Glad our east coasters are doing ok. My family and friends were spared with minimal damage but it is so heartbreaking.

What kind of shoes do you wear while lifting? I bought a cushy pair of Asics over the summer when I was still a cardio queen who was intimidated by barbie weights. But I'm finding when I'm doing lunges or squats or the like my feet are wobbling around in my shoes and it's difficult to complete the moves with the right form. I'm curious to hear what you all wear.

Chucks! Seriously, lifting in Converse is amazing. I too have heard Vibram's are good but I've never worn them. My lifting became so much better after I ditched the cushion shoe. You're right—you don't have the stability and you can't feel the ground under your feet. I can lift more/push through my feet and legs better when I'm wearing Chucks. And they're 40 bucks so hey!

I support vibrams as the ultimate lifting shoe. I feel like everything goes from "meh" to "kapow!"

Well, I've never been so happy for my TOM (that's not entirely true

BUT, I got down to 158 and I've been back up to good ol' 160 for the past few days. I know it doesn't sound like a big deal, but I've been hovering at 160 for 5 years (granted I had another baby in that time) It's so frustrating not to break that plateau. Hopefully this is TOM induced. I was starting to feel like I could never have a glass of wine or chocolate.

What is everyone's favorite stage in NROL4W? I'm almost into stage 3. Stage 2 has really shown me my weak spots (glutes and hammies)

Hope everyone is doing well.

Hello everyone, just checking in to say hi! What is the protein challenge a lot of people do on this thread? I see people posting numbers but idk what any of them mean! The Me and NEP stuff?

Yea!! WE ARE HOME!!!!! YEA!!! I can go to the gym!!! YEA!!! I actually looked at the weights in the basement last night - no time to workout, since we have not an ounce of food in the house, and unbelievably the house is a wreck! I need to clean and put things away, cycle out summer-ish stuff for real winter wear etc. But I'm going to use the elliptical or bike tonight for a bit and Saturday, meeting iwth my trainer (who I totally love by the way) and get back to Stage 2.

Beeps hunni I missed your birthday but I love how your family did everything they could to celebrate! Happy belated birthday!!!

Sam, isn't it amazing how good that ol' routine feels!? I have one more piece for mine to be "normal" again - my train is still out of service and probably will be for a good long while, since there was so much track and overhead wire damage. Although there is bus service, the thought of riding a jam packed commuter bus 45 miles into NYC makes me nauseous. So I am driving 40 of those miles to a park & ride and then bussing the short distance into Port Authority. It's a total madhouse, many of the commuter systems are still very disrupted and people don't have much patience with that.

Gadenni, I can't do the gym in the evening either, it's just too crowded. Tell me what you decide on for lifting shoes. I've been wearing my old sneaks but I need to replace them.

I support vibrams as the ultimate lifting shoe. I feel like everything goes from "meh" to "kapow!"

I've been looking at them. Tell me why they make such a difference please?

Well I don't have a fav since i've only just started Stage 2 but I will say that overall, I really like the program!

Can I restart the protein challenge again? I have totally lost track of that and I need to get back to it! I've been a real slacker during the time we were up north.

emgel, thanks for that great information! I will try them.

YES! you do have to build up running in them because barefoot running works your calf muscles and arch muscles in new ways. The Vibram website even has recommendations for building up running in them. If you ignore these recs and just dive in to it you will be SO FREAKIN SORE.

Walking in them first is a great idea. The way I did it for running was about a 1/2 mile at a time. I would do my cardio work out then strap on my five fingers and run 1/2 mile. After a few days i upped it to a mile. and so on. When I upped it to fast I was very sore. But you may want to just keep running in them since they make running SO much easier! I hope you all like them as much as I do!

One note: I did buy the injinji socks about 3 weeks after I bought my five fingers because I was getting blisters. The socks took care of that!

I wore my vibrams in a 5k zobmie mud run last weekend and where everyone else was slipping all over the mud I had great traction, and where everyone else was whining that their shoes were waterlogged I didn't care bc vibrams are like water shoes!

Had the gym totally to myself last night. My strength is fairly intact, but my stamina was for poop. I only did 2 sets of each rotation and it feel like phase 1 of ABS will never be over for me. I guess that's what happens when you only lift two days a week. How did that happen?

ME:1
NEP: 1
I'm way under on calories but VERY low on protein

Just checking in. Haven't made it to the gym since October 31. I have put in 15-hour days every day since then, at work. I have about 4 or 5 more in a row (major transaction happening!).

I was terrible with my diet on Sat. Super good on Sunday and Monday. So, so on tues and it all fell apart, yesterday.

Today, too.



TOM is coming. I have NO idea how much I weigh or anything. I just know I feel like CRAP as I've had no more than 4 hours of sleep per night and I haven't been to the gym in a LONG TIME (for me).

GO KILL IT!

I feel ya, Beeps. My schedule has really screwed up my workouts.

I am sleeping better. Not as great as I had hoped, and still hope to eventually, but better. Well enough to function.

I have a few hours this morning, so I'm going to go upstairs and hit the weights a bit.

Tuesday I did something I haven't done in 18 years. I got on a horse. I used to show in college, but because of life, and then my back issue, I haven't ridden in all these years. My 14 yo daughter takes lessons. Tuesday they saddled up a horse for me, and I rode too. You know what? I still got it. ;-). The most amazing part was that my back didn't hurt. Not while I rode or the next day. We are riding again today. This time on a trail. I'm excited! It feels so good to do something that I thought I couldn't do.

Thanks, Sue. I am considering riding on a more regular basis now that I know I can.

I lifted today. My sporadic workouts have definitely left me weaker. I struggled doing bench presses with the 15dbs. :-( All of my lifts are less weight now. I have been doing more body weight stuff, too, which affects it. BUT, I'm actually making more progress with my size, scale weight, and appearance right now. I'll take it. I do want big muscles, but I want less fat, too. I'll probably go heavier again eventually.

I think all those planks really helped when I rode. I purposely USED my core. It made all the difference with my back, I'm sure.

I start Stage 2 today! Woot!