Twitter Me!

Please note – you can follow me during my workouts on my twitter account! Its not a full blown account but I do post while working out and comments et al…

http://twitter.com/varza

Another Step in Life

My posts on my blog of late have been pretty much non-existant for the past 6 months as I dealt with many things going on in my life. I figured I would take a few moments and write a quick blog to say I am still alive and all that fun stuff. Things have slowed down a little, since I am now a full time student and not working. I will be posting more later.

I will write more later – phone just rang

Dear Hollywood…

Dear Hollywood Movie Makers,

So… we have come to the end of another “stellar” year of movies! Can you read the sarcasm in that statement? If you didn’t … then at least you are now aware that it was a sarcastic comment. I am writing you to make a request, okay several request, for the coming movie making years. Why am I doing this? Mainly because I am tired of the same crap and getting bored of walking out of the theaters dissatisfied with what I shell out my hard-earned money for.

Request #1 Can you please quit over marketing your films! Especially the big blockbusters like Avatar and any number of big action flicks… especially when they end up being boring because we have already seen the entire movie in trailers, product tie ins, myspace advertisements, etc. I am giving you money to already see a movie that I know all the big parts in? If your movie is really good it will sell itself. I want to see a movie in whole and not be tired of it before it is even out on the screen. This weakens my desire (and others that I know of) to even go see the movie yet alone enjoy it. I can understand that for some producers out there – they may not give a shit whether I enjoy the film as long as you get my money. This lets the world know that you are not movie makers but just cash cows. You don’t care about the film itself or the quality just that you get money to line your pockets. I know many of you learned that market tie ins like shampoo with movie characters on them et al at the altar of George Lucas (I do adore his films, well except for Howard the Dock, but he is the king of product tie-ins IMHO) it gets boring and take away from the magic of the movie itself.

Request #2 Throwing big names together in a romantic comedy does not a hit make. One of the worst rom-coms of the year was “The Ugly Truth” which made me feel that who ever cast it just looked at two actors they wanted and cast them. Not once having them meet in person and didn’t think of the chemistry that is needed to make a good rom-com. Richard Dreyfus and Nia Vardalos had more sexual chemistry. There were a few others over the years that were boring as hell for the same reason. On this note – while I love Amy Adams and she is the new Meg Ryan, please don’t over use her or she may lose her rom-com magic.

Request #3 Please get off the bandwagon of comic book movies – not every comic book needs to be made into a film. As we learned when we watched Daredevil and Elektra. And on that end of things – if you are going to make a movie from the comic quit screwing with the story and trying to make it more… more… more whatever the hell you call it when you mess up the storyline. And making new comics to tie into the movie so that your new cool storyline is now canon is idiotic. I went to see Wolverine to see the Wolverine story, instead of what I remember reading I got a whole new story of blah blah blah… AND! Too many villains means a bad movie. Come on! Spiderman 3 didn’t need 3 villains. Keep to one and focus on that damned story instead of a gazillion other ones and then we get BORED and confused and frustrated and want to write nasty letters online.

Request #4 When you translate a beloved book from the written word onto the screen please, please, please, please try to keep the soul of the book and/or story intact! Lord of the Rings is an amazing movie and they changed parts of it and moved things around but they KEPT the soul of the story alive which why the movies kicked ass and still do! Hire a writer or writers to translate the work who love the original work and don’t mess it up just to make their vision more important then the original.

Request #5 Take a lesson from the past, sometimes a simple story is better than a gigantic movie blockbuster… ie – Marty, made to be a tax right off and ended up winning oscars because it was a GOOD story!

