Category Archives: strength training

Simple foods, simple good.

We have reached the end of the week! An interesting week, to be sure. I was not loving going out in 12 degree weather, but I was glad to get to lifting today!

Exercise Set/rep/weight Muscle worked
Barbell Squats 1 set of 10 at 45#

3 sets of 12 at 65#

 Lower body
Ahnold Press 3 sets of 10 with 15# DBs (30# total) Shoulders
Cable bent over row 1 sets of 10 at 60#

1 set of 8 at 70#

1 set of 6 at 80#

1 set of 4 at 90#

 Back
Incline Barbell Chest Press 3 sets of 8 at 55# Chest
1-legged Dumbbell Deadlift 3 sets of 10 each leg with 15# DBs (30# total) Lower body
Triceps Pulldown 3 set of 10 at 40# Triceps
Decline sit ups 3 sets of 10 Core
Seated Calf Raise 3 sets of 10 at 140# Calves
Good Mornings 3 sets of 10 at 55# Low Back and Hammies

I dropped the weight on the squats and increased the reps today just for something different. I did have thoughts of doing running this morning, but just didn’t feel it today. I had to laugh as 2 guys that were in the gym with me said “Lori has done more since she got here than we did all morning!”. (small gym and the regulars know names) It’s so true. I come in and get stuff done while others stand around and chit chat. I do talk some, but I have more important things to attend to, like breakfast:

Almond Joy Oats!  Warm and comforting on a very cold morning.

Marisa had asked me question about lifting via Facebook this morning, and I thought I might do a post or series of them on lifting.  So, I am looking for any questions you might have. Marisa had posed the one about how to design a workout.  Please note that I am not a professional, but I will give you the information I have studied, along with my opinions so you can make up your minds. I think this could be a fun series, don’t you?  Please leave a comment if you have a question.

I did work this morning until lunchtime.  Then I wanted a comfort sammie of PB &J

This tasted so good to me.  Not sure why, but I’ll take it.  I like the Teddie’s PB, too.

Latte time rolled around and I decided to spice things up:

It is Friday after all.  Grasshopper latte anyone?

Ooops…

Since the regular football season has ended,  John and I have been doing fantasy football stuff to do our weekly picks, as just picking the winners like we usually doesn’t work so well when there are only 4 games to choose from.  I don’t know diddly about fantasy football, but nfl.com makes it easy to choose players and they figure out all the points and stuff.  The good news?  I won last week!  The nice thing about fantasy is that even if a team loses, an individual player on that team can do well and give you points.  Such as it was for me and Drew Brees.  So sorry to see you go, Drew.  No langniappe for the Saints this year.

The taste of victory?  A pizza wrap!

Gooey cheese on a whole wheat wrap.  With a side salad for balance:

Amazing how simple foods can taste so good!  That kind of summed up all my food today 😀

There is work to do tonight, so I must have at it.  My schedule is all whackadoodle now with the other job.  I guess I just have to refer to that as just my job instead of job #2.  I’ve called it that so long that it is habit now.  Regardless, I am thankful that I have it.

Post any lifting Qs you would like and I will get researching!

Where’s the people?

So you all really are looking forward to me doing a video playing guitar at the end of the year? I hope you know what you are in store for…

I did not want to get up this morning. I have to say that going to the gym in the dark is not my favorite thing. I am okay once I get there, but I will be glad when it is lighter out!

My gym was surprisingly uncrowded today. Not even all the regulars were there and those of us that were commented about how empty it was. Weird, although I really liked it 😈

Exercise Set/rep/weight Muscle worked
Cable Squat to Row 3 set of 10 at 60# Full body
Dumbbell Pull Over 3 sets of 10 with 25# DB Back
Dumbbell Lying Fly 3 sets of 12 with 15# DBs (30# total) Chest
Decline Sit Ups 3 sets of 10 Core
Triceps Pull down 3 sets of 10 at 40# Triceps
Stiff-legged Deadlifts 1 set of 10 at 75#

1 set of 8 at 80#

1 set of 6 at 85#

1 set of 6 at 90#

 Lower Body
Seated Calf Raise 3 sets of 10 at 140# Calves
Upright Row 3 sets of 10 at 30# Shoulders
Lower Back Extension 3 sets of 10 at 100# Low Back

I can do different chest moves now!  My shoulder is almost fine now, so I can do flyes and incline presses again.  Not back to full weight, but at least I am not stuck with pushups and bench presses only anymore.  Yay!  I was feeling really strong today. I think because I had an extra day off since I lifted last Thursday.

