Bambo's (probably) Spastic Journal *Pregnant!*

[Bambo]

YES! A very active fitness forum!!! Aaaaaaaaaahhhhh...glad to be here SO I'll just get right to it!

I was a professional dancer (ballet and modern) until about 4 years ago. I was always what *I* thought was super scrawny. When I was at the height of my training I was 105lbs on a "fat" day (I'm 5'4"). When I quit dancing I got into cycling and running and a little swimming. Even with all that activity over about 3 years I went up to 125lbs because it still wasn't nearly what I had been doing before. And I had NEVER watched what I ate at ALL.

WEEEEEEEEELLLLL.....when I got to 125 I was fine with that UNTIL I realized that the scale was still going up and I wasn't doing anything differently! I saw 126 and said, "Alright, that's enough!!" That's how it starts, right??

So just through cutting out 'extras' with meals like rolls, not snacking, and only eating until I wasn't hungry instead of full I lost about 7 to 10lbs. I can't remember now... Then I noticed I could no longer bounce quarters off my butt LOL I did NOT like that! Even though I have a paranoia about looking scrawny I decided to lose just a few more pounds of fat and to start trying to gain muscle to replace it (and get my rock hard ass back ). I bumped into ~Lisa~ and started taking some eating lessons from her. I promptly loss a few more pounds and landed at 110.5.

And I started doing more strength training. It's always been part of my training since I was in college, but it was sort of just a supplement. I didn't REALLY know what I was doing, and I didn't do it often enough. I've been doing 5x5s for maybe a month now and I'm up to 112. I have no idea if that's all muscle gain!

Other stuff:

I'm gimpy LOL Dancing and that whole stupid "work through the pain" mentality left me with permanent injuries and arthritis. So did cycling crashes HA! So I have pretty significant things to work around at times. They do seem to be getting more tolerable, if not better, with more strength training and learning when to REST.

Goals: To improve my running and cycling. To add a little muscle in the hopes that it will make my crabby joints happier! Appearance isn't a high priority. Except for the jiggly butt...that's all vanity, and it has to GO LOL And I want to generally get in the best shape possible (vague, I know ) because when the hubby returns from deployment we've talked about having a baby. I want to not have so far to bounce back afterward!

I don't do supplements. The only things I take are calcium/vitD, a multivitamin, and whey protein. I doubt I'll be taking anything else. Unless I get back on the glucosamine/chondroitin...

Ummm....I'm 28, 29 in a couple weeks. What else...*sigh*...I blabbled so much I forgot what else you guys might need to know in order to respond to things!

Right...I'll start tracking food and exercise tomorrow!

[Bambo]

"Before" shots from September 2004 with the extra 14lbs hanging mostly around the middle:



Didja SEE that THIGH? LOL

Upper body late April 2007:




The latest pic, all geeked up in my cycling gear:

[Bambo]

Early April 2007 ("that" time of the month, actually)

[~Lisa~]

Yay!!! I'm so glad you've come here to start a REAL journal. hehehe Well *you* know what I mean. And I'm also really glad that you've shared my favorite pictures of you! I took more tonight after my bicep workout, TRYING to see some muscle. hehehe

I think you're going to really enjoy the feedback you get here. Lots of encouragement, tips and ideas, too!

Me

[mizone]

Hey - welcome and congrats on starting a journal - I will def be following along as I want to compete in a triathlon this year. You shouldn't be too hard on yourself...you photos look fine And with a solid plan you will hit that 'goal'!

[Bambo]

Yaaay! Hi Lisa I knooooooooow what you mean

Thanks mizone! What distance do you want to do? I did a sprint tri and it was lots of fun! The running pics above are from that. I like your kitty cat

[Bambo]

Dang, back down to 110.5 this morning.

FOOD:

4 scrambled egg whites w/2 slices Mesquite roasted skinless turkey & one slice chipotle cheddar. 1 cup Kashi high protein/fiber cereal w/skim milk & 1/3cup blueberries.

Just under 1/2c raw almonds, Kashi Cherry Dark Chocolate bar

Nachos!! Organic unsalted corn chips (serving is about 14 chips), 2 slices chipotle cheddar cheese, 1/3lb 99% lean ground turkey w/cumin, cayanne pepper, and garlic, and fresh shredded spinach and 1/2 a chopped tomato

Protein shake: 4oz skim milk, 1.5 scoops chocolate whey protein, 6 frozen organic nothing added strawberries

Two 99% lean turkey breast cutlets, 12 asparagus spears, 1 small sweet potato (or yam??) cut up in fries and baked/broiled.

A weird desert/snack thing I just made up: one banana, a big scoop of natural peanutbutter, and 1/2 scoop chocolate whey protein powder all mushed together in a bowl. Was very good, but very rich!! Could probably use more protein powder. I was just experimenting.

