Hello! I am starting a log since I entered the Fall Women's challenge. I have been working on NROL4W all summer and it is taking longer than the book suggests since I have taken a few extended weekends and needed a few days to recover from them when I got back. I did the 2nd to last Stage 1, workout B last Thursday but then spent half the long weekend at my dad's beach house and half the weekend entertaining in-laws so I have had a 5 day break before I resume the last workout A tomorrow and then B and the 2 special workouts. It almost seems silly to take a week break after that, so I would like to know your thoughts on it. Should I take a whole week's break after special workouts?
I have been somewhat counting calories, but again, summer BBQs and Cape Cod ice cream have impeded on being too strict in that department. I think now that the fall is here I will be better about that.
Some background about me. I am 31, never been the thinnest, always slightly athletic but never excelling. I like to bike, and I play broomball (woot!) in a social league in the winter. 2 years ago I did Jillian Michaels's Making the Cut pre-wedding. I know many here do not approve of her workout, but I gained some good muscle mass and got more comfortable around the weight room, although I did not loose much weight. Generally speaking, if I sit on my behind all the time, I hover around 137 lbs. If I work out, I hover around 137 lbs. The nerves of grad school had me down to 133 without exercise last year but I am back to my set BW now that I am graduated and ungainfully unemployed. Hubby and friends are foodies so that throws an extra challenge into the mix.
Here's the stats:
BMI: 26 (averaged between fitday.com and cholesterolnetwork.com)
bust
34.75
chest
31.5
waist
29.5
hips/butt
39.75
right thigh
23.25
left thigh
23
right calf
14.75
left calf
14.75
right bicep
11.25
left bicep
11+
neck
12
shoulders
37
Plan: NROL4W with a 300 cal defecit. I am going to try to get some yoga sessions in if possible to keep my body from knotting up. I also ride my bike to get around (car free!) when possible and try to get in a few laps around the park here and there. I want to reduce my BMI, chisel the waist area as much as I can, and get toned.
The green in my log title references the MPA in environmental policy that I just completed. I hope to reach the end of this 4 month challenge with a changed body and a career that will help change the world (oooh, idealism!).
Stage 1 is funky because
1: I took a lot of weekend trips this summer plus entertaining in-laws Labor Day weekend. I was active during these times but did not do the NROL4W program. This extended stage 1 over much longer than 8 weeks. One break was so long that I decided to repeat the previous increment workout rather than move up right away. So I have 9 workouts for A and B instead of 8. (Does that make sense?)
2: I only did each weight increment workout once at first so I went back to the beginning and started the higher reps/lower weights again.
So stay tuned. You'll read about something really dumb that I did and also a question I have about how to approach the end of Stage 1. Thanks for reading.
STAGE 1
Workout A
A Squat
W1: 15/35, 15/35 - Don't hate me because I did this on the Smith machine!
W2: 12/45, 12/45
W3: 10/60, 10/60, 10/60
W4: 8/75, 8/80, 8/80
W5: 15/45,15/45
W6: 12/55, 12/60
W7: 12/60, 12/60 (this is where I held myself back a grade)
W8: 10/65, 10/65, 10/65
W9: today!
B1 Pushup (full on pushups from the beginning thanks to Making the Cut)
W1: 15, 15
W2: 12, 12
W3: 10, 10, 10
W4: 10, 8, 8
W5: 15, 15
W6: 15, 15
W7: 15, 12
W8: 12, 12, 12
W9: today!
C1 Step Up - weight indicates per arm
W1: 15/20, 15/20 - Impressive weight you say? I was thinking this is way too easy until I realized I was doing it ALL WRONG!
W2: 12/BW, 4/BW - Note to self - do not use side of boxing ring as riser. You will bounce off the ropes causing you to not complete your set and to look very silly.
W3: 10/BW, 10/10, 10/10 - Need to work on form.
