Laser Focus

[LunaLifts]

Luna, your question about why cardio first inspired me to try doing cardio second today. Truthfully I could see very little difference either way. I'm used to doing cardio first because, in track, that was what we did. I have a pretty good base of conditioning left from many years of aerobic sports, so for me it doesn't seem like too much of a stretch. For example, when I was a runner I would often run then lift, or run say a tempo run (hard effort for 20-30 min) and THEN do anaerobic sprints. That's why I think I'm used to it.

I perhaps prefer to do cardio first on lower body days, since it warms up those muscles. But when I test my maxes, I plan not to do more than a 10-min warmup.

Ah, fair enough. I was just curious since most tend to do it the other way around. I imagine being so used to cardio would make a difference in how much it does, or doesn't effect follow up workouts.

[shesprints]

@Luna whoa your deadlift is progressing very fast. Anyhow. Yeah, I think everyone's different!

Today I feel CONKED OUT TIRED.

I woke up, had breakfast (woke up too hungry to just go back to sleep at 6 am again), and legit went back to sleep. (I don't work til the afternoon). Swim was refreshing, though.

Swim--1.06 mi, 1850 yards
200 pull
100 swim
50 kick
200 pull
100 swim
100 w 25 fly
100 w 25 back
100 w 25 breast
100 IM
4 x 25 fly w fins
100 easy free
100 w 25 fly
100 w 25 back
100 w 25 breast
100 IM
4 x 25 back w fins
100 easy cooldown

Still coughing a bit but much better.

Food:

Breakfast--light bread, eggs, spinach, zucchini
Snack--1/2 cantaloupe, 100g blueberries, 6 oz ff greek yogurt, 20g cashews
Lunch--cucumber, green beans, 3 egg whites, 2 oz mix of corn flakes and bran flakes, 2/3c 2% milk, 1/2 oz almonds

Dinner gonna be steamed vegetables, brown rice, and either tofu or fish. Snack prob. quest bar and apple while teaching.

Later dudes I'm grumpy n tired

[LunaLifts]

@Luna whoa your deadlift is progressing very fast.

Thanks. I had to up my goal for this year because I'm already so close to 200.
Wish my squats would get going a bit better, but I do need to record them again, and make sure there's no form issues contributing.

Later dudes I'm grumpy n tired

Hope you feel better. Go take a nap.

[shesprints]

I took a nap!

I feel better!

ALSO, I lost a pound this week! Even though I wound up eating 2500 calories per day. I'm going to continue with this plan. The nutritionist says I could eat 2500 even if I do 30 minutes of spin instead of 45. But I like doing 45.

Today I swam.

Swim--1 mile/1750 yards
500 warm-up (evens pull odds swim)
3 x 50 dolphin kick w fins

2 x (w fins)
50 kick sprint/ez kick
50 Tarzan sprint/ez swim
100 sprint and dps

On the 2:00:
100 as 25 sprint/75 ez
100 as 35 sprint/65 ez
100 as 50 sprint (45s)/50 ez
100 sprint (1:33)
100 as 25 sprint/75 ez
100 as 35 sprint/65 ez
100 as 50 sprint (43s) /50 ez


And food so far...

Breakfast--fruit salad, 35g cashews, 6 oz fat free greek yogurt
Snack/Breakfast #2--Ezekiel bread, eggs, spinach
(swim)
Lunch--3 oz sardines, 3/4 c brown rice, 2c cucumber

[LunaLifts]

I took a nap!

I feel better!

ALSO, I lost a pound this week!

Yes, yes, and yes! All of my yeses!

[anandagirl]

ALSO, I lost a pound this week! Even though I wound up eating 2500 calories per day. I'm going to continue with this plan. The nutritionist says I could eat 2500 even if I do 30 minutes of spin instead of 45. But I like doing 45.

So jealous! Yay you!!!

[shesprints]

THANKS GUYS!

The funny part is that I'm just as hungry as one would expect on a cut it's still hard to feel full if I don't eat like a half a head of cabbage a day. Like yesterday. I just couldn't do it--I woke up starving in the middle of the night and ate another meal so wound up at maintenance. It's just one day, though, right back to it today. I suspect PMS 'cause I had PMS-variant night sweats (that's a thing even in us women in our 20s, apparently). It definitely was not boredom eating, it was straight up, my stomach hunger/headache from hunger woke me up 0_0 oy vey.

OH WELL. Back at it today.

