My motivation

Got my sweat on this morning - ran 45 minutes. Rest day for weights. 13 straight days of exercise!

My neck is really sore today, I need a rub.

I feel sort of drained. Hope I'm not getting sick. It's probably just my neck making my whole being feel crappy. I'll get over it.

Anyway, the point of my post is motivation. Do everything and anything in your power to motivate yourself. Here is what I look at while I'm running:



This is on the wall directly in front of my treadmill. These are big motivators for me.

And this is my workout calendar. I write everything on this thing. Type of exercise, reps, sets, load, amount of time, low/high carb day, anything that I was having trouble with or doing great with:



And this is my workout room. Nothing fancy, horrible 90's colors, but I'm happy to have it. It's my best friend. It invites me, it challenges me, it supports me, it kicks my butt. I love this room!




I think I need some artwork on the walls, it's a little bare!

lift, don't lift??

My husband instructed me NOT to lift weights this morning.

Actually, he said, "You aren't going to lift weights today, are you?"

ME: ".......uhhhh"

HIM: "You aren't going to.....are you?"

ME: ".......uhhhh"

HIM: [stares at me]

I didn't know what to say. My wrist is definitely not 100% but it feels better and there is no swelling. Today is just legs day so I'm not going to be straining it, just using it as a little "helper".

I would not be good in a serious injury situation. I just don't think I could handle the waiting. I know that is probably really stupid.

But on the upside, he DID give me permission to run. Oh joy.

Holy hiatus!

I've really been slacking with the posting! The last 4 workouts, actually! My, my...I need to be punished for this. Something along the lines of being sprayed with mud and forced to stand in soaking wet shoes for hours. Oh wait, I did that yesterday!

HAHA...

OK, OK, so it wasn't forced upon me, but it did happen. Our community just happens to be fighting a flood right now so I was helping with the sandbagging efforts yesterday. Of course that didn't stand in the way of my posting, I just thought I would throw that out there.

I still need to post my last four workouts.

I will also mention that I did NOT do my weight training sessions scheduled for Monday or Tuesday. I won't tell you why I didn't since it will just sound like excuses, and it would be true that my reasons ARE excuses. I feel a tad guilty about it because I have done extremely well being consistent with it up until this point. And I sort of don't feel guilty....because I've been consistent up until this point. Make sense?

Excuses: so I was intending on working out Monday evening since my day was busier than usual, but it just so happened that I was exhausted by evening and it didn't get done. I was going to workout yesterday, before sushi with my sister, but then my sister called and cancelled (again), so I was a little bummed and just didn't feel like it. Plus, I knew I was sandbagging later in the day and wanted to save my energy.

Now, today I'm a tad sore (but not terrible). And as I tell my mom, I'm no stranger to being sore (because I lift weights), so it won't affect me really. The worst is my wrist, which I have wrapped up right now. I had gotten my hand bent way back a few too many times yesterday. It hurts to twist and there is a funny popping noise. I'm hoping it's nothing serious. But I'll baby it for a day just to be sure.

Let's get on with it...

Lower body #1 - Monday March 8th
bb squat 3 x 12 @ 60lbs
stiff dead 3 x 12 @ 60lbs
leg ext. 3 x 12 @ 60lbs
standing calf 3 x 12 @ 60lbs
lying ball raise 3 x 12
ball crunch 3 x 10

Upper body #1- Tuesday March 9th
bench press 3 x 12 @ 50lbs
bent over row 3 x 12 @ 44lbs - 22lbs each arm
db shoulder press 3 x 10 @ 30lbs
skull crushers 3 x 10 @ 20lbs
bb bicep curl 3 x 10 @ 30lbs

Lower body #2 - Thursday March 11th
deadlift 3 x 12 @ 80lbs
ham curl 3 x 10 @ 42.5lbs
lunges 3 x 10 @ 60lbs - each leg
seated calf 3 x 12 @ 60lbs - each leg
db shrugs 3 x 12 @ 40lbs
decline crunch 3 x 12

Upper body #2 - Friday March 12th
dips 3 x 10
bb pullovers 3 x 12 @ 20lbs (and here is where I first messed up my left wrist)
lat raise 3 x 10 @ 24lbs
tricep ext. 3 x 10 @ 20lbs
conentration curls 3 x 12 @ 15lbs - each arm

And so that was last week. I was scheduled to take Saturday and Sunday off, which was a nice break (and perfect timing), then I had to screw up my rhythm this week. Oh well, stuff happens. Moving on...