Headed home for a warm breakfast.
I soaked steel cut oats overnight and cooked them up this morning.

In the mix: 1/2 cup of pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, 7 grams of toasted walnuts, 14 grams of crystallized ginger, 1 tablespoon creamed honey. (Total calories – 360).

Slow work morning, which is pretty typical for Monday, so I made sure to be productive instead of sitting and reading blogs all morning and practiced guitar and rode my trainer.  Since I knew I would be working at night, I actually got my evening stuff done early.  Now that is managing my time better, which I tend to be terrible at.   Good start to the year.

Lunch time.  We have a bunch of bananas to use up, so I decided on something very different for lunch.  A banana protein shake!  A little on the cold side, but still good.

These blueberries are so awesome, too.  We normally don’t find blueberries up here in the winter except for tiny packages that cost as much as  a small car.  These pints were on sale yesterday for $2.99.

I told John to pick me up some more when he went out to play poker since I was going to eat these so fast.  His response? “I am not spending money to support your blueberry habit.”  :mrgreen:

Work schedule still a bit whonky. It will take a couple days to settle out with the doctors having appointments and dictating again.  Until then, it will be swinging my hours around.  No football on tonight (omg – the season is over, waaahhhh!!), so I should be able to work uninterrupted… Of course, then I am going out of town for a couple days on Thursday.  It just never ends.

John made lattes, which I paired up (tripled up?) with some clems.

It’s a fruit and veggie kind of day!  Especially considering my dinner:

We grocery shop on Sundays, so there is always a plethora of fresh produce at the beginning of the week.  I have such a hard time deciding what to have.

Tonight’s planned snack?  Girl’s gotta have some chocolate!

I really have been on a good eating streak since the day after Christmas.  I have had 1 Christmas cookie from the freezer all week, although I did have a bite or 2 from ones on John’s plate.  I have not had the urge to have them.  I will have one or 2 nutmeg logs before they are totally gone, but it is nice that they are not calling to me.

Tomorrow I will be back at the gym on the treadmill for a run.  I wonder if the uncrowdedness will continue?

Question:  If you belong to a gym, has it been hellaciously crowded this week?

Last day of lifting for 2010.

I thought about running this morning, but when I got up I just didn’t feel like it, so I lifted instead. Still out of day order on the lifting, but it’s all good!

Exercise Set/rep/weight Muscle worked
Barbell Split Squats 3 set of 10 at 65# Lower body
Bent over dumbbell row 3 sets of 8 with 25# DBs (50# total) Back
Barbell Bench Press 3 sets of 10 at 60# Chest
Captain’s Chair 3 sets of 10 Core
Seated Calf Raise 3 sets of 10 at 140# Calves
Bench Dips 3 sets of 10 Triceps
Good Mornings 3 sets of 10 at 55# Low back and hammies
YTWL 3 sets of 4 (each letter) with 8# DBs Shoulders

Just kind of a light workout today to end up the year.  I have gained some good strength back this year.  Yippee!  I came home to make some custard style cream of wheat!

I am really liking the Teddy peanut butter, although I hate having to measure it out. I think it really is less expensive to buy peanut butter and make the other nut butters myself. Think I will put making cashew butter on the agenda for this weekend.

The sun actually came out today :b  That does wonders for the mood.  It even feels pretty warm at 33 degrees.  That is above the wincing level outside 😀

Work was slow in the morning, and there was a special farmer’s market today since the market won’t be open Saturday:

It has moved inside for the winter, so I decided to pop on over.  I saw brussels on stalks!

I would have gotten one, but I don’t think I could eat the whole stalk before it went bad.  So I just got a few loose ones, plus some parsnips and jerusalem artichoke!  That is going to be a GVE next week.  I haven’t done one of those in forever.

I took a work break for lunch.  Egg wrap.  You know there is hot sauce in there.

