Day 607 - X2 Base & Back

Well, I was finally able to give this workout a try after being away from it for 3 months.  Wow, what a workout that is.  I took some breaks along the way and the reps are less than I was doing 3 months ago, but I did the workout.  Also, I'm happy about my workout week this week.  I worked out for 6 days straight this week.  Tonight we're going out for my daughter's birthday.  She turns 21 on the 2nd.  I think I've earned a night of eating out.  I'll still take it easy on what I eat.

Day 606 - X2 Yoga

It's Flex Friday, so here is my flex for this week. 

I had a follow-up with my doc about not being able to sleep.  I don't like having to use Ambien every night, but want to be able to sleep.  One thing he suggested made some sense.  He suggested trying a melatonin supplement since a shortage of it would cause sleeplessness.  I picked up a bottle at GNC and thought I would try it. 

Yoga tonight went well.  I was able to get through it without any added breaks.  As usual, I found it
to be a good workout, but also relaxing.

Day 605 - 3 mile run

I got out for a 3 mile run right after work.  It was pretty warm and I was feeling it by the half way mark, so I stopped and walked for a bit and then turned around and did the other 1.5 miles running.  It felt pretty good by the time I was done.  Tomorrow it's hopefully Yoga and then I need to decide on what to do Saturday.  My back continues to feel better all the time.  I'm at about 85% right now and improving all the time.

Day 604 - X2 Ab Ripper

It's supposed to be a rest day for me today, but I didn't do Ab Ripper on Monday, so I decided to do it tonight.  It's a short workout, but is pretty intense. 

Day 603 - Plyocide

I was debating whether I wanted to do this one tonight or hold off for a day before doing it.  In the end I decided to do it tonight so that tomorrow I can do Ab Ripper then go for a run on Thursday.  Wow, it kicked my butt tonight.  I took a few small breaks along the way, but got through the whole routine.  It's hard to believe that a few months ago I got through this without much issue.  Goes to show how quickly my body can regress when being away from these workouts. 

Day 602 - Chest + Back + Balance

This was my first time getting back to this workout for a number of months now.  I decided to do it without the workout sheets so that I wouldn't push myself to do more than I am able.  I got most of the way through the routine before deciding that doing more might be pushing my luck a bit.  I could definitely feel this stretching my back muscles out.  I'll be curious to see how my neck and back feel in the morning.  That really is a very good workout. I'm glad to be able to get back to it (even if I had to modify some).

Day 601 - Rest Day

Beautiful day today.  I back to not being able to sleep well at night.  No idea why.  I've cut out all caffeine over the last two weeks to make sure it's not related to that.  It doesn't seem to be.  I'm having to rely on Ambien again (which I don't like having to take).  So, feeling rather sluggish today.  I'm glad it's a rest day today.

Day 600 - X2 Yoga

What a busy day.  Took a load of yard waste to the dump (including some old rotten logs) and then cut the grass and went to hit some golf balls at the range.  After all of that, I got in my Yoga workout in.  I sure do love that workout.  I was considering doing a different one today, but I'm glad I did yoga. It was nice to do it after hitting golf balls because my back needed the stretching.

Day 599 - Rest Day

I got to go out to dinner with my wife tonight and we ran some errands, so I didn't have a chance for a workout.  That's okay since I'm working out every other day this week except for Sunday.

Day 598 - 5K run

I went out for a run after work and was able to get the run in without having to stop to walk.  Eating is continuing to go well.  I was sweating something fierce because of the humidity.  Someone brought cookies to a meeting today and I really wasn't even tempted to eat any. 

Day 597 - P.A.P. Upper

I got in a good round of PAP Upper today.  I was able to increase the weight with the row moves and I did some towel pull-ups this week and increased reps from 6 to 7 on the pull-ups and chin-ups.  I still skipped Superman with weight, but I did well on all of the other moves and my back feels pretty good.  Hopefully I can stay on track and do Yoga tomorrow and a run on Friday and then we'll see what I feel like doing on Saturday when the time comes.

