Back on stage - This is what 45 looks like

[Fiction2Fitness]

Nice work. Great that the cut is working so well. My weight is a little like that too, will seem like nothing is happening then bam.

Must admit: I've lived in LA now for a couple of years and have yet to actually feel any of the quakes.

[sy2502]

Nice work. Great that the cut is working so well. My weight is a little like that too, will seem like nothing is happening then bam.

Must admit: I've lived in LA now for a couple of years and have yet to actually feel any of the quakes.

Weighed myself this morning: 130.5lbs, so all good. I had my periodic stomach problems both Sunday and yesterday, and there's absolutely a correlation between my weight and these issues. I only have to pray I don't get them the day of competition. In my quest to figure out which B vitamin helps, I have been taking big doses of B1 and they seem to have made the greatest difference, this is the first stomach trouble I have had in several weeks.

I have to admit I was worried that the older I get, the harder it would be to lose weight, but so far it doesn't seem to hinder things. In fact this morning when I came out of the shower my hubby complimented me on my abs, which was great since the 6 pack isn't my strong point.

As for quakes, we had another 2.6 in the middle of the night, but this is nothing compared to the seismic swarm we had in February, where we would have up to 7-8 quakes a night. That was wearing me out, let me tell you!

[MissKB]

Wow! That's insane about the earth quakes. Congrats on being so close to the 120s! GO girllll!

[sy2502]

Alright, week 6 of 14 is coming to an end! Almost half way through already OGM where's time gone???

I am still stuck at 130.5lbs but this has been a trying week, I have had a lot of tummy troubles, and a nice migraine (they always come in spring and in fall!). The migraine wasn't as bad as others I have had, mostly the auras pretty bad, it was like when you get glare from sunglasses, but you are indoors, really annoying. The headache was like a screwdriver in the side of my head, which is a lot better than the generalized headache where if you move your head it feels like your brain is bashing against the skull. If you don't know what I am talking about, good for you, you don't want to know.

Anyway, not surprisingly, leg day yesterday was pitiful, I couldn't squat worth of crap, had to take a whole lot of weight off the bar to get anything done.

I am contemplating a little refeed day this weekend, nothing overboard, throw a few more carbs in, and let them do their magic.

[sy2502]

I have some progress pics

SixWeeks_Front.jpg
SixWeeks_Back.jpg

Definitely progressing, not sure if as much as I'd like. Anyway today I am taking a little refeed, and just like me, today that I can eat a bit more I am not the least hungry LOL.

[HomeGymChains]

Way to go!

[anandagirl]

I have some progress pics

Attachment 8906891
Attachment 8906901

Definitely progressing, not sure if as much as I'd like. Anyway today I am taking a little refeed, and just like me, today that I can eat a bit more I am not the least hungry LOL.

I know nothing, and apparently haven't learned anything about prep, but I think you look great!

[sy2502]

I know nothing, and apparently haven't learned anything about prep, but I think you look great!

LOL I don't either, I am a blind person stumbling around in a dark room. That's why I can't figure out for the life of me how some people do 1 competition and immediately style themselves as big prep gurus. I don't know how many preps I would have to do by myself to think I know what I am doing, and still that would mean nothing about prepping other people.

Yesterday I started wondering which of my 3 suits to wear. I may go back to my 1st, blue one. I bought a plain posing suit and blinged it myself, so I am pretty proud of that one. The cups are going to be more stuffed than a Thanksgiving turkey

[Mark1T]

I have some progress pics

Attachment 8906891
Attachment 8906901

Definitely progressing, not sure if as much as I'd like. Anyway today I am taking a little refeed, and just like me, today that I can eat a bit more I am not the least hungry LOL.

Better than ever. Awesome

[sy2502]

Better than ever. Awesome

Aw, you are always so kind!

