Today I’m reviewing my week’s work.

EXERCISE

Because of a couple of emergencies in my life, I missed a couple workouts, but I made up one of them later in the week.

Sunday: Off Day
Monday: Cardio: 12 min Stationary Bike & 13 min Treadmill
Tuesday: Cardio: 40 min Power Walk
Wednesday: Resistance Training: Upper Body Workout (Light – free weights)
Cardio: 25 minute Power Walk
Thursday: Off Day
Friday: Resistance Training: Lower Body Workout (Madium - machines)
Saturday: Resistance Training: Upper Body Workout (Light –free weights)
Cardio: 30 min Treadmill

One of the concerns I have to deal with are my physical limitations caused by my past injuries. The two places where I am held back the most is in the Upper Body exercises and the cardio.

A few years ago I had a partial tear of the patella tendon in my right knee. Not enough for surgery, but I was still in a full leg cast for four months. Also I’ve had a history of knee injuries, so as I’ve come back I’ve had to be very careful about how I stress my legs. My resistance training is a slow process since I’ve mostly had to lift lower weights than I’m capable of to favor the knee. I’ve counterbalanced that by exercising with a higher number of repetitions – 12-15 instead of the 6-10 I would do eight years ago. The good news is the knees are responding well, and the doctor has given me permission to go heavier on my knees.

Not so with my elbow. I tore a tendon there in October ’05 and surgery and rehabilitation took me through March of ’06. So while I can work out, my elbow can only handle so much weight. So for my upper body workouts I’m still left with light weights at high repetitions.

Finally, like most terribly overweight people, I had a limitation as far as what cardio I could do. When I started I was 305 pounds and doing anything but no or low impact was too much stress on the legs. So I was left with elliptical machines, stationary bikes and walking. As the weight has dropped I’ve graduated to Power Walking and some limited jog/walk sessions. But now, when my weight dips below 250, I’ll be cleared to start easing into some more challenging cardio, like Stairmasters, jo0gging and the like, which will take my program up a notch.

Overall, I’m pleased with this week. I handled a few problems when I couldn’t make all my workouts, but I won’t let the lost exercise time discourage me. I’m near to reaching one of my mid-term goals, 250 lbs. I hope to reach it within the next week.

Next week I’m going to add another cardio session and increase the intensity of one of my Upper Body Workouts a little (to see how the elbow responds), capped by a long cardio session Saturday morning:

Next Week’s Plan:

Sunday: Off Day
Monday: Lower Body Workout (Machines, medium)
Cardio: 30 Min Treadmill
Tuesday: Upper Body Workout (Free Weights, medium)
Cardio: 40 minute walk/jog
Wednesday: Cardio: 30 min Stationary Bike
Thursday: Lower Body Workout (Machines, medium)
Cardio: 40 minute Power Walk
Friday: Upper Body Workout (Free Weights, light)
Saturday: Cardio: 60 min walk/jog


DIET

This week I discovered some new food combinations. I found a local natural food store that makes their own low-sugar/fat-free granola. It’s reasonably priced and tastes good as cereal with fruit and milk, or is great added to yogurt. It has become one of my breakfast staples.

This week I want to continue a sensible diet, heavy on high-fiber fruits and vegetables and lean meat. Keep snacking to nutritional alternatives like carrots and apples.

A challenge is I have two meals to eat out for some social occasions. I’m going to allow myself a little freedom from the diet, but I don’t want to go crazy.

THE FACTS:

Starting weight: 305 lbs.
Starting Pant size: 48
Current Weight 253
Current Pant size: 42

Total Pounds Lost: 52

Long Term Weight Goal: 220 lbs
Short Term Weight Goal: 250 lbs (3 lbs away!)