No problem! I found that flax really helped with my digestion. It wasn't 100%, but it typically worked. Keeping my fat intake around 70% typically worked as well, but about 25% of the time it didn't. I got tired of it. Toward the end, I took milk of magnesia once just to get it over with and felt a lot better. More vegetables probably would have helped; we were eating a lot of veggies, but not with EVERY meal. We do that now on PN and I don't have a problem at all, even though I'm eating less fat. So veggies with every meal (even breakfast) may be the key.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
So... I had an exercise in stupidity yesterday. I gave blood at 1pm, which was frustrating because my blood stopped/slowed about 4 times and the guy there had to re-adjust the needle. It didn't hurt, it was just weird. And time-consuming - I was there for an hour.
I had a little box of raisins afterward and felt great. No lightheadedness at all.
I came home & got on the exercise bike & read my book. I took it easy, going about 14mph at level 4. I rode for 35 minutes and felt just fine.
We made dinner & went upstairs to watch a couple episodes of 30 Rock on DVD. I came back downstairs and started playing around on the computer. I felt nauseous. I got up to go upstairs & lay down and started blacking out so I crumpled down onto the dining room floor to avoid passing out. I laid there for about 2 minutes, got up, started going up the stairs, and started blacking out again. My vision came back and I crawled up the stairs and laid on the bed.
I was nauseous and tired the rest of the evening (kept falling in & out of sleep). John made some greens+ turtle shakes which actually helped my tummy feel a lot better, but I still felt really tired and weak.
I've given blood several times before and never had this reaction, not even close. I considered going to the DR but I figured they'd just tell me I was stupid for exercising after giving blood and to get some rest and I'd be fine. My vitals were fine - I had a resting HR of 50 and my BP was 110/80 (which is a lot higher than it usually is; I'm usually around 90/65).
I don't know if I should do my weights workout today. We'll see how it goes but I'm nervous it's going to make me lightheaded again...
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
Scary! I would take it slow today with the workout - if you feel any - ANY - signs of lightheadedness, call it a day and get more rest. HOPEFULLY, after a night's sleep and time to rehydrate and eat, you're gonna be just fine...
I was able to do my workout, except I broke out crying again right before my body matrix. I'll do it monday prior to my cycling. I'm going off hormonal birth control tonight; this is ridiculous. Same time every month. Crazy sugar cravings, crankiness, crying. I give up.
In other news, I bought a pair of size 8 shorts at Costco today and they fit *perfectly*. Very exciting, since all my other (non-workout) shorts are size 12.
Here they are:
I am getting proud of my continuously-flattening belly - I can't WAIT until it is F-L-A-T flat.
Oh, and I also had a cheat snack. I initially bought a Payday protein bar and it was GROSS. Tasted like chewing on a vitamin pill. So, I threw it away after 2 little bites and bought a completely unhealthy but absolutely delicious Reese's "whipped" candybar. I can't tell you the last time I ate an entire candy bar (not counting those "mini" ones they sell at holidays), but it was worth every junky calorie.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
Phase 5 - Workout A2
One-armed dumbbell snatch
4x4x30
I'm frustrated. I keep trying 32.5 and can do it just fine with my right arm. My left arm gets near the top and RRRRRRT! comes back down. So I have to go back to 30 lbs. I'll keep working on it.
Dumbbell single-leg Romanian deadlift
4x4x32.5e
Barbell bent-over row
4x4x85
Dumbbell single-arm overhead squat
4x4x15/30
Dumbbell incline bench press
4x4x27.5e
(the PR is for being able to do all 4 sets with increased weight, not just 2 of them)
Plank
120s - 4 touches
120s - 2 touches (and only in the last 30 seconds!)
90s - 4 touches. I gave up. My triceps were killing me.
Reverse wood chop
3x4x30 w/dumbbell instead of weight stack. Because I wanted to.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
Yey I finally found a fella-NROL4Wer on stage 5! I'm starting 5 tomorrow, and so excited about low reps I've noticed I never really improve from workout 1 to workout 2 and then make a jump between 3 and 4...I'm really curious to see your results! Keep up the good work!
