My NROL Experience - Page 32 - JP Fitness Forums

stingo · 11-06-2007, 07:50 PM

A fun class - we did most of it out of the saddle. The idea is someone gets up and starts going faster, as though trying to sprint ahead and everyone else has to do the same to keep pace. The sprint goes for 15 secs max then the person who started it has to sit down (and then the other riders do the same). It really gets the heart rate up there and nobody looks at the watch.

A sad note, our instructor told us she had to give up teaching our class as she'd accepted a promotion where she works. She said she'd always be ready to sub a class, so it's not like she's leaving altogether, but still... I'll be interested to see how things unfold.

stingo · 11-06-2007, 08:29 PM

Well I wore new pants to work - and the woman who runs the gym said I was looking good. Then after spinning I came out of the locker room after I'd changed and my spinning instructor said I was looking thinner so after a few seconds I said "new pants" and she said something along the lines of hiding (progress) in the big clothes. So I unzipped the fleece jacket (yes, I had a dress shirt on) so the waist wouldn't be hidden, and her reaction was priceless lol. "Oh my God, you look great!" and she was asking me about the TNT diet (I'd lent her the book) and she suggested to another spinning student about how he should start lifting. I walked her to her car and she mentioned wanting to get the TNT book and going on the diet. I told her that while my weight hasn't really changed much, I notice that when I'd pass a mirror I'd have a "Dang I look thinner" kind of reaction - just today it was my arms - they looked smaller, but also more muscular. I can only hope that I am increasing or maintaining muscle mass while melting off fat. Still, it's a great indicator that I am definitely heading in the right direction.

L'ilJ · 11-06-2007, 09:05 PM

See...it's all happening! The scale is just not a good indicator of progress at this point. Measurements and photos and the mirror are the way to go. You're doing so well.

lance02 · 11-06-2007, 09:18 PM

Great compliments, and well deserved! You've worked hard, and have earned these reactions.

Lost Dog · 11-06-2007, 09:33 PM

Sweet!

But, sweet like a bell pepper, not like anything non-TNT sweet.

RobLL · 11-06-2007, 09:45 PM

Stingo - that sounds great. Congratulations.

Victoria · 11-07-2007, 06:36 AM

Wow, Tom. Good for you! It just takes time, right?

Biskit · 11-07-2007, 09:04 AM

Tom,

It's so nice to hear complements from others, it sounds like it made your day! Good for you.

Biskit

delcyphr · 11-07-2007, 09:31 AM

Sweet, and well-deserved. Little payoffs like that really give you a boost. At least, that's what I hear.

stingo · 11-07-2007, 11:04 AM

Thanks everyone - after a few weeks of wondering if the diet and workouts were having an effect, the feedback I got was a decided yes.

stingo · 11-07-2007, 11:17 AM

Just thought I'd share a few thoughts about my first month of low-carb dieting/exercising.

I did tank in the first week, but only for about 4 hours the day after I started.

It really did take about a month before I felt I really got back into the groove activity and energy-wise.

Yay for having omelettes and sausage for breakfast! Boo for having to watch for "hidden" carbs in foods like stews and soups!

I think I would have followed the same path had I stuck with my previous food plan, but I feel that the TNT plan is a more efficient and therefore effective way to do it. If for no other reason that it greatly removed a significant speed bump to my progress - happy hour beers and carb packed foods. Now I tend to have a TNT compliant meal (which would have been a cheat on my other food plan) and a couple, maybe three glasses of wine and that's it.

In a related note, one that has already been mentioned in my log - is to disregard the scale. Even with the new diet I'm hovering around 230, I do look leaner and my clothes fit better. (Though I have to say the new pants are much more snug than the previous ones lol.)

NROL has also helped greatly in this endeavor, as I started Hypertrophy I around the same time I started the TNT diet. Rotating among the various protocols keeps things interesting too.

That's about all I can think of for now.

stingo · 11-07-2007, 03:09 PM

All exercises 4x10, 60 seconds rest except for abdominals which are 3x15, 60 seconds rest

A1 Incline DB Bench Press 45
A2 Ball Seated Cable Rows 45

B1 DB Shoulder Press 35, 40, 40, 40
B2 WG Lat Pulldown 80

C1 DB Close Grip Bench Press 45
C2 High Pull 30

D1 Swiss Ball Crunch (feet against Bench)

Notes:

Incline DB Bench Press - It seems like my left shoulder is healing somewhat as I felt really strong with this exercise for some reason. I might have even tried 50's but stuck with the 45's so as not to get the left shoulder angry.

Ball Seated Cable Rows - These felt good as well, if not quite as strong as the presses in the superset.

DB Shoulder Press - Again, because of the left shoulder I started out with a set of 35, but was able to do the next three sets with 40's (even if only JUST barely for the last set).

WG Lat Pulldown - This was another exercise that felt better as I did the sets. It had the right amount of challenge.

Close Grip Bench Press - I asked the trainer at the gym for a substitute since we didn't have barbells, and he suggested turning my hands to face each other and moving my elbows in to my body to do them. He also suggested, as an alternate to try diamond pushups.

High Pull - the first set at 30 really pissed off the left shoulder, but subsequent sets went a lot better.

Swiss Ball Crunch - these are still challenging but a bit easier this time around. I forgot I had to do 15 each set, as I had done only 10 on the first, so I did 20 on the second.

Overall - Very happy with this workout, with increases in all exercises, and I felt better doing them too. I can't wait til the left arm/shoulder is fully healed.

Espi · 11-08-2007, 04:52 AM

It's good to see how you're thriving right now.

But one caveat: the scale *is* important after all, but start to weigh either weekly or tally up 7 days worth of numbers and make it a rolling average. Rolling averages should go down, regardless of the crazy water weight fluctuations.

stingo · 11-08-2007, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Espi

It's good to see how you're thriving right now.

But one caveat: the scale *is* important after all, but start to weigh either weekly or tally up 7 days worth of numbers and make it a rolling average. Rolling averages should go down, regardless of the crazy water weight fluctuations.

Hmm I think I'll respectfully disagree - the scale's only as important as I want it to be. I'm sure following a careful measurement process like the one you describe would be beneficial, but right now I think I'll go by how I fit into my clothes and how I look. Going on the logic that seeing a beneficial change in the scale would take so long that I'd see/feel the change before then, without having to step on the scale to prove it.

Espi · 11-08-2007, 09:21 AM

Centimers count too.. but why o why can't i make myself to take daily girth measurements ? (a rhetoric question)... probably since I've barely ever bothered and then have to set up another column for that etc.

missjane · 11-08-2007, 09:24 AM

Wow, Tom, you are doing so great!

I also thought TNT was a great plan (until I fell off last month) and I intend to get back into it.

Keep up the good work!

stingo · 11-08-2007, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Espi

Centimers count too.. but why o why can't i make myself to take daily girth measurements ? (a rhetoric question)... probably since I've barely ever bothered and then have to set up another column for that etc.

Yeah, see, I don't want to spend my life taking measurement after measurement. To my mind it gets to a point where enough is enough.