sportsfreak - sorry that I can't be of more help. Sounds like you've tried to cover the basics by ensuring that you're eating a healthy well rounded diet. I have to say that I would recommend a trip to the doctor (just what you wanted to hear right? ) I think that there are some common causes and hopefully a blood test would highlight what the problem is. Good luck.
Mo - there are lots of us hypothyroid people floating around on these boards and your memory is great because I am one of them. You're definitely not "interrupting" anything so please fill us in...have things improved for you? Are you feeling any better? Stop by anytime for a visit!
I'm not proud of myself...I did not get to the gym today and I promised that this would be a good week. I'm not writing it off yet but skipping the gym can be a slippery slope, just like bad eating. I really had a lot of work to do today and I could have argued either side for going or not going but I choose not going. I will be accountable here for the rest of my week. I still plan to go to yoga, power, a 5k and a NRFL workout. I will let you know how I do!
I had alopecia when I was in high school. I believe it was stress induced. It actually did go away but it was very frustrating for the years that I had to deal with it.
Do you have bald spots or does your hair seem to be thinning? Do you take a multivitamin?
sportsfreak - I don't know, it may be one of things to wait and see or you could go to your doc. Usually weight loss along with hair loss means either you are missing some vitamins or more likely, your diet is too low in fat. It doesn't seem to be the case though.
Today I decided to do the first NRLW workout, 1a. I actually used kettlebells as part of it. I do have to say I suck at the prone jackknife. I think my core really needs to be strengthened because I was having trouble staying on the ball. Also, I decided to do a few squats with a broomhandle in preparation of doing squats with a barbell. Can I say I suck at that? I do. The first squat wasn't really a squat. I guess my arms up changes the dimension of my squat somehow. Also, I don't have good shoulder flexibility so I can't keep my arms near my head if I want the barbell (broom handle) in a good spot. My hands have to go further out than the picture.
DH and I are looking at squat racks and we will probably go hunting this weekend at our local home gym stores. I do like the Protec one, at least from reviews and pictures. I'd like to see if any store actually has it.
Sportsfreak: Have you been through a lot of stress/illness in the last 3 - 6 months or so? Stress and illness related hair loss usually happens after some months.
Sportsfreak- I had hair loss when I was hyperthyroid (along with muscle and bone loss) and after pregnancy. Since the latter is not your problem, and your diet looks healthy although low cal for a teen, you need to go see your doc. We can all tell you anecdotes, but you really need a doctor's diagnosis. Make sure he/she runs a full blood panel on you including thyroid tests. Let us know how it goes. For some reason, hair loss seems really scary for women! I was scared to wash or brush my hair, too.
Good day here yesterday. Good lift, good food, and I found some great deals on sale at a new Ann Taylor factory outlet store! I'm sooooo glad I didn't buy one of the suits I saw at full price 2 months ago in the regular store!
kaw- I know what you mean about the bones In order to escape PE (lol) in college, I rode on the local ambulance crew and was on the ski patrol. I went to school in Vermont and mostly we had nasty ski accidents and even nastier farm accidents. Double . The only time I nearly passed out thou was when my own son had a two inch gash on his head. Very different when it's your own kid.
Hi mo! glad you are doing better! stop by more frequently!
Nelie - I squatted with just the broomstick for weeks & weeks trying to get my squat form right. It was embarassing & frustrating but I finally got it & got to graduate to the real bar. It really wasn't a weight thing as a form thing. Keep at it - it'll come.
LG - I was just so amazed that a squat with something on your back is so much different than a squat with something in your hands in front of you or at your sides.
I'm a bit sore today which is good although other than the jackknife exercise, the workout seemed pretty easy. My abs and sides are sore from the jackknife exercise.
I can't wait to do the 1B workout though. I actually plan to do 1A/1B in an extended fashion until I get the right equipment at home. It may take a few weeks though between shopping for it and then having it delivered and put together. We'll also have to move/get rid of a sofa we have in the basement to make room for what I want.
Sportsfreak - how are you doing? Did you see the doctor yet ? We are all curious to know what is up with you !
Mo - hi! It 's good to have you back, how are you doing ?
Nelie ! How great that you started out at NRWL! I actually find the bb squat easier than with db. I get sore arms from heavvy db, and I find having the load on my neck with the bb much easier.
I did my 6th workout 1a yesterday, and graduated again to 22 kg now. That is a LOT for me.I'll do the 6th 1b tomorrow, and i am looking forward to see if i will manage with the increased weight again. It is very strange to keep increasing the weight so much because you do less and less reps.
thanks for all of your responses. Well i schedualed an appointment 3 weeks back and its this comming thursday. My doctor gets soo busy these days i have to wait for ever to see him.
I make sure to let you all know what up with my hair as soon as i find out.
Also Mel- you said my diet was good but it was low calorie. I just want to maintain and build muscle mass. What do you think i should raise them p two. Im all for wanting to eat more .
Rabbit, I'm with you: bb squats are way easier. Right now I'm doing stage 3 and there's a one-arm overhead squat where you hold one heavy db between your legs, and hold another, lighter db above your head while you squat. The larger db is very awkward!
Sportsfreak, you are maintaining on 1300-1400 calories and you're active and you're in high school? Something is wrong there. You're a little thing but those calories seem very low to me. I maintain at over 2200 and I'm old (but also tall...). Perhaps you could start adding the calories back into your diet slowly, like 100/day per week? I ran your numbers through several calorie calculators and they all had you between 1900 and 2000!
I did a proper, non-cheating chin-up today, with my legs just hanging straight. I tried to do a second one, but, um, I couldn't make it all the way up. I'm making progress though! This is progress!
