Karina's Progress Journal

[vanillabn]

Well, I've decided to start a journal so that I can get everything out in writing and really see how I'm doing, keep myself motivated, be held accountable, and hopefully get some feedback on things I'm doing wrong or areas for improvement.

I'm 23, living in Alberta, Canada and recently graduated from University. I'm not sure why it took me this long to start taking some serious steps towards getting in shape, but staying fit has been a constant battle for me. My metabolism has changed a LOT since I started college, and although I maybe "realized" I was gaining weight, I don't think it really hit me like it should until a couple months ago.

Over the past 3 1/2 weeks, I have been doing the Body for Life program, and so far I have been doing well ( I think...). It's only been 3 weeks, so I feel kind of lame, but I have CONSISTENTLY gone to the gym 6x a week, doing weights on 3 days alternated with cardio on my non-weight days. Following the Body for Life plan has been great, except for the fact that I'm also training for a marathon (in 4 days, wish me luck...) which has complicated things a little bit - just the drop in carbs, although good for my diet, has had a little bit of a negative impact on my running endurance.

ANYWAY....I lost 6 lbs over my first 2 weeks, but I've vowed to only weigh/measure myself every 2 weeks, as I tend to get really disappointed if I don't see immediate results, and I'm determined for NOTHING to lower the motivation I've been thriving off in the past month.

So far, getting to the gym and eating right has been easy for me because I'm so determined. It's a little bit strange for me eating 6x a day because I feel like I'm eating too much...in the past I've dropped my calories really low to (attempt) to lose weight, which is probably why my metabolism was/is so messed up!

The workout schedule I'm following is this:
Tuesday, Thursday - I do 30-40 min of cardio, varying the intensity (1 min @ 6.5mph, 1 min @ 7.5mph, 1 min @ 8.5mph, 1 min @ 5.5mph, repeat)
Saturday - Right now, I usually do more like 2-3 hours of cardio because I'm training for a marathon; after this is over, I'll just be doing the regular 30-40 minutes

Monday -Chest/Shoulders/Triceps/Back/Biceps
Chest: Bench press, incline press
Shoulders: Seated press, Reverse flyes
Triceps: Seated triceps presses, Rope tricep extensions, Standing tricep rope extensions, Bench dips (Right now I can only do 5)
Back: Back extensions, Pull ups (Right now I can only do 3)
Biceps: Preacher curls, Cable curls

Wednesday - Quads/Hamstrings/Calves/Abs
Quads: Leg extensions, Leg presses
Hamstrings: Lying leg curls, Lunges
Calves: Seated calf raises
Abs: Cable crunches, Floor crunches

Friday -Chest/Shoulders/Triceps/Back/Biceps
Ch est: Bench press, incline press
Shoulders: Seated press, Reverse flyes
Triceps: Seated triceps presses
Rope tricep extensions
Standing tricep rope extensions
Bench dips
Back: Back extensions
Pull ups
Biceps: Preacher curls
Cable curls

Reps: As with BFL, I basically choose one exercise from each group, and do 12x, 10x, 8x, 6x, raising the weight each time, then doing 12x again with a lower weight. Any additional exercises I do for that area, I just do 12 reps of each thing.

My typical day of eating would be something like the following:

8 AM - 1/2 c. eggbeaters (usually eat when I get to work), occasionally something like 1/2 bagel as well
10:30 AM - 1/2 c. cottage cheese with 1/2 c. fruit (apple, cherries, etc.)
12 PM - 1 c. sweet potatoe, 1 c. vegetable (usually broccoli or green beans), chicken breast
3 PM - Small can of tuna, 1/2 c. vegetables/fruit OR protein shake (non fat yogurt, protein powder, ice, banana) before going to the gym
6 PM - Chicken breast/salmon/etc. with 1 c. vegetables
9:30 PM - If hungry, I'll have a lowfat cheese string or protein shake

This type of diet has been good for me so far (I feel a lot more energetic and "even" throughout the day when I'm eating consistently), however I've noticed that my running performance has decreased a bit, probably due to the drop in carbs; I'm just worried if I put any more back in I will gain weight. My marathon is in 4 days, so once that's over that's not a concern anyway...

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I could improve my exercise routine and/or eating?

Am I doing enough to see good results? I'm currently sitting at 124 lbs (I'm only 5'0") and my plan was to lose 20 lbs by November 1st, while also gaining muscle. Is this an attainable goal?

