As far as the loose skin...well...the jury's still out on that one. As you probably know, I once weighed 265 (I'm 5'4"). As a result of that I have tons of stretch marks all over - on my hips, thighs, upper arms, breasts, lower abs - but they are getting lighter. I do believe that my skin has tightened up over the past 10 years, and I'm hopeful that it will continue to tighten up - after all look at Pam's pix... I do think everyone is different so we are all bound to have different results as far as the hangy skin thing. I DO think that doing a BFL type of training program really helps in getting your skin to 'shrink'. There's one gal on L&S who posts as "Hookie" (I might have the spelling wrong) who has lost a phenomenal 100 pounds and just started BFL. I will be especially following her progress as the hangy skin issue is really a priority for her...
I'm really hoping that the skin on my thigh area tightens up - my thighs are really baggy - but they've definitely gotten better since starting BFL!
thanks for the pep talk - I'm still giving it everything.
I notice that a lot of people get very sweaty and even nauseous after working out and while I definately get sweaty and puffed during my cardio workouts, I have never felt naseous, and I only get a little bit sweaty on my weight days.
I feel like I give it everything, and usually experience muscle failure, but I'm wondering if I'm not working hard enough?
what do you reckon?
I got offered a new job today (which makes it four part time jobs now) and I think I'm going to take it so that will add an interesting dynamic to my already very busy life.
thanks for your support
Carps
(didn't mean to end up with three shruggy things -
Hi Everyone!!!!! I have to scoot in and out because I've been at school all day and need to be in the courthouse at 8 so I have to go to bed but I wanted to say quickly:
Re: Nausea and working out. I usually have something light about an hour before weight training (1/3 Mylo lite or small oatmeal with some protein powder) but nothing before cardio.
Re: Week 4...WEEK FOUR IS, FOR SOME REASON, A HURDLE!!!
It happened to me and so many others. I actually got bigger in week 4 and was so depressed. I think it was from putting on muscle but the fat wasn't letting go. I think once you get past this, you will be FINE!!!! HANG IN THERE!
Re: Powerblocks. TH, I have the ProRexan set. I wanted one that I could expand but I'm not even CLOSE to that. I have a very small corner in my bedroom that they stack up on top of each other. I have my swiss ball between my bed and my wall and I just roll it out between the end of the bed and the other wall and do my thing. Except for walking lunges...then I walk around the house. Ouch!!! My only complaint is I always seem to put the base back in the outside thingy backwards and then I pick it up and they fall apart...but that's my own idiocy. Other than that, I truly love them. I mean I could NEVER fit all those dumbbells in my house (as the ad on the website says) and WHO WOULD WANT TO??? I LOVE the PBs and I can take them east with me this summer. I don't think I could take all the dumbbells I would need to to make up the PBs.
Split routine. Mrs Jim: do you or anyone on L&S split your routines especailly ubwo? I know I asked this last year but I am trying to figure out a logical split and don't remember the answer. tnx
Susan
#1 - chest/triceps
#2 - Legs (quads/hams and a little bit of calf work)
#3 - Back/Biceps
#4 - Shoulders/Abs/Calves
I always work in some supersets each day as well. They rock!!!
BTW this is also the same split routine that Pam Brown uses (laid out in the Energy article).
I agree with you on the Week 4 thing. After I saw my week 4 pix on the first Challenge and compared them to my baseline photos, I was this close to being discouraged and just saying "screw it, I'm not doing this anymore..." Instead, what I did was get out my little journal book and write down the GOOD things I was feeling - how much stronger I felt...how vital and healthy...how my clothes were fitting better...and then I re-read the book to see what I was doing wrong. Most of the things I needed to correct had to do with eating (for some reason, I thought that 'low-fat granola' was on the carb list!!!) and cardio (I had been doing cardio for 40 minutes rather than the 20 MAS). Once I made those corrections I REALLY started seeing changes!
Probably just a coincidence that I happen to be in W4 (or not) but this has been a tough week. Posted this at L&S too and now I know I'm not alone. No energy this week - my monthly visitor is here and I suspected it might have to do with that - and the green stuff at the back of my inflamed throat! I think I have what my daughter was sick with last week.
