I’m starting up a new blog series dealing with health and fitness, appropriately named Health and Fitness.  With an aim on exploring workout routines, healthy eating, general tips and curiosities, and a personal progress report from time to time, I’m looking forward to sharing some new and (hopefully) interesting stuff as I pave my path toward a much healthier Mark Mushakian of MarkMushakian.com.

As of a few days ago, it’s been one month since I started working out.  Since then I’ve refined my workout and earlier this week I started jogging during some of my walks.  Due to the fact that I’m a male and testosterone moves quickly, I’ve noticed a remarkable physical difference (i.e., bigger muscles), and after commenting about it to my friend, Sarah, she suggested I take pictures to document progress.  I’m pursuing this athletic endeavor entirely for health reasons, not to look all sexy, but as my health improves, my body will reflect that, so I decided to snap a shot and include it, here.  I figured that every 6 months is a good span of time for progress reports, but this first month is a big enough venture to document as a “this is pretty much where I’ve started” post.  I imagine my routines changing over time, especially in this beginning segment, so I think it’ll be interesting to write this progress reports as a snapshot of what I’m doing at that exact moment.

After 1 month of exercise…

…this is what I look like:

…this is what I weigh:

126.5 lbs

…this is what I use:

Pull-up and monkey bars at nearby park, my body’s weight, and my own two feet.

…this is what I do (and what I can do, as of this week):

Each day I wake up at 7am, drink a nutritional drink to keep me going without downing a big breakfast yet, and head out.  I alternate between 3 routines, with no day off, as the difference in how I exercise on each of these days provides a nice break.

Day A – Walk at a brisk, consistent pace through neighborhood. (45-60 mins., ~ 3 miles)

Day B – Walk ~15 minutes to nearby park to do body-weight workout routine.  I do…
- Pull-ups (6)
- Hindu squats (12)
- Wall sit (30 seconds)
- Hanging leg raises, 3 ways – extended legs, twist, regular (4, 5, 7)
- Hindu push-ups (15)
- Pistol squats (4)
- Dips, straight-legged full body-weight (10)
- Standing calf raises, 2 ways – single-leg and together (5, 10)
- Chin-ups (5)

Day C – Walk at a brisk, consistent pace through neighborhood, alternated with spurts of mid-paced jogging (15-20 mins. – walk, 1 min. jog, walk, 2 min. jog, walk)

…this is what I’m proud to have accomplished:

This first month has been a great one in setting a routine, being disciplined, and pretty much employing the Nike slogan to “just do it” no matter what.  The picture above is a flex-free shot, to better represent my progress (and to not be THAT guy), but as I change shirts and catch myself in the mirror, moving and flexing muscles, it’s great encouragement to see that physical development.  My energy level has ramped up a (very) little bit, and it’s great to start the day early again.

…this is where I’d like to be for the next progress report:

- I’d like to have been able to make my jogging day be a real interval session… a walk to warm-up, then light jogging mixed with fast bursts for the entire period.

- I want to have included regular stretching into my routine and used that increased flexibility to add a fluidity to my body-weight workout movements.

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So, that’s it for this check-in.  Comments, questions, or suggestions are always welcome .