Just my log

[L'ilJ]

Originally Posted by mom2w

Did you have any problems with the supersets later on? I've looked at some of them and they absolutely will not work in my gym. I've had people take my treadmill while I ran to the bathroom (despite towel, waterbottle, etc on the machine & an empty one next to it!) so weight benches, racks, etc are even scarcer at times. In other programs I haven't sacrificed much if I've had to break them into straight sets or mess with the order. I'd think I'll be ok?

The only supersets I have problems with involve the lat pulldown or cable row. In those cases I have to leave the squat rack and walk to the pulldown station. You run the chance of someone moving in on equipment, though squat racks are not heavily used at my gym. Otherwise, just put the dumbbells or swiss ball next to the squat rack and you're good. I usually try to go to the gym in the early morning when it's not crowded to avoid the problem. Otherwise I aggressively tap my toe and look at my watch over and over and ask to "work in" with them between sets. So far it hasn't been a problem.

[Victoria]

Originally Posted by mom2w

I finally decided to make my own rules. Basically, just be smart about food choices and not beat myself up for having the bun with my burger or whatever. I feel more at peace and now I'm seeing results in my body, skin, weight, emotions. I think I'm hitting my sweet spot with diet! :-) It feels good.

I love your attitude.....

[tkinsley]

Originally Posted by mom2w

Alaska might not be as bad as it sounds. Seriously. Around here they like to compare our temps to AK and there are many winter days when AK is actually WARMER! It depends upon where you are (along the coast I think).

Oh, and the scale started moving this week and I can see the difference in my body too. Dh & I were talking about how there had to be a point where the fat loss workouts stopped building muscle on me and started shedding fat. I think it's happening. The odd thing is that I lost a 80#+ doing strict low carb and I've toyed around with non-ketosis lower carbs over the last months but didn't see results. I finally decided to make my own rules. Basically, just be smart about food choices and not beat myself up for having the bun with my burger or whatever. I feel more at peace and now I'm seeing results in my body, skin, weight, emotions. I think I'm hitting my sweet spot with diet! :-) It feels good.

Have a great one!
Brenda

WHOA. That's a LOT of weight. Congratulations!

I think Alaska would be fine... other than it will take me what, an 8 hour flight or so to see my husband every month (he's stuck in Houston for the next 5 years until all kids are out of school, then I'm thinking N Carolina to settle in if we like it). Other than THAT small detail, LOL...

[mom2w]

Yeah, I let myself go kind of for a few years. Things just came together about 4yrs ago this week (kind of a reflective time) and both dh & I starting working out and changing our eating style. He lost about 50#. It's kind of awesome to be better in your late 30's/early 40's than you were in your late 20's/early 30's! Anyway, I got a job working in child care at a health club (and the free membership that came with it) about the same time that his older sister died of brain cancer. We both realized that there are things you can control in life and things you can't. Being obese could be controlled fairly easily. Sometimes that's why I get a little anal about food. I don't ever want to be that person again.

Workouts are going great! I'm going to try separating my HIIT from my lifting. Dh thinks it might be too much all at once. I did break in A this morning, took the dog for a walk this afternoon and am on my way down for some HIIT in a few.

Have a great night everyone!
Brenda

[Victoria]

Brenda, sounds like you've had an amazing journey. It's pretty powerful when your brain finally makes the switch from the dark side. Once that happens you just never go back. You can't unknow what you know.....or something like that! You seem to be in such a good place....I'm happy for you!

[mom2w]

Victoria -- so true! When people ask me how I got so dedicated or how I made it work, there's just nothing you can tell them. It's not like I wanted to be overweight or didn't have information available to me. I just hit the point where it finally clicked for various reasons. It really is a good feeling to get past that point.

Another great day here! I think the dog and I will be going on another walk in a bit. Poor guy. He's a husky and he'll be 13 on the 23rd (yep, we have a little birthday for him --he is our first child!) I only take him out for about 1mile as he's slowing down and I don't want to get too far away and have him think he can be carried home. (he used to do that when he was a puppy!)

