The Struggle Is Real

[Madi-J]

This will be my third attempt at journaling so rather than making a big "these are my goals" post, I'm just going to get down to it, and we'll see where this does or doesn't go. Oooh, the mystery...



Today was my first time back in the gym in over a month. Not sure exactly how long, but definitely no less than a month. It felt pretty good to lift again. The hubs and I did a little calf work, shoulders, and cardio. While I've been chillin' at home, the man has started doing standing barbell presses (I think that's what they're called), so I got to do those for the first time. I'm not sure my form was very good, and I was apprehensive because my core isn't very strong, but they were actually pretty awesome!

Tomorrow is legs...we'll see how it goes. Before I stopped lifting, I was having issues with my hips hurting really bad during any kind of squat. Leg press didn't bother me, but squats became unbearable. Any tips on warmups or complimentary exercises that could help with this? Because I am not optimistic that the issue resolved itself during my hiatus.


So far, the hardest part of getting back into this will be the food. For the past several months I have been RAVENOUSLY hungry 95% of the time. My job requires focus that I just don't have when my stomach is grumbling. So I've been eating a lot more than my body needs. Not good. Especially now that I'm not going to do that anymore. Basically, any encouragement y'all feel like throwing my way would mean a lot. Also, some tips on beating hunger pains for a person who doesn't drink coffee. I'm going to try to replace the excess food with water for now, maybe hit it with some lemon juice to make it fancy, lol.

Anyhow, thanks for reading!

[thehobbes]

Hey OP, don't remember seeing you before so HAI!

Yesss to solve the hip pain you can do a nice combo of stretching and foam rolling. Do what I call the "frog squat," sit down in the bottom of the squat position for as long as you can and do it throughout the day. I started being able to struggle through 30 second sets, now I can chill out down there for minutes. And foam roll the hell outta the insides and outsides of your legs (hip flexors, IT bands), as well as quads, hams. It'll seem like it isn't doing anything at first but I promise you'll see a huge difference if you keep doing this chit for a month or two.

Good luck dudette! Oh and for the beverages I friggin' live on iced tea (sugar free no caffeine, I get the Lipton powder.) So as long as you can find something you enjoy to drink like that keep drinking all day and you should be less hungry.

[Madi-J]

Hey OP, don't remember seeing you before so HAI!

Yesss to solve the hip pain you can do a nice combo of stretching and foam rolling. Do what I call the "frog squat," sit down in the bottom of the squat position for as long as you can and do it throughout the day. I started being able to struggle through 30 second sets, now I can chill out down there for minutes. And foam roll the hell outta the insides and outsides of your legs (hip flexors, IT bands), as well as quads, hams. It'll seem like it isn't doing anything at first but I promise you'll see a huge difference if you keep doing this chit for a month or two.

Good luck dudette! Oh and for the beverages I friggin' live on iced tea (sugar free no caffeine, I get the Lipton powder.) So as long as you can find something you enjoy to drink like that keep drinking all day and you should be less hungry.

Oh hai! *wave*

With the frog squat, how often do you do it? Or just as often as possible? I will definitely try that and the foam rolling, I had done some foam rolling before but it didn't feel like it was doing anything. Will stick it out and track down some YouTube vids to make sure I'm doing it right.

I'll have to look for that Lipton powder, I have chamomile at home and work right now, about to split up my green tea so I have that everywhere too. But would be nice to not have to steep stuff once in a while!

[thehobbes]

With the frog squat, how often do you do it?

Every day, srs, try to build up a total of 10min a day of it... every... day.


I get my Lipton from Amazon, dat dere subscribe and save.

[Madi-J]

Every day, srs, try to build up a total of 10min a day of it... every... day.


I get my Lipton from Amazon, dat dere subscribe and save.

10mins?! Holy geezus, I bow in your presence!

[Madi-J]

Yesterday was decent, squats were wimpy but everything else felt pretty good. Did laying-down ham curls, leg extensions, and leg press before squats. After squats did lunges with my foot up behind me on a bench. Not looking up the technical name for that. Also annoyed that squats bother my hips, but the lunges are fine. Whatever, as long as my legs get stronger? Also did the abductor and adductor machines, and the "butt blaster". Felt like I was able to isolate my glutes on the butt blaster which was neat; I've done that machine before and felt like I was using a lot of my leg to push rather than my booty muscles.

