I gotta say, too, I was so excited this morning as I was doing my shoulder press. I could see the little line of definition you get between your shoulder & your bicep when your arm is in that upright position. An actual muscle line, not the "this isn't your shoulder anymore" kind of straightening your arm does as you go toward your elbow. And my shoulders are strong and rock hard. I love it. And this is only a few weeks into the program - can't wait for what's to come.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
Today is Day 1 of TNT. Just noting for future reference because I seem to forget things easily.
I took Saturday off. I would have done about 1/2 hour of cycle intervals but my hamstrings were really sore from lunges, and my upper body was sore from doing chest presses and I just needed an extra day to let my muscles recover.
I'm going to start doing intervals the same day I do my weights, to give my body more time to recover. And I'm switching from morning workouts to evening workouts. I think that will help me make better progress in my workouts, given that I'll have an opportunity to have a pre-workout drink.
Also started reading the Starting Strength book this weekend. I almost fell asleep reading it, but it's interesting. I think I was just tired.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
Squats: 3x8 @ 30lbs in each hand (goddamn that was hard)
Pushups: 1x5 on floor, 3 @30 deg; 1x8 on floor (YAY!!); 1x3 on floor, 5 @ 30deg (30deg = on weights bench so I'm guessing at the angle)
Bent-over rows: 3x8 @35lbs each hand
stepups: 3x8 @ 27.5lbs each hand
prone jackknife: 3x15
15 mins intervals on bike; 40 second HIIT, 80 seconds low intensity
Made myself nauseous tonight.
We get our power rack on monday, so I'll finally be able to do my squats with a bar. I'm REALLY excited about it.
Today is day 6 of TNT. I was tired on Tues & Wed but that's pretty much gone away. Never did get the headaches, but I stay pretty well hydrated so perhaps that avoided any headache issues.
All my pants are getting pretty loose on me and I feel like a moron for buying a new pair of slacks recently (granted, they were $11, down from $78, but still). They were a bit tight on me when I bought them around new years, and now they look stupid in the crotch because they're that much too big. I'm thinking I might wash them in hot water and see what happens. In any case, I am well on my way to a size 8, which is both exciting and shocking to me. I haven't been a size 8 since I was 12. Of course, a 1987 size 8 and a 2008 size 8 are practically two different sizes with vanity sizing these days... but who cares!
Anyway, like others, we're running out of ideas on TNT breakfasts and are talking about just doing lunch/dinner type meals for breakfast as well. Bummer, as I LOVE all those carby breakfast foods. Pancakes, french toast, hashbrowns, oatmeal, cream of wheat, toasted oat squares, everything. So... onward to new food discoveries. Too bad those nexgen muffins aren't an option.
That was wordy.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
We got the TuffStuff power rack with the pulley attachment...
So in celebration tonight, of course I worked out.
Tonight I did:
deadlift: 1x8 @90lb, 2x8 @95lb (PR! PR!) shoulder press: 2x8 @20e; 1x6 @20e (totally lost form on the last rep too so it was more like 5.5..) seated row: 2x8 @40lbs; 1x8 @50lbs - first time I did these instead of the pullover so I wasn't sure how much weight to start with. I should have started with 50. lunges: 3x8 @30e (again, last rep on the last set pretty much sucked. I didn't go down all the way and kind of wobbled my way back up... not sure it counts either... but still - another PR!) swiss ball crunches: 3x15 ... wtf, these were harder than they were supposed to be.
bike: 7 30-second high-intensity intervals with 90-second rest...
... phew.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
Last "A" workout of Phase I - AND I DID ALL MY PUSHUPS ON THE FLOOR!! So that was awesome...
squats: 3x8 @75lbs -- with the new power rack and I LOVE IT!! pushups: 3x8 on floor *party* seated row: 1x8 @60lbs, 2x8 @70lbs stepups: 3x8, no weights. We got a new weights bench and I used that instead of my girlie-step and holy CRAP what a difference. I feel like I'm starting over Oh well, I'd rather focus on doing it RIGHT and at a higher level than having incorrect form and using a purple (yes, purple) plastic step. prone jackknife: 3x15 - these keep getting harder!
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
Hi. Somehow I missed seeing your log earlier. Figured I ought to at least say "Hi, neighbor!"
Nice work getting to the pushups on the floor and the higher step-ups.
__________________ 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
Hey there! I'm still new to the area (got here last july) so I had to look up sugar creek. I'm still not used to all the 'burb names yet, and I haven't been over to the east side of town yet... Thanks for stopping by!
