I see changes, although, you look great in both. I'll admit I sometimes don't see what people want to lose. Is it possible that perhaps a bulk with a loss after might give you more of the look you're going for? Just a thought. Just being almost perfectly compliant is a victory itself.
Thank you very much, Anne. No kidding on compliance being a victory! I admire your compliance and your drive to stay the course.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kfisherx
Congrats Rebecca! That is a kick-your-booty program and you made it with high compliance! Nice....
I agree with Anne RE next goals. Considering body recomposition instead of just fat loss might open you up to new concepts. Besides BULKING is fun!!
Thanks for the props, Karla!
Also to both of you, the bulk is an interesting idea but sounds very counter-intuitive......I say that out of ignorance rather than disagreeing. But since both Jane and Karla are bulking, I probably need to look closer in y'all's logs to figure out what body recomposition goals you had to lead you to bulk. To Anne's point about why someone wants to lose fat sometimes when they are already on the thinner end of the scale, my goals are to look "cut" and be strong and I couldn't achieve that with some of the excess I had around my lower stomach, butt, and upper thighs. Plus I want a flat, smooth looking belly when I have clothes on (since I have had 2 kids, the smooth naked belly will likely require surgery! ). I look at fitness athletes or elite female sprinters being more of my body composition ideal than I do celebrities.....is that consistent with a bulk will do? The lifting protocol of low but heavy reps sounds more fun than high volume reps. Am I on the right track here?
Congratulations, Rebecca! You made it and if you're bf% are close, you lost over 5lbs. of fat and put on a little muscle. BTW, if skinfolds are done properly it really wouldn't make much difference how hard your husband pinched because the caliper should be measuring the center of the fold...about halfway to where your husband is actually pinching. After you said that, I was testing this out on myself and pinching harder doesn't change the measured area unless the measurment is taken very close to the fingers.
Thanks, Kathy! You were so helpful to me on this program. First, by having your WSFL experience posted for me to read to help me plan my own WSFL journey and then by encouraging me throughout this effort. I appreciate you making the effort to check in on me and comment.
I am not sure if the BF % measurements are correct at all, but as discussed repeatedly on this forum by others, I used them as a directional measure along with the scale and girth measurements. To that end, I FEEL like I gained a bit of lean mass at the same time as losing fat because, while the scale stagnated at times, my clothes starting to fit better. I know I didn't lose any strength but I didn't gain any either and wasn't trying to since I was just trying to survive at times!
One last comment for the night (at least in my own log).....I started NROL Hypertrophy I on Sunday (workout A). My short term goals are to maintain my weight (or lose a bit more fat) and increase my stength. I am really burned out on the Afterburn style high reps for a while even though I really enjoyed that program.....hence my reason for skipping NROL Fat Loss, I didn't think I could stand another high rep protocol right now.
I didn't run today, even though I planned to, because I was tired this morning. I think I needed the rest.
NROL HI workout B tomorrow. Another short term goal is to get better about posting my workout details like the other diligent, focused gals!
One last comment for the night (at least in my own log).....I started NROL Hypertrophy I on Sunday (workout A). My short term goals are to maintain my weight (or lose a bit more fat) and increase my stength. I am really burned out on the Afterburn style high reps for a while even though I really enjoyed that program.....hence my reason for skipping NROL Fat Loss, I didn't think I could stand another high rep protocol right now.
I didn't run today, even though I planned to, because I was tired this morning. I think I needed the rest.
NROL HI workout B tomorrow. Another short term goal is to get better about posting my workout details like the other diligent, focused gals!
I was starting NROL HI this time last year. If I recall, that is the one with the towel bicep curls isn't it? Those were interesting...and tough! I'm with you on the wanting to go with lower reps after all that high rep training. I'm planning to do a pure strength program after NROLW...either Maximum Strength or one from Power Training. I have both and I can't decide. I love planning what's next even while I've barely made a dent in NROLW. Although I would still like to do WSFL in January.
I was starting NROL HI this time last year. If I recall, that is the one with the towel bicep curls isn't it? Those were interesting...and tough! I'm with you on the wanting to go with lower reps after all that high rep training. I'm planning to do a pure strength program after NROLW...either Maximum Strength or one from Power Training. I have both and I can't decide. I love planning what's next even while I've barely made a dent in NROLW. Although I would still like to do WSFL in January.
Hi Kathy! You are right, the NROL Hypertrophy have the towel bicep curls. I remember thinking those were odd when I read the book and sounds like they are hard! I am really only planning to do NROL HI as a transition program until 1) probably a second round of WSFL in January and 2) Power Training after that. We'll have to team up for support on WSFL round 2!!!