Request #6 quit with the constant movie remakes! Yes, retelling the story of Dracula and the Wolfman over and over is good BUT retelling the story of Texas Chainsaw Massacre as a shot by shot remake… kinda boring. The original was good, it didn’t need to be remade. Oh and neither did Halloween with the whole new origin story. Nor do we need a remake of the following: Karate Kid, Bill & Ted, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Top Gun, etc etc etc… Star Trek did it well – told the beginning BUT with the twist of a new timeline then the original Star Trek so they can start all over again. And that movie showed that unknowns are sometimes better than getting a known actor for a lead. And taking chances – never thought Simon Pegg would be a perfect Scotty but he was! Oh, and I am still waiting for my remake of Clan of the Cave Bear… hello!? Sometimes the remakes are better but most of the time they are just pale imitations – like the Bad News Bears. Can you tell this is a sore point with me? Take a poll online and see how many people really want that remake of Nightmare on Elm Street?

Request #7 Please cut back on the number of movies you release and make better films instead. I only have so much time and money, as I am sure many others do, and would like to see more better films then a bunch of crap that I regret. Not every movie will be good just because you throw a bunch of money at it… most of the time it will still be crap.

Request #8 When you make zombie movies… can we have some realism please! Its zombieland! With 4 humans left roaming the US and they only come across a handful of zombies as they go from Texas to California? And let alone get to LA and there are only several dozens who attack the amusement park? In one of the most highly populated areas in the country?! Driving thru downtown LA and there are 2 or 3 zombies wandering around? Is this Zombieland or Zombie Small Town? Get James Gunn and throw money at him to write another  zombie movie like Dawn of the Dead… now that was a GOOD zombie flick!

I could keep going but I have a life to lead and a plane to catch. Just please Hollywood… I miss good movies. I miss summers when there were multiple big blockbusters that were big not just because you sold it well but because the movie was actually good. I want real story tellers telling movies not just going where the money is… you have to look at some of the smaller budget or the miracle movies that made it big in years past. No body wanted to try to sell a movie about a farm boy on a distant planet  but they took a chance and it paid out or believed in a movie like Marty was something anyone would want to see and it is still beloved today or that a 3 person film (including the director) that cost $11,000 would top the movies of the year or that a film school drop out from New Jersey would have a successful movie franchise because he made a movie he wanted to make or that … I could continue … I miss the Hollywood of Dreams and wish it was back instead of the Hollywood of Fads we seem to have today.

Or maybe I am completely alone on this?

I do want to add a quick thank you to those directors that follow their visions and go for it. Ignoring what may or may not be popular at the time but telling the stories they truly love for the sake of the story not the sake of just what comes into the box office. You make me continue to go to movies and hope for a better future of movies with souls like yours. I will not name names because people know who they are… You keep it alive. Thank you! This letter is not directed at you but those who only seem to care about the money.

Hey! You Still Alive Lady!?

(this was originally written on 9-26-09 so its old news but I guess I didn’t hit publish, so no need to read it if you know all about my love life crap already)

Yes, yes I am! But life has just been in a transitional phase for me lately and let me give you a little run down.

I have stated in the past year or so that I was ready for a relationship and what not and yes, I got slammed by some people saying you don’t need anyone you can be happy on your own blah blah blah. And I was happy on my own but I also knew I was ready emotionally and mentally for a true blue relationship. Just over a year ago I stated this… and now, now I am with someone who makes me extremely happy. Now, I just have to say – this person is not new in my life. This is someone who I have been attracted to over a course of several years but I never thought I had a chance with – in fact, I tried to pursue it but things just never seemed to happen. The timing was never right… but suddenly, everything fell into place.

And here is why – I realized I was truly ready to let go of the past and move on. I was ready to fully give myself to someone 100%… and after thinking about what I really wanted, I realized that what and who I wanted was already in my life. He was just waiting for me to wake the hell up and really see what was standing in front of me for the past 6 years. Hell, according to him I was the only one not aware of it.

So, am I happy… hell’s yes. More then I could ever imagine. It just sucks that he isn’t closer.

