Seacailin

I've been following your posts but haven't posted in a while! Anyways, just wanted to comment on the awesome progress you're making, both with running and learning how to navigate the weight room. It's really motivated me to find a trainer who can check out my form and do the BF measurements. As far as the workout pocket search goes, I'd recommend checking out TJ Maxx or Marshalls for running stuff, they have a good selection of high quality stuff and it's much cheaper. I've seen workout tops there with pockets, though they might not fit a Galaxy phone. A lot of running shorts I've gotten there have a small pocket in the back or front--I usually use an armband when I run outside so not sure how it would work with an mp3 player in the shorts pocket, but it's worth a shot! You could use the belt clip for the phone when you need it and then shorts or shirt pockets for an mp3 player. I also had this hilarious vision of a running cap with a pocket sewed into the top for your phone and ear buds coming down the sides. . .possibility?? haha

It looks like you've had an exciting week, esp moving into your new place!!! SO close to the beach! (and hooray for having a stove!) The aerial class sounds fun and a great way to keep in shape. There was an aerial troupe at my college that did amazing performances and I always thought it looked so graceful yet thrilling.

Awesome, thanks guys! I tried to incorporate some of these new routines into my workout today. I'm still doing 3 sets of 8 reps, I might drop it back to 6 and increase weight depending on how I'm feeling. I want to gain strength but also maintain a bit of endurance for sustained activities like climbing. 1/2 mile warmup 24 military presses (15 lb dumbbells) 24 bench presses (20 lb dumbbells) 24 bent-over row (15 lb dumbbells) 24 front row (15 lb dumbbells) 24 squats (95 lbs) 24 deadlifts (75 lbs) 40 calf raises 5 chin ups, quickly up and slow lowering (want to work on these!!) 20 situps with 10 lb ball 20 "cherry picker" crunches w/ 10 lb 30 ab "leg throw-downs" varied directions (not sure of name for these, you hold partner's ankles and they push your legs down, you bring them back up straight) 30 ab rollers 1/2 mile cool down Theres no bar to do dips at the tiny gym I have access to, which is a bummer since I like those set-ups for ab exercises too. Might have to make do with the kitchen stools at home. I really liked this routine and am looking forward to adjusting the weights for some of these exercises, esp. deadlift--I think I can go heavier and want to try upping the weight for my last set and see how it works out. I don't want to get injured but also want to make sure I'm pushing myself enough to feel tired out after that final rep! The paleo diet has been going great, I feel really good cutting carbs out. I eat sweet potatoes a few times a week and that really satisfies the "carb" like cravings, esp. baked sweet potato fries---so good! The only thing I really get intense cravings for are chocolate ice cream. I didn't even really eat ice cream super often before the diet, once a week at most, so that's kinda strange! I put the ingredients in the freezer tonight to make Paleo ice cream tomorrow, so looking forward to that! Thanks again for the great feedback/advice, it helps to get different opinions and input on this sort of thing!!

Kalaq---thanks so much for taking the time to write all that!!! This is super helpful and I really appreciate it. I think I really need to re-examine my current routine and find something that is all-inclusive and simpler. I haven't even really realized how I've been working the same muscles multiple times, most times I pick up a weight and if it's not sore when I lift it I'm like "ok, I must not have used this muscle yet so I'll do (x) exercise!" I actually have been using dumbbells for everything that says "barbells" up there haha--- It sounds like I need to simplify my upper body the most. From what you're saying, I should probably cut out a lot of the isolation exercises and do dumbbell bench press, military presses, bent-over rows, and pull-ups for upper body. Currently on lower body I'm doing squats, lunges, deadlifts, calf raises, and leg curls. Unbalanced training has been a concern of mine since I began. When I was doing a lot of rock climbing I had a very strong back and shoulders and had to make sure to do push-ups after a day of climbing to maintain the pull/push muscle balance to avoid injury. I did climbing 3x a week, along with pull-ups and pushups. Since I haven't been climbing I'm a little lost on the whole upper-body circuit. I've honestly been thinking about hiring a personal trainer for a session when I go home for Christmas just to check on my form and show me what moves I'm missing. For now I'm going to look around the NF weight posts. . . Thanks again, and your feedback was definitely not critical or annoying in any way!! This is exactly the kind of advice I need/was looking for by joining NF. Also, I graduated from art school so I'm very accustomed to and welcoming of constructive feedback/criticism

