Did I say last week that the body-pump class didn’t make me sweat or raise my heart rate?
I used a bit more weight today and did indeed sweat and feel an increased heart rate. Used more weight for the upper-body movements that were so easy last week, and the cumulative effect of all those reps, despite the relatively light weights, had the effect of whipping my butt. In a good way.
I think I like this class.
It reveals my weaknesses (not as much leg strength as I thought I had, not as much ab strength), which is a good thing. I doubt any female in the class today could bench as much as I can or do as many pullups, though many were whipping out pushups from the toes at a great rate while I stayed on my knees. All this is good for my humility, and I do love a challenge.
In other news: a regular reader reports a 13.5-pound weight loss after faithfully following the South Beach diet for a couple of months. As diets go, South Beach is sensible, although it gets tarred with the low-carb brush. It’s really not low-carb; instead, it emphasizes healthy carbs such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. I can’t find much wrong with that.
Best of all, any healthy food plan such as South Beach can teach 1) portion control and 2) superior food choices, both of which are essential for weight maintenance.
You go, Toni!