W4: 8/15, 8/ 15, 8/15
W5: 15/10, 15/10
W6: 12/10, 12/12.5
W7: 12/10, 12/10
W8: 10/12.5, 10/12.5, 10/12.5
W9: today!
A Dead Lift
W1: 15/55, 15/55
W2: 12/65, 12/70
W3: 10/70, 10/70, 10/70
W4: 8/80, 8/80, 8/80 - This'll get your heart rate up!
W5: 15/60, 15/60
W6: 12/70, 12/70
W7: 12/70, 12/70
W8: 10/75, 10/75
W9: to come
B1 Dumbbell Shoulder Press (I call this military shoulder press) Weight indicates per arm
W1: 15/12.5, 15/12.5
W2: 12/15, 12/15
W3: 10/15, 10/20, 10/20
W4: 6/25, 8/25, 7/25 - OK so I didn't finish all reps but my husband can't even lift this much.
W5: 15/15, 15/15
W6: 12/15, 12/15
W7: 12/15, 12/15
W8: 10/20, 10/20, 9/20
W9: to come
B2 Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
W1: 15/45, 15/45
W2: 12/50, 12/55
W3: 10/55, 10/60, 10/60
W4: 8/65, 8/65, 8/65
W5: 15/50, 15/55
W6: 12/60, 12/55 - I chipped a tooth!!
W7: 12/55, 12/60
W8: 10/60, 10/60, 9/60
W9: to come
C1 Lunge - Weight indicates per arm
W1: 15/12.5, 15/12.5 - Hard at the end
W2: 12/15, 12/15
W3: 10/15, 10/15, 10/15
W4: 8/20, 8/20, 8/20 - Gets the heart pumping
W5: 15/12.5, 15/12.5
W6: 12/15, 12/15
W7: 12/15, 12/15
W8: 10/20, 10/20, 10/20
W9: to come
C2 Swiss Ball Crunch
W1: 8/10, 8/10 - Easy
W2: 10/15, 10/15
W3: 12/15, 12/15, 12/15
W4: 15/15, 15/15, 15/15
W5: 10/10, 10/10, 10/BW - I get a better ROM and feel different muscles when I crunch with no weight
W6: 15/10, 15/10, 15/BW
W7: 10/10, 10/10, 10/BW
W8: 12/15, 12/15, 12/15
W9: to come
So yes, you read correrct, I chipped my front tooth on the lat pulldown. The gym has an upstairs and downstairs. The nicer lat machine with foam padding is upstairs but freeweights over 15 lbs are downstairs. So rather than run up and down during part B, I used the crappy neglected lat machine in the corner of the basement level. I yanked the weights as I sat down but was looking up at the bar and the momentum put the bar right onto my tooth. I thought I knocked the thing out for a minute but luckily it was just numb and I chipped an edge. Its not the first time I have been dubbed snaggletooth by hubby, though. Or the second. Its actually the third time in 8 years that I have chipped a front tooth. Except this time involved no alcohol. My dentist is either going to laugh at me or smack me.
Is it really terrible that I laughed at your chipped tooth? It's only because I can totally relate. I am horribly clumsy and regularly injure myself in ridiculous ways. About a year ago, less than half a block from my house, I tripped while running, chipped my tooth and gave myself a bloody nose in addition to several scrapes and bruises. For a while, it got so bad that my husband jokingly suggested that I wear a bike helmet whenever I left the house.
By the way, I had nightmares involving endless workouts last night. I think its because I typed in the whole Stage 1 and then lost my post. I gave up and went to sleep after that.
I should comment that I love the compliments that I have been getting on my arms. That being said, when you look at my workouts, is there an imbalance between what I am using on my arms and what I use on my legs? Should I slow down on the weight increments up top?
2nd question: I had a 5 day break between my previous workout and today which will be the last workout A of stage 1. After I do the final A and B and then the special workouts, should I do a week recovery at the end of Stage 1? I think I might half that recovery stage because I have had such big gaps between workouts all summer. What do you think?