[anandagirl]

LOL I don't either, I am a blind person stumbling around in a dark room. That's why I can't figure out for the life of me how some people do 1 competition and immediately style themselves as big prep gurus. I don't know how many preps I would have to do by myself to think I know what I am doing, and still that would mean nothing about prepping other people.

If I were you, I would be looking at photos from your previous preps and comparing. Not sure if that's helpful, but I know I do things like that (such as compare measurements from different times at different weights)

Yesterday I started wondering which of my 3 suits to wear. I may go back to my 1st, blue one. I bought a plain posing suit and blinged it myself, so I am pretty proud of that one. The cups are going to be more stuffed than a Thanksgiving turkey

Yeah!!!

[sy2502]

Weight this morning: 130lbs, so this week I only lost 0.5lbs which sets me behind schedule by 0.5lbs. So I am going to shave 100 cals from my diet and see if I can catch up. New macros are

135g protein
125g carbs
45g fat

cal: 1445

----------------

Also I finished a training "cycle" and what I usually do is take 1 or 2 weeks either to deload or to try different splits, or different set and rep schemes, go back to exercises I haven't done in a while, or try a heavier weight in some lifts and see how it feels. Of course I can't deload because I can't give my body any reason to get rid of muscle right now, so this week I am going to alternate days between full body workouts and cardio. I love full body workouts, they are fun because you get to do so many different things. So yesterday was the 1st full body workout:

- Shoulder presses
- Chest presses
- Hi to low rows
- Preacher curls
- Triceps cable pushdown
- Incline bench sit ups (heck that bench wasn't inclined, it was practically vertical!)
- Leg presses (no squat rack available) and I even threw some extra weight in for fun
- Ham curls
- Standing calf raises
- 30 mins cardio

[sy2502]

Another full body workout yesterday:

Bench presses
Pull ups
Lateral raises
Dips
Hanging leg raises
Squats
Calf raises

I am really digging full body workouts, they are so energizing!

Also yesterday I noticed my upper body is starting to lean out nicely. Now if only the lower body would follow suit, wouldn't that be nice? And of course, as soon as I have some good feelings about my prep, I have a stupid azz dream that poop all over them.

Last night I dreamt it was competition day, and I am back stage, and I see all the other competitors in their suits and they are all a million times more buff than me, so I just collected my stuff and walked away. I woke up so bummed! Stupid dreams...

[anandagirl]

Another full body workout yesterday:

Bench presses
Pull ups
Lateral raises
Dips
Hanging leg raises
Squats
Calf raises

I am really digging full body workouts, they are so energizing!

Also yesterday I noticed my upper body is starting to lean out nicely. Now if only the lower body would follow suit, wouldn't that be nice? And of course, as soon as I have some good feelings about my prep, I have a stupid azz dream that poop all over them.

Last night I dreamt it was competition day, and I am back stage, and I see all the other competitors in their suits and they are all a million times more buff than me, so I just collected my stuff and walked away. I woke up so bummed! Stupid dreams...

Damn dreams! LOL It does suck that we can't decide where our fat comes off first

[sy2502]

Damn dreams! LOL It does suck that we can't decide where our fat comes off first

First thing to go: bewbs. Always.

Completely unrelated: anyone else watching the series "The Terror"? I am addicted to it! I read the book a while ago, Dan Simmons is one of my favorite authors. I don't know how historically correct it is, but I am so hooked!

[anandagirl]

First thing to go: bewbs. Always.

Completely unrelated: anyone else watching the series "The Terror"? I am addicted to it! I read the book a while ago, Dan Simmons is one of my favorite authors. I don't know how historically correct it is, but I am so hooked!

I am! I can't say I'm totally addicted to it, but I'm watching it! I have to watch it on my ipad with my headphones on though or else I miss too much

[sy2502]

I am! I can't say I'm totally addicted to it, but I'm watching it! I have to watch it on my ipad with my headphones on though or else I miss too much

LOL I watch it with subtitles because English isn't my first language, and while I do fine with American accent, British accent can sometimes be hard to figure out, because they don't enunciate as clearly and mush letters together. Plus it's supposed to be 1800s English with mariner words I don't know, so thank goodness for subtitles.

