Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Goooooooood Morning

I seriously think there’s something wrong with me ;) I’ve never been in such a good mood AFTER Christmas. I’m just so excited about the coming new year! Actually I’m finding I’m excited about each new day – another chance to prove myself. Another chance to be the best I can be.

I did really well on food yesterday. I managed to avoid all the left over treats here at work, and the left over treats at home. The food I had was very good and very satisfying. I kept my calories almost right at 2000 and ratio at 23/40/34 F/C/P – overall I’m Thrilled ;) If I keep with this there’s no doubt in my mind that I’ll start to see results quickly and consistently.

This morning 4:00 AM came REALLY quickly though. It took me forever to wake up. In fact I think I was ½ way through my workout before I finally felt human :P

I couldn’t believe how empty the gym was today. There were two other people besides my fiancé and I in the weight area and maybe 12 (or less) people on the cardio machines. It was SO nice ;)

It was back day. After 8 minutes of peddling on the bike and a few warm-up sets I started my workout.

Bent Rows (+ bar): 60 x 6 / 60 x 6
Close Grip Pull down: 105 x 6 / 115 x 5.5
I probably could have finished the last rep for these but my fiancé started playing ‘personal trainer’ and was being so goofy that I started laughing.
Wide Grip Pull Ups (Assisted – these make me feel like such a looser because I can’t do them): 170 (I think that means 170lbs of assistance?) x 6 / 170 x 6
Olympic Style Dead Lifts:

Now I did the Dead Lifts on this machine they have at the gym. Since it was my first time doing Olympic Style I felt better doing it on a machine. It allows me to focus on my form more and less on ‘don’t drop the bar’. This machine has three grips much like a pull up setup: Narrow Grip, Wide Grip and Parallel Grip. I get all set up, and take a narrow grip because it seemed the most comfortable to me. I was all focused on my form, weight back so that my knees were behind my toes, back slightly arched, head up. I was watching myself in the mirror as I stood, looked good, and then at the top of the lift I made sure to pull my shoulders back and give my lats a good SQUEEZE. My fiancé almost jumped across the room when I hollered ‘OWE!’.

“Oh my god, are you aright? Do you need me to take the weight?”

“No, it’s ok, I’m ok…”

What had I done? When I had stood up straight and rolled my shoulders back I had rammed the pegs for the parallel grip into my thighs. I’m such a dork! I finished my sets anyway.

45 x 6 / 70 x 6

That was it for the day – I hit the showers.

Chest yesterday and back today? Let’s just say my upper body is a little sore.

A few last notes. Having committed to several challenges for the new year: Julies “Torch” Challenge, Ms Fit’s Challenge, Pink Dumbbells challenge and a challenge at Body Blog has got me feeling anxious. I’m suddenly feeling pressured to have a ‘transformation’ and in my mind that requires doing things ‘right’. This has left me questioning everything I do. Is –Max-OT the right weight lifting regime? Should I do cardio every day? Twice a Day? HIIT or LISS? Run or Bike ahhhhhhh!! And then there’s the nutrition. Do I low carb it? Only eat fish on Sundays? Have cabbage every third hour? (I know I’m getting silly now)

The easy thing would be to do BFL by the book. Frankly I feel I’m a little beyond that. But maybe I’m giving myself too much credit. I just know I don’t like the two day split, Upper Body one day and Lower Body another. And on average I think the palm/fist method leaves much to be desired on my body. I’ve tried ‘winging it’ and that’s gotten me no where.

I know there are a lot of people out there who feel the same way. Completely confused on what program to do, when to do what and how many reps; it’s overwhelming. I don’t have any answers yet. What I’m NOT allowing this to do is paralyze me. Yes, I don’t have plan yet, but that doesn’t mean I sit around and do nothing!

Because of this confusion of mine I went and checked out some training programs. Two I’ve been interested in for a while now SGX and Leanness Lifestyle. While looking at these two programs I was scrolling through their ‘results’ photos. That’s when my fiancé made a comment. He said, “I see you looking at all these photos and I wonder when are you going to stop looking and start doing?”