I really do like the Joseph’s pitas.  Actually much better than flatout wraps, too!  They are nice and soft and if you toast them, they get crispy instead of chewy.

I noticed today that Shape.com had put my article online in a story about 25 days of inspiration.  I am day 16!  Diane is also in this group.  If only I could parlay all of this press into some extra money, I would be all set LOL!  Hey, a girl has to be a capitalist sometimes…

Snack attack!

I am doing good with this little bag of truffles.  I have had 2 pieces out of this bag since Christmas, so it should last a while provided I don’t sleep eat.  Moderation is something I can do if I put my mind to it.

Had to take this picture of Pixie sleeping today.  If only I could bottle the cuteness that she exudes.

Sleeping in my lap while I was working.  It’s nice having a personal warming unit for cold weather, too.

Cooked up said brussels for dinner along with some ground pork (BBQ style).

I am going to have to start rationing my cinnamon.  We purchase it in 1-pound bags and we are almost out (the horror!!).  I eat probably 2 tsp a day.  Between that and hot sauce, I am not prissy with my condiments.

I have about another half hour of work tonight, then it’s J and L time at the coffee shop!  A pseudo-date 😀

Question:  Do farmer’s markets go year round near you?

No-sugar day during cookie time?

Happy Monday to all! Festive holiday week coming up. It was cold at my gym again today. Not liking that at all.

Exercise Set/rep/weight Muscle worked
Barbell Squats 1 set of 10 at 55#
1 set of 8 at 70#

1 set of 8 at 80#

1 set of 6 at 90#

1 set of 6 at 100# !!!!

 Lower body
Dumbbell Pull Over 3 sets of 10 with 30# DB Back
Reverse Lunge with Forward Reach 3 sets of 10 with 12# DBs (24# total) Full Body
Captain’s Chair 3 sets of 10 Core
Close Grip Chest Press 3 sets of 12 with 45# bar Chest
Low Back Extension 3 sets of 10 at 100# Low back
Triceps Kickback 3 sets of 12 with 15# DBs (30# total) Triceps
Upright Row 3 sets of 10 with 30# bar Shoulders

I did a bit of treadmill walking afterward (and did that for warm up as well). I rocked the squats today! I think it was because I took a rest day yesterday. I hit the 6 reps at 100# pretty easily. I love having a strong lower body.  When I am in just the right position (meaning loose skin out of the way), I can see the indent of my quad muscles in my thighs.

Attempt at a no-added sugar day today.  Why I do this when cookies and fudge are in the house is beyond me, but I figured I wanted to get this challenge day out of the way as early as possible!

I had protein pancakes with blueberries for brekkie.  My pancakes stuck to the pan.  Shoulda made waffles…

Regarding the Woman’s Day article – I believe it is only online and not in print, so you will have to read it here. Please bookmark and refer to it often 😉

Lunch time!  I realized that I haven’t had eggs for a meal in a while – so I remedied that.

Lots of hot sauce.  I don’t worry too much about the sodium in the hot sauce, as I use it in place of salt in cooking.   This was also a tiny kiwi.  It’s from the US and smaller than the New Zealand ones.  Aren’t things normally bigger in the US?

Fran made a comment that made me laugh yesterday.  She said basically she couldn’t believe how much baking we do here (in the US) for Christmas.  I imagine she doesn’t even fully grasp the scope of the amount of baking that goes on. Such as these:

Platoons of cookies, tons of breads, all the treats out in restaurants and coffee shops.  It’s all an excuse to eat, eat, eat, and stuff our faces.   Like we in America really need much prodding to do that…

I like to have and bake cookies at this time of year because I don’t often do it the rest of the year.  I love homemade goodies.  I have decided that eating cookies like Oreos or Chips Ahoy just aren’t worth it taste-wise to me.  What I really need to experiment with this year coming up is small batch baking to make only 4 cookies at a time and see what happens.  I can’t just make up the dough and freeze it because I have no problem whatsoever with eating dough :mrgreen:

I avoiding looking near the fudge or cookies for my snack.

John made me a latte with protein powder, and I paired it with a nana.  I actually haven’t been super hungry today, which is quite a relief.

Cooked up a quick dinner tonight.  Gorton’s Shrimp poppers (or popplers, as we call them).

