Day 3: one week later

After 7 days away from the gym, I went back this morning. Too many excuses this week over not waking up in time meant zero time at the gym, so I went to sleep extra early last night and woke up at 5:45 am to prepare and be ready for the gym before 7 am.

Treadmill, 41 minutes, 3.5 km (200 calories)
Rowing machine, 20 minutes, 4 km (155 calories)
Ab exercises, 20 minutes. 70 crunches/bicycle crunches, 5 plank holds, 10 reps on back exercises.

My left upper thigh and hip still feel sore after last week's experience on the climber.

Read an article that explained in some detail how long haul weight loss has more to do with the diet than exercise, reason being that a diet high in fruits, vegetables, good proteins, healthy fats maintains a body's needs, and is more about the behavior change necessary to remain healthy. Exercise is important, but it causes some people to eat more which translates to higher calorie intake. A holistic doctor also wrote how having too much simple sugars and processed foods in one's diet affects more than just the amount of weight you carry around but the hormonal adjustments as one ages. One female client noticed weird male pattern baldness symptoms as she aged and it was but a matter of changing her diet. But it's all easier said than done. I am eating more fruit, at least 1 apple or pear in the morning, and 5 pieces of kiat-kiats in the afternoon. My veg intake is still infrequent though! I have to make sure I get my fiber intake up, and not through processed edibles.

Day 2

Day two at the gym - 10 minutes on a step-climber that was painful and not at all what I had expected. I got on it thinking it was an elliptical trainer, but found myself painfully trying to stay in momentum. I don't like this machine at all! And now my left hip/buttock hurts like a muscle was pulled. Keeping far from that contraption from now on.
Moved on to the treadmill for 40 minutes, 3 km completed, with an incline of 5 (not sure how that translates). Forgot to check calorie count, but was far more pooped out this time around.
Lunges and squats - 40 reps each
shoulder and biceps - 30 reps each
Crunches on ball - 50 reps

The walk to work was pleasant, more sunshine today than yesterday, and a lot more humidity.

Resolution number 1

Resume workout. After 22 months of avoiding the lockers of a gym, I've resumed attending to my health. Today was day one! Along with writing about the dog training, this blog better be put to some use helping me get healthier, instead of being my navel gazing forum. Love my navel and happy I can still see past it to my toes, but better that I stop having to suck in my gut to see my toes.

Exercise detail:
35 minutes - treadmill, 3 km (reminder - bring pedometer)
12 minutes - rowing machine
Estimated calorie burned up - 250

Weights - arms and chest. 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Crunches - 50 reps

After the workout, I took a 22 minute walk to work, through Glorietta, Greenbelt and the Ayala triangle. A lot of changes in the area, with two new buildings where old parking lots used to be. In Glorietta 5, they've placed Luk Yuen next to North Park with Chowking right on top of them both. Sort of a triumverate of cheap chinese food, MSG billowing out towards the customers. National Bookstore is moving to the new Glorietta 5 building, this signals somethings afoot with fixing up Glorietta 1 and 2, starting with the area that blew up/exploded/place your government conspiracy excuse here.

Things I like about the gym - not crowded, the bathroom is well stocked with fluffy towels, and a nice pepperminty shower gel. Plus the machines have those individual tv connections, so I can watch any cable channel I feel like for the time I'm huffing and puffing on the treadmill.