I'm trying to eat as healthy as possible, but I think sometimes I fall into a rut because I'm worried if I eat the wrong thing I'll compromise my results.

Thanks for reading my journal!!! I know it's long :-) Any input is greatly appreciated!

____________________________________

[twinnett]

I would suggest not dropping carbs or calories until after the marathon! You need those carbs! Also, you seem to be getting NO good fats! I would recommend taking some fish oils and adding in some good fats like nuts, olive oil, avocado, whole eggs, etc. I did BFL and that, along w/ the fasted workouts, was the thing that I'd do differently! Good luck!

[vanillabn]

Thanks, I will definately incorporate some good fats into my diet. I've been taking Omega 3/6/9 supplements, is that enough, or should I still include more?

Also, I haven't been doing my workouts in the morning, so that's not exactly according to BFL - in the past I've always felt sick of I ran without eating anything in the morning so I found it's been better for me to work out after work, or at least have half a banana or something before a morning workout.

Thanks for reading through my huge long post - I appreciate receiving advice from people who know a lot more than me!

Did you find BFL worked well for you?

[vanillabn]

Went to the gym tonight to do upper body, as I planned. It was a short workout but I pushed myself while I was there, so I'm fairly happy with how it turned out. I'm still feeling pretty tired, I need to work on getting more sleep.

At the gym:
Bench press (x12,x10,x8,x6)
Incline press (x12)
Seated tricep presses (x12,x10,x8,x6)
Tricep Pushdowns (Rope) (x12,x10,x8,x6,x12)
(Assisted) Tricep Dips 3x10
Seated cable rows (x12,x10,x8,x6,x12)
Back extensions (x12,x10,x8,x6)
Barbell curls (x12,x10,x8,x6)

As for food today,
M1: .5 cup eggbeaters
M2: .5 apple with 2 T. peanut butter
M3: 1 c. whole wheat pasta, 1 1/2 c. cooked spinach, mini shrimp (mixed together)
M4: .5 chicken breast
M5: "chocolate" oatmeal (1/4 c. oats, 1 pkg splenda & 1 scoop chocolate-flavoured protein powder)
M6: Banana (after my workout)

[vanillabn]

Went to the gym tonight at about 9 pm to do my cardio - for some reason my chest was feeling really tight, my lungs were dry and I was practically gasping for breath during my run - not a good sign considering my marathon is in 2 days =( I hope this isn't a sign of things to come. I did run for 30 minutes though... I'm planning on going to the gym tomorrow morning before work to do upper body and some abs.

Nutrition wise, I think I did well today but for some reason I was starving again around 8 pm, for the second day in a row. Weird.

M1: 1/2 c. oatmeal, 1 scoop protein powder, cinnamon
M2: Apple with 2 TB natural peanut butter
M3: Chicken breast, 1 c. broccoli, 1 c. whole wheat spaghetti (plain)
M4: 1 c. cherries (yum)
M5: Body for Life Snack Bar
M6: 1/2 banana with another 1/4 c. oatmeal (pre workout) and then 1/2 banana (post workout).

I'm so excited for this weekend to pass, the marathon to be finished, etc. so I can stop worrying about it and start focusing on my workouts. I'm already seeing progress in my upper body but I'm a little disappointed with the LACK of changes to my abs. Grr.

[serinebean]

"chocolate" oatmeal sounds divine...lol. I use the dark coco powder unsweetened in it sometimes...like a tsp to 1/2 c oats....I add splenda.... and its just awesome.

Glad you started a journal!! I will do my best to pop in here!!

[vanillabn]

Thanks for stopping by to read my journal! It's really nice to have some encouragement =)

Well, my marathon was yesterday, and although my time was pretty bad (5 hours...lol) I was proud of myself for doing it, and for me, it was a great achievement, simply because I found it SO HARD, but I finished! Although I couldn't wait for it to be over so I could stop worrying about training for a marathon, it really changed my attitude and perspective on things. Today, I feel like I can accomplish anything I decide to do.

I'm SO sore from yesterday, and my once a week "cheat" day turned into 2, as I ate a big meal the night before the marathon, and then ate whatever I wanted on the day following it. Back on track today, though, diet wise.

As for the gym, I think I'm going to just do 30-45 min on the elliptical tonight to try to relieve some of the pain in my muscles from yesterday. Supposedly, you should take a break from running for the week following a marathon. Tomorrow I'll do a really hard upper body workout, lower body on Wednesday and upper body again Thursday morning.