**That's a little more carby stuff than I usually have, but seeing my weight drop again made me want to EAT**


EXERCISE:

A little speed work (for me anyway): Ran 2 miles in 17:00

[Bambo]

Back/Shoulders...probably the most injured/screwed up area of my body. But what I can do now is waaaaaay better than where I started after the LAST cycling crash. Anyway, onwards and upwards....

For now I'm using my Total Body Gym and dumbbells at home for upperbody.

Front Raises
10x5x5

Side Raises
10x5x5

Lat Pulldowns
60x5x5 *note to self..time to increase this weight*

Rear Lat Raise
5x10x3 *might* be able to raise the weight and start 5x5s with that one soon!

Military Press
60x5x5

Seated Row
60x5x5

Assisted Pullups
60#asst x5x1
55#asst x5x4

Assisted Chinups
60#asst x5x1
55#asst x5x4

80 situps w/nothing holding down feet...sets of 20 between random sets. 60 situps holding 10# weight, nothing holding down feet.
Lots of uncounted one legged heel raises (with weight that equated to only about 80lbs on the TBG) between random sets just to have something to do LOL
15 regular heel raises each leg

[twinnett]

Hi and welcome!!! Your pics all look great! You'll look amazing once you add some more lean muscle!! You have a great base to build from!

[~Lisa~]

Hey! I did back today too! Saved the shoulders for another day because I want to do that shoulder workout with DB's on the stability ball that's in the new Oxygen. hehehe

I'm off to the store to see if I can find the same turkey and chipotle cheese that you get!

I agree with Tara!!!! You look great right now, but adding a bit more lean muscle is gonna make you ROCKIN'!

[Bambo]

Thanks you guys. I have a loose goal of adding 5lbs of muscle. I say loose because I wonder how possible it is to do that AND try for my first century bike ride! But it ought to be interesting to watch me TRY anyway!

I wanna know about the DB exercises on the ball! Nice to have something different.

[Bambo]

I'm 112 again!! ACK! Make up your mind, stupid body! I think I'm going to ditch the scale for a while.

Food:
5 scrambled egg whites w/2 slices chipotle cheddar. Kashi high protein/fiber cereal w/skim milk and 1 sliced banana.

1/2c almonds, 18 Kashi cheddar crackers, protein drink (skim milk and whey protein only)

Am WAY off my normal schedual. Should have eating more by now (1:15pm). Still need to go grocery shopping.

1 stuffed poblano pepper. Sliced in half longways and stuffed w/ .45lb 96% lean ground beef w/garlic, cumin, black pepper, and a little mint covered in no-salt-added tomato sauce. YUMMY!! And half a dinner plate full of kale. Didn't mean to make that much!!

Whole wheat wrap w/southwestern black beans and tuna. OOH that was so good! Gonna go have another Basically just garlic, onion, jalapeno, black beans, tuna, lemon juice, and fresh tomato. mmmmMMMMM!!

apple

[Bambo]

EXERCISE:

Legs @ gym

Leg Press
250x5x5

**Lisa I moved my feet up a few inches and it made my left knee NOT hurt Thank you for that suggestion! BUT..the back of my right knee was sort of grinding. Ew. I think maybe next time less weight, same position. There's always some part or other bitching at me. Sheesh...

Calves on leg press machine:
120x15x2
150x15

Leg Extension
105x5x5

Prone Leg Curl
70x5x5

100 hanging straight leg raises (25x4)

Obliques on hyper bench, 30 each side

Stopped there because I want to try walking lunges and SLDLs later. And have a bike ride. And walk the dogs. Yikes!! AND go to the grocery store!! What a day...

[~Lisa~]

Bam, I'm so glad that moving your feet up a few inches on the foot pad really helped!! It's better for yer butt, too. Keep that concept in mind, in the future, when you're doing things that hurt.... change your stance or hand position or whatever... and mabye it'll clear up the issue!

Let me know whatcha think of adding walking DB lunges and SLDL's in. Remember, not heavy on those to begin with!!

[Bambo]

I know, can you believe I didn't play with that before??? Duh, right? LOL About to eat another meal...will walk the dogs and do those exercises afterwards. I guess I'm SOL on the bike ride. All the low water crossings on my routes are closed from all the storms and flooding.


Oh..and to add... Lisa, you would have laughed at me at the grocery store today!! I ventured into the "middle" of the store where the canned stuff is and all that LOL I was looking for stuff for those recipes (black beans, sf ff pudding mix, etc). I WAS SO CONFUSED!! I must have stood there staring at the canned tomato products for about 20 minutes. I know people thought I was crazy!!

[Bambo]

OKAY!

