Daily Chat Thread
Replies
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I am sticking with my goals since I sucked at reaching them last time
1) one planned cheat day
2) no bingeing/emotional eating
3) hit at least 100g protein each day, hoping for 120g most days0 -
Lots going on here!
Sue, way to go! I love it when a workout just "clicks"!
I ate my feelings today- in Talenti Caramel Cookie Crumble Gelato :ohwell: it was within my cals, but not great for the macros. Still hit my BW in protein though.
It got me to thinking about why I ended up obese to begin with. It's so easy to slip back into old habits if I'm not careful.
****I will keep track of scores if everyone can keep track of their goals for a challenge. We might as well count this as week 1!****
I had an emotional date with toffee covered peanuts this week - sure felt good going down. I was upset and stressed. Old habits do die hard....even though I kept close to cals,
Gettin excited and a bit nervous for stage 3! Looking forward to end of school year too - kids activities have been bombarding ^me.
Getti
I've heard cheat days can be beneficial, thinking about trying.
Can't keep up with all the posts in this thread, but great to see all the energy
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Post Zumba...and 101g of Protein - BOOM!!0
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I am already doomed this week . Since I've been friendly with "John" today my protein wasn't as high as I would have hoped. I had to eat oatmeal and toast for supper :ohwell: I haven't been to the bathroom as of 6:30 tonight. I hope I don't jinx myself. A little over 4 hours. I will NEVER EVER take 3 pills again :laugh: If I said that once today , I've said it a 100 times.
Thanks, Sam. I can buy 5 # of the Premier Protein powder. I'll buy it next time. The bars are decent.0 -
Another question. The dreaded step ups..... Should I be concerned with low step with a greater barbell weight or higher step ? For the life of me the bench is too high . My knee is greater than 90 degrees, and I tend to lean forward to pull up when I begin to get tired. Form goes ..
I'm wondering about this too. I finished stage 1 using 25 lb plate in each hand but I never went up in risers. I am using 5 risers with a step on top but it doesnt have me at 90 degrees. Should I keep progressing on weight next or make the step higher?
On a side note, I did the stage 1a AMRAP today which included the step ups. I guess I am getting stronger because I did 40 each side with 8 lb weights and then gave up out of bordom 0 -
Another question. The dreaded step ups..... Should I be concerned with low step with a greater barbell weight or higher step ? For the life of me the bench is too high . My knee is greater than 90 degrees, and I tend to lean forward to pull up when I begin to get tired. Form goes ..
I'm wondering about this too. I finished stage 1 using 25 lb plate in each hand but I never went up in risers. I am using 5 risers with a step on top but it doesnt have me at 90 degrees. Should I keep progressing on weight next or make the step higher?
On a side note, I did the stage 1a AMRAP today which included the step ups. I guess I am getting stronger because I did 40 each side with 8 lb weights and then gave up out of bordom
Thats interesting, I use 4 risers with a step on top and it does have me pretty much parallel, and I am tall with long legs! Are you really tall Ari or do our gyms have different size risers? I do them with 30lbs dumbbells and I couldn't go any heavier because I am always about to drop them by the end
I can't remember who asked the first question but I would lower the height and use heavier weights if the height of the step is causing you to lose your form.
I am almost doing well with the protein this week but still slightly under - the last two days I was in the 90's and I am aiming for 100. Im planning on having lots of chicken for dinner today so I should make it.
I have a question about the lateral raises (i think thats what they are called, the ones at the end of stage 2, workout B before the prone cobra). I'm just not sure what they are meant to do. I must be doing them wrong because i don't feel it anywhere and i feel silly at the gym lying on my side and lifting my lower leg. Did anyone else find this?0 -
Manic I hear about about the effects of protein on digestion. Easy to get dependent on laxatives, though. I try to eat large volumes of vegetables every day, as in like 3-5 servings at once, and at least 2-3 pieces of fruit, including berries. It does add to your overall calorie load but makes a huge difference in how your body processes food. Not to mention fruits and veggies have massive amounts of important disease fighting micro nutrients that keep you from getting sick and help to fight off chronic disease. Highly recommend! I've been including these foods for 3 years now, made a huge difference.
