Daily Chat Thread
Replies
-
Hope everyone had a good weekend. Before I get to the gym mess, first there is the good stuff: writing.
I made it to 50,000 words written in novels during November at a write-in this afternoon that I barely made it to after work today. Worked on the fantasy novel, which has just over 40,000 words now. The contemporary YA has 10,000.
Made it to the gym after write in for some generic lifting. I need to get consistent again and I have to decide if I can afford the meet that is coming in January, along with the IPF membership.
squats - 2x10 @ 45, 1x8 @ 95, 1x8 @ 135 and with belt 3x5 @ 160
good morning - 3x10 @ 95
deadlift - 1x8 @ 135, 1x5 @ 165 and with belt 3x5 @ 185
1 -
Belated happy thanksgiving to all of you Americans
I hope you found a balance between over indulgence and deprivation!
It's Monday, and I am BACK!
I have my breakfast and lunch made and in the fridge at work, brought my protein shake in for after gym, brought my gym kit in so I can go and get on with Strong, and I do not have a milky/sugary coffee in my hand right now!
Have set my calories to 1600, aiming to do lower carb breakfast and lunch, and then a "normal" family dinner (which for us is usually something I've made like a lasagne, casserole, cottage pie, enchiladas, that type of thing, although sometimes it's freezer food like chicken nuggets )
Already hungry so off to retrieve my chorizo and egg breakfast casserole! Have a great day0 -
Back from the gym - I have restarted Strong (why the hell not 'eh!)
So today was Phase 1, Workout A
Plank: 50 sec, 60 sec - I had to take a brief knee in both sets but for less than a second. This is much improved from first time round
Bird dogs: 4 x 15 sec - really focused on keeping my back straight, I have a huge tendancy to arch
Goblet squats: 2 x 12 @ 16kg
3 point row: 2 x 12/12 @ 10kg - felt my low back far too much in these, need to sort out back position
Step-ups: 2 x 12/12 with body weight
Push ups: 2 x 12 @ #7 on smith machine - rough height is where legs meet hips!
Finished off with sled pushes @ sled + 20kg for 3 intervals. I was aiming for 4, but thought I was going to hurl so had a stretch instead
It's good to be back0 -
Welcome back, Stephie! Fun to see you doing Strong again. I sort of want to repeat it just to see how much I have improved. I just ate my breakfast but chorizo egg casserole still sounds yummy.
Dawn - awesome writing!
Anyway, I did another session of Strong Curves (the last in the 5-8 weeks block) on Saturday. I used 64 lbs for hip thrusts (3x20 with 3 second pause) and really felt the burn! Squats also at 64 lbs 3x12. Doesn't sound like much but it is greater volume than I was doing even at the end of Strong, so happy with that.
Yesterday I did 6.1 miles run, and felt good with a slowish 10:20 min/mile pace. The rest of the day was spent celebrating my brother's and his wife's baby shower. Stressful and I didn't hit my macros, but I don't think I went too far over on calories.
Weight is pretty stable around the 133-134 mark. But even though I know it isn't accurate, the body fat % on my scale has trended down over the past month since I've been tracking it. I hope that means something other than randomness.
Rest day for me today. Glutes/hams are still a bit sore. Will try to get in some steps to flush that out.
Happy Monday, everyone!1 -
DawnEmbers wrote: »
I made it to 50,000 words written in novels during November at a write-in this afternoon that I barely made it to after work today. Worked on the fantasy novel, which has just over 40,000 words now. The contemporary YA has 10,000.
What does this mean?!?!? I am reading the words, but not understanding the meaning....and I feel like an idiot for asking....but, tell me what this is trying to communicate?0 -
StephieWillcox wrote: »Back from the gym - I have restarted Strong (why the hell not 'eh!)
Agreed! BOOM!0 -
W
Anyway, I did another session of Strong Curves (the last in the 5-8 weeks block) on Saturday. I used 64 lbs for hip thrusts (3x20 with 3 second pause) and really felt the burn! Squats also at 64 lbs 3x12. Doesn't sound like much but it is greater volume than I was doing even at the end of Strong, so happy with that.
...
Rest day for me today. Glutes/hams are still a bit sore. Will try to get in some steps to flush that out.
BOOM!0 -
I lifted this morning. And, I kept the pounds off that I lost in Friday's fast...so, I did eat really low-calorie Saturday and Sunday, but it meant that even with water-swollen muscle recovery, the bloat stayed away. GREAT!
I will lift tomorrow and that will be all the lifting I can squish in this week....gf-trip thurs/fri/sat....so, likely tons of "walking", but no "lifting".
