(Those are my legs back there in [...]]]> How is the time change treating all of you? I am having a little trouble adjusting as I want to get up too early. At least it is light out going to the gym now! I had the forethought to write out my workout ahead of time.

(Those are my legs back there in the mirror, I see.)  :grin:

It really makes it easier when I do this, but I forget most times and write it down as I go.  I will use paper like this 4 times (each side of the folded paper) and I can refer to it to see what I did previously.

The reverse lunge/forward reach is from New Rules of Lifting.

This is a great move for the whole body and getting your heart rate up.  For some reason, reverse lunges are much easier on my knees than forward lunges.  I need to keep this move in more regularly.

After a bit on the treadmill, I headed off to home for a grain-free day! I started with coconut flour waffles.

I also found out when I got home that I won the football picks again this week!  Poor John. I have to say that I really am really feeling bad about how I keep winning, but not so bad that I am willing to give up my dinner choice. 

Lunch included some egg salad and an almond flour biscuit.  I will probably post the recipe for this tomorrow as it turned out pretty good.

Work was very busy today and I have busy couple of weeks coming up here.  My training for the literacy tutoring starts tomorrow and is Tues and Thurs nights for 3 hours for the next couple of weeks.  That eats up a lot of time during the week.  I have already planned out my workout schedule and eating plan (very important when doing grain-free days). Plus, I worked some on Saturday so I don’t have to stress about getting in all my lines with work those couple of days.  Planning ahead really can make a big difference in stress levels.  The only thing that might suffer is my guitar practicing on those 2 days.

John made up an almond milk latte for me this afternoon, which I paired with some dried pineapple.

That is a yummy snack!  I also went out for a walk in the afternoon to finish out my 3 miles.  It was so nice out and I didn’t want to wait until after dinner when it was dark out.

I cooked up a bunch of chicken to be used this week (part of planning!).  I will have to pack dinners for Tuesday and Thursday to bring with me.  This plate was large and satisfying for dinner.  4.5 ounces of chicken because it was a lifting day.

Yum!  Although, the strawberries were watery tasting.  I complained about that to John and he said, “You take that chance with out-of-season strawberries.”  Touche.  I should have had a pear.

I need to get practicing the guitar and actually write this week’s plan out.  I have it in my head, but it certainly would be a good idea to make it concrete!

Question:  Do you plan ahead when you know it will be busy?

Lifting day.  We should make some kind of theme song for lifting day, don’t you think? I drank a protein drink (15 g of protein) and headed out. It was somewhat dark when I left [...]]]> Thanks for all your thoughts on hunger yesterday.  It’s quite interesting how we all deal with it (or not LOL).

Lifting day.  We should make some kind of theme song for lifting day, don’t you think? I drank a protein drink (15 g of protein) and headed out. It was somewhat dark when I left for the gym. Bye-bye daylight 

This was tiring! I need to work my squat weight back up again. Then I hopped on the treadmill for a bit.

Since I have quite a few new readers and it has been a while since I have posted it, here is the video for the YTWL.  I learned this move while doing the New Rules of Lifting for Women and kept this in my rotation.

Always light weights on this one. Shoulder muscles are delicate!

When I got home, it was time for breakfast. Yesterday John and I both said we would eat eggs for breakfast today for something different.  I made up a little frittata for myself, which I finished up in the toaster oven.  Don’t you love this little cast iron skillet?  6 inches. Perfect for a single frittata.

Mine had some sauteed green and red peppers and was topped with sharp cheddar cheese.

This was good, but I am not sure I liked the peppers with breakfast.

Sharon asked a question yesterday about my plate sizes.  Most of you know I eat off of smaller plates so the volume of food looks like more and also to help with portion control.  The plate above is 7.5 inches.  My eyes like to see a lot of food, so the smaller plates help keep me from heaping food on my plate – because I am a plate cleaner!

I ended up sort of swapping breakfast and lunch.  We have bananas on the edge of over ripe, so I made a coconut flour banana bread pudding for lunch.

Topped with some peanut flour for protein.  It’s a lifting day, so I try to get in extra.

Today went by fast.  Not sure why, but it did.  I had an almond milk latte while Pixie snored on all day.

If she isn’t on my lap, she is always in that spot.  Ah, the life of a cat.

Tonight was the night for John to eat his crow  - or rather buy my football dinner.  I had decided on a small downtown place. The Chocolate Mill.  Then we got there and they stopped serving dinner as of October 1st and just had desserts.  Ooops.  Plan B:

Restaurant 99.  This was at the mall.  I actually like it here because the service is always fast and the food is usually pretty good.  Popcorn appetizer!

We barely got the popcorn and our meals came out.  I don’t even think it was much more than 10 minutes from the time we ordered!

I decided on the Shrimp Bruscetta.  It was grilled shrimp with a warm tomato topping served on rice with a balsamic glaze.  With steamed broccoli!

Closer?

I ate all but a few of the tomatoes.  I can’t believe I even ate the tomatoes because that is a veggie I don’t normally like all that much.  After John paid (hahahaha!!!), we shopped around the mall.  I picked up a workout shirt for $10!  JC Penny has some awesome prices at times.