Easy option: bags of frozen vegetables, steam able in the microwave. They're like 2 bucks each, so a cheap mainstay to build your lunch around. Then I just add in all the protein around that. It's working, I'm as regular as I've ever been!
HTH0 -
DouMc, the lateral flexions are for your obliques (side abs). I do mine on the stability ball as I find the ones on the floor too easy. It helps to really focus on squeezing the muscle as your raise up.
I've been using 5 risers for step ups and that has my leg parallel (but I'm only 5'4" tall). I can't hold on to any db heavier than 20lbs in my small hands for too long :P so for the last month or so I've been using the Olympic bar for the step ups. Only recently have I gone beyond just the bar to add a couple of plates because the balancing with the stepping up and the bar across the back is really tricky.0 -
I'm still here plugging along. Not having trouble sticking to workouts these days, which is good. However summer has come in from out of nowhere and weekend drinkz and eatz are my downfall. How do you all stick to your goals over the weekend? I always end up logging nothing more than Saturday's breakfast before I totally "forget" MFP for the day. All of a sudden, it's Sunday night, and I'm wondering why I didn't log and trying to remember what I ate so I can still see my weekly totals :ohwell:
My problem with weekends is that I almost always end up under eating :ohwell:
Maybe you could pre-log what you will eat on Friday...then all you have to do is edit it...or sign it....Or log on Saturday morning for the whole day, and Sunday as well.....
Do you have the mobile app? I have found that to be a great help for me...especially since am always on the go during the weekend.
As someone here said, it quickly does become second nature to log. Good luck!!
My challenge goals:
1. Bicycling on Thursday evenings (until they bring Zumba back at the gym)
2. Eat more Protein (>90g) or close
3. Continue to eat less "visible carbs"0 -
Step- ups: Go higher, not heavier. You want to be parallel or higher. As long as you aren't leaning to far forward and your spine is neutral, you should be ok. If you are leaning too far forward, you're not using your working leg properly. Dial back your weights until you can do it. Squeeze that glute as you go up and don't use your nonworking leg to push off. Otherwise, you're not doing it correctly. I personally can barely use 15lb DBs when I do them RIGHT. I spent the entire program of NROL4W doing them wrong. I was just doing it like I would go up steps. Just tap your toes of your nonworking leg to the floor if you're using it too much.
Weekends: I have to remind myself how easy it is to undo all my eating during the week. I allow myself more treats, but log it all and try to stay under my weekly calories. Otherwise, I end up in a vicious cycle of binge/punishment. I eat too much on the weekends, then "punish" myself by eating less during the week. It's not good or healthy. So deciding to track every thing I eat is the best way for me to get out of the "weekend" mode and makes me think about what I'm eating.
Manic, I hope you feel better today.0 -
Barbell hope you're feeling better today. That gelato sounds decadently delicious
Manic, hope you can find a good "rhythm" soon. It's no fun to be irregular. I second Sunshine's veggie advice.
Pudding, what weight are you using for your barbell step-ups? That's impressive. I haven't succeeded past 17.5# dumbbells.
Bepee, thanks for the advice. That's a good idea, to pre-log where we might be going. I just really need to stop being complacent over the weekends. I WISH I had your habit of under-eating. It's much more likely to be the opposite
Ok, embarrassing story time. I'm at the gym this morning, preparing for a front squat/push press. Squat - good, and up - good, and back down - SMACK! Totally hit myself in the nose with the barbell! :sick: I let out a small "oof", did NOT make eye contact with anyone, and kept going.
