2 week challenge
Replies
-
Just going to "weigh-in" here (no pun intended :laugh: ) I still maintain my stance that you need to have both lifting and cardio in your program. I look at the changes I have seen in myself and I know I wouldn't be where I am today without cardio, and ALSO without my weight training.The weight training has allowed me to build that muscle and get the definition I have been looking for, but the cardio has helped me to shed the fat that has been hiding my muscle, and also helped me to build the muscles in my legs - which definitely needed all the help they could get.
Either way though it is a personal choice, but I think the best of both worlds is where its at!
0 -
Do you REALLY want to know what I think??0
-
I don't think you aren't doing ANY "cardio", Amy....weight-training IS a form of cardio. No, it isn't HIIT. No, it isn't long-steady-state cardio. But, your HEART *is* working.
While I think AScheif is a very strong performer, I have read TONS of literature which suggest that what she is doing, is incredibly difficult for most MEN to do - and they have testosterone to help them out! So, good for her. For you, Amy, if you are wanting to BUILD MUSCLE, you need to EAT WAY MORE and LIFT HEAVY - HEAVIER EVERY SINGLE TIME!! (No pressure - but that's what I think.)
If you want to LOSE FAT, you need to EAT MORE, but eat at a *small* deficit and LIFT HEAVY - HEAVIER EVERY SINGLE TIME!!
I do NOT think 3 weeks is a fair assessment of ANY program. That's a whopping 9 dates - how can you possible TELL if you want to "marry" someone after 9 hour-long meet-and-greets?????
Nah....give it its due. Are you following the appropriate diet?? I just think diet is SO key. Even watching AScheif's progress - her diet has been ABSOLUTELY INSTRUMENTAL in the phenomenal success of her program - she says it and she TELLS US TO DO IT.0 -
Something happened to my stupid mfp app on my BB....the "mid-morning snack" and the "mid-afternoon" snack and the "evening snack" options have DISAPPEARED from my tracking???????????
I log on at my computer - and everything is fine. But, on my BB app, it just has "Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks" - and it does NOT record "snacks" where they belong.
This JUST happened!! (I've been using the BB app for about 6 months....)
wtf!!??0 -
thanks for weighing in, all, appreciate the two cents.
I think I will take the week off, but I will try to remotivate and strategize on the eating plan. I have been eating more but eating right, maybe not so much.
We are going to Vegas in July, so maybe I should outline a plan of lifting and building muscle for now, and then adding some cardio and cutting in June for bikini time.
Don't know about the BB app, I have iphone, and rarely use the app, but WTF reminded me of this story about a girl who texted her mom about her good grade on a test. Her mom replied with a text "WTF" and the daughter said, "Mom, do you know what that means?" and her mom replied, "Why, that's fantastic!" so we were saying that all weekend when we meant Why that's fantastic! but generally, it doesn't work as a substitute:laugh:0 -
??? Just curious Beeps, what you have been reading and why you think what I do is so difficult? I am in no way offended, just wondering because a lot of women I know are able to do it as well - not to mention I in no way think I am a special case.0
-
Aschief, I think what you are doing, we have been told is difficult-to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time-because you have to eat over maintenance to build muscle and eat under maintenance to lose fat, so doing both seems to impossible. I know Jeno does a lot of cardio with her classes and also gains strength and muscle, so it's obvioulsy not impossible, but the message from some trainers, and to quote them, it would be like slamming on the brakes and the gas at the same time.
Certainly Beeps should weigh in about the message she is getting, but I think that was the message in the Jamie Eason plan-the first phase there is no cardio, you are just to work on building muscle and then the next two phases are intended to maintain muscle while burning fat.
Obviously, there are differing opinions on this. Even in Starting Strength, Rippetoe says if you are overweight you will lose fat by strength training (no cardio in this book at all).0 -
Amy described my thoughts on the subject, AScheif.
