I am still on my routine with my trainer 3 mornings per week. Am I getting stronger? There is no doubt. More tired? Certainly. Fat loss is just a bonus. Posture? Better. As I have said, during my hour with him he works me to a pulp. Am I growing older? Afraid so, but I want to be able to kick ass all the way down. Is Mrs. BD interested in my new fitness? Ask her.
My current "days off" from him now entail some of the following: a set of various types of crunches, 50-100 calf lifts, 20 pushups, 2 sets of dumbell presses, 2 sets of dumbbell rows, a set of light deadlifts, and as many squats+weights combined with lighter military presses as I can do, to the breaking point. All interspersed with max intensity 4-10 minute elliptical, rowing, and bike "rest breaks" so the whole damn thing is cardio-plus - no return to resting pulse. Maybe pound some medicine balls. Max 30-second breaks between most except heavy lifts. This is just enough to keep my body "awake" for my next ordeal with my master. That's it.
I try to pack that light workout into less than an hour, early in the morning, but some I have to do at home when I have a break. I will not do heavy barbell benches without a spotter because I am not that strong or experienced - but I can bench double from where I began. My goal is to bench my weight 10 times but I may never get there. My favorite weight exercise? Dead lifts. We call it "bending over and picking things up." I call lunges with heavy hands (kettle balls) "the Costo walk."
And you wonder why I am tired all day. Does it feel good? Yes it does. Do I enjoy lunges with heavy hands? Nope. Does he make me do them? Yup. Low carbs? Yup.
By the end of the summer, I think I'll be ready to drop down to twice/week with my boss and to follow his instructions on my own. It's a friendly small gym, cheap, zero glitz, no Lululemon etc. - and you are allowed to grunt. Roughly half men and half women, ages 25-85 and ranging from great shape to terrible shape. I am sort-of in the middle. It's about fitness and conditioning, not body-building. No anorectics there either.
On Sundays, I just do church and yard and housework or maybe something Mrs. wants to do. Kayak, sail, or go to NYC. It is all an interesting adventure. As a sedentary worker, I am at war with Father Time. Why not? I think we'll kayak and swim today, not for exercise but just for fun.