Now, I do not regret not getting together sooner. I look at it as a positive. I have major major trust issues with guys and when you meet someone and then have to build up that trust in a romantic relationship – its not easy. I had 6 years of learning to trust this man and know that he was there for me and I also know that he walked into this relationship seeing my crazy side several times over. It makes it easier to get thru some of the rough patches because we know its worth fighting for and working through. Especially in a long distance relationship when it would be so easy to walk away from something just because there was a misunderstanding… we are using our friendship as a true building block to something more.

I can’t speak for him… I can only speak for myself. And I am not wholey comfortable opening up but I wanted to share this because some of you have been there watching as I struggled to open myself up to something real and go from hiding and being angry to seeing that I was ready to move on. I wanted it known – that when you really are ready, something amazing and beautiful can happen to you.

Now, to see where this goes… this is a journey I am so happy to be on.

2009 Halloween Costume

I was thinking that this year would be a low-key Halloween. That I would just stay home on Saturday night and hand out candy but I really wanted to go out and have some fun or do something. I mean I LOVE Halloween! Love love love it!

So, a friend of mine and I will be co-hosting a party at my house with bad scary movies and just fun relaxing time at my place (I will be sending out the invites in the next few days to all my local friends!). This also means, that I now have to make a Halloween costume. Now, I could do my Slytherin costume again or one of my other costumes but I want to do something fun and a bit more just wacked out. And in truth – I sold or donated almost all my costumes this past year because of my weight loss. I do still have my Ren Faire costume that I purchased many years ago but in truth, its tight and uncomfortable and I don’t want to deal with a heaving bosom all night long. Especially when my beau won’t be there to enjoy it…

I thought long and hard, should I make something or just buy a costume in a bag or what… then suddenly this morning it came to me… I am going to be a “Grey’s Anatomy Gone Bad” – a bit of a play on the “Naughty Nurse” but with more blood… and more of my body being covered. This of course means that pretty much everything I need will be able to be purchased. Which means, I don’t have to cram sewing into my insane work/working out/school schedule that I have going on. And I can relax over my birthday trip to LA because I won’t have to think about a half-finished costume sitting at home on my floor waiting for me.

So what does one need for a “Grey’s Anatomy Gone Bad” costume…

Scrubs – obviously, some surgery/cutting instruments, props, wacked out hair and blood… lots and lots of fake blood because what is a Halloween costume without fake blood?

Fall Muffins

Okay, I will say these aren’t oh yummy yummy like blueberry muffins. They are not overly sweet, or sweet at all when you first eat them but they have a flavourful after taste. I made this recipe up today because I was bored and felt like I would share and I named them “Fall Muffins” because the flavor reminds me of the fall…

p.s. if you don’t like them – not my responsibility. I made em, I like em… I posted the recipe… please note there is a splenda aftertaste… but that happens when ever you bake with splenda I have found but its not horrible.

I would suggest trying these with some butter if you want on them, while warm, or a bit of Apple Butter.

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 Cup – Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 tsp – baking powder
• 1/2 tsp – baking soda
• 2 tsp – cinnamon
• 1/2 cup – crushed almonds
• 3/4 cup – splenda
• 1/2 cup – Quaker Instant Oats
• 1/2 Cup – Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (I used EAS which is about 120cals a scoop, any other may add calories so just be aware)
• 1 or 2 pinches of salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup – Reduced 2% Fat Milk
• 1/4 Cup of Orange Juice (used Simply Orange)
• 1 Large Egg Beaten
• 1/2 tbsp – vanilla extract, pure
• 2 tbsp  – I Can’t Believe Its Not Butter, Light Melted or Margarine of Choice (please note that if you go with something different, the cals may be different. ICBINB Light has 50 cals per tablespoon)

Fruit Ingredients:

• 1 Apple – cubed (I used a medium Gala) and peeled
• 1 Small Banana Mashed

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place about 20 – 35 almonds into a large bag, with a mallet or something, crush them into small broken almond bits.

Mix the dry ingredients by hang in a large mixing bowl. Put to the side.

In another container pour the orange juice and milk in together. Beat egg in a bowl then pour into the milk & orange juice. Keep the melted margainine to the side in a seperate bowl.

