angiecat's journey to greatness

[angiecat]

i have been lurking on this site for awhile now and find it to be most informative. i especially enjoy reading everyone's journals, and have decided to start one of my own to keep myself accountable and hopefully get some feedback and advice.

first, a bit of background about me:

i have been working out for about 3 years now, going through various stages of dedication. i did the body for life program last year and was quite pleased with my results. i gained some muscle and lost some fat, got down to about 19% bf. then i really slacked from about june to january (what was i thinking!)

here are my stats as of today:

i am 5'7 1/2
i weigh 147 lbs right now (i gained about 10 lbs over the winter)
i don't know my bodyfat %

i have been lifting weights with my boyfriend 3 times a week since mid-january
tues - chest/shoulders/tris, thurs - back/bis/abs, fri - legs

and i have been jogging 3x/week for about 30 minutes

i have lost about 4 lbs since i started, but i want to get really serious over the next 12 weeks and hope to lose about 10-12 lbs of fat in that time.

i have been eating clean 5 days a week and do whatever i want on weekends (i know that has definitely interfered with my progress so far).

here is a sample of my diet:

meal 1
1/3 c oats
1/3 c vanilla soymilk
1/2 banana
4 oz eggwhites
1 egg

meal 2
homemade protein bar (got the recipe off this site, i think)

meal 3
1/2 c grilled chicken
1/2 c sweet potato
veggies (usualle steamed, sometimes roasted with olive oil and garlic)

meal 4
1/2 c lf cottage cheese
1/2 c ff yogurt (vanilla or strawberry)
12 almonds

meal 5
(same as meal 3 but usually no sweet potato)

meal6
PWO 1c vanilla soymilk w/ 1 scoop whey protein

if i am hungry between meals, i usually snack on carrots and celery

now that is a typical day, with weekend cheat days ranging between 2500-3500 cals each day (bad girl, i know!!)

i am thinking about trying out carb cycling, and i also have decided to add 2 HIIT cardio sessions into my routine.

well, that's all for now, gotta run.

comments more than welcome!

[angiecat]

i will try to put up some pics either tonight or tomorrow so that you guys can help me figure out roughly what my bodyfat % is.

[angiecat]

just got back from the gym.....having my shake right now.

started a new routine today

chest

bench press
8x55lbs
8x55lbs
7x55lbs

incline db press
10x15lbs
10x20lbs
10x20lbs

incline db flyes
10x5lbs
10x10lbs
10x10lbs

shoulders

arnold db press
10x15lbs
10x15lbs
10x15lbs

db lateral raises
10x5lbs
10x5lbs
10x5lbs

bent-over lateral raises
10x5lbs
10x5lbs
10x5lbs

triceps

cable pushdowns
10x25lbs
10x30lbs
6x30lbs
4x25lbs

overhead extensions
10x20lbs
8x15lbs
8x15lbs

(at this point, my arms were soooo tired)

dips
10xbodyweight
8xbodyweight

i rest for 60 seconds between sets..... total workout took about 50 minutes. i am pretty weak....definitely want to improve my strength, but don't want to sacrifice my form, so i'll just have to be patient.

my car doesn't have power steering, so the drive home was real fun! hahaha. my arms feel like rubber, but i think like this new routine.

[angiecat]

oh ya, and i did 20 minutes HIIT on the treadmill this morning before work. alternating between 20 seconds @ 8.5-9.0 and 60 seconds @ 4.2.

tomorrow i have to work all day and then i have nightschool, so i will only be doing cardio in the morning. i am planning on a 3 mile run.... i am a pretty new runner so this usually takes me about 35 minutes.

and i will be trying out this carb cycling thing, so tomorrow will be a super low carb day (for me anyways). diet will look like this:

meal 1
1/4 c oats
1/4 c vanilla soymilk
6oz eggwhites
1 egg

meal 2
homemade protein bar

meal 3
1/2 c grilled chicken
1 1/2 c veggies
1 tbsp sesame dressing

meal 4
1/2 c cottage cheese
1 tbsp sf jam

meal 5
same as meal 3

meal 6
1/2 c cottage cheese
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp sf jam

[Paichka]

Hey Angiecat!

You and I have similar goals and I'm only about an inch taller...I'll definitely have to check in and track your progress!

Your diet looks good. Do you have a specific meal you like to eat before or after workouts? I like shakes myself. I'm not a big fan of super-low carb days so I would advise against that strategy. You need carbs to fuel your cardio workouts and promote muscle gain -- I like a 50/30/20 C/P/F ratio.

Your weight split looks good as well. I use a similar one -- how do you feel when you do the weights? Do you do them on machines or do you have a spotter? I like working out with partners because I feel like I lift more.

For bodyfat, pictures aren't going to help us much...do you have a measuring tape? There's a bunch of different websites you can use to track your body measurements and get a fairly accurate BF composition. I'd advise investing in a set of decent bodyfat calipers or one of the other high-speed digital toys people rave about on these boards. :-)

good luck!
Sunny

[angiecat]

thanks for the input sunny!

as for the weights, i usually workout with my boyfriend so he is my spotter....but sometimes due to scheduling differences, we can't workout together. i definitely prefer to have him there because then i can really push my limits. last night he wasn't there, so i had to stop 1 short on the benchpress. if he were there i would've squeezed one more out, or atleast done a negative rep, but i did the best i could considering.

i hear what you are saying about the low carb deal. but i have heard alot of good things about carb cycling, so i thought i'd give it a try. i will only be doing 2 super-low carb days a week (on non-lifting days). i am going to test it out for about a month, and see how it goes.


this morning's run went well.
3.10 miles in 34 minutes. treadmill running is so boring for me, but a decent cd makes all the difference. this morning it was snoop dogg's greatest hits!! and i found out he is coming to town at the end of may, yipee! that should be a fun show.

anyways, eating as planned so far and feeling great.

have a great day!

angie

[angiecat]

well this morning i was a little sleepy, so i hit snooze once, which meant that i arrived at the gym at 5:36am intead of 5:30am (that's when it opens). remind me not to do that again! i had planned on doing my HIIT on the treadmill, but by the time i got there, every treadmill was occupied!! so i had a slight change of plans. i guess it's a good thing to mix it up a bit anyways, so i did 30 minutes on the bike at level 10 - hills setting. i dunno, somehow i just don't feel like i get as good a workout sitting down. it was alright i guess, but i think i may try to do a short HIIT session (maybe about 15 minutes) on the treadmill tonight after back, bi's and abs.

eating today is going well so far, i think. feeling pretty good.

MEAL 1

1/3 C oats w/ 1/2 banana
1/3 C vanilla soymilk
4 oz eggwhites
1 whole egg

MEAL 2

homemade protein bar

MEAL 3

1/2 C grilled chicken
1/3 C sweet potato
1 C broccolli

MEAL 4

1/2 C cottage cheese
1/2 C ff yogurt
12 almonds

i am going to costco after work. i have never been there, so i am pretty excited. (ya, i know, i am a dork! lol) can't wait to see all the deals to be had. i hear their chicken breasts are super cheap. i am gonna stock up on all sorts of goodies (healthy, of course)

will have meals 5 and 6 later.... meal 5 before the gym, meal 6 after.

well gotta run.

