Cardioconvert - Office chick with pipes

[jjeane]

12 weeks! You got this. In for more ramblings!

[Cardioconvert]

Blerg. I do the 8.5 for my HIIT but I walk that shiz inbetween or no way I'd recover. Nice work CC!

Just looked at your chest workout too...awesome again! I do love me some chest. Muscles, I mean muscles!

Thanks Pharty. Sometimes I miss hardcore running so much - then other days, I wish I never had to run again!

Wishing you a great weekend too, CC! 12 weeks - so exciting!

The countdown begins!!!!! I'm so excited! You have a great weekend too!

12 weeks! You got this. In for more ramblings!

Thanks guys for all your encouragement - hope you all had great weekends!

CC

[Cardioconvert]

Hi - big post to do here since I haven't logged since Friday - sorry guys!

Saturday - Arms and cardio

Cable Curls - w/ straight bar
w/up 10@50
10@65, 3 x 10@75

EZ Curl curls (preset)
2 x 8@50, 7@50, 10@40

Incline Hammer curls
6@17.5, 10@15, 12@12.5, 12@12.5 - was supposed to be aiming for 10-12 - took a bit to figure out what weight I could use to hit that target

CG Bench - weight is weight added (per side) to oly
10@17.5, 10@20, 10@20, 10@20

Single arm cable pushdowns (w/ rope)
10@10, 10@15, 10@15, 9 @ 15

CG Cable Pushdowns - single pulley
4 x 10 @40

Cardio: 30 min on TM, alternating 5 min @ 10% 4mph walk and 5 min flat 6.4mph

Sunday - Legs and Posing class

w/up - 10 minutes on cross ramp

Leg Press
100 split into sets of 25 - all done with 1 plate per side

Leg Extensions
4 x 15 @40

DB Walking lunges
80 steps per leg - done in sets of 20 (10 per leg) - all done carrying 22.5 DBs

Seated Hamstring Curls
15@65, 3 x 10@ 75

SLDL (Close Stance)
3 x15 @ 115

A lot of volume (for me at least) and very tiring Fell asleep during the Grammies

Posing

Well, had another good week of posing. Got to stay afterwards and watch one of her more seasoned girls (who is now 3 weeks or so out from the Arnold) so that was really cool. I felt short (I don't often feel short) beside her - she must be 6' and I felt very tiny - whoa that chick is built! I also decided I must start tanning - in addition to being short and tiny, I looked like Gasper At any rate, pracitising continues

Take care = going to post some ramblings in a few minutes - stay tuned

CC

[jjeane]

Holy cable curls! Geesh.
In for ramblings!

[Cardioconvert]

More of Cardioconvert's ramblings.....


Again, please don't let this be your first read of my journal, lest you think me bonkers

1 as you see results in the mirror, sticking with the diet seems less of a burden to bare and more a means to an end

2 your children love to ask if you're allowed to eat something ("Mom, are you allowed that coffee? I though you could only have two per day?")

3 no matter how much you suck it in, it can be sucked in more

4 dresses cover up and flatter a disappearing silhouette better than dress pants

5 baggy underwear is not a good look

6 If you follow an 'old school' bb prep diet like I am, you find out who your real friends are b/c you have more gas than you ever thought possible

7 pushing one's butt out while posing = good, squeezing it = bad

8 drinking protein shakes too close to bedtime results in some weird dreams (had a dream last night that I accidentally bought a time share to a northern Canadian city)

9 spending more than 30 minutes on a cardio machine still sucks (particularly due to #6)

10 being asked if you have vacuumed this week takes on a whole new interpretation

11 one should always check one's teeth after eating chia seeds

12 your husband is not as excited about seeing a new vein as you are. Some things are best just shared w/ your online bb.com friends.

13 your MIL will never understand what you are doing

14 your parents will try to understand what you are doing, but still not get it

15 plastic shoes are probably the most uncomfortable shoes you'll ever wear

16 and a quote I am starting to really like: Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities, they vary in their desires to reach their potential

Have a great day everyone!

