Mama Said Knock You Out - Rixatrix's Training Log

[rixatrix]

Yes, it's low carb. The plan is 10% carbs on a normal day, 20% carbs on a high day, and "no" carbs one day a week (except for what occurs naturally in nuts and other fats).

For simplicity's sake and to keep costs down at the grocery store, here's what I have planned for next week (the following week will be different, to combat boredom):

Breakfast: 3 egg whites/1/3 cup Egg beaters (depending on price)
2 whole Omega-3 eggs
2 oz. turkey ham
1 oz. cheddar cheese
1 plum OR 1.5 cups green pepper (alternate every other day)

Snack: 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese

Lunch: 1 can chunk light tuna
1T mayo
Sliced olives
1/2 oz. cheddar cheese
1 c. spaghetti squash with salt and pepper

Snack: 1.5 scoops protein powder and water
1 small apple
12 almonds

Workout: 1 scoop protein powder and water (or mixed with Gatorade on high-carb days)

Dinner: 6 oz. grilled chicken breast
2 c. spinach
1T olive oil
1T vinegar
3T parmesan cheese

[kfisherx]

Interesting.... Are you only needing to lose 20lbs as their model suggests or did you buy it because you just want to kick start yourself?

[jesca]

Originally Posted by rixatrix

Yes, it's low carb. The plan is 10% carbs on a normal day, 20% carbs on a high day, and "no" carbs one day a week (except for what occurs naturally in nuts and other fats).

For simplicity's sake and to keep costs down at the grocery store, here's what I have planned for next week (the following week will be different, to combat boredom):

Breakfast: 3 egg whites/1/3 cup Egg beaters (depending on price)
2 whole Omega-3 eggs
2 oz. turkey ham
1 oz. cheddar cheese
1 plum OR 1.5 cups green pepper (alternate every other day)

Snack: 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese

Lunch: 1 can chunk light tuna
1T mayo
Sliced olives
1/2 oz. cheddar cheese
1 c. spaghetti squash with salt and pepper

Snack: 1.5 scoops protein powder and water
1 small apple
12 almonds

Workout: 1 scoop protein powder and water (or mixed with Gatorade on high-carb days)

Dinner: 6 oz. grilled chicken breast
2 c. spinach
1T olive oil
1T vinegar
3T parmesan cheese

That seems totally doable. When I look at the % I freaked out about how low they are (I'm trying to lower carbs, but I'm not good at it!), but the plan looks good. Let us know how it goes.

[marthand99]

Can't wait to see how it goes for you! Good luck!

[rixatrix]

Originally Posted by kfisherx

Interesting.... Are you only needing to lose 20lbs as their model suggests or did you buy it because you just want to kick start yourself?

Well, I don't remember reading the whole twenty pounds limit (in some places it's 25, others 15 - the book needs an editor) before I purchased it. And honestly, I'm not sure how much I need to lose. With a high LBM it's a constant mental tug of war between numbers. So I'm going to give it a shot and see what happens.

Originally Posted by jesca

That seems totally doable. When I look at the % I freaked out about how low they are (I'm trying to lower carbs, but I'm not good at it!), but the plan looks good. Let us know how it goes.

Yeah, it's definitely not outrageous. I do get fruit and veggies - and honestly, I hardly miss grains when I go without them. I am a little worried about headaches, but I've adopted a sort of "whatever it takes" mentality - I'm totally willing to medicate with caffeine to ward off low energy and headaches.

Originally Posted by marthand99

Can't wait to see how it goes for you! Good luck!

Thanks!

To be honest, I'm a bit anxious. Anxious and excited. It's going to be a challenge, that's for sure. 4 weeks seems short in hindsight, but right now it feels like forever. I know if I can make it through the month, I'll be grateful.

I'm also worried about regaining, although I generally don't have as hard a time maintaining as I do losing.

I'm excited at the prospect of feeling attractive again. I realize it's been a while since I honestly felt as sexy as I used to...not that I feel hideous, but I used to feel like a fox most of the time, and now...just sort of...neutral, at best.

Protein is EXPENSIVE. I went shopping this morning - the tuna was cheap, of course. The Egg beaters weren't as bad as I thought - there's a lot more in a carton than I expected. I also got two bags of frozen chicken breast strips $15, but buy one, get one free. So I potentially have enough chicken to last a month. And I had to splurge on a giant thing of protein powder - $33. All in all, about $90 on groceries for one person, but hopefully next week, I'll still have a lot of the expensive stuff left over, so I'll smooth out the numbers then.

I'm doing some major food preparation this weekend to make the diet plan as easy as possible during the week. And I'm taking it on a day by day, week by week sort of basis. As in, "I can do anything for one day/one week." Hopefully this will help keep my head in order.

I guess we'll see...I'll check in here as much as I can.

[jesca]

Well, it sounds like you're setting yourself up to succeed, both mentally and physically, so that's awesome! I think the day by day thing will totally get you through. I have done some serious, but necessary diet things, like cutting out everything that could ever cause a migraine so I could figure out what was causing them, and that was really hard. I had to carry a list around with me of the things I couldn't eat because I couldn't remember them all. I did it for 6 weeks, and I can tell you know that I remember that it was rough, but I don't remember a lot of pain. What I know is that I have been so much better for doing it, so I think that's how this could be for you.
I keep thinking that I've been trying to lose weight for so long. Like years, and I think, if I just made a concerted effort, couldn't I do this in a few months and not have to worry about losing anymore? Wouldn't maintenance be so much easier? It makes so much sense when you write it down or think it over, but geez it's hard to do everyday. I'm getting better, but I think that's my mantra now. Better to focus for a few months to make everything great, than to be thinking/obsessing over something for years like I've done.

