Oh Lydia! Too bad. Not much you can do now though. At least it sounds like the pansies are safe. :)

I have managed to eat clean so far today - a good thing after the last 2 days! I'm off to the gym for another run at Week 3 of C25K. If I can't do this one, I'll move back and do another couple sessions of week 2. Saturday we have a long training session for TNT - but it's at an indoor track instead of the :tread: so I can run without the blankity-blank track . :lol:

Hi LWL,

Still on track with the workouts. None yesterday, but I did power class and yoga today. My shoulders creack and crack, they are definitely not limbered up yet. And I'm already getting sore. That makes 7 hours of excercise for this week. I hope I'll be able to keep it up and get myself to bike to and from work.

Lydia - too bad about the tulips!
pat - I admire you! You got me interested in the C25K, I might get into running again if this spell holds.

I have rediscovered again...once you excercise a lot you actually beghin to like it !

have a great day all,
Rabbit

Oh No Lydia! My son did that with all my daylilies and lilies when he was about 4 and 5. I think I really did just sit in the garden and cry :cry:

It's beautiful here today, and I'm done training for the day. Did my back workout this morning- kinda light because I'm having one of my (thankfully) rare fibromyagia flares. It always gets me mostly in the hips and lower back. I still need to do cardio, but I also need to bake for this blasted progressive dinner that seemed like such a good idea three months ago, and clean my house. Between being done a long stressful week, feeling achey, and procrastinating about cooking and cleaning, I'd like to either go to sleep or go face first into some horribly destructive food.... Old thought patterns are near impossible to break!

If the township would come clean up the salty, gravelly streets, I'd try rollerblading again :D

Mel

Hello everyone. I got the chin up bar in the mail today. Haven't installed it yet. I am very excited to hang there for the next few months.

Got a new book today Lou Shuler and Alwyn Cosgrove's "New Rules of Lifting" Lots of fun reading and it has pages of routines in the back. A great book for a beginner I think. But what do I know I am only a beginner.

I love new toys.

Tried to do some lower body after the run today and it went ok.

Interestingly enough the book adressed the issue of running and weightlifting. His reccomendation is to put them on the same day though he is a bit unclear of which to do first. I get the feeling that its weights then run.

Then he proceeds to say that this long workout everyother day probably won't work for most normal people and every other day is fine as long as you are pushing yourself in only one area.

Of course I am such a beginner that there is no way I could not push myself without staying in bed.

I have yet to fully decide what I am going to do. And I don't mean this in any permanent sense, I am talking about next week. Still giving it some thought.

Thanks for the Kudos Mel. I think a good mindset is probably the most important thing. And it takes almost as much work as actually doing all the physical stuff.

I am very impatient about the new scale. I weighed in at 160 today. You see my problem is I really want to move the ticker. However I don't want to have to move it back in the next week. Silly mind games. I know it doesn't matter but I love to see my dear little armidillo move towards his goal. I almost love it more than looking at my quickly disappearing gut. If that's not silly I don't know what is. However it is what it is and so I (im) patiently wait.

Guard those flowers ladies. Spring is here!

Do U Have Room 4 A Newbie?
 

Hello Everyone!

I've been periodically checking back to this section of 3FC and was wondering if you have room for one more participant?

I just started up on thyroid meds and think they'll be regulated soon and I'm itchin' to get back in the gym (once the energy level returns) to start lifting again. Unfortunately, I've been away from weights (besides a basic leg curl or shoulder press here and there) for almost 2 years (I've been sick for that long and just diagnosed 2 months ago). Soooo....I'm really going to need a lot of support and guidance to get back on track.

I used to compete locally as a lightweight bodybuilder, but after my last show in 2004 (where I dieted for 17.5 weeks because I didn't have time to do much cardio) where I completely bombed...I lost the fever for the pump. Now I'm totally soft, my abs....heck, Superman couldn't even find 'um with xray vision....I used to be able to throw up 45s for shoulders and leg press close to 400 pounds. Now? Struggling w/20s and can only push up one wheel on each side of the sled. Unbelievable. :wl:

Anyway, If you have room for a newbie from Michigan, I'd love to get some encouragement as I start back on the road to weights. I of course will promise to return the favor! Melinda

Welcome Melinda! :welcome3: And welcome back to the gym :) I'm a firm believer in "muscle memory", so now that you've got your meds on track, I'm sure your muscle will be along shortly :D And don't let what you used to do discourage you from doing what you can do now :hug: I used to sling and push insane amounts of weight for someone my size and age, but have lightened up so that I can still walk and rotate my arms in ten years. No, I don't have Ronnie Coleman legs anymore, but I really don't want them, either :o

Two years to get diagnosed? yikes! You must have been going crazy and feeling pretty lousy during that process.

