Joined the Gym & Got a new Job

I got a new job and to celebrate I got a gym membership! My goal is to visit the gym every morning before work, though I know realistically it may not happen every single day....

My first day at work and the gym is tomorrow - I'm excited!

My workout plan:
Week 1 & 2: Cardio only
Week 3 & 4: Cardio with 1 body part on weights (such as cardio plus calves) per workout
Week 5 & 6: Cardio with circuit training on alternating days (one day cardio, 1 day circuit)
break for holiday
Week 7 & 8: Cardio only
Week 9 & 10: Cardio with circuit training alternating days
Week 11 & 12: Cardio with 1 body part on weights
renew membership & evaluate progress

Going to give weight loss a try again.....

Well, I fell off the weight loss wagon......again..... I'm going to try to make it back on track again...I really need to lose weight!!!! I have NO WILL POWER against my hunger...or whatever the heck it is that makes me want to eat all the time! BUT, I will try really hard to make a positive change....

I bought smaller dinner plates so that's one good step in the right direction I think.

I also feel that if I have to give up my regular foods I won't be able to stick with a plan that leads to a gradual change to a healthier diet so I am going to eat smaller portions of the stuff I love (like a small mocha or smaller portion of sausage w/ perogies) and then follow it up with something healthy like an apple or some cherries or a handful of nuts, etc...

I'm going to try new, healthy recipes and also try to substitute healthier foods in my recipes, such as tofu or yogurt. I bought some new cookbooks on Amazon and they should arrive any day now....I hope they come tomorrow!

I really need some motivation...something to keep me on track! I started a food diary and it's going okay so far....but I really need to add cardio to my daily routine .... such as jogging or biking.... I need some accountability I think.... so I'll try to do that by posting on here each day or week for my progress.... hopefully I'll keep it up.

Just an Update - End of March

Well, I haven't done too well in March....

I have NOT done very well on my eating and definitely not on my workouts....I am going to try to do better in April.

In April I hope to continue working on my legs and abs and do more cardio.... hopefully I'll be able to stick with it.

Calf and Hamstring Exercises

Since my focus is on working my legs this month, I'm going to start out by learning about the calves and hamstrings.

I know my calves could stand to become more toned, but like most people they aren't too bad (we use them everyday!). Working out at home with basically no equipment but dumbbells, I feel a little limited on what calf exercises I can do.

My hamstrings are another story entirely -- I really need to work on them. I find that they get sore very easily after working out...

The calf is essentially made up of two muscles: the Gastrocnemius and Soleus. There are 2 heads on the gastrocnemius and when developed form a diamond shape when the calf is flexed; this muscle works to lift the heel when standing. The soleus does the same thing, except that it is activated when the knee is bent.

Calf Exercises
Dumbbell Single Leg Calf Raises
Calf Raises (standing and seated)
Jumping Rope
Jumping Jacks

The hamstrings are made of 3 muscles: the bicep femoris, semitendinsous and semimembranosus. The hamstring's main functions are to move the leg back, such as when walking, and to bend the leg back at the knee.

Hamstring Exercises
Dumbbell Lunges
Kneeling Butt Kickbacks
Straight leg Deadlift (using barbell or dumbbell)
Bent Leg Deadlift (using barbell or dumbbell)

March Challenge - Legs

Well, I consider my February challenge a success. I progressed from doing an 8lb (per arm) hammer curl to 12.5lb hammer curl. I also can see a noticable increase in muscle size and hardness. I am going to continue to try and improve my arms over time.

So, now for my March challenge...I am going to focus on my legs. I had planned to do a running and biking challenge but I have decided instead to join a running club which starts in April and goes until June. Therefore, March will be a time of toning of my lower half in preparation.

My workouts for March will focus mostly on calves, thighs, hamstrings and to a lesser extent buns. I will of course continue to work other body parts during the month as well.

I will try to incorporate the following exercises in my workouts on a regular basis (as well as seek out new ideas):

- plie squat
- narrow squat
- single leg squat
- forward lunge
- outer thigh lift
- inner thigh lift
- angled calf raises
- standing butt kickbacks
- butt bridge
- straight leg deadlift

February Challenge - Forearms

I don't know about you, but I rarely think of working out my forearms. The forearms should (at least) be occasionally targeted during your workouts as they are responsible for the extension of your elbow and turning of the lower arm and hand (at the elbow).

The forearm area is actually composed of 3 separate muscles that work together to allow the forearm's function.

Some common exercises for the forearm's include:
- Palms Up Wrist Curl (with dumbbell or bar)
- Palms Down Wrist Curl (with dumbbell or bar)
- Standing Reverse Dumbbell Curl
- Wrist Flippers

I'm going to try to add some of these exercises into my routine.

February Challenge - Triceps

Triceps are the muscles on the back part of your upper arm, basically the opposite of the bicep. Often times, the tricep is neglected when working out, but a weak tricep can cause injury if your muscles are out of balance.

The tricep is the "push" muscle - it allows you to push with your arms and extend your arm at the elbow
There are 3 heads in the tricep: the long head, lateral head, and medial head

Some common at-home exercises for the tricep include:
- bench dip
- dumbbell kickbacks
- pronated dumbbell extension
- supinating dumbbell extension
- close-grip pushup
- over-head tricep extension
- lying barbell (or dumbbell) press to chin


Now that I've learned about some new exercises, I'm going to try to incorporate more of them into my future arm workouts!