Man, I'm so cheap (and always have been) that I've had a buttload of crap cars along the years. I'd take up several pages telling of the fun times in those suckers. LOL
Quote:
Originally Posted by Celestialmom
-7 degrees when I went to the gym this morning! Brrr!
Okay, that's just not right. It's 41 here now (outside) and I'm snuggled on my chair, in a sweater and blanket and sitting on top of a heating pad. Brrr!!!!
No clue what to tell you on the food as I'm having food issues at the moment, too. I'm an absolute pig and am having trouble getting up to 2000/day. Bleh.
Celeste, I think your food looks really good! How about just increasing your portions a bit to edge up the calories. Wish my daily menus looked so good and balanced!
year-end wrap-up with all my accomplishments/progress of 2008.
I learned to LOVE lifting, working out, and just being active in general. I developed several new sport interests, like horseback riding, biking, martial arts, and even *gasp* running!
Lost 35# (ended up ~123, 6# under original goal weight) and improved body composition (from around 30%bf to around 21%). This is my high school weight, but I have much more muscular strength and fitness than I did then. (That is down 5 pants sizes from a 10 to a 1!
I went from a completely sedentary, overweight slug of a mom to an active, strong, and maybe athletic woman who loves her new life, does fun stuff with her kids, and looks and feels better than ever before (yes, really!)
I find it shocking but motivating. I would not have thought such great change could all be completed in one year.
"As far as (healthy) eating, either do it, or don't. Same issues repeated over and over is just insanity. We either commit to the endeavor or pay lip-service to it. This is the hardest part of the whole process, and it needs to be practiced more than the actual physical training. It's mind training." ~ Matt Thorne
"The reason that most people fail instead of succeed is that they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment."
It sounds like you've got two opposing ideas here: 1) That you want your diet to be something other than what it currently is because you have more calories to play with, and 2) You still want to eat clean. I'm thinking just because you get more calories in a day shouldn't radically change what you eat, just the portion sizes. That said, creativity and diversity in diet can happen at any calorie level - just the portion sizes are different. Have you tried the vegetarian recipes I posted in your log a while back? Maybe they will provide some ideas/inspiration.
Tom, I'll go back and check them out again. I'm realizing that I don't really know what I want, lol! I feel like I want to indulge, but that doesn't mean the same thing as a year ago. Tomorrow, I am planning on going through my eat clean cookbook that I got months ago and haven't really used much.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AS
How do you feel about eggs? Personally, I love eggs so I eat alot of them to get to my caloric needs. Sometimes I make omelets with mozzarella cheese and then I season it with salt, pepper, and basil (lots of basil, i love it and it goes good with mozzarella.) Or I will do sauteed onions, green pepper, bacon, and cheese....or for something different try scrambled eggs with a good dose of splenda and cinnamon, kind of like french toast eggs. They are pretty tasty.
Another thing I make sometimes is a pasta dish. I use a few servings of whole wheat pasta, 1 lb of extra lean ground beef, olive oil, and then for seasoning I combine a little Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning, lots of basil, black pepper, oregano and salt. Emphasis on lots of basil
I can't offer much help other than that, The majority of my cals come from oats, eggs, tuna/chicken, cottage cheese, and peanut butter....not very exciting I know.
Eggs and I get along really well! Those french toast eggs sound pretty yummy for a change!
You know, I think I'm trying too hard. A piece of toast with breakfast, some whole wheat pasta once in a while (can't remember when the last time I had pasta was...), and I should be in the right range. Thanks for the ideas, they got the wheels turning.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nutbar
Man, I'm so cheap (and always have been) that I've had a buttload of crap cars along the years. I'd take up several pages telling of the fun times in those suckers. LOL
Okay, that's just not right. It's 41 here now (outside) and I'm snuggled on my chair, in a sweater and blanket and sitting on top of a heating pad. Brrr!!!!
No clue what to tell you on the food as I'm having food issues at the moment, too. I'm an absolute pig and am having trouble getting up to 2000/day. Bleh.
Soooooon, it will be over!!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by missjane
Celeste, I think your food looks really good! How about just increasing your portions a bit to edge up the calories. Wish my daily menus looked so good and balanced!
Thanks Jane! I really feel like I am eating "right" but not creative-ly! I may just be getting in a rut and need to get some new ideas.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HisChum
I find it shocking but motivating. I would not have thought such great change could all be completed in one year.
Congratulations!
Thanks so much! You are so kind...I love the new me that appeared this year, hopefully she'll stick around!