awesome paleo spread!! I like hearing about some of the paleo foods you make (like those paleo "deviled eggs", I have an avocado and eggs so I might try that tomorrow. . . .) Looking forward to your recipe posts!

ha, that tree adventure was awesome! Real-life proof of success from your strength training, and it hasn't even been that long. I'm sure your progress is going to be even more impressive after a few weeks. Keep it up! (and get some sleep! haha)

Sorry to hear you've been having a rough week. Hopefully the parkour is a nice release from all that crazy stress It's a bummer about the diet-related stuff :/ it's a tough situation to be in when you're living off the generosity of friends and don't want to be too imposing with dietary restrictions. If it's any consolation a few days of carbs shouldn't hurt your progress at all, though it may be frustrating. Good luck!!!

I'm sorry to hear you were sick this week! Glad you're feeling better now. It's amazing how when you start thinking of food as actual fuel it changes the way you perceive and eat. Congrats on resisting those whoppers If you feel like your body wants more I think you should go for it!!! Maybe just try adding one or two additional exercises a day and see how you feel! Keep at it!!

Well it's been a little bit since I did a log! Thanksgiving was great, I ran twice while we were staying in Tampa (about 2 miles each time) and did bodyweight exercises (bicycle sit ups, lunges, squats, pushups, calf raises) After we got back I've been having some stomach problems for the past week so broke Paleo for a few days to add greek yogurt at meals and that seemed to do the trick. Back in the weight room today! I tried doing 3 sets of 8 reps instead of 3x10 this time and upped the weight a bit! 1/2 mi warmup 45 incline situps 45 pushups 45 calf raises 30 lunges each side 24 squats (95 lbs) 24 deadlifts (75 lbs) 24 side arm flies (10 lb barbells) 24 bench press (20 lb barbells) 8 military presses (20 lb barbells) 24 bicep curls (15 lbs) 24 tricep extensions (1 25 lb barbell) 24 leg curls (50 lbs--really proud of this one, up from 37.5 lbs!) 1/2 mile cool down Also found that it's .4 miles to the gym so that adds a .8 mi walk to my workout every day. I weighed myself today and according to the scale I've dropped 5 lbs, I'm now 125. I'm more looking forward to strength gains and lost inches--I'm saving my "measuring day" to the last day of the challenge. My jeans are definitely fitting better so that's a good sign! One thing I'm totally losing at is the handstand practice every day--I've been forgetting so often! Going to try and end strong on that.

Way to tackle your fitness and life quests this week! The full range of motion/opposites exercises are a smart training choice to avoid injury. Hope you and your lady friend enjoy the Hunger Games--I just saw it last weekend and it was amazing! (And very inspiring on a fitness level haha)

That is amazing progress!!! Congrats!! That salad sounds really tasty too. I would make sure you're eating enough calories (and protein) throughout the day to sustain your metabolism so it doesn't slow down too much and you can keep shedding the pounds. Maybe make an extra big dinner at night and take the leftovers for lunch the next day to help supplement? Anyways, congrats again!!

