NTHG 2-week challenge

mamareese

asjerven- Yep to the tea & coffee (at least from what I've read!) I don't drink coffee but I do drink Green Tea sometimes so that with the water has helped take my mind off eating. It's def. easier on work days than no work days (okay, I only have 5 days to come to that conclusion but makes sense to me!) but I want to give it a full 2 weeks to see what it does for me. I'd like to experiment with ESE but maybe after my body gets used to this, I can up the ante!!

lulabellewoowoo

Well, I am going to the beach in 23 days, so I'll make my two weeks challenge, in addition to not eating wheat (which I have done for 5 weeks successfully now), to do:

1. LeanGains - started today, time will be usually around noon to 8.
2. No peanut butter (my one serious weakness).

Here I go.

amysj303

sounds good lula, have you tried that PB2? I heard people talk about it and some people really love it. It's a powder made of real peanuts but they can remove the oil, so it's a very peanut flavor, you mix it with water to make "peanut butter".
Congrats on the no wheat, it is a challenge I tried for 2 weeks. I tried to avoid sugar then too but that just seems impossible.

jenomaha

Holy moly this thread got so active, lol!!!!

ALL ladies, heaven's yes, flaunt it while you got it :drinker: and as for no mini skirts after 35...phooey, I'm ignoring that one, lol!!


Cutmd - more power to you woman, I know I couldn't do a plan like that, I am not that disciplined Awesome about the dresses...love that your hubby wanted boots!

amy - great job with the workout and congrats on the scale (even though it doesn't really matter

mamareese - love the new profile pic, you are adorable! great job sticking to the leangains!

chuisle - girl, you rocked your diary yesterday!!

lula - omg, no way I could ive up peanut butter, lol!!! it's a staple of mine!!! Good luck on your challenge and welcome to the group!!!

jenomaha

ok, just because I wanted you all to see, I took a pic revealing some of my extra skin and posted it on my profile page...I didn't let it all hang out, mind you, but I wanted you all to see. :blushing:

lulabellewoowoo

jenomaha - PB is my serious weakness right now and 2 tbsp just don't seem like enough, so let's see if I can cut it out. Hubby is surprised too I chose that as I can go through a jar in no time.

Amy - the wheat isn't too much of a problem as it really messes with my depression, but I haven't been able to cut sugar yet. That will have to wait definitely.

mamareese - I did ESE, and it worked great, but have totally lost all motivation for it. So, the Leangains is the way I'm going for the next 23 days...I mean 22 now. And here I am starving...

One day under my belt for NO pb and Leangains. Day 2, here I come.

shander7

lula - Those seem like great challenges, good luck with the no peanut butter!!

jenomaha - You can't really see the skin in the picture! But you need to be happy with your body, so if you want the tuck then go for it girl! And I don't know how I feel about implants, I feel like they don't look natural, have you thought of just getting a lift??

asjerven - congrats on the 110! Is that the magic number??

cutmd - You are amazing, you have so much control!! I am definitely envious of you! And I hope your new job is going well!

I didn't have time to work out yesterday, I was running around and then went to dinner with my family.. but now I"m wondering if I should work out today, even though it's my birthday... I can't decide!! What do you girls think?

mamareese

Morning ladies. Day 6 of leangains, and def. found some motivation to stick with it- dropped a pound finally. Saw a number on the scale I haven't seen in too long. A new number and I loved it. At 5'8 I weighed in today at 152. Still a ways to go but at least it's moving! 3 hours to go and then I brought a quick lunch because the plan is to strength training midday. Hopefully that pans out!

jenomaha-I agree with shander! We definitely notice the 'problem' areas of our bodies a lot more than other people but DH is supportive, you've researched it, and you work so hard- if a tuck is what your next step is- I say kudos to you for doing something for yourself! I was talking to my DH last night about the same issues. Trying to decipher if it's still fat in that area or extra skin. My tummy is one of the places (aside from the obvious I had babies! issues) on my body that you can see improvements on. It's definitely flatter but postbaby screams all over the belly button area! I'm going to keep pushing though to get those great abs you have!!

shander- I have to admit, I'd probably take my birthday off and get right back at it tomorrow. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOO!

lula- Good to know you had success with ESE. I'm still reading up on it. We'll see after the 2 weeks if I experiment with that or if Leangains is working well enough that I just keep going with the 'windows'

The other thing DH & I were talking about was my darn thighs. I've always had more of an athletic build. And I don't have any issues with that. EXCEPT there is a noticeable difference between my lower thighs and upper thighs. I've been able to see improvements in the lower part but that upper part doesn't seem to budge. DH suggested that maybe running would help. I know you can't 'spot reduce' but I just wondered if anyone had any thoughts? I do the strength training 3x a week and that's relatively new (like 2 mos. or so) so I'm hoping that helps.

chuisle

First, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHANDER! Have a fabulous day, eat what you want and celebrate life!