I'm going to try and get back into it today. NO, I'm not going to TRY, I WILL!

workout for Friday & Saturday

Friday 3/5/10

Deadlift: 10 @ 80lbs X 3
Leg Curl: 12 @ 40lbs, 8 @ 42.5 X 2
Lunges: 8 @ 60lbs X 3 (each leg)
Seated Calf Raise: 12 @ 60lbs, 12 @ 90lbs X 2
DB Shrugs: 10 @ 40lbs X 3
Decline Crunch: 10, 12, 10
Hyperextensions (supermans) 10 X 3

Saturday 3/6/10

Dips: 8, 10, 8
BB Pullovers: 10 @ 20lbs X 3
Lat. Raise: 9, 8, 8 @ 24lbs
Tricep Extensions: 11, 8, 8 @ 17lbs
Concentration Curls: 10 @ 15lbs X 2, 12 @ 12lbs (each arm)

Pretty boring, nothing new to report.

Today is my hubby's birthday. Last night, we went out to a fabulous Italian restaurant where I threw caution to the wind and ate lobster ravioli, bread dipped in oil and wine. OH LORD, I was in heaven. Today, I'll have a small piece of cake and then it's back to the grind.

Arms Day

Remember, all of these exercises are performed in 3 sets of 8-12 reps. If I can get higher than 12 reps, I need to increase the weight. If I can't make 8, I decrease the weight. I think I found a pretty good range for me right away. It helps to keep a log of the exercises that I do, reps, poundage, etc. That way, when I need a point of reference, I can just look back to previous days and find what I need!

Bench Press: 50lbs x 10, 10, 10
Bent Over row: 40lbs x 13, 45lbs x 10, 10 (see, I needed to increase there because I was able to get 13 reps)
DB Shoulder Press: 30lbs x 11, 8, 7
Skull Crushers: 20lbs x 8, 7, 5 (my arms were just shaking at this point)
Barbell Curl: 30lbs x 8, 8, 5

And afterward, my biceps felt just HUGE and tight from all the blood. It's such a crazy awesome feeling. Seriously, they felt like twice their normal size. Like, if I flexed they would just pop open! LOL

*And once again, I should note I got this routine from the bodybuilding.com website.

Legs Day

My new 4 day split routine is as follows (the lower body portion):

Lower body:
Squats 3 x 10 @ 60lbs
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts 3 x 10 @ 60lbs
Leg Extensions 3 x 10 @ 60lbs
Lying Hamstring Curls 2 x 10 @ 40lbs 1 x 10 @ 35
Standing Calf Raises 3 x 10 @ 60lbs
Lying Leg Raise 3 x 10
Ball Crunches 3 x 10

I got the routine from bodybuilding.com but I plugged in the appropriate weight...which I am still positive is too easy. BUT, I know it is important to incorporate some lighter weight/higher reps too. As long as I'm still lifting, I'm happy.

I haven't seen as much progress as I would like this past month with eating more carbs along side the heavy lifting. So, new month, new approach. I'm going to start to watch what I eat more. I think I had a more free attitude about what I ate since I knew my goal was to "carb up" and feed my muscles for growth. However, I tend to get carried away with that and start eating more junkie carbs than I'd like (i.e. garlic bread sticks, white buns, crackers, etc.).

So yesterday I spent a good portion of the afternoon going thru my healthy cookbooks and trying to make a list of all my options that I can choose from when I have NO idea what to make for lunches and dinners. I've got a pretty good start on the list. And I think I pretty much have breakfasts DONE....right down to the appropriate portions of proteins (which, by the way, I figure I was not eating enough during this past month). When I sat down to actually figure out the numbers, I realized I had been guessing all wrong.

Apparently, I need about 115 grams of protein a day (although this, along with everything else in the diet/fitness world, is debatable). Some believe that you need 1g per pound of body weight, some think it's 1g per pound of lean muscle mass, who knows what is really right. I guess since everyone is different, experimenting on your own is really the only way you'll ever find out the surest thing for you.

But I needed a starting point, and since I'm now aware that I am actually eating far less protein than I thought, coupled with the fact that I have not seen much gains in muscle mass, I will bump up my protein intake. I'm shooting for 115 grams.

I started picking apart the breakfasts I most often consume. For me, breakfast is the easiest meal of the day, mainly because I alternate between the same 3 items and I like it that way. I discovered that if I'm going to get in 115g of protein a day, I will need to try and get between 19-25g in each meal (depending on if I'm eating 5 or 6 times that day - and I make that decision usually based on whether I'm weight training that day).

