JessFit

Hi all! Touching base, the move went ok, most of the boxes are unpacked. Things are still a mess but that's getting better. I was in NJ for work, then got to visit my brother in NYC and enjoy part of World Pride Week and visit Stonewall on the 50th anniversary. I'm about to head out of town again this weekend, Chicago for the weekend, NYC Monday night, and then road tripping back from NYC to Chicago during the week. It should be an adventure. I did lift while in NJ but I haven't since the beginning of July, there is far too much to do. I desperately miss the gym. Today I'll finish cleaning the old apartment, yesterday when I moved the apartment dryer out to clean behind it I found 3 pairs of womens underwear and a shoe, none of which were mine. I guess the people before me didn't clean too well. I return the keys to my apartment tomorrow which will be a sigh of relief, this moving nonsense has been a bother. Despite not really being able to cook, my weight is holding steady. The condo is pretty fantastic but the woman who sold it to me lied about a LOT of things so I've been scrambling to try to fix things that I didn't budget time or money to deal with. It is still bright and light and airy, in a wonderful location, and it is coming together very nicely. The cat likes having a deck to sit on too. I'll be back for the August challenge, and back to the gym then too. Miss you all and hope that you're doing well!

Yesterday I hung out with a parrot, got my hair colored, and benched 100lbs for sets! I'm SO EXCITED! I've not benched this much in 2.5 years, and I've never benched this much at this low of a body weight. My best ever bench was 120 for a single, and I'm desperate to overtake that number. I'm so exhausted and I have so much to do that meal prep has fallen to the side. I'm too stressed to sleep well, and too tired to function well. I'm thankful that my lifts are going as well as they are considering I'm fried. Goal 1: 83.67%/80% compliant. Goal 2: Chin-up and pull-up work 4x a week: 7/20 Goal 3: Lift 2X week. 9/10 Goal 4: Cardio 1x/week: 7/5

Harry Potter themed brunch? WHAT!?

Your lifts seem to be going really well, YAY!

Hugs, feel better!

sometimes you need the sleep more than you need the exercise. Balance is important.

Great job, seems like you're in a solid place.

Sensible? What is sensible? Joking, you're going the right route here and it is great that you realize this. Ask yourself what your macros are and if you're eating properly/healthy most of the time. It occasionally helps to get someone who knows to calculate your ideal macros for you. I've done paleo and I have seen people drop weight on Keto, but those are predominately too low carb for maximal lifts. Carbs are necessary for building muscle and what you eat as carbs are important. Fluff carbs aren't going to serve you as well as sweet potatoes, rice, and whole wheat pasta. When I first started lifting I hit a bit of a plateau, backed off, worked back up, and blew through my plateau. My nutrition was decent and I was able to keep going with novice gains. When this didn't work and I couldn't keep pushing the novice gains, deloads weren't getting the job done, and I was plateaued really hard, I had to switch the programming up. When deloads stop working and/or your nutrition is on point and you're still hitting plateaus regularly, it is a good indicator that it is time to move on to intermediate programming. Each person is different so you've got to listen to your body.

Funny story, my mother (aka my favorite travel buddy) cannot pass a tower without wanting to climb it... it is physically impossible for her to not stop and inquire. We've climbed towers and belfries in multiple states and countries. In November in San Diego we did 50 floors one day, in September the Cologne Cathedral got us to 67 floors in about 30 minutes. I fully have to train at the gym to keep up with my 57 year old mother when we do things! (Side note: she lives in Arizona and volunteers at multiple state parks and hikes about 3 days a week year round. Last week she just hiked the Grand Canyon, again... She lives the active life. I train for the active life as I stare out the gym window at snow and rain. Stupid Iowa.) I was like, "ugh, moving sucks, 48 flights today and that was just some snacks and basic toiletries and cleaning supplies." She goes, "Wow, wimp." Thanks Mom! Hahahaha she said it with love though. I think this is the ideal method for the "I think I can, but I'm not positive," moments. Still, go ahead and give the magic a try, you're totally gonna hit that 190 DL soon anyway! I prefer it to be a small zoo, but my HOA would have issues with that... I travel too much for it to be dogfull even though I'm desperately in want of a doggo but I hope the kitty enjoys it. On the dogfull note, I found my new favorite sport this weekend! I attended the Dachshund Derby and it is EXACTLY what it sounds like. Random weiner dogs racing. The athletes have a 100% chance of stealing your significant other but they're so cute you totally understand it. Attached photo is of Bear, he got kind of excited by all the people and never left the starting line, he was too busy trying to make friends with all the people around him. 12/10 still a great weiner.

