Good info about going heavy with the rows, DietVet! I went to the gym last night to test out the two pieces of equipment I will start with (for rows & lat pull-downs). I did 50 lbs on the rows and *just* could complete the second set of 15 reps. I don't think I would have thought to try that high!
fitmom - that is really encouraging if you used to be "skinny fat"! And you've been lifting for less than 6 months? Wow - inspiration! You're right about comparing with others. For example, I am probably going to be starting my pushups at the 60° angle stage But I have only ever really done the "on the knees" style so I never developed that ability. All the more to improve upon!
I discovered some bad news last night at the gym - I CAN'T do the lat pulldown!! It used to be one of the places I was disproportionately strong - but due to scar tissue in my shoulders I can't do the motion for now, even without weight. I will keep trying to loosen them up though. Yoga is really helping. So for now, I am stuck either doing the pullovers (the substitution for those without gym access) or I think I might be able to do a pulldown if I keep my arms closer together - it is that wonderful outstretched "Y" or "W" shape with the arms that I can't do right now. I can reach overhead and pull straight down though. Any thoughts on whether that would be a good substitution?
About the scale - Honestly I would love to lose some weight as I have gained 10 lbs since last year and it is stuck like glue... But realistically, the scale doesn't tell me much, as my BMI is "normal" but my body composition is all out of whack. Hopefully I can start to change that.
I do the pullovers because I workout at home, I've seen my lats developing nicely from them. Don't feel like they couldn't work as well as the lat pulldown.
And as far as the pushups, start off where you feel most comfortable. I couldn't execute one full pushup almost six months ago, my upper body strength was severely lacking. Now I can do about 15 of them in a row. I started off at counter height and then gradually worked my way down to the floor. It took awhile but you'll get there - trust me.
Try not to get too wrapped up in the scale. Body fat is more important and how your clothes fit IMO. Remember that muscle is denser than fat so you'll weigh more but look a lot smaller.
I've been irregular about checking in at 3FC for a while. I knew this thread existed, and it drew me back. I went into maintenance mode from Sept-Dec while I worked on some important projects. Now I'm back into what is hopefully the final push to a slightly leaner me.
I started NROLFW on 1/3 and am through the first phase. I was not a total newbie to lifting, but I was somewhat deconditioned when I started, as I had focused on running in the fall, to the detriment of my strength work. And I was actually a newbie to barbell work. I have been super pleased with my strength gains so far (squats 45lb --> 85 lb; deadlift 55 lb --> 120 lb; overhead press 12lb dumbbells --> 25lb dumbbells; etc). And while the scale has remained steady, my waist has gone down an inch, and other measurements are very slightly smaller--into my skinniest pair of jeans, etc. I've been eating at the maintenance level calories that the book recommends for me (about 2000 on workout days & 1700 on non-workout days-- if I'm significantly active on a non-workout day, I eat more, too).
Looking forward to starting phase 2 soon! I'm kind of ADD when it comes to exercise, so I worried that I might find the program boring. But these 6 weeks seem to have flown by-- new stage already?!
EmmaD: Special shout-out. Though I started my weight loss journey only about 15 pounds overweight, I was seriously overfat and seriously out of shape. I estimated my bf% to be around 40%. (Estimated through measurements, which may not be reliable, but I can tell you that at that weight, I was much larger than other similar-weighted people on these forums.) Lifting & eating an adequate protein level (I'm also vegetarian, no fish), I am finally getting to a level of leanness that I'm happier with (I think around 22% now). It's doable! If I hadn't taken maintenance breaks, it wouldn't have taken me as long to get here, either.
Don't be afraid of eating more either. I'm eating 1800 calories on maintenance days and 2100 on training days. I'm at my lowest body fat ever and eating more than I've ever eaten in my life. You need to properly nourish your body when doing this program, seriously.
Just trust in the program and it won't disappoint!
