Hi, Aigre! How long does it take you to do intervals? It seems like it is getting longer for me. I am only beginning Strong. I am in Stage 1 . Am I not understanding it correctly? Right now I am doing 4 intervals which take about 15 minutes. by the time I add the full 6 it will be around 22 minutes. It seems like I read intervals were only 10 minutes.

I missed working out today. It will be MOnday, Thursday, Saturday workout for me. I hate working out on weekends. That's my day of rest. I worked really hard in the yard and garden yesterday; I needed the rest today and catch up on housework.

Aigre, so each stage is only 10 minutes of intervals only? If so, How can a person increase the amount of intervals from 3-6? Less recovery time? Or am I really confused? LOL That's a great back squat! It is my nemesis. I didn't conquer it in NROL4W. I'll give it another try with Strong. I mostly do goblet squats or sitting squats (with the bench).

Beeps, I hear ya! These dread 10 pounds I gained during surgery make feel yucky and clothes look horrid. Of course, the forever 20 I want to lose. I might as well give up realize I am just gonna be fat

Manic4titans - yep, only 10 minutes max stage 3 and above! I actually like it much better. It was tough facing 20 minutes of cardio after lifting the first couple stages. Now I can usually convince myself that it's only 10 minutes and just do it. Yes, I think the theory is that as you become fitter, your heart rate will come down more quickly and you'll be able to do more repeats in the 10 minutes. Hasn't happened for me yet, though!

Beeps - I've lost 10 pounds since January and I can't even hardly tell. So annoying. Hopefully the next 10 will make a difference.

I set my alarm this morning for 4:30 but turned it off and slept until 6. Averaged only 6 hours of sleep this week, so the extra was really good. Will be back to lifting tomorrow, hopefully after DH helps me set up my power rack which arrived yesterday!

Yesterday was kind of an off day. Went to check weight since getting over cold and monthly cycle is at the very end (bit drawn out this month cause the worst days of the cold paused it for some reason, it was weird). Had weighed at 135 few days ago but yesterday the scale would not work at all. Though battery was dead but today it works. Kinda weird.

Did go to the gym last night. Had belt in car but forgot it and didn't want to go out the locked door thing and then back in. The one near my apartment was having issues and buzzing the entire time (probably buzzed all night as staff wasn't there and not sure anyone even goes in on Sundays).

Chapter 8: bench and deadlift

bench 2x10 @ 45, 1x8 @ 75, 1x5 @ 95, 1x1 @ 105 and 1x1 @ 115
-this went pretty well, just feeling out cause upper strength is slow back after cold

deadlift 1x6 @ 135, 1x5 @ 185, 1x1 @ 230 and well that's all cause failed 240
-tried to follow plan but couldn't get 2 @ 230 but tried 240 anyways. I was slow off the floor on 230, which was unusual too. 240 went a couple inches and no more.


Today think I'll just do a little cardio. Tomorrow I'm going to wear the singlet and try all three lifts, playing around with just the first attempts. Nothing more above that until the meet. Oh and scale at 11 am was at 131.8, so seems on track. Have to weight that Saturday at 5pm in underwear, so we'll see how it goes. Plus a little excited just to get scale to 131 as that will be 80 lost since started back in September 2014.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Dawn, awesome numbers! And 80 lbs lost, wow! 130 is my goal weight, I'm currently stalled around 155, despite my diet being pretty much on point. Keep having to remind myself to be patient.

Set up my power rack this weekend, so excited. Even DH was impressed, and he's not easily impressed and he wasn't very enthusiastic about the purchase before. But he realized he could do bench presses and chin ups at home now, so he is happy. I did Stage 4, Workout B, #2 on Saturday, I won't post all those numbers, but it was the 2x15 day and I think I could have challenged myself a little more.

Yesterday I ran 2 miles on the treadmill and then walked around the zoo for a few hours carrying the cutest 25 lb weight and occasionally a cute 40 lb one too.

