Hope everyone's doing well! I know I've been quieter than usual here at 3FC...spending lots of time at L&S though...there's been a lot of newbies with lots of questions there this week...
I had another great PT session on Monday night. We worked on back and bis. The back is actually one of my weak points - it takes a lot of effort for me to train it. Theresa has been really helping me on my form and showing me some new exercises as well. For bis, I highly recommend '21s'. If you have never done them they are killers. What you do is get a barbell - the EZ type - and do seven half curls from the bottom position to the halfway mark (what i mean is that your arm starts out straight then you curl up to where your arm is bent at a 90-degree angle); then seven from the halfway point up to the top (from 90-degree curling up to your chest); THEN seven more reps doing complete curls (from fully extended straight arms to all the way to your chest). Make sure you do them slowly and with strict form (keep your elbows at your waist and don't 'cheat' with your back - in fact I do these leaning back against a wall or backboard). Believe me you will feel it! OW - hurts so good!
One of the other exercises we worked on was concentration curls. I discovered my form was really bad on these before First off we did them sitting on the swiss ball (the big blue one). Spread your legs wide (like you're a guy watching the Super Bowl ) and place your free hand on one knee, the arm that will be doing the curling in the little pocket on the inside of your other knee. When you curl, go slowly and with strict form, making sure your knuckles are facing the other knee (get it? I'm so terrible at explaining this...) Keep that elbow in the pocket of the knee at all times (mine tends to travel up the thigh if I let it!).
Whew! Anyway...hope that helps. Eating's been going very well this week - how are you all doing?
MrsJim, sounds like you have an excellent PT! I could feel how those muscles would work by the way you described them. Concentration curls were one of my faves until I got so fat I couldn't bend over far enough...oh, well. I'll be back there soon!
Did cardio today. I didn't want to get up at 4 am to make it to the gym, and as I was putting my gym bag in the car, I was making all kinds of excuses to myself. Well, I went and did my cardio anyway, and am amazed at the negativity in the "tapes" that play in my head. When I begin having success at something, those nasty critical voices chime in and try to derail my efforts. Well, not this time!
I sure wish they'd post who won Grand Champion. Sure hoping it's Pam B.
Hi Claire
Don't let those nasty "negative tapes" get to you. I've been keeping up with the thread here and you have been doing great. You've stayed focused and motivated and your hard work will pay off in the end (literally, LOL )
Been a busy, busy day for me today...even though I took 1/2 a day off...because our new mattress set was delivered this afternoon! Can't wait to sleep on it tonight. I might even go to bed earlier than usual.
I've seen a lot of us posting on L&S the past few days. I just got my copy of Muscle Media in the mail today - they're having a cover model contest...entries must be in by 1 June 2002 to qualify. Now, personally, I think that I'm way older than the 'typical' MM cover gal (most seem to be in their 20's) but I might just give it a shot...since I'm already working to get into competition shape anyway...
While I was cleaning the house today I had the TV on and a woman's pro BB contest was on Fox Sports. These gals have a lot of muscle and definition - made me realize I still have a ways to go, but then I look at Pam B's C3 after photo...then at her BB contest pix...and I know if she could get down from 25% BF to 4% in four months, then I can do it in five or seven if I work HARD and eat clean...and I'm doing that!
I'll write more later...Seinfeld is starting (priorities, huh?). I have some thoughts that are sticking in my brain and I want to share them with all of you! See ya in a bit!
Hi- Sorry I've been away so long, just kinda lurking here and on L&S. I've had a really tough BFL week- the workouts are going great, I get stronger every day, but found out on Wednesday that since starting 5 weeks ago, my BF% has gone UP 3% (measured by same person on 9 sites), and I finally did measurements since week 1, and my waist is 1" bigger. I don't mind that my calves are bigger or my biceps, but a fatter waist is not the Body for Life I had in mind. Not sure what to do, since I'm eating clean. I know if I post this on L&S I'll just get flamed again. I think the amount of startchy carbs are just too much for my borderline-diabetic body. Or something- I don't know. I was resigned to the actual scale gain finally, but when I found out it was an actual fat gain as well, it put me over the mental edge!