[angiecat]

so costco was pretty cool. i bought some glutamine for a reasonable price, and i got a huge box of kashi go lean crunch cereal for my high carb days....yum. i have never taken glutamine before. i hope it helps me get some muscles. i don't know too much about it, but i would love to hear some people's opinions on it.....is it a good addition, or a waste of money?

anyways, i am feeling really frustrated and discouraged right now! i wish the results could come faster....it's so hard to stay dedicated when the changes seem to be happening so slowly, if at all. how do you guys do it? what gets you through these low days?

i feel like a big fat lump right now..... i wish i could be lean right now, argh!!

anyhow, enough with the rant. sorry.

MEAL 5

1/2 C chicken
2 C raw veggies
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

WORKOUT
BACK, BI'S & 15 minutes HIIT

lat pulldown 3x10 - 60#

cable rows 3x10 - 50#

bent-over db rows 3x10 - 15#

EZ-bar curls 2x10 - bar + 10#
1x10 - bar + 15#

incline db curls 3x10 - 10#

hammer curls 3x10 - 10#

then i did 15 minutes HIIT

i feel like such a weakling... you're probably laughing at my piddly weights. i wanna be strong and lean.

MEAL 6
(PWO)
1C soymilk
1 scoop whey
1 tsp glutamine

my boyfriend just took some pictures of me and i am gonna try to put them up so you guys can see where i am and help me figure out some realistic goals.

-angie-

[angiecat]

here are the pics we took tonight.

[angiecat]

today is one of my high carb days...yay!! i didn't sleep very well last night, i dreamt about the gym....yikes! i have a tendency to obsess over whatever i am really into at the moment. i really hope this doesn't happen with my working out though. last year, i went a little crazy on fitday, and eventually had to quit cold turkey because it was taking over. i would run to the computer after any little thing that touched my lips. so now i just kinda wing it, but i think i have a pretty good grasp on what my body needs.

here's what i did toay

5:30 am i ran 3.15 miles in 35 minutes and later tonight is LEG day.....

MEAL 1

2/3 C kashi go lean crunch cereal
1/2 C vanilla soymilk
4 oz eggwhites
1 egg

MEAL 2

homemade protein bar

MEAL 3

2/3 C maui chicken breast
1/2 C brown rice
1/2 C broccolli
1 med. apple w/ 1 tbsp peanut butter

MEAL 4

1/3 C lf cottage cheese
1/2 C ff yogurt
12 almonds

(that's what i've had so far.....the next 2 meals should be as follows)

MEAL 5

1/2 C maui chicken
1 1/2 C raw veggies
1 med apple w/ 1 tbsp almond butter

MEAL 6

1 C vanilla soymilk
1 scoop whey
handful of kashi cereal

[angiecat]

p.s. i would love if someone could say something......anything about my program/diet plans and my pictures ;-)

i'd like to some reassurance that i am on the right track here......no sense wasting my time doing all the wrong things, know what i mean?

[angiecat]

i didn't end up doing LEG'S last night. our gym closes early on friday nights, so we usually have to be there by 7:30 to get a good workout in. but i took a little nap after dinner (i was feeling pretty exhausted) and when 7:30 rolled around, i just couldn't muster up the energy, so bf gave me the night off. he said i needed the rest, so i will do legs today instead. originally i had planned to rest all weekend, but i reaaly needed it last night, so no biggie.

[MMA_Fighter]

hey angie i sent a couple PM's, get back to me, so we can talk some more k?

[Pilgrim BB]

Hi Angiecat,

I just wanted to say I think you are doing just fine. You are working hard and your diet looks clean (watch those weekends though!). It just takes time. Your pics look great, and you know if you have reached your goals before then you can do it again. Also remember that you need to progam in some rest days or else you will over train.
Keep up the good work.

A

[angiecat]

thanks for the responses... i was beginning to worry that i would not get any feedback.

Pilgrim, i have sundays off as my scheduled rest/cheat day. i am pretty good about taking my rest day, because by the time it rolls around, i really need the rest. i know my weekends have been pretty bad lately, but i am going to really try to fix that.

i just did legs

SQUATS - 3 sets (8x95# bb)

BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUATS - 2 sets (8x15# db) then 1 set 9x10# db

SLDL 3 sets (10x EZ bar+70#)

SEATED HAM CURL 3 sets (8x60#)

STANDING CALF RAISES 3 sets (15 x 75#)

then i rode the bike at a leisurely pace for 30 minutes to stretch out my leg muscles, because it seems to take me atleast 3 days to recover from my leg workouts.

diet looks like this so far (keep in mind, saturdays are a little less strict than the rest of the week)

MEAL 1

1 C kashi go lean crunch
2/3 C vanilla soymilk

MEAL 2

6oz eggwhites
1 whole egg
2 slices low carb bread w/ 1 tbsp almond butter

then i threw this in about 30 minutes before the gym - 2 celery stalks with a tiny bit of peanut butter on them

MEAL 3 (PWO)

1 C vanilla soymilk
1 scoop whey
1 tsp glutamine

MEAL 4

1 C chicken
lota of asparagus
1 small apple

MEAL 5
1/2 C cottage cheese
1 tbsp almond butter
1 tsp sf jam
1 diet coke

[MMA_Fighter]

Hey Angie, i sent u a PM, and i think your diet and workouts are very well planned. Keep up the good work, dont get too hard on yourself. The bodyfat is a part of you, and how can you love yourself truly if you cant embrace yourself as u are, and dont worry, with your plan, you will make your goals of havin less BF a reality, but love yourself as u are too..cause its all u!! Train Hard, Eat Clean and Love yourself!!

Tam

[angiecat]

thanks for the encouragement, tam :-)

[Paichka]

Angie,

Hon, you look gorgeous. Really, as clean as you're eating (watch the cheat meals though!) and as strong as your workouts look, you'll be wear you want to be in no time.

Speaking of, where DO you want to be? You want to be about 10 pounds lighter, correct? I think you're doing fantastic...do you have a specific day you weigh yourself?

If you're interested in knowing your bodyfat, there's a couple of ways you can go about it. The best way would be to go to a local university or gym or whatever and see if you can get a pro to do it. Hydrostatic weighing is the best. Otherwise, get yourself one of those nifty little bodyfat scales or, more low-tech, a tape measure. Do-it-yourself bodyfat measures are less accurate, but what they CAN help you do is track the LOSS. I like keeping track of my key measurements, too...like my rear end. Everytime I lose a centimeter I do a happy dance in my room. ;-)

IM me anytime if you want to chat. I'm totally here for anything you need.

