Cella's Mission...

[IronCamp]

I have been on bodybuilding.com researching and buying supps for quite a while...I just recently (about a month ago) started coming into the forum and gaining valuable information.

Prior to becoming pregnant w/my daughter over 2 years ago, I weight trained, as it has always been a passion of mine. During my pregnancy, I gained 60 pounds. I began working out soon after having my daughter in an attempt to lose the weight and lost 50 pounds in 2 years, however, I was doing it by not eating enough calories and over-training....hence why it took so long to loose.

Based on what I learned from the ladies here, almost 4 weeks ago I increased my calories from the 1000-1200 range (YIKES!) to 1650. since then, I have seen a lot of improvement in my physique...things fitting looser, muscle building and showing more....I am quite pleased with the changes, although I am not at my goal yet. I want to decrease my BF to the 20 - 23% range.

Here is some info. on me:
Single mother to a beautiful 2yo daughter
Boyfriend lives in the UK (very long distance relationship!)
5'3" (on a good day!)
145 lbs
28% body fat (tested a week ago)

Most of my fat accumulates in the butt and thigh area...my upper body is much more lean than my lower body.

An example of my meal plan this week:
M1 (6:00): 1 cup of oats and 1 scoop of Whey protein
M2 (9:00): 3 oz of tuna w/1tbsp of light Mayo and jalapenos and 1 cup of brown rice w/peas, carrots and eggs mixed in.
M3 (12:00): Same as above.
M4 (3:00): 2 slices of low carb WW bread and 2 slices of swiss cheese
4:00 workout
M5 (5:45): Post workout - scoop of whey protein and 12 oz of water
M6 (6:30): 2 cups of lettuce, 1/2 cup of shredded broccoli, 1/2 cup of shrimp, 2 tbsp organic sesame soy dressing w/1tbsp of PB mixed in (YUMMY!)
M7: .5 cup of cottage cheese
treat before bed - 2 sugar free popsicles - only 30 calories...love them!

Here is my current workout regimen:
Mon - Back/Bis/15 - 20 min HIIT
Tues - Shoulders/Tris/15 - 20 min HIIT
Wed - 45 minutes kickboxing/Light leg day
Thurs - Rest
Fri - Chest/Abs/10-15 min HIIT
Sat - Heavy leg day

Any advice on on what I could change/do better is appreciated. Once I get a camera that works (mine broke recently), I will post pics. I will also try to find pics from right after the pregnancy too, to show the progress that has been made.

[IronCamp]

Wow, don't all post at once now....LOL!

Friday: Chest and Abs - 4 sets of each and 10 min HIIT
Barbell press
Push ups on bench
Pec fly machine
Incline press

Crunches on parallel bar
Decline crunches
Side bends with weights
Planks

Saturday: Legs - 4 sets of each
A2G squats
Stiff legged deadlifts
Lunges w/dumbbells
Calves on leg press machine
Hamstring curls
Leg extensions

At well all weekend...1650 in calories all days, except Saturday, which is my refeed day...I had 1800 calories.

Today: Back/bis and 20 min HIIT
Seated row
Lat pull down
Back extensions w/weight

Dumbbell curls
Hammer curls
Cable curls

I am feeling great overall...I can see that I am leaning out. The BF is definitely going down, but I will wait 3 more weeks before I get my next BF measurement.

This week will be busy. I have to work out in the morning tomorrow, b/c I am going to the Rush concert tomorrow night. It's 112 degrees here today...I just hope it's cooler for the concert, since it's at the outdoor theater.

Thursday I leave for the UK to visit my boyfriend. We are going to the V Festival, while I am there....which will consist of lots of drinking and not so great eating. I am bringing along healthy snacks to help out.

Will be back Tuesday....if I am lucky, I will be able to work out Friday and Monday, while I am there...so I will only miss 1 workout.

[IronCamp]

Had another good workout yesterday and one this morning too!

See above for yesterday's workout.