Plus we went to Target where I stocked up on more pumpkin.  I could have rolled around naked in this aisle:

Look at all of that candy corn!  Yum!  Didn’t buy any, though. And neither did I roll around naked

Now it’s time for Project Runway and a snack tonight.

Pink item of the day: Knockout Rose.

First off – NROLW or New Rules of Lifting for Women.  That topic occupied quite a bit [...]]]> Okay, I got so many questions and emails about the strength training (and running, but that’s another show post).  I am just going to address them all here in a haphazard manner.  I’ll have a regular post later.

First off – NROLW or New Rules of Lifting for Women.  That topic occupied quite a bit of 2009, since it took me about 6 months to finish the program.  I *loved* doing it.  With a capital “L”.  You can read the recap here.

Did you (or are you) following the exact plan for NROL4W? Have you noticed a difference?
Also, how do you know how hard to push yourself?

I followed the workouts to a T.  And I did the optional stage to prepare for chin ups.  I did not follow the food section of NROLW.   As far as how far to push myself, that has taken some trial and error.  Keep in mind that I have been strength training for a few years now, so doing NROLW was the next logical step as it got me into the heavier lifting, and since I joined a gym I was able to use equipment that I just didn’t have at home (squat cage).    I pretty much know how far to push and what I will feel like the next day based on what I do.  I never go to complete failure on reps (on purpose anyway) – not quite sure I agree with pushing to failure anyway.  With each workout, I just try to do a little more.  Your body will tell you when it is too much.  It’s better to go slower and gradually add weights than to do too much and risk injury.  With that said, don’t be afraid to challenge yourself.  Trust me, you are stronger than you think.

How did you get over the fear of being in the ‘guy’s section’?

Well, it was a wee bit intimidating at first, but for the most part, guys are there to work out and will leave you alone.  At least if you are at the gym when the serious people are there.  I still do not like lifting when the preeners are there and flexing.   Sometimes I get watched, particularly when I am doing my chin ups, but unless they are overtly staring, it’s no big deal.  If you belong to a gym, you have every right to pick up those dumbbells – everyone pays for the same membership!

How/when did you start lifting weights?

I actually have lifted weights off and on for probably 5 or 6 years.  We bought a bowflex (why do I always type blowflex??) to work out with at home and I liked how strong I was getting with it.  But, it was somewhat limiting.  I got some dumbbells with The Firm Workouts in 2008, and then I read Brad Schoenfeld’s books.  That was my first foray into real lifting and free weight workouts.  Once I finished the 28-Day Shapeover book, I was working out with my own designed workouts, which were 4 days of week of split workouts.  While I was doing research online for new moves, I came across New Rules of Lifting in early 2009.  Since I joined the YMCA to have access to a pool to train for my triathlon, that meant I had access to other cool equipment like a cable machine and the squat cage and a barbell!  I was stoked and the rest was history.  I didn’t realize how much stronger I could get – it was pretty cool.  I have some good arms now,  they look normal in my day to day stuff, but I can flex pretty good.  I think I actually scared my mom when I flexed for her

Did you have a personal trainer or did you read a book or what?

No trainer.  I just read a *lot* about form and watch a lot of videos online.  Not that there aren’t bad examples of form out there, but if you read and watch – it is surprising how much you can understand for yourself.  I would have loved (or still would love) a trainer, but I just cannot afford it.  I am lucky that I am able to push myself on my own.

Did you gain weight when you started lifting weights?

Yep.  I did.  At first I gained and then the scale just stayed the same for a long time.  What that was would be more water than actual weight.  It is very, very hard to actually put on muscle, especially when you are in a calorie deficit.  When you lift weights, you are actually making microtears in the muscle fibers, which makes them hold on to water while your body repairs.  So – a lot of initial weight gain is water, which you don’t lose for a long time if you are consistently training.  However, take measurements because you will shrink as the muscles get stronger and you lose fat.

So, there was some rambling about strength training.  I am not strength training to get ‘cut’ or anything like that (with loose skin, that is pretty unlikely that I would ever see a complete 6 pack).  I just want to be strong and self reliant. I know I am going to age strong and fit.  I love feeling strong and powerful – it makes me confident.  Yes, there is some loose skin and I have wrinkles where there weren’t any before, but underneath that is something special.  It’s kind of my secret.

The workout:

Warm up of 10 minutes on the stationary bike.

I decided to change up the strength workout this week by doing lighter weights with [...]]]> Well, we did not get all of that snow predicted!  Or it just was slop and melted fast, so no shoveling needed to get to the gym…. phew! 

The workout:

Warm up of 10 minutes on the stationary bike.

I decided to change up the strength workout this week by doing lighter weights with higher reps:

• Chin ups:  1 set of 3, 2 sets of 2.
• Barbell squats:  3 sets of 8 at 85# (okay, not really lighter on this one)
• Seated lat row:  3 sets of 15 at 45#
• Horizontal cable wood chop:  3 sets of 15 at 30#
• 1-legged dead lift:  3 sets of 15 with 15# DBs
• Push ups:  3 sets of 15
• Reverse crunches:  3 sets of 15
• Prone cuban snatch:  3 sets of 15 with 8# DBs

That took forever.  I forget when you do exercises that are on each side that a set = 30 reps.  D’uh.   And I stuck 2 of those in there!

