Instantblue's Women's Challenge Log

[instantblue]

So this is my training log for the women's challenge! Yay!

Some info about me:
I'm 29, I've been working out seriously (6 days/week, weight training) for about 5 years, but I stopped working out early on in my pregnancy with my daughter, who is now 14 months old. I started back up again when she was 9 months with NROLW, which is how I found this forum. I did NROLW through stage 4, but got bored with the routines and lack of explanation about why you were doing particular exercises and rep ranges. (I'm a why kind of girl, I like to know the theory behind what I'm doing). Before NROLW, I did workout videos exclusively for all my training. I just love having the feeling of a personal training or gym class, but the convenience of doing it at home. I've tried doing more gym-style training on my own, but I just don't enjoy it as much as videos. So, I'm back to them. I mostly do Cathe Freidrich, but have a few other instructors too, like P90X.

My Goals for this challenge:
Right before I got pregnant, I had just finished doing a round of P90X, and I was definitely the fittest I've ever been. I want that back. Side benefits were that I could do lots of pull ups, I started rock climbing and progressed really well, and I fit in really, really small pants. For now, I just want to be able to do at least 5 full form pull ups again (right now I can do 5 chin ups, and 2 pull ups), and I'd like to get some of that definition back. It may be silly, but I want to get fit again before I have the next baby, partly because I'm vain and partly because I had a very easy pregnancy the first time which I think was partially because I was so fit going into it.

My Plan:
Because enjoy them so much, I'm going to continue using workout videos for all of my training, except for the occasional
treadmill run. I will change my routine every 4 weeks. I just finished a rotation that worked each muscle group twice per week, one full body session and a 3 day split. Now I'm doing a one body part per day program, with about 30 min of cardio per day after weights.

I'm eating according to the 10 habits of John Berardi, and am awaiting my copy of Precision Nutrition to follow the customization plan after my 5 weeks of 90% compliance.

Current Stats:
height: 62
weight: 124.5
body fat: 24.2% (superilliac caliper)
waist: 27.875
hips (over pelvic bone): 33.75
L thigh: 22
R thigh: 22.25
bust: 32.75
under bust: 29

Before Pics:


Goal Pic (me from after P90x):

[instantblue]

Today's workout:

Chest (3 sets of 8 reps for each, 4-0-4 or 2-2-4 cadence for most)
Around the Worlds DB - 2x6
Decline Bench Press BB - 45
Incline Chest Flyes with Internal Rotation DB - 2x9
Staggered Hand Push-Ups - toes

Abs - crunches, reverse crunches, planks

Cardio: 35 min kickboxing

Eats:
I'm sad I had to use one of my 4 10% days today on lunch. I had plans to see a family friend, and I thought we would go out to lunch and i could order a nice grilled chicken salad, but instead, she offered to cook for us - grilled cheese! :O at least it was PWO! But it was with yummy yummy bread and Tillamook cheddar, so it ended up being worth it. Everything else was on track. I made my chocolate peanut butter protein shake into ice cream with my KitchenAid Ice cream attactment, and it was awesome. Protein ice cream is somehow waaaaaay more exciting than protein shake. Especially when it's so hot hot hot. I'll definitely be making more of these.

[sveta]

Love your avi!

[GinnyLou]

Welocme and good luck in the challenge!

[instantblue]

Originally Posted by sveta

Love your avi!

Thank you! I love yours! (I actually just had a "competition" with my gymnast brother to see who could do more one arm push ups. He won, at 5 or so, and I lost, at 0. hehe)

Originally Posted by GinnyLou

Welocme and good luck in the challenge!

Thank you! You too. I was so impressed with your results last time. You did an awesome job!

Tuesday's Workout:
Biceps: (3 sets of 8, 4-0-4 and 2-2-4)
Contraction Concentration Curl BB - 45, 30, 30
Biceps Bonfire DB 2x6
Lying Biceps Curl with Resistance Band - heavy

Cardio: 35 min step/plyo intervals

Wednesday's Workout:
Triceps: (3 sets of 8, 4-0-4 and 2-2-4)
French Curl DB - 1x18, 21,21
Band Push Down with Towel & Band - heavy
Decline Triceps Dip - bw

Abs: 15min standing ab work

Eating has been on track. Yay me. I've been doing the Precision Nutrition 10 habits for almost 2 weeks, and I expected it to be a lot harder to get over my sugar cravings. I love brownie batter, cup cakes, banana bread...basically any sugary/fatty sweet. mmmmm.... In the past when I've eaten better, I spent a lot of time trying to remake recipes to make carby foods less carby (like high protein banana bread). This time, I'm not doing that. I'm just not eating that bad stuff at all, and it's working much better. I haven't had a craving for cookie dough since I started last week. Woo hoo.

