Mama Said Knock You Out - Rixatrix's Training Log

[missjane]

Rix, not like you to be MIA for so long! You out there?

[rixatrix]

I'm here! I hope to post my next weight workout tonight.

I've just been trying to find some balance. Been spending more time outside, connecting with friends, and hanging out with the BF - whose semester has just ended. But I'm still around!

On another note - is anyone else as excited about watermelon as I am? I could eat a whole one by myself, I swear.

[jesca]

I do like me some watermelon, but what I'm excited about is blueberries. I cannot wait for them to be in season. I eat them every day for breakfast. I could totally demolish pint after pint if I wanted to!

[rixatrix]

Workout FL1, 4A
3x12, 60s rest
Squat - 75, 75, 75
Cable Row - 75, 75, 75
Supine Hip Extension - BW, BW, BW
DB Push Press - 20, 22.5 (only 8), 20
Rotational Lunge - 6.25s (12.5lb DB held at chest)
Swiss Ball Crunch - 12.5, 12.5, 12.5

Well, this afternoon stuff isn't so terrible. It wasn't as crowded today. The Unibrow stayed well out of my way. Unfortunately, he seems to come every day. Unfortunately, he doesn't have much to show for it.

Today's workout wasn't bad. I've got cramps, but I generally feel stronger on my period than at other times. Looking in the mirror was bad though - I'm all puffed up like a pufferfish. And I was doing those DB Push Presses where you sort of squat down and then jump up and raise your arms simultaneously. I felt like going, "Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas." There was all kinds of bowl-full-of-jelly-ness going on.

It seems I have more energy working out in the afternoon, so that's really nice. Or wait, it could be the shot of espresso I threw back around 2. I'm going to say it's the working out thing. Having a full day's worth of food stored up really makes a difference. I feel a lot stronger.

OOH! And! Added benefit to weight lifting in the evenings - right now I'm eating a big plateful of pasta with turkey and tomato sauce. MMMM. Real pasta, too. Not even whole wheat. It tastes amazing. I can't remember the last time I had a plate of pasta. Thanks, John Berardi...

I'm getting back on track, trying to drum up that motivation to really get all my ducks in a row again. I haven't backslid, I don't think. Just need to get all the gears moving at once. In six weeks, my infamously perfect cousin from Florida comes up for her brother's graduation. Whenever I see her, I kick myself for not being in better shape. I realize that's my own neuroses, but she's always been beautiful, athletic, modest and totally un-hateable. You know how family rivalry is...I'd love to go down and visit her and her husband in Florida, but I'm always too self conscious to hang around them in a bathing suit. Ah! How girlie and stupid is that?

And in three months, the BF and I celebrate one year together. So that's another motivation. I'd like to be an improvement on last year's model, even if just only a little bit. I just have to spend a little more time planning, which is primarily where I've slacked off lately. I can do this.

[kfisherx]

There is something to be said for learning to love your body in the now. It is okay to work on improvements but important to be accepting. It is completely silly that you don't go visit because you don't want to hang out with your friend in a bathing suite. I bet it doesn't even cross your cousin's mind that you are not as fit as she.

I am totally with you on working out later thing. It just feels right.

[Bytsi]

I wish I could workout in the afternoon... Before I had this job, I could do it later in the day and it was great - glad you're enjoying it! I don't think I lift as well first thing in the morning, but at least it gets done! Say "hi" to Unibrow for me

[jesca]

Mmmmm plate full of pasta! That sounds fantastic. I kind of had that last night, but it was whole wheat, so it's not quite the same.
I feel you about all your ducks in a row. I can get my diet together OR get my exercise on track, but I can't seem to do both at once. If you find a secret on how to do that, let me know!

[MuscleMom23]

I am sooo with the watermelon and workouts. I cannot workout in the morning and keep doing it.

I know what your problem is around here tho. THE NICE WEATHER. Is it not AWESOME! Ending tomorrow tho .