-- Sunny

[cardioking]

Angie,

Your pics look just fine. I mean you definitly fall in the class of the better then average crowd on body appearance. I think all your body needs is a good tune up and tightening. Some of that can be cured by a simple week or two of tanning sessions. I would say 10-15 lbs and you would be unmistakably gorgeous. Do you do any eliptical/stairclimber cardio? That may help with your legs more then anything. Just keep switching between forwards and backwards so it works different parts of your legs/ butt.

You said everything goes better when you have a good cd. What do you listen to? If its a variety cd who all is on it? Sometimes the music you listen to has an effect whether or not you add weight on your additional sets, cruise or push yourself on cardio or try to get additional reps on each exercise.

[angiecat]

i can't thank you guys enough for the responses, i need all the encouragement i can get right now! when i come online and see a response, i get so excited....it's nice to know we're not alone in this, you know.

cardioking, as far as music, i listen to all sorts of different stuff. i only listen to music when i am doing cardio though. and i know what you mean about the music sometimes giving that extra burst of energy. every time i hear that song from outkast, "so fresh, so clean" it makes me run harder. :-)

anyways, last night i did all my abwork while i was watching a dvd.

PLANK

3 sets @ 30 seconds

CRUNCHES

3 sets 15

LEG LIFTS

3 sets 15

then i did a bunch of stretches, just dorkin' around mainly, but i noticed my legs aren't as sore as they usually are after leg day. i wonder if that is from the stretching, bike ride or the glutamine. whatever the reason, i am glad the soreness has lessened. tomorrow morning's run should be much better without the leg soreness.

well today was my scheduled cheat/rest day. eating was as follows:

MEAL 1

1/2 c kashi go lean crunch cereal
1/4 c vanilla soymilk

MEAL 2

6oz eggwhites + 1 whole egg
2 slices low carb bread w/ 1 tbsp almond butter
1 english toffee coffee

MEAL 3

1 med apple
1/2 C cottage cheese
1 tbsp almond butter
2 low fat cinnamon cookies

MEAL 4 (my boyfriend took me out for anniversary dinner - 8 months!!)

1 california roll (6pcs)
1 spicy tuna roll (6pcs)
yakitori chicken (2 small skewers teriyaki chicken)

and for dessert........ :-)

1/2 C coffee haagen daas ice cream, 1 small banana, 1/8 C crushed walnuts

that's it so far!

i think that is pretty good for me for a cheat day.... i am proud of myself. do you guys think these kind of cheats are gonna screw me up, or are they reasonable?

[angiecat]

well my run this morning was great! i always find monday's run the easiest, most likely because of the high carbs on sunday. i did 3.20 miles in 35 minutes. the batteries in my cd player died about halfway through, but that didn't even phase me...i just kept on truckin'. :-)

today is supposed to be my really low carb day...how's this?

MEAL 1

6 oz eggwhites + 1 whole egg
1 slice low carb bread w/ 1 tsp almond butter

MEAL 2

homemade protein bar

MEAL 3

2/3 C chicken + 1 1/2 C vegetables stewed in tomato sauce (after eating this, i realized tomato sauce has quite a bit of carbs, oh well, too late now)

MEAL 4

1/2 c cottage cheese
1 tbsp sf jam

MEAL 5

1/2 c chicken
1-2 c raw veggies w/ 1 tbsp sesame dressing

MEAL 6

1/2 c cottage cheese
1 tbsp almond butter
1 tbsp sf jam

i may do some yoga tonight, depending on how i feel later. my legs are still not feeling as sore as usual, so i'm guessing the glutamine is helping with that.

tomorrow, instead of HIIT, i was thinking i may do 30 minutes on the stairmill like cardioking suggested. i really need something to get these legs looking better. i was just looking at my pics again, and i think my upper body is ok but my lower body definitely needs some major work!! arg!!

[Krissypoo]

today is supposed to be my really low carb day...how's this?


Do you journal in FitDay? If not, it would help determine what your nutrient macros are. FitDay can be a little off, but it will give you a good idea.



i really need something to get these legs looking better. i was just looking at my pics again, and i think my upper body is ok but my lower body definitely needs some major work!! arg!!

Heavy squats, Romanian deadlifts, and stepups or lunges will help with your legs. Also, walking on a high incline will help. My legs are nice, but my upperbody SUCKS! All of those exercises is what I do for my quads and hams, and it has helped immensely.

[angiecat]

WannaBeModel,
i used to use fitday, but i got so obsessed with it that i decided not to use it anymore. but i think i have a pretty good idea of my macronutrient %'s based on my previous experience with fitday. i just don't wanna go there again. but if you see something in my diet that seems way off, please feel free to comment.

well, i didn't do any yoga last night. i decided to clean up the house instead. plus i wasn't really sore at all and that's usually the main reason i do yoga.

this morning i did 1 hour moderate intesity cardio. 30 minutes on the hill setting of the treadmill and 30 minutes hill setting on the bike.

today was a crappy day. i had a headache and was grumpy all day and then to top it off, as i was leaving work, i noticed i had a completely flat tire....in the pouring rain! luckily one of the nice guys at my work saw this and offered to change my tire. but of course today was the day i decided i didn't need a jacket, so there i soaking wet in the pouring rain assisting with the tire swap. oh well, i was just glad he was there to help...it coulda been much worse.

MEAL 1

1/3 c oats w/ 1/2 small banana + 1/3 c vanilla soymilk
6 oz eggwhites + 1 whole egg

MEAL 2

homemade protein bar
1 med apple


MEAL 3

2/3 c chicken w/ veggies in tomato sauce (leftovers)
10 almonds

MEAL 4

1/2 c lf cottage cheese
1/2 c ff yogurt
5 almonds

MEAL 5

2/3 c chicken w/ 1 1/2 c steamed green beans

tonight will be chest/shoulder/tri's. i'll post my workout later.

MEAL 6 (PWO)

1/2 c vanilla soymilk w/ 1/2 small banana
1 scoop whey
1 tsp glutamine

[Krissypoo]

WannaBeModel,
i used to use fitday, but i got so obsessed with it that i decided not to use it anymore. but i think i have a pretty good idea of my macronutrient %'s based on my previous experience with fitday. i just don't wanna go there again. but if you see something in my diet that seems way off, please feel free to comment.


Me too!!! I use it, obsessed once again. If you don't want to go there, don't. Don't make yourself unnecessarily compulsive. Your daily diets look good, anyway. :)


today was a crappy day. i had a headache and was grumpy all day and then to top it off, as i was leaving work, i noticed i had a completely flat tire....in the pouring rain! luckily one of the nice guys at my work saw this and offered to change my tire. but of course today was the day i decided i didn't need a jacket, so there i soaking wet in the pouring rain assisting with the tire swap. oh well, i was just glad he was there to help...it coulda been much worse.