Day 596 - X2 Ab Ripper

I was going to do PAP Upper tonight, but by the time I got done cutting the grass and going out to get some dinner (Kristi wanted to get out) and going to pick up a few things at the grocery store it was getting a bit late to start it, so I decided to do Ab Ripper so that I can get a round in this week.  I'll do PAP Upper tomorrow night and then Yoga on Thursday.  Calories and protein are again good today.

Day 595 - P.A.P. Lower

I got to do P.A.P. Lower tonight and the only modification I had to make was to replace monster slalom with doing jumping jacks because monster slalom consistently causes me to sprain my ankles, so I've learned my lesson on that one.  I used 20lb. dumbbells for step-up convicts and 15lb. for squat cross reach, so not too bad.   Side bridge leg lifts were a killer for me.  I almost didn't finish the last one.  It was all I could do to keep from letting my foot touch the floor.  Pretty ugly, but I didn't give up. 

Day 594 - Rest Day - Yes, for real

I had an actual rest day today and it was really nice.  I did have my normal time at church with the fun of teaching a Sunday School class of 6 4-year-olds without Kristi being there.  That was a bit chaotic and we unloaded the vehicles this morning, but tonight was nice and relaxing.  Tomorrow it's back to working out.  It's been a weekend of a bit too much eating, so it's time to get back into my normal routine.  Today's eating was pretty good.  I stayed within calories.

Day 593 - Rest Day (not really)

Again, it was a no-workout day because Ashley had her ring ceremony and reception today, so I got finish up prep work and then spend the day enjoy time with here and everyone there.  It was a long day again.  We finished clean-up at around 11:30 PM.  Tomorrow I get to hopefully have an actual rest day and then I'll be back to working out on Monday.

Day 592 - Rest Day (not really)

I didn't workout today, but that doesn't mean I was resting.  I spent the whole day setting up for my daughter's wedding tomorrow.  I got to haul around the buckets with concrete that we using for dividers walls.  It was a very busy day and it was rather hard to eat healthy today.  Breakfast was okay, but lunch was pizza and dinner we had out at Carraba's with the wedding party.  I'm over on calories today, but not by a ton.  I tried to take it easy on portion size.  Next workout will likely be on Monday because of the ceremony tomorrow and I don't workout on Sunday.

Day 591 - X2 Yoga

Tonight was a good night of yoga.  I took my time by taking a couple of short breaks, but put a lot of effort into focusing on the moves.  My neck was a bit tight, but doing the yoga and icing it afterward seems to be helping.  I was hoping to get out for a run today during lunch, but my brother called wanting to get together for lunch and I couldn't pass up the chance to take him to the local Indian restaurant.

Day 590 - Rest Day

I spent the whole day driving to DC and back for my daughter's wedding.  Great day, but I'm wiped and glad for a rest day.

Day 589 - 5K run

I got out for a run tonight.  It was really humid, so I ended up sweating a lot.  I did 5K, but again took a brief break in the middle and walked about a 1/4 mile before starting to run again.  I took the second half at a more reasonable pace and it definitely felt better than the last time I ran.  My back seems to be doing okay after last night's workout.  I have a bit of tenderness, but nothing serious.

Day 588 - P.A.P. Upper

I was planning to go for a run, but there was an accident that made it nearly impossible for me to get anywhere, so I decided instead to stay home and do P.A.P. Upper.  I modified a bit to make sure that I didn't over-do it, but the only exercise that I skipped was Superman with weight because I know that would have done no good for my back.  My back is feeling okay so far after the workout, but I'm icing it just to be safe.  Tomorrow I hope to get the run in or do Plyocide.  I noticed tonight that the shorts I was wearing seemed a touch on the tight side, so even though I have kept weight in check that does not mean I haven't digressed on my conditioning.  Not happy about that, but I'm working on getting back into it, so that's good.  I just need to carefully keep at it without re-injuring myself.