3rd question: I noticed that since I have been heavy lifting, my arms fall asleep a lot. I wake up almost every night with totally dead arms. Granted I sleep on my stomach with my arms over my head (Superman dreams?), but this was never a problem before. they also fall asleep either partially or totally during the day. Does anyone else have this problem? Potassium deficiency? I just bought a multivitamin yesterday but there is no potassium in it. I need to stock up on bananas. I do eat a lot of almonds, which also have potassium in them. Or maybe I am lifting too much?
That's it for now. Not ready to add my food log yet. When I am bad, I do not enter my calories so its looking spotty. Maybe one day . . .
Heather - thanks for the good wishes. I laughed at me too! Your trip and fall sounds pretty traumatic. Husbands can be so sympathetic sometimes, can't they? I'll tell you this, I learned my lesson. I bet the two of us are a lot more careful now!
I am having the exact same thing with my arms! I've been lifting for a few years, but it just started. It's driving me CRAZY! I started doing some major stretching every night and that seems to have helped. Lots of shoulder, pec, and wrist stretching, as well as all the other areas. It's definitely better, but still not 100%. I'm just praying it's nothing serious, like carpal tunnel.
Today: Stage1 B9
Dead Lift: 8/80, 8/80, 8/80
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 8/25 (hard!!), 8/20, 8/20
Lat Pulldowns: 2/65 (yeah, that didn't last long) 8/60, 8/60, 8/60
Lunge: 8/20, 8/20, 8/20
Crunch: 15/15, 15/15, 15/15
Man, was I fatigued today. Pulldowns were hard, lunges made me pour sweat. After reading someone's advice on doing crunches I decided to choke up on the ball a bit - meaning rest a higher portion of my back on the ball. I also tensed my abs a moment before starting the movement. These two new things made the crunch much more challenging and feel like its actually doing something.
I am a bit confuzzled too. I weighed myself 2 days ago and I was 142. Today,136! I used a different scale today but always check to make sure its balanced first so I don't quite understand. I know I shouldn't weigh myself that often, but I did, so there! I just don't think its possible that I lost 6 lbs in 2 days. Oh well, at least the scale went down, not up. It also means I am below 25 BMI so I can indulge myself tonight when we go to John's of Bleecker for pizza. Now mind you, chicken pizza is sacrilege to this purist, but I might make the sacrifice tonight for the protein. Have a good weekend all!
Well, so far I have managed NOT to have chipped a tooth at the gym.
I did, however, go 30-some years with a snaggle tooth...first because my parents couldn't afford to have it fixed when I was younger, second because after 30 years, who notices these things?
I finally broke down and had it fixed (princess crowns!) when the tooth died, and everytime someone snapped a pic all you could see was a big, gray gap (shiver).
So, good luck to you--with dentistry and the challenge. I look forward to seeing how you make out with both!
Hi ya! I have one more workout to go in Stage 7 WOOT WOOT! At the end of most Stages I only took 3 days off from lifting. After Stage 6 I took off 5 days and that proved to be too many days for me. So going forward with my new workouts I don't plan to take more than 3 days off. I think at the least you should take off 2 days nd go up from there if needed.
Good luck with your goals.
__________________ Sade-
If you're not living life on the edge, you're taking up too much space! Move it, move it.
Thanks for the advice, all4love. I don't think I will take a whole week between stages. I feel like stage 7 is so far away, so props to you!
And thanks Lucky Stella for commiserating on the tooth situation. Hubby is harassing me to get it fixed right away but I will prob wait until my next checkup. Since the chips have all been small, a little bonding on the edge has been enough in the past. Hopefully this will be the case here too. I hardly even notice it any more.
Yesterday not much activity except for some dancing in the evening. This morning, 16 miles of biking around various loops in Prospect Park. Luckily, they have this sweet map online so I was able to figure out how far I went. http://www.prospectpark.org/media/file/distance_map.pdf I ducked out on the boys before they went for a last go around on the inner loop. Lifting tomorrow!
