2 week challenge
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Hi all! I had a FABULOUS weekend of fun with my family....and I didn't have to cook a THING! Yay!
I *really* like how much this group researches what they are thinking about, plans ahead for success, and changes it up to aim for better and better results. THIS INSPIRES ME SOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!
For me, I start Stage 7 of NROL4W, today. I hope to have the 12 sessions completed by end of July. Unlike all earlier stages, this stage is much more about "fat loss" and it works more like a circuit - higher reps (between 15-20!) and very little rest between sets. I expect I'll be sweating up a storm! I likely will use days in between weightlifting for REST. Complete REST. (I took an unplanned rest week last week - didn't log, didn't exercise, ate what I wanted and drank what I wanted and I FEEL GREAT!)
I have made the conscious decision to NOT step on the scale. I jumped right back into another 6-month challenge, and, without a doubt, I can say my "starting" pictures (July 1) are MUCH better than my *starting* pictures from January 1. Really, that means my body shape DID change during that first 6 month challenge. I'm going to push it even further this time - paying attention to measurements and photos ONLY.
I came to the difficult conclusion, this weekend, that whether I weigh 150 or 158 (where I seem to be stuck) doesn't really matter if my SHAPE is toned and really shows off MUSCLE. Nobody in real life KNOWS "my number" - although you all do. But, in real life, my clothes fit better and I can TOLERATE myself in a bathing suit. So, I'm happy.0 -
Amen, Beeps! we keep saying it but it takes time to realize that weight is just a number, meaningless number. No one else knows it, and even if they did, what does it matter, wanting to weigh less is silly, we want to look better, feel better, be stronger. damn the little voice that says weighing less matters more.
And Kate, I will look for your post in the forums, but I am not hopeful that you will get comments more knowledgeable than you are already. I get so sick of the forums and I want to jump in but I feel like I don't know that anyone should listen to me either!
I will have to try the quiz. I never considered the calorie burn from exercise and that you really do need to deduct for what you would have burned just existing. But I know what you mean about over-eating and moving less when you're working out hard, I am definitely guilty of that, I want to both reward myself and fuel myself but am likely over-doing it. My calorie-burn estimates are not even very high, and from strength training almost impossible to measure accurately, which is why I think eating cleaner and just eating when you are hungry makes sense for the bulking phase, but not sure about leaning so I am curious to hear more about your experience.0 -
One more drive by post to wish my USA friends a Happy 4th and everyone a happy hump day. I'm off MFP for a few days to enjoy the holiday time off with the family. And to finally interview a new babysitter. Have a great holiday! Enjoy all!:drinker:0
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I *like* the "drive-by post", mama....good name for it! Yes, a HAPPY INDEPENDENCE day to all you Americans!0
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....judging by how *quiet* it is in here, today...most of you must be Americans!
It's a rest day for me, today. I am stiff-and-sore from yesterday's work-out, but quite manageable....so, I don't think my rest week last week did me any damage! Wahoo!!
I left ALL of my gym stuff at the gym, yesterday....didn't even notice until I went into the trunk of my car (after work) and found NOTHING there! PANIC! Called the YMCA and the bag was there. Now, whether the "contents" of the bag are still there, I have yet to find out. I will swing by, today, and check-out how much stuff got stolen and how much managed to stay put. Lucky for me, I'd put ipod nano into my purse (to charge!), so if I have to replace items, it will only be: hair elastics, lifting gloves, earphones, and maybe clothes.0 -
Beeps, I'm with you. It's not the number on the scale that's important to me anymore, its more the way my clothes fit and how I feel in them and that look Dh gets in his eye when I walk by.
I am going to have to reread the previous pages to find out more of LP and this quiz. Is it here on MFP or in a book?
Happy 4th to all the Americans out there!0 -
I'm back! I caught up yesterday and began to write a pretty lengthy post and then my laptop screen went out (again) and the only solution is manual shut down. So poof....gone. I was writing about calories and weight loss and how my journey has gone; I will re-type, because with all the talk, I think its worth mentioning:
I started MFP to lose 10 pounds (140 to 130; I'm 5'2"). I've typically hovered in the low to mid 130's most of my adult life. I set my goal to a pound weight loss a week which put me at about 1250 calories. I was pretty good at staying within my calories during the week. On days I wanted to drink or eat more, I would do 45-60 minutes of steady state cardio, mostly the elliptical since the machine tells me I burn about the same as running a 10 minute mile (this was pre-HRM). In retrospect, I was probably overestimating my burn and being over-obsessed with calories. I wasn't using my 1250 wisely so I would do a little binging on the weekends to compensate. I'd splurge on drinking usually both nights and dinner at least one night. My results? 6.5 pounds lost in 5 months. Definitely nowhere close to 1 pound a week. I did 30 day shred and re-sculpted my body a little bit toward the end, and probably was the happiest with it in quite a while. Still not my "ultimate goal" body, but closer.