Enjoy this burst of spring!

[sona]

Beautiful day here, too! Creates a whole different mind-set, doesn't it?

Do you have a picture of your dog, Brenda? I have an English springer, Melanie, who loves to haul me around the park. She's 7.5 years old, but she's still a puppy at heart.

I too think you've had an amazing journey--and once the mind makes the change, so many things are possible! 'Course, managing to hang on to two stations at the same time in the gym may not be one of them. I have that problem, too. I try to figure a way for my supersets to work at one station only, so I can remain there physically. It's so difficult! And FL III has the giant sets--4 exercises in rotation--never mind the heart rate raising effects; just managing to hang on to the stations themselves is a feat!

[UConnJulie]

Brenda, it is an amazing journey you've been on ... I'm glad you have found the balance ... I'm still waiting/working on it!! We have rail-trails here too and I like to bike with the girls on it ... I put one in the bike trailer and one in the child seat (if they're both in the trailer, they fight!) ... hoping to maybe rollerblade this year with both of them on bikes (Michaela has a two-wheeler with training wheels and Hayley has a nice Kettler tricycle ... neither is great at consistently pedalling yet). I want to be active with them ... playing games, sports, whatever ... it is easier for them to learn that activity is normal part of life if they experience that as kids I think. I wish my DH was on that bandwagon, but he is all about yardwork and such and not so much fun activity. We do walk nearly every day in the warm weather though (him too) ... and in the summer we swim every day.

Glad you started NROL and are enjoying it ... it is deceptively hard ... I loved it and may get back to it in a few months ...

[mom2w]

I'll have to find a picture of Alex. Before we had kids (or digital cameras) we'd take pictures of him all the time. I feel sorry for him now. On our last walk these yippy dogs were going nuts in their yard and he's so deaf he didn't even know it. I think we're nearing the end, but it's hard to accept.

Well, I almost teetered off of NROL. For 2 days I did. Waterbury released a new program that is almost exactly what I've been looking for--including details on his 33/33/33 nutrition thingie. I did the first 2 days (technically they were my off days for NROL) and they were ok, but I'm kind of diggin the pain from break in workouts and I hate to be a shifter, so tomorrow morning I'm starting week 2! I did kind of like his bike sprint interval torture though. 10min of 45sec moderate and 10sec hard & standing on pedals (the other 5sec are for tension adjustment & positioning). I worked harder on my 10sec sprints than I normally do and put more into my "rests." Makes me think I need to work a little harder on HIIT in general then.

I guess I'm just seeing some progress with limited angst and detailing & that's more how I'd like to be long term, so why would I switch is up now? (besides being a woman! )

Gotta get going to get through some more logs and finish a few things before MIL shows up. Kids have school concerts and dance performances over the next few days. MIL rocks though! I wish she were my mom (but then dh & I would have a very odd relationship haha!) She's 73 and has been a widow over 25yrs. Last summer she got really run down and thought she was going to die. Her chiro is kind of a naturopath (she does more than just adjustments & is good at giving her exercise & vitamin, etc advice). With her chiro and a nutritionist, she cleaned up her diet and lost about 30# in just a few months. She also joined her local Y. They have a 'ladies only' room and her coach was shocked that she moved up from 1 to 2 after 1 week. She goes 3x/week and then walks in the pool.

Ok, I'm off....

[Victoria]

Your MIL sounds really cool and very strong in body and spirit! I admire that immensely!

Good for you for sticking with NROL. It's not like you can't do something else after you complete the program you are on....nothing wrong with that. I think you can get a real sense of accomplishment with finishing a program. Plus, you can still do Waterbury's interval work along with NROL so you'd get the best of both programs, right?

[mom2w]

Ok, I did NROL Break In B2 like a good girl!

