Never-ending Quest to be Leaner, Stronger and Faster.

[GG300]

Thanks Dave but to hit my real goal (175) I need to lose 37 pounds. Last year at this time I was leaving for Vegas and weighed in at my lowest of my adult life 188# and I still had some flab around my gut and sides that I would have liked to lose. I just don't think with out killing myself I could sustain my weight that low tahts why I decided on 190. Supposedly the top of the healthy weight range for my height and age is 159 but I know that ain't happening, at least not while I am still eating solid food and breathing on my own.

[GG300]

Sunday June 17 7:30 AM 72 Degrees with a 76% humidity Scheduled 2 mile run. Glad it was only 2 between the heat and Fridays Happy Hour I really didn't feel like doing this. Still ended up OK with a 26:14.

After a lunch my Girlfriend and I went for a 30 minute walk down at the lakefront, 15 minutes on the walk and 15 in the sand. Their were a bunch of people down there that needed to check in a mirror before they go out in public with some of those swimsuits. Scarry

[GG300]

Monday June 18 5:05 AM Scheduled lifting session I was planning on starting out with a 2 mile jaunt on the track but after putting in .25 miles in 75 degrees and 80% Humidity I decided to take it inside and just hit the lifting.

Straight Sets with 90 seconds reast between

Incline DB Bench 12@45# 5@65# 5@65# 6@65# 6@65# 6@65#

Reverse Grip Assisted Pullups 5@20# 5@30# 5@30# 5@30# 5@30#


Super Set with 2 minutes rest

BB Back Squats 12@135# 5@230# 5@230# 5@230# 5@230# 5@230#
Standing Arnolds 6@40# 6@40# 6@40# 6@40# 6@40#

Finished with 1.75 Miles of treadmill intervals.

I went up 5# on the squats this week and switched to DB Incline Benches from Flat bench to hit the chest from another direction. I decided that I needed the extra cardio more than my normal isolation work for my arms so I hit the treadmill at the end of the workout. I will try to get another short run in tonight as well as some arm work.

[GG300]

Monday June 18 Afternoon Ab and Arm Workout

Giant Set with 2 minutes rest between

Side Planks Right 30 Sec 30 Sec 30 Sec
Side Planks Left 30 Sec 30 Sec 30 Sec
Planks 60 Sec 60 Sec 60 Sec
Cross Body Crunch 30 30 30

Straight Sets with 90 seconds rest

Cross Body DB Curls 12@35# 12@35# 12@35#

Overhead DB Tri Extensions 12@45# 12@45# 12@45#

Alternating Hammer Curls 12@30# 12@30# 12@30#

CG Bench Pushups 12@BW 12@BW 12@BW

I have been missing any real ab work and skipped my arm work this AM so I fit in a workout once I got home. For some reason I was really stoked after I finished this. Then I had a great dinner of Salad, Steak, and a Broccoli/Fussili saute. Man did that hit the spot.

[lance02]

Nice workouts you've been having. Looks like you hit the abs pretty hard -- I'm guessing you'll be feeling that!

[GG300]

Tuesday June 19 4:10 AM 66 degrees 93% humidity and 12 mph wind.

Pretty standard effort with the exception of an ankle tweak after the first .5 miles that worked it self out quickly. I got in a little over 1.5 miles before I fired in a walk. Just have not been able to get my endurance back up after my half training finished. Final 3.25 Miles in 43:10

[GG300]

Abs feel pretty good today but the quads are still a little tired.

[UpNorth]

Your workouts are looking good Gregg. How's the new routine feel?

Don't worry about the difficulty in regaining your running performance. Running in the hot weather is tough work. As miserable as it is to run in the cold, your body is fine with it -- it's your head that doesn't care for it. Running in the heat is the other way around -- you're body starts shutting down when it over heats and you just can't perform at your peak.

[GG300]

Thanks for the advice Jeff. I really like the 5 x 5 setup. I try to super set the different exercises to keep up the heart rate and the routine goes really fast. I have been consistenetly shaving the weight off even with the extra summer outings and I also seem to be close to pre half numbers for lifting.