Moral of the story. Always brew coffee before 5am workouts. Always.0 -
I agree - higher with the step ups. I use 6 risers plus the step with a 20 - 25 kg barbell (dependent on # of reps).0
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Ok, embarrassing story time. I'm at the gym this morning, preparing for a front squat/push press. Squat - good, and up - good, and back down - SMACK! Totally hit myself in the nose with the barbell! :sick: I let out a small "oof", did NOT make eye contact with anyone, and kept going.
I LOVE you for writing this!! Thank you for BEING HUMAN.
The end.0 -
WillLift, the highest I've gone is the Olympic bar (so 45lbs) plus ten pounds of plates. I use 5-6 risers under my step.0
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Rant of the day: What's up with middle aged white dudes in do-rags hogging the rack???? Every time I go to the gym it's the same story, I finally butted in today after waiting 45 min and the SAME dude was there the whole time! They're also the same ones that just drop the weights after a rep. Annoying! Okay, I'm done complaining now!
I love the smack in the nose story--thanks for the laugh!0 -
Rant of the day: What's up with middle aged white dudes in do-rags hogging the rack???? Every time I go to the gym it's the same story, I finally butted in today after waiting 45 min and the SAME dude was there the whole time! They're also the same ones that just drop the weights after a rep. Annoying! Okay, I'm done complaining now!
I love the smack in the nose story--thanks for the laugh!
I know how you feel. Today one guy was using the rack for most of the time when i was in the gym and when his friend came in he called him over and told him to use the rack when he was done! In the end I did my FSPP with dumbbells which I don't like doing because its hard to keep my arms up straight, they wobble all over the place when they are above my head!
So apparently I was wrong on the step ups! Go higher seems to be the consensus.
Pudding, thanks for the advice on the lateral raises, ill try them on the stability ball and see if that is any better. Those are some pretty impressive step ups stats!! I'd like to try them with the bar but there are only two in my gym and they are like gold dust so I think i will have to stick with the dumbbells.
I'm with the people who over eat at the weekends, although to be fair I normally over drink! and then when I am drinking I want fried foods! I really need to reign that in!
WillLift: thats hilarious! I hope you didn't hurt yourself!0 -
Mixed grip: Also I was instructed to have your dominated over and other under... I used straps which help a great deal.
Quark: I don't live where I use to buy it. But in NW Washington there was a Dutch farm that made and sold Quark commercially. I have on occassation seen it otherwise. Try a fancy store maybe like New Season's or Whole Foods, Zupans?
Low back tightness: Are you doing the post rolling? Pelvic tilts, shoulder bridges and cat & dog, knee to chest stretching help relax my lower back.
I pasta'd out last night :frown: but it was quick and I had needed to get dinner done.
Lifting this afternoon.....
Glad someone else has picked up the life edition. I like it alot as I am working my second way through it now.0 -
Manic I hear about about the effects of protein on digestion. Easy to get dependent on laxatives, though. I try to eat large volumes of vegetables every day, as in like 3-5 servings at once, and at least 2-3 pieces of fruit, including berries. It does add to your overall calorie load but makes a huge difference in how your body processes food. Not to mention fruits and veggies have massive amounts of important disease fighting micro nutrients that keep you from getting sick and help to fight off chronic disease. Highly recommend! I've been including these foods for 3 years now, made a huge difference.
Easy option: bags of frozen vegetables, steam able in the microwave. They're like 2 bucks each, so a cheap mainstay to build your lunch around. Then I just add in all the protein around that. It's working, I'm as regular as I've ever been!
HTH
Something I read about and tried has worked for me. At night take a calcium magnesium supplement and 500mg of vit C (a chewable) and make sure your water intake is up through out the day. I find this more gentle and predictable than actual laxatives. Also Miralax works well for some....0 -
Barbell: I've had several dates with that same flavor of Talenti. As well as the southern butter pecan and the Double Fudge.
WillLift: That made my day. I've done that too. One time I hit the chandelier in the dining room with the bar. Luckily no casualties but it was 6pm so I didn't have sleepiness to blame it on.
