Lucy (I didn't even know your name before this!), I've been stuck working out at home since my van is still not running. I don't have a bench at home, but I've been able to fake it with a 2x10 plank of scrap wood. I lean it against a kitchen chair to do incline stuff, or lay it across two chairs to make a bench. The ball is useful for a lot of things, too. You'd want some sort of DBs that are heavy enough for you, and a barbell and plates is handy, so you don't have to do it all with DBs.
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Good ideas, thanks!
I'm keeping Sunday as my deadline.
Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
Posts: 2,296
S/C/G: 235/201/175
Height: 5'7"
Lydia, thanks for the video. For some reason, I was thinking the plates were passing underneath behind the arms, but passing them in front looks hard enough! I'm with Pat on the slider one...um...you first! Probably a good chest workout, though!
We did not ride bikes today. My sister showed up and visited and we missed our chance to get there and back in the daylight. The boy caught a ride with my sister to the library, so at least he got to return his book on time.
I did do the sled pull this afternoon, after it got dark. I had to wait for dark, so the neighbors wouldn't know I was mental. I pulled the tire around till I got warmed up. I pulled the empty sled for laps around the front yard, pulling forward 3 laps and (walking) backward 3 laps. Holy butt-burners, batman! Pulling backward was a whole 'nuther level. I added 30 lbs of plates, and went again. Made the 3 laps forward, only 1 backward. Added 20 lbs, got 3 forward, 1 backward again. It was fun to do something different, and it beat the heck out of another set of DB squats!
Fran & others, I'm considering joining in the BFL challenge. I'll go hubting for my book ( I think DS borrowed it) and checking if I can use my upstairs landing again for my sports equipment. Do you fill in the daily charts in the download format each day? Because that is like printing out 4 pages every day! I would prefer a format that is more like a table for multiple days, but maybe i can set something up in excel.
So, I have good news and bad news. I went for a fitness assessment at my gym. Yes, I'm sure their point is to try to get you to buy some personal training sessions but whatever. The assessments are free and, as it turns out, I can go back every two months if I want to track some progress.
The good news? The cardio assessment put me as elite...yay! The bad news? I'm still fat. No really, not the number on the scale but the BF test (which almost made me cry last year) had me at 31%. I don't want to believe it but I guess it could be right. I still absolutely see the fat but I also look in the mirror and see someone in decent shape. And 31% had me in the "very poor" category. That sucks for someone who takes going to the gym pretty seriously.
I'm taking it more in stride this year. She's convinced that I could get down to around 24% within a few months. I don't know and I don't know if I have it in me. I know that I'm not paying for 10 personal training sessions for what they charge...even with their "payment plan" option!
The trainer was young, pretty knowledgeable and won me over a fair bit when she told me that she lost 60 lbs. doing the BFL program! Imagine that. She's a big fan. And no she didn't lose that in the 12 weeks, I think it might have been more like 6 months or so. I was happy that she was familiar with the plan at least, and had actually done it.
Maybe this is the sign I needed to join the challenge??
Pat - Happy Anniversary!
Lydia - thanks for the links! I was actually doing some planks during my fitness assessment and showed her this new move. She loved it and said she would use it with some of her clients. I'm sure they'll thank you!
Sounds like it's time for boysquats! I do it with my 70 lb'er and 50 lb'er (not together). She climbs on my bike like a piggy-back ride and I do squats instead. They think it's a hoot! Then there's the baby version of putting them on their bellies on the soles of your feet and see if you can leg press that into the air! (while holding their hands of course!)
Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
Posts: 2,296
S/C/G: 235/201/175
Height: 5'7"
Mel, hope you had fun with the skiing!
Nothing near so exciting here today, but I had a good UB lifting workout at home, and tried Lydia's plank thing...that was good, and just the right amount of challenge I was looking for. Thanks, Lydia!
Depalma, I checked out the gymbox sites online. What a cool place. Loved the human weights.
Cheryl: Glad you liked the plate switch plank. I did this again today and found that it really just makes so much noise. It drives me crazy but no one seems to mind too much.
Elisa: Great job with the cardio! Really. Your bodyfat assessment also is causing me to purchase a bodyfat analyzer for myself. It's been two years since I've done it and I'm really curious/concerned. Keeping in mind that it is not a perfect tool for measurement I'm looking for a trend from winter to summer to see if there are any changes.
You know, I wonder. Elisa, how would you describe your cardio sessions. Are you doing interval work at least three times a week if not four? I'm just wondering if you were to increase your interval training in either frequency, duration, intensity you might find yourself at a lower bodyfat measurement at your next reading.
For myself, I've become comfortable with doing only two or maybe three intervals during my session when I am capable of so much more.
This week I really focused upon interval training. It's been a while since I paid attention to the intervals, frequency, duration, how I felt immediately after during the recovery. It's been a while since I pushed that hard but it really did make my workouts feel more effective. Slowly experiment with this. I did discover that when I pushed really hard numerous times during one session I was looking for my towel during recovery. I felt okay during the interval, but during the immediate recovery my stomach began to do flip flops. So, just know where that point is for you. Don't want to cause any embarrassing moments.
