December Check In and Chat Thread

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  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
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    Jayliospecky reminded me of GoKaleo today (I actually HAD read one article but I didn't remember til now).

    http://gokaleo.com/?p=415
    http://gokaleo.com/?p=666

    Mostly I mention it because she's eating 2800 calories a day and also she looks completely different with weight lifting + lots of food at the same weight that she was 2 years ago (if you go to the 666 post and look at her montage - the two pics she highlights in the article are at 160 but what she doesn't mention is the picture on the right of the bikini picture is 162 and she looks even LEANER there). And not doing much cardio. And I needed to hear that because I'm pretty unhappy eating less than 2200 and sticking under 2k is misery for me but I'm also unhappy being this fat.

    But I can be patient. Yes. I haven't been logging for the past month and I'm probably averaging between 2100 and 2500 most days (except for today, which is gonna be super high probably). And I felt great eating that way, healthier, I notice more leanness in my arms and legs (the things I was perfectly happy with before, GO AWAY STUPID BELLY FAT), and then today I decided to make myself start logging again and I feel miserable and fat because I "ate so much"

    and that is a stupid way to feel when I've otherwise felt great all week
    weeeeeell, I might have felt miserable today anyway because I had a milk drink and lactose intolerant people really shouldn't do that and expect to feel good, but on a non logging day I would have just laughed it off like "ah the milk, I know better but it was so yummy" and instead I ran around going "WAAAAAAAAH WHY DID I EAT SO MUUUUUCH I SUUUUCK"

    So just sayin.
    I can't see how 1700 is too much. If anything, maybe its too little. Unless you are physically chained to a desk all day, then you go home and sit on the sofa for 5 hours, then go to bed and also you are fairly small, I don't see how anyone should go lower than that.

    I actually have poked around on that website before, as well as Nia Shanks site, and they are both fantastic women that promote just EATING lol I am the same as you though....I don't know if that negative relationship with food will ever truly change for me! (I actually don't know if you have a negative relationship with food....I just know I do lol) I can't see how 1700 is too much either....I actually just lowered it back about 5 weeks ago. Before I was aiming for 2000-2200 and i wasn't getting any results then either....and I also wasn't doing SL. Ugh so frustrating!
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    If you changed exercise programs, dont' change eating too. Bring it back up to 2k and see what happens. otherwise, even if you DO make progress you won't know what did it and lets be honest here - do you REALLY want to go the rest of your life eating at or below 1700? I sure as hell don't. I'd rather be fat.

    I'd say I have a really healthy relationship with food, USUALLY, which is why it really shocked me that I felt so down on myself about it today.
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
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    If you changed exercise programs, dont' change eating too. Bring it back up to 2k and see what happens. otherwise, even if you DO make progress you won't know what did it and lets be honest here - do you REALLY want to go the rest of your life eating at or below 1700? I sure as hell don't. I'd rather be fat.

    I'd say I have a really healthy relationship with food, USUALLY, which is why it really shocked me that I felt so down on myself about it today.

    I do agree with you on that as well.....I can't go below 1700 for sure. Even though I sometimes find it hard to get closer to 2000, the idea of not eating more than 1700 seems torturous! I guess I should have also said that I try to aim for 1700 every day so I can have a buffer for the weekend when I generally like to have a cheat day. I have started to try to go for a weekly caloric goal, rather than just daily if that makes sense.

    And you are so lucky to have a healthy relationship with food :) Mine has always sucked and I know that it will always be a struggle....it's really hard to not become obsessed to be honest....so scared of going back to the old me!
  • xoalynnxo
    xoalynnxo Posts: 200 Member
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    Hey everyone! I'm starting the program on Monday and am so excited to tone up! I'm a pretty muscular build but it's time to tone up and slim down! Feel free to add me as a friend! I look forward to progressing and being successful! Be prepared for questions lol

    Ashley
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
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    Welcome to the group Ashley!

    I am so pumped this morning...it was only Monday that I failed at my 47# attempt on the OHP and I DID IT this morning! The body is just amazing isn't it??!!!

