I moved this info here from my journal.

Exercise: I saw the trainer at the local gym, checked with my M.D., and have been doing solid cardio and weight-lifting workouts for about a month. I also weigh myself at the gym. I usually do 20-25 minutes of cardio on a treadmill and or bike, making sure I get my pulse into the right zone for my age to burn fat. Then I do one resistance exercise, but I do it thoroughly, until I "fail" the muscle (as my trainer put it). So if I'l doing chest press (I use the machine) I set it on 100 pounds and do sets of ten until I've exhaust my muscles enough that I can't finish a set. This also keeps my pulse up in the fat-burning range, since I only wait 60 seconds between sets. I then finish up with some back hyperextension (I have the typical slipped or herniated disc) and some stomach crunches on a stability ball (which also helps for my back). On occasion I mix this pattern up by doing a circuit workout--I get the pulse up, do a set of weights, go back and do the treadmill for five minutes, then another set of weights. As my trainer says: "you need to keep your body guessing." My favorite thing about exercise is endorphins!

To gym 1/10/05; 25 min cardio HR avg 114; stability ball crunches 1x11; back hyperextension 1x10; shoulder press 4x10 reps, pyramid from 1x90 to 1x105 and back to 2x90. Too lazy to go get the 5 lb. collars and try 100--I'm lazy even while sweating and lifing weights, go figure. Total workout time was about 40 mins--I need to keep it about that length of time or I'll find it too daunting and too much to do and stop. This is what has stopped me before.

No workout on 01/12/05--I've been in the gym for three straight days--I need to make sure I don't get a huge workout program going that I then will feel I can't deal with time-wise. Talked this over with my counselor and the trainer at the gym, too. Ideal would be four 40-minute workouts a week with a walk with my dog in-between

Thurs 1/13/05

Half a workout since I needed to get home and help my wife pick up a loaner car from the mechanic.

Cardio= 15 min ~111
Chest machine= 2x10/90, 1x10/85, 2x10/80, 1x10X70
Stability ball crunches 1x15

I still hate the ball crunches, but they are starting to feel a bit better.

On Monday the 17th, had a visit to my Doc, who explained that my low resing heart rate (54) comes from the blood pressure meds I'm on. He told me to lower my range of HR for cardio accordingly. So it turns out 110 or so is fine (I'm fifty years old)

On Sunday the 16th did Cardio 20 minutes at 110 HR
Leg press 5x10/100
ball crunches 1x15
back hyperextensions 1x10

Today, Tuesday the 18th Cardio 20 min at 111
rowing, 6x10 /110
15 ball crunches
10 back hyperextensions.

Thinking of adding lat pull downs to my exercises--anothe big muscle to move, plus it will help when I go back to surfing.