I used to do these as part of my yoga routine.... Perhaps I should reintroduce them too!

@Ariadnula.... Yes, very much like pelvic floor exercises.... "you can do them at the bus stop, or whilst in the supermarket queue....even while you are cooking dinner!"

Continuing goals from last month - increase all lifts by at least 5lbs and run twice a week at a 10min or less pace.

I didn't know if anybody was going to post a new gold thread for the month of November so I am just going to post here for now.

November goals

1. Increase weights on Stronglifts 5x5
2. Weight lift at least 3 x a week
3. Kettle bell swing nonweight lifting days 20 minutes
4. 8 hour diet window
5. 8 power foods
6. 8 cups of water
7. Follow night time snacking prevention methods
8. Lose 5 lbs
9. 10,000 steps a day
10. Do the five day fast diet

I posted this on the October thread! canadianlbs thanks for posting this Thread!

Just adding to goals be able to bench and squat 50kg by Xmas.
Allowed to start deadlifting again so to get to 70kg again.

krokador wrote: »

Meep, a little late but I was otherwise distracted so november is starting today for me (with a cold to boot. Oy vey)

Fitness-related
1. Squat bodyweight again (apparently 200lbs wasn't quit it yet ). Perhaps for more than 1 rep
2. Add in 1-2 cardio (LISS) sessions to my weekly routine, somehow. I need to start shedding the extra weight.
3. Do yoga once a week and figure out a mobility routine.
4. Eat better (it's vague but I'm not in a mind frame to log atm)

Other
1. Get the 50k for NaNoWriMo even if I only have 1500-ish words at the moment. (Yay, Nano crew checking in! )
2. Pace myself with catching up on TV shows
3. Perhaps I should start journaling again. I'd been meaning to but pffft.

Really not trying to break the bank. As someone else said earlier, this IS november, after all. Let's just get through not too much worse for wear if possible!

Half month check-in ( I am finally allowing myself a slow morning so I'm catching up on random stuff haha)
1. Squat doesn't look like it is progressing, but I am taking the deload with a grain of salt. In 5 workouts I'll be back to where I was, no need to panic
2. Well I could barely walk outside without having difficulty breathing so this one has not been my fault so far. Nose has finally cleared up a tad, so I'm looking to make today my first day of that
3. Gonna do some of that later today, too. I hope. But yeah, I need to get on that.
4. Been doing great this week, sticking to a exercise/adjusted 1800 cals and been consistently hitting under goal!

Other.1 Caught up with the "daily average" yesterday after only getting 1500 words in the first full week of the month, so at this rate I'll be done by the 24th or 25th! Haha.
Other.2 I think I have watched like 5 episodes total in the past week and a half. So far behind on everything
Other.3 Downloaded an app on my phone for that, still have yet to sign in >_>

So, slow progress on everything, but some progress. First month it's been looking up in a while!

Indeed, time for mid-month update. I'm probably behind what with taking 8 days off and all for vacation but we'll see how it's going.

Fitness
1. Success. 2 sessions done so far and going to do lower power tonight.
2. Done. Going to lift on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday with runs on upper body day with the occasion long run on Fridays, but not every week.
3. Still dunno about the other gyms, so still with the same one and just driving out there.
4. Working the calorie deficit, though last night had a little too much candy. Haven't changed my settings yet but think soon I'm going to put it at .5 a week and put the lifting in manually as just 1 calorie burned or 5, something. Think I'll try out eating around the same calories all week instead of less on rest days and more on cardio days.


Writing
1. I have just over 8,000 so just under umm 42,000 words to go. Will try to get 15-20,000 done on my two days off since I finally get days off from work.
2. Have two due tomorrow and haven't started them. This challenge is a struggle but one should be easy as it can be anything, even a poem. The other I have to do cause I skipped 2 weeks already and that is the max allowed in the challenge. Better write that tonight after lifting.
3. Still way behind and didn't have as much internet access on vacation as I had expected so this will be an end of the year challenge.


Not bad, though two were super easy. Really need to get writing and do laundry. Looking forward to my days off as I have tonight's shift, then get a break.

