Week 6: Busy Life = Weight Gain

I can't believe 2 weeks have gone by without me updating my progress or rather lack there of. My biggest hold up has been that once I write down my weight gain I will lose all motivation. Well 2 weeks later I can safely say that I have kept strong with my Walk 2 Run program, exercising 40 minutes a day for 6 days a week.

Now I'm not going to say that the weight gain was horrible or even out of control, because I understand where it came from and how this was a "one time thing." Week 6 has been abnormal for me. My sister made the big move into her luxurious new home and I was a member of the 4 day moving crew. I exercised in the morning and then lifted heavy boxes and furniture until it was time to pass out at night. It was a total body workout.

So where did the weight gain come from? Where it always comes from, fast food! I don't cook unless no one is home and I'm starving. However, I wasn't at home and believe me no one had intentions of cooking. Instead the week was filled with one fast food meal after another. The fact that I only gained .5 lbs isn't bad at all, seeing since I feel like my body has toned up quite a bit. My face is also looking a bit thinner as well.



My exercise this week has been motivating. Each day I increased my workout in some way and felt a flow of energy that could last me another workout. However, I didn't want to hurt myself so I stopped working out on a high note each day.

WALK 2 RUN - WEEK 2
days: 6 active days
time: 40 minute minimum

walk 5 min (3.0), run 5 (4.5)
walk 5 min (3.1), run 5 (4.5)
walk 5 min (3.2), run 1-5 (4.5)
walk 5 min (3.3), max incline 8 min (3.0)
walk 2 min (3.0), walk 5 min (>2.5)

Week 6 resulted in 180.5 lbs.

Week 5: On the run... err walk.

I officially went 2 weeks without any legitimate exercise. I managed to end last week at 180.5 lbs, but before I knew it the scale was up to 184 and there was no question that it was time to get my butt back in gear.

For the longest time I've wanted to start working out again with my Nike+ iPod gear, but I was always waiting for the perfect time to reinvest in a new sensor. I initially purchased Nike+ in 2006 and used that product religiously. After about a year of use, my sensor died. Upon my next purchase I was stuck with buying yet another $30 starter kit. However, this time my money had gone to waste and time flew by before I realized that I hadn't even ran in 2008. After 5 weeks of writing my blog on dieting, it became obvious that the time has come to reinvest in my third Nike+ sensor.

Last Friday I started walking on the treadmill at a 3.0 pace for 40 minutes. During the 40 minutes, I also walked 2 sets of 4 minutes at maximum incline. On Sunday, I finally purchased my new Nike+ sensor. Since this products been out for a while, I was finally able to buy the sensor by itself for $20, avoiding the unnecessary extra $10 expenditure. I started the Nike+ 3 month "Walk 2 Run" training program. The first week alternates between walking 15 minutes and walking 5 minutes followed by running 1 minute (2x). I felt that this was at a slower pace then what I've been doing so I reworked week 1 of the program to fit my needs:


WALK 2 RUN - WEEK 1
days: 7 active days
time: 40 minute minimum

walk 5 min (3.0), run 1 (4.5)
walk 5 min (3.1), run 1 (4.5)
walk 5 min (3.2), run 1 (4.5)
walk 5 min (3.3), run 1 (4.5)
walk 4 min (3.2), max incline 4 min (3.0)
walk 2 min (3.0), max incline 4 min (3.0)
walk 5 min (3.0)
walk 2 min (>2.5)

If I still have a burst of energy after all of that, I work out my arms using 2lb weights until my energy fades away. Those are the best workouts.

After 2 days of my own workout and 3 days of the Walk 2 Run edition, I ended my week at 180.5. It might seem as though I didn't lose weight, but that is far from truth. Early in the week I weighed in at 184, I'm not even sure what happened there. Then I worked out for 5 straight days putting on muscle. On top of all of that, I just got my monthly visitor. So with all of that weight gain, even equaling lasts weeks weigh-in is impressive in my book. I can only hope that Week 6 will lead to a quick drop on the scale.

Week 5 resulted in 180.5 lbs.