I miss all you guys too! I just wanted to back you up on that issue because it is so important.
ACTUALLY Hubby is back on Monday so 5 days to go for me! I am so excited - it's not everyday that you lose 40 pounds whilst your husband is away! I can't wait to se him. I have taken the day off work and am planning to go out for lunch on the harbour and a nice relaxing day. Saying that I am anxious is an understatement!
I know that I don't get much time to post but I am so busy - I always do my best to read everything here and at L&S regularly as I am still learning new things everyday. You can never have enough 'knowledge'
I hope everyone is going ok. Say hi to sparky for me!
MrsJim--and here I thought I was good to do 100 pounds for 11 reps on the standing calf machine! WTG with 630 #s!
I don't know what was going on with me this morning, but when I did my biceps, my weights weren't up like they were last week. I felt really wimpy doing alternate bicep curls, and I couldn't make it to my max of 30 pounds. I am doing a split routine, but still doing the pyramid that BFL has. This a.m. I started at 15 for 12 reps, but those seemed like a ton to me, and only got as high as 20 pounds for 6 reps. Maybe I'm not eating enough?? I did only eat five meals yesterday . . .
10 @ 12 reps (I dropped the weight from the 15 to a 10 to start)
15 @ 10
20 @ 8
Tried to do 25 . . . did 20 @ 6 again
15 @ 12
Hi , its a gorgeous day in CA, going to be another hot one!
MrsJim, was that 630 per leg? Either way I am bowing to the queen of calves!
TCW, I find about once a week my weights aren't as heavy and it is usually related to not enough sleep, my diet, what I've done in the last 3 days as far as workouts. But then the next week I can go right back to where I was or even increase.
And way to go, 30 on curls, my highest has been 25 and I could only do about 8 reps.
I've been wimping out on cardio the last two days because of combo of heat and schedule is hectic. But this weekend I will go back to usual cardio, cooler weather is coming.
Thunderheart, glad to hear you are back on track. I am betting you will lose that 20, probably lots of waterweight from eating different.
no weights or cardio for me today, but I will be eating clean.
I've been really tired this week, and I'm sure you're right about the nutrition/sleep/etc. impacting weights. I went ahead and slept late this morning and I'm working on getting all six meals in today. Tomorrow I'll continue with the program, and hopefully kick this thing.
As far as calves - it was a total of 630 pounds...I'm strong but not THAT strong! Don't worry, you'll build up to being strong...I remember when I first started BFL back in April 2001 I was really weak in the triceps...but I built up my strength to the point where I am now doing skullcrushers with 55# EZ barbells!
And remember, I ride horseback...and I was a pretty avid cyclist for awhile - did a couple of metric centuries. That kind of exercise really builds up your calf strength!
Well this morning, I woke up feeling yukko, kind of dizzy and nauseous (like coming off a roller coaster). I went ahead and did my workout anyway, thinking I'd just work through it. I'm still feeling icky-poo - so I'm taking time off from the gym until Monday morning Of course you KNOW that Sparky will still be waking me up bright and early at 3:45 am (he either puts his paw on my cheek or pushes the covers off me with his head). As far as nutrition goes, I'm still eating clean...
OH and you all must try this recipe - I'd read about it but never thought of trying it until sampling some of Pam's when she made it at QZ's house during the Lift for the Cure last week!!! What ya do is get cottage cheese and puree it (I use my Braun hand blender for this but you could probably use a regular blender as well) until smooth. Then add Sugar-Free Jello DRY POWDER (any flavor) to taste and blend blend blend... if you don't have any jello, then you can simply add a few drops of vanilla extract and some Splenda or Equal and blend blend blend!!! IT IS SOOOO GOOD - in fact I just made some with strawberry-banana Jello. Try it sometime!!!
Strength is something that develops over time. I have the nick-name 'Sherah' now at my gym because I outlift every girl there and even some of the guys. But I started out weak like everyone else and just built it up slowly.