Manic: I agree with what was said about increasing fruits and veggies instead of using laxatives. Collards, Kale, and turnip greens were the laxative of choice in my house growing up. They always worked.
Things are going a little better at home. I've set some boundaries with my ex and they've made things a bit easier for me. In really exciting news I weighed myself this morning and thought that I'd gained weight and was already getting over it when my scale showed my last reported weight as being .8lbs heavier. Thank god for scale memory because I sure don't have a good one. I finish stage three this week and its been mentioned in another thread that skipping from there to stage seven was recommended for those wanting to accelerate fat loss. I'm thinking about doing that. As a matter of fact depending on how well it works I might do stage seven, then stage four, and then stage seven again, and then stage five, and then stage seven and so on. OH and I'm down half an inch in my waist. Yay for movement finally!
Goals for the week:
1) lift three times this week
2)get 115 grams of protein a day
3)drink 12 glasses of water a day
Happy lifting today ladies0 -
I'm with the people who over eat at the weekends, although to be fair I normally over drink! and then when I am drinking I want fried foods! I really need to reign that in!
DouMc YESSSS! You're speaking my language!!
Red, it's best when there are no witnesses. Nice loss!
And it remains to be seen. I think I'm developing a bruise as we speak. That's a cute look.0 -
Oh for pete's sakes, Manic used laxatives ONE TIME....I totally would have done that, manic!!
Usually, for me, water-water-water is what keeps me regular and I drink TONS of water (and....I STOP ingesting ALL liquid by 7 pm so that I am NOT up at night pee-ing all night long, but, on average I also pee approximately 10- or 12- times PER DAY).0 -
I'm with the people who over eat at the weekends, although to be fair I normally over drink! and then when I am drinking I want fried foods! I really need to reign that in!
DouMc YESSSS! You're speaking my language!!
Red, it's best when there are no witnesses. Nice loss!
And it remains to be seen. I think I'm developing a bruise as we speak. That's a cute look.
Hence my three goals these six weeks include:
NO more than five ethanol drinks and two desserts a week....
I combat this weekend indulgence by giving up...what I mean is I just plan on having dessert on Sat and Sun and drinking my alotted glasses on the weekend. Other wise keep everything else in check. Sometimes I skip a weekend breakfast to make up for too many calories and a weekend lunch is very small at other times cause I know dinner is bigger that usual. A salad with some protein clocking in at about 300 calories so that by dinner I've only had maybe 700 caloires between lunch and breakfast.0 -
Just cross posting from the Stage 2 thread as I know some of you are in the same place as me:
Here are my final numbers from stage 2. Are we supposed to do AMRAPs for each stage?
Workout A:
FSPP: I still hate this one. It just feels all kinds of awkward to me. 10lbs of plates on barbell up to 20 pounds of plates on barbell at the end. I'm not sure how much the bar itself weighs and I am not sure if I am supposed to factor that in so I just go by how much the plates weigh. When I use the Olympic bar (not far this exercise!), I factor in the weight of the 45lb bar
Step-up: I move back and forth between five or six risers depending on how my balance is feeling that day, because I try to balance on my working leg and not touch the top of the step with the moving leg when I rise up. 45--->55lb
DB 1pt row: 10lb DBs--->20lb DBs
Static lunge with rear foot elevated: 15lb DBs--->20DBs. I am pouring sweat by the end of these!
Push-up: I have finally made progress although my elbows are still splayed out to the sides. I just cannot get my elbows back :P Anyway, from 10 push-ups at about 30 degrees to 8 on the floor.
Plank: full plank on forearms and toes, 60 sec. the whole way through. It has gotten slightly easier each time. I tried a few extra planks with forearms on a Swiss ball and toes on a bench and only made it 30 seconds.
