I should have actually done B5 but I picked up the wrong log. Oh well, maybe that is why my arms feel like hey are about to fall off! LOL
This is yesterday's workout:
Squat - I added some weight and it somehow made things easier!
3X10 @ 10lb
Bent Row
3X10 @ 62lbs
Hip Extension
3X10
DB Push Press
3X10 @ 17lbs
Step ups
2X10
Reverse Crunch
2X20
I am supposed to do the last FL1 workout today but I am a bit sore so I will put it off til tomorrow or Thursday.
Today is measurement day!
Here are the last measurements (April 7th):
Bust - 46.25 (-.75)
Chest - 39 (-.25)
Waist - 42.5 (-.75)
Hips - 51 (-.5)
Thighs - 27.25 (no change)
Calves - L - 15.25 (+.25), R - 15 (no change)
Upperarm - L - 16.5, R - 16.25 (-.25)
Forearm - L&R - 12.25 (-.5)
Wrist - 6.75
Neck - 15
Inches lost this month - 2.75
Total inches lost - 7.25
Weight 233 (lost 2 lbs.)
BF% - 41.5
Total BF% lost - 4.5%
Here are today's measurements:
Bust - 46.25
Chest - 37.5 (-1.5)
Waist - 42.5
Hips - 50.5 (-.5)
Thighs - 27 (-.5)
Calves - 15 (-.25)
Upperarm - 16 (-.75)
Forearm - 12.25 (no change)
Wrist - 6.5 (-.25)
Neck - 15
Inches lost - 3.75
Total inches lost - 11
Weight - 231 (lost 2 pounds)
BF% - 40.5
Total BF% lost - 5.5%
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
My reflections on my first fast!
First of all it was really easy. Basically I chose to fast from Saturday evening to Sunday evening. We had dinner around 6 on Saturday night and then I didn't eat again until Sunday around 6pm. (I mention my reasons for choosing that time in yesterday's post.) I really didn't have much in the way of hunger until 3:30 and even then it really wasn't much worse than the hunger I typically get at that time of the day.
It was nice not to think about food. I didn't have to worry about eating every three hours, getting protein with each meal, pairing up a protein with each carb or forcing myself to eat breakfast.
I can't say anything about weight loss yet since it was my first fast. I can say that I am hopeful. The scale read 231 this morning. I had been stuck at 233 forever and since I started taking creatine I was hovering around 235. Not to mention, I typically avoid the scale this time of the month anyways because I am usually up 3 or 4 pounds. So all those things, though not conclusive, are very promising.
It was really such a non-issue that not a single person (except those who read my blog) even knew I was doing it, not even my husband. I didn't really keep it a secret on purpose, more to see if anyone payed that much attention! LOL Even the people at church didn't notice when I didn't have refreshments after service.
My energy level was unaffected, however I did not plan a workout on that day. Next time I will be doing the last NROL Fat Loss 1 workout. That will surely test the energy concern. One thing I noticed was that I did not get an energy slump after I ate dinner that night. I was very alert and even walked the dog an extra mile (much to her dismay!). I did have trouble sleeping that night but I really can't blame that on the fast at this point. I don't exactly have the best sleep patterns.
The biggest PIA, if you can even call it that, was how thirsty I was all day. Even after drinking a ton of water I was still thirsty. I am guessing it was because of the lack of water that I would have normally gotten from my food.
I had originally planned on only doing it one day a week for the first month. Mainly because I am a chicken and figured it would be too hard! LOL But it was so easy, I have decided to do it twice a week instead. Wednesday to Thursday is my next plan.
It was nice not to think about food. I didn't have to worry about eating every three hours, getting protein with each meal, pairing up a protein with each carb or forcing myself to eat breakfast.
I can't say anything about weight loss yet since it was my first fast. I can say that I am hopeful. The scale read 231 this morning. I had been stuck at 233 forever and since I started taking creatine I was hovering around 235. Not to mention, I typically avoid the scale this time of the month anyways because I am usually up 3 or 4 pounds. So all those things, though not conclusive, are very promising.
It was really such a non-issue that not a single person (except those who read my blog) even knew I was doing it, not even my husband. I didn't really keep it a secret on purpose, more to see if anyone payed that much attention! LOL Even the people at church didn't notice when I didn't have refreshments after service.
My energy level was unaffected, however I did not plan a workout on that day. Next time I will be doing the last NROL Fat Loss 1 workout. That will surely test the energy concern. One thing I noticed was that I did not get an energy slump after I ate dinner that night. I was very alert and even walked the dog an extra mile (much to her dismay!). I did have trouble sleeping that night but I really can't blame that on the fast at this point. I don't exactly have the best sleep patterns.
The biggest PIA, if you can even call it that, was how thirsty I was all day. Even after drinking a ton of water I was still thirsty. I am guessing it was because of the lack of water that I would have normally gotten from my food.
I had originally planned on only doing it one day a week for the first month. Mainly because I am a chicken and figured it would be too hard! LOL But it was so easy, I have decided to do it twice a week instead. Wednesday to Thursday is my next plan.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Buffalo Chicken Pasta
This is what I made for dinner last night. I have been craving chicken wings for a few weeks. Between the wings being insanely unhealthy and most of them containing butter, I have been unable to indulge my craving. So this is what I made last night for dinner. It was very good and I think it was fairly low in fat and high in protein.
Slice up 4 large chicken breasts and marinate them in 1/2 a bottle of Frank's Red Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce for about an hour.
Saute a large onion, diced, in 2 Tbsp of olive oil and a healthy pinch of kosher salt until translucent. Add 5 or 6 cloves of minced garlic and saute for another minute.
Add the marinated chicken breasts to the pan, including all the marinade, and cook thoroughly. At this point there should be a very watery sauce in the pan. Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with an 8 oz can of tomato sauce (and a bit more pepper sauce if you want) until cornstarch is dissolved. Pour into the chicken mixture and stir. The sauce should thicken quickly. Remove from heat as soon as sauce begins to thicken.
Serve over whole wheat pasta.
Slice up 4 large chicken breasts and marinate them in 1/2 a bottle of Frank's Red Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce for about an hour.
Saute a large onion, diced, in 2 Tbsp of olive oil and a healthy pinch of kosher salt until translucent. Add 5 or 6 cloves of minced garlic and saute for another minute.
Add the marinated chicken breasts to the pan, including all the marinade, and cook thoroughly. At this point there should be a very watery sauce in the pan. Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with an 8 oz can of tomato sauce (and a bit more pepper sauce if you want) until cornstarch is dissolved. Pour into the chicken mixture and stir. The sauce should thicken quickly. Remove from heat as soon as sauce begins to thicken.
Serve over whole wheat pasta.