Then I got pregnant, gained 30 pounds and lost 20 in 2 weeks after and got the rest off at 5 months post partum. I am currently under pre-preg weight and still losing, more easily than ever, although I have tapered off over the last month and have been up losing and gaining the same couple pounds. But I will start losing again once I re-focus. We've had a lot of visitors, trips, and socializing going on in the last month. So now I am eating between 1800-2000 calories consistently through the week. I am not good at logging on weekends, but I am guessing I am between 1800-2500 calories tops on Saturday and Sunday. I don't eat back exercise calories ever and exercise is a lot less steady state cardio for me now. I think I'm getting better workouts in albeit a lot shorter; 25 minutes most days (except running day(s) which typically is 45 minutes with warm up and cool down) as opposed to 75-90 minutes at the gym prior. Allegedly I burn 500 calories a day nursing, which would put my net cals around 1300-1500 a day. This is more than I was eating daily when I was trying to lose a pound a week but now I am losing quicker. So I wonder, was my body in "starvation mode" eating at 1250 for so long, or was I REALLY overcompensating on weekends because I was hungry all the time eating so low during the week? I'm not sure, but just wanted to share my experience with you all.
I think there is a lot of physical science to calories, but also a lot of mental. LIke Kate said, if you work out, you think, "I can have that cookie". And if you're hungry all week, or restricting, the weekends may tend to go a little overboard. I'm not sure what is the solution is for me. I am very curious to see what happens once I stop nursing. It's been so nice not to really have to wory about calories everyday. Chloe, that checking you diary to see if you can squeeze 3oz of wine in resonated with me, because I used to do that. I used to obsess. So here in a month or six (not sure when I'm cutting off the milk supply yet), I'm going to have to figure out what I want to do with my diet. I've been eating at such a high level for so long being pregnant and now nursing, my body will certainly go through some adjustments I'm sure. I'm thinking I'll probably do some cycling and set my goal to 1/2 pound a week initially and see how that goes. OK, that's all about my eating.
I got a little exercise in over the hoilday away. Mom, Baby and I walked one day, I swam laps one day (and realized how long it had been....tough stuff), and I went for a run yesterday without baby which was quite nice. I was up a pound today, but I'll take it as I didn't log for pretty much 6 days and was very indulgent Saturday night with the wine and food.
After this weekend I'm setting up my new schedule and going to get back on track and start losing again. I guess next week is time for new goals? I need to take more pictures. I may do a mini progress post. We'll see. Have a great day all!0 -
I think I need some ginkgo in my life..because after reading Ashley's recap- I tried to remember how I lost the weight after baby #1 and then again after baby #2. I remember purchasing a lot of ridiculous books, trying out WW, and a lot less exercise. Yet, the pounds came of relatively easily. Compared to these stubborn last few. But the details evade me. Did I undereat frequently? I can't recall. I can only honestly remember how I've been doing things for the past few months, and maybe a little further back if I look it up on MFP. I have a ridiculous memory for a 30 year old!! What I do know is I've always been a strict strict strict and then crumble and binge person. THIS is the underlying factor that I'm working hard to overcome. I do notice that the foods that I want to binge on when I'm in the wrong frame of mind...really don't even taste good any more compared to some delicious turkey, asparagus and quinoa. But, mentally I haven't gotten completely over this hurdle of hiding an extra TB of PB when no one is looking. I have to move past this in order to proceed from here. That much I do know.
How was everyone's 4th?? Mine was nice and low key. We hung out, the kids enjoyed the little 3x10 foot pool we put up in our 5x12 foot yard (little exaggeration...but not much!), and I cooked up a storm. Prepped all DH's lunches, mine, a pumpkin roll for him, protein vanilla blondies for me, plus some grab and go breakfasts. I'd say I was productive. (aside from sitting in the sun watching children freeze in an ice cold pool!) Usually we are always go go go for holidays. Driving here or there to see family etc, so it was nice to just unwind at home. Plus the interview with the new sitter went great and she'll start Monday. Lucky for her, my parents are on vacation next week so instead of having my 2 lil' monsters for 3 days- she gets 5 as an introduction to boys 101. LoL.
