Jié Xī

So here I am drinking a protein shake in between sips of a sangria in the hopes of off setting the carb/alcohol intake. So does that mean I'm not only wasting the protein shake but also that the calories from the protein shake are going to get stored as fat instead of refueling my muscles?

I'm not sure what a rope braid is? This is what I'm trying to do. I can't do the side ones, but I'm getting pretty good at the top one. BTW, how do you guys do the "reveal hidden contents" thing? I tried and my entire post disappeared. So if you get this twice, I'm very sorry. (I'm technologically challenged.) Oh, and harem pants are awesome. If you're serious, google belly dancing outfits. When hubby and I were first married, I bought a bunch of belly dancing DVD's and outfits. It was fun to walk around the house in them. I had even decorated our bedroom in this romantic Middle-eastern theme. Then came the littles . . . who spend their day wiping their noses on me as though I'm a human tissue, lol.

Can you share a picture of the amish braid? I can't picture what you are describing. I'm trying to teach myself dutch braiding. I can't seem to start it tight enough on the sides, but I'm getting better with one on the top like a mohawk. Something like this is what I'm going for. BTW, harem pants are awesome. If you're serious, google belly dancing outfits. You'll find tons of them. I bought a ton of belly dancing DVD's and outfits when my hubby and I were first married (before the littles, lol). Now there's just no time. Plus, I have kids wiping their noses on me all day long, lol. But back then I loved walking around the house in them.

Nice! I'm cutting out alcohol for that very reason -- to see if that's why my measurements aren't going down! We can be no more drinking buddies if you want (wine doesn't count, right? 😜 )

Hahaha. I would love to live in the 1800's / Pride and Prejudice days. But I do like pants. I'm not girly enough to wear dresses all the time.

Hahahaha! That reminds me of this meme (back when they weren't called memes) of a guy trying on a pair of jeans in a dressing room. When they didn't fit, his response was, there's something wrong with these jeans. The next image was of a girl trying on a pair of jeans that didn't fit, and her response was, there's something wrong with me. I totally get what you are saying and I agree. I'm just not at a healthy weight right now; I'm literally carrying around emotional eating weight. I guess I could go out and buy myself a pair of size 14's that flattered me. But I'm stuck at home cuz of Covid anyway, lol. I spent most of my life at 150 (size 10) pounds thinking I was fat and trying to lose weight. Then for 3 years I was at 190 (after getting pregnant twice). I finally got back to 150 and was DUMBFOUNDED that I ever found it fat (my goal all my life was to try to get to 125). So I vowed that if 150 was where my body wants to be that I would be happy with it. Then I went all the way back up to 183 in less than a year due to stress eating. So yea, I want to get back to a healthy weight. But I'm not trying to force my body into an ideal anymore. If I lose below 150 because I'm lifting great. If not, it's all good, I'll rock my size 10's. I just wish I could go back and tell my teen and 20-year old self that I wasn't fat at 150. The only place I've ever found jeans that actually flatter me is Old Navy. They have what I assume you guys mean by curvy jeans. And then you can chose your leg style -- flair, boot cut, or tapered.

So, did my upperbody workout today. It's starting to get easier. As in, I'm not resting as much in between sets. I tried 10lbs dumbbells on my lateral delt raises but could only do 6, so I switched back to my 8lb so I could do 4x8. Or maybe 4x6 with 10 is better? Oh, and I checked the height of my bar when it is on the floor. It is at the bottom of my ankle, so yeah, if it's suppossed to be at my shin that would explain the rounding of my shoulders, which makes me feel much better. Walmart is wiped out of weight plates at the moment. Apparently they have been since the beginning of Covid. Craigslist has nothing. I'm wondering if Goodwill is out too. I'll check tomorrow. In the meantime, it occurred to me to take the 25 lb plates off my hamstring curl and put them on the barbell (instead of 2 10's and 2 15's). So now the barbell is about 3 inches higher. It's going to require me switching out every workout because I need the 15's for my overhead press, but at least it allows me to do the dead lifts with proper form now. On a side note, this allows me to put 20lbs on the hamstring curl instead of the 25lbs, which I think was a bit too much for me. I can do the sets, but my hammies are sore for two full days after so maybe the 20lb will allow me to heal a bit faster. Best note of all, I FINALLY -- after a month -- dropped a pound!

Lol, I have never been flexible. I was in a gymnastics class at 5 years old and they held me back and put me with preschoolers and I overheard one instructor comment to another instructor that I was older than everyone else and couldn't keep up. So yea, apparently, I've always been inflexible. I so wish I could enjoy yoga. But I am so awkward and fall over that it's hard to force myself to do something I suck at, lol. Ha! Years and years ago I took an aerobics class and I always stayed in the back because I was uncoordinated and could never sync right with everyone else. One time I actually did the choreography accurately, and the instructor (who was very friendly) yelled out that I had actually done it right. It was so funny.