ZOOM!0 -
...also, minor note, but my "streak" on mfp, as of today, is "1,800". 1
-
Not talking about the scales (bloody hormones) but lifting this week has been great fun.
Got all my squat reps which was 5 x 8 @ 120lbs - which is bodyweight now. Had some great tips from my coach which are helping me keep more upright and focused on body mechanics.
Bench today and got all my reps too. This week is my first week doing sets of 8 - previously 10 or 12. A nice transition period. After Christmas will be sets of 5 and my coach said "then it'll start getting hard"...... which was a little concerning as I was thinking the sets of 12 were the worst thing ever
Next week I am off to Melbourne to visit my sister. I will workout but not much - a nice rest week coming my way1 -
Jo - awesome, I'm glad you've had a great lifting week!
Aigre - great work on the thrusts and squats! Also I think even though the body fat measurements aren't accurate I think the movements are? So a downward trend can only mean good things!
Beeps - enjoy your girls trip away! Glad you're feeling less bloaty
Dawn - great work on the writing. 50,000 words is a lot!! If I remember correctly you didn't make it last year? So well done on getting through it this year - with a few days to spare too.
Ate 1625 calories yesterday and wasn't hungry, but fought cravings all day. I suspect it's going to be like this for a little while.
Rest day today as I am quite sore from yesterday, but am going to go for a walk around town at lunchtime, see if I can get a new atificial christmas tree. We usually get a real one, but with katy and a cat and a newly decorated house I am not up for a real one this year!
Brought breakfast and lunch in again today, and dinner is in the oven at home on a timer so it will be ready when I get in! Must try to keep up this preparedness!0 -
Stephie - way to go on the planning! We pretty much eat very similar things every week, but we've found things that my DH likes, fit into my plan, and the kids like. So we just repeat! I've found keeping up with walking/steps to be really helpful for weight loss, too.
Jo - hope you have a great trip! Rest week sounds well deserved. 5x8 bodyweight squats is awesome!
Beeps - 1800 days, wow!! So that's almost 5 years??!?! Boom!
I did Strong Curves, Week 9-12 workout A #1 today. Was a pretty good workout!
Hip thrusts w 3 second pause - 3x20@69 lbs. What a burn!
One arm DB row - 3x10@27.5 each side
Back squat to box (used 12" step stool) - 3x10@53 lbs. Forgot how hard pause/box squats are!
Pushups - 3x6 off bench and....1 off the floor!! OMG, I was so surprised! OK, I know Jo can do like hundreds at a time, but this has been a goal of mine for a long time so I was psyched. I started almost a year ago doing pushups off something waist high, so huge progress!
Deadlifts - 3x10@83 lbs. Hadn't done deadlifts in a while so put the load pretty low. Felt nice to be able to maintain form well father away from lower RMs though.
Side lying abduction - 1x30 each side
Swiss ball crunch - 1x30 with 8 lb DB
Half kneeling band pull - 1x15 each side
Off for a cup of hot tea on this cloudy cold morning. Happy Tuesday everyone!
ETA - I just stood up to get the tea. Ow glutes!0 -
DawnEmbers wrote: »
I made it to 50,000 words written in novels during November at a write-in this afternoon that I barely made it to after work today. Worked on the fantasy novel, which has just over 40,000 words now. The contemporary YA has 10,000.
What does this mean?!?!? I am reading the words, but not understanding the meaning....and I feel like an idiot for asking....but, tell me what this is trying to communicate?
In November people do a month long writing challenge called National Novel Writing Month and the goal is to write a short novel in that time. The goal is to write 50,000 words of the new novel during November. It's actually too short for most genres but the idea is to get people who always say they want to write a novel to actually write. This year I worked on two novels: one is a fantasy and the other is a contemporary YA (young adult). So, those are just the genres as it's far easier for me to write more words with a made up world than to do modern day stories. To reach the end, I'll probably need around 100,000 for the fantasy novel and more like 70,000 for the young adult.
Simpler summary: I had a writing goal and used two novel ideas to reach it, which was to write 50,000 words in November.
1 -
Pushups - 3x6 off bench and....1 off the floor!! OMG, I was so surprised! OK, I know Jo can do like hundreds at a time, but this has been a goal of mine for a long time so I was psyched. I started almost a year ago doing pushups off something waist high, so huge progress!
ETA - I just stood up to get the tea. Ow glutes!
This is awesome progress! Well done!
And no, I can't do hundreds at a time - I did my 125 in sets of 25, lol.
Hearing you on the glutes! Ouchy. And shoulders.
