Had my first work out at stage one and LOVED it. It was fast and fun (but then I always think weight lifting is fun- honestly not sure why I ever stopped). I was a little intimidated by being the only woman in the weight room (boy are men messy with the free weights!) but I got over it and hopefully they will over time too- I definitely attracted some notice as the fat girl in the weight room.
I really like how the program, gradually but consistently increases intensity over time.
I've been having a rough time lately and this workout made me feel good. I felt like I worked hard and accomplished something but it wasn't TOO intense.
Yay gmailjunkie!!! Good for you for starting up the program!
I finished the first week this morning and feel the same way. When doing it it seems manageable, afterwords I am tired and a bit sore, but I'm not about to collapse like if I went running for an hour. Also, I saw such an improvement from workout 1 A to 2 A. That squat was no problem for me this morning, when i was practically being crushed by the bar last Monday night. What an improvement with just 3 work outs, I was surprised!
Defiantly sticking with the program...next work out for me is Monday night, although I might take a run tomorrow if the weather is nice.
I have read the book, but not done the routine as mapped out in the book. I'll be following this thread so please keep it updated! I wanna see the end result and hear the opinions in between!
My fav part of the book is emphasizing the need to "train to train". In my beginning weight training class, I do the same thing. Another thing I do in my class is have the clients practice manipulating the equipment and practice correct form with light weights. We don't even use the machines.
I think it is important for newbies to get comfy using the equipment. Ask a trainer for help or to watch your form. I always tell my clients that it doesn't matter what level of fitness you are, if you use improper form, or misuse the equipment, you'll look like a dork. If you know what you're doing, it'll show, and you'll have the respect of everyone there.
Reality is, though, no one's really paying that much attention to you anyway. If they are, they need to get back to work!
Wildflower - Are you following the books meal plan and are you consuming the suggested calories?
The book suggests staying away from a deficit but I feel that calories the book suggests my body needs seem so high!
I'm not...but I'm sort of on a break from calorie counting. I want to try to get back to eating 1500 but right now I probably am between 1500-2000 (I think that puts me close to the low end of his range, which if I remember right was like 1800-2200 or 2500).
For the past month I have been watching my caloric intake and I have been feeling very weak and depressed. I have issues with depression to start with but I am starting to think that the caloric defect had a negative affect my mood and energy level rather than it being caused by my depression. At first I lost a few pounds but ended up gaining them back most likely because I had some days where I overate.
Yesterday I ate roughly 1300 calories and went to a 1/2 hour spin class and 1 1/2 hour bikram yoga class, by the end of the day I was feeling so weak and really down.
I used an online calculator to figure out my metabolic rate and according to that I says I should consume 1771 calories on non-workout days and 2536 on days that I workout. It just seems so high, I do not know if I would actually lose any weight. I am contemplating deducting 500 calories from those numbers and seeing if I feel better and drop some weight.
I used an online calculator to figure out my metabolic rate and according to that I says I should consume 1771 calories on non-workout days and 2536 on days that I workout. It just seems so high, I do not know if I would actually lose any weight. I am contemplating deducting 500 calories from those numbers and seeing if I feel better and drop some weight.
Have you considered using the formula they offer in the book to calculate RMR? I used that and got what seemed like very reasonable numbers that were only slightly higher than the ones suggested by my dietitian.
torta, i am with you on the reduced calories. I don't know how so many people live on 1200 and do an hour of running. That will absolutely never be me. I can do one day at 1200 just fine, but multiples in a row, no way. I've just come off 6 months of calorie counting...it was hard and in the end I plateaued eating 1300 and was just starving ALL THE TIME. I had no energy to work out and my vision was blacking out when I would stand up. I was only losing a lb a month at this point.
I am beyond disappointed in myself that I tried so hard and my body didn't cooperate by losing the weight...I did lose 15 lbs at first, but my body entirely adjusted to the intake and because I gave up feeling full/cookies/chips/cheese, etc for the past 6 months suddenly I was craving everything fattening and junky. I was craving melted butter for like a month. Restricting calories was driving me insane - literally!
