And so it begins....

[poppypixie]

Well, I begin NROLFW in 2 days time. I've read the book, and read the book and read the book again! I'm excited.This is the first lifting programme I have followed and I'm hoping I see good results, in strength and also maybe a little fat loss.A month ago I joined a new gym as the one I was a member of only had DBs, a bench and machines. Anyway, I thought I'd get used to the new equipment and try out moves from the book before I actually start the programme. Also, the gym had a Smith machine that has recently been replaced by a squat rack so I was waiting for that too. I got an instructor to show me how to do barbell squats yesterday and I think I did ok! I also think I've conquered deadlifts but I think I'll have trouble with grip strength.
Based on what I've been doing for the past month, and previously, this is what I've been lifting (3 sets x 10 reps):

DB squats - 24kg total (53lbs)
Lat pull down - 25kg (55lbs)
Seated row (cable column) - plate no. 9 (I've emailed Cybex to find out how muvh each plate weighs)
Deadlift - I've been practicing with between 20kg and 30kg (44lbs and 66lbs)

I surprised myself on Friday night by doing 10 full push-ups. I'm sure my form wasn't perfect but 10!!! I had previously been doing them at about 30 degrees on a weight bench, then recently I started doing them on a Reebok step (which has a pretty hexagonal pattern that looked so nice on my palms!), then I thought, Hey, let's try them on the floor. I told myself that I wasn't allowed to bench press until I increased my strength doing other exercises. When I first tried the incline bench press, I really struggled with an unloaded bar - I managed 6 reps, then 4, then 4.

I've been practicing moves from New Rules such as the prone jackknife. I have tried this move before and had real trouble just getting on the ball! But now I've worked out I have to start kneeling behind the ball then walk myself over until my shins are on top of the ball. But it's still always an ugly dismount and quite an awkward looking move but I'll improve.

Foodwise, I'm vegetarian. Until recently I followed pretty much a vegan diet but have now started eating eggs and cottage cheese and may try whey isolate protein powder (I use soy right now).

Based on the books calculations, I should be eating 1904 cals on non-lifting days, 2142 on lifting days. Having stuck to around 1600-1700 cals per days, I'm finding the numbers quite a leap. I've been trying to eat more protein and have gradually got up to nearly 100g per day. I'm trying to hit these new numbers from today, so today I have managed:

1836 cals
229g carbs
127g protein,
46g fat

which works out to 50/28/22. I'm so full!

Anyway, here are my stats:

26 years old (in the UK, hence all the kg weights)
5'3"
121lbs
Body fat (according to scale I always use): 23%
BMI: 21.3

Measurements:
Neck - 12"
Right arm - 10"
Under bust - 27"
Over bust - 32.5"
Waist - 26"
Across navel - 30.5"
Hips - 36"
Right thigh - 21"
Right calf - 13"

Here's to the journey!

[poppypixie]

Well, Im ill today so I'm hoping that I recover in time for my 1st Stage 1 Workout A tomorrow.

[poppypixie]

Well, I did my first workout and I can feel it!

Stage One/Workout A (1)

Barbell Squat
2 x 15 @ 30kg (66lbs)

Pushups
1 x 14 full
1 x 8 full followed by 7 @ 30%
Seated row
2 x 15 @ level 8 (still don't know how much the plates weigh)

Steps ups
2 x 15 - I held a 6kg (13lb) DB in each hand and the only thing I had to step on to was a weight bench and I couldn't help but push off on my non-working foot. I tried it on a low step at home and could do it, I think it was just the height of the bench that was the problem.
Prone jackknife
2 x 8

The rest period between each exercise was so short! That's what I'm not used to.

It's ages since I've woken up the next day and can really feel my whole body has been worked. I can feel it in my shoulders and upper back the most and a little in the glutes and thighs, and just below my ribs.

I struggle to get 8 hours of sleep a night but I think I'm going to have to try harder as I feel I'm going to need more!

[clubchub]

Welcome and good luck on your journey. I am an alumn of NROLFW. It's a fun and effective program. I'll check into your log from time to time and cheer you on.

[poppypixie]

Thanks for the support!

[poppypixie]

Well, Workout B didn't wear me out as much as A, but maybe that's because I'm more familiar with some of the exercises, or maybe I didn't push myself as much as I could have.