This morning I did Stage 4, Workout A, #3
Suspended plank 2x50s
Bird dog 4x15s
Half kneeling cable chop, bought the rope attachment but still feeling awkward with these

Back squat 3x12@50 lbs. Heaviest squats yet as now I don't have to worry about knocking myself out trying to get the bar over my head!
Lat pulldown 3x12@60 lbs. Thinking about ordering those superbands to do assisted chin ups on my new rack.
Step ups 3x12@12 lbs. Step ups are my nemesis.
DB bench press 3x12@20 lbs each hand

Managed to squeak in a 5th interval within the 10 minutes, so I guess the plan is working. Weights don't seem to go up in this Stage as consistently due to the changing number of reps and sets, but I did realize that in Stage 3, I was doing DB bench press of 3x8@20 lbs, so 3x12 at the same weight is 50% more work. Woot!

Aigre - Thanks. The stalls are frustrating but you'll get there. From December to about March I didn't have much happening. And now it's still very slow but I'd rather eat a little bit more and have slow cause mmm food.

Julie - ick, sinus infection. I hope you get completely better soon. I have been trying out IF too. Kind of like the approach. Trying to get low calorie with several tiny meals just didn't help me before, so it's nice to have the calories in the time window instead.

Beeps - Nice to see you but we understand time restraints. Keep being awesome.

Pudding - Sounds fun. I am lacking in clothes too and going to LA in May. hmmm That stomach thing, it's tough. I've never had a bikini and finally close to a "healthy weight" but that stomach. Lifting is great but still have to work on that mental side and getting comfortable with body despite imperfections.


Last lifting session before the meet. Did squat, bench then deadlift at the gym even put up with the cage for the bench. Went pretty well though squat felt the most challenging. Think the numbers might work well for my first attempts.

Chapter 9: First Attempts

warm up for squats - 2x10 @ 45, 1x8 @ 95, 1x6 @ 135
Squats 3x1 @ 185 with belt

warm up for bench - 1x10 @ 45, 1x8 @ 75, 1x5 @ 95
Bench 3x1 @ 105

warm up for deadlift - 1x6 @ 135, 1x5 @ 185
Deadlift 3x1 @ 225


Imagined the cues on them all. Still a little nervous about that and all of the details that will be different, like the number of people around. Wish I had family or something nearby so that I didn't have to do the whole event alone. I would like to get video but that may not be plausible since no one is going with me. Will have to wait and see. Anyways, no more lifting until Sunday. I have off from work Wednesday and Thursday, then Saturday and Sunday. Almost like a mini vacation except that one work day in between. Will be nice and I just have a few things to get ready (food and such).

It's almost here. Then will have to figure out what I do next.

Hi ladies - I'm here, plodding along as usual.

Had an exam yesterday (hopefully the last in my professional career, but i've already tried it twice before so I'm not holding out TOO much hope), and my 30th birthday last Friday (which I spent revising... fun), so eating has been a bit all over the place.

I'm back to low-carbing today (I am also doing a bit of IF, as I really don't get hungry in the mornings when I'm low carbing).

Dawn - your meet is so close, I am excited on your behalf!

Today was:

Alternating side plank - 2 x 12, these are actually quite easy so I should probably figure out how to make them tougher
Back squat with pause (2 secs) - 3 x 8 @ 45kg, will bump it up to 50 next time just to see. I think it'll be doable
Single arm dead stop row - 3 x 8 each arm @ 14kg dumbell
Single leg DL (single arm too!) - 3 x 8 each leg @ 12kg kettlebell
Incline pushups (level 5 on smith machine) - 3 x 8, these are feeling nicer, going to drop down to level 4 next time and hope for the best!

Finished up with 30 sec on/ 30 sec off treadmill sprints for 10 minutes. I am DEAD!

And one of my teeth has suddenly started to hurt hopefully it's just because I drank too cold water and it's a bit sensitive.

Have a good day!

Beeps - I would not have been able to consider IF before low-carb, but now I'm thinking it might work. It does mean I go to the gym on an empty stomach but it hasn't been a problem yet.

Aigre - Thanks! My tooth does indeed feel better so that's good, the pain lasted about a day though so should probably book a dentist check-up soon!

Dawn - wow 80lbs lost is incredible! That also means that you and I started at the same weight (or near enough - since I started at 211). That is very inspirational - congratulations.

Hope you're felling better after a rest and some more food?

Just got done with the gym, have torn my hands apart deadlifting (well only my left hand, but still, ouch).