Mel, Meg, Kim, experts. I have a question that is probably slightly stupid, but I'm going to ask it anyway. Is there something about 'cutting' that makes it different from restricting calories? I'm happy with this NRLW program and I want to make strength gains and all, but right now I'd very much like to lose a bit of body fat and take a look at my muscles to evaluate where I am. Also, I'm sick of my arms not being defined enough. So, basically, I want to lose fat without compromising my muscle or my strength with the NRLW program. My instinct is, obviously, to drop my calories for a couple of weeks and to do my best to do so without losing protein, but the NRLW authors are so adamant about cutting calories being counter-productive for strength gains that it makes me confused about everything I know. I probably should be focusing on my ticker weight and stuff, but right now my number 1 concern is aesthetics. The ticker weight should follow from the aesthetics. Advice?
Btw, One-Armed DB Snatches are the funnest exercise ever.
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Last edited by baffled111; 03-04-2008 at 05:14 PM.
Baff, I'm by no means a cutting expert and I've never trained a competitor, but here's my take. "Cutting" means stripping off max BF without compromising muscle. It's usually done with a combination of restricted calories AND ultra-squeaky-clean eating AND low carbs AND a buttload of cardio (and sometimes supps, legal and illegal, but we won't go there), as well as lifting. Right before a comp, there would also be sodium depletion, carb loading, and other tricks.
I got my BF down to 12.5% (measured with nine-site calipers by our head of trainers) for a gym contest by eating 1000 calories of chicken breast, salad with vinegar, and protein shakes a day, coupled with 90 minutes of cardio every day (split into two daily sessions), and my usual lifting. I wouldn't recommend it! It wasn't very sustainable, but was sure fun while it lasted.
My own experiences with calories and calorie restriction runs counter to NRLW but I'm a bit of a freak since I'm trying to maintain a 122 pound weight loss and the program is designed for "normal" people. I can't eat close to the calories that they recommend and maintain my weight -- it is what it is. Perhaps the nutrition program would work for you as written, perhaps not. Personally, I don't lose fat unless I drop calories to a level that would give those guys heart failure, yet I'm pretty strong for a 53-year old woman and am happy with my muscle mass. So
If you're leery about dropping calories too low, I think your only other choice is to increase your cardio. If you're doing a half hour of HIIT per day, tack on 30 - 45 minutes of steady state cardio, preferably in a second session. Make sure your food choices are clean as can be and try to avoid starchy carbs -- get most of your carbs from veggies.
Hopefully Kim,Mel, and the others can give you some better ideas -- I know that Mel has far more experience with competitors and cutting than I do.
Elisa: Hey sweetie! Good, @ least I know that my memory isn't lacking as I push closer and closer to 40. I'm ok. They finally switched me to the naturally derived thyroid med and then after playing around w/my dosage I'm finally @ .86 TSH!!! So, life in that aspect rocks. I'm doing 60mg one day and the next day 90mg and back and forth. Takes a little mental concentration @ 0500 when I wake up to figure out what day it is...but it works LOL
Sportsfreak: I apologize 'cause I haven't been reading all the posts intently....but I know before my thyroid condition was diagnosed, I was losing clumps of hair and still lost a lot of hair up until just about 3 weeks ago. I think both hypo and hypers lose hair. Have you been tested to see if your body has moved into a hyper range with the dieting, etc.? Just a thought. I sooo agree w/Nelie on the stress/hair loss connection too, though. Good luck with that muffin!
Mel: Thanks! I think I will drop through more often if you don't mind! I'm shooting for my "coming out of retirement" show in October. Of course, that only gives me 7 months to do hard-core training to get back on stage...but I think I can do it. My upper body is still pretty big and my abs are always easy for me to shred in. HOWEVER, my legs and glutes...well, not so much. I'm a little worried about that. I have time to decide. I just feel so far out of practice after being off the lifting scene for soooo long. It's a bit scary. I believe in muscle memory and all that jazz....but the past few times in the gym...yeah, pretty disappointing work outs. Anyway, I know....blah blah blah...Melinda shut your piehole time right? I know, I do babble. But my point is....I will really be searching for support as I move closer to 10/11/08 and I owe you ladies so much in return for all you did for me last time I was here!
Rabbit: Hiya sweetie! Thanks for the welcome back! Means more than you know! ;-)
Who was talking about the Arnold a few days back? Lydia? My friend Jody just came back from it and was actually invited to compete, but things in life prevented her from being able to...but next year I believe she will! Kind of cool, in my opinion.
OH! OMGosh, Nelie- I just paid attention to your ticker. That's a BUNCH of weight lost! Amazing, fabulous! Just terrific! I don't remember where you were last time around....but it seems like you've lost like 50 more pounds or something.
Baffled - Congrats on the chin up I've been doing snatches with my kettlebell but have yet to try one with a dumbbell.
Melinda - Thanks. In the last year, I've lost 60 lbs or so although it feels like less somehow.
One thing I've noticed is I can actually see my triceps in the mirror. Oh my god, I have triceps. My arm development seems to be coming along nicely, I think it is due to the kettlebells.
Hi Melinda! I alternate doses of thyroid med too and the only way I can keep the days straight is by taking the odd number dose (.175) on odd number days and the even number dose (.200) on even number days. If you have a better system, please share!
) I think that there are some common causes and hopefully a blood test would highlight what the problem is. Good luck.
I will be accountable here for the rest of my week. I still plan to go to yoga, power, a 5k and a NRFL workout. I will let you know how I do!
In order to escape PE (lol) in college, I rode on the local ambulance crew and was on the ski patrol. I went to school in Vermont and mostly we had nasty ski accidents and even nastier farm accidents. Double 
glad you are doing better! stop by more frequently!
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So, life in that aspect rocks. I'm doing 60mg one day and the next day 90mg and back and forth. Takes a little mental concentration @ 0500 when I wake up to figure out what day it is...but it works LOL