Workout--

45 min spin +

Candito Day 3

Power clean 6 x 4 95lb
Weighted jump lunge 6 x 4 20lb
Box jump 5 x 4
Broad jump 5 x 4
Plyo pushups 5 x 4

I love plyo day, a lady who looked very fit herself stopped me and was like, what kind of athlete are you I always see you doing this lifting and think you must be serious! (She was impressed with the plyo pushups). It was nice to hear.

Food today...

Breakfast--light bread, eggs, spinach, zucchini
(workout)
Snack--quest bar, apple
(helped my dad move something into my brother's apartment for him)
Lunch--lettuce, brussels sprouts, 6 oz fat free greek yogurt, 1/2c milk, 2 oz cornflakes, 1/2 oz cashews

going to go grocery shopping later for more cabbage + other vegetables + some protein options, prob. fish.

Whew. I have my first meeting with my writing group tomorrow! Exciting.

[phoenix4444]

Ah, all is better with some extra sleep. And congrats on the pound lost. Doing it right woman.

Bonus points for the sardines. Little fishes rule.

[shesprints]

Ah, all is better with some extra sleep. And congrats on the pound lost. Doing it right woman.

Bonus points for the sardines. Little fishes rule.

Ayyy as a Sicilian I must love little fishes, many with my heritage even sleep with them. Ayo.

I'm so hungry tho. -_- I'm doing everything right here guys, fiber, perfect timing between meals, etc. Just a couple hungry days I guess. Which feels dumb to say on 2500 cal/day, but today keeping at that was super hard. Like I straight up took 2 Benadryl so I'd sleep through the night and not wake up hungry again.

[shesprints]

Well, I made it. I also think lifting upper body before cardio is working well for me! Thanks Luna. <3


Candito Day 4

Pause bench 6 x 4 85lb
T bar row w/ pause 6 x 4 115lb
DB OHP 1 x 10 27.5lb
Lat pulldown w pause 1 x 10 90lb
Asst pull up 1 x 10 80lb
Cable rear delt raise 3 x 8 10lb
Lateral raise 3 x 8 12lb


+ spinning 52 minutes


Pause bench felt the strongest it ever has. I probably could have gone up in weight and likely will do so next week.

Food yesterday was just under 2500 cal, whew. Today so far:

Breakfast--light bread, eggs, spinach, zucchini
(workout)
Lunch--cabbage, 6 oz fat free Greek yogurt, 2 Ezekiel sprouted waffles, 32g peanut butter melted on top
+ half cantaloupe whoa still in the hole of carb depletion

mmmm I love waffles, I used to eat Eggos with Nutella as a treat when I was a kid, and this is just as good imho, updated to be slightly healthy.

[phoenix4444]

Ayyy as a Sicilian I must love little fishes, many with my heritage even sleep with them. Ayo.

I'm so hungry tho. -_- I'm doing everything right here guys, fiber, perfect timing between meals, etc. Just a couple hungry days I guess. Which feels dumb to say on 2500 cal/day, but today keeping at that was super hard. Like I straight up took 2 Benadryl so I'd sleep through the night and not wake up hungry again.

My grandfather was a great lover of sardines. I haven't had them in quite some time. Also love that pickled herring. LOL, sleeping with the fishes.

I am really not surprised that you are hungry being as super active as you are. Maybe too much? I know I have to watch activity when I am restricting, even a little bit extra can jump start my appetite to where I cannot control myself. Just recently watched this, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xjyldBmsbs&t=368s. I found it to be interesting.


Waffles and peanut butter, yummmmmm.

[JaymzJ]

Waffles and peanut butter, yummmmmm.

Awwww yeeaah

[shesprints]

@phoenix, I think I was just super hungry last week from PMS. Got my period today (TMI) and my appetite's already calmed down. Cramps tho.

@Jaymz YEAH WAFFLES
I sometimes go back and forth on whether I like waffles



I lifted first today because I was like, everyone else is doing it.

Candito Day 1

Squats 3 x 6 155lb
Deadlifts 2 x 6 185lb
Hamstring curl 3 x 8 50lb
Single-leg leg press 3 x 8 160lb

Spinning--45 minutes
5 min warmup
20 min tempo (gear 10, speed >100rpm)
5 min easy
10 min tempo
5 min cooldown


Food today:

Breakfast--light bread, eggs, spinach, lettuce
(workout) (I had an intraworkout cup of coffee while lifting, would do again/10)
Lunch--1/2 honeydew, 6 oz fat free Greek yogurt, 2 oz corn flakes, 3/4 c mix of buttermilk and 2% milk, 1/2 oz almonds



Gonna keep doing that intraworkout coffee, it's fun to drink coffee at the gym between sets, it feels like a little reward. Plus better energy.