Quote:
Originally Posted by lorigaud
I can beat that... it was -18F when I went!
Now that is just WRONG! Where are you again?
Quote:
Originally Posted by CherylWriter
Eek! -7? -18? They're both too cold for me. I think it hit 60F here today...with snow still on the ground. Gotta love it!
Good job getting out in the face of extreme coldness. Your workouts rock .
Thanks Cheryl! I took inspiration from you and got up at 5:15 this morning. I really thought that 5:30 was my limit, but because of homeschool co-op I knew I had to get home early, so I figured if you could do it, I could stretch things a bit!
So I spent all of the day after co-op at work. Bleh. Made some pretty important decisions though, and more importantly, we planned our yearly spring ski trip! Both families take a trip to Killington together every year and have a total blast! I'm excited for this year b/c we decided to go for one extra day which should give us some great skiing time. I love that our two families get along so well and we enjoy spending time together so much.
After the meeting I had to restock the ski shop and get the lodge ready for a very busy holiday weekend. The older kids skiied the whole time (in the -5 degree weather!) but the younger two weren't allowed out in the frigid air so they watched a movie and played with friends in the lodge. Tired now, but everything is done.
And oops on the food front! I tried adding a little bit to everything...ate pretty healthfully at the ski area, too, but I never added calories in my head and OVERate! Pretty ironic, considering this morning's post! Over 2500 calories!!! ...ahem...yeah, I have trouble getting them all in...
"As far as (healthy) eating, either do it, or don't. Same issues repeated over and over is just insanity. We either commit to the endeavor or pay lip-service to it. This is the hardest part of the whole process, and it needs to be practiced more than the actual physical training. It's mind training." ~ Matt Thorne
"The reason that most people fail instead of succeed is that they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment."
And oops on the food front! I tried adding a little bit to everything...ate pretty healthfully at the ski area, too, but I never added calories in my head and OVERate! Pretty ironic, considering this morning's post! Over 2500 calories!!! ...ahem...yeah, I have trouble getting them all in...
LOL!!!
Well, you hardly went 3500 over, so I'm sure it'll all be fine... still - lol!!!
I was going to say you'd be surprised at how many calories you can take in just by altering portion sizes, but it looks like you've already picked up on that.
__________________
Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
just to clarify--not over BY 2500 cal, I just ATE 2500 calories! Still, though...that's what happens when I don't count until afterward!
Hahaha . . . I read it right the first time, but I see where it could have been misinterpreted. Anyway, I'm sure you know that one day of that isn't going to make a big difference. I hear you, though, cuz today I was completely lost with how much I should be eating since I was helping DH with stuff all day and didn't write down or log anything I ate.
Celeste, I am amazed you can do BSS with 50# total. WOW!!
We had a '75 lime green Pinto. One day a friend was helping us move and drove the Pinto for us to the new house. Our then 10 year old son was with him. When our friend went to shift, the gearshift came right out in his hand. We forgot to tell him it was loose. He was stuck in second gear on the highway until he could finally jam the gearshift back in. It was hilarious. My son will never forget that.
You Win! Just for the fact that you had a lime green Pinto!!!
A couple months ago, I rolled down the window in our truck and it wouldn't go back up. My husband's response? "Why did you roll down the window?"
Quote:
Originally Posted by nutbar
Man, I'm so cheap (and always have been) that I've had a buttload of crap cars along the years. I'd take up several pages telling of the fun times in those suckers. LOL
Okay, that's just not right. It's 41 here now (outside) and I'm snuggled on my chair, in a sweater and blanket and sitting on top of a heating pad. Brrr!!!!
No clue what to tell you on the food as I'm having food issues at the moment, too. I'm an absolute pig and am having trouble getting up to 2000/day. Bleh.
Yeah, it was only 46 here yesterday. I enjoy it as I know what's in store for me starting in May.
Why is it when we're allowed to eat higher calories, we have a hard time doing so? Stupid calories!
I was going to say you'd be surprised at how many calories you can take in just by altering portion sizes, but it looks like you've already picked up on that.
I started changing things like using 2 eggs and an egg white instead of 2 1 egg and 2 egg whites in my omelettes, adding cheese, I had some hummus with lunch, cooked my chicken breast with olive oil instead of cooking spray, etc. I've been thinking and my main frustration seems to stem from being in a rut with my eating. So now's the time to go through some recipe suggestions and see what I can do...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Karen411
Hahaha . . . I read it right the first time, but I see where it could have been misinterpreted. Anyway, I'm sure you know that one day of that isn't going to make a big difference. I hear you, though, cuz today I was completely lost with how much I should be eating since I was helping DH with stuff all day and didn't write down or log anything I ate.