Pour the orange juice/milk/egg mixture in with the dry ingredients and stir by hand until well mixed. It will be lumpy but that is okay!

Pour the melted butter and fold into the mixture.

Add the cubed apple and fold into the mixture.

Add the mashed banana and fold into the mixture.

Mix by hand all the ingredients until you can tell everything is well mixed. It will look kinda of dry when mixed: Add about a dash more of the orange juice and the milk then stir only a few more times.

In a muffin pan, line with muffin/cupcake liners then fill with two large spoonfuls of the mixture into the liners. This will bring the mixture to the top. If you have some left over after filling it – just add a bit more to each one until you have no more left. It will look like below.

Place into the oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until you stick a tooth pick in and it comes clean.

This is your final product:

Nutritional Information (estimated)

84g per serving

Calories: 175
Fat: 3.75g / Saturated Fat – .75g
Sodium: 114.75mg
Carbohydrates: 24.25g / Fiber 2.75g / Sugar 10.83mg
Protein: 7.5g

Workouts: 7-30-09 to 8-9-09

7-31-09, Friday

Warm Up
15m – Elliptical, Weight Loss, Resistance 3
5m – Stretching
10m – Ballet Toning & Stretching

Toning

Shoulder Press Hammer Strength ISO, weight per arm – super set with chest
12 @ 20#
12 @ 10#
12 @ 10#

Incline Chest PressHammer Strength ISO, weight per arm – super set with shoulder
12 @ 20#
12 @ 10#
12 @ 15#

3 x 15 @ 20# bar – arm curl, hands wide (super set with curls)

1 x 15 @ 15# dumbbells – curl, right
1 x 15 @ 15# dumbbells – curl, left
2 x 15 @ 12# dumbbells – curl, right
2 x 15 @ 12# dumbbells – curl, left

Leg Press
15 @ 90#
12 @ 140#
9 @ 165#
9 @ 185#
6 @ 205#
18 @ 140#

Abs

2 x 15 – Double Crunch
2 x 15 – Reverse Crunch

Cardio
20m – Internvals, 3.5/5.7 – 1m30s walk/1m run – 2incline/4incline changed with each set
5m – Walking, 3.5mph, 2 incline

Est. Time – 1 hour 40m
Est. Cal Burn 1237

8-1-09 until 8-5-09

Rest/Study for Finals Days

8-6-09, Thursday

Warm Up
10m – Ellitipcal, Weight Loss, Level 3

Workout – groupings are supersets/circuits

4 x 20 yards @ 20# bar – walking lunges
4 x 15 @ 40# – lat pulls

4 x 15 @ 20# – kettlebell/dumbbell swings w/ wide stance sumo squats
4 sets @ 25# ezbar – 21s curls (7 low half curls, 7 high half curls, 7 full curls each set)
2m – Row Machine

Cool Down
Stretching

Est. Time: 1h 10m
Est. Burn: 839

8-7-09, Friday

Work Day – ended up working from 9:30am until 8pm…

8-8-09, Saturday

Warm Up
30m – Elliptical, Glute Trainer, Resistance 7 (324 cal burn)
Stretching

Workout

1 Circuit
15 @ 45# – Lat Pull Down with 1 hand reversed (switch hands each set)
15 @ 40# – Bicep Cable Curl
15 @ 45# – Tricep Pushdown with V Bar

(reduction of weight for the rest of the rounds due to a problem with the popping in my sternum)

3 Circuits
15 @ 45# – Lat Pull Down with 1 hand reversed (switch hands each set)
15 @ 40# – Bicep Cable Curl
15 @ 45# – Tricep Pushdown with V Bar

2 circuits
15 @ 20# – Shoulder Press
15 # 50# – Seated Row

Cardio
30m – Treadmill, Random Inclines, 3.5mph (329 cals burn)
30m – Treadmill, Rolling Hills, 3.2mph (308 cals burn)