Jenomaha - totally agree with shander and mamareese, I can't tell but if you're happy with that decision then more power to you! Thanks for the shout out I was proud of myself that day!

Mamareese - congrats on sticking to leangains so well! Since I've never had a baby I can't realte to all the problems but I totally have issues with my tummy. Even when I was a competitive runner I had a flabby middle so I am really hoping my "smarter" routines of the last several months will get the abs I've never had. Keep it up! We'll get there!

Lula - way to hop on board! Good luck!


So a friend of mine is town (she is rarely around) and we were all going to go out to dinner. I suggest Houlihan's (I don't know if you have them but they are AWESOME!) because they have a varied, nutritious menu with "small plate" options that are perfect for my diet and controlling carbs. Well, someone said, "its too expensive" and the group, despite my nutrition point, picked a chinese place. I handled it and didn't mess up too much but it was still so frustrating. I also spent the exact same amount of money I spend at Houlihan's ($12). IRRITATING.

That said, I didn't go too far over so it was a low/med carb day. I did feel tired/low energy this morning and maybe its my imagination but I think it was because of the food

PS one of these friends who pushed for it is PREGNANT. Of course you don't bloody care about calories or carbs but I still do.

amysj303

ok, just because I wanted you all to see, I took a pic revealing some of my extra skin and posted it on my profile page...I didn't let it all hang out, mind you, but I wanted you all to see. :blushing:

I agree that it is not noticeable, and you have great abs, but it's your body and you know that all the hard work in the world couldn't get the results you want, it's your body and you should do what you want! Is it very expensive? I know that's a rude question, I was thinking of getting a quote on tummy lipo, I'd gain weight, it goes to my belly and boobs and when my boobs were the right size, I'd get the lipo and they say the fat never comes back cuz the fat cells are gone from that part of your body. magic

amysj303

asjerven - congrats on the 110! Is that the magic number??

even though it's my birthday... I can't decide!! What do you girls think?

Yep, 110 is my magic number!
And Happy Birthday!!:drinker: definitely celebrate and have a good time!

amysj303

The other thing DH & I were talking about was my darn thighs. I've always had more of an athletic build. And I don't have any issues with that. EXCEPT there is a noticeable difference between my lower thighs and upper thighs. I've been able to see improvements in the lower part but that upper part doesn't seem to budge. DH suggested that maybe running would help. I know you can't 'spot reduce' but I just wondered if anyone had any thoughts? I do the strength training 3x a week and that's relatively new (like 2 mos. or so) so I'm hoping that helps.

Sometimes we are built a certain way, it might be the last place where you lose fat, and of course you can't spot reduce but there have been some interesting articles on body sculpting, leaning muscles versus bulking muscles. My legs are like pencils so I don't know if I can bulk them up but I am not worried about getting bulky, I am not really built that way.
When you say upper thigh, do you mean hips?

amysj303

Last night I did the supermans and the jog. I was supposed to be on week 6 but I did week 5 by accident and it wasn't even that easy. I am worried I will not be able to run the warrior dash but I will keep at this plan anyway! It works out pretty well that I can do C25K every other day and make it fall on Day 2 of SF, which calls for a 30 minute run, then no running on the days on either side. I am doing Day 3 tonight, ah, the jump rope. Will do it first this time! and then the lunges, yikes! At least this gym will have 3 pound weights for the side raises...

mamareese

I read a 'Success Story' on here the other day of a girl who just completed the warrior dash and she included pictures. It looks awesome but I can see why it makes people nervous the closer it gets! How long is the course?

I guess for 'upper thighs' I'm meaning my inner thigh up high & hips. I could almost accept my hips but I'll research this other problem further becuase it must go!!

amysj303

The course here is 5k, or 3.1 miles. I saw some pics from someone here...

cutmd

ok, just because I wanted you all to see, I took a pic revealing some of my extra skin and posted it on my profile page...I didn't let it all hang out, mind you, but I wanted you all to see. :blushing:

Um, yeah, can barely see anything, your abs look great to me, but we all know our bodies and what we like better than anyone, so go for it.

Re my self control --- :laugh: I found a gluten free bakery today, and uh.... let's just say it's a spike day :embarassed: . Gotta fast tomorrow, rinse and repeat

cutmd

lula - Those seem like great challenges, good luck with the no peanut butter!!

jenomaha - You can't really see the skin in the picture! But you need to be happy with your body, so if you want the tuck then go for it girl! And I don't know how I feel about implants, I feel like they don't look natural, have you thought of just getting a lift??

asjerven - congrats on the 110! Is that the magic number??

cutmd - You are amazing, you have so much control!! I am definitely envious of you! And I hope your new job is going well!