Isn't it strange how we rely so much on tracking? I've been working on estimating in my head and I'm getting better, but for example, I forgot how high in calories corn is (relatively, anyway). Which is fine, I'm not going to stop eating corn, I just have to remember how much I've taken in.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flab of Steel
You Win! Just for the fact that you had a lime green Pinto!!!
A couple months ago, I rolled down the window in our truck and it wouldn't go back up. My husband's response? "Why did you roll down the window?"
Yeah, it was only 46 here yesterday. I enjoy it as I know what's in store for me starting in May.
Why is it when we're allowed to eat higher calories, we have a hard time doing so? Stupid calories!
LOL about your husband's response! That's exactly what mine said! Duh. It's a WINDOW! That's what it's for!
So this morning consisted of feeding and watering horses in -24 degree weather (does funky stuff to my asthma, lemme tell ya!), and then spending over an hour thawing out frozen pipes. My kids are mad at me b/c I won't let them go to race team, but that's life. Oh well.
Just wanted to say that I am finding your thoughts on eating at maintenance interesting. I hope to be there in a few months so its nice to learn from others about what to do!
and by the way brrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I lived in Fairbanks, AK for 6 years and experienced lots of very cold but it's been years since I have seen anything below zero.
Celeste, it looks like you've already worked out some ideas on upping calories but I just wanted to say that finding some new recipes will really help in doing it cleanly. When I got the new Clean Eating magazine, I got lots of new ideas and it jazzed up my normally boring meals. I hope to get the cookbook too.
One other question. Do you ever have a spotter for your workouts? I know you mentioned Summer is sometimes there. I'm almost done reading Max Strength and I'm seriously considering doing it next but I worry about not having a spotter for some of the lifts. So what do you do?
Celeste, it looks like you've already worked out some ideas on upping calories but I just wanted to say that finding some new recipes will really help in doing it cleanly. When I got the new Clean Eating magazine, I got lots of new ideas and it jazzed up my normally boring meals. I hope to get the cookbook too.
I love the Clean Eating magazine. I showed it to my mom and what did she get me for Christmas? A subscription! yeah! and also the cookbook. Though I have to say the women on the front of the cookbook is kinda scary.
Just wanted to say that I am finding your thoughts on eating at maintenance interesting. I hope to be there in a few months so its nice to learn from others about what to do!
and by the way brrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I lived in Fairbanks, AK for 6 years and experienced lots of very cold but it's been years since I have seen anything below zero.
Hopefully I'll learn something of value, then! And, yeah, AK WOULD be very cold, that's for sure!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chloe2
Celeste, it looks like you've already worked out some ideas on upping calories but I just wanted to say that finding some new recipes will really help in doing it cleanly. When I got the new Clean Eating magazine, I got lots of new ideas and it jazzed up my normally boring meals. I hope to get the cookbook too.
One other question. Do you ever have a spotter for your workouts? I know you mentioned Summer is sometimes there. I'm almost done reading Max Strength and I'm seriously considering doing it next but I worry about not having a spotter for some of the lifts. So what do you do?
Chloe, I was going to mention this morning (maybe I did?) that I need to get out that Clean Eating cookbook. I haven't seen it recently which worries me that I lent it to someone but I don't remember who!
Also, as for a spotter, I'm ?lucky? enough to be using a ProSpot Fitness Squat Rack. It is basicall a squat rack with cable attached to the bar (which is lighter, but you just add more weight). It has this "grab and go" technology with a sensor that will lock the bar in place when you let go. So kind of like a built-in spotter. I'm not sure how reliable it is, and I always set the safety blocks in addition to using the sensor, but it does help when you're lifting alone. Here's a pic:
So anyway, the only times when you might need a spotter are when you test your 1RM, and some of the very heavy, low rep days, which would follow suit in any program. I got stuck with my bench presses the first workout, but basically because I was working on improving my form but still trying to lift the same amount, which wasn't really too smart anyway.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jenofthemountain
I love the Clean Eating magazine. I showed it to my mom and what did she get me for Christmas? A subscription! yeah! and also the cookbook. Though I have to say the women on the front of the cookbook is kinda scary.