Sorry to hear this...tomorrow will be better! Heck, today may be getting better!

Is it possible that you move your workouts a little? You shouldn't do back and legs back to back, especially since you are doing deadlifts.

Is today a moderate carb day? If so, you need some preworkout carbs. Your diet is looking pretty good! You've always got interesting meals. Keep it up!! You are doing a great job!

[Paichka]

Angie!

Sorry I haven't checked in in awhile, I got busy all of a sudden. Life intrudes sometimes. :-)

I want to second that your diet is looking great. You're a total rockstar. Some suggestions on your workouts:

For legs: SQUATS. Squats squats squats. Squats are king, they are probably the greatest leg exercises known to man. Lunges are a close second. If I were you, this is what I would do:

Squats: 2 warmup sets, 4 working sets. Slightly lower than 90 degrees.

Plie Squats: 3-4 working sets (I do these on the smith machine, some people prefer to do them with a dumbbell...it's really up to you)

Lunges: Front or side or reverse or 45 degree. So versatile. 3-4 sets.

Step Ups: On a bench, bodyweight or with a light bar or dumbbell. These are the best for your butt. I swear by them. The bench should be about knee height. You can either do them from the front or from the side, depending on what muscle you want to torture. :-)

Calves: 1 exercise, pick your poison. 3-4 sets.

For cardio: This is my personal favorite treadmill exercise for moderate cardio days. It takes about an hour to do, but it's wonderful, you get a bit of endurance, some conditioning for your legs with hill-walking, and a bit of speed work.

20 minutes, steady state, flat -- first five @ 6 to warm up, bump up the speed every two minutes after that until you get to something comfortable. You should still be able to say the pledge.
10 minutes walking at an incline -- start at 6 degrees, bump it up a half degree every minute.
10 minutes, steady state, flat -- start at 6.5, bump up the speed every two minutes.
5 minutes walking at an incline -- start at 7 degrees, etc.
5 minutes, steady state, flat
5 minutes walking at an incline
5 minutes, steady state, flat -- start hard, lower the speed every minute to cool down.
Walk for 3-5 minutes at the end to cool down.

I just threw in the speed suggestions, you use whatever is comfortable for you -- if you go faster, major kudos. I credit this workout with getting my endurance to where it is today. It has an added benefit of keeping my brain engaged while I'm on the treadmill, which keeps my legs from convincing the rest of me that I'm "too tired for cardio today".

hope today was better for you, chica!
Sunny

[angiecat]

Sorry to hear this...tomorrow will be better! Heck, today may be getting better!
Thanks...


Is it possible that you move your workouts a little? You shouldn't do back and legs back to back, especially since you are doing deadlifts.
i was just thinking about this too. it would be smarter, i know. i am not doing deadlifts right now though, just straight-legged deadlifts, so it's not too bad. but i will be done my night class next wednesday, so i will be switching to mon/wed/fridays.
in a few weeks, i want to switch up my whole routine anyways....gotta keep things fresh. i will want something that really focusses (sp?) on my legs, like maybe splitting up quads and hammies....i dunno. there's so much out there to confuse me further!! lol.


Is today a moderate carb day? If so, you need some preworkout carbs. Your diet is looking pretty good! You've always got interesting meals. Keep it up!! You are doing a great job!
ya, today was moderate carbs. i had the yogurt/cc at 3 pm and dinner at 6:00....maybe i should switch those around for optimum pre-workout meals?

[MMA_Fighter]

Yup, i have to agree with everyone else, ur diet is right on, and ur workouts look great. I do agree not to do legs and back on consecutive days, but other than that, Paichka is right on with the exercise suggestions.

Keep up the great work!! Your goin to see results for sure!

[angiecat]

thanks for all the suggestions. i have been going real heavy with the squats and SLDL, and as much as i hate lunges, they are to be creditted for the positive changes i have seen in my bum! ;-) i used to have the flattest bum, and when i started doing walking lunges, suddenly, BAM, i had a bump back there!! hehe. the only problem i have been having recently is that i know my lunges can go heavier, but my arms can't handle the weight. i have been doing them in the squat rack with a bar, like squats so i can go heavier, but i miss my walking lunges.
what do you guys think about the bulgarian split squat? is this a worthwhile move for me, or not so much?

Step Ups: On a bench, bodyweight or with a light bar or dumbbell. These are the best for your butt. I swear by them. The bench should be about knee height. You can either do them from the front or from the side, depending on what muscle you want to torture. :-)
i would love to add these to my program , but i can't for the life of me seem to do these right. it just feels so awkward, almost dangerous! i wish i could have someone check my form and let me know what i am doing wrong.

Sunny, thanks so much for taking the time to write out that cardio routine.... sounds good. maybe i'll try it on a saturday, when i have more time in the morning. weekdays i usually only get enough time to squeeze 30 minutes in.

oh ya, i guess i should post today's workout.

CHEST/ SHOULDERS/TRIS

BENCH PRESS
9 x 60#
6 x 60# (then i had to drop the weight to finish the set)
4 x 55#
9 x 55#

INCLINE DB PRESS
3 sets 8 x 20#

INCLINE FLYES
3 sets 8 x 15#

SHOULDER PRESS
3 sets 8 x 15#

SIDE RAISES
3 sets 10 x 8#

BENT-OVER LATERAL RAISES
3 sets 10 x 8#

CABLE PUSHDOWNS
10 x 30#
6 x 30# (then i had to drop the weight to finish the set)
4 x 25#
10 x 25#

OVERHEAD EXTENSIONS
3 sets 10 x 12#

DIPS
3 sets Bodyweight x 10

as you can see, i was a little over-eager with trying to up my weights. i had to drop them down halfway through, but i figured it was worth a try.... you never know, right. i just want to be sure my workouts are always progressing and i am always pushing myself.... don't want to get lazy.

[motivated216]

Hey Angie-
Your workout looks great...and don't be afraid of going heavy on your bench press! I usually do a few warm-up sets with higher reps/lower weights then I do 3 set of 6-8 reps. This has worked great for me! Good luck!

[Krissypoo]

the only problem i have been having recently is that i know my lunges can go heavier, but my arms can't handle the weight. i have been doing them in the squat rack with a bar, like squats so i can go heavier, but i miss my walking lunges.


Get straps...they really help. I'm not telling my walking lunge weight, but I will say that without straps I get major bruises on my wrists from the weights slipping. The straps help immensely. So, get straps and go heavier! :D I'm like you...my rump gets nice and round and high with walking lunges. It's a love/hate relationship.



as you can see, i was a little over-eager with trying to up my weights. i had to drop them down halfway through, but i figured it was worth a try.... you never know, right. i just want to be sure my workouts are always progressing and i am always pushing myself.... don't want to get lazy.

I don't think you are over eager, I think you are busting your butt to do better and that is VERY admirable. School, work, gym. You do it all! Pat yourself on the back for working hard.

