Potential Means You Ain't Doing Sh!# Right Now - Donna's Progress Log

[clevagirl73]

My name is Donna and I have potential. But as MSU professor Michelle Ventour says, "Potential means you ain't doing shit right now!"

I'm spent most of my life as overweight (upwards of 65lbs at my highest). I have been inconsistently active (love weights; hate cardio) but diet has been my biggest issue. I'm what Leigh Peele calls a "happy feeder" - I just haven't cared enough to actually control how much I eat and the result, I resemble the Michellin man with big boobs. The insanity of exercise ADD and poor diet has to end because youth is no longer on my side.

I'm a 35 year old, married, college professor living in Southern California with my husband of a year. We want to start a family in the next year or so and I want to be as healthy as I can be for pregnancy and beyond. I have a family history of diabetes, stroke and cancer related to poor diet, no exercise, smoking and alcoholism. I don't smoke and I drink very rarely. But I can abuse some food and sit on my ass for days without any exertion.

I had a "Come to Jesus" moment last Christmas when we were visiting my mom and sister in Texas. I could barely get my big beige ass up and down a single flight of stairs without knee pain or huffing and puffing. I have lost 9lbs and a jeans size since January but I have lost my focus more times than I care to recall.

I joined the women's challenge as a way to keep myself accountable and on track. I am planning to start OPTing for Fat Loss on August 4th. (I'll post my stats and pictures then). In the meantime, I am lifting at home 2-3/week and hitting the gym for cardio 3/week. I have started to keep a food journal through FitDayPC so I can get used to watching my macros (something I've done in the past with not much consistency or success).

This is what I've done in terms of exercise thus far this week:
Monday's Workout: Ab Circuit and Full Body Circuit Training using Abs Diet 2 DVD
Tuesday's Workout: 25 minute treadmill hill intervals; 20 minutes upright bike hill program level 5
Wednesday's Workout: Cathe's Push Pull Weight Workout - Total Body (45 minutes)

[Deserve]

Welcome to the board and good luck on the challenge.

[lorigaud]

Donna, I LOVE the title of your log! I'm new here as well (at least new to posting LOL) and I joined the challenge too. I'm starting the OPT program this week.... I was going to wait until next week, but my impatient self said "screw this... I'm starting NOW." Good luck... I'll look forward to hearing about your progress!

[Aoife]

Welcome.
Here's to being kinetic.

[kfisherx]

Good luck to ya Donna and nice title.

[msmogreen]

Welcome, Donna! I'm new here, too, have joined the challenge and thought I'd give OPT shot as well. You sound like a lot of fun...I'll enjoy following your log.

Kathy

[lorigaud]

Thanks for stopping by my log Donna... looking forward to sharing our success with OPT together!

[lorigaud]

Just checking in... are you still starting tomorrow? Good luck!!

[clevagirl73]

Thanks for the welcome everyone. I've decided to start OPT on Monday (July 14th) instead of waiting. What I've been doing in terms of diet ain't working so I might as well bite the bullet and get crackin'.

Lori - I'm starting on Monday. I needed time to get a new scale and to figure out my 1RM. Plus, I need to get the hang of macros esp. as it seems I've been inhaling carbs and skimping on protein.

Today - I did 30 minutes of circuit training that involves some cardio. I was in no mood for pure cardio but I plan to get in 45 minutes tomorrow.

[jenofthemountain]

Good luck! It's a great program.. I've liked it so far!

[lorigaud]

I just re-read your comment in my log and realized that you said you were starting next week... my mistake! Must be the caloric deficit that's causing me to have brain cramps LOL! Oh, and I hear you on the carbs... that will be my ongoing battle. I'm already looking forward to the week when I get to eat 50% carbs! I'll have NO PROBLEM with that week!

As far as the 1RM thing goes... my trainer suggested using a perceived exertion scale instead. If you feel like you're at like a 7 out of 10 by the end of the set, the weight is good. He just didn't think that finding the 1RM was necessary... I found his way to work for me quite well. Just a thought.

[stephanie932]

Donna...........I've found you!!!!


WOW, I'm super impressed that you already started a log and are "gettin' it done!" You will find so much support and information here that you and I can team up on the YaYas with our results!! Okay, just kidding, but I really want everyone to know how great Leigh is as coach, motivator and troubleshooter.

Just a suggestion for protein shakes (if you don't have a favorite), try Syntrax Nectar Whey. There are a few threads on it in the Nutrition forum at Yayas, too. I've ordered samples from VitaLady and all I can say is that everyone is just yummy. I like them because I can mix them with water and they taste awesome. Roadside Lemonade, Fuzzy Navel, and Twisted Cherry are what I have tried so far........Lemon Iced Tea, Carribean Cooler, Crystal Sky and Fruit Punch are the others I've got sitting here but have yet to drink.