IF - Day 1
I have been doing tons of research on Intermittent Fasting since stumbling on Eat Stop Eat. I find the concept very fascinating. Here is a great blog post from Michael Eades with some really interesting comments. One of the comments from mrfreddy mentions how he did this as a child and got in trouble for it.
I totally remember doing this in highschool. Not intensionally, but looking back, it helped me to lose weight which I gained when I was 15. I never did anything special to lose weight, it just happened. I would eat a snack when I got home from school and then dinner (and my mom didn't make anything healthy or low cal!) and then I didn't eat again until after school the next day. Not because I chose to starve myself, but because I have never been a breakfast person and if you saw what they called food at our high school cafeteria you wouldn't eat lunch either! LOL When I was 16 I distinctly remember my mother accusing me of having an eating disorder and grounding me for a month.
Today is my first attempt at IF. We had Buffalo Chicken Pasta for dinner last night around 6pm, which I will post the recipe for soon, BTW. Of course I was hungry at 7:30! LOL I wasn't actually hungry, I couldn't be. I had just had a huge bowl of chicken breast and whole wheat pasta an hour and a half early. I think my brain was screwing with me.
This morning I got up and not eating was no biggie. I usually have to force myself to eat breakfast any ways. I can see this being a challenging spot for someone that thrives on breakfast.
Now it is noon; I have had some pangs of hunger but nothing too bad. I have made myself a cup of tea with some cream in it. I'm not sure cream is "allowed" but I wasn't thinking about that when I brewed up a cup of black chai. I only drink black chai with cream. Next time I will make red or green chai, but since a pay a pretty penny for this chai AND have to drive into Orlando to get I WASN'T wasting it! (Seriously, I go as far as weighing it on the digital scale so I don't use more than is absolutely needed. And before you think that is a bit compulsive, let me assure you it is more cheap and miserly than compulsive!)
I chose Saturday to Sunday for my first fast on purpose.
First of all I am always having to remind myself to eat on Sundays. I don't workout of Sundays and it seems that a workout is a natural reminder for me to eat.
Second, I can try it without anyone else knowing. I really don't want to have to explain the science or try to convince someone I don't have an eating disorder. LOL
Another thing about Sundays that makes it an ideal first attempt is my schedule.
The first part of the fast is done while asleep (Saturday night), then I usually get to sleep a bit later on Sundays (9:30 this morning), then we leave for church at 2:30. There is a snack time after church (4pm) so I don't have to make the boys an afternoon snack. We will get home around 5 and by that time it will be time to start working on dinner. My fast is over at 6pm. So in essence I will only be consciously fasting from 9:30 am to 2:30pm. The rest of the time will be filled with sleep or activities.
At this point I am 3/4 of the way through the fast and I am JUST starting to notice some kind of hunger. Of course I won't know for several weeks if this even does any good but the science definitely supports it.
I totally remember doing this in highschool. Not intensionally, but looking back, it helped me to lose weight which I gained when I was 15. I never did anything special to lose weight, it just happened. I would eat a snack when I got home from school and then dinner (and my mom didn't make anything healthy or low cal!) and then I didn't eat again until after school the next day. Not because I chose to starve myself, but because I have never been a breakfast person and if you saw what they called food at our high school cafeteria you wouldn't eat lunch either! LOL When I was 16 I distinctly remember my mother accusing me of having an eating disorder and grounding me for a month.
Today is my first attempt at IF. We had Buffalo Chicken Pasta for dinner last night around 6pm, which I will post the recipe for soon, BTW. Of course I was hungry at 7:30! LOL I wasn't actually hungry, I couldn't be. I had just had a huge bowl of chicken breast and whole wheat pasta an hour and a half early. I think my brain was screwing with me.
This morning I got up and not eating was no biggie. I usually have to force myself to eat breakfast any ways. I can see this being a challenging spot for someone that thrives on breakfast.
Now it is noon; I have had some pangs of hunger but nothing too bad. I have made myself a cup of tea with some cream in it. I'm not sure cream is "allowed" but I wasn't thinking about that when I brewed up a cup of black chai. I only drink black chai with cream. Next time I will make red or green chai, but since a pay a pretty penny for this chai AND have to drive into Orlando to get I WASN'T wasting it! (Seriously, I go as far as weighing it on the digital scale so I don't use more than is absolutely needed. And before you think that is a bit compulsive, let me assure you it is more cheap and miserly than compulsive!)
I chose Saturday to Sunday for my first fast on purpose.
First of all I am always having to remind myself to eat on Sundays. I don't workout of Sundays and it seems that a workout is a natural reminder for me to eat.
Second, I can try it without anyone else knowing. I really don't want to have to explain the science or try to convince someone I don't have an eating disorder. LOL
Another thing about Sundays that makes it an ideal first attempt is my schedule.
The first part of the fast is done while asleep (Saturday night), then I usually get to sleep a bit later on Sundays (9:30 this morning), then we leave for church at 2:30. There is a snack time after church (4pm) so I don't have to make the boys an afternoon snack. We will get home around 5 and by that time it will be time to start working on dinner. My fast is over at 6pm. So in essence I will only be consciously fasting from 9:30 am to 2:30pm. The rest of the time will be filled with sleep or activities.
At this point I am 3/4 of the way through the fast and I am JUST starting to notice some kind of hunger. Of course I won't know for several weeks if this even does any good but the science definitely supports it.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Matrix Routine 2
Perform each exercise for 2 minutes with no rest between exercises
- Squat Jump
- Push Ups
- Jackknife
- Good Morning
- KB Swings
- Turkish Get Up
- Lunge
- Assisted Pull Ups (or regular ones if you can)
- Straight Leg Raises
- Squats
- T Push ups
- Hip Raises
Matrix Routine 1
Perform each for two minutes with no rest between exercises.
- Jumping Jacks
- Push Ups
- Bicycle Kicks
- Prisoner Squats
- KB Figure 8
- Russian Twist
- Mountain Climbers
- Assisted Ring Pull ups (or regular pullups if you can)
- Knee Ups
- Squat Jumps
- Plank
- Reverse Crunches
Kettlebell Routine 2
Perform each exercise for 2 minutes with no rest between exercises. Rest for 2 minutes and repeat routine one more time.
- Two Hand Swing
- Left Arm Windmill
- Right Arm Windmill
- Left Arm Swing
- Right Arm Swing
- Alternating One Arm Swing
Kettlebell Routine 1
Perform each exercise for 2 minutes with no rest between exercises. Rest for 2 minutes and repeat the routine one more time.
- Two Hand Swing
- Left Arm Snatch
- Right Arm Snatch
- Left Arm C&P
- Right Arm C&P
- Under Leg Pass (Figure 8)
BARBELL COMPLEXES WORKOUT
I'm told this is an Alwyn Cosgrove workout so I am sure it is down right sadistic! :) Looks fun though.