You could incorporate drop sets into your routine, which is pretty much what you are doing now. It helps increase strength. Go with an ULTRA heavy weight until you fail, drop down 5 lbs and lift until you fail, drop down 5 lbs and lift until you fail. Sounds like you like torture, and I think you would love this!

Oh yea, on the preworkout meal. Yogurt probably isn't enough. Can you stir some oats into that yogurt? That would really make it a good preworkout meal. :)

[angiecat]

...and don't be afraid of going heavy on your bench press!

that is heavy for me....lol. i know i am a weakling, but i'm working on it! :-)

[motivated216]

oh no, I didn't mean you were weak...I meant it's okay if you go heavy enough that you can only do 6 reps!

[angiecat]

oh no, I didn't mean you were weak...I meant it's okay if you go heavy enough that you can only do 6 reps!

oh, oops...lol!

[angiecat]

last night, i couldn't sleep at all!! i went to bed at 10:30, and was still lying awake at 1:00 AM. i just can't seem to turn my brain off sometimes....i hate that! i decided to skip my morning cardio in favour of an extra hour of sleep....no biggie. i am surprisingly not as tired as i thought i would be today. i am sitting in my nightclass right now, updating my journal during break.... that way i can go straight to bed when i get home.

i am not having any trouble sticking to this carb cycling diet.....amazingly! i think it's because there is always a high carb day just around the corner. today was a low carb day.

MEAL 1
6oz eggwhites + 1 whole egg
1 slice low carb bread w/ 1 tbsp almond butter + 1 tbsp sf jam

MEAL 2
homemade protein bar

MEAL 3
.75 c chicken + 1 c. raw veggies chopped up w/ 1 tbsp sesame dressing
10 almonds

MEAL 4
.75 c lf cottage cheese w/ 1 tbsp pb + 1 tbsp sf jam

MEAL 5
same as MEAL 3 + diet coke in class

MEAL 6
0.75c lf cottage cheese + 1 tbsp sf jam

[angiecat]

i don't have much time to write at the moment but i just had to share my excitement...... i haven't weighed myself since easter weekend, but this morning i decided to sneak a peek....and i am down 3 lbs!!!!! yay!!!and the pants i had picked out to wear today are even baggy! i may have to retire these ones soon and pull out my old thin pants that have been getting dusty in the closet all winter. it's a great morning!!!!

[arose70]

Hi angiecat, after your totally sweet comments in my journal, I had to check you out! You look so fantastic! I have a similar lower body to you(although I weigh about 30 pounds more hehe...I'm working on it!) Anywho, congrats on the 3 pounds, that is such progress!!!! You are getting tons of great advice and I want to second Sunny for the step ups...IMHO they'll get your butt into shape faster than anything else!

I am with you on the not shutting your brain off at night thing. I used to do that every night and then toss and turn for the time I did sleep. What helped me more than anything (sorry to all the non-medicine people out there) was going to a doc and getting a Rx for sleeping pills. I used em for a week and haven't since and have been sleeping like a baby for years! If you don't want to do the pill thing you could always keep a pen and paper by your bed and write your thoughts until they are all out. I used to do that and it helped to have it down on paper and then I could "shut down" and stop worrying about my day.

You are going to be in tip top shape in no time...you look great already! Good luck and I'll be stopping in again :)

[arose70]

Oh, and I LOVE "angiecat's journal to greatness". It is motivating just to read that title!

[Ivey_Itch]

Congrats on the 3lbs and loose pants :)

[Boots]

i don't have much time to write at the moment but i just had to share my excitement...... i haven't weighed myself since easter weekend, but this morning i decided to sneak a peek....and i am down 3 lbs!!!!! yay!!!and the pants i had picked out to wear today are even baggy! i may have to retire these ones soon and pull out my old thin pants that have been getting dusty in the closet all winter. it's a great morning!!!!

Hi Angiecat
Congratulations on starting your journal and losing 3lbs thus far! Your diet looks great! I need to get mine back on track! I know the feeling of being rewarded with loose pants! YEA!!!! Keep up the great work!

[Paichka]

Angie,

thanks for your sweetie-pie comments in my journal...it makes me feel good to know that other people are keeping tabs on my progress. :-)

CONGRATS on the loose pants! And three pounds! Woo hoo! You're a rockstar. I love it when it's time to bust out the skinny pants...you're doing such an amazing job.

And I second the comment that your journal title is extremely motivating. :-)

Sunny

[angiecat]

thank you all for the encouragement! i am so glad i found this site and all you girls....you are all amazing and inspiring!! it really helps to be able to share all this stuff with people who are going through similar experiences. i love reading everyone's journals and i just wish i had more time to write all the stuff that crosses my mind as i read them.

today was a great day...after a start like that, how could it not be. when i got to work, i was pumped! i was whistling and floating around the office. diet was right on today.....workout went pretty well too. here's what i did:

MEAL 1
.5 c oats (dry measure) + 1 scoop whey + .5 c vanilla soymilk

MEAL 2
homemade protein bar

MEAL 3
1 chicken breast + a bunch of steamed green beans

MEAL 4
.75 c cottage cheese + tbsp sf jam

MEAL 5 (pre-workout)
1 chicken breast + lots of cut-up raw veggies w/ balsamic vinegar and an apple ~ because you suggested it WannaBeModel ;-) i hope an apple is good enough

MEAL 6 (PWO)
.5 c vanilla soymilk + .5 banana + i scoop whey + 1 tsp glutamine

BACK + BI'S + ABS

lat pulldown 3x10 - 70#

cable rows 3x10 - 60#

bent-over bb rows 3x10 - 45#

EZ-bar curls 3x10 - bar + 15#

incline db curls 3x8 - 10#

hammer curls 3x8 - 10#

my biceps were kinda weak today..... but i did increase the weights on all back excercises, so i may have pre-fatigued them

for abs, i just did a bunch of stuff..... plank, crunches etc.

well that's all for now... sorry if it was too long. thanks again for all the kind words guys!

good night :-)

~angie~

[angiecat]

oh ya, i just have one quick question for anyone who reads this:

since my post-workout shake is my last meal of the day and it is high gi carbs, should i throw in one more slower burning protein right before bed to optimize my muscle building potential overnight? (wow that sounded really technical...lol) something like .25 c cottage cheese with a little pb?

what do you think? or maybe you could suggest something better..... i want to be sure not to lose any/too much muscle while i am trying to lose this fat. and if you think i should, how long should i wait after the shake to eat it?


thanks

~angie~

[Krissypoo]

The apple is okay...could you have some brown rice with that? Maybe a brown rice cake? If all you can stomach is an apple, that's fine.

I think eating the carbs that late isn't bad. Your body needs them after a workout. I would have another meal before bed. The one you suggested is perfect. :)

I think that you are doing great right now. Your diet is great, your carb levels are nuts! I don't know how you do that less than 50 on your low carb day. I've been trying to keep up with you on that one. It's rough! Now I know I need the fats to hold me over. You're a tough cookie!

