Back to throwing iron around

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Huzzah! Today marks my return to weightlifting, and oh dear, where did my upper body musculature go? I know I had some muscles, somewhere...

As shown in this shot (yes, I know it's blurred -- it was taken with my cameraphone), you can see Your Hostess just after finishing 40 minutes of cardio and before she prepares to throw the iron around. Just be grateful you can't see the rivulets of sweat coursing off my brow -- it ain't pretty, folks.

By the way, I'm posting this picture, unflattering as it is, to prove a point -- I am not some slender willow fretting about putting on three ounces after having an extra helping of celery at lunch. I'm a big ol' gal, without a doubt. From the side, I look like a duck. I'm hefty. And I need to lose at least 140 pounds. Whee...

Which is why I'm in the gym lifting weights, walking on the treadmill and generally doing things that are considered beneficial for my health. Yeah, I know I look nothing like most of the other folks in the gym, and Lord knows I'm not wearing stylish exercise togs. In fact, I think I'm wearing a Dave Matthews Band cap, Windycon t-shirt, cutoff sweatpants, black crew socks and my Dr. Scholl gymshoes in that pic. Fabulous!

Thing is, I'm not there to impress anyone with my fashion sense, and I really don't give a rat's ass what someone thinks when they look at me. I suspect too many people in my condition are shamed into thinking that they can't step foot into a gym, looking the way they do -- the perfect people might point and laugh, after all.

My attitude? "Bite me." I'm there to sweat, grunt, swear, haul weights, flop my fat around, and perform whatever I need to do in order to build muscles, strengthen bones and keep my heart pumping for years to come. If the perfect people don't like what they see, that's what the gym TV's are for.

Oh, yeah -- despite the fact that I'm a big ol' gal, my resting heart rate is currently 77. Normal is anywhere between 70 - 80. I've had it as low as 65, and I intend to get it even lower this time. And the calves are starting to cut in quite nicely, thank you very much.

Wednesday's total mileage: 505.99 miles to Isengard.

Weight work:

Set #1
Set #2
Set #3
Set #4
Reps
12
12
12
12
Benchpress
30
30
30
30
Triceps Press
20
20
20
20
Shoulder Press
20
20
20
0
Ab Crunches
X
X
X
X

1 comments:

RambleRedhead said...

I wanted to wish you good luck on your weight loss goal and believe I have been there and done that.

Years ago I had lost 35 lbs and have been able to maintain my weight for a few years now and so I know what it is like.

If I can give you any advice just take it one day at time and remember to have that one day where you eat what you want.

I found a new site called www.sparkpeople.com and it is free and you can keep track of food and workouts and they have a lot of resources as well!

Best of luck!

Tom aka Ramble Redhead

P.S. I would love to have you on my show - you totally rocked on Archer's show