This morning: 10 mins HIIT
Shoulders - Shoulder press, Upright row, Lateral raises - 4 sets of each w/increasing weight
Tris - Wighted tricep dips on bench, Cable tricep pull down w/bar, Skull crushers - 4 sets of increasing weight

Tonight I am going to the Rush concert...can't wait.

[IronCamp]

I know I am talking to myself, but oh well...it keeps me accountable.

The Rush concert was fantastic last night and I probably lost 15 punds just standing still and sweating in the lovely Texas heat for 3 hours....I was drenched when I went home. Sweat dripping worse then when I work out!

Today is 45 minutes of kick-boxing and light leg day.

Eating has been spot on. 1650 to 1675 calories...approximately 40/35/25.

I am seeing progress on a daily basis. I am getting stronger...lifting heavier and my body is showing results. I know just from how I feel that my BF has gone down and I have lost inches. Trying to wait 3 more weeks before I do my next measurements.

[indiglo9124]

Hey! Just checkin out your journal.

Is there any way you could post exactly how many calories that your eating with a breakdown of fat, carbohydrate and protien?

Also.. I dont think its necessary to have 3 HIIT sessions a week. If they are done correctly 1-2 a week is all you need since it puts a lot of stress on the nervous system.

Ill be following along

[IronCamp]

Hi Indiglo and welcome...Thank you for posting on my log.

To give you an idea of my meal plan, here is what I am eating today:

M1 (6 am) - 4 egg whites and 2 slices of turkey bacon
M2 - (9 am) - 3/4 c of Turkey Chili (has lean trukey, veggies, beans and tomato sauce) and 3/4 c of brown rice
M3 (noon) - same as above
M4 (3pm) - 1 slice of low carb ww bread & 2 slices of swiss cheese
Workout
Post workout - 1 scoop of whey protein & 12 ounces of water
M5 (6:30/7:00) - 2 c of lettuce, 1/2 c of shredded broccoli, 1 c of boiled shrimp, 1 tbsp PB and 2 Tbsp of organic sesame soy dressing
M6 (8:30/9:00) - 1/2 cup cottage cheese & 1 tbsp PB

This is approximately 1641 calories (40/33/27). I also sometimes have a sugar free fudgsicle before bed that is 20 calories.

[twinnett]

Hi! You might want to rework your pre and post workout meals...there's a thread on them in the nutrition section!

[indiglo9124]

You might want to work on your Pre and Post workout nutrition.

Generally you want something with a faster digesting protien and a slower digesting carb about an hour before your work out.

Most of us here have whey and oats.

Then after your workout, you want to have faster digesting carbs with your whey to make sure it gets to the muscles quickly.

So mixing it with dextrose, gatorade, or even fruit juice would be ok.

Is that the same amount of calories that you have every day? Or do you switch it up day to day?

[IronCamp]

Thanks ladies...I will look into changing my pre and post workout meals. What about a banana w/my whey protein shake, after the gym?

I have a higher calorie day, once a week...on my heavy leg day...around 1800 calories.

[ARaeNI]

Cella,

Hi. I wasn't stalking, I swear. LOL! Just happen to be browsing the journals. I just wanted to say keep up the good work and thank you for being an inspiration to a beginner like myself. I look forward to reading your journal and keeping up with you. When I start seeing results and get a little bit more confidence, I'll start my own journal.

See ya around!

[IronCamp]

Back from my trip to London...Ugh, a week off from working out...not good!

I must've gained 10 pounds in water weight too! I feel like a puff ball. I tried to eat as good as I could, which amounted to 50% of the time and then the emotional eating kicked in when I returned home yesterday. It's always so hard to come back from visiting my boyfriend....I really miss him.

Today is Wednesday, so it's 45 minutes of kick-boxing and legs.

I am back to eating healthy today, as well...

