Stef Sardelsa's Log
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4 weeks isn't very long as Skye said. And remember women can only gain .25 pounds of muscle per week under the best circumstances. So this whole thing is a very slow process. You must have patience and keep doing your thang; none of this will come easy. But venting is ok too and that's what we're here for, especially since it's such a strange subject for most people IRL to comprehend and most can't relate.
I'm assuming you have plates with your Oly bar and are trying to increase every session?0 -
Thanks Skye and Freckles! I know, 4 weeks isn't long and in women gains are definitely slow... I just wish I knew something was going on back there! I need to be patient.. I need to just keep with it and trust.
Yea I have plates (not too many, but enough for now, I will have to get more soon) but I think I increased it too much last sesh since I thought I could handle it. Not my wisest moment.
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Ok that's it. I just read a fantastic article posted in the gaining forums http://www.jcdfitness.com/2009/10/the-former-fat-boy-syndrome/
and I realized I am guilty of some of the back and forth business of bulking. Yesterday, perhaps in a moment of weakness, I let my excess energy get the best of me and I did 45 min of pretty intense cardio. Why? Well because I love jumping around... but no.. we can't be doing that anymore. HIIT 1x per week is the limit.. anymore than that, I am going to be spinning my wheels.
(Excuse me while I talk to myself here) -->
/ STEF please, listen, I know you want to jump around but you need to be in this 100%...you really cannot afford to be burning off extra calories. That pretty chart you put together last week? Well with new data from November it isn't looking so great anymore. I know you want to keep your abs and definition, but you need to let go of that for a little while. You will not lose control over your eating... you are doing so well. Don't waste your time and mess around with this. Trust the process and commit. You will not regret it. /0 -
/ STEF please, listen, I know you want to jump around but you need to be in this 100%...you really cannot afford to be burning off extra calories. That pretty chart you put together last week? Well with new data from November it isn't looking so great anymore. I know you want to keep your abs and definition, but you need to let go of that for a little while. You will not lose control over your eating... you are doing so well. Don't waste your time and mess around with this. Trust the process and commit. You will not regret it. /
*Like* and agree.
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So I really hurt my lower back somehow. Ever since my yoga class last Monday it has been off and on. Finally was feeling 100% and as soon as I did my workout B it flared up again.. I was doing body weight hip thrusts and single leg Romanian deadlifts and that was it. I checked my form, looked great.. and no matter what I did it still hurt. I have done these things before so I don't know what is up. Esp with the Rom DLs (even tried it without weights!), holy smokes, my back was on fire. Felt like muscle soreness similar to when you hold a superman or do hyper extensions... as soon as I stopped, pain is gone. Grr. I think I am going to remove Workout B from my weekly schedule and do something else, or only do half and something else. Maybe some resistance band training. I am just not getting the glute activation in these workouts and I feel like it is wasting my time and hurting my back.
Yesterday I was also in a funk, I just felt off. Yet despite my back hurting I am in a much better mood today, strange, you would think I would be upset today.. but I am fine. I think it's a reminder to me to take things easy and relax, I push myself a little too hard at times. I have decided I am going to take a rest until Monday. But not from eating of course, I will still have all the noms and then some (3300+ baby!).
I have to go shopping. Nothing fits me. I am hesitant because I know I am gaining, but honestly, if I gain 5-8lbs I should still be able to fit into my current wardrobe (it is all from when I was 130-135lbs pre-pregnancy), any more than that and worst case I have my maternity stuff. So I think a few skinny clothes can't hurt. They will also be there after the bulk. I haven't been shopping in ages, I am living in yoga pants and workout tops over here!! (not that there is anything wrong with that!)
Woah.. sorry this was long. Hope everyone is kicking butt and bulking hard!!0 -
Keep at it! I'm in the same boat (workout at home), so I hear ya on the frustrations on form and such. I keep going back and forth on whether or not I should get a personal trainer. It's been really helpful (and necessary) for me to shoot videos of my lifts so that I can evaluate my form and reassess how it needs to be changed. When left to my own devices, my form is horrible so I need to watch the videos in order to make a conscious effort to change my motor patterns.1
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Thanks SDR, that is not a bad idea taking a video and watching it especially my deadlifts, hip thrusts and squats. I have a full mirror on the one side of my gym so I try to watch my form but obviously it is hard to see the big picture.
