So, HELL is over, and a new challenge has arrived. I'm participating in the NROLW challenge, but I'm starting a week late. Took a week off after finishing HELL. I'm rested up, full of no no foods, and ready to go.
I'm posting my starting stats from the Challenge Thread. For the starting pics, you'll have to go there. There's enough pictures of me in a swim suit on this website already!
Beginning stats:
Height: 5’4’’ almost
Weight: 116 (last week. rest week has me up 2 lbs)
Body Fat: 18% (tanita scale)
Neck: 12
Bust: 31
Natural waist: 26
Low rise waist: 29 (took it so I would know fancy jean size)
Hips: 34.5
Right thigh: 21
Right bicep relaxed: 10
Goals:
Weight: 115
Body Fat: between 13-15
Get back the butt I had in highschool (gulp)
1.5 bodyweight squat (172.5)
205 plus deadlift
135 bench
10 chinups in a set without stopping
eat sensibly without always having to be ultra anal about counting
Tomorrow I'll be starting the nutrition and the stage 1 workouts. I'm nervous about the eating---feels like lots of cals, and I know I'm going to have trouble keeping the fat down. Of course, I should know that protein is my friend
__________________ 'I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day. ' ~Frank Sinatra
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may create the illusion that you are tougher,
smarter, faster and better looking than most people.
Hi Mel:
I see we're fairly close in measurements - well I'm a lil' heavier, so what! Will be checking on you now and then , sounds like you're off to a great start!
Take care!
__________________
"Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right." - Henry Ford
"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." - Dr. Seuss
"Life is no brief candle to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." - George Bernard Shaw
Thanks everybody! Always appreciate the encouragment.
Greg, you are silly.
Julie, the first workout felt pretty good. I think because the load of HELL was so much and I was at a deficit, it feels great to be well fed and full of energy while lifting. Ask me in a coupla weeks when I'm really into the weight
So, I did do my first A workout yesterday followed by a little HIIT.
Worked out in the school gym since I had a game.
Here are the numbers:
2 sets of 15 reps with 60 seconds between each set. Squats were on their own, all other exercises were alternating ss.
Squat 80 85
Push Up bw bw
seated row 50 55
Step UP 15s 15s
Prone Jack Knife bw bw
HIIT: biked for 15 mins up 1/ down 1 at 100 rpm and 85 rpm--was a little lame, but when I tried to run outside, the snot was freezing in my nose. So, I came in. I'm just lucky the school weight room even has a bike!
Thoughts:
-boy do I hate doing 15 squats. I was unsure on the weight. I think I'll be able to keep moving up, but my legs do get tired. I'm trying for just below parallel on each one.
-going to try my pushups off a bench next time
-I really tried to use no back foot lift on the step ups. I truely think I could get a work out from those damn things with no weights just by not cheating with that back foot. I did them off the bench as usual.
-I love the JKs. How fun. Gonna look at variations. I tried to do them really fast to get the sweat going yesterday.
Nutrition Update: Scared to death eating all this food. Hit 40 30 30 exactly right. Love feeling so strong and full of energy, though. My favorite meal of the day: roasted rosemary chicken with veggies.
Today I may or may not get some running in. I would love to hit the tread mill for about 15-18 mins tonight.
Your workout looks good! I haven't decided if I'm going to start Fat Loss I or the NROL4W program on Saturday, but just coming off the three strength programs, I am not looking forward to 15 reps. I'm sure my legs will be crying, but that's the point I suppose.
Hey, there's life after HELL!! You're off to a great start, Mel. You realize the Missourians are going to sweep this challenge, right?
__________________ The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same. -- Carlos Castaneda
__________________ It all starts with the mind, but the thoughts, the intention aren't enough. Action needs to come next. Dream it, believe it, plan it, execute it, celebrate it. - Wendy
I totally feel ya on the "eating so much feels weird" thing. On one hand it is nice to feed the body and I feel like I have energy to burn but I keep wondering just how this is really going to turn out. I mean are those 300 cals a day going to end up on my butt?
