10 Pounds in 10 Days: Can I do it? Day 4

(Editor’s note: Writer Mary MacVean tried out trainer Jackie Warner’s diet and exercise plan from her latest book “10 Pounds in 10 Days.” Here’s her experience. Read about her previous days, too.)

Day 4

Jackie Warner has appeared in The Times as one of the fitness experts in our “Try This” feature in the Saturday section, showing various exercises. She is the definition of buff, while my upper body is more like the definition of undefined. Looking at her straight on in photographs demonstrating push-ups, I see shoulders I wouldn’t have in my wildest dreams.

I have been a runner since the early 1980s, with breaks for babies and a couple of surgeries, so I wasn’t too worried about the exercise part of the regimen. In fact, I was looking forward to it; much of it is weight-lifting, something I’ve been considering for a while now. The directions are very clear, and the workout using free weights is flexible, even for beginners.

It’s not that her exercises are so unusual; there are bicep curls and other familiar moves, each one meant to work particular muscles. There even are sit-up type exercises without weights. But Warner sets out which exercises and how many to do each day. To me, it’s better than a class.

And as much as I love running, I know there’s an advantage to trying something new. As long as I’m going cold turkey on ice cream, I may as well make good use of my deprived state.

Day 5: The downside of choice