I think, too, there has to be some realization that not everybody is going to put a whole lot of time into "training". I, for instance, can honestly devote 60 minutes a day to my pursuit. 75 minutes on some days. But, basically, I'm doing 60 minutes a day. If you add in all the cardio that would be required to LOSE FAT and all the lifting that would be required to BUILD MUSCLE, I believe it is more than 60 minutes per day.
(I take a lot of my advice from the former competitive bodybuilder female who works in my office. She told me it took her 2.5 years of training to be ready for competition and that, while it might have STARTED out as 45-mins a day, or whatever, by the end, she was waking up, running for 45-60 minutes, doing 2-3 hours of weights during the day, and then doing another hour of cardio at the end of the day....um, that's a FULL-TIME JOB, PEOPLE!!)0 -
I hope to heck you aren't offended, AScheif....I am, in no way, here to offend anyone!! I think what you are doing is, admittedly, totally awesome. I also think that you have a very admirable ability to reduce your food choices (to ONLY CLEAN - as you have defined it) and to increase all of your exercise to meet the very goals you have set for yourself.
Whenever I think of someone who has managed to do the things that I have not managed to do (like trim off body fat % AND build muscle in a very short period of time), I understand that it is ONLY because I am not willing to put in the time/effort that it would take to get there. Admittedly, that's it. You have put in the time/effort, etc. I have not.0 -
Sheesh you women move fast! So much to comment on I know I will not remember everything.
Aschief - when I am "on" I think what I do takes some discipline but what I see you do, I feel takes immaculate discipline! It is inspiring and motivating.
Amy - I think what Kate outlined about possible reasons for your lack of progress was good. But like her, I find it hard that you weren't seeing any. A week off should really benefit you though. And trips are oh so motivating
But yes, nutrition is SO the key!
Mama - I LOVE the name of your program, lol :laugh: Your plan sounds wonderful and as you said, set around your schedule, so no excuses, you can do it!
Solar - What is NCMEC? Today was our first day back to school since the arrest happened and it was such a somber day. I'm proud for not giving in to chocolate today because several of us started off the day in tears because it our first chance to speak to each other about everything. Glad you you will be joining me with similar goals for the 2 week challenge!
Abigail - sounds like a good plan. I on the other hand can't stay off the scale. Sometimes that higher number motivates me to keep my motivation going. So, with that said...I wasn't very surprised to see the scale at 118.8 on Sunday morning!!!! I'm sure it was up more yesterday because of Easter Sunday's meal, but it was already down to 115.2 this morning. Me and my crazy weights swings!!
Chloe - great goals and totally feasible
Beeps, I just love you, That is all!
As for the cardio/strength fat loss/muscle build thing - I don't know if I'm one of those exceptions, or what but it seems like I've always been able to build some muscle and burn some fat at the same time. I have started giving up some classes and am looking forward to not having as many classes. I'm hoping to make even more strength gains. Time will tell.
This is the only group I am active with and I truly am thankful for everyone's positivity and support in here!!0 -
I think things are moving along even faster lately-sheesh!
I think the issue Amy brought up about cardio vs no cardio has been covered. So I won't weigh in. I'm just glad everyone can voice their opinions and thoughts in such a supportive environment. I know sometimes these boards get carried away with people getting upset about X or Y but not us! We brainstorm, discuss, and come to our own conclusions about what will work for us. Love it!!
I worked the booty this Am with my Mama in a little Butt Bible DVD but Turbo Fire is what's actually on my schedule. It's a late workout due to my work schedule today. So I'll be hitting that up hopefully around 730pm tonight. Looking forward to it. I recognize the TF program on it's own wasn't going to get me to 'goal' but I do enjoy it. So I'm loving this little week break of strictly TF before I jump into my little plan.
DH just text me with another race date later in May, along with one in June. Looks like if I get into this and actually enjoy it there are more opportunities than I initially thought. So that's good news. Looking forward to knocking the first one out and seeing if this is something I enjoy, or just one of those bucket list things you want to do! :laugh:0 -
I am glad we support each other. It is very helpful, to me, to know there are cyber-people who have my best interests at heart!
jen - you also dedicate an amazing amount of time to the pursuit of health. You instruct. You work with a personal trainer. You watch yourself very closely. It *is* very inspriational!! For sure.
