Very nice workout today, Karla! What's a swiss ball V-up?
So it is when you do a v-up only you trasfer a swiss ball from your hands and then between your legs. There is no resting the legs either. I have to keep the legs off the floor, lift the swiss ball with both hands over my head and then come up to a v and jam the ball between my legs and then lay back down again but don't rest the feet. I pretty much sucked at these and was told that was my homework the next days.
Those V-Ups sound good---may have to try that sometime. One of the things I love about logs are all the variations of exercises. Variety is the spice and all that...
Man I had to rescue my log from page 4. You guys are animals. Sorry not much time to lurk due to work hassles this week but I'll catch up with ya'll this weekend.
I want to post my workout though while it is still in my mind...
Warmup = 1 mile run at 2% incline and 6mph
We started with deads... Way cool!! And I got to add a lot of weight but we still had high reps. He is wary of my hamstring so not letting me go all out.
Deads (I love these for some reason)
1x15 (45lb)
1x15 (55lb)
2x15 (90lb) Can you believe this? 90lb and it was easy. Actually it was a tiny bit hard until he put straps on me. Then it was easy because my grip was secure. Yeah. I can't wait to see what I can lift. We worked a lot on me keeping my form for these.
Next he had me load hamstrings again only with a swiss ball. I forget what these are called but I had to lie on back and put feet on ball, lift at hips and bring in legs and out legs all the while the hips stay up. I did
3x12 of these and they kicked my ass too.
Squats came next baby!!!! I love these too for some reason. We took a lot of time to get form correct. He started me out at 90lb because it is most often the case that someone who can deadlift that weight for such high reps can also squat that much. He spotted me from behind so that I did not get too scared but even so it was scary. I did 1x15 (90lb) as a first set but I did not get down as low as I should. Mostly it was due to my fear but also I felt my back round out at the bottom. So we had a long discussion about weight belts again. He wants me to get one but we will only use it for when I am doing heavy weights.
And here is where the trainer earns his money again. He noticed that at the bottom of the squat that I shifted my weight into my left hip instead of my right hip. In other words I am protecting that injured one still. I don't feel pain there but do have a definate weakness. For that reason he took me back to 65lb and we finished up the sets. So I did 2x15 at 65lb of that.
With his new finding we went to step ups next. I told himI sucked at these. He said that is why we need to do them and also said that I suck at them due to my imbalance. So we did this with just 30 lb weights and stepped up to a bench. I did 2x12 of these and on my right leg my hamstring started to scream at me.
So we stopped there and he made me lie down on the pad and he stretched my hams. I hate stretching. He says I am really inflexible and again stressed that I find myself in yoga or some similar activity once a week. We talked about that for awhile and why it is important.
I know what you mean when your log slips to page four. It used to take days for mine to slip to page two, now within hours I have to page through to find it. What gives me a little boost is thinking about how many new people are working out and posting their training. Now that is motivating!
__________________ In Fitness & Friendship, MAHLER
______________________________ __________________________ There is no light at the end of the tunnel. You carry the light with you.
I am totally with you on the motivation. It is really cool to not only see a lot of new people but to see them sticking around!!! Go everyone!!
I feel so studly standing in the gym with all that weight on my back or in my hands. I can't really explain it. It sounds cool, feels cool, smells cool and is just plain wonderful. I am such a guy sometimes.
__________________ It all starts with the mind, but the thoughts, the intention aren't enough. Action needs to come next. Dream it, believe it, plan it, execute it, celebrate it. - Wendy
Today was a rest and ice day. Yesterdays workout made my ass so sore I could hardly sit today. My hammie is a bit tender too so I am icing all my parts. I was going to go and do some cardio but I really think I just need to rest. How is that for a paradigm switch?
But tomorrow I will have an awesome workout. I can tell and I am so looking forward to it.
Today I had an AMAZING workout. I made it up and that was fun too. My elbow is a bit sore so I made up a workout that did not put a lot of strain on that.
All rests 60 seconds
warm up = 1.0 miles at 2% incline and 6mph
squat 1x15bw, 1x15(45lb)
Superset 1
Squats 3x10 (95lb) - This felt secure and I felt great in the cage. Much improved from the time last week with my trainer where the very weight of the bar freaked me out a bit. Today is we as feeling good.
Step ups 3x15 (50 lb) 12 inch step - focus was on engaging hips
Superset 2
hanging leg raise 3x15 (+25lb)
Swiss ball crunch 3x15 (+25lb)
swiss ball v-ups 3x10 - these are still really hard for me. This superset caused me to lie down on the ground for my 60 second rest and pant.
Superset 3
swiss ball cable fly 3x15 (10lb) - this is more about stability though it does work out the pecs
flat db fly 3x15 (25lb)
calf raises 3x15(90lb)
This workout I was able to push me about as hard as my trainer pushes me and by the time I was finished I was whipped. I also discovered when I got home that I was low on cals for the day which contributed to my being tired.
My average cal intake is 1960 per day and my macros are 45, 41, 18 (protein, carb, fat) for this week. My intention is to bulk and so far I am discovering that I am loosing so next week I will likely boost to 2200 per day. My very useful calorie tool shows that I am burning at a rate of just over 2400 kcals a day so I will have to really learn how to eat a lot over the next weeks.
