Whooohooo! Get ready for July

I finally slept and feel almost human this morning. Yesterday was an almost total write-off. I think my sole accomplishments were getting through the day on food plan and buying a hallway rug which I'll be returning today . Never managed to do cardio, just dtaying vertical was a challenge

This is a weird week work-wise. No clients today, but 6 tomorrow. I've got a lot of errands to run (like returning that rug, taking ds to the orthodontist, library, groceries, and a chest workout and CARDIO, piles of laundry...) but I'm actually looking forward to getting them done. The last two days I've been so sleep deprived all I could do was moan about how I couldn't do anything

OK, off to the races!

Have a good one, LWL!

Mel

Hey there, Mel! Glad to hear you finally got some sleep, which is definitely one of those things you notice almost exclusively in its absence. Weird how you almost start hallucinating after a while!

Things are going well here. I ate (ok, and drank beer) like crap this weekend, but that was somewhat offset by ridiculous amounts of city walking and my regular gym visits. Did a kick-*** leg day yesterday, and I FINALLY tried using a squat bar rather than just doing body weight squats (incidentally, I don't like squatting with dumbells... don't know if I'm too short or what, but it really seems to throw off my balance!). I also added some dumbells to my lunges. I know I'm a wuss compared to you guys, but I'm finally getting over my fears of taking my weights workouts to the next level. Legs are appropriately sore today, according to the patented Meg/Ilene "toilet test."

I'm pretty excited about how the strength training is affecting my body these days. I look so different than I did at the same weight "going up" -- so much tighter and stronger. Of course I have got some of the fun extra skin that depresses me when I think too much about it, but I'm starting to like my shape! And the belly dancing/swissball/lower back work has created a nice layer of muscle around my midsection under the [shrinking] layer of fat. I know you're there muscle; almost time to come out!

Hope everyone had a great weekend and survived the crushing heat!

Hi Teapot!

Good to see you upping the weights. You will be pleasantly amazed at how much better and quicker you get into shape when you add weights to your workout. And don't you just love that sore feeling. It really lets you know you got something done.

Mel, glad to see you finally slept. I hope your workout today is awesome. I can only imagine what type of cardio / torture you will try today.

I got up this AM and did cardio via my man Billy. Cheer practice tonight, wash and style DD's hair (read arm workout!) and then off to bed by 10:30.

Tiki.

Hi,

Great to hear that Mel is having enough sleep and teapot - great for you to see changes in your body due to weight lifting...

Tiki - you are like inspiration to me - every time I want to "skip" my gym I see that you already did it today and I just goooo....

I have a question for you guys... I am noticing that my body changes but in the wrong direction - I get all muscles and I barely fit into my jeans. Like when I am biking it seems to make my legs bulky... I mean, I have tons of hills on the way and I can not avoid them, but I also want to slim down rather than bulk up. Obviously I have to change my diet... Which way? More protein? Or more carbs? Or even less fat ? My main problem is that wherenever I use fit day it gives me weird numbers and the result is: I am having about 50-60% carbs, 10-20% protein and around 30% fat. I think I have to shift towards more protein -what do you think? Darn, I read about all those sucess stories here and I just have to screw it myself! Like I exercise a lot, do cardio, lift weights (I can do butterfly with 12 pounds dumbells now) and what? My body grows? I am a bit disappointed... Any advices?

Cheers,
Sandy.

Sandy- There are a few proponents of higher carb diets for muscle building, but most people would suggest that you need more like one gram of protein per pound of body weight. For muscle growth, you are eating a very low protein diet! Since that's what you are used to, I'd suggest first changing it to 30%P/50%C/20%F for a few weeks, then move to 40%P/40%C/20%F and see how that affects your body composition. I don't think you are getting enough protein to support muscle growth. You are also doing a lot of cardio...I know you're training for a tri, but that burns muscle. A few years ago I trained for a marathon and my body fat % actually went up

Yay sleep! I had a great chest workout, then did Bust-a-lung cardio on the treadmill. Felt great

Teapot- (ok, not for this weekend, but in general) You're doing great! Try doing a single dumbbell squat where you hold one dumbbell with both hands between your knees. Hold the plate at one end of the db. I find that much more "centered" than holding 2 dumbbells.

Mel

Hi LWL - just breezing by to let you know I am here, working out, and eating clean in addition to all the other things going on. Just had a great shoulder and back workout and short run. Found out my Pilates instructor is changing her schedule so I need to figure how to move my schedule to meet hers - sure love doing it 2x a week - will figure out details after the holiday weekend. Lots of running around this week, but putting a lot of the stresses that have been weighing on me to bed, so it is worth it.