So, my breakfast options are as follows:

#1 4 egg white omelet w/ 1 cup spinach, 1/2 cup mushrooms, 1/4 cup onions and 1 tsp oil. Approx. 21.4g protein, 184.5 calories (calories a bit low, could add more oil)

#2 3 egg whites 1 whole egg scramble w/ 1 glass skim milk. Approx. 24.8g protein, 216 calories. Just about perfect!

#3 packet plain instant oatmeal w/ 1 tbsp ground flax, 1 tbsp wheat germ, 1 packet truvia, 1 cup skim milk, 2 egg whites on the side. Approx. 21 protein, 286 calories.

#4 FiberOne cereal, 1 cup milk, 2 egg whites. Approx. 20 protein, 284 calories.

#5 1 slice Breadsmith 100% whole wheat bread, 3 egg whites 1 whole egg scramble. Approx. 20.8 protein, 236 calories (more calories when adding butter)

#6 Home-made muesli, low-fat yogurt, berries...(haven't figured the macro nutrients in this one yet, but I thought it was worth adding since this is supposed to be the breakfast of champions, one that will energize you and fuel you for hours afterward)

And those are MY choice breakfasts. Today I had #3. One thing worth noting, eggs REALLY fill me up nicely without adding tons of calories. I would eat them for every meal if I wasn't afraid of the horrid gas I'd probably get. LOL - And speaking of gas, this might be a bit too personal but I think the flax is responsible for my nightly bout with awful gas. I am only adding 1 tbsp to my diet daily and I thought after a while my body would get used to it and I could add another tbsp later in the day. But so far, it's still causing me a bit of gastrointestinal distress :( I still eat it though simply because I know how good it is for me.

OUCH!

My last workout on Thursday pretty much kicked my butt. It left me very sore and a little immobile. I had planned on doing arms the next day, didn't happen. I was still just sore and kind of miffed about it. It didn't bother me so much because I was scheduled for a 2 day rest anyway, and that's what I took.

But I was back at it again this morning. I did legs again and arms too. I didn't like it. I mean, I like the new routine OK but I don't like doing arms and legs the same day, it's just too much. I didn't' time myself but I'm guessing it probably took me an hour. I was just wiped by the end. My last arm exercises probably suffered because of it. Doing 3 sets of each exercise is SO time consuming and draining. I really prefer my old way of one heavy set to failure and your done!

BUT, the whole point of this was that I needed a change due to the plateau. The question I am faced with now is, am I going to continue going every other day with arms and legs or am I going to figure something else out.

The bad thing (for me) about doing the every other day is that I really like my rest days in between workouts. It really works well into my life. So if I can just get over that, if I can live with only 1 rest day a week, then it will work. I don't know, I tend to over analyze everything.

So, I pretty much did the same legs workout as last time, with the 3 sets of 10, dropping the weight each time, but I added arms too.

side lat raise 12lbs, 10lbs, 8lbs
chest press 50lbs, 40lbs, 30lbs
bicep curls 17lbs, 15lbs, 12lbs (each arm)
row 50lbs, 40lbs, 30lbs
dips

I am wondering, is this enough to add muscle mass? I know that I have read adding sets and using lighter weight does NOT add muscle. If that is the case...HELP! I need advice. I wish I had someone to ask these questions!

Well, wonder how I will feel tomorrow?

OH NO PLATEAU

Well, I knew it was inevitable, I have officially hit a plateau. What that means (if you don't already know) is that I am not really progressing anymore in my strength gains and in some cases I find myself even going backwards. To give an example, I seemed to have been stuck on 35lb bicep curls for a long time but FINALLY powered thru on a really good day, got all ten reps and moved on up to 40lbs....where I am perpetually stuck. Usually getting 3-5 reps, or more if I use the rest-pause method (which is how I was able to get past 35lbs). Anyway, I used the rest-pause to get up to seven reps but without doing that, I could only get 4. Then the next workout, I could only get 3. Are you kidding me? I'm actually going backwards here??? SO NOT FAIR!!

But you know what? I'm not going to get frustrated. I am NOT going to get all pouty and whiny about it and sit on the floor in my workout clothes and just cry. (not anymore) I'm going to use the fact that I've plateaued in a positive way. Here's how:

Our bodies are efficient machines. They adapt to stress very quickly. Once you have adapted to a workout, you stop making progress with it as your body becomes used to the same old moves. A plateau is just an alarm, so to speak, a mechanism your body has to let you know "hey, I'm bored here! Let's move on to something else, change it up a bit!". So I'm going to look at hitting a plateau as a good thing, at least my body is telling me it's time to change. It's giving me the opportunity to break the monotony and implement something new, to prevent bordem, and to take my gains to new heights.