Sorry to vent and complain, I just don't know where to go from here. I've lifted for about 6 years and have a good amount of muscle- did anyone start BFL already a lifter?
Hey Mel - don't worry 'bout it... as Hussman said "you really do change from the inside out". Here's my theory on how the whole process works (this keeps me motivated for some reason!) if you follow BFL to a "T" (especially if you haven't lifted heavy weights regularly before - I'm not counting those little pink 1 pound DBs here ):
1) Your muscles tear and rebuild, making them bigger.
2) Your measurements go up (this is why it's a good idea NOT to measure yourself more than, say, once every 4-6 weeks at most IMO) temporarily due to new muscle growth. If you can, take front and back progress pix every 4-6 weeks as well. And need I say to "STAY OFF THE SCALE"???
3) Your muscles start burning fat - in layers like an onion. Of course your muscles will reach for the fuel that's closest to them - the fat marbled within the muscle itself - then it will start burning the fat that you CAN see - in sheets. If you are following the eating and training plan your muscles will be doing this 24/7 - like the Body Solutions ad says "burning fat while you sleep!".
4) First on last off...the fat that's been sticking around the longest on your bod will be the last fat to come off. A lot of folks at L&S have noticed a phenomenon they call "jiggly fat" - the fat becomes very loose and jello like - just before it burns off. This might be the reason your BF% measured higher - and your waistline went up - stay on course though because this is a temporary thing! For me personally, the fat on my thighs/hip/bellypooch has been the stubbornest of all...but I know it's coming off. In fact yesterday I washed my size 4 DKNY's in HOT water and dried them in high heat - and I still got in them easily this morning!
What am I trying to say here anyway?!? Basically, don't fret - give it the 12 weeks...we've all been there. Just ask Susanje - she didn't see results until, I believe, week 9?
As far as myself, I did some weight lifting but not heavy, usually not free weights and not often. Most of the time it was as a footnote to cardio if I had 10-15 minutes to spare after my hour-plus on the elliptical and before my Spinning class - back in my cardio bunny daze
Thanks for the upbeat reply. Actually I've been lifting heavy for the last 2 years. Just never ate right until last July, or lifted to failure. I started BFL to get the workouts under control, since the hour of cardio daily, plus dog walks, plus tennis, plus lifting 4-5 times a week was totally ridiculous.
And I definitly have seen results- I'm not complaining that nothing's going on! My calves, quads, shoulders, arms and chest are more defined. Unfortunately I now have pecs instead of breasts, so changes there too! I just feel like all the fat is migrating to the middle and multiplying.
Anyway, feel much better about it all after an awesome arm workout this afternoon where I actually saw striations in my shoulders and upper chest. So this week's piss and moan session is over. Thanks for listening, everyone. Hope you are all doing great.
Well it's Saturday morning.......and I am gettin geared up to go grocery shopping.......yeeeeeaaaa............ya right.........I hate grocery shopping......laffs..........but muddle through it every week.......because we do have to eat.........so I thought I would go rather early........doesn't look too nice out though.....
my workouts have been going wonderfully.........I find myself trying to push harder and harder..........I soooooooo want this.......to be healthy...............to really know what that is like.........I have pretty much had a weight issue my whole life.......I finally just want to be healthy......and this time I am going to do it.........tomorrow is my free day.......then I head into C1W4.............I have never gotten this far on anything I have tried in the past.........I am just happy....S
Well I need to get to the grocery store..........have a great day all......
Good morning everyone!
First off we did them sitting on the swiss ball (the big blue one). Spread your legs wide (like you're a guy watching the Super Bowl 
) and place your free hand on one knee, the arm that will be doing the curling in the little pocket on the inside of your other knee. When you curl, go slowly and with strict form, making sure your knuckles are facing the other knee (get it? I'm so terrible at explaining this...) Keep that elbow in the pocket of the knee at all times (mine tends to travel up the thigh if I let it!).
How is everyone?