Perform 6 reps of each with no rest. Rest 90 seconds, then perform 5 reps of each; rest 90 seconds, 4 reps of each; rest 90 seconds, 3 reps of each; rest 90 seconds, 2 reps of each; rest 90 seconds, and then do 1 rep of each.
Deadlift
Romanian Deadlift
Bentover Row
Power Clean
Front Squat
Push Press
Back Squat
Good Morning
Perform 6 reps of each with no rest. Rest 90 seconds, then perform 5 reps of each; rest 90 seconds, 4 reps of each; rest 90 seconds, 3 reps of each; rest 90 seconds, 2 reps of each; rest 90 seconds, and then do 1 rep of each.
Deadlift
Romanian Deadlift
Bentover Row
Power Clean
Front Squat
Push Press
Back Squat
Good Morning
Thursday, April 24, 2008
NROL Fat Loss 1 Workout A5
I got up this morning and decided to give myself another rest day because I was still sore from Monday and Tuesday. However, just as I was getting ready to get in the shower I decided, spur of the moment, to go ahead and workout anyways. Other than my back being a little fatigued everything thing went swimmingly. (How many people caught that pun! :D)
Pushups from knees
1X10, 1X6, 1X4
Squat - After spending a good chunk of yesterday watching Squat Rx on YouTube I had a number of things to watch out for today. These were a bit more challenging. I really have to watch myself on GMing out of the bottom!!!
3X10 w/ BW
Bent Row - Despite my back being fatigued I managed to up my weight a bit and my form was good until the last rep or two on the third set!
2X10 @ 62lbs, 1X8 @ 62lbs
Hip Extension - I don't know if these are just a hard exercise or if I just suck that badly at them but.... THESE SUCK!!
3X10
DB Push Press - I thought I would be stuck at 15lbs on these but I was able to up it today. If I was still at 12 rep sets I wouldn't have been able to though.
1X10 @ 17e, 1X8 @ 17e (finished the last two reps with 15e), 1X2 @ 15e, 1X10 @ 15e
Step Ups - I am getting better. That is all I can say! I could really feel these in the top part of my hamstrings today which is good because I almost never feel anything in my hamstrings.
2X10!!! w/ BW
Reverse Crunch
1X20, 1X18
Straight Leg Raises
2X10
Pushups from knees
1X10, 1X6, 1X4
Squat - After spending a good chunk of yesterday watching Squat Rx on YouTube I had a number of things to watch out for today. These were a bit more challenging. I really have to watch myself on GMing out of the bottom!!!
3X10 w/ BW
Bent Row - Despite my back being fatigued I managed to up my weight a bit and my form was good until the last rep or two on the third set!
2X10 @ 62lbs, 1X8 @ 62lbs
Hip Extension - I don't know if these are just a hard exercise or if I just suck that badly at them but.... THESE SUCK!!
3X10
DB Push Press - I thought I would be stuck at 15lbs on these but I was able to up it today. If I was still at 12 rep sets I wouldn't have been able to though.
1X10 @ 17e, 1X8 @ 17e (finished the last two reps with 15e), 1X2 @ 15e, 1X10 @ 15e
Step Ups - I am getting better. That is all I can say! I could really feel these in the top part of my hamstrings today which is good because I almost never feel anything in my hamstrings.
2X10!!! w/ BW
Reverse Crunch
1X20, 1X18
Straight Leg Raises
2X10
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
NROL Fat Loss 1 Workout B4
I had a really good workout today but I was glad when it was over. I am wiped out!
Push-ups on knees - I don't normally do these on consecutive days but my routine got a bit out of whack last week. Hopefully that explains why I was not able to do as many as yesterday.
1X10, 1X6, 1X4
Deadlift - I will increase the weight by 5 or 10 lbs next time.
3X12 @92lbs
DB Incline Bench Press - I increased to 17e this time and it was perfect weight. I might toy with 20e next time since the reps are going down.
3X12 @ 17e
BSS - Still hate these! LOL I may add 5e next time. It will depend on whether or not I can balance without holding on to something.
3X12 w/ BW
Pullover - I went up to 17lbs this time. Next time I will go back up to 20.
3X12 @ 17
Rom Deadlift - Definitely going up on weight next time.
3X12 @ 62lbs
Russian Twist - My ball is still out of commission so I subbed this exercise. It was tons harder!!!
3X12 @ 5lbs.
Push-ups on knees - I don't normally do these on consecutive days but my routine got a bit out of whack last week. Hopefully that explains why I was not able to do as many as yesterday.
1X10, 1X6, 1X4
Deadlift - I will increase the weight by 5 or 10 lbs next time.
3X12 @92lbs
DB Incline Bench Press - I increased to 17e this time and it was perfect weight. I might toy with 20e next time since the reps are going down.
3X12 @ 17e
BSS - Still hate these! LOL I may add 5e next time. It will depend on whether or not I can balance without holding on to something.
3X12 w/ BW
Pullover - I went up to 17lbs this time. Next time I will go back up to 20.
3X12 @ 17
Rom Deadlift - Definitely going up on weight next time.
3X12 @ 62lbs
Russian Twist - My ball is still out of commission so I subbed this exercise. It was tons harder!!!
3X12 @ 5lbs.
NROL Fat Loss 1 Workout A4
Push-ups on knees - I am super happy with my progress. As soon as I can do all three sets of ten I will switch to starting the set on my toes and then finishing up on my knees until I can do all of them on my knees. My goal is to be able to do 20 toe push-ups by the end of the year!
1X10, 2X6
Squats - I concentrated extra hard on engaging my glutes and hamstrings today as to take some of the pressure off my knees. I am finding these quite challenging, more so that regular squats with weight.
3X12 full squats with body weight only
Bent Row
3X12 @ 57lbs.
Hip Extension - I am getting a bit better at these but I still am no good at them!!
3X12
DB push press - I was hoping to get 3 sets with 15lbs but I still had to switch to 12s for the last set. Maybe next time!
2X12 @ 15e, 1X12 @ 12e
Step-Ups - I really felt these in my glutes today and my balance is still horrible BUT I am getting better.
1X8 w/ BW, 1X10 w/ BW
Knee Ups on bench - My ball was out of commission today so I subbed Knee ups. These are far more challenging the crunches!
2X12
1X10, 2X6
Squats - I concentrated extra hard on engaging my glutes and hamstrings today as to take some of the pressure off my knees. I am finding these quite challenging, more so that regular squats with weight.
3X12 full squats with body weight only
Bent Row
3X12 @ 57lbs.
Hip Extension - I am getting a bit better at these but I still am no good at them!!