Est. Time 2h10m
Est. Cal Burn 1464

8-9-09, Sunday

Warm Up
13m – Elliptical Cross Ramp, Crosstraining, Resistance 6,
Stretching

Workout

15 @ 60# – Laying Leg Curl

3 Circuits

15 @ 12kg – Step Up w/ Kick Back, Left
15 @ 12kg – Step Up w/ Kick Back, Right
15 @ 5kg – Sumo Squat w/ one leg up, left
15 @ 5kg – Sumo Squat w/ one leg up, right
10 – push ups on knees
10 @ 8# med ball – wood cutter w/ squat
15 – Poly Side Skip Jump
15 @ 8# medicine ball – Jack Knife Crunches
3 x 30secs – isometric bridges
2 lengths – walking lunges

Est. Time: 1h20m
Est. Cal Burn: 919

Upcoming Book Releases

Here is a list of the upcoming book releases that I want to share with you all! I don’t have all information on the books but as I get it… I will post it.

Carrie Vaughn – my fav werewolf novelist!

October 1, 2009

Kitty Takes a Holiday – Audio CD – $34.99

November 1, 2009

Kitty and the Silver Bullet – Audio CD – $34.99

January 1, 2010

Kitty’s House of Horrors – $7.99
REALITY BITES Talk radio host and werewolf Kitty Norville has agreed to appear on TV’s first all-supernatural reality show. She’s expecting cheesy competitions and manufactured drama starring shapeshifters, vampires, and psychics. But what begins as a publicity stunt will turn into a fight for her life. The cast members, including Kitty, arrive at the remote mountain lodge where the show is set. As soon as filming starts, violence erupts and Kitty suspects that the show is a cover for a nefarious plot. Then the cameras stop rolling, cast members start dying, and Kitty realizes she and her monster housemates are ironically the ultimate prize in a very different game. Stranded with no power, no phones, and no way to know who can be trusted, she must find a way to defeat the evil closing in . . . before it kills them all.

March 1, 2010

Voice of Dragons – $16.99

Upcoming Jim Butcher Books:

November 11, 2009

Dresden Files: Death Masks Audio – $49.95
Princep’s Fury Paperback – $7.99

December 1, 2009

First Lord’s Fury – New Codex Book – $25.95
The savage Vord are on the march, and Gaius Octavian must lead his legions to the Calderon Valley to stand against themusing all of his intelligence, ingenuity, and furycraft to save his world from eternal darkness.
Audio Book -$ 49.95

January 10, 2010

Mean Streets – $7.99
From four of today’s hottest fantasy authors comes this collection of all-new novellas of dark nights, cruel cities, and paranormal P.I.s.

April 6, 2010

Changes: Dresden Files 12 – $25.95
(audio CD release on April 15, 2010)

Upcoming releases by Kim Harrison

September 1, 2009

Unbound – $7.99
Revisiting the paranormal realms they’ve made famous in their popular fiction, “New York Times”-bestselling authors Kim Harrison, Jeaniene Frost, Vicki Pettersson, and Jocelynn Drake–plus YA author Melissa Marr with her first adult work–unleash their full arsenal of dark talents. Original.

December 1, 2009

White Witch, Black Curse – paperback release – $7.99

March 1, 2010

Black Magic Sanction – $25.99

Charlaine Harris…

September 1, 2009

Sookie Stackhouse Box Set – $63.92
The inspiration for HBO’s hit television drama “True Blood,” Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse series is now available in this boxed set. Includes “Dead Until Dark, Living Dead in Dallas, Club Dead, Dead to the World, Dead as a Doornail, Definitely Dead, All Together Dead,” and “From Dead to Worse.” Original.

Must Love Hellhounds – $15.00
These four tales of man’s worst friend, written by today’s hottest paranormalauthors, will have hellhound-lovers howling.

