Day 141 - Reprogram

Tonight was our reprogram. There are good things that are coming out of this. I am still losing inches however I didn't lose any weight (ok, it was half a pound) for January. I lost 2 inches around the mid section (yes, the tire is slowly getting deflated) and we did have the weekend in Sedona where we didn't follow our meal plan but I was a little disappointed that more pounds haven't come off. Mel said that it does happen and not to obsess over the pound numbers. In my mind, I know that she is right however we, in America, are obsessed with numbers and reaching goals. I know that for me, having a number goal and a health goal is important as it is keeping me on track to keep on keeping on.

After the weights and measures, we did another fitness test on the LifeCycle. The amount of energy produced is still low but we are working on the improvement. We then did some upper body work in the weight room and called it a night.

Our next workout with Mel is Friday night at 6:30 pm. I also have softball on Thursday night.

Peace and blessings,

Jerry

Here's Mr. Pumpkin

I thought it would be fun to post my "Pumpkin" photo. Compare this to the "Ogre" photo and you will see a "ton" of a difference. Let me know what you think!

Day 136 - Core Essentials

Tonight was a really grueling and challenging workout but I felt we were up to the challenge. We started out with cardio - I did 26 minutes at 6.5 elevation and 3.0 mph. Ending heart rate was at 133 which is a bit better than Monday's cardio time.

After warming up, Mel informed us that we were going to go for a Core routine as that is one of the things that I was looking for now that I know how powerful this is for us. We were not on the ball but for 1 routine but it was still all good.

Our program tonight started with Ball Squat Twists and Jack Hammer ball twists (2 sets). We then did some ab crunches and Russian twists (2 sets). Next it was the plank (arrr matey) and plank rolls. I had a real tough challenge with the plank rolls but made it 2 times. We then did some jackknifes (15 each side) and then completed our workout with stairs. Mel threw in alternating calf raises between steps so we would walk up 2 stairs and then 1 calf raise, 2 more steps and then 2 calf raises and so on. We alternated this with 2 step stair walks and we did 2 sets. We did some extra stretching out of the calves so that we could recover quicker.

I did another 18 minutes (15 min. + 3 min. on cool down) of cardio and called it a night. This weekend, we are off to Sedona for a church retreat so our next workout with Mel is next Monday at 6:30. It will be reprogram night and I can post our results.

Peace!

Jerry

Day 134 - Upper Body Baby!

We got to the Gym around 5:55 p.m. and got a couple of the LifeFitness treadmills to do our cardio on. I did 25 minutes at a 5.5 elevation at 2.7 mph. I really like the LifeFitness machines as they tell you how many calories you are burning as well as your heart rate. The ProCor machines they have an abundance of don't seem to be as high of a quality as the LifeFitness machines so I prefer the LifeFitness system a bit more.

Mel told me that I need to get my target heart rate around 140 for the days when I am not with her training so I will have to increase the MPH to 3.0 or 3.2 to get the heart rate up.

Tonight, it was an upper body workout routine. I seem to like the upper body more than the lower body and Patty is quite adept at the lower body over the upper body - go figure?! Anyways, we started out with some lat pulls with 2 variations (3 sets) to work on. We moved on to some chest presses and alternating chest presses (2 sets). We then did some butterflys (laying and then standing - 2 sets at 5 lbs. on each arm). Next it was some standing rows and tricep extensions (15 lbs. - 2 sets) and completed the workout with Deltoid Flys (front and back with 2 sets each).

Patty & I really are enjoying getting to know Mel. She is a really fun person to work out with. I can be the silly goofy guy that I am and Patty can be somewhat serious and she moves between the dichotomy (division into two usually contradictory parts or opinions) of Patty's and my personalities with ease.

Our next workout is Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm and our reprogram is next Monday at 6:30 to see if we made any progress this month. The numbers are good but the real progress is in the heart and in the physical changes happening to us. I am starting to see some great results. I will take a digital photo next week in my "sexy" black workout and post here so you can see some progress from the "Ogre" photo of 2002.

Peace!

Jerry

Day 132 - Insanity

Can you believe that Patty wants to go to the gym again this morning? Not me - but I drag my sore body down at 11:00 for a "Torture the Trainer" session. Patty wants to have a little fun with Mel but I am content to hit the treadmill for 30 minutes of cardio. After the cardio, I joined up with Patty and the others for a stretch cooldown.

I wanted to hit the jacuzzi but the electrician was just there and said that it was not warm yet. Another sore afternoon is in store for me. I am feeling the pain now.