3X12
DB push press - I was hoping to get 3 sets with 15lbs but I still had to switch to 12s for the last set. Maybe next time!
2X12 @ 15e, 1X12 @ 12e
Step-Ups - I really felt these in my glutes today and my balance is still horrible BUT I am getting better.
1X8 w/ BW, 1X10 w/ BW
Knee Ups on bench - My ball was out of commission today so I subbed Knee ups. These are far more challenging the crunches!
2X12
Friday, April 18, 2008
Menu for the last part of April
Dinners
Lunches - Will mostly consist of leftovers but I will probably throw in some egg sandwiches, tuna fish, hummus and veggies and PB&J to round things out.
Breakfast
- Broiled Ahi, sesame soba noodles and edemmame
- Salmon Burgers, creamy dill wild rice and green beans
- Black bean soup with whole grain rolls
- Lentil Tacos and salad
- Spaghetti with meat sauce and salad
- Chicken and polenta casserole
- Ground buffalo with white and sweet potatoes, peppers and onions in beef gravy
- Pork Tenderloin with baked brown rice and mixed veggies
- Talapia with teriyaki rice and edemmame
- Pork Tenderloin and spinach lasagne with red sauce and goat cheese
- Pork Tenderloin with veggies, hummus and chips
- Chicken and sesame green beans over rice fettuccine
- Mexican Spiced black beans and mixed veggies over penne
Lunches - Will mostly consist of leftovers but I will probably throw in some egg sandwiches, tuna fish, hummus and veggies and PB&J to round things out.
Breakfast
- Baked Oatmeal
- Steel Cut oats
- Protein Smoothies
- Go Lean Cereal and soy milk
NROL Fat Loss 1 Workout B3
The only new and exciting revelation of late is that the bar the manufacturer said was 18lbs is actually only 12. So I was not lifting as much as I thought but only by 6lbs. (Maybe I should weight the plates too!!) So the "drop" in weight isn't really a drop; it is just correct! LOL
The workout:
Deadlift
3X12 @92lbs
DB Incline Bench Press - I need to go up in weight, but only slightly. Next time around it will be 17lbs.
3X12 @ 15e
BSS - I'm getting better!
3X12 w/ BW
Pullover - I went down in weight because I really struggled last time but I think I was just having an off day because 15lbs was not challenging enough.
3X12 @ 15
Romanian Deadlift - I found a good weight and really focused on form this time.
3X12 @ 62lbs
Lateral Roll - I guess I have a weak neck because I find it really hard to hold my head straight!
2X6
Russian Twist - I finished each set with these because the lateral roll was hurting my neck.
2X6
Push-ups - Not a part of the program but I worked them into my last set. I actually did 10 reps in the first set. I was so thrilled!! The second set was 7 but the last one was awful form so 6 is probably a more accurate number.
The workout:
Deadlift
3X12 @92lbs
DB Incline Bench Press - I need to go up in weight, but only slightly. Next time around it will be 17lbs.
3X12 @ 15e
BSS - I'm getting better!
3X12 w/ BW
Pullover - I went down in weight because I really struggled last time but I think I was just having an off day because 15lbs was not challenging enough.
3X12 @ 15
Romanian Deadlift - I found a good weight and really focused on form this time.
3X12 @ 62lbs
Lateral Roll - I guess I have a weak neck because I find it really hard to hold my head straight!
2X6
Russian Twist - I finished each set with these because the lateral roll was hurting my neck.
2X6
Push-ups - Not a part of the program but I worked them into my last set. I actually did 10 reps in the first set. I was so thrilled!! The second set was 7 but the last one was awful form so 6 is probably a more accurate number.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
I made it ALL the way through
Even the two extra exercises I added. I am very proud of myself. I haven't finished a workout since workout A6 in NROL4W Stage 1. I don't even feel like I am going to puke! I do feel wiped out though! Here is todays workout:
Push-Ups from knees - These are not a part of NROL FL1 but I have a goal I am working towards so I have added them on.
2X6, 1X5
Squat - I changed focus today regarding squats. I have switched to body weight only but ass-2-grass ROM. These were killer. Much harder than parallel squats with 75lbs.
3X12 a2g w/ BW
Bent Row - I was able up the weight today since we went down in reps
1X12 @48lbs, 2X12 @ 53lbs
Hip Extension - I really suck at this exercise. I have the hardest time keeping my feet together. Today wasn't so bad but I couldn't get my hips as high as I should have.
3X15
DB push press - I was able to go back up to 15lbs DBs for 2 of the sets.
2X12 @ 15e, 1X12 @ 12e
Step-Ups - Yes, I know that should read "lunge" but I am still having so many problems with the lunge that I switched it out. I still have BSS on workout B so I am not abandoning the motion all together. Today I focused on step ups without using anything to help me up. I still had to push off and I still needed something for balance and my form probably looks like that of a drunken seal BUT I did not use anything to help pull myself up!
1X5, 2X8
Swiss Ball Crunch
1X15, 2X12
Leg Raises - Another exercise I added to help strengthen my hip flexors.
3X8
Push-Ups from knees - These are not a part of NROL FL1 but I have a goal I am working towards so I have added them on.
2X6, 1X5
Squat - I changed focus today regarding squats. I have switched to body weight only but ass-2-grass ROM. These were killer. Much harder than parallel squats with 75lbs.
3X12 a2g w/ BW
Bent Row - I was able up the weight today since we went down in reps
1X12 @48lbs, 2X12 @ 53lbs
Hip Extension - I really suck at this exercise. I have the hardest time keeping my feet together. Today wasn't so bad but I couldn't get my hips as high as I should have.
3X15
DB push press - I was able to go back up to 15lbs DBs for 2 of the sets.
2X12 @ 15e, 1X12 @ 12e
Step-Ups - Yes, I know that should read "lunge" but I am still having so many problems with the lunge that I switched it out. I still have BSS on workout B so I am not abandoning the motion all together. Today I focused on step ups without using anything to help me up. I still had to push off and I still needed something for balance and my form probably looks like that of a drunken seal BUT I did not use anything to help pull myself up!
1X5, 2X8
Swiss Ball Crunch
1X15, 2X12
Leg Raises - Another exercise I added to help strengthen my hip flexors.
3X8
Monday, April 14, 2008
Eat a Rainbow Everyday
I have been cleaning off my desk today and I uncovered some notes I took at a workshop I attended about a month ago.
Here is a list of what each of the colors of food offer us.
RED
- high in vitamin C which is good for the immune system
- high in lycopene and lutein which protects against clogged arteries and some cancers
- powerful cell protector (stops oxidation)
BLUE & PURPLE
- anti aging
- anti bacterial
- helps memory
GREEN
- good for vision
- high in calcium, good for bone and teeth strength
- high in folic acid
YELLOW & ORANGE
- high in vitamin C and beta carotene
- heart healthy
- anti inflammatory
- good for vision health
- boosts immune system
Special notes
- Tomato is the only vegetable whose nutritional profile improves with extended cooking. You get 5 times more nutritional value from a tomato after cooking. (I don't know how true that is but thought it was interesting!)
