Personal Development Community

Great job Joan(and Joan’s husband!)!

That’s so wonderful that you and your husband are accomplishing so much in the gym.  That must be very motivationg to both be working out like that.  I wish I could just get my husband to the gym.  You’re doing great!

Believe me, it took some arm twisting to get my husband to the gym. We were at a great Caribbean vacation back in 2005 and there was a gym at the resort. And I knew a gym was finally opening in our town in about a month so I wanted to get started working out. Hub had to be dragged there and about the most he would stay on the treadmill was 10 minutes. He’d act as though he had done a marathon.

However, he did admit that he felt better after he exercised. . . ."the click"--although he wouldn’t admit it.

When the gym opened, he did join with me. However, again when he went, he stayed on the treadmill for about 20 minutes and considered himself done. He’d move a few weights around, but not correctly. Then when I wanted him to take training sessions, he kept saying that he didn’t want to beat anyone up! I don’t know where he got the idea that training sessions had anything to do with fighting! He has a great trainer who’s been able to make him laugh and he’s stuck with the sessions for over a year and a half. A week ago or so he even asked to practice bench presses. He probably will join me in February’s competition which is amazing since he’s always avoided athletic competition.

Today he did strength training and some cardio in the morning but had to leave for an appointment. In the afternoon he was back at the gym for about another half hour--about 500 calories. He cranks the treadmill to about 10 degrees all the time so he’s going uphill.

My point is that those around us may eventually change what they are doing--for the better.

Today: (morning)

10 minutes on the treadmill to warm up
2 clean bench presses at 65#; two sloppy ones (I’m still feeling Monday’s exercises)
14 bench presses at 45#
some rows
some squats with 7.5 pounds creating an X with my body
some bench butterflies
while lying on the bench some of moving a 10# weight from over my abdomen to above my head (good for arms and a stretch for the abs)

afternoon:

50 minutes on the elliptical

Wow Joan!!
You and your husband are rockin’ on.  You must have a wonderful partner that arm twisting aside he now does it still.  Love the energy that spills from the page, Keep it up!!! Jane

Good job on enveloping your hubby in your sphere of positive influence!

That’s really great Joan.  I’m glad it clicked for you both.

So.
When is your husband starting his own 100 days of exercise thread??

Hey Joan!

How VERY cool that you got Mr. Joan to start going to the gym and he’s really working out!  I definitely can hear “clicking” going on! 

Mr Joan....Judy....not cool!  LOL

Sounds like a great ‘click’ and sounds like it stuck!

your workouts sound great, and you both realize this is just a lifestyle, not a fad

Keep it up!  great to catch up on the thread!

Chad, I laughed out loud at the idea of my husband starting a thread. I was able to get him to exercise but I’d never get him to do this! There are many reasons why that’s so. Let’s just name the fact that he looks at a computer screen for much of his work day.

Good to hear from you Tom. Eventually I’ll try to catch up with others’ threads. Right now it just isn’t going to happen.

Today ended up being a rest day. I had pushed hard on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday because I expect that I won’t get much or any exercise next week. For some reason my back is a bit sore along with the expected soreness in my arms. When I went in to sub this a.m., my plan was to go exercise in the afternoon before going to the pharmacy to work from 4 to 7. I was incredibly sleepy when I got home from subbing so I took an hour+ nap and decided that my body really needed a break.

My intention is to exercise tomorrow after a full day of subbing. I didn’t exercise this much when I used to go to a gym when I was in my 30s and teaching. So I think I’m could be asking too much of myself. I’ll go easy tomorrow and Saturday.

Monday I’ll work at the pharmacy in the a.m. but there’s no school. Tuesday I’ll take off for Texas and the rest of the week is testing so there aren’t any classes so that works out well for the teacher who’s been out. We’re both hoping she can do full days by the following week but we’ll just have to see how quickly her back heals.

Enjoy your rest day Joan!

