Grandma's Ninja Warrior Diary: Semi Annual Assessment #3

Tonight, husband Carl brought home three large bags of groceries and needed help bringing them up the stairs to our second-floor living space. I reached for all three.

"Be careful," he said, pointing to one bag. "It is very heavy."

I lifted it. "No, it's not," I told him.

"Yes, it is," he insisted.

Well, actually, no, it was not. It would have been a year ago, but not now. I easily carried all three bags together, two in one hand, and the supposedly heavy bag in the ohter, up our 17 stairs, held all in one hand to open the door, and then lifted them all easily onto the counter which is almost chest-high for me.

If I needed an assessment, there I had it. Of course, though, I want something a little more formal albeit informal, meaning my own assessment. Beginning from this point, though, I think I will pull my trainer into helping me develop a formal assessment. She says that I have made significant progress, both visibly from body shape, and in general in what I can do. 

So, here is my assessment:

weight: well, there is the least progress; it has held steady since September 2018, during the first 9 months I lost a pound or more a month (total of 12 months); from then on, zero loss; my trainer points out two things: (1) I ahve added visible muscle and muscle weighs more than fat, and (2) I have lost the tire around the middle. Still...working on this...trying to figure out why 900 calories a day or less does not result in weight loss when I am very active. Oh, well, next assessment in 6 months -- maybe there will be loss to report then

upper body: complicated by the misaligned elbow from lifting a sectional sofa single-handed and by a rotator cuff minor injury from overuse/abuse, my arms are nonetheless much strong; so, for my jumpoff point for the next 6 months: 30 pounds lifting a bar, crrespondingly 15-17.5 pounds for each arm for lifting weights for biceps, 10 pounds each arm for lifting weights for triceps, 60 pounds for pulling, 60 pounds for shoulders, 70 pound assist needed for pull-up machine, pull-ups: 1/2; 30 bent knee push ups; 10 planks, 2-minute max for holding a plank

abs: 100 twists with 8-pound kettle ball; 100 sit-ups

legs: 50 squats, push 120 pounds both feet, 60 pounds jumping, 30 pounds ankle lifts

cardio: 4.6 on flat average on treadmill, 4.0 with 15-degree incline, cardio exercise - 2 minutes max

flexibility: touch toes, touch chest-high counter with toes straight-on and sideways

balance: 50 bosum squats, some yoga positions (most not yet)

And there it is: a new starting point!