Certainly getting in my F&V today!

I am off to the mall tonight with my mother.  😯 😯 😯 I cannot believe we are going to the mall this close to Christmas.  That is usually on my  “never, ever, never” list of things to do.  Must be senility creeping in…

Wish me luck!  I am out of the house tonight and removed from temptation, so that means no-added sugar day today will be a success!

Note to cookies – I will see you tomorrow…

Question:  Cookie dough eater or only fully baked?

Lifting Move of the Week: Good Morning!

I think I am still on mountain time or something. I overslept a little today. Normally I am at my gym by 7 am (no alarm) and today I woke up at 7:10! That’s pretty unusual.

I dressed quick and jetted on over. I did some unweighted moves for a warm up and then lifted.

Exercise Set/rep/weight Muscle worked
Barbell Squats 1 set of 10 at 65#

1 set of 8 at 75#

1 set of 8 at 85#

1 set of 6 at 90#

1 set of 4 at 100# !!!!!

 Lower body
Seated Lat Row 3 sets of 10 at 55# Back
Barbell Chest Press 3 sets of 8 at 60# Chest
Captain’s Chair 3 sets of 10 Core
Stationary Lunge 3 sets of 10 each leg with 35# plate Lower Body
YTWL 3 sets of 4 (each letter) with 8# DBs (16# total) Shoulders
Nosebreaker 3 sets of 12 at 25# Triceps
Good Morning 3 sets of 10 at 55# Hammies and low back

There were 3 new people at they gym today, and one was a woman who did some serious lifting! She looked amazing and like she could kick my ass multiple times and not break a sweat. One of those times where you just feel totally inadequate standing next to someone, you know? I went up to her and said how nice it was to have another woman lifting in the free weight section. They apparently are switching to my gym and work out every morning. I probably won’t be able to make any videos at they gym now if that is the case.

I finished my workout and picked up John. Sometimes he starts walking to the gym to meet me, but it was 12 degrees this morning….brrrrrr…..

Stopped at Adirondack Coffee Cafe. I had a wheat bagel with cream cheese.

I was in a hurry this morning and didn’t eat anything before leaving for the gym, so I was pretty hungry for this puppy.  I can get away with that on a lifting day, but not if I do cardio.

Now on to the Lifting Move of the Week! The Good Morning. I have been trying and trying to get this on video and none have worked out well (or I look terrible, truth be known). It is an awkward-looking move, so I doubt I will have more success – so here it is! This is great for the lower back and hamstrings. The key to this exercise is the pivot point you bend from. Always from the hips and not the waist. I show what not to do in the video as well.

I could probably straighten my legs a little more, but I tend to lock my knees, so I bend them a little more than other people might, FYI. The straighter your legs are, the more you feel it in the hammies.  Enjoy!

Remember yesterday was pantry staple day? I was so happy to get fresh fruits and veggies last night that I think I might have gone overboard.  Ooops!

I could not decide which fruit to have for lunch.  Finally decided on some clems!

I also tried a different tuna.  Chicken of the Sea.  Normally I get Bumblebee, but trying a different kind (less $$).  It seems more watery.

I finished with job #1 and job #2 didn’t have any work, so I was able to hop on the bike trainer and get in the cardio I missed from oversleeping today.  Gotta be flexible, right?

<insert unpictured latte here>

I think I made a mistake by buying some honey roasted peanuts at the store.  I had a couple handfuls while making dinner.

More fresh produce with dinner!  Well, the broccoli is frozen, but who’s counting?

I topped my pork burger with A1 instead of hot sauce to change things up.  I’ve never felt so alive!

I’ll be working some tonight with the work shortage in the afternoon.  While I appreciate the flexibility of my job, I kind of wish I had concrete hours.  I tend to snack more when I start and stop working a lot.

John made some wheat bread today.  I had to have a piece and put some eggnog creamed honey on it!

Yeah, good stuff.  I need to try making my own creamed honey.  I was going to make today a no-sugar day…. ooops.

Back to work for me!

Question:  If you eat tuna, what brand do you like?

Hot 100 update and a mish mash.

Friday! That always means relaxed workout time for me. I ate half a protein bar and headed out to the gym.

Note to self – remember to start the car and let it warm up unless you want to stand out there and scrape in your gym clothes.