Funny my husband usually watches TV with an eye on the TV and an eye on his computer, so he misses like half of what's going on. So every time I put the show on, he says "Oh they aren't dead yet?"

[sy2502]

Weight: 129.5lbs finally broke the 130lbs barrier woot!! I guess that calorie adjustment really was needed. And I don't really even feel it.

Yesterday I made some hella good diet food:

- Some all natural, organic chicken sausage I found at 90 cals a link
- Steamed kale with a spritz of lemon juice and a drip of olive oil
- Plain water and corn grits polenta, cooked very firm, then cut into pieces and grilled

450 cals in total, 100% taste!

[kimm4]

Looking great girl and you seem to be moving right along. I love full body workouts...my favorite way to train.

Keep it up!

[sy2502]

Looking great girl and you seem to be moving right along. I love full body workouts...my favorite way to train.

Keep it up!

Woot thank you Kim!!!

Now I am back to the "do I even look like I lift" phase, so go figure...

By the way today I believe marks the exact halfway point of the prep, 7 weeks down, 7 more weeks to go! I have to be honest with myself and appreciate the progress I have done in this first half, and if I can make about the same amount of progress in the second half, I should be in a good spot.

The only thing I dread about the more advanced phases of prep is how tired I am going to get. I am already a low energy person to begin with, I need all the energy I can get. I still remember on peek week last time: my cat was following me around wanting attention and I couldn't even bend over to pet him on the head, I was just talking to him hoping that would be enough LOL.

[sy2502]

Alright, weighed myself this morning and STILL at 129.5lbs. Crap! I even did more cardio than usual this week, and I am hungry enough to know I am not at maintenance calories. So what gives? So bummed... I know, I know, the leaner I get, the harder it is to lose more. But I really thought I had done everything right this week.

Anyway After my "off" week of full body workouts, I am ready to go back to regular training schedule, today, and look forward to my chest and bis day.

Friday they organized a lunch out for my group and I am still trying to figure out how I'm getting myself out of it.

[anandagirl]

Alright, weighed myself this morning and STILL at 129.5lbs. Crap! I even did more cardio than usual this week, and I am hungry enough to know I am not at maintenance calories. So what gives? So bummed... I know, I know, the leaner I get, the harder it is to lose more. But I really thought I had done everything right this week.

Anyway After my "off" week of full body workouts, I am ready to go back to regular training schedule, today, and look forward to my chest and bis day.

Friday they organized a lunch out for my group and I am still trying to figure out how I'm getting myself out of it.

Fingers crossed for a whoosh

[MissKB]

I'm sorry the weight hasn't budged for you - I'm sure you'll see it soon! good luck getting out of the lunch

[Partyrocking]

The scale is a fickle beast. You're doing the right things. The results will come.

[sy2502]

Thank you everyone! At 1450 cals a day, I'd rather not have to take them down more, at least for another few weeks, if I can help it. I'll weigh myself again tomorrow, see if it's just a bad day.

[Mark1T]

FYI - I had a dream that you won, sy. Kind of cancels out yours, k?

[sy2502]

FYI - I had a dream that you won, sy. Kind of cancels out yours, k?

LOL, gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "yeah, in your dreams!"

[Fiction2Fitness]

Hoping the scale cooperates for you. *crosses fingers*

[sy2502]

Hoping the scale cooperates for you. *crosses fingers*

Thank you! Especially because I see myself leaner, so either I am delusional or I don't know. This morning I had the most defined 6-pack I have ever had IN MY LIFE! I know it doesn't show in the photos, but seriously, I couldn't stop looking at it in the mirror. I have biceps veins. BICEPS VEINS!!! Another thing I don't get very easily. Oh well, paint me green and call me a pickle then.

[Mark1T]

psssst - sy, it is about time for new pics, pls