I had to think about that for a while. I told him that I look at the before/afters for inspiration. To assure myself that it’s possible. We then got into a discussion about me and my lack of results. (Yes we’re back to that). What it comes down to is that he doesn’t understand. He doesn’t understand that working your ass off at the gym isn’t enough. I do that. You have to plan and carefully execute your nutrition to get the results that we see in the magazines. Don’t get me wrong here – it’s not that he doesn’t believe in me. The thing is, he believes in me too much! He believes I’m capable of an amazing transformation. That I’m capable of achieving amazing results, what he can’t understand is why it hasn’t started yet…

And really I don’t have the answers - yet. I’ve spent the past year (or more like the past 6 months) figuring out what DOESN’T work for me. Eventually I’ll figure out what does. And when I do, whoa Nelly!

Have a GREAT day everyone.

10 comments:

  1. I see you are following a 2000 calorie plan. Do you know what your caloric needs are? I thought my needs were much higher than it truly is. I'm at basically the same weight and strength level yet I only eat about 1400 - 1500 calories a day. On this number of calories, I get more than enough to eat. If you would like some menus, let me know. I'd be glad to share. - Kim

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  2. Hey, so glad you are back on the blog! I was going to try and get in contact with you to tell you about the challenge, and just this past couple days I went looking for the link to this blog and your "real life" blog to try and see how you have been doing! I too am undecided on what program to use and wonder about BFL. I always say that I am passed that, but am I ? Look at the shape I am in. Not sure what I am going to do either, but I am looking at a number of options.

    Anyway glad you are back at the blog and its time for both of us to get the job done. You and I have crossed simmilar paths in our battles of the bulge and I think whether we are teamed together in the blog challenge or not we can help keep each other accountable.

    Shane

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  3. For what it's worth. I know I never started out in your position, but I did find the KISS method worked for me in the end.

    The Keep It Simple Stupid method.

    Not saying you're stupid, it's just a turn of phrase, but most of my training consists, of movements I used to do in the very early days.

    Another thing I discovered was sometimes you have to place nutrition ahead of training, by which I mean you hear of yonugsters wanting to be the next Ronnie Coleman or the next Monica Brant, trying all sorts of routines when their results stall, and after about 3 months, it turns out about 30% more daily protein fixes things, or more carbs.

    I have never wanted to be the next Ronnie C, but I've been there and wasted time, doing things like Supersetting, Pyramid etc etc, trying to get results with an average nutritional base.

    Even tried things like Creatine and HMB, when I was not someone in a position to benefit properly from things like that. Wouldn't use the again either.

    It takes a long time to learn this stuff. It's a huge minefield, of different training styles, supplements, cardio schedules, etc etc, which have different responses in people according to their physical state when they start, genetics, metabolism, etc etc.

    You'll get there, but it will take time to work stuff out, as long as you're patient and don't get frustrated, which might happen, and you certainly wouldn't be the first.

    I will say purely, to be helpul, you don't have to feel pressurised to achieve though. Like I do, you can just do it for yourself, not for any other reasons. I just do it for me, my way my rules.

    I'm accountable for when I fail, when I achieve etc etc.

    By all means take challenges on, and know that if for example you just failed to make say the next BFL challenge, you will still have achieved so much, not failed to honour Julie Whitts memory.

    To be able to come close to someone that incredible, is a huge achievement in itself.

    You can do this, and you will find clarity in your future :-).

    Matt

    P.S. Great results with the calories and training stats. Another excellent day for you in my book :-).

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  4. With all the work you do and the way you are so conscientious about eating, it will happen. And I suspect that the weight did not go on all at once, either.

    Good luck!

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  5. Graet workout!! I do not go by the BFL worout either, most of what I do is from this site. http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/magazine/fat_loss_workout.htm

    Good luck finding what works. I still wonder if I am on the right path and am looking for a transformation with the challenge coming up. Guess we will see how we do.

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  6. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  7. Wow what a workout! I think for the Torch Challenge I'll do BFL by the book. Why not, it definitely can't hurt, can it. I've been experimenting also, and even though I haven't gotten the desired results I want, doing something is better than not doing anything at all.Just keep plugguin away! Results will happen!
    Troy.

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  8. I won't say anything about the info and resources on ABCbodybuilding, as I can't vouch for them. but the message board is terribly managed.

    I can't remember how many times I have heard stuff about that board :-(.

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  9. I love your attitude here! I'm looking forward to a new year and a new start as well. Good job.

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  10. Girl, whoa nelly is right, you already have the mindset, you are gonna really do great this year...I like the KISS method too, I just add more excercises to my routine for each bodypart...

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