Day 587 - Rest Day

It's Sunday and that means no workouts.  Having had yesterday as a rest day from working out, I am now looking forward to getting back into doing something tomorrow.  Part of me wants to try Chest & Back & Balance, but I'm concerned that is may be mo more than I should be taking on.  Not to mention I don't have access to my chin-up bar because the basement is in full pre-wedding chaos mode.  So, I'll likely just go out for a run tomorrow after work.

Day 586 - Rest day (sort of)

While I didn't do a normal workout today, I was bust doing lots of things that required lifting of heavy objects.  My daughter Ashley is getting married next weekend and my wife is having me help make dividers that can be used in the building to hide the table from view during the ring ceremony.  So, the design is to make 15 buckets filled with concrete with a PVC pole and connector sticking out of each bucket.

The day started off with a trip to Home Depot to get concrete and buckets etc.  Each bag was 60 lbs. and I had to get a total of 8 bags, so I got my workout by hauling and mixing all of the concrete and putting it into the buckets.  It also happened to be rather time consuming.  By the time I got done doing that and cutting the grass (which required me to bag) and trimming some trees and washing my car, I was out of gas. I'm glad this day is done.

Day 585 - X2 Plyocide

I worked up a good sweat doing Plyocide tonight.  It's been quite a while since I've been able to do this workout and I had to take a couple of breaks during it, but I got a lot out of the workout.  My back was a touch stiff while doing it, but feels good now that I iced it right after the workout.

I weighed in the morning and weighed 137, so I suppose I need to get back into some weight training because I think I'm losing the weight in the form of muscle.

Day 584 - Rest Day

I was busy all night doing projects in prep for the wedding reception for my daughter.  Wedding is just over a week away, so things are pretty nuts on the preparation front.  I'm hoping to go for a run tomorrow night.

Day 583 - X2 Ab Ripper & I.M. Rings

I set up the I.M. Rings tonight and enjoyed a few reps on the rings.  I then did X2 Ab Ripper.  As usual, the workout was not as easy as it used to be.  I guess that's to be expected considering the extended layout from working out.

Day 582 - 3 mile run

After work I went out for a run.  I felt a bit better this time around.  I still had to take a short break at the half-way point, but it was only for a minute or so and then I started to run again.  Less soreness in my legs this time around too.

Day 581 - X2 Yoga

I can certainly tell that it's been a few weeks since I last did X2 Yoga because that was a workout tonight.  A couple of muscles were a little tight, but nothing too bad and no real serious soreness.  I am hopeful that the yoga workout will help me to get over the leg soreness.  Weather permitting I am hoping to get another run in tomorrow night so that I can start to get back into a routine.

Day 580 - Rest Day

It's Sunday, so nothing going on today.  My legs are really sore after the run yesterday.  I'm amazed on how quickly I lost my conditioning because of having to stop the workouts.  I tried a few push-ups and chin-ups today to see how it feels tomorrow.  I think the cortisone injection is really going to turn out to help.  The injectioon spot is still sore, but I am feeling some relief in my upper back.

Day 579 - 4 mile walk/run

I got out for a run this morning.  It was nice to be running again, but no surprise I got winded pretty quickly, so I had to walk for about 1/2 mile of the run.  My legs are feeling it after the run, but it feels good to be doing something more that stretching and walking.

Day 578 - Rest Day

I went out to dinner for my anniversary.  I took the night off from working out tonight because the spot of the injection was pretty sore.

Day 577 - No workout - Cortisone injection

Nothing happening today because in the morning I went for my Cortisone injection.  They administered this using X-Ray and it was actually a more involved procedure than I thought it would be.  Today I'm recovering from this and keeping ice on the point of injection.  Tomorrow I hope to go for a walk and then hopefully start to move into more exercises next week like running and Yoga etc.