Cable horizontal wood chop: my gym doesn't have a machine for this so I've had to use the alternates. I started with an eight pound weight, doing them on the floor, but that was way too easy so I moved to the ball and finished doing them there with a 20lb DB.
Workout B:
Dead lift: I stopped doing these from the box after the first workout; like the FSPP, it just felt wrong to me. So I started with regular DLs at 65lb and finished today with 80lb
BSS: so many issues with getting my foot flat and comfy on this one, but today it finally seemed right. I had been having trouble not doing them on my back toes, basically the same as the lunge in Workout A. A padded bench has definitely helped. I used a 25lb plate the entire time and felt I could have gone higher but the next plate is 45lb which is too high. Maybe I should have tried a dumbell...totally never thought of it before, duh.
Underhand lat pull down: started at 75lb and have moved onto 90lb but haven't done more than 8 in a set yet.
Reverse lunge with forward reach: I find I really need to focus on not rounding my back to bend down, and keep my chest up. 10lb DBs--->20lb DBs
DB prone Cuban snatch: 5lb DBs--->10lb DBs
Swiss ball crunch: regular long arm--->long arm holding 4lb ball
Reverse crunch: incline--->incline with 4lb ball between the knees
Lateral flexion: on stability ball the whole time. Wish I could think of a way to add weight to this but I already hold my arms behind my head so not sure how this could work.
Prone cobra: I am a moron. I was doing them for 90sec. without much trouble and then realized I was raising my feet also, AND I had my palms up to the ceiling, not pointing away from my sides. Both those things seemed to somehow make it easier :P Once I started doing them right I found it hard to hang on for the full minute, but I did.
Pretty proud of my progress on this stage 0 -
Oh for pete's sakes, Manic used laxatives ONE TIME....I totally would have done that, manic!!
me too! haha didn't mean any harm Beeps! i've read about constipation problems before on this thread pretty common i would guess with all the protein. and, i'm gonna go out there and support the benefits of vegetables for health!0 -
pudding nice work on stage 2 - totally relate to FSPP and BSS comments, too!
you made great gains, congrats!!!!!!!!
red so do you have a final analysis for us on stage 3? cuz deep inside, i think i'm a little scared of it. ha0 -
OMG you stepper uppers with the oly PLUS PLATES are freaking MONSTERS!!! Congrats! I struggle with any weights and balance and form! I should always do these things until my form, balance and weights are better. I really don't like them but I also know they WORK!!!
Beeps, me too - lots of water, and lots of pee-ing (TMI, I know) during the day but I drink all night long too. I know I should stop but truthfully I drink because I'm thirsty.
I'm so glad to see all you new folks and love hearing what you find for solutions to our common issues! It's great that this group stays so active. Even though I finished NROL4W a while ago, I still hang out here because I'm a firm believer in the program and actually in all the NROL programs. My next program will be 4Life
Right now, I'm getting my strength back after a month long hiatus due to extra long work hours, followed by vacation and at the same time recuping from some sort of shoulder strain. It's still achy, but that sharp pain I had seems to have abated. I'm currently using Simply Shredded's ultimate female training guide ( http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-ultimate-female-training-guide.html ) but I'm reading NROL4Life and going to start that sometime within the next couple of weeks. It's taking me a little while to get through it.
This morning I did workout 1 which is bench as the main lift. I did lat pull downs, DB shoulder press, standing tricep extensions, 21s and crunches holding 10lb plate.
Sunshine, I actually liked Stage 3 better than Stage 2. I was totally intimindated by the Stage 2 lifts - I was so green and even with a trainer I struggled all the way through that stage. I liked Stage 3! And actually by the time I got to Stage 4 I was stronger and more confident so even though it was a lot of the Stage 2 lifts, I was much more comfortable with them.
Pudding congrats on your Stage 2 progress!! Nice numbers!
Tomorrow is a spin day. I may not spin but lift instead because I won't be able to on Saturday. I've never lifted 4 days in a row before. Each day is different so in theory I'm getting enough recover time. Has anyone lifted 4 days in a row?
