August is for lifters - Check in and Chat Thread
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Thanks, Ishtar. I've only been stuck for about 2 - 3 weeks, so maybe I've got another drop coming up.
@ Mjboswell, I had to start on dumbbells for the OHP. Apparently dumbbells are actually quite good - the main problem is that they go up in quite big increments so it's difficult when trying to add weight. I felt it was better to use the dumbbells than use a machine.
If you didn't squat all the way down, I would stay at the same weight or even drop down. I had been squatting a fraction too high, and I've spent all of last month deloading so that I can fix it. It seems to be much harder to squat just below parallel than it is to squat just above parallel. So you'd be better off fixing the depth, and then adding the weight later, in my (noob) opinion.0 -
I'm still here. Still hanging in there just finished my 5th week of SL. I just hit 105 pounds on my DL today, lol! I feel like such a weakling. I had to totally deload on my squats a couple weeks ago and take a week off from squats as my hip joints were KILLING me due to bad form. So I took the time off to re learn squatting form and restarted them this week. So far so good, as long as I warm up sufficiently beforehand to get the juices flowing. Last week I had to do my first deloads, on my OP and my rows. Here are my numbers as of today:
Squats - 55 pounds
OHP - 60 pounds
Bench - 70 pounds
Rows - 60 pounds
Deadlift - 105 pounds
I am really upset about the squats, I could have been so much further along if I had been using better form. Turns out my stance wasn't quite wide enough and my toes weren't turned out far enough. Also my grip on the bar was too wide, causing my shoulder to hurt. It's gotten better since I fixed these things. Oh well, live and learn I guess. My progress has been slow and I feel like such a weakling compared to all of you badass ladies! You are all doing so great. I guess I should go a little easy on myself since I am still very overweight and have had back problems my whole life. Since I started exercising regularly though 7 months ago, my back problems have pretty much gone away.
I think someone asked a few posts back if anybody else here was really over weight *raises hand* I'm still at 232 pounds! Still about 80 pounds away from where I'd like to be. But I don't plan on letting that stop me! My body is so much firmer than it ever was, and I am losing a ton of inches SO I'm sticking with it. Keep up the great work everyone.0 -
I just wondered, is there anyone else here who is really overweight? Just going by your profile pics, you all look perfect! Are there any other big women here? I'd be interested to know how/if your weight affects you. I'm obese and losing weight and I don't THINK the extra weight causes problems (except perhaps in the squats), but I do find the calorie restriction difficult.
Like I said above, I'm 232 pounds. The only thing that sucks about the weight is my fat stomach gets in the way of my squatting on my way down. It's hard to hit parallel because it sort of squishes and there is no place for it to go. So I decided to try opening my stance wider and that has seemed to help give my stomach somewhere to go. As far as the calories go, I definitely agree the restriction is hard. I'm still actively trying to lose weight, set at 1740 cals a day + exercise cals. I know if I had more calories I could probably make more progress, so I guess it's a trade off. I'm just trying to retain as much LBM as I can while losing while getting stronger. I do try to keep my protein intake over 100 grams a day.0 -
I just wondered, is there anyone else here who is really overweight? Just going by your profile pics, you all look perfect! Are there any other big women here? I'd be interested to know how/if your weight affects you. I'm obese and losing weight and I don't THINK the extra weight causes problems (except perhaps in the squats), but I do find the calorie restriction difficult.
I'm 5'6" and around 250. I had a few problems with my squats because my belly got in the way. Like Andrea_78 said, a wider stance helps with that. I have some trouble sticking to my 1800 cals a day but that's other issues. My goal isn't really to increase strength at this point, just preserving what I have. I like the program because it's pretty simple and it's hard to not feel like a badass when you're done.0 -
Andrea_78 and Chubby_checkers, I know just what you mean about the tummy thing. I try to keep my knees out. I also think that it's hard to judge where parallel is, visually, if your legs are plumper. And I'm really conscious of having to lift my body weight along with the bar! It's a lot of extra weight.
On the positive side, I don't feel the other lifts are affected much at all. I feel weak in the press and bench press, but I was weak before I got fat. I think of all the sports that I could do, weightlifting is one where my extra weight is not so much of a hindrance. I think the squats would be easier if I was slimmer, but the rest would be much the same. And I'm getting just as strong with the squats - my bodyweight doesn't show up on the numbers, but I've still got to lift it and it's still building strength, presumably!0 -
:laugh: I was totally still replying on the july thread....oooops!!