When you start adding food, add it at strategic times. When you're the most hungry, of course, but hopefully, the 24 hours after your weight training is when you're the most hungry. I'm usually starving for 2-4 hours pwo, then it tapers off. But, your bod is repairing (and trying to grow) after that workout. That's the time to overfeed.
Thanks Roland. I'll do that. Right now I am just blown away by this eating more thing. I am eating 600 more kcals a day now then I did before I started to lift and I am still loosing weight and at almost the same rate. I really kick started my metabolism in starting this program with my trainer. If I can somehow get another 600 in a day I think I will actually be able to start seeing a gain.
I'm here for my daily 'gasm. While I'm here waiting for it to show...
When you first started increasing calories and adjusting macros, etc, did you gain before your metabolism kicked into gear? I've never been one to starve myself (massive understatement) but I did start cutting back on cals last year, maybe ranging between 1600-2000, and I lost quite a bit of weight on that (with running and weights (though nowhere near as serious on the weights as what I've started this year)). Just now, I'm starting to gain a bit and my averages are *maybe* just a tiny bit higher. So... I'm just trying to get a handle on what's what. It would make sense to me that you'd gain a bit as you increased eats in the beginning -- then it would stabilize and/or start to slowly drop off as metabolism starts to rev up more.
Anyway, since you mentioned revving up your metabolism and increasing eats, etc, I thought I'd ask what you've experienced so far.
Good question. I'm curious, too. I've been adding calories to try to fix my broken metabostat, but so far, I haven't been able to get higher than 1900 average without freaking out about the scale. Karla, how much cardio and lifting are you doing each week?
I just did hill sprints and had a barfgasm... Okay nearly a barf gasm... Jezzzup man those things are killer. I have a nice steep hill just outside my driveway. It is steep enough that in the rains your tires spin on it and it is about 200 ft long. I ran it 7 times up and walked down in 20 min and that was one of the best running workouts I have ever had. I read to do this on some forum and I am here to say it kicks ass PLUS it is only 20 min so it should be okay for weight gainers.
Diane... To answer your question specifically I have never gained weight since starting my program. My metabolism is gaining faster than my ability to fuel it so I am loosing both fat and actual lbs still. This morning I weighed in at 26.4lbs and 17.4% which is incredible but unfortunately not what I want to see. I want the fat to go down but not the weight. So I now need to get my kcals up AGAIN. (my friends are starting to make fun of me because all I seem to do now is eat.)
If you are really trying to get a handle on what is what (at least from my experience) you have to really get down and dirty with the data. I can tell you very detailed specific kcals for the past 2 weeks. I love your concept of "general oinkage" but that would never allow me to have accurate enough data to track what my body is doing. For the most part I do not eat out right now or accept food that isn't cooked by me. I created an excel spreadsheet that has all the MATH built in and allows me to track and watch my RMR move. The shreadsheet and the MATH is only as accurate as my data is. I am anal retentive about what I eat and I bought an Ormon scale and BF% scale combo with 4 points to allow me to track relative bf and weight over a given time period. With these numbers being very accurate I can see what my body is using (average) per day. The past 8 days showed me at 2376kcals per day which is up from 1690 or so a few months ago.
I learned in the past months that little data errors really throw off the tracking so it will take you a few tries perhaps to hone in. My first BF% (for example) was measured by my trainer with calipers and since then I have used the ormon. I am suspect that the caliper one was not correct as my RMR showed to be 2900 or some such thing after a few weeks. I now know with the machine that even if it is not correct I at least have relative guidelines which is good enough. If you can get these things very solid you can figure out your daily average maintain kcals which is what we all really want to know.
K your enthusiasm and confidence are so refreshing. I love reading your log!
Totally agree about being pretty anal about the tracking of data.
I also tend to freak a little with the scale, but one thing that's been helping me is the measurements. For example, my weight has gone up 2 lbs over the two weeks I've been eating on the program. But, my measurements haven't changed. So, that means, to me, muscle gain. That helps me not let the scale get in my head.
Good question. I'm curious, too. I've been adding calories to try to fix my broken metabostat, but so far, I haven't been able to get higher than 1900 average without freaking out about the scale. Karla, how much cardio and lifting are you doing each week?
Nice workouts, btw.
Tina
Yeah I know.... I started my "gain" mentality just 3 weeks ago and it has been nothing but scary to me. That said I jumped in both feet. I went from eating 1400 kcals a day to 1900. That first week was really rough. My gut protruded and my running sucked. I felt like I was going to puke on the treadmill. I felt really slugish at work and overall. It took great faith and courage to continue the path. Over the weeks it started to feel good to eat so much and yesterday I was downright hungry again even with all those cals in my body. I laughed because this is turning me into a monster. I literally crash if I don't get food in me every few hours. I can feel the change happening and my spreadsheet is showing the change. It is ultra cool. I understand that the human body is not an exact science but it is science enough that we can hone in.
I was reading somewhere (Adam's blog maybe) that scale weight can vary +/- 3-4% day over day - so if you weigh for example 140 - that can range from 134.4 to 145.6 - so the trend is your friend not the day to day weight.
