Leila's Birthday countdown

[LeilaM]

How's that for a semi-snappy title? Not really, but *meh*

New year, new journal.

Goal by May 24th, 2007- 175-180 or 25% bodyfat-- whichever comes first

After that, I don't know. Honestly, 200 was my "ultimate goal" and I've already gotten there. I still look in the mirror and analyze my workouts and see stuff I want to improve on, so time for a new process...

I'm contemplating hiring one of the PT's at the gym. A guy this time (gasp!). He usually trains athletes and the men who are going for more of the bber look. I figure he'd be more likely to set up some workouts that are more challenging and will help me make the gains in strength and fitness that I'm looking for. Spoken with him a few times, and he seems more than ok about "training me like man" (for lack of a better word. You know, not a pink dumbbell cardio-repping range sort of thing)


Stats from Dec 14th (measurements)

Upper chest (above boobs): 37 (yay pecs!)
Lower Chest (below boobs): 35 (no lats, damn!)
Bust (sports bra on): 40
waist: 35
belly button waist: 40
Upper hip roll (lol): 44
Lower hip roll (ugh): 44.5
Thigh: 25
calf : 17
upper arm: 13.5

height- 5 feet 8.5 inches (I always say 5'9" of course!)

I'll say weight is 200, although I refuse to step on the scale due to some Eid holiday and New Year's gorging (hehe, well I had a good time anyway).

Enough of this. I've about 21 weeks. I figure if I lose a lb on average a week, I'll be home free and at 180 at the very least. Calorie deficit will remain about the same as before; 500-600 a day down from estimated maintenance cals ( so about 1800-2000 cals a day)

Old journal http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=945706

More later....

[MuscleMom]

OOOH, looking forward to following your new adventure

Keep up the awesome work!! I see you hitting your goal in NO time

[KEA]

I'm subscribing to this one!!!

[deeyala]

Originally Posted by LeilaM

How's that for a semi-snappy title? Not really, but *meh*

New year, new journal.

Goal by May 24th, 2007- 175-180 or 25% bodyfat-- whichever comes first

After that, I don't know. Honestly, 200 was my "ultimate goal" and I've already gotten there. I still look in the mirror and analyze my workouts and see stuff I want to improve on, so time for a new process...

I am subscribing to this thread with the snappy title lol
Somehow i am guessing you'll reach your goals in no time and remain having loads of spare time before your birthday...

he he heeee, actually i'll be using your thread as my personal motivation thread, so stick to your programme, you're not alone, girl.. (since i am cutting for the first time in my whole life- aaaaaaahhhhh i am starving )

Oh! Leila, how do you measure your Bf%

I'm contemplating hiring one of the PT's at the gym. A guy this time (gasp!). He usually trains athletes and the men who are going for more of the bber look. I figure he'd be more likely to set up some workouts that are more challenging and will help me make the gains in strength and fitness that I'm looking for. Spoken with him a few times, and he seems more than ok about "training me like man" (for lack of a better word. You know, not a pink dumbbell cardio-repping range sort of thing)

that's one daring move
I'll be closely watching that,too...!
(because i have tendencies to chicken out away from PT's for fear of someone actually making me work out "properly" .. lol )

[Miranda]

[/lurk]



[lurk]

[DawnMarie]

Congrats on already getting your goal and making new ones to keep challenging yourself in 2007! Great job! Good luck with the PT and reaching all your 2007 goals, you can do it!

[LeilaM]

MuscleMom- Heck you too! Glad to see you here to follow my stuph once more

KEA- Well allrighty then! Be sure to troll (hehe) the thread as often as possible, too!

Dee- shoo, proxy lurker. Where's YOUR journal! I want to know precisely what you're doing- down to the time waited between sets Oh for BF- I just use that Omron hand held thingy. I put my setting on normal intead of athelte because even though I'm working out 5/a week, I'm still very high fat. Might be doing that wrong, but the main point is figuring out if I'm losing BF, right! I figure I may have someone take my caliper measurements... when I'm dead or on dope... Ah PTs. Well the first two I've used were great, and they didnt have a problem showing me regular weightlifting exercises with free weights (they do them, too), but they kept stering me towards the Swiss balls, and I HATE SWISS BALLS-- for ANYTHING. bleh bleh

Miranda- I'm a gonna /lurk when I track down your journal, too!