CC

[DieselsMom]

Great ramblings! #6 soooo true all that stinkin protein comes out stinkin too LOL Love the new quote it also strikes a chord in me because i know I am capable of so much more just haven't hit that point where my desire outweighs the negative sides...getting there though.

Glad your seeing progress really helps keep it all in perspective. Remember its a booty toutch (or something like that) haha

[jjeane]

I love #2. Kids always know the wrong thing to say. Always.
#5 That is too funny. Saggy panties no go!
#6 Oh the joys of a good diet
#7 This was actually enlightening. Makes sense.
#15 plastic shoes must be horrible. All I can think of is the Dollar Store princess dress up shoes. Eek!!

[rickiecoombs]

Oh your Ontarians - you don't even know what snow is

Hahahahaha DM!! When I lived in Toronto, I got such a kick out of the panic they'd get in over snow. I think it's just that there's nowhere to PUT the stuff. Makes everything more complicated.

As of tomorrow, I am 12 weeks out!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CC

Wooooo!

Blerg. I do the 8.5 for my HIIT but I walk that shiz inbetween or no way I'd recover. Nice work CC!

Just looked at your chest workout too...awesome again! I do love me some chest. Muscles, I mean muscles!

Ohmygoodness. Tried to rep. Am on spread.

CC - your workouts are awesome (as you know)! And your last set of ramblings had me in stitches. Please, please, please keep rambling occasionally!

Glad that things are falling into place while the rest of you is falling OFF. Can't wait to see the pics. I think there will be a plethora of salivating men (who am I kidding? Ladies too!) in your journal very, very soon. You have such awesome drive and determination!

[gobbles23]

Hahah! Number 12 made me laugh Mine doesn't get excited either hahaha! You're doing so great!!! Can't wait to see you at the end Awesome job in here!

[marathonmom262]

Wow girl - just over a week since I've been able to catch up here and you've had so much greatness happening in the meantime!!

Love that the posing is coming along and practice with the team sounds awesome. I'm sure you all will inspire and empower each other quite a bit.

Your latest ramblings were also fantastic and made me smile! I think a lot of that is totally normal (you didnt sound crazy!!) but obviously more extreme when counting down to comp and everything must be spot on.

Best wishes for a gas free day!!

[Cardioconvert]

Great ramblings! #6 soooo true all that stinkin protein comes out stinkin too LOL Love the new quote it also strikes a chord in me because i know I am capable of so much more just haven't hit that point where my desire outweighs the negative sides...getting there though.

Glad your seeing progress really helps keep it all in perspective. Remember its a booty toutch (or something like that) haha

heehee - don't think it is so much the protein as it is the copious amounts of brussel sprouts I am eating

I love #2. Kids always know the wrong thing to say. Always.
#5 That is too funny. Saggy panties no go!
#6 Oh the joys of a good diet
#7 This was actually enlightening. Makes sense.
#15 plastic shoes must be horrible. All I can think of is the Dollar Store princess dress up shoes. Eek!!

Dollar store princess dress up shoes may actually be a more comfortable option!

Hahahahaha DM!! When I lived in Toronto, I got such a kick out of the panic they'd get in over snow. I think it's just that there's nowhere to PUT the stuff. Makes everything more complicated.



Wooooo!



Ohmygoodness. Tried to rep. Am on spread.

CC - your workouts are awesome (as you know)! And your last set of ramblings had me in stitches. Please, please, please keep rambling occasionally!
Glad that things are falling into place while the rest of you is falling OFF. Can't wait to see the pics. I think there will be a plethora of salivating men (who am I kidding? Ladies too!) in your journal very, very soon. You have such awesome drive and determination!

Will start trying to post pics regularly come about 8 or 9 weeks out. There is only so much admin a girl likes to do

Hahah! Number 12 made me laugh Mine doesn't get excited either hahaha! You're doing so great!!! Can't wait to see you at the end Awesome job in here!

Thanks! Hope you are good - haven't gotten over to your journal this week yet.

Wow girl - just over a week since I've been able to catch up here and you've had so much greatness happening in the meantime!!