With my non-dominant arm, snatches with a heavy weight are a lot harder. I have a 10lbs difference between right and left on the heavy sets. It's form, rather than strength, for me. It feels so awkward to snatch heavy with my left. I don't pull as hard or as smoothly, so it doesn't go high enough to get under at the top, so I end up trying to press it up (no go).
Yey I finally found a fella-NROL4Wer on stage 5! I'm starting 5 tomorrow, and so excited about low reps I've noticed I never really improve from workout 1 to workout 2 and then make a jump between 3 and 4...I'm really curious to see your results! Keep up the good work!
Funny, I was just telling John this weekend that I notice great strides in improvement on my first & last workouts, and not a whole lot in the middle. He's been reading a lot of Rippetoe lately and I started in on "Strong Enough?" this weekend. I'm thinking about doing one of his Practical Programming ones after NROL4W - something a little less fancy and focused on making improvements with every workout. I've enjoyed NROL4W for getting me interested in weights and learning not to Fear the Barbell(tm) but I'm starting to think that maybe some of the exercises aren't as effective as others I could be spending time on.
For instance, my core used to give out during planks. Now, my core holds up just fine but my triceps give out before it's over. So it seems to me that I could be doing another core exercise at that time if the objective is to strengthen the core. So, we'll see. I'll keep reading about what I think is going to work best for my goals (more muscle!).
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
With my non-dominant arm, snatches with a heavy weight are a lot harder. I have a 10lbs difference between right and left on the heavy sets. It's form, rather than strength, for me. It feels so awkward to snatch heavy with my left. I don't pull as hard or as smoothly, so it doesn't go high enough to get under at the top, so I end up trying to press it up (no go).
Interesting. I didn't realize that imbalances were normal or expected. And I didn't even think about form being different on either side, but it makes sense. Thanks for sharing; it makes me feel a lot better about being lopsided.
I know when I do my pushups, I have a definite bias toward leaning on my right arm to do the work, so I consciously shift my weight toward my left to make sure it's even.
I did 15 mins of HIIT and 20 mins of ss on the bike today. I read some of Practical Programming on the bike. It's interesting; he talks about how periodization is really more geared toward advanced athletes, rather than beginners, and how there is a lot more "how" than "why" on periodization out there. I'm curious about his beginner program (haven't flipped ahead yet) b/c I like his approach but would get REALLY bored on a program of squats, deadlifts, cleans, and bench presses.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
B: sauteed spinach, onion, bell pepper, mushroom on top of eggwhite patty (1/2 cup) and 1/2 whole egg
S: chicken breast on spinach salad (small)
L: grilled chicken & lamb with salad & hummus.
S: homemade protein bar & spinach salad
D: pancakes made with ww flour, protein powder, cottage cheese, egg white. Greens+ drink and a side of about 1/4 cup blueberries and 1/2 cup cherries
That'll likely be it for me today.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
Barbell Romanian Deadlift/Bent-Over Row
4x4x95
Why not. Didn't quite get the full ROM on the last 2 in the last set, but I will next time.
Assisted pistol squat Did these with the weights bench behind me, brushing my butt against the top of the bench with each lowering (but not sitting down)
4x4xbw
Wide-grip lat pulldown
4x4x70
Full ROM on these every single time. Will go for 80 lbs next time.
Back Extension I have continued to struggle with a good replacement for these. I finally decided just to go with good mornings
1x4 swiss ball back extension
Good Mornings:
1x4x45
1x4x55
1x4x65 (obviously still figuring out my proper load here)
YTWL
4x4x10e
Better ROM on the "T" part of this, which has always been the hardest for me.
Swiss ball crunch
4x4 w/20lb overhead
Hip flexion
4x4 reverse crunch on floor, holding "up" position for 3-count
Lateral flexion - Swiss Ball Side Crunch
4x4x10 pounds overhead
Prone Cobra 0x0
Didn't feel like doing these. I was trying to figure out how to get the barbell from the GM's back onto the power rack & thought I might try a clean. Starting Strength is in the gym room, so I re-read the important parts (I've read that part before) and focused on my form and did it! And it was easy! And FUN. And it felt natural. So that was pretty awesome. I was so tickled with myself, I couldn't stop smiling.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
I guess I'd better watch out. If I keep it up with the modifications, I won't be doing anything like NROL4W anymore.
