My legs are so sore today and in 3 hours, I'll be running. Help... Please...

Rock and roll Nellie!!

Hello everyone. I do not like weight lifting but it's time to add it to my work outs. So that I can be well rounded , well... well muscled

To that end... it is my goal to follow along and learn.

Right now I am running regularly. For some arm definition I will take along two or three pound handweights, if I am doing a "shortie."

Has anyone used the work outs on cable tv? I'm going to check those out

-so thanks in advance chicks,

Kitty
looking to learn a bit and develop a love for lifting

Careful with the hand weights while running (or walking) as they can lead to shoulder and other joint issues. You'd do much better to put the weights in a belt around your waist or wear a weighted vest. You might do fine with hand weights, but I just wanted to pass that on! Welcome to the forum - it's really not that bad lifting. Soon, you'll be like me, lifting those 35 lb dumbbells for your deadlifts and roaring out "RRRRAAAAHHHH - I am strong!!! RAAAAAAAH" which terrified my kids, but they got over it.

Nelie - probably too late, but warm up well and stretch before you do your actual distance. Then stretch really well when you're done.

Well it was a really busy weekend and first half of the week and I'm finally trying to catch up but wanted to jump in and say I'm still on plan with my NRWL program. I can't believe how quickly I'm progressing. I just move better and my energy is up. I'm finally back into the looking forward to working out as soon as I walk in the door rather then just wanting to flop. I'm starting to feel like me again.

Yay! Evangeline! Isn't it great how quickly changes make our bodies feel better? (and conversely, how quickly that all can go away )

Cardio done, abs,back and chest at lunch, Two clean food days in a row

Have a good one,
Mel

I finished reading NRLW and I really enjoyed the text. A lot of good sense in there. Next step is to actually plan the workouts, home vs gym, the wheres and whens and how to schedule it in with the rest of my insane life and all that. I dislike gyms. I'd soooo much rather be outside--probably why running has consumed me. I think I'm going to go for 2 workouts a week instead of 3. With all the stresses I have to deal with, my running, the occasional biking, constant chasing of children, and total lack of anything resembling a good night's sleep, I think I'm going to need the extra recovery time. Oh yeah, and my age advances. I'm hitting the big 4-0 next year.

I may think about where I might have the space for a home "gym" and ask for some pieces for Christmas. I have a nice collection of dumbells up to 25 pounds already. Wonder if I can squeeze a bench & a pull-up bar in somewhere? Too hot for the garage in these parts and I just gave my spare room to the boy. I do have access to a decent, free gym at work, but knowing myself, I'll be more consistent if I have another option.

And sigh, the food plan. I am resolved to try to add some more protein to my diet. I just never feel great on a high protein diet and start to feel sluggish and bogged down if I eat a lot. Except for the occasional days with cravings for red meat or milk (which I always honor since they are unusual and manifest differently than junk cravings although I can't explain that), I'm probably currently a 15% protein kind of diet. I guess I can start bumping the plant-based proteins, dairy and eggs in that order since they are the easiest to tolerate. I'm not so excited at the thought of whey powder, since powered calories are about as appealing to me as liquid calories, and even though NRLW recommends it, I'd really rather eat something instead. Anybody have any experience or recommendations along these lines? Nelie, are you still on a vegan diet? How do you handle it?

Anne

Anne,

I originally felt just like you wrt the protein shakes but without them, I never get a reasonable amount of protein into myself. Even with the whey protein, I am not consuming as much protein as I should.
My whey protein comes at the price of 150 calories (although I am not a calorie counter) but it provides me with 35 g of protein. I think it is a good trade-off.

Alena

Anne - I follow a vegan diet and I do work protein in but I don't really use powders or anything.

I do eat things like -
Soy milk (9g ? of protein per serving)
Bob's Red mill high fiber hot cereal (9g ? of protein per serving)
Edamame
Nuts (some, not a lot)
Quinoa, amaranth, couscous and other protein rich grains
Beans (lots of beans)
Leafy greens
Fruit (bananas have some protein)
Tofu (some, I am not good at cooking it)
Soy yogurt
Seitan (I'm making some tonight in fact, can't wait)

I get about 100g protein/day.

So last night was running class. We do warmups before class and stretch well after class. My legs felt better this morning and today is a designated run day but I'm going to push it off until tomorrow.

This morning I did yoga, stretching and some foam rolling. My left inner thigh killed me with the foam roller. Tonight, I'll do some stretching and some of my physical therapy exercises.

Ditto. I started out with a personal trainer in Feb and kinda panicked at the thought of protein shakes. But then I thought---I'll do it for 6 weeks. I can do anything for 6 weeks. Now protein shakes are one of my staples. I just don't like meat all that much. I do eat a lot of beans. I also rely quite a bit on eggs and cottage cheese. I will eat shrimp and fish fairly often and turkey and chicken, even though they are not my favorites some days.