Love that the posing is coming along and practice with the team sounds awesome. I'm sure you all will inspire and empower each other quite a bit.

Your latest ramblings were also fantastic and made me smile! I think a lot of that is totally normal (you didnt sound crazy!!) but obviously more extreme when counting down to comp and everything must be spot on.

Best wishes for a gas free day!!

Thanks MM!

CC

[Cardioconvert]

Just a quick update to record 2 workout days:

Monday - Shoulders

Arnold Presses
10@15lb to warm up
12@20, 10222.5, 8@25, 8@25 + drop to fail

DB Front raises
3 x 15@10

Single Arm Lat Raises
10215, 10@15, 10@17.5k 10@17.5

BO Lateral Raises
3 x 15@15, 13@15

Seated DB OH Presses
3 x 10@30

Tuesday - Back and Cardio

Reverse Grip Lat Pull downs
w/up 10@70
10@90, 8@100, 8@110, 6@120 + Rep to fail

WG Lat pull downs
4 x 10@90

CG Lat Pull downs (using V appliance)
10@90. 9@110, 9@100, 8@90 (starting to get a wee bit tired)

CG Seated rows
13@75, 15@65, 15@65, 13@65

WG Seated rows
12@65, 10@75, 8@90

WG Straight Arm Cable Pushdowns
3 x 15@30

Cardio: 30min on spin bike, 20 min on ARC trainer

Back is tired today

CC

[DieselsMom]

WOW! great poundage pulled what a back day. Love the 120!

[jjeane]

How are the workout with the diet? I see you are still killing it but is is harder on the lower cals?

[Luvdogs]

Love your ramblings! I can relate to several of them. Watching my Tanji Johnson "Art of Posing" DVD, she mentions and shows the differences on # 7.

[swooshie]

Your ramblings always make me smile I laughed at the panty ramble because when I have panties that are riding up I always wonder "Does that mean my butt is getting bigger or smaller?"

Show is just around the corner!!! So excited for you!

[Cardioconvert]

Hey gang - sorry I have been MIA for a bit - we ended up booking a hotel to go to the States for the weekend (Kids had a day off school Friday and today, in my province, we have a day off for family day!). Just wanted to get away, do a bit of shopping and generally chill. It was good. I re-jigged my workouts so that I could do what I needed to down there at the gym at the hotel. Packed all my food for 5 out of 6 of my daily meals and made great choices at dinners! I was pleased because we picked two restaurants for the two dinners where we could look online at the menu and I knew how to get my chicken and brocolli at both before even darkening the door of the dinner

All said and done, choices/exercise adjustment and looks of walking whilst helping the US economy must have been good for me - scale was nice and low this morning - 132.4

Hitting the gym now as the kids aren't even up Will drop in later and catch up!

WOW! great poundage pulled what a back day. Love the 120!

Thanks DM! It was a great workout - I love working back (only second to shoulders!)

How are the workout with the diet? I see you are still killing it but is is harder on the lower cals?

I am not feeling it so much in the workouts themselves (though I bet that is coming) but rather the recoveries and my sudden need for way more sleep than I have ever needed in the past! I'll keep everyone posted on that though - I am sure the workouts will start to suffer eventually? I don't know - it is all new to me too!

Love your ramblings! I can relate to several of them. Watching my Tanji Johnson "Art of Posing" DVD, she mentions and shows the differences on # 7.

Yes - my coach is always after me on that one!

[Cardioconvert]

Your ramblings always make me smile I laughed at the panty ramble because when I have panties that are riding up I always wonder "Does that mean my butt is getting bigger or smaller?"

Show is just around the corner!!! So excited for you!

Based on photos miss Swooshie, you need not worry about your butt getting bigger - just take it as a free ticket to go to VS without guilt?

CC

[stephanielynn76]

More of Cardioconvert's ramblings.....


Again, please don't let this be your first read of my journal, lest you think me bonkers

1 as you see results in the mirror, sticking with the diet seems less of a burden to bare and more a means to an end

2 your children love to ask if you're allowed to eat something ("Mom, are you allowed that coffee? I though you could only have two per day?")

