[Mel]

Happy February

I heard big heavy splats on the skylights while I was doing my elliptical session this morning. When I ran out to get the newspaper, my legs went every which way when I hit the front walk at full speed. Freezing rain and ice I didn't fall (yay! balance training!) but sent my son, who is marginally well enough to go to school, back to bed. Figures that he finally hauls himself out on time and there is a two hour delay

Sorry for all my scale whining yesterday- it finally dropped this morning by a pound and a half. Making a whopping total of 3 pound in January

Sportsfreak- Those calories seem low for working out. I'm 5'2", weigh 126 and am 53. I have more muscle than is necessary- tons for a woman my age, and eat 1350 or so to lose at a snail's pace. My suggestion would be to up your calories by 200 on workout days for a few week, then add another 100. As you gain muscle, you probably will gain scale weight or stay the same- you don't want to lose weight, but build muscle. For that you need fuel! Don't be alarmed by eating more, but I agree that jumping to 2000 all at once may not work for you. No matter how many books are written, every BODY is individual and sometimes it just takes some trial and error to find what your body needs. You are headed down the right path!

Baf- How does your back feel? Could you sleep?

Off to get ready for work- no 2 hour delay there!

Mel

[Meg]

Morning, Mel! We've got quite an ice storm here too, but I still managed to slip and slide my way to the gym. It was going to be Leg Day but my knee said NO NO! so I did a whole day of triceps for fun. I wouldn't usually spend a whole workout on such a small muscle group but it was Friday and I was feeling goofy. So I did every tri exercise that I could think of - cables, DBs, BB, and machines. Got my cardio done and now am waiting to see if my father's flight to FL is actually going to take off since I'm transportation to the airport.

Hope the back is feeling better, Baff!

[sportsfreak]

Well up here in toronto there is a snow day so no school for me today .

Mel I do get what your saying. I know that i am not eating enough to build muscle. I just finished loosing all the weight i want, now i just want to build muscle and shed the last bit of fat. Are you saying I should eat aroung 1500-1600 on workout days and then 1300-1400 on non-workout days, then after a few weeks I should increase the amount on both the workout and non workout days.

Unfortunaly I will not be able to start the plan in the book for a another week or more because i have to buy the equpitment so i can do the exersises.

[elisa822]

sportsfreak - I'm in Toronto too yet I managed to make it to work just fine! Enjoy your day off.

Mel - glad the scale had finally rewarded you! 3 lbs. for January is pretty good in the end, don't you think?

What a crazy snowy day here. I'm supposed to go to the gym at lunch (which is only at the corner) but I'm not sure that I want to venture outside. We'll see I guess.

Have a great day!

[baffled111]

Congrats Mel! 3lb is not bad at all.

Thanks for all the tea and sympathy, ladies. I variously medicated myself before bed last night, so I slept just fine. I was certain I would be good as new today, but actually my back is still killing me. This sucks! I have to teach today and spend hours at my desk reading and writing. I'm quite sure how I'm going to pull it off. Painkillers, I guess.

The one sunny element in this back thing is that it has given me new appreciation for my general strength. I can't bend over, but my legs are strong and I can squat down and I can use my ab muscles rather than my back muscles to move my torso around. This is nice.

At least bf will be back tonight!

[Lifeguard]

Hello everyone! I would like to join your chat this month if that is ok? I have been working out hard with the weights since July & could use the extra support now that I am going it alone here in Costa Rica. Thanks!

[Lydia227]

Mel: Guess where I am logging in from this morning? Stauffs. DH took the day off, the kids are in school, and its a morning date. Congratulations on your loss this month. Personally, I think whining is warranted. I'm also glad to be corrected last evening. I was hoping I was wrong but when people start rethinking priorities i get nervous.

Meg: No legs for me yesterday either. I tried, did get sl deadlifts in but that was it. I've since decided to take a rest day today since my knees felt a little more sore than they should have today. I think it was the cardio session on the AMT. I really need to stay off that crazy thing. It is the piece of equipment that was the last straw for my right knee in the first place. It's just so darn addictive though and a nice change from the elliptical.

Baffled: I can imagine it was not pleasant to wake up with Day 2 of the strained back. I really hope you are feeling better once the weekend hits. Really cool though how you've compensated for not being able to bend your back and found great strength in your quads and hamstrings when squatting. Not much of a silver lining

Lifeguard: Jump right in, the water's fine. I wanted to tell you that I love your quote at the bottom. It's so very true.

Elisa: Few more weeks and it's vacation time. What a great idea to hook up with some girlfriends for a special birthday outing. Have a great time.

Nelie: Speaking of vacation, I loved your photos. I don't think that I had an opportunity to reply to them when they posted. You posted them sometime between the time I was moping about my knee and when I went under the scope. It looks like a beautiful place to visit.

I'm down today from earlier this week. Thank goodness but unfortunately tomorrow is going to be a carbfest from hades. My dad retired this week and the family is having a dinner for him on Saturday. Dining out is not the problem for me. Unfortunately, the part of Ohio I will be going traveling through does not grill chicken without a bribe and no meal would be complete without four starchy side dishes. Maybe I can slip my own meal in baggies, It's a big group. No one would notice.

[sportsfreak]

Just had a question regarding types of protien drinks. What type do you ladies buy if you do use them. I know i don;t want anyhting is creatine mono-hydrate in them, just a drink that can help me get addition portien in conjunction with my diet. I was looking at gnc's website.

how is the Next Proteins Designer Whey?

There are so many to choose from. Do you guys have any reccommendations on to which protien drink i should get. I just want to be able to mix it in milk or water.

I just need this drink to get in the extra protien the book requires me to have.

Thanks

[baffled111]

I use Designer Whey. It's pretty inoffensive. I never just mix it with milk or water though: I always make a smoothie with yogurt and berries. (Although I have been known to use milk and chocolate syrup instead...)