    Squat 5x5 @ 90#
    OHP 5x5 @ 47#
    DL 1x5 @ 125#

    I love my big girl weights! Happy Friday all!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    End of Week 12!
    Bench: 100
    Row: 105
    OHP: 70
    Squat: 160
    DL: 160
  • fisherlassie
    fisherlassie Posts: 542 Member
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    I have officially come to a stall on my overhead press. I was unable to do the 65 lbs. 5X5. I will try again next time and then go back down to 60. I can only do the 65lb squats because I can't get the bar off my shoulders without hurting my neck. I hope we will be able to get a rack in the new year. I did deadlift 90 at 5X5 so I hope i will move up on that, I want to put on the 25 lb plates!!! This is just too much fun!! I measured the basement and it is 87inches from floor to ceiling. I should be able to squeeze a rack in there. and from my experience today it is going to be a long time before I have to worry about big plates for my overhead press! LOL!
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    If you changed exercise programs, dont' change eating too. Bring it back up to 2k and see what happens. otherwise, even if you DO make progress you won't know what did it and lets be honest here - do you REALLY want to go the rest of your life eating at or below 1700? I sure as hell don't. I'd rather be fat.

    I'd say I have a really healthy relationship with food, USUALLY, which is why it really shocked me that I felt so down on myself about it today.

    I do agree with you on that as well.....I can't go below 1700 for sure. Even though I sometimes find it hard to get closer to 2000, the idea of not eating more than 1700 seems torturous! I guess I should have also said that I try to aim for 1700 every day so I can have a buffer for the weekend when I generally like to have a cheat day. I have started to try to go for a weekly caloric goal, rather than just daily if that makes sense.

    And you are so lucky to have a healthy relationship with food :) Mine has always sucked and I know that it will always be a struggle....it's really hard to not become obsessed to be honest....so scared of going back to the old me!

    think about it this way.
    What are ALL the things you do differently now from before?
    For me its:
    1) I lift regularly, 3x a week and have more muscle than before
    2) I can run steadily and for 30 + minutes and sometimes I do.
    3) I remember to get up from my desk regularly to get more tea (and I drink a lot of tea)
    4) if I can walk instead of drive, I do. If I can stand instead of sit, I do.

    ^^ all that exercise + NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) means that, honestly, i probably eat about the same as I did when I was 200 lbs. A LITTLE better - I know the one thing I did stop doing is having a treat just because it was available, now I only have one if I'm hungry/really want it. But not much - and I don't NEED to eat that much better because I went from zero activity to moderate activity + muscle and bone density to increase my BMR.

    I think because we're always told that "diet is first" we tend to stress out about it more than MOST people need to - now some people have incredibly poor eating habits, or they are binge eaters, or have bad soda/alcohol habits that lead to a ton of empty calories. But most people in the modern developed world probably don't eat THAT badly - they just don't move enough and they don't' have to do much manual labor so they are weaker and less muscular than they could be.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    End of Week 12!
    Bench: 100
    Row: 105
    OHP: 70
    Squat: 160
    DL: 160

    this is really awesome - you mentioned somewhere else that you feel like the year using machines was 'wasted' time but honestly I think it wasn't ALL wasted - this is a lot faster progress than most women make on these lifts and I'm sure its because you came in with a good base of strength to build on, even if you had to learn these whole new movements. Sure you' be a little further now if you'd started this back then, but I think you're getting an accelerated start because of that other lifting.

    Well, and you know how to fuel your body and aren't scared to do it. That also matters.
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,080 Member
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    Nexus and Port -- it might be time for you to look at an intermediate program. (you can still come and check in with us though!)

    Thanks Tameko, yes I will check in, funnily enough your subsequent posts to this - highlighting the lady I had forgotten about recently (kaleo?!), have seen her pics and story before, is what I needed to hear. My eating is not matching my weight lifting needs and I need to get to grips with it right away. I am feeling exhausted lately (work schedule is rather hectic and unpredictable) and know I need to possibly start monitoring actual calories rather than just using numbers of meals. I think I have been free of ED'ed symptoms long enough to give it a go. Am getting impatient with myself for not getting it totally right first time. BUT looking at those posts, and the patience that lady had, I think I can cope with the seeming stagnation...I hope. Strength going up but no significant bodily changes...gah...fingers crossed and all that...I know it takes time...
  • a_vettestingray
    a_vettestingray Posts: 654 Member
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    End of Week 12!
    Bench: 100
    Row: 105
    OHP: 70
    Squat: 160
    DL: 160

    What will you be doing now?