Susan - I love your "incentive plan" - go for it! I hope you are up to speed real soon. It sounds like you are making tremendous progress with the PT. I'd say give yourself the necklace now for sticking by your convictions and showing up as regularly as you have since your surgery. You are back on track!

Sandy -I know I have had problems eating enough protein recently and have really been trying to make sure 30-40% of my calories are coming from protein. It has been tough, but is doable. I have found by having protein ready for me for lunch and snacks helps. I try to always have tofu sliced, cooked and in the fridge and this week I have a container of tuna and garbanzo beans and diced tomatoes whirled through the food processor with garlic and spices and a little Olive Oil and red wine vinegar waiting patiently. I also boiled a dozen eggs and will pop out the yolks (yuck) and have those for snacks, too. For me it is all about immediate access.

Teapotdynamo - I, too am constantly amazed at how my body looks since I started weight training in addition to cardio. It is the "miracle drug" we have all been searching for (as far as I am concerned). Congrats on the squats. Woo woo!!

Tiki - you and Billy seem to be pretty committed I am proud of you for keeping at it! Especially with everything else (and 2 children - yikes)

Mel - sleep is wonderful, isn't it? I am going to have to try your "bust-a-lung" someday - maybe it will be my goal after the marathon (don't want to risk injury - yeah, that's my story ...)

Ilene - I am thinking of you ... *hugs*

Hi LWL,

Mel -great you finally got some sleep !

I am still sore from my LBW last sunday, and I'm planning to do UBW tomorrow, and get evenmore sore arms !!. Today I did 5 kms on the treadmill. It is still hot out here, and the normal scedule is out of the window with schools almost but not quite out.

Yesterday was a waste cardio wise: I had an appointment to bring DD to the optometrist for a new prescriprion for glasses, and after like 10 minutes the optometrist says "yes, she needs new glasses, come back for a new appointment where I can put drops in here eyes and measure what she needs". And the next appointment is available in July, which works out at end of august because of the holydays. I was sooo mad because they did not scedule this when I made the appointment! The point is, as they explained to me, they do not scedule this as a routine as not every child needs this, only the kids that need new glasses. So what do these people think I make an appointment for ??? I never go to the optometrist unless she needs new glasses, so I totally fail to see there point. Enfin, I have spent the rest of yesterday morning phoning around to different eyedoctors to find me one that could do the measurement earlier, and I managed to get myself sceduled now for this afternoon instead of end of august.

To illustrate my point: I made the first appointment somewhere in early may with a 6 week waiting period and I find waiting again to end of august ridiculous for getting a prescription for glasses. Sunday I picked up DD at het camp, and she did not recognise me at 5 m ( about 15 feet) !!.

Enoug of the BMW for now, but I had to get that out of my sytem! I get SO fed up with health issues like that. Dutch healthcare is supposed to be good IF you have the time to wait till its your turn, which can be long and quite frustrating.

I might be able to up the cardio another bit today, if I find time and my sore legs don't protest too much.

Have a great day all,
rabbit

Mel - thanks for the idea w/ the dumbbell squats, I think I might try that. I always feel off balance when I'm holding 2 dumbbells.

Ellen - is there a more detailed recipe for the tuna/garbanzo bean dip thingie? That sounds right up my alley and very yummy to keep around.

I'm good - had Nia class last night and weights tonight and tomorrow. Then I'm heading off to visit family for a long 4th weekend. It'll be great to have a break from the craziness at work.

hello - i'm new here and have some 'lifting' questions, altho with my newly diagnosed hernia, not sure what all i can really do at this point, but getting some hind sight i think will help me when i can really start lifting again.

i have a ventral hernia which is just above my belly button. the doc says i am not to lift anything heavier than 20# and not do anything that puts pressure on my abs. :P

i'm 47, weighing roughly 145 (depends on whose scales you use...) and my body fat is much higher than i'd like it to be. i want to burn fat and gain muscle. i've been lifting, this last stint, for about 1.5 yrs.

i have a power-lifting guy friend who helped me put together a work-out routine (his wife is my work-out partner altho not as 'in' to it as i) and, with the exception of a week off for family reasons, i've been using it for 8 wks (this is the last week of the routine). my gains have been small - IMO.

its set up to do 10-12 reps for 3 sets. now even Meg said my routine was 'interesting', lol, but ^shrug^ my PL friend put it together and he is huge so i figured it'd work for us. maybe not... it is basically an upper/lower body split (altho others have questioned its 'split'). we work out M-T, Th-F at 530 in the morning.

the first 2 wks look the same, but we do a different exercise each of those 4 days. then the next 2 wks are the same, but, again, all exercises are different. you repeat the cycle 2 times. so in essence, you would do the same exercise 4 times in an 8-wk period. make sense so far?