As for Friday....I am leaving for vacation and won't be back until the 26th; I'm trying to figure out how to keep up with working out during this time. Staying on my diet will be no problem, and I'm planning on bringing free weights with me, but I can't help worrying that my workouts are going to be very sub-standard, as we're camping the entire time. I don't want to get off track, as I'm following the Body for Life program and I don't want to ruin the outcome by slacking off for a week.

[vanillabn]

Well, my plan to go to the gym the day following my marathon didn't happen - I was just too sore, and ended up just taking a slow, 1 hour-ish long walk. I felt so motivated to do more, but my body just wouldn't cooperate with me.

Yesterday's diet was good as well, but I'm having a really hard time sticking to my calories. I'm 5'0", so my RMR is only 1322; consequently I was aiming at about 1100-1200 calories. Am I doing that right?? I hope so... because I'm not sure whether this is just post-marathon hunger remaining, or whether I actually need more calories.... I feel like I'm eating healthy enough, but at the end of the day I'm always feeling hungry. I'm also trying to get more good fats into my diet, but I always end up going over my calories if I do. Here's what yesterday's food looked like:

M1: 1/2 c. oatmeal with 2 Tb. protein powder & 1 splenda
M2: 1 c. cottage cheese
M3: 3/4 c. brown rice, 1 c. broccoli, 1/4 c. canned baby clams
M4: 1/2 apple, green tea
M5: 1 c. blueberries with 1 scoop Iso-Pro Protein Powder (banana)
M6: 2 1/2 c. spinach, 1 Tb. LF Italian Dressing, 1/2 c. green onions, 1 slice LF black forest ham

Total calories: 1197, (25 grams fat/117 g carbs/131 g protein)

I was a little disappointed in my workout last night, I pushed myself but I was rushing because I had to be somewhere after, and consequently didn't really feel as though my whole upper body was worked out :S Note to self: better planning needed in the future - workouts are a priority.

Incline press x12,x10,x8,x6,x12
Bench press x12,x10,x8,x6,x12
Dumbell lateral raise x10,x8,x6; Shoulder press x12,x10,x8,x6
Cable triceps extensions x12,x10,x8,x6,x12
Overhead tricep extensions x12,x10,x6
Hyperextensions (x12,x10,x8,x6,x12)
Dumbell shrugs (x12,x10,x8,x6),
Underhand Cable Pulldowns (x12,x12,x12)

Grr.. I'm trying not to, but I still feel totally intimidated in the free weights section. I try to tell myself that everyone has to start somewhere, but there's all these huge guys roaming around kind of looking at you like you're in their way... oh well

[twinnett]

Have fun on vacation! Don't worry much...just enjoy! Congrats on the marathon!

I think your cals might be a little low. To lose fat, you want to subtract calories from your maitenance level, not your RMR...RMR is how many calories to stay alive if you were comotose in your bed..don't really want to dip below that!

[vanillabn]

Thanks twinnett, for the comments! I always appreciate any suggestions. It's kind of a relief that my calories can be put up a little bit - I think my maintenance level is more like 1800 (using http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/issa64.htm). I'm hoping to continue losing about 1.5 - 2 lbs a week (although I'm obviously less concerned with my absolute weight as much as lowering BF% and gaining muscle). Do you think taking in around 1400-1500 calories would be ok for achieving this? It would be nice to go a little bit more than what I'm currently eating. I'm doing cardio about 4x/week right now.

I think I'll be fine on vacation - I may not lift weights until I get back (we'll see), but we'll be doing lots of hiking and walking, so I should be able to pick up where I left off when I return.

[Miranda]

I'm hoping to continue losing about 1.5 - 2 lbs a week (although I'm obviously less concerned with my absolute weight as much as lowering BF% and gaining muscle). Do you think taking in around 1400-1500 calories would be ok for achieving this? It would be nice to go a little bit more than what I'm currently eating. I'm doing cardio about 4x/week right now.

2 lbs fat loss sounds a bit hardcore - if not impossible. that's a 7000 weekly deficit.

[Back2zero]

2 lbs fat loss sounds a bit hardcore - if not impossible. that's a 7000 weekly deficit.

Considering the cardio in your current schedule (approx. 4h per week), you'd need to keep cals around 1200 to achieve that. And while training for a marathon, that would be unwise.