[rixatrix]

Okay, so first day down on Warp Speed -

The diet is totally fine, although I had to choke down my tuna lunch with big gulps of water. Wasn't appealing to me yesterday. Today I'll try something a little different. On a couple of occasions, I've almost forgotten to eat my snacks, so I'm not really very hungry at all.

The workout last night was BRUTAL. My muscles were sore even before my last set of squats, but it's nice to work with low reps (6-8) and higher weights again. The cardio side of it is fine. This morning, my quads are so torn up, I feel like I'm slowly turning to stone. My muscles were definitely crampy yesterday, which could be because of the lack of carbs, or it may be that I just didn't drink enough water yesterday afternoon. I'm drinking more today.

I do anticipate a bit of trouble sleeping, which sometimes happens when I've started some tough new workout and my body aches. I find that intense workouts really ramp up the effects of caffeine in my body, turning that morning shot of espresso into a red eye. But I'm sure the tiredness will catch up with me and one of these evenings I'll be out like a lamp.

Not much to report yet. Time for some cottage cheese.

[SpacecityPaula]

Crap that reminds me, I need to order Protein powder again this month.

[dillytl]

Good luck with your Warp Speed - I'll be checkin in on ya to see how it's going!!

[rixatrix]

Originally Posted by SpacecityPaula

Crap that reminds me, I need to order Protein powder again this month.

Haha, why is protein powder so hard to get? This is why I stopped looking for something potentially better and just resigned myself to the protein powder I can get locally - Designer Whey. And looking at their web site, they're not bad...whey protein with branched-chain amino acids...and tastes pretty good, too.

Where do you order from?

[frogguruami]

Originally Posted by rixatrix

I am a little worried about headaches, but I've adopted a sort of "whatever it takes" mentality - I'm totally willing to medicate with caffeine to ward off low energy and headaches.

LOL, I did the same thing. DH told me I traded one vice (carbs) for another (soda). It is a good thing he has good reflexes or that book I threw at him might have left a mark!

Originally Posted by rixatrix

I'm also worried about regaining, although I generally don't have as hard a time maintaining as I do losing.

I am worried a bit about this too. But I am hoping to learn a little about eating low carb so I can keep it up. I have tried doing low carb before and was always clueless about what to eat. That is one thing that I like about the eating plans!!

Originally Posted by rixatrix

Protein is EXPENSIVE.

Do you have a membership to a warehouse club, like Sam's or Costco? I am still able to find reasonably priced meat there!

Originally Posted by rixatrix

I'm doing some major food preparation this weekend to make the diet plan as easy as possible during the week.

Same here.


Can't wait to see how you are doing!! I will check in often!

[stephanie932]

Originally Posted by dillytl

Good luck with your Warp Speed - I'll be checkin in on ya to see how it's going!!

I'll be checking on ya, too! Good luck with it, Rixa!!!

Originally Posted by rixatrix

Haha, why is protein powder so hard to get? This is why I stopped looking for something potentially better and just resigned myself to the protein powder I can get locally - Designer Whey. And looking at their web site, they're not bad...whey protein with branched-chain amino acids...and tastes pretty good, too.

Where do you order from?

I know that this was directed toward Paula.........but, if either of you like Amazon.......I get Optimum Nutrition from them and put it on the "Subscribe and Save" program they offer and you get a discount. I have Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream coming every 2 months and never run out.

[rixatrix]

Day 3 of Warp Speed -

I am in PAIN. I overdid it on the squats on Monday for sure. I'm hobbling around like a cowboy or someone who's slowly turning to stone. On the upside, doing 105lb-squats was a lot of fun. And I probably could've thrown a bit more on there for only 6 reps.

The hunger isn't too bad today. But I'm having mental problems - doubting myself, doubting the program. Plugging along just fine in terms of food and everything, but mentally I've had to beat back negativity.

I'm excited about the training part of the program. Tonight I'm doing DB incline presses, three-point rows, and a few circuits of old favorites and one newbie - DB swing (or kettleball swing, which sounds like fun). Honestly, with the amount of exercise in the program, I'd imagine it's almost impossible to NOT lose weight. Seriously, there are intervals coming out of my ears.

My coworker and cube made is doing her Gollum-like ice-cream self talk. (We have free ice cream here at work.) It goes something like this...."Ice cream...mmmhmmmm....ice cream," in a really creepy voice. Happily, I have no craving for sugar whatsoever. Or bread, or anything, really.

I did stock up on some diet staples today - bought a Sprite Zero and a few packs of sugar-free gum. These are for the times when I feel "deprived". I tucked the Sprite Zero away in my desk for an emergency.

The option to have fruit at any meal helps a lot, I think. I can have strawberries for breakfast, or half an apple with a snack later. I love fruit. But I ate a whole green pepper, cut up, for lunch with my tuna salad, and that tasted pretty good, too.

So, just checking in...hopefully I'll have more to report at the end of the first week, results-wise. Right now I'm still settling into the groove of everything.

[jesca]

I think everyone has some doubts when they start a program and they aren't sure if it's going to work for them. You go in gung ho, but that doesn't mean you're sure. Sometimes being gung ho can get you through to the part where you see results and then you get your motivation from that, but sometimes it doesn't work that way. I think focusing on just doing the day to day and not worrying about whether your body is going to work with you is the most you ask from yourself right now. It sounds like you're doing everything right. Try not to get sucked up into your own head games. I have lived there before and it's always my undoing. I know you have the strength to see things through, so I would focus on your known strength and not on the unknow.