And the beat goes on...

[mom2w]

Originally Posted by MuscleMom23

Gosh Brenda, I can't wait to see what happens on this diet for you! Everyone was telling me to do what you just came off of. I felt like crap and nothing budges.

I like balanced too and my starchy carbs, bring 'em on LOL!

I'm noticing that I'm not so bitchy, at least in my opinion. So that's a good thing.

We never got to blading this weekend. The open times just never fit into our schedule. I was so looking forward to a little "chacha slide" and "YMCA" while on wheels -- maybe a little "macarena" too. Next weekend?

I did work out with dh while the kids were at a class. A few months ago I noticed pain in my elbow when straining (like pulling wet clothes from the washer but not when curling the bar) and got a brace. I backed off on the heavy lifts (like deads) and it seemed pretty good. It hasn't bothered me through boot camp with all the push ups (daily) and the like. So, on Sat I thought I'd lift heavy and did some deadlifts. My elbow hurts!!!! I wasn't using straps this time and didn't lift as heavily as I was prior to boot camp. Mystery solved, but game plan still to figure out once I get back to doing that kind of lifting. Stick to good mornings? Idunno.

Boot camp was nice this morning. Only 6 showed up so we got to stay upstairs. All exercises were 3x10's. Bob is good at telling us which weights to use so I always ended up being pushed. Anyway, here's the string of stuff today: 5min @4.5mph; bench press; standing db shoulder press; pull ups; sitting overhead db tricep pullovers; bb curls -- wide/narrow/wide grips; hanging leg raises; and hyperextensions.

I guess we're doing testing on Wed. I want to know, but don't want to know. I haven't had my bodyfat done in over a year. So, we'll see. I look at it as a marker (like the scale is supposed to be) rather than the end all, be all of my worth.

[MuscleMom23]

Less bitchy is a good thing. That happens to me too LOL!

[mom2w]

Cardio day and some thinking to be done...

Workout first: She killed us. I think it's easier to tell people what to do when you're not physically doing it yourself. Anyway, lots of running around the gym & the dynamic warmup as usual (her term!). Then we did plank holds with varying leg and arm lifts for 30sec each change. Inchworms with a push up at the end all the way down & back. Band work today. The best part is now I have some ideas of what to do with mine. Anyway, squats, front/side raises and rows/presses with a partner. Lots of fast step ups onto mats (supposedly their instability makes it harder). Push ups, abs & glute work. I don't even know what to call most of the stuff other than painful. Oh, we did relays too. Your team had to do wall sits while lifting their arms up & down. Runner had to sprint to the end of the gym, do 10 jumping jacks and 1 push up, then sprint back. Everyone wall sat until their team was finished. It's really motivating to have people screaming at you to hurry up!

And, the quandry... She announced today that HRMs will be mandatory in two weeks. I guess, as a club employee, I get a 40% discount from the Polar site. They aren't really pretty though so it's not like I'd wear it otherwise and/or need it for anything other than tues/thurs cardio classes. So, I'm getting up daily at 5am to be at the gym before 6am for cardio because it's free. But, they're starting to demand more hours of employees, including mandatory nights and weekends, which I just can't fit in. I was hired 5yrs ago to work weekdays and I like it this way. Boot camp is free because I'm an employee. So, I wouldn't want to buy an HRM and then no longer have my free training. Dh & I were discussing a few things a)could I do comparable cardio workouts on my own and only have to get up early 3 mornings a week? b)if my job goes away, as some of my coworkers have experienced, it wouldn't be bad to PAY for 3 mornings a week ($170/month) vs $240? for 5 days. And, if I only do weight days, I don't need an HRM. It's all so intertwined.

I like this boot camp cardio because of the variety and intensity. Would I push myself enough on my own or what would I do? I mean, I probably wouldn't go run laps in the gym (no track) but I could see going to do HIIT on the treadmill and some more intense core work just because I know am more aware of options. So, I think I could easily give up tues/thurs, but should I? hhhhmmmm....

Low carb day today. It's so amazing to see low carb as 100gms when I'm used to LC meaning 20-30gms. It looks like I should end up, after bouncing around a few days, with about a 2lb loss this week. I'll take it! Still not up to 1800cals/day but I'm working into the 1600's now. I pretty much have templates of each day and go off of them with a few subs for protein, fruit or startch sources. It's almost easier than I thought!