Everyone on this board, I find, is an INCREDIBLE inspiration to me because everyone is applying consistent effort towards self-improvement. I think that is AWESOME. Totally awesome. I cannot tell you how many people, in my real life, sit around and mope because they just don't even have the inertia to START down a better path. Here, all of us are ON THAT PATH - and just trying to tweek things a little further, every day, to continue our health evolution. It's GREAT!
mama - when is your first race? My gosh, then you'll have 2 more to look forward to before summer hits!! I think YOU have also demonstrated tremendous growth towards the goals you have set for yourself. nice!0 -
Wow you really can miss alot here in one day! I would like to agree with Reese in that this is the only board that I really actively follow and I feel like you are all me workout buddies, even though we don't actually workout together :happy: Like I know I will disappoint you all if I don't get in my P90X Back and Biceps this evening!
I have been doing so far so good with my challenge this week. Have everything prelogged through Saturday and workouts scheduled. I am still trying to decide what to do when I am done with my rest week next week. I for sure want to do Chalean and I also want to keep up with running. But, a friend gave me the Insanity program and I was thinking of somehow mixing in at least one of those cardio workouts a week. I like to plan a calendar for workouts 3 months out so I know exactly what I have to do each day. I also plan for Sunday as my rest day so that way if anything comes up throughout the week I know I have Sunday to make it up.0 -
Jen, I hope your first day back goes alright, sounds like a tough situation!
I was seeing gains over the whole workout but I started out pretty light because I was trying to focus on form, so I guess my progress slowed dramatically. I was alternating ABA week one, BAB week 2 and so the monday workout and friday workout were the same and I didn't have any gains, in fact, the lifts seemed harder and I had to back off on the weight. for instance, on Monday I lifted 95 and by Friday, 95 was too heavy.
I was reading Steve Troutman's blog, good stuff, kinda like what you were talking about Beeps, he said, in part:
We're products of our daily choices and those choices are predicated, by and large, on the ideas of avoiding pain and gaining pleasure. What that means is, if you don't have things framed right in your mind.... if staying where you are isn't painful enough.... if missing out on the body you want isn't painful enough.... if attaining your goal isn't pleasurable enough.... and if leaving your current body in the dust isn't pleasurable enough....
Maybe that is like the curve Kate demonstrated too.0 -
Chloe, you are INCREDIBLY organized and I think you have your head on STRAIGHT!
Good for you!!0 -
Amy, I don't follow Troutman's blog....but, the language you posted also reminds me VERY MUCH of Anthony Robbins....I was a HUGE Tony Robbins supporter in the mid-90's. Fanatical, actually, about him. And, I think the "pleasure/pain" principle really is at work in nearly every decision we human beings make.0
-
Thanks Beeps- I am an accountant though and I think we are naturally a little anal and organized 0
-
Wow, out for a day and it seems like 3!!
Jen -- NCMEC is the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. I volunteered for them for 5 years. They have the best programs for raising awareness and preventing exploitation of children. In most areas of the US, they will work with schools to provide kids with the tools they need to recognize when something isn't right and how and where to get help ASAP. Some of it is counterintuitive, but it's all based on decades of research and experience. They're a great organization that, even though there's no turning back the clock, they are usually better equipped than local law enforcement to educate schools about how to prevent it/minimize the risks in the future.0 -
Feeling very very low right now
I was up in measurements yesterday... 1" up on my natural waist & 1" up on my pooch (also up 1" on my bum, but I'm ok with that one!) and then weighed in 2 lbs higher on the scale today I couldn't have eaten 7,000 extra calories this week, so it can't be real weight.. right?? I just want it to go away!! Down in the dumps today though 
0 -
Chloe- I'm with Beeps- your organization on planning the whole week out is amazing! I peeked at your diary and saw some awesome recipes (breakfast muffins, etc) that I'd like to try making this weekend. They look yummy! Love that we are all on similar paths so we can beg, borrow and steal from one another! Your diet is really looking clean!