So that's what I'm going to do, starting with my next workout. I can change it up many ways: I can either change exercise moves, I can change number of reps and/or sets, I can incorporate super sets or drops sets....it's all about getting creative. And having fun!

And here is my workout from last night:

Squats - 100lbs (wasn't feeling very strong, could barely get started but once in a groove I was able to get 8, although I'm pretty sure I didn't go as low as I should have.
Leg curl - 40lbs
Stiff-Legged Deadlift - 75lbs
BB Incline Press 50lbs
BB Row 50lbs
BB Shoulder Press 45lbs
BB Bicep Curl 40lbs
Skull Crushers
Abs - crunches, hip lifts, bicycle

I met a goal!

Here is my last workout (Sunday Feb. 21, 2010)

First of all let me say that I have met a personal goal - deadlifting 100lbs 10 times! I will have to set a new goal for myself (and probably buy another set of weight plates soon)!

Squats - 95lbs
Lunges - should have done 70lbs but only did 1 set at 30lbs
Romanian Deadlifts - 100lbs
BB Bench Press - 60lbs
BB Row - 60lbs
BB Shoulder Press - 45lbs
BB Bicep Curl - 40lbs
BB Lying Tricep Extension - 30lbs

Sometimes I don't feel strong...

In the last post, I felt strong. I banged out 10 squats EASILY with 90lbs resting on my shoulder blades. I am close to my goal, very close! At the next workout, I barely (and by barely I mean, my legs almost didn't straighten me up to standing) made 8 reps with only 5 more pounds (95lbs). What up wit dat?

Was I just not feeling it that day? Did I not eat enough to power me thru the workout? Did I not sleep enough? I am constantly trying to troubleshoot EVERYTHING. Well, whatever. Here's the rest of my workout that was on Thursday the 18th of February:

Squats 95lbs 8 reps
Leg Curl 40 lbs 8 reps - this is pretty easy but I am really moving the weight slow and concentrating on absolute PERFECT form so that I'm ONLY using my hamstrings to lift this weight.
Stiff-Legged Deadlift 75lbs 8 reps - could have done 10 but don't want to push the stiffs too fast
BB Incline Press 50lbs - needed to be 7, got 8
BB Row 60lbs - needed to beat 8, got 9...but DANG, gettin hard
BB Shoulder Press 45lbs - went up from 40lbs last week, got 4...yikes
BB Bicep Curl 40lbs - needed to beat 7, could only get 4....????? Depressing when that happens
BB Lying Tricep Extension 30lbs - needed to beat 6, got 7. Now this in my opinion, is one odd exercise. You lay on the floor holding the barbell straight up. Then, you slowly bend at the elbows while keeping the rest of your arm straight up, bringing the bar to your forehead. Then push back up again. It is a fun exercise, I like it. But it feels so odd and unnatural. Plus I have this stupid elbow injury, a fracture many years ago that leaves me favoring it still today. I hate injuries.
Calf Raises - Oops! I forgot these puppies.
Abs - boring old crunches with a 25lb weight plate, hip lifts and bicycle.

On a side note, I have noticed the muscle in my arms getting bigger! Not by leaps and bounds, but by tiny woman standards. It's an improvement, one that I am immensely proud of, even though my husband is less than impressed. I don't let that bother me though, just as long as he keeps spotting me until I get a squat rack ;)

Seriously though, the muscle growth in my arms is super exciting to me because do you know what that means??? It means that if the muscles in my arms are getting visibly bigger, it must mean that the same thing is happening to my legs!! And THAT, my friends, is the WHOLE REASON for my incredibly powerful addiction to weight lifting!!

And, on a side side note, talking about my husband being less than impressed with this whole thing involving me weight lifting; besides the fact that he is constantly afraid that I will put a crack in the foundation of our basement (if I should ever drop 100lbs while failing to bring my squat back up)...thaaaaat's right, he's more afraid of that than me hurting MYSELF, I don't think he's into muscular woman. (pretty sure that was a big run on sentence but I care not)

And the funny thing about that is he is one of the biggest reasons I am doing this. Aside from my fascination with being as fit as possible and building up my leg muscles to make the appearance of less jiggle and flab, I want HIM to be impressed by the way I look. I want him to be proud to have me as a wife. I want him to be happy too. And I know he already is. He constantly tells me. He wouldn't care if I gave up weightlifting and used lifting chocolate to my mouth as a workout (with him) most nights a week.