Cardio day for me today. MUST get it done as too much else to do this week to make up for it another day. My ankle tendonitis is flaring a bit at the moment which makes cardio tricky - seems like any running sets it off now
I'm getting old
Looking forward to deadlifts tomorrow - supposed to be doing 5 x 8 @ 188lbs so am keen to see if I can actually do that - not convinced, lol.
0 -
Got it, Dawn! I clearly understand, now. Are you pleased with your writing work?
I did lift, today. And, scale stayed the same, so that's three weigh-ins at my lower weight...I like that!
No more gym-time until Monday...also no more weighing, which is good. My girls'-trip is on-tap...I feel mentally prepared to limit my calories, indulge a little bit, but to balance it with some healthy, outdoor walking in the phoenix sunshine! 0 -
Awesome job with the writing Dawn!
Definitely listen to your body and work on form Stephie. Funny enough I gave up on intervals at some point. The workouts just take way to long with them added.
Sounds like you are doing great Aigre! Weight stable is an accomplishment. Finally doing push-ups from the floor HUGE!
All aboard the hormone train. I'm with you Jo. I was very proud of myself for even getting to the gym today, the first day of my cycle. Damn girl sets of 25... Wait I can do that. I think the most I've ever done is 125 and it took my ALL DAY in a challenge with sets of 15.
I'm doing well with my new performance macros. I'm actually having trouble eating all of the food. I had to go looking for something else to eat to round out my low day (only 1700 cals). For Thanksgiving, I swapped out a high day for a Super day (more fat allotted). I was really proud of myself because I stayed within my macros. Awesome day! I never got out of pajamas. The bonus of eating veggie on Thanksgiving is that nobody wants to eat with you and you avoid all sorts of drama.
I slept like crazy yesterday and reamed out one of students, (in private of course and he really needed a stern talking to for some time now.) Turns out it was the day before my period. I woke up and said, "Well that explains a lot."
Proud of myself for getting into the gym tonight. I was feeling week and then realized while logging I was doing 12 reps with my 10 rep weight. Not bad!
Back squat 3x12@85
Chin up 9x12@125 assist
Step up 3x12@25dbs
DB BP 3x12@25dbs0 -
Enjoy Beeps
Haha Sam - don't our hormones have SO much to answer for?!
Got combat done - did an old one (#43) which was a blast from the past. Quite crazy how much harder it is now than then. Was nice to do a cardio blast without having to put in too much thought.
DLs tomorrow. Rest week on the horizon. Getting on well with new coach - v pleased0 -
Jo - glad you like the new coach!
Sam - nice workout! and WTG for staying within macros on Thanksgiving! I did not, mostly thanks to 2 slices of pie. But calories were only like 300 over maintenance, so I'll be ok.
Beeps - have a great time in Phoenix! Sounds nice and warm.
I ran 4.5 miles this morning. New shoes, which worked out well.0 -
Stephie - Thanks and you are right about last year. I only made it to 30,000 last year though I finished the first draft around the beginning of summer this year. That year I did just a contemporary YA.
Beeps - I am pleased with making progress in the writing. They are just first, rough drafts so there is still a lot of work that will need done in rewrites and edits. I still need to world build some with the fantasy but it's nice spending less time writing over the past couple of years.
Aigre - nice work and great runs. Every time I see your runs it reminds me I need to get back into that. Nice on the shoes too, yay!
Sam - Thanks.
Jo - Nice on the trainer.
No lifting right now. Between schedule and writing, plus sharing the car it's difficult to time things but hope to get more going on in December.0 -
...waiting to board airplane to Phoenix. It isn't going to be all that warm while we are there. Certainly nice walking weather, but for sure not "pool" weather.
I am a bit tipsy on Bailey's in my coffee. I used to love flying alone, but not so much anymore, I guess.
No workouts until Monday. And I hope I get some sleep, frankly.0 -
Beeps - haha, best way to fly is tipsy flying! Not that I do that much anymore since I usually have my kids.
Dawn - bummer about no lifting. Glad you'll get back to it soon!
SC Week 9-12 Workout B#1 today
SL hip thrusts - 3x15 BW so much harder than they look!
Chin ups (band assist) - 6, 4, 5
Bulgarian split squat - 3x10 each side BW
OHP - 3x8@38 lbs
Good mornings - 3x10@38 lbs. Never had done these before. Sort of felt and looked like doing a really bad squat.
X band walk - 30 each side
Plank - 80 seconds
DB side bends - 1x15@15 lbs each side0 -
Keep forgetting to check in!
Doing really well - I'm proud of myself this week so far!
Stuck to ~1600 cals, around 100g carbs and am genuinely feeling better already. Less bloated, less uncomfortable, generally good things.