Then I got on the treadmill for walking and a bit of running interval work.  I was humming along on one of the older treadmills.  You know the ones where it just sounds ‘clompy’ when you are on them?  I was already feeling a little self-conscious about that. There was a man next to me on another one just walking.  I started doing some run intervals and all of the sudden this guy’s treadmill just cut out.  I didn’t think too much about it, and he fiddled around and restarted.  Well, next time I boosted my speed – his treadmill cut out again!  I would like to think it was coincidence, but it was likely getting jostled from my running, and there was a short circuit in the cord.  (We already have been told to not run on that particular treadmill until they get some new part for it).  Anyway, he got on another one and I heard him talking to the staff about how it kept cutting out whenever I ran.  I know it was not meant in any disparaging way, but I had face-flushing flashbacks to my overweight childhood (and adulthood) days where those kind of remarks were made to hurt and tease.  Any of you know what I mean?  There are times when I wonder if those old hurts are ever going to heal.  I’m 41 for Pete’s sake.

Anyway, I was a starvin’ Marvin when I got back after that workout!  I was thinking waffles on the way home, and John already had the wafflemaker out!  Woo Hoo!  I hurried and made these:

Protein Waffilus Giganticus.

No holiday for me today, had to work.  It was a little on the slow side, so I got my google reader cleaned out in the early afternoon.  Lunch was some of the red beans and rice from yesterday tucked into a tortilla.  With hot sauce!

That was a bit of overload on the fiber.  This was a smartcarb tortilla, plus the brown rice, plus the beans! D’oh!

I have been fighting the snack monster, too.  Had a bowl of chocolate with pretzels, cause you know I love my sweet/salty combos!

I went out and munched on pretzels a couple times, too, as the afternoon wore on.  One of the challenges of working at home

We have a lot of food in the house now, and there were so many choices for dinner!  We need to start thinking about using stuff up before our vacation (12 days and counting….).  I decided on a sweet potato with lauging cow, broccoli and chicken!

A mish-mash combo for sure, but tasty.  I am so into the sweet potato/laughing cow!

You all know how I love New Rules of Lifting?  Well – check out this podcast  with Cassandra Forsythe!  I am downloading this to listen to on my run tomorrow.  Stumptuous.com is also a great site for getting strong with no BS!

I began back in April (where the *heck* have the last 6 months gone????).   I came at this with a good solid strength training regimen already under my belt [...]]]> For those that don’t know what the heck I have been talking about when I write NROLW for the last 6 months, it is this:

I began back in April (where the *heck* have the last 6 months gone????).   I came at this with a good solid strength training regimen already under my belt for the previous year, so I was no stranger to weights.  However, I had just joined a gym and had access to stuff I didn’t have at home like the squat cage and a barbell.

What I really, really loved about this program was the combination moves.  I haven’t done a bicep curl in 6 months and my biceps are as strong as ever.  Combination moves really make the most efficient use of time in the gym, and really mimic real life muscle movements.  I mean, other than lifting a cup of coffee, how often do you use the bicep curl motion?   Also – just the freedom of using free weights and cable machines.  There was so much balance work done (which I desperately need!)

I gained a lot of strength during these last 6 months.  I know that I gained some muscle.  I probably lost fat, but I don’t know for sure.  My weight is 3 pounds over what it was last year at this time, but it is lower than earlier in the summer after I finished my triathlon.  My lower body got really strong with doing barbell squats.  My first ever attempts at those, and I hit a maximum of 110 pounds during stage 1!

I also graduated from pushups at an angle leaning on a box to straight military style.  Women do not need to be on their knees to do pushups.  Doing pushups and row work helped build up my lats and my shoulder muscles, making my waist more defined.

And my abs?  I can now hold a 2 minute plank – and do 3 sets!  There is a 6-pack under the loose skin.

I feel like I walk with a bit of a swagger now, or maybe it is just better posture from good muscle building.  Maybe it is my secret superpower knowing that I can kick someone’s ass, even though I don’t look like it from the outside

What I didn’t like about the book was the length of some of the workouts.  Stage 1 got a little long and boring to me.  Stage 4 or 5 (can’t remember) was a longass workout.  It was taking upwards of 45 minutes + just to get through it, which is a lot longer than I like to be lifting for in any session.  I also think there should have been something in there about maintaining the strength after the program and what to do once you finish.

The nutrition part was also good and not a low-calorie program.  Packed with protein and good information.  I did not really follow the written eating plan, though.

Looking back, I probably should have started this program now to get through the winter instead of sticking it in there while I was training for the triathlon, running races, and duathlon!  I had a really intense summer.

I am taking at least a week off from strength training (which I try to do periodically), possibly 2.  I don’t necessarily want to push harder on lifting heavier, but I would like to work on chin ups (gonna do 1, I swear) and keep up a general conditioning program.  I will for sure be sticking mostly with combination exercises.

I cannot recommend this book enough if you are serious about getting strong.  It’s tough, really tough, but it will change you and your perception about what is possible.