Welcome aboard @chunky_pinup!!

I'm back at work today so a little bit of "normality" returns. Like many, I've not logged food over the last few days, and although there is still a fair bit of festive stuff around, I think I can probably keep things more or less under control....we're going skiing in 10 days so if I can keep things reasonable until then, I will be happy. Then I have no control over what is cooked while we are away, as it is a group holiday with central catering. But regardless of the food, the exercise should be built in (provided the snow finally arrives in Switzerland!) so one will more or less cancel out the other!

I've also set myself a challenge of doing a 100 mile cycle in May. I did the 50 mile circuit a couple of years ago, but have never done anything close to the 100, so that gives me something else to focus on and enjoy working towards.

I have no adverse affects from my workout yesterday. I can feel the work I did in my legs, but no additional pain in my back, so that's good. Very glad I was sensible with the weights. I'm off work on Thursday, so will be taking today and tomorrow as rest days and back again Thurs for a good session. These will be my last 2 sessions from stage 2...I may well do another week of stage 2 workouts to take me up to the ski holiday, then hit stage 3 when I get back.

Happy birthday! Enjoy that cake!!

Happy birthday Jo! And awesomeness on the deadlift!

Back at home. Wandered into the gym for a light weights session yesterday morning and I went and bought another yoga mat so I can do some stretches and light yoga upstairs when I feel like it. Did that this morning - gorgeous way to spend the morning with the sun coming in through the glass doors over the balcony

I'll start back into my lifting program on Monday - this week is about recovering from the 'holiday'


Welcome chunky_pinup


I'm supposed to start back at work properly on Monday, I still have a heap of planning and scheduling to do though, so now that I've done the mountain of washing and relatively cleaned my house, I guess I'll feed the minions and hide away with my work calendar.

All this talk of starting a plan, getting back to it..... I kinda have an idea of what I want to do but achievable? Not too sure.

Currently I do 3 lifts, 2-3 cardio per week. If I want to build muscle, my next plan is to lift 4 times a week and cardio twice. Which is a big ask with my current workload/ family life. However, planning to drop my work hours come Feb, so this may be more achievable then. So I don't have a 'New Year' goal, I have a rolling plan which will take some time

Beeps - Sounds good. You did so much and burnout is no fun, so get back to what you can do and still enjoy. Looking forward to more boom posts, as even not 6 days a week is still fabulous and awesome.

I like the rolling plan idea. I've got a few in the works too. Sort of goals for the year but not resolutions as I've never been a fan of those either. Some things are small, some new and some big that involve possible changes, but we'll see how it goes once I get to figuring them all out (soon). For now, I went to the gym late even though I didn't have work today in order to not have a crowd and to spend a long time on the treadmill after lifting. I haven't done a long run in a while and needed to get at least one in before the month ended, plus hadn't tried much more than 30 on the treadmill before. Lifting went pretty well too.

48 - Upper Hypertrophy

10 minute warm up on elliptical for fun and some hanging from the assisted pull up machine
incline bench 4x10@ 70 - 65 felt heavy but managed the reps easy enough at 70, so need to just try 75 next time, at long last.
db fly 4x10 @ 17.5 - not bad, can increase next time
1 db row 4x10 @ 30 - decent though might wait to increase or have to find the 32.5 set
seat row 4x10 @ 80 - challenging, i almost feel like it's going to pull me forward for some reason, same with the heavier tricep extension
lat raise 4x10 @ 12.5 - barely managed the 10, going to forever to increase on these
cable bicep curl 4x10 @ 50 - doing okay here, distracting on occasion where the cable hits on my chest at the top of the movement...
face pulls 4x12 @ 30 - kind of like these
tricep extension 4x8 @ 80 - tried an increase but it was a bit heavy.

Then 5 minute warm up, 50 minute jog and 5 minute cool down on treadmill. Not bad considering I didn't even have my running shoes with, just some really old sneakers that need replaced. Hard to believe like a year ago I was trying to just jog for 5 to 10 whole minutes and now, I can just go for 50 and could have gone even longer but tired at 1 am. Soon comes sleep.

