RWraith55 Fitness Challenge Update – January 2013

So I have not been the best about posting and I am sorry about that. During the last bit of January and the first part of February I was in the middle of moving apartments so it wasn’t the best time for me to be sitting in front of a computer typing up posts as well as hitting the gym with me free time. I had to pack all the time as well as unpack once the move was completed. 

To make up for my procrastination I plan to do a post today that will cover the topics brought up in the month of January and then another one later today in regards to February. I hope this helps and I hope my progress, or on some days, lack of still gives you some insight, guidance or maybe even a laugh or two.  

I found something very interesting about the food post Jan 14th. I was so underestimating my calorie intake. At least that is what the number says. It said that based on my my current weight and height (180 lbs & 70 inches) and moderately active (3-5 days/week), that I should be taking in 2,860 calories a day. And That is crazy surprising. I was always working to shoot for under 2,000 a day. Now obviously I must not be doing a good job with that number since I am not a skinny as a toothpick by now. I was being very anal retentive a while back about counting calories and it was something that wasn’t too difficult since I was able to pull all the info from the packaging but since the beginning of Dec 2012 I have been trying to eat less processed foods and more homemade stuff and trying to count all those calories becomes even more difficult, at least I think so. So I obviously stopped.  In order to still keep an eye on things I trying to switch to keeping a constant watch on my portion size as a way to make up for not calorie counting and for the most part I think it has worked.

I think that in general we all don’t have to be crazy calorie counters but I think keeping an eye on big numbers, like eating a whole burrito at Chipotle or Qdoba. If you do this for lunch than just be mindful that your dinner should be relatively small and should not be carb heavy. And the biggest thing that I struggle with at every dinner meal is NOT going back for seconds. That is a quick way to overdue it. 

Ok, so now onto the post for January 21st. 

This post was focused on how to put together the right routine for you. This was a good reminder of the basics for me. I had learned from a trainer I took a few sessions from that it was always good to pair up opposite muscle groups when planning out and executing a good weight lifting session. I feel the hard part is have access to a variety of options. They say not to do a set workout for more than a few weeks since you need to constantly change it up so your muscles don’t “remember” what they have done in the past and get use to them. This is the hard part if you are not working with a trainer. But thanks to the internet it is a bit easier. 

The other thing I do is that I do a cardio session prior to weight lifting. I always feel like I need to get in the cardio everyday and then if I have time, then fit in the lifting. I will make it a priority to switch it up and see what happens. 

The final post in January was on the 28th and it was the “twist” workout. So basically taking the workout from the 7th and adding in the alternate forms of the exercises. 

I can say that I didn’t do this workout at all. However, I am not a complete slacker when it comes to working out. As I mentioned in a past post, I am on a club rowing team and we have been dong several months of “winter training”. Now I did skip a few due to my apartment hopping but when I did go we did a similar workout. And its a BITCH!!! Here is an example of our workout from this past Sunday. For the first 25 minutes we were on the Erg machine rowing. We did it at about 70% leg pressure and throughout the 25 minutes we adjusted our “strokes per minute” rating between a 20, 22, and a 24 (for those that row, you know what I mean).

After that rowing session on the machine we did some crossfit work, aka plyometrics. It was set up in two circuits.

Circuit One:

30 jumping jaxs
15 box steps – each leg
15 burpees
15 box jumps

**90 sec rest and then repeat a 2nd time

Circuit Two:

30 jumping jaxs
12 full body kettle bell swings
12 cross body kettle bell swings (each arm)
30 seated torso twists w/ weight
25 scullers (an rowing abdominal exercise)   


**90 sec rest and then repeat a 2nd time

So it might not be pushups until I lose feeling in my arms but it was an intense workout that got my whole body involved.  

I hope my post was worth the read. My next one will will be about February posts from the 4th and the 11th. 

Keep sporting the jocks!