Well Take the needed time...but remember to take a good coat...Walking even when away from home is easy to do.  Maybe find a Mall to walk around for a couple hours…
Good luck and keep up the good work

Thanks for the encouragement, RJ. A coat won’t be much of an issue. The next few days anyways Texas should be at least 20 degrees warmer per day than here in NY. It will depend on how much attention my aunt and mother need. We’ll see. My mother does exercise at the gym but at her pace I could almost sleep. . . . I’m not being critical, just real. And it’s fantastic that she exercises at 87. She has lung issues.

I almost didn’t make it to the gym today. By the time I got out of work and ran some errands, I felt like just curling up at home. However, since I talk about consistency so much, I figured I had to take my own advice.

I spent 30 minutes on the treadmill. I would have stayed longer but my husband who was off today and who had exercised earlier came by earlier than I expected to go out for dinner. Considering that he would just as soon I didn’t work at school at all, I figured going to dinner when he wanted to was more important than another 15 minutes on the treadmill.

Also, my back was ok today so I didn’t want to push that. my triceps are still sore from Wednesday.

Good stuff Joan!

Joan,
As always, sounds like you made some great decisions.....great job in getting in some exercise (any is good!)

It’s all about being flexible.....

Hope you had a great dinner!

Where abouts in Texas are you headed?  You might check out the weather before you pack.  I’m in Oklahoma and it’s freezing right now.  In the 20’s and a cold north wind.  I don’t want you to get down there and freeze!!

Thanks for the boost Shawn and Tom. Dinner was good--as was the company.

Also, thanks for the concern about the weather Chad. We’re going to Weatherford, TX. It’s in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Today it’s about 27 out and Weatherford is 35. Sunday it’s supposed to be 15 here, 52 in Weatherford, and Tuesday when we’re actually going, it’s supposed to be 32 here and 42 in Weatherford. So I’m assuming that the clothes for here will be fine for there. I’ll bring a fleece jacket if it actually is in the 50s and sunny. I’d be too warm in my winter coat!

I had another of the fitness evaluations that the gym gives and the results were acceptable. I would have liked better but we don’t always get what we like--and all things considered, my complaining is a bit like a student complaining about a 95 on a test instead of 100.

My heart rate was a bit higher at 64, last 56, others at 60 but the evaluator said it’s probably just how he counted. My bp was 104/70, almost exactly where it was in August. I lost 1.75 pounds. (I’ve told you all how slow my weight loss is.) However, my body fat percentage went down by a whole percent. I am .7% away from being in the normal range. I still can’t do “real” push ups but I learned that what I have to work on is getting my hips up at the same time as my shoulders. I was trying to keep my abdomen from touching the ground and that’s just not going to happen now because I carry weight there. I did 2 regular push ups poorly and then tried about 3 more as I tried to get the technique right. Then I did 30 kneeling push ups. My cardio actually went down by a minute rather than up but I’m still solidly in the good category.

I think that part of what’s happening (despite the pace) is actually what is supposed to be happening. In Nov 06 when I was first evaluated I had already lost 16 pounds. From then to now I’ve lost 11.5 more pounds. And when I do the math on the change in body fat, since Nov 06 I’ve lost 11.1 pounds of body fat.

Today I mostly did the fitness test. After it I did about 26 minutes on the treadmill for 209 calories, 40% fat. I ran one minute during that time at 7.7 mph which is the fastest I’ve gone. I did 2 bench presses cleanly of 65# and two sloppy. Then I did two more semi-cleanly. Then I did two sets of 5 at 55#. I’ll keep at that.

I then went shopping. I bought some more protein supplement which I’ve been taking very small amounts of. The results of my blood work for the MD showed that my total protein was low. I know that’s an issue for me so I’m going to have to keep after myself.

Hey Joan, good stuff!

Sounds like your evaluation gave you a great snapshot of where you are.  Good for you and your husband for being good stewards of the bodies!

I then went shopping

Sounds like you’re onto something....

(shopping’s always fun!)....well maybe sometimes better than others~