So....am combining SL with NRoL4W - doing both workouts as part of the same session - usually with less weight on the NR sets than on the SL sets, so I can concentrate on form rather than what numbers I am lifting if that makes sense. But the numbers are getting closer together, so I am really pleased with that. Have done 13 of the 16 stage 1 sessions, so looking forward to incorporating new things in stage 2 in a week or so!

Am tired at the mo, though - lots of people in my office have the lurgy, so not sure whether I am skirting around that, or whether it is just the grey weather and dark mornings making me feel a bit meh! It is chaos at home as both my son and daughter set off for a winter season in ski resorts - son leaves on Sunday, daughter the following Sunday, so we have to do "Christmas" this weekend, and yet I am still surrounded by washing to be done before packing, relatives to be visited before the kids disappear for 6 months, blah blah blah....and then I've got to do the airport runs - with working 10 hours a day, there are just not enough hours in the day at the moment it seems!

Ho hum, will put my happy face back on. I lifted yesterday, but I really want to go again NOW!!

Just finished NROLFW 3A and it went pretty well. I couldn't resist adding in a few extras so I worked on plank and lunges, plus db bench press as I need to increase my upper body strength. I didn't get a cramp in my quads doing the lunges so that was a huge improvement. I am loving lifting and always wish I could go again the next day but I don't want to push my luck and end up injured so I don't.
@kimiuzzell I am impressed that you do SL as well as NR.

This is a first for me : I just got off the treadmill at 11:40 pm CST! I never exercise late. Yay me ! About to shower and set up camp in the bed with Strong book.

Sorry to hear that dna - hope they feel better soon.

Beeps - either put the scale away or monitor weight daily. And record it. Then you get to see an overall trend rather than daily fluctuations. My weight varies by up to 8lb depending on the time of the month and my intake! You can't trust each reading alone.

Great job manic - that's a good effort right there.

Well I'm up for shift #6 this week. Am supposed to lift after work but not sure if I will as I know I'm not 100% well. Had sore throat and swollen glands for about 4 days. Did combat yesterday and my body objected the whole way through..... might skip today and rest up. Will see how I feel.

Hi All
I am new to lifting and pretty new to this thread and wanted to say hi. I spent a little time reading over the last couple of months of post. What an incredible journey you have all had. I am so impressed at the increases in strength and physical ability even with all the ups and downs life has tossed at you. It really is inspiring and makes me feel like it is possible to grow stronger and healthier. Of course looking better would be wonderful too. I have to admit that is part of it for me.

Dna, celiac? So sorry. My youngest has type 1 diabetes. She is checked yearly for celiac because autoimmune diseases come in pairs.

I lifted today. Sorta. Hubs and I poured concrete slab. I lifted 25 bags of quikrete. Each bag weighed 60 lbs. I mixed it with a hoe. So I worked my legs , arms, and shoulders. I am already feeling the soreness creep in.

So much to catch up on here as I eat my soup and cracker while wishing I was in bed.

Beeps - Lots mentioned on the scale already. I hope you find what works best for you as it's a challenge and I am sure many of us struggle with that thing even though it's just one factor. Last month for me has been up and down, not down to before vacation yet even after a month. I try not to obsess but it's not easy. I'm in a different group on a different health site that is very much more into cardio than lifting. In that group, there is one woman who is around 80 years old and she obsesses over every .5 gain. If she is up the next day it's because she ate a cookie the day before or had a little extra of something viewed as "bad" so she's always struggling to get the scale to go how she wants for her goal. I've tried to word a few things nicely to help but she's stuck in that mindset and her doctor's goal weight doesn't help as it fuels the need to keep the scale moving, and it's tough to watch at times. I weight at home but I lift at 11 pm and I don't like the number as much then, so we all have our own deals with the pesky device to work on. I try not to obsess and remember things like right now I'm having high sodium items but it's a challenge all of the time.

kim - Early Christmas still sounds great to me. I live in a different state than all of my family and don't often see much of anyone during a whole year. This year was different since I had to go out for stepsister's wedding, so I got to see a good chunk of family in early November. Christmas eve and day, however, I will be over here and working as the store doesn't close for the holiday. I hope you enjoyed the time with your kids before they go off on their adventures.

Julie - Sounds like things are going well. I like the 4 day split, in part because squatting is fun but every single gym session got tiring after a while.

mme - Welcome.


