Jellsy

Weekly check in OK, I admit I've been giving the gym a wide berth this week. Should have come on here sooner and got some motivation. Just had one of those weeks where I found myself really busy and didn't mentally schedule in any gym time. The fact that its now dark by 4:30pm also just makes me want to hibernate in the evening too. Excuses aside - I've used my lighter workout schedule to get used to my much lower carb intake. I'm much happier with my food this week and my cravings for carbs have gone now. Parkrun yesterday was good - I got 29:17 which was an improvement on last weeks effort. Also, no DOMS today either. Last Sunday morning I could hardly walk! Back on it again today - was in the gym at 8am so feeling like my halo has been polished now!

Right then, back on with the challenge :-) Did my first parkrun of the challenge yesterday,my time was 30:44. I was late getting there and had a fairly long sprint to reach the start before the gun went off! Must get there earlier next week. First run in a long time too - I enjoyed being outdoors and the atmosphere was great. Really friendly run :-) Massive DOMS today though so I did some yoga, also something I haven't done since starting lifting. It felt so good to have a full stretch session so I think its something I'll try and do once weekly at least. I'm trying to keep my diet as low carb as poss just to get a bit leaner. Have started logging on myfitnesspal even though originally I thought I'd back off imposing strict dietary rules. Carbs today 68g

hmmm..being feeling a bit icky today. Decided might be best to postpone planned workout till tomorrow.Hopefully I'll be able to do it some justice by then. Food a bit random but nothing that hurts the cause too much. Just didn't really feel like anything too big so have been picking. A decent nights sleep should do the trick.

hello everyone! Wow that handiwork look amazing -very jealous of your creative talents Donnar Vaderung On the deadlifting topic, there are loads on you tube but this seems to make it simple and has definitely helped my form improve. I'm a lot more confident at adding some extra weight http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR4SOwLuVJA I like the dog too

Challenge 2 here I come! Have decided after much deliberating that I'm going to be with the rangers on this one. Hope thats ok with you Rangers. My mission here is to build on the foundation of strength and the good habits of regular workouts that I established in challenge 1. My goal for this one is to keep on with my strength gains and add in some running to the mix. I will achieve this by: 3 x weekly strength training sessions (following new rules for women, currently halfway through stage 2 -love, love, love this program!! its kicking my butt!) 1 x weekly timed 5K (parkrun) 1 x weekly dance class (more of a mental workout than physical as its tap dance but hey..it all counts!!) Eat the food that serves to help me get strong and fast and stay away from the stuff that doesn't. I am NOT going to weigh myself but will be keeping tabs on my measurements to make sure I'm not adding to the padding!! The running is going to be the big challenge in this one. Its cold and dark early which is why I'm aiming for the Saturday morning 9am parkrun fixture. At least it will be daylight and there are always a hundred or so other people there.

Nice one! I've put my name on the sign up sheet. Just got to set aside a bit of time to get to work on defining my new challenge goals. Happy to be on board :-)

I'm here! Funny I too started the handstand exercises yesterday. Baby steps on that one I think but would be a cool skill to learn. Am pretty pleased with how this challenge went overall. Will work out my points and get organised for the next challenge!

last day of this challenge!! was in the gym by 8:15 this morning - good going for a Sunday! Did the uninspiring titled bonus workout A today which is a benchmark workout doing as many reps as poss of each exercise at the first weight used 6 weeks ago. My challenge at the beginning was 20 full pushups -I did 16 before my form cracked. So, almost....but not quite hitting the mark My form went completely though when I was confronted with a sight I hope I never have to see in the gym again. I looked up from my prone position to see THE WORST EVER GYM WARDROBE in full action in front of me. Big dude, not a looker, wearing a tight vest top and what can only be described as the gym version of speedos leaving NOTHING to the imagination. Worse still he was doing leg mobilisation exercises which involved lots of high kicks and hip rotations. EEEEEWWWWW!! I swear there were bits on show that really ought not to be in public, and definitely not at that time on a Sunday morning. There are plenty of mirrors in there so clearly he was thinking this is a good look. It was horrible, I still feel a bit sick now!! I got the giggles - its hard to maintain any core stability when youre laughing!! Trying not to laugh made it worse! Can't wait for bonus workout B!

couldn't have put it better myself!

one more workout till end of challenge and end of stage 1 of NR4W plan I'm super duper proud of myself for sticking with it. There have been times when i've felt like Im just clocking in and getting on with it at the gym, not particualrly enthusiasticaly either. I have always, always come out of the gym feeling glad that I did it and way better that I'd done my workout rather than talk myself out if it. After stage 1 the NR4W plan advises a week off before beginning stage 2. I'm going to enjoy my week off although its not going to be spent being lazy. Its school hols and I have time off work to be with the kids too - they will be keeping me pretty active!

nice work on keeping up with the diet changes! and diet coke- my guilty secret for a long time too, thankfully no more though..

