Gym Calf and Delt Workout and Vegan Protein

Sometimes you’ve just gotta hit the gym if you really want a good workout. For me, my calves are hard to really fatigue without calf press machines and since I have an elbow injury, the delts are hard to work without machines too.  So, off I went, to the place where I’m forced to watch really bad TV while I work out.  I mean really, why is the Food Network on at the gym?  And the reality shows—good grief! What a bunch of morons!  Not nice people.  I stay away from people like that.  I would rather watch WWE or Burn Notice and see some real butt kicking to inspire me while I work out instead of the hair pulling and back stabbing…. what?  you say I’m rambling… Yes, don’t get me started.  So, what do YOU watch while you’re working out dear reader?  I’d love to hear your feedback and opinions on this one!

Anyway, you may notice that I have been doing a little cardio at the beginning of my workouts lately. That’s just to get me warmed up and get the blood flowing when I’m cold or tired and I need to get myself pumped up for lifting heavy weights.  Also, in this work out, at the end I used 2 different cardio machines.  That’s just to keep me from getting bored and to keep my body from getting used to just one form of cardio.

Here’s my workout (remember for the calf exercises, S means toes straight, O means toes pointed out and I means toes pointed in and a combination, like SOI, means a set of each):

• elliptical 5 minutes/ level 10/ramp 16
• calf press freemotion machine: 10 reps/300 lbs SOI, 10 reps/260 SOI, 8 reps/300 lbs SOI
• lateral raise: 8 reps/60 lbs, 5 reps/70 lbs (drop set to) 5 reps/60 lbs, 8 reps/60 lbs
• shoulder press machine: 10 reps/50 lbs, 8 reps/55 lbs, 15 reps/30 lbs
• outer thigh: 10 reps/90 lbs X 3
• inner thigh 12 reps/110 lbs X 3
• seated calf raise: 10 reps/90 lbs SOI X 3
• elliptical cardio machine: 25 mins/ level 8/ ramp 16/ 215 cals
• stationary bicycle (with seat extended high to activate upper thighs): 10 mins/ level 7/ 64 cals

Note about my dietary changes:  I’ve been having a Vega smoothie at the beginning and end of the day for a while now.  I have changed that to cereal every now and then lately.  The reasons are simply that it has been cool in the mornings and a hot bowl of oatmeal is very nice on those sorts of mornings and because I have been out of bananas (and bananas are what make smoothies smooth and creamy, so I don’t like to make smoothies without them).  You will see more protein smoothies back in my diet soon.  But, as you can see, it is still possible to get plenty of vegan protein without the shakes.  Here’s what I ate:

• Breakfast (30 g protein): 2 packets of Apple Cinnamon instant oatmeal (8 g protein) with 1 cup walnuts (18 g protein).  With large mug of “Think O2″ Tea with 1/2 cup soy milk (4 g protein)
• Lunch: 2 slices of tofu bread toasted (20 g protein) with hummus spread (5 g protein), cucumbers, 3 spinach leaves and slice of red bell pepper with lemon pepper on top. With large glass of soy milk (2 cups= 14 g protein)
• Snack: Cliff bar, apricot flavor (11 g protein)
• Dinner (32 g protein): Citrus glazed soy chikn’ (25 g protein) with 2 cups cooked spinach (12 g protein) with a little Earth Balance vegan butter and lemon pepper on top.
• Snack (28 g protein): 1 1/2 cups Blueberry Cinnamon Optimum Cereal (20 g protein) with 1 cup soy milk (8 g protein)
• Before bed: large mug of chamomile and lavender tea with 1/2 cup soy milk (4 g protein)
• Total 144 g protein