I forgot to mention - I also did 8 intervals on the bike last night. 6 30-second leg-killing intervals and 2 40-second pain-inducing, curse-laden ones. Cushioned with 80-90 second rest periods.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
stepups: 3x8, no weights. We got a new weights bench and I used that instead of my girlie-step and holy CRAP what a difference. I feel like I'm starting over Oh well, I'd rather focus on doing it RIGHT and at a higher level than having incorrect form and using a purple (yes, purple) plastic step.
That is very smart thinking! You'll be glad you are focusing on form! And, done correctly, these are such a great exercise! I'm happy for you to have discovered the high step -- big difference!
I'm glad I'm doing the higher step, too. I noticed my stability was horrible with the higher step, so I know that using the higher step will only improve my core.
I weighed in yesterday; same weight, .5% body fat loss. That's a loss of .74 pounds of fat & .74 pounds of fat. YEAH - smaller me! I'm having a hard time reconciling myself to the pounds number, though. Decades of brainwashing are hard to undo.
Last workout of phase I today. I don't think I'm goign to do the special workouts; I need the week off more than I need the indications of progress. All I have to do is look at my workout logs to see progress.
deadlift: 3x8 @100 pounds!!!! I hit triple digits! shoulder press: 2x8 @20e; 1x6 @20e Repeat of last time... lat pulldown: 3x8 @50lbs. These are awesome. I love feeling my lats work. lunges: 1x8 @30e; 2x8 @25e. My legs are still recovering from my workout on Wednesday, with the high stepups. I could definitely feel it & opted for slightly lower weights just to make sure I maintained my # of reps and my form. It was still a pretty damn hard challenge. swiss ball crunches: 3x15. The last few of that last set are always so much harder than I feel like they should be...
bike: 8 35-second high-intensity intervals with 85-second rest...
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
DM what I have found that really helps me with the step ups is pretending to the hold the weight at my sides and tightening up my upper body so everything is nice and tight. It helps the Stepups be less wobbly.
__________________ 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'm already enjoying my week off. My legs need it. Whenever I go up/down the stairs at work (I'm on the 3rd floor & take the stairs) by the time I'm at the top my legs are aching (stupid lactic acid). Seems that with all this working out it'd be a cinch... but I suspect it's more likely due to lack of full recovery and not lack of progress.
After looking through the women's challenge pictures, I'm motivated to do my next batch (this Sunday). I'm hoping I'll see even small changes from my initial pictures. I know that my pants are all loose on me now, so even if changes aren't visible they're tangible.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
DM what I have found that really helps me with the step ups is pretending to the hold the weight at my sides and tightening up my upper body so everything is nice and tight. It helps the Stepups be less wobbly.
Thanks, I'll try that. I was doing the arms-straight-in-front-of-me and that helped a little, but once I incorporate weights that changes my stance, so it's probably not the best approach. I should stay as similar to weighted form while I do my no-weight stepups.
I'm in week 3 of TNT, and have noticed a definite difference. The things I have noticed are:
- loss of fat on my belly & hips (and breasts )
- dramatic increase in thirst (I'm drinking over 3L of water a day, and I've always been the kind of person to underhydrate, so this is definitely new)
- dramatic decrease in appetite. I used to have a lot of snacks throughout the day because I was constantly hungry. Now I just have a couple and I rarely ever feel "hungry". It's great.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
I should add constipation to that list above ^^^. I am eating fiber like nobody's business (several fiber tablets, flax meal, and at least one large mixed green (not iceberg) salad every day) and still have problems. Yesterday I ate two salads. No bloating, just... annoyed. Suggestions are welcome.
Anyway... I have a large box of photos spanning over the last 15 years or so, and I dug it out last weekend and organized all the pictures. I got some of them into an album, and the overall goal is to get all of them into albums & ditch the box.
I separated out about 5 pictures of me from 1999-2002 to remind myself of how far I've come since then. My heaviest was 215 and I have a picture that is right about that time frame - early 2002, right before my dad died. Made me sad that he never saw me get into shape, run a couple of half-marathons, and start weight lifting (he lifted weights all through my childhood & let my brother & I play with the plates when we were little. His plates were these gold-colored plastic cases that were filled with cement... I have no idea if you can even get those now.). Anyway, it'd be fun to talk to him about this stuff, but alas... losing a parent sucks.