So no lifting today. I probably could have done an upperbody workout (I was only slightly sore), but just didn't feel like it. It's my baby's birthday (he turned 2) so I spent the evening (my workout time) with him cuddled on my lap watching Blippi (some crazy guy who teaches toddlers all about construction trucks and trains on youtube). However, I added cardio to my routine yesterday (I'm tired of not losing any weight but I HATE cardio but hate STS's more). So I'm doing as little as possible. Running up and down my stairs for a total of 300 steps (half of Ahch-To) as quickly as I can, usually with about 2 minutes pacing break every 5 flights (to catch my breath and guzzle water). I did that yesterday and today. I'm also gonna cut out vodka (I only drink on weekends). That is the biggest difference between my successful weight loss attempt in 2018 and this one -- I had cut out drinking completely that time but was assuming that I would just lose slower this time if I didn't cut it. Apparently not. I'm gonna switch to Sangria's this weekend (half dry wine / half suger-free/5 cal juice) and see if that makes a difference. Apparently having 4 drinks at one time if you're a woman is considered binge drinking (I just read an article on this). I usually have 3-4 stiff ones (does that make 6-8??? 😲). So yea, that's probably the culprit, lol. Happily, even if I have 4 Sangria's that's only the equivalent to 2 glasses of wine. Plus with adding the cardio to my routine hopefully I will shed some of this fat soon and actually be able to see some of this muscle I've worked so hard to gain, lol. It's so funny -- my husband will have 1 Hard Mike's and he'll be staggering. Me, I don't really feel it until my 3rd stiff vodka. I would love to be like him. Much less calories and easier on the liver, lol.

Happily, I'm not injured. Just old and inflexible, lol. I'm not sure why it hurt with the deadlift, especially since I immediately did barbell squats with no pain whatsoever. I think it was that stupid "push through the knees" thing in the article. I'm gonna try what @Harriet said and just stand up. You know, I actually had that thought and almost posted a pic of my plates yesterday. I'm up to 50lbs now, but I have the short, fat, plastic things . . . rather than the thin (and I assume higher?) metal ones. 2 15's and 2 10's. So when I read your comment I was actually quite happy, because I could certainly stay in proper form if the bar was up a little higher. I actually bought all these weights off of Craigslist for my husband for Father's Day last year (he's used them twice) and then ended up getting into it myself. And yes, your tips helped because I read "flex your armpits" in an article and had no idea what the heck that was supposed to mean, lol. Squeezing oranges I understand. Ha! I will try the back pocket thingy too! No. I've actually never been able to touch my toes. Well . . . if I do stretching routine for a couple weeks I can sometimes graze my toes with the very tips of my fingers. But mostly, I look like an upside down "U" if the bottom of the "U" was flat. I have no bend/flexibility whatsoever. It occurred to me after I read this that in the lower body workout I had done previous to the one I vented about I had added hamstring curls to my workout. I was sore for the next 2 days from that. I wasn't sore yesterday when I attempted the deadlift, but I'll bet you anything I had residual tightness that combined with my already tight hammies is why I couldn't do them properly even though I could in previous sessions. So I guess that means I need to start adding in some stretches to my routine. I never remember to do stretches. *sigh* To everyone, thanks for your kind words and encouragement and tips!!! I really, REALLY appreciate it!!!

I was just in those clothes last year. 2019 was a really bad emotional year for me and now all my clothes don't fit. What I'm trying to get back to isn't some ideal/unrealistic weight for me. It's actually at the heavy end of "healthy." I ate my way up 30 pounds in less than 9 months.

So I'm feeling pretty discouraged right now. 1) I still have to reread this article on how to do a deadlift before every bloody workout because I can't remember what I'm supposed to do. And I have no idea how I'm suppossed to not round my upper back to lift it off the floor. Are my arms too short??? Hamstrings too tight? Once I get it off the floor, I can squeeze my shoulder blades together but I can not squat down in front of it and keep my heels on the floor and keep my back straight while it is on the floor. 2) I think my inability to not round my upper back / keep my shoulders higher than my hips (they are about even) is putting too much pressure on my knees. Or maybe it's something else. Because just squatting down BEFORE I even lift the weight hurts my right knee, let alone trying to "push from my knees" to get the bar up. I did 3 sets of 6 -- ONLY 6 with ONLY 50 pounds -- and felt alot of pressure in my lower back. Then I finally figure out how to do it without feeling it in my back (and I have no idea what I did differently, and I was able to do up to 10, but that's when I felt the stinging pain on the outside of my right knee. I took a break and tried again and my knee was like, nope you're done for today. So I will try again on Thursday, but I'm really discouraged. I can do 3 sets of 12 Romanian Deadlifts at 50 lbs, but I'm pretty sure I read that traditional deadlifts will be heavier weights than the Romanian. So again, I feel like I'm doing something wrong. But with the Romanian, I don't have to go all the way down to the floor so my knee isn't aggravated which I assume is why I can do more. Ugh. 3) I did not have any of these problems 3 days ago when I last did my lower body (I did equal number of deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts). I had to reread the articles a bunch of times, but I didn't have any pain and I felt really strong and powerful and like I was in love with barbells, and now I'm feeling like a stupid novice who has no idea what she's doing and is pretending to be a warrior. 😫