Club Dead – $14.00

October 6, 2009

A Touch of Dead – Sookie Stackhouse Series – $23.95
Every Sookie Stackhouse short story ever written in one special volume  from the
“New York Times” bestselling author Charlaine Harris has re-imagined the supernatural world with her spunky (“Tampa Tribune”) Southern Vampire novels starring telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse. Now, for the first time, here is every Sookie Stackhouse short story ever writtenatogether in one volume. Stories include Fairy Dust, One Word Answer, Dracula Night, Lucky, and Giftwrap.

November 1, 2009

Grave Secret – $24.95
Harper Connelly Mysteries #4

Other Paper back Releases:

Dead to the World – $14.00 – October 6, 2009
Dead as a Doornail – $14.00 – November 3, 2009
Defiantly Dead – $14.00 – December 1, 2009
All Together Dead – $14.00 – January 5, 2010
From Dead to Worse – $14.00 – February 2, 2010
Dead and Gone Mass Paperback Release – $7.99 – April 10, 2010

Okay lunch break over… I will do more later for other authors. If you have someone you want to know more of – let me know and I will see what I can find out. Also, those of you that I know want to order anything – contact me.

Work Outs: 7-19-09 to 7-29-09

Weird week and a half – workouts are really off due to my nephew visiting which means he is a priority. But here it is:

7-19-09, Sunday

Rest Day

7-20-09, Monday

Swimming:

600 – 50 free/50breast for each 100m
200 – kicking – 50free/50 breast for each 100m

Time: 35m
Cal Burn: 557

Would of gone longer but lighting storm came in and they closed the pool…

7-21-09, Tuesday

todays workout – got cut short due to a sick nephew.

Warm Up
5m – Running, Treadmill, 5.3, Incline 4
Stretching

Workout

4 x 15 @ 50# – Squats (5-half, all the way down then half way up/5-half, half way down then back up/5 – full squats)

4 x 12 @ 5# dumbbells – incline shoulder raises

4 x 1m – chest press, bar only

5 x 12 @ 15# dumbbell – incline 1 arm row, right
5 x 12 @ 15# dumbbell – incline 1 arm row, left

3 x 20 – incline crunches

5m – stretching

Est. Time 1h10m
Est. Cal Burn: 748

7-22-09, Wednesday

Warm Up
10m – Elliptical, Weight Loss Program, Resistance Level 5
Stretching

Workout

4 x 20 @ 15# – Chest Press w/ 20s rest between sets

4 x 15 @ 40# – lat pull/w 20s rest between sets

4 x 15 @ 20 (for 2) 25 (for 2) – Bicep Curls (superset with tricep dips)
4 x 15 @ 70 (for 2) 50 (for 2) – tricept dips

4 x 12 @ 50# – leg extensions

Stretching

Cool Down
15m – Elliptical, Hill Program, Resistance Level 5

Est. Time: 1h25m
Est. Cal Burn: 1,118

7-23-09, Thursday

Rest Day

7-24-09, Friday

todays workout – got cut short because the day care was closed and limited on what I could do with a 5 year old with me at the gym

Warm Up
10m – Intervals, 3.5mph – 5.5mph, Incline 4
Stretching

Workout

3 rounds
20 @ 22lb barbell – Side Step Ups on 16″ step (1 rep was twice over – go over right then back over left)
40 @ 22lb barbell – Step Up w/ Kickbacks on 16″ step
25 @ 8# med ball – jackknifes

Stretching

Time: 45m
Cal Burn…. no clue

Today was a cheat day – I spent the next 6 hours walking around at a large indoor arcade/play place for kids with an all you can eat buffet… ate both dinner and lunch there – ate as many veggies as possible with one of the “healthier” pastas… but had small servings of ice cream and apple cobbler one one slice of pizza. I was weak I know. But whatever, I don’t care – my main concern is that my nephew was happy and having a good time. Thought about going back to the gym but my knees are killing me from basically standing for about 5 hours.