M1: 1 cup of oats and 1 scoop of whey
M2: 1/2 cup yams and 1 cup of lean ground turkey
M3: Same
M4: 2 slices of whole wheat bread & 2 slices of swiss cheese
M5: 1 scoop of whey and 12 oz. of water
M6: 2 cups of salad, 1/2 cup of broccoli, 1 tbsp PB, 2 tbsp organic sesame soy dressing, 6 oz. of tuna
M7: 1 tbsp PB and 1/2 cup cottage cheese

Need to change my pre workout and post workout meals, but b/c of traveling haven't had the time. I will start next week. Any suggestions on what to change them to, is appreciated.

[indiglo9124]

Hey! Good to see you back Your bf lives in London? Wow... idk how you do it girl.

Anyway.... just move on from last week. No sense in worrying about what you did that week... it will just get you nowhere... just focus on what you are doing now.

What did you have post-workout today?

Before you said whey and a banana... this would be PERFECT after a workout

Your pre-workout looks good too... but a whole cup of oats is that dry or cooked? How long are you waiting in between that meal and working out?

[IronCamp]

Hey! Good to see you back Your bf lives in London? Wow... idk how you do it girl.

Anyway.... just move on from last week. No sense in worrying about what you did that week... it will just get you nowhere... just focus on what you are doing now.

What did you have post-workout today?

Before you said whey and a banana... this would be PERFECT after a workout

Your pre-workout looks good too... but a whole cup of oats is that dry or cooked? How long are you waiting in between that meal and working out?

Hi there...

Yes, my boyfriend live in the UK. He lives outside of London actually. it's tough to do the long distance relationship, but he is such an amazing guy that it's worth it. Plans are for me to eventually move there. Maybe some time next year. I have a 2 yo daughter that I have to consider, so it's not the easiest decision.

1 cup of oats is cooked.

I work out between M4 and M5. I think I will replace the bread with cream of wheat for M4 and do the whey and banana for M5...What do you think about cream of wheat?

[IronCamp]

Yesterday's workout was OK...I am still retaining a lot of water. I weighed myself when I returned on Tuesday and weighed 8 pounds more than I did when I left. I am hoping that is all water weight. Can't wait to get rid of all that water...

So bummed today b/c I may not be able to work out. I have clients in and may have to take them to dinner tonight. I am going to try to fit it in @ lunch time, so we will see.

If I do workout today, I will be doing Chest and bis and 20 min HIIT.

[indiglo9124]

Hey... im sure its mostly water weight... remember, 3500kcals is equal to one lb... so unless you ate that or more every single day... dont fret too much.

Hope you get your workout in today

[IronCamp]

Hey... im sure its mostly water weight... remember, 3500kcals is equal to one lb... so unless you ate that or more every single day... dont fret too much.

Hope you get your workout in today

I am sure that it is...I just feel so bloated!

It looks like I won't be getting my workout in today. Unless I fib and say that my mother can't pick up my daughter from daycare, so I can't make it to dinner...Maybe I will...shhhh, don't tell anyone! How sad is it that I rather go to the gym than to a nice dinner?

[IronCamp]

Made it to the gym yesterday afterall, before I went to dinner with my clients. It was a bit rushed, but still effective.

Yesterday's workout:
barbell chest press
pec fly machine
incline press
dumbbell bicep curls
hammer curls
15 min HIIT

Then I went to Pappadeux's and had a lobster seafood salad....yummy and healthy too!

I decided to take today off...I need to spend some quality time with my daughter, since I was gone for 5 days and didn't see her yesterday evening. I am also a bit tired from the crazy week I had. Tomorrow is leg day, so this rest will do me good.

[pga617]

Hi there, just checking out journals and caught yours. Looks like a pretty solid plan you have. Glad you are seeing progress, I haven't been so lucky as of yet, but I keep plugging away!

Glad you were able to get in a workout yesterday, even if it was rushed....better than nothing right?

Oh, and don't worry about the extra weight, I'm sure you'll be back to normal after a few days of being back on track. Best of luck you....I'll be checking in.

[IronCamp]

Hi there, just checking out journals and caught yours. Looks like a pretty solid plan you have. Glad you are seeing progress, I haven't been so lucky as of yet, but I keep plugging away!

Glad you were able to get in a workout yesterday, even if it was rushed....better than nothing right?

