New Rules of Lifting For Women (NROL4W)

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Anna_Joys_Journey
Anna_Joys_Journey Posts: 253 Member
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A friend and I are starting this today. I've been a cardio queen for a year, and while I lost 50 pounds...I still have a long way to go. I'm going to focus on the next 6 months being about inches and strength vs weight...and that is SO freeing! :)

Any advice for a total newb?

Replies

  • sunshinelively
    sunshinelively Posts: 249 Member
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    Wow congrats on your dedication - 50lb is a lot of weight! Great that you're starting, you'll find a lot of great advice in the daily chat thread. Some of us who recently got through early stages post in the I'm starting stage one today thread.

    I just finished stage 2. No weight lost, actually gained 3 lb in stage 1 but moved some inches around. It's a completely different way of life. You'll need to focus on getting enough protein, calculating your TDEE and BMR and playing with cals till you find the right amount. Getting enough sleep is definitely important, and overall planningyour workouts so you can fit them all in. Slow steady progress is the mantra.

    Congrats again and welcome! :)
  • Anna_Joys_Journey
    Anna_Joys_Journey Posts: 253 Member
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    Wow congrats on your dedication - 50lb is a lot of weight! Great that you're starting, you'll find a lot of great advice in the daily chat thread. Some of us who recently got through early stages post in the I'm starting stage one today thread.

    I just finished stage 2. No weight lost, actually gained 3 lb in stage 1 but moved some inches around. It's a completely different way of life. You'll need to focus on getting enough protein, calculating your TDEE and BMR and playing with cals till you find the right amount. Getting enough sleep is definitely important, and overall planningyour workouts so you can fit them all in. Slow steady progress is the mantra.

    Congrats again and welcome! :)

    Thanks! :)

    I finished my workout tonight, and the only mishap was faceplanting off the ball attempting the prone jackknife the first time. I kept falling, so I just stretched out and held the plank on the ball for 60 seconds. Then the second set I just went really slow...but I did it--all 8 reps! :)

    I've been slowly upping my calories over the last bit, and right now I'm shooting for 1900. I don't always meet it, but I'll get there. My biggest problem is going to be getting enough sleep... :/ I'll get there though. Thanks for the encouragement, and congrats on your successes so far! :)
  • sunshinelively
    sunshinelively Posts: 249 Member
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    Wow congrats on your dedication - 50lb is a lot of weight! Great that you're starting, you'll find a lot of great advice in the daily chat thread. Some of us who recently got through early stages post in the I'm starting stage one today thread.

    I just finished stage 2. No weight lost, actually gained 3 lb in stage 1 but moved some inches around. It's a completely different way of life. You'll need to focus on getting enough protein, calculating your TDEE and BMR and playing with cals till you find the right amount. Getting enough sleep is definitely important, and overall planningyour workouts so you can fit them all in. Slow steady progress is the mantra.

    Congrats again and welcome! :)

    Thanks! :)

    I finished my workout tonight, and the only mishap was faceplanting off the ball attempting the prone jackknife the first time. I kept falling, so I just stretched out and held the plank on the ball for 60 seconds. Then the second set I just went really slow...but I did it--all 8 reps! :)

    I've been slowly upping my calories over the last bit, and right now I'm shooting for 1900. I don't always meet it, but I'll get there. My biggest problem is going to be getting enough sleep... :/ I'll get there though. Thanks for the encouragement, and congrats on your successes so far! :)

    lol that's hilarious about the jackknife!

    you're going to love this program - they've done all the work, figuring out what exercises to do, mixed it up really nicely and the program is 6 months long. and there's always new rules of lifting supercharged after that. theoretically, you might never have to think up a routine again! :bigsmile:
  • skbarton
    skbarton Posts: 141 Member
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    Congrats on the 50#! Moving on to a strength program is a good idea - burn off some fat and increase your strength so the body increases it's basic burn rate is a win-win!

    I'm doing the AMRAP's for stage 1 now - Keep pushing the weights higher each time even if it just 5 pounds and you'll be amazed by what you can do when you get the stage done. In the early ones while you weights are lighter, you could try increasing by 10 pounds.

    Prone jacks can be awkward but I think it is kinda fun "launching" out to get in position - wheeeeeeeee LOL

    I couldn't do a regular floor push up to save my life, so I started at about a 40 degree angle. After building some upper body strength, I moved to a 30 degree angle (or so) by using a bench to base off of. Today I was able to do 10 from the floor. Might not have gone down as low as some, but the elbows were bent and I had to push the weight back up.

    My word of advice would be to keep pushing yourself to test your limits!

    Susan
  • HappyTravels
    HappyTravels Posts: 22 Member
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    Hi Anna. Ive Just Started Too. 2nd Week In. Those Prone Jack Knifes Are The Devil. I Was Bouncing All Over The Place Until An Instructor Helped. Ive Lost 55 Pounds And Have About That Again Still To Lose. I Cant Get My Head Around The Eating More And Am Not Sweating That At The Moment. I Needed To Find Something to Get Me Exercising As Id Really Slacked Off. Early Days But Im Enjoying This. Love To Hear How Youre Getting On With The Programme From Time To Time.
  • kasaz
    kasaz Posts: 274 Member
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    I just started yesterday also. My main exercise for more than a few years has been hiking and I really lack upper body strength. This is a really good time to start this program because it's pretty warm here to do much hiking so a good time to be in the gym. I live in Arizona. I started with a trainer I worked with a couple of years ago to help me be sure my form is good. I've had the book for literally years and I'm excited to get started. I also had a heck of a time with the prone jack knifes and I am not able to do a floor push-up at this point, but I'll keep working on it. Glad to have this forum!
  • Bransonlee
    Bransonlee Posts: 16 Member
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    I just re-started yesterday! :) I did this over a year ago and LOVED it until getting my mom through cancer treatments derailed me. I have been trying to focus on cardio lately, and realized that I don't love cardio, but I DO love lifting so I need to get back to what I will stick with. Glad to see some other newbies here :) Thanks for starting a new thread! And yes... I had jackknife issues yesterday too, haha! Hard to believe I used to actually be able to do them! Can't wait to start getting stronger again! :)
  • Bransonlee
    Bransonlee Posts: 16 Member
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    Anyone doing their lifting at home? I am and always wish I could use a machine instead of doing pullovers. They kill me ;)

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