That rep breakdown is really helpful! Hm, I might step by reps back a little and increase weight. It's hard because I want to have muscular endurance for rock climbing, but the strength/size gains would be appealing too. I wonder if I trained with "strength" reps at the gym and then did yoga it would balance out? Yoga seems to build more "endurance" type muscle since it's sustained body weight exercises. . .Away at the in-laws now but will see if I can up the weight and decrease the reps when I get back to the gym! I'm planning on going for a run and doing some body weight exercises tomorrow before Thanksgiving. I've decided to allow myself some pie and mashed potatoes tomorrow, of course last year at Thanksgiving that would mean loads of mashed potatoes, some cookies, hot chocolate, and two pieces of pie, but since starting Paleo I've gotten WAY more in control of portion sizes--and way more satisfied with just protein and veggies. Went to Busch Gardens with my husband today, he doesn't like roller coasters so we just visited all the animals but it was a ton of fun. We had one little exception to our diet today: we split a cup of Dippin Dots. I mean, it's the ice cream of the future---and apparently only served at amusement parks. My mom and dad-in-law have been really awesome accommodating us on the Paleo diet while we're staying with them. We had grilled chicken tonight with green beans, spinach, and mushrooms. My mother in law was really curious about the Paleo diet so I got to explain some of the basic principles and why we started it. She's been doing WeightWatchers for a while now and not really enjoying it. So, after Thanksgiving she will be going Paleo with us! Pretty stoked about that Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! (or at least, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the US and Happy Thursday to everyone else !!

@Kan---your outdoor skills quest sounds awesome. I'm also picturing you living in a remote lodge with no electricity and taxidermy on the walls--much like Ron Swanson's cabin in Parks and Rec haha. Let me know how that deer hide turns out!

Hey, good luck on your challenge! Sounds like you're off to a good start. Some of my fave body weight exercises are "mountain climbers", squat jumps, lunges, tricep dips, and of course extreme ab workouts haha. I bought a pretty cheap pull up/chin up bar at Target, it installs over a door frame in literally two seconds. I look forward to seeing your progress to assassin/ranger!

Gym workout today: 1/2 mi warmup 45 incline situps 45 pushups 30 side arm flies (5 lbs) 30 forward arm flies (5 lbs) 30 deadlifts (65 lbs) 30 squats (85 lbs) 30 walking lunges (each leg) 30 bicep curls (15 lbs) 30 leg curls (37.5 lb.) 30 calf raises 30 assisted pull-ups 30 tricep dips 1/2 mile cool down and walk back to home! I felt really good about my lifting workout today, I feel like I'm getting the hang of deadlifts and was able to increase my weight significantly from last week. I'm leaving tomorrow to go to my in-laws for Thanksgiving so will have to do more body weight exercises and cardio while I'm away. Will do some handstand practice later today when my muscles bounce back a little bit!

Hey guys! haha @Dino--for some reason that image of a dude doing "ab Rollers" with a 45 lb plate made me chuckle--the one at my gym is just a little dinky plastic thing that probably weighs about 3 pounds haha. Thanks for the encouragement @Kalaq, I'm definitely not overweight but just want to change my body comp. to be more athletic and strong. I've been lifting about 3 times a week so that I don't overdo it--I have a lifting session tomorrow so we'll see how it goes! I'm not too experienced in terms of when to add weight--I figure that once I can finish 3 sets of 10 and still feel quite good I should probably up the weight 5-10 lbs? I want to set some immediate and ultimate goals for weight too but I'm not sure how to go about doing that/what are realistic gains to make. I'd like to be able to squat 200 lbs bc I always joke w my husband about wanting to be strong enough to carry him out of a burning building The Paleo diet has been going well, it gets easier every day! This week we made the most amazing Americanized Korean BBQ, one of my fave dishes. You marinate thin slabs of beef in oil, minced garlic, and jalapenos, then sear on the pan and cut into slivers. Saute onions and peppers in olive oil and add a bit of red chili paste (HOT!). Wrap beef and veggies in a lettuce wrap (maybe add a few chopped jalapenos if you like it really spicy) and eat! When we weren't on Paleo we'd add rice to the lettuce wrap too, and soy sauce and peanut butter to the beef marinade. It still tasted really good though, and I heated up the leftovers with scrambled eggs in the morning and made a lettuce breakfast wrap. TIme to rest up for lifting tomorrow!

Way to bust it out!! All I can say is keep it up!! We did HvZ on my college campus every year and things got INTENSE haha--I never participated (I'd be way too paranoid, it lasts about a week!) but I had friends who got really into it. Your once-a-month meetup sounds like great exercise!

