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Hi all...it's been a busy week and I haven't been keeping up with this thread, but just wanted to pop in to say hi! Hope you're all kicking *ss with your workouts... I haven't lifted since Thursday, but I'll be back at it tomorrow. Hope I feel strong, strong, strong!! Have a great Sunday, everyone
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Hi ladies! I'm needing some advice. On Monday the 11th, I did Stage 1- 8A. I still have 8B to do, and don't plan on doing the AMRAP workouts. I've been out of province for most of the week, and it was impossible to squeeze in my final Stage 1 workout. So, essentially, at this point, I've taken an entire week off from lifting. Do I start with 8A or go right to 8B? And then do I start Stage 2 as my next workout (after a day of rest), or would you recommend taking a few days off.
My thought: just pick up where I left off, with 8B. And progress onto Stage 2 in the following workout. I've also come down with a head cold...so my logic doesn't seem to be working all that well. Just looking for confirmation that this makes sense...and advice if it doesn't.
Thanks!0 -
Do this ^^
My thought: just pick up where I left off, with 8B. And progress onto Stage 2 in the following workout. I've also come down with a head cold...so my logic doesn't seem to be working all that well. Just looking for confirmation that this makes sense...and advice if it doesn't.
Thanks!0 -
joanne, I think you should just carry on, without any rest week once you get back into this.
I haven't lifted since Wednesday, so I'll be glad to get back at it, today. My weekend was pretty much all about eating too much, drinking too much, and ultimately feeling bloated and like crap. So, I'm favouring with cleaning everything up today, and for the week.
I also think I am going to only lift 2 x per week until September. We'll see if it ends up resulting in "lost progress" for me. I hope not....but, I'm interested to see.
How is everyone else doing??0 -
Beeps- I haven't seen any lost progress in switching to twice a week. I actually have seen progress, since three times a week was just more than my body could recover from. I have started taking the third day and working some small muscles though--biceps, triceps, and calves--in some isolation exercises. Makes me feel like I'm doing something, but it isn't as hard on me as the full-body, compound exercises.0
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Beeps, I've been thinking of doing the same thing--cutting back to 2x per week. I always lift better when I have more than 2 days off between sessions, and I'd really like to work some running and some yoga into my program, and I just don't have time to do it all. I'm finishing Stage 3 this week, then I'm taking a week off, then may start the new frequency. I think I'm going to start eating at maintenance then, too. I'd like to build more muscle, make greater strength gains, and I know I need to eat more to do that.
Jessica, glad to hear that 2x a week is working for you.
Joanne, definitely agree--just go to 8B, then start the next stage on your next lifting day.
Samantha--purty dress! You look great!0 -
Boy, I like reading this feedback....makes me feel like maybe the switch to 2 x per week will be a GOOD thing. In any event, since it isn't a race and I'm in this for the long haul, it's likely good for me to try to switch things up just to see how it affects my body's performance.
Stage 6 is tough on my body - I haven't been this sore since Stage 1! And, all I'm reading about Stage 7 says that it is H-A-R-D....so, even then, probably 2 x per week is all I'll be able to handle.
Life is too short to NEVER get outside (in the summer), I figure!0 -
Ok guys, I'm back! I'll be lifting again tomorrow after a long hiatus (5k, vacation, etc) and I'm stoked! I've been eating horribly for the past two weeks and we think we have it pegged. I have been exhausted and everyone thinks that is what is leading me to eating so crappily. Doc included. And recent research supports the theory so I've taken the past few days to rest up and try to get myself functioning again. I feel better today so maybe it is working. Keep up the good work guys! You keep me motivated when there is nothing left.0
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I'm so stoked! I *finally* hit 100lbs on RDLs! (I sub these in for regular DLs and the 1-leg RDLs) yay me!
DH lifted with me today. He really pushed me to push myself. 0 -
Eating "clean" has to be part of the progression, though. When I look at the "food intake" of these incredibly (over age 40) women, NONE of them are eating 2,000+ calories a day. None of them. I found women who are my height (5'8"-5'9") and their meals ARE smaller than what I've been eating. I think I actually need to incorporate a few more carbs than I do, into my diet.
Hi Beeps, sorry if you've answered this already (haven't read through the whole thread) but I'm wondering how much those women over 40 seem to be eating. I'm also 5'8" and I'm in menopause (long story). What did your research tell you about their food intake?0 -
I'm really enjoying the thread today. I'm 60, 5'4", 160 and I've not done anything in at least 5 years (realistically, more like 10) , except a light bit of cardio here and there. Over the past 12 months I've lost 25 pounds, my goal is to lose at least 20 more and gain muscle. ATM, I'm mostly fat and I know that's not so great. But I've started! I have done my first workouts, Stage 1 A & B and tonight will be #3. I'll tell you what tho, I am one giant ache! Not bad, it's all good!
I've been sober for 17 years now, and one of the things a couple of my friends and I always struggled with is that "you" who always wants you to fail, who tells you to quit because you can't. We call them our "old ladies in the attic" and I've taken to saying to them "thanks for sharing, but I don't need your advice today" or, sometimes, more "figuratively" I say "thanks, no thanks now feck off!"