I thought my back was better, but I went to pick up my baby this morning out of the crib and I felt a little twinge. I am going to give it one more day before I lift again. I have Yoga class tonight so hopefully I won't agitate it too much. I am going to sit out the headstands because that is the one move I find hurts it the most.
I *think* I am making progress in the booty department! It looks rounder, stronger and a little larger. However I hate that I have cellulite. I know I know, it's inevitable.. but I really hate it! I am hoping with this bulk-recomp cycle I am doing it will help reduce its appearance a little bit. Otherwise, I am really happy with my booty results so far..
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I get you - I workout at home too and really wish I'd went for a power rack instead of the squat rack I've got - it has no safety's so I don't really have the bottle to go for big PBs.
If you can, have a session with a strength coach (not a PT - I know there are good ones out there but also a lot of bad or mediocre). I had one session and it's helped a lot - got my OHP up (and learned the benefit of these versus doing push-press to get the big plates on) unfortunately, my squat went down as I was doing it wrong but better now than later.
Your back is looking awesome btw 0 -
Thanks! That is great advice. I might have a professional come to my house and show me the ropes!
I feel like I look a lot stronger than I am. I am pretty weak when it comes to certain exercises...my PRs are embarrassing tbh. I guess I am just cut not so much strong since the size of my actual arms are very small. I duno!0 -
So great news, I lifted again today and NO back pain! No deadlifts today (bc they weren't in the schedule) so I am not sure if that is causing my problem.
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That's great for no back pain! I've been kind of worried about injuring my lower back since I've started to really increase the weight on my hip thrusts. It seems kind of tricky to get the glute activation and not have the lower back involved to some degree.
I wouldn't worry about PRs (in terms of comparing them to others' PRs). My PRs are embarrassing in comparison, but I'm making progress, so that's what matters...that's why they're called 'personal records.' Yeah I would love to be able to lift more, but I can't do it without potentially injuring myself (or having bad form), so slow and steady it is.0 -
Thanks! Ya the hip thrusts tend to agitate my back, even without weights. The bar also kills my hip bones, I have a pad but it still hurts. Maybe it is resting on the wrong place?
I know I tend to see for example " Today my deadlift was 190, hip thrust 225!" I'm like... uhhh... I could lift for 5 years and I won't hit those numbers. And we are talking newbies in some cases too. I can't help but look at my own PRs and be disappointed at how tiny they are. BUT you are 100% right, progress is progress, I need to only compete with myself.
So excited, I have a black tie gala to go to on Saturday, my mom is babysitting.. it will be a nice date night for hubby and I. Plus I found the perfect black dress (you can also see it in my profile), it was 70% off too! Win!
Hope you are all doing well. 0 -
you look stunning! I think I am going to create a log here to track my progress, I am so bad that I have not take measurements, gonna do it tomorrow morning and maybe post some pictures here :-)0
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Thanks funfang!
So I have decided that logging my food has been causing me stress, and I am spending so much time measuring and weighing and entering food on here, esp the amount I have to enter.. I am exhausted and becoming a little obsessive about it all. As a result, I am taking a little break from logging food but I will continue to weigh myself often to make sure I am eating enough. Of course I will still be around here and there to check in on you ladies!0 -
Hey girl!! just read about your back and im glad its all healed up for you You are looking great and don't worry about pr's (comparing to others)- im the same! we are both small framed so just have your own journey and if you feel strong and fit you are winning!
I found a break from tracking was really good for me (back to actually enjoying my foods). I hope it helps you too 0 -
I am so wishy-washy lately... so not tracking at all was stressing me out even more so I have decided to lightly track (only track some days, half days, take weekends off) just to keep myself in check and make sure my macros are in line.
