A couple of significant achievements over the last few days while I was away on a business trip.

Most importantly on the self confidence front...actually got up the courage to go down to the hotel gym and work out. The exercise elves must have been watching over me - the gym was empty both times I went (it was full when I passed by to go to my room). This was a welcome relief as it gave me a chance to try out the treadmill without feeling like a fool.

Secondly...improved up to a 10 minute mile on the treadmill in both of the workouts.

May 21 - 4 miles, 42 minutes, just seconds over 10 minutes/mile
May 22 - 3 miles, 30 minutes, 10 minutes/mile

A 10 minute mile walking is just about jogging pace without the bouncing - works up a great sweat in a much shorter timeframe.

The challenge will be maintaining that pace on the open roads. It's too easy to maintain a steady pace on the treadmill..you have to keep up with the belt otherwise you get flung off!

Weight training - used the opportunity to practice the exercises with real dumbells and try to establish an effective starting weight and a safe upper limit. Unfortunately, my limits right now are 3 pounds starting and 5 pounds upper limit for upper body. The 8 pound weight was far too heavy to do safely. I'm glad my home made weights give me odd weights of 3.5, 4 and 4.5 pounds. This will be good until I outgrow them.

Here is what I tried - it's not the proper BFL routine - just a baseline.

Dumbell bench press - chest:
12 at 3#
10 at 3#
12 at 5#
10 at 5#
Arms were getting pretty bobbly on the second rep at 5#

Dumbell flyes - chest:
12 at 3#
10 at 3#
12 at 5#
10 at 5#
It was easy enough to focus on feeling this chest workout in the right muscles.

Seated dumbell press - shoulders
12 at 3#
10 at 3#
12 at 5#
8 at 5#
These were really difficult at both weights. My arms were quite wobbly. It was hard to focus on the shoulder muscles..felt it more in my wrists (which are very weak). Couldn't get past 8 on the second rep of 5# no matter how hard I tried.

Side raises - shoulders
12 at 3#
10 at 3#
12 at 5#
10 at 5#
Could feel these on the shoulders, but I think I was doing them too fast.

Shoulders and chest are very sore today.

Dumbell rows - back
12 at 3#
10 at 3#
12 at 5#
Had a lot of trouble feeling these working the back muscles

Seated dumbell curls - biceps
12 at 3#
10 at 3#
12 at 5#
10 at 5#

Hammer curls - biceps
12 at 3#
10 at 3#
12 at 5#
10 at 5#
Also had trouble feeling these in the right muscles. Had problems controlling my wrists from being wobbly.

Bent over raises -
12 at 3#
6 at 3#
These were difficult

Tried a few squats and lunges without weights, but my knees did nothing but snap, crackle and pop. Could only get about 1/3 of the way down. Couldn't get back up. Will have to find other quad and hamstring exercises that don't make me feel like rice crispies.

Tomorrow will be the start in earnest of planned BFL routines.

Don't have a problem at all with early morning workouts on an empty stomach. I'm normally up and about between 4:30 and 5am every day anyway. There's plenty of time for workouts before going to work.