Valslide pushaway 2 x12
Deadlifts 3 x 8 @ 65kg - these were tough, mainly because of the grip. I got them all so I am considering trying 70 next time, will see how I feel on the day
Incline bench press 3 x 8 @ 2x14kg dumbells - second set i missed one actually, so make that 8,7,8
Rear foot elevated split squat 3 x 8 @ 15kg barbell, definitely need to pick up a heavier barbell next time. These always feel hard but I could definitely have been pushing more weight up
X cable pull down - 3 x 8 @ level 5 each arm, whatever that is. Around 40kg each judging from another machine, but bit clueless

Skipped cardio because my legs were hurting, but did have an extended stretch.

Sorry I know we go over this a lot, but should I just suck it up with the ripped up hands, or do people wear gloves?

Aigre - you are being very good with following the program.. as you can tell from my report on Stage 3 I have not been so dilligent by pulling regular deadlifts

I may go back to rack pulls for stage 4, or I might not... I like deadlifts too much to mess around with them too much

The rest is definitely nice though also getting anxious for the meet. I didn't do much today at all. Slept in really late then walked around the mall. Found a light weight, crop top shirt to wear under the singlet. The shirt I had was fine and small but a tad thick and still awkward length under the thing. We'll see how the crop top feels under it. Felt very weird buying a crop top even though I never plan to wear it just by itself, but had to do that to try on in the store. Also was just weird cause I bought a size extra small... x.x It's still a little hard to fathom after being xxl or xxxl. Yet still overweight for height. Sizing is weird.

Julie - maybe that's what it was, low blood sugar. I dunno. I always run fasted but this last week has been off.

Definitely, next time I have a cold when I'm recovering I'm not dropping to low calorie. Most of the time it's recommended to eat closer to maintenance cause the body needs calories to help with the healing process. Despite nausea, I'd normally try to get an okay amount in and would manage but with the weigh in looming, I went low calorie instead.

Hopefully the food post weigh in and morning of meet helps cause need strength to compete. I won't eat or drink all day Saturday before the weigh in time but probably helps my IF starts after 4pm normally so 5 isn't as big of a stretch for me. Will have a protein snack with me then go get food after am done making weight. Planning on Wendy's cause I can get protein, fat, sodium, and carbs all in one easy meal. Then will grab a couple of things from the grocery store as I think I'll have a bagel with vegan cream cheese for breakfast. I have less than a serving left and some raspberry jam to add to it, which is good on grain bagels. mmm

For now, it's low sodium foods today and tomorrow. Had chicken thigh and veggies with no salt added for dinner. Not going super low sodium, just trying to not go over the MFP recommended amount, which I do probably too often. Food is good though and I like the taste of the products so shouldn't be bad. I'm working 8 hours tomorrow starting at noon. So plenty of time to rest afterwards and drink coffee cause I slept in so late today I probably won't get enough hours tonight, seems to happen often that way. Saturday will be sleep in then go watch some of the men's lifting while hoping to hit the weigh in as early as allowed. ;-) So much to do but it's almost done.

Sooo.......I've been disappointingly MIA. I had a problem with my hip that kept getting progressively worse. I'm stubborn so I carried on. I would like to say I limped off the treadmill one day, but it really wasn't that graceful, but the end result was that I could only get up and down stairs on my hands and knees. Rest was prescribed, but 3 weeks later, although I can walk, I still have the pain. There is clearly something not right. So I have an x-ray on it this morning, and we will take it from there.

During that time, the combination of me feeling meh, and with my husband celebrating his 50th birthday, which did involve a LOT of celebrating, I have really let it all slide. Then comes the spiral of needing to start in order to feel better etc.

The kick up the backside was that I got home last night to find we have a leaking pipe that is difficult to get to - hence the water has been turned off at home. I therefore needed to go to the gym this morning primarily so that I could shower! But while I was there I did half an hour upper body work - lat pull downs, bench press, seated rows, etc. So I have made my re-start, and will adapt according to the hip pain, and the results of the x-ray.

I NEED to do this - I feel so much better when I do. Also, I have a gorgeous full length gold gown to wear for a ball in 8 weeks. I am NOT going to let myself down!!

I've not checked in to see how everyone is doing - so apologies if this post doesn't address other people's successes and struggles. I will read through it in my lunch break and get up to date.

x