Good morning ladies--
Sounds like everyone is doing so well and is posting so much in the last couple of days! I love to check in and see so much excitement!

Mel--Meadville is located in the boonies in northwestern PA, about an hour and a half north of Pittsburgh and half an hour south of Erie. Quiet little town, very unexciting, but beautiful scenery, good hiking, biking, and canoeing. I had to smile at you getting caught on the leg press (not that it's a laughing matter) but I had to "rescue" a woman on the seated calf press last week at my gym. She didn't yell, though, she just kinda stopped my when I walked by...have no idea how long she could sit there like that

I had an awesome run yesterday at the park. It's finally cooled off here, no humidity, lots of sliver-white clouds and bright blue sky. It was windy-cold too, which made my run very nice. I caught some of the TV coverage of 9/11 yesterday, watching the survivors and family members of the victims was almost too much--I am so thankful that I can get up everyday and make my body healthy and strong and lead by example for those people I do come into contact with.

Today is my low-carb, lowest calorie day of the week. This program is TOUGH, but I know I'm getting results. I'm down another pound, and am fitting into pants that when I bought them a couple of weeks ago were a little too tight in the butt. But I had to have them and knew I'd get into them in the next couple of weeks. Love that feeling of confidence when I'm shopping.

Colleen--I always take one day off a week from exercise. The most I'll do on my day off is walk my dog or go swimming or some kind of leisure cardio like that. Otherwise, I'm lounging around, reading a book, or cooking up my meals.

Mox--I am so proud of you for owning up to falling off the wagon! It takes a lot to admit to yourself (and others) that you have made a mistake. I say, the faster you can admit it and recognize it, the faster you'll move on. I agree about the planning--it's really a key to success in BFL.

I see so many people in my life who desperately need to clean up their lifestyles. It breaks my heart to see my parents, so unhappy, so unhealthy. My mom's cholesterol is through the roof, can't take any medication for it (bad side effects), has no clue about good fats/bad fats. I TRY so hard to help without inflicting guilt (like "you're not going to be alive to see your grandchildren.") Stuff like that just doesn't work...my mom knows that I am here to help her when she's ready. What good would it do for me to be depressed and then eat when I get upset about it? Nothing. Somebody posted about this on L&S last week I think--the best thing that we can do is lead by example and help people when they're ready to cross their own abysses. It's hard to remember that into action, but I really do believe that it's the best thing to do.

Take care and have a great day!
Maggie

Mel,

that picture is HORRIBLE! :

Hi everyone!

Today I get my hair cut (it's almost to my waist and I am thinking of cutting it to shoulder length)...

I just got back from the gym. It was so nice in there this morning. No blaring music and everyone who was there was serious and quiet.

QUESTION: the smith machine is still out at the gym. I have been doing hack squats instead and can't seem to target my glutes with it. I keep hitting my quads and sides of my legs. Any hints on leg/foot position or where to stand on the plate? I tried a few different positions this morning but never managed to get it right. I was so frustrated I actually walked away from the machine and accidentally forgot to rerack my weights (I HATE PEOPLE WHO DO THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I had already exhausted my quads and really didn't want to keep hitting them over and over again....any suggestions?

Thanks!
Susan

Y'all have been chatty!!!

Mel - I'm going to have to be a BIT more patient - haven't seen that photo yet. slllooooow connection... and JC is quite right - I too have found that I've had to drop my weights a bit while doing CPB. Actually I kind of switch between low weight/high reps and vice versa anyway, just to mix things up a bit - keep the muscles guessing

Susan - I've NEVER been able to get my hair to grow past my shoulders - it's way too fine. And when it gets longer, it loses body and just hangs there like a limp Shih Tzu. I don't use the Hack Squat machine often enough to help you out with that question - I remember just putting my feet in different places. If memory serves, I think Arnold's Encyclopedia has some photos in it and descriptions of foot position - if you don't own the book check your library, they should have it!

Maggie! I just checked my menu and this is MY low day this week too! It started great - I got a WHOLE cup (uncooked) of oatmeal (I cooked it of course) and 6 eggwhites (menu said protein powder but I'm running VERY low on it right now - time for a trip to Trader Joes). That's the only complex carb today - the rest is just protein and veggies, veggies, veggies...fortunately my boss is in a meeting all day...

I am so bummed! No riding lesson this week because Dee has a show. Our other riding instructor is showing as well - she's currently ranked as one of the top 5 junior riders in our region. Maybe I'll be able to persuade Jim to take me to the show! Gotta have my horse fix ya know.

