12/7/2012: Just Another Day

Morning Weight:  158.2 - OK, a little progress...I'll take it!
This Morning's Exercise: Strength Training, see below
Yesterday Evening's Activity:  Walked around Brookside with Jack and enjoyed the Christmas carolers, decorations and local shops 
Yesterday's Calories: 1508
Vitamins:  1-A-Day, D, B-Complex, Calcium, Glucosamine

This week's strength training:

--Repeat 4 times:
------20 walking wide squats, 20 lbs:  Hold 20lb medicine ball in curled arms, high up against chest.  Take wide step to the right and with legs spread apart, lower into squat.  Stand, bringing the back foot up to the foot that took the step.  Repeat 20 steps in the same direction, then reverse and come back for 20 walking wide squats in the opposite direction, stepping wide with the left foot first.
------20 slow tube curls, dark red tube band:  Hold handles of band in each hand and step on middle of band with both feet.  Slowly do bicep curl, stretching band as you do the curl.  Slowly lower arms into original position.  Repeat 20 times

--Repeat 4 times:
------45 seconds pole throws, 15 lbs:  Hold 15lb medicine ball in front of you like you are going to do a chest pass with a basketball.  Then throw the ball up and in front of you, as high as you can, bouncing it against a strong wall or pole, above your head.  Catch the ball as it comes back down and throw it back up, quickly, as many times as you can in 45 seconds.
------16 reverse walking lunges, 15lbs:  Hold that same 15lb medicine ball in arms against chest.  Take a long step backwards and lower into lunge position.  Stand up, bringing the front foot back to meet the back foot.  Repeat 16 times, alternating feet.

--Repeat 4 times:
------16 (each foot) cable step ups, 50 lbs:  This exercise uses the cable machine and a short stool.  Place a short stool (about mid-calf high) in front of cable machine.  Hold handle of cable in each hand, with 50lbs on each side.  Step up onto stool and back down again, 16 times with one foot, then 16 times with the other foot.
------16 dips:  With short stool behind you, place hands on stool and walk feet out almost into a reverse plank position.  Lower yourself toward ground, bending your elbows.  Lift yourself back up again.  Repeat 16 times.

It was a tough workout.  It's usually not the first 40 reps of anything that gets to me, it's that last 16 or 20 that are murder!!  I can't believe I am going all the way to Lee's Summit for this torture!!  Seriously, I can feel a huge difference working with Jeremy Walters.  The workouts feel well rounded and are difficult without being impossible.  My body feels tighter and more toned after just the first week of my new workouts.  It's good to be back!!

I've decided I am going to start looking into taking a wood working class.  That is something I have always wanted to do.  I'll probably start knitting again, too, for when I want to just sit and relax.  After all, I can knit and harass Jack at the same time.  :-)  Cathy, I like the idea of knitting with really nice yarn...it does feel good to just hold it.  I'll make a scarf first, to get used to knitting again, and then try to learn new skills to make more complicated and fun things to wear.