Now I can do french press with a 50lb bar for three sets of 15 reps. I also use a 30lb dumbbell for my set of 6 concentration curls. I do about 450lb on the leg press and I can bench about 120lbs for 3 sets of 15 reps.
It's really good to feel and be strong. Good for both your confidence and self-esteem. I love loading up the bar and just laughing to myself as people glare at me or stand there in shock.
I think that people often put too much emphasis on losing weight and tend to ignore the other benefits of this type of healthy lifestyle. BFL as the base program is excellant for establishing great habits that can make you lead a more enjoyable and stronger life! And that is something that can't be taken away from you - the ability to enjoy your life!
Take care everyone and I hope that you all have a great weekend as it is already Friday in Australia!
How is everyone? I'm good sticking to the program with very little problem and the workouts are awesome...This morning my g/f and I walked our usual 3k, then I biked 7k, and then later rollerbladed for about 7k, and I've been working alot around the house too... Even if I'm off for the summer I have alot of work to do
Mrs. Jim how are you?? I've been seeing you at the lean and strong site quite often, and I've posted there too a few times... I viewed the black and white pic that Jana took at the LFTC on the weekend, they were really nice... I haven't been here at 3FC because by the time my slo-mo puter downloads stuff, I've been surfing for like 1.5 hours and then the guilt sets in and I have to go work....That Jello and cottage cheese sounds really good...I love Jello... you could also add some fresh strawberries, which are in season here, and I can't get enough of them...I have a great recipe too I make with Jello and rhubarb... Just simmer your rhubarb till it turns into mush, you don't have to add water, while it's really hot add your Jello, mix well and refrigerate... It doesn't gel really, it just gets really thick... very delish!!
Last Friday I was extremely tired too.... to the point where i could not stay awake, good thing I wasn't working cause I would have fallen asleep at my desk, honestly...I slept all day, I could not open my eyes at times.... But I had had a full week with lots of workouts, later than usual evenings, just a half hour, but over the span of 5-6 days, it adds up... I looked at the calendar and my dear ole periods started on Sunday.... So I guess that's what my problem was....
JEC, I was in the gym 20 years ago (I'm almost giving my age here) when women were rarely seen in the gym... I had quit smoking and didn't want to gain weight... so I joined a gym... I didn't even do any cardio at the time. I would spend 2 hours at the gym 5 days/wk...This is in the years of BC (before children). There were only like 3 women who seriously did weights, we had a blast...and 450# leg press, that's excellent Even when I was a gym rat I could not bench press 120...
Anywho, once again I am rambling on and on....
so I'll give my place to someone else....
Oh! before I go, Mrs. Jim what are skullcrunchers?
I had that same cottage cheese "shake" this morning! It's awesome. I don't even know how I happened upon it, but I've had it for the protein part of my meals at least once a day this week--I leave out the jell-o part, though, and have a complex carb alongside it. It's so yummy!
I'm pretty strong; I've just had some off days this week. I think part of my weakness on the alternate db curls was I have a bit of tennis elbow and that's slowed me down, too. I'm not sleeping enough, eating enough, yadda yadda. My calves were wiped out by the time I got to my 3rd exercise (donkey calf raises, sitting calf raises and then the standing calf raises) that 100#s was all I could do on the 3rd set of the standing. They're achin' quite nicely today!
JC - you are SOOOO eloquent. You said it all, girlfriend!!
It felt pretty weird NOT going to the gym this morning. Of course just as I suspected, Mr. Wake Up Call - Sparky - started up around 4 am. I was WIPED OUT last night - went to bed at 8:45 pm after falling asleep on the sofa next to Jim, who woke me up and sent me off to bed...Sparky followed me and curled up on the pillow next to my head. Awww...
I have my riding lesson this weekend, planning some 'leisure cardio' as well - cycling with Jim on the bike path that runs along the bayfront here.
