12 push-ups, 50 sit-ups, and 3 ten-mile hikes by 9/11/10

...and I’ve been slacking off, badly.

But rather than revise this goal to something more realistic, I’m going to make it my top goal. I’m going to make it my “Do this or stand on the roof and yell, ‘I suck!’” goal.

I was working on the running, just trying to increase speed and endurance on the treadmill, and ended up with an inflamed nerve in the ball of my foot. Jumping and running exacerbate it and slow the healing. Walking is…okay. Sometimes painful, but okay.

I’m revising the goal, though, so as not to kill myself, replacing “running” with “hiking” and adjusting speed and difficulty.

12 push-ups
50 sit-ups
3 ten-mile hikes, plus one ~five-mile hike to Lassen Peak while camping at Manzanita Lake, Lassen Volcanic National Park, in June

Sunday night, I learned that I’ve been going about it all wrong. According to one of the personal trainers at the gym, my slacking off on sets is doing me absolutely no good at all (other than to give me an overall body workout that burns a few calories). It’s not hurting, but it’s not going to increase strength by much, and it’s not going to build muscle.

“You need to do FIVE sets. Of each of these exercises I’m about to show you…” Oh, holy cats. He’s got me bench pressing 35 lbs., and doing some other things I don’t know the names for. (Okay, I know that’s wimpy, but it’s the best I can do without killing myself.) He thinks I’ll be able to do a push-up in a week. (Right now, I lay flat on the floor, face down, and make funny noises. Nothing moves. Might as well have someone sitting on my back, for all I move.) I’m feeling it in my…what, pecs?...today.

And it’s weird. I haven’t lost any weight; I weigh more now than when I bought these jeans. But my 10L jeans are LOOSE. Like, “with a little effort, I think I could pull ‘em off my hips without unbuttoning them” loose. But I measured, and I’m not seeing an appreciable difference in inches, either. So either I measured wrong, or the jeans EXPANDED in the wash (normally, they shrink, so I don’t know what’s up). I’m likin’ it, though.

Burned 808 calories, yesterday. Only took in 1400. Guess that makes it a good day! I went to bed at 8 PM, totally exhausted and blissed out on endorphins. (I despise working out, but I love the afterglow.)

Number of Push-Ups:
Current: 0 (I can’t do ONE proper push-up!)

Excellent – 100 pts – 37
Average – 80 pts – 25
Below Average – 60 pts – 12

Number of Sit-Ups:
Current: 10 (I could probably do more; the only real challenge to this is cervical DDD; I need to concentrate on using the abs and not the neck.)

Excellent – 100 pts – 72
Average – 80 pts – 52
Below Average – 60 pts – 32

2 Mile Run:
Current: 1.56 miles in 24 minutes. (First try.)

Excellent – 100 pts – 17 m 24 s
Average – 80 pts – 20 m 30 s
Below Average – 60 pts – 23 m 42 s

http://www.hooah4health.com/4You/apft.htm

Goal 1: PASS the test (score 60 on each section)
Goal 2: Achieve an “average” score (80 pts.) on at least one section.