Legs and butt are pretty sore today, can only imagine what tomorrow is going to feel like... Foam rolled and frog squatted as recommended, need to do it again tonight and it's gonna suuuuuuuuuuuck...haha. But it's worth it if I can get back to squatting what I should be able to without being afraid that I'm hurting myself.


In other news, I made a nifty veggie mix last night to go with the usual chicken breast. Brussels sprouts and carrots, as well as some broccoli that needed to be used. olive oil, splash of lemon juice, oregano, basil, garlic, black pepper, and a little salt. 400 degrees for 30 mins. Very tasty, though I think next time I will nix the lemon juice...my husband loved it as is, but for me it gave a weird sweet flavor that I wasn't keen on. Might try soy sauce, garlic, and Sriracha next time. Yesssss.



In other-other news, I really want to participate in the squat booty thread, but since I haven't been squatting, I'll post this here for now. My starter booty, lol.






ETA: I almost forgot, yesterday was my first experience with being "stalked" at the gym. Caught some guy staring at me, gave him a nasty look and threw my arms out like "wtf do you want?" Creeped me out so bad. It wasn't one of those times where I was in his way trying to stare at himself in the mirror either. Caught him looking over his shoulder at me, he looked away, then looked again and held my b*tch-face glare. So I then spent the rest of my time willing myself not to look in his direction at all, because if he was still staring, I did not want to know. But he practically followed my husband and I around the gym. Almost makes me afraid to go alone next week while hubs is out of town. Even if I got to a different location, lol. Anyone on here live around Dallas?..

[Madi-J]

And as is my way of doing things apparently, I am way behind. Luckily/sadly for me, there isn't a ton to report. I've been dealing with stomach issues for a while, and last week was no different. Monday and Wednesday I was not in the gym though I tried out yoga for the first time on Wednesday. Was impressed that I worked up a sweat at all, though I felt like I wasn't really doing anything. Who knew holding yourself in place could be so hard? Tuesday was shoulders, Thursday was the scheduled off day, Friday was chest. Saturday was arms, and Legs again yesterday. Someday this journal will be way more interesting when I feel like I have lifts worth reporting. For now I'm just trying to not feel like the wimpiest person in the gym and get my body used to doing this stuff again.

Tonight is night one of the husband being gone doing his training stuff. I am home doing homework stuff for my nutrition class. I have to way I was majorly surprised that the video portions are all based on the food pyramid... My youngest sister who is also working on her BSN did this class at her college a semester or more ago and hers was entirely converted over to the My Plate thing. I'm getting into the book tonight and tomorrow, so we'll see if the book is equally outdated...

[jjeane]

Nice squat booty!!
I have major hip issues as well. I think you just have to find what works to help you. I agree with Hammie in stretching. You just have to build up to it. I stretch about 15 min a day and roll everyday.
So are you running a program?

[Madi-J]

Nice squat booty!!
I have major hip issues as well. I think you just have to find what works to help you. I agree with Hammie in stretching. You just have to build up to it. I stretch about 15 min a day and roll everyday.
So are you running a program?

Hey there!

Not running a particular program, the hubs is a fairly experienced lifter so I just do what he tells me lol. I'm slowly getting better at remembering to stretch and roll. I tell you what though, that IT-band is a B*TCH. Hurts soooo bad if I shift and put too much weight on it.





Speaking of all of this, as a couple might notice, I have been MIA. The hubs took off for work training in Houston on Monday last week, and on Tuesday I had to drive myself to the ER from work....for a kidney stone. Which a CT scan revealed I actually had three of them. Mad doesn't even cover it. Needless to say, we will likely not be able to afford our belated "honeymoon" at the end of the year, and I am working overtime to increase my water intake. I've been terrible at getting enough fluids for years...and boy did it catch up with me. So I spent the rest of the week holed up at home moping and praying that the worst was already over. So far, it was. But the urologist I saw said that it can take weeks for these things to pass through the system...yea, not a very encouraging guy.

Anyhow, the hubs got back Friday night, and I was feeling fine on Saturday so got some chest in. Slowly starting to work back up to what I could bench before I stopped lifting. Right now I can get 65lbs for a few reps (don't remember how many). Also did some flyes for warm-up, and calves.