Mary, I had to chuckle. I can't imagine what 3 pills would be like but I don't envy your "position" :blushing:
Oh yea, Dou - those lateral things never did anything for me either so my trainer had me do these: http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Obliques/DB45SideBend.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Obliques/DBSideBend.html0 -
Pudding!!! GREAT RESULTS!!
sunshine...ya ya ya, veggies ARE great! (I love 'em...for real I do!)
sue - I agree, all those step-ups with oly + weights....good gawd! I haven't done even 1 step-up in about a year....yikes!
I haven't lifted 4-days in a row, but TONS of the Venus chicks do 5- and beyond. They are ADDICTS!!
(Sometimes they are cult-ish like the crossfit-ers....yikes!! It's good that I'm just a 'dabbler'.)0 -
Oh geez, 3 more pages and I only missed a day of not posting!
Congrats runz and redlips!
BUT you're going down this time around! Well, like, if you don't count this week cause it's gone to hell already. Not enough water, not enough protein. Dammit.
Welcome to all the new posters!
kiki, I know Schuler discourages "girly" push ups on the knees, but I can honestly say that that is how I got started. Did them in Tony Horton's Power 90 till I eventually graduated to P90X and could do real ones. At no point did I ever do the incline ones. But if it's not working for you, then do what works.
redlips, sorry about the break up. Breaking up is hard to do. I wish you all the best and I'm so proud that you were able to stick to your diet. Any type of stress gives me an excuse to eat all the junk.
manic, yay for objective eyes seeing what you can't. And umm, yea, like cowgirl said, fruits and veggies are the way to go (if I could just follow that advice)
sunshine, the wedding is kinda far off-ish. It's in December but I'm usually a last minute person so for once in my life I'm trying to get things started early. (Although some persons don't think it's early).
cowgirl, CONGRATS on the PRs! Those numbers are amazing! And I hope everything is alright with you or will be soon <hugs>
willlift, ouch!
Oh, and to those who chimed in re: my M-I-L, thanks for the concern. I'm hoping and praying it will work itself out.
Just finished working out, gonna go take a nap now0 -
Thanks Sue, i have one more B workout in stage 2 so ill give the lateral raises one more chance but do them from the swiss ball. if that doesn't help then in stage 4 ill do the ones you suggested instead.
I'm slightly jealous of all you people with constipation issues. i have completely the opposite problem, today I thought I was going to have to run out of the gym to get to the toilet because of it. :grumble:
Pudding your numbers are incredible! well done! I'm particularly impressed with your static lunge, I haven't been able to progress from 10lbs dumbbells for that and i always have to sit for a couple of seconds afterwards because my legs are shaking so badly.
I did well on protein today - 148grams!! But unfortunately I ate almost 2000 calories to get there. So now I just need to work out how to get the protein without eating all the food!
Im starting stage 3 next week. what kind of weights did people use when starting the one-armed dumbbell snatch and the dumbbell single arm overhead squat? I have no idea how easy or hard they will be so haven't a clue where to start.0 -
Oh for pete's sakes, Manic used laxatives ONE TIME....I totally would have done that, manic!!
Usually, for me, water-water-water is what keeps me regular and I drink TONS of water (and....I STOP ingesting ALL liquid by 7 pm so that I am NOT up at night pee-ing all night long, but, on average I also pee approximately 10- or 12- times PER DAY).
Thanks Beeps.
SUEBOO, NEVER take 3. LOL I am here to tell yall even though it says up to 3. DO NOT TAKE THREE :laugh:
I appreciate all the advice/suggestions. I am a veggie eater and water drinker. I believe my body is not use to consuming the protein powder and that's what the problem is/was. I believe as my body gets use to it there won't be a problem down the road.
No workout today. Typically Wednesday is my rest day along with the weekend.0
This discussion has been closed.