Oh, and don't worry about the extra weight, I'm sure you'll be back to normal after a few days of being back on track. Best of luck you....I'll be checking in.

Thanks....just checked out your journal and posted. I hope I am back to normal in a few days....still feeling bloated. I usually retain water for a couple days, but its been 3 days now...

[pga617]

Thanks so much...I still wouldn't worry about too much. I magically gained 5 lbs last week, I'm still trying to work it back off. Those scales can make a person go crazy sometimes!

[IronCamp]

I took a break from working out this weekend. Just didn't have it in me to work out, but I feel good today and I am ready to work out hard this week. I think the water retention is gone for now, so that's good. I notice I retain a lot of water around ovulation time.

I changed my diet a bit. Added more veggies in place of rice and yams and replaced oats and whey in the am, with egg whites and turkey bacon. I am upping my protein a bit and decreasing my carbs. I just want to see what effect that has on my body.

M1: 4 egg whites and 2 slices of turkey bacon
M2: 1/2 c tuna w/1 tbsp light mayo & 1 cup of green beans
M3: 1 c of Thai Spicy Chicken (has PB in the recipe, which I got off the recipe thread on bb.com) & 1 c of grean beens
M4 (preworkout): 2 slices of low carb ww bread and 2 slices of swiss cheese
M5 (post workout): 1 scoop of whey protein w/12 oz water & a banana
M6: 2 c lettuce, 1/2 c broccoli, 1 tbsp PB, 2 tbsp sesame soy dressing, 1 c of shrimp
M7: 1/4 c trail mix & 2 oz. of mozarella cheese

Macros: 45/25/30

I left my pre-workout meal the same, but added a banana to my post workout. I read in an article on bb.com that you need a slow digesting carb pre-workout, which I believe the ww bread is, so didn't change it. Let me know if this isn't the case.

Today's workout will be Shoulders/Tris. I will post what exercises I did tomorrow.

[indiglo9124]

Glad you were able to get in a workout yesterday, even if it was rushed....better than nothing right?

Yep, you feel much better after doing something than nothing

I left my pre-workout meal the same, but added a banana to my post workout. I read in an article on bb.com that you need a slow digesting carb pre-workout, which I believe the ww bread is, so didn't change it. Let me know if this isn't the case

Hm, well WW bread is slower digesting than white bread... but I would go with something even more slower digesting... like oats. Give it a shot, just mix it with whey in a shake... its easy and it will sustain your energy levels a bit better than a slice of bread. You also need protein before your workout whick your arent getting with the cheese.

Hope your doing good this week!

[IronCamp]

OK, I can definitely do the oats and whey before my workout. Do you used cooked oats in the shake?

Had a great workout yesterday:
Shoulders:
Shoulder dumbbell press - 15x15, 20x10, 20x8, 25x6
Upright dumbbell rows - 12x15, 15x10, 20x8, 20x6
Lateral raises - 10x15, 10x10, 10x8, 10x6 (usually increase weight on this, but shoulders were weak after the above)

Tris:
Bench dips - 10x12, 12x10, 15x8, 15x6
Rope pull downs - 12.5x12, 15x10, 15x8, 15x10

20 min HIIT

I got in 1650 calories yesterday 45/30/25

Today is Back and Bis...

[twinnett]

Oats are great preworkout! I just throw them in raw and blend it all up!

[IronCamp]

Oats are great preworkout! I just throw them in raw and blend it all up!

Thanks...I will give it a try.

Another great workout yesterday, especially my HIIT. I did another 20 minutes on the treadmill. My resting period speed has increased, so I am gettting faster.

Yesterday:
Back:
Seated Row - 50x15, 55x10, 60x8, 65x6
Lat Pull Downs - 45x15, 50x10, 55x8, 60x6
Weighted Back Extensions - 5x12, 10x10, 15x8, 20x6

Bis:
Dumbbell Curls - 10x15, 12x10, 15x8, 20x6
Cable Curls - 20x15, 22.5x10, 25x8, 30x6

Calories were around 1652 - 40/30/30

Found out I have Friday off this week, as well as Monday. My boss gave us a free day...so excited! I am going to take get my hair done. THen my friend is coming into town to visit for the weekend, so I will get some much needed girl time. I haven't seen her in over a year.