Stage 1, Workout B1

Deadlifts (I had to do these last as someone was using the squat rack)
1 x 15 @ 30kg (66lbs)
1 x 15 @ 32.5kg (72lbs)

Shoulder Press
1 x 15 @ 2x6kg (2x13lbs)1 x 15 @ 2x6kg (2x13lbs)

Wide grip lat pulldown
1 x 15 @ 25kg (55lbs)
1 x 15 @ 25kg (55lbs)

Lunge
1 x 15 @ 2x8kg (2x18lbs)
1 x 15 @ 2x8kg (2x18lbs)

Swiss ball crunch
1 x 15 (I thought everything was 15 reps!)
1 x 8

As well as doing the first set of crunches wrong, I also messed up the lunges by alternating legs, then thinking that was wrong and doing them on one leg then the next. Now I know I should be alternating. Oh, actually I better check that! I may hold a plate for the crunches too.

I feel quite confident I'll be able to increase my weight after the 15 and 12 rep weeks as I've previously been lifting these weights for 10 reps.

Anyway, my glutes are feeling it today! Yay!

[poppypixie]

Stage One, Workout A2

Squat
2 x 15 @ 32.5kg (71.5lbs)

Push-up
2 x 10 full + 5 @ 30%
Seated row
2 x 15 @ level 8

Step-up
2 x 15 on Reebok step with 1 riser holding 2x10kg (2x22lbs)
Prone jackknife
2 x 8

20 mins hill programme on bike (level 5)

The squats were pretty challenging today and my quads are telling me that they were! I think the cycling had something to do with it too.

Still having trouble with the step ups. Thought I'd try it on a low step with heavier weights (my fingers hurt by the end) because I couldn't manage to do them the other day on the weight bench without using my supposedly non-working leg. I'm quite frustrated by them.

Reassessing my calories too. Off to Daily Plate.

[poppypixie]

Stage One, Workout B2

I quite like the B workouts but I get a bit impatient with the 75 sec rests but I'm sure I'll appreciate them once the reps decrease and the weight increases.

Deadlift
1 x 15 @ 32.5kg (71lbs)
1 x 15 @ 35kg (77lbs)

Again I had to do these last as 2 guys were using the squat rack to do bench presses (we only have one squat rack and an incline bench press)

Shoulder Press
2 x 15 @ 8kg (17lbs)
Lat pulldown
2 x 15 @ 25kg (55lbs)

Lunge
2 x 15 @ 2 x 8kg (2 x 17lbs)
Swiss ball crunches
1 x 8 holding 5kg (11lbs) plate
1 x 8 holding 2x8kg (2 x 17lbs) DBs (from lunges)

Anyway, I can feel it in my back and my butt today but in a good way.

I've decided to decrease my calories as well and I'll see how it goes.

[Ogedei]

Good luck with your journey, and since i haven't seen you around these parts before..Welcome! I hope you are enjoying the forums and all the information.

Good choice on routine, and feel free to share your diet. For general interest sake I think many of us find that as interesting as your training.

Og.

[poppypixie]

Ok, well I'm struggling with the nutrition side, partly because I'm vegetarian (or am I just making excuses?). At the moment I'm getting 50% carbs, 25% protein, 25% fat but I'd love to reduce carbs and increase protein.

For a sample day:

Breakfast: Puffed rice and millet & oatbran flakes with soy milk

Morning snack: Apple, cashews

Lunch: Egg salad sandwich, carrot sticks

Afternoon snack: Cheestring, banana

Evening snack/ post WO: protein drink (1 scoop powder, 1/2 cup soy milk, water)

Dinner: Tofu, tomato sauce, small baked potato or 40g pasta, broccoli

When I get my new protein powder (whey isolate), I was thinking of having a protein drink with my morning snack.

My sources of protein are protein powder (at the moment soy but soon to be whey when the company can be bothered to send my samples!!), tofu, cottage cheese, eggs. I was vegan for 18 months so it suddenly feels like I'm eating loads of eggs! I can tolerate cheestrings but I'm not fond of cheese anymore.

I sometimes have a couple of egg whites in the afternoon and a PB+J on the way to the gym, after work, as carbs seem to really improve my workouts (well, they do give energy).

I did read a thread recently berating vegetarians who don't eat vegetables and realised that I was becoming one of them! I suppose I should eat more vegetables with my dinner and I'm trying to plan a salad based lunch, perhaps with eggs and tofu for protein.

I'm aiming for 1650 cals on non-workout days, 1800 cals on workout days. It seems ok at the moment.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

[bamazav]

Poppypixie - Welcome. While I am relatively new here, I have been on the TNT/NROL training since November of 2007. I follow a low carb, high protein (at least 1 g per body pound) and higher fat diet plan. The problem I have found with low fat product is to make them taste edible after they removed the fat they have to add sugars.

Looking at what you posted about your diet you seem more of a grainatarian (my word) than a vegetarian. The grains, carrots and potatoes are bumping your carbs up. You need to increase your protein intake, it is thermogenic (meaning it is harder to burn off than carbs, making it great for fat loss). I am by no means a nutritionist, but I do know that 50% + is too high for carbs. Work on getting green veggies into your diet. I would also make use of some of the good fats, olive oil, avocado, etc... and increase your fats a bit. That is my two cents worth, for what it is worth.