Today's eats:
B: sauteed veggies with 1/2 cup egg whites & 1/2 egg
S: protein bar & spinach salad
L: BBQ chicken breast with lettuce & tomato & pickles & onion
S: chicken salad & 1/3 cup blueberries
WO: chocolate banana workout shake (I typically hate anything banana but this was good!)
D: hawaiian pizza a la Precision Nutrition
I should probably have a snack tonight, as that puts me around 1500 calories I think. Oh I did have a small piece of chocolate so add another 50 to that... (big whoop!)
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
I'm curious about his beginner program (haven't flipped ahead yet) b/c I like his approach but would get REALLY bored on a program of squats, deadlifts, cleans, and bench presses.
I'm doing his beginner program from SS (those moves you listed plus regular presses) and am loving it! I'll get bored out of my skull before too long but, in the meantime, I'm loving the simple change of pace after NR4W and it's allowing me to really concentrate on my form.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DirtyMartini
thought I might try a clean. Starting Strength is in the gym room, so I re-read the important parts (I've read that part before) and focused on my form and did it! And it was easy! And FUN. And it felt natural. So that was pretty awesome. I was so tickled with myself, I couldn't stop smiling.
They are fun!! I just started in on those myself and can't wait for each time I get to do them!
John's doing Starting Strength but, I don't know, it just seems boring to me. But, maybe I should give it a whirl. I keep going back & forth.
What's the worst thing that could happen? I get stronger?
Besides, I used to enjoy running. It got boring after ~2 years... if it took 2 years to get bored with running, I probably won't get bored with even a small variety of lifts. Hmm..
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
The hawaiian pizza we had last night was interesting & really good. The crust was made from wheat flour & wheat bran (and baking soda & salt). The topping was typical hawaiian pizza topping (sauce, ham, mozz, pineapple) but also had this egg/cottage cheese mixture whirred up in the blender.
When I was putting it all together, I thought, "this is going to be weird..." I had visions of a spongy, frittata-like pizza.
Glad I was wrong - it turned out very tasty and is, I think, one of my favorite recipes from the book so far. I really like the crust. I think I have developed a very strong preference for nutty-tasting, grainy carb stuff. Like the flax muffin and Ezekiel toast. Delicious.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
I got charlie horses in my right calf again last night - twice. They almost always happen in my right calf. It's the weirdest thing - I know that I try to stop myself in my sleep from stretching my leg, but I do it anyway. Then I wake up and remember trying to stop myself from stretching my leg (which is prompting the cramp). I did stretching last night after my workout because my legs were a bit tight, but it didn't seem to help.
I did forget to take ZMA, which I've noticed has helped to alleviate them. Not fun.
And, my ass really hurts from those assisted pistols. :p
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
OH!! and during my rest periods (yes, I know they're called rest periods for a reason), I did some un-assisted pistols. I couldn't get back up once I got to the bottom, but the good news is that I could get down a few times without falling over. Progress, baby!
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
OH!! and during my rest periods (yes, I know they're called rest periods for a reason), I did some un-assisted pistols. I couldn't get back up once I got to the bottom, but the good news is that I could get down a few times without falling over. Progress, baby!
Very cool!
I'm debating doing my last stage 3 workout (I HATE 3B) or skipping ahead to stage 4... if I skip it though, I might still try the 1-leg squats one more time, as they are quite a challenge... I never thought of doing them to see how low I can go ... I might try the bench under my butt next time, since I think fear of gravity taking over has limited my range of motion...
Oh just do the workout & get it over with! Try to set a PR on every single exercise just to see if you can do it. Make it interesting!
In other news, I bruised my wrist yesterday in my snatch exercise. We have powerblocks, so when you hold them there are 2 bars that are above your hand (your hand's in the middle of the block). I didn't have my grip set properly and the weight (32.5 pounds, mind you) shifted and the bar hit my wrist.
This is the 2nd bruise I've had in the past month or so. The other was on my left bicep from I don't know what. Running into something, apparently. The people at work are going to start thinking I'm abused.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
Planks have really been a toughie for me. My delts and triceps were ON FIRE but I pushed my way through it.
