Okay you guys!!!

All your goals set? Food prepped? Your workout gear set out for tomorrow?? JAZZED UP?!?

Let's DO IT, TROOPS!!! We be the LADIES WHO LIFT!!!

(Not leaving out the males of our group - sorry!)

actually, i already started yesterday, but who cares !!!

i'm sooooooooo pumped now !!!

WE BE DOING IT !!!

women and men together as a rockin' group

see you all later.

adriana

Good morning, all! Day One of Camp and I am ready to rock! I want to work out as hard as possible, do cardio as intensely as possible, and most importantly (‘cause this is my downfall), tighten up on the eating as much as possible. I have to cut out those “BLT’s” (“bites, licks, and tastes” as we called them back in my Weight Watchers days — yeah, I watched my weight go nowhere but up!). So my plan is to hit the gym at 8:00 for a half-hour on the elliptical after DS goes to school, get groceries, bake four dozen chocolate chip cookies for DH to take to work (don’t even ask why), then go back to the gym at 1:00 for shoulders with my trainer — I ran into him this weekend and he said that he has some “wicked” ideas — then 30 more minutes on the treadmill. I will NOT pick at or taste anything not on my menu for today! I’ll probably end up brushing my teeth a lot and doing the Listerine thing — then I don’t want to put anything in my mouth!

Karen — are you sure that is the right link to Jim’s new band? I think it’s a link to a church in IL … Does the band gig mean that you get to go on the cruise??? Now THAT would be an incentive to really get into shape!

Laura — it makes such a difference if your gym is close by — mine is 5 to 10 minutes away, depending on traffic (about a mile and a half or so) and right next to my grocery store, so I am there twice a day one way or another. They joke that they should just give me a shirt and let me work there since I kind of live there anyway.

Deb — welcome to another in the big loser club! And yeah, we then get that membership in the loose/excess skin club, don’t we? I’m getting rid of some of it through plastic surgery , if you are ever interested in details.

I like the idea of changing the Forum name to Bodybuilding/Weight Training. If that sounds “too hardcore,” perhaps switch the two names so it is “Weight Training/Bodybuilding”?

Everyone have a great first day of Bootcamp and report in your successes! I plan to sit down here at the computer after dinner and tell you all that I didn’t eat anything — not even a speck — that wasn’t on the plan for today.

Meg

Hi everyone

I just thought I would de-lurke just to say that day one is done! I did HIIT for the first time in months and even did all 8 sprints (sure they weren't as fast as what I did them before but that isn't the point. ) Eating was 100% and it even tasted good for a change.

I hope everyone has a great day!

Jayne

Will be starting tonite! I'm looking foward to having a group to work with..imagine all the advice we can pass around and the education we're going to get from each other!

Tell me a bit about your plans? I'm still forming mine today since I won't be working out til I get home from work today. I'm just not a morning person, much less work out hard at 5am!

Have a brilliant day!

Hey girls

How is everyone? Ned I ask?! Boy with all the posting here this weekend all I had time to do was lurk, I had so many comments, but I was so long winded that I would have been on here for hours....

I was up at 4:45AM, did cardio HIIT, and chest....

Yesterday I didn't go skiing, was in a B***h of a mood, I have no idea why but I was very cranky, I was barking at everyone.... I hate being like that but just can't help myself sometimes ... and like the majority on this board I too am going through the perimenopausal thang!! I find since I have been eating fairly clean since January I have not had the mood swings as much. What i have been getting for the last 2-3 years are sporadic periods... jumpy legs at night, I take calcium and magnesium and vit E for that, it helps alot... then loss of memory, omg that is the worse i want to say dog I say cat, I want so say here I say there, I don't remember ANYTHING....Very frustrating... I also get warm, not hot flashes tho, hubby can't get close to me at night at all....
or even put his hand on me because his hand feels like it's hot where he puts it and I start to sweat under the hand...Anyways he can never snuggle anymore...

Karen -- I hear you on the used jeans in the thigh area... even at my smalest I could never get rid of that...

Meg -- BLT, I can so relate to that... I'm much better than I used to be about it , I still do it at times, specially if I go longer than 4 hours w/out eating...

Well I have to go... Will be back later...

Oh My I almost forgot to welcome all the newbies.... How lucky we are to have this group....

Oh and I was just chatting with Niffer and we are taking some pics for this BootCamp... Anyone else doing the same?

Oh now I really have to go... Later all.....

