Joel Hainley : San Francisco Bay Area Software Consultant

Well it’s over. I missed a few days here and there, but I was able to do more days than I didn’t so that works out.

My goals for this challenge were pretty modest, try to exercise every day, lose some weight, lose some inches and generally just get a higher level of exercise integrated into my everyday life. So I exercised most days of the challenge and I lost about 10lbs. I also lost a couple of inches off the waist and I look forward to getting a workout in when I get up in the morning. So all around I’d say it was a success.

The one thing that was pretty difficult was trying to get through this challenge during the holidays, my holiday schedule tends to be pretty fluid so I had a tough time getting away from my committments for a workout. However, all in all I think it worked out well and it certainly set a good precedent for exercise and nutrition in 2009.

Slowly closing in on the final days of this challenge. I have to laugh because when I started this I dreaded the weight training days. Now I look forward to them. I’m not sure what it is about weights that I find so fun, but for the most part I really have a good time when I’m working out with them.

Weight training day:

• crunches (25×4)
• bench press (15×3)
• dumbbell rows (15×3)
• military press (15×3)
• curls (15×3, 10×1)
• leglifts (10×2, 15×2)

Just a simple bike workout today. The ab workout yesterday had me sore today, so apparently I found some new muscles. Looking forward to seeing how the ab workout tomorrow will go.

Cardio day:

• Bike ride - (30m23s/428kcal)

For most of this challenge I have been doing my leg lifts just lying on the ground and lifting my legs up from the ground and then up to vertical and then back down to just above the ground. Until today. Today I started going my leg lifts while hanging off of my pullup bar, and became drastically more difficult. I was only able to pump out 10 at a time, and they definitely used different muscles than the other method, or they used previously used muscles in a new way. So at the end of today I’m in a bit of pain due to the new leg lifts even though they are drastically reduced number of repetitions from the previous method.

Weight Training Day:

• leg lifts (10 x 4) - ouch..
• crunches (25 x 4)
• bench press - (15×3)
• curls - (15×3)
• military press (15×3)

Boy oh boy the holidays played havoc on my challenge. I didn’t do anything of any consequence the 21st through the 24th. Yesterday after Christmas dinner I went for a short walk but it was pretty cold and I forgot my hat, so I turned back after a mile for a total of two miles. 

Hopefully I can finish up the month with consistent exercise. Here’s to hoping!