[rixatrix]

Originally Posted by kfisherx

There is something to be said for learning to love your body in the now. It is okay to work on improvements but important to be accepting. It is completely silly that you don't go visit because you don't want to hang out with your friend in a bathing suite. I bet it doesn't even cross your cousin's mind that you are not as fit as she.

Karla, you're absolutely right. I'm not typically a girl who gets down on her body. When I visit my friend on Lake Michigan, I have no problem running around in a bikini, blazing white pale (I just can't get tan) and soft. Haha, the insecurity comes and goes, I guess. It's definitely less when I'm weight lifting regularly.

Originally Posted by Bytsi

I wish I could workout in the afternoon... Before I had this job, I could do it later in the day and it was great - glad you're enjoying it! I don't think I lift as well first thing in the morning, but at least it gets done! Say "hi" to Unibrow for me

Ah, no way! You know men misinterpret those things...I'll say "hey" and he'll hear "You strong beast, let me bear your children. We'll raise strong, robust children and take over the world." Yeeechh!

Originally Posted by jesca

Mmmmm plate full of pasta! That sounds fantastic. I kind of had that last night, but it was whole wheat, so it's not quite the same.
I feel you about all your ducks in a row. I can get my diet together OR get my exercise on track, but I can't seem to do both at once. If you find a secret on how to do that, let me know!

The secret is mental, I think. I do better when I think of myself as athletic and strong, someone for whom exercising is easy and natural. That, and I take Sundays to plan out meals for the week, shop, and cook. It's an incredible effort, but when it gets done, the whole week goes pretty smoothly.

Originally Posted by MuscleMom23

I am sooo with the watermelon and workouts. I cannot workout in the morning and keep doing it.

I know what your problem is around here tho. THE NICE WEATHER. Is it not AWESOME! Ending tomorrow tho .

Haha, of course, everything ends...but oh man, I had half of one of those "personal watermelons" last night. You know the ones - they're like the size of your head (instead of five times the size of your head). I ate it all up while the BF laid on the floor and we watched TV. And even if he wasn't dozing, I don't think I would've shared...THAT'S HOW GOOD WATERMELON IS.

I don't know how much you'd have to eat to "overdo it". So personally I eat as much watermelon as I like. That and broccoli. But who wants buckets of broccoli?

One last day of nice weather - I'm wearing a skirt today!

[Bytsi]

Ah, no way! You know men misinterpret those things...I'll say "hey" and he'll hear "You strong beast, let me bear your children. We'll raise strong, robust children and take over the world." Yeeechh!

Bwahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!

[stephanie932]

Originally Posted by rixatrix

I'm getting back on track, trying to drum up that motivation to really get all my ducks in a row again. I haven't backslid, I don't think. Just need to get all the gears moving at once. In six weeks, my infamously perfect cousin from Florida comes up for her brother's graduation. Whenever I see her, I kick myself for not being in better shape. I realize that's my own neuroses, but she's always been beautiful, athletic, modest and totally un-hateable. You know how family rivalry is...I'd love to go down and visit her and her husband in Florida, but I'm always too self conscious to hang around them in a bathing suit. Ah! How girlie and stupid is that?

And in three months, the BF and I celebrate one year together. So that's another motivation. I'd like to be an improvement on last year's model, even if just only a little bit. I just have to spend a little more time planning, which is primarily where I've slacked off lately. I can do this.

It's great to hear that you are getting back on track. I have an upcoming event that I'm trying so hard to look better for, but it's in 3 weeks. I've done a good job so far, but like you.......I want to do more.

You can work out the kinks, Rixa. You have so much knowledge and you work so hard.......Just keep that chin up and plug along. You'll start seeing even more results.

[rixatrix]

Ho-hum, twiddle dee dee...I'm so glad the warmer weather is here, because it makes me crave things like grilled veggies and watermelon. Although, it's raining right now, but even that feels nice after a hard workout.

