Weekly Review 7.16.07 through 7.22.07

Part of the reason the Goodfellas resumed publishing here is to keep ourselves honest. In keeping with that goal, I plan to post, on a weekly basis, my progress with regards to physical training and weight loss.

At our planning meeting last weekend, AW and I resolved to start slowly with our training. We came up with a three pronged attack for this past week: 1) Accurately record our starting weight and body fat percentage; (2) Record whatever we ate for the week; and (3) Perform at least two physical activities, each lasting at least 20 minutes.

With respect to (1), I am starting at a weight of 208 pounds and 32% body fat, both of which are all time highs for me. I reviewed some of my prior training journals to see just how "far" I had fallen in terms of physical fitness. One year ago (July 2006) I weighed 190 pounds and had 28% percent body fat. Thus, in the past year I've added 4% body fat and approximately 18 pounds, that's ugly. I had some training journals from early 2005 (Feb to May), but at that time, for some reason (probably because I wasn't concerned about losing any weight at that time) I was not recording my weight, so I don't have totally accurate numbers from then. However, I do have a fairly good recollection that at time I weighed approximately 175 pounds. I had settled at that weight after approximately 2 and 1/2 months of continuous training (varying between 4 and 10 hours a week of cardio in anticipation of an expedition to Mount Rainer which never materialized). As a result, I have set a goal of weighing 175 lbs by the end of this year. I'll need to be at that weight in order to be able start training in earnest for the half ironman come January 2008. My feeling is that I need to be at that weight in order to allow my body (mostly my knees and back) to handle the longer running and biking training sessions.

With respect to (2), recording my food intake, I failed miserably. I only half-recorded my intake for Monday and part of Tuesday. However, I will say that I was more cognizant of what I was eating this week and made a deliberate attempt not to stuff myself at any one sitting.

Finally, with respect to (3), some physical activity, I passed with flying colors. I hit the gym three times this past week, the details of which are at the end of this post. For days which there are no notes, I did not work out.

TRAINING LOG

Tuesday 7.17.07- I went for an easy 20 minutes on the elliptical machine. The battery in my heart rate monitor was dead, so I don't have any stats from this workout. I will say that it was pretty ugly.

Saturday 7.21.07- I went for 30 minutes on elliptical machine in my apartment building gym at Level 9. In that time I covered 2 miles with an average heart rate of 136 and a max heart rate of 162. I burned 337 calories. After eating bar-b-que at my parents' house in the afternoon, I went for a 30 minute walk over a fairly hilly course on the streets near their house. I didn't have my heart rate monitor on, but going up some of the hills, I was only able to get out a couple of sentences at a time while talking to my companions before needing a breath. As a result, at those times I'd estimate my HR was up around 155 or so.

Sunday 7.22.07- 30 minutes on elliptical machine at Level 10. Covered 2.19 miles, 141 average heart rate, 155 max heart rate, burned 359 calories.

Weekly Total: 1 hour 50 minutes of training time. Remarkably, I have no soreness in my legs. Admittedly, I am taking it VERY easy. After over a year of little to no physical activity whatsoever I'm hesitant to push very hard at this point.