Do you think your hiatus from the gym was a long post-comp let down or being sick or both? I've never competed, but train competitors occaisionally and I spend a lot of time talking to them about rebound and burnout. It really seems much more of a rollercoaster ride for women than men.

Anyway, welcome to the Lifting Corner! There's always room for more ;) What are your goals now? Are you instending to compete again or back to the gym for fitness and because it feels good?

Hikershick- Got that bar installed yet???? I doubt you'll just be hanging there for a few months :lol3: if you can't do pullups (don't worry- 99.9% of women can't), do negatives. See Krista's site for a good explanation. Or take a good heavy rope and sling it over the pullup bar. put some knots at symmetrical levels in both sides of the rope. Plant your feet against the door jam, lean back holding the rope just above a set of knots in each hand and do pullups. they are more like bodyweight rows. The lower the knots, the harder the exercise. Keep your body FLAT with your abs and lowerback.

I just put two cheesecake in the oven without even tasting the batter! they looked right :)


Mel

Mel, I'm laughing really hard right now because this is exactly the kind of thing I do.

Just relax and enjoy the company you will have over the weekend. No one is going to notice if the rugs are vacuumed or not. Don't bake unless you really want to. Find a really great bakery or order desserts from an upscale restaurant, bring them home just before the party and put them on your own plates. They will be too busy eating and chatting to care. In fact I would dare to say they might be wondering how you could look as awesomely fit as you do and still know your way around a kitchen. :lol: Drive them crazy and eat cheesecake in front of them. :lol3:

Hickerchick: OOOhhhhh. TOYYYSSS. Let us know how you do with the chin ups. I think that was on my resolution list for the New Year as well. Good luck with that. Thanks for posting the new reading material. I think I might search that one out too. About that armadillo, it will move. It just needs a little time. In my case I lose once a month or every other month and about only three pounds at a time. :dunno: I think the weekends are to blame mostly. :dizzy:

Melinda: OMG :yes: we have room for more one participant here! And :welcome: I will love to hear about your previous experiences as a lightweight bodybuilder. 45s for shoulders! I am so not worthy...

I'm guessing your were diagnosed as hypothyroid, right? Me too. I've been on meds for two years and feel so good I think someone should just slap me sometimes. :devil:

Don't be too hard on yourself about not having the energy to lift the past two years. No, really. I remember all too well what that lack of energy is all about and not only was I exhausted but my hair started to fall out, I gained a lot of weight, and my personality was altered as well. Within a week of taking the meds I felt so much better. I really hope the same for you. Give it a few months though and ease back into things slowly. :hug: What a relief it must be for you now to have a diagnosis and the ability to correct it at this point. :) Keep us posted with how you are doing, okay?;)

Have a great weekend everyone

Oops Mel, you beat me to it. So you did make cheesecake? How did I guess there should be a cheesecake somewhere? Weird.:dunno: Okay. Have a great time!

Mel:

Thanks sooooo much for making me feel at home already. Wow. You just made my whole day! :) Ronnie Coleman....I haven't been keeping up on the Olympia stats...but I think I lost count after he won like 8 times in a row! Phew! Glad to hear you don't have Ronnie's legs! :D Though I do have to say...I always used to strive for Shawn Ray's abs!!! I LOVED hitting the rope crunches and using a wooden pole to do outers on a decline bench (rotating side to side while maintaining distance off the bench and tapping the pole to the ground in the rotation).

Yeah, you posed (no pun intended :lol3: ) an interesting point. I think I got really burned out after the last show..and since I didn't place well it crushed me. I did everything wrong though. I dieted waaaaay too long and subsequently lost a good deal of muscle. I came in looking flat and my ribs were showing. It really wasn't smart. BUT, at the time I was working three jobs, 7 days a week and it was tough to get in my training, posing, tanning, etc. But once you start the diet down, it's kind of hard to quit-especially if you've paid entrance fees, etc.