DawnMarie- I'm so f*n happy to see you back here! Now guys, this woman is the inspiration, not my tired ass. LOOK AT HER dayum and she began about where I began. I'm trying to convince myself that I'll get to her level.... sometime before I turn 40

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ahh today, TGIF!

Upper body day. Yes, I've been working out all week, but too lazy to post. Anyway, it's all the same as in the old journal, so *meh*

30 minutes treadmill/2 miles upped in the incline when slower (music determines my pace lol), and lowered it when going faster

I really AM bored. I meddled around with some other exercises today. Also, my shoulder hurts-- but not the cuff-- it hurts like.. right on TOP towards the front- bony part. Around where the clavicle meets it. Not hyooge pain or anything, but if I press it it's like "HEY man!"

My wrists suck too, by the way-- I think it's a major barrier when it comes to increasing my bicep curls, so I usually do hammer curls because the wrist stress is different. damn wrists, so I'm going to include wrist curls in the hopes of making them stronger. little creeps, they is, precious!

Allright the weights for today. Just fudging around mostly, but still going heavy.

Assisted Wide Grip Pullups and Dips 4 sets, stacking the weights up (only 40 lbs resistance for dips now!)

Bench Press work sets: 4x10x90# Incline- 3x10x90#, Decline- 3x10x90#

single one armed Dumbbell rows- 4 sets each side, ten reps 40#,40#,45#, 45# Maybe time to increase...

cable rows- 2x12x86#, 2x10x100# (lot of grunting towards the end)

Plate loaded T Bar rows (aparatus, not using a BB. no idea how much the aparatus itself weighs): 30x12, 45x12, 55x10, 65x8 grunt-grunt-wheeze

DB shoulder Press (db in each hand): 1x12x20's, 1x12x25, 1x10x30, 1x7x35

DB Lateral and Front Raises (supersets): 4x10x12lb

concentration curls: 4x10x20#

barbell curls: the bar (45#) 4 sets of 8

rope attachment cable tricep pulldown or whatever the hell it's called: 1x12x60#, 1x12x70#, 1x10x80#, 1x6x90#

Single DB (both hands) behind head tricep extention: 2x12x40#, 2x10x45#

DB side bends: 4x10x45# db

crunches from Hades
leg lifts on the whatever you call it chair- also from Hades
Assorted yoga stretches, howling, and bitching on the mat whilst scaring off some of the New Years crowd.

[nubiennelady]

Great workout Leila and I'm sure you'll reach your goal in no time.

Have a great weekend,

Nubie/Donna

[LeilaM]

Originally Posted by nubiennelady

Great workout Leila and I'm sure you'll reach your goal in no time.

Have a great weekend,

Nubie/Donna

Hey thank you! Do you have a journal up, I'll subscribe asap.

This weekend will be sleeping in and doing as little as possible

[twinnett]

Happy Friday!! Great workout and have fun relaxing!!

[KEA]

Originally Posted by LeilaM

Assorted yoga stretches, howling, and bitching on the mat whilst scaring off some of the New Years crowd.

LOLOLOLOL

[LeilaM]

Originally Posted by KEA

LOLOLOLOL

Well ok. the last part was wishful thinking... At least the freeweights area isn't clogged up- but it's a WAIT to get to any of the cardio machines... lucky for me the brunt of this year's crowd is showing up at NIGHT when I'm not there. woowee!

[Uncategorizable]

Haha! You quoted me! I feel so blessed!

[LeilaM]

Originally Posted by Uncategorizable

Haha! You quoted me! I feel so blessed!

I think it's going to win, too! Best ever!!!

[Gibson Girl]

Just dropping by to say on congrats on your transformation. You look outstanding

[Miranda]

Originally Posted by LeilaM

At least the freeweights area isn't clogged up

they'd never dare venture there. hulks! women with beards!