[vanillabn]

Well, I could always up my cardio a little bit as well. I really don't mind staying around 1200, I could always eat more vegetables - I was just curious if that was a good plan or not. Also, I wasn't hungry today like I was yesterday, so I'm thinking I just need to adjust WHAT I'm eating. My marathon is OVER now (yay) so I don't have to worry about my calories being too low while I'm training anymore.

Over the next month, my workouts are going to start taking place in the morning before work - I went yesterday and did cardio in the morning, and although it was VERY hard to get up (not used to that) I felt amazing the rest of the day.

I'm thinking of doing this:
Monday - AM Cardio (HIIT, 20 min); PM Upper body
Tuesday - AM Cardio (steady run, 30 min); PM Lower body
Thursday - AM Cardio (HIIT, 20 min); PM Upper body
Friday - AM Cardio (HIIT, 20 min); PM lower body
Saturday - Cardio 45 min.
Sunday - Rest

I'm still a little confused about my calorie intake. If my RMR is 1100, and the calories I burn each day are around 1800, by eating 1200-1300 and doing cardio 6x/week, shouldn't I be able to lose around 1.5 lbs/week? Maybe I need to readjust my goals?? Sorry for my ignorance about this, I'm trying to learn as much as I can but I am really new at all this!!

I appreciate everyone's comments though - very helpful

Diet was ok today (I think), this is how it went (haven't had M5 & M6 yet, but I will)

M1: 2 egg whites
M2: 1/2 c. oatmeal, 1 scoop protein powder
M3: 1 c. whole wheat pasta, 1 c. peas, 1 can tuna
M4: Body for Life shake ( don't usually have these, but I didn't bring snacks to work...oops)
M5: 3/4 c. cottage cheese w/ 1/2 apple
M6: 1/2 c. blueberries, 1/2 c. skim milk & 2 TB ground flax seeds

Total: 1244 calories
27g fat (20%)
144g carbs (40%)
119g protein (40%)

[twinnett]

I would try a little more calories...I think around 1500 sounds about right to start. You can always tweak from there. Better to start as high as you can while still losing fat!

That is also a LOT of cardio. Esp. if you are doing that w/out eating..you don't want to set yourself up for losing muscle.

[Miranda]

I'm still a little confused about my calorie intake. If my RMR is 1100, and the calories I burn each day are around 1800, by eating 1200-1300 and doing cardio 6x/week, shouldn't I be able to lose around 1.5 lbs/week? Maybe I need to readjust my goals?? Sorry for my ignorance about this, I'm trying to learn as much as I can but I am really new at all this!!

in theory, yes.
if you have an energy deficit you have an energy deficit and you will lose mass.

in practice, um.
the body adjusts. prolonged semi-starvation (sorry, but that's what you're doing) suppresses the metabolism. it won't happen in a week but it will happen over months. at your intake level you'd do a fine job of a slower rate of fat loss without any cardio at all. remember, most starving people don't run around - they become very slow and lethargic and there's a reason for it.

with all that running on practically no extra fuel for it you will risk sacrificing muscle mass which will slower the rate of burning even further. as tara said, it is better to start with a higher intake so you can drop it later on. what will you do when you plateau at 1000 calories a day with 7 days of cardio a week?

[vanillabn]

Ok, I think I understand, that's a great explanation. It WOULD be pretty horrible to plateau at 1000 cals & 7 days of cardio, no doubt. I'll put up my calories to 1500 for a few weeks and then adjust from there.

Thanks twinnett & Miranda - & for your patience

[Back2zero]

Well, I could always up my cardio a little bit as well. I really don't mind staying around 1200, I could always eat more vegetables - I was just curious if that was a good plan or not.

I didn't suggest you keep your intake at 1200, I was just saying that it'd be "possible" if it was there. But if you want to add mass, you can't do that. And you certainly can't do it on so many days of cardio!! What's WITH that anyway?

I recommend you up your cals to 1500 for now, that's a start; but also remove a few days of cardio if you can. You're doing HIIT 3x a week, that's a lot. HIIT is hard on your body and to do it so often, combined with lifting the same day is going to lead you down a bad road. How about this instead?

Monday - AM Cardio (steady, 45 min); PM Upper body
Tuesday - PM Lower body
Thursday - AM Cardio (steady, 45 min); PM Upper body
Friday - PM lower body
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Cardio (HIIT, 20 min)

It takes about 45 minutes of cardio from your week but it gives your body the chance to rest and grown.

