Body for Life/Bodybuilding #72 - week of 14 Oct 02
Good morning all! Can you tell I've been away from the PC most of the weekend? Actually spent it doing horsey stuff...of course.
SUSAN!!! I hope things are going better for you and you son is recovering well. How horrifying...prayers going out to you and your family. Like Maggie said - hang in there baby!
It was so good of Pam to send my menus to me on Friday. I DRAGGED Jim to Safeway and Albertsons (I usually don't shop there but when boneless skinless chickenbreasts are $1.88 a pound, what the heck...) and yesterday spent about 2 hours cooking up stuff. I am really enjoying many of the CPB recipes - they make it much easier to stay clean.
JC - hope you're working through that stress...I know you're hitting the gym - I've found that working out really helps deal with whatever life throws at me (not that I have a lot of bad situations - I know I've been blessed since meeting Jim).
I opened up a journal here at 3FC. Pretty nifty. Some people are using them to record their eating/working out; others use them like a diary. Still haven't decided what to do with mine yet. It's a matter of feeling inspired enough to write something, ya know?
Well, I have a pile of editing on my desk so I'd better get to work! Later y'all!
Hi all- just a quickie before I hit the gym for day 1 of a very weird split that Pam just sent me. I'm just not used to breaking up the body parts that way and don't know it I will survive doing chest and quads on the same day. Sometimes I think she forgets I'm one of the old ladies...but then again, I'm trying to forget that too. Then there's arm day: I've always broken that up because I HATE it! I remember someone posting a split that included "HATE DAY"- all the body part he hated to work. That's a hard day to talk yourself into going to the gym!
It's been real interesting reading some of the menu comments on the Camp PB board- our plans are all so different! Do you get free days or meals Karen and JC? I don't- and Pam was real insistent on that. So I feel REALLY guilty when I have 1 bite of birthday cake on Sunday.
JC- Hope you a working thru whatever is bthering you, doesn't sound good. Remember, we're here for you and sometimes it's easier to vent or "talk" to people a continent or two away. Hang in there, girl.
Susan- How is your son doing? Hoping for the best....
Just a quick check in to say hi and get set up w/ e-mail notification for this thread.
JEC, hang tough. This too shall pass.
Mel, I can only be curious about Camp B, sounds as if it is quite different from basic BFL. Today was my UB workout - I used the 20 lb. bb for my set of six lat rows and I did all of two curls before I had to change back to 15 (drop set). Slowly but surely.
I find the day after free day almost a relief. Don't get me wrong, free day saves me but it is the weirdest combination of being really full and really hungry on free day. I stay pretty even when doing the BFL eating plan. I am enjoying the L & S site. Lots of good info there.
hi girls, especially to those who remember me from the beginning of the year.
I started BFL again yesterday - and yes my arms are very sore today - but I love that feeling of having WORKED IT!
today was cardio, and boy oh boy am I unfit - I could only manage 13 minutes on the precor - and had to stop cos my lungs were just hurting too bad The only good thing is knowing that progress will be measurable!
I had my body fat done by calipers when I rejoined the gym, and apart from the obvious humiliation, the hardest part was finding out that my total was off the chart AGain, I am holding on to the fact that progress will be easily measured, and if I hadn't done it I would regret it later.
Loving the food, loving the structure, loving the feeling of being in control and doing something about my problems, instead of just lying down and letting it happen.
Yep I am still around and yes I am still hitting the gym. It's a survival tool to me in times of high stress. My eating has been clean throughout the day but I have blown it 2 nights in a row. I also have the in-laws staying with me right now - talk about the most inopportune time huh?
I am slowing making some decisions to get me back on track so hopefully by next weekend I should have a clearer head. It's just hard to talk to hubby when there is family around all the time, so I am just trying to get through this week as smoothly as possible and then deal with the big stuff.
I hope that everyone is going alright and thanks for all of your warm thoughts. Take care
I'm baaaaaaaaaaack too !!! thank goodness.... I think I've had 4 free days in a row.... I've been off since Friday and it has been really nice.... just get caught up in housework and laundry.... I am really enjoying it...
Yesterday my sister-in-law had a turkey supper for Thanksgiving... and it was a sort of "free for all" kind of day, instead of a good "free day"....wine, deserts, etc... I won't get into details but you know what I mean... Then today my brother-in-law asked us up to his place he lives about an hour and a half away, and turkey and deserts AGAIN and more WINE.....We had to go because he never invites anyone and he's single with 2 daughter so we thought we'd go see him.... The most pleasant was the ride up, the colours of fall are in full swing... and it was a bright an sunny crisp day, so the colour were brilliant... It was nice and we had fun...