Horrible workout this morning. Couldn't complete the end of any of my routines. The energy just wasn't there! This is my first monthly visit since I started and after the feedback I received I think I will have to anticipate this for next month too.
Oh well, as long as I know that this will pass. Next week is bound to be different!
MrsJim, I know that your probably not supposed to change the routine in the 1st challenge - but your routine doesn't seem so long. I really find that UBWO takes some time. Would be nice to do just 2 body parts at a time!
Have a great day everyone! (someone might as well)
Well, my LBWO changed today and I became acquainted with the Smith machine for squats -- awesome! That was seven hours ago and I'm still wobbly!
After last week (W4) I was just about ready to try something else, too. My workouts weren't happening like I hoped, I couldn't see much difference in how I looked, and I was so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open.
But I re-read the promises I made myself from Bill's Mind Bootcamp and decided to tough it out one more week. I knew my workout routines would change this week and decided if I didn't feel any better, I'd join the other 90% of folks who don't finish...again.
I'm glad I stuck it out. This week has been 180 degrees different! I readjusted my food portions (I'd been eating chicken breasts that were huge and double helpings of grits) and refocused on making my workouts better. It's making a big difference.
I also think it took me the first four weeks for my body to adjust to being exercised, getting used to the exercises, the food -- everything. I posted and lurked, both here and at L&S and that support really helped me.
Good for you! Yes, week four and five were HUGE challenges for me. Like MrsJim said, I had to look at my food, change my routine (every 4 weeks), really hit those 10s and do cardio the way it's supposed to be done. I think that working hard for 4 weeks with what you think is little results can be demotivating. I had to go through it again and again. But I know it works like Hussman says...changes are taking place even if you can't see them YET.
I went to a teacher supply store and got all kinds of little stickies for my workout/eating notebook. I bought these sheets of little smilie faces in six different colors so I use one for each meal each day. I do stars for my workout and smilie faces for my meals. My little notebook is awash in color (yeah!) I love to pull it out at night and put my little stickies in.
I did "The swimmer" for shoulders yesterday. It's an exericse on the powerblock swissball workout shoulder page. You lay over the ball face down with your pbs/dumbbells in your hand palms down and then you circle them back around your back palms facing up and then back again (just like swimming).....OUCH!!!!!
Do I feel it this morning!
hope everyone is doing well!!!!!!!!!!!
running off..............
susan
Thunderheart - actually my routine (4 way splits) takes about the same length of time (sometimes longer) than doing the old BFL way. Here's today for an example.
Shoulders/Abs/Calves
Supersets - Reverse DB Flyes/DB Lat Raises
15 reps each @7.5#; 12 reps@10#; 10 [email protected]#; 8 reps @15#; 12 reps @12.5# with 30 seconds rest between supersets
Straight-Leg Calf Press: 2 sets of 20 reps@200#, then 3 sets 15 reps@300# with a 30-second rest between sets
Rotary Calf Press: 1 set of 20@90#
Seated Calf Press: 1 set of 15@90#
Abs: 1 set of 30 reps each: Bicycle crunches/Ab ball crunches/oblique crunches/Swiss ball leg lifts
But again, I must stress - anyone who is doing their first challenge - stick to the routines in the book. Think of it as a 'learning curve' - you don't go to medical school until you go to 'regular' university first, right? Think of BFL as set forth in the book as 'high school' and the 12 weeks as your 'semesters'. After you have the hang of it, then you can either keep on with the program as laid out in the book, or go from there...learn more from others...and decide where you want to go with this. Check out Pam's pix from her first 3 challenges - all done by the book. Most people (I think) would be content to be where she was at the end of the 3rd challenge...others may want to see how much farther they can go with this bodybuilding thing...that's the way I feel now - and why I'm pushing myself so hard! (believe me, eating 2 chicken breasts and veggies at 7 am is not my idea of breakfast - but that's how it's done...)
Thanks for the feedback MrsJim. Your routine does look like it would take just as long - if not longer. Just out of curiosity - if someone did want to stay a certain way (like after PamB's 3rd challenge) - what would they do? Is there a maintenance routine or do you just stop adding weights?
am I working hard enough?
I think it was from putting on muscle but the fat wasn't letting go. I think once you get past this, you will be FINE!!!! HANG IN THERE!
I love to pull it out at night and put my little stickies in. 