[LunaLifts]

The funny part is that I'm just as hungry as one would expect on a cut it's still hard to feel full if I don't eat like a half a head of cabbage a day. Like yesterday. I just couldn't do it--I woke up starving in the middle of the night and ate another meal so wound up at maintenance. It's just one day, though, right back to it today. I suspect PMS 'cause I had PMS-variant night sweats (that's a thing even in us women in our 20s, apparently). It definitely was not boredom eating, it was straight up, my stomach hunger/headache from hunger woke me up 0_0 oy vey.

I'm mostly just hungry at the start of a cut, then I get sorta used to it, but the heartburn I'll get sometimes is an issue. PMS is weird for me, I usually have less of an appetite during.

Like I straight up took 2 Benadryl so I'd sleep through the night and not wake up hungry again.

I've done that with my anxiety meds before, they're also to help with sleep anyway, just usually not because I'm hungry. Most of the time dinner is late, and I can manage, but some nights just suck.

Thanks Luna. <3

I lifted first today because I was like, everyone else is doing it.

Welcome to the club. *hands official member badge*

Gonna keep doing that intraworkout coffee, it's fun to drink coffee at the gym between sets, it feels like a little reward. Plus better energy.

I couldn't. For the most part I don't like drinking flavored stuff when working out. I can't really explain why it bugs me, but it just feel like it leaves a sugar coating in your mouth. At least as far as Gatorades, sodas, juices, and intras. Maybe a not too sweet iced coffee that I could chug real fast, and wash down lol.

[JaymzJ]

Gonna keep doing that intraworkout coffee, it's fun to drink coffee at the gym between sets, it feels like a little reward. Plus better energy.

Just yesterday I posted on another thread about how coffee can double as a great preworkout but now you got me thinking it would be even better intraworkout, I just might try that out later, thanks for the idea. Coffee also temporarily reduces muscle soreness as well btw, if you didn't already know that

[JaymzJ]

Ah, fair enough. I was just curious since most tend to do it the other way around. I imagine being so used to cardio would make a difference in how much it does, or doesn't effect follow up workouts.

Basically most people do weights first so that they have more energy and focus to do that since lifting is most peoples priority over cardio, but shesprints explained it well also, just my 2 cents worth

[JaymzJ]

My 2 favourite coffee mugs

[shesprints]

I love those coffee mugs. Even though I'm Team Marvel, as opposed to Team DC. I did NOT know that about muscle scoreness. Neat fact. It really is a proven performance enhancer--I did know that.

Luna, I actually only drink plain black coffee, no sugar or sweeteners. Can't imagine wasting calories on that. Coffee is good already.

[LunaLifts]

Luna, I actually only drink plain black coffee, no sugar or sweeteners. Can't imagine wasting calories on that. Coffee is good already.

Eww no way. You need some sort of milk or creamer to drown out all that bitterness. lol

[JaymzJ]

I love those coffee mugs. Even though I'm Team Marvel, as opposed to Team DC. I did NOT know that about muscle scoreness. Neat fact. It really is a proven performance enhancer--I did know that.

Luna, I actually only drink plain black coffee, no sugar or sweeteners. Can't imagine wasting calories on that. Coffee is good already.

Ya, I'm team marvel as well, just don't have any marvel mugs. You should check out the tv series luke cage, also daredevil is pretty good too. There are 2 new series coming up as well-Iron Fist and The Defenders

[JaymzJ]

Eww no way. You need some sort of milk or creamer to drown out all that bitterness. lol

Double Double 😉

[anandagirl]

Eww no way. You need some sort of milk or creamer to drown out all that bitterness. lol

I do the protein in the coffee, makes me happy flavorwise and protein wise

Nice work in here!

[shesprints]

Thanks ananda! I dunno if I can get behind protein in coffee, but if it were chocolate and mixed well that's basically like what Starbucks does but healthy so hurrah.

OMG GUYS. I'm feeling the cut today. I failed my bench today. Feels. Also super hungry and low energy. O well. My nutritionist says I can eat a bit more than 2500 (just 1 or 200 calories) if I'm feeling I need it to sleep but I really don't want to.

Anyway, even with the coffee intraworkout and even lifting before spinning, still lameo today.

