Hi there, thought I'd just check in with some Stage 1 results. Better than I expected...

I started out lifting twice a week but changed quickly to 3x/week. I warmup 7 min. on elliptical and I also add about 20 min. of HIIT and 3 min. warmdown on elliptical at the end of each workout. By the middle to end of Stage 1 I was spending close to 90 min. at the gym each time and completely drenched with sweat at the end of each workout. But it seems to go by fast, is not boring, and I like it. I was very careful starting out due to a previous knee injury, but now I notice my knees feel better than they have in years and seem to be better protected by my now stronger quads and hamstrings.

On days in between I walk fast about 4 miles. I use a calculated TDEE based on MFP tracking data since April so I don't count exercise cals, and set my cal goal at 1800/day to eat at deficit.

Start Dt End Dt #days # weeks
6/17/2014 8/7/2014 51 7.3

lbs lost 5
inches lost:
waste at navel 2
waste at narrowest 2
hip 1.5
forearm 0.75
neck 1
thigh 0.5
calf 0.25

start wt #reps end wt #reps
squat 55 15x2 115 8x3
Push-up 45 deg 15x2 0 deg 8x3
Seated Row 66 15x2 100 8x3
Step-up 40 15x2 40 8x3
Step-up ht 12" 18"
Prone Jacknife 8x2 15x3

Deadlift 65 15x2 115 8x3
DB Shoulder Press 20 15x2 50 8x3
WG Lat Pull-down 55 15x2 85 8x3
Lunge 20 15x2 40 8x3
Swiss-ball Crunch 8x2 15x3


On to Stage 2 next, I'll try to check in at the end of each stage on this same thread.

(edited to try to clean up numbers formatting)