Traning also going well, but don't have a lot of time at the moment. Things will get quieter I'm sure.
Leave my job in under 3 weeks now, with my new job starting 3rd Jan, pretty exciting.
And I get my exam result on the same day I leave here, so that's a bit nervewracking. Would be awesome to join my new company as a qualified Actuary!
Have a great Friday & weekend all if I don't manage to get on in the mean time 0 -
Stephie, glad you are doing well. WTG on the diet modifications! Good luck on the exam results and the new job.
Jo - impressive volume, as usual!
Ran 3.1 miles this morning. Wore boots yesterday that gave me an enormous blister on my heel, but luckily it didn't seem to be bothered while running after a good sized band aid.
Happy Friday, have a great weekend everyone!1 -
Nice to have days off from work. I went to the gym last night even though I didn't want to leave the house since it has been chilly and was a bit breezy. But I wanted to try and get that push press entry done even though I haven't been consistent lifting. I even tried using my belt, which was the first time I'd used it for any upper body lifting.
warm up squats 2x10 @ 45, push press 2x8 @ 45, 1x5 @ 65
Push press with belt - 1x2 @ 85, 1x1 @ 90 and fail at 95
Squat - 1x8 @ 105, 1x8 @ 135, 4x6 @ 155
Good morning - 3x10 @ 90
Video will be worked later today and posted if I can get it turned to the right direction. I had struggles and not sure why my phone decided when I often use it that way to make it go sideways for the file. I dunno but we'll see if my laptop can have a way to fix it since my phone doesn't.
Then it's back to work tomorrow. I might go check out 24 hour tomorrow after my shift in order to get a price point. We'll see how it goes.0 -
Feeling Badass today and very happy with my body. Ladies you may know why. When you wake up and the extra water has vacated your body, you're bound to feel good. I almost never post pics, but here they are. Three years ago it was mind-blowing to be a size six at 145 pounds (a size I never hit even at my fittest in high school.) I was more comfortable in an 8 when equilibrium set in still under 150. Now I'm 156 on a good day and my clothes are getting lose. Ladies and gentlemen, don't let the scale screw with your head.0 -
So workout today:
S4 B6 Stage 4 FINALLY DONE!!
DL: 3x10@90, Push-ups 3x10, Side lunge 3x10@20, SA Low Row 3x10@30.5
I was a little bummed that I didn't PR on the DL at those reps, but I'm up 20lbs from where I started. The side lunge and Low Row was a PR, so stoked about that. Glad to see this high rep stage go bye-bye.
Stephie: New year new you. Best of luck with the new job and everything else!
Aigre: split squats hurt, great job getting it done.
Killer workout Jo!
Beeps, enjoy your time away.0 -
Looking great Sam!
Did an old skool combat today - took me way back to when I first started it years ago. Was fun hearing the old tracks and interesting to find it so easy - it was a good cardio workout but NOTHING like the intensity that they are now. I'm hoping to check out the new release when I'm in Melbourne this week - kinda daunted by how hard that class is going to be
Squats tomorrow - not got my weekly program yet so am experiencing anxious anticipation of what I am supposed to achieve this time lol. Got a feeling it will be 5 x 8 @ 126lbs....... Yikes. Then front squats. Then rows. Glad I have given myself most of the morning
0 -
Stephie - Good luck with the job.
Sam - Looking great.
Jo - Have fun with the squats.
Didn't lift today but I did get the youtube video up on my channel for a bodybuilding.com forum challenge showing push press. I even put the fails in at the end where a guy moved around the bar to take weight off the rack right when I was about to unrack. Might not win but it was fun since I haven't lifted much in November. 100 would have been great, but even doing 90 made me think about when I started Stronglifts and how heavy the bar felt for overhead press.
Plan to check out 24 Hour Fitness tomorrow.0 -
Dawn - nice push press! Never have tried those, but damn sure couldn't get even close to 95 lbs
Sam - looking strong, lady! Nice muscles starting to show!
Jo - that's a lot of squats. Hope it went well!
Yesterday I did SC Weeks 9-12 Workout C#1
Barbell hip thrust w 3 sec pause - 3x15@83 lbs
One arm row - 3x8@30 lbs
Back squat - 3x10@69 lbs
Bench press - 3x10@53 lbs
Reverse hyper - 3x15@BW
Side lying clam - 1x30 each side
Hanging knee raise - 1x10
Band chop - 1x15 each side
And today I was out at dawn to get in my 6.1 mile run. Love the cold weather for running!
DH took the kids out for the morning, so I am going to get a head start on some Christmas cooking. Yeay for lasagna and cookies 0
