WOOOHOOOOOOOO!

Taken me FOREVER but started supercharged hypertrophy 1 today. Loved it! Fab to change up the moves. With the varied reps I really had to think about which exercises to include, especially since I've had such a break. So I've gone back to basics on some things, swapped the big lifts like DLs and back squats to Romanian DLs (lighter weights) and front squats - will manage weights while improving form. I even loved the combination at the end, although the shoulder presses were tough. But, I have included exercises which should work my arms/ shoulders/ chest - aka my weak spots.

Had great fun and wasn't as hard as I thought it might be to get back into it. Yay!!

Got to go buy groceries, workout, and get a pedicure without kids today! It's amazing how much I can get done when I don't have them with me. I love them like crazy, but gosh, I sometimes forget how EASY it is to do things alone.I've added barbell hip thrusts for a hinge movement and good mornings as a "finisher" to my workouts.
Got a compliment at church yesterday and one from the most fit PT at the gym. Both ladies told me I was looking "skinny". It's funny because I haven't lost but maybe 2lbs since November, but I'm finally down another size in jeans. That's 5 whole sizes down in 38lbs (33-->28 or 16-->6).THAT is yet another reason that I love lifting.

Beeps you have done more than "show up"

Jo - I am thinking about supercharged next - I'd like to know what you think

Barbell that's amazing progress.

I weigh exactly the same as a year ago when I started weight lifting. I have normal weight just want it distributed differently. I will try to focus on nutrition for the last 6-7 weeks of nrolw. I am generally happy with my weight but I am having some Tom swelling of the belly and am feeling down about myself.
I am happy that I was able to get out and ski with my family and had minimal pain. I am hopeful that I will be able to get back to my old exercise self which included biking 8 miles 4-6 x a week.

I am happy about lifting and I plan to continue, but I wish you guys all appreciated your bodies and your strength--- I didn't but now I do -- I have had pseudo weakness in my right leg for months- it tires with starting activity, but gets better with continued activity.So I stopped trying activities even to the point where I stopped kicking during swimming. I started swimming two years ago because I couldn't tolerate anything else, but six months ago I believed that even kicking during swimming was somehow damaging. I finally got the right help but I wish everyone appreciated their bodies as much as you do.

manic, you do TOO want to go to the gym!!!!!!!!!! You will FEEL so much better once you just get back on that horse and RIDE. GO. GO. GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't want to, no ma'am. BUT I DID!

Did my own little workout that I posted last week for my arms and legs. I need something new .Bored. I don't want to do NROL4W or Abs again. Too fussy workouts. I want plain and simple but effective.

I'm with you Mary - I lifted 1x last week - work kept me late at work every night last week, and I just had to sleep. I had nothing left for workouts so I seriously just rested. I did spin today and I'll get back to lifting again tomorrow.

So here's a suggestion for new programs - straightforward, no fussy stuff - Stronglifts 5x5, Wendler's 5/3/1 and Nia Shanks Beautiful BadAss ro (S)Hero program. I had a very difficult time deciding between them and I really can't tell you why I chose Wendler's over the others.

I'm hopelessly behind. I will say Jen, if it hurts while you're doing it, stop and yea RICE!

Beeps, I know you'll find your best process. I'm with you though, I do hold water weight when I'm consistently lifting. I was down a couple pounds last week and I know it's all water weight.

I have to read the inbetween posts now!

Hello all... I posted this in the stage 2 & 4 thread as well and have not received a response yet. Can you all help me out.

I am almost done with stage 1 and had a question about stage 2 before I start it.

How long (on average) does it take you to complete these workouts? I have been going on my lunch break to work out, and wanted to know if I could legitimately fit the workouts into that time period. I have an hour lunch, but It takes me 10 or so mins to get to the gym and get ready. So, I have max 35 mins to work out.

Is it possible? or am I going to have to start waking up at the crack of dawn to work out before work?

Thanks in advance.

I go at the crack of dawn! My gym opens at 5 and I'm there when it does.

thanks... I'm not a morning person. I have 2 weeks to decide whether to break up the workouts or to get up extra early.

Jo - I am thinking about supercharged next - I'd like to know what you think

Probably best to ask me when I'm done! I found it hard to swap from set exercises to selecting my own.... but I have been better able to do that on this second stage and am feeling happier about it. It's a long program, but flexible. You can tailor it to meet injuries or to work on areas you want to improve.

Today I did B1 and this was a round of 3 sets of 12 reps for most exercises. A few new ones. Was good but rushed as I had an appt to get to. Will be able to lift more when I have more time for rest in between. Good to get going with it though and seems like the exercises I have picked work pretty well together. My B workout is a lot of shoulders and abdominal rotation exercises. My A workout is predominantly legs and back. But both have an element of cardio and abs are always included in some way or another. Feeling positive. Cardio tomorrow.

Some people do wear HRMs while lifting - I do not. I find it...too inefficient for that sort of thing - like using Cruise Control on a 35 mph road. I find it better on more "rigorous" (not to say lifting is not rigorous...), sustained/continued high target rates.

Not that am proud of it, but most times, irregardless of whether I lift or do cardio, I neither hardly ever hit the 1700 calorie mark, nor hit my protein goal.....I am working on that though....

Quick question.... how many cals do you reckon you burn with lifting? MFP gives me 169 for 60 mins. I'm happy to stick to a lower burn but just wondering how close to the truth it is. I'm 53kg/ 117lbs. Sometimes I'm just hungry.... but then I'll go over cals if I eat what I want. I am maintaining on 1800 kcals. I know a few days going over won't hurt.... I'm just one of those people who needs facts!!

Jo, that sounds about right- maybe a little more. According to my BodyMedia, which is more accurate than a HRM for weightlifting, I burn around 220-250 cals/hr doing the Supercharged workouts. As far as I can tell, that seems to be pretty accurate. I'm 5'5" and 148lbs.

Trying to get a lift in today. No 4 am workouts for me. Yuck! I did that when the baby was too young to be left in the gym playroom though. Some day I may have to resort back to it as the kids get older and I don't have as much control over my schedule.

I don't think I burn very much when lifting. Maybe 100 calories? (I really think people completely overestimate their calorie burn all the time - even technology, like fitbit or whatever, I'm 100% skeptical of the #'s it spits out....but, I'm a cynic, I admit it!)

Let's just say that I don't "add back" any calories, from anything I do - not from lifting and not from (my irregular) cardio....I just set my "calorie intake" and leave that number alone.

Having said that, my scale weight is in a firm plateau....so, what the h*ll do I know...

I feel much the same way, only my appetite would sometimes argue that I burn more! I am trying to maintain so I will often eat those cals back and it seems to suit me fine. It's a fine balance though to get those numbers right.

With the others - I agree, hrms are not much use for lifting. Good for cardio, but not strength. I guess I'll stick to my conservative estimate

I wish I knew an accurate "burn" from lifting-- I feel that I earned those cals and I want to eat them. When I exercise more my appetite goes up. But I am maintaining and I know I am eating more than I log--olive oil has 130 cal per tablespoon and I have that almost everyday and never log it.
I think MFP overestimates cals burned from exercise for me and if I wanted to lose weight I would not eat back exercise calories and log and measure more especially butter / spread/ oil and cheese.

Lifting tomorrow goal is five consecutive chin-ups