I just ordered Power Training and finished reading through Maximum Strength the other day. I ran into something Jane referenced when I asked her opinion in her log about the 2 programs (knowing she had read both).....and that is my home gym doesn't have all the equipment Maximum Strength requires. I don't have a power cage and will have to save up for that. I also don't have the cable equipment or the chest supported row apparatus among other things. Jane had said the Power Trainging program allowed some picking and choosing on exercises so I can hopefully utilize the equipment that I already have. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Rebecca, are you taking a week off? What's next on your plate?
Hey there Jane! I hadn't planned to take a week off because I was afraid of losing the WSFL gains but I had a bit of a weird week and ended up taking it easy. I only lifted 2 days (beginning NROL Hypertrophy I) and no cardio. I guess I crashed after WSFL because I had a hard time waking up in the morning for my normal workout times. And to be honest, I think I felt a tiny bit lost with my regained freedom on food and whatever exercise I wanted to do. Anyway, I feel like I am back on track. I lifted this morning using NROL HI workout A and plan to do workout B tomorrow morning. I plan to stick with HI until I can figure out which program I want to do long term....mainly I am plain tired of high rep protocols so I am hoping Power Training is the ticket when I get the book from Borders (ordered yesterday). I know for sure I will do one more round of WSFL starting January 4th to kick off 2009 on the right foot and then switch to a strength focused program.
I have been MIA on the forums this week but plan to get back with it. Thanks so much for checking in!
Rebecca, GREAT progress on the WSFL and in the challenge. Your new arm definition is awesome--I want your arms !
Karen, thank you! You don't know how much your compliment on my arms means to me. A couple of years after I finished Body For Life, I met a woman who had the most incredible cut-looking arms and I decided then and there I wanted arms like that. I like muscular women like elite sprinters and Dara Torres rather than skinny waifs like the Olsen twins.
Rebecca, congrats on your progress this month! Your side pic looks phenomenal! Big changes everywhere! I see what Karen is talking about with your arms. Lookin' mighty fine!!!! I really admire your dedication and I look forward to watching your continued progress!
Rebecca, congrats on your progress this month! Your side pic looks phenomenal! Big changes everywhere! I see what Karen is talking about with your arms. Lookin' mighty fine!!!! I really admire your dedication and I look forward to watching your continued progress!
Chloe, you are WAY nice. I appreciate the comments and I admire your physique and fitness accomplishments as well (nice job on your chin-ups! You gave me an idea on combining unassisted and assisted chins in the same set). I caught up on your log yesterday and know you have had some frustration with balance among all the demands on your time. I hope you know we feel for you and support you.
Very nice update, Rebecca!! Keep up the awesome work you've been doing!
Thanks for the continued encouragement, Jane. I am definitely back on track with workouts this week (knew I would feel bad if I went 2 weeks in a row MIA on workouts AND online ). At the risk of sounding like a broken records, I need to get in the habit of posting more on the forum because I learn so much and hope to give back a fraction. I am struggling with the noise of life in the evenings......thank God I workout first thing in the morning so that I don't give myself more excuses to skip).
Sunday, 11/2 (I always start my exercise week on Sundays):
NROL Hypertrophy I Workout A and WSFL Ripped & Ready Abs. Wasn't real excited about the 15 reps but got through it.
Monday, 11/3:
NROL HI Workout B. I slacked off last week and only did weights 2 times so I am lifting 4 times this week to "catch up" so that I can get back to my preferred 3 days a week.
Tuesday, 11/4:
HIIT on treadmill, 5 work periods. I was surprised at how easy this was today so I need to step up the intensity when I run again on Friday. Maybe I really needed the break from cardio last week??? Since I had a good day, I am telling myself I did need the break....that's my story and I'm sticking to it!
Tomorrow - NROL HI A. Will mix unassisted chins and assisted chins like Chloe has been doing.
Sorry for the summary and no details on weight. Baby steps here to get regular on maintaining the online log.
Hi Kathy! You are right, the NROL Hypertrophy have the towel bicep curls. I remember thinking those were odd when I read the book and sounds like they are hard! I am really only planning to do NROL HI as a transition program until 1) probably a second round of WSFL in January and 2) Power Training after that. We'll have to team up for support on WSFL round 2!!!
I look forward to having a training/accountability partner for WSFL in January. Sure makes it easier when you know you're not alone. Even last night in the gym doing Stage 2A of NROLW, I thought of all the ladies in the challenge who have done this workout or who are perhaps doing this workout and that thought was motivation for me to really push myself. You know...like there was no way I was going to let them show me up!