    So, I met with the trainer today. He hasn't heard of SL 5x5 and wants me to bring it in. He said it sounds pretty solid and he doesn't really want to fix something that isn't broken, but he would like to drop squats to twice a week. He said my form looked pretty good with squats, but I do need to strengthen my core and hammies, so he gave me some assistance core work, He seems stoked that I am interested in powerlifting. He mentioned that since I don't have any real time goals, just weight goals....he wants me to sign up for a meet, so I can push myself more. I don't know about actually competing, as I am so weak right now, lol. It is probably his way of wanting me to buy more sessions with him! We meet again Sunday and he wants to review my nutrition to see if I need to bump up my calories.
  • xidia
    xidia Posts: 606 Member
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    So, induction/training/weight-sorting session complete. Workout A complete, with bonus set of deadlifts while we figured out the weights.

    Week 1:
    Currently on a studio bar (unweighted) for everything except DL

    Squat: 30lbs x5 sets - I am going to stall here real fast because I won't be able to lift the bar over my head safely until my upper body gets stronger: the squat cage starts at 45lbs for the bar alone
    Bench: 30lbs x 2 sets, 20lbs x 3 sets. I'm going to add the 2.5lbs fractionals next time and see if I can do 5x5 of that
    Row: 30lb x 5 sets

    OP: 20lbs (which is why getting a 30lb squat bar from the floor to my shoulders and back 5 times is challenging...)
    DL: 90lbs on the proper bar!

    Total weight lifted, NOT including the DL and OPs I didn't log: 975kgs
    Oh, and I ran 2k as well.
  • a_vettestingray
    a_vettestingray Posts: 654 Member
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    I wanted to share this with anyone who needs to strengthen their hamstrings. I found a video of the exercise that my trainer had me do today to really isolate the hamstrings. Enjoy!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poj-jX7-6Ho
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    Next, I'm taking a week off and hope I can pumice down some of these callouses a little. :laugh: Then I'll just continue with the 5x5 until I need to switch to 3x5. And a deload because I'm really struggling.

    I don't think using the machines was a waste of time... it was certainly better than just doing cardio, but it took like four different machines to do what squatting alone does (leg press, leg curl, leg extension, glute press) just for the legs. The chest press and shoulder machines made it too easy... I was doing much, much much heavier than I was able to once I got a barbell, and they isolated the muscles. I never felt it in my abs or back or anything. OHP especially since I don't use a rack for it and have to clean it to my shoulders.

    I'd like to tag along to someone with the gym sometime just to see what kind of crazy-*kitten* numbers I could pull now. I'd probably max out the Planet Fitness leg press. :laugh:

    Oh, and for anyone else who doesn't have a squat rack, remember you can do front squats or hack squats. I started with front squats and switched to hack squats.

    http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBFrontSquat.html (I didn't have my arms crossed, though)

    http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBHackSquat.html (probably the cause of the worst of my callouses!)
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
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    If you changed exercise programs, dont' change eating too. Bring it back up to 2k and see what happens. otherwise, even if you DO make progress you won't know what did it and lets be honest here - do you REALLY want to go the rest of your life eating at or below 1700? I sure as hell don't. I'd rather be fat.

    I'd say I have a really healthy relationship with food, USUALLY, which is why it really shocked me that I felt so down on myself about it today.

    I do agree with you on that as well.....I can't go below 1700 for sure. Even though I sometimes find it hard to get closer to 2000, the idea of not eating more than 1700 seems torturous! I guess I should have also said that I try to aim for 1700 every day so I can have a buffer for the weekend when I generally like to have a cheat day. I have started to try to go for a weekly caloric goal, rather than just daily if that makes sense.

