Kickstart time

If you've paid any attention at all to the world of fitness for the last 15 years or more, you're aware that all experts say that you need to change your workout from time to time because the body gets used to a routine and it's no longer as effective. I keep that in mind all the time -- often just changing the intensity of my workout for a week, or something along those lines. Just to break the pattern.

But, I've decided that a bigger change is needed at the moment. Today is weights and measures day and it seems that my weight (i.e., fat) loss has slowed down a good bit, plus my doc asked me to forego any weight work that would affect the shoulders and upper back for at least a week. The combination sent me to the treadmill for my entire workout today and that 45 minutes gave me plenty of time to 1) feel the differences in my body and 2) formulate a game plan.

Body differences? Mostly the perspiration, frankly. I'm soaked! My usual 10 minutes on the treadmill followed by weights just doesn't do that. My lungs and muscles were fine. Mental issues are large, because treadmills are boring and after the first 15 minutes I was feeling the exertion enough that 45 minutes seemed impossible, but I got past that with the help of the tv set built into every treadmill, and choosing a machine in front of the window so I can see people passing by on the plaza outside. Plus a lot of determination. I feel as if I really had a good workout, which is always good. Speed of 3.0, incline of 3.0, heartrate hanging around 105, plus and minus. And of course, my excellent mindfulness constantly reminds me of the folly of frustration whenever that pops up, so in a sense it's meditation time, as well.

New plan? I'll follow the docs advice for a week re the weights, and stick with the treadmill alone. After that week, I'll do one exercise for each muscle group each day, and do it with intensity, rotating exercises each visit. And follow that with 45 minutes on the treadmill, maybe trying a preset program of fat-burning, or something, rather than manual.  Gotta kickstart this fat burning thing again, one way or another!

Other than that -- it's not even 10 am and I'm home for the day, which I'm not crazy about. I'll walk down the hill after lunch, to help digestion and get the heartrate pumped up again, but other than that the days tend to be long, with insufficient activity. And it's hard to change that up here, without taking the long hike up the hill, or driving someplace to walk. But -- I'll figure that out, too. For now -- time to chill and put on some dry clothes.