VeganDamo's Journal

[VeganDamo]

It's about time I made a start on this, & on exercising regularly. I figure if I actually start recording what I'm doing, then I may make a more concerted effort at sticking to it. I recently grabbed a free app for my iPhone called EasyGymLog which lets me record my training exercises with some good detail.

In my introduction I mentioned my bouldering, & how I want to get back into it after a bad wrist injury at work 'sidelined' me for the last 2 years.

Anyway, I've started training a bit on my home Total Gym and I'm making an effort to eat healthier as well.

Today. I've been doing some renovation work in my kitchen, & felt like training after that. Exercises I did on the Total gym were all on level 5 of 7 levels.

Arm pullovers - 3 x 20 reps
Calf lifts - 2 x 50
Squats - 2 x 50
Seated bench press -2 x 16
Bicep curls - 3 x 20
Seated row - 2 x 30
Wrist curls - 2 x 25

I then did some floor work
Sit ups x 30
Leg lifts x 15
Push ups x 20 ( was feeling pretty stuffed by now)

Food today
Breakfast
Coffee
Toast with avocado, fried zucchini & mushrooms
During day
1 cup roasted almonds to snack throughout the day
1.8 liters of filtered water (not nearly enough)
Lunch
Peanut butter, marmalade & banana sandwich
Dinner after workout
Tempeh, lettuce, mushroom, tomato, raw zucchini sandwich with BBQ sauce & American mustard
Pea protein shake

Now I'm resting

[C.O.]

So How is EasyGymLog working out for you so far? Pretty cool? Worth the download?

[VeganDamo]

So How is EasyGymLog working out for you so far? Pretty cool? Worth the download?

Yeh, it's been good! Only had for a couple of weeks, but I like how customizable it is. Instead of keeping separate logs for total gym, free weights, walks, etc, I can keep it all together under different "workouts". Even made a workout called "weigh in" so I can track my weight Gain or loss. Having it on my iPhone also means I always have it nearby. There is paid version too with no advertising, but I can live with the adds for now.

[VeganDamo]

Workouts have been reduced to renovation work. Not structured, but full on.

Been eating pretty well. Had a meal of baked beans when really tired one night.

Had another set back though when an old back injury threw out when I was working on my kitchen. Massages & heat have been the go, plus rest. Very annoying when you want to get things done!

[VeganDamo]

Boy, have I been bad!

Been really busy with the renovations, exercised sometimes. Can't believe it's almost a year since I've been on here.
Anyhow, 2013 is my year to really get fit and back in shape. (Think i say that each year) Decided to take body measurements too so I can actually track my progress. Have thought about where I can set up some of my gym equipment around the house so it's easier to work out.
Still using my ezy gym log app, mainly for logging dog walks though. Have added a body measurements workout so I can log this progress.

Weight 137lbs (62.14kg)
Biceps 31cm both sides (12.2")
Forearms 27 & 26cm (right/left) (10.6"/10.2")
Neck 38.5cm (15.1")
Chest 100cm (39.3")
Belly/waist 89cm (35")
Hips 90cm (35.4")
Thighs 47.5cm both sides (18.7")
Calves 33 & 32.5cm (right/left) (12.9"/12.7")

[C.O.]

Did you fall off the wagon or are you back into regular workouts and just havent had the chance to post here with us? I know how it goes either way, it'd be good to continue to hear from you though, you post some good stuff.

-Dylan

[VeganDamo]

Thanks for the follow up. My email on my phone alerted me to this.

I have and haven't fallen of the fitness wagon. Exercise at home is a bit hit and miss with a busy work schedule. I know, probably a commonly heard excuse.

I have, however, hit one of my goals for this year.... To get back into climbing, and I've done it in a really satisfying way. A perfect opportunity came up and I now teach a junior climbing club for kids 6-13. This has let me get back into climbing and combine my love of teaching with it. Been going for about 7 weeks now, taking a break over Easter.

I might take some measurements this weekend. It's been a good time since the last so I may see some improvements, and I just had a video taken of me climbing last week, so I'll upload somewhere and provide a link.

[C.O.]

Sweet, that class sounds really great.

[VeganDamo]

Okay. I need to be slapped! VERY bad at keeping this journal going.

