Get fit or die trying

[brankers]

I'm finally starting a journal on here, I've been meaning to for a while now.

Female, 37, 5'4'', 128lbs, 32% bf

Current situation:

On week 10 of Strong Curves (Bootyful Beginnings) and I am totally loving it. I love getting stronger in the gym each week. This is my first structured weightlifting program and I started it March 2018. I am starting to see changes in the mirror. So far I have lost an inch off my waist.

Recently increased cals again - eating 1600 cals a day and getting 120g protein. Not sure how I am eating more (up from 1250 to 1400 to 1600) and seem to be eating at maintenance again because I've weighed in at 128 every day for the last 2 weeks. I'm cool with it though; am trying to put on some muscle. Will likely increase calories some more in due time.

I am getting my wisdom tooth extracted tomorrow and the dentist had told me back during my office visit that the downtime would be 3 weeks (!!!). I will speak to him again tomorrow and hopefully I won't have to miss more than a week of lifting, but if he's adamant about it then oh well.

That's all I can think of for now.

[mom2sethc]

Hi! and welcome!!!

I did Strong Curves previously and really enjoyed it!!

3 weeks? Yikes!!! My son had 3 wisdom teeth extracted and ran 2 days afterwards! 3 weeks seems excessive??

[brankers]

Hi! and welcome!!!

I did Strong Curves previously and really enjoyed it!!

3 weeks? Yikes!!! My son had 3 wisdom teeth extracted and ran 2 days afterwards! 3 weeks seems excessive??

Hi, thanks

Yeah, I am not sure why it would be so long. I had my extraction rescheduled for 2 weeks from now so I did not get a chance to speak to the dentist about it.

[anandagirl]

Everyone has their preferences - I hated Strong Curves but probably because I wanted to lift like the big boys. Good luck with the wisdom teeth extraction and minimizing the rest, but enjoy it while you get it

[brankers]

Everyone has their preferences - I hated Strong Curves but probably because I wanted to lift like the big boys. Good luck with the wisdom teeth extraction and minimizing the rest, but enjoy it while you get it

Hey, to each their own I feel like I respond really well to it, the way it's structured I guess. I really love it.

Thanks, it's coming up in one week ugh... Trying to get in as many workouts as I can before then

[brankers]

I have been weighing myself every day for the past 3 weeks (ever since my DEXA and getting the new [digital] scale) and I am averaging 128/129lbs, fluctuating between 128 and 130. I'm cool with that. I did notice I gained 1/2 an inch on my waist though. Not sure how I feel about that just yet.

I am also getting stronger in the gym which is an amazing feeling. I have decided that once I finish SC (currently on week 11) I'll repeat it for 3 more rounds but alternate between lower weight/higher reps and higher weight/lower reps each round. So, next round I'll be doing higher weight/lower reps.

Motivation has been pretty good, and it's mentally not easy to know I'll need to take some time off after I get this wisdom tooth yanked out but it's all part of the process so I need to just roll with it. I'll be extra mindful of my diet and try to keep my protein high during the downtime.

All in all, happy with where I am at the moment

[brankers]

Oh boy.

So this morning I drove myself to the E.R. for what I thought was heat exhaustion/dehydration. I have been to the hospital before for dehydration and I was having a lot of the same symptoms - nausea, headache, weakness, drowsiness, muscle cramps, dizziness, blurred vision, hot flashes. I also felt like I had a UTI (I've had dozens in my lifetime) which I figured was brought on by the dehydration. Well, the blood and urine test came back "perfect" in the words of the doc. Perfect?? Then why was I having all these crazy symptoms? Diagnosis: mild dehydration. I left the E.R really confused.

I had been noticing these symptoms increasing all week, and finally put my finger on what it was. Except it wasn't that. I haven't been able to work out since Monday because I am so weak and dizzy and I didn't want to push myself. For what it's worth I have been taking Quadralean fat burner (non-stimulant) for about 6 weeks or so. I wonder if that has anything to do with this, and if I should cycle off?

Doctor told me I was totally fine and couldn't say why I was experiencing these symptoms. Anyone else ever experience this? It's been really hot in TX and I don't have AC in my garage gym (only 2 fans) - and I have been pushing through the sweat and dizziness during my workouts the last few weeks because I could handle it (or so I thought). My blood shows that my electrolytes are fine.

[brankers]

Yesterday I was supposed to get my wisdom tooth extracted but when I got there the dentist informed me he refused to do it because he didn't have the necessary tools and he had a patient similar to me whose tooth took 4 hours to get out and he didn't want to put me through that. So to make a long story short I got a filling and can resume lifting as normal.

Very excited about that - however - I am definitely feeling better but I am still weak and light-headed a lot of days, especially when I first wake up and it seems to get better during the day. Feels kind of like very low blood pressure. I haven't worked out in over a week now but hopefully today I will. I crave it.

Weight is now averaging 129.

[brankers]

Well I'm feeling right as rain again and have been back to working out consistently. Next week I start round 2 of SC. I've been screwing up on my diet lately, been tracking only loosely and have gained a few pounds but I look like I've gained a lot of fat esp. in my midsection. Not happy with my appearance right now. I'm probably just bloated but either way I'm not happy. My clothes don't fit right when a month ago they looked really great. It's frustrating.

In the gym, however, I am killing it. Setting PRs with every session. I've noticed I can always lift more when I eat a lot the previous day. FUEL!

[brankers]

So I paid for a one-time custom macro consult to get my calories and macros in order. Whatever I was doing or thought I was doing was not working. My waist went up to 28in when it had been 27 and I was not having it. I have been on my custom macros for a little over a week now and it's been going very well. Not feeling deprived and feeling strong in the gym. They are fat-loss macros since I decided I should lose more fat before I start to bulk PLUS it's summer. I'll start my bulk after the summer.

On week 2 round 2 of SC. Loving it.

I finally feel like I have structure in my workouts and diet and that I just need to keep going to see some real changes.

[rgvmkd]

Did they recommend higher protein lower carbs?

[brankers]

Did they recommend higher protein lower carbs?

Actually no - my protein was at 120g and she set it to 105g. Carbs are at 130g, fat 45g. So I'd say moderate balance between macros.

[brankers]

I'm not dead! I'm actually doing really well. Halfway through my second round of SC and loving it. I plan on doing at least one if not 2 more rounds. I'm weighing in these days at around 128 lbs. Lost an inch in my waist. I'm going to stay with my fat loss macros just a little bit longer after which I will switch to maintenance cals to see how I do. I am eager to build some muscle as I've leaned out but I do not have as much shape as I'd like. If need be I will go on a slow bulk over the cooler months.

I am struggling with sticking to my cals during that time of the month. My PMS lasts 2 weeks.... 2 weeks of insanely intense cravings and bloat. I also found that I'm very bloated a lot of the time. Could be the types of foods I'm eating. I don't think it's body fat because it comes and goes but it sure FEELS like fat, since when I pinch skin from there (abdominal area), the folds are always very thick.

Took a deload week last week and feel like I'm a little weaker overall this week. Still killing it though.