I'm looking forward to reading your journal and following your weightloss. I joined the August challenge, also. Just remember, you deserve this!


BTW: You gotta put this log in your signature so people can be inspired by your thoughts and achievements! ;-)

[clevagirl73]

Jen - Thanks for the encouragement

Lori - LOL about the brain cramps. I've been trying these macros and like you, I think I'm going to live for the 50% carb week although just tracking for the last few days has been an eye opener.

Stephanie - Thanks for the protein shake suggestion. I have some whey powder that I've been using Pro Blend 55. The taste is fine as long as I have it with frozen berries but I'd love to find something with different flavors. Tastes good with water you say? I definitely need to check that out because I had some Jay Robb powder with water and it was like drinking Crystal Lite with No Splenda...way gross. LOL about teaming up on the Yas...Thanks for the support.

Against all that is Donna, I got up and hit the gym this morning at 6am. If you know me, early morning anything is normally a fluke and on a Saturday morning to boot is a downright miracle. But since I took off yesterday, I decided I needed to get up and do something. More than a day off and I set myself up for falling off the wagon altogether.

Anyway, I did 25 minutes of interval walking on the treadmill. I vary the speeds and inclines. I used to run but I have to spend about 6-8 weeks preparing my legs for that sort of exertion. I have a history of shinsplints and knee issues (tendonitis) so incline walking really helps. I also did 20 minutes of a hill program on the upright bike. I need to switch that up to either the elliptical or stepmill because "Fe-Fe" no likey that seat and my legs don't like the recumbent bike.

I also did some basic crunches and reverse crunches on the decline bench. My husband helped me with the reverse crunches because my form was awful and I was straining my back. I know I'm going to feel this in the morning.

Donna

[lorigaud]

I can tell that I'm going to really enjoy keeping up with your log Donna... you are too funny! (Fe-Fe no likey that seat... ROFL!)

So, how are you feeling today after the crunches? Good for you for hitting the gym early! Hope you're not too sore! All set to start OPT tomorrow?

Oh.. and clue me in, will ya? What are the yayas? Am I totally clueless or should I not know what this is LOL?

[clevagirl73]

Lori - I was the class nerd, militant and clown all rolled into one. I say crazy stuff that makes my husband do a double-take so I hope you enjoy the log.

Surprisingly I wasn't sore after the crunches. Maybe because I have been doing ab work for a few weeks now, I'm not getting DOMS like I did in the beginning. The YaYas is a message board that Stephanie and I are on for people who like to use fitness videos for workouts. There are journals and the set up is similar to this forum but it's 99.8% women. Stephanie posted her phenomenal results working with Leigh and I came back to lurk.

I began OPT this morning, working out at home. I have to tell you those bodyweight exercises are going to be the death of me. Lifting 215lbs on my forearms and toes like to kill me dead. By the time I was finished with the whole workout, I was sweating like a preacher running out of a whorehouse. Nevertheless, I think I'm really going to enjoy this program once I can get the calories and macros right.

Measurements
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 215 (MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!)
Bodyfat: 39.7% (Omron Fat Loss Monitor)
LBM: 129.65
Chest: 45.5
Arms: 13
Waist: 38
Low Abs: 44
Hips: 44
Thighs: 25
Calves: 16.5

OPT -Workout A1

Wide Stance DB Deadlifts
3x10x15lbs (each hand)
Comments: Good starting weight and good form. Injured my back once doing deadlifts incorrectly and now I'm a fanatic about doing them right.

Swiss Ball Bridges
3x10
Comments: Challenging...My legs and ass better look fabulous after this!

Swiss Ball Flys
3x10x12lbs (each hand)
Comments: More challenging than I expected. Sitting upright on a ball makes this one tough.

Neutral Grip Shoulder Press
3x10x10lbs
Comments: Need to try 12's. 10's were borderline light.

Prone Supermans
3x10 (2-3 second holds)
Comments: Challenging but doable with brief rest between sets.

Low to High DB Woodchops
3x10x10lbs
Comments: Began with 12's for first set and realized that was too heavy and my form sucked. Once I dropped back to 10's, I was able to get the form right.

Planks
1x5 (30 sec holds)
Comments: Lawd Jesus, those puppies ain't no joke. I was on my mat thinking, "Lifting 30lbs over my head is easier than this." This is an exercise that I have to work on building up core strength. My abs are very weak obviously and need vast improvement.

I'm going to the gym this evening with my husband to do some cardio so I'll post my macros and what I do in terms of gym cardio later.