I'm a writer in New York City, and I'm just a baby at this workout thing. I decided that I finally wanted to really commit to it, so I joined a cheap little gym (all I can afford), bought a padlock for my locker and some gym shorts and I'm doing it. I know it won't be easy to stick with it, but I -will- do it. So I'm starting the 12 Week Muscle Building Program. I've just made a workout mix for my ipod, and studied the directions for the workout. Here I go...!

Measurements-

Waist- 33 Chest- 37 Arms (flexed)- 12

I'm on week 2, and I'll admit, I haven't been able to do every day. I skipped a few on the first week, and today I'm only doing cardio. Sometimes I'm just too goddamn sore. I want to hit the gym hard next week though, I'm being photographed in my underwear pretty soon, and although I know I can't sprout muscles overnight Charles Atlas-style, at least I can avoid muffin top. I took pictures, even though I'm supposed to wait until week 4. I need motivation now. I can tell I've lost some fat off of my waist, which is a tough area for me. I usually have to fight off those love handles like a wild animal. My arms look a bit nicer too, although just a bit. Here's hoping I see some real progress by week 4.

Week 3- I slacked off considerably this week. (Bad! Bad! Go sit in the corner!) Work was getting in the way something fierce. (Excuses, excuses.) I had a photoshoot on Saturday (in my underwear, no less), so I hit the weights hard two times and did two 30 min cardio sessions, but that was all. I went on a pretty strict diet all week (although as soon as the shoot was over I attacked a jar of peanut butter.) I didn't see too much change in anything but my waistline (not enough change, but definitely better than the love handles in my "before"), and my biceps. I was kind of shocked at how much better my biceps look, at least when flexed. (They look more defined- must be fat loss or something.)

I've made progress, but honestly, I haven't been following the program very strictly. A combination of lack of experience and lack of a working printer have conspired against me, so I just had to improvise (i.e.- today I'm doing the lower body machines. Tomorrow, the upper body ones) a lot of the time. And now that my (understocked) gym has a new...um...cable-pully-thing machine, I can do a lot more of the assigned exercises. So, I'm heading back to week 1. If I'm going to do this, I'll do it properly. So, on Monday, I start over with week 1, Day 1.

I have done about ten weight/cardio sessions so far, so if all goes well, at the end of this Pygmalion-type venture, I will look so fantastic that "the streets will be strewn with the bodies of men, shooting themselves for [my] sake."

Or at least that's the plan.

New measurements! Waist- 32 1/2 in. (fuck yes!) Chest- 37 1/2 in. Arm (flexed)- 13 inches!

Somehow, I gained a whole fucking inch on my flexed bicep. It must be some kind of measuring error or something. My bicep is not quite twelve inches when relaxed, but it used to be twelve when flexed! But, if you look at the before pic and the ones I just took, my biceps definitely look bigger. Holy crap. I'm actually making progress, and I don't care who knows it. I still have to weigh myself today, but the last time i did at the gym, on Friday, I was still about 155 or 156. And yet, lost a half inch on the waist. That means muscle gain. Woot!

So, I've decided that my goal weight is a lean 160 lbs. I'd like to lose about four or five more pounds of fat, and gain five more pounds of muscle. So hopefully that'll all equal out to a really lean, tight 160. Then I'll try for 165. But let's get to 160 first.

July 19th-

Well, there was another wrench thrown into the works. I had to go to the ER, and ended up on meds for a month that made me so tired that if I tried working out, I'd just sleep the rest of the day. It was hard enough just working my job. So, I put my workout plans on hold for a month, until I took all the meds. Monday, I'm starting again. I measured, and I haven't lost or gained anything where I oughtn't, so that's good. I'm really eager to get back on the track I was on and keep working towards my goal. I will not let this derail me! :-)

I'm looking more to use this as a way to keep myself on track, and maybe get some advice. Not that attention would be unwelcome...but that's not why I came. Stating my goals in public to as many people as possible has always been my favorite way of shaming myself into following through on things I might otherwise drop.

Dojos in NYC? (0 replies)