Daily Chat Thread

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Replies

  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 12,190 Member
    gadenni - I've got your streak challenge entry!

    I'll repost the streak challenge list of who and what in a day or two. We start FRIDAY!
  • Vicki_78
    Vicki_78 Posts: 81 Member
    So last week I did my first workout... wasn't able to do my other two because my boyfriend had surgery... planned to try again this week so I went to the gym and just couldn't get myself into the weight room... there was a ton of guys in there and I just don't have the confidence yet :( so I just did some cardio. Guess I will have to do my workouts at home till I know what I'm doing. Any suggestions for doing NROL at home?
  • blacknivory
    blacknivory Posts: 30 Member
    I tend to find my own little patch. Just starting out there is absolutely no competition for 10-20kg weights so I take them to another part of the gym out of the central weights area.

    I also believe with the money I'm paying for the membership I have just as much right to be there as them and ask questions of the owner on lifting advice and the best place to complete the exercise.
    It's worth talking to the guys because anyone I have asked advice of has been immensely helpful and even when I'm doing push ups at a 60 degree angle or lifting 2kg dumbbells they will tell me I'm doing well.

    I'm not making any judgements about you but for a long time I was away from the gym and heard this voice in my head blaming the loud horrible music for why I didn't like going. I knew it was one of those evil 'excuse demons' and so went back. Now that I'm enjoying myself the music doesn't bother me. Just be careful your fear of the weight room isn't an excuse demon. I know I've had thousands of them and it's taken me years just imagine I could ever be strong.

    Another tip is to try a 24 hour gym. Lots of times I go at odd hours and there is no-one there.

    Good luck (and yes getting started at home is a good move too - I have a back up home workout when I don't want to go near the gym)
  • LB2LL
    LB2LL Posts: 240 Member
    So, last night I used the OB for my DLs! I didn't think it would make a huge difference from the weeny barbells I was using but it totally does. It's so funny because the OB is so long/big and the plates I used were so tiny. I'm still glad I did it and I think I'm well on my way to being at 100# come the end of February (currently at 75#).

    I also added in a daily WoD that I get sent to my phone. I only did a set or two instead of the 50 reps in a row that they required to avoid burnout. It was a fun change of pace and I think I will continue to do them daily.
  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 12,190 Member
    Vicki - put your "big girl panties" on and get BACK to the gym! At the gym, you have RESOURCES - employees who can help you with "form" - personal trainers who can make sure that you are getting the exercise RIGHT. blacknivory is 100% correct. Just do it!

    LB2LL - isn't it AMAZING what we learn about our bodies when we PUSH them to do what is challenging??!!?? Great news!!

    Any more challenge entrants?? I'll update the list momentarily.
  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 12,190 Member
    THE STREAK CHALLENGE!

    20130128_zps7317de0d.jpg

    We begin on February 1st!

    Any more entrants????
  • Oliver1967
    Oliver1967 Posts: 21 Member
    I live in a small town with a small gym, Nothing fancy. We have a ladies side that has older weight machines and cardio equipment and up to 15lb. dumb bells. Have been reading on the net and some say it is better to use the free weights instead of the machines. And weights are better than cardio. Would love any input. Thanks
  • suelegal
    suelegal Posts: 1,281 Member
    Just a quick hello everyone. I'm visiting my dad in sunny WARM Sarasota! Lazy morning, I'm still in PJs, but I'll shower and put on shorts and flip flops and take a walk out to the local yarn shop - it's a mile or more away. I might do some BW stuff later or tomorrow too. Hope you all are having a great week!
  • suelegal
    suelegal Posts: 1,281 Member
    I tend to find my own little patch. Just starting out there is absolutely no competition for 10-20kg weights so I take them to another part of the gym out of the central weights area.

    I also believe with the money I'm paying for the membership I have just as much right to be there as them and ask questions of the owner on lifting advice and the best place to complete the exercise.
    It's worth talking to the guys because anyone I have asked advice of has been immensely helpful and even when I'm doing push ups at a 60 degree angle or lifting 2kg dumbbells they will tell me I'm doing well.