- Whether fresh, frozen or dried, look for produce that has bright colors and beware of produce that has been artificially colored or ripened.
- Cooking slightly helps to release the nutrients inside the produce.
Here is a list of what each of the colors of food offer us.
RED
- high in vitamin C which is good for the immune system
- high in lycopene and lutein which protects against clogged arteries and some cancers
- powerful cell protector (stops oxidation)
BLUE & PURPLE
- anti aging
- anti bacterial
- helps memory
GREEN
- good for vision
- high in calcium, good for bone and teeth strength
- high in folic acid
YELLOW & ORANGE
- high in vitamin C and beta carotene
- heart healthy
- anti inflammatory
- good for vision health
- boosts immune system
Special notes
- Tomato is the only vegetable whose nutritional profile improves with extended cooking. You get 5 times more nutritional value from a tomato after cooking. (I don't know how true that is but thought it was interesting!)
- Whether fresh, frozen or dried, look for produce that has bright colors and beware of produce that has been artificially colored or ripened.
- Cooking slightly helps to release the nutrients inside the produce.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
I suck!
I just could not get through my workout today. It totally sucked. I thought I would have a good workout too! I took an extra rest day after my strange bout of mystery fatigue on Thursday. I actually woke up yesterday and felt great but decided that since I wasn't entirely sure why I felt like total crap on Thursday I would take an extra day. So here is what I managed to finish today:
Deadlift - These were challenging but I got through them, although I wasn't totally impressed with my form on the last couple.
3X15 @ 98lbs.
DB Incline Bench Press - Still very happy with these although I did feel this more in my shoulder today then last time. Hopefully that doesn't mean I won't be able to increase weight.
BSS - I did make it through all three sets of these. I did have to use a hand to make it through the last 3 or 4 but overall I am happy with my progress on these. When I started NROL4W I couldn't even do two without hurting myself.
2X12 w/ BW, 1X10 w/ BW
Pullover
1X12 @ 20lb, 1X15 @ 20lbs
And that was it. I was not able to finish the last set of pullovers. I laid there for 5 minutes and I just couldn't stop feeling like I would puke. I finally managed to get up and make a protein shake. I feel better now but I am not going anywhere near the weights for a while! LOL
I am still trying to decide if I should finish the workout later or tomorrow or just move on to the next one. I think I will try to finish it tonight or in the morning. I already have a habit of skipping the last set....
Deadlift - These were challenging but I got through them, although I wasn't totally impressed with my form on the last couple.
3X15 @ 98lbs.
DB Incline Bench Press - Still very happy with these although I did feel this more in my shoulder today then last time. Hopefully that doesn't mean I won't be able to increase weight.
BSS - I did make it through all three sets of these. I did have to use a hand to make it through the last 3 or 4 but overall I am happy with my progress on these. When I started NROL4W I couldn't even do two without hurting myself.
2X12 w/ BW, 1X10 w/ BW
Pullover
1X12 @ 20lb, 1X15 @ 20lbs
And that was it. I was not able to finish the last set of pullovers. I laid there for 5 minutes and I just couldn't stop feeling like I would puke. I finally managed to get up and make a protein shake. I feel better now but I am not going anywhere near the weights for a while! LOL
I am still trying to decide if I should finish the workout later or tomorrow or just move on to the next one. I think I will try to finish it tonight or in the morning. I already have a habit of skipping the last set....
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Menu - April 2008
Breakfast Options
- Baked Oatmeal
- Steel Cut Oats in Crockpot
- Eggs
- Cereal with soy milk and protein powder
- Protein Shake with Blueberries
- Protein Bar with fruit
Lunch Options
- Boca Burgers and salad
- Chicken Wraps
- Tuna Salad
- Chicken Chef Salad
- Salmon and Pasta Salad (using frozen pasta)
- leftover (4 days)
Snack Options
- fruit and soy yogurt with protein powder
- hummus and chips
- protein shake with fruit
- baked oatmeal
- protein bar
- fruit and nuts
- half PB&J
Dinners
- Pork tenderloin in crockpot, sweet potato risotto and salad
- Chicken pesto over pasta
- Chicken Chef Salad with hummus and chips
- Ahi Tuna, Sesame Soba Noodles and edemame
- Salmon Burgers on Whole Wheat Buns and salad
- Pan Bagnat with egg, avocado and tuna
- Shepards Pie with buffalo and mashed sweet potatoes
- Taco Salad
- Chicken enchilada casserole
- Pasta with chicken and red lentil sauce
- Boca burgers on whole wheat buns and cole slaw
- Foil baked Lemon Pepper Tilapia with green beans
- Lentil Tacos and salad
- Black Bean Soup with crusty bread
Fat Loss A2
No puking today! My shoulder has been bothering me lately. I have a bone spur in it and every since increasing the amount of weight I am lifting if has gotten progressively worse. Right now it is a dull ache until I turn it in a direction it doesn't like. Then, well...let's just say my kids are learning a few new "sentence enhancers"! (sorry for the Sponge Bob reference)
Today's workout:
Squats - I tried these with the barbell today. I can't keep good form with the barbell in front of my body and I can't lift the barbell up over my head to get it on my back without hurting my shoulder. I have been toying with the idea of getting rid of all weight and working on totally full squats and working my way up to jump squats. I am trying to limit the stress on my shoulder since it has been bothering me.
3X15 @ 48lbs
Bent Row - This does not hurt my shoulder thankfully.
3X15 @ 48lbs
Supine Hip Extension - I can't keep my feet perpendicular to the ball. Hopefully someone will be able to help me figure out where my imbalance is so I can address it.
3X15
DB push press - I really like this exercise and so far I can feel it in my shoulder but it doesn't hurt.
3X15 @ 12e
Static Lunge - Have I ever mentioned that these things are evil? No? Then let me go on record right now. THESE THINGS ARE EVIL AND I HATE THEM!
2X10 w/ BW
Swiss Ball Crunch
2X15
Lying Leg Raise - I have added these to help strengthen my hip flexors. Right now I can only do 5 reps. :(
2X5
I am going to try to get out today and do some HIIT. I was supposed to do it yesterday but it didn't happen. I can not do it right after I lift. Well not without passing out, and I simply do not trust my children enough to risk it! LOL
Today's workout:
Squats - I tried these with the barbell today. I can't keep good form with the barbell in front of my body and I can't lift the barbell up over my head to get it on my back without hurting my shoulder. I have been toying with the idea of getting rid of all weight and working on totally full squats and working my way up to jump squats. I am trying to limit the stress on my shoulder since it has been bothering me.