I think I figured out why there was such a weight differential in two days last week. I checked the scale that I weighed in at 142 on last night and I see that it is totally off balance. So I guess that makes me feel better. I didn't weigh myself though.
Last night I did the first bonus set of Stage 1. I am no good at AMRAP. If the reps start to get too high, I get bored and just quit.
Reps/Weight
Squat: 22/40
Pushups: 17
Seated Row: 20/55
Step Up: 25/BW - wow, I can't believe I was so stable doing these
Prone Jackknife: 15
When I left last night I chalcked this up to a non-workout because I hardly broke a sweat and didn't feel very challenged. But this morning I am a bit sore and I slept well last night. I am pleasantly surprised!
I am being good on food this morning - egg whites, green salad, a piece of whole wheat toast. But the rest of the day is going to be a wash. Mom and aunt coming for lunch. I am going to make a tomato and squash soup which is lo-cal , delicious, and healthy but I bought the most ridiculous triple-creme cheese yesterday. I was at Fairway and that damn cheese counter just calls to me. The guys that work there are super nice and they recommended this one. I tasted it and it was decadent, like creamy, gooey butter. Gahhhh. I had to bring some home. And I got some Aged Gouda which I can't resist.
So needless to say I will be having a foodie lunch but on top of that, its hubby and my 2nd wedding anniversary! So after the family leaves I will be making dinner that involves gorgonzola stuffed figs with prosciutto, shrimps with an arugula salad (fairly healthy preparation) and chocolate filled fritters for dessert. We can't afford to go out for dinner this year, but I figured a nice epicurean meal and some champers will make for a good gift and romantic evening. Probably won't compete with last year's anni dinner at Blue Hill, but I will try!
One last thing - hubby and I did our civic duty this morning and voted in the primary. Not many people vote today but everyone should! Local elections are not as exciting as national ones, but they impact us directly. And in places like NYC, the democratic primary is basically the election. So ifits primary day, take a few minutes and go vote! (steps off soapbox)
Happy Anniversary! Sounds like you'll have a nice dinner. Just shows you don't have to go "out to eat" to make it a special occasion. It's about spending time together more than anything. Have fun!
The whole point of the AMRAP after stage 1 is so that you can look at how far you've come - the wt you could just squeak out 15 reps on day one now you can do 15+xx (or until you get bored). Once you get the point, call it done.
Thanks, LisaS! Well seeing as I got that point after the first special workout, I decided to jump into Stage 2 tonight. Reason being I was not sure how sore it would make me feel so I didn't want to start a new stage Friday when I have a wedding to boogie at Saturday night. Starting a new stage is weird - all that comfortability gained in doing the same 2 workouts for 8 weeks goes right out the window. And since I am not sure how much weight I should be using, IDK if I challenged myself enough. I guess my body will tell me in the next day or so.
DH asked me to wait for him to get home from work before going to the gym. Then he called me from the train and said he changed his mind and would go for a bike instead. Then he got home and biking partner bailed. So after all we did go, but not till after 7 PM. I hate going to the gym at that time because its so crowded and I don't know that crowd like I know the morning and afternoon gymmers. I need to learn how to stand my ground a bit better with people muscling in on my space. See why I like going in the afternoon?? Its so much more civilized.
Stage 2
Workout A
A: Front squat push/press - 10/20, 10/20, 10/30
This new exercise took some getting used to and is where the muscling in on my space happened. I had lots of false starts and practice tries before I decided on 3 sets that I was satisfied with. This one is going to take some getting used to and maybe even a little being nice to a trainer to get some tips on form. I used these shorter bars that the gym has which are pre-loaded in increments of 10.
B1: Step Up - 10/15, 10/15
Step up, old friend, is that you? Ughhhhh.
B2: DB 1-Pt Row - 10/10, 10/10
Probably could do more weight on this but wanted to nail down my balance. Sweaty armpits also made for some chafy movement.
