Yesterday went well. I was up and moving more frequently, I ate pretty well, and the workout felt good. But honestly, that was expected. Anytime I change something, I always do really well for a few days, sometimes even a couple of weeks. The true test will come around Friday, October 23rd. That’s the day I’m marking on the calendar because it’ll be the third Friday of this reset, and that’s usually when I start negotiating with myself. “I can eat that, I’ll just do more on the elliptical.” “I’ve been doing well, one day won’t hurt.” I know it’s okay not to be super rigid all the time, but I also know there are times when I need to be more rigid with myself. That’s where I’ve gotten off track before.
How Yesterday Went
The first workout back was intentionally pretty simple. I didn’t want to make the classic mistake of feeling motivated, going way too hard on Day 1, and then spending the next several days recovering from it. I did 30 minutes on the elliptical, then hit upper body: Low Row at 65 pounds for 3×8, Pec Fly at 70 for 3×8, Vertical Traction at 100 for 3×10, Chest Press at 90 for 3×8 and Reverse Fly at 20 for 3×8. That’s 15 working sets and, more importantly, some actual baseline numbers I can start building from.
I also did a better job of getting up and moving throughout the day instead of disappearing into my office chair for hours. The only thing that didn’t work out was fixing the ice bath. I bought the part I thought I needed and it doesn’t fit, so I’m ordering the correct one online. That part of the morning routine will have to wait a little longer.
Today’s Check-In
- Weight: 193.8 lb
- Goal Weight: 175 lb
- To Goal: 18.8 lb
- Body Fat: 20.9%
- Muscle Mass: 145.8 lb
- Visceral Fat: 8
- Body Water: 57.1%
- BMR: 1,872 calories
I’m using the body-composition numbers from my smart scale mainly to track trends over time. I’m not going to read too much into small day-to-day changes.
Today’s Plan
Today it’s morning sunlight, qigong, humming, Lucy’s walk, getting out of my chair regularly and continuing to pay attention to what I’m eating. I’m also heading back to the gym this afternoon, but today has a specific purpose: lower-body strength and conditioning. Eventually I want to start running faster again, but we’re not testing that on Day 2. First I need to get consistent again.
Today’s Workout
- Elliptical: 20–30 minutes
- Leg Press: 140 lb, 3×8
- Leg Extension: 55 lb, 3×8
- Seated Leg Curl: 50–60 lb, 3×8
- Adductor: 100 lb, 3×8
- Abductor: 100 lb, 3×8
- Lower Back Extension: Maybe, depending on how everything feels
That’s it. I’m not adding a bunch of extra work because it’s Day 2 and I’m feeling good. The goal isn’t to have one massive workout. It’s to still be doing this when the newness wears off.
October 23rd. That’s the test.
