Rana's training Log

[rx_333]

Hi everyone!
After lurking for a while i decided to register on the forums and track my progress here with the NROLW program.

I am currently 28 and living right outside of Boston, MA although i travel as much as possible often 4 days a week. I am attempting to cut this down for the summer so as not to slow my progress from missing too many workouts.

Back story:
I am very petite but not "thin" by nature. I was a dancer growing up and i think this kept my weight and fitness level in check (i often around 5 lbs overweight) until I was about 20 when I got Mono and began to have health programs. After about 8 months of still feeling weak and ill i was diagnosed with chronic fatigue and fibro. After about 2 more years of being very unproduction and feeling sorry for myself I decided to overhaul most aspects of my life. I returned to school, changed my diet, got off antidepressants that were no longer doing much of anything for me, moved, and started being more physical slowly. At the beginning i could only do 10 mins of walking or pilates a day without getting hit with horrible fatigue.

After experimenting with being vegetarian when i was younger I gave up meat again at age 24. I also began to eat as organic as possible, very little refined sugar, only whole grain carbs, etc and really limited my dairy intact to the occasional egg. Within 18 months of this diet change my condition was reversed and all the horrible symptoms were gone (fatigue, groginess, chronic pain, stomach aches, depression/anxiety, sleeping 14 hr a night)

I felt like I was 15 again! I am now convinced my body was unable to handle all the hormones and chemicals used in factory farming and the pesticides, preservative and poisons i was giving it while denying it wholesome and vitamin rich foods. I took another year to lose the 30 lbs i had gained but i have kept it off and my activty level off for about 3 years now.

Currently:
Recently i started a few new projects and found myself working 80+ hours a week from december through to march. During this time i ended up losing some weight (unplanned) and got down to around 110 lbs. The weight i lost was all muscle at this point and i was really unhappy with how i looked and felt. Once i reached my numerous deadlines at the end of March I committed to slowing myself down for the rest of the spring and summer to focus on my fitness and rebuilding my strength and muscles.

Current Stats:
Height 5' 1"
weight: 115 lbs

goal: 120 lbs - gain muscle!
Diet: vegetarian (no meat no seafood) but i have upped my dairy intake and am now eating more eggs and organic milk/whey (previously was almost completely vegan)
I have upped my protein intake a fair amount and will be doing 22 g P shakes after workouts

measurements - 5/28/09
shoulders: 38
bicep: 10
bust: 33
underbust: 30.5
waist: 26
abdomen: 31
hips 36
upper thigh: 21
mid thigh: 19
calf: 13.5

current pic - 6/1/09

[rx_333]

Stage 1: Workout A1 - 5/29/09

A: Squat
15 @ 30#
15 @ 40#

B1: Pushup
15 @ 45 degrees
15 @ 45 degrees

B2: Bent over row
15 @ 30#
15 @ 30#

C1: step up
15 @ 30# (15# each hand, used low chair)
15 @ 30# (15# each hand, used low chair)

C2: prone jacknife
8 on ball
8 on ball

Notes:
Loved the prone jacknifes but im a fan of ab stuff

Need to focus on not shifting my weight to my toes on the squats, when i did then correct form and depth i could really feel it at the 40 lbs and was unsure the last 2 reps if i would be able to get back up

need to find a better base fo the stepups, i think the chair was too high and limited the weight i could use

Plan for Saturday:
30 mins yoga/stretching

Plan for Sunday:
2 mile walk with the pup

[Aoife]

Welcome.
nice ink.

While a chair may not be stable, I doubt it's too high. The stepups in the program should be high, and therefore yes weight will be lower than you could use on a lower step. You want the better range of motion over the higher weight. Nicer butt that way. (the higher step engages posterior more and it's less focus on the quads)

[rx_333]

Stage 1: Workout B1 - Mon 6/1/09

A: Deadlift
15 @ 30#
15 @ 35#

B1: DB shoulder press
15 @ 20# (10 # each hand)
15 @ 20# (10 # each hand)

B2: Pullover
15 @ 10# BB
13 @ 15# BB

C1: Lunge
15 @ 30# (15# each hand)
15 @ 30# (15# each hand)

C2: swiss ball crunch
16 on ball
16 on ball

Notes:
Did more crunches, i love crunches...only because I previous I had been doing about 8 sets of 8 a day

I think i could have done more on the lunges but am still a bit sore from last fridays squats!!