Colleen - I agree - ya need a day off. But that doesn't mean to sit around on the couch (happens to me a lot on Sundays though - it's the cat's fault - he snuggles right next to us and falls asleep and we feel GUILTY getting up and disturbing him!). Especially on a nice day - nothin' wrong with a lil' ol' Leisure Cardio - bike ride - brisk walk - horseback ride - skating...whatever...winter'll be here before we know it so ENJOY!

JC - Regarding coldness: When I was on Optifast (800-calorie a day liquid protein medically supervised fast) back in 1990, I was ALWAYS cold...I agree the carbs (or lack thereof) were the reason. I think carbs are like kindling wood - they catch fire and warm you up quickly (However so many of us just eat way too much kindling!) Protein is more like those huge logs that you can set a match to but they won't burn. You need kindling to set things off. Crappy analogy but hopefully y'all know what I mean. Fortunately on CPB a low-carb day is always followed by a higher carb day!

WHEW!!! There, I think I'm caught up a bit. I'm DEFNINITELY feeling/seeing some progress in the ol' Pants-o-Meter!

Hope everyone has a really good day! I'll be checking in again, don't worry!

Mel!!!!

Just saw that photo!!! I guess jogging is out for her (unless she wants a bruised forehead). Ow ow ow!!!

Luckily it's a high carb day for me. I worked with a boxing trainer today just to break up the routine- thought I'd do it as cardio today LOL! Here's what we did: 3 reps each set, no break between sets, 6 sets, rest 2 minutes, do it again. Very last set to failure. Rest 2 minutes, proceed to next exercises.
1) bench press to dumbell flies on swiss ball to pushups
2) lat pull-down to slamming the 10 lb medicine ball onto the floor as hard as I could to low cable row
3) side raise, to lateral raise to db row
4) tricep push down to barbell curls to bench dips.
THEN he says "ok- time to work on endurance" and we trot into the aerobics room (BIG room) and he has me crab walk as fast as I can 2 laps around the room. Then I do 20 things that look like squat jump up squat again (knees just loved that). Then I panted for 2 minutes. Repeat crab-walk torture. 25 jumping jacks. Jump rope for 60 second. At 45 seconds I was stumbling....very out of breath...."I thought I was in pretty good condition" gasped I...."You are-" he said. "no one else every made thru all the crabwalks on their first workout with me before." YES! I don't know if I want to repeat that torturous routine again or how to fit it in to my regular split but he guarentees it will melt off bf if I'm eating clean, too.

And drinking water

mel

Thanks for the cardio advice. I think I will continue to do cardio daily, as long as I feel like it. I was worried that I might be overdoing it, but on "off" days, my cardio tends to be more leisurely, so I should be fine. I never would have believed five years ago that there would come a day when I would be upset if I had to go a day without cardio! But I'm like you, susan - if it's a habit, then I'm good. But if I go two or more days in a row without working out, those two days can easily turn into a week. I'm very much a creature of habit. Woohoo Meliris! Good job on lasting through the "torturous cardio!" Mrs. Jim: My first thought upon seeing the photos was "ow" as well! :P

Hi Ladies!
Another good day for me! Clean eating and just finished my cardio! Whoopie 2 days straight. I made up a big batch of rice and beans yesterday and precooked some chicken and lean ground beef. All I have to do is mix my portions and I'm all set. I do find myself very hungry though - my body definitely knows when 2 hours has gone by. I am hoping this will subside somewhat once my body gets used to the regular eating again. I made some of my regular standby's too for quick consumption and very little prep.

I definitely need a free day - although they are nothing like my 1st challenge anymore. I really like knowing that there is a day coming that I can eat whatever I'm craving - I don't do well with long term deprivation of treats.

Hey Mel - that sounds like quite the workout! I couldn't help but chuckle - the image of the woman you posted in the "drink your water" picture trying to do the crab walk just gave me the giggles.

MrsJim - I've heard you mention that your new favourite meal is the pancake with egg whites and oatmeal. Do you cook your oatmeal first or does the oatmeal cook right in the pancake?

Well gotta run - bedtime for the kidlet!

Keep the bus rollin!!!

Well I am having a great day here in sunny Sydney. It's a high carb day so I am bouncing off the walls. I have gotten so much work done this week it's crazy. I am SURE that my brain works faster on this diet?? I feel soooo efficient. I am enjoying a lovely lunch of lettuce, chicken, rice, salsa and flaxseed oil all mixed in a salad. This week has been great. I ended up leaving work early yesterday so I got in my missed workout from the morning. I have hammies/chest tonight after work which will be great. I love bench press and deadlifts. I jumped on the scales last night and I have lost another 2.5 lbs so things are going well. I wore my jeans to work also (casual day) and they weren't snug at all. I even got to wear a belt with them which I haven't done in a while.