I showed him a picture of a woman (a friend of mine on BB.com) who battled with anorexia most of her life but started weightlifting and is now one of the best bodies (I think) on the whole site. She is tiny yet muscular and beautiful. I showed him this because he thinks woman can't build muscle. I've tried to explain that sure, they can't build muscle like a man but it IS possible to add muscle mass. So, I showed him her pictures and all he said was "That's a bit too muscular for my taste". But she is one of my motivators because if she can look the way she does (and believe me, it's amazing), if she can go from skin and bones to muscle, I can build muscle too. Getting back to my hubs, I know, I know, he likes the soft feminine contours of the female body. I don't plan on losing that, just firming up. And the only way (THE ONLY WAY) I will ever do that is to build muscle. Period.

But then again, I might find it so empowering, so exhilarating, I won't want to stop there! It is SUCH a powerful trip to see and feel yourself improving. I feel powerful, I feel successful, I feel extraordinary. And THAT is what I want to be....

EXTRA ordinary. Because anyone can be ordinary.

Getting close to a goal!

I haven't posted my last two workouts so here they are:

SUNDAY:
squats 85lbs
leg curl 37.5lbs
stiff-legged deadlifts 70lbs
bb incline press 50lbs
bb row 60lbs
bb shoulder press 40lbs
bb bicep curl 40lbs
bb lying tricep ext. 25lbs
calf raises
abs - crunches 25lbs, hip lifts, bicycle

TUESDAY:
squats 90lbs (10 pounds away from my goal of 10 reps @ 100lbs! Happened a lot sooner than I anticipated)
lunges 65lbs
romanian deadlifts 100lbs (got to my goal weight of 100lbs, now to get all 10 reps - made 6 so far)
bb bench press 55lbs
bb shoulder press 40lbs (these are so dang hard for me - my right shoulder gives me problems...but I managed to get all 10. I did 7, rested about 10 seconds, then did 2 more, rested about 10 seconds and then did the last one - barely!) Wonder if I should stay at 40lbs until I can crank out all 10 at once????
bb bicep curl 40lbs (had to beat my last rep count of 6, but I could only get 5 out at once, then had to rest like on shoulders, before I could get the last two - barely!) Wondering what's up...plateau?? Not eating enough calories to make my muscles grow?? The hubs thinks it's not possible for my muscles to grow since I'm a woman. I say, of course it's possible! Just not to the same extent that a man can!
bb lying tricep ext. 30lbs
donkey calf raises (hanna)
ab side bends 30lbs

I'm getting more and more nervous as I am increasing in weight. I feel like I am at a point where, my gains are going to be VERY slow. That's OK with me, even if it's just ONE rep more at each workout. But when I can't get that one more rep without a rest, it gets me to wonder, what should I do?? Especially when it comes to my arms. I need to research a little more about that I guess.

love of weight training

Workout A - Tuesday, February 9Th 2010

My workouts got a little screwed up somehow the past week. I left out an exercise on my last workout I think. Anyway, no big deal. Let's get to the moves.

Squats 80lbs - did 8, I'm on my way to my goal! (which, incidentally, is 8 reps at 100lbs. That will be one sweet day!
Leg Curl 55lbs - did 9 but was guilty the whole time. I noticed that my hips move up off the bench as I'm curling up (which, you probably know, is not correct form). So, I took the hit and lowered the weight. I figured 35lbs was a good place to start. I pounded out 10 reps, with nice slow controlled movement while concentrating on keeping my hips planted firmly on the bench. If I felt my butt raising a little, I slowed it down and concentrated EVEN MORE, to ensure I was only using my hamstrings to lift this weight.
Stiff-legged Deadlift 65lbs - My hams are tight so I did a warm up set with 15lb dumbbells first. The 65lbs was easy of course, but I'm really careful, I don't need an injury!
BB Incline Press 45lbs - this is one I was supposed to do last week. Did all 10.
BB Row 55lbs - got 8, finally I'm at a weight that is getting difficult!
BB Shoulder Press 40lbs - these are still so hard for me. But I continue to inch along every time I workout, getting that one or two more reps. I'm up to 7 now.
BB Bicep Curl 35lb - another hard one for me. Been at 35lbs for a long time. Going at it slow, pushing one more rep every time WITH CORRECT FORM! Got 9 (I remember it wasn't long ago I was pushing to get at 9-10reps using momentum and arching my back - BAD! Now I am doing it the RIGHT way and getting up there in reps!)
BB Lying Tricep Extension 20lbs - these were hurting my elbow a bit, but I widened my grip a bit and THEN I could do them better, really felt it in the triceps this time! Got all 10.
BB Calf Raises 65lbs - calf exercises are easy. Got 20
Abs - 25lb weighted crunches, hip lifts & bicycle

Actually, this was supposed to be a rest day. I was scheduled to do this workout Monday but I had a killer headache so I postponed it. I noticed I was yawning a bit in the beginning of the workout. But I powered thru it anyway.