Shander-Head up!! :flowerforyou: Even though measurements are important for tracking, don't let them get you down. They are just one tool in our arsenal. I think in the past couple of weeks a few of us have been able to demonstrate how even with consistency and good plans, measurements don't always track the way we think. Keep in mind we all have human error with taking these measurements even with as much precision as we try to demonstrate when doing them! I understand how you feel though...with tape measurements not being on my side I often think of throwing that out the window as well. Have you been able to decipher a good strength program to start out with when you hit the gym? Just keep your balance between having fun and making good choices. You'll get there!! I'm sure of it!!
Today marks day 3 of my 5 day plan of Turbo Fire Inferno. 2 more to go on Friday and Saturday than on to my 'Stop F'in Around' Plan. Looking forward to it. I've really liked incorporating the at home strength back into my workout so not having it the last 3 days has been weird. But it's just a spring board into my well set up home program! :happy:
I contemplated begging and borrowing to get back into the actual gym early. Sometimes I wish I was a coffee drinker or 'eat outer' so I could take that money and use it for the gym. But I'm none of the above, so it'll just have to wait 2 more months when DH is working there and I can get in for free. I miss it more and more though! I can already feel the 'ah' feeling of actually getting out of the house and hitting the weights!!0 -
Wow this board does move fast! Work's been kind of crazy so I don't have time to comment on all that I've missed, but just a few things:
Amy--I remember that when Kate took a week off from lifting she actually saw some real results, maybe a break is all you need!
Shander--I'm sure you didn't gain 2 pounds in a week. Like Reese said it could be human error, or maybe you're just retaining water, or just had a big meal last night? It sounds like you've been putting a lot of pressure on yourself, maybe you just need to give yourself some time to figure out how to work the gym into your routine.
Well I kind of have a bad habit of buying stuff for myself whenever I get annoyed at work (I guess I need to remind myself of the benefits of having the my job), so after the discussion about the Fitbit last week I got one. I have to say I'm enjoying it. It's basically just like a high-tech pedometer, but the nice thing about it is that it synchs up with MFP, so at the end of the day it automatically makes an adjustment in my exercise diary if I burn more calories than MFP estimates I should burn on the average day. I've definitely found myself taking the stairs more often and taking the long way to get places to burn a few extra calories--knowing that I'll get "credit" for the extra steps in MFP gives me more motivation.0 -
Reese- I have actually been enjoying making all the clean recipes I find. Most of them are from the graciouspantry.com she has a lot of good recipes, I think that is where the southwest egg muffins are from.
Ris- this whole fitbit thing really intrigues me, you will have to let us know if it feels like your making progress by having it
Shander- definitely water weight, but I know how you feel. I think you should just take a break from the scale and really focus on getting your gym routine together and it will all fall into place.
I am still doing well with my challenges, no slip ups yet :happy: I'm excited to say I only have one P90X workout left! Legs and Back tomorrow! Tonight will be a nice run, probably on the treadmill.0 -
Morning Ladies!
Okay so I know I am probably going to get "hate posts" from some of you after posting this, but I need to...
First off I LOVE the support in this group to one another - I think it's great to share ideas, encourage each other, etc. Although sometimes I worry that we are also supporting each other in our bad decisions as much as we are our good ones. It seems as though we look to each other to validate that it was okay for us to indulge in that extra sweet, or to go off track this weekend and drink and eat ourselves into a coma (okay so that's an exaggeration :laugh: ) And although I do believe we are all human and we are entitled to our moments of indulgence, or weakness at times, I think we need to be careful about using each other as a way to make us feel better about our "excuses".
Shander - yes it may be due to human error in measurement, or water weight, or TOM....but what if you really did gain 2 pounds in 1 week? If it had been the other way around and you had lost 2 pounds in 1 week I am sure you wouldn't even question the validity of the scale or measuring tape - but yet it is just as likely to gain 2 pounds as it is to lose it. At the same time though - it's 2 pounds, its really not the end of the world and its something you can easily bounce back from regardless of the reason that you gained it in the first place ..so that's good news! :happy:
I really feel that we owe it to each other to be supportive, but in a constructive way - using Shander's post for example, I think keeping in mind that it could be water weight, or TOM, is important, but I feel the response should be more of a question - what do you think you did differently this week that could have caused this? Over-indulgence? Maybe lacking the right types of healthy foods, or in the right quantities?
