January brings with it new year's resolutions and reflection on the past year. 2014 was the year of Fatdad. 2015 is shaping up to be the year of transformation to Batdad.
After I got my gym membership, I joined a body fat loss challenge. Included in this challenge is a schedule of classes, of which I have to attend at least 5. Also includes is body fat measurements every couple of weeks. These offerings alone made it worth the $5 price of admission. But, what I have gotten so far has made it invaluable.
I went to get my first measurement on January 8. That's when i found out I was tipping the scales at 287 lbs. I didn't find out my percentage of body fat at this particular measurement. I got more than i bargained for though.
The trainer running the whole program asked me what I wanted to work on. I got nervous. I had gone through this sales pitch before. I informed him that I wanted to lose fat. I also wishes to gain more mobility, as my back and knees have been bothering me.
He gave me a quick mat exercise routine, along with a pointer on using a foam roll to stretch and massage my back and legs. He also told me I should get on an elliptical 3 times a week for 30 minutes (5 minute warmup,20 1minute intervals alternating between balls to the wall effort and slower recovery effort, finishing with a 5 minute cool down.)
He then asked about my diet. I informed him of my desire to start paleo friendly eating habits. He nodded and told me to make sure I drink 3 liters of water a day. The sales pitch never came. I was genuinely excited to start this challenge.
The trainer (Let's call him D,or better yet Ducard) ,I later found out, is the only trainer doing this challenge for 60 people. He genuinely cares about this. He has texted me asking about my water and cardio. I asked him for the body fat numbers so I had some info to give to my blog and he was more than helpful.
This month I have attended a nutrition class on proteins in the first week. When I missed the nutrition class in week 2 (carbs) due to work Ducard gave me the packet from the class and a quick run down. This week is sugars. I will also bot be able to make this one. But i will try to get the info from my awesome trainer.
I have attended a dynamic stretching class with lunges from hell, and a metabolic circuit class that got my heart going. Tangent: one of the women in the class informed me that the men never stick with the class. So now I have a challenge within the challenge to attend whenever work allows. I informed her "I ain't skerred."
Ducard took myself and another person on a tour of the equipment during the gym orientation class. Then in my introduction to free weights we focused on the chest, doing inclined, declined and flat sets with dumbbells and then a few sets on the hammer machines to show the difference.
All of this has happened in 3 weeks. Tomorrow I go in for my 2nd measurement, and looking forward to settling into some sort of routine as work allows.
Obviously the metabolic circuit on Tuesdays and Thursdays are in. I think I will work on my back and core on Fridays. The free weight instruction kicked my ass so I hope to learn some more free weight stuff on Wednesday. And I will do my 30 minutes of cardio 3-4 days a week. So that is where I am at.
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