[marygrace]

Although I'm already a couple of weeks in, I've decided to start a training log for my experiences with NROL4W. When I introduced myself in the NROL4W forum and mentioned that I am a vegan, some people commented that they were interested in seeing what sorts of foods I ate while taking part in this program. So I think that, in addition to posting my workout information, I will dedicate some time to my food intake.

I am a 21 year old college student. Extremely unathletic and a little on the chubby side for most of my life, I took up running towards the end of high school. While I lost a little bit of weight from that, running became a sort of obsession, because I figured if I just could run a little bit MORE (and eat a little bit LESS) I would achieve the type of body I wanted. This never happened, though, and no matter what amount of food I ate and how many miles I ran, my body never looked any different. I started to dread running and would usually feel pretty lethargic.

At the beginning of December, I joined a gym because I was tired of running outside in the cold. Planning to pretty much only use the treadmill, I was approached by a trainer on my second visit who told me that it was probably in my best interest to cut down the running and incorporate some strength training. She provided me with a pretty easy strength training routine and told me to do intervals three times a week, and if I wanted, to do one or two longer cardio sessions on other days. I was skeptical at first because I was afraid that if I cut down on my mileage I would gain weight. After doing her routine for a couple of weeks, I noticed that I hadn't gained any weight, but also didn't feel like I'd been getting much stronger, either.

It was around this time that I read NROL4W. The book first reinforced a lot of what the trainer had already told me, making me feel a lot more comfortable with the idea of backing off the cardio and getting into the heavy weights. But more significantly, I learned about the importance of diet and the role it plays in training. While I've been a pretty healthy eater for a while, the vast majority of my diet was made up of carbohydrates, and I was neglecting to feed my body enough.

Embarking on the program outlined in NROL4W, I have already found myself gaining strength. I continue to take the occasional steady-state run, but focus the majority of my cardio time on intervals, which I really enjoy because they are short but still intense. Concerning my diet, I have made a huge effort to take in as much protein as possible, and have brought the level of carbs way down. I have also embraced the idea of eating small, frequent meals, and feel great about it. At this point, I'm not really interested in counting out calories or macro ratios, but rather doing what feels comfortable and seeing how it works out. So far, I am pleased.

I didn't take any measurements at the beginning of Stage 1, but since I'm only a little more than halfway through it, I'm sure these current measurements aren't too different.

Height: 5'5"
Weight: 121 lbs
Chest: 33"
Waist: 27"
Low Waist: 33 1/4"
Hips: 38 1/2"
Bicep: 9 1/4"
Thigh: 21 1/2"
Calf: 13"

Today was a rest day regarding NROL4W, but I did take a 25 minute run outside this afternoon since the weather was nice. For those who are interested, here is what I've eaten over the past two days.

2/4
8:30a - oat bran with rice protein powder, almond milk, and agave nectar
11:30a - PWO shake of almond milk and soy protein powder
1p - baked lima beans with tomatoes, 1/2 yam
5p - rice protein power bar
7:30p - kung pao tofu with peanuts, asian eggplant salad
9:30p - frozen banana with peanut butter

2/5
8:30a - oat bran with 50/50 mix of rice and soy protein powder, almond milk, agave nectar, 3 prunes
12:30p - braised tofu with kale, brussels sprouts, and sundried tomato, pumpkin seeds
4:15p - almond bread (made with almond meal and flaxseed) with hummus
for dinner i'm having a chickpea cutlet with marinara, and kale with white beans, and for a snack later i will probably have a frozen banana with grain-free granola (chopped almonds, pumpkin seeds, macadamia nuts, and raisins baked with cinnamon and vanilla)

I look forward to posting more soon!