Flabby Arms

Hey it’s Slick again, and this is my flabby arm.

 

 

I know you are all wondering why do I care about arms with sweater season almost upon us.  I dunno.  I just know that a month ago they were a lot firmer, but then I got sick with this lingering cough from…well, you understand. 

Anyway I have decided to spend the next 30 days focusing on my arms.  The goal isn’t to have huge muscles, just to firm up what is already there. So here is the before stuff; the obligatory, unflattering picture that my hubby took and my starting measurement of 11.5” or 28 cm, at the largest point around my upper arm.   

So here is the plan…every other day I will work on arms...that way they get a rest.  Using the four machines pictured below as well as dips and push-ups at home.  Why don’t I do push-ups at the gym…I have a hard time putting my hands on the floor or any mat that hundreds of other people have walked on and/or used.  I am a bit of a germaphobe.  Okay…a big germaphobe, I wipe each machine down before I use them.

I am not really a hand-weight girl.  I prefer the machines…not sure why, but I do.  With a thanks to my local Planet Fitness, here are the machines I use at my gym.

 

 The Fly (used to work the chest muscles) ...

 

 

The chest press...

 

The shoulder press ...

 

 

The pulldown machine (used to work the back muscles).

 

 

I also plan on doing push-ups and dips at home.  

 

Wish me luck!  I will keep you posted on how it goes.

 

E-Book Review: Tugboat: My Voyage Out of Obesity

Full disclosure: I received a copy of this e-book with the expectation that a review would be done and posted to a fitness blog. It has taken me quite some time to finish reading the book for a couple of reasons: 1) We've been moving to a new house, and that has taken quite a bit of my time away from the screen, 2) on top of moving, home schooling is back. in. session. - which means any time I spend on my screen seems to equal open season for the kids to slack off (!), and 3) I am discovering that I really do prefer bound books, the paper-and-ink sort of books, that I can hold in my hands to the digital variety, so I read more slowly on the digital sort.

The Reason: Tugboat: My Voyage Out of Obesity, is an e-book that I discovered through a home schooling group that I am part of. She was looking for people to review the book and spread the word, I am always on the look out for media regarding the struggle people have with being obese, and how they kicked the extra weight to the curb in a safe manner.

Outside Looking In: 5ks and Half-Marathons

A few months ago, my oldest son ran his first-ever 5k with his dad and Spinster Beth; my 10 year old ran a mile; and the two younger kids each ran as well. It was an early morning trek to get to Gettysburg for the 5k, and (from a non-runner perspective) a Whole Lotta' Crazy.

After their first-5k at Gettysburg. All still look pretty fresh

It was a beautiful day. The weather was fairly mild; excitement and energy were high. Spinster walked the 12-year-old through some stretches and gave him a Gatorade super-sugar thing (no idea what those are really called, but they come in a fairly small packet that you drink to boost your sugar to superhuman levels for sustained endurance