Just a thought...

[vanillabn]

I recommend you up your cals to 1500 for now, that's a start; but also remove a few days of cardio if you can. You're doing HIIT 3x a week, that's a lot. HIIT is hard on your body and to do it so often, combined with lifting the same day is going to lead you down a bad road. How about this instead?

Monday - AM Cardio (steady, 45 min); PM Upper body
Tuesday - PM Lower body
Thursday - AM Cardio (steady, 45 min); PM Upper body
Friday - PM lower body
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Cardio (HIIT, 20 min)

It takes about 45 minutes of cardio from your week but it gives your body the chance to rest and grown.

Just a thought...

Thanks. I'm taking your advice, and this week I'll start working out like you suggested. As for the cardio...I don't know. Honestly, now that I've been a little informed, I realize that doing so much may hinder my results, but part of me keeps hanging on to the concept of cardio, cardio cardio as much as possible to lose fat. Even though I know it's wrong I still have to fight against thinking like that. It's crazy, I know. Obviously I haven't seen the results I wanted doing this!

I would try a little more calories...I think around 1500 sounds about right to start. You can always tweak from there. Better to start as high as you can while still losing fat!

Thanks. I'm doing to stick around 1500 calories for a while and see what happens. I definitely notice the difference in my energy, mood, etc. when I'm eating a little more than I have been.

Thanks so much to everyone for their input! I know it must be frustrating to hear the same mistakes over and over... I'm learning a lot from all of you though...as slowly as that may be


SO - nutrition wise, this was a very bad day. Not that I ate things I wasn't supposed to, but I just didn't eat enough. I was running late this morning and didn't pack a lunch, so I ended up eating a small amount of oatmeal for breakfast and a little bit of tuna at lunch...yup, and that's it until I got home after the gym tonight. Not intentional, just a lack of planning. I know it's bad. I already planned all my food for tomorrow so this won't happen again.

As for the gym, I did lower body tonight:

Leg press, 45#x12, 70#x10, 70#x8, 70#x6, 45#x12
Leg extensions, 40#x12, 50#x10, 60#x8, 60#x8, 40#x12
Standing calf raises, 30#x12, 40#x10, 60#x8, 60#x6, 30#x12
Seated leg curls, 40#x12, 50#x10, 60#x8, 60#x6, 40#x12
Thigh Abductor
Thigh Aductor (can't remember the weights, I need to start writing things down).
Walking Lunges x12, x12, x12 (ok at this point I wasn't feeling very well because I hadn't eaten enough and just wanted to leave...NOT smart)

Tomorrow I'm going to have to force myself to get up super early and get to the gym for 45 min of cardio... I may just run outside for 45 min. Then upper body in the evening.

I really want to try some squats, but I'm worried about my technique and intimidated because I haven't spent much time in the free weights section. I need to get over that, because my rear definitely needs some work!!

[vanillabn]

Well, I got home tonight from work feeling HORRIBLE. Probably connected with the major lack of sleep this week, my head was killing me and I felt really dizzy. I ended up not going the gym, and collapsed on my bed for an unplanned nap at 5:30 pm. I feel a little better now, disappointed I didn't work out, but I don't think I would've done very well at the gym anyway - I hope this passes by tomorrow morning.

Nutrition wise, I wasn't that happy with today. Nothing disastrous, but I didn't eat very many vegetables today, which was bad. I'd also like to find an alternative to the italian dressing, but salad without anything is kind of hard for me to eat. :-( I don't usually have yogurt, but I need to go shopping! Also, my protein was a little lower than I'm aiming for, but close. 7 meals today - I'm also aiming at 1500 calories for now, rather than the lower cals I was taking in before. Hopefully my body will respond well to that.

M1: 4 egg whites with green pepper & onion, omega 3 supplement
M2: 1 c. cottage cheese
M3: 1 c. whole wheat pasta, 4 oz salmon
M4: Zone perfect bar (hungry on my way home from work so this is my "last resort" option...I prefer regular food)
M5: 2 c. spinach, 1 c. tomato, 1 TB chopped walnut, 1 TB italian dressing
M6: 1 c. plain nonfat yogurt, 1 banana + tuna
M7: 1 c. oatmeal, 1/2 c. strawberries

Total: 1507 calories
Fat: 36g (22%)
Carbs: 169g (41%)
Protein: 134g (37%)

[Miranda]

you could up the fats a bit . . . your diet looks pretty good otherwise.

i wouldn't worry about the dressing that much if you like it. there will always be 'better' options for everything but you don't need a 'perfect' diet.
you need a good diet that works and allows for some nice stuff as well

[vanillabn]

you could up the fats a bit . . . your diet looks pretty good otherwise.

i wouldn't worry about the dressing that much if you like it. there will always be 'better' options for everything but you don't need a 'perfect' diet.
you need a good diet that works and allows for some nice stuff as well

Thanks! I know, I need to fight against my all-or-nothing mentality. Once I'm following a specific plan, I tend to get a little too legalistic about things.