Felt like chit yesterday, had a wicked ache in the kidney area so I went nowhere. Went back to work today and had a major headache but pushed through a mini leg workout anyways. Got something around 115 on leg press, then did some body weight split squats. Felt sick and light headed after that so we headed home.

Supposed to have arms tomorrow; those days are always funny because I have little weakling arms that tire out after like two exercises, meanwhile my personal Hulk drags it out for another like 45 mins after I'm done... So I become "that girl" who hangs around her man playing on her phone and occasionally spotting him when he needs it. So embarrassing, lol.

[LoveMyInk]

Rolling hurts but it will help. I haven't rolled in a week and my body hates me.


Ouch about the stones, hope you get to feeling better!!

[Madi-J]

Rolling hurts but it will help. I haven't rolled in a week and my body hates me.


Ouch about the stones, hope you get to feeling better!!

Thank you! So far, I haven't had much real pain since that first day so I'm hoping everything has already passed.






For anyone who may drop in here who is working and going to school and lifting....how on earth do you make the time for everything? I work full time 7am-3:30 and am just taking one class over the summer (4 week classes are a B*TCH). I feel like I never have enough time to get everything done AND lift. Some of that has to do with the fact that I go with my hubs who can easily go 2hrs in the gym each time he goes. I do not have that kind of time. My main question is, how do you structure your time? Do you find it easier to workout right after work and then hit the books? Or do you prefer to make sure all your studying is done and then lift? My current class is online, but my fall class will be in person.

[MissKB]

Thank you! So far, I haven't had much real pain since that first day so I'm hoping everything has already passed.



For anyone who may drop in here who is working and going to school and lifting....how on earth do you make the time for everything? I work full time 7am-3:30 and am just taking one class over the summer (4 week classes are a B*TCH). I feel like I never have enough time to get everything done AND lift. Some of that has to do with the fact that I go with my hubs who can easily go 2hrs in the gym each time he goes. I do not have that kind of time. My main question is, how do you structure your time? Do you find it easier to workout right after work and then hit the books? Or do you prefer to make sure all your studying is done and then lift? My current class is online, but my fall class will be in person.

When I was in college/working a job that I had to be at by 8am I'd lift early in the morning...like get up at 4:30am sometimes hahah. I always thought that getting up early was SO not me...but I became a morning person, the day feels much longer and it really is a great way to start the day and it doesn't haunt you all day either hahah.

[Madi-J]

When I was in college/working a job that I had to be at by 8am I'd lift early in the morning...like get up at 4:30am sometimes hahah. I always thought that getting up early was SO not me...but I became a morning person, the day feels much longer and it really is a great way to start the day and it doesn't haunt you all day either hahah.

I may end up trying that at some point, but at the present time I can barely get myself out of bed before 5:30 in order to leave by 6:15. If I can land a job closer to home it would be much easier to lift before but I have a decent commute for my current job. Hoping I can get evening lifting to work somehow because I do not look forward to getting up at 3:30-4am!

Did you feel like your strength suffered from not having much food before going to the gym?

[jjeane]

Did you feel like your strength suffered from not having much food before going to the gym?

This gets me. I have a hard time training fasted.

[Madi-J]

This gets me. I have a hard time training fasted.

I think I've done it once or twice before, but it was long enough ago that I don't really remember how I felt during/after.

I just did an assessment thing for a hospital that I put applications in to a couple weeks ago. It's like 5 minutes away, so I would save about an hour a day in driving to work. All the jobs I applied for require scrubs so no more wasting time trying to decide what to wear or worrying about doing my hair.

We'll see what happens, working that close would either give me time to lift in the morning, or more time in the evening to lift and get my other stuff done. Basically, I really hope I get offered a job!

[jjeane]

Good luck with the job! Fingers crossed for you!

[LoveMyInk]

I am going to start getting up around 415 to go lift. I don't mind being fasted to train because if i eat food too close to my workout it makes me want to vomit.

Hope the job works out!

scrubs are a plus, I wear them to work and the only time I have an issue is when it's a free day for scrubs and then I can't decide which print to wear. The shirt with hippos on it usually wins though

[Madi-J]

I am going to start getting up around 415 to go lift. I don't mind being fasted to train because if i eat food too close to my workout it makes me want to vomit.

Hope the job works out!

scrubs are a plus, I wear them to work and the only time I have an issue is when it's a free day for scrubs and then I can't decide which print to wear. The shirt with hippos on it usually wins though

That sounds like the cutest shirt ever! Do you work in a hospital?