3X15 @ 48lbs
Bent Row - This does not hurt my shoulder thankfully.
3X15 @ 48lbs
Supine Hip Extension - I can't keep my feet perpendicular to the ball. Hopefully someone will be able to help me figure out where my imbalance is so I can address it.
3X15
DB push press - I really like this exercise and so far I can feel it in my shoulder but it doesn't hurt.
3X15 @ 12e
Static Lunge - Have I ever mentioned that these things are evil? No? Then let me go on record right now. THESE THINGS ARE EVIL AND I HATE THEM!
2X10 w/ BW
Swiss Ball Crunch
2X15
Lying Leg Raise - I have added these to help strengthen my hip flexors. Right now I can only do 5 reps. :(
2X5
I am going to try to get out today and do some HIIT. I was supposed to do it yesterday but it didn't happen. I can not do it right after I lift. Well not without passing out, and I simply do not trust my children enough to risk it! LOL
Monday, April 7, 2008
Banana Split Bread
I made Banana Split Bread for the boys birthday and it was awesome. However, it was not entirely healthy. So here is my attempt to make it something that can be served for breakfast!
Wet Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup honey
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/4 cup pineapple juice (from drained tidbits)
2 ripe bananas mashed
Dry Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
Mix Ins:
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans but anything will work)
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
8 oz canned pineapple tidbits, in juice, drained
Combine wet ingredients in the mixer. When well combined add the mashed banana until combined.
Sift the dry ingredients together and slowly add to the wet ingredients int he mixer. Mix until just combined.
Fold in the mix ins and bake at 325 for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. I used a 9X9 stoneware pan. You could use a standard loaf pan but you will probably have to increase the cooking time.
Next time around I will use crushed pineapple. I prefer the big bits of pineapple but hubby does not. I also think a few other flavorings are in order, like cinnamon and nutmeg.
Fat Loss B1
This workout was supposed to be done on Saturday but I could barely walk from the Lunge (evil things!) that I did on Thursday. Sunday was a no go as well. Not only was it Drake's birthday, we had church and I was in charge of refreshments and then that evening I had an "appointment" to get my hair done. So here I am on Monday...
Workout:
Deadlift - I was happy to maintain my weight from the last stage even though I went up in reps!
3X15 @ 98lbs
DB Incline Bench Press - I love this exercise. Most upper body exercises I only feel in one muscle or I am limited in weight due to a very weak area. This was not the case for this exercise. I felt it in multiple areas and was able to do a higher weight than I expected.
1X15 @ 12lbs, 2X15 @ 15lbs
Bulgarian Split Squat - The not so evil but still down right dastardly cousin of the lunge. I was very happy that I was able to do a relatively decent set of these in okay form without any pulling or shooting pains (always a plus!).
1X13 w/ BW, 2X10 w/ BW
Negative Chin ups - I tried to use this as the substitute for the lat pulldowns. I quickly realized that I would be going back to pullovers. I managed to do one set that consisted of me, very ungracefully, slowing my rapid decent to the ground!
Pullovers - So negative chin ups were a no go, back to pullovers. Again, I was happy to see that I did not have to lower weights from the last stage despite the increase in reps.
2X15 @ 20lbs
I seem to be starting a trend that I need to stop. I have not been able to finish the last set on the last super set for weeks now. I don't know if it is mental or if I am just physically exhausted. Well, I know I am physically exhausted. Maybe it is a bit of both. Perhaps my brain just needs to push me to finish the last set regardless of how tired my body is. I am afraid that will lead to me doing something stupid though! LOL
Romanian Deadlift - My first set of this was fine but the second set had abysmal form so I will lower the weight next time.
2X15 @ 78lbs
Swiss Ball Lateral Roll - I didn't find the "roll" part of this hard but my neck got really tired and I had a hard time holding my head and body in proper alignment. The second set sucked.
2X15
Workout:
Deadlift - I was happy to maintain my weight from the last stage even though I went up in reps!
3X15 @ 98lbs
DB Incline Bench Press - I love this exercise. Most upper body exercises I only feel in one muscle or I am limited in weight due to a very weak area. This was not the case for this exercise. I felt it in multiple areas and was able to do a higher weight than I expected.
1X15 @ 12lbs, 2X15 @ 15lbs
Bulgarian Split Squat - The not so evil but still down right dastardly cousin of the lunge. I was very happy that I was able to do a relatively decent set of these in okay form without any pulling or shooting pains (always a plus!).
1X13 w/ BW, 2X10 w/ BW
Negative Chin ups - I tried to use this as the substitute for the lat pulldowns. I quickly realized that I would be going back to pullovers. I managed to do one set that consisted of me, very ungracefully, slowing my rapid decent to the ground!
Pullovers - So negative chin ups were a no go, back to pullovers. Again, I was happy to see that I did not have to lower weights from the last stage despite the increase in reps.
2X15 @ 20lbs
I seem to be starting a trend that I need to stop. I have not been able to finish the last set on the last super set for weeks now. I don't know if it is mental or if I am just physically exhausted. Well, I know I am physically exhausted. Maybe it is a bit of both. Perhaps my brain just needs to push me to finish the last set regardless of how tired my body is. I am afraid that will lead to me doing something stupid though! LOL
Romanian Deadlift - My first set of this was fine but the second set had abysmal form so I will lower the weight next time.
2X15 @ 78lbs
Swiss Ball Lateral Roll - I didn't find the "roll" part of this hard but my neck got really tired and I had a hard time holding my head and body in proper alignment. The second set sucked.
2X15
Measurement time again
Last month's measurements were:
Bust - 47
Chest - 39.25
Waist - 43.25
Hips - 51.5
Thighs - L - 27.25 , R - 27.25
Calves - L - 15, R - 15
Upperarm - L - 16.5, R - 16
Forearm - L&R 12.5
BF% - 42.5
This month's are
Bust - 46.25 (-.75)
Chest - 39 (-.25)
Waist - 42.5 (-.75)
Hips - 51 (-.5)
Thighs - 27.25 (no change)
Calves - L - 15.25 (+.25), R - 15 (no change)
Upperarm - L - 16.5, R - 16.25 (-.25)
Forearm - L&R - 12.25 (-.5)
Wrist - 6.75
Neck - 15
Inches lost this month - 2.75
Total inches lost - 7.25
Weight 233 (lost 2 lbs.)