I think a response of this manner causes us to really look at ourselves and be truthful to ourselves about why this could have happened - I mean isn't that how we get better, and how we have gotten better from where we use to be to now?
Anyways I apologize if this post upsets some people, I just want to maek sure we are all supporting each other to do be the best version of ourselves 0 -
On another, less intense note, It's Girl Guide Cookie season, and a lady in our office has been selling cookies on behalf of her daughters and I am thoroughly disgusted with the amount of cookies I have seen consumed by people over the last few weeks... It's not just one or two here or there, entire boxes are being devoured in a matter of a day or two.... I will be so glad when Girl Guide cookie season is over so I no longer have to walk around the office watching people shove their faces full. :noway:0
-
Hmmmmm - I think I understand what you are trying to express, AScheif. (Maybe because I was reviewing an older issue of "Oxygen" magazine and Tosca-lady (the "clean eating" guru) was commenting that over 50% of the e-mails she receives say, "how come your program isn't working for me, blah, blah, blah" and then she finds out that, yep, they had a cheat DAY (not a cheat MEAL) and they drank some alcohol, or whatever.
So, yes, I agree that "constant improvement" is certainly what I am striving for. However, sometimes I come here to "vent" (i.e. I don't need any hand-holding and I'm not fishing for a compliment) - and I think "venting" is okay, too. Then I just dust myself off, pick myself up, and get back onto my track.
If someone on this board is SPECIFICALLY asking for my opinion, I'll probably give it - but if I think they are just VENTING about something, I'll probably say, "awwwwww" and leave them to deal with the outcome.0 -
Ascheif- I am not angry about your post. It really made me think, you are totally right. What you say is exactly how I want people to respond to me when I post that things aren't going the way I wish they were. Constructive criticism I guess would be the way to put it. I think that is why the diary is so crucial food, exercise etc. Because if my weight loss starts going the wrong way I can look back on what I was doing when the scale and measurements were moving in the right direction. Or personal fitness goals whether it be the amount of weights or distance and speed run. I do like how you say that when we gain a couple pounds we call it water weight, but if we lost a couple pounds we would call it a loss, so true!
So Shander- to change up my comment a little then I would say that if you have been logging pretty religiously then look back to a time when you were achieving your goals and see what you were doing differently. Although it could be water weight, the best thing to do would be to find out why you gained those 2 lbs.....have you been eating differently? starting a new workout?0 -
Your post is not upsetting, Ascheif, you have a good point. I do think that, for the most part, we encourage each other to move in a positive direction, but I could stand to hear that maybe my diet is the reason I don't get good results from my exercise routine, no matter how dedicated.
I was reading Strong Lifts online yesterday and on the nutrition part he was suggesting eating clean 90% and the way he broke it down, was, recommending 6 meals per day, you could have 4 cheat meals per week. I think I could try that.
I might try stronglifts, it's not very different from starting strength.0 -
I have been debating how to approach responding. First of all, I don't think that anyone will have hate posts! We love you, Ascheif!! Nothing but admiration and appreciation for you and all you do!!
I just had to take a moment to really think about what you wrote. I have a couple thoughts, because I'm on the fence.
I agree with both Beeps and Chloe. I definitely get what you are saying 100%. On one hand, Beeps makes a good point about sometimes just needing to vent. I took Shander's post (and I realize that was just an example for what you were explaining) as she was frustrated and needed to 'shout out' her feeling of being bummed so that she can move forward from here.
On the other side of things, as Beeps said, are questions and explanations made by some of us to elicit particular feedback about something..i.e. I think it was Chloe asking a while back about specifically checking out her diary and making 'critiques' about her attempts to eat cleaner. This, to me, provided an open door for more constructive criticism about her choices and were to go from here.