Well! I got a good sleep last night (finally!) and I woke up this morning feeling MUCH better than yesterday. I think some good quality rest was all I needed.

Nutrition:

M1: 3/4 c. oatmeal, 1 scoop Lean-Whey protein powder

M2: 1/2 c. egg creations, 1 c. raw green beans, omega 3 supplement

M3: 1 c. whole wheat pasta, 1 c. mini shrimp

M4: 1 c. cottage cheese, apple

M5: 1/4 c. mashed avocado, whole wheat pita

(Workout)

M6: 1 c. blueberries, 1 mini container of plain, fat free yogurt

Total calories: 1494
Fat: 40g (25%)
Carbs: 156g (37%)
Protein: 133g (37%)

I thought I did pretty well today ? I'm trying to think of creative ways to integrate some more vegetables into my diet though. I feel so much better now that I've increased my cals to 1500. I have way more energy, and I feel as though I can really work my ass off at the gym compared to before, while I was taking in around 1200...it makes such a difference. I've also increased my fats, adding not only an omega-3 supplement, but some avocado and nuts.

Exercise:
My workout at the gym was great. I felt challenged, although a lot of the exercises I did I was a little embarassed at how weak I am! Oh well... I will improve. I brought a little notepad to write down all my weights so I wouldn't forget this time - I'm interested to see my strength improvements over time.

Barbell curl
15lb x12, x10, x8, 25lbx5, 15lbx6

Triceps Pushdowns (rope) <--definitely my fav exercise
30lbx12, 35lbx10, 40lbx8, 45lbx6

Machine Bench Press
40lb x12, x10, x8, x6, 20lbx12

Butterflies
15lbx12, 15lbx10, 25lbx8, 25lbx6

Reverse flyes
30lbx12, 40lbx6, 30lbx10

Side lateral raises (cable, 1 arm at a time) <--this is the most embarassing part :-o
5lb x12, x10, x8, x12

Underhand cable pulldowns
40lb x12, 50lbx10, 60lbx7

Chinups - 1 (lol - my arms were so tired by now, and it took all I had to do even 1 chinup. So sad!)

Hyperextensions
no weight x 12, 10lb x10, 25lbx8, 25lbx12

Felt really good about the workout overall. I guess we'll see how sore I am tomorrow!

[vanillabn]

I was planning on doing lower body at the gym today, but it closed really early due to the long weekend. Although I was a little disappointed, I ended up playing a couple hours of tennis with my boyfriend, playing around on the playground beside the tennis courts, and then a couple hours of rollerblading. It was unplanned and didn't fit the mould of what I'd planned for this week, but it was fun, and the 20 minutes on the playground racing across the monkey bars and doing chinups was actually a great workout!

Tomorrow I'm planning on doing lower body, followed by 45 minutes of cardio (steady). I'm also going to make sure I get to the gym in the mornings this week for cardio so I don't have to spend as long there in the evenings.

Grrrr.... Friday night was my cheat meal. We ordered pizza, and I was only planning on having 2 slices (barbeque chicken, my favorite), but ended up having 4. I was totally disappointed in myself and ended up feeling insanely guilty for the rest of the night, and the next morning too. I know it wasn't true, but I felt as though I'd wrecked EVERYTHING I'd worked for over the past couple months by eating the pizza. I am SO unhappy with my lack of willpower sometimes. Other than Friday night though, I ate pretty well the rest of the weekend with the exception of my nonfat sugarfree hazelnut latte from Starbucks this morning.