Okay, now for last night's lifting. I went after my 9 hour work shift but between elbow still having issue and coming down with a cold, I didn't do upper body power. I did upper body and tried out a couple of different things instead. So it was random upper body night and tonight is a no go cause congestion blah. After my work shift today I'm just coming home and going to bed. Tried not to get sick but pesky thing happened anyways. At least, after tonight, I have a couple of days off work for rest. Working has bothered my elbow more than lifting so it will be a nice break for that too.


bench press 1x8 regular and 1x5 pause @ 65, 1x8 regular and 1x5 pause @ 75, 2x3 @ 95 - tried a couple of things since elbow has been an issue. Knew I wouldn't be able to get 105 let alone more as would have been the plan with power day.

decline bench press 2x8 @ 55 and 2x8 @ 60 - okay but unracking was the hardest cause I'm not quite tall enough so getting the bar in position is a slight struggle.

lat pull 1x8 @ 60 and 2x8 @ 70 - these weren't bad.

db shoulder press 2x8 @ 17.5 and 2.8 @ 22.5 - tad light, wasn't going to do ohp so thought I'd do these instead, had to share the 22.5 but that was okay as the guy is one I see around a lot and he's at least nice (plus puts away everything when he's done with a lift)

face pull 3x8 @ 20 - something new. Went light and wasn't quite sure if I had them right since I watched youtube in order to find out how to do it. Felt it in my shoulders as I'm not used to that movement at all.

overhead cable tricep extension 3x10 @ 20 - tried to see if it could replace skull crushers for a little bit cause elbow. Kept hitting my ponytail so that was a slight nuisance and elbow felt it a tad but not bad.

shrugs 2x10 @ 30 - random but I couldn't figure out what to do last. I considered trying rack pulls for the fun of it but some guy was camped in the cage doing some seated thing with heavy weights plus dumbbells and pull ups. Plus, I might not be tall enough cause the lowest spot for the safeties doesn't look like it's below my knees, but I'd have to get closer to be certain.


Then I went home, took medicine though I didn't feel that bad while lifting and slept off and on. Now to get ready and go to work so I can come home tonight and sleep more. Maybe figure out small foods to eat cause this soup was a fail. Too much stuff in it, veggies and meat. May need more tissue soon... good thing I can get that from work.

So...yesterday involved a lot of driving for me. I went to pick up my grandmother who lives an hour away, got her back to ours, we did presents and had a lovely family lunch. Then packed the car up with son's gear for the season, and I took him to the airport, dropping nana off home along the way. All in all, 10 hours driving....so I felt fairly siezed up and tired when I got home about 11pm!

On Saturday, I went to the gym, but my daughter gave me a lift home. Stupidly, I left my gym bag in the boot of her car. Before I left for the airport yesterday she said she would get my bag out, chuck my washing in the machine and leave it for me. No problem. Collapsed into bed last night, and asked hubby if C had left my gym bag. He said yes, she either put it in the kitchen or the garage, he couldn't remember which. No problem, both are places I am used to looking for my gym bag in. So, I set the alarm for 5.30, got up, got my gym clothes on, had a cup of coffee....looked for my gym bag. No bag. Looked everywhere. No bag.

So, got undressed again, and got back into bed for half an hour! Gah, part of me is annoyed with myself for not doing an "at home" workout - I could have cobbled something together as I do have some dumbells and a swiss ball at home, and I was already in my gym kit of course. But part of me says I was tired, and had a long day yesterday, and really an extra half an hour snoozing and a day away from the gym might have been what I should have done for a reason.

So, I've accepted that I am tired today. I will not go to the gym after work (I did a mega workout on Saturday, so 2 rest days is not unreasonable) but I will go tomorrow and kick *kitten* then.

Ho hum!!! Some days just don't go according to plan, but in the grand scheme of things I don't suppose it is so bad really.....

Have a good day, one and all!

Julie I love the comments about my butt. It used to be something I was ashamed and embarrassed about, but I have learned to love my curves and work with what I have been blessed with!!

I lifted after work....Having thought I would have a rest day. I did almost 2 hours. Really really worked hard and loved it. I will sleep well tonight!!

Dawn thanks for the welcome. It nice to have someone to share with who enjoys lifting. Hope you are feeling better.
Dna and Maniac my family is riddled with autoimmune problems, me included. I am gluten sensitive( possible celiac) and have been off it for over ten years. It suck so much more when its your kids that are dealing with health issues. I hadn't realzed that it was common for them to run in pairs but it explains allot.

I took the weekend off except for walking. I keep debating about moving my lifting days to Tues, Thurs, Sat but by the weekend I always feel like I need the full two day break. Anyway NROLFW 3b was this morning. I have made a bit of progress with dl ( 60lb )and lat pulldowns (40lbs) but zero in moving up weight in the overhead press (10 lbs.) yup that is it, but at least I am improving.