Saturday 2/6/10

WORKOUT B

Squats 75lbs - got all 10 here, will move up to 80lbs
Lunges 60lbs - got 5 each leg
Romanian Deadlifts 95lbs - got 8 YESSSSSS!!!!
BB Bench Press 50lbs - got 10, moving up to 55lbs
BB Row 50lbs - got 10, moving up to 55lbs
BB Shoulder Press 40lbs - beat my last rep count by 2!!
BB Bicep Curl 35lbs - beat my last rep count by 3!!
Lying Tricep Extensions 20lbs - despite shaking like crazy, I beat my last rep count by 3!!
BB Calf Raises 60lbs - got an easy twenty, moving up to 70lbs
Abs - side bends at 25lbs - got an easy 10 each side

I really kicked butt tonight. I get so worried sometimes at how hard a workout is and wonder if it's possible that I will be able to get even one more rep next time. But I surpassed just one extra rep on every exercise. I ended up pounding out 2-3 MORE on each one! I think it was because I was really into a mental zone, concentrating hard and telling my body before each lift that it WILL lift this weight to such and such a rep and BAM!

I have been practicing "mind exercises" as well and it's really paying off!

I haven't been listing my food log at all these days. Probably due to the fact that since I'm not "dieting" or trying to cut back on any one particular thing, eating right just comes a lot easier. I have been trying to stick to the same foods every day though, just to make it easier. The only thing I need to improve on is getting my veggies in. I'm basically eating carbs and protein but omitting the veggies. That needs improvement. I found a formula that really keeps me energized and satisfied all day long so I'll keep on it until I get sick of it. Here it is:

Breakfast: Egg white, turkey sausage, cheese, english muffin sandwich (Jimmy Dean LIGHT - 260 calories)

Snack: plain oatmeal with cinnamon and stevia to taste and ground flax seed and wheat germ added for health

Lunch: 2 slices 100% whole wheat natural bread, with natural peanut butter and jelly

Snack: FiberOne cereal, skim milk

Dinner: This is what changes every day. Obviously I can't feed the family the same thing day after day! But it's always healthy, fajitas, low fat chili with lots of legumes, salmon, chicken, etc. I find some of the best recipes from the following books:

The Abs Diet
Eat Up, Slim Down
YOU on a Diet
Flip the Switch

And because of the way I've kept myself full of fiber and protein during the day, I am only hungry enough at night for one small serving of dinner! Big servings and seconds were always my weakness before. But now, I even can keep spaghetti to a 1 cup serving! And then if it's a non-workout day I'll have a slow digesting protein before bed (like cottage cheese) and if it's a workout day, (I do weights in the evening so Andreas can be my spotter with squats) I have a protein shake or a protein bar.

I haven't even felt the URGE to cheat the past couple weeks. It's weird! Even if the whole family is porking down chocolate and donuts, I don't bat an eye! I have an 80% cocao chocolate bar in the cupboard if I need something with my after dinner coffee (and it's full of antioxidants so bonus bonus!)

Thursday 2/4/10

Workout A - (modified a bit)

Squats 75lbs
(skipped extensions today - I read yesterday that this is an exercise that can cause injury? And since I'm so paranoid of injuring myself, especially my knees, I decided that I could build my quads just fine with squats)
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts - decided to give these a whirl. I usually do Romanian Deadlifts, where the knees are bent, simply because I have tight hams. But, I did a good warm up set with light weight and them attempted them. I used 60lbs for my "actual" set and it was doable. I do really need to work on stretching EVERY day so that I'm not so tight. Anyway, the reason for the change was that I read (again with the reading LOL) stiff deads build the hamstrings better. Plus, I'm getting up to some pretty heavy weight on Romanians and I was starting to get worried (again with the worrying LOL) about sacrificing form. Slow and steady wins the race!
BB Bench Press 50lbs (seriously, I canNOT believe I'm benching 50 pounds! Remember...I'm fairly little)
No chest flyes either, sticking with bread and butter moves.
BB Row 50lbs
BB Shoulder Press 40lbs - this is where I'm a wuss, could only do 4
BB Bicep Curl - didn't move the weight up to 40 even though I got 10 reps out of 35lbs last time. See, the thing is, to get all ten reps, I had to go fast and furious, arching my back to get those last few reps up. And in those cases, where form was sacrificed, it doesn't count. I read that it is easy to over train biceps so you should build up the weight slowly and gradually, or you will see very limited gains in size and strength. The frustrating thing is that it seems as though I've been hovering around 30-35lbs FOREVER! Seriously, before I got a weight bench I was using 15 pound dumbbells for my curls. Granted, I was easily getting all 10 reps, it seems like pushing it higher isn't producing gains in strength. Maybe my biceps have plateaued. In that case, I better come up with a plan for those little buggers!!
Lying Tricep Extensions 20lbs - this is different from my original workout also. I read that these are great for building triceps (which are the biggest muscle in the arm). It reminds me of skull crushers except with the bar instead of dumbbells. Same principal of keeping elbows up straight and bringing the weight to the forehead. These are TOUGH! Could only get 5 (with shaking arms). I attempted a 6th but had to drop the weight behind my head.
Donkey calf raises - with Eden on my back, she's a bit light though. Maybe I'll try with Hanna next time. She almost weighs as much as me now, I'm only 15 pounds heavier! And she's 12! Told you I was little! Hence, the weight lifting. Hoping it will help. I want to gain muscle though, NOT FAT!
Abs - crunch 25lb plate, lower ab leg lift, bicycle