More Exercise:

Walked the dogs 3 miles at a fast pace.

Walking lunges (skipped the DB's this time): 50, 25 each side

SLDLs w/25# I did 20 with feet parallel, then 20 with legs turned out. Old dancer habits die hard LOL But I didn't feel much of anything in my butt until I turned out.

Felt like I could have done more of each, but when I get 'in the grove' I always do something stupid, so I stopped hehe Still trying to learn when to back off!!!

*************

Aaaaaaaaaand a couple hours later my hamstrings are hurting WOO!

[Bambo]

I lied again...out of curiosity I got back on the scale. 110.5 again!! I'm on some kind of funky roller coaster here!!!

Hamstrings are definitely sore today And butt just a little.

FOOD:
2 banana pancakes (1/2 banana, 1/3c oats, 1/2c egg whites, 1/2 scoop chocolate whey powder, 1tsp splenda, Healthy Heart faux butter stuff smeared on top)

1/4c raw almonds, 1c fat free cottage cheese w/ maybe 1/2c blueberries

Southwestern black bean and tuna wrap

Another wrap!

After a day filled with roadblocks to everything I wanted to get done I'm having a small pitty party and having a naughty, naughty snack LOL A big glass of skim milk with two Pepperidge Farms chocolate chunk cookies! They're not that great actually...won't waste money on any more, that's for sure.

Ate a weird pasta dish I just made up: cook extra lean ground beef, add chopped no-salt-added tomatoes, chilli powder, and paprika, chuck it on whole wheat pasta, and top it with 2 slices chipotle cheddar slices. That was goooood stuff! Also had roasted edemame on the side.

[Bambo]

I keep thinking of questions to ask or try to find the answers to on bb.com (because no doubt they've been asked before), but I always forget them when it comes time to ask!!! So I'll plop them here if I can even remember to do THAT consistently. When the hubby went to Iraq he took my brain with him...

1. A self image issue, really... I see alot of posed pictures where it looks like people are purposely sucking in and sticking their ribs out. Having spent most of my life very self concious of being skinny I HATE it when I can see my ribs, especially in a picture. Do other people think that's gross on themselves, or is that all in my head?? Not saying other people's pictures look gross because I don't have the same reaction when seeing OTHER's ribs poking out!! A little wacky, I know... **I guess a more concise question is, really, is that a preferred aesthetic for bodybuilding? Like over-arched feet and hyperextended knees in ballet...

2. These 'natural physique' competitions...what exactly constitutes 'natural'?? If those are called 'natural' is it logical to assume all the others are UNnatural?? If so, what makes them unnatural?? Can ya tell I'm clueless? LOL

I thought of so many questions while I was walking the dogs yesterday, but of course as soon as I walked back in the house I forgot every last one.

[Bambo]

Exercise:

Ugh..nothing yet and it's almost 5. A slow easy bike ride would have been nice, but I give up. I'm planning on joining a group for a ride early in the morning anyway. Guess I'll just walk the dogs and do a chest and ab workout. Blah...

Pushups: 25, 25, 10

A whole bunch of bent leg double crunches, flutter kicks, and twisting crunches. Didn't count, just did each until it hurt

Decline Bench Press(DB)
15x5x5

Incline Bench Press(DB)
15x10x2

50 situps

DB flys on the exercise ball 5#x10

Forget walking the dogs. Poor things....

[Bambo]

Yesterday when I was doing the SLDLs I was having a weird sense of deja vu. I just realized it's because that was, basically, a "port des bras" front with dumbells LOL No wonder I automatically wanted to turn out my legs!! Awww how sweet...ballet and bodybuilding coming together...

[Bambo]

Food:
2 banana pancakes (1/2 banana, 3/4 scoop chocolate whey protein, 4 egg whites, 1/3c oats, forgot splenda completely)

1 carb gel in the middle of the bike ride

Leftover roasted edemame

1/3lb extra lean ground beef patty mixed w/one egg white & oats, 1 sweet potato cut up into fries and baked in oven w/a little olive oil.

ff cottage cheese and blueberries, handfull of raw almonds

Turkey wrap (whole wheat wrap, 5 big slices turkey, fresh spinach, alfalfa sprouts, 1 slice chipotle cheese), one kiwi

Kashi cheddar crackers w/natural peanut butter. Seems like I had something else too, but I can't remember now!!


Exercise:
40 mile bike ride. FINALLY!!! Lovely, lovely day out at the Wichita Mountains. Saw some buffalo getting it on LOL Glutes and hams were still really sore at the start from the last leg workout. Chest is also sore from yesterday.

100 sit ups w/5lb weight, 62 of them with nothing holding feet down. 50 straight crunches, 30 side crunches each side.

