Bytsi's Body Reshaping Log

[beesknees]

Bytsi, your one point rows are awesome! I have trouble gripping dumbbells higher than 35....gotta keep working on it.

And BTW, love me some Trader Joes! There is one on my way home from work so its very convenient. I buy Fage brand 0% greek yogurt. I can't really explain why its so good, but I love it! Lots of protein. I eat it plain everyday - weird I know. I would also recommend the following: Any of their Chicken Sausages - just heat and serve, Chipotle Pepper Hummus, Asian Ginger frozen carrots, and Habanero Lime salsa - its really hot be careful

I also have a hard time resisting the $3 wine....luckily they are on separate sides so I just keep on walkin' - most of the time

[Silly Sally]

Originally Posted by Bytsi

Ok Sally, for you, I will change (again) my user title ...

That's why I love you, you oddly cool whe-beast!

Originally Posted by Bytsi

did usual nekkid weigh-in

Yeah, and I read in another thread that Karla wants photos next time.

[Celestialmom]

Bytsi, stopped by your log this afternoon on a break from mind-numbing computer work (getting my children's homeschool portfolios ready for evaluation, which takes FOREVER). You are really inspiring AND strong AND funny! Thanks for sharing your struggles and triumphs!

I'm going to grab that chocolate-cherry protein smoothie idea, it sounds really delicious! Although where I live (middle of nowhere, PA), we may not have frozen cherries either. We'll see.

So my addition to the "harder" pushup ideas is an adaptation of yours with the step. Use a small medicine ball to rest a hand on instead of the step. I tried that today and it was pretty challenging. I'm not sure how larger/smaller balls would affect the difficulty. I'm going to try the pushups with my feet on the swiss ball also. We have done them in a class that I'm in, though, and I think the medicine ball might be harder. Ooh, here's an idea--how about BOTH hands on the medicine ball at once?!

Originally Posted by Bytsi

Woke up and did usual nekkid weigh-in, and was down 2# !?!?!?

I'll take it, but... huh? I KNOW it wasn't from the lighter eats yesterday, but... just hoping it stays gone and takes more friends with it...

This is weird, but me too! Must be the whoosh fairy is visiting multiple lucky gals today! (Have you been a good girl?) My body tends to do that, though. Even when I was restricting calories bigtime, I would lose no weight for a couple weeks, and then drop like 3 lbs in 4 days or something ridiculous. Congratulations, though, and hope it stays gone!

Celeste

[realcdn]

Originally Posted by Celestialmom

I'm going to grab that chocolate-cherry protein smoothie idea, it sounds really delicious! Although where I live (middle of nowhere, PA), we may not have frozen cherries either. We'll see.

I've been reading through the great cherry hunt here and being very happy that I live less than 30 mins away from locally grown fresh cherries. Although during the winter it's buckets of frozen ones. I went down to the farm a couple of weeks ago and bought a 5kg (11lb) pail of sour cherries and a smaller pail (5.5lb) one of sweet cherries. Both without sugar.

Having said all that I never make shakes with fruit and the blender, but you've got me thinking about it for tomorrow.

[Bytsi]

Originally Posted by beesknees

Bytsi, your one point rows are awesome! I have trouble gripping dumbbells higher than 35....gotta keep working on it.

And BTW, love me some Trader Joes! There is one on my way home from work so its very convenient. I buy Fage brand 0% greek yogurt. I can't really explain why its so good, but I love it! Lots of protein. I eat it plain everyday - weird I know. I would also recommend the following: Any of their Chicken Sausages - just heat and serve, Chipotle Pepper Hummus, Asian Ginger frozen carrots, and Habanero Lime salsa - its really hot be careful

I also have a hard time resisting the $3 wine....luckily they are on separate sides so I just keep on walkin' - most of the time

I don't know that my grip is all that - I use versa-grips, because I find them more comfortable and easy to use, and while I do want to improve my grip-strength (and I work on it), I still know I can hit back and legs a lot heavier if I have a little help . Thanks for the food recommendations - gotta try some of them! I'm lucky, wine is just not something I drink (I prefer my "empty" calories to be chocolate instead of alcohol ).

