Some positive amongst the negative

I might not like my weight at the moment, but I have recently noticed some really positive changes in relation to weight training and fitness.



Weight training:

I do most of my weight training at home, and record my exercises/weights on an excel spreadsheet. Last weekend due to some computer reshuffling, I had to reload my spreadsheet onto a different PC. Went to do my workout, opened the spreadsheet, looked up the exercises and weights for biceps - and it said 4.5 kgs... What the... "I cant be looking at the most recent sheet?" Checked again - it definitely said 4.5 kgs. "Who am I to argue with the computer - maybe I have no decent memory of my weight training...." So I went and picked up 4.5 kgs, threw it around my head a few times, and in disgust, reset the dumbell to 8 kgs and did my reps. "Maybe the different versions of excel are reading the data differently - some sort of "blip" in the system (unlikely). Came to triceps - the PC said 3.6 kgs - the jaw dropped again - "Whaaat" I thought for a minute - 3.6kgs is the weight of the medicine ball I got for Christmas - havent used it in a while - ah well - I'll give it a whirl - it did seem hard last time I used it.....Wrong - Gave it a go and I could have played netball with the ball this weight, or at least 100 overhead reps with this one without breaking a sweat. Changed the sheet and went on with 10kgs overhead extensions



So what was going on? I relooked at the sheet, and realised that I had copied across an old version of the spreadsheet. These were the weights I was doing in January! Not bad hey - I hadn't really been conscious that I had upped them so much in that period of time. I knew that every so often I do a little more, but I'd never really bothered to quantify it.



A few days later I was at the gym, talking to a friend whilst she used the Nautilus system weight circuit. I haven't used this since December - moved on to free weights, and it occured to me to try the triceps machine. I used to HATE this one. For those of you who are familiar with weight machines, there is usually a base weight applied at all times, and then you move the pin to increase the weights in increments of 5 pounds. Well on this machine I could never get beyond base weight. I kept try a few reps 5 pounds heavier but just couldn't do it and it frustrated the hell out of me. The evil eye in me was active, thinking, if my triceps have improved so much - maybe I can beat this machine at last! So I tried it out. Woo hooo - base weight was a walk in the park - it was like there was NO WEIGHT on it at all! Added 5 pounds, easy, another 5 pounds - still manageable - probably would use it now 15 pounds above base weight YEAH!



I've also decided that I don't want to build up my biceps any more than I have now. I was standing in front of the mirror in a singlet top the other day, applying my makeup, as my right armed reached across to put blush on my left side - I noticed this bulging bicep appear - WOW where did that come from! But its big enough - I already have problems with my arms fitting into some clothes - so I 'm going to make sure I don't increase the weight any further, just aim to maintain - now if I could just lose the body fat my arms will have plenty of definition!

Also decided to check out the backs of my arms after Donna's effort - especially since I seem to have SUPER TRICEPS now. Couldn't get a photo, but I could definitely see the definition - particularly where the muscle comes into the elbow BUT there is this distinct flabby bit! Probably made worse by the fact that the rest of the arm looks quite toned and compact. WHAT's THIS? Spent quite a while trying to work out which muscle I have undertrained - but have finally come to the conclusion that it might just be loose skin ARGGHH. Did some more reading, and have decided I will concentrate my triceps efforts on the long head to try and improve this - but I don't know if I will ever conquer it without surgery. Of course, losing those extra winter kilos will help too.



Fitness:

As I mentioned in my last post - Andrew and I ran a 9 km fun run last weekend. I pulled up fine afterwards - in fact didn't affect me at all, plus we did a little bit of hiking afterwards, and then I did a core strength workout that night, and about 20 mins of walking on the tready cause the TV program hadn't finished!

How much training did I do for the 9 km run? None.

Achievement = have achieved an ongoing level of fitness that allows me to do things like this without specific training. I remember last year how hard I trained to run the 12 km city to bay, and how terrified I was that if I missed a scheduled training run that I wouldn't manage it. Now I think I have developed a base fitness that will allow me to do specific things like this, should I choose to put myself through it! Yay for me again!

On the weight front, the scales are still resistant, but I will persevere. I AM a healthy person, I eat extremely healthily 80% of the time , and the scales will eventually respond to their master - ME!