Just wanted to add that I've read the "Wisdom of Menopause" by Dr Northrup, very good read for those in the menopause stage...helped me alot...

I have my clean eats packed and sitting in the fridge here at work. I am still in the middle of the schwarz. princp. so I will start incorporating that nutrition into my daily life when I finish it up (maybe tonight). I actually am taking today as a rest day because I have done the last 3 days as lifting days and frankly I am sore! No matter which way I move something hurts (good hurt) and so I need to rest. I will be going to the health food store on my lunch and buying my oats in bulk, getting some olive oil and flax oil and whatever else I run across that I need. I am so sick of faltering lately and eating 90% clean....I am ready for this bootcamp! I am in for some rough times, trying to kick my sugar addiction, but I need to do this!

Mel - I read your post about your shoulder on the other thread and I am sorry to hear about it! I have only done this once and went to physical therapy for 4 weeks. Right now I have been out of therapy for 4 weeks and have been making steady progress. My weights are pretty light, but I haven't had a flare-up in a week and a half now and I am pretty damn excited about it! Did you read the post that sailnmuffin posted on L&S? She posted a rotator cuff exercise that I tried on Sunday and it was tough, exhausted my whole shoulder area and it didn't hurt at all. Of course I had to use only 2.5lb weights, but my shoulders were shaking afterwards! If you didn't see it I can email you the word document I put it into.

Day 1 will be a success for me ladies....I will succeed! This board rocks!
Jamie

I started off my morning with cardio as planned (spinning), and am downing my third glass of water for the day (besides the liter I drank during spinning, of course).

BIG ACHIEVEMENT LADIES... drumroll please... I am sporting a TANK TOP at the office today! Doesn't sound like much, but to me, it is a HUGE deal. and guess what else? It's TUCKED INTO MY PANTS! I cannot tell you what a huge deal this is for me. And honestly, the only thing that was holding me back from baring my arms before were my stretch marks, but boy does Vitamin E oil improve their appearance :-)

On a sour note, though - as I was juggling several things in my arms while trying to unlock the side door at the office this morning, I DROPPED my tupperware container with meal #2 in it, and it spilled EVERYwhere. So, will have to run home around 10:00 to grab another meal (grrrr....)

Lanaii (I don't *think* this is your actual name, but rather just a screenname, so I apologize for the informality!) - I'll be taking photos as well. I plan to take them tonight and again before Easter.

Thanks for the warm welcome!

Karen, I like your forum name change idea-Bodybuilding/Weight Training.

It's so hard to believe that someone could treat a horse the way that Norman has been. It's cruel! I hope something works out for him soon.

Susan, congrats on your graduation!

Maggie, I couldn't believe it when I saw someone here from Meadville! I was born in Butler, and Meadville is filled with my relatives! You probably know or have heard of some of them.

Sel, I don't think my breasts ever really saluted! In my case, I don't know as it is something I need to worry much about though because I've been losing a cup size every year and I figure in another year or so there won't be anything left! Well, probably the skin will be there! Geeez, what a pleasant thought...

Mindi, your workout plan is the opposite of mine! I'm planning 4 days cardio, 1 day weights. It's sooo frustrating not being able to lift!

Meg, I'm very interested in learning more about the surgery! I'm ready to start asking for donations! I'm so broke right now it's out of the question, but I am going to do it sometime. There is no way I am going to work my butt off and then just settle for having loose skin. That's enough to depress anyone!

Lana I have the sporadic periods, but not the rest. At least not so I notice. I'm not looking forward to it.

I need to take pics to send in to the BFL Challenge. Yesterday was the end of 12 weeks and I could use the $250 from EAS.

Jamie do you recall the thread title at L&S? I'd like to check out that shoulder exercise.

CONGRATS COLLEEN!!! I understand completely how big that is-it's one of my goals to wear sleeveless tops and feel comfortable doing it! Tell me more about the Vitamin E oil.

Day one, cardio this morning. The Firm Maximum Cardio video. It's 45 minutes of interval training. I do it without weights right now, usually with 5 lbs. DBs. It gives my calves a great workout.

My plan for Boot Camp is in my journal. I may change my leg workout, but haven't researched it enough. Maybe I should do ABC's Freaky legs again? Or check out a fat-burning workout. I need to avoid free weights as much as possible right now so my tendonitis has a chance to heal.

I've got today off and have tons to do! I never got around to doing laundry yesterday (not my favorite thing to do) so a trip to the laundromat is on my list. Big food starts today! I need to make chili for this week & see if I can fit the larger portions for work into my little cooler. I hope I don't have to start taking the big one everyday!