I haven't been to the gym but I have been going out for a walk every night, thank goodness for walking because it takes the guilt away, specially the way I've been eating....
JEC I'm soooo sorry to hear about your son, hope all is getting better....
I will keep this short because it's 10pm and I absolutely want to get to the gym tomorrow and get back into the swing of things...
I have some free weights, a bench, and fit ball at home that I use for my workouts. Normally I do this straight leg dead weight for my hamstrings but I find that it's hurting my lower back. I have tried to do the "hands and knee leg lift" but I don't know how to increase the intensity as I only own one set of 2 1/2 pounds ankle weights. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
I would also welcome some advice regarding supplements. Currently, I drink protein shakes, take flaxseed oil, and B-6, vitamin C and zinc. I read this magazine article "the seven secrets of weight loss" that Androstenedione ( Decavar, 1-Test, Paradeca or Methoxygen) will really help at with making you feel more aggressive with weights. From what little I understand its related to male hormone.
This woman who wrote the article in "fitness cycling" February 2002, swears by it. She also recommends Myo-stim, Slenderful ( a fat burner), Creatine and Hydroxycitrate (Citrimax-helps the carbs from turning into fat).
MrsJim... sounds like you had a great weekend! I love horses. I was wondering what is this C. P. B. recipes all about?
ledom... I hear ya about the day after free day. Especially after a turkey dinner I'm starting to really look at the amount I am eating for my meals and have decided to its too much. So I will be experimenting with cutting down the size.
Carpi... hi, I'm new round here and like yourself find the structure of this program is very comforting.
JC... sounds like you're getting those beta-endorphins going with your gym workouts.
Survived day1 of the new split and it was pretty easy- outof the gym in 35 minutes...hmmm, think I need to add some things. A little too easy. Eating was a nightmare yesterday- for the first time since starting CBP I was just out of control and lost it.
Jancan- IMO, stay away from the fatburner supplements. They may help in the very short run, but can damage your metabolism so that when you come off them, all the weight packs back on printo. Also, many have been linked to heart problems. If you want an extra kick before doing your workouts, have a cup of black coffee. It does about the same thing. Check whether the article was really an ad put out by a supplement company or if the whole publication is owned by a supp. company. Most of them are. Some people do swear by creatine, but That doesn't help with weight loss, only mass gain. I've never used it and have decent sized muscles and lift quite heavy. My step-father, who has bf% of 3% and has been trying to gain weight and lean body mass all his life uses it and is thrilled that he's gained 7 pounds over the last 3 months. From the questions posted on L & S, most women don't see a difference. There is no pill that substitutes for hard work and clean eating. A good vitamin supplement, extra C, calcium, zinc and magnesium and glucosamine for my joints, omega-3 oils (flax seed is fine or UDO's) and protein powders are what I use.
Carps- Great to see you back! I'm sure you'll be back to where you were and making progress in no time! You know you can do it!
Thank you for the kind thoughts. Michael is still in a lot of pain and sleeps most of the time, but I am hoping to get him involved in medical/therapeutic care at the end of this week. Tuesday is my long day at school so hopefully tomorrow afternoon we will be making some kind of progress toward getting him in the system in California.
I realized yesterday that I am exhausted and am going to start to eat cleaner each day and re-start my workouts on Thursday night. While I need a day or two to reacclimate myself to being home, I want things to go back to normal as soon as possible.
The thing I love about BFL and body building is how much I WANT to get back to it when I've been away. When you're in that groove (and I was definitely in that groove before I got sick), it feels SO good.
As some of you know I had added the two mile walk from school to the train station into my routine and it felt so good to do that. Yesterday morning I thought I would do it in the afternoon but after a morning of classes, I was flat out on my feet. It's so strange to lose so much progress so fast. I guess I've just had a difficult few weeks.
JEC: Thanks for the inspiration that workouts relieve stress. They do indeed and I love being reminded of it. I hope your stress evaporates soon. hang in there chick!
I will post about home workouts tonight. I'm starting to run late but wanted to check in today. This place helps keep me sane.
Thanks all for being here.
Susan - so GLAD to see you back, chicka! Everything will be okay, I know it...JC is so right when she says that workouts relieve stress. In the same vein, sticking to your routine of working out will definintely keep you focused IMO - just that time of taking care of YOURSELF so you can assist others, ya know? (I just hope that the London hotel I'm staying at has improved their exercise facilities - last year they were pretty bad - not what you'd expect from a 4-star hotel).