And that is the "new" workout. I'm sticking to what should be the "bread and butter" of a workout. Compound movements (and yes, I know I have some isolation in there too).

Tuesday & Wednesday

Rest days from weights. But I did do some interval training (HIIT) - which is 20 minutes on the treadmill, alternating between high and low intensity. And, in addition to the HIIT, I did a butt blaster (Wednesday). It's a series of 4 moves which are supposed to build a nice round butt ;) just twice a week. Not sure the point at which you are supposed to notice a difference tho...3 months maybe?? Anyway, I did 3 sets of each exercise and 8 reps of each.

I just felt the need to get some cardio in. It really felt wonderful, to tell you the truth. I couldn't help but smile the whole time I was doing it. I LOVE the way exercising can just lift your mood from good to GREAT!

So far I have successfully completed 2 solid weeks of training. I haven't noticed any gains in muscle size necessarily, but that will come eventually. I just hope I'm eating enough! I always worry that I'm not eating enough to fuel my muscles but when I do eat more (clean food, mind you) I'm worried I'm eating too much and will gain fat!!! It's such a double edged sword, this eating thing!

Monday 2/1/10

Workout B

Lunges 60lbs
Extensions 95lbs
Deadlifts 90lbs
Leg Curl 55lbs
BB Incline Press 45lbs
BB Row 45lbs
DB Pullover 2-12lb dbs
BB Shoulder Press 35lbs
BB Bicep Curl 35lbs
Skull Crushers 2-12lb dbs
Abs-Side Bends 20lbs

OK, two full workout weeks done already! Wow, that went fast! Now I get to look forward to 2 days of rest before I hit it hard again on Thursday.

Saturday 1/130/10

Workout A

Squats 70lbs
Extensions 90lbs
Deadlifts 90lbs
BB Bench Press 45lbs
Inclince DB Flyes 2-15lb dbs
Alt. DB Rows 20lbs
BB Shoulder Press 35lbs
BB Bicep Curl 35lbs
Tricep Kickbacks 10lb db
BB Calf Raise 50lbs
Ab Crunch 25lb plate, leg lifts, bicycle

I am supposes to be alternating between dumbbells and the barbell on some exercises but I have been just sticking to the barbell in those cases. It's hard to substitute the dumbbells when the heaviest I have are 15 pounds and then I end up using the small bars with the weight plates. That becomes to bulky for me, especially on moves where I need to be keeping the weight close to my body (i.e. rows, kickbacks, etc.). It's also very time consuming the way it is having to add or remove weight from the bar between each exercise. My goal is to keep moving as quickly as possible (little rest between moves) to keep my heart rate up.

But other than that, workouts are going well! I am so happy with my progress. Here is a progress picture of my back/shoulders/arms. One day I will be brave enough to show my leg progress as well!

Thursday

Tuesday and Wednesday were rest days. I work out 3 days per week, with one rest day in between and 2 after the 3rd workout. Just FYI.

Thursday 1/28/10

WORKOUT B

Lunges 45lbs too easy
Extensions 85lbs
Deadlift 90lbs
Leg Curl 55lbs
BB Incline Press 40lbs
BB Row 40lbs
DB Pullover 2-10lb dbs
BB Shoulder Press 35lbs
BB Bicep Curl 35lbs
Skull Crushers 2-10lb dbs
Abs - DB Side Bend 15lb db

It's so exciting to progress at every workout! Whenever I know I have a hard lift ahead of me, I take a couple of nice deep cleansing breaths and go for it. I know it's going to be hard but I also know that I can do it. I can do it because I'm getting stronger every day.