Oh, and Elisa, I'm glad we could spread the joy of these planks with your trainer. ~sigh~ It warms my heart to think of so many other people doing these too.
PAT! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! My goodness that's wonderful.
Mel: How was the ski workout?
Ennay: YOU DID WHAT! HOW? My goodness, you just so causually say "popped" your hamstring. OMG. I've pulled the top of my hamstring before. That is miserable. Are you doing okay. Are you able to sit? Drive? I feel for you. I pulled my doing a few too many downward dogs last summer.
Feel better soon.
Lydia - thanks for the kinds words and your thoughts are interesting. To be honest, I found the "elite" cardio and "very poor" BF fascinating when I really don't do too much cardio these days. Strange.
I never really thought that I could reduce my BF with more intense interval cardio. Anyone else care to chime on on that? I was thinking that I would have to up the strength training. She said that I should be looking to lose about 9 lbs. of fat and gain the same amount of muscle. No idea how much effort or time that would take.
I like to track the numbers too. Anyone have a link to a BF analyzer that they have or could recommend? I think DH would kill me (just another thing to obsess over) but shhhh....he doesn't have to know does he? I think I would stay motivated if I saw some change.
And how fun everyone is loving Lydia's planks!!
Fran - yes, I hear you!! It does seem like the planets are aligning for me, doesn't it?
Elisa: Nine pounds of muscle? Really. Anyone want to guess how long that would take? I've heard somewhere that when a woman trains really well for a year she may only gain up to five pounds of muscle.
Nine. That's almost double. I'm only pointing this out for clarification to anyone who may be better informed about this than myself. I really don't want you (Elisa) to be disappointed if nine pounds of muscle isn't developed within the time frame you may be expecting. It would be very discouraging and disheartening if you were expecting your body to do something that from the beginning is very uncommon.
I hear you with the thought of increasing your weight training in order to lose bodyfat. You are correct that weight training is going to assist you with losing the bodyfat. It certainly was the missing variable for me. Here's the reason why I think that it worked, it's anaerobic in nature.
Anaerobic exercise helps to elevate our metabolism long after the workout has been completed. In the case of weight lifting it also allows us to build muscle which as we all have learned is more metabolically active.
We know that cardio is important for heart/lung health. It improves our bodies efficiency to getting the blood moving to the places it needs to be to feed our tissues for healthy growth and repair.
Most often when people think and perform cardio they are thinking of steady state cardio. Doing the same thing at the same intensity for the same amount of time. Rhythmic without interruption. Great for meditation. (smile) Not so great once the body acclimates to the demands of the cardio as the body is so apt to do.
When cardio is done in intervals it also becomes anaerobic in nature much like weight lifting. We can only sustain the interval for a few moments because we are not using as steady supply of O2 to move. Rather we are tapping into our muscles for ATP stores and glycogen in order to complete the movement. The rate of activity is to quick for us to properly use O2 as a fuel source. When those very limited stores are depleted we begin to feel immediate fatigue/failure and we must stop. It's right about then that you feel a little queasy.
I'm not suggesting that you go quite that far. However, I think it is interesting to look at cardio as an opportunity to progress into an anaerobic state as well. Just as we can need to change our lifting program every four weeks because our bodies are just so well engineered to adapt to the changes we also need to change our cardio sessions as well. We can look at intensity, duration, and type of activity.
It's also a lot of fun. Especially when everyone else is behaving themselves so nicely on the treadmills with their well disciplined 30 minute runs day in and day out. I think that steady state is great for a recovery day and for maintenance. However, if you want change, you have to move heaven and earth to make it happen.
Below are some links that I found interesting. There are so many more though too. For the record, I'm not suggesting that we all become cardio bunnies. Strength training rules in my book for weight loss. However, cardio is another variable and could be approached in other ways that may facilitate fat loss through an increase in our metabolism as well.
One final note. I will admit that when I am working more in an anaerobic state I get really hungry. This is a problem and if you are extra tired, stressed, or without a plan for food, it could cause you to trip on your good intentions. Just my experience but wanted to pass it on. I like to think that it's that great fat burning furnace at work when I'm feeling that way and I'm just hanging in there until my next "feed"
The bad news? I'm still fat. 
No really, not the number on the scale but the BF test (which almost made me cry last year) had me at 31%. I don't want to believe it but I guess it could be right. I still absolutely see the fat but I also look in the mirror and see someone in decent shape. And 31% had me in the "very poor" category. That sucks for someone who takes going to the gym pretty seriously. 
So, just know where that point is for you. Don't want to cause any embarrassing moments. 
Anyone want to guess how long that would take? I've heard somewhere that when a woman trains really well for a year she may only gain up to five pounds of muscle. 
