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Well, it's that time in my life where I've got to start thinking about staving off...
the oncoming heart attack - you know, the one that's due to arrive sometime in the next 15, 20 years.
That's how it seemed a few months ago. After gaining 40+ pounds over the past 3+years, I was up to 225, perhaps higher. It was... not horrible, but inconvenient and discomforting. The most noticable thing was how my stomach would continue on its merry way whenever I changed trajectories, then lurch back in place when it had no choice but follow me. I carried the weight "well" - it was pretty well distributed and since I've always worn my clothes loose, it wasn't too noticable.
But, **** people, I live in this world. And in this world, middle-aged male desk jockeys who are overweight are just begging for a nice little thrombosis, (hopefully not in front of the family as you'd scare them just a bit.)
So, last October I paid $700+ for a membership to a gym that's open 24/7/365 and began a workout program. Nothing major - hell, since this was the first time I've been in a locker room since high-school 20 years ago, the last thing I needed to do was tear a ligament or beat the ever-loving **** out of myself, hating it all the way. So I started slowly and have increased the intensity of my workouts since then, quite more so than I thought I would.
I'm on what I call a "three day program" - I work out on two consecutive days, take the third day off (do some walking, or maybe take Sophie to the pool). One day I'll do strength training on my upper body and abs, the second I'll work on my lower body and back. Both days I run - actually, that's easily my favorite activity because it's so basic and easy to measure. For example, today I ran 2.25 miles at 5 mph* with my heart rate averaging 146 (right where it should be), peaking no higher than 154, a consumption of 356 calories, and a blood pressure of 128/75 when I got off the treadmill (while my heart rate was still 122).
I'm nowhere near that good charting my strength stuff. Like I said, I prefer the running.
I feel a hell of a lot better. More energy. I eat less. I sleep less. (
) My attitude is oddly better. My stomach doesn't move independent of my back anymore, and my, er, stamina is exhausting the wife. And, merely by doing this and giving up a few foods...
I've lost 25 pounds. And that thrombosis is less likely now.
*Probably a brisk jogging pace for people with far more experience than I, but compared to what I was doing three months ago, 5 mph is positively sprinting.
That's how it seemed a few months ago. After gaining 40+ pounds over the past 3+years, I was up to 225, perhaps higher. It was... not horrible, but inconvenient and discomforting. The most noticable thing was how my stomach would continue on its merry way whenever I changed trajectories, then lurch back in place when it had no choice but follow me. I carried the weight "well" - it was pretty well distributed and since I've always worn my clothes loose, it wasn't too noticable.
But, **** people, I live in this world. And in this world, middle-aged male desk jockeys who are overweight are just begging for a nice little thrombosis, (hopefully not in front of the family as you'd scare them just a bit.)
So, last October I paid $700+ for a membership to a gym that's open 24/7/365 and began a workout program. Nothing major - hell, since this was the first time I've been in a locker room since high-school 20 years ago, the last thing I needed to do was tear a ligament or beat the ever-loving **** out of myself, hating it all the way. So I started slowly and have increased the intensity of my workouts since then, quite more so than I thought I would.
I'm on what I call a "three day program" - I work out on two consecutive days, take the third day off (do some walking, or maybe take Sophie to the pool). One day I'll do strength training on my upper body and abs, the second I'll work on my lower body and back. Both days I run - actually, that's easily my favorite activity because it's so basic and easy to measure. For example, today I ran 2.25 miles at 5 mph* with my heart rate averaging 146 (right where it should be), peaking no higher than 154, a consumption of 356 calories, and a blood pressure of 128/75 when I got off the treadmill (while my heart rate was still 122).
I'm nowhere near that good charting my strength stuff. Like I said, I prefer the running.
I feel a hell of a lot better. More energy. I eat less. I sleep less. (
) My attitude is oddly better. My stomach doesn't move independent of my back anymore, and my, er, stamina is exhausting the wife. And, merely by doing this and giving up a few foods...I've lost 25 pounds. And that thrombosis is less likely now.
*Probably a brisk jogging pace for people with far more experience than I, but compared to what I was doing three months ago, 5 mph is positively sprinting.
I have my work cut out for me.
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