I am at about the midpoint in this bulk (4 lbs in) and I am getting so tired of it already! I know I am not where I want to be physically, so cutting/recomp at this point would be a huge waste. I think that is what is keeping my mind in the game... what is the point of going back where I was? I want to look better, be stronger. lift heavier. I am really happy with my booty and hip progress so far, I can't wait to keep going and then recomp/cut... trying to keep my eye on the prize !!0 -
tracking is a love hate relationship haha. im loving it at the moment, but as soon as its stressing me ill take a break
chin up chicken!!! your getting stronger everyday remember that ! 0 -
Wish I knew how to do that - looks very useful. I have the ziggyzaggy one covered but no patience to track the averages.
I must admit, fluctuations will affect me more on the bulk as I'll think, oh no, a loss, I better eat more
(at least I know I do it, might be able to hold back this time) 0 -
Wish I knew how to do that - looks very useful. I have the ziggyzaggy one covered but no patience to track the averages.
I must admit, fluctuations will affect me more on the bulk as I'll think, oh no, a loss, I better eat more (at least I know I do it, might be able to hold back this time)
I plotted my data into Excel and it made a chart for me. Weighing several times per week is definitely not for everyone, especially if the daily fluctuations tend to make you eat more or less.
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Nice! Yeah I love data too, so exciting to see the numbers reflect your progress
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So far I love Strong Curves, I love most of the exercises and all that. But I hate how it switches every 4 weeks. I didn't mind the first switch since it went from adding weight to mostly body weight work. But this next one I don't really like. Some of the exercises are the same but some he changes, this annoys me because I want to see progression, not start from scratch. There are many of you lately that have had issues with Bret's programs and have either switched programs or modified them. I HATE not following a program properly, but I just... I can't handle it.
So I modified the next sets of weeks 9-12, pretty much similar to weeks 5-8 what I have been doing up to this point. I am keeping all the hip thrusts (all 3 kinds) as is though. The one I did today is 3 sets of 20 reps. Ohhh boy. Rough I tell ya.
I hope I am doing the right thing... I guess time will tell. I feel so much success from weeks 5-8 I don't want to ruin my progress. Anyone have any experience with Strong Curves programs who can comment??0 -
I feel like my weight is climbing so quickly these days. I am now 5 lbs up, which is about right but a little fast. I am no longer nursing my child as often and taking shorter walks outside due to the cold so that definitely will take a toll on my TDEE. I don't want to cut it down just yet so I am going to wait a few weeks and see what happens.
Also, we were invited to a wedding in the Bahamas in mid-April. I am still not sure what I am going to do, I might start my cut in February to be somewhat ready for April. I don't really know how I am going to look after I gain more weight so I may not have to or want to cut too much. So far so good, I have gained only about 1/2" in my waist and 1" in my hips since the start which is great, it looks pretty proportional so no one would even notice I have gained at all. Mah booty is starting to pop though, sooo excited ! 0 -
Decided to take some progress shots today, two months apart.
Ok my tummy looks a lot bigger for some reason in the second photo but I swear it didn't grow that much, haha.. nonetheless I am so happy with the booty not so much the size but how it is filling out. It's hard to see in the photo but there is a huge difference IRL. Yay!
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Fantastic results in just 2 months!
jealous! 0 -
Great results and booty! Yeah I know what you mean about the filling out....mine is doing the same thing which is good because it used to be so flat0
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Thanks ladies!
Nothing really much to update, bulk is going well, I lowered my cal goal to around 3K for the week BUT I don't really log on weekends and don't hold back so it seems to be working really well, I am up ~6lbs since I (officially) started in October, yay! I think I will go until mid-Feb then cut. I also took my measurements last week, these gains are compared to August, before I started bulking:
Waist (at belly button): up 1"
Chest: no change
Thighs: up 2"
Hips: up 2"
The rest I didn't measure before so I don't have a baseline.
I think I am finally getting used to gaining weight. I mean, it is frustrating when you can pinch your back fat and the definition is gone - but on the positive side, I finally have my pre-pregnancy curves back. It is interesting that I had very similar measurements back in April before I started using MFP regularly however if you compare how my body looked then and now, what a HUGE difference.. that reassures me that I am not just getting 'fat.'
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nice- loving the pictures- you are looking fabulous.
GO GO GO !!! DO ALL THE BULKING!!!!0 -
wow! you look GREAT! good job!!!0
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