Candito Day 2

Bench 2 x 6 95lb, 2 x 3 x 100lb, 2 x 3 95lb
Bb row 3 x 6 95lb
DB OHP 1 x 6 30lb
Lat pull down 1 x 6 100lb
Assisted pull up 1 x 6 70lb
Rear delt raise 3 x 8 8lb
Lateral raise 3 x 8 12lb

Spinning 46 min


Foods...

Breakfast--light bread, eggs, spinach, zucchini
Snack--1/2 cantaloupe, 6 oz cottage cheese
(workout)
Lunch--cabbage, 6 oz ff greek yogurt, 1 oz each Cheerios and bran flakes, 1/2c 2% milk, 1/2 oz cashews
Snack--light bread, eggs, spinach, lettuce
Dinner TBD, probably fish, vegetables, brown rice

[anandagirl]

Awww sorry the cut is getting to ya But as I've been time and time again with lifting - we have good days and bad days, and ups and downs. The strength will get there, and you'll be back on top in no time. I commend you for getting back to a cut! I have yet to even make a move towards that

Oh, and I actually prefer vanilla over chocolate, but can do either. I mix the powder into water or cold coffee first and use that as my "creamer" but if you like the taste of coffee without cream and sugar, you are a better woman than me!

[JaymzJ]

Thanks ananda! I dunno if I can get behind protein in coffee, but if it were chocolate and mixed well that's basically like what Starbucks does but healthy so hurrah.

OMG GUYS. I'm feeling the cut today. I failed my bench today. Feels. Also super hungry and low energy. O well. My nutritionist says I can eat a bit more than 2500 (just 1 or 200 calories) if I'm feeling I need it to sleep but I really don't want to.

Anyway, even with the coffee intraworkout and even lifting before spinning, still lameo today.

Candito Day 2

Bench 2 x 6 95lb, 2 x 3 x 100lb, 2 x 3 95lb
Bb row 3 x 6 95lb
DB OHP 1 x 6 30lb
Lat pull down 1 x 6 100lb
Assisted pull up 1 x 6 70lb
Rear delt raise 3 x 8 8lb
Lateral raise 3 x 8 12lb

Spinning 46 min


Foods...

Breakfast--light bread, eggs, spinach, zucchini
Snack--1/2 cantaloupe, 6 oz cottage cheese
(workout)
Lunch--cabbage, 6 oz ff greek yogurt, 1 oz each Cheerios and bran flakes, 1/2c 2% milk, 1/2 oz cashews
Snack--light bread, eggs, spinach, lettuce
Dinner TBD, probably fish, vegetables, brown rice

A little bit of strength loss is to be expected on a cut but don't let it discourage you

[shesprints]

Yeah I'm not too discouraged, I actually talked to Becki (V02maxima) about it and she said almost no one goes up on bench while cutting. So I'm OK. I think I do want to at least make sure my FORM is dead on, though, even if it means dropping the weight.

Last night I was too hungry to sleep after a date >.< so, I ate 2700 cal. All healthy foods I was genuinely hungry for and I woke up hungry, so I think I'm still in a good deficit; they say your RMR goes up during your period anyway, by about 300 kcal/day, so that's that.

Today I was feeling sad so I met up with my mom in the morning for a power walk (so she could multitask) and a pep talk. I guess that counts as cardio.


4 mi power walk

Then:
Swim--1 mile/1750 yards
250 alternating drill and swim
4 x 50 kick
3 x 100 swim

4 x (on the 1:00)
50 sprint (40-42 each)
50 ez

300 pull
50 kick
50 fly

6 x 25 sprint (first 4 in 18-20s, last 2 in 17, 16)
50 ez cooldown

I did feel pretty good. I liked going for that walk with my mom... I've been having a little wintertime depression/SAD or whatnot and I think it was good to get outside a little. I think the lower-intensity cardio helped my body recover a bit, as well. I am going skiing with a friend Saturday so I want to do my second lower-body day tomorrow, so I want to be all loose and limber for it (it's POWER DAY!).


Food today....

Breakfast--Ezekiel bread, eggs, spinach, zucchini
(Walk)
Snack--quest bar, bunch of fruit (peach, blackberries, apple)
(Swim)
Lunch--Chicken, broccoli, brown rice, 1/2 oz nuts

[shesprints]

So given my higher activity level this week what with going skiing, I realized that to hit a 500-cal deficit I should average 2750 cal (agh high activity level is driving me nuts... I mean I don't mind it, I like being active, but I get so anxious about eating so much food to keep my energy up. I know this sounds probably like a nice problem to have, huh?