Last workout of 2015 for me. Went to the gym after my short work shift, which ended up not being all cashiering as we called one of the newer members in to help due to being short staffed today. After the lifts, I did a little sumo deadlift for fun in order to try out the lifting straps I won on bodybuilding.com. It was... different. I had a hard time getting them tight enough because of the build as my hands/wrists are on the small side. Had to work the material in the more padded spot so it could also go through the loop in order to be a little tighter in general. They were a couple of awkward sets but sumo is still awkward for me. Not sure I quite get it, so need to do some more research. Plus, I did heavier than I've done before on it, just to see how it would go (still lighter than my regular deadlifts).

49 - Lower Hypertrophy
front squat 3x10 @ 85 and 1x10 @ 105 - same as last time and still a slight challenge. Some wrist ache but not bad
curtsy lunge 4x10 @ 80 - more challenging since I increased on this
good morning 4x12 @ 80 - also a little more challenging
leg extension 4x10 @ 80 - nothing special
leg curl 4x8 @ 80 - difficult to do and felt more in hamstrings this time
seated calf 4x12 @ 110 - eh, calves
sumo deadlift with straps 1x5 and 1x3 @ 185 - bit awkward and struggled second set with right strap

That is all. I work from now until Monday, but next two days off are rest days. More lifting on the weekend including maybe lifting Sunday with coworker for lower power day. We'll see how it goes.

Beeps-hmm. Changed my pic to me snorkeling in Maui back in June...wishing I was there . Wonder why it doesn't show for you? I can't see most photos posted either .
Dawn-great lifitng! And running! What great progress you've made this year!
Jo-good plan! Hope 2016 goes fabulously!
Kim-you've already come a long way! Enjoy planning for 2016!

I did lower body yesterday and my back felt fine!! Yay! I did higher reps (15, which is a lot coming off SL!) and 3-4 sets and felt good. Did front squats, first time in a year, with just the bar! Felt odd at first, then I got the hang of it again. I think it's good to mix it up and really enjoyed my new routine

This past year has had struggles (moved my mom to assisted living and still trying to sell her house while paying for a lot of it out of pocket, treated my back and neck and am making progress there...) and victories (amazing trip to Maui, good school year homeschooling, cocnistent at the gym). I am richly blessed and thankful for all God has done for me.

Looking ahead I want to continue to cultivate my "attitude of gratitude" and counting my blessings. I want to keep lifting regularly. It is definitely beginning to feel like a normal part of my life, not some special limited effort, but a consistent lifestyle. Still working on my eating and balancing control and living life...I'm in a good place and hope to just keep going.

I hope each of you has much for which to be thankful as we look ahead to 2016!!! I'm thankful for each of you, inspiring, challenging and encouraging each other as we all seek to navigate life's challenges and successes. Wishing you much joy and happiness in the New
Year! Happy New Year!!

Hey! Happy New Years everyone!

I am finally feeling well today. I have had a stomach bug/fever for about a week now, but I think it's gone. Even yesterday my tummy wasn't feeling great.

I lifted 1x this week - Monday, and felt so awful the rest of the week, I didn't do much of anything. Unfortunately I had to go to work - there was only 2 of us in for the week as support staff - our firm has a use it or lose policy for vacations. So I will start fresh next week.

Hope you all had a great holiday!

Thanks Sue - the versa gripps look great - I will look for these here in Oz. Hope you are better now - what a horrid time of year to be sick

Dou - bummer! Hope your back feels better soon. Seems like your body is making the most of the rest though - isn't it odd how sometimes reducing activity/ eating more helps us reach goals and other times puts us back a few steps?? Hope you get time to read the book soon.

I had a reasonable bench session yesterday - this is the workout I least like and most struggle with. I know it is completely dependent on how soon I do it after combat as if they are close together, my bench will be crap as my upper body is fatigued. That said, not willing to sacrifice combat or my other workouts so it just has to be that way. I am combatting today, so after my bench session should work. Of course, now my upper body is tired from lifting..... so the class is going to be hard work. Especially the track with all the lower half push ups