Plan for Tuesday:
45 mins yoga

[Willie]

Nice ink! Love the square on your right thigh.

I second Aoife re: the chair. Unstable, yes, but you want it to be higher. When you can do them without any assistance from your back leg, add some weight.

[Willie]

ditto Aoife on the ink. Beautiful... and it looks like you've got lots of stories!

Also, re: the chair. I'd drop the weight, and do a full rom on the chair. When you can complete the reps with NO assistance from your back leg, add weight.

[rx_333]

UPDATE :)
ive been very busy and overloaded with paperwork at work so needless to say ive been recording my workouts on paper with pencil the good old fashioned way and have not had the motivation to type them out here or spend extra time on the computer

I will say in summary that ive having a TON of fun so far, i actually miss lifting on the 4 days every other weekends i am away in which i usually settle for some push ups in my hotel room and a nice long hike. Im currently almost done with phase two.

RE: PROGRESS overall
My weight has not changed (still hoping to gain a little in the right places) but the composition of my arms, shoulders, legs, abs etc visually has and i have a little definition which i am very excited about as i am so petite and didnt really know if you would ever be able to see my muscles. More importantly i feel stronger. I'd like to get my body fat measured out of curiousity soon. I think working on getting that down while building muscle would be my main goal. I am still very squishy in the typical girl places let would like some extra meat over the boney bits that jut out a bit too much (aka scary the skinny fat look)

RE Progress, increasing weight, soreness
I have been increasing my weights on the exercises slowly and making steady slow progress, i was worried after the first few weeks I was not pushing myself hard enough because I no longer felt really sore the next day just a little tight so i have been pushing myself a little harder to the point where i feel i am losing my form, then i back off a little. I am really happy that i havent felt like ive pulled or strained anything these past few weeks, all the soreness has really been "good" soreness. Ballet has helped alot with the stiffness, i find that it loosens me up and relieves pain more than yoga for me as it is more intensive (or maybe just more familiar to me?)

I have had much less back pain in general and everyday aches and pains from sitting at the computer too long etc. I feel like the deadlifts have done a TON to strength my lower back where i used to get sore from everyday lifting and things when they came up. I am glad i discovered exercises like this at my age (29 next week) as i feel they will do so much as i get older to help stay mobile.

RE: Protein/diet
I have been drinking more protein, i usually try to get 20 mg of protein in with my breakfast, then lift, then drink a 40g shake after. I have been drinking about 20mg of protein on my days off besides my normal food intake and when i am away i have been packing healthy snacks and protein muffins for the road as it is hard to travel and eat enough when you are veggie and travel 2 to 4 days a week. I have gone back to eating eggs over the last month with no issues so far after living on a very limited dairy intake for the last few years.

Im not sure how much protein a day is really best for me, i will be doing some experimenting. Im not big on calorie counting, when i eat healthy and vegan i just go with my body and eat when hungry but im sure most days when im sitting at work/ on the road i do not get 2000 calories (i am 5 ft, 112 remember If my schedule opens up a bit in the fall id like to focus more on food and attempt to record and analyze what im eating for a week or two to educate myself.

RE pre mixed protein for the road
If anyone has opinions on ready mixed protein drinks i can travel with in my trunk (aka dont need refridgeration) id love the input. Ill also try to search the board and not be lazy. So far ive tried the myopex lite ones and the pure protein ones as they are readily available in stores all over and dont taste bad at room temp haha. I'd be open to trying bars too but im not a fan of the taste or texture of ones ive tried so far and find it hard to finish them without feeling like a brick is in my belly.

i'll include a picture of my progress... i need to re measure myself but am thinking of waiting till the end of phase three maybe



i really dont feel like ive gotten that much "bigger" but i have had a number of guy friends start in on the "dont get too big and manly" mantra. hahaha

[rx_333]

PS:
I am now squatting 10 x 75#
and deadlifting 10 x 90#
and i can do a full set of big boy pushups

i can believe the first time i was squatting 30# i was left so sore the next day walking down stairs was almost impossible.