    I'm not making any judgements about you but for a long time I was away from the gym and heard this voice in my head blaming the loud horrible music for why I didn't like going. I knew it was one of those evil 'excuse demons' and so went back. Now that I'm enjoying myself the music doesn't bother me. Just be careful your fear of the weight room isn't an excuse demon. I know I've had thousands of them and it's taken me years just imagine I could ever be strong.

    Another tip is to try a 24 hour gym. Lots of times I go at odd hours and there is no-one there.

    Good luck (and yes getting started at home is a good move too - I have a back up home workout when I don't want to go near the gym)

    ditto to this! I was very intimidated when I started - despite knowing that I paid the same and get the same privileges. 2 things helped me - a trainer (you can go anywhere when you're with a trainer and no one looks twice) and working out at 5AM. The people there at that time are there to work and generally only pay passing attention to new folks.
  • suelegal
    suelegal Posts: 1,281 Member
    Kat, ditto to what Beeps said and I also have added VersaGripps! They REALLY have helped me!
  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 12,190 Member
    SFPOliver - go buy New Rules of Lifting for Women. Read it through once. And then again. Get off the cardio-bunny race and into heavy-lifting! Lots of support right here on mfp!

    sue - it is -26 C here today....-42C with the windchill. I AM SO JEALOUS OF YOU RIGHT NOW!
  • Hey guys, checking in to say that my new gym is fabulous. But...I wanted to set a session with a trainer to get one on one instruction on some of the moves. It's been years since I did anything with free weights and I have some knee issues. My first session isn't until March 7th! They are doing some sort of fitness assessment with new members (this gym is part of a medical center) and everybody is booked up. So I think I'm going to do machine weights in February and start NROL4W in March after my session with the trainer. I'm a little bummed but knowing my history of injuries I think it's wise to wait until I can get some one on one time before I tackle free weights again.

    I did lift yesterday on the machine weights and am pleasantly sore today. My plan is to do 3 days a week with machine weights and another day or two of cardio.

    Can I still join the challenge even if my NROL4W start is going to be delayed? If so I would like to aim for a minimum of 4 days per week at the gym (3 days of lifting).
  • emgel9
    emgel9 Posts: 218 Member
    Guys, I need a pep talk. I have been successfully slow carbing (yay!) and can't get over how full I am. I despise those people who post on the forums "o woe is me, I can't eat all my calories" and I'd think "o shut up, I can eat your calories AND my calories" but now I AM that person! Yesterday I felt like I ate all day and it turns out I only ate 1400 calories (my TDEE is about 2500)!

    I just logged my food for today and am at 1560, I even added 1/2 an avocado to breakfast. I haven't eaten my afternoon snack yet and I have chicken cacciatore in the crockpot at home (all included in the 1560) but im SO ful! Should I just add some nuts to the end of my day and quit whining? Maybe give it a week and my appetite will return when I get used to the high protein/low carb again?

    My diary isn't open, but just to give you an idea, my day looked like this:
    Breakfast: avocado and bacon omlette (one egg, two egg whites)
    Snack: two hard boiled eggs
    Lunch: 1/4 dark meat peruvian chicken and cole slaw
    Snack: spaghetti squash and cheese (this is like mac n cheese without the "mac" and no, i didn't cut out dairy bc cheese is delicious)
    Dinner: chicken cacciatore with spaghetti squash (maybe ill eat the other half of the avocado?)

    on the plus side I am awesomely sore from my PRs yesterday!
  • kmsairam
    kmsairam Posts: 317 Member
    emgel - what is slow carbing????
  • gadenni34
    gadenni34 Posts: 294 Member
    I agree with Kathy....what is slow carbing? I am intrigued.
  • emgel9
    emgel9 Posts: 218 Member
    Haha slow carb is by Tim Ferris who wrote The 4 Hour Body (really interesting! I recommend it) and is sort of his own way of eating. My husband has been doing it for more than a year with great success! It is sort of a mix of south beach and paleo. Basically, you eat, in as much quantity as you want, vegetables, proteins, and legumes (the beans and lentils are a super important part of it - they are the "slow carb" portion) and then once a week you have a full cheat day. It definitely works well for people who do well with restrictive eating rather than portion control (I think I have said before I can NOT eat just one cookie, I admire those who can).

