Alexistrophic I do just fine re exercise with the things you listed you have. People CAN exercise without a gym membership.

Dagmar

Hey Alexistrophic! Glad to see you here, seems like you're doing awesome. Still yoga-ing lots?

July 24: 2 miles on treadmill in 15:37, lat pulldowns, KB deadlifts, planks, 6 min stair stepper cooldown

Thursday, July 24th:

No, I didn't get up at 5 AM and go to the gym, on my additional night at the hotel because of my canceled flight.

But I made that 60-minute Thursday night Pilates class, and had no energy, just going through the motions out of a sense of duty. I am really tired and out of it.

I am also at a stage in my life - though this is just a blip in yours saef - where I take days "off" from exercise. I can't take any time off from work but I sometimes do not work out in the morning. This morning I'm going to go and sit in my garden, drink my coffee, and listen to the birds as the dawn creeps in.

Dagmar

7/25: Lethargic morning, 20 minutes of cardio. 10 on stair stepper, 10 on arc trainer, and about 4 minutes of planks.

Friday, July 25th:

NROLW Stage 4, Workout B, which was endless, from deadlifts down to abs to treadmill sprints. Saw people walking together on the sidewalk outside the big windows, going to restaurants and bistros, and envied them.


Saturday, July 26th:

60 minute spin class, whew, made it.
60 minute Pilates mat class, tough but doable.

Sunday, July 27th:

NROLW Stage 4, Workout A, again endless. Almost done with this phase, thank goodness, as I'm ready for a change.
15 minutes StairMaster

Monday, July 28th:

45 minute spin class, after a lot of stretching because I felt so sore, contracted and creaky.

July 26: rest day

July 27: 2.5 miles in 19:00 on treadmill, barbell deadlifts 5 x 5 at 135#, incline leg press, barbell shoulder presses, DB incline bench presses, lying DB triceps extensions, leg extensions, KB goblet squats and one-legged deadlifts, planks

July 28: 2 miles in 15:20 on treadmill, lat pulldowns, Roman chair leg raises. Rushed and sore.

July 29: Trying StrongLifts 5 x 5 for more efficiency and strength. 10 min warmup on arc trainer, 5 x 5 barbell squats (95#), 5 x 5 barbell rows (55#), 1 x 5 barbell deadlifts (135#), 1 mile cooldown treadmill run in 7:56

Tuesday, July 29th:

NROLW Stage 4, Workout B, for the last time! I'm so ready to finish this stage and move onto the next one. When I have a lot of deadlines & complications in my life, I seem to want a simpler, more mindless workout than this one. But I am determined to finish this program and I am halfway through it.

Once you finish, for a lifting maintenance program you should totally check out Stronglifts. It does not get any simpler than that.

Krampus, I was interested to see you'd decided to do a program -- I remember that you posted earlier saying you thought you might get better results if you changed it up and tried out more structured workouts. Me, who's following this six-month program -- heck, I envied your spontaneity. But I suppose the grass is always greener ...

Wednesday, July 30th:

45 minute spin class, not easy, but I can definitely see how all the leg work in the NROLW program has helped with jumps and squats and other moves on the bike.

At the gym, I am never able to see myself clearly. I either feel like someone embarked on a Sisyphean endeavor, who works out constantly only to gain weight because the food isn't perfectly in order, compared with the naturally slender women who stand beside me. Or else I feel like a beast, who's stronger than a lot of them because I go to the free-weight section regularly on a mission, training rather than just working out. I need to give myself permission just to be an ordinary person with average aims.

July 29 PM: Short (2 mile?) hike foraging for chanterelles. Much success.

July 30: 1.5 miles in 11:19 on treadmill. Glute bridges. Planks. Stair stepper.

Already my SL 5x5 plans are falling to sh!t because BF and I are going on a 17 mile Adirondack hike over the weekend and I get my wisdom teeth out Monday.