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Celestialmom · 04-28-2008, 10:13 AM

Hi everyone,
Here I am, starting my very own training log--I'm excited about starting the NROL4W journey and getting support and feedback along the way.

A little something about me: I am a 33yo homeschooling, work at home mom of four beautiful kids who just recently learned to love exercise and training. I have made halfhearted attempts through the last ten years or so at working out (usually just for a month or so after I had each baby!), but always HATED the gym, cardio, anything to do with sweat or exertion.

Almost two years ago, I woke up and realized that I was edging very quickly towards FAT--I was 5'5" and 156lbs, with not much muscle mass to balance that out. So I joined the gym and a kickboxing class and started having so much fun that I really got inspired to eat healthy and keep up the hard work. The instructor of the class was also a friend who was working towards her certification to become a personal trainer. When she saw how inspired I was becoming in her class, she asked me if I would be her "guinea pig". She trained me twice a week for 6 weeks (of course I visited the gym in between sessions as well). I was hooked! I loved lifting weights (not barbie weights, but now I see not as high as I could go either), and I could stand the cardio sessions in between the lifting days.

To make a long story short, I lost over 20 lbs from the routines that my trainer made up for me as well as from drastically cutting calories (1000-1500 daily), but of course gained it back again when I went back to eating "normally". My normal wasn't all that healthy but was only about 2000 calories. So this January, I started the process over. I worked out hard, lifted harder, ate hardly anything, and got down to 25% bf and 136lbs. I am now about 138lbs and 27% bf--this is from over 30%bf the summer of 2006 when I started with my trainer.

Anyway, the same trainer friend was telling me about this new book (NROL4W), so I borrowed it, read it in a day, ordered my own copy, read it again, and started Stage one last Tuesday (4-22-08). I LOVE the exercise plan, and I feel like I have a much better handle on nutrition by taking in the info outlined in the book. It was a leap of faith for me to up my calories by so much (they have been from 1100-1500 this year), but I am managing fine at 1800-2000 with more on workout days.

So I'll outline what I did for the first workouts of Stage one, and I'm always happy with advice/feedback. I'm not sure on the correct notation here but you'll get my drift.

Workout 1A (4-22-08):
Squats: 2x15 @70lbs (or is that 115lbs if you include the bar itself?)
*I found out with some help from Miss Jane that I was using a Smith Press and it would be better to use dumbbells.

T-Pushups w/10 lb hexagonal dumbells: 1x16, 1x14 (couldn't quite get the last 2 in that set, and the last few weren't great form, but the rest were)

Seated Row: 2x15 @60lb? (How much do those dang plates weigh on a cable machine anyway? I had the pin under the 12 plate)

Stepup onto bench: 2x15 w/20lb in each hand

Prone Jackknife on Ball: 2x15 (I didn't have as much problem on these as others seem to, so I checked my form using Natalia's video on another thread. I think it's ok, I had a friend check me. But the last 5 in each set was pretty difficult. I didn't realize I was only supposed to to do 8!)

YUP, I was really sore the next two days!

Workout 1B (4-24-08):

Deadlifts: 2x15 w/50lb on a smaller barbell--I'm not sure how much that weighs. I really concentrated on form b/c it seemed to be getting my back. Really sore back the next few days, but I think it's fine.

Shoulder Presses: 2x15@ 20lbs dbs

Lateral Pulldown: 2x15 @ 30lbs (that seems light, but it was about all I could do...)

Lunges: 2x15 w/20lb dbs

Swiss ball crunch: 2x15 w/25lb plate on chest (with this as well, I checked video before the workout to make sure I was doing them correctly, since I've been doing 25 at least at a time. I did need to fix some form issues.)

*I'm trying to decide if it would be better in any way to go to pushups with my feet on the bench or something instead of the t-pushups with weights.
*I think I'll switch to long arms extended with crunches as opposed to weights.

Workout 2A (4-27-08):
Squats: 1x15 @ 25lb DBs, 1x15 @ 30lb DBs (I found these much harder than using the Smith Press, but I really wish we had a squat rack!) I was pleased to get down to parallel on all but the last rep of each set.

T-Pushups w/10 lb hexagonal dumbells: 1x16, 1x14 (couldn't quite get the last 2 in that set AGAIN, I thought I would be able to do it this time)

Seated Row: 2x15 @60lb? (Form much better this time)

Stepup onto bench: 2x15 w/20lb DBs

Prone Jackknife on Ball: 2x8 (Better form this time=harder!)

There, that's a long first post, but I wanted a record of all my workouts on here. I'm really excited about this journey!