Exercise Set/rep/weight Muscle worked
Stiff-legged deadlift 3 sets of 10 at 75# Lower body
Close Grip Lat Pull down 3 sets of 10 at 60# Back
Pliet squats 3 sets of 10 with 40# DB Lower Body
Reverse Crunches 3 sets of 12 Core
Barbell Chest Press 3 sets of 10 at 55# Chest
Seated Calf Raise 3 sets of 10 at 140# Calves
Triceps Kickback 3 sets of 15 with 15# DBs (30# total) Triceps
Good Mornings 3 sets of 10 at 45# Hammies and Low back
Upright Row 3 sets of 10 at 30# Shoulders

Then I cooled down for 10 minutes on the treadmill. Said personal trainer that gave me unsolicited advice was giving advice to some other guys there. I actually don’t think he is interested in getting clients. I think he just likes to give advice and feel important. I am sure you all know somebody like that.

I contemplated breakfast over the 5-minute drive home.  I decided on banana custard cream of wheat!

Sigh.  I love breakfast.

I had a hard time getting myself motivated to work today.  That 6th 1/2 day is just annoying sometimes LOL!  It has been busy week.

This week’s Hot 100 Update:

  1. Maintain my weight. Scale stayed the same this week. Was hoping for a downtrend, but at least no uptrend!
  2. No eggnog lattes until Thanksgiving day!   I have resisted.
  3. Do the duathlon and at least 1 more 5K race before the end of the year. Did the home duathlon.  5k done on October 30th.  Going to do a virtual 5K on Turkey day!
  4. Do stretching exercises 4 days a week at least.  Did 6 days!!
  5. Visit one new blog each week that is participating in the Hot 100 Challenge and cheer them on.  I am visiting a bunch as we speak!
  6. Do one no-added sugar day each week.  I did it, but it was a struggle.

Overall a good week.  I was pretty stressed with how busy I was and pleased that I didn’t visit snack town very often.  I think the scale might have shown a loss without the calzone and likely what I ate on Sunday.

Lunch break from work.

The rest of the paneer.  I toasted a pita to serve on the side.  Yeah, won’t be getting that again.  Oh well.

I finished up work after lunch – yay!  Then I set out to make some honey fluff, which was perfect on top of some crustless pumpkin pie!

We have pumpkin coming out of our ears!  So much better than last year when there was the shortage.

John was super busy today, too, so I thought I would make the entire dinner tonight.  Of course, I took an easy route LOL!

Or pressed and formed shrimplets, as I like to call them :mrgreen:  I sliced up some potatoes coated them with some Penzeys cheese sprinkle and baked them in the oven to go along side.  A semi-homemade dinner.

That kiwi was super sour, too.  Boy howdy!  I noticed it was super bright green, but it felt ripe.  Weird.

I had a couple mint cups for dessert, and then decided to take a quick ride on the trainer:

Nice 45 minute spin. It’s so weird to be on my bike without my helmet on.  I suppose I could wear it and no one would know…

And a large side note – today is John’s goal anniversary.  1 year ago today he hit his goal weight after losing 43 pounds and has maintained that loss!  Go J-man!

Lifting Move of the Week: Decline Sit Ups

Up early and headed out to the gym to get a little more of a workout in. I ended up having a little binge on peanuts and chocolate chips last night and I felt like sweating it out today.

I started off with a 1.5 mile jog on the treadmill, then hit the iron.

Exercise Set/rep/weight Muscle worked
Barbell Stiff-legged deadlift 3 set of 10 at 85# Lower body
Decline Sit ups 3 sets of 10 Core
Front Raise 3 sets of 10 with 10# DBs (20# total) Shoulders
Cable Squat-to-Row 3 sets of 12 at 60# Full body
Barbell Chest Press 3 sets of 10 at 55# Chest
Seated Calf Raise 3 sets of 10 at 140# Calves
Triceps Pull down 3 sets of 15 at 30# Triceps
Low Back Extension 3 sets of 10 at 100# Low back

Then I hopped back on the treadmill and jogged for another 1.5 miles. I normally don’t run and lift so close together, but it wasn’t so bad today. John was walking to the gym during this time and was just about there when I left. We headed out for bagel day! Don’t you love this sign by the coffee?