Also – did my BFI today… 27.9%. Weight – exactly 210

7-25-09, Saturday

Rest Day/Study Day for Finals

7-26-09, Sunday

30m – Elliptical Crossramp, Weight Loss Trainer, Resistance level 5

Circuit

Tricep Push Down w/ V Bar
15 @ 25#
12 @ 35#
9 @ 45#
12 @ 35#
15 @ 25#

5 x 15 @ 30# – Low Row with lay back
5 x 15 @ 30# – Chest Press

Stretching

Est. Time 1 hour
Est. Cal Burn 764 (384 from elliptical/384 from circuit according to calorie count)

7-27-09, Monday

teaching swimming to my nephew for an hour… lots of treading and leisure time

45m – hard swimming, mix of breast and free. stopped when my shoulder started giving me problems.

Est. Time: 1h 45m
Est. Cal Burn: 1225 (yes I counted my teach my nephew – not easy work and burned about 500 cals )

7-28-09, Tuesday

Rest Day

7-29-09, Wednesday

Warm Up
10m – Elliptical, Crossramp, Glute Trainer, Resistance 9
Stretching

Toning – each grouping is a super set

4 x 15 @ 40# – Lat Pull Down with 1 hand reversed (switch hands each set)
4 x 12 @ 30# – cable tricep kickbacks

54 @ 40# – Seated Row (5 sets with random reps)
54 @ 10# (last with 20#) – arm straighting thing, the opposite of an arm curl, left arm
54 @ 10# (last with 20#) – arm straighting thing, the opposite of an arm curl, right arm

50 @ 10# + bar – deadlifts (heels on weights to lift them up and get some more focus on the whole back leg)

3 set @ 45# – seated calf burnouts… basically did as many as I could before my calves gave out (about 20 each set)

Cardio
20m – Treadmills, Incline 3, Intervals: 1m15s – walking (3.2) 1m – running (5.5 or 5.7)

32m – stationary bike, weight loss program, level 2

Est. Time: 2 hours
Est. Cal Burn: 1,363

How Far Have I Come?

On this diet?

This is me at C4 a few years ago:

this is me a few weeks ago

That is the difference of 60# looks… not huge but its something

Workouts: 7-11-09 to 7-18-09

7-11-09, Saturday

Rest Day – forced due to female issues

7-12-09, Sunday

Rest Day/Homework day – piling up had to get it done

7-13-09, Monday

10m – elliptical, weight loss program, level 5

Hip Abductions superset with adductions
12 @ 130
10 @ 140
9 @ 150
10 @ 145
12 @ 135

Hip Adductions
12 @ 120
10 @ 130
9 @ 140
10 @ 135
12 @ 125

Leg Press
12 @ 110
10 @ 120
8 @ 130
10 @ 120
12 @ 110

3 x 10 @ 50# – Single Leg Extensions, Right Leg
3 x 10 @ 50# – Single Leg Extensions, Left Leg

Calf Press
12 @ 80#
10 @ 90#
12 @ 80#

10m – Treadmill, Interval Inclines, 3.5mph

3 x 12 @ 8# medicine ball – back extensions w/ twist
3 x 15 @ 8# medicine ball – jack knives

10m – elliptical crossramp, glute trainer, resistance level 10

Est. Time: 1h 10m
Est. Cal Burn: 922

7-14-09, Tuesday

trainer day!

Warm Up
13m – Elliptical Crossramp, Cross training, resistance 7

Workout

4 rounds of the following

(1 round w/) 15 @ 20# bar – sumo squat straight on
(3 rounds w/) 15 @ 20# bar – sumo squat, angled w right leg forward
(3 rounds w/) 15 @ 20# bar – sumo squat, angled w left leg forward

Chest Press on Stability ball in plank form @ 15# dumbells – one arm static straight up holding one dumbbell and pressed with other arm… 5 left, 5 right, 5 left. 5 right (10 total each arm) each round

Back Row seated on Ball @ 35# – 2 rounds with 10 regular row, then 5 individual arm rows each arm, 2 rounds with 5 regular row then 10 individual arm rows each arm

