Setback? Hardly...

I had an appointment today at the doctor's to check out my knee. It has been hurting me for a while now when I go down or up stairs, walk up a hill, or put all of my weight on it. Walking normally is fine, but if I bend it too much or do something like stationary biking, it starts to hurt. So I got an x-ray done. I have a very small tear in my ACL. Fortunately at the moment I do not need surgery. However if I do not take it easy and let it heal, I will. She recommended that I not do anything high impact such as jogging or running, no high intensity biking (but light biking with low resistance is okay). I can still walk on the treadmill and lift my weights so it is not going to stop me from going to the gym, I just have to be careful with what I do with it.

Yesterday I had set a goal for myself of:

5 miles on the bike
1 mile on the treadmill
30 reps each on the weight machines

I did not completely make my goal but came pretty close. I ended up with:

4.15 miles on the bike
.6 miles on the treadmill

However with the weights, I did 30 reps each but on every single machine bumped up the weight by at least one set (ex normally do 15lbs, did 30 instead). There is one machine where you grab the handles above your head and pull the weights down...I like that one. I managed to do 60 pounds on that one. Did 80 on the leg press, 30 on the leg curls, 45 on the rowing, 30 on one where you push the handles away from you, 30 on both tricep machines, 30 on another upper body one, and 75 on an ab machine. All in all a lot heavier lifting than I usually do and I was sweating, but it felt good. A little sore this morning, but nothing too bad.

I wasn't planning on going to the gym today, but became so frustrated with things that it was necessary to go on lunch. I did 3.1 miles on the bike and half a mile on the treadmill at 3.0 mph. I didn't do the weights because I know the muscles need to rest.

Tomorrow I am setting a goal of:

4 miles on the bike (on easy resistance)
.5 miles on the treadmill
30 reps each on the weight machines
.5 miles on the treadmill to end things

I like being able to go to the gym after I drop Cody off with Steve because I don't feel as rushed to get things done and can take my time and really get a good workout in.

So that is a long-winded account of the last couple of days!

I am going to be starting to take photos soon of myself so that I can do before and after photos as I feel like I am losing some inches at this point but since I am not losing weight I can't really tell.

Long Weekend and No Workout?

It has been a long weekend but I haven't gone to workout yet. I feel like I am slacking. I didn't get to go on Friday or yesterday and do not think that I will have time to go today either. I may go when I am done with the charity event that I am photographing tonight, but I will be leaving there around 10 and need to get to bed to wake up early tomorrow morning for work. At least Cody will be with Steve tomorrow night so I can get out and workout after he leaves. I know that my muscles need to rest as I have been doing a lot of work lately on them, but I feel like if I take a rest I am going to gain weight in between my working out time even though I know that is not true.

I am setting my goal for tomorrow as follows:

5 miles on the bike
30 reps each on the weight machines
1 mile on the treadmill

We will see how it goes I guess!

I have still been eating well so at least I have that going. I was offered a dinner of Chinese food the other night but declined. Yesterday I went out to lunch with my father to a place that had some amazing looking gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches but got a salad instead (which was amazingly good as well). Last night I limited myself to one Angry Orchard so that I wouldn't have a bunch of calories. Today I am going to be at a bar all night for the charity event but am going to be really good and have one or two drinks and that it is. Glad I don't have the money to drink either!!

That is the Smell of Determination

I have gone to the gym every day this week. I didn't really set goals until today. Last night I did not feel like going to the gym at all but ended up doing a really great workout.

Today my goal was to do:

3 miles on the stationary bike
1 mile on the treadmill
30 reps each on all 10 weight machines

So did I do it?

Stationary bike:

GOAL ACHIEVED!!!

Treadmill: (I did a little before the weights and the rest after)

GOAL ACHIEVED!!!

Weight Machines: 

GOAL ACHIEVED!!!

Yep!! I did it!! Even went over by a small amount. I feel good! My knee was KILLING me on the bike but I pushed through and it was fine through the rest of the workout. I am now a hot sweaty mess but I did it and I am proud of that. 

I hopped on the scale this morning and was really frustrated to see that I had gained 4 pounds in the last 2 days. Now normally that would make me want to quit all together, but not this time. I am still going to the gym. I am still eating right. I have never lifted weights before, so I know that I am building muscle (I can tell especially in my biceps) and I know that this is a lengthy process and it's not going to just melt off as soon as I start working out. 

So onward and upward!