LIFE IS GREAT!!

wcolleen: I always have and always will take one day a week off. I think it is essential for your body to recover properly. My day is Saturday. BUT that doesn't mean that I will say no to doing leisurely activities like going for a walk or to the park etc. I just take the day off from planned exercises such as weights and hard cardio. I always take my dogs for a spin around the block before going to bed with hubby (yes even at 10pm) - we do it to empty their bladders because they sleep inside with us. It's good for hubby and I as well because some days we are so busy we don't even get ten minutes together. So we have that quality time together before bed.

Mel: that picture is GROSS. The workout sounds cool though.

Maggie: the program is TOUGH isn't it? It's worth it for the progress you make though.

Susan: GO FOR IT! I have long hair as well but it grows like weeds so I regularly chop it all off to my shoulders. It's very liberating. Luckily mine is thick and healthy so I have no trouble with body or limpness and it's dead straight - my friends hate me for it.

MrsJim: I like your description re:coldness. It was so funny last night was my second low carb day in a row and hubby cuddled up to me in bed and said 'My goodness Jacque your skin is like ice!' I laughed and said ' low carb day honey' - It's the reason for everything these days.... Then I told him to hug me to warm me up and he said that I would make him cold as well! But he did it anyway.

Thunder: I NEED a free day this week as well. Luckily it's tomorrow for me. When I make the pancakes I put the oats in uncooked and blend it all up before cooking. I don't know how others do it though.

Glad to see that everyone is on track! Have a great weekend everyone.

JC

JEC: I did a very intense LBWO yesterday (about 24 hours ago) and took about 6000 milligrams of glutamine when I got home and I feel much better today. So I think that upping it is the key.

Mel: Thanks for posting that routine. Is it 6 sets of every exercise or 6 sets of the 3 combined?

Hi everyone!

Yesterday my yoga mat came (so definitely yoga on Sunday!!) and my workout gloves. I go back and forth on the workout glove idea but last weekend my hands were so sore after UBWO.
I couldn't find the pair I used occasionally before so I got a new pair. They are nice. I can't wait to use them today!

I need more glute exercises! Any suggestions?

I did cut off my hair! It was almost to my waist and I cut it to my shoulders.

It used to be that I could grow it back to my waist in about a year but my hair growth has slowed in my 40s so I don't think I'll ever get it that long again. Which is fine by me.

I never thought I would "outgrow" my hair. It's been long for so long and when it's freshly highlighted and styled people (strangers in stores) tend to comment on how pretty it is. (was!) I told a friend a year ago that my only "great" feature is my hair.

I think that I could never have cut it if I wasn't feeling good. I don't look as good as I feel, but there are changes going on and I'm glad for the "lightness". (Hey, I should see if I lost weight! )

Anyway, that's a lot of news about my hair, but it does all play into working out and feeling good.

After reading Parakeet's re-intro, I realized I was demotivated a long time and really struggling (mostly due to my school schedule and stress of being a law student) and now that I am back on track, I have new found appreciation for the benefits of working out! I'm not focusing on inches lost or areas that are tightening up, but just how GOOD I feel on a daily basis.



Have a good day everyone!!!

Thanks!
Susan

Mrs Jim: I finally had a chance to look at the Lift for the Cure pix on L&S yesterday. I was doing the internship from **** while it was happening and didn't get to the pix. You look awesome!!!!

I love the beginning of these high-calorie days on CPB...

Check out my first meal:

6 eggwhites
1 cup (uncooked measurement) oatmeal
1 cup blueberries
1 Myoplex Lite

Oof! That's a lot of chow in one sitting.

Of course I made the first three ingredients into a Pamcake! (Oh BTW - I use dry oatmeal when making the pancakes - combine the eggwhites, oatmeal, a packet of Splenda, a few drops of vanilla extract (thinking about buying some vanilla bean to see what the flavor is like), add about a half-tablespoon of whole-wheat pastry flour (just to kind of bind it together - I like Bob's Red Mill brand) and use my Braun handblender to whisk it all together, then fold in the blueberries (you could puree them in but I like whole blueberries in mine!). I get my nonstick skillet smoking hot, turn the heat down a bit, spray it with butter-flavored Pam (actually I use the Safeway brand - way cheaper!) and make one big ol' pancake. MMMMMmmmmm.