Sweet news on the job front, just did a phone interview for a unit coordinator position, trying to work out an interview for today, otherwise they wouldn't be able to see me until Friday or next week, and I'd have to take off work to go...Crossing fingers that it works out for today! I had another bout of kidney stone pain yesterday so am off. Hoping I don't have to be hospitalized to get this thing out...we'll see.

[Madi-J]

Kidney stone update: Went back today as it felt like I was getting a UTI...not exactly something you want to have going on when your urinary tract is already compromised to some degree. Did a KUB (X-ray of kidneys, ureters, and bladder) and it looks like the stone that started it all is just about to get into the bladder. So I am just hanging out and waiting for the proverbial ball to drop. Can't wait for this to be over!

Job update: Secured an interview for tomorrow, and crossing my fingers that it goes well! Job would be working overnight which I am not excited about, but it will pay a little more and provide good experience in the hospital setting. It's in the ER, but from what I'm told by others who've worked overnight in the ER, it's really not that crazy except for a few hours after the bars close.

[LoveMyInk]

Yay for the interview.

I work at a veterinary hospital

[jjeane]

Sorry about the kidney stone. That sucks! I hear they are very painful!!!
Good luck tomorrow on the interview!!

[Madi-J]

Thanks for the well-wishes! Y'all make me feel warm and fuzzy!


As for the kidney stones themselves....yea they are pretty awful. A lady my husband works with has had them and has kids, and told him the kidney stones were worse. To which I say, if that is true, then childbirth is not nearly as agonizing as I was previously anticipating. I mean the kidney stone is pretty horrendously painful and I would only wish that agony on my very worst enemies and members of Westboro Baptist Church...but if that is as bad as it gets, I should be able to handle having kids just fine.


I am SUPER excited for the interview tomorrow! Did a little reading about the hospital and the job that I would be doing. The hospital sounds like a really great place to work, and the job will be a perfect stepping stone into my future career as a nurse.

[MissKB]

How ya feelin' lady? How'd the interview go?!

[jjeane]

How ya feelin' lady? How'd the interview go?!

This???

[Madi-J]

OK so like a week later...

The interview was...interesting. I've had employers ask questions about certain situations I may have had in past jobs and how I handled them, but the questions in this interview were very specific and they wanted very detailed answers. Was a little nerve wracking, and didn't help that all three people asking the questions were really good at poker faces. I felt super confident going in but wasn't sure when it was over. That said, I got the job! I start on the 25th! Very excited, and just hoping that I don't have any medical issues...

Speaking of, so far I still have not passed a single kidney stone. At least not to my knowledge. There have been a couple of times where I peed in the night and was too asleep to even think about using the strainer, so there is possibility that it passed without me knowing. The last time I had to go back to the urologist they did a KUB (special x-ray) and it looked like the stone was about to pass into the bladder. So still trying to pass it, and I have an appointment at the end of the month to take another look. I keep forgetting to try to move the appointment to Thurs or Fri next week, since I've given myself a couple of days off before the new job starts.

With everything going on plus being deathly ill this past weekend, training has taken a back seat. Finally starting to feel better, and hoping to be well enough tomorrow. I need to start tracking my lifts again, so stay tuned for that if anyone is interested...haha

[jjeane]

Congrats on the job!! Hope all else is going well!

[Madi-J]

Super ready to be out of the current job. Tomorrow is my last day, and the environment at work is super weird. Or maybe it's just me, I'm not sure. No one has said anything about me leaving, and outside of the handful of people that I've told myself, I'm not sure who knows... To the point where I will not be surprised if I get a call from someone on Thursday asking where I am lol. Communication in that department is horrible, when I had to leave for kidney stone issues one of the team leads who handles a lot of our work didn't know until like 5 hours later when they dumped all of my work on her desk... Ah well, I suppose I shouldn't care.

As for the gym, had a decent arm workout on Saturday, my tris are still a little sore. Did preacher curls with 10 and 5lb DBs, and did cable curls with around 40lbs. Did overhead DB tricep presses with approx 12lbs, and I think got up to 70lbs on the cable tricep push downs... Got silly with the calf stuff, I did around 20 reps with my hubby's warm-up (I think it was like 245?) on a cable leg press machine. Got around 12 at 275, and then after that I stopped being cheeky for fear of hurting myself and went back to around 150 interspersed with bodyweight calf raises. My calves still hate me, so not sure that I will be that ambitious again.