[Ogedei]

I don't think reducing carbs should be to difficult, it is going to mean eating more veggies. Replacing your grain products for veggie products should lower your carb intake and increase your nutrition intake.

Maybe some modification like this?
Breakfast: Puffed rice and millet & oatbran flakes with soy milk
Breakfast: Spinach and egg omlette, maybe with some salsa and cheese, canadian bacon

Morning snack: Apple, cashews
Morning snack: Mixed raw vegetables, cottage cheese

Lunch: Egg salad sandwich, carrot sticks
Lunch: Egg salad, mixed vegetables

Afternoon snack: Cheestring, banana
Afternoon snack: Banana, mixed vegetables, almonds

Dinner: Tofu, tomato sauce, small baked potato or 40g pasta, broccoli
Dinner: Tofu, tomato sauce, squash, broccoli (never fault broccoli!)

Evening snack/ post WO: protein drink (1 scoop powder, 1/2 cup soy milk, water)

Not that there is anything inherently wrong with what you are eating, just some suggestions on how to increase protein a little, and decrease carbs.

Hope it helps,

Og

[poppypixie]

Thanks to both of you for your advice

I need to focus on vegetables and protein and not think that grains are going to keep me satiated. I always used to think that but then realised it was a lie and that protein keeps you full.

I should receive my whey isolate samples today so I can try them (with my sister - I'm getting her on the protein thing!) and place an order this weekend.

Well, nutrition wise what I'm eating today will =

42% carbs (189g)
33% protein (150g)
25% fat (51g)

I know I need to substitute something for the cereal but that's what I had today. Actually it was the end of both boxes so maybe it's a sign I shouldn't repurchase!

I'll have time at the weekend to play around with meal plans. Actually, weekends are my worst times for eating, not necessarily junk food (well, a bit), just very carb-heavy days. Forward planning is needed! I suppose if every meal I have control over is based on protein it shouldn't be too bad. And I have to make sure I drink enough water at the weekend too.

Back to the w/o, I'm looking forward to squats tonight as the reps decrease to 12 so I can up the weight. Still not getting step-ups right but I'm going to try them on a bench (we have nothing height-wise between a step with 1 riser and a bench) with no weights.

[poppypixie]

Oh, and Og, I love your cat! It looks so unimpressed! Pretty much like mine do. But a beautiful cat, nonetheless. Such a pretty face.

[poppypixie]

Stage One, Workout A3

Squat
1 x 12 @ 35kg (77lbs)
1 x 12 @ 32.5kg (71lbs)

Push up
2 x 12 full push ups
Seated row
2 x 12 @ level 8

Step-up
2 x 12 w/body weight
Prone jackknife
2 x 8

I went too heavy with the squats for the first set. My knees seem to be splaying out. Must concentrate on form with the lower weight.
Practised step-ups with no DBs and it was a bit better.

[poppypixie]

Stage One, Workout B3

Deadlift
2 x 12 @ 35kg (77lbs)

Dumbbell shoulder press
2 x 12 @ 2x8kg (2x17lbs)
Widegrip Lat Pulldown
2 x 12 @ 25kg (55lbs)

Lunge
2 x 15 @ 2x8kg (2x17lbs) (forgot it was meant to be 12 reps)
Swiss ball crunch
2 x 10 with arms overhead

What's wrong with me?! I did too many lunges and also forgot to alternate the shoulder presses and pulldowns. Must pay more attention!

Afterwards I tried some HIIT:
3 mins at 8kph (5mph)
1 min at 11.5kph (7mph), 2 mins at 6kph (4mph)
1 min at 12kph (7.5mph), 2 mins at 6kph (4mph)
1 mins at 12.5kph (7.8mph), 2 mins at 6kph (4mph)
1 min at 12.8 kph (8mph), 1 min at 6kph (4mph), 1 min at 5kph (3mph), 1 min at 4kph (2.5mph)

[Phaedrus49er]

So far, so good, and greetings. The dietary suggestions so far have been good; it'll just take some experimenting on your part. As for energy, how is sleep going? Is coffee out?

If you have trouble with step-ups, consider subbing in step-downs instead (really just step-ups started at the top, and you try to just tap your back foot on the floor; just watch for excessive forward lean in the torso).

Are you taking a written log with you to the gym? Even if so, some days, the brain just doesn't work. No telling how many times I shorted a rest interval and then wondered why I was getting so gassed so soon.