[mom2w]

I think I've decided to ditch the cardio part of boot camp if it requires an HRM. I looked around and it's not like they're too expensive or anything, but I don't NEED one so why bother to spend the money on it? I have some good things at home that I can do (from a bike to jumping rope to setting up circuits w/weights & bands & jump rope &...) plus the weather is getting nicer (I think it's supposed to eventually anyway in a few months or so) and I want to be outside with the kids more. Not to mention, Tues & Thurs have about 4-5 different class options during the day at the gym that sound like they're pretty much the same type of cardio I've been doing in the morning with BC. So, that would be two mornings a week that I can sleep in a little later and two more nights that I don't go to bed at the same time as the kids in order to eek out 7hrs of sleep. It sounds a little nicer! I believe she said 2 more weeks until HRMs are mandatory, so that should be my shelf life there.

I don't want to stop working out with Bob on M-W-F though. Even the stuff that I know, like standing shoulder presses, are benefitting from little tweaks to my form (bring your arms down lower, hold the db this way, bend a little more, etc.) That part is priceless. I run home after class and try to remember all the little nuances & tidbits I've learned so I can spew them out to dh. So we both benefit from the mind of Bob. I think we may even go and see him compete in a few weeks. My first show and I know the guy who won the Master 40-49 last time. Sweet!

[tkinsley]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

Frozen Samoas are the best.

Those PB things are ridiculously delish as well.... but OMG I'm with Jill. Thin mint cookies=crack.

[tkinsley]

Originally Posted by mom2w

I think I've decided to ditch the cardio part of boot camp if it requires an HRM. I looked around and it's not like they're too expensive or anything, but I don't NEED one so why bother to spend the money on it? I have some good things at home that I can do (from a bike to jumping rope to setting up circuits w/weights & bands & jump rope &...) plus the weather is getting nicer (I think it's supposed to eventually anyway in a few months or so) and I want to be outside with the kids more. Not to mention, Tues & Thurs have about 4-5 different class options during the day at the gym that sound like they're pretty much the same type of cardio I've been doing in the morning with BC. So, that would be two mornings a week that I can sleep in a little later and two more nights that I don't go to bed at the same time as the kids in order to eek out 7hrs of sleep. It sounds a little nicer! I believe she said 2 more weeks until HRMs are mandatory, so that should be my shelf life there.

I don't want to stop working out with Bob on M-W-F though. Even the stuff that I know, like standing shoulder presses, are benefitting from little tweaks to my form (bring your arms down lower, hold the db this way, bend a little more, etc.) That part is priceless. I run home after class and try to remember all the little nuances & tidbits I've learned so I can spew them out to dh. So we both benefit from the mind of Bob. I think we may even go and see him compete in a few weeks. My first show and I know the guy who won the Master 40-49 last time. Sweet!

Brenda, sounds like your attitude is perfect. How's your diet change treating you?

[mom2w]

Originally Posted by tkinsley

Brenda, sounds like your attitude is perfect. How's your diet change treating you?

Down about 1# during the week I've been doing it, but I'm more than happy since it involved upping my calories almost 50%. Today is "testing" at boot camp so I'll have a marker for bodyfat, etc.

The kids opened a box of the peanut butter cookies last night (Tagalongs is what our baker calls them) and they looked good. I think it's because they have a little more bulk to them than the thin mints. But thin mints will always reign supreme!

[mom2w]

17.4% Bodyfat!!!! woohoo! Too many people showed up for testing (most said they wouldn't have come had they known) so I didn't get to complete the running, pushups or situps portion of it. I'll have to go back later today anyway and do a workout so I'll add that stuff then.

Just very, very happy with the bf%. I know it's just a marker, but I was seriously expecting about 22-25%. Bob said my legs are very, very lean so they helped me out in that way. I'll take it. And, it's the starting point to move forward so it's all good!

[UConnJulie]

Nice job! It's good to get some objective data to put things in perspective every now and then.

Diet sounds much healthier ... so happy it's working out for you!!

[MuscleMom23]

Originally Posted by mom2w

17.4% Bodyfat!!!! woohoo! Too many people showed up for testing (most said they wouldn't have come had they known) so I didn't get to complete the running, pushups or situps portion of it. I'll have to go back later today anyway and do a workout so I'll add that stuff then.

Just very, very happy with the bf%. I know it's just a marker, but I was seriously expecting about 22-25%. Bob said my legs are very, very lean so they helped me out in that way. I'll take it. And, it's the starting point to move forward so it's all good!

That is GREAT news! What a shocker when you are expecting more BF!

[Lost Dog]

Great job, Brenda!

[mom2w]

Thanks guys! If I wasn't wiped out from working out twice in a short(er) period of time, I'd still be basking in the results!

I didn't go back to the gym until 7ish last night with dh. But, I got some lifting in along with the rest of my testing.

Dh was impressed with my squats. It was the first time I've done them off the box in months and in a squat rack since starting boot camp. I got DEEP!!! Granted, I was only doing 3x10x75# so it wasn't impressive in that way, but I could tell I was deep. To recap, I was unable to squat on my heels and often looked like I was good morning-ing out of the hole (or above the hole! LOL) It's taken over a year of differing tactics to get me squat on my heels (hence the box) and get deep. My bum didn't touch my calves, but I was close. And, I'm surprised at how much power I felt when I put myself down a little lower whereas I thought pushing past that point would make it more difficult. Anyway...