Quote:
I just ordered Power Training and finished reading through Maximum Strength the other day. I ran into something Jane referenced when I asked her opinion in her log about the 2 programs (knowing she had read both).....and that is my home gym doesn't have all the equipment Maximum Strength requires. I don't have a power cage and will have to save up for that. I also don't have the cable equipment or the chest supported row apparatus among other things. Jane had said the Power Trainging program allowed some picking and choosing on exercises so I can hopefully utilize the equipment that I already have. Keeping my fingers crossed!
I think I am going to do the Power Training after NROLW and WSFL. I'm eager to do the Power Training, but I have to finish NROLW first. I already had to drop out in Stage 3 the first time around and I really hate not finishing something I've started. Like the challenge .
I look forward to having a training/accountability partner for WSFL in January. Sure makes it easier when you know you're not alone. Even last night in the gym doing Stage 2A of NROLW, I thought of all the ladies in the challenge who have done this workout or who are perhaps doing this workout and that thought was motivation for me to really push myself. You know...like there was no way I was going to let them show me up!
I think I am going to do the Power Training after NROLW and WSFL. I'm eager to do the Power Training, but I have to finish NROLW first. I already had to drop out in Stage 3 the first time around and I really hate not finishing something I've started. Like the challenge .
I think it is a date then for WSFL Round 2 in January '09!!!
I got Power Training in the mail tonight so I will be reading away over the next week. I hear ya on not finishing what you start.....I always think of that Lance Armstrong quote of "pain is temporary, quitting is forever". I am cheesy with the quotes but I constantly run this motivational stuff in my head to stay the course.
Quick update on training. Did NROL HI A on Wednesday and HI B on Thursday. I like the shorter B workout but the 3x15 Bulgarian Split Squats almost did me in.....even with body weight. I used only the oly bar for the HI B squats to work on the ATG form like Jane mentioned in another thread. I can do the below parallel squat now but I think I have to much forward lean with my torso. Anyone know if that is a problem? I may go add that question to Jane's thread in the NROL4W forum.
Rested today. No cardio because I felt too sore and somewhat lazy.
Weight update from WSFL. It has bounced all over the place a pound or so over the last 2 weeks. This morning I was at 111.0 lbs so I consider that good since it is very close to the last WSFL weigh in. Still want to lose somewhere between 4 and 6 more pounds (the exact amount depends on how that looks and feels).
I definitely have that forward lean, too. Right now I'm focusing on atg front squats. I can get pretty low with the back squats but atg I'm leaning forward and my right footing is shooting way out to the side.
I am reading Power Training and saw a reference to the forward lean on squats that reinforced my thoughts that I still have some work to do on my form. I have worked somewhat on improving my form but progress has been slow. I really need to find a coach to help me with form, correcting mobility issues and later work on the more advanced lifts.
I have been absent for a few days and have been struggling to make a regular time to get on the forum. I was visiting at lunch but lately have had errands or meetings take up my time. Another goal to work on! Thanks for your patience.
Quick update on training this week:
Sunday, 11/9 - NROL HI A with WSFL Ripped & Ready Abs, this was the 5x5 workout which I like a lot since I get to lift heavier
Monday, 11/10 - HIIT on treadmill with 5 work periods. Need to increase my intensity.
Tuesday, 11/11 - NROL HI B, this was the 4 x 10 workout.
Tomorrow will be HIIT. Here's to more frequent posts and more detail.
Rebecca, you're doing fine. Everyone gets busy in their actual life and logging/chatting slips. The important thing is that you're doing the workouts anyway !
Rebecca, you're doing fine. Everyone gets busy in their actual life and logging/chatting slips. The important thing is that you're doing the workouts anyway !
Thanks, Karen! I appreciate the patience because I feel bad that I am not giving back what I am getting. I got a new phone that will help me better keep tabs on the forum while I am away from my computers so maybe that will help a bit with staying connected.
Workout update for this week:
Wednesday, 11/12 HIIT, 5 work periods
Took off Thursday and Friday
Will be lifting tomorrow, 11/16. I want to switch to Power Training and have almost finished the book but I don't feel prepared to make the switch tomorrow so I will stick with one more week of NROL Hypertrophy I. Since I slacked off at the end of this week, I will lift 4 days instead of my typical 3.
Also, as I mentioned in Jane's log, I have reached out via e-mail to a former NCAA Division I strength coach in my area (just reached out Friday afternoon so it will probably be a few days before I get a response). Ideally, I would like to meet a few times to get started and then meet periodically (once a month?) to stay on track. However, I am not a professional so I will be open minded about the approach. My goal is to improve and/or correct my form on basic lifts and then learn the oly lifts.