Yesterday I ate:
B: sauteed veggies & 3 eggwhites & 1/2 egg
I also stopped at starbucks & bought myself a venti iced coffee (no cream) and they had samples of a vanilla bean scone so I took one (bite size). MM!
S: spinach salad with chicken & bell peppers & onion, smoked tomato dressing
L: burger patty & roasted bell pepper salad
S: homemade protein bar & spinach salad, same as above minus chicken
D: leftover turkey meatballs with 3oz whole grain rotelli pasta & 1/2 cup pasta sauce (I'm digging these post-workout meals on PN). And a beer (11oz of Rogue Hazelnut Brown...mmmmmmm.)
S: small homemade protein bar & greens+
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
When I went out last night the place had the Rogue Kells on tap, but I didn't try it because I was trying keep my consumption down. Looked good though.
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Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
When I went out last night the place had the Rogue Kells on tap, but I didn't try it because I was trying keep my consumption down. Looked good though.
It's not bad. I'm not a huge irish lager fan, but it's pretty good. Actually, any Rogue beer is a good bet. Their Brutal Bitter is my favorite - have you yet experienced its greatness?
I bought a 6-pack of Rogue's Mocha Porter yesterday as well. I figure that will tide us over the next month or so.
I'll never forget sitting in one of their public houses one night by myself, doing some Sudoku and drinking a "Black Forest"... they mixed their Chocolate Stout with Lindemann's Raspberry lambic. It was delicious.
They also mix their chocolate stout with the hazelnut brown to make a "snickers"... my favorite name for one of their "beer cocktails" though is the Crusty Dead Guy - Old Crustacean (barleywine) mixed with Dead Guy.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
Thanks! I think if I were to do TNT all over again, I would do it with more of a PN perspective - vegetables with EVERY meal. I think I'd have been more satisfied. On the other hand, I'm really enjoying being "allowed" to eat some carbs again. The pizzas we've been making are fantastic. The crust is a mixture of wheat flour, wheat bran, and salt. Carby, but not junky, and I've noticed a significant decrease in my obsessive carb cravings.
As Martha would say, it's a very Good Thing.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
Barbell Romanian Deadlift/Bent-Over Row
w/u: 3x5x45
2x4x85
2x4x95
Working on full ROM for these. I noticed there's a difference in the form for the rows between the NROL and NROL4W book so I'm going to look into what's "proper"... The knees seem a LOT more bent in NROL.
Assisted pistol squat Tried a lower stool this time...
2x4 from stool
1x4 weights bench
1x4 stool
Wide-grip lat pulldown
2x4x70
2x4x75
Back Extension 4x4x75
Worked on bar placement thanks to John's help & feedback. My sportsbra seems to rub against a nerve when I have it a little lower on my shoulders, which doesn't feel good. Other than that, though, I liked it better on my shoulders. I'm going to try a different bra next time to see if that helps.
YTWL
4x4x10e
Still improving on ROM, almost have full ROM on all reps, all sets.
Swiss ball crunch
4x4 w/20lb overhead
Hip flexion
4x4 reverse crunch on floor, holding "up" position for 3-count
Lateral flexion - Swiss Ball Side Crunch
4x4x10 pounds overhead
Random stuff instead of Prone Cobra because I don't like it:
T-Pushups: 2x4
Explosive Pushups: 1x4 (these are harder than I thought they'd be)
I'm still thinking about what I'm going to do after NROL4W. NROL looks interesting but I might save it until later, when I'm finding my adaptations are slowing. I'm considering Starting Strength or another of Rippetoe's programs. And I was looking into CrossFit last night... I don't know...
Today I've eaten:
B: sauteed veggies w/eggs (same breakfast every morning, pretty much)
L: romaine salad with shrimp, egg, bacon, feta. It wasn't that great.
*workout & protein shake*
D: PN "mancakes" and spinach salad w/tomato dressing
We woke up a little late today so our meals are a bit off... We'll probably have another meal tonight, perhaps a salad and protein bars.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
I probably have had the Brutal Bitter at some point, as one of the bars here has a good stock of Rogue bottles. Greatness though is the chocolate stout on cask. Next best thing is having the chocolate stout on tap at home.
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Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
... I might try the bench under my butt next time, since I think fear of gravity taking over has limited my range of motion...
Linear Mode