Mel - the split that Pam has you on sounds similar to the one I was doing prior to starting this round of CPB. Today I had legs - quads and hams that is - and it still feels weird not doing squats - she has me doing leg press instead. But I know how important it is to shake things up a bit!
JAN - I usually don't type in ALL CAPS but I must do it now. STAY AWAY - FAR AWAY - FROM ANDROS. Mel is absolutely right on when she says not to believe most fitness mag articles on supplements since they are selling the stuff...or carrying adverts selling the stuff. Think about it - if they worked wouldn't we all be lean and buff?
Check the following out from Supplementwatch.com:
Quote:
Description - Androstenedione is a "pre-hormone," meaning that it is an inactive precursor of another hormone – in this case, a precursor of both female (estrogen) hormones and male (testosterone) hormones.
Claims - Supplement makers claim that a 100-milligram dose of androstenedione increases testosterone levels by 300% over a duration of 2-4 hours
Theory - In the body, "andro" becomes active upon conversion to testosterone - the major "male" hormone responsible for muscle growth and other male characteristics such as growth of facial hair and development of a deep voice. Higher levels of testosterone are thought to help athletes exercise more intensely and recover faster. Use of andro is banned in some sports, but not others. It is widely assumed that andro may be consumed by some athletes in order to "mask" the fact they are also taking anabolic steroids such as testosterone.
Scientific Support - Unfortunately, there is not been a lot of credible research conducted on androstenedione as a dietary supplement. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, however, concluded that androstenedione "does not increase serum testosterone concentrations of enhance skeletal muscle adaptations to resistance training" in young men with normal testosterone levels. The study found no augmentation of muscle size or strength when weight lifters used andro or a placebo pill. Of serious concern is the finding that andro supplements of 300 mg 3 times per day lowered blood levels of the "good" HDL cholesterol and increased levels of the “bad” LDL cholesterol (both by about 12%) and increased blood levels of two other hormones, estradiol and estrone, which have been associated with cardio vascular disease and breast cancer in women and pancreatic cancer in men. Although andro supplements increased androstenedione levels in the blood, there was no effect of short term or chronic intake on testosterone levels, muscle strength, muscle size.
In one study, an open-label randomized design was used to investigate the effect of androstenedione supplements in 42 healthy men (20-40 years old). Subjects received either 100 mg/d (15 subjects) or 300 mg/d (14 subjects) of androstenedione, while 13 subjects were used as controls (receiving no androstenedione) for 7 days. Results showed that levels of testosterone in the blood were significantly higher (compared to the control group) in subjects consuming the 300mg, but not the 100mg dose of androstenedione. Interestingly, blood levels of estradiol (estrogen) were also significantly elevated in these young men by both the 100mg and 300 mg doses of androstenedione.
In a similar study, 20 young men (aged 19-29 years) performed 8 weeks of whole-body resistance training and consumed either 300mg/day of androstenedione or a placebo. In another portion of the study, another 10 young men received a single 100mg dose of androstenedione to determine the effects on serum testosterone and estrogen concentrations. Results showed that blood levels of testosterone were not affected by short- or long-term androstenedione consumption, but blood levels of estradiol were increased by more than 50% compared with pre-supplementation values. Following 8 weeks of androstenedione consumption there were no differences between the placebo and androstenedione groups in terms of muscle strength, lean body mass or fat mass. In the androstenedione group, however, blood levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the “good” kind) was reduced after 2 weeks and remained low after 5 and 8 weeks of training and supplementation. The overall conclusions of the study were that, androstenedione supplementation does not increase serum testosterone concentrations or enhance muscle strength (in young men with normal testosterone levels) – but that it may result in adverse health consequences (increased estrogen levels and reduced HDL).
Safety - Although no long-term studies have been conducted on the safety of andro as a dietary supplement, there is a fairly substantial body of literature concerning the adverse effects associated with other anabolic steroids such as testosterone. In particular, prolonged use of steroids can result in a number of dangerous side effects such as blood lipid abnormalities (elevated LDL and reduced HDL cholesterol) which may increase the risk of heart disease, promotion of hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast and prostate cancer and various liver abnormalities.
The psychological effects of anabolic steroid use are well-known and include increased aggression (‘roid rage), depression and psychosis. From an appearance standpoint, steroid use will almost certainly result in increased muscle mass - provided the right exercise program is being followed. On the down-side, however are other cosmetic changes such as acne, hair loss (baldness) and hair growth (back), reduced testicle size and breast growth in men. In teenagers, steroid use could fool the body into shutting off its normal hormone production and causing stunted growth.