[LeilaM]

Originally Posted by Gibson Girl

Just dropping by to say on congrats on your transformation. You look outstanding

Hey thanks!!! Keep on showing up, I always need feedback (and it's appreciated, too)

Originally Posted by Miranda

they'd never dare venture there. hulks! women with beards!

GYNOS! SWEATTY BODIES! SOCIALISTS! VEGANS!

woop, thought I was in misc for a second there...

[LeilaM]

I had nearly typed up my workout when my stoopid big toe decided to hit the off switch on the surge protector. It was sooo witty and har de har har. Not.

Meh, ok Cliffs Notes summary: Trying to blast my back, I've never had DOMS there and I just have this bizarre obsession that it's not keeping up with the rest of my body. It's probably NOT true, too, but having plenty of fat to cover up what's underneath it is part of the issue- if I can't see the muscle, it must not be THERE! Gasp, I'm like a six month old baby, aren't I?

workedy workout:

30 min cardio- 2 miles. 5 minutes of it was RUNNING (!!!)

Upper Body workout today:

Assisted Pullups (wide grip): 100# counter weight 4 sets 10 reps (no friggen progress EVER. I have no rhomboids. See, I told you!)

Assisted Dips: (progress): 1x12x56# assistance, 1x12x48# a, 1x12x40#a, 1x12x56#a

Flat BB Bench Press: (Went for strength): 1x10x85#, 1x8x95#, 1x7x115#, 1x5x135# (crap form and rom at the last set, of course. Ego ego ego!)

Incline BB Bench Press: 3x10x85#
Decline BB Bench Press: 3x10x85#

Single arm DB rows (stats for each side of course): 1x12x40# db, 1x10x45#, 1x8x50# (pb!), 1x6x55# (PB again!), 1x6x60# (PB TO THE MAX!!) Um... so this means I need to increase weight, lol. Maybe, just MAYBE the back IS getting stronger... hmmm diabolical!

Seated cable rows w/spine articulation: 1x12x86, 1x10x93, 1x10x100, 1x6x107

T bar rows wide grip both hands (aparatus, not machine or BB): 1x12x35#, 1x10x45#, 1x10x55#, 1x8x65# (no idea what the bar on the aparatus weighs, this is just the plates loaded. So hopefully it is MORE than this?)

wide grip lat pulldowns (back is TIRED by this point!): 2x10x75#, 2x8x82#

Layed off the upright rows and mil press because my left shoulder/lat connection has been tender lately. Will go back to these in a few weeks maybe. SO instead:

seated DB shoulder presses: 1x12x25# dbs, 3x8x30# dbs

standing db lateral raises: 4x10x12# dbs

concentration curls (against leg): 2x12x20# db, 2x8x25# db. Freaking wrists always hurt, I WISH they were stronger!

Side bends: 2x12x45# db

Cable tricep pulldowns (rope attachment): 1x12x60, 1x10x70, 1x10x80, 1x7x90 (howl!) Interesting that I can do more weight with the metal attachment, though...

Misc ab work (I hates it!)

Overhead DB tricep extention (both hands): 2x12x40#, 2x10x45#

Barbell Bicep Curls: 4x8x45 (nekked barbell, hehe)

My wrists suck, so- wrist curls (should I also add reverse ones, too?): 4x10x12# each hand

log in information into the computer system & vomit (ok that's a lie, I would NEVER let go of any of my food!)

Going to set up PT appointment for Feb, I think...

[deeyala]

Hey Leila
yeah, do reverse curls for your wrist,too.
Personally, i found out they were much more tougher than norma curls (in other words ,"my reverse curls muscles are pretty non-existent" )

DO you do your cardio before or after the weights?

PS: i hate abs,too..
which ultimately means that's what we need the most
he he heeeeeeee

[Miranda]

135# bench press?