I'm definitely trying that sweet potato recipe tomorrow!! One dessert I've been enjoying occasionally is "paleo ice cream"--freeze a banana and a handful of strawberries, throw them in the blender with a little bit of coconut milk and a bit of vanilla. So good! Your v press is looking really good, you have a great sense of balance and poise so I'm sure it will come together very soon!! I haven't tried almond flour yet but have seen a few paleo baking recipes online that use it--I bought coconut flour last week but have been a bit wary to try it. . . From what I could tell in my research these "flours" seem okay--often people use a combo of both in recipes to get the best texture. Not sure about the quinoa!!

As they say, "variety is the spice of life"--so a combo of gym and outdoor workouts should keep things interesting! Are you speaking of Geocaching on the RPGs using GPS devices?

I like your Plato quote! Nice job keeping consistent with the workouts!! You seem to have a great positive attitude that will be a big help for the next 6 weeks, even with a few slip ups. Keep it up!!

Glad to hear you found a more enjoyable exercise routine! Fresh air beats the stale, musty smell of a gym any day you could find a nearby park and hike around with headphones playing LOTR soundtrack and have your own "hobbit adventure" haha-- Nice job staying the course! Keep it up!!

Woa, congrats on your yoga accomplishment! I just watched that video and was amazed. It was oddly mesmerizing haha-- How long have you been practicing yoga? And what is a V press to handstand?? Ps I'm also addicted to almond butter--so dang delicious.

Workout today: 1/2 mile warmup 45 incline situps 45 pushups 30 "cherry picker" crunches, 10 lb weight 30 leg glute curls, (37.5 lb) 30 squats (85 lb) 30 flies (5 lb) 30 deadlifts (my first time doing these!! kept it at 35 lbs to be safe) 30 tricep dips (25 lb) 1/2 mile cool down I'm still sore from lifting the day before yesterday but felt pretty good today! Also walked to and from the gym, not sure how far that is, maybe .75 mi total? Also did a bit of handstand practice. Here are my starting measurements. . . Natural Waist: 26.5 " Hips: 35.5" Thighs: 24" ea Bust: 32.5" Upper arm (above bicep): 12" ea Age: 24 Height: 5'4 Weight: 130 lbs (I'm not really going to monitor this as much since weight seems kind of arbitrary next to measurements and BFP. BFP: 22-24%? I've never had body fat measurements done but comparing myself to the pictures online I guess I'd be in the ballpark of 22-24%. I'd like to be in the 17%-19% range ideally and that's what I'm working towards.

-7!!! That is a bit extreme for November! I grew up in Michigan and remember walking from my car to school and my hair and eyelashes would freeze by the time I got to the entrance haha. . .the negative digits were more rare though! That climbing gym sounds pretty boss w the stalactite. . .one day, one day. . . I'm working on that upper body strength to do the extreme overhangs too. . . The thing that sucks about forearm/grip strength is the only way I seem to maintain it is climbing, so of course as soon as you stop it fades away! You should totally get your bf into climbing, my husband introduced me to climbing when we were dating and now we're climbing partners 4 LYFE. He is much taller and heavier than I am so it's pretty hilarious when he falls or tops out because I shoot up about 3 feet in the air.

Thanks for the follow-back! Handstands have been slow progress for me, to be honest I missed the past two days of practice! Today I practiced for a bit though. I'm following the step by step guidelines I found on NF so in the "wall stage" right now. An ab-roller is just a disc with a handle on each side, you roll it on the ground in front of you while resting on your knees. Almost like a rolling pin but replace the wooden cylinder with a training wheel from a child's bike haha. So you're moving from Hawaii back to Florida soon? At least not too much of a climate shift! Did you ever do sport lead climbing while in FL? I took a class about a year ago but haven't done any since :/ Looking forward to seeing your progress, who knows, maybe I'll see you in a climbing gym in FL!