Day 131 - Total Body Workout

We got to the gym at 5:30 for 30 minutes of cardio prior to starting our workout with Mel. Mel had us tonight working on a total body routine to change up our systems a bit. We started in the results center with a new meal plan to go on. I will be down to 1400 calories for 2 weeks - hopefully I can remain committed to this as I am not prone to following directions too well. Then it was off to some upper body routines in the Big Boy room (lots of weights). We did a couple of things with arms and tricep extensions (2 sets each machine alternating between them) and then moved to some lower body squats and calf curls (again, 2 sets alternating). We then did some step ups and piriouette squat with a 20 lb. weight (2 sets alternating). Finally we were in the results center again for some ab work and ended with another 10 minutes of cardio.

I was really ticked off that the jacuzzi was broken again. This is 2 times in 2 months and no therapy means that my muscles remain sore and tight.

Day 130 - Softball night

Well our team bit it again tonight. The first game ended at a 24-4 loss but our second game was a bit better at 25-11. I played the first game which only lasted 3 innings at catcher. I know that next season we will be doing better. Hopefully the guys will find a way to be competetive next week. I will be off in Sedona for a retreat. We work out with Mel tomorrow night. Should be a load of fun!!

Day 127 - Back on the Ball

The gym was packed again tonight but our session was another great session with Mel. I had asked if we were going to go back to the ball anytime soon and low and behold, it was a session with the ball. I was quite pumped up on this.

We started off with 25 minutes of cardio and then it was time to find a ball and start off. I thought I was going to be a little cocky but Mel threw us for a loop with a number of different routines - some similar to what Keith had us doing but mostly it was just different and good. I am amazed at the level of progress we have made but I know its still very new for it to be a complete habit. I am confidant that Mel can lead us on in our quest to get slim, fit and slender. The other thing I am really happy with her on is that her sense of humor is very similar to mine and I am having fun. Keith was a funny guy and I really appreciated his commitment. Mel is just a little different kind of funny and it makes me chuckle.

Day 125 - Early AM Attitude

I really like Lee Ritenour's & Dave Grusin's music. They had a piece in the 80's called Early A.M. Attitude. It's a kind of peppy light jazzy feeling. This morning, we had our time with Mel at 7:00 am and it reminded me of that song.

We got to the gym at 6:45 to warm up and today's agenda was an upper body routine. We were on some of the LifeFitness equipment last time and today we were on some Magna machines. Our last workout was a bit too much but today's was just right. The first couple of reps on what she had us do was fine but hitting on the third rep pushed us to muscle failure. This is what it is intended on doing so that we are pushed to the brink of what our muscles can do.

Patty was really pushing herself today. I was at the brink of failure but not sweating as much as I had with Keith. I'm going to ask Mel if we could go back to working on Core stuff. I like the machines but I miss the ball. We seemed to have better results with the ball but it's still too soon to find out. Our next workout is Monday at 6:00 pm.

Day 123 - Softball Night

It's softball night and I am really sore still from Monday's tight lower body workout. My quads and my calfs are still on fire. I kept feeling like I was having charley horses and I've been rubbing Tiger Balm into my sore muscles all week long. It was also very cold out tonight so I opted to let the others who were there play and I kept score. I really could have played, if they needed me but there were enough guys out there tonight that I opted to rest and wait for our Saturday training with Mel.

Day 120 - Timing

Isn't it awesome how time flies?! 120 days and our workouts are now seeming to be more of a habit than a chore we dread. I am so excited that Patty & I are now on this path to fitness and health. The results so far are fantastic and they will continue to get better as each day passes.

Tonight, we had a little miscommunication with our scheduled training time. We made it to the gym at 5:30 for some pre cardio workout thinking our appointment with Mel was at 6:00. Well, our appointment was at 7:00 so we were warmed up and ready but had to wait around for an hour so we went to Starbucks for a coffee (Patty had tea) and a conversation until our session.

Tonight was going to be focused on lower body training. We started with some leg presses and alternated with ball squats and wall squats. We then moved to some calf exercizes and donkey calf lifts. There was a new machine where we did leg steps (pushing weight down with each leg and the alternating leg lunges and leg lifts. We moved from there upstairs for some leg ball curls and finished up with a new routine called a "Jack Knife" where we lay on our back and have each arm touch the alternate leg. Quite a tough stretch for me but made it through. By the time we were done, it was already 8:15 so we went home for a later than normal dinner (vegetable quiche mmmm...) and to spend some time with our dog, Pippin.

Jerry

Day 119 - Self Workout

We went to the gym around 4:30 and started off with 25 minutes of cardio to warm up. We are still a bit sore from our Friday session with Mel so we decided to do the cardio and then do the stairs for some lower body work. We did 5 sets of stairs doing every other step. I counted and it's only 11 steps when you do every other step. This sounds pretty simple but after the 3rd set, Patty was getting winded and I made it to the 4th set before I got winded. We both did our full 5 sets and then I wanted to do the walk lunges and high steps but Patty was battling her asthma and her back was sore so we went to the jacuzzi for some water therapy which we both look forward to each session.