The 90lb deadlifts are a challenge. The biggest challenge, though, is mental. I am constantly worried that I am not doing them with proper form. I think, "Is my back straight enough? Am I really using my hamstrings to lift this weight or am I putting too much strain on my back?" I need to quit that! I guess if I weren't lifting it right, my back would hurt the next day, and my back never hurts! (knock on wood!) Another thing that I think about is "Are my hamstrings sore enough from lifting that weight?". I mean, sure, I get sore, but not as sore as I think I should be. Oh the mind is a funny thing! And I am always the most sore 2 days after a lift.

My arms are pretty small, so my progression seems small but I WILL be patient. I will persevere.

By the way, I am reading a book called "Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude" and it's a GREAT book for me. I had noticed that I was starting to become a bit negative about things, complaining too much. I wanted to turn that around before it got to be too bad and my husband couldn't' stand to be around me anymore! I was cutting myself down too much. Now, I am telling myself every day how beautiful I am, inside and out. I am consciously making a great effort to ALWAYS see the positive side of things. I am making an effort to be the most pleasant person I can be. Because no one likes to be around a crabby negative person!

Monday 1/25/10

Weights Day

Workout A

BB Squat 70 lbs - Up 10 lbs from last time, much harder

Leg Extension 82.5 lbs - Up 2.5 lbs from last time, will go up to 85 next time

BB Deadlift 85 lbs - Up 5 lbs from last time, will up up to 90 next time! PB for me (as far as getting 10 reps)! I have no idea what my 1 rep max would be!

BB Bench Press 35 lbs (still too easy) - up 5 lbs from last time, will go up another 5 next time

Incline DB Flyes 30 lbs - this one was a bit difficult, but I still made 10 reps so I will have to go up next time

DB Rows 40 lbs - this was a challenge. Not sure if having to use the dumbbells with weight plates made it more difficult simply because they are bulkier than set dumbbells.

BB Shoulder Press 30 lbs - got 10 reps so I'll move up to 35 lbs next time.

DB Bicep Curl 30 lbs - got 10 reps so I'll move up to 35 lbs next time.

Tricep Kickbacks 20 lbs - this was difficult, will stay here

Seated Calf Raise 25 lbs - this is quite easy, not sure what I should do about this. I can add more weight to the dumbbell but it hurts my legs where the dumbbell is sitting more than anything. Maybe I'll use one of my kids and do the donkey calf raises.

Ab Crunch 25 lbs - still pretty easy, I think I need to incorporate more ab work into my routine.

OVERALL: A perfect week down! 11 more to go for phase 1. There are still things I need to get going on (like getting the proper supplements for muscle recovery) but I have a nice start! I will continue to lift heavy (heavy for me, that is) with one set 3 times per week during this 12 week phase. You will probably laugh when you look at a 30 lb bicep curl or military press and think of it as "heavy", but my arms are tiny...believe me, it's hard for me!

There are still a few exercises that are a bit too easy for me, I had to start somewhere though and I hate to go too heavy at first to where I leave no room for advancement. I think I should be squatting heavier than 70 lbs but that will come. I really need a squat rack!!

My deadlifts are going great, it's my favorite lift. The only concern I have is that my fingers always seem to give out before my legs have been punished enough. I actually had to stop at 7 and regrip because my fingers were slowly starting to unwrap from the bar. I wish I knew how to prevent this! And I worry that it will stop my hinder my progression. Any ideas??

Anyway my method is double progression. Every workout I try to get at least 8 reps. Once I can reach 10 reps with that weight, I move up 2.5-5lbs and go back down to 8 reps. I do just once set with slow and controlled movements. This is hard and I am still working on getting the technique down. It's too easy to want to use momentum with heavy weight.

Saturday & Sunday (23rd & 24th)

Saturday - Weights Day - Workout B

Lunges 40lbs
Extensions 80lbs
Deadlifts 80lbs (man do I love these things!!)
Leg Curl 50lbs
DB Incline Press 30lbs - too easy
BB Bent Over Row 30lbs - too easy
DB Pullover 15lbs - not sure about this one, maybe I'm not doing it right. what other exercise can I use to hit the lats (without a machine)??? anyone know??
DB Shoulder Press 30lbs
BB Bicep Curl 30lbs
Skull Crushers 20lbs
Ab work (25lb plate)

I completed 10 reps of each exercise (except skull crushers, got 9) so I guess that means it's time to bump up the weight on everything next time!! I'm scared!

Sunday - Rest Day

p.s. I love eating carbs!