Lee's Summit native! Although I lived in Pineville until I was 14. (If you know where that is (population 499, when I was there) then consider me amazed.)
I know where pineville is. My sister used to live up in carthage, and my sister-in-law grew up in purdy. Mels sister lives over in Springfield too.
__________________
We don't know all the answers. If we knew all the answers we'd be bored, wouldn't we? We keep looking, searching, trying to get more knowledge. Jack LaLanne
Thanks everybody! Always appreciate the encouragment.
Greg, you are silly.
Julie, the first workout felt pretty good. I think because the load of HELL was so much and I was at a deficit, it feels great to be well fed and full of energy while lifting. Ask me in a coupla weeks when I'm really into the weight
So, I did do my first A workout yesterday followed by a little HIIT.
Worked out in the school gym since I had a game.
Here are the numbers:
2 sets of 15 reps with 60 seconds between each set. Squats were on their own, all other exercises were alternating ss.
Squat 80 85
Push Up bw bw
seated row 50 55
Step UP 15s 15s
Prone Jack Knife bw bw
HIIT: biked for 15 mins up 1/ down 1 at 100 rpm and 85 rpm--was a little lame, but when I tried to run outside, the snot was freezing in my nose. So, I came in. I'm just lucky the school weight room even has a bike!
Thoughts:
-boy do I hate doing 15 squats. I was unsure on the weight. I think I'll be able to keep moving up, but my legs do get tired. I'm trying for just below parallel on each one.
-going to try my pushups off a bench next time
-I really tried to use no back foot lift on the step ups. I truely think I could get a work out from those damn things with no weights just by not cheating with that back foot. I did them off the bench as usual.
-I love the JKs. How fun. Gonna look at variations. I tried to do them really fast to get the sweat going yesterday.
Nutrition Update: Scared to death eating all this food. Hit 40 30 30 exactly right. Love feeling so strong and full of energy, though. My favorite meal of the day: roasted rosemary chicken with veggies.
Today I may or may not get some running in. I would love to hit the tread mill for about 15-18 mins tonight.
mel
Hi Mel,
I know what you mean on the 15 reps for squats. I always try more weight and then realize, shoot, I've gotta do 15 of these! (that thought is usually around rep 5!
Answering the Mail:
L--thanks, I'd say it depends on your goals. I gained a whole lot of strength on my last fat loss program, LOL, so either program will be beneficial. I hear you on those 15 rep sets--much hate. I can feel the squats from the other day, and that's good.
Tom- thanks! I'm excited to see where it takes me!
Bill--Thanks, and LOL---all the pressure's on you all. I don't think I have a chance in HELL of winning (get it teehee).
Dilly, Paula, AEB--thanks ladies! Kudos much appreciated.
K--here's something funny about all the cals--I was weirding out about them, so I measured my thigh--lost half an inch. I'm just going to have to trust Lou and Alwyn and ignore myself.
Hi Adam! Yup, Missouri State...all the colleges are changing their names, did you know that University of Missouri Rolla changed to Missour University of Science and Technology. Their Initials are kind of funny now.
LM, Jane, and Paul, thanks for stopping by.
Yesterday's stuff:
I did my first B day yesterday. After Hell, the length of these workouts is refreshing, even if the sets are long, lol
Here's the numbers:
Deadlifts as a single set, all others alternating ss with 60 seconds rest. 2 sets of 15 each.
Deadlift 85 95
DB shoulder press 15s 20sx8
15sx7
Wide grip lat pull down 62.5 62.5
Lunge 10s 15s
SB Crunch 20 # cable 20# cable
Finished with HIIT 15 mis, run 1/jog 1 at 7.5/5.5 except for the last minute which I did at 8 for grins.
Thoughts:
*deads should probably have started at 90 or 95
*I'm always disappointed with my shoulder strength
*I had the wrong bar for the lat pulldowns and couldn't find the right one
*Lunges = bleh! But I was able to keep a better steady cadence with them than ever before, so it's probably time to up the weight.
*I love doing the crunches with the cable tower the way Chris showed me. It hurts so good.