[Miranda]

Originally Posted by Bambo

2. These 'natural physique' competitions...what exactly constitutes 'natural'?? If those are called 'natural' is it logical to assume all the others are UNnatural?? If so, what makes them unnatural??

not breast implants

you have a nice base to put on a ton of muscle - or 5 lbs.

[Sar-Wah]

Hi There....

Welcome to Journalling!

I think you have a fantastic base to start with.... I have to admit that I am a little jealous of you! I always wanted to be a dancer, but I guess I never took into account all the injuries and pain that you had to work through! I used to do ballroom & latin, but then my partner quit and I was all alone!

Keep up your fantastic work.... I will be following along!

[valby]

Hi,
Loved the bb and ballet comparison I did ballet for a number of years about 15 actually but not professionally or anything although some of the girls in my school did audition for the Australian ballet school etc-so we took ourselves seriously lol

How did you get into the triathalons? I have always been curious but seem to get injured when I run-last year I was preparing for a half marathon but got a stupid achilles injury!

Your photos look great...I wish my tummy was that flat when its ttotm!

[Bambo]

Food:
Banana pancakes, but I replaced the oats with Fiber One. I crushed 1/2c of it...was pretty good. Also used about 3/4 of a banana instead of 1/2.

apple, turkey wrap

Alright...WAAAAYYY too much coffee talk on here! I caved and I'm having 4oz hazelnut coffee w/skim milk and 1/2 splenda, 1/2 sugar. 1/2 of what, I don't know I bet I won't finish it because it just isn't the same as full cream and sugar No doubt after a few more nasty cups of "coffee" I'll give up and just not drink any at all! Ew..yeah in fact I've had enough just in the time that I've typed this paragraph. I'm trying not to even BUY cream, that way I KNOW I won't drink it so much!! I've never drank it very much anyway...would go through months forgetting it even exists. But now that I want to "clean it up" even more it's...it's....I WANT COFFEE!!! Wow..I just wrote a whole paragraph about coffee. Maybe I should just go throw it all out and that'll be that!!!

Spicey Thai Peanut Chicken (cut up chicken breasts, natural peanut butter, red curry paste, green onion, red pepper, brown rice)

Gobbled a bunch of stuff before heading off to the starting point of a bike ride to which no one freakin showed up > 2 Kashi Cherry Dark Chocolate bars, a banana, a handfull of raw almonds.

The rest of the spicey Thai peanut chicken, no rice, and asparagus sauted in a pan with Healthy Heart, garlic, and black pepper.

ff cottage cheese w/blueberries

Not a very well planned food day, but I *think* I did ok. Daaaaaaang that was alot of chicken. I ate a whole package in those two meals LOL

[Bambo]

Miranda, no breast implants? Seriously?? That's it? Wow. And thanks

Sar-Wah, thanks Think you'll ever get back into ballroom? That's something I've never done. Looks like so much FUN!

valby, Thanks to you, too I'm really shocked to be running into former bunheads on here LOL Wild... I got into triathlons because when I moved here I was still in obsessive dancer mode where I had to have some 'performance' to always be training for and focusing on I found out there was a local sprint tri. Wanted to do it with a team because I didn't swim. Well, I couldn't find any swimmers so I said FINE I'll do it myself! I swam just enough to be able to finish that leg hehe I hate swimming laps. Yuck. I started training for a half marathon, too, and when I got to my first 10 mile run my knee said THAT'S IT!! Couldn't run at all for 3 or 4 months after that. I'll go for it again, but I'm trying force myself to take everything more slowly so I don't do anything stupid again!! Will you be trying again?

Snack tiiiiiiiiime! Actually a little late for snack time, so I guess it's going to be snack AND lunch

[Bambo]

Oh...something that some might consider important that I should have mentioned earlier (there goes that brain again...): I go to races and will go to more triathlons, but I'm not COMPETITIVE. Although it would be pretty nifty to place in whatever, I don't really care. I do what I do because I want to be fit, happy, healthy, and have FUN! Also, I have to have something constructive to obsess about

So if you're shooting for the Olympics or something, my journal would not be the best way to find out how to get there

[Miranda]

Originally Posted by Bambo

Miranda, no breast implants? Seriously?? That's it? Wow. And thanks

oops, sorry depending whom you believe a lot of figure girls and bodybuilders use physique-enhancing drugs that are often illegal. steroids, growth hormones, the lot. i don't know much about it, to be honest. but if you see an odd-looking woman you thought was a man at first you know what i mean.

most of them have breast implants. depending how they're done, they can look rather odd as well.

[Bambo]

hahaha..see, ya can't make jokes with ignorant folks like me LOL I'll believe it hehe But I getcha now.

[twinnett]

Gotta watch Miranda! She's the sarcasm queen!! That's why we love her!