Originally Posted by Silly Sally

That's why I love you, you oddly cool whe-beast!

Yeah, and I read in another thread that Karla wants photos next time.

What is a whe-beast ?? And if Karla wants my flabby dimpled muffin-topped nekkid pics, she's gonna have to ask me herself

Originally Posted by Celestialmom

Bytsi, stopped by your log this afternoon on a break from mind-numbing computer work (getting my children's homeschool portfolios ready for evaluation, which takes FOREVER). You are really inspiring AND strong AND funny! Thanks for sharing your struggles and triumphs!

Ooh, here's an idea--how about BOTH hands on the medicine ball at once?!

Hey Celeste, I don't know if I'm funny, but thanks for the compliments . Maybe Sally has it right and I'm just plain weird .

I've seen someone do pushups with 2 med balls (one under each hand) AND legs on a physioball. Yikes!!!

Originally Posted by realcdn

I've been reading through the great cherry hunt here and being very happy that I live less than 30 mins away from locally grown fresh cherries. Although during the winter it's buckets of frozen ones. I went down to the farm a couple of weeks ago and bought a 5kg (11lb) pail of sour cherries and a smaller pail (5.5lb) one of sweet cherries. Both without sugar.

Having said all that I never make shakes with fruit and the blender, but you've got me thinking about it for tomorrow.

The joy of pre-frozen cherries is that I don't have to pit them . Do you not make fruit/blender shakes because you don't usually like them, or ??? My fave shake right now isn't fruit - it's vanilla prot. powder, skim milk, ice and a little PB. It's DELISH (but higher cal, so I only drink that on lifting days).

I just had a HUGE (GINORMOUS!) salad for lunch. I can't believe I ate the whole thing, but it was so good... Mixed dark greens with dried cranberries, mushrooms, carrots, red pepper, avocado (tons!), crumbled egg and chicken breast, with a sesame vinaigrette dressing. I'm stuffed and will have to go light on dinner, but... YUM!!!!

[realcdn]

Originally Posted by Bytsi

The joy of pre-frozen cherries is that I don't have to pit them . Do you not make fruit/blender shakes because you don't usually like them, or ??? My fave shake right now isn't fruit - it's vanilla prot. powder, skim milk, ice and a little PB. It's DELISH (but higher cal, so I only drink that on lifting days).

At the place I'm talking about you can actually buy fresh pitted cherries in season. I usually dry some in the dehydrator, and usually can some (in juice), although this year we ran out. Now that I've bought the frozen ones I might not bother with the canning. The only problem is the space the two buckets take in the outside freezer. The sweet cherries don't bleed much juice so they're much easier to pick out of the bucket. The sour cherries (which are actually my favourite) though you often have to chip out.

I usually make a fruit salad, which I take at night with a biscotti or two. So when I'm done with my workout it just seems easier to mix the shake with water to have it quickly. Then I'll go upstairs and get a bowl of fruit salad. I might try the shake tomorrow though, just for a change. Also I'm being lazy because I finished up the fruit salad yesterday and am just planning to have some grapes tonight. So instead of making fresh fruit salad maybe I'll do that instead.

[Celestialmom]

Originally Posted by Bytsi

I've seen someone do pushups with 2 med balls (one under each hand) AND legs on a physioball. Yikes!!!

Oooh...I think I need a nap......

Originally Posted by Bytsi

I just had a HUGE (GINORMOUS!) salad for lunch. I can't believe I ate the whole thing, but it was so good... Mixed dark greens with dried cranberries, mushrooms, carrots, red pepper, avocado (tons!), crumbled egg and chicken breast, with a sesame vinaigrette dressing. I'm stuffed and will have to go light on dinner, but... YUM!!!!

Holy cow, I'm copying that one into my recipe book...I'm getting sick of plain boring salads! In fact, maybe I'll have that for dinner! AHA!

Celeste

[beach_plums]

Originally Posted by Bytsi

I've seen someone do pushups with 2 med balls (one under each hand) AND legs on a physioball. Yikes!!!