Exactly Lisa. I would never claim a sample of a day a good thing for this sort of thing. I find that weekly works somewhat but 2 weeks time is the best representation for me. I also do not vary on the scale so much as you read in some articles. I weigh myself every day same time in same attire same high quality scale and get really close to same results every day. I take a minium of 3 measurements and take the numbers that come up the most just to throw out any flukes. If I do another weigh-in on a different scale or different time of the day it fluxes everywhere and sometimes by as much as 5 lbs. That is what I mean by you have to take some time and thought into getting the data really accurate. This is about science and collecting data and you cannot be causual if you want results to be accurate.
K your enthusiasm and confidence are so refreshing. I love reading your log!
Totally agree about being pretty anal about the tracking of data.
I also tend to freak a little with the scale, but one thing that's been helping me is the measurements. For example, my weight has gone up 2 lbs over the two weeks I've been eating on the program. But, my measurements haven't changed. So, that means, to me, muscle gain. That helps me not let the scale get in my head.
mel
So glad to return the favour. Your HELL Log was one of the most motivating logs I read when I first came to the board. You are an animal and I have my eye on you and Natalie for this contest. I am chasing you guys with everything I got.
I'm glad you have another way to get rid of the "scale" mentality. The sort of data that I do is fairly intense and I realize that will not work for everyone.
The point here is to trust that you can do it and then jump in both feet. If your eating really is clean and your workouts honest then you will see the same results. Get rid of that fear and eat girls!!
Tina I never answered your question. As of 3 weeks ago my cardio is down to 3-5 times a week for less than 21 minutes. I do this mostly as a warm up to my lifting workouts. I run for 1 mile or so at 2% incline and 6mph or I interval for same time. On Sundays I do something a bit more intense like today I did hill sprints for 20 minutes. I will likely continue to do these and see how I improve over time.
I workout 2x a week with my trainer for 50 min and then I do 2 more workouts (sometimes just 1) on my own. My own workouts go for 1-1.5 hours. In addition I do 2 30-min ab classes per week and sometimes a yoga class. I also own a farm and do 10-40 minutes of lifting hay, scooping stalls (I have horses), and pushing wheel barrows, chopping wood, etc. per day. I do not own a TV and generally do not sit still when I don't have to so am not really an "average" training client. My trainer has me classified as one of his athletes as opposed to general fitness even though my job is a desk job. I am too type A to be considered average.
I had to let go of the scale... otherwise I'd be seriously pissed off. I weigh once a week on Sunday morning.
__________________ It all starts with the mind, but the thoughts, the intention aren't enough. Action needs to come next. Dream it, believe it, plan it, execute it, celebrate it. - Wendy
Totally understand that my method for achieving this goal is not everyones. I only know this way to make it happen though so cannot adivse people who refuse to count calories or get accurate weigh-ins on a regular basis. I look at this more from a scientific view than an emotional one and that serves me well. It won't work for many though...
Paula I hear you. I am way too emotional about my weight and I could never do what Karla does.
Karla - I love your spreadsheet! Are you an engineer by any chance? I always tell people that for engineers everything in life can be made into an excel sheet.
You guys can still use the tool. In fact it is better if you only do it over a period of time more than 1 week even. Just input the starting information, wait for 2 weeks and input the next point. It will tell you what your body is doing. I am fascinated with watching it change on a daily basis and tracking trends but that is because I am a geek.
Karla, thank you so much for all of the time and thought put onto the screen! I'm still digesting all of your thoughts, along with a lot of other reading I did over the weekend. I made a few tweaks to my diet but I'm going to further ruminate on this all over the next couple of weeks as I see how the first tweaks affect me. I have gone into full anal mode until I do figure several things out -- I have much pucker power. LOL
(Like how I worked "digesting" and "ruminating" into the above paragrash about eating? )
Diane, I am so happy if this works for someone else to share it. Remember that I am new to this too so there might be an error in something I am doing or sharing but overall it is really working as advertised so.....
Okay, todays workout was another joyous one. Again it is created by me and it kicked my butt as hard as any I could imagine. The upper body superset was so hard that after round 2 I laid on the floor panting and I screamed, "Who the hell came up with this one?" It took me a full 100 seconds rest between that one I am afraid. I did my workout in my home today as it was a snow day so I worked from home. I have a really nice area to workout and my neighbor and friend came over to join me. He laughed at me lying on the floor cursing myself for my workout. Anyway here she is...
Superset 3 - lower body
Deads - 1x15, 1x11 (95lb) - I quit these when my form started to go
1 legged squat 3x1x1 2x15 (okay these really hurt)
Hip abductors 2x20
By the time the last Superset came around I just didn't have the energy to do 3 rounds. This workout took me over an hour. Today macros are great and cals are set for 2200. I made the most amazing pasta dish with unbelievable macros for the taste and then I made some protein powder cookies that beat the protein bars in macros and works really well as a tea cake. I am feeling like I am really getting the hang of this lifestyle change.
What do you think really motivates us to stay fit?
We talked about that for awhile and why it is important. 
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