I think I'll do ok at 1500-1800, but now I am just trying not to eat everything in sight trying to make up for all the deprivation. I have loads of energy and am working out well. I just need to get back at counting soon.
Finished the end of my second week of NRFWL4W today! 6 workouts down and I have already increased the weight and am feeling great.
I love this program, I do wonder though if I need to do a bit more in terms of exercises? It seems like I could do both workouts on the same day to get a bit of a harder workout.
Finished the end of my second week of NRFWL4W today! 6 workouts down and I have already increased the weight and am feeling great.
I love this program, I do wonder though if I need to do a bit more in terms of exercises? It seems like I could do both workouts on the same day to get a bit of a harder workout.
gmailjunkie - how's it going for you?
Wildflower: I'm glad that it's going so well for you. I'm not as far along having only completed one each of Stage 1 Work out A and Work Out B- but I too am tempted to make the workouts harder- except for Lunges that are hard on my knees and deadlifts which make me really nervous about form- I'm having an easy enough time with the routines even though I work to make them challenging- I feel like I should be doing more cause they are so short!
But then I think I should just follow the schedule as written as much as I can because if I attempt too much and hurt myself it will be worse in the long run.
I also think that some of the reason the more compound lifts are more uncomfortable for me is because I have a really weak core and it might be a good idea to save some energy for some Pilates at home.
Torta- Good luck with your intake experiment. I'm astonished you made it through a Bikram class on that little food! Ive only ever done "Hot yoga" and it was REALLY hunger inducing just to stay in the room.
Maybe along with eating more calories maybe you should consider taking a good multivitamin if you don't already. I don't know if it is coincidence or placebo effect but I find that I feel MUCH better when taking one and my worst days recently have been when I haven't taken them.
Torta- Good luck with your intake experiment. I'm astonished you made it through a Bikram class on that little food! Ive only ever done "Hot yoga" and it was REALLY hunger inducing just to stay in the room.
Maybe along with eating more calories maybe you should consider taking a good multivitamin if you don't already. I don't know if it is coincidence or placebo effect but I find that I feel MUCH better when taking one and my worst days recently have been when I haven't taken them.
Bikram yoga is usually practiced on an empty stomach, it's advised that you do not eat 2 - 3 hours before class. By the end of class I am SO hungry, I usually bring a little snack with me to eat immediately after.
I do have good supplements, I just need to remember to take them! : P
Just ordered the book, should be here next week. I'm not a beginner in the weight room, but the weights for women course I took at the gym was very machine based and upper body focused. I'm worried about squats and lunges!
Welcome from the box! I'm not a total beginner in weights either...I trained on and off for one thing or another over the years. Like your program, the ones I was part of focused on the machines with some dumbell exercises. The squats took me some practice the first session, but now I've got the hang of it and really enjoy them.
Just ordered the book, should be here next week. I'm not a beginner in the weight room, but the weights for women course I took at the gym was very machine based and upper body focused. I'm worried about squats and lunges!
I'm in a similar boat- I'm not afraid of free weights but I'm not familiar with them the way I am with machines...but I have done a TON of research and experimenting.
I can't offer much help on lunges- they just are very hard to do in a way that's not painful to my knees- I don't know if its a matter of my joints being overloaded (I'm heavier than ya'll) or me not being able to manage my form but yeah--I ive just been doing step ups in place of them and I think I'm mostly hitting the same muscle groups with maybe losing some of the core work that lunges do and that's more manageable.
RE Squats however I figured a couple things out that makes good form easier for me. First- I've been concentrating on form so I am using little to no weight on this and the other big compound lifts (like deadlifts) so I feel confident I have spot on form- I REALLY don't want to get injured.
1st is having a wider stance (google sumo squat) for some reason this is much easier on my knees and easier for me to keep my back straight- and for me, more natural- when I squat down to pick things up in daily life I have my knees apart like I am giving birth.
2nd is doing it against the wall with a swiss ball at my back which really makes it easier for me to have correct form. It does cancel out some of the weight but I find that I am able to get as least as good a work out as when I use weights close to or equivalent to my body weight on the leg press.
If anyone had any advice on deadlifts I am all ears!