Now *that* is some indulgence! (come on Thanksgiving, I want nog!).

I got a poppyseed bagel today. I was hangry! My protein drink didn’t last all the way through the last run.

Today’s Lifting Move of the Week. The decline sit up! It’s a serious core challenge today. All you need is a bench that you can do set up for a decline and hook your feet, although I suppose you could hang off of pretty much anything to do this LOL! I have seen people do these in the air, but post herniated disk – I am not about to mess with that. You want to keep your abs in and don’t clasp your hands behind your head or you will pull up on your neck. Keep them by your ears.  Or you could cross them in front of your chest.  ** Note before viewing the video, if the mute box isn’t checked, you will hear Eye of the Tiger LOL **

I have read that you should not let your back touch all the way to the bench, but cannot find out why.  Any ideas?  I thought maybe it was to keep the tension in the abs, but I don’t know.

Nice move, eh? You can vary the incline for more challenge.

Lunch time today included a new-to-me product.  Normally I buy Cedar’s hummus, but I had a coupon for this:

It’s quite good and they make it look real purty, too.

I mixed some with tuna:

I have to admit that I have been in a bit of a funk for the last few days.  When the AOL article came out, I was shocked at some of the absolutely mean-spirited comments that came my way, via email and that site like I needed a boob job, I was still fat, and that my skin was like a sharpei after losing 100 pounds.  Some real mature people there.  Thank goodness the really mean ones were taken down, but they still hurt, you know?  And then with weenus’ comment about my lower half the other day, it sort of just piled on.   I’ll get over it, but John was saying how I was finally getting to feel good about my body image and then to have all that happen.

Anyhoo – enough of that stuff!  John won the football picks for the first time in weeks.  He wanted to go back to Denny’s!  I was thinking the custom omelet again, but they didn’t have that choice on the menu anymore.  However, never be afraid to ask for what you want.  I got an egg white omelet with cheese, wheat toast and asked to swap out fresh fruit for hash browns.

My fruit was all prettied up:

My omelet actually came out as a regular one, and I almost ate it (cause I do love whole eggs).   However, that is not what I ordered, and I ordered that for a reason.  The server brought the correct one right out and I was happy 😀  We were saying how this particular Denny’s has really great service, unlike pretty much every other one we have been to.  Nice change, and I gave our server a good tip.

Pixie was also happy because we brought home food and a new catnip toy for her.  I  spoiled Chloe for 18 years, and Pixie is following in that trend!

I hope to catch up on some blogs tonight.  I haven’t even opened up my reader 😯   Where does the day go, anyway?

Guess I need to do more squats…

It was light out this morning, so I decided to bike to the gym. See how light it is now before 7 a.m.?

My preworkout protein drink (no sweetener in this).

It was really cold and windy. I don’t know what I was thinking LOL! Good thing the gym is only 2 miles away.

Exercise Set/rep/weight Muscle worked
Barbell Squat 1 set of 10 at 55#

1 set of 10 at 65#
1 set of 8 at 75#

1 set of 8 at 85#

1 set of 6 at 95#

 Lower body
Dumbbell Pull Over 3 sets of 10 with 25# DB Back
Bench Dips 3 sets of 10 Triceps
Reverse Crunches 3 sets of 12 Core
Barbell Chest Press 3 sets of 10 at 55# Chest
Bent Lateral Raise 3 sets of 10 with 12# DBs (24# total) Shoulders
Good Mornings 3 sets of 10 at 45# Low back and hammies

I biked home pretty fast as the wind was a tail wind and it was starting to spit sleet at me 😯

I was ready for a warm and filling breakfast.  Today is a no-added sugar day for me.

Cream of wheat cooked with a banana and cocoa powder and topped with some crushed almonds and Artisana coconut butter, which was really solid as we keep our house pretty cool.

That coconut butter is good stuff.  I am going to try to make some on my own.