now for the lack of progress. bench press i started at 7 lbs added on each side to the 45-lb bar and did 10 reps for 3 sets. thats all i could do each of the 4 times i did that exercise. no increase.

seated calf raise - started at 20 lbs per side and 'worked' my way up to 25.

cable pull-downs - started at 40. was only able to increase it to 50 lbs yesterday by going fewer but more intense reps.

now as i look, there were some increases. mostly upper body:

DB upright row - started w/12 lb DBs and worked up to 20s

DB close-grip tricep - started at 8, worked up to 15.

so, hmmm, maybe its not as bad as i think it is?

i am so learning, thanks to meg and others, that nutrition is so vital and i have continually sabatoged what i know to be good eating habits about twice a month, one of those times being cyclical. so i have committed, about a week ago (AGAIN) to eat 'clean' for 30 days. i am keeping track on Fitday and i am watching the calendar so my 'cycle' doesnt sneak up on me so that i am prepared when it comes and i wont slip!!

upon asking for help on the IronOnline forums, it has been suggested since i cannot lift too heavy (i was still able to use 105# for the standing calf lift...), that i try a 6x6 lifting routine. the low-down on that is you have 6 reps for 6 sets with a minimal amount of rest time in between. maximum of 40 seconds, but leaning more toward 15-20 seconds. so i'll be working up a new routine utilizing this concept starting next week. and i will use the same exercise for at least 6 wks, not changing them every day.

can anyone see anything i might change or do differently to see results i want to see?

oh, i am going to have surgery to repair the hernia, BTW. i cannot imagine not being able to lift a bag of dog food or my DD for the rest of my life!!!

thank you!

Hi Karen Glad to meet you

OK, I have to admit that I don't understand your workout You do an upper and lower body split twice each week? Hmmm...that would be overtraining for me, but if you aren't lifting anything over 20 lbs, it's probably not an issue. I think that's where your lack of progress ('tho you did prove to yourself there is progess) is coming from. I know two other women with ventral hernias; it didn't affect either of their lifting, but you need to do what your doc says. One woman had hers repaired and was back in the gym within a week or two. The other, who is an occaisional workout partner of mine, just has ignored it and lifts hard and heavy. Guess it depends on the location and severity.

I think until you can lift without restrictions, you should just concentrate on doing the program you've got and keeping your nutrition as clean as possible.

Welcome to 3FC! As Ilene says "WE LUV NEWBIES!"

Mel

thank you, mel. i just had the hernia diagnosed over a week ago. before that, i was lifting as heavy as i could (not too heavy, IMO... i could only bench 45 + 7 lbs per side and squat - um - 45 + maybe 12-15 lbs each side).

i just read an awesome journal of a gal 54 (?) who took on a challenge in january to squat 150. in january, she was wobbly under the 45-lb bar. yesterday, she squatted 150 10X!!! but she had an awesome coach!

that is soo interesting that the gal you know w/the hernia continues to WO!! my doc 'bout had a cow when he found out i was 'lifting'!!! i have an appt w/the surgeon next tuesday...

and you think upper/lower split 2 X wk is too much? right now, i'd like to use M-T, Th-F for workout days. but i'm interested in what you have to say! i want to get stronger. i want to burn more fat. i'm listening...!

Hello all, I'm so proud of myself. I ventured into the grunting section today to try out the squat cage. Didn't put any weight on the bar and only gave it a few reps because to be honest, I'm not sure what the proper form is. Here are my questions: 1. What should my feet position be in relation to the bar? e.g. directly under, slightly in front, way in back? 2. As I squat, how far down should I go? Thighs parallel to the ground, butt touching calves, somewhere in between? 3. Should I keep my feet (including heels) planted or is it OK to come up on my toes as I go down?

Here's my next question: besides squats & lunges what are some other good free weight lifts for legs? I feel like I'm getting a good UBW but I feel like I'm ignoring my lower body a little.

I went up to 15lb DB's for my chest presses and found them for some reason to be more controllable than the 12.5's I was using - YAY!

Thanks for all the advice ladies.

welcome to the squat cage!!! did you love it? i learned how to squat by checking out the exercises on the ExRx website (but didnt i read here there is a better site?) ^shrug^

you are going to be standing straight up, feet directly underneath you. if your feet are shoulder-width apart, you will work more of the outside of your thighs. the further your feet are apart, the more inside of your thighs you will work.

strive to go at least thighs parallel. i love to go all the way down!

i've been taught 'good mornings', 'dead lifts', standing calf w/bar, so many you can do. just start wandering around the exrx website; they have pics of everything and description and what muscle it works!

Julia and Karen: Krista Scott-Dixon has an exposition of squats with photos on her website. www.stumptuous.com It's in the 'iron' section and called something like 'dork vs diva' (that's our Krista for you!).