Have a great day!

Deb

Deb: I don't know if the E oil is actually helping, or it's just my perception, but it does a great job of moisturizing my skin. I had been using shea butter previously, which is also a great moisturizer, but didn't really improve my skin's appearance. Also, I'm not sure if the E oil is actually improving my skin, or if it just looks better for the period of time that I have it on my skin - but at any rate, certainly makes me feel a *lot* better. I purchased a small bottle of it at Wal-Mart just to try it out ($4 for 2 ounces) - you can usually find it in the Vitamin section.

Good to see you here Deb. Did you start cycle 3 of Body Rx yet? How is the new job going for you?
Here is what sailnmuffin had posted on the L&S board....whew it was tough!

From Sailnmuffin:
"This is especially good for rotator cuff rehab, but as I said before it works the whole shoulder area & a lot more besides. And all this, without any lateral shoulder movement at all!
Bench press w/ extremely light weights - the goal is not to work your chest so much as your RC area. For me, the barbell bench press is 60lb. (yep; 45 lb. bar plus a total of only 15lb. of plates.) Don't worry; by the 4th set of these you'll be impressed. Use perfect form, pause for a full second when barbell is on your chest. Do 8 reps, then immediately get up & do the following shoulder circles:
Face forward w/ 5lb. (or, if REALLY injured, start w/ 3lb.) dumbbells, one in each hand. With arm straight but elbow NOT locked, just ever-so-slightly flexed, raise your right arm forward, palm down. Keep raising arm over your head, & keep rotating naturally backward until you come to the front again. Your hand will also naturally rotate a bit, that's OK. As you rotate backward w/ your extended right arm, turn your torso to the right, too. It'll feel like a totally natural movement. The whole circular movement should be done to a 4-second count. It'll feel like a backstroke in swimming. Do 4 circles this way, then 4, 4-second circles on the same side with the direction reversed, i.e., you'll turn your torso to the right as you move your right arm backward, then up to over your head, then down in front. This will feel like the crawl stroke in swimming. Even though you're turning your torso somewhat, your body should remain upright, i.e., not "leaning into" or away from the movement. So, you've now done 8 reps on the right side. Without resting, repeat on the left side. That's one set. You will find that with repetition, or simply with the exertion of the dumbbells, you will bring your obliques & lower abs into play, to complete the shoulder circles. For me, my rear delts are weak so the reverse direction is most difficult for me, & by the last few reps of the 4th set it gets pretty hard.
Now, without resting, back to the bench press for 8 reps, then shoulder circles 8 reps, then repeat until you've done a total of 4 sets of bench presses followed by 4 sets of shoulder circles. No rests whatsoever until all 4 supersets are done.
The first couple supersets seem pretty easy, but you'll feel the exertion by the last couple. I use 8lb. dumbbells for the shoulder circles, but I'd advise anyone new to this exercise to start off w/ no more than 5lb. Until you get the form down; also if there's any significant pain in any part of your shoulder joint, you'll want to lighten up the wt. even more. The cool thing is, though, that all those little shoulder joint muscles get strong pretty quick, & you may see some pretty quick strength gains. Aim for a BFL "level 7 or 8" intensity.
And, please enjoy."

This is quite a workout. While right now I cannot even bench press 45lb's, I just stuck with what I can bench right now. I hope to work my way slowly back up to 45lb +, and I also only used 2.5lb wrist weights for the shoulder circles. My shoulders were shaking afterwards!
Jamie

LANA !!

i know EXACTLY what you mean sweetie !! i was in a foul mood for a few days and that's just NOT me. i pretty much stayed to myself so i wouldn't get in anyone's face, but still it's hard staying away from 5 kids all the time.

i feel a whole lot better today. i'm getting a bit tired of all these ups and downs. and my period seems to have gotten lost this month too !! i'm guessing this is just the *real* beginning of the road for me. yuck.

take it easy,

adriana

Kicked booty today!!!

I'll have to make this short. OMG you are right about the band website - I forgot the hyphen http://www.souled-out.net

Jim will make his debut with the band in May for a wedding in Napa - he has 60 songs to learn first (most of them I expect he's familiar with anyway but...)

I'll post more later - gotta have something to eat (making taters and eggwhites right now...)

ZILLA & RICH !!

are you wonderful men joining us in Boot Camp?

we all hope so

take care,

adriana