Cool! I have the cookbook...if I can just find it! I think it's Chloe's husband who calls her Toxic Reno?!
Your gym must be awesome! Those racks are wayyyy cool! Lol about the 2500 cals..I hate it when I don't log till later...then all of a sudden I'm like...oh CRAP...that was how many calories lunch was??? It always gets me in the end.
Your gym must be awesome! Those racks are wayyyy cool! Lol about the 2500 cals..I hate it when I don't log till later...then all of a sudden I'm like...oh CRAP...that was how many calories lunch was??? It always gets me in the end.
I've been thinking and my main frustration seems to stem from being in a rut with my eating. So now's the time to go through some recipe suggestions and see what I can do...
Something I've found helpful when I get bored or in a rut is to try new spices and flavorings. It's easier than overhauling a complete recipe or food habit, but it makes it all new.
I'm hooked on a place called Penzeys Spices that sells nothing but spices. I can always find something I've never tried there. I'm guessing none of their locations are near you, but any store with a bigger than usual spice section can be fun.
__________________
"Time and patience are the 2 elements that most people don't include in their plans."
-Alan Aragon
"The scale simply tells you how much the earth loves you on a particular day."
-Ogedei (Keith)
Well, today's workout sucked bigtime. So there.
Here's the prologue:
Last night after 10:00, I managed to run my car into a ditch by completely missing a sharp turn on a snow-covered dirt road, going only about 25 mph. There were no nearby houses, no traffic, and no cell-phone coverage. The only good thing was that my husband had headed home a few minutes before me, so I knew he would miss us sooner or later. The thing was, I knew the road was covered with snow (no salt or anything!), I knew that the turn was coming up, and I know how to handle a skid! The car didn't even TRY to turn! It just kept going straight, and nothing I did changed the course even a bit. Taylor and I dug and dug for about 45 minutes, trying to get to solid ground, but the wheels weren't even touching, so we just had to wait for Shawn. Anyway, he pulled us out, we're all ok, and though the power steering is out for some reason (I didn't actually hit anything ), the car is ok. BUT, that made meant I didn't get to bed until after 11:30, which made getting up at 5:15 to go to the gym difficult--I changed my alarm to 6:00 and decided to go even though I'm a baby about getting less than 8 hrs of sleep...
Oh the other factor here is that I ate HORRIBLY yesterday!!! I had decided no junk food at church in the morning b/c we had a soup and sandwich lunch afterwards, and dinner was frozen pizza at my mother-in-law's house. So no junk food became several cookies, a brownie, and two blueberry bars. That was before lunch, and it was downhill from there! Seriously, I probably had 4000 calories yesterday (haven't been home long enough to log it yet.)
So here's the workout: Maximum Strength, by Eric Cressey Phase 1: Foundation Weight: 127 (+3) Week 3 (Very High) Day 1 (Lower Body)
A: Squat: 10x3
135#
130#
130#
130#
130#
130#
130#
130#
130#
130#
* First of all, my box was nowhere in the entire gym. It's not full of broken ceiling pieces and leaking water, just gone. Secondly, I forgot to warm up on these, and on top of that, I had forgotten I was going to back off on the weight and tried for 145#. No way. So after the first set at 135#, I released the sensors on the bar and tried to let go but the stupid thing wouldn't lock up. I had the spot blocks on (so I could dump at the bottom if need be), but with me trying to readjust my grip and change how I was holding the bar, I wasn't stable enough to get back down into a squat. Basically I had to stay there and yell for help, hoping I could hold the bar long enough for the one other person in the gym to come save me. Embarrassed and angry. Anyway, after that I figured out that I would just go to the bottom of the squat if it happened again and release it there. Safe enough. But I ended up with some fear from what had happened--even though I knew how I could deal with it, I couldn't get in the groove and the rest of the squats were pretty bad. And it did malfunction twice more, so I had to unload and reload the barbell three or four times!
B: Speed Deadlift: 10x2 @ 60% 1RM (115#)
*It's harder than you might think to actually do these quickly. Not feeling it today though.
C: Walking DB Lunge: 4x8 each leg
8e @ 35# DBs
8e @ 35# DBs
8e @ 35# DBs
8e @ 35# DBs
*These did seem easier than before, who knows if I'm stronger or my squats were just less tiring...
D1: Reverse Crunch: 3x12 (w 2# DB as counterweight) D2: Prone Bridge (1 Leg): 3x30 seconds
All in all, a bad evening, crappy nutrition, crappy sleep, and a bad start to my workout, including almost getting hurt, I had no fun this morning.