NB minimus shoes. Love them for lifting in. Bought them for running in about a year ago and hated them,they've stayed in the back of the cupboard unloved after my first 2 runs in them. (My calves still ache at the memory!) I forgot about them until after my first few sessions in my normal running shoes. I'm pretty sure they make a difference. I like them because you can wear them with comfortably with bare feet. I've noticed a couple of other guys wearing them in my gym for lifting too.

Hmmm so this week I've not been quite so diligent with my workouts, missed one midweek but am planning on doing alternate days from today to compensate this week. Have 3 more workouts to do and I've completed all of stage 1 of my NR4W plan. Diet needs a bit of tweaking tho'....work in progress!!

Sorry to hear you're feeling poorly Shem -definitely not conducive to training! Hopefully you'll be back on form in no time. One more week to go everyone! Looking at the entries there are a few of us strength in numbers team who have kept on going. No giving up now :-) My favourite bit of kit today.....foam roller. So good...so flipping painful!!

Thanks Shemy! Have just noticed we can give ourselves 10 points for getting through to the end of week 3 and move up to level 1, yeah! I am going to allocate my points as follows: STR: 2 DEX: 1 STA: 2 CON: 2 (managed to be the only one in our house who hasn't succumbed to yucky cold and cough) WIS: 2 (sticking to my paperwork/admin challenge) CHR: 1

I have put on weight!!! weighed myself for the first time since the challenge started yesterday and I have added 5lbs! My jeans still fit fine so I'm hoping this is muscle. I did have a bit of a sugar moment at the weekend so maybe I'm paying a bit for that too. Wouldn't normally push me up that far though! Putting on weight, even if it is the right kind, is a bit of a mental hurdle for us girls. We are usually achieving when the number on the scales go down. For a long time I used to weigh myself every morning and then my day would be defined as to whether the number was up or down. (preferably down!) On the other hand I feel great, wasn't really overweight to start with and am getting stronger as I progress through my workout plan. All plus points so I'm going to carry on with the plan (and try to keep the sugar demons at bay!)

Still here! I like your photos Shem Still going with the challenge too. I believe there may even be some muscles developing! I've read the squat and deadlift chapters in 'Starting Strength' - very detailed. There are some good YouTube videos of Mark Rippetoe analysing the moves too (bit less heavy going than the book!)

Week 3 update I Love my gym!!! Have spent a lot more time in there in the past 3 weeks than usual and I've noticed how good it really is. Loads of decent kit, biggish free weights area, big zone for functional fitness and people doing some good stuff too , and best of all some friendly faces. Before I started following this plan I was pretty clueless when I went to the gym. I did go but stuck mainly to classes, cardio machines or went running instead. Now I know exactly what my goals are before I even get I there, and I actually took forward to going too!! So this week I accomplished almost all my challenge targets for the week. Skipped tennis Wednesday evening as I was pretty exhausted. Otherwise pretty consistent. Just not too good at logging it on here!

busy, busy week ...finally managed to get 5 mins spare to catch up on here! Still going strong at end of week 2. I am adding weight each time I do my workouts and am beginning to feel stronger.. even managed to do 2 sets of 12 full push ups without stopping in each set this week. First time ever I've managed to do full sets with decent form. No wimpy girly half pushups on my knees..yeah!! Food choices reasonably good. And...this is probably the part I've found hardest to be consistent with....my paperwork is up to date!! L4dyh4wk - how true -I too have parted with good money in my time to PT's! attackbunny -cheers for the link, some great advice on there.

Hi SassyMum welcome aboard! Im in Sheffield, UK I'm in the minority in this group as I'm following New Rules of Lifting 4 Women rather than the stronglifts most of you guys are doing. It does have me deadlifting, squatting and progressively adding weight for each workout too so I don't feel too left out! Nearly at 45kgs squat too

Hi Shemyazaz and attackbunny ! Thanks for your encouragement. Deadlifts felt a bit better - I feel like I'm working so much harder doing those than I ever did in any Zumba class!! Are you doing a particular programme attackbunny? Had to laugh at your lunges comment as I seem to spend my lunge part of my workout trying to keep upright. I have to concentrate so hard on my balance I don't notice the lunges so much!

Week 1 down Have stuck to the plan and challenge still well on track. Weekend away which was great but had much less control over my food choices as was staying with family and not in my own kitchen. Was really glad I'd been so strict with my food all week as I felt there was room for a bit of indulgence. (Carrot cake - 1 slice, every mouthful savoured!) I downloaded Starting Strength - now that is one serious book! Hopefully it'll help me work on decent form but so much information....! Deadlift day today so I'll aim to apply as much of his advice as I can. Ive definitely been starting with the bar too far away from me up till now, despite having asked one of the trainers at the gym to check over my form. (Maybe I should get him to read the book too!) So, week 2....bring it on

Hi Elaine! Wow its sounds like life is pretty full on for you. Good for you on starting the challenge. Good luck! (I'm on the team too )

Rest Day today -just as well really as yesterday I hit the gym at lunchtime and then had 90 mins tennis in the evening. My legs are somewhat achy today! Food still good -100% primal this week so far. Have had to step away from the fridge at work which appears to be wall to wall chocolate! Grrrrr!

Hi Meteoric! Nice start to the challenge!