Deadlift 1x45, 2x95#x15

Superset 1
Step Ups (used a Reebok step with 4 thingies on each side) 2x25#x15 each leg
DB 1 Arm Press 2x17.5x15 each arm

Superset 2
Close grip lat pull down 2x55#x15
Reverse crunch 2xbwx15

Warm ups: lunge/twist, side lunge/touch, walk outs, t-push ups
Cardio: Felt pukey, but thought I'd attempt something since I was already there & sweaty -- lasted 5 min on the treadmill before I was plotting an escape/puke plan. That was enough. :-)

MIL is cutting out a sundress for DD. Dance show tomorrow (I hate doing dance hair -- I'm just not girly enough to know how to get it right). DS had a great concert last night. They are so put together these days. Themes, programs, solos, dialogue. I feel like I'm living in a Peanuts special!

Have a great weekend!

[L'ilJ]

Originally Posted by mom2w

MIL is cutting out a sundress for DD. Dance show tomorrow (I hate doing dance hair -- I'm just not girly enough to know how to get it right). DS had a great concert last night. They are so put together these days. Themes, programs, solos, dialogue. I feel like I'm living in a Peanuts special!

Have a great weekend!

Is it just me or are kids much more sophisticated these days? When I was a kid, you could have a birthday party in your backyard with some hot dogs, chips and a homemade cake. Maybe some pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey or a pinata. No big deal. If you were really pulling out all the stops, you would go to Farrells (that one's for you Lost Dog) with your friends for some ice cream. Now it seems like there has to be a theme for everything and birthday parties are a HUGE production with petting zoos or other hired entertainment, etc. It's really crazy! My son is only 2, but I anticipate all the craziness to come.

[sona]

Cardio: Felt pukey, but thought I'd attempt something since I was already there & sweaty -- lasted 5 min on the treadmill before I was plotting an escape/puke plan. That was enough. :-)

Amazing, what we go through.

And yes, you're a good girl!!

[UConnJulie]

Brenda, hope the dance thing was fun ... I'm not great at the girly stuff either ... hoping my girls like sports more than dance!! Great workout ... you will love NROL when you get into it ...

Jill, I will NOT be doing that with my girls ... "old-fashioned" parties will be the norm in our house!!

[UConnJulie]

How was your weekend? You're not buried in snow again are you?

[mom2w]

No snow here! (yeah!!!) Just a busy weekend and trying to catch up from MIL being here, etc. She's an easy visitor but it's always nice to get back to my own life too.

Good workout on Sunday. It was my first time doing break in A at a gym rather than at home. On my last 10x3 program my squats were around the 65# range (I'd really backed off to work on form). Yesterday my 2x15 squats were 75#! I know it's not much, but the reps are higher and I kept my form throughout. It felt great!

Does anyone else ever catch conversations in the gym that make you laugh? These two bigger guys (muscle big) were doing overhead presses in the Smith and spotting each other. I was close to walking over and slapping them. They looked like idiots! The one recounted his breakfast of 4 eggs, 1/2lb bacon and 2 Chaos energy drinks. At least he was doing good when he pointed out to his friend that he had upper body strength but chicken legs. I almost popped out my ear buds and told him about this glorious new exercise called "squats" and a secret lift of the "dead." But, no sense giving away secrets! Then there was the lady working out near dh. Clearly overweight and had a muscular woman helping her out. Only, she had to complain about EVERYTHING! Honest to god! 5# 1 arm db curls -- I can't do those! Aren't there smaller weights? I dont' want to bulk up! (step back & look in the mirror --you're bulky and it wasn't from pumping iron lady!) I'm starting to understand why some people work out "all the time" and never see any progress.

Anyway, life is good but laundry is calling...

[sona]

Yesterday my 2x15 squats were 75#! I know it's not much, but the reps are higher and I kept my form throughout. It felt great!

Congratulations!! It IS much, are you kidding? Are you going all the way down (pretty much)? If you kept your form all the way down, 2x15 at 75# is humongous! Your quads must be screaming~ Great progress; I'm envious!

Too funny about those gym conversations. I always get caught next to a trainer with his client--and the client is always yakking on about inanities, wasting time. Probably deliberate, to try to get the trainer to hold off starting the next set.

Glad you got to take Break-in to a gym--did you find that it made the workout more intense, more challenging?