HOWEVER, I taught my future sister-in-law to ski later in the morning, we had a wonderful time, she only fell once(!), and she loved it. My brother-in-law was skiing also, which was fun for the kids and I. I even snuck off for an hour here and a half hour there to ski Avalanche (double diamond, steepest in the east), which is the FIRST time this year I made it onto anything other than an intermediate slope. Wow, oh wow, the snow was AWESOME, weather great, I was in heaven! I told Shawn I keep forgetting why we're doing this (running a ski area), until I make it back on the slopes for some REAL skiing. Then it's all worth it. I taught for about an hour and skiied for probably 3 hrs at least. LOTS of activity but more importantly, major fun for all involved! So I'm over the bad evening/night/morning , but it did take a while...
Yikes - glad you're ok and were rescued... and sorry about the sucky workout. I haven't had to bail from a squat (yet) but I've come very close and could probably hurt myself quite easily if I'm not careful (I gm'd out of one very badly). I guess those really really cool cable machine things at your gym aren't so cool if they don't work...
As for the food. I can only say that I've been there done that. It sucks. You don't even enjoy it enough to make it worthwhile, but you eat it anyway. sigh...
Sounds like a rough little stretch there, sorry about the car, but at least you didn't run into a tree or something.
Shake off the bad workout and bad eating, it happens sometimes and its not going to kill you. Oh, and I think the box squats should be 8x3, not 10x3, if I remember right. All in all, it doesnt seem like THAT bad of a workout, that is probably the most challenging workout of the whole phase anyway.
Oh no! I'm glad that everyone is ok though. Icy, snow-packed roads are a bear, even when you know how to handle it. I've ended up in a couple of ditches myself.
I'm glad things turned around for you though and you had a good late-morning/afternoon.
Glad your sucky day ended up better at least. Sorry about the car issues and the less-than-stellar workout, but hey, your less-than-stellar still kicks the crap out of my strongest days... so at least there's that!
Celeste, glad to hear you're all okay. Sorry about the bad workout and not that great nutrition day, but you've had enough really good ones to balance them out. Great news about getting out on the slopes you really love!
Celeste, glad to hear you're all okay. Sorry about the bad workout and not that great nutrition day, but you've had enough really good ones to balance them out. Great news about getting out on the slopes you really love!
^^^^Like Karen said.
Here's to a good night sleep and a new day tomorrow!
I went into the ditch once where the power steering had just gone out. It was slippery, but not bad enough for me to not control it. Its a scary feeling.
Shake off the bad workout and food. You are always so good about staying the course so this time is no different!
Tom, I'll go back and check them out again. I'm realizing that I don't really know what I want, lol! I feel like I want to indulge, but that doesn't mean the same thing as a year ago. Tomorrow, I am planning on going through my eat clean cookbook that I got months ago and haven't really used much.
Mmmm...I need some good vegetarian recipes. Could you send me the page if you find them? (I know, I know...I'm lazy ).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Celestialmom
Thanks Jane! I really feel like I am eating "right" but not creative-ly! I may just be getting in a rut and need to get some new ideas.
That's how I feel and I haven't even been doing this a month! Can you OD on protein shakes? They're the only way, so far, that I reliably get enough protein without overdoing the fat!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Celestialmom
Thanks Cheryl! I took inspiration from you and got up at 5:15 this morning. I really thought that 5:30 was my limit, but because of homeschool co-op I knew I had to get home early, so I figured if you could do it, I could stretch things a bit!
Yay! I wish we lived closer together, so we could exercise together. That would be a motivator!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Celestialmom
And oops on the food front! I tried adding a little bit to everything...ate pretty healthfully at the ski area, too, but I never added calories in my head and OVERate! Pretty ironic, considering this morning's post! Over 2500 calories!!! ...ahem...yeah, I have trouble getting them all in...
LOL...this cracked me up. Sounds like you could handle it, though! Have a great week !
(in the -5 degree weather!) but the younger two weren't allowed out in the frigid air so they watched a movie and played with friends in the lodge. Tired now, but everything is done. 
Over 2500 calories!!! ...ahem...yeah, I have trouble getting them all in...
So there. 
), the car is ok. BUT, that made meant I didn't get to bed until after 11:30, which made getting up at 5:15 to go to the gym difficult--I changed my alarm to 6:00 and decided to go even though I'm a baby about getting less than 8 hrs of sleep...
, but it did take a while...
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