*toe striking getting so much easier. Can't believe how good it feels to run after eating at maintenance for a while. wow.
General thoughts: I'm amazed at how much the HELL program conditioned me. It was so different from this that, even though I know I am working real hard, it doesn't feel like it. I hope that feeling lasts for a while...soon I'll feel how hard I'm working and that's not near as fun.
I'm planning to run tonight also, probably an 18 minute cycle with some walking minutes in there.
Food Highlights:
*I put some whole wheat noodles in a dish this week...first time in months. Chris was shocked. They were so good. The dish, pecan venison, had this rich, creamy sherry sauce, and with the pecans and the deer.....ooh delish!
Good work, Mel. I feel the same way about my shoulder strength. But if we focus on it, there WILL be improvement, right?
__________________
"Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right." - Henry Ford
"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." - Dr. Seuss
"Life is no brief candle to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." - George Bernard Shaw
K--I think so, maybe, LOL. I seem to have been at about the same place for about 2 years. I haven't really focused on improving it, but most every thing else has had strong gains, but not shoulder presses. I'm not sure why, haven't ever really concerned myself with it. Funny thing, though, for my size, my shoulders are huge.....
Today was an off day, so i decided to do a little HIIT. 20 minutes on the treddy. 2 mins run at 7.5/ 1 min walk at 4/ 2 mins run at 5.5. Toe striking feeling sooo good now. Had my shoes on tight, which really helps. I felt strong and full of food. weeeeee!!! Of course, then I was staaaaarving. How can I be eating 2000 cals and be hungry. is nuts.
Tomorrow is my second A day in nrolw. I'm interested to see If I can push the weights even though I'm still on 15 reps. Will have to do it at school, though, before the game. Three games and two practices this week. The girls are pretty tired of cheering.
I've already tried to log yesterday once....let's see if I can actually do it this time!
Yesterday was my second time through Stage 1 Day A
Squats first and then alternating super sets. All 2 reps of 15 sets with 60 seconds rest between each exercise.
Squats 90 95
Push Ups (decline) bw bw
Seated Row 60 70
Step up 15 15
Prone Jackknife (straightl eg) bw bw
Set of chinups just to see 7 without stopping
Bike intervals workload of 7 15 mins 1 at 85 rpm/1 at 100 6 miles
Set of chinups again....arms were rested this time 10 (woot!)
Thoughts:
*Squats felt good. Second set was hard at the end, but a good hard. I should be hitting triples in the 12 reps next week...weeee!
*For the decline pushups, I put my feet on a bench-high step
*found the right bar for the seated row, much better!
*I'm bound and determined to do those step ups with no back foot assist. The weight will not go up until I am doing them perfectly. IN fact, I think I'm going back down next time. Chris showed me how to curl my toes on my back foot to keep it from working.
*I dug the straight leg jackknifes! Fortunately, a student was in the workout room doing them, so I had a visual model. What a challenge! I can't wait to get better at these.
*The chin ups were exciting. One of my starting goals for this program was 10 chin ups...now I guess I'll work on 15
Nutrition:
The chicken dish I brought along for dinner was terrible. I rarely dislike anything, but this just didn't work. So.....I had a cheeseburger from the concession stand instead. First cheeseburger in 5 months. It was amazing, lol. Thankfully, it fit in my macros. Not too happy about the white bread bun, but it's just one.
Today, I'm going to play with some interval running and then take tomorrow off. My plan for this program is to do something six days a week and take Sundays off. The plan will look like this:
Monday Lift HIIT High Cal
Tuesday interval variety Med Cal
Wedsday Lift HIIT High Cal
Thursday interval variety Med Cal
Friday Lift HIIT High Cal
Saturday interval variety Med Cal
Sunday off Low Cal
For now, I'm eating at maintenance and seeing where it takes me. At the end of one month, I'll reassess and see if I want to cut again or keep going at the same pace.
To Hell and Back (mel's log Act II)
, sounds like you're off to a great start!
with the challenge!!!
Linear Mode