WIZARD PLATES! WOOO WOO! I will get to 135, some day, for at least one! I WILL! So, I'm a home owner now... yikes. Dad came to visit this weekend and he works nights so I ended up awake from 3am Saturday morning to 1am Sunday. He slept a chunk of hours mid day. I got far too few hours of sleep this weekend, but whatever. I'm dropping the ball on everything. No meal prep, haven't eaten an on-plan meal in 4 days, etc. That being said, thanks to stress, I've actually lost 1.5lbs. Squatted on Thursday, 170x5x3. I wasn't feeling it, so after the second set I wrote my squats down in my log as "completed," because then I HAD to do them. It worked and I got them done. Yay. Bench again tomorrow night. Holding myself to 2 days a week seems to be doing the trick during this crazy move time. I did, however, get upwards of 10K steps 5 of the last 7 days, and upwards of 9k steps the other 2. Not bad for a powerlifter with a desk job lol. I also got 48 flights of stairs on Friday, because 3rd floor to 3rd floor without elevators while moving basic stuff in gets you a whole lot of stairs. Goal 1: 82.61%/80% compliant. Goal 2: Chin-up and pull-up work 4x a week: 6/20 Goal 3: Lift 2X week. 8/10 Goal 4: Cardio 1x/week: 7/5

Baby steps are still steps! Good for you for the progress you're making.

CONGRATS!

I feel you on enjoying social time but just needing to be alone. Whew it sounds like a busy weekend for you!

Depression is crap and I'm sorry. A lot of times it throws a tantrum and I miss the gym too. That is ok, it is ok to identify the cause and let it happen. You got back at it this weekend. Hugs

I am also a weirdo powerlifter coming from a dance background, and after 25 years of dance classes, I'm told that my hip are too flexible to properly sumo. I tend to get stuck in the hole in sumo. I actually practically cut back on mobility work, yoga, and dance before a big meet because it is super common for my hips to refuse to work properly and then I get stuck in the hole on squats and deads. I do pull and squat with a 45 degree angle turn out with conventional lifts.

I close on the condo tomorrow, eeeeek. I did the mentally beneficial thing yesterday and took half a day off work to pack up my sewing room. I'm so glad I did. It was necessary. I've also got my new to me porch furniture painted. I had a great lift on Tuesday where I busted through my bench plateau and repped out 95 lbs for 3 sets of 5. 90 is usually my sticking point and I'm hoping that I can continue to make progress. I'm still eating my stress (and getting too busy and forgetting meal prep) but I'm staying stable in weight. I did 2 full days of chin up work this week and one yoga class, all of which contribute to my goals. Sorry I'm not being as active on the forums, I'm catching up on everyone every few days though. Hugs Goal 1: 85.12%/80% compliant. Goal 2: Chin-up and pull-up work 4x a week: 5/20 Goal 3: Lift 2X week. 7/10 Goal 4: Cardio 1x/week: 7/5

Squats are looking good! Woo

Yay for being back in the gym! I'm not sure how sumo DLs work either, they're perpetually confusing to me. Conventional just feels smoother.

PUPPY!

You're probably right. I just know that I don't have any free weekends between now and the move, and I'm traveling for work, trying to paint the new place, etc. So I don't want my focus to have to be on packing. As for my squat, THANK YOU! I get frustrated because my best squat in the last year has been 200 lbs for 2 singles. Previously my best was 250 for a single, I accept that I took 2 years off but I sometimes get frustrated when I'm "only" repping 170 since my comeback. Its nice to be reminded that I'm actually maybe a little strong lol.

I've spent the bulk of the last week helping a friend move. She's a single mom with a 4 year old so I spent a lot of the week child wrangling. I got very little of my own packing done and didn't make it to the gym at all. Basically failed all my own goals this week... stress eating, no gym, zero chin up work, but I guess I got in cardio when I took the small human to swim in the lake. I do not begrudge her the time I spent helping her, but I'm closing in 4 days and I'm a bit panicked now. The upside is that I've got 30 days til the move, the downside is that I'm hella busy in those 30 days. I've got the bulk of my books and my kitchen packed, which is good. I'm trying to buy fewer groceries and eat through what I've got so I have less to move. I'm constantly putting stuff in the give away bag. I really really really need to dedicate myself to packing up my craft room. This morning I went to the gym at work, because sleep is a thing I'm not real good at lately. I was supposed to squat 170 but I only worked up to 135. I'm not a morning gym kind of person, but any workout is better than no workout right now. Hope everyone had a lovely weekend!

I absolutely get where you're coming from as the "smart" but weak child. I was told often as a kid/teen/young adult that I couldn't do things because I was too feminine, too nerdy, too weak, etc. That I'd hate something and not to bother trying it, even though I really wanted to try it. So on and so forth. I'm lucky to be overcoming that in my adult life. I'm still unable to throw or catch or run, but I'm pretty damn strong. If it is ever something that you want to talk about, I'm here for you!

Sounds like it was at least a productive weekend, even if it didn't entirely go according to plan.

I'm 100% with you there. I had Doritos and root beer and sour patch kids for dinner yesterday. Then I felt like poo after. I knew in advance that this was a bad decision but bad decisions is how I roll... just look at the list of people I've dated in my life! Congrats on the writing being submitted! As far as bodily progress goes, you can also consider things like if your exercises are easier than they used to be or if you're going further or moving more weight than you used to.

The painting ended up turning out beautifully! I'm not surprised that she loved it.