allowed a certain number of over-all carbs a day. This diet requires you to get fiber in your system in large quantities while limiting the amount of carbs that affect your blood sugar levels. Fiber doesn't do this, but simple sugars do (like what a candy bar is largely made up of). So in the first phase, I'm limited to 15-20 "net" carbs (carbs that are not fiber or sugar alcohols), I can get about 5 Fiber carbs for every one simple sugar I eat - if I pick the right foods.

Its working, so I guess that says everything, right?

Interval Training

I'll be back later to update these pages with my last two days of exercise.

However, for now I'd like to take a look at Interval Training.

I was told that I should incorporate this into my workout routine...not knowing what exactly this was, I started doing some research. Now I know what it is...

So...imagine a warm spring day in Florida, a jogging path running along a river, and a young lady with blonde pony tail bouncing along for about 30 seconds...when suddenly out of breath, she starts walking. And she walks for a little bit, decides she's recovered enough from the last one and tries to run as far as she can again...only to get winded after another 30 seconds...

Now, the not-so-fit blonde thought she was doing something wrong all that time! So, 20 lbs later, she decides that she needs to actually FORCE herself to run a good distance without stopping. So in comes regulating speed, building endurance, etc etc. Summer comes along, so workouts are moved inside to a treadmill, where regulating speed is EASY. And the weight stops coming off.

Well...what was she doing wrong now? Oh nothing...its just that it would appear that this thing called interval training actually WORKS to burn fat off at a high rate. This is why my baseball playing brother can eat whatever he wants and not gain a lb. This is why when I played Softball or would foot-race, bike race, or play soccer with all I had (before collapsing on the lawn and beggin for water every 5 minutes), I was as skinny as a twig.

So, apparently my poor capacity lungs actually worked to my benefit here...short bursts of high intensity followed by an interval of low-medium intensity actually helps burn fat faster.

2 Days down

I'm learning that going to the gym in the morning is by far the most convenient time.

Unfortunately, I have trouble waking up. But evidence of how Thursday and Friday played out, I need to get better at my discipline in that department.

Also, after having lost 20 lbs and gained back 15, I'm becoming increasingly more discouraged because my activity level has gone up...not down. I've decided that its time to make some diet changes (again). No soda or juice, and I'm going to focus on getting my 5 fruits and veggies in a day.

This is gonna get tough...lots and lots of discipline.

As for today, its time to go to the gym!

Milestone Achieved!

Last night, I incorporated *some* of the suggestions made by Adam and discovered I'm not as weak as I thought =p Granted, this was just my upper-body workout.

Milestone
I ran 1 mile in 10 minutes!!! On the Ellipticals =) At resistance of 5! I am so proud of myself!

Warm-up
Elliptical - 25 minutes, avg speed of 5.5 mph at resistance of 5.

Weights
Ab Crunch
4x20 50lb
4 sets of 20 reps at 50lb wt

Seated Dip
3x8 80lb
I did more reps than usual trying to find the right weight. After 3 sets at varying weight, I settled at 80lb wt, doing 3 sets of 8 reps.

Tricep Extension
3x8 40lb
I did one preliminary set to get the right weight, then proceeded with 3 sets of 8 reps at 40lb wt.

Abdominal
4x20 50lb

Pectoral Fly
3x8 45lb
I did one preliminary at 30lb and a closing at 30 lb with the 45lb in the middle.

Cooldown
I walked home =p About 10-15 min walk.

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So! Great news! I met a milestone on my way to my 7 min mile! I felt good after the workout. Today, I'm not sore, but I may be tomorrow. Thing is, those weights are all I can do currently. I could feel it while doing the exercise, so I should be sore tomorrow. If not, does that mean I'm doing something wrong?

Been awhile

I have been working out still...though I was sick for a few days.

That usually sets me back a bit =/

I read my comment from my last blog and will be altering my workout somewhat. However, a recap of my last 3 days of workouts:

8/3/08 - Sunday
Seated dip starting at 40 lbs, increasing by 5 lb increments and back down to 40 in 5 sets, 10 reps each.