[stingo]

Not to muddy the waters, but being a vegetarian you're going to have to be more creative in combining foods to get whole proteins. Carnivores have an advantage in that meat usually contains complete proteins. Rice and beans is a good example of a combination of foods which form complete proteins. I suspect there are websites that would list more such combinations.

Have you had steel cut oats? They're the whole oat groat which is cut into pieces (usually thirds), and not processed (i.e., not steamed and rolled flat) so they take longer to digest, and will help keep you satiated for a longer time.

Welcome to the forum, and keep up the good work.

[poppypixie]

Originally Posted by Phaedrus49er

As for energy, how is sleep going? Is coffee out?

Are you taking a written log with you to the gym? Even if so, some days, the brain just doesn't work. No telling how many times I shorted a rest interval and then wondered why I was getting so gassed so soon.

Energy is ok, I just need to make sure I get my 8 hours a night (more like 7 at the moment). I don't drink caffeine apart from one cup of green tea with spearmint a day.

Yes, I take a log to the gym but yesterday was definitely a day when the brain wouldn't work!

Originally Posted by stingo

Not to muddy the waters, but being a vegetarian you're going to have to be more creative in combining foods to get whole proteins. Carnivores have an advantage in that meat usually contains complete proteins. Rice and beans is a good example of a combination of foods which form complete proteins. I suspect there are websites that would list more such combinations.

Have you had steel cut oats? They're the whole oat groat which is cut into pieces (usually thirds), and not processed (i.e., not steamed and rolled flat) so they take longer to digest, and will help keep you satiated for a longer time.

Welcome to the forum, and keep up the good work.

Yes, I understand the difficulty of being a vegetarian and I am exploring my protein options. I have steel cut oats but I'm steering myself towards an egg-based breakfast now but for the days when cereal calls, I'll try the oats.

Thanks for your responses!

[bamazav]

I am with Stingo on the steel cut oats. If you can't find those, use old fashioned, just try to avoid the instant or quick varieties.

Your workouts are looking good. Lunges or step ups or both after squats are just down right mean. But, Alwyn put them together to work you and they sure do the trick. Don't worry about knocking down the weight, as you get stronger you will be able to add it back.

[Ogedei]

I am NOT with Stingo. Not that I don't think Steel Cut oats are a good thing. If you are removing oats for the most part and only having them once in awhile, I would stick with rolled oats, simply due to convinience.

If you were eating them everday and could make them in bulk and have the ready to go, steel cuts would probably be cool.

Even non instant rolled oats can be cooking in the microwave in a minute, where as making steel cut oats in my exprience has been a large time undertaking.

Og.

[Phaedrus49er]

I'm with the band.

[Ogedei]

I broke a band at the gym last week doing X-band walks....

[Phaedrus49er]

Originally Posted by Ogedei

I broke a band at the gym last week doing X-band walks....

Too much time on the bad-girl machine, Og?

[poppypixie]

Well, I've had a look at my food intake and tried to make up a plan. No cereal this morning - eggs!

Today looks like this:

43/27/30

Carbs - 176g
Protein - 110g
Fat - 54g

(Fibre - 25g - I like to make sure I get enough but know it needs to start coming from vegetables)

[Ogedei]

Originally Posted by poppypixie

Oh, and Og, I love your cat! It looks so unimpressed! Pretty much like mine do. But a beautiful cat, nonetheless. Such a pretty face.

SSHHHHHH She'll get a bigger head. I am pretty sure she knows she is a beautiful cat.

And yes she is always unimpressed when I force cuddles on her!

[Gen]

Originally Posted by poppypixie

(Fibre - 25g - I like to make sure I get enough but know it needs to start coming from vegetables)

I have to try to get between 25 - 30 myself but its really tough when I then start trying to get protein close to 100g. More veggies for lunch I guess. I'm tired of salads already though!

Where do you get all your protein from? I eat chicken and still barely get enough.

[poppypixie]

Yes, I aim for between 25-30g fibre and I agree that when you limit carbs that number goes down but I know I have to increase veggies. I just had salad for lunch (with tofu in tomato sauce)!

I get my protein from:
Protein powder, tofu, cottage cheese, eggs (never eaten so many eggs before, another dozen from the supermarket today!)

I'm trying to improve my diet bit by bit. It's the only way I know it'll happen.

Today is my Dad's birthday and he's cooking so it's pasta for us vegetarians but I grilled some tofu to go with it. I made a cheesecake last night (yum!) for tonight too. Surprisingly low in protein...

[Gen]

Oooh! I use salsa as my salad dressing; its really yummy! Eggs are pretty good too; at one point I was eating eggs for breakfast every other day.

I agree about the diet too, a little at a time is best. Otherwise you get overwhelmed.

[Ogedei]

There's a hole in your mind.....