BF% - 41.5
Total BF% lost - 4.5%
And if you don't already know where my pictures are then you don't spend enough time on my blog! LOL
Bust - 47
Chest - 39.25
Waist - 43.25
Hips - 51.5
Thighs - L - 27.25 , R - 27.25
Calves - L - 15, R - 15
Upperarm - L - 16.5, R - 16
Forearm - L&R 12.5
BF% - 42.5
This month's are
Bust - 46.25 (-.75)
Chest - 39 (-.25)
Waist - 42.5 (-.75)
Hips - 51 (-.5)
Thighs - 27.25 (no change)
Calves - L - 15.25 (+.25), R - 15 (no change)
Upperarm - L - 16.5, R - 16.25 (-.25)
Forearm - L&R - 12.25 (-.5)
Wrist - 6.75
Neck - 15
Inches lost this month - 2.75
Total inches lost - 7.25
Weight 233 (lost 2 lbs.)
BF% - 41.5
Total BF% lost - 4.5%
And if you don't already know where my pictures are then you don't spend enough time on my blog! LOL
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Is feeding an overweight or obese child junk food equal to child abuse?
A poll recently went up on a forum I am one asking this question. Here are a few of the things I posted in response to it. I have done a little editing just to make the reading less choppy!
*************************************************************************************
I vote no simply because I think the question is too open ended.
My definition of unhealthy is far striker then society in general's definition. I think a parent who has an overweight child that fails to follow the advice of a doctor is neglecting the health needs of that child. But I don't feel that a mother (who may have never been taught about proper nutrition in the first place) taking the kids for a happy meal is abusive. Horribly misinformed and doing her children a disservice yes, abusive no.
I think it boils down to consumer education (including putting regular, daily PE back into the public school schedule) and striker labeling laws. Most of the things labeled "low fat" or "healthy" in the stores are total crap food.
*************************************************************************************
I think the blanket statement "Feeding an obese child unhealthy food is abuse." is a dangerous statement. Who determines what is obese? Who determines what is unhealthy? Who takes the responsibility to educate all the parents that have no clue? Will family history and medical issues be taken into consideration before CPS yanks the kid out of his home? Is society prepared to provide children with a healthy environment? (because it currently is not doing so)
FTR, I have issues in general with blanket statements and stereotyping.
I do not disagree with the fact that obese children need to be fed an appropriate diet. It is more the belief that all obese children are a result of parents not feeding them properly. There are so many other factors that play into obesity than diet. A big one is physical activity, something which many parents have little control over.
Children and parents alike get so many mixed signals. When my oldest was still in public school they had a health lesson that told them they should eat healthy (discussed the food pyramid) and be active (talked about sports and play, etc.). Then they turn around and served them chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon toast (dripping with butter) for breakfast and processed pizza and fries for lunch. They give them Pizza Hut reward coupons for reading, send them home with candy for behaving themselves and have them sell chocolate bars as a fund raiser. At the same time they get rid of recess ENTIRELY, only have PE every 7 days and give them so much homework they can't even play when they get home from school. The phrase "Practice what you preach" comes to mind!
The food industry has also made it confusing for well meaning parents. Anyone and their brother is allowed to slap the word healthy on their product and McD's advertises their happy meals as having healthy choices. A parent of an obese child could have the word healthy on every box of food in their pantry but still be doing nothing for that child's weight because they lack the education and the knowledge to understand FDA food labeling laws and what that allows food companies to claim. Not everyone understands that Snackwell cookies are more unhealthy than the real thing.
*************************************************************************************
Junk food by whose definition.
What if these parents think they are making decent choices? After all a happy meal with milk and apples IS significantly better than one with soda and fries. Many things in the grocery store are labeled "healthy", "low fat" and, the new fav, "whole grain". These things are often no better than their "unhealthy" counter part. I don't think the average parent, regardless of the weight of their child, is going to feed a child something they think will kill them. The food companies say their food is healthy and the government regulates what they are allowed to say so it must be true, right??
*************************************************************************************
Think about the day of an average child that attends public school, they spend 8 hours at school (most of which is sedentary), come home and do 2 hours of homework. That gives them 1 to 2 hours of play time if they are lucky before dinner and bed. That is assuming they don't have any other after school activities. There is no more recess or PE in many schools and those that still have it don't have much of a program to speak of.
*************************************************************************************
I do think it is the responsibility of the parents of overweight and obese children to recognize and do everything they can to fix the problem. It would be even better to not allow the problem to occur in the first place.
Unfortunately there are a lot of people out there that do not see their children as obese. They do not think that, what I call junk food, isn't the best choice for their kids. Have you ever heard someone say, "Well, I ate this and I turned out okay."? It is really hard to fix a problem that you don't see. Cultural differences, lack of education, family history all play a part in this very complicated picture. To boil the whole thing down to if you feed your child junk food you are abusive is insane, IMO.
My husband made a good point. If a food is so bad for someone that it is considered child abuse to feed it to them then shouldn't that food be removed from the store shelves?
Just think how much better society's health would be if that was done, though. But we would probably be trampling on someone's constitutional right to eat a twinkie!
*************************************************************************************
I vote no simply because I think the question is too open ended.
My definition of unhealthy is far striker then society in general's definition. I think a parent who has an overweight child that fails to follow the advice of a doctor is neglecting the health needs of that child. But I don't feel that a mother (who may have never been taught about proper nutrition in the first place) taking the kids for a happy meal is abusive. Horribly misinformed and doing her children a disservice yes, abusive no.
I think it boils down to consumer education (including putting regular, daily PE back into the public school schedule) and striker labeling laws. Most of the things labeled "low fat" or "healthy" in the stores are total crap food.
*************************************************************************************
I think the blanket statement "Feeding an obese child unhealthy food is abuse." is a dangerous statement. Who determines what is obese? Who determines what is unhealthy? Who takes the responsibility to educate all the parents that have no clue? Will family history and medical issues be taken into consideration before CPS yanks the kid out of his home? Is society prepared to provide children with a healthy environment? (because it currently is not doing so)
FTR, I have issues in general with blanket statements and stereotyping.
I do not disagree with the fact that obese children need to be fed an appropriate diet. It is more the belief that all obese children are a result of parents not feeding them properly. There are so many other factors that play into obesity than diet. A big one is physical activity, something which many parents have little control over.
Children and parents alike get so many mixed signals. When my oldest was still in public school they had a health lesson that told them they should eat healthy (discussed the food pyramid) and be active (talked about sports and play, etc.). Then they turn around and served them chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon toast (dripping with butter) for breakfast and processed pizza and fries for lunch. They give them Pizza Hut reward coupons for reading, send them home with candy for behaving themselves and have them sell chocolate bars as a fund raiser. At the same time they get rid of recess ENTIRELY, only have PE every 7 days and give them so much homework they can't even play when they get home from school. The phrase "Practice what you preach" comes to mind!