So anyway, I'm still stuffed!

Well, like I said, no riding lesson tomorrow but Jim is taking me to the horse show on Sunday in Vacaville...which should be fun!!!

Susan - just now getting a chance to look at those pix, eh? You have a LOT of catchin' up to do, gal! As far as glutes, does your gym have a Butt Blaster? Those are soooo great. The gym I used in Miami had one and I was using it every single day just for fun...there are two types, the kind you get on all fours and push your heel up and the standing type. When our company gym was recently remodeled, I was happy to see that they put in a standing-type Butt Blaster. Now if only my 24 Hour Fitness would put one in...

Anyway, ya want some killer exercises - check this link out:

http://www.testosterone.net/articles/165ham2.html

I can highly recommend "Frankenstein's Leg Curls". OWWIEEE!!! Here's the description from the article above (but I do suggest checking the article out as there are photos).
JC - I think I'm gonna have one of those bouncy days myself!

On the way home from the gym this morning, I ran into Squeaky (our name for the black-and-white girl kitty that hangs out in our neighborhood). She was being a lovebug so I spent some time petting her for about five minutes. Came home and of course Sparky was ALL OVER ME. Sniff Sniff! Of course he's fixed, but I think he's in LOVE or at least intrigued. Squeaky comes into our back yard from time to time since we have the birdfeeder and get a lot of birds, squirrels and a few rats (the squirrels usually chase them off during the day). When she shows up, Sparky just goes bananas. She just sits primly and looks at him!

Thanks to everyone who posted such positive replies to my "me-bad" Wed. post. (I had trouble logging in yesterday for some reason, so I couldn't send my thanks -- although I was sending all of you positive psychic vibes, so to speak).

After my little food-fall on Wed., I did get back on-plan right after and have been eating clean since. I need to get my exercise intensity up, but I know that will happen.

One of the great things about this site is that everyone gives such great support and advice. Although I "knew", rationally, that planning was important, it didn't really sink in until I was confronted with being stressed AND hungry and not having anything clean on hand to eat. Now, like Thunder, I plan to make sure I have something (even if its a bar) in my bag for those times when I'm out and about with no other good food in sight.

I also have some time this weekend to re-read the BFL book, work out some new exercise routines, and PLAN, PLAN, PLAN. Half-way through my first challenge, this seems like a good time to review why I'm doing this and become re-motivated.

So, thanks again everyone! Have a great day and weekend. Peace, Mox

P.S. Susanje: I know how stressful law school can be; if you ever have a law-related question, feel free to contact me.

I'm sore.
I'm hungry.
My jeans are looser.
Time to eat.

mel

ow ow ow ow....Mrsjim: I did that leg curl exercise. OHMY. It really really works. You can feel it. I got through 3 very painful sets (3 on each leg). BARELY. Thanks for the tip.

They removed the smith machine from my gym (don't know if it's being repaired or gone for good) but because the gym was so quiet (I was there at 4:30) I did a free standing squat. This might not seem like a big deal to anyone else but it is for me. I'm always afraid I'm going to tip over or something like that. I have trouble with those HUGE bars....but this morning as I was on the leg press, I watched this very small woman doing it and thought I could/should too. So I did! It was great.

Last night I did shoulders/chest/tris and tomorrow back and bis!!!
Then I'm going to swim until it's time for yoga class.

I love these FIT weekends!!!!



Susan

Hi,

How is everyone? I'm doing good.

I'm so sorry I don't get a chance to post more often, this week once again has been sooo busy and by the time I read everyone's post, I'm tired and I just have to get to bed because I won't be able to get up for my 5am workout! And I just know you girls would NOT want that.... I feel a bit out of the loop because I can't get on more often, but that's ok, I'm reading all your great posts, and I am extremely proud of everyone and happy to be here when I can...

I'm eating clean, and exercising regularly... and feeling really good too...This weekend we are painting I got an interior decorator to come in and help us this time. I think I'm going to really like the colour she chose, it's a light khaki green, it goes very well will all the antiques we have... We're antique buffs... She's going to come back to put pictures up and place things around, I'm really excited about this, she did an awesome job at my g/f's places....

Tomorrow morning I will go biking, it's looking to be a very nice day... I think I'll get up later than usual and go for a good bike ride...

Well girls, keep up the excellent work and I sure do hope I get to log on more often this week....

Well it's almost eleven, and I'm really tired.... Later all.... take care...