2013 did see me return to climbing as mentioned, and the class grew steadily over the year. 12-13 students at its peak. However, as the class grew, I climbed less, which became annoying and a let down to myself. I tried to get a bit in at the end of each class, but after a full day at work, an Exec meeting then teaching climbing, I really couldn't put much into it. I'm glad I saw the year through and the class has some pretty impressive young climbers which I have enjoyed watching improve. But for me, I need to focus more on my health & exercise. So that's my plan (again!) for 2014. Have already made a start, downloading an app called "Seven" which runs me through a quick burst exercise routine which takes about 7 minutes. I've even set an alarm in it so it reminds me to exercise. I've also found another app (iPhone addict I've been told by my wife) called "Fitness Buddy". Much better than "easy gym log". It shows me a larger variety of exercises so I won't get stuck with my small repertoire of exercises. I'm only on day 3 of my "7" workouts, and I'm using the other to focus on a body area each day to get myself used to the exercises. I've done two days with this, straight after my "7". Core on day 1 and lower body day 2.

Anyway, maybe I can make 2014 my get fitter year, & get on here more often.

[VeganDamo]

I've attached images of the "7" workout routine so that you can see what I'm doing as my 'basic' workout each day. My wife says I don't need to lose weight, I need to gain it, in muscle. However, I think doing this quick workout everyday will help to get me going & hopefully lead to me working off the belly fat I've collected.

I do need to gain weight though as I'm only 133.4 pounds. (60.5kg)

[VeganDamo]

One of the features I like of 'Fitness Buddy' is that as you look through the exercises, if you like one you just add it & carry out the exercises then 'log' your workout. I looked to see if I could find that log and turns out I can see the whole workout for a day & email a csv or txt file to myself.
Here's the core workout I did after day 2 of my "7" challenge.

Core workout Jan 05, 2014

Bodyweight Twist (Russian)
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 15

Bodyweight Bridge
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 30

Bodyweight Butt Ups
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 15

Bodyweight Crunch
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 30

Bodyweight Heel Touch
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 10

Bodyweight Hip Extension
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 12 Right leg up
2 133.4 12 Left leg up

Bodyweight Plank
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 1 1min 6sec

Bodyweight Pull In (Lying)
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 30

Bodyweight Toe Touch
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 10

Bodyweight Leg Raise (Lying_Straight Legs_Alternating)
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 8 8 each leg

[VeganDamo]

After my Day3 "7" workout, I did a lower body workout using 'Fitness Budy'

Lower body Jan 06, 2014
Bodyweight Deadlift (Single Leg)
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 10 Left leg
2 133.4 10 Right leg

Bodyweight Lunge
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 20 Each side

Bodyweight Calf Raise
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 30

Bodyweight Glute Kickback
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 20 Left leg
2 133.4 20 Right leg

Bodyweight Iron Chair
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 1 30 sec

Bodyweight Mountain Climbers
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 10

Bodyweight Squat
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 133.4 15

[VeganDamo]

Completed my Day4 "7" burst workout. Upped my tempo a bit which surprised me.

Did a chest workout from exercises in my Fitness Buddy app.


Chest workout Jan 07, 2014
Bodyweight Pushup (Floor_Regular Grip)
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 134.4 7
2 134.4 15

Bodyweight Pushup (Decline_Narrow Grip)
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 134.4 10

Bodyweight Pushup (Decline_Regular Grip)
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 134.4 15

Bodyweight Pushup (Decline_Wide Grip)
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 134.4 15

Bodyweight Pushup (Floor_Dive Bomber)
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 134.4 4

Bodyweight Pushup (Floor_Narrow Grip)
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 134.4 3

Bodyweight Pushup (Floor_Wide Grip)
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 134.4 12

Bodyweight Pushup (Incline_Narrow Grip)
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 134.4 10

Bodyweight Pushup (Incline_Regular Grip)
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 134.4 20

Dumbbell Floor Press
Set Count weight(lbs) reps Notes
1 44.0 12 22lbs each hand
2 44.0 16 22lbs each hand
3 44.0 17 22lbs each hand

I know I should be doing more sets of each exercise, but I figured since this is the first week back into training I would do one body area a day to work through my week with the app and I would try as many of the exercises that I can to ascertain which ones I can work with well now to get me right into training mode & which ones I may have to work up to (eg. narrow grip push-ups; forget diamonds at this stage )

You'll note too that so far all my exercises (bar the dumbbell press) have been body weight only. Last thing I want to do is push myself too soon and cause another injury.

Back tomorrow.

[VeganDamo]

Feeling yesterday's chest workout today, so push-ups were fun!

"7" workout went well but began to feel stuffed by exercise 9 of 12.

Body focus today was Shoulders. "Fitness Buddy" had no bodyweight exercises for the shoulders so everything was with dumbbells, mostly with 2 x 22lbs dumbbells. I ended up digging out some of the other weight plates so that I could vary the weight & do the exercises better. I've taken screen shots of the workout on the app as I've noticed my previous workouts haven't come out well formatting-wise n

[VeganDamo]

Took measurements last night. Yep, need to lose the belly.