Despite the clear evidence against anabolic steroid use in general, many andro manufacturers claim that since no safety studies have been conducted specifically on andro, we should not assume that it has the same adverse effects as excessive testosterone levels. The findings of adverse alterations in blood lipid profile, however, should be reason enough for intelligent consumers to avoid dietary supplements containing androstenedione unless specifically recommended by a nutritionally-oriented physician.
Value - Due to the lack of positive research findings and the potential for serious health risks from anabolic steroids and altered hormone profiles, androstenedione supplements should be considered to be of low value as a dietary supplement for healthy individuals.
IMO Citrimax is also overrated - it's been in 'fat-burners' for years. I'd suggest that you go to www.leanandstrong.com and do a message archive search under Fat Burner and see what pops up...not good
CPB = Camp Pam B which is a menu/training program customized for each client's needs by Pam Brown who is amazing. Mel, JC, and a few others here besides myself have done it. I'd recommend doing at least 1-2 BFL cycles before taking on CPB.
Gotta cut this short as I have some more work on my desk - let's hear from y'all! Have a great day!
Oh my aching Hamstrings!!!! it was my first lower body today - and the hamstrings get me everytime! -- basically just fell onto the couch and as for going to the toilet - well surely there's got to be a better way!
One thing I was pretty happy about, was that I started back on the quad press at the same weight I finished at last time, 220lbs for my 6rep set. (I hope to double that over the next 3 months) but you know I am going to feel it tomorrow - I don't want to even think about cardio!
I just looked at all the new smilies - they are very cool.
Got to go - its really, really late here, catch you all
Carly
Hi ladies!!
I was having a terrific week, I mean a kick-butt three days in a row--but now I am definitely coming down with a cold, my first in at least a year and a half. I suppose that's what I get for working in a preschool. I'm just disappointed because I'll have to cancel one of my PT clients this afternoon, she has terminal cancer and can't be around sickies like me.
Anyway, don't want to complain! I'm glad to hear that everyone is hanging in there.
JC--hang in there girl. Whenever I am in a period of time like you're in, I just keep thinking, "this too shall pass." It helps, but keep your chin up.
Hi Carps! I don't know if we've met or not, but glad to see that you're back in the game!
Happy Thanksgiving, Lanaii! I always thought it was nice that Canadians have their Thanksgiving when the weather was still semi-warm out.
Jan--here's a great at-home hamstring exercise that's a good alternative or in addition to dead lifts. Take your exercise ball and deflate it until it's squishy but still somewhat inflated (if you have a really big ball, you'll have to deflate it more). Lie on your stomach and bend your knees. You can put your head on the floor or support it on your elbows. Put the deflated ball in between your calves and your butt and squeeze, like your doing a hamstring curl. It helps if you can try and squeeze your belly button to the floor so that your back is arched slightly, but not so much that it hurts when you do the exercise. Try varying your feet so that your toes point and flex, you'll hit different parts of the back of your legs when you do this. This is partly a mental exercise--you really have to THINK about the hamstring to feel it. Just think about hitting it hard, and you'll feel it. This can also be done seated on the edge of a couch or bed, not on something hard, though. My clients love this exercise, and I wish that I could do it at the gym, but I don't think they'd appreciate me deflating all their balls.
Just a sidenote--if you're having back pain when you doing dead lifts, try checking your form in a full-length mirror. Grab a really light weight or a broomstick, and stand sideways to the mirror. Your feet should be a little less than shoulder-width apart, and when you bend over, stick your butt out so that your back is flat--do not arch at your shoulders or your lower back. I like to think of my back as a table at this point. Go down only as far when you feel the stretch in the back of your legs. When you come back up, think about driving your heels through the floor, so that the pressure of the exercise goes into your hams and not your lower back. Dead lifts do work your back muscles, though, so while you should feel a good amount of work there, it really shouldn't hurt. It helps if you warm up and stretch sufficiently before doing dead lifts as well.
I completely support Mrs Jim's position on the supplements you mentioned. In my opinion, fat burners do nothing but make your pocketbook skinnier!
Speaking of deadlift form - Krista has a really great page on good form/bad form on deadlifts. Check it out ==> http://www.stumptuous.com/baddl.html
Another great article there is "Troubleshooting: What to do when Things Go Wrong" http://www.stumptuous.com/trouble.html which should be a must-read for all of us - especially newbies IMO!
Here's the beginning of the article:
Quote:
So, you've gotten the ball rolling and have tried your best to follow my advice, but dangnabit, you're just not seeing the results you want. Or perhaps you feel like you're doing something all wrong. Don't be embarrassed about it! Most beginners, by virtue of being beginners, have trouble with one thing or another. I've screwed up in just about every way there is.
