I started my gym-going by taking a 12-session pack of personal training meant for those getting started in the gym (a good deal, but paid for by my SO--probably my birthday gift). I figured it was a good way to kick-start things. Well, it's working so far. It's only been a couple of weeks, but I can already feel myself getting stronger again.

So far, the trainer has been guiding me through circuit training with progressively increasing weight at each session. It hits all major muscle groups individually. Pretty soon, we're going to move onto more complex exercises that require more coordination...and more effort. I'm going to get her to initiate me on bench presses, chinups, back squats, and deadlifts.

Cardio is mixed in, as well. I haven't really done much of anything but walk for a few years, so my body is responding quite positively to this.

It looks like I have an easy-to-follow schedule: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday. It's nice to...

Okay, here it is: the weekly workout that will shed the extra weight off the just-out-of-hibernation Baraka_Bear. It will also certainly put the strength back into his body.

It works like this: I choose one exercise per group, per workout--variation is the key--with the exception of the occasional isolation exercise. Bold indicates a compound exercise (preferable), while italics indicates an isolated exercise (to hit small areas that don't get focus otherwise). I train two sets to muscular failure (upper body 6 to 8 reps, lower body 12 to 20 reps, deadlifts 4 to 6 reps), using slow movements, which will explain the low total volume of sets and reps.

The workouts are generally 30 minutes (no more than 45 minutes). With the exception of Day 4, the workouts will conclude with 20 to 30 minutes of cardio.

You comments/feedback most welcome.

Day 1 (Chest and shoulders):
1.
Chest press
Dumbbell bench press
...

I've been reading Susan Kleiner's Power Eating again, and I need to abide by it closely this time. With weight training, diet has always been a challenge for me. I get ravenous and start to lose faith. Not this time. I've figured out the sleep/recovery issue, now it's time to conquer diet.

According to my current weight and level of physical activity, my nutritional requirements are as follows:

Protein: 160g/day
Carbohydrates: 550g/day
Fat: 130+g/day
Total calories: approx. 4,000/day

I'm not quite at this level yet, but I'm not far. My hunger is spiking, and my breakfasts are becoming epic. Lunches will follow, as will bedtime snacks. The bedtime snack is there, but it might get a bit larger than a few crackers and cheese/peanut butter.

Hmm. I think I can do this. I might have to start bringing two lunches to work soon. My snack drawer's depleting too quickly.

Besides, I like lunches.
...

Hey, here's another learning experience for me here. Learning through failure is something I've not done most of my life (mainly because I used to be one who'd seldom try anything), so this is something I'm still coming to terms with.

I've decided against mustering up the kind of willpower and consciousness required to be a vegan. I have a lot of respect for those who do it. It's a combination of laziness and impulsiveness and habit. I'm not going to do it.

I am still going to be eating consciously, however. One issue for me was DHA (i.e. omega-3 fatty acids). I've read from many sources that DHA conversion from ALA in plant foods is minimal at best. My own nutritional hero Dr. Andrew Weil himself left vegetartianism to include cold-water fish in his diet for this reason...mackerel, salmon, sardines, anchovies. I'm not going to eat a lot of seafood, and I'm only going to eat from sustainable/responsible/unpolluted sources.

Most of my diet will...

...never accept a contract to work on an academic book ever again.

They make things unnecessarily confusing.

(Exception: They worship the Chicago Manual of Style.)