Anyway, it's not really known what causes the hypothyroidism...but I wonder if I didn't start things down that path during that process before the last show. I've been progressively feeling worse and have gained 25 pounds in the past year alone. Usually in the "off season" I weigh about 120 and train 4-6 times per week. I lost a lot of enjoyment in the gym I was going to, it eventually closed down and I was a woman w/o a home (ok, so that's me being dramatic :D ). Then, the past couple years I've just been drained...and 2 months ago I did some reasearch of my own and requested the blood draw to test for hypo.

My biggest hurdle right now is getting over myself. What I mean is that I am so ashamed right now at where I am fitness-wise, that even on days where I have the energy to hit the gym, I'm mortified that I might run into someone that "knew me when" and they'll be shocked to see I'm all flabby. In my mind I know that is ridiculous, but that's still a challenge.

I agree w/the muscle memory. At least, I'm really counting on that! I'm thinking of starting out slow w/lower weight and some higher reps and incorporating cardio to get my endurance back. Then when everything is regulated start pushing myself and going back to 2 body parts per day (except leg day).

Lastly-thanks for the hug, it was much appreciated! I have soooo much more to babble on about and I want to read back and catch up on where everyone is at in their goals...but I'm about to boogie on out of here and will touch base next week again. Oh, speaking of goals-my goal for this weekend is to just get to the gym and do something.....I can always nap in the afternoon if I have to, but I feel the need...the need.... FOR SOME PUMPING IRON!!!! :lifter:

Thanks again, Mel (AND Lydia-I just saw your post on my way out the door-I promise to touch base with you too)! Melinda

WOW - had a whirlwind of a day, but nothing really for the ME who needs it.

Passport photos taken, application completed, fedexed off today with the check. Ipod Shuffle purchased, songs downloaded, time spent with online chat helpdesk, shuffle maniac now present on this forum.

New PDA Treo for work calibrated and set-up. Took dd's to library for a "kick off spring break" party. Which are so lame, according to them. hmph Glad I won't have to spend any more time registering them then! Amazing how cool 5 year olds are these days. The 7 year old I never had hope for, but she's a good sport at least and keeps her yap shut about what she thinks.

And then, spring break then next 11 days, no school until 4/11. I'm going to be wearing this ipod alot I think.

Fran are you going somewhere?!

I need to get a new passport photo taken soon for my new passport. DH and I may be going to Montreal in June so I need do it soon or wait until afterwards to do it.

Hi everyone,

Welcome Melinda! Congrats on getting back into a routine. I think it is harder mentally when you used to be able to do so much more. But you have come to the right place for support on your journey. Soon you will feel like your old self it just takes time.

Don't get me wrong I have never been fit. But I have been a "comeback kid" in other areas. Most notably music. I went back to music school after over 10 years of being out of practice. For that it took me 6 months and then I made considerable improvements. I imagine it would be similar with another old skill. Muscle memory is pretty amazing. The key is being humble enough to give it time to get back to where you used to be.

Fran, you must have a girl. My 9 year old boy is most definately not "cool" however it could just be him.

So I was going to wait for dh to help me put the bar up. But I thought "hey I am a strong woman I'll do it myself" but all this positive thinking didn't really help I got the screws about half way in and then they would turn no more.

My husband got home and he couldn't do it either. But he has one thing I don't have....Power tools. OK well I could have gotten out the power tools too. I just don't think like that. Anyhow we got it up (albeit a bit crooked) and I was right I will be hanging for some time.

Thanks for the tips mel. I am afraid I am too weak for even negatives. Well I can do negatives and it takes me a full second rather than a half of a second to come down with a thump. I am exerting much strength but if you blink you would miss it.

I rigged it up so I have 2 stools that I hop between. I try to use my strength to hold myself long enough to get me feet on the box ahead...then back on the box behind. Backwards takes longer and makes me work more.

I felt so pathetic last night but woke up completely sore so I must have made progress. I will feel better when I can do the negatives.

I will try to rope trick on my beam outside. That will be fun.

Scale came too. Weight 164.8 Not bad but it doesn't reflect the 2 or three pounds that I know I lost. Still at least Mr. Armidillo isn't forced to retreat.

Body Fat? I don't even want to talk about it. Yesterday it told me 40 percent!!!!! At least this morning I was 38.5% in the over fat but not obese range. I know its just a baseline but you have to wear an emotional suit of armor to do this kind of thing.

Interestingly enough when the scale thought my husband was a woman it read him as 36.5 percent body fat but when he put in man it went down to 18.5 That's a big difference. I don't get it but it sure ticked me off. I think I might be over it by now.