[GG300]

June 20 5:10 AM Scheduled lifting session with my trainer. I strated off on the treadmill running 1.36 Miles of intervals and then we started lifting.

Straight Sets with 90 seconds rest

BB Bench Press 24@135# 5@205# 5@205# 5@205#*

Sticking Point Benches 4@175# 4@175# 4@175#

Inverted Pullups with Feet on Swiss Ball 12@BW 12@BW 12@BW

Super Set with 2 minutes rest

FreeMotion Cable Shoulder Press 12@50# 12@60# 12@60#
DB Front Raises 12@20# 12@20# 12@20#

CG Bench Presses 12@135# 10@135# 8@135#
Dip Machine 12@120# 12@120# 12@105#

FreeMotion Overhead Cable Curls 12@50# 12@60# 12@60#

Finished with another more treadmill intervals 1.65 Miles

* Trainer assisted on the last rep of the first set at 205 and the last 2 reps of the last 2 sets.

I felt really good this morning. It seems the extra cardio at the start rather than just a few minutes on the eliptical actually improve my overall workout. I was back up to 24 benches at my warmup weight and I was only off by a few inches of doing the entire fisrt set at 205 by myself. There are sometimes that I believe my trainer throws in exercises simply for the entertainment factor. Inverted pullups on the Smith Machine with your feet on a swiss ball? I was waiting for the carnival music to start playing and the juggling clowns to run out of a mini cooper. Of course if it looks stupid it is also just that much harder. I threw in some extra cardio today partially to hit my monthly mileage goal but also to make up for some of the sins I will be commiting this afternoon. I have Lunch/Golf/Dinner Outing starting at 12:01 today. I won't start untill after noon so I will only be docked 1 nutrition point for the 61 Day Challenge. Sweet

[lance02]

Strategically timed eating -- all in the name of a challenge! I love it.

[GG300]

Thursday June 21 4:40 AM Scheduled 3 Mile Run 74 Degrees with a 53% humidity and 8 mph wind. I started a little later today to let a brief but ominous looking lightning storm pass. I was able to run the first 1.77 miles today and finished off the remainder using 3 blocks running/ 1 block fast walk. I ran the same course as Tuesday and was able to cut 42 seconds plus I increased the first running portion by .2 miles. Final time of 42:28 for 3.25 miles. Considering I had my golf outing yesterday I was very pleased. I did pretty good with the drinking and eating yesterday only having 8 beers in 7.5 hours and eating pretty clean. I even passed on the cigars. My foursome won the scramble with a 6 under and we recieved 75$ Gift Cards to Golf Galaxy for our effort. I also scored a $50 Gift Card to one of our nicer local restaurants as a door prize.

[twinsavsvikingsfan]

Congratulations on the eating/drinking restraint. And on winning the scramble.

[GG300]

Thanks Jim it was a fun day and fairly profitable as well.

[GG300]

Friday June 22 5:10 AM Scheduled Lifting Session I started out with 30 minutes of intervals prior to hitting the weights.

Super Sets with 90 seconds rest

Bench press 12@135# 5@180# 5@180# 5@180# 5@180# 5@180#
BB Bent Row 12@Bar 5@135# 5@135# 5@135# 5@135# 5@135#

Deadlifts 12@135# 5@225# 5@225# 5@225# 5@225# 5@225#
Military Press 12@Bar 5@90# 5@90# 5@90# 5@90# 5@90#

No time for arm and ab work so I will fit it in after work. Otherwise good workout I will be bumping the weight on the bench and the deadlifts next week.

[BamaDave]

Congrats on the scramble win - sounds like a great time!

Great workouts and progress.

[GG300]

Saturday June 23 9:30 AM 74 Degrees 8 MPH Wind 56% Humidity Scheduled 4 Mile Run. I ended up caving into my Darkside and going out and hitting happy hour last night with my friends so I was feeling a little off this morning but still wanted to chalk some mileage. I decided to put in 2 today and 2 Sunday. I ran intervals and finished 2.01 miles in 24:28. Felt much better after a shower and some food.