[Eves]

Okay, I'm officially joining you guys.

I've moved to an apartment complex that has a gym. It's not the greatest, but it's better than what I had in Peru. It has a treadmill, elliptical, 2 bikes, a stair climber, and a gazelle for cardio. But no free weights

For the machines they have:

One four sided machine with:

pec fly
lat pull down
bench press
an incline to do sit ups
hamstring curl/leg extension (sort of)

tricep press
leg press
shoulder press
arm curl
another lateral pull down
abdominal crunch
another ab one where you recline and your upper body sort of hangs
inner outer thigh machine

This stuff is okay, but I prefer to use free weights. Plus, there's not enough there for my butt. I'm trying to figure out some decent routines for what I have, but I can't think of anything that really replaces the squat or deadlift which are what I want to do. There's a bunch upper body stuff there, but next to nothing for my booty and legs (and trust me, my butt needs bulk).


I just may be in the weird just came back to the US funk. Or I may decide to go ahead and buy that gym membership (it would have to be on the 16th when I get my first paycheck).

In any case, my eating is right on track. Sort of. I forgot to buy bread or tortillas, so there went my grains. And, today I'm going for 100g of protein without any powder. I'm slowly increasing my protein so that my body doesn't decide to freak out. And as soon as they decide to plow, I'll go and get the rest of what I need. Sheesh!

Here's hoping for the best!

[WaterRat]

Archy! I've read a bunch of your posts from Peru, and really enjoyed them! Coming back to the US - and the mid-west! - must be a kind of culture shock. And weren't you just recently married?

A lot of us are currently enamoured of New Rules of Lifting for Women. You could probably do most of the workouts in it with the equipment at your apt, maybe purchase a couple of dumbbells.

[Lifeguard]

Thank you Lydia.

Sportsfreak - I've got the Designer Whey right now - not too bad but I find it leaves a nasty after taste. Today I mixed it with milk instead of water & that did seem to be better, plus creamier. I REALLY like the NeoGennixx Protein Splash stuff. They've got some great flavours - but I can't get it down here.

I'm excited, we have a friend coming to visit this weekend & he's bringing "The New Rules of Lifting for Women" with him for me. Woohoo!

[sportmom]

Freak - I also use Designer Whey, it's pricy, but worth it. Probably the least offensive. I can drink with milk, or with a smoothie concoction with water & strawberries.

Was also going to suggest - are you a freak for spectator sports or team sports? If team, can you get the rest of your team into the gym with you? If you're not, can you FIND OUT when the girl teams (soccer, lax, cctry, etc) do their workouts and slip in then? At least you'd be on neutral ground and not in enemy/jock territory. OK< that's my brainstorm for the day.

BAFF - I did the same thing to my back last spring, 2 days before I was to fly to New Orleans from the east coast. I just knew I would not be able to sit in an uncomfy airline seat that long, much less hoist my luggage around and do security antics. SO I canceled that trip and just tried to take it easy. Didn't do the heat or ice tho. I was truly gone and I was back to normal in 3-4 days max. I'm hoping the same for you. Since we injured it the same way (mine was either the stiff legged deadlift or the bent knee deadlift, not sure) there's hope that this will pass soon. I have permanent notes now on my workout sheet to not exceed the next lowest weight I used before the pull! It was that bad that i'm not risking it again!

Mel, glad you have been rewarded. We all get a little bit unnerved I think when the pros get baffled (ha! couldn't help myself!)

Happy Feb! All you should soon see relief at your overcrowded gyms - the first shoe to fall is the ones succumbing to the SUperBowl parties. The V-Day chocolate is only 2 weeks away to get the rest of em!

[sportsfreak]

sportsmom- I play many sports including hockey, squash, badminton. The problem arises that there is no dry land training for these sports I play. We just train for the game. Thanks for the advice though.

There is a gym that is located right next to the school LA FITNESS, my mom is also a member there but they refuse to give a discounted price. Before should could get any member for 20 a month, now its like 37.50. I'm going to try to get a membership here (save my money first) because its right beside my school and I can go afterschool.

[Lydia227]

Originally Posted by sportmom

All you should soon see relief at your overcrowded gyms - the first shoe to fall is the ones succumbing to the SUperBowl parties. The V-Day chocolate is only 2 weeks away to get the rest of em!

YES! Actually it hasn't been too bad at my gym with the exception of Saturday mornings. There are a lot of kid programs running then too so I don't the the SuperBowl V-Day combo is going to have an impact here.

Down another half pound this morning. I'm so glad to see this. I was looking at my stats from Fitday and found that I'm about ten pounds lighter now than I was last March. So there is still hope for me in trying to reach my goal for this June.

Archy: to the forum and back to the States. It will take time to acclimate so be patient with yourself. DH used to travel a lot internationally for several weeks at a time. He was in a constant state of assimilation. About those LBWO. Perhaps you could purchase a couple of sets of dumbells to execute quad and hamstring exercises after you complete your cardio session at the fitness room in your complex.

Freak: I also use protein powder. A scoop goes into my morning oatmeal/cottage cheese mixture. I may also use a second serving in the afternoon for a midmeal if I'm busy. http://www.jayrobb.com/jayRobbProtein.asp
http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp...entPage=family

The powders are just really pricey and honestly, I think eating clean proteins such as egg whites, cottage cheese and chicken breasts are great ways to incorporate the extra protein for building lean mass too. They can be prepared ahead during the weekend and available to you when you want them during the week.

Off to congratulate dear old Dad this afternoon. Wish me luck at the carb fest. I've already checked the menu online. I did see a a steak/grilled chicken breast combo so I think I'll be okay so long as I can convince them to leave the broccoli alone.