I have to vent...the last time I visited my boyfriend in the UK, I was told my immigration that I would start to have problems entering the country, b/c I have visited many times within the past 6 months...I was basically told that I need to apply for a visa. UGH, it's so silly that I am a non-visa national (from the US), but still have to get a visa to visit my boyfriend. I also have to get one for my daughter, since she will be going with me in December.

The process to get the visa is ridiculous and time consuming. I have to submit pay slips, banks statements, letter from my boss stating I plan to return to my job, my boyfriend's bank statements and pay slips and a letter from him stating what our relationship is an what the purpose of the visit it. On top of that, you apply on-line, which is on a site that has horrible instructions and doesn't explain how I apply for both me and my daughter together.

I talked to the boyfriend this morning and we are thinking of submitting the support documents in person (still have to submit and pay for app on-line). The office where I need to submit is in Los Angeles, so we may be making a trip there in October. This is just the last think I need to add to my plate. It's already stressful enough to think that eventually I will have to get a work permit and visa to live in the UK, if I chose to move there and be with my boyfriend permanently.

Vent over...

[StlBarbie]

WAVES!!!
I thought it was difficult having the significant other in OHIO ...
you are making THAT look EASY!!!

Best of luck in getting it all straightened out ...
WOW .. sounds like quite the process!!!

NICE BACK WO!!!

[IronCamp]

WAVES!!!
I thought it was difficult having the significant other in OHIO ...
you are making THAT look EASY!!!

Best of luck in getting it all straightened out ...
WOW .. sounds like quite the process!!!

NICE BACK WO!!!

WAVES BACK!

Thanks for the compliment on the back workout.

Ya, my relationship gives new meaning to long distance. I met him a couple weeks after starting my new job in Oct 2006, while travelling on business in the UK. He is such a great guy and perfect for me...now he is my best friend, so if relocating there doesn't work out, it will be hard to move on. The plan is for me to move there, but I told him that b/c of my daughter I need some sort of committment from him to move. Initially neither one of use wanted to get married, but for such a huge change, I need some form of committment. Ugh, I can't believe I am saying that.

We are fortunate that we have been able to see eachother every month...one month here, one month there. Now with this visa issue, I am not sure if that will stay the same.

[pga617]

Great workout! Sorry about the visa issues, they can be a pain in the butt. Hope everything works out okay.

[indiglo9124]

Wow, they really need a lifes story to get you into that country huh? I hate that things that have happened in this world make simple visits so uptight. That is crazy how you guys met? How long before you knew each other did you start dating?

There is no way he could come to the states to live with you?

[IronCamp]

Wow, they really need a lifes story to get you into that country huh? I hate that things that have happened in this world make simple visits so uptight. That is crazy how you guys met? How long before you knew each other did you start dating?

There is no way he could come to the states to live with you?

Ya, things have definitely gotten more difficult since 9/11.

We started dating around New Years. I spontaneously decided I wanted to visit him, after talking over email and phone, since November. So, I flew to the UK for New Years and we hit it off right away. We've been together since.

The better option would be for him to move here, but he has a 9 yo daughter that he shares custody w/his ex-wife. He is not willing to leave her under any circumstances, even if she could visit him in the states. I would never ask him to do that, b/c being a wonderful dad is part of what I love about him. I have sole custody of my daughter, so for me to move there would be much easier (b/c of that reason). It's just such a hard thing to wrap my brain around...taking my daughter away from her grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins and me losing me support network (my family). If it were just me, then the decision would be much easier, but I have to think of my daughter too.

I just wish I could blink and we would be living there....but it's not that easy. I have to get a work permit, a visa for me and my daughter, find a job, sell the house, sell my belongings or store them, etc. I am a planner and worrier, so this type of transition is not easy for me. I can do it, but not without a lot of over thinking.