3x10's for everything, I think. Bench Press (75#), OH tri ext (25#), BB curls (40#), Standing db presses (15#). The weights are definately lower but the results are more definition showing up, so I'm suckin' up the old ego and going with it for a few weeks. Then I hope to get back to some heavy stuff again.

I followed this up with my 12min run (1.08miles!) and 1 min of push ups (31) & sit ups (30). I was dripping!

So, right back at it at 6am today. More hell in the gym. She set up these killer circuits. Lots of jumping that didn't feel good on my right ankle. It may sound weird, but when I jumped it almost felt like my ankle didn't jump with the leg so when I'd land it would kind of crush. I know it's not a good description but there was this feeling of disconnect. Circuit 10 TIMES!!!: high knee skipping to step -- jump over -- wide steps to end of bball court -- lunges (front/sides alternating circuits) across short end of court -- jump rope 10 times -- 3 bosu balls to jump on & off like the Easter bunny -- jog to steps and do 10 jump ups (or step ups for me) -- then crawl w/straight legs across short end of gym again -- rest about 10 seconds and do it again. After 10x we did 1 more as fast as possible. Followed this up with some intense ab work. I have never felt my abs hurt more than they do in this class.

[mom2w]

Breaking this up because it's kind of a new topic:

Heart Rate Monitors --- again! It looks like I need one for boot camp regardless if I keep doing the cardio days or not. I get a 45% discount on most models on the Polar site. They prefer I get like the 200 or 400 model, but since I'm not sure I really even want one, I don't see the benefit of paying over $100 for one. Dh wants to go as cheap as possible (the F1 would be $35ish). I kind of prefer the F4 ($50). So we'll debate there. Kristen told me you need one that does calories and HR (I don't think the F1 does cals).

Dh insists that cals are inaccurate on them. In fact, he doesn't like the idea of using one at all --- other than the fact that I'm getting about $1000 of boot camp training for free. I don't know exactly where he does his research (tnation, most likely)

Does anyone here use an HRM? What do you use it for? If you bought a new one, would you go for more or less than you have? Is it useful & how?

I kind of feel pressured to get one soon (because I am) and I don't want to get more or less than I need plus I want to know just what they're worth for the average person.

[mom2w]

Bob's in the Bahamas so we had Kristen (cardio trainer usually) for weights. Funny thing, I didn't see hide nor hair of weights anywhere. The only "equipment" we had in the gym were resistance bands (used minimally) and mats for our ab/core work. Lots of circuit cardio stuff. It wasn't too different from a cardio day. Ya know, it hurts when I'm doing it because I'm not that flexible/mobile I guess, but I don't feel so blown away afterwards. She's teaching again on Monday so I'm not too excited about that. But, I'll go. I'll go to the gym with dh tomorrow and do some lifting. This week has been kind of odd with testing on Wed and now this.

Still researching HRMs. I don't know. The Polars are really nice, but the fact that you can't change your own battery is nuts!!! Kristen says we need a calorie counter but I'm not sure why. I haven't found anything to say one way or another. It looks like the analog Timex will work with the Lifefitness cardio equipment. I might just get a basic one of those and see how I even like it.

Kids are off of school today. It's below zero and may hit 10 if we're lucky. At least the sun shines tormentingly outside.

[MuscleMom23]

HI Brenda, I have an old one which I got because my heart was really thumping with some cardio I used to do.

I had assumed the batteries were not changable because they are waterproof. Dunno for sure.

I got a plain jane $50.00 4 years ago with a chest strap, do they even have those now? It was good for me for range to push myself harder or easier. I could tell if I had been anaerobic or not. I don't use it right now, but for HIIT I will be curious!

Cals? Why? I don't see the point except for curiosity. It does not know BF% and weight etc as far as I know.

So the plain jane one ought to be SUPER cheap now.

[UConnJulie]

I love my HRM ... it's a Polar ... not sure of the model as they don't make that one any more. Actually, I got it slightly used on eBay. It has a "Fit Test" on it and you can enter your age and weight and all that stuff. It calculates calories. Not sure of the accuracy either, but it's good to tell me how hard I've been working. I also love that I can program it for intervals. So I can set the number of interval periods, the duration of the work period and rest period (or I could do it by heart rate too ), and it beeps at me when it is time to rest or sprint. I used to have a bottom line basic model that was like 10+ years old, but I gave it to Tracy (Victoria).

I know Tina and Jill have them too ... probably fancier than mine ... they have all the cool toys!!