[Bev77]

Px90 is an impressive WO, so is 5 pull-ups! I hope you can reach that again. I have always wanted to be able to do a pull-up but I read an article ( I think it was Leigh's) And for a woman to do one she has to be close to goal weight so that's something to look forward to. Good luck with the challenge!!
Bev.

BTW... You have a beautiful baby!!!

[instantblue]

Originally Posted by Bev77

I have always wanted to be able to do a pull-up but I read an article ( I think it was Leigh's) And for a woman to do one she has to be close to goal weight so that's something to look forward to. Good luck with the challenge!!
Bev.

BTW... You have a beautiful baby!!!

Thanks Bev!! I never thought about the pull up/weight issue, but that totally makes sense. It's certainly a lot easier to do a pull up
when you don't have to pull as much up!

I had to take a rest day early, it should have been today, but I had to do it Friday instead, because my daughter's daycare was unexpectedly closed, and my husband had a wedding to shoot (he's a photographer), so I didn't have any time to get my workout in. Not a big deal, since I'll just push everything back and skip the scheduled rest day, so it should all work out.

I'm still doing well on the eating. I thought sticking to the 90% compliance would be hard, but it's really not that bad. 4 "cheats" per week is totally doable for me, and having that option means I can eat really well for the rest of my meals. I'm happy that I've been able to stick with this plan so well so far. For the past two weeks, I've met the 90% compliance rule no problem.

Thursday's workout was Legs. I did Cathe's Pure Strength legs, which is mostly 2 or 3 sets of 10-16 reps, with some low pulses and holds for standing work, and 3 sets of 32(?) for floor work. This is more of an endurance workout, since most people don't have a squat rack at home to go really heavy. (I do, so I'm thinking soon I want to do some heavier leg work soon) I switched from my "girly" troy lite bar to my oly bar this time, and alegedly went up in weight by 5lbs from the last time I did this workout - but man, that 5 lbs made my legs sore sore sore. I'm wondering if my lite bar isn't lighter than i thought it was. (Or maybe my oly bar is secretly heavier than 45lbs. hehe.)
Front lunges - 2x20lbs
Dips - 2x20lbs
Static lunges - 55lbs
Plie squats - 55lbs
Step ups 12" step -2x20lbs
Squats -55lbs
Sit-n-stand - 16" chair - 55lbs
Quarter dead lift - 55lbs
Calf raises - bw
Inner Thigh band raises- medium
Outer Thigh band rasise- medium
Double Hamstring raises w/ band - medium
Single Hamstring raised - bw

Friday's workout was rest day.

Saturday's workout
Back Part 1(3 sets of 10 reps)
T bar rows - 47.5lbs
Bent Over Rows - 55lbs
1 arm rows - 1.25lbs
Shrugs - 2x12lbs
Back Part 2 (1 or 2 sets of 16) (first time with this workout - need to increase ALL of these weights)One Arm Lat Rows DB - 1x20lbs
Overhand Dead Row BB - 35lbs
Underhand Dead Row BB - 35lbs
Post. Delt Flyes DB - 2x10lbs

Abs: crunches, reverse crunches, clamshell crunches

Cardio: 35min kickboxing

[Chloe2]

Just stopping by to say helllo. I used to do a lot of Cathe. Pure Strength was my favorite. She really was the one who introduced me to lifting heavy.

I love that you have a picture of yourself as a goal. You know that's attainable.

Wishing you the best of luck. I'll be following your progress.

Oh, I love your avatar. Brings back memories.

[instantblue]

Ok, I'm a logging slacker. Sorry!

Sunday's Workout:
Chest:
Part 1:
Decline Push-ups 2x12@toes
Bench press warm up 1x16@30
Bench press 2x10@50
Incline bench press 2x10@45
Incline chest press 1x10@12s
Incline chest fly 1x10@12s
Superset (press/fly) 1x10@12s
Part 2:
Push-Ups 1x16@toes
Bench Press BB 1x16@35
Pec Flyes DB 1x16@15s

Cardio: Step/Plyo/Leg Circuits - 35min

Monday's Workout:
Shoulders:
Part 1:
Arnold press 3x10@9s
Seated clean/press 1x10@6s, 1x10@3s
Standing laterals 2x10@6s
Reverse fly 2x10@6s
Seated laterals 1x16@6s
Part 2:
Upright Rows BB 1x16@35, 1x12@35
Militaries BB 1x12@30, 1x8@30
Flex Lateral Delt Raise DB 1x12@6s, 1x8(3ct)@3s

Abs: 6min crunches (variety)

Cardio: 30 min step

Tuesday's Workout:
Biceps:
Bar curls 2x10@35
Seated db curls 2x10@12s
BB Negative Curls 1x10@35, 1x10@30
Concentration curls 2x12@9s

Cardio: 35min step/plyo intervals


Workouts are good. I had to skip "part 2" of my biceps yesterday because I was running late for a meeting, but still got in a good workout.