Today was strength, I need to get my butt moving in other ways besides just gym time so the kids and I went for a walk last night. Turned into a Mommy holds the dogs on a leash while pulling little man in a wagon trying not to run over big T whose riding his scooter. Needless to say, 20 minutes into it I needed ANOTHER shower and wanted to move my house OFF the hill we live on. I contemplated attaching the dogs to the wagon and praying...but maybe, another day.
Next time, I think we'll try a local trail and I'll bribe my youngest to actually DO something like walk.... 0 -
Better_Balance - I think it's great that you have discovered the things that are working for your body....that is SO key to this WHOLE nutrition/fitness thing! Yay!
mama - am I reading this right?? You have 5 kids??? I think I missed this somewhere along the route? Are they ALL BOYS?? Holy hannah - baptism by fire for your new babysitter is right. I would be TERRIFIED of having her quit!! When I had my temp nanny in April/May this year, I REALLY took it easy on her (compared to my regular nanny)....I was just so scared of having her quit and leave me in the lurch.....
I didn't have the 4th of July holiday, because I'm in Canada....but that's okay. FINALLY, the heat wave that I've been reading about (and been JEALOUS about, actually) is gonna show up in MY city this weekend. Sun! Heat! And NO WORK!! Recipe for aweseomeness, I figure!
I have started logging my calories, again. But, only to make sure I'm hitting my protein macro. The rest, I'm experimenting with. And, since I'm not stepping on the scale, I'm going to rely on the tape measure and pictures to see how I'm doing. I want to have an enjoyable summer - so I plan on eating what I want, in moderate portions, and letting the chips fall where they may. So, for example, we ended up heading out to see "The Amazing Spiderman" last night, with our 2 kids in tow....something we have NEVER done mid-week (i.e. see a movie with kids who have to be up early for day-camp the next day!). I decided to skip supper and indulge in movie popcorn (a FAVOURITE of mine!). I was WAY over in calories, but, heck, I got to see a movie and eat popcorn - it's that sort of indulgence that summer is all about (for me).
PS - we had to leave the movie early, because my son was too scared (harumph, even at 11 years old, this kid STILL cannot handle PG!!) and my daughter had to go to the bathroom.....so, if you'd like to PM me how this movie ended, I'd like that, lol!0 -
Also, I wasn't too sore/stiff, yesterday, from my return to heavy-lifting on Tuesday. BUT, I sure as heck am SORE AND STIFF TODAY! Ugh. I was hoping to get back to 3 x per week weight-lifting to bang out Stage 7, but I'm not sure this ol' body can handle that. Weird, since I was doing fine in April, May and June. And, a little depressing because I don't see the 20-something and 30-something set complaining about stiffness/soreness (to the point of having to reduce work-outs to 2 x per week).....
I don't FEEL old, but I think my body DOES require more recoup time than ever. And, since I'm trying to give my body the rest it deserves, I'll have to play this by ear.0 -
mama - am I reading this right?? You have 5 kids??? I think I missed this somewhere along the route? Are they ALL BOYS?? Holy hannah - baptism by fire for your new babysitter is right. I would be TERRIFIED of having her quit!! When I had my temp nanny in April/May this year, I REALLY took it easy on her (compared to my regular nanny)....I was just so scared of having her quit and leave me in the lurch.....
LoL. No 2 boys. Normally she would watch them for 3 days. But this week she has to watch them for 5 days. I'd be insane if I had 5 boys. Though sometimes, I feel like i have 3 with DH! :laugh:0 -
okay, now I'm getting the message, mama....whew!! I do seem to be surrounded by families with TONS of little boys - so much so that it's a bit tough on my daughter who is always seeking female play-mates!!0
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Everyone must be out enjoying the sunshine! I'm looking forward to getting out of work on this beautiful 90+ degree Friday!!
My bad news is I'm up to 159 this week...not sure reason given eats and workouts. But positive note: still plugging along with deficit and workouts. Have Turbo Fire on agenda for later since its too hot for a run. A fire with the kids tonight so my goal for tonight is to avoid drinks (yes, I have actually indulged in 2 whole drinks in the past 3 weeks...lol.) and smores with the kids. If I can do that, I'll end the week with a beautiful deficit so hopefully the scale will start showing my progress! Still need to take measurements and photos so that I have something to compare end of summer work too. Been avoiding it since I still feel terribly bloated. But lower carbs and lower cals have got to pan out soon!
