Kicking my PCOs to the curb!

[Kirjava]

Originally Posted by SpacecityPaula

Happy Belated Birthday!

Thanks, Paula!

Originally Posted by marygrace

The class I did today involved a step, so I guess in a way it was a sort of step aerobics. Getting on and off that step is tiring!

Good job on the food today!

Yes, it is a really good workout for sure. Hard on the quads.

[Kirjava]

This morning was Workout B. It was a great one. I was surprisingly awake (it was an early morning one) and I was able to take things up a notch.

Workout B #7
10 min cardio warmup on elliptical
Dynamic warmup: side to side lunges, squat to stand, step back lunges
Deadlifts: 70/8; 70/8; 70/8
Dumbbell shoulder press: 20/8; 20/8; 20/8
Lat pull-down: 75/8;75/8; 75/8
Lunge: 25/8; 25/8; 25/8
Swiss-ball crunch with 15 lb weight, extended variation: 15/15; 15/12; 15/12

I finished that off with 10 min of HITT. (that was all the time I had. But because I had a few fewer minutes, I really drove the intervals hard.)

[stingo]

Nice work, and grats on your 3 PRs.

[Kirjava]

Thanks, Tom! It's nice to see you on this thread.

Yesterday I had a pretty good day foodwise. As it was a workout day, my cals were higher. Broke down like this:

Preworkout:
1 cup of soy milk and 1/2 cup of cereal

breakfast:
1 oatmeal protein pancake with 1 tbsp of pb; a smoothie with soy milk, rice powder, and some berries

am snack:
1.5 oz of mixed nuts (peanuts and almonds); apple

lunch:
big green salad with sauteed ground turkey breast

snack:
1/2 cup of edamame

dinner:
strips of chicken breast with steamed asparagus and snow peas.

dessert:
a berry "sorbet" made with blended protein powder, flax, and frozen berries.

Totals:
1,796 cals
139 carbs
68 fat
170 protein

[marygrace]

dessert:
a berry "sorbet" made with blended protein powder, flax, and frozen berries.

i make something like this a lot but with frozen cherries. its really good, sometimes i even add some cocoa powder or a couple of chocolate chips.

[Kirjava]

Friday was my Workout A, #8. Just one more workout to go in Stage 1!

Workout A, #78
squats: 70/8; 70/8; 70/8
pushup (full): bw/12; bw/12; bw/15 (whoops--I forgot to find a harder variation!)
seated row: 70/8; 70/8; 70/8
step-up: 10/8;10/8; 10/8
prone jacknife to pike variation: bw/8; bw/8; bw/8

HIIT: 15 min
S.S. cardio: 20 min

As you can tell, I had a lot of time at the gym on Friday--went after work and was meeting friends for dinner--so I enjoyed some extra cardio. I have to admit that I've been feeling a bit under-cardioed because it's so cold here I haven't been walking as much as I normally do.

Then on Saturday I had great activity--I did 50 min of step of then did plenty of walking (was downtown with friends) and then walked home from there. That made about 2 hours of walking total.

All that activity was necessary was Saturday night was games night--meaning dangereous opportunities for too much booze and snacks. I tried to keep it on the straight and narrow by having only one glass of wine (okay, a glass and a half) and popcorn. Though I did take a handful of "party mix" (feeling a sudden craving for cheetos, inexplicably?!) and I did grab a cookie.
Games night is deadly.

On the whole, however, I haven't really been happy with my progress in this program so far.
I AM gaining in strength. That's for sure. I'm not questioning that. So yes, that's fantastic.
However, I am also gaining weight! Maybe some of it is muscle mass. But I'm not kidding myself--my pants are getting TIGHTER.
So I'm going to cut my calories more. I think I just have to. Plus, I just really need to *get with the program* because I am not sticking to my eating plan as well as I should. But I am going to aim for 1500cal/day for my off-lifting and cardio/only days, and 1700 for my lifting days.

I really need to focus on this eating. I am starting to get seriously bummed out, and dressing is turning into a chore. I used to love clothes shopping, or at least trying on clothes and taking advantage of sales and picking up a thing here and there--now I avoid clothing stores like the plague. It's getting me down.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by Kirjava

All that activity was necessary was Saturday night was games night--meaning dangereous opportunities for too much booze and snacks. I tried to keep it on the straight and narrow by having only one glass of wine (okay, a glass and a half) and popcorn. Though I did take a handful of "party mix" (feeling a sudden craving for cheetos, inexplicably?!) and I did grab a cookie.
Games night is deadly.

Originally Posted by Kirjava

However, I am also gaining weight! Maybe some of it is muscle mass. But I'm not kidding myself--my pants are getting TIGHTER.

Perhaps there's a connection between the two quotes? Just that it's interesting you're talking about your clothes being tighter having had a night of fun/unhealthy eating. I've found that when having alcohol, there's a bit of a bloat that occurs that seems to recede after a few days, so it's possible that's what's going on here.