3 no matter how much you suck it in, it can be sucked in more

4 dresses cover up and flatter a disappearing silhouette better than dress pants

5 baggy underwear is not a good look

6 If you follow an 'old school' bb prep diet like I am, you find out who your real friends are b/c you have more gas than you ever thought possible

7 pushing one's butt out while posing = good, squeezing it = bad

8 drinking protein shakes too close to bedtime results in some weird dreams (had a dream last night that I accidentally bought a time share to a northern Canadian city)

9 spending more than 30 minutes on a cardio machine still sucks (particularly due to #6)

10 being asked if you have vacuumed this week takes on a whole new interpretation

11 one should always check one's teeth after eating chia seeds

12 your husband is not as excited about seeing a new vein as you are. Some things are best just shared w/ your online bb.com friends.

13 your MIL will never understand what you are doing

14 your parents will try to understand what you are doing, but still not get it

15 plastic shoes are probably the most uncomfortable shoes you'll ever wear

16 and a quote I am starting to really like: Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities, they vary in their desires to reach their potential

Have a great day everyone!

CC

These are so great... and having BTDT I can attest to the fact that they are all true! I LOL'ed at #5 because my FB status yesterday mentioned how "you know it's time to stop gaining when your underwear are way too tight!" LOL And yes my parents don't get it and my MIL thinks I'm plum crazy (even though her own sister was a bodybuilding competitor). Plastic shoes... oh you mean those slutty torture devices of peace... uhm yeah I think the Dollar Store shoes would likely be more preferable...

[DieselsMom]

Hey gang - sorry I have been MIA for a bit - we ended up booking a hotel to go to the States for the weekend (Kids had a day off school Friday and today, in my province, we have a day off for family day!). Just wanted to get away, do a bit of shopping and generally chill. It was good. I re-jigged my workouts so that I could do what I needed to down there at the gym at the hotel. Packed all my food for 5 out of 6 of my daily meals and made great choices at dinners! I was pleased because we picked two restaurants for the two dinners where we could look online at the menu and I knew how to get my chicken and brocolli at both before even darkening the door of the dinner

All said and done, choices/exercise adjustment and looks of walking whilst helping the US economy must have been good for me - scale was nice and low this morning - 132.4

Awesome work that weight is just dropping off! Is there a "guestimate" that she wants you to come in around? We debated going to the states for Family day shopping - jealous that you got to make it there but I am guessing it is a much closer drive for you. Glad you got to enjoy your weekend and made great food choices while there. Hope you stocked up on some clothes to get you though this next stage.

[pharty]

Catching up on your ramblings I love it! Heck I live some of those and I'm just little old me I can't imagine what you are going through!

[Cardioconvert]

Wow - guess it has been much longer than I thought since I last posted - I can't remember the last time I had to go to page 3 to find my journal

At any rate, I hope you guys are cool with this but I think I'd like to keep posting my thoughts and how I am feeling in this journal but only post my workouts if I have time. I am very stretched between work and contest prep and life in general. I want to keep maintaining a log but feel it may be better for me just to have a safe place where I can talk about my goals and feelings versus always feeling like I need to note every lift and what weight I am doing. Besides, you all know I am still lifting exactly what she wants me to and eating exactly what he wants me to And I say "safe place" because most of my contacts IRL really don't get what I am trying to do and I am met more frequently than not with comments like "why would you do this?" "you are looking way too thin" and "oh come on you can't even eat a sushi roll?"

So, in terms of how things are going let me first start by saying, wow, am I ever lucky my husband loves and supports me so much. I still am managing everything as I did in life before prep (hereby called LBP) because, we'll lets just say we have a very traditional marriage (read - boy does work on outside of house, girl does all work on inside) and I am fine with that and really don't want him messing with the way I do things - yes, I am a control freak) but I must say even I know I am a bit 'sharper' (tone of voice, patience level) than I usually am. It isn't like I am even dying of hunger or anything. Seems my body is adjusting to the lower cals and still operating just fine. Workouts are still strong, cardio is still strong but do need a heck of a lot of sleep.

