Jo-sounds like a good plan!
Dawn-that's a lot of weight and reps on your front squat! My wrists don't like it and I'm not that heavy on them. They are good for working on my upright posture though. I need to try the crossed arms technique.

Just did upper body hypertrophy. Added reps to most but not weight. Lateral raises are hard! 12 reps is a lot! My DB curls are kinda lame too, but I am being careful to not fully extend my arm as my elbows complain when I do. Working on form counts as progress, doesn't it? DB rows are showing good progress though! Up to 35lbs for 12 reps.

I even did a bit of cardio today. I can feel it in my chest still though, so I don't want to push it. Stupid cold is still hanging on a bit .

Keep up the good work ladies!

I'm up to 100lb on my front squats and wrists ok but not for long. I hate the crossed arms - feels so off balance! I guess it's practice but I hate doing that in front of people. And lately, it seems like I'm the only girl lifting at my gym - wtf???

Yay fractionals!


I bought a trial membership with the yoga studio. Can go to any class I want, and as many, for 30 days. Normally the go to as many as you want is like 79$ a month, but the trial is 30$, so it was a little more reasonable. Figure it's enough time to give yoga a fair assessment. Did basic hatha today before work.

Then went to gym after work. Used the rower for 45 minutes then went in the steam room. I hadn't been in one of those in so long, I really didn't remember what it was like. Almost didn't make it past the first 5 minutes when it was steaming up cause the heat was a struggle but then things settled and it became easier to withstand. Still probably wasn't in there much more than 10 minutes but felt nice. Though I wanted to sleep afterward but had to drive home. Will sleep soon though. mmm sleep

So something weird happened in the gym last night. I'm going through my workout and super setting Single leg Romanian Deadlifts and push ups. My push-ups are hella weak at the moment, coming off a 4 month hiatus. Dude approaches me. This alone is weird because after five years in the free weight section I have perfected my "Do not talk to me *kitten* face." I'm expecting some "advice" on my push-ups because they really did suck out loud last night. Nope, he says, "I was watching you do your push up and I think you's be great for a PT video we're making for folks who feel they don't have time to work out. You'd be awesome." Thanks but no thanks. Thoughts?

Jo, I know you'll get it back, you'll come up with creative way to work the same area to avoid pissing off the injury. Not for nothing but 22% body fat is nothing to sneeze at.
Dawn, beast mode as always. Great advice for improving weights.
Manic, this too shall pass. Take care and heal well.
7year, great job healing the injury and keeping it moving.

Some posts about missing the gym for whatever reason. Stop beating yourselves up when you take a rest day or have to rest an injury. Clearly your body is telling you something. Without proper recovery, you cannot make proper progress. Especially in cases where you're putting in maximum effort (like hitting the gym more than four times a week)

And ladies don't forget to fuel your workouts. I know we so desperately want that scale to move, but at what cost. Eat less move more is great for short term goals, but you will not build muscle that way. If you under eat too much, you will sacrifice your lean muscle mass. More muscle means more fat burning your body can do at REST. I'm currently eating at maintenance and still managed to lose 2 pounds in one month. Those with big weight loss goals will say, "gah, that's too slow." Ask yourself, do you want to weigh less or actually be healthy?

The scale is liar. Last time I weighed over 160 at 5'6, I was a size 14(American). While I was out of gym for over four months, and really doing a crap job in the gym for the six months before that to be honest, I gained back the 15 I lost. That weight gain took almost a year to come to fruition. However, my size did not change, still a size 8 at the higher weight. Don't let the scale determine your victories or your failures.
(Stepping off soapbox)

Got to the gym twice this week and finished STRONG Stage 1 B3. I'm not sure if it's the B workout that destroys me or the fact I usually do it on Fridays since I've been getting in twice a week. I just have nothing in the tank for intervals. My new thing now is finishing my reps. If I can t do 12 push-ups, I split into sets of six. If cAnt do all of my inverted rows, I decrease my angle and keep going. On the plus side, I've increased weight every workout. I think for the second half of the stage, I will increase the sets.

Happy lifting ladies!

Thanks Sam :-)

I have a friend (who is really annoying because after literally 4 months of lifting she can squat 220lbs!!!!) who is talking about getting knee supports to prevent injury. I can see the logic of trying to protect your body with a strap/ wrap/ belt when pushing it to the limit. It's an injury prevention, not a band aid fix. Though not everyone will use them that way.

You can do it Sue. Sometimes life just bets in the way. You were always the most consistent and dedicated. You'll get it back as soon as you get started. Strong is awesome. It'll be what you need to relaunch your success.

Welcome back Sue! Baby steps. Strong is awesome!

Dawn, I dream of being able to get your numbers on bench. Maybe one day!


I'm not usually one to toot my own horn but THIS is why I love heavy lifting. Bought these pants in late October. They fit snugly. Didn't work out almost all of December because of an injury and illness, but still ate many treats. The pants are now uncomfortably loose, sagging in the bum, and way too big in the waist. Total pounds lost in the four months since buying the pants? Two pounds. Two "measly" pounds. And I still get to eat 2000 calories a day. The scale is a liar. I'll take it!

Dawn - great job on the yoga. I am forever saying I need to get back to yoga, it would be great for my general flexibility I'm sure (as you saw on your instagram post I am having some serious issues squatting all of a sudden so something is tight and not behaving)
Sue - we all have stuff to work on especially me!! I should probably write a few goals of my own to work on, I get so busy that things just get lost in my head!
Pudding - that's awesome! Congratulations

Checking in today ladies - my little girl was sick last week so I had to leave work on Thursday and Friday to look after her, poor sausage. It was horrible seeing her so upset (she had an ear infection), she literally never cries but her eyes were all puffy from wailing so much

She's on the mend now so I am back to it.

Doctor said PCOS was very likely. I'm having tests this week, but esentially he told me to do things to help PCOS as it is likely things will improve.

As of today I have gone "low carb" - managed to make my breakfasts and lunches for the week last night so at least I have started well. Hubs is on board as far as dinners are concerned so I'll only be making one dinner each night too which is helpful.

Strong Phase 1 Stage 2 starts this week too which is great - I bought some wrist wraps in order to do front squats without crossing arms - you put them in the right position and then wrap the bar with the wraps so you don't have to bend your wrists (I think, I actually haven't quite figured out the logistics yet). Looks good in the book, but who knows what will happen when I try!

I have way too much forward lean in my squats at the moment, so I'm going back to putting plates under my heels until I can figure out what the F is going on. Very frustrating.