The food industry has also made it confusing for well meaning parents. Anyone and their brother is allowed to slap the word healthy on their product and McD's advertises their happy meals as having healthy choices. A parent of an obese child could have the word healthy on every box of food in their pantry but still be doing nothing for that child's weight because they lack the education and the knowledge to understand FDA food labeling laws and what that allows food companies to claim. Not everyone understands that Snackwell cookies are more unhealthy than the real thing.
*************************************************************************************
Junk food by whose definition.
What if these parents think they are making decent choices? After all a happy meal with milk and apples IS significantly better than one with soda and fries. Many things in the grocery store are labeled "healthy", "low fat" and, the new fav, "whole grain". These things are often no better than their "unhealthy" counter part. I don't think the average parent, regardless of the weight of their child, is going to feed a child something they think will kill them. The food companies say their food is healthy and the government regulates what they are allowed to say so it must be true, right??
*************************************************************************************
Think about the day of an average child that attends public school, they spend 8 hours at school (most of which is sedentary), come home and do 2 hours of homework. That gives them 1 to 2 hours of play time if they are lucky before dinner and bed. That is assuming they don't have any other after school activities. There is no more recess or PE in many schools and those that still have it don't have much of a program to speak of.
*************************************************************************************
I do think it is the responsibility of the parents of overweight and obese children to recognize and do everything they can to fix the problem. It would be even better to not allow the problem to occur in the first place.
Unfortunately there are a lot of people out there that do not see their children as obese. They do not think that, what I call junk food, isn't the best choice for their kids. Have you ever heard someone say, "Well, I ate this and I turned out okay."? It is really hard to fix a problem that you don't see. Cultural differences, lack of education, family history all play a part in this very complicated picture. To boil the whole thing down to if you feed your child junk food you are abusive is insane, IMO.
My husband made a good point. If a food is so bad for someone that it is considered child abuse to feed it to them then shouldn't that food be removed from the store shelves?
Just think how much better society's health would be if that was done, though. But we would probably be trampling on someone's constitutional right to eat a twinkie!
Friday, April 4, 2008
This made me feel a bit more confident in my decision.
I have had several people tell me that I shouldn't switch programs because if I want to loose fat all I have to do is lower my calories and there is really no difference in the type of workout I do.
I have found that position hard to swallow. Gaining muscle and losing fat are very different goals and it just seems logical that using the same program to achieve both is a very inefficient way to do it. Not necessarily impossible, but inefficient. Quite frankly, if I am going to work out till I feel like I am going to puke (see yesterdays post) I want it to be the most efficient program possible!LOL
Well, after reading Alwyn Cosgrove's blog today I felt better. Specifically this snippet:
(BTW- I am NOT a believer in the notion that the only difference between a fat loss program and a hypertrophy program is diet).
For example - the New Rules of Lifting for Women is an overall "general fitness" book for women where we tried to explode some myths as regarding women and weight training.
But it's not a sports conditioning book - nor is it a fat loss program or a pure strength program. Although it will work reasonably well for these - it's definitely not designed purely for any of those goals.
I'd write a different program if the goal were primarily fat loss
Enter...NROL Fat Loss Program...
I have found that position hard to swallow. Gaining muscle and losing fat are very different goals and it just seems logical that using the same program to achieve both is a very inefficient way to do it. Not necessarily impossible, but inefficient. Quite frankly, if I am going to work out till I feel like I am going to puke (see yesterdays post) I want it to be the most efficient program possible!LOL
Well, after reading Alwyn Cosgrove's blog today I felt better. Specifically this snippet:
(BTW- I am NOT a believer in the notion that the only difference between a fat loss program and a hypertrophy program is diet).
For example - the New Rules of Lifting for Women is an overall "general fitness" book for women where we tried to explode some myths as regarding women and weight training.
But it's not a sports conditioning book - nor is it a fat loss program or a pure strength program. Although it will work reasonably well for these - it's definitely not designed purely for any of those goals.
I'd write a different program if the goal were primarily fat loss
Enter...NROL Fat Loss Program...
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Puke...
That is what I feel like doing right now. People actually do HIIT after NROL FLI??? I mean, as much fun as puking after the second set of crunches seemed (and puking seemed WAY more fun than doing another round of lunges and crunches), cleaning up the puke out of the carpet afterwards did not seem fun!
Here is my first NROL FLI log:
Workout A1
Squat - 1X10 @ 74lbs, 1X13 @ 54lbs, 1X12 @ 54lbs
Going up to 15 reps really killed the amount of weight I could lift.
Bent Row - 1X15 @ 58lbs, 1X14 @ 58lbs, 1X10 @ 58lbs.
15 rep sets hurt me here to bu not as bad as squats.
Supine Hip Extension - 3X15
I need to go back and review this exercise.
Dumbbell Push Press - 1X10 @ 15e, 1X15 @ 12e, 1X13 @ 12e
Static Lunge -2X10 w/ BW
Crunch - 2X15
Here is my first NROL FLI log:
Workout A1
Squat - 1X10 @ 74lbs, 1X13 @ 54lbs, 1X12 @ 54lbs
Going up to 15 reps really killed the amount of weight I could lift.
Bent Row - 1X15 @ 58lbs, 1X14 @ 58lbs, 1X10 @ 58lbs.
15 rep sets hurt me here to bu not as bad as squats.
Supine Hip Extension - 3X15
I need to go back and review this exercise.
Dumbbell Push Press - 1X10 @ 15e, 1X15 @ 12e, 1X13 @ 12e
Static Lunge -2X10 w/ BW
Crunch - 2X15
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Moving on....
If you have read this post then you already know that I have been considering switching to NROL Fat Loss. After reading through the book I have decided to go with NROL. I love the flexibility of the programs and I really feel like I will get better results from a program geared specifically towards fat loss.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Best HIIT EVER!
I did a killer HIIT workout today. I have done HIIT inthe past and never been as wiped out as I was half way through today. I started doing HIIT as Alwyn describes it in this article.
For my warm up I did 5 minutes of hula hooping and then three rounds of 1 minute heavy work and 2 minutes active rest of jump roping, followed by 5 minute cool down of more hula hoping.
It was down right brutal and fun at the same time. I have been dying to learn how to hoop and jump rope. I am so excited to be able to work those things into the HIIT I really need to do!!
Now if only summer wasn't coming. It is just barely April and it is already 85 degrees outside.
For my warm up I did 5 minutes of hula hooping and then three rounds of 1 minute heavy work and 2 minutes active rest of jump roping, followed by 5 minute cool down of more hula hoping.
It was down right brutal and fun at the same time. I have been dying to learn how to hoop and jump rope. I am so excited to be able to work those things into the HIIT I really need to do!!
Now if only summer wasn't coming. It is just barely April and it is already 85 degrees outside.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