    There are TONS of blogs devoted to slow carbing and the four hour body and the recipes are really delicious! (last night I made this http://www.marksdailyapple.com/moroccan-chicken-casserole/#axzz1kxpZyC3Q) but what I really love is the cheat day because it is MANDATORY I never feel like I am depriving myself because I KNOW I can eat ALL my cravings on Saturday.

    We eat a lot of: eggs, bacon, chicken, steak, hamburgers, turkey burgers, fish, guacamole/avocado, hummus, legumes (lentil stew, black beans - lots of mexican food - chili, etc..), carrots, cauliflower, and stuff like that. And it is a lot of quantity and not a lot of calories! Hence my problem.

    I hit 1800 calories today by adding some nuts and the rest of my avocado from breakfast =D
  • Vicki_78
    Vicki_78 Posts: 81 Member
    Thanks everyone for the pep talk... beeps you seriously made me LOL :) maybe I will try going earlier in the day... maybe less guys then? I just hate feeling like I'm being stared at while I'm trying to work out... especially with something new. But I did workout yesterday & today (cardio) despite being in the middle of a hellish work week... working 5 out of 6 days all 12 hours and all crazy busy. Pretty proud of that... and gonna try to go back again tomorow before work... depends when I wake up and how I feel :)
    and emgel I'm interested in the slow carb thing... does it require strict counting of carbs? because honestly I'm not very good at that :)
  • gadenni34
    gadenni34 Posts: 294 Member
    Vicki I found the weight area intimidating at first too. I did/do a couple of things to help myself get through it.
    First off I had a trainer walk me through the area and show me what was what. It helped me to feel more comfortable and it opened the door for me to ask questions when/if they come up.
    second I walk in there like I own the place. I feel stupid sometimes honestly but I still continually tell myself that I belong there as much as anyone else does.
    finally I put my headphones in and just put a general *taking care of business* look on my face. I smile and am polite but I just get in, get it done and then get the heck out.

    you can do it! truthfully you gotta get comfortable with the area because just as soon as you get used to one set of exercises they fricking change on you and then you gotta learn some new stuff all over again. I often feel like I may look stupid or awkward as hell but I no longer feel like I don't belong in the free weights. :)
  • blacknivory
    blacknivory Posts: 30 Member
    THE STREAK CHALLENGE!

    20130128_zps7317de0d.jpg

    We begin on February 1st!

    Any more entrants????

    Do you just set your own goal and join the list? My goal is to do three NROLW workouts each week (or substute exercises when travelling).
  • emgel9
    emgel9 Posts: 218 Member
    Vicki - the good thing about "slow carb" is that you don't count anything. you just eat the allowed foods, if you did count carbs you would be shocked at how many carbs you were eating because of all the beans and lentils! Restrictive eating just works for me, but since I am tracking what I am eating while I'm doing this I am noticing a big calorie deficit. Just mapped out today and only hit 1400...I guess I'll add some nuts and avocado to my dinner! YUM!

    *disclaimer: i do not think "slow carb" is better than any other eating plan out there. Moderation, IF, low carb, low fat, all work in their own ways as long as they work for YOU personally! I just never expected to have the problem of not getting enough calories. The foods I am eating are just high quantity low calorie lol.

    Ok, lifting session this am. Not my best. But Stage 3 is almost done!
  • LB2LL
    LB2LL Posts: 240 Member
    I am VERY intrigued by this "slow carbing."

    Was it hard to start? What is the ultimate "goal" of it? Benefits? I might just have to try it. I also love the mandatory cheat day idea since I pretty much do that regardless ;) (Also I realize I can just google these answers)

    Yesterday was actually a "cheat" day for me. I mean, I ate good throughout but didn't bother to log dinner. I felt burned out so no gym last night either. It was great. I feel recharged and ready to have at my workout tonight!
  • lcuconley
    lcuconley Posts: 734 Member
    please add me. my goal is daily workouts...just SOMETHING every day. I like to crosstrain, including NROLFW, spin, running, soccer and yoga.