As for today, here's how it went:

M1: Egg whites, 1/2 c. oatmeal with blueberries, nonfat sugarfree hz latte
M2: 1/2 c. cottage cheese
M3: 1/2 c. plain nonfat yogurt, 1/2 whole wheat pita
M4: Salmon, 3/4 c. whole wheat pasta, 1 c. brussel sprouts with chopped walnuts
M5: 1 slice sprouted flax bread, 1 tablespoon PB w/ protein powder sprinkled on top
M6: 1/2 c. cottage cheese, 1/2 c. apple, cinnamin

Total:
Calories - 1504
Fat: 27g (17%)
Carbs: 207g (50%)
Protein: 119g (34%)

Ok, maybe the macros aren't so great...my fats are too low, carbs too high and protein too low. I'll do better tomorrow!!

[twinnett]

Try not to beat yourself up...I've gone overboard the past few days too..happens to all of us!

[vanillabn]

Try not to beat yourself up...I've gone overboard the past few days too..happens to all of us!

Thanks The logical part of me knows that, but I still get so frustrated with myself! Oh well...I'm back on track now, and that was the only cheat meal I ate this week, so I'm doing pretty well.

I went to the gym this morning, and since I hadn't done lower body since before the weekend, I definitely felt it after...but that's ok, I love that feeling. The gym was empty today, it was great!

Leg curl (machine)
12x40lb
10x60lb
8x80lb
6x90lb

Leg extensions <--these were killing me today! lol
12x40lb
10x50lb
8x60lb
6x70lb

Calf raises
12x40lb
6x60lb
8x80lb
6x100lb

Incline leg press
12x130lb
10x180lb
8x180lb
6x180lb

Thigh Adductor
12x60lb
10x70lb
4x80lb
2x90lb <--ahhhh lame!

Walking lunges
3 sets of 15 with 20lb dumbells

Short workout, but felt like I pushed myself and felt pretty good after finishing. I'll probably go for a 30-40 min. run outside tonight, or else tomorrow morning before work.

Happy Labour Day! Hope everyone's been having a great weekend...

[indiglo9124]

Grrrr.... Friday night was my cheat meal. We ordered pizza, and I was only planning on having 2 slices (barbeque chicken, my favorite), but ended up having 4.

Hey there!

I think we all have gone through this... who am I kidding.. we still do! The important part is that you recognized it and are back on the wagon today!

Lol, I love an empty gym.

[Miranda]

the question is: how big was that pizza?

[vanillabn]

Hey there!

I think we all have gone through this... who am I kidding.. we still do! The important part is that you recognized it and are back on the wagon today!

Lol, I love an empty gym.

Thanks! I am definitely back on the wagon. I guess one thing situations like that have taught me is WHY I am eating the things I normally do. While I know a little indulgence once in a while is a good thing, the contrast between how I feel after eating 4 pieces of pizza on a Friday night/skipping my workout vs. eating clean/working out makes me realize why I'm working hard to achieve the goals I've set for myself.

the question is: how big was that pizza?

lol ... it was a medium (12"). I know it won't demolish my entire month of healthy eating, I guess it was just what it represented to me! Next time I'll try to add a little more MODERATION to my cheat meal... if I'd just eaten two slices, I'm betting I would've felt a lot better, less guilty, and more satisfied because I wouldn't have felt sick afterwards. Lesson learned.

[vanillabn]

Well I had a horrible sleep last night again, basically tossing and turning until finally falling asleep around 4 or something ridiculous. I'm convinced this is due to stress, which I really need to handle better. I'm dealing with a whole bunch of crap at work right now, which will hopefully be a distant memory when I find a new job in the next few weeks!

My plan for today was AM cardio (before work) and upper body after work. However, it was my younger sister's birthday today, so I hung out with her all evening, which was good since I've hardly seen her lately (and we're roommates).

My sister and I ran outside tonight, an easy 45 min. 6 K run. She was reluctant to join me, but was eventually persuaded. It was so nice. I was surprised by this fact, because ever since I ran the marathon (wow, Aug 12...seems like months ago!), I have somehow associated running outdoors to something forced; something I dread, since the majority of my training was on trails near my house. I think this will change over the next few months as I experience running in moderation...although I know moderation is a relative term!

My butt was so sore today. I'm sure I was walking funny everywhere I went (especially the stairs!) but it felt great. It must've been the lunges- they seem to kill me every time. Note to self: DO MORE OF THEM.

Because my plans for tonight changed, I'm adjusting my workouts so my scheduled "rest day" (tomorrow) will now be upper body.

I'm beginning to love this!