So, I received some unsolicited advice at the gym today.  There was a new person that just joined the gym.  He came in near the end of my workout.   I said good morning, as I usually do to people.  I noticed him watching me (crud).  Then he asked me about my routine.  Then he asked if I used to be an athlete!  I had a funny vibe from him, and what popped out of my mouth was “No, not an athlete, I used to be 100 pounds heavier.”  I never say that to people.  I rarely bring up my weight loss in person to strangers.  So, he starts saying how he is a personal trainer (uh-oh) and how I am probably thinking that I will never get the bottom stuff off (oh my god, did he really just say that to me?) and all I needed to do was shape up … insert jaw dropping here …

This man is 60 years old.  He should really know better… Then he proceeds to tell me I need to do squats and that I look fine from “here up” while gesturing from his waist up.  (Did he *really* just say that to me??).  He is showing me air squats and to start with no weights, blah, blah.  I finally tell him I was doing barbell squats earlier and he just kind of looked at me like he didn’t know what to say.  All the while I am trying to think how I can extricate myself without being totally rude.  After that he went back to his workout and I ended up going home because I was feeling a little pissed off.  This is why making assumptions is bad.

Sigh…

After a morning of work, I took a break for lunch.  I mixed up a little light mayo with curry powder and added in chopped apple and chopped chicken. With toast!

Plus a few peanuts.

Look at what it was doing outside starting mid morning!  Eeek!

No real accumulation, but sloppy and wet.  Perfect day for one of these:

I can’t believe how dark it gets with the time change.  My body just can’t get used to it overnight.  Makes it hard to take dinner pictures now.  I decided on an omelet with a veggie sausage and laughing cow.

Picture perfect – and delicious!

Pixie was all snuggled up today.  She was probably remembering her first few months of life when she was homeless and cold.

She certainly fell into a good life here.

I got my bike trainer today!  I am getting it hooked up tonight and will get some photos of it this week – and a review of how it is going LOL!

Evening snack tonight will be a forelle pear (isn’t it cute??) and some pretzels.

Question: What was some of the worst unsolicited advice you have received?

That’s Fit and more on lifting.

Fun Stuff!  I was featured on AOL That’s Fit today!  So welcome to new readers from this as well 😀  It’s funny, I don’t like the title that I ate whatever I wanted.  Remember the Shape Magazine article and the cover that said how easy I lost 110#?  What is up with that anyway?  Maybe nobody really wants to know that losing and maintaining weight loss actually does take work…

Anyway, it is always a little scary to have your story out there in front of thousands of complete strangers.  I always feel like my blog is my home turf and we all can talk about food, weight loss, and life pretty freely.

I headed out to they gym to do my run after I drank some quick protein.  I am not hard core enough to run in the rain.  Especially 35 degrees and rain.  No thank you.  I did 3.5 miles gradually increasing the treadmill from 5 to 6 miles an hour by the end.  An easy progression and I barely noticed it.  If I do the Jingle Jog 5K in December, I might make my goal to get below 31 minutes.

Upon arriving home, I cooked up some soaked steel cut oats banana custard style and topped with cashew butter and fig jam.

My tummy was loving this bowl today.

Settled down to work.  I am very close to leaving one of the part-time jobs and going full time with the other.  Not sure why I need the safety net.  Actually, I know why I keep it.  In the transcription world, accounts can come and go and work can come and go, so I could just as easily have no work at all in an instant with either job.  Such is the world of production work.

I am glad I don’t have to commute in this, though:

Makes it a day for blanket wearing while working.

I had the strangest lunch today.  I thought about a green smoothie to use up more baby spinach ($$$).  I put in spinach, whey isolate, honey, cinnamon, and water in there.  Should have used ice.

This was lame LOL! Watery with spinach chunks at the bottom.  I did drink it down pretty fast.  Savoring and mindful eating? I think not with this drink.

The Luna bar saved the meal, though.

Lisa brought up a question yesterday that I thought I might address here as well:

How did you learn about all these weight lifting techniques? Did you take a class or work with a trainer?

Pretty much all self taught. I read a lot of books and watch online videos and then practice, practice, practice!  Best books out there are New Rules of Lifting for Women and books by Brad Schoenfeld (Body Sculpting for Women, 28-day shapeover). I’ve never worked with a trainer, but I would if I could afford it.  I decided to go ahead and show myself doing moves on my blog because I am just an average person lifting weights.  I get intimidated watching videos of fitness models doing the moves, so I figured other people did, too.  My videos can show all those little bloopers and form issues that happen to real people while working out LOL!  Disclaimer, too, that I am not a professional.