[angiecat]

i just want to share a funny little story quickly....

i am at work right now, and i was just pouring myself a glass of water. i am wearing a t-shirt today, and as i was pouring the water from this heavy jug, i noticed my bicep muscles. hehehe. they are coming in quite nicely. anyhoo, as i was "admiring" my new muscles, my boss caught me and started teasing me. now whenever he passes my desk, he starts posing like a bodybuilder and flexing his muscles! lol. i am soo embarrassed!!

anyway, thought that was funny, now back to work!

~angie~

[arose70]

That is hilarious! I do that too *blush*. Especially after my bicep day I go to the bathroom at work and stand in front of the mirror and flex...hehe...then quickly pretend like I'm fixing my hair if someone walks in! Okay, that's embarrassing to write but oh well!! Sounds like you have a fun boss!!!!:)

[Paichka]

Haha yall are hilarious.

I do that too. :-) I flex and poke at my abs in the mirror of our community bathroom...gotta pretend to be doing something else real quick in case any of my soldiers walks in and see "The Ma'am" preening in front of the mirror. :-p

Sunny

[angiecat]

i am glad to know i am not the only one! but we work hard for these muscles, so we should "enjoy" them every now and then....no shame in that.

i decided i didn't need to do my cardio this morning, since i am carb cycling and too much cardio is no good anyway. so i enjoyed an extra hour of sleep instead. i will be doing legs tomorrow....that way i have a day of rest between back and legs. also, i prefer doing legs on saturdays, because the gym is almost completely empty and i can lift so heavy that i make funny faces without worrying about who may be watching.

i am a bit cranky again today....i just got my period, so i am guessing that has been the cause of my grumpiness this week.

here's what i ate today

MEAL 1
1 c eggwhites + 1 egg
1 slice low carb bread w/ 1 tbsp almond butter + sf jam

then i drank a cup of coffee, so i wasn't hungry for scheduled meal at 10:00....didn't eat again until lunch

MEAL 2
1 chicken breast (souvlaki seasoning) + green beans

MEAL 3
1 scoop whey + 15 almonds

MEAL 4
.75 c cottage cheese w/ tbsp sf jam

MEAL 5
1 can tuna w/ lots of chopped veggies + a bit of cottage cheese + balsamic vinegar (it's kinda like a tuna salad....yummy)

MEAL 6
.5 c cottage cheese + 1 tbsp almond butter

then i stuck my spoon in the peanut butter jar....big mistake! i probably had another 1 - 1.5 tbsp of pb. i am officially addicted!!!! it is my new chocolate! HELP ME!! hahaha

i am gonna pop in a movie and go to sleep soon. goodnight ladies :-)

~angie~

[milgurl]

thank you all for the encouragement! i am so glad i found this site and all you girls....you are all amazing and inspiring!! it really helps to be able to share all this stuff with people who are going through similar experiences. i love reading everyone's journals and i just wish i had more time to write all the stuff that crosses my mind as i read them.

today was a great day...after a start like that, how could it not be. when i got to work, i was pumped! i was whistling and floating around the office. diet was right on today.....workout went pretty well too. here's what i did:

MEAL 1
.5 c oats (dry measure) + 1 scoop whey + .5 c vanilla soymilk

MEAL 2
homemade protein bar

MEAL 3
1 chicken breast + a bunch of steamed green beans

MEAL 4
.75 c cottage cheese + tbsp sf jam

MEAL 5 (pre-workout)
1 chicken breast + lots of cut-up raw veggies w/ balsamic vinegar and an apple ~ because you suggested it WannaBeModel ;-) i hope an apple is good enough

MEAL 6 (PWO)
.5 c vanilla soymilk + .5 banana + i scoop whey + 1 tsp glutamine

BACK + BI'S + ABS

lat pulldown 3x10 - 70#

cable rows 3x10 - 60#

bent-over bb rows 3x10 - 45#

EZ-bar curls 3x10 - bar + 15#

incline db curls 3x8 - 10#

hammer curls 3x8 - 10#

my biceps were kinda weak today..... but i did increase the weights on all back excercises, so i may have pre-fatigued them

for abs, i just did a bunch of stuff..... plank, crunches etc.

well that's all for now... sorry if it was too long. thanks again for all the kind words guys!

good night :-)

~angie~

Hey great journaling. I enjoy reading your little stories. I'm curious...how do you make your own protein bar? Thanks!

[Pilgrim BB]

Haha yall are hilarious.

I do that too. :-) I flex and poke at my abs in the mirror of our community bathroom...gotta pretend to be doing something else real quick

WOW! You mean girls do that too?!!!! :D


Man I love these journals.

Keep up the good work angiecat.

A

[Boots]

i just want to share a funny little story quickly....

i am at work right now, and i was just pouring myself a glass of water. i am wearing a t-shirt today, and as i was pouring the water from this heavy jug, i noticed my bicep muscles. hehehe. they are coming in quite nicely. anyhoo, as i was "admiring" my new muscles, my boss caught me and started teasing me. now whenever he passes my desk, he starts posing like a bodybuilder and flexing his muscles! lol. i am soo embarrassed!!

anyway, thought that was funny, now back to work!

~angie~

HaHA Angie that's so funny! I love it. My husband teases me when he catches me doing something like that too! Nice to know I am not alone. :)

[arose70]

Hey angiecat! I am a PB addict too....:( mine's a tad worse than yours!!!! I go for about 3-4 tblspns before I even think about stopping-eek! I think after this last jar (which won't be long) I'm going to take it completely out of my diet. I may try to get some worse tasting stuff so I won't want it all the time but it has definitely become my new chocolate too. It keeps me sane and I haven't "cheated" in over 3 weeks....unless you call all that PB a cheat! :) I'll let you know if I go cold turkey!

[Paichka]

Let me set the stage.

Sophomore year in college. I was a lightweight rower and extremely dedicated to my sport. I would not eat chocolate. Didn't even really want it, which is unusual for me. Instead, what I craved was peanut butter. The chunkier the better. I DREAMED about peanut butter. I would carry around a jar of it in my backpack with a baggie of celery sticks. I would eat it during class. Honey roasted peanut chunky peanut butter...My teachers and fellow scholars would get distracted by the sounds of my munching.

I finally realized that I had a problem when my roommate caught me with HER jar of peanut butter and an empty bag of pretzels...and half the jar missing.

Currently I steal little single serving packets of peanut butter from the dining hall...man I love peanut butter.

mmm.
Sunny

[angiecat]

i wasn't really around a computer yesterday, but here is what i did. i woke up early to eat, then went to the gym an hour later to do legs. man, i wasn't sure i would make it through the whole workout at first! i struggled with my first 2 warm-up sets of squats. i much prefer doing my weight training later in the day, after a few meals, but i was going to visit my sister and nephew, so i wanted to get that out of the way early. anyhow, after my warm-up sets, everything fell into place and i had a great leg workout. i even upped the weight a bit on everything.