But with the protein shake I can get 35 grams of easily digested protein without a lot of extra additives and calories....and I like the chocolate and cappucino ones so they hit those tastes/cravings for me. I also am generally resistant to drinking my calories and powdered protein shake smacked a bit like the concept powdered infant formula. I am a huge fan of natural whole foods and all that so it challenged many of my deep-seated beliefs in food and nutrition. But now it really is a staple in my nutrition plan. Even when I'm not hungry I can chug down the protein that I want for my goal.

ETA PS, Anne, I am considering ditching grains from my diet for a couple of weeks based on the Refuse to Regain thread. This nutrition thing never seems to stop evolving for me.

I like the idea of RAAAAAAAH- I am strong. What a great example for the kiddos.

Thanks for the info on potential joint issues. The weights I occasionally use are the type that you can strap around your ankles. But I fasten them closed and slip them into my hands so they go around my palm and back of hand.

This morning I did a power sculp exercise tv cable workout with my 3 big boys (6, 4, 4) and my 2 year old kinda hung on me for a part of it. Then, thankfully he left for a nearby distraction. I used 5 pound handweights and can see myself adding 8s in the next go around.

Tomorrow I have a long run planned and maybe I'll get in some weights in the evening. The idea of am and pm exercise seems great, but I am really tuckered out by nightfall. The couch is sooo inviting.

Anne -- Linens and Things is holding a going out of business sales at the Foothills Mall. Two weeks ago I was in there and they had a bunch of those chin-up bars that they advertise on TV. The ones that work on resistance in a doorway. I don’t know how good they are but just thought I would give you a heads up incase there are some left and you are considering them as an option.

I’ve got my cardio done and I’ve got workout B scheduled for this evening. Dinner is leftovers so there should be no issue with me fitting it in before we eat.

Oh, sweet! I should swing up there and check it out. I might give it a shot if they're cheap. I have a half day off tomorrow and will be in the area before picking up the kidlets. That'll also give me an excellent excuse to go hang in the Barnes & Noble with a coffee for a while. Thanks for the tip!

Thanks also for all the protein tips! Good things to think about. I think there's a Vitamin World at Foothills Mall too. Maybe I'll see what if anything they've got in terms of protein powder. Hmmm, now I'm shopping at a mall. Yes, skinny latte, no brew pub and/or chocolate factory. Visualizing myself just walkin' by...

Anne


Anne

Anne,
I have been looking at the chin-up system at Linen 'n Things myself but I also found out that Walmart's regular price on the same item is cheaper than a sale price at Linen 'n Things.

Also, be careful - all their sales are final (because they are going out of business) and I had a heck of a time convincing them to exchange DEFECTIVE milk frother - they would argue until cows came home that the receipt clearly states "no refund or exchange" - but I would have never assumed this applies to defective items as well.

This is shaping up as a very good week - I was at the gym Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, I am going tonight and of course I will going on Sat and Sun as well. I am liking this BFL challenge.

Lydia - are you sitting down? - I bought PINK dance sneakers for Zumba (could not get any other colour for my mammoth feet). :-)

Alena

Yes I am! That's great Alena! SHOES! More Shoes! Don't you just love it when a new sport or hobby gets you a new pair of shoes to add to the collection. I think your point was that they were pink though, right? Are they like my pretty pony pink? Just kidding. Hope you enjoy them. By the way, my cycling gloves are (clear the throat) pink. Weelllllll.... they match the pink/lavender trim of my bike. I was going to get the water bottle and matching jacket as well but decided it was too much with the matchy matchy. See...there is a bit of girly girl in all of us.


I dare you to post a snapshot of you in the shoes to the forum.

Fran: Thanks for posting your review of the workout. I think these are great for those days when you don't have time for a regular workout or just need something different! I've been thinking about puchasing the PX90 to use at home when I get snowed in. I'm so leery of these things though. Anyone have experience with this set of workouts? Oh and by the way, it's raining here today. Looks like you will have a lovely weekend.

Anne: Good luck with the pullups. I've been thinking adjusting mine from horizontal to actual vertical. You know, like they're supposed to be done. I would need a ladder to reach the pull up bar at the gym so I'm thinking about using the squat rack and setting the bar to the right right for me. Does anyone know if this is unsafe or just unwise. I don't want to bend the bar with my bodyweight pulling it down between two pins. Any thoughts? I guess I could request the big guy in the office to have a set of steps for me but I doubt I would get it. Not to mention how silly it would look for me to bring a step stool with me to do pullups. Okay. I'm rambling here. Sorry.

Had a great workout the last two days. So good to feel healthy again.I threw in some leg extensions I used a machine, after my squats and wow are my quads sore. I swear I can differentiate each quad muscle not by sight (that will never happen on my bod) but by pain!