Today I had a lunch meeting where lunch was provided, and I thought it was a chicken salad, which is on plan, so I didn't bring my own food. Instead, it was sandwiches, which is NOT on plan. Bleh. I only ate 1/3 of the bread, but I'm still a little annoyed. I guess that will teach me not to bring my own food just in case. It means I'm going to have 5 10% meals this week, instead of 4, because today is my wedding anniversary, and hubby and I are going out to our favorite restaurant to celebrate. Yummy yummy yum. I've been looking forward to it all week!

[instantblue]

Originally Posted by Chloe2

I love that you have a picture of yourself as a goal. You know that's attainable.

I never thought of it like that. Thanks! Maybe I should make my goal to be better than that photo! hehe.

[Bev77]

Hey, Happy Anniversary!!! How many years?

At least you've been logging. And training hard!

Enjoy your date tonight!!!!!!

[Chloe2]

Originally Posted by instantblue

I never thought of it like that. Thanks! Maybe I should make my goal to be better than that photo! hehe.

Go for it!!! Your workouts looks great. You can do it!

Happy Anniversary!

[karenmc6]

happy anniversary! and way to go on the workouts - i need to check out some of those dvds.

[instantblue]

Originally Posted by Bev77

Hey, Happy Anniversary!!! How many years?
Enjoy your date tonight!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Chloe2

Happy Anniversary!

Originally Posted by karenmc6

happy anniversary! and way to go on the workouts - i need to check out some of those dvds.

Thanks everyone! It was our 3rd anniversary, and funnily, only the 3rd time we've left the baby with a baby sitter to go out on a proper date :O. It was fun!

Karen, if you want some recommendations for DVDs, I have tons and would love to make some suggestions

Yesterday, I only had a triceps workout scheduled, but I wanted to add some cardio since I knew I'd be eating out and having delicous dessert, so I subsituted Cathe's 4 day Split Bootcamp workout, which is 30 min of plyo drills that are pretty much HIIT, and then a 30min bi/tri workout. I just skipped all the bicep work. Super fun workout!

I've been reading in so many places (including here!) about the 100 push ups challenge, and I'm thinking I want to try it. I have a question: I just tried the test, and I can do 35 push ups. Do you think I should skip ahead and start on week 3 or 4? It seems like if I just start with doing 10 in week 1, I'm not going to be challenging myself. What do you think?

Wednesday's Workout:
Triceps:
Dips 1x12@bw
DB Seated Overhead Extensions 1x12@10, 1x10@15, 1x8@20, 1x6@25
Lying Extensions BB 1x8(2-0-6)@30 (increase this)
Lying Extensions DB 1x8(2-0-2), 1x4(4count pulse)@6s
Dips 1x8@bw, 32pulses@bw
Close Grip Pushups on High Step @bw
Single Arm Press Down resistance band 1x16, 4x7pulses @medium
Kickbacks resistance band 1x16, 2x7pulses@medium

Cardio: 30min plyo HIIT drills

[missjane]

Originally Posted by instantblue

Thanks everyone! It was our 3rd anniversary, and funnily, only the 3rd time we've left the baby with a baby sitter to go out on a proper date :O. It was fun!

Karen, if you want some recommendations for DVDs, I have tons and would love to make some suggestions

Yesterday, I only had a triceps workout scheduled, but I wanted to add some cardio since I knew I'd be eating out and having delicous dessert, so I subsituted Cathe's 4 day Split Bootcamp workout, which is 30 min of plyo drills that are pretty much HIIT, and then a 30min bi/tri workout. I just skipped all the bicep work. Super fun workout!

I've been reading in so many places (including here!) about the 100 push ups challenge, and I'm thinking I want to try it. I have a question: I just tried the test, and I can do 35 push ups. Do you think I should skip ahead and start on week 3 or 4? It seems like if I just start with doing 10 in week 1, I'm not going to be challenging myself. What do you think?

Wednesday's Workout:
Triceps:
Dips 1x12@bw
DB Seated Overhead Extensions 1x12@10, 1x10@15, 1x8@20, 1x6@25
Lying Extensions BB 1x8(2-0-6)@30 (increase this)
Lying Extensions DB 1x8(2-0-2), 1x4(4count pulse)@6s
Dips 1x8@bw, 32pulses@bw
Close Grip Pushups on High Step @bw
Single Arm Press Down resistance band 1x16, 4x7pulses @medium
Kickbacks resistance band 1x16, 2x7pulses@medium

Cardio: 30min plyo HIIT drills

No, start at the beginning....the goal is to get you to do 100 CONSECUTIVE push-ups. Set 5 of every day is your max set, so you'll still get to crank them out.