*!!!CRY!!!*

[LeilaM]

MY abs suck. Well I can do crunches and sit ups just FINE (both with legs straight out in front and bent). ball crunches, no problem. BUt LEG lifts are a beech-- it's my iliopsis muscle, I am convinced-- because when I lean back on that "chair aparatus" they have at my gym and do leg lifts- I peter out pretty quickly. I used to think it was because I was heavy, but now I'm thinking I just might be WEAK there! grrr...

Cardio. I hate cardio. TO be honest, I commit the cardinal sin of doing cardio BEFORE weights on upper body day, but I switched cardio on lower body day to afterwards- and It is true, I can lift a lot more when I'm not cardio-ed out in the legs beforehand. I still hate cardio, though
~~~~~~~~~~

Which reminds me- Update!

~~~~~~~~~~


Lower body day. I actually contemplated skipping it, but showed up anyway, a bit late though. I DID skip cardio today, though. I felt soooo good after yoga class (which was after weights), I said to myself "why ruin it?"

hehe

Legs:

5 minute WU on treadmill

back extention cybex machine 2x12x200#
45 degree leg press: 1x12x270wu, 1x10x360, 1x10x410, 1x10x450, 1x8x500
plate loaded Hack squat machine: 4x10x140
SLDL: 4x10x135
Plate loaded calf machine: 1x12x135, 2x10x160, 1x10x180
leg extention cybex machine: 1x12x80, 1x10x90, 1x8x100, 1x8x110, 1x6x120
(yes I still do these, I can't help it lol): Hip adduction machine: 2x12x160
Hip abduction machine: 2x12x120

1 hour Hatha Yoga (low impact)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Notes- body fat moniters SUCK! I've been keeping track with my Omron, which puts me currently at 32.7-33% bodyfat. I use the normal and female settings, although now I'm being told that even though I'm overfat, I should still use the athlete setting because I work out regularly five days a week. Hell's bells, but who knows if this is correct...

I stepped on one of those notorious Tanita scales today and got PISSED. Not in the morning after peeing of course, but the piece o crap said I was 38% bodyfat. Oh HELL NO! Of course, this means that my lower body has more fat than my upper body, then. Omron sends that current through the arms and the Tanita through the legs... But still WTF. I borrowed it and am going to stand on the thing tomorrow morning and take readings with both IT and my Omron and will post them tomorrow.

Trainer at the gym said that for people who are obese that caliper measurements are more likely to be off. Since I'm still at the cusp between obese and overweight, that settles it for me. No calipers just yet. Was also told that with significant weight loss and the whole sagging skin with some fat in it phenomenon, that this, too can foul up caliper readings. Sheesh.

Oklahoma City had hydrostatic and bodpod available at the OU campus. Maybe if I make to birthday goal, I will have one of them done (probably bod pod lol) as a present to myself...

[LeilaM]

Originally Posted by Miranda

135# bench press?

*!!!CRY!!!*

mmm well, did you miss the part about ****ty range of motion, there? LOL I got almost to where I bring the bar down with other weights (I don't go to chest-- maybe 2 inches above it, I have no friggen barell chest and a huge wingspan (about 6.1 feet finger to finger). I'm not interesting in fouling up my rotater cuff)

But you know what, I'm HEAVIER, too. Did you check those strength standards on exrx? I'm at about where I should be, after training for a year:

http://exrx.net/Testing/WeightLiftin...Standards.html

adult woman, 199+ lbs, over one year training (Intermediate): 137 lbs. So I figure I'm on track, right? Now if I drop more weight, I can brag a bit more, LOL!

Hey but have you seen Titania and Guilia and BlondeAmazon's lifting bench press stats? HOLY MOLY-- ultimate goal here... I give it five years ... in my dreams hehe!


This will make you feel better-- I still can't do squats. My calves are still fugged, although the self myofascial release the trainer showed me a few weeks ago seems to be helping a bit. Those calves and the weak iliopsis are messing me up. I SUCK! I want to do squats! I want cooooool quads (outer sweep, you know)!!!