Have a wonderful weekend all! We are sticking with the theme this week of staying home and enjoying quiet night at the homefront. I'm looking forward to it!0 -
It is pretty quiet in here today.....
I'm ready to recharge and get motivated for next week. I've been avoiding work and coming up with some new moves for a HIIT routine for July.
That's all. Have a great weekend ladies!0 -
Oh yeah, and I was up a pound yesterday. Not bad considering.....0
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I haven't stepped on the scale since my challenge ended last Friday....and, I'm *enjoying* every minute of NOT knowing what I weigh! Who knew???
I did my 2nd work-out of Stage 7, today. Even though I was sore, I just decided I needed to push through it and get to the other side. After a week- or two- of Stage 7, I expect the soreness will lapse. These "circuit-style" work-outs are a KILLER. (I expect this is kind of what "cross-fit" is like....but I digress.) I had to take longer than 30s breaks when my heart started racing....but, I think, overall, I took more 30s breaks than last time, and fewer 60s.
I'm pretty embarrassed that I had to drop my step-ups, for the last 2 sets, to body-weight only. Once my form started suffering, I realized I just needed to focus on that, so off went the DB's. bodyweight step-ups....ugh, it's like January all over again!
Tonight is my book club - and the weather is warm and sunny - BEAUTIFUL! So, I'll enjoy that. And, tomorrow, we have supper at a friend's house....again, supposed to be sunny and 29! I cannot wait! The rest of the weekend is just bumming around the house, on our perfect deck, in the perfect sunshine.....what more can a girl want??
Have a GREAT weekend all of you - and we'll see you back here early on Monday!0 -
Spartacus today and P90X's kenpo for a little back to back action.
Then, as I needed a new bathing suit, took my son (5yo) and went to the city shopping. Oy. It was hard and long, but I did it and came out with 2 tankinis without tie-up halters and 1 bottom that will go with both, so I feel good. But tired. very tired. And so does my kid. Bribes work, people. Never forget bribes.0 -
Got back from Vegas last night and will not be stepping on the scale. Vegas was a lot of fun and we stayed downtown instead of the strip which was better for my self esteem at the pool.
I am really struggling to get motivated for the next thing. I need to train for Warrior Dash but I am just not feeling inspired.
I was reading this other thread and thinking that I am getting so confused about training-do I want strength, muscle gains, endurance? Which one means looking good naked? How many sets and how many reps?
I will go find the link and share maybe you girls can help me understand.
Who had the protein blondies?! That sounds so yummy, please share the recipe.0 -
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/655310-8-reasons-your-weight-training-results-suck
And not just the article, all the comments below about resting, light weights, reps, etc. making my head hurt today!0 -
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1628638
Amy- ^^ That's the recipe I used I've never actually ate 'blondies' so I don't know whether these compare. They are good. Taste more like muffins to me though-denser than I'd imagined blondies to be.
I've got to read that article you just linked...I started to last night and than realized I had a house to pick up!
~I was happy to weigh in 2.4lbs lighter (and that's even with going to see Spiderman with the family and eating some popcorn). Both weekend days were in my calorie range but I think what was important for me was staying in/around 100 carbs. I've set my carbs here on MFP to 106 which I think is 25% if I'm remembering right. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think EVERYONE needs lower carbs. I just know that even when it's something healthy like quiona (yummy) for lunch and I raise my carbs...I see to continuously stall out. I have not yet been very good with maintaining lower carbs but I'm researching some new recipes to try to keep myself in this range for a while to keep things moving. My fingers are crossed that it isn't a fluke. I got both of my workouts in this weekend. Of course, I locked my keys in my car Saturday night when I did my 70 min. incline walk and had to 'incline' walk myself all the way home to get the spare keys at 930pm. :blushing: But DH called it my cool down lap. :laugh:
So 2 weeks for me looks like this:
1) Keep the pop to 1 can a day. I've noticed (and I think Beeps pointed this out) that if I allow myself 1 during the work day I snack less than. Oddly enough though, if i allow myself it at night, I'll snack more. Weird, I know. But 1 a day is the goal for me to keep myself satisfied but not indulging.
2) Keep carbs at 106 or lower.
Of course I'm continuing with my bodybuilding program of alternating weights with cardio. I upp'd most weights last night so I feel like it's working out good for me. With the upper/lower split 2 out of the 3 days and than the full body circuit on the 3rd day of workouts- I like the mix between the two.
Hope everyone's weekend went well. Enjoy this....lovely Monday!
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