Tricep Extension - 30 lbs, increase by 5 lb increments and back down to 30 in 5 sets, 10 reps each.

Leg Extensions - 40 lbs, ""

Seated Leg Curls - 30 lbs

Cardio Warm-up - 5.5 mph for 15 minutes
Cardio Cooldown - 3.2 mph at 2.0 incline for 30 minutes

8/4/08 - Monday
Bad me, I was talking on the phone for the majority of my workout with someone I hadn't talked to in a LONG time. I half-assed the workout, though yeay me for actually being disciplined to GO (which is honestly the HARDEST part of working out).

I ran at 5.8 mph for about 5 minutes, did Hip Abductions at 50 lbs, Calf presses at 30 lbs.

8/5/08 - Tuesday
Cardio Day
Warm-up, Elliptical avg speed 5.37 mph.
The first mile I completed in under 11 minutes!!! This is a personal record for me and am very excited, especially since the elliptical is a lot harder than the treadmill. That means that today, I need to step up my cardio workout >.<

I spent 20 minutes on the elliptical at intensity of 5 (or 6) and elevation of 9 I think (whichever one focuses on hamstrings, calves, and glutes).

I did 3 sets of 15 situps at an incline of 3, followed by 3 sets of 10 leg ups (YEAY! I remembered to wear bike shorts under my skirt-like gym shorts so I could do the leg ups!)
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Now some notes on my current work out routine and to address some points made in the comment of my last workout post.

1) My pyramid scheme of 10 reps with increasing/decreasing weights is something I've found to work a bit better with me. I was originally doing 3 sets of what I could do 8 reps of. When I was able to do 3 sets of 10, I increased my weight. However, I found that the only things I was increasing weight on were chest exercises and the hip adduction/abduction. Something wasn't working quite right. When I first started working out at the beginning of the year, i was doing leg extensions at 50 lbs for 3 sets. Every time I'd do it, it'd get harder and harder. So I started doing this pyramid scheme and have actually managed to increase my weights for arm exercises (though not legs yet).

2) I know this appears to be low intensity. What irks me, is that I can't move more than 35 lbs on the bicep machine and I can only do 35 lbs once. BUT, my arms aren't sore after my workout of 8 reps of 20 (which is all I can do on the bicep curls). I've started to try different exercises, which has improved my tricep strength. I've also found myself a bit sore in that area. Its been awhile since I did biceps, but most of my other exercises incorporate biceps training. In a nut-shell, I'm simply a weakling. I'm trying to build my strength, but everyone has to start somewhere.

3) Cardio workouts...My goal has been to be able to run a 7 minute mile. When I was a freshman in high school, I ran the mile in 14 minutes. Last fall, I was running it in 12 minutes. Last week, I could run it in 11. I'm SLOW. I do like your idea about sprinting and will incorporate that into my warm-up cardio routine for every other day. The other days, I'll continue with my medium cardio of 5.5+ mph. I am currently ending my workouts with the 30 minutes on the treadmill at speed 3.2 at 2.0 incline because I promised my boyfriend I'd do it for a month and see how it works. A bodybuilder friend of ours said he found that that is the most efficient way to burn fat without losing muscle mass that he has found for himself. So...I'm trying it out. Which is why my warm-ups are dedicated to higher-intensity cardio workouts, currently.

Week 1, Day 2 - Lower Body

Warm-up:

Type	Avg Speed	Max Speed	Time
Treadmill	4.5 mph	5.5 mph	5 min
Elliptical	5.5 mph	5 res	10 min

Weight Training (weight, reps):

Exercise	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5
Glute	25, 10	37.5, 10	50, 10	37.5, 10	25, 10
Hip Adduction	50, 10	55, 10	60, 10	55, 10	50, 10
Hip Abduction	30, 10	35, 10	40, 10	35, 10	30, 10
Abdominal	50, 15	50, 15	50, 15	50, 15

Finish:

Type	Avg Speed	Incline	Time
Treadmill	3.2 mph	2.0	30 min