I'm not up to par on press standards http://exrx.net/Testing/WeightLiftin...Standards.html though I've not tried a 1 RM lately, but I usually go for 55-70 lbs for reps-- but I SHOULD be lifting over 90 theoretically.

Here's another thing you can make fun of: I don't do traditional deadlifts... although I'm going to make that trainer help me with those, too. DL standards: http://exrx.net/Testing/WeightLiftin...Standards.html I just do stiff back straight legged deads at 135#

I can't do cleans because I can't squat. Sigh. I really wish I could learn Olympic lifting...

[nubiennelady]

Leila,

I hate cardio too. You are definitely not alone there. My fiance bought me a 10 workout pass to a kickboxing studio and I loved my first class. I like the idea of punching and kicking with gloves on or something...LOL Otherwise, I hate cardio with a pure passion and on days when I'm trying to jog, I do it before I weight train. Otherwise it won't happen. In a couple of weeks, I'll go back to heavier lifting and I'm excited. After my hiatus, I lost some serious strength so I'm working up slowly.

I do have a journal up...Nubie's Getting Her SexyBack Challenge. I can't seem to post images, websites or bold text right now.

Have a good day,

Donna

[Miranda]

reading those standards just made me feel a lot worse . . .my bench hasn't moved in a year. even with crappy form. i mean, who can lift the stupid bar off their chest? not me. sorry to pollute you blog with self-pity.

[/whine]

[beanbag]

I just thought I would stop by and say hey since you have been so gracious posting in my journal.

I do have to say holy cow your weights are heavy! 500#? my stars! and the rest!

you are inspirational.

[LeilaM]

Originally Posted by nubiennelady

Leila,

I hate cardio too. You are definitely not alone there. My fiance bought me a 10 workout pass to a kickboxing studio and I loved my first class. I like the idea of punching and kicking with gloves on or something...LOL Otherwise, I hate cardio with a pure passion and on days when I'm trying to jog, I do it before I weight train. Otherwise it won't happen. In a couple of weeks, I'll go back to heavier lifting and I'm excited. After my hiatus, I lost some serious strength so I'm working up slowly.

I do have a journal up...Nubie's Getting Her SexyBack Challenge. I can't seem to post images, websites or bold text right now.

Have a good day,

Donna

yay a journal! I'll be headed over there today for sure! Yeah cardio... hrmm (grumble grumble). You know there's actually folks who LOVE it?

Originally Posted by Miranda

reading those standards just made me feel a lot worse . . .my bench hasn't moved in a year. even with crappy form. i mean, who can lift the stupid bar off their chest? not me. sorry to pollute you blog with self-pity.

[/whine]

What are your lifting stats? You know, I wasn't lifting this heavy until a few months ago. Realised I was actually underestimating what I could do, especially when it comes to the lower body. Something about the low body muscles potentially failing just freaked me out on some subsconscious level (it still does, too), while the idea of an arm failing on a lift is like "so what" or less of a freak out.

Have you grabbed someone to spot you and tried to find out your one rep max? I BET you could lift more than you think... Can't lift the bar? That does sound a little low- are you exaggerating!!! Maybe do a dumbell routine to build up strength- I did dumbell presses and flys during the summer before I started doing bench press this fall...

Anyway, my one rep max on bench was about 85-90 until maybe 6 weeks ago or something when I decided to "test things out" again. Got surprised!

Originally Posted by beanbag

I just thought I would stop by and say hey since you have been so gracious posting in my journal.

I do have to say holy cow your weights are heavy! 500#? my stars! and the rest!

you are inspirational.

Well 500 on a 45 degree leg press is like... 2 pounds on a squat. It means pretty much nothing aside from an ego boost I think. Now if I could squat even 1/5 of that weight I'd be happy. Well... if I could squat at ALL I'd be happy...

crud.

[Miranda]

Originally Posted by LeilaM

Can't lift the bar? That does sound a little low- are you exaggerating!!! Maybe do a dumbell routine to build up strength- I did dumbell presses and flys during the summer before I started doing bench press this fall...

meh . . .i'm 132-137 pounds and can bench 80-85# for reps and my 1 RM is 95#. it's not that bad considering i have seriously been lifting for a year and a half . . .but it doesn't move. (i told you i was whining .)