So i have been getting in 2 lifting days per week, sometimes three and after next week I am on vacation for 10 days, so I will end up having to deload again, but my last lifting sesh thursday looked like this:
Squats 150 5x5
OHP 55 5x5
deads 145 1x5
I stayed with 55 on the OHP because I classically stall out around 60 pounds and my gym doesnt have fractional plates:grumble:
now to catch up with this thread!0 -
Squats yesterday worked up to 135 x 3 and 140 x 2 felt good for next time. I think this is our last week doing deads 2x per week so I'm curious what's next! :bigsmile:0
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I did 95 pounds on my squats in my last workout, and feel like I hit a checkpoint: 25-pound plates on the bar instead of a stack of baby weights!
:happy:0 -
It's all about proper motivation. Today was OHP. I hate OHP. I've been stuck at 30 or 35 lbs, which means dumbells. Today after my squats, there were several ladies working with the 5lb bells. In order to use the dumbells for the OHP, I would have had to line up with all the other girls and their barbie weights. It wasn't going to happen. So I manned up and decided I was going to give my best at the bar with the OHP. And ya'll, I did 5x5 with that 45lb bar and it was easier than the bells. Lifting dumbells and lifting the bar are two very different movements, I swear.
Squats: 115lbs and I could have done 120lbs
OHP: 45lbs
Deadlifts: 150lbs and I would not have made 155lbs.
I'm also a member of the Cool Kids Club now. The Morning Gentlmen all said good morning to me today (with words!), and one of them complimented me on my squat form. *preen*0 -
I just wondered, is there anyone else here who is really overweight? Just going by your profile pics, you all look perfect! Are there any other big women here? I'd be interested to know how/if your weight affects you. I'm obese and losing weight and I don't THINK the extra weight causes problems (except perhaps in the squats), but I do find the calorie restriction difficult.
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I was in the really overweight category when I started lifting. In fact, the words "borderline morbidly obese" coming out of my doctors mouth is what changed my life forever. I have gone from 267 (post birth) to 207 so far. My goal weight is whatever I weigh when my body fat is under 20%..I'm thinking about 165 but who knows. I didn't get serious about exercise, lifting or my diet until I hit about 245 last October. My loss has been typically slower than my non-lifting friends but I am really glad I got off the cardio only/1200 calorie a day roller coaster. I may still be over 200 but my body fat is in the normal range. I look smaller than I did at this weight pre baby for sure and I wear smaller clothes (14/16 and before I could barely fit into a women's 16). I don't find that my weight hampers me...in fact, I think having that extra muscle underneath helps. I don't see any girls in my gym lifting like I do. I also think that lifting while losing helps us from looking saggy/getting loose skin...slow and steady is great. As far as calories....I eat well over BMR every day...I'm usually close to 2000. I aim for a 500-1000 calories deficit most days.0 -
I did 95 pounds on my squats in my last workout, and feel like I hit a checkpoint: 25-pound plates on the bar instead of a stack of baby weights!
:happy:
Ba bye baby plates! :drinker:
Today we did clean grip deadlifts and I worked up to 3x2 @ 150. This was my PB for clean grip and I increased 15 pounds from last week so I'm pretty happy with it. I think we're going to see what our one rep max is on Thursday or Friday so I'm curious where I'll finish up. Have a great week everyone!0 -
I'm still obese according to MFP standards. I'm 5'8 and weigh 203. I put on about 8 lbs almost immediately starting SL in March. It's quite frustrating being back in the 200s when it took me so long to get to ONEderland. I have not been able to shed those pounds on the scale. My measurements have only very slightly changed.I just wondered, is there anyone else here who is really overweight? Just going by your profile pics, you all look perfect! Are there any other big women here? I'd be interested to know how/if your weight affects you. I'm obese and losing weight and I don't THINK the extra weight causes problems (except perhaps in the squats), but I do find the calorie restriction difficult.
The calorie restriction is so tough. I thought eating more would help. It hasn't seemed to. But when I try to cut back, I can only last about a week before I just can't take it anymore. And by cut back, I mean down to like 1600 cals. I am happier closer to 2000, but I'm not losing any weight at that amount.0 -
I'm still obese according to MFP standards. I'm 5'8 and weigh 203. I put on about 8 lbs almost immediately starting SL in March. It's quite frustrating being back in the 200s when it took me so long to get to ONEderland. I have not been able to shed those pounds on the scale. My measurements have only very slightly changed.I just wondered, is there anyone else here who is really overweight? Just going by your profile pics, you all look perfect! Are there any other big women here? I'd be interested to know how/if your weight affects you. I'm obese and losing weight and I don't THINK the extra weight causes problems (except perhaps in the squats), but I do find the calorie restriction difficult.