This reminded me of the one and only time I've actually stopped to watch/gape at someone at the gym. It was and older man doing pushup with his toes on a bench and hands on a swiss ball (the bench-height one). It was insane.

I'm sad that you don't have a good chocolate protein powder. But the vanilla sounds good too. I went through a frozen peaches with vanilla pp shake stage for a while there. Not quite as good as the cherries, but still pretty good. I'll have to give your peanut butter one a try one of these days. I seem to always go for the fruity shakes. It might be about time to switch things up.

[LWilson212]

Hi Bytsi-

I'm glad you found your frozen cherries - yum! Your salad sounds tasty to me too!

[Bytsi]

Originally Posted by realcdn

At the place I'm talking about you can actually buy fresh pitted cherries in season.

Whew! That was way too much work for me, otherwise!

Originally Posted by Celestialmom

Holy cow, I'm copying that one into my recipe book...I'm getting sick of plain boring salads! In fact, maybe I'll have that for dinner! AHA!

I liked it so much, I'm doing it again today - but instead of the chicken, I'm gonna put a bit of low-sodium tuna on it. Now my tummy's growling just writing about it...

Originally Posted by beach_plums

I went through a frozen peaches with vanilla pp shake stage for a while there. Not quite as good as the cherries, but still pretty good. I'll have to give your peanut butter one a try one of these days. I seem to always go for the fruity shakes. It might be about time to switch things up.

I have peaches in the freezer - gotta try them... maybe tomorrow! The PB is AWESOME - I use about 1 - 1.5 Tbs with a scoop of powder and 1c skim milk. Reminds me of the inside of a toffee bar

Originally Posted by LWilson212

Hi Bytsi-Your salad sounds tasty to me too!

Maybe I'm starting a trend

[Bytsi]

Stage 2 B3 this morning. Good news is, my back was fine. The only time I even felt it a TINY bit was in the reverse crunches (go figure!)

Wide-grip DL from step -- 2x10 @ 135# (not sure if that's a PR - I did 135 on my 2nd set last time, but this time I did it on both sets).

Bulgarian Split-squat -- 2x10 @ 25#. Might try 30# next time...

Underhand grip lat pulldown -- 2x10 @ 130# -- Still super tough. I can finish, but my form isn't 100% at the end of the 2nd set.

Prone Cuban Snatch -- 1x10 8#, 1x10 10#.

Rear lunge off step w/ forward reach -- 2x10 w 12.5# db's. Will try the 15#ers (MAYBE) next time.

Ball crunch, reverse crunch, side flexion -- Did 'em, didn't enjoy 'em...

Prone Cobra -- Did 2x75. YAWN.

This stage with only 4 workouts each is just flying by!!!

[Bytsi]

Well, some good, some bleh... no pics yet (MAYBE I'll do them over the weekend, but I might chicken out and wait a little longer)...

March 4 April 4 May 2 Difference

Weight ugh +1 -1 back to starting point
BF% 26.6% 26.4% 25.6% -1% (!!!!!!!!)
Chest 37.5 36.5 -1"
Waist 32 32.5 +.5
Abdomen 35 33.5 -1.5
Hips 39.5 39.25 -.25

No change on biceps or thighs either... Waist not a big deal 'cuz it was right after lunch (normally we'd do it earlier, but got busy at work), so hopefully that was just my full lunch belly measurement.

I am not 100% confident in the abdomen measure 'cuz maybe I just sucked in more this time? But 1.5" down still sounds good! My friend did all the measurements, bf% was done 7-site with calipers and she's very skilled, so I'm VERY happy that it started to budge downwards .

Grumbly tummy wants some dinner - later!

[Nikster]

YEAH FOR YOU BYTSI!!!!!!!!! That is great!! I say TAKE any (minus-) measurements you can get!!! Just wanted to say congrats! Wish I had a better way to do bf% too, my scale seems like it's on crack with that measurement!!! Always, always different and wayyyyyyyyy off from each day to day measurement. I tend to just take the average? Not sure what else to do there?
Nik~