You are welcome, SueBoo!

Yes, Beeps, go find them!

Where's Sam?

Hi, Jo!

Today was not a good eating day. I ate 2 huge meals! No walking today. I was too busy (church and eating ) Plus, I have a major headache in an 7.5 hour time frame I took 4 advil and 2 tylenol. It has eased some.

Sue - Thanks. I'm quite pleased with how OHP has been lately even though it and bench press (okay and rows) are slow to increase.

Jo - Nice work on that deadlift.

Hi to new peeps, returning ones I don't know and everyone in general.

So, I went to gym after work, which was fine except on the second lift my headache from earlier in the day returned with a vengeance. I pushed through and feel a little better after eating some foods but still it's achy so may have to take something before bed. Legs were still a little sore but not a hindrance and I did de-load on most of the lifts, so that helped. Left water bottles at work though, oops, and I have the next two days off but oh well. At least I had my one I filled for the gym in my car instead. Still, very glad to get days off as it's the first day off since I got back and I need to do laundry after sleeping in. Lifts were a bit out of order cause had to wait for the deadlift spot to open up, though all of the other equipment in the area was open as not many lift on a sunday night after 11 pm.

26 lower power

squat 3x4 @ 155 - felt okay considering I have been sore for a few days now.
leg press 3x8 @ 210 - okay as well
leg curl 3x8 @ 60 - eh
deadlift 1x5 rdl warmup then 1x3 and 3x4 @ 185 - Not bad, calluses hurt a little but 185 finally feels somewhat easy instead of heavy.
sumo deadlift 2x5 @ 135 - just for fun, still feels a bit odd.
standing calf 3x8 @ 75 - only one I increased instead of de-load, more challenging but managed it.


Now I wish I was sleeping but instead am eating chicken enchiladas that roommate made and have to write newsletters and stories before bed, which the cat likes cause she's going to nap on my lap while I do that.

Beeps, I honestly don't know how far back I was. LOL oh well! I sending you good juju for a perfect job! My husband got laid off in August but with a retention package and severance package that paid him up thru the middle of October. He's frustrated because like you, Beeps, he's a really smart guy and really knows his stuff but getting his 56 yo foot in the door isn't always easy.

Ok, I get a BOOM today! Went to the gym at 5 am, 17 minutes on the elliptical, then SL deadlifts 95/105/115, leg press with a 3 sec hold, 120/140/160 then crappy squats at 65/65/70 and walking lunges 5dbs only but wow that wiped me out.

Food is good today. I'm determined to get back to the real me!

I picked up NROL Strong for my Nook. Wow, I love their focus! I have not gotten into the actual workouts, I'm reading the front stuff, which I find to be incredibly inspiring! There are 9 months of workouts which Lou says would take most people a year to actually complete. One of the things he "said" was people tend to jump from program to program trying to find something that fits but if they would just really do that program, do it hard and with focus etc., they'd get a log from it. He wasn't speaking about his program or any other specific program but more people (ME!) not settling into something - anything, and really working it. That's what I did with NROL4W, and haven't really done at all this past year or so. I have a workout buddy, who is much stronger than me, and who is doing a program that I find frustratingly long. She has an online trainer, they give her 5/wk workouts and right now, many of the lifts are HIGH REPS and SETS - who ever heard of doing 10 sets of 10 hip thrusts? But I like working with her, she challenges me! What to do, what to do!

Mary, hope you don't have to have surgery! Got my fingers crossed for you!

it's great to be here!

Rest day for me but I wanted to chime in on the not changing programs thing. I have to admit that it can be quite a challenge to stick to one program with lifting because there are so many different lifts and options available that after a while, the desire comes to mix things up. I have the same issue with working on novels and have like 10 in progress cause I'm easily distracted and kind of jumpy with projects. I did 12 weeks of stronglifts before I jumped to the NROLFW book, though I could have kept with SL for a fair amount of time if I'd chosen to stick with it. I did get through most of NROLFW, though I skipped the one stage that wasn't required because I was really wanting to get back to working on deadlift.

However, I won't get Strong for the programs at this time in part because I've decided to do what you said he suggests. I'm sticking with one program. When I made the final decision on which to do after spending some time doing 3x5 with accessories, part of the goal was to pick one I'd stick with for a decent amount of time. Right now the goal it to stick with PHUL until June before I consider changing. That will be around 9 months of one program. Have to wait and see how it goes. I have added a tiny bit (good mornings) and might on occasion do another lift here and there because I do want to learn how to do different lifts, but overall, the plan is to stick with PHUL even the bicep curls and calf work that make me go "meh".

I'm pretty good at sticking to a program, but sometimes it goes the other way.... I can be so good at sticking to 'what the book says' that I fail to see it doesn't work for my body. It is important to stick to a consistent theme, but to review it after a period of time and tweak as required. IMO.

WOW Dawn!!

Well

I am not sure what happened to my 2 posts! but I'll try for a 3rd time.

Dawn you look awesome! Keep up the great work.

Sludge is moving faster than me today. I will walk because tomorrow I have the MRI and errands. The rest of the week-weekend I'll be out of town. No exercise until next week.

Beeps, I messaged Sam on fb. She says the "timing is not right." She has family sickness.


I plan on buying the new book once I figure out what's going on. I thought I would have dr appt after the MRI , but dr office called today to cancel saying dr would not have results back the same day. In other words, I am in no rush to buy it.

Thanks everyone.

dna - I've lost a fair amount of inches in the chest but victory secret person still measured me at D, though I still question that fact. The dress was tight across the chest and ribs, which is what helped it stay up, though by the end of the night my back ached some along with the area near my ribs. But it was nice and I never knew I could really wear strapless before so was an interesting experience. I hate the super thin strap dresses cause the straps always fall down (have that issue with some bras too). Need to work on shoulders if I ever make it to a bulk or something.

Day off from work so I sat a lot in attempt to write but I'm still very behind. But I've gotten a couple of chapters written and am a few thousand words further in the novel than before. I also went to the gym. Tried the pants I got from shopko and they worked fine but don't trust them for any lower body days. Forgot my water in the car, which was a slight nuisance. Also, tried the running shoes that are needing replaced cause planned to jog at the end and figured it wouldn't matter much for upper body day. Well, my right foot had other thoughts and I had to go shoeless for a few lifts as it kept getting achy and cramps for no reason. But it was fine while I jogged in the shoes on the treadmill...

27 - upper hyper

incline bench press 4x10 @ 65 - did okay but starts to feel a tad struggle at the very end
db fly 4x10 @ 12.5 - also did wrist curls with 10 lb db 3x10 in between sets
seated row 4x10 @ 70 - though i changed machines half way, the second set on the one oddly felt like the resistance changed, got more difficult, and not sure why
one db row 4x10 @ 25 - okay but had foot cramping issues during these, was rather odd
lat raise 12.5 3x8 - challenging, as usual
cable bicep curls 3x9 @ 50 - cause i didn't like the seated db ones, i am doing these instead
cable tricep extension 3x10 @ 60

Cardio - 30 minute jog with 5 minute warm up and cool down.

Now more writing then sleep.

Your pictures/transformation are amazing Dawn! Thank you, that's some serious motivation there!

Yesterday I did chest/shoulders and some back. I did better than expected - my upper body is frustratingly stubborn, but I also have not been consistent in training. Food was good!

Rest day and today I am struggling to find the least offensive Chinese food - steamed chicken and broccoli but wow it sounds so boring!

My quads and glutes are still screaming, despite stretches and rolling. I'm glad though, it makes me even more aware of how silly I've been, not doing what I really enjoy!

I got nuttin else but BAM move that weight ladies!