The calorie restriction is so tough. I thought eating more would help. It hasn't seemed to. But when I try to cut back, I can only last about a week before I just can't take it anymore. And by cut back, I mean down to like 1600 cals. I am happier closer to 2000, but I'm not losing any weight at that amount.
i have been struggling with restriction too - a LOT, I haven't lost weight in like 7 months. HOWEVER -
I had about 3-4 really good weeks there, where I Was sticking between 1650 and 1850 every day, and I think I got some loss. And then around week 4 I just couldn't do it anymore, I wanted to eat more, so I've been eating 1850-2250. I think after a week or two of this I'll be able togo back to the other for a few weeks and hopefully drop a bit. Have you considered trying that? Be good for 1-2 weeks, hang on, then go back to eating more?
The other thing that I *swear* helped, is I went scale-less. My scale weight was starting to sabotage my moods, I think, not because I worry about fluctuations but because I'd be good for a few days and see no progress, then a high fluctuation would hit, and I'd be unhappy with it and have a idgaf day, and hten be good for a couple days, and so on. And good weigh ins made me happy, but I'd also think "cool, what I'm doing is working, I can totally have a cookie!" When I stopped getting on the scale, my mood couldn't be messed with and itw as way easier to stick to the PLAN, becuase hte plan had nothing to do wiht my scale weight but I was letting my feelings about that weight interfere with the plan.
I'm going toweigh every 6 weeks now - I'll let you know if it worked.
Whether or not I lost, my husband and I both think there have been visual belly changes (I don't do measurements anymore, I'm terrible at doing them and my stomach/waist measurements fluctuate a shocking amount anyway) lately so I'm expecting to see that reflected, but if I don't I will live with it. I started wearing size 8 dress pants lately and the scale can't take that away from me.0 -
Ok so I lifted today. I went back to just the bar on the squats because I did so poorly last time I did them. I know my form must be off because I have some actual pain in my groin. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but it is seriously begining to irritate me. I need to find someone who can watch me and tell me what I need to change.
Squats 45lb bar
Bench press 50lbs
Rows 40lbs
I really want to do well at this. I guess I need to stop being so shy and ask for help. Happy lifting ladies.0 -
Loaded back up again today,
70kg squats
35kg row and bench
I failed the last rep of the last set of squats. Went too low and just couldnt push back up, first time Ive ever failed a squat, I felt slightly proud,lol. My form was much better today, felt I was going below parallel which I think was why it was a lot harder. Great session though, Finished off with 3x5 band assisted pullups and a good stretch
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Had to modify some things as I somehow hurt my shoulder, but I still got in there and did it.
Squats - 85lbs
Bench - 0
DB Rows - 25lbs - only thing I could do to not aggravate shoulder. Better than nothing.
I think I accidentally upped my squats by 10lbs this round. Oh well still managed to get them up for all 5 each time. My legs are KILLING me today, but that's ok!
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I want a cookie."cool, what I'm doing is working, I can totally have a cookie!"
I did try a 6 week break from the scale in May/June. I gained 2 lbs. Then July was weird...I shot up about 6 lbs but then came back down. I kind of feel cheated on that month...no progress on the scale. I'm still about 10 lbs higher than when I started lifting. And yea, measurements are tricky. I don't think I do them right all the time. But my before and after pictures are about all I have to go on. I do see some change. But I'm still bigger than I'd like to be. Wearing a size 16/18 is not fun for me. I'd LOVE to be a 12 again. I have started to limit my weigh ins to once a week.
But a 1-2 week "be good" period followed by eating a bit closer to maintenance for a week sounds like an experiment I'd like to try. I'll let ya know. Thanks!0 -
Great job ladies!! I love hearing about everyone's progress.
Today was a B day for me. My squat form is getting a LOT better!!
Squats - 65 lbs. 5x5
OHP - 65 lbs. (5, 5, 5, 4, 4) The last two sets I could only eek 4 reps out :-/ This will be my second failure or deload for OHP . I
think next time I will try 65 again.
Deadlifts - 110 lbs. 1x5 (could have done a little more weight but decided to be safe)
This is my 6th week and I feel like the weights are really getting heavy for me now. It only took me 6 weeks practice to get into the swing of things :laugh: The only thing I hate is how SORE I am after OHP! My collarbones and chest kill me for 2 days after. Especially at night when sleeping....every time I go to turn over it hurts
I hope the soreness goes away. 0 -
The weight you are all at is seriously impressive!
I'm on week 3, doing between 40-55 lbs. depending on the exercise. I'm also throwing in push-ups and pull-ups into the routine, so REALLY 5x5 5 exercises, 5 reps, 5 sets.
So far, so good. I really enjoy the program and I love that I can squeeze it in on lunch or on my way home. It makes a huge difference for a working mom!
I'm still pretty self-conscious going into the "men's" area of the gym, but I think it will get easier when I'm piling on the big weights!0 -
This morning was
70kg squat
30kg OHP
75kg deadlift...I only managed 3 reps of this, beast was heavy!0