04-28-2008, 10:13 AM	#1 (permalink)
Celestialmom ...to be a celestial body Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Northern PA Posts: 767 My Profile	Celestialmom Gettin' it Done! Hi everyone, Here I am, starting my very own training log--I'm excited about starting the NROL4W journey and getting support and feedback along the way. A little something about me: I am a 33yo homeschooling, work at home mom of four beautiful kids who just recently learned to love exercise and training. I have made halfhearted attempts through the last ten years or so at working out (usually just for a month or so after I had each baby!), but always HATED the gym, cardio, anything to do with sweat or exertion. Almost two years ago, I woke up and realized that I was edging very quickly towards FAT--I was 5'5" and 156lbs, with not much muscle mass to balance that out. So I joined the gym and a kickboxing class and started having so much fun that I really got inspired to eat healthy and keep up the hard work. The instructor of the class was also a friend who was working towards her certification to become a personal trainer. When she saw how inspired I was becoming in her class, she asked me if I would be her "guinea pig". She trained me twice a week for 6 weeks (of course I visited the gym in between sessions as well). I was hooked! I loved lifting weights (not barbie weights, but now I see not as high as I could go either), and I could stand the cardio sessions in between the lifting days. To make a long story short, I lost over 20 lbs from the routines that my trainer made up for me as well as from drastically cutting calories (1000-1500 daily), but of course gained it back again when I went back to eating "normally". My normal wasn't all that healthy but was only about 2000 calories. So this January, I started the process over. I worked out hard, lifted harder, ate hardly anything, and got down to 25% bf and 136lbs. I am now about 138lbs and 27% bf--this is from over 30%bf the summer of 2006 when I started with my trainer. Anyway, the same trainer friend was telling me about this new book (NROL4W), so I borrowed it, read it in a day, ordered my own copy, read it again, and started Stage one last Tuesday (4-22-08). I LOVE the exercise plan, and I feel like I have a much better handle on nutrition by taking in the info outlined in the book. It was a leap of faith for me to up my calories by so much (they have been from 1100-1500 this year), but I am managing fine at 1800-2000 with more on workout days. So I'll outline what I did for the first workouts of Stage one, and I'm always happy with advice/feedback. I'm not sure on the correct notation here but you'll get my drift. Workout 1A (4-22-08): Squats: 2x15 @70lbs (or is that 115lbs if you include the bar itself?) I found out with some help from Miss Jane that I was using a Smith Press and it would be better to use dumbbells. T-Pushups w/10 lb hexagonal dumbells: 1x16, 1x14 (couldn't quite get the last 2 in that set, and the last few weren't great form, but the rest were) Seated Row:* 2x15 @60lb? (How much do those dang plates weigh on a cable machine anyway? I had the pin under the 12 plate) Stepup onto bench: 2x15 w/20lb in each hand Prone Jackknife on Ball: 2x15 (I didn't have as much problem on these as others seem to, so I checked my form using Natalia's video on another thread. I think it's ok, I had a friend check me. But the last 5 in each set was pretty difficult. I didn't realize I was only supposed to to do 8!) YUP, I was really sore the next two days! Workout 1B (4-24-08): Deadlifts: 2x15 w/50lb on a smaller barbell--I'm not sure how much that weighs. I really concentrated on form b/c it seemed to be getting my back. Really sore back the next few days, but I think it's fine. Shoulder Presses: 2x15@ 20lbs dbs Lateral Pulldown: 2x15 @ 30lbs (that seems light, but it was about all I could do...) Lunges: 2x15 w/20lb dbs Swiss ball crunch: 2x15 w/25lb plate on chest (with this as well, I checked video before the workout to make sure I was doing them correctly, since I've been doing 25 at least at a time. I did need to fix some form issues.) I'm trying to decide if it would be better in any way to go to pushups with my feet on the bench or something instead of the t-pushups with weights. I think I'll switch to long arms extended with crunches as opposed to weights. Workout 2A (4-27-08): Squats: 1x15 @ 25lb DBs, 1x15 @ 30lb DBs (I found these much harder than using the Smith Press, but I really wish we had a squat rack!) I was pleased to get down to parallel on all but the last rep of each set. T-Pushups w/10 lb hexagonal dumbells: 1x16, 1x14 (couldn't quite get the last 2 in that set AGAIN, I thought I would be able to do it this time) Seated Row: 2x15 @60lb? (Form much better this time) Stepup onto bench: 2x15 w/20lb DBs Prone Jackknife on Ball: 2x8 (Better form this time=harder!) There, that's a long first post, but I wanted a record of all my workouts on here. I'm really excited about this journey!