I didn't have time to work out yesterday, I was running around and then went to dinner with my family.. but now I"m wondering if I should work out today, even though it's my birthday... I can't decide!! What do you girls think?

Control? Me? No. Thanks, but see my post above on the bakery.... The job is going well, thanks!

I think for a birthday workout you should do your favorite one (for me it would be turbofire)... or relax if you don't feel like working out. It's only once a year!

cutmd

I read a 'Success Story' on here the other day of a girl who just completed the warrior dash and she included pictures. It looks awesome but I can see why it makes people nervous the closer it gets! How long is the course?

I guess for 'upper thighs' I'm meaning my inner thigh up high & hips. I could almost accept my hips but I'll research this other problem further becuase it must go!!

I feel you on the thighs! I have toned mine and they look much better thanks to 30 day shred and then beachbody program like Brazilian Butt Lift but I would love to just SLIM them. That's part of what got me into the fitness blackbook stuff. He does recommend long distance running and other low resistance steady state cardio while fasting to help drop fat and even a little muscle if needed. I'm not a runner due to some knee issues but am incorporating fasted power walking and elliptical training and cutting down on leg work to see if it helps.

Amy when is your warrior dash? It sounds exciting and it seems like you are training hard.

ETA: Changed my profile pic to reflect my goal body

lulabellewoowoo

Wow, you guys really burn up the boards, which is cool. Can't do personals right now (gotta get my work done), but am really inspired by you guys.

Daughter and I do a 5K in October, but would love to try a Warrior Dash. They look like fun. But yes, a tad bit scary.

Thighs are my problem area. I did measurements since January and have gained a whole inch on both. I knew it wasn't my imagination my jeans were getting tighter. Of course with shorts, I don't notice nearly as much. But jean season is right around the corner.

Not doing so great with LeanGains. This particular week :blushing: makes me very munchy, so might have to just persevere when hormones are back on track. But no PB for me :frown: 1 out of 2 ain't too bad.

Hope you all have a great and successful weekend.

chuisle

I have my warrior dash Sunday - YIKES!

I am just going to try to not get too nervous. Races always get all worked up. Since I used to be a pretty good runner (never great, but fast enough to run varsity at my high school) I can never decide how hard I want to work. I quit running competitively because it made me miserable and I developed an eating disorder. I stopped working out for quite a while after and rediscovered fitness in college through yoga (talk about different attitudes...varsity running vs. yoga, it was so refreshing!)

I ran my first 5k since highschool in April and did another 2 mile race this summer. I don't sign up thinking that I will try to win but always at the start line I am having a mental argument with myself over how hard I want to try. It doesn't help that I placed well in those races, deepening the mental tug of war. (I'll go at a pace I'm comfortable with, it will be fine...is only a few miles, I can push it...no, its okay, just relax, just be kind to your body...gosh, I should have peed...when are they starting...my tummy hurts...)

I ALREADY feel this way about the warrior dash...ugh. I need to medicated to compete.

amysj303

Warrior Dash is August 20 for me. I have heard it is pretty low-key, and so many people you can't really race, you know, because you are held up at obstacles and such. I have been working out more than usual but only for a couple of weeks. Before that, the KISS workout I stuck to for 2 months, but it was only 3 days per week.
Last night the workout (SF Day2) went alright, I am sore today. I wonder if I will ever be able to jump rope for 10 minutes straight!
Will try to run tonight, hopefully it is cool enough to run outside!
chuisle, sounds like you could incorporate some of your yoga zen into running/races:happy:
cutmd, your new profile pic is great, is that in your new CA home? you have a great figure and you have maintained a lot of boob for such low body fat! and you are looking more lean than in the ealier pic where you complained of looking boxy!

mamareese

chuisle- Good luck this weekend. I looked and we don't have any anywhere close to where I live ( go figure when you live in no mans land!) Can you bring a photographer with you to capture the moments?! I'm sure you'll rock it!!!

lula- I can imagine the troubles of starting LG during 'this particular week'. That's always a struggle!! Good job on the PB though! That's awesome!

I think I'm on day 6 now, boy my memory gets worse every day! Either way, it's 1030a and I feel fine. Drinking lots of water. I haven't taken measurements since starting strength training seriously. (well, 'seriously' for a novice) so I'm probably going to ask DH to do that for me tonight. He complimented me again on my tummy flatness which was nice to hear.

cutmd

Warrior Dash is August 20 for me. I have heard it is pretty low-key, and so many people you can't really race, you know, because you are held up at obstacles and such. I have been working out more than usual but only for a couple of weeks. Before that, the KISS workout I stuck to for 2 months, but it was only 3 days per week.
Last night the workout (SF Day2) went alright, I am sore today. I wonder if I will ever be able to jump rope for 10 minutes straight!
Will try to run tonight, hopefully it is cool enough to run outside!
chuisle, sounds like you could incorporate some of your yoga zen into running/races:happy:
cutmd, your new profile pic is great, is that in your new CA home? you have a great figure and you have maintained a lot of boob for such low body fat! and you are looking more lean than in the ealier pic where you complained of looking boxy!

