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The ThunderBell arrived. Looks good. The red-and-black color scheme matches my Ab Wheel and Iron Gym Push Up Rotating Push Up Grips. I'm slowly building up a budget home gym. Hope I haven't paid $40 for a gimmick along the lines of the Shake Weight. There seems to be some disagreement as to whether you can combine strength training and cardio. At the very least, I feel the ThunderBell is a safer way to do overhead crunches - eight pounds is all I feel comfortable with while the ThunderBell is ten pounds - because it has a handle you can get a better grip with than with a dumbbell. A ten-pound Reebok dumbbell costs $17 so that's $23 bucks more for a three-DVD program which isn't bad and $60 less than what Amazon charges.
Bought "The Mediterranean Diet for Beginners: The Complete Guide - 40 Delicious Recipes, 7-Day Diet Meal Plan, and 10 Tips for Success" on the Kindle for $1.99. Once I hit my target weight, I'm going to work on better nutrition and transitioning to the Mediterranean Diet. I want to dig up my copy of the every-other-day diet book that started me on this journey and reread parts of it for inspiration.
Whole body dumbbell program: lunge to press with three sets of eight reps of six pounds - my form isn't that great - I'm only approximating - shows how deconditioned I am - floor press with three sets of 10 reps with eight pounds, overhead triceps extension with two sets of ten reps with six pounds, reverse-grip bent-over row with three sets of ten reps with six pounds, three sets of overhead crunches with eight pounds of dumbbell, shoulder press with three sets of eight reps with six pounds, sumo squats with three sets of 20 reps with 23 pounds,wrist curls, two sets of ten reps with ten pounds, for a total of about an hour. Really had to push to finish the last segment in this weather. I was tempted to postpone rowing, but I got 30 minutes in while watching "The Blacklist."
Another really brutal sticky day although it only hit 90. We supposed to get thunderstorms tomorrow so I hope it will wring some of that humidity out of the air. I haven't eaten much except for a biscuit since breakfast even though today is an up day, although I have been drinking fruit juice and water steadily throughout the day. I just haven't been hungry. It really is true that heat and humidity take away your appetite.
Diet Calendar Entry for 26 July 2014:
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1405 kcal
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Fat: 53.20g | Prot: 80.00g | Carb: 156.71g.
Breakfast: Fiber Choice Sugar Free Assorted Fruit, Planters NUT-rition Heart Healthy Mix, Sugar, Kroger Lactose Free Fat Free Half & Half, Celestial Seasonings India Spice Chai Tea. Lunch: Ocean Spray 100% Juice Citrus Tangerine Orange, Roasted Broiled or Baked Chicken Breast, Plain or Buttermilk Biscuits. Dinner: Plain or Buttermilk Biscuits. more...
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 Comments
The thunderbolt looks interesting, I looked it up. Let us know how it works.
26 Jul 14 by member: wholefoodnut
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Thanks, draglist. wholefoodnut, I'm closing in on the second month of a three-month whole body conditioning program. Once I'm through with that, I will probably give the ThunderBell program a whirl.
27 Jul 14 by member: ChrisComedy
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Chris, as always, your journal really made me think. Thank you for that!! My first thought was "gee, why not do the Med. diet in conjunction". I quickly realized though that I'm approaching changes in different phases too. I'm simply doing it the other way around - food changes first, movement changes are being phased in. The other great thing about following your journal entries is that you're acting as a private shopper for many of us ;-) We can see the items you've researched and the ones that made the cut. Obviously you're not out there ordering things willy-nilly - there's definitely a method at work here. It's interesting and enlightening to watch it unfold!
27 Jul 14 by member: Vickie 5966
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Thanks, Vickie 5966. I'm doing things in phases because I have a tendency to overdo things. I thought losing weight, embarking on an exercise program, and revamping my diet might be biting off more than I could chew, so to speak. I got into the benefits of writing a journal a couple of years ago after reading "The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want" by Sonja Lyubomirsky. It was helpful with my tendency to ruminate AKA overthink. As I've gotten more serious about losing weight and getting fit, I've started to use the journal approach for that. Part of it is just thinking out loud, or organizing my thoughts. Also, Austin Kleon says if you learn something you have an obligation to pass it on. Glad it's been helpful.
27 Jul 14 by member: ChrisComedy
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Mediterranean is a plan that allows lots of healthy choices. Now if I could be as religious about exercise as you are lately I'd be in better shoe.
27 Jul 14 by member: wholefoodnut
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Thanks, wholefoodnut. If I can make it through August, I hope to get the equivalent of a gravity assist or swing-by or slingshot. I did Dr. Dean Ornish's low-fat program for a while but the Mediterranean diet looks less punishing, easier to follow.
27 Jul 14 by member: ChrisComedy
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Not sure what the gravity assist or slingshot is, will have to do a search; I need to borrow though some of your consistent exercise drive.
I should pick up a book on the Mediterranean diet one day and see how close my own plan fits it. Not the weight loss part but as a sustainable way if eating. I may lose a few more in the process of getting fit and trying to establish a maintenance plan that works for me. My weight is good, still flabby, still want to bring my ldls down some, they are within normal but would prefer them less.
28 Jul 14 by member: wholefoodnut
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wholefoodnut, it's when a satellite uses the gravity of the object it's orbiting, typically the sun, to give it a boost. I remember a leader in the slow food movement, I forget which, saying the best thing to do to lose weight is to use your own kitchen, which you're doing. You can't go wrong with whole foods.
28 Jul 14 by member: ChrisComedy
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So how does a gravity assist or sling shot help you? I've always sine I was in my early 20's cooked with whole foods. Had to revamp a bit to lose weight, get rid of the high calorie add ons like heavy cream, decrease the amount of beer, and control portions. Start measuring everything. It has worked for me.
28 Jul 14 by member: wholefoodnut
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Gravity assist was just my poorly-expressed way of saying that cooler weather and lower humidity should give me an energy boost, wholefoodnut.
28 Jul 14 by member: ChrisComedy
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Hehehe, thought you were buying something new, couldn't find it on line. I'm also slowly accumulating some workout things at home so am always interested in what you are doing. My next acquisition is a small workout hula hoop for my arms, $19.95 @ Walmart. Can't always get to the gym due to schedule issues.
28 Jul 14 by member: wholefoodnut
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wholefoodnut, I'm sure it's just a matter of time before the Gravity Assist shows up in a 3 am infomercial with buffed models, available in three low payments, hehehe. I used the ThunderBell doing reverse crunches this evening. As I suspected, a lot easier to do reverse crunches with a wieght with a handle than with an eight-pound dumbbell, plus an extra two pounds weight. If it saves me from a dropping a dumbbell on my face, that's worth price right there.
28 Jul 14 by member: ChrisComedy
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If I order NOW, do I get TWO Gravity Assist's for the price of one? ;-)
29 Jul 14 by member: Vickie 5966
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It looks easier and more maneuverable. Might have to invest in one sometime in the future. I have to put my little dumbbell set back together how I want it. Grandsons changed the weights around over the weekend.
29 Jul 14 by member: wholefoodnut
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