Oh well.

On the bright side I'm starting to notice I am leaner/lighter. On the darker side that means that power cleans are starting to feel heavier. But pushups and weighted jump lunges and box jumps are easier.



Today I did power day early so I can skip out and ski tomorrow. Then spin.


Candito Day 3--

Power clean 6 x 4 95lb
Jump lunge 6 x 4 20lb (each hand)
Box jumps 5 x 4
Broad jumps 5 x 4
Plyo pushups 5 x 4


Spinning--45 minutes
went pretty hard



Food...

Breakfast--(woke up starving at 5 am, ate at 6) light bread, eggs, spinach, zucchini
(workout)
Snack--light muscle milk, apple, banana, 1.3oz corn flakes, 1/3c milk

Rest of day is big ?????

[anandagirl]

Yes, I am jealous of all your food Glad you're feeling leaner!!!!

[shesprints]

Whew! Skied all day today 0.0 So much fun except we brought a friend who can't ski very well. My friend accidentally turned us down a black diamond and had to help her down. It took about an hour longer than it should have, their phones died, and I lost them! But it was OK, I later found them at the ski lodge. Whew.


Food was kinda catch-as-catch-can today. I brought apples and quest bars and there was sushi at the ski lodge (hella classy).

So food went like this:

Super early breakfast--light bread, eggs, spinach, cauliflower [getting in my vegetable early)
Snack--apple, quest bar
(skiing for 3 hours)
Lunch--9 pieces sushi, miso soup, edamame
(skiing 3 more hours)
Snack--apple, quest bar
Dinner--3/4c cottage cheese, broccoli, 1/2 cantaloupe, blackberries, 1/2 oz nuts, and probably some cereal idk

yeah I just got home it's really late I'm kinda scrounging my cupboards for food. FUN DAY THO! I only fell twice

[shesprints]

I think skiing really drew my attention to my left-right imbalance. Ever since I broke my femur on the right side, I have had difficulty activating the glute on the right hand side, and I tend to twist excessively to the right while skiing. I corrected that by the end of the day and seriously felt the difference in my movement quality. I continued to pay attention to activating my right glute while on the bike today and it felt a TON better. I didn't get the soreness in my left glute, hamstring, and even down the calf that I usually get from what I now think has to be a compensation pattern I've developed.

I'm going to continue to add accessory unilateral movements, like single leg leg press, and perhaps do an extra set with the right leg. I'm pretty sure that glute is lagging slightly in size and strength, and that's just asking for injury, which I'd like to AVOID. I think if I fix this, I will be able to run again pain-free! (Fingers crossed--I don't plan to really start running again until June, by which time ideally I will also be significantly lighter/leaner).

I was quite tired today, though. All that skiing takes a toll. -_- zonked.


Spinning--45 min
(focus on activating right side)

Candito Day 4

Spoto press bench* 6 x 4 85lb
BB row w/ pause 6 x 4 95lb
BB OHP 1 x 10 55lb
Lat pulldown w pause 1 x 10 90lb
Asst pull up 1 x 10 80lb
Lat pushdown 3 x 8 50lb
Face pull 3 x 8 40lb


I've been listing this move as "pause bench" but I've actually been doing a Spoto Press--i.e., a pause 2" above my chest rather than right AT the chest. I think it's hitting my weak point really well! I widened my grip very slightly this week and felt significantly better control over both the movement and my overall body tightness. I tend to grip the bar a little too narrowly, emphasizing triceps over pecs.

I have also been using the "female" (35lb) bar for my rows and presses because it's a lot easier to grip. As a result my control on those movements has improved as well. I am feeling better muscle activation in general, though my strength is stagnating due to that there cut.


Speaking of which, food....

Breakfast--light bread, eggs, spinach, zucchini
(workout)
Snack--Quest bar, apple
Lunch--same as breakfast but cauliflower + broccoli mix instead of zucchini
Snack--idk prob another quest bar and apple
Dinner--IS GONNA BE CHIPOTLE BURRITO yes that's right not a burrito bowl f*** that noise I need carbs and have been craving this forever. Barbacoa, brown rice, red pico/salsa, lettuce, guacamole. Straight up 955 calories. High fats, but don't mind, tomorrow is rest day (hence I don't need to load up on carbs... in general, I know nutrient timing isn't 100% important, but for me, given the frequency and intensity of my workouts, I do try to get a decent amount of carbs in each night knowing I'll be at the gym in the morning, or out all day on the ski slopes).