I just seem more tightly wound than usual, that is all. You gotta understand, I am pretty tightly wound in the first place. It doesn't help that as part of one of the projects I manage at work, I am trying to coordinate the design, approval, quote review and sign off of 42 sets of new signage for 42 of our retirement homes by April 30th. All this being compounded by the fact that the team I am managing is about as easy to manage and keep to timelines as it is to nail jello to a wall. Great that I have my first competition May 11 - perfect timing

As I am seeing more changes in the mirror, my mood is becoming better. I keep telling myself it is only 10 more weeks. Logically, I know red wine and pizza will still exist 11 weeks from now, but it doesn't make it easier to watch others eat and drink.

This week I feel that I looked really flat too. I really don't like that and hope that this is just a phase. I asked a few people and they thought I was deranged. I started tanning last week so I hope the color (versus my current casper look) will help me not be as critical of myself. But ironically enough, day before yesterday I broke out in some really weird rash on my wrist/lower arm and now all I can think is that I"ve caught some crazy a$$ fungal thing from the tanning salon. My dad (who has a medical background) was over tonight and told me to go the walk in clinic tomorrow if it doesn't look better tomorrow. Great.

On a more fun note, I get measured for my suit on Tuesday, March 5th. I am excited about that and know that getting measured brings me one step closer At that point, I'll be just under 9 weeks.

Thanks for listening.

CC

[Cardioconvert]

Great workout today

Started the morning with 1/2 hour of cardio - alternating 5 min incline walk (10%, 4mp) and 5 min run @ 7mph.

Then we went to buy our daughter a fish but ended up just buying a new tank today - she really wants a tropical fish and her current tank won't accomodate a heater. Therefore we bought the tank and will set it up, allow it to warm up and then get some fish tomorrow (time permitting) or next weekend. I've warned her that tomorrow may not be great - not only do I have to hit legs and do cardio, I also have to do my canvassing for the Heart and Stroke foundation!

At any rate - lifted this afternoon: Chest and arms

Cable cross overs
15@20, 15@30, 15@30, 12@30

superset - DB press (flat) + push ups with feet on bench
10@35+10, 15@27.5 +8, 15@27.5 + 8, 13@27.5 + 8

Incline hammer grip press
10@25, 8@25, 8@25

Pec dec
9@60, 8@55, 10@10

Skulls - w/ preloaded EZ curl bar
10@40, 10@40, 8@40

Overhead cable extensions
10@40, 10@50, 10@50

Assissted dips
8@8.5, 7@8.5, 8@12.5

BB Curls
10@40, 10@50, 10@50

Cable curls
10@50, 10@50, 10@65

Hope everyone is good

CC

[jjeane]

Hey CC! I miss seeing you around more. But know you are busy. Always willing to listen for sure.
So glad hubs is being supportive. Is he into working out?
I wanted to post this for you. i saw it awhile ago and thought it was pretty cool. Tell all the people who don't get it to just wait, you have way more in store!!



I can assure you if I tried to do a comp I would have to move out. I don't think sharp would be the adjective used to describe me. I admire your determination and execution. You just keep going. Go get em CC!
Have fun with the fish tank. They are so pretty, esp the salt water fishes.
Keep up the excellent work CC! You will be so happy you did!!

[swooshie]

Hiya CC You're doing so well! Sounds like you're right on track. I'm so impressed at how well you are balancing everything...family, work, comp prep ... it can't be easy. Your workouts still look strong!

[CharliC]

Workouts looking great in here CC!

I hear you on the 'busy' front - it's great to see your updates whenever you get a chance

[DieselsMom]

Looking like all is still going well. I can only imagine how busy you are because women are different then men at how we schedule things and how it affects the family. I know you are busting you butt getting up early to get it all done in the day and am super proud of your accomplishments. Living totally vicariously through you as I don't know if I could do it all. Keep it up and we are still waiting for some piccies!