Lanai - I edited my previous post to say to add sugar free Jello POWDER, not the prepared Jello. I don't think I was clear on that. Last night I was thinking how yummy it would be to add SF/FF Jello Instant Pudding Mix - like for a Myoplex Pudding - but to cottage cheese - and stick it in the fridge for awhile. Doesn't that sound yummers?
Hah! I remember the FIRST GYM I joined back in the 80's. It was one of those 'women's gyms' complete with pink dumbbells going all the way up to 12 pounds! Woo hoo! Times HAVE changed...one of my goals is to help SPREAD THE WORD amongst other women who are trying to lose weight the 'traditional' ways and failing - that bodybuilding is NOT a bad word...and this WORKS...
You know what I did last night after I posted and read your post about Jello (oh, btw I figured you meant the powder only..lol) anyways, I went to the cupboard to look for Jello and found the Jello Pudding instead, no sugar no fat of course, and added it to my cottage cheese, and had a ww tortilla on the side... good stuff the CC and pudding....
This morning I had 1 c oatmeal and melted 1 c cottage cheese in it... it was kinda blah, so I added some Jello lite strawberry powder to it.... since I couldn't add strawberries I already had my carb.... well this is my new breakfast of champions...I LOVE IT!!! Oh, and you know what I had for my M2 one of those oatmeal pancakes I heard about on Lean and Strong... another one of my new favs...
I feel really good today...altho I had a very weak workout this morning... I really wanted to work chest good, but when I lifted my usual weight, gawd I thought it was going to fall to the floor it was sooooo heavy....grrrr... but I continued on and it was a light workout but I can still tell, like you said JC that I'll be sore tomorrow....
I also bought the Oxygen magazine yesterday and I can't get my nose out of it.... They have a really good article on why it's much better to do heavier weights and why women (which we girls here have known for a while) will not look like men if they do heavier weights....gotta love that... and how muscles helps burn that darn fat, it explains it really well....
Glad I wasn't the only one who had a "weak moment" last week. I hate it when the puny weights feel like they're heavy. It also feels good to be back on track and lifting heavy again!
I remember when Exertech first opened here in Wichita eons ago. I joined and would go from Cybex to Cybex doing one set until I had finished their little circle of machines. What a waste of time! I knew nothing about bodybuilding and nothing about nutrition except for my mother's mantra of "Just eat less, then you'll lose weight." I pretty much starved myself and I still didn't lose any weight. Surprise (?) Now my mom's asking for my advice on how to lose weight, but she still won't touch a dumbbell.
Just hanging around in the house on the 'puter to get out of the sun because it's so hot out....
How is everyones w/end.... Things are good here, having a free day today, but not too free, no pig outs, I feel too awful.... I biked 20K this morning it was sooo gorgeous out at 7am...
Reading your post about your mom Tracy reminded me when I started to do weights 20 years ago, my physique really changed drastically, and I got the "V" shapped back, flat chest basically of a bodybuilder, and 25' waist :sigh: I'm dreamin' of those days again...at 45!! Maybe I'm dreaming in colour?? ....( I no longer look like that, have mucho fat on top of muscles, but I'm working on that again...) Anyways, I'm off topic again, my point is that my mom asked: "when are you going to stop all this foolishness with the weights thing..." My answer was "NEVER MOM!!" She really disliked the way I looked...she still does, because I am still fairly muscular but have alot of fat on top of the muscles..... bad diet choices....
Well I'm gonna go for a swim... It's now getting too hot in the house....
Thanks Karen!
Don't worry, you'll build up to being strong...I remember when I first started BFL back in April 2001 I was really weak in the triceps...but I built up my strength to the point where I am now doing skullcrushers with 55# EZ barbells! 
Of course you KNOW that Sparky will still be waking me up bright and early at 3:45 am (he either puts his paw on my cheek or pushes the covers off me with his head). As far as nutrition goes, I'm still eating clean...
I pretty much starved myself and I still didn't lose any weight. Surprise (?) 