Workout FL1, B4
3x12, 60s rest
Deadlift - 70, 70, 70
DB Incline Press - 25, 25, 25
BSS - 15, 15, 15
MG Lat Pulldown - 85, 90, N/A
Romanian Deadlifts - 70, 70, 70
Crunches (F*** lateral rolls) - BW, BW, BW

I smell like a hamster cage. I wish I had my own washer/dryer. I have no quarters and I smell like a rodent's dirty wood chips!

I've FINALLY gotten around to buying epsom salts - *lavender* scented ones. That's on the schedule tonight. Sometime. A short bath. My days are getting busier.

Six weeks until my cousin's graduation party. And, while I agree with Karla that it's silly to feel insecure around my, honestly, pretty close to perfect cousin (she has all her own teeth!), I will take any excuse to light a fire under my own ass, and this is it. Six weeks to go crazy and lean out a bit more. There's a dress of mine I really like that's just a smidge too small...I bought it one year for Easter and it's the perfect sun dress. Can you stick a dress to the refrigerator?

I have discovered streaming Netflix. If you're a Netflix subscriber, you can watch movies instantly over your computer. I'm mentioning this because it just occurred to me that you might be able to instantly stream all kinds of fitness DVDs. And what do you know! There it is! They've got lots of Jillian Michaels DVDs, lots of pilates and dancing...you know, for when you want to work out at home.

Days like today make me glad I don't have cable. $18 bucks a month and I get access to unlimited streaming movies, TV shows, and fitness videos. God bless.

Time to make some after-workout carbs. I think this week wants to be a turkey-taco week...mmm.

[Bytsi]

I smell like a hamster cage.

Were you visiting my avatar for a hamster workout?

[jesca]

Me too with the warmer weather. The bright sunny warm days of summer make me happy and healthy too. I can't wait for it to be consistently warm and not so rainy. It's been raining here a lot too. Bring on the sunshine!

[rixatrix]

So far this week - Weights on Monday, HIIT on Tuesday. Sadly, nothing today due to poor planning and meeting with a freelance client tonight. Tomorrow, weights again (possibly with HIIT for 10 mins afterwards?). Friday, HIIT in the morning.

Getting my food together. I'm at around 2,000 calories per day so far this week. Today might be less - just not hungry for dinner tonight. Although calories are pretty steady, I need to tighten up the nutrition a little - more veggies and fruits. I've got wheat-based carbs in two out of five meals this week - a whole-grain english muffin with breakfast, tortillas with turkey taco meat after workouts. Not sure this is the best, and I'd like to tighten it up a bit more and fill in the blanks with fruit and vegetables.

After losing my grip on nutrition for a couple weeks - not going crazy, just eating thoughtlessly more often than normal - the biggest change I find is not in my body, but in my skin.

I've got a bad outbreak of excema on my forehead and nose, and I'm blaming it on the food. It could be weather or hormone related, but it has never been this bad in recent history and nothing seems to help. My first inclination is to make sure I get fish oil capsules at all my meals, as a supplement. Moisturizers don't really seem to help...they just sting. I'd love to get a facial from this woman who has her own skincare line. I'm sure she could provide something to help.

Life is suddenly a lot busier. Working out in the afternoons has helped a little, letting me get more sleep when the sun is actually down. I have this theory that natural morning people are really just light sleepers. Once the sun comes up, I'm awake. And I can't sleep when it's still light out at 8:30.

On the upside, the nicer weather has me coming home for lunch, which provides a reprieve from the day and allows me the time to actually prepare a healthy meal. Before, I'd pack ahead or forget and wind up spending too much money on something less bad for me than the cheap stuff...it's nice to come home and make lunch. A nice grilled chicken breast salad with light dressing and Parmesan cheese. And strawberries.

Despite struggling through this recent period, where my average week consists of two weight workouts, I'm actually proud of myself. My worst got better. Before, I'd lift for a few months, get discouraged, and give up altogether for several months before jumping back in. But if my "worst" period still sees 2 workouts a week, that's better than before. It's all about holding on and sticking to it...and I'm still trying to figure it all out.