Argh, that pic was my goal pic, but it is causing too much confusion (undeserved compliments, etc :blushing: ), so I changed it back to ME in a bikini, which is not as awesome. Gotta find something to change it to but all my face shots suck

lulabellewoowoo

Okay, so not doing so great on the Leangains, but today I am determined. NO MORE EXCUSES!!! Seven simple hours (of course, I've been up since 2:30 a.m.) But doing step class at 9, then a small nap to re-energize for another busy day.

mamareese - quick question. Can you explain the BCAA and leangains? I'm not finding any info on it, although I see it mentioned often?

I'm very inspired by all of your reports on exercise and stick to it-tiveness. Very helpful. I will succeed today!

mamareese

Warrior Dash is August 20 for me. I have heard it is pretty low-key, and so many people you can't really race, you know, because you are held up at obstacles and such. I have been working out more than usual but only for a couple of weeks. Before that, the KISS workout I stuck to for 2 months, but it was only 3 days per week.
Last night the workout (SF Day2) went alright, I am sore today. I wonder if I will ever be able to jump rope for 10 minutes straight!
Will try to run tonight, hopefully it is cool enough to run outside!
chuisle, sounds like you could incorporate some of your yoga zen into running/races:happy:
cutmd, your new profile pic is great, is that in your new CA home? you have a great figure and you have maintained a lot of boob for such low body fat! and you are looking more lean than in the ealier pic where you complained of looking boxy!

Argh, that pic was my goal pic, but it is causing too much confusion (undeserved compliments, etc :blushing: ), so I changed it back to ME in a bikini, which is not as awesome. Gotta find something to change it to but all my face shots suck

Do love the vicious circle...but also peeked at the bikini one...You rocked that bikini for sure!!!

mamareese

Okay, so not doing so great on the Leangains, but today I am determined. NO MORE EXCUSES!!! Seven simple hours (of course, I've been up since 2:30 a.m.) But doing step class at 9, then a small nap to re-energize for another busy day.

mamareese - quick question. Can you explain the BCAA and leangains? I'm not finding any info on it, although I see it mentioned often?

I'm very inspired by all of your reports on exercise and stick to it-tiveness. Very helpful. I will succeed today!

I'm not good with the whole technical explanation. I read that off the leangains website but the layman's term is Martin (author of Leangains) supports the concept of fasting but respects the fact that fasting from 10pm (or whenever) to say a training at 5am is a long time to go with no fuel and try to push hard during a workout. So he found that utilizing BCAAs helped to refrain from too much calorie intake during the middle of a fast but still allow some 'fuel' to be given to the body prior and immediately following the workout.

Personally I HATE the taste of them, and the one DH has that I've been using is Grape Bubble gum. Now that's my understanding of it, and take it as my interpretation! I could be way off!!

mamareese

Made it through a week of Leangains. Another week to go to determine if this is effective for me. Not a big deal sticking with it today since I slept in till 830 so 4 hours as opposed to 7 of 'awake fasting' is way easier. LoL.

Took Saturday as rest day since Sunday was supposed to be but we were out swimming all weekend. So hit up bodyrock this afternoon. And I've completed a decent week. Thankfully!

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

amysj303

I better do my superman's right now! no run but i was at the water park from 10am until 6pm! I am not logging it but I know it was worth something and I am too tired!

lulabellewoowoo

So I'm using a new week and new month to reset. So my two week challenge for me will re-start today with the Lean Gains. I've been doing good without PB surprisingly, but I think I have substituted it with cheese (light but still cheese nonetheless). Somehow though, I can't seem to eat nearly as much cheese as I could PB. We'll see.

mamareese - great job on your week of success with Leangains. I'll be interested to see how your "experiment" goes. Is your husband doing it with you? Couldn't get my DH to do it. He says he NEEDS to eat.

asjerven - I love water parks. And all that walking, climbing, holding of breathing, and just good old fashion laughing and fun definitely has to burn calories. Hope you get some rest.

mamareese

lula- DH is definitely not doing it with me. :noway: He's on the 'gain muscle, so feed muscle CONSTANTLY' mission. He's on of those (I say lucky, he says cursed) that can never gain weight so with trying to gain muscle - his process looks a whole lot different!


Completed 1st week of Leangains without problems. Didn't get much water in while doing all kinds of housework yesterday so the scale wasn't very friendly this morning. But I've got my jug now and hoping it's all just water weight. I can't imagine it's anything else since I stayed within my calorie target and exercised all but Saturday. So we'll see. 1 more week of LG and I'll reassess.

Hope the weekend was great for everyone. I have cardio today and then the 1st strength training of the week tomorrow.