SQUATS - 3 x 10

BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUATS - 3 x 10

SLDL 3 x 10

i stopped for some water after my SLDL and as i was going down the stairs, one of the trainers stopped me to say that he has never seen anyone who trains so perfectly. he said my form was bang-on. yay!! that made my workout!! but when i got home and told my bf, he laughed and said "when did our gym turn into a pick-up joint?" was i naive to think that the trainer really meant what he said.....i really hope it was true, because i make a real effort to get the form right on everything, and i thought it was nice that a professional took notice. anyhow.....back to the workout:

SEATED HAM CURL 3 x 10

STANDING CALF RAISES 3 x 12

then i rode the bike at a leisurely pace for 20 minutes.

MEAL 1

1 C kashi go lean crunch
2/3 C vanilla soymilk

MEAL 2

6oz eggwhites
1 whole egg
1 slice low carb bread w/ 1 tbsp almond butter + sf jam


MEAL 3 (PWO)

.5 C vanilla soymilk + .5 banana
1 scoop whey
1 tsp glutamine

MEAL 4

1 C chicken w/ a bunch of raw veggies chopped up

MEAL 5 (cheat meal)

1 low fat brownie from starbuck's + 1 bag of cheddar crispy mini's + 1 apple

MEAL 6

1 small bowl of chili + 1 low fat cinnamon cookie

MEAL 7

1 scoop whey + 1 c skim milk + 1 apple + 2 tbs almond butter

as you can see, it was a high carb day. fitday says i had over 300 grams of carbs!!

now it's sunday morning and my legs and bum are pretty sore today!! feels like i worked them hard yesterday! i have a lot of studying to do, so i should sign off now. today is a rest day, so no workouts. hope everyone has a great day!!

~angie~

[angiecat]

i've been thinking a lot today, and reading through some other journals and i've decided to stop the carb cycling for now. i may bring it back in again as a last resort because i did find it helped me lose a few pounds. but right now, i want to focus more on my lifting, so i am gonna need more carbs to be able to lift heavier. also, i felt kinda sick after my high carb days, so i'd rather keep them steady and not get that sick feeling.

yesterday and today i ate way too much kashi cereal. when this box is gone, i am not gonna replace it, it's way too addicting!! yesterday alone i had 4 bowls of it!! (not all in one sitting...lol) and i think i may have to cut out the almond butter/ peanut butter as well. i can't control myself around them!! i am going to pick up some udo's choice oil to use as my healthy fats instead.....that way there is no chance of me grabbing a spoon and pigging out on it....hahaha!!

my new plan will be to have my carbs at meal 1 and pre and post workout. the rest of my meals will be lean protein + veggies and a bit of fat. i plugged in a few examples on fitday and my days should look something like this:

~1500 cals
~160g protein
~110g carbs
~44g fat

and i want to change up my weight training as well.

mondays - cardio (am) chest (pm)
tuesdays - back (pm)
wednesdays - off
thursdays - cardio (am) arms (pm)
fridays - cardio (am) - shoulders (pm)
saturdays - legs
sundays - off

what do you guys think of this plan?

[Paichka]

I think that looks fine except 1500 cals isn't enough for your activity level, chica. You're MY size and I would starve to death on 1500 a day.

If you're going to be doing Two-A-Days, you probably need closer to 1800-2000 calories. Ratios look good. Carbs are a little low...I'd cycle them and have higher carb days (~180g) on days you'll be doing cardio. Low carb is fine on your days off, but I'd definitely have a moderate carb day at least on your leg day...that's a big muscle group & you need some good energy to fuel your workout.

Just my two cents!
Sunny

[angiecat]

thanks for the feedback sunny
oh ya, i forgot to mention calories will be higher on weekends, around 2200 saturdays and atleast 1800 sundays.

[Krissypoo]

I completely agree with Paichka. You might want to lower your carbs/calories on your off day as you will not be using them as you would on the other days. Definitely up the carbs and calories for two-a-days. You'll need it and will go crazy without them. Trust me! I tried it...rough!

The AM, pre, and post workout carbs are good deals. They really give you plenty of energy to go. I think it looks good, just up your carbs and calories on your "on" days and lower them on your "off" days. Make sure your leg day has plenty of carbs.

[angiecat]

last night was the first night of the new split. my boyfriend and i went to the gym together and ended up getting into a little tif. i figured since we are only doing one body part per workout, our gym time will be decreased, so i was ready to go after 40 minutes, but he insisted that we still stay the full hour, just do more exercises per bodypart. wouldn't that lead to overtraining? i'm not sure, but it would just make sense to me that the workout would be a little shorter. who's right? i think i am just gonna start going on my own, that way i can stay as long, or as short as i want. here's what i did last night:

CHEST
bench press 3 x 10
incline db press 3 x 10
incline flyes 3 x 10
decline bench press 3 x 10

i was only gonna do the first three, but since he wanted to stay longer i threw in the decline bench. i kinda liked it though, so i may leave it in there. how many excercises should i be doing for each bodypart? was thinking three, but maybe it should be four?

oh ya, and i got the idea for the calories for fat loss off some online calculator. i included my activity level too, so i thought that would be a good amount to lose a pound a week. i found it at hussman.org i think.

[angiecat]

i am much happier with my new diet plan and i am liking this new split too.

i have a lot of studying to do (tomorrow is my final exam) so i will make this brief.

MEAL 1
.5 c oats + .5 banana + .5 c vanilla soymilk
1 c eggwhites + 1 oz lf cheese

MEAL 2
.75 c lf cottage cheese + 1 tbsp sf jam + 1 tsp peanut butter

MEAL 3
.75 c chicken + 2 c raw veggies + balsamic vinegar

MEAL 4 (pre-workout)
120g tuna + 1 med. apple

MEAL 5 (post-workout)
.5 c vanilla soymilk + .5 banana + 1 scoop whey + 1 tsp glutamine

MEAL 6
.75 c lf cottage cheese + .125 c chopped walnuts + 1 tbsp sf jam

WORKOUT - BACK/ ABS

lat pulldown 3 x 10

cable rows 3 x 10

bent-over db rows 3 x 10

deadlifts 2 x 6 (super heavy - i wasn't planning on doing these, but the workout seemed really short so i added them in)

ball crunches 3 x 20

leg lifts 3 x 8

i am adjusting to this new split. i think i will do 4 exercises per body part, except maybe when i do arms (bis/tris) i will just do three for each.

[Paichka]

Angie!

Good luck on your finals, girlie. Couple of comments --

Your workout looks great -- I'm not sure you need BOTH declines and incline bench, but as long as it isn't fatiguing your chest too much I don't see a problem with it. You usually see people doing either one or the other though -- if you want to do four exercises per body part (which is good) then maybe you could try an iso-lateral move like cable-one-armed chest press? So like this:
1 flat move (bench)
1 incline move (incline or decline)
1 flye (dumbbell, machine or cable)
1 iso-lateral move

Just something to think about!

