I LOVE it , Mesha! :laugh: good job on your lifting. I commented on the Stage 1 thread about your lifting too.

Hey ladies!!

I am just curious what people do lifting wise after they finish NROL...?

I'm only half way through stage 1, so I still have a long way to go. Always looking ahead I guess :-)

@mesa - that's awesome! Good for you

@388 - I plan on doing strong lifts after new rules.

@beeps - I know bikram is done in a heated room, but are the moves similar to ashtanga/vinyasa yoga?

Mesha-- that is SO awesome!!

Thinking about doing stage 2 only 2 days a week and keeping my Zumba or step class on Wednesdays. I miss it. And the only way to get a class in, because they are fun and keep me motivated is to go on Tuesdays or Saturdays sacrificing a rest day and having to pay for childcare at the gym. Neither are good options right now. I do want to get to the point where i can lift my body weight. I'm still at 120 on a back squat and 115 on the deadlift and the stage 2 weights are lower for the smaller muscle groups. IDK.

From the research I've done about CrossFit, it is a relatively intense workout including weight lifting, kettlebell work, sand bag work and body matrix stuff like burpees and box jumps. Although I havent checked it out yet, I think they focus around a workout of the day (WOD) where they give you a certain number of exercises to complete and then they time you on how long it takes you to complete it. Everything I've read says that the "coaches" really focus on making sure you have good form and are there to help push you to do the best you can.

I'm really excited to check it out because it sounds like everyday the workout is different and its always challenging so it seems impossible to get bored with the "routine" - which is something I always struggle with. I have my intro class this Saturday so I'll check back in with a better report of exactly what it is after I figure it out for sure!

That's my understanding of Crossfit too and it is supposed to be awesome!! No access here otherwise I would try to do it too. Think you will really like it.
Catching up with old posts: Birdy: That is HUGE about your AIC!!! All my patients have Type 2 so that is my frame of reference and I would be beyond thrilled to see that kind of improvement in their numbers in such a short time. keep at it!
Mesha: That is classic about the guy at your gym. Loved it.
Beeps: I find yoga so hard because I am not remotely flexible. But it is part of this P90x thing and that DVD is 90 minutes. So hard but committed to it and know I will see improvements if I stick with it, as in all things.
Glad everyone is sticking with it and enjoying the program and in awe of everyone's weights even this early into it.
I'm on Week 2 Day 3 of P90x and really enjoying the variety. yesterday was the plyometrics/jumping one which is brutal so kind of exhausted today. Thinking about upping my calories again. Currently aiming for 1800 as that is what program guide recommends but think it might not be enough as supposedly each workout is in the neighborhood of 500 calories. And not supposed to be eating back exercise calories according to the guide.
Anyway that's where I'm at but I'm still checking this board a lot (maybe compulsively) as well as Eat More to Weight Less as seems the highest concentration of like minded supportive people.

The best crossfit video ever -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufVcD2_2dXg (ETA - might want to turn the sound down if you're at work or have little ones around - there's bad language in the song.)

Love, love, love the crossfit idea. I think it varies from gym to gym, but they build a sense of community and competition with each other and with themselves. The workouts are different every day, and they post stats on a big board for everyone to see their rankings. There are challenge workouts that serve as a benchmark - search for "Crossfit Fran" or "Filthy Fifty". So so amazing seeing these women who are super strong, but still lean and sexy. Yeah... I'm a wanna be. LOL

They seem quite varied depending on the franchise owner.

This has to be true, because I was totally excited about Crossfit until I visited the one closest to my house. Very cult-ish, giant lunky dudes hanging out, crazy expensive, total turn off. I seriously could not get out of there fast enough.

One of my facebook friends is constantly re-posting stuff from the Crossfit page, and it is very self-righteous, as in, if you don't do Crossfit, you aren't really working out.

I hope that is just the case for this one location, but it definitely gave me a negative view of the whole thing, which is why I love NROLFW because you can do it virtually anywhere for minimal cost. I do wish I had the benefit of one-on-one training, but I can buy those by the session at my gym as needed.

Anyway, not trying to be totally negative, if you love Crossfit, go for it! I can definitely see the appeal as they do heavy lifting!

Awww! You guys are bursting my fantasy bubble! LOL

I DO really like the camaraderie I've found on here though. :flowerforyou:

bwahahah i saw the one *kitten* dude in the gym today (one of the 2 guys who have ever given me grief in the weightroom and attempted a confrontation). he was also doing deadlifts and making all kind of crazy"this is sparta"noises.

guess who was deadlifting more than him?? YUP, you guessed it, THIS girl. also ran into him at the lat pull down stations. I was lifting (well pulling) the same amount he was... bwahahahaha. i saw him looking over at it too.

I saw your post on how much weight you are lifting in the stage 1 board and was seriously impressed. Now, you are amazing in my book. That is great! So hilarious

Awww! You guys are bursting my fantasy bubble! LOL

I DO really like the camaraderie I've found on here though. :flowerforyou:

Very much this! I am so grateful for the support on MFP.

I deadlifted 85 lbs today! It was the highest so far I'd worked up to. I did have a guy comment in my form he said my knees turned in a little. Do you guys check yourselves out in the mirror? The book talks some about form but not so I exactly know. I had to take a pic of my new muscles in my arm! I love this book and program so much, I can definitely tell its working! And this is just stage 1!!! It kicks my butt and I can't wait for more! Please feel free to add me, I'm more supportive on my iPhone app, it doesn't do groups on there thanks for letting me share! No other girls I know lift, or actually any of my friends. They are all into cardio and light weights.

Congrats on your deadlift! I don't have a mirror in my garage, sometimes I wish I did. I try to practice my form with no weight or very light weights first so I can look at what I'm doing without hurting myself. Checking my squat form holding close to my body weight is a bad idea! At that point I ask my husband to come watch me if I'm unsure. After a while, I think you get a feel if your form is off. That's when I know to back off the weight a bit/ do fewer reps, whatever to avoid injury.