C1: Static Lunge, rear foot elevated - 10/10, 10/10
Started with waht I think is my non-dominant left leg forward. Right leg forward was tough. Next time I will start with the other leg first.
C2: Push up - 10/BW, 10/BW
Surprisingly challenging
D1: Plank - 60 seconds, 60 seconds
D2: Horizontal Wood Choppers - 10/15, 10/15
I wonder if I can use some more weight here. I loved diagonal WC's when I was "Making the Cut"
I am behind on my protein today. Maybe a midnight snack while I curl up with Anna Karenina. Lets hope I don't fall asleep with food in my mouth.
Happy Anniversary! Sounds like you'll have a nice dinner. Just shows you don't have to go "out to eat" to make it a special occasion. It's about spending time together more than anything. Have fun!
Thanks! chocolate fritters were not as easy as I thought they would be. I don't think Mario Batali tries out his recipes before publication. With some tweaking, those could be dangerous!
It was indeed a special occasion and DH brought me home purple and gold (well, cream) flowers - our wedding party colors. Coincidentally, although one day late, the Empire State Building is lit up in purple and gold tonight. I like to think its in honor of our anni, but its for a much better cause - www.ffawn.org
Hoo-kay. Reading through Evie's log and thinking, whats the difference between a jackknife and a pike jackknife? Well, I just realized for all of Stage 1 I was doing pike jackknifes instead of prone jackknifes. Does that matter?
So I have been totally off the wagon for the last week. I had a job interview Friday followed by girls night festivities, Italian wedding gorging on Saturday and then spent a few days with family away from the gym, the protein shakes, the food scale. I'm a bit scared about going to the gym today, esp since I am just starting Stage 2 and now I feel like I have been away for too long. I did climb a lot of stairs yesterday and walked about 40 city blocks all with a small piece of luggage in tow so I got a little bit of exercise in.
Workout B looks crazy! Good thing I am going to the gym in the afternoon when its less crowded. This may take a while.
Thanks for the encouragement, ladies! I did workout B on the 24th and then Workout A on the 26th. I really like Workout B of this stage. I totally overdid it though. Skipped today's gym session because I spent a good part of the last 3 days painting the bedroom and tonight feeling jacked up from it. I could really use a massage. I tried using the foam rollers at the gym the other day but as I was trying to work out my adductor, it dawned on me that this is a piece of equipment that you get up close and personal with and I might want my own. So I'll be on the lookout for one of those or an ingenious substitute within the next few days. The roll of butcher paper that I am using the cover the floor for painting did not work.
9/24 WB:
A Wide-grip Deadlift from Box: 10/65, 10/65
B1: Bulgarian Split Squat: 10/10, 10/12.5 Used 4 risers and a step for this. Next time, 3 risers!
B2: Underhand lat pulldown: 10/50, 10/55
C1: Reverse lunge w/ forward reach: 10/7.5, 10/7.5
C2: Dumbbell prone Cuban Snatch: 10/5, 10/5 Holy crap! I can hardly lift 5lbs for rotation component of those move. Hard!!!
D1: Swiss ball crunch: 20/BW, 10/BW The first set felt way too easy for me. I must have been doing something wrong.
D2: Reverse Crunch: 10/BW, 10/BW I need to watch some videos for tips on form here. These have always baffled me.
D3: Lateral flexion: I did Flexion 1 for each set.
E: Prone Cobra: 2 sets of 60 s.
Intervals for 20 minutes. I wish I could just punch in the stage I want to go to on the treadmills. I loose time at the high intensity interval because I have to incrementally increase from recovery to high intensity. Unfortunately, the easy way doesn't work at my gym. Oh well! I just tacked on 5 extra minutes to make up for it.
9/26 WA:
A: Front squat push press: 10/30, 10/30 I got a lot better at these!
B1: Stepup: 10/15, 10/15
B2: 1-pt Row: 10/15, 10/15
C1: Static Lunge rear foot el: 10/12.5, 10/12.5 This time I began with the right foot forward first and the left was hard. I just get fatigued by the end of this exercise. I am also wondering whether I should be engaging my glutes on the way up or using my quads and calves for the whole ROM.