Did legs on Sunday, which I will have to wait to post about in a couple hours because the husband is ready to leave for the gym now...lol. Tight schedule in this house...

[Madi-J]

Finally getting back to update. Legs on Sunday, I don't remember what all I did, but it's been enough to leave me sore all week. I know we did squats, leg press, and I did some glute isolation work. Monday we took an off day, Tuesday we did chest, got up to about 65lbs which I was pretty proud of. Yesterday was back and abs, did underhand lat pulldowns on the cable machine and with plates, and underhand cable rows with the lat pulldown bar...lol. Also did dumbbell rows and some sort of plated row machine. Abs was leg lifts and side bends on the various benches/chairs that were in the "ab room". I'm not horribly sore right now but I bet I will be tomorrow!

Today is arms...or as the hubs calls it, "ARMageddon" lol. Will probably do some light calf work too.



For those who make a detailed track of your workouts...how do you prefer to do this? I used to type everything into my phone but now I wear it in an armband for music and it is a huge pain to get in and out... Is there anyone who prefers to write it in a little book?

[jjeane]

I bring a little spiral notebook of some kind. i have used different sizes. I don't think it matters. it is just nice to have to all together. And then the notebooks start to stack up and you can quickly look back and say, wow, my PR from last yr on a single is now my 3x3 working set!
Have a great arms workout! Bring out the big guns! Hehehe

[Madi-J]

I bring a little spiral notebook of some kind. i have used different sizes. I don't think it matters. it is just nice to have to all together. And then the notebooks start to stack up and you can quickly look back and say, wow, my PR from last yr on a single is now my 3x3 working set!
Have a great arms workout! Bring out the big guns! Hehehe

Had an awesome arm workout last night! When I've lifted arms in the past, I can usually push my triceps pretty hard but a few sets of regular curls with 10lbs would leave my biceps feeling like I pulled something, even though 10lbs has never felt that heavy. Well, last night I friggin' killed it. I did more than I've ever been able to do before heavier than I've ever done before, and my biceps never bothered me once! If it were December right now I would call it a Christmas miracle! haha

We started off with normal curls, and I was really nervous because all of the 10lb dumbbells were being used. I did some warm-up stuff with 5s and grabbed the 12.5s, made it through a couple sets of 8, felt pretty good so I put those back and grabbed the lone 15 that was left and got a couple more sets of 8 with that. I have been coveting being able to easily curl 15lbs without pain since I first started flirting with weight lifting two years ago. Getting through a couple of sets was miracle enough for me, but to not have the usual pain and feeling like I pulled something put me on cloud nine for the rest of the session! Next was cable tricep pull downs, got some good working sets of around 8 reps with 70lbs on that, interspersed with cable bicep curls at 40lbs. After that I did a few more curls on a plated preacher curl machine (25lbs), only squeaked out a couple sets, then finished off with some overhead dumbbell tri presses. 25lbs and used both hands, I think I got three sets of 8? Maybe just two...then dropped down to 15 for a set. Arms were spent after that, the hubs did some tricep dips but I could barely hold myself up so called it a day. Still super happy, it's WORLDS more than I have ever been able to do before! So proud of my little biceps for holding out through three different exercises!

After arms we did some light calf work, and I discovered that I have a better time doing calf presses on the leg press with one foot at a time rather than both feet at the same time. Did about 3 sets of 20 with 80lbs, the leg press we used is one of those cable ones.

Then I almost died on the treadmill. Long story short, I will never wear running shorts to the gym ever again. My thick thighs make them crawl up. Went to adjust at the start of cardio and my headphone cord caught on my thumb, pulling my phone off the display rest. Cue me nearly face planting on a moving treadmill trying to save my phone from being shot out behind me... Face. Palm. Needless to say I held my phone in my hands for the rest of my cardio.


Tonight is off-night, hubs has a gift card to Whole Foods so we are going to pick up some salmon and figs and have a tasty dinner tonight, and maybe find a nice yoga vid on YouTube.

Side note: the gym was so busy yesterday, and everyone likes to crowd around the 35lb and under side of the free weights area...girls AND guys... Felt like I was tripping over people everywhere we went.