I think it's a tough balance between being supportive, being able to provide constructive criticism and trying to decipher in a virtual discussion where/how to put in your thoughts.
The other thing that came to mind, is I think although a lot of us are here because we have that 'last few pounds' or are making the transition between just 'losing weight' to becoming fitter- we are all on different paths to where we are heading. Everyone's pretty honest about what they are willing to do/not do, how they balance social lives, family lives, fitness lives, etc...and even though we can relate to one another-our goals are different. Some of our goals have changed pretty dramatically, in my opinion since we started the NTHG board. So I think there's room left for evolution. And the more strict you get about what you are doing, I think the more open you are to that sort of direct feedback and questioning about choices, approaches, etc.
Now with all that said, I know that I myself am iffy. I don't know exactly what it is I want to pursue. Is it a body of a fitness competitor or at least someone who trains/eats like one or is it the body of a fit (almost ) 30 year old Mom whose just simply into fitness and eating healthier? I haven't quite decided. If I had already chose the first option, I'd expect much stronger responses to Easter overindulgence or eating out 3x a week ( I don't I swear!! :noway: ). Because those deviations take me away from that goal.
So long story short, I respect your opinion, appreciate at your thoughts always and even agree that sometimes being supportive is saying what some don't want to say to push people out of their comfort zone to achieve a goal. Yet, I still teeter because there's that part of me that thinks because of our own personal goals Beeps point of 'venting, dusting, and moving on' is necessary also. Such a delicate balance we must find ladies!!:happy:0 -
Thanks for your support ladies! You all are right, I just had to vent, I know if I said anything to my boyfriend he'd roll his eyes or something, but you guys are in it for fitness too and I know you would understand!
ASchief - I totally understand what you're saying and there is absolutely no hate here!! You're right though, if I lost 2 lbs this week I wouldn't be saying anything, I'd be celebrating, so it is possible. I did have candy on Easter which I haven't had lately, so that could be a reason for the gain, as well as going out on Saturday night. I need to be more responsible for my actions and my intake. I always feel like I'll be judged in a negative way if I don't drink or eat what everyone else is having, so I join in. I'm doing this for ME though, so it shouldn't matter what other people think! Thank you for pointing that out And sorry for all the cookies My mom bought girl scout cookies for us when they were being sold and I took one box into work for everyone else to eat (which I will be doing with my Easter candy tomorrow) and kept one to make a dessert for other people to eat (shortbread cookies for a crust... could be delicious!) as long as they stay away from me I'm good!
I am taking a harder look at what I'm eating now. Even though I'm still not going to log (again, was getting obsessed with lower than healthy numbers) I am going to try to eat as clean as possible. I want to try grapefruit again to see if I like it for something for breakfast instead of the Kashi go lean, I'm assuming that it's really processed.. today I had a veggie egg white omelet with no cheese for breakfast (yum!) and a nice big salad with veggies, black beans, chick peas, hard boiled egg and balsamic vinegar for lunch (got some protein in there!) I'm not sure what dinner will be, but I'm going to watch my portions and if it's pasta, I will ask for less (which will end in dirty looks from mom, but oh well) Maybe for a snack I'll make some homemade guacamole and eat it with celery or carrot sticks instead of chips.
Cake is being served at work today, so I might pretend I have a stomach ache so I don't have to give in to that and I'll eat my carrot sticks instead. I have a hard time saying no, so I need to work on that and this will be a great chance!
I haven't picked out my work out routine yet... I'm hoping it wont be busy when I go tomorrow and I can have someone help me with my form... if not I will keep my phone with me and look at youtube! I know I should do squats, dead lifts, bench press.. maybe I'll try the pull up machine?? How much weight should I start with??? I feel utterly stupid about the weights!! I'm excited to try something new though 0 -
Oh, and Ris - let me know how the fitbit works!! If it works well for you then I might splurge and buy one
Although, I found a HRM at Marshalls yesterday for $20, but I didn't know if it was a good brand or not and now I can't think of the name.... I'll have to do some research!0
This discussion has been closed.