Also, don't look at the big picture, I'm almost onto stage 6. It goes really fast and you'll have fun doing it.
Fitmom, I second your thoughts on the eating front, especially for anyone who's toward the end of the weight loss journey. I was a smidge worried about their calorie levels (got used to eating ~1500-1600 when I was trying to shed a few more pounds last summer, so 2000+ sounded pretty high!), but they've worked great for me so far.
I'm going to go all the way through NROLFW eating at maintenance, or even slightly above--no deficits--so that I can focus on strength gains & fitness goals. Then if I still have a little body fat I want to shed at the end, I'll do a careful cut. But I'm hoping I'll see enough reduction in bf% that I'll be happy with maintaining here in the mid-120s.
I've just started reading this book and from looking at the comments on this thread, can I do it without a gym membership? I don't have a bench (can get a ball) or barbell. I have dumbbells and bands though.
Daimere: I workout at home without a bench or barbell - just dumbbells. Totally doable from home as the program gives substitutions for home trainees.
Sumire: I've been eating at maintenance since September and have been able to stay in the mid-120s too. I was used to eating 1200-1500 calories so 2000 did sound like so much, I concur! The last stage (7) is focused on fat loss so that should help if you still need or want to shed some body fat. My focus is strength at this point as I lost a lot of muscle mass overdoing it with running over last summer. It took me a few months to put some back on. I've come to realize that I'm just not a very muscular person by design but that doesn't mean I cannot gain strength.
I'm starting this today! Well, I started eating the recommended calories yesterday but today will be my first time in the weights section of the gym.
Admittedly I am freaking out about the calories. I'm supposed to be eating 1,650 calories. Yesterday I ate roughly 1,550 and felt like I /binged/ majorly in comparison to my usual 1,200-1,300; plus I couldn't reach the 154 grams of protein recommended.
Well, I gained about 1.5-2 lbs today; while I know theoretically most is water weight as well as my body 'refueling' itself (or however you want to phrase it) I am still worried that I am overeating and my time at the gym won't be enough.
I plan on going 3x a week and hope this program will help with my bat-wings and generally firming up. But...what if I gain? How long did it take for those of you who used to do calorie deficit to start seeing the scales go back down again?
Last edited by DesertTabby; 02-19-2012 at 03:45 AM.
You've got to give it a few weeks. Don't freak out. Remember you might gain a pound or two because muscle is denser than fat but you'll look smaller. Trust me. When I was this weight back in high school, my dress size was two sizes bigger than what I'm wearing now because I was skinny fat. Long story short, I weigh what I did back in high school but am smaller overall. The program will work just do your best. Good luck.
I'm taking your advice and sticking with it. If I balloon up to 160 lbs steadily (as opposed to obvious water weight) I figure I can always add more cardio to cause a bit more of a deficit. I just have a wedding I need to attend by the first of May and I don't want to find out a week before then that all this work was for nothing!
On the bright side of things I just came back from A1! I didn't get to do the prone jackknife unfortunately since they don't have proper swiss balls, so I did some reverse crunches instead. I didn't feel challenged enough however so when I got home I did some planks for the first time in my life (is two sets of 45 seconds good for a beginner?)
The step ups also felt unchallenging but I think that's cause the steps I used at the gym were too shallow. I'll try to pile them up next time or sneak the larger ones out of the aerobics room before their step class starts...Did some calf-raises as compensation when I got back home too.
Hope it turns out ok and I didn't undertrain... D:
Watch out with step-ups--they are REALLY easy to cheat on. You do need to use the right height step but you also need to really closely pay attention to make sure that your quad and glute of the stepping leg are doing the work and that you're not getting help from the other leg. It's really easy to accidentally push off with the leg that you're not working and let the working leg off the hook for the work it is supposed to be doing.
DesertTabby: Nice work on the planks! The first time I tried to do a plank, I started shaking pretty much immediately, and around 30 seconds, I just dropped like a rock.
