At least I didn't get a concussion when I fell off the wagon...

[Espi]

I'm glad you're happy with how you look for most of your body!

[ljk]

eh, well, I miss my abs

[gizmogirl]

Does it help knowing that is you lean out again you'll see them? Probably not, eh? I'm sorry they only show when you're gaunt. But nice to see ya again, Lauren!

[Espi]

Perhaps it would help if you'd take it sloooooooowly next time. I've been reading a thread (over at BR.com) and it said that the gaunt look only happens when you are leaning out too fast. I've looked quite bad in November when I got ill and dropped 2 kg really fast. Now it's not as bad anymore and I'm thinking to do another cut, but a painfully slow one..with about 1kg of fat loss per 50 days. Since I'm happy with my current weight, I'm fine with this.
Formerly I'd always lose LBM at a rate of 30%, so perhaps this would be slow enough to prevent LBM-loss. 2 weeks of cutrting are always followed by 2 weeks of mtn-mini-bulk.

I'm remembering you did crazy hard metabolic stuff in that period.. perhaps a more moderate approach like this one might bring you good luck too? At least in case you want to try to cut again (wouldn't want you to do this though)

[ljk]

I don't really need to lean out. Overall I am still pretty lean but it's just enough of "not lean" to hide the abs.

I should just get over it. But I'd be happier if I were
a) feeling better at a higher weight (not really the case -- a bit better but not much lately)
b) sleeping better at a higher weight (not at ALL the case)
c) getting stronger with the "bulk" (again, not so much).



I don't feel that good about myself lately.

Oh well, shut up and quit'cher whinin' Lauren: because in 2 weeks you are going to Grenada! (For 2 weeks...so I feel as though I have to go super-hard now, in order to earn 2 weeks of complete gym hiatus!)

[Espi]

So, get over it.. girl! How is Grenada? Have you been there before?

That last part is weird to me as well: I've been able to set a lot of PRs when cutting and haven't gotten so many while bulking.

How's the piano-playing going along?

[ljk]

Piano is okay.
No, never been anywhere near there before.

Still feeling like crap. No sleep really wears on a person mentally and physically.

[Lost Dog]

Hey there, Lauren.

You made the right decision in my book, anyway. From this guy's perspective, abs on girls are overrated. They're not bad, but looking stronger is even better. Looking and being stronger is underrated!

Just one guy's opinion...

[ljk]

Thanks. My boyfriend didn't like the lines and the veins. He finds them freaky. I disagree but whatever. I have decided to call this my "off-season".

I need a program I can stick to though. Now that my trainer is gone, I am back to workout ADD. I had the same program since late November (upper lower split, and before that, about 3 months on full-body workouts) -- so I think I could change it up again. Just not sure what to do. Oh, and i do cardio about 2-3 times per week. 2 HIIT on the stepmill, and usually one spinning/bike class for 45 min.

I am perfectly okay with not gaining a lot more muscle. Genetically I think I have pretty much reached my strength limit for the most part. We are not all built to be power tanks, and that is fine with me.

[ljk]

See, part of me would love to look like this (minus the fake hardware). She is this ripped YEAR round, but how could it be healthy? I just covet those abs. She doesn't even work them. She doesn't count calories either, and does tae bo like 5x a weeks. Genetics, aren't they grand?
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[Lost Dog]

She's too lean for me...

That's my preference, anyway. I don't think it's freaky, but I find more fat to be more attractive.

[ljk]

I guess. But man, what a body. It's insane, she ALWAYS stays that lean, all the time. She posts pics, like every single day of her crazy insane physique.

[SpacecityPaula]

As much as I love B. I couldn't do what she does 24/7 that's just crazy insane me thinks and I don't think it's particularly healthy. In her case, I think a lot of it has to do with her genetics. I look at her "before" picture from 15 years ago and I think she's just added muscle to an already thin build and it makes her look really ripped.

[ljk]

This is true. She is not a realistic goal for anyone. I wonder if there is more to the story than we know ... there is no way normal workouts could produce that?! But who knows. Genetics are interesting.

It just can't be healthy to be that lean all the time. Most couldn't sustain it, either. But she says she still gets monthly cycles. How crazy is that?

I need to learn how to be happy with myself. I've been pigging out inordinately at night. Perhaps my body is missing something, and if it weren't, I would not be so hungry come 10 p.m. and wouldn't feel the need to spaz out and go postal on anything and everything

I'm still reasonably lean but as I said, the abs are way gone. They are having their 'off season' I guess.

[ljk]

Unfortunately, I feel like a fat whale.

I have probably gained about 7 lbs since that ab shot was taken. I don't own a scale and have stayed off it at the gym because I don't want to know.

[Espi]

Lauren, what if you'd plan your high calorie days more.. do you count your calories and plan them?
I'm eating at maintenance (or slightly above) and it's the bitter truth that my eyes are way bigger than my maintenance (stomach is OK at eating everything). So, I'm needing to balance the intake, just like the budget book.
Do you have a bright light to help with the SAD?

Also.. why not buy NROL or NROL4W and take the workouts from that book? It can't be good to do the same ole' same ole' workouts all the time..

[ljk]

I count somewhat but don't really plan. I just eat when I am hungry for the most part. And most of my days are pretty much the same foods.

I have NROL.
And I do switch workouts up from time to time - they are not always the same

I can't really say that I have S