[LeilaM]

Originally Posted by Miranda

meh . . .i'm 132-137 pounds and can bench 80-85# for reps and my 1 RM is 95#. it's not that bad considering i have seriously been lifting for a year and a half . . .but it doesn't move. (i told you i was whining .)

oh you shmuck, you're right on track, LOL! By the way, my goal for last year was to GET to 95#, and I didn't think I'd make it until.... I got JEALOUS!

One of my friends works at my gym and she's a teensy lil thing.. like 120 lbs and 5'4" or something (when you're 200 and 5'9", that's like uber TEENSY). So I watched her do some bench press sets one day.. and by God if she wasn't benching the same as I was at the time (75). Sure, she'd been training longer than I and she was working on her PT creditation... but STILL it was like OHHELLNOSHEISTOOSMALLTOLIFTMORETHANME!!!!

Jealousy, I say. So we both said our goal was to get to 95 # by the end of 2006. Andddd we both DID! I think she was up to a 125# 1RM by New Years or something. I can do like 4-5 reps 135#, so postulate from there...

And they say weightlifting should be all about your personal progress. My butt! jealousy is one hell of a motivation!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Went to workout late today, around 4:30pm. Forked over a few bucks so I could go over the childcare time limit and do a full upper body workout.

GYM IS FRIKKEN FULL NOW! I missed this morning, but I was told it was packed like sardines IN THE MORNING TOO! It wasn't like that yesterday! Did everyone join the Y over the weekend or somethin?

Anyhow. 30 minutes treadmill

Workout all the same as the other upper bod workout except I skipped incline bench press and lat pulldowns and barbell curls... I did more ab work than usual and

Also did 4 sets of DB chest presses 12 reps 30# DBs, 10r 35#, 9rX40#, 5rX45#

I think I'm going to lay off shoulder work for the rest of the week- the thing is still not feeling quite right when I clasp my hands behind my back in yoga-- yank pain upper front side. Not good...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Food's going good. Went hog wild on the soy protein and chicken today. Accidently gave myself a cup o cottage this morning instead of my normal 1/2 cup... Yeah yeah, how can you "accidently" do that? I think because I had a cup yesterday and I dunno... the brain was still in backlog or soemthing. Who cares though, it all fits in with the plan anyhew...

I'm eating FATS today. oohoo almonds... dry roasted... with salt (no guilto)

[LeilaM]

Leg day. meh

went in a bit later than usual, again. I had turned off the alarm clock while still sleeping... and was woken up at 8 (instead of 6:30) by my kid howling "Am I going to school today or WHAT??" My bad..

Finished that book today... need to write 700 words, then back to my regular slothing schedule (my favorite!)

anyway leg day:

5 min warm up treadmill

Cybex back extention machine 2x12x200#

45 deg leg press: 12x270 wu, 10x360, 10x410, 10x450, 8x500

SLDL: 4x10x135

plate loaded calf press: (ssdd): 12 reps at 135, 10 reps at 160, 160, 180

around the track on the wheely chair w/ a 45# plate. It's too easy, need to add more

back-ham hypextentions on the aparatus: 4x10 with 45# plate (might need to add more... hmmm. Maybe a 50lb dumbbell instead?)

hack squat sled thing: 1x12x90#, 1x10x110#, 1x10x130#, 1x10x150#

Cybex leg curl machine 3x10x90# 1x8x100#

30 minutes treadmilling afterwards.

Sweatted like a piggy (thought about squealing, too)

Missed yoga-- bad timing for me... meh.


I've noticed the left shoulder is still tender, so I am going to SKIP chest and shoulder exercises tomorrow and see if that helps. If not, I may have to take a friggen week off of upper body because I want this friggen thing to get better... like yesterday

[KEA]

Ahhhh .... sleeping in. Good thing your kid woke you up. If it had been me I think I would have let my mom sleep

What book did you finish reading?