C2: Push up: 10, 10
D1: Plank: 60 s, 60 s
D2: Horizontal Wood Chopper: 10/20, 10/20
Tomorrow, if my body is up to it, workout B. Yaay! I really like it, though I think I need some form pointers on a few of the moves. Hopefully also tomorrow I will scrub out the tub for a nice hot bath.
So I have my workout from Sept 29 to log, but I have a question. Saturday my back and neck were jacked up from overdoing it with workout and painting in one day but it got better by Sunday. Now this morning I overslept and when I woke up my neck is back at it again. I have not painted since Tuesday but pulling down the blue tape from the ceiling yesterday was rough. Besides the fact that some of the ceiling paint came off with the damn tape (grrr), the reaching was tough on my upper back. Anyway, today my neck made a weird crack when I woke up and now I have to turn my whole upper body to look to either side. Turning just my head hurts the neck. As I turn it multiple times, it warms up a bit but if I turn my head again later without mindfulness, it hurts again.
So the question is - should I go to the gym today and power through the pain? Or should I take a day off? What I should really do is get a massage. Mmmmm. I wish!
WB 9/29
A Wide-grip Deadlift from Box: 10/75, 10/75
B1: Bulgarian Split Squat: 10/12, 10/15
B2: Underhand lat pulldown: 10/55, 10/60
C1: Reverse lunge w/ forward reach: 10/7.5, 10/7.5
C2: Dumbbell prone Cuban Snatch: 10/7.5, 10/7.5 Bad bad bad form.. I think I need to go back to 5#
D1: Swiss ball crunch: 10/BW, 20/BW I think which ball you use makes a big difference. The bigger balls are too big. I don't think my muscles are working as hard.
D2: Reverse Crunch: 10/BW, 10/BW
D3: Lateral flexion: Flexion 2
E: Prone Cobra: 60s, 90 s
Intervals: 2.5 min @ 3.5, then 1 minute intervals between 7 and 3.5 plus 2 minutes at 7.5 before cooling down.
10/3 WA
A: Front squat push press: 10/40, 10/40
B1: Stepup: 10/17.5, 10/17.5
B2: 1-pt Row: 10/17.5, 10/17.5
C1: Static Lunge rear foot el: 10/15, 10/15
C2: Push up: 10, 12 I did these with my feet on a step and 1 riser
D1: Plank: 60 s, 60 s
D2: Horizontal Wood Chopper: 10/20, 10/20
My balance was just awful today which means my form was off for a lot of these exercises.
I so took off between Tuesday and Saturday from lifting because my neck was so stiff I could not even turn in my sleep without waking up. I did Anti-Gravity "yoga" on Friday night instead of getting a massage. It is def not yoga per se, but it was a good way to release some of the strain in my neck and I sweated. A bit terrifying hanging upside down suspended by fabric wrapped around your legs, but kind of awesome feeling too. Major headrush. Not sure if I will do it again. I guess we'll see on Friday!
Today workout B and when I find my camera, update pics for the challenge. I took my measurements and I don't see any significant change. I don't know, I don't think Stage 2 is really anything great for me. Then again, I have good food days and bad food days, never awful but I think I need to be super strict for me to see any real change in my body. Sigh . . . frustrating.
Just a small update to say I did not got o the gym today. I did however, bike to the supermarket and bike home with my purchases in backpack. It was a small bit of effort but I guess better than nothing. Followed the bike by lots of cooking of tonight and tomorrow night's dinners and basically being on my feet for 5 hours. I don't think I ate so bad today either. Sooo . . . we'll call it a wash.
Lean and Green Fall Challenge
Now mind you, chicken pizza is sacrilege to this purist, but I might make the sacrifice tonight for the protein. Have a good weekend all!
Good workouts! And thanks for visiting my log... 
Linear Mode