One of the main things that beginners need to learn is to trust their instincts. If you feel like something is wrong, and I don't mean a general "Gee, this squat makes me feel kinda funny barfy-like" sensation, but rather a sudden, "Uh-oh, that ain't right" insight, then STOP immediately! See my injury page for more on distinguishing between good and bad pain. Luckily, most problems in the gym are not really about injury, but more about not getting optimal results.
The second thing beginners need to understand is the importance of learning from mistakes. It's not stupid to make a mistake, but it is stupid to make that mistake again and again and again without ever trying to use that mistake as an opportunity to do better next time.
Finally, beginners benefit from setting short- and long-term goals. If you don't know what you're trying to do, how do you know if you're succeeding or not? You need to be able to monitor your progress on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis. I like to work in short cycles of 4-6 weeks. This is a long enough period for me to make noticeable gains, but not so long that I go on doing something mediocre forever without ever clueing in. At the end of each cycle, I look back on what I was doing, and evaluate it. Did I get the results I wanted? If so, what was I doing right? If not, what could I have done better? What changes could I make both for variety and improvement? What did I like and not like about the exercises, split, schedule, etc.? I also check my progress within the cycle itself, noting during workouts how I felt, which exercises didn't really work very well, and so forth. For example, one day I might have a bad workout because I didn't eat properly beforehand; I can see that immediately and remember that for next time. Or I might have felt a certain exercise was causing bad pain, so I can amend it for next time or strike it altogether and substitute something else. Your goal is to find a good balance of consistency and change. You want to stick with something long enough to see if it works, but you also want to notice what things can be altered in the short- or long-term.
Well I am starting to relieve a bit of my stress 'slowly but surely' as my Mum would say. Today is my wedding anniversary and both hubby and I were so exhausted that we both forgot this morning. I just rang him at work to say Happy Anniversary and we both had a good laugh for forgetting. I need a good laugh at the moment as well.
The relatives are leaving either tomorrow or the next day - I am not sure. I can't WAIT for that! Ray has cancelled his fishing trip on Saturday so that we can spend some quality time together and get our lives back into some order. I feel really guilty for falling off the wagon on CPB but in other ways am glad for the mental break. I think that I will email Pam and let her know that I need a break before I start my next round with her.
Do you ever feel torn between wanting to move forward and needing a rest? That's how I feel right now - burnout.
Anyway hopefully I will have more energy after a restful weekend. I am running a 5km fun run with some friends on Sunday so that should be good. It's in the city along the harbour which will be beautiful.
I hope that all is well with everyone here and thanks again for all of your support. Take care
It is good to hear everyone is doing well. JC, I was noticing your weight and wondered if you feel as if you are where you should be now? By the way congratulations on such a nice loss. I'd like to hear your story when you have time, things like how long from start to present, how tall are you, etc. I actually think I'd be very happy at 161 if I were as toned as I think I will be from following this exercise routine.
I am noticing some nice changes. I just hauled out a couple of end of the summer outfits that were pinching my waist and they seem to fit much better, not loose but definitely not tight either. I am also seeing some muscle definition, now I am really looking for it and it is not so visible that someone would just go Oh! my god look at your muscles, but you know.....
Anyway, rocking right along here. One true confession, I am not exercising my calves. I did weights for a few months about 20 years ago. My calves got so big so fast and actually I don't think I have ever lost the toning I did way back then. It always amazes me when I hear people talk about how that is such a hard muscle to grow. Not for me! Anyway, even w/out attention I see more definition there than anywhere - I suppose from squats, lunges, and cardio. Also, I think my UB gets a secondary workout on LB days from just holding the BBs. My arms get a little sore and seem a little pumped on LB days too.
Take care everyone. WColleen - I have you and your community in my thoughts and prayers.
Body for Life/Bodybuilding #72 - week of 14 Oct 02
Like Maggie said - hang in there baby!
Monday
I'M Baaaaaaaaaack
- but I love that feeling of having WORKED IT!
The only good thing is knowing that progress will be measurable!
AGain, I am holding on to the fact that progress will be easily measured, and if I hadn't done it I would regret it later. 
Hamstrings question
I'm starting to really look at the amount I am eating for my meals and have decided to its too much. So I will be experimenting with cutting down the size.
it was my first lower body today - and the hamstrings get me everytime! -- basically just fell onto the couch and as for going to the toilet - well surely there's got to be a better way!