[vanillabn]

So I almost didn't go to the gym tonight. I worked late, my boyfriend was planning on coming with me too, and due to a miscommunication we didn't end up getting there until almost 9. I found tonight to be really strange...even though I definitely pushed myself, on some of the exercises I couldn't even lift as much as last time! What the heck?!

Here's how it went:

Incline Bench Press
12x40lb
5x60lb then 5x40lb ... <--lol I guess I'm weaker than I thought - I tried.
8x40lb
6x40lb

High Row
12x60lb
10x80lb
5x80lb, 6x60lb

Reverse Fly
12x30lb
5x40lb, 4x30lb <--weird reps? this is me trying to lift more but I'm weak!
8x30lb
5x40lb

Flies
12x50lb
10x50lb
7x50lb
6x50lb <--at this point I was really trying hard.

Cable Curls
12x15lb
9x25lb
8x15lb
3x25lb <--again... don't know why I even recorded this, I could only do 3 reps
6x15lb

Tricep Extensions (Rope)
12x17.5lb <-- I could SWEAR the weight I did last time was way heavier...although the machine I'm using is slightly different, should it really matter? Checking my journal...yup, last time I did 40lb. WHAT IS GOING ON?!
6x22.5lb
10x17.5lb
12x12.5lb

Lat Pulldowns
12x37.5lb
10x42.5lb
8x47.5lb
6x52.5lb

Hyperextensions
15xbodyweight
10x (+10lb)
10x (+25lb)
8x (+25lb)

While on paper I think that's my lamest workout so far, my arms really feel tired and I can tell I'm going to be sore tomorrow. Has anyone had those days where you go to the gym and feel as though your strength has been completely wiped out???

As for nutrition today, I think I did pretty good....

M1: 1/3 c. rolled oats, whey, 1 c. strawberries
M2: Tuna, 2 Tb. mashed avocado
M3: 2 slices flax bread, sliced tomato
M4: Salmon, 1 c. cooked spinach
M5: 1.5 c. whole wheat pasta, 1.5 Tb. pesto, 1 c. brussel sprouts, omega-3 supplement
-workout-
M6: 2/3 c. FF cottage cheese, chopped apple

Total:

Calories - 1513
Fat: 33g (22%)
Carbs: 177g (39%)
Protein: 137g (40%)


Anyways, I'm off to bed! I'm really going to make an effort in the next few weeks to get enough sleep, as this is a constant struggle with me. Tomorrow morning, I am definitely, for sure, no excuses--going for a 45 min run in the morning before work. I keep setting the alarm clock for 5 am and then ignoring it and going back to sleep. I need to remind myself that good intentions that are never put into practice won't get me the body I want!!!

[vanillabn]

It's the weekend!!!

I did lower body this morning, and although the workout was pretty short, I think I'm going to be feeling it tomorrow. Although I'm still not very strong, I'm definitely improving from where I started, and I'm adding more weight each time, so that's good.

So the workout was going great today, feeling awesome, until I hit my head HARD on the leg press machine!! lol Don't ask me how I do these things, but I do... the bump on my forehead didn't take long to start showing, either... before I was even done with the leg press I had a big red welt on my face. Nice! At least I was able to provide a little entertainment for the people who happened to be watching me, even if it was at my expense!

Leg extension
12 x 60lb
10 x 70lb
8 x 80lb
6 x 90lb

Leg curls (seated) <--I think I'm going to switch to the lying leg curl machine ... I find the lying one to work it a lot better
12 x 60lb
10 x 70lb
8 x 80lb
6 x 90lb

Leg press
12 x 140lb
10 x 180lb
8 x 180lb
6 x 230lb <-- upped my weight quite a bit over last time! I really had to push myself.

Squats (barbell)
12 x 50lb <--this is me NOT really pushing myself but being worried about falling....haha.
10 x 70lb
8 x 90lb
6 x 90lb

Lunges
2 sets of 15 with 20lb dumbbells


My diet has been good all day, but I'm thinking I may have my cheat meal tonight. One of my friends invited me out, so the place is still undecided, but I'm still going to try to find something that's not too bad to cheat on.

Updated my stats today, I was excited that I weighed in at 118.9 this morning, and my measurements have slightly changed as well. I'm still a little frustrated with how slow I'm losing inches from my hips and abs, but I'm trying to be patient and just keep up what I'm doing. I'm sure over time things will start changing more.

Thanks for everyone's input, the encouragement has been really helpful - I don't know what I'd do without this site!