Had anyone told me at that time that I'd be where I am now, I would have laughed. Even still, I find it amazing that I *can* do certain things. I've always had a hard time believing in myself and believing that I can achieve things, and this program has been a real eye-opener.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
OK I bought a bunch of leafy green stuff and some Fiber One today. The fiber one only has 11g of effective carbs (14g insoluble fiber, yay!) so it shouldn't mess up my TNT eating.
hopefully it helps.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
Hi Deserve thanks for stopping by! Tenacious D is great...
So, Kansas City puts on this "corporate challenge" every year where a bunch of companies in the area have teams that compete in events... duathlon, 5k run, soccer, ping pong, volleyball... even horseshoes. I signed up for my company's participation in the weight lifting event, which is a single bench press.
They use the Sinclair formula for scoring, which uses a coefficient times your weight in kg, times the weight you lift... along those lines. Anyway, so the women who won in my division last year scored between 173 and 206, which would be between 148lbs and 178lbs for me to bench press. I am not sure what I can press now, but I'm sure it's not that. However, I know I am not so far off that I can't make that by the time the event rolls around (June 21st). Should be fun.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
I should add constipation to that list above ^^^. I am eating fiber like nobody's business (several fiber tablets, flax meal, and at least one large mixed green (not iceberg) salad every day) and still have problems. Yesterday I ate two salads. No bloating, just... annoyed. Suggestions are welcome.
-- Fat. Eat more fat. Fat is your friend even more than fiber.
-- Water. Make sure you have enough
-- Consider a magnesium supplement. There are lots of good reasons to supplement with magnesium, and helping with this is only one of them.
Thanks Lisa! I take ZMA every night and a multi every day. Would more magnesium be okay, I wonder?
I think I get a lot of water. I'm drinking over 3L of water (tea & crystal light) on weekdays. Weekends usually drop off a bit. But, I am not typically a "water drinker" so let me know if this is not enough. It seems really excessive to me, but this is coming from someone who would maybe drink 8oz of water during the entire workday. Now I carry my liter bottle around everywhere.
Fat... I eat about 60-65% of my calories from fat (I've checked on fitday a couple of times now, just to ensure i'm on track). Does it make a difference in the type of fat i'm getting (like eggs vs pork fat, etc)?
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
OK, I did pictures and measurements today. Measurements are a little different from waht I remember, but I entered my measurements in fittogether.net and can't get to them (stupid site's been down for weeks) So here are pictures comparing Feb 9th to March 9th.
030908 - 1.jpg
My stomach is getting flatter. I don't have as much of an overhang over my belly button. And, I'm getting a pretty clear line down the middle of my abdomen (you can see it better IRL than in this pic). My lower thighs lost some fat, too.
030908 - 2.jpg
Again, belly is getting smaller. Arms are a little bigger/more muscular. My butt's a little flatter, which is surprising... maybe it's the angle. It seems that everyone else is getting a rounder, higher butt.
030908 - 3.jpg
I had NO idea my upper back was changing so much! My shoulders & upper back are definitely getting more angular - I can really tell at my armpits. Kind of cool!
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
Had anyone told me that I'd look anything remotely close to my bikini pics above, I probably would have laughed at you. Amazing what time and a little initiative can do.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
Your pics look great and congratulations on your transformation! I am always shocked at pictures of my back too, I guess because I don't see it much. Yours looks great!
That is really exciting about the weight lifting contest! What type of training are you going to do to prepare?
That is really exciting about the weight lifting contest! What type of training are you going to do to prepare?
I have no idea! I thought I'd read more about bench presses in Starting Strength and put something together. We also have the original NROL and I thought I'd look in there too. I'm excited, though.
I love having goals/competitions to work toward. I'll never be top of the world or anything, but it's nice to have something to strive for.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
Started stage 2 today.
You guys weren't kidding - this workout is hard.
today:
front squat/push press: 2x10 @45
step up: 2x10 @10e on weights bench
dumbbell one-point row: 2x10 @10e (will try more weight next time, I think it was a little light, other than I kept falling over)
static lunge, rear foot elevated: 1x10 @20e, 1x10 @15e (WTF THESE ARE SO HARD!)
push-up: 1x7 on floor, 3 on bench; 1x5 on floor, 5 on bench
plank: 2x 60 seconds
cable woodchop: 2x10 @10lbs The 10lbs seems easy for the first couple of reps, then by the end I want to chop my arms off...
OH MY GOD
my balance is SO poor. It can ONLY improve from here.
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"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
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