Snack time!  The precious latte.

And a couple dark chocolate mint cups.

Gosh these are good.

Dinner included some more chicken that I cooked up yesterday.  Just fast and easy.  I changed up the brussels, though – I sauteed them with some chopped matchstick carrots for some variety!

I was ekeing out the very last of daylight for this photo.

I had proteinapalooza today – 119 grams!  Should have had that on the lifting day yesterday LOL.  Oh well, it’s all good.

Off to rummage for a snack!

On a business note, there is another foobuzz ad in the side bar.  Let me know if the site causes problems and all that.  My plan is to get the blog cleaned up so it is more streamlined, but I use the foodbuzz revenue to pay for hosting 😀

Lifting Move of the Week: Dumbbell Row

Geez it is dark when on my way to the gym now. I had a protein drink and drove there. The sun was making a beautiful arrival during my workout.

It was about 25 degrees out.  Winter is a comin’!

Exercise Set/rep/weight Muscle worked
Stiff-legged Deadlift 3 set of 10 at 85# Lower body
Dumbbell Bent Over Row 3 sets of 8 at 25# (50# total) Back
Barbell Bench Press 3 set of 8 at 55# Chest
Captain’s Chair 3 sets of 15 Core
Bent Lateral Raise 3 sets of 10 with 12# DBs (24# total) Shoulders
Triceps pull down 3 sets of 15 at 30# Triceps
Stationary Lunges 3 sets of 10 each leg with 35# plate Lower body
Standing single leg calf raise 3 sets of 10 each leg with 20# DBs (40# total) Calves and balance
Good Mornings 3 sets of 10 at 45# Low back and hammies

I worked very efficiently today and did supersets so I could get through the workout with a consistently elevated heart rate. Then it was time to pick up John and go for bagels! We went back to an old place to give it a try again. Lox of Bagels. It is a lot farther away, and we had some bad service there a few times, so it was in the dog house for a while. I had a multi grain bagel and we split a container of maple walnut cream cheese.

Tasty.

Now on to the Lifting Move of The Week! The dumbbell row:

This move is for your back.  I will do it with one dumbell and then other times with 2.   Keep your abs in when you pull up.  You should feel this along the back and sides.  Also called your lats!

Hope you can view this video as it is on photobucket instead of youtube.  For those of you who want a smaller looking waist – this is the move for you.  It helps give you the V taper by filling out the upper back, making your waist appear smaller. Yay!

I was hungry for lunch today.  I had made up some bread last night, and you can almost see it under the eggs LOL!

Work was a little on the frustrating side today.  Just one of those days.  I had to take a break and head out for a brisk 2 mile walk (and got to deposit a paycheck while doing so, which certainly cheered me up!).

There was a latte waiting for me when I got back 😀

You can almost see the little dark chocolate mint cup there in front.  What you don’t see is the other one I already ate.  :mrgreen:

Been really on point with eating this week.  Sometimes the zone is easily had and other times it is not – so I will enjoy this ride while it lasts.  It definitely is easier to control my appetite when I am not doing so much exercise.  Isn’t that funny how that works?

I realized I was veggie deficient today, so I decided on a big spinach salad for dinner.  I have found that I like baby spinach much, much better than adult spinach, or whatever you call it.  It seems much more mild.  Maybe I would like the green smoothies better with the baby?

Anyway, I had cooked up some honey mustard chicken and was going to have that on top of the spinach.  Then I remembered Debby making a yummy looking salad with a pear.  So, I chopped up half a pear and added 1 tablespoon of feta cheese and 1 tablespoon of chopped craisins.


Very bistro, if I do say so myself!  This was tasty.  It’s funny how I have really gotten so I don’t eat dressing on my salads.  If the toppings are flavorful enough, I don’t need it.

Snack time because I was making nut butter after dinner:

Cashews – my very favorite nut!

Another favorite nut?

Interesting fact of the day.  Did you know that any breed of cat can be a calico, but calicos are only female?  It is an X chromosome thing.  If there does happen to be a rare male calico, they are always sterile and usually have other health issues.  Now you all are ready for Jeopardy! 😀