I'm glad you're happy with your diet plan. Keep it flexible and have some healthy snacks on hand for if you get hungry -- if you need to eat more, then do!

You're doing GREAT, hon! Seriously.

cheers!
Sunny

[angiecat]

ok, i had to add an extra meal in because i was feeling a little hungry.....

BONUS MEAL (i ate this 1.5 hrs after my post-workout shake)
protein pancakes + 2 tbsp sf syrup

i think i will strive for around 1700 cals per day...that seems more feasible.

today's stats (according to fitday) looked pretty good to me:

1675 cals
201g protein
134g carbs
34g fat

[angiecat]

yay! i am so glad that exam is over!! now i am stress free for atleast a few weeks. my next course doesn't start until may 2. no gym today. diet was adjusted to compensate for no weight training.

MEAL 1
6oz eggwhites + 1 oz cheese
2 slices bread w/ 1 tsp almond butter + sf jam

MEAL 2
homemade protein bar

MEAL 3
chicken + veggies

MEAL 4
1 scoop whey w/ water + 12 almonds

MEAL 5 (on the road)
small wendy's chili

MEAL 6
.75c cottage cheese + tbsp sf jam + .125c chopped walnuts

my body is so accustomed to eating these frequent meals. i was dying to get through that exam so i could eat my next meal, but the bloody thing took me the full 3 hours to write!! oh well, atleast now it's done and out of the way. yipee!!

[angiecat]

hey sunny,

i just saw your last response now....somehow i missed it? thanks for wishing me luck on my finals, and thanks for the tips on the workout. you are wonderful and i really appreciate you always taking the time to respond. how do you do it? it amazes me how well you keep up with everyone!!

anyway, today is one of those really good days where the sun seems to be shining a little brighter. i dunno, i just feel really great today!! i am quite happy with myself right now, for really sticking with my workouts and eating so well lately (well, most of the time anyway, hehehe). and for going back to school and working towards my goals. i know that all my hard work will pay off big-time one day, and that makes it all worthwhile.

i have seen some really positive changes in my body over the last few months. i am trying to be more patient and realize that long term changes take more time, and that's ok. my progress has been slow, but looking back now, i can see how far i've come. last night i measured my thighs and they are down 1 inch!! that's huge for me!!! my thighs are a big problem area for me and i am happy to see that i am finally getting somewhere.

plus, i actually love working out now. it's not a chore for me the way it used to be. i look forward to the pump i get after a tough workout. i really want to continue eating right and excercising. this lifestyle feels so much better than my old couch-potato, junk food eating life. i have a bounce in my step that wasn't there for so long. i used to drag my butt around the office, now i float!

anyways enough rambling....

have a great day everyone!!

~angie~

[Paichka]

hey sunny,

i just saw your last response now....somehow i missed it? thanks for wishing me luck on my finals, and thanks for the tips on the workout. you are wonderful and i really appreciate you always taking the time to respond. how do you do it? it amazes me how well you keep up with everyone!!

I drink a lot of coffee and get up at the crack of dawn. :-) That comment totally made my week, I hope you realize.


anyway, today is one of those really good days where the sun seems to be shining a little brighter. i dunno, i just feel really great today!! i am quite happy with myself right now, for really sticking with my workouts and eating so well lately (well, most of the time anyway, hehehe). and for going back to school and working towards my goals. i know that all my hard work will pay off big-time one day, and that makes it all worthwhile.

Whoo hoo for endorphins. You HAVE been doing fantastic...you all ask how -I- do it...heck, working out is part of my job description. You all have to fit in working out around your schools and classes and finals and family and boyfriends and friends and TV and all sorts of distractions...THAT'S amazing to me. You have the best attitude, you know that?


i have seen some really positive changes in my body over the last few months. i am trying to be more patient and realize that long term changes take more time, and that's ok. my progress has been slow, but looking back now, i can see how far i've come. last night i measured my thighs and they are down 1 inch!! that's huge for me!!! my thighs are a big problem area for me and i am happy to see that i am finally getting somewhere.

plus, i actually love working out now. it's not a chore for me the way it used to be. i look forward to the pump i get after a tough workout. i really want to continue eating right and excercising. this lifestyle feels so much better than my old couch-potato, junk food eating life. i have a bounce in my step that wasn't there for so long. i used to drag my butt around the office, now i float!


THIS is what makes it all worthwhile. I wish everybody in the world knew what doing the right thing by your body felt like...people focus so much on the pain (and of COURSE there's pain! nothing worth having ever came free! except maybe air) that they completely miss the REASON we do all this junk -- for that wonderful, "I can kick anybody's butt", pride in your body and the clean feeling we have when we give our bodies what they need and we're eating right instead of stuffing our faces with Haagen Daaz. Though I would do that on occasion, if I had access to Haagen Daaz. Mmm ice cream. ;-)

Great job, great post, great ATTITUDE,
Sunny

[angiecat]

i must be experiencing some kinda post-run runner's high from my workout this morning!!! :-) i don't know what it is, but it's great! and once again, your response just added to my joy this morning. i know i said this already, but i gotta say again YOU ARE AWESOME!!! ok, now i reeeeeeally gotta get back to work...lol

~angie~

[angiecat]

today was a great day, if only every day could be like this.

30 minutes moderate cardio @ 5:30am

MEAL 1
6oz eggwhites + 1 oz cheese
2 slices bread w/ 1 tsp almond butter + sf jam

MEAL 2
.75c cottage cheese + tbsp sf jam

MEAL 3
chicken + veggies + 1 med apple

MEAL 4 (pre work-out)
1 scoop whey w/ .33 c oats

today was bicep/tricep day

5 minute warm-up on the bike

EZ-bar curls 3x10

incline db curls 3x10

hammer curls 3x10

tricep cable pushdowns 3x10

overhead extensions 3x10

dips 3x10

MEAL 5 (post-workout)
.5 c vanilla soymilk + .5 banana + 1 scoop whey + 1 tsp glutamine

MEAL 6 (had to wing it 'cuz the bf ate all the cottage cheese!)
6oz eggwhites + 1 oz cheese
1 slice bread w/ 1 tsp almond butter + sf jam

tomorrow will be a strange day. i am going to be participating in a breast cancer charity auction (bras for a cause) so i will be heading out there right after work. i am gonna do shoulders in the morning and a quick HIIT session right after (gotta squeeze it all in about 45 minutes....mornings are tight).

i am also expecting the diet to be "a little" off because there will be a lot of good food and drinks at the event and it's all free for me!! i will be a little stricter the rest of the weekend to compensate, but it will be well worth it i'm sure. it should be lots of fun, so i am gonna just go with the flow.

anyhow, off to bed i go!! have a great night!

~angie~