Agreed with DietVet about the step-ups. I find that if I lean forward before initiating the movement, so that I'm on the toe of my non-working leg, I can minimize any unconscious push-off from the non-working leg. That and a nice slow ascent, focusing on activating my glutes/hamstrings, makes sure I feel the burn. Also, if you have access to a weight bench at your gym, that's what some people use for their step-ups, if there aren't high enough boxes/steps.
Did the first workout of stage 2 today, and how fun was that?? I love the front squat/push press. I feel like such a badass hurling a barbell into the air.
At first glance, 2 sets of 10 reps for each exercise didn't look that formidable. But I worked hard, and I added 3 chin-up negatives to the workout (an unassisted chin-up has been a goal of mine for a while, and I'm ready to really buckle down & get to it). And at the end I was a quivering mass of jelly. Don't know how I'm going to have the energy for interval training at the end of workout B--may have to recover & then do it later in the day.
I had my second-to-last workout in stage 5 today. I cannot wait until I start stage 6 which is strength-focused. I'm happy that the bodyweight matrix is behind me, lol. I basically have another 16 workouts and I'm done with the entire program. The stages are just flying by.
And thanks for the advice DietVet and Sumire. I'll keep that in mind when I go back to the gym tomorrow!
I still feel like I'm eating way too much. I can't fit in all of my calories or protein, but damnit, I will try my best! The good thing is that I didn't gain any weight so far since I increased my calories I'm going to start taking my measurements tomorrow before I hit the gym.
I did my first work out for real (I had gone through 2 practice runs with pretty low weights last week) on Friday. I found a private section of my gym used for personal training and they said I can use it as long as no one is being trained. woo hoo! I feel so much less self-conscious in there while I am learning all the moves. All the equipment is there except for the lat-pulldown, and the dumbbells go up to 25 lbs so I think I can use this room for a while. I started with 10 lbs in each arm for most exercises - 25 each for the cable-rows - but I was down to body weight on the step-ups by the end (BIG step; total jelly legs, I had run some intervals earlier - NOT going to make that mistake again!) It felt great! I was wiped out by the end.
I have been experimenting with finding more ways to get protein in - I made a chocolate tofu pudding last week and added protein powder to it - so good! Also made "protein ballz" as a quick snack. Made a pumpkin/white bean chili with soy protein crumbles. Lots of Greek yogurt.
I still didn't manage to get my calories up high enough - maybe 1600-1700? I was averaging 1200-1400 before, and I eat such filling foods already that this will continue to be a challenge.
So - I am going to bring up the topic of weight loss question one last time then I will drop the subject. This is especially for sumire and fitmom, who are the same height as I am and are at the weight I used to be until I hit my mid-30s (though I was not terribly strong, I ran and did yoga...). I gained nearly 30 lbs very quickly about 3 years ago. Long story short, after "working on this" for 3 years, I am back up again in the last few months.
I am not attached to seeing some arbitrary number on the scale but realistically, I don't think any amount of muscle-building alone is going to get me back into the 90% of my clothes that don't fit right now. I can't afford to buy an entire new professional wardrobe .
I guess I don't fully understand the process of building muscle & eating at maintenance calories. If I start now, bigger/heavier than I would like to be, will I just build muscle and ~maintain my weight at this higher level? Vs. if I lost weight (presumably muscle as well as fat) first and THEN started to weight-train, would I build muscle at that new lighter point and continue to get smaller as I tighten up?
Such a long way of getting at the question of: how do you ever lose weight if you are strength training?
I really appreciate any insight. I am already on board with this weightlifting program, so I won't stop either way.
But I have only ever really done the "on the knees" style so I never developed that ability. All the more to improve upon!
I went into maintenance mode from Sept-Dec while I worked on some important projects. Now I'm back into what is hopefully the final push to a slightly leaner me.
I'm going to start taking my measurements tomorrow before I hit the gym.
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