[Kirjava]

Tom, thanks for the input....
I DO think there is a connection between these two, in a more long-term way. Meaning, my pants have been tighter, generally--not just after a night of booze/snacks, but for the last few months. I do have a problem with focusing on my diet goals when I'm surrounded by my friends and these snacks for the night.
I have a tendancy on the weekends though I ALWAYS try to "behave" to generally overindulge. I just do.....and not even in crazy, gross ways, but in ways that do derail my good efforts at other points in the week.

This has been something I've battled for years, literally. But lately I have been gaining, and I've always had the struggle of my weekend nights, so I'm not that sure what's been causing it overall, except to say that I've just gotten too lax all around. It is hard, though, to know how to remedy that.

Maybe I am just eating more than I used to, and will need to scale it back again, overall. I worry that being on weightwatchers as long as I was, with such high activity levels as I've always had means that I need to function at a calorie deficit all the time to just not gain weight constantly.

[stingo]

Well you should have your game nights, as I think a balanced approach will be easier to maintain - you're living, rather than dieting. Do you measure your food/portions? If not, that might be one avenue to explore.

[marygrace]

Great job on the workouts. That's awesome that you know your strength is improving. I know how it can be sometimes when you are out with friends in a fun environment. You eat one little thing and kind of stop thinking and then keep snacking and snacking. I used to do that a lot, but I've had an easier time since starting this program because I keep in mind that I am sort of on a plan, and if I mess up part of it with my eating, the plan won't work. I really just needed to change my mindset. I hope you become more satisfied with your progress by cutting some calories, if that's the change you feel you need!

[Kirjava]

Thanks for the feedback, guys.
You're right Tom--I do consider portion sizes, but don't heed them as closely as I should. I've always had a huge appetite, and always found it hard to keep myself in check. Because I eat healthy food and always exercise, I usually feel justified in not stopping. I have to concentrate a bit more on paying attention to when I'm actually full---not stuffed.

Marygrace, I need to adopt that mentality too--that I'm on a plan! And that to make it really happen I do need to follow it. I just have my weak moments--like games nights, and about every evening after dinner I want that sweet.

Here is tonight's workout:
Workout B #8
10 min cardio warmup on elliptical
Dynamic warmup: side to side lunges, squat to stand, step back lunges
Deadlifts: 80/8; 80/8; 80/8
Dumbbell shoulder press: 20/8; 20/8; 20/8
Lat pull-down: 75/8;75/8; 75/8
Lunge: 25/8; 25/8; 25/8
Swiss-ball crunch with 25 lb plate, 3 sets of 15

Tonight I was really tired at my workout! During my sets my heart rate revved right up and I needed every second of rest--not something I always feel. I wonder if this is just me lifting at the right intensity, or from not eating enough calories. My muscles right afterwards are feeling SOOOORE--even walking up the stairs of my house they felt like heavy lead.

I'm gonna take a hot bath tonight for sure......read my book (I'm reading Eat Pray Love--it's very enjoyable and perfect for bathtub reading.

Marygrace, when I posted that flax bread receipe on your log I totally forgot that as a vegan you wouldn't eat eggs---duh!!! Sorry.

[tkinsley]

I love bathtub reading, too! My poor books are all curled up and destroyed!

[marygrace]

I'm gonna take a hot bath tonight for sure......read my book (I'm reading Eat Pray Love--it's very enjoyable and perfect for bathtub reading.

I know the title is sort of self-explanatory but what exactly is the premise of this book, in a little more detail? I've been thinking about reading it myself.

I also always have a sweet tooth after dinner. Nowadays though, I usually just have some kind of fruit and nut combination. Sometimes I will puree frozen cherries with a little bit of cocoa powder and almond butter, it kind of has the texture of ice cream. I usually use a full cup of cherries, a tablespoon or so of cocoa powder, and two tablespoons of nut butter, which makes a large amount for around 300 calories. Sometimes I swap the cocoa powder for a little bit of protein powder. If the mixture is too thick, I'll thin it out with some almond milk. The great thing about using cherries is that they are naturally really sweet and you don't need to add any more sugar. Frozen banana puree with nut butter is really good, too.

Your weights are really impressive, I think. Great job!

[Littlemermaidklb]

Great workout! I haven't had a relaxing bath in forever.... I should follow your lead and do that sometime soon :-)

[GinnyLou]

You are doing great and making some wonderful gains. I have heard about that book, but not read it. That bath sounds pretty wonderful and I believe I will take that idea and have one tonight, myself.

[Kirjava]

Thanks, guys! You guys are all great cheerleaders. I appreciate it.
Yes, I DEFINITELY believe in the bath thing. Last night I got a new bag of epsom salts that have a eculyptus scent and it was yummy.

Tina, I hear you on that! If my novels aren't crinkly and dog-eared and my cookbooks don't have smatterings of oil stains and crumbs....that that means I don't like them.

I am TIRED this morning! I guess after doing a full 50 min of weights yesterday--and tough weights (for me), my body is feeling it today. I did walk in to work (an hour)--couldn't resist because the sun was out and it was so warm!-- so am not sure if I'll do my aerobics tonight. Will see if my legs feel less lead-like.