15 each arm @ 15# – arm curls

Abs

Crunch w/ weight in knees – 20 @ 6# med ball
Double Crunch w/ weight in knees – 20 @ 6# med ball

Cardio
15m – Elliptical, Hills, Level 4
13m – Treadmill, Rolling Inclines, Level 4, 3.3mph

Est. Time: 1 hour 30 m
Est. Cal Burn: 1129 (mainly cause of the elliptical)

7-15-09, Wednesday

Warm Up
10m – Elliptical, Cardio Training, Level 3
Stretching

Workout

Bicep Curl – superset with tricep pushdowns
12 @ 30#
10 @ 40#
9 @ 50#
10 @ 40#
12 @ 30#

Tripcep Pushdown on v-bar
12 @ 35#
10 @ 45#
9 @ 55#
10 @ 40#
12 @ 30#

10m – Row machine

1 x 12 @ 20# – shoulder press
1 x 10 @ 75# – glute machine, right
1 x 10 @ 75# – glute machine, left
2 x 12 @ 25# – shoulder press

Leg Press – (legs set high to focus more on glutes) superset with calf press
12 @ 90# – feet wide (focuses more on inside)
10 @ 95# – feet narrow (this focuses more on outside of thighs)
8 @ 100# – feet wide
10 @ 95# – feet narrow
12 @ 90# – feet wide

Calf Press
12 @ 55# – toes in (focus on outside of calf)
10 @ 60# – toes out (on inside)
8 @ 65# – toes in
10 @ 60# – toes out
12 @ 55# – toes in

Cardio
20m – Treadmill, 3.4mph, Interval Inclines

Est. Time: 1hr 20m
Est. Cal Burn: 903

7-16-09, Thursday

Rest Day

7-17-09, Friday

20m – Intervals, 1st and Last min – walking then 1m Run, 1m30s walk (5.5 – 3.2), Incline 4
Stretching

4 Rounds x 10 reps
10# + barbell – Incline Bench Press
70# – smith machine squat
30# each arm – ISO Hammer Strength, Front Lat Pulldown

10 – Roman Chair
15 @ 8# med ball – back extension with twist

20m – Elliptical Cross Ramp, Glute Trainer, Resistance 9

Est. Time 1 hour (couldn’t do anymore since i had to pick up my nephew)
Est. Cal Burn 747

7-18-09, Saturday

Warm Up
15 – Treadmill, 3.5mph, Incline 3

Work Out

3 Rounds of the following

12 @ 24.2lb barbell – Step Up w/ Kick Back, Left Leg (on a 18″ step)
12 @ 24.2lb barbell – Step Up w/ Kick Back, Right Leg (on a 18″ step)

12 @ 24.2lb barbell – Deadlifts

12 @ 24.2lb barbell – Sumo Squat w/ one leg on step (5″ high) Left Leg
12 @ 24.2lb barbell – Sumo Squat w/ one leg on step (5″ high) Right Leg

10 @ 8lb Med Ball – Wood Cutter w/ squat (started in squat, stood and went to the left with moving the ball above my head w/ straight arms. Back Down to the squat and then back up to the right – this was 1 rep)

10 – Plyo Side Skip over 1 level of a stair step. (one skip over and back to start was 1 rep)

10 – Hamstring Pull In on Stability Ball

2 Lengths – Walking Lunges, about 6 or 7 yards each way

Ab Work

3 rounds (no breaks in between rounds)

15 – Leg Pull Ins (sat on the step up step and leaned back at a 45 deg angle and pulled my legs in to my chest)
30 sec – flutter kicks, laying on the step up step)

and then… contest time with the nephew – he beat me, I was dang tired by this point

13 – Pushups on my knees
22 – Crunches
2 x 10 secs – planks

20 mins of stretching and yoga (while my nephew did his workout)

Est. Time: 1hour 45mins
Est. Cal Burn: 1050