    I am on Stage 1, going to workout 5 on Friday.
  • lcuconley
    lcuconley Posts: 734 Member
    Thanks everyone for the pep talk... beeps you seriously made me LOL :) maybe I will try going earlier in the day... maybe less guys then? I just hate feeling like I'm being stared at while I'm trying to work out... especially with something new. But I did workout yesterday & today (cardio) despite being in the middle of a hellish work week... working 5 out of 6 days all 12 hours and all crazy busy. Pretty proud of that... and gonna try to go back again tomorow before work... depends when I wake up and how I feel :)
    and emgel I'm interested in the slow carb thing... does it require strict counting of carbs? because honestly I'm not very good at that :)

    great job on getting your workouts in despite the work schedule!

    When i started NROLFW years ago, I felt so stupid carting the book around...i'd do a set, look again at the book to refine, do another set...but once I got rolling, it was great. They start with lots of reps so that you can teach your body how to move and get comfortable with the feel. March in the weights area with confidence!
  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 12,190 Member
    tennesseeleig, blacknivory, lcuconley - I have added you into the FEBRUARY STREAK CHALLENGE!

    emgel - are you trying to lose fat? Or are you just trying to maintain your scale weight?

    Today, I lift!
  • jenniet04
    jenniet04 Posts: 1,054 Member
    Sue - totally jealous of the warm weather. Glad you are having a good time.

    Tennessee - sorry to hear about the trainer scheduling. You are more than welcome to join in even if you're not starting NR right away. It's definitely better for you if you are comfortable with the exercise before you start them.

    Vicki - I agree with everyone else. Just walk in like you own the place and get to work. Wearing my headphones and listening to music is a really great distraction for me as well so I'm not as inclined to worry about what's going on around me.

    3rd morning for me to get up and get my exercise in today. Hoping I can get my streak going before Feb starts. AND - no pain or discomfort in my hip this morning. I was even able to go lower than parallel when doing my squats - I don't know that I'd call it ATG, but it was close.
  • rachietuk
    rachietuk Posts: 308 Member
    Missed working out on Tuesday, not feeling well. I am hoping I will be ok tomorrow morning, I need to get back to this. I find if I miss too many days it is so hard fro me to get back to a routine. That being said, I will not go back to the gym until I feel ok, there really is no point.
    I am shocked that I have missed lifting the past few days as much as I have, it must be a good thing.
  • gadenni34
    gadenni34 Posts: 294 Member
    not going to make it to the gym today. 4+ inches of snow stand in my way.
    I will however be getting in a fantastic workout shoveling all that darn snow. which is fine. hard work but I will earn an extra large glass of hot cocoa! :) and a cookie. mmmmmmmmmmmm

    Rachietuk I hope you get to feeling better.
    Sue I am totally jealous of your warm weather...especially right now.
    jennie yay for no hip pain...hope you continue your streak!
    Kill it Beeps!
    lcuconley my husband teases me because I am embarrassed about taking my book in. He rolls his eyes and says that I should not be worried about what others think and just be proud that I am doing it. which is true. I still hide it in a locker though and just go over between sets and remind myself of what is coming next. lol
  • emgel9
    emgel9 Posts: 218 Member
    Beeps - I am trying to lose fat!! I've built up so much muscle (I know because I can SEE it!) but it's all under the fat I keep failing to lose!

    Rachietuk - feel better! And I agree, no point in working out when you feel like crap!

    lcuconley and gadenni - i take my book with me in the gym at the beginning of every stage! I don't care WHAT people think! I have seen people trying to sneak peeks at my New Rules log (just the printed sheet of paper I write my weights on) because I think they are interested in what I am doing! But more than anything, people comment on my vibram five fingers lol

    And, on my last "slow carb" note: I really recommend the book the 4 Hour Body to anyone interested in it! The author, Tim Ferris, has some great insight and research on muscle gains, weight loss, and other things you never knew you cared about!
  • Thanks guys. Today is another lift day and I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully it will help work out some of my DOMS from Monday!
  • manic4titans
    manic4titans Posts: 1,214 Member
    I am such a carb eater! i don't like a lot of meat. I have a friend who is following the Dukan diet. She has lost 39 pounds in 10 weeks. It is a high protein diet similar to Atkins diet. It's not for me.

    Another day down of lifting. NO back pain . Focused on form and muscles working :smile:
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