Sounds like you've got some great goals. It will be neat to see how the communication with the strength coach works out.
btw, don't worry about not always giving back "equally". We all get busy sometimes and everyone has real lives outside of this forum! I love the community but sometimes other things have to come first.
This sounds really exciting about the strength coach! I am another one who wants to learn these oly lifts and learn how to do them well.
You are doing so well and I hope you hear something soon.
__________________
Ginger
"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start." ~ John Bingham
Sounds like you've got some great goals. It will be neat to see how the communication with the strength coach works out.
btw, don't worry about not always giving back "equally". We all get busy sometimes and everyone has real lives outside of this forum! I love the community but sometimes other things have to come first.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chloe2
Very exciting about the strength coach. I hope it works out for you.
I'm anxious to see what exercises you pick for PT. I've really enjoyed it so far.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bytsi
I hope the strength coach replies soon - can't wait to hear!
Quote:
Originally Posted by GinnyLou
This sounds really exciting about the strength coach! I am another one who wants to learn these oly lifts and learn how to do them well.
You are doing so well and I hope you hear something soon.
No news yet on the strength coach front. I work in IT so I live on e-mail but I know that not everyone is that way and my experiences with sports professionals in this area is that they seem to respond better to phone calls. I am busy with work this week so it will probably be the Tuesday before Thanksgiving before I call.
In case anyone is in Northwest Arkansas (or knows anyone here), the person I reached out to is Adam Taylor with Bua's Next Level Training in Rogers, Arkansas. I don't know Adam's reputation but Tony Bua who owns the gym is a former Razorback football player and I read about the gym in a regional sports magazine. If you know of someone better in my area (Northwest Arkansas), I am all ears!
At the risk of appearing like I have fitness ADD, I am confessing that I switched to Power Training's Strength program this past Sunday. I was getting in a funk about the NROL Hypertrophy training due to the periodic higher reps and getting bigger is not really my goal anyway. Since I was so sick of the higher reps, it was getting really hard to drag my butt out of bed at 4:30 in the morning to get my workout in. I decided to switch before my motivation issues became habit. Also, I am totally sold on Eric Cressey's statement in Maximum Strength that if you work to get stronger, then body composition will follow. So, I made the leap on Sunday and feel rejuvenated so far!
I can't post details right now on the 2 workouts I have had so far (A1 and B1) since I don't have my paper logs with me but in general, here is what I have done. Hopefully I will have a chance to post details tonight...apologies in advance to Jane and Chloe as I will steal their format!!! I am doing the 4 workouts per week plan.
B1 - Monday, 11/17
High Pull
Barbell Row
Stepups
Need a better 1-arm vertical pull exercise....the one arm pullups were impossible and the 1 arm pulldown with my Jump Stretch Band didn't seem like a good replacement
Windshield Wipers (am I the only one that feels like I scoot all over the floor doing this???)
Side Planks (pretty hard!)
I feel like I am missing stuff or got it wrong so I will check the paper logs and correct/fill in the blanks later. Thanks, Jane and Chloe, for tuning me in to Power Training!!!
btw, don't worry about not always giving back "equally". We all get busy sometimes and everyone has real lives outside of this forum! I love the community but sometimes other things have to come first.
Thanks for bearing with me! I enjoy the collective wisdom and encouragement of this forum so much.
I understand that fitness ADD feeling. I keep looking ahead to 'what's next' eager to get past what I'm doing. But I also have such a strong need to finish what I start that I will push through all NROLW stages before I move on. And definitely Power Training is next. Whatever I am doing, I am still planning to take a WSFL break in January. I'm not going to worry about interrupting whatever I'm in the middle of if I haven't finished NROLW by then. It doesn't really matter much in the long run...I just have to get back to it and finish then move on to Power Training. Not sure what the hurry is...but I am anxious to try it all, including Maxiumum Strength. Someday I will come back to do some of the NROL workouts that I haven't done yet, I suppose.
Your choices look interesting. I guess that's the cool part of Power Training...you can put together something that you find fun to do.
). I look at fitness athletes or elite female sprinters being more of my body composition ideal than I do celebrities.....is that consistent with a bulk will do? The lifting protocol of low but heavy reps sounds more fun than high volume reps. Am I on the right track here?
). At the risk of sounding like a broken records, I need to get in the habit of posting more on the forum because I learn so much and hope to give back a fraction. I am struggling with the noise of life in the evenings......thank God I workout first thing in the morning so that I don't give myself more excuses to skip).
!
Linear Mode