[Cardioconvert]

Hey CC! I miss seeing you around more. But know you are busy. Always willing to listen for sure.
So glad hubs is being supportive. Is he into working out?
I wanted to post this for you. i saw it awhile ago and thought it was pretty cool. Tell all the people who don't get it to just wait, you have way more in store!!

I can assure you if I tried to do a comp I would have to move out. I don't think sharp would be the adjective used to describe me. I admire your determination and execution. You just keep going. Go get em CC!
Have fun with the fish tank. They are so pretty, esp the salt water fishes.
Keep up the excellent work CC! You will be so happy you did!!

Hubs is awesome and yes, he works out too (though not into the idea of a comp). I love that he supports me and really feel I couldn't do this (or another of my other crazy stuff w/out his support). I can't wait until show day to know he is there and watching - kinda makes me teary just writing about it!

Still don't have a fish - that is on the docket for tomorrow. We just finishing filling 3 garabage bags of stuff from the basement for a dump run - I am very much into spring cleaning this year. I don't know if it is because I am just wanting to get there so badly (due to weather / wanting my contest to just get here) or what it is - but I"ll take full advantage of my desire to get things cleaned up

Hiya CC You're doing so well! Sounds like you're right on track. I'm so impressed at how well you are balancing everything...family, work, comp prep ... it can't be easy. Your workouts still look strong!

Balancing is getting harder. Hubs has told me I need to clearly tell him where I need help - he is more than willing to help but I need to let go a bit and just admit I need help

Workouts looking great in here CC!

I hear you on the 'busy' front - it's great to see your updates whenever you get a chance

Hey Charli! I was thinking of you the other day - I am getting measured for my suit on Tuesday - when are you going to have a line us gals can go ga-ga over and make us look fab on stage? (unfortunately, it will be too late for me when you do - this experience will be my only one!)

Looking like all is still going well. I can only imagine how busy you are because women are different then men at how we schedule things and how it affects the family. I know you are busting you butt getting up early to get it all done in the day and am super proud of your accomplishments. Living totally vicariously through you as I don't know if I could do it all. Keep it up and we are still waiting for some piccies!

Thanks DM - hope you are having a super holiday. Pics soon - I am just only raising head above water to get workouts in and the obligatory pics to coach - just can't manage it right now!

CC

[Cardioconvert]

9 weeks gals!!!!!!!!

I know I really wish it could be here tomorrow so I could just 'get back to normal' but I am suspecting that in about 5 weeks, I"ll be saying, "oh, I wish I had a few extra weeks to prepare" (that is how my last weeks of training for marathons always panned out)

At any rate, still very good with diet. I had a cheat last night but I think I am doing okay when my version of cheat is that my salad had a mushroom grilled on top of it and I am not sure I am allowed mushrooms .

Thank goodness I am the kind of person who can eat the exact same thing day in and day out! I have basically eaten the same thing since Jan 7th. Not to say it is the best way nor am I saying I would use this approach again. I think that there could be a lot more flexibility in the eating while still achieving the same result. The group I have chosen to train with is just very old school and, as I have mentioned in the past, I am not paying them to then try to ask "well, can I?, I read that...? , I've heard other people and they do....?, etc.". Eating this way is easy (in that I never need to think) but I could see how it will end up being taxing seeing as I will have eaten the same thing for 18 weeks come my show.

I have discovered mustard tastes pretty damn good on everything As does hot sauce

And, I have basically bought every flavour of tea a girl could ever have - my current fav is chocolately chai (yummmm!)

I am getting fitted for my suit on Tuesday so that is very exciting.

I have done my sprints for today on the TM and will hit the gym later this afternoon to do arms and another 20 min of cardio (ARC).

Fitting the cardio in is the hardest but I am usually able to do it at work - have resorted to booking it in my calendar b/c so many people keep inviting me to so many useless meetings

Have a great weekend,
CC

[jjeane]

Hey CC! 9 weeks out already! WOW!
I love tea. It is so awesome and they have such great flavors.
Let us know how the suit fitting goes!!
Good luck. You are doing really well!! I do wonder if you will find any of the foods you are eating yucky after this.