Beeps, your words are encouraging for me too. I have been reading loads on Bodybuilding and also on Livestrong. I tuck it all away for reference, because I know I can't have too much info!0 -
forlife - you can go onto bodybuilding.com and "search" the terms "over 40" and "transformation" and you can review the same stuff I did. But, basically, I believe the "diets" they showed were ONLY for the "cut" period of these women's transformations. Meaning: when they were in the few weeks prior to competition, they went on a HIGHLY reduced diet (and certainly bumped up their cardio, relative to their weight-lifting, too!).
I think, at 5'8", you should be aiming for about 1,800 calories per day. Perhaps more depending on your level of activity.
suelegal - I think it is AWESOME that you have completed your first 2 x workouts....just getting on that train is going to bring you SO much advantage, I cannot even tell you. (I *love* your description of "old ladies in the attic", btw....CUTE!)
I used to post on livestrong....but didn't find the same (welcoming) community that I've found at mfp. But, information is power, so I say GO FOR IT and get ALL THE INFORMATION your brain can digets because there are nuggets of goodness in everything you read (on livestrong.com and bodybuilding.com, too)!0 -
forlife - you can go onto bodybuilding.com and "search" the terms "over 40" and "transformation" and you can review the same stuff I did. But, basically, I believe the "diets" they showed were ONLY for the "cut" period of these women's transformations. Meaning: when they were in the few weeks prior to competition, they went on a HIGHLY reduced diet (and certainly bumped up their cardio, relative to their weight-lifting, too!).
I think, at 5'8", you should be aiming for about 1,800 calories per day. Perhaps more depending on your level of activity.
Thanks for your opinion Beeps! I've been yo-yoing between 1850-1950 average gross per day for the last few months. Nothing has changed with my weight. Losing/gaining the same 3 pounds. I've only been working out an average of about 160 minutes a week so I think I'll try keeping my cals around the same and being sure to get 200-240 minutes a week. See what happens after a few weeks. IF I can be patient enough 0 -
I forgot to ask earlier--how do you modify Swiss ball crunches (if you DO modify them, that is)? I've been holding a kettlebell above my head, but I'm at 20 lbs now and I really can't hold much heavier--it's too hard to hold above my head. Any other ideas?0
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forlife - you're gonna hang in there - and you're gonna lift heavy, because, after all, what else is there to do????
dandelion - I gave up on the swiss ball crunches pretty quickly. If you can move that much weight above your head, I'm going to suggest gettting to the Captain's chair. You can start off by just moving your knees to your chest, but if you're core is already as strong as I suspect it is....go for the full pike position with your legs.0 -
I'm just back after a week of luxury and indulgence on holiday, and have been reading back over this (very active) thread to get myself back in the zone again. One thing you've been discussing is something that I've been thinking about a lot recently, and that's about how important it is to lift as heavy as possible. Going back to the book, this means to the point of failure, so very, very heavy, trying to go up each time if at all possible. I'm convinced this is the way to see changes happening quickly, and while I was away I gave myself a good talking to about it. I think I've been to easy on myself.0
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Yes, MissMaggie...I think I've been too easy on myself, too. For the next stage, I'm going to up my cals and really try to lift as heavy as I can. That said, I feel like stages 2 and 3 don't really offer the same opportunity for big weight gains that stage 1 did...that was such a stead upward progression for me, and all these smaller-muscle exercises just don't allow that (for me, that is). But, onward nonetheless!0
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forlife - you're gonna hang in there - and you're gonna lift heavy, because, after all, what else is there to do????
Exactly!!!0 -
I forgot to ask earlier--how do you modify Swiss ball crunches (if you DO modify them, that is)? I've been holding a kettlebell above my head, but I'm at 20 lbs now and I really can't hold much heavier--it's too hard to hold above my head. Any other ideas?
In Stage 1, I held a dumbbell across my upper chest. Worked pretty good. Start with a 20 pounder and go up.0 -
Quiet all weekend, then BAM! Hey everybody!!
Thank you for the compliment Dandelion!
I was do 2xweek in stage 2 and it worked out well. Stage three i just wanted it over, so I did 3x week. Just starting week 2 of stage 4 on A2 (only did 2 last week) I just plan on playing it by ear and see hoe it goes. Apparently last week I just had the TOM munchies and carbbed my brains out. I'm good now :blushing:
I'm trying not to sweat my calories too much anymore, pretty much I average 2000 but can go as high as 2500. I think I want to focus on meeting my macro goal. I'm still at 45-50% carbs. I think if I can get this down to 40% I may see some of those "trouble" areas smooth out. I can't believe that even loosing 15 inches, only ONE came off my thighs! People don't believe how much I really eat. Did I mention that I'm a smaller size now at 145 than I EVER was at 130. Funny how this building muscle stuff works and it's a good reminder to please stay away form your scales.
Off to the gym!!0