After our workout, we went to Sunflower Market - a more natural grocery store here in the Phoenix area and we picked up a vegetable quiche for dinner. It's a little more expensive than your standard grocery stores but the foods there are more natural and organic so that benefit outweighs the cost differential.

Our next session with Mel is Monday night at 6:00. It should be a great session with a focus on our lower body and legs. I am so looking forward to that.

Peace & Blessings!!

Jerry

Day 117 - Oh Yeah, Baby

Tonight was our first real workout with Mel and let me tell you - it's Oh Yeah Baby! Wow - what a great workout! I felt like a million bucks (after taxes!!) and I was pumped and ready for more! We started off with 25 min. of cardio to get warmed up and then Mel had us do some stair work. 5 times up and down the stairs doing every other step to increase the level of difficulty and stretch. We then did some lunge walking and leg lifts (2 sets).

Mel then stated that we were going to focus on the upper body today and lower body on Monday. We did the Matrix circuit machines for 3 sets and then off to a LifeFitness machine for an upper body row for 2 sets. I really liked that one. After these sets, we went back up stairs and did some Russian Twists which is where Patty and I are sitting next to each other and we pass a small exercize ball doing a twist in the opposite direction to where we are sitting. We did 30 of these and then changed position to do 30 on the other side. We ended the session and did another 10 minutes of cardio before going to the jacuzzi for some well needed water therapy.

Our goal is to make it in on Sunday for some more cardio. Our next session with Mel is Monday evening at 6:00 pm. I know that my muscles are sore but it's starting to feel really great doing this!

My good friend Doris stated that I need to visualize my success and have positive self talk come out of my mouth. I totally agree. I am glad you are here watching me as I get to my goal of 170 lbs. and a waist line of 32". I know that this is a lifetime and life style change for me. The number is simply a target that I am committed to hitting. Each day, I work harder to making my dream a reality.

Day 116 - Softball Clobber

I have to tell you that I love playing again. We got clobbered the first game and were actually in play for the second game but then fell apart when the other team (who was shorthanded 2 players) started hitting the long ball and we didn't get it done. The good news is that I had started out as catcher and then they moved me to Third Base where I finished for both games. I actually did pretty well but I did miss some grounders which flew by me. I know that I am a whole lot more agile than I was at the beginning of 2005 and I will only continue to improve. We have 3 more weeks of this season and then we go right into the Spring 2006 season so I will not miss a beat. Chris Shaler has returned to his coaching duties for the team. Things are looking up!!

Day 113 - Reprogram with Mel

This is a great day! We finally met with Mel at 2:00 this afternoon and we are so happy it's 2006. I am looking forward to meeting the challenges in front of me for my weight and health goals this year. I look forward to hitting 170 lbs. and a 32" waist. I can already see the me that God has inside of me. The outward shell is being forced to deal with the changes and reshaping that is my destiny. I really am pumped up to be on this journey and I thank you for reading and encouraging me as I am on this path to better health and a longer, more vital life.

My weight actually went up 1 lb. since the last measurement but I am not upset - on the contrary. My body fat went down - 30.6% is what Mel has said that she calculated. This is a very large drop since we started and it is evident in my clothes as they have gone down in size. I am so happy that I can finally purchase pants in the regular mens section (42" waist and XL shirt size) and soon enough, I will be making the next change to 40" then 38" and 36" eventually hitting my desired goal of 32". I can see myself there at 170 lbs. and feeling so happy and proud that the hard work and effort has paid off. I know that I am on a lifetime lifestyle change and have a great partner in Patty who is there with me by my side - always encouraging me to reach my goal. If I didn't have her there with me, I don't think I would be making it! She is really a great helper and motivator and best friend!!

We did a light workout tonight after the measurements and did some free weight curls and standing rows as well as some reverse curl pulls and ab curls. We then went up stairs to where the balls were and did some ab work and lunges. We also did some pelvis exercizes which also worked our inner and outer thighs. After all this, we were going to go to the jacuzzi however my brother and his family were coming over and we were going to go to Santa's Theme Park near Firebird Raceway. It should be a ton of fun.

Our next workout is Wednesday night which is a self workout. I play softball on Thursday and we meet again with Mel on Friday at 6:00 for our next training.

Thank you!!

Jerry

Happy New Year!!

Here's wishing all of my friends a very happy new years. May God richly bless you with health, wealth and vitality this year. This will be the best year ever!!

God Bless You!!

Jerry & Patty