    And you are so lucky to have a healthy relationship with food :) Mine has always sucked and I know that it will always be a struggle....it's really hard to not become obsessed to be honest....so scared of going back to the old me!

    think about it this way.
    What are ALL the things you do differently now from before?
    For me its:
    1) I lift regularly, 3x a week and have more muscle than before
    2) I can run steadily and for 30 + minutes and sometimes I do.
    3) I remember to get up from my desk regularly to get more tea (and I drink a lot of tea)
    4) if I can walk instead of drive, I do. If I can stand instead of sit, I do.

    ^^ all that exercise + NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) means that, honestly, i probably eat about the same as I did when I was 200 lbs. A LITTLE better - I know the one thing I did stop doing is having a treat just because it was available, now I only have one if I'm hungry/really want it. But not much - and I don't NEED to eat that much better because I went from zero activity to moderate activity + muscle and bone density to increase my BMR.

    I think because we're always told that "diet is first" we tend to stress out about it more than MOST people need to - now some people have incredibly poor eating habits, or they are binge eaters, or have bad soda/alcohol habits that lead to a ton of empty calories. But most people in the modern developed world probably don't eat THAT badly - they just don't move enough and they don't' have to do much manual labor so they are weaker and less muscular than they could be.

    You are 100% right about all the things that have changed since I've started this journey....as well as being right about we're "told". Thank you for the reminder! You know, it's funny, i posted on BB.com in the womens section and wow....the responses I got honestly were pretty ridiculous....all like you're eating too much and so on. It was super frustrating!

    This is such a great support group her within the SL ladies....i'm so happy that I joined :)
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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  • vicmonster
    vicmonster Posts: 297 Member
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    Hi everyone...I'm back after my month off with the flu then pneumonia then the flu again. 5 days in the hospital, I missed my son's confirmation and my first 1/2 marathon that I trained for. But now on to better things!!! I started the program over today and focus on form. Was able to do 5x5 on all, squats 65lbs, bench press 55lbs, rows 45 lbs.

    Xinia congrats on your first workout! Lorina your pictures are awesome and inspiring as always. Great job everyone, bring it on!!!
  • sarahz5
    sarahz5 Posts: 1,363 Member
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    Lorina, you are fabulous and I still remember when I first got active on here, I shared one of your photo threads with friends on another forum and said "this is the most inspiring before and after FOR ME that I have ever seen."

    THANK YOU to those of you who were discussing squat form - lifting with the butt is such a key change! Feels totally different.

    I bumped up a lot today, the second time I did Workout B (beginning of Week 2, I guess!). I am glad someone mentioned a page or so ago that the program only includes one set of deadlifts, because I completely missed that. So I went up something ridic like 25 pounds (and did 4 warm up sets). Had to go up 10 on OHP because of the small barbells available, and that was fine. Next time I'll be able to use the bar! And I accidentally increased 10 more than I intended to on squats. <eye roll at myself> But it all was fine and I started light anyway, so no big.

    Squat 5x5 85 lbs
    OHP 5x5 40 lbs
    Deadlift 5x5 85 lbs

    Ball crunches 3x15 (10 lbs overhead)
    Push ups 3x10
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,080 Member
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    Hi everyone...I'm back after my month off with the flu then pneumonia then the flu again. 5 days in the hospital, I missed my son's confirmation and my first 1/2 marathon that I trained for. But now on to better things!!! I started the program over today and focus on form. Was able to do 5x5 on all, squats 65lbs, bench press 55lbs, rows 45 lbs.

    Xinia congrats on your first workout! Lorina your pictures are awesome and inspiring as always. Great job everyone, bring it on!!!

    Glad to hear you are better, what an ordeal, yikes...I am taking a break from lifting really heavy...be back the new year to get back on track though...

    WAY TO GO EVERYONE!!!
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
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    @Lorina.....inspiring post yet again! Seeing your photo's this time really came at a great time as I've been questioning how quickly I will see results.....your pictures help me to really understand that the changes this time around will be subtle, but they will make a huge change and huge impact.

    Great work again! You are BADASS!!!!!