Ariadnula wrote: »

1) Keep lifting three times a week
2) Get out on my bike three times - I've been getting lazy as it's got colder
3) Stretch more. Yoga?
4) Lose two pounds
4) Do my Chinese study every week, no more turning up at class without having looked at my books all week
5) Finish Ulysses before I go to Dublin at the end of the month!

Oh dear.

1) Yes!
2) No bikes rides at all
3) No - keep forgetting
4) Not looking likely!
5) Not so far
6) I suppose it's still possible!

kimiuzzell wrote: »

Another one here who, being new to the whole lifting thing, doesn't have any real idea of workable yet challenging goals, but here goes!

1) Lift 3 times a week
2) Improve form for OHP in order to lift more than the measly 22.5kg I have managed so far. (currently struggling with old Rotator cuff injuries)
3) Squat 50kg (???reasonable goal, currently 35kg)
4) Deadlift 65kg (???reasonable goal, currently 45kg)
5) Do at least one session of cardio (spinning, bodycombat) a week because I enjoy it.
6) Don't weigh myself more than once a week. And don't get hung up on what the scales say when I do get on them.
7) Continue eating mostly healthy, most of the time. (November is my birthday month and the start of festive functions, so there's going to be some give and take here!)
8) Continue tracking and working to TDEE or -15% (still getting used to the fact I need to eat more than the 1200 calories I have been kidding myself is right for the last umpteen years!)
9) Drink more water - I have installed an app on my phone which reminds me!
10) Smile - enjoy the progress, and be proud!

edited - remembered I wanted to add the following:

11) Do as many press ups (full, on toes) as possible after (or as part of) each workout day. Currently able to do 12 in one set, followed by 8.
12) Don't skimp on the abs work.
13) Don't make excuses!

I'll check in here every few days to keep myself accountable. Good luck with your own goals, ladies!

Mid way through the month...
1) so far, so good consistently lifting 3 times a week.
2) still struggling. Failed with 27.5 and struggling with 25kg but persevering
3) got this one....now to improve form before going heavier.
4) currently at 57.5KG so going ok. Need to work on grip
5) nope, not really. Prefer to lift now!
6) check. Going by my clothes instead.
7) doing OK. Room for improvement though.
8) getting used to this.
9) definitely drinking more water. Still could try harder.
10) check check check!
11) still doing these... Not yet able to increase reps though as I do them at the end of my sessions when I am beat!
12) see above....running out of time due to extra lifting.
13) generally ok, but 11 &12 above might be falling into this category!!

christch wrote: »

My goal is to start lifting in a real gym with racks without
1 making a fool of myself in front of the guys
2 workout out how top use new equipment workout hurting myself or breaking anything
3 increase lifts for bench and oh press
4 start using barbell for bench and oh press which means I might achieve 3
5 gain more muscle

But really if I can do 1 and 2 I'll be a happy girl. Have a session tonight with trainer.

Ok so far this month - 1.only made a small(ish) mistake not having safeties high enough and needed rescuing BUT have learnt how to set them up properly and how to do the roll of shame
2. Have found most things and not broken anything yet
3. Mmmm yeah um this is going to be harder than I thought BUT can bench 32.5kg for 3x3 which is a long way off 3x8 maybe by end of month. OH press still at 10kg on a good night
4. Doing this
5. Muscles look impressive with the water swell

I'm starting to get over being really scared to go into weight area now and have been doing goblet and plie squats in front of mirror regardless of who is there, haven't gained courage to do glute bridge or hip thrusters yet....

Honestly going from a women's only gym where I knew how to use all the gear and could lift the weights to a big space, lots of machines that I have no idea what you use them for or how, weights and racks, all those guys both young /old and knowing what they're doing, for the first couple of nights I would walk through door and was so nervous I just wanted to throw up. Then after Fri nights effort with the rack and not setting safeties I was about to give notice. But after getting some great advice from some sensible women here, I'm getting over myself. I still get nervous but it's only week two by end of month it'll be fine.