It is rather unpleasant, lol. I do have ideas for developing my own style, but I need to fit back into my clothes first. I think I have finally found a lifestyle of eating that works for me (I've been maintaining my weight for nearly two months now because I'm not "dieting") so when I actually get back to my "normal" size, I think I should at least be able to maintain it instead of yo-yoing like I have for the past 2 decades. But I don't want to invest too much into clothes until I like how I look. Anyway, I want a smart casual look with a steampunk flair. And I want to braid my hair viking-style. I have this image in my head, though it's probably such a mash-up (steampunk meets viking?) that I'm not sure if anyone would know it suppossed to be steampunk, lol. Oh well. As long as I like what I see when I pass a mirror that's all that counts, right?

This is pretty much me as well. I would love to have a "style," something that is signature me. But everyday, I just end up in pajama-type yoga pants and t-shirts or tank tops, no makeup, and hair in a pony tail. Then I see other people looking all put together and I wonder what is wrong with me. I think it comes down to if I don't try I can always make myself feel better by saying, well, I could look good if I wanted to. But then if/when I actually try, I never feel right. I always feel fake or not me, and extremely uncomfortable. I'm always wondering if my makeup is melting (I have oily skin) and do I look stupid for trying to look pretty. It's so much easier just to pass a mirror and not look, lol.

I LOVE the Australian Master Chef. I haven't seen it in years, but I was addicted when I had access to it.

Pregnancy does that too. My arches fell during pregnancy and none of my shoes and boots fit anymore -- I am an entire shoe size up.

So I definitely have strength gains! I've been doing my compound lifts first and then my isolation exercises. And after checking out Nia Shanks's website (thanks to @Scalyfreak!), I upped my sets to ensure I am getting at least 25 reps. Anyway . . . I did my barbell exercises (with the extra/4th set) and glanced over at my dumbbells and thought there is no way I'll be up for my front lateral raises with 10 lbs. I leaned over to pick one up just to confirm and my arm practically went flying the 10lbs were so light. I did all my isolation exercises (including the extra set). Overhead Press (30 lbs) 4x8 Seated Back Row (60 lbs) 3x15 Bench Press (30 lbs) 2x12 Front Raise (10 lbs) 4x8 Lateral Raise (8 lbs) 4x8 Rear Delt Raise (10 lbs) 4x8 Tricep Dips 3x8

Ok, just did an upper body workout. And I am pleased to say that I finally have enough weights that I am not exceeding 12 reps on any given exercise. Whoot! Compound / Barbell Chest Press -- 30 lbs Overhead Press -- 30 lbs Rear Delt Rows -- 30 lbs Isolation / Dumbbells Front Delt Raise -- 10 lbs ea Lateral Delt Rasie -- 8 lbs ea Rear Delt Raise -- 10 lbs ea Tricep Dips

Thanks! I will def check it out! Thank you!

Yes, I meant the portrait, lol. But hey, if I mopped, it would be amazing. 🤣

That is amazing!!!

Oh, I should note that I'm still isolating delts and glutes because they are where I really want gains.

I worked out all week, I just forgot to log on here and start a part 2 for the current challenge. The last one was pretty much an epic fail weight loss wise. But hopefully I did get some gains since my workouts were quite consistent. I just finished reading a book called The New Rules for Lifting for Women. It basically said I wasn't eating enough protein or lifting heavy enough weights and that I should focus more on compound movements rather than isolating muscles and exercising them in ways you don't naturally use them. So . . . I researched how to do dead lifts AGAIN, as well as Romanian dead lifts. I also had hubby clear out the space around the weight bench so that I could resume working out with the barbell. (That room is undergoing renovation so it's a bit complicated in there). Oh, the book also said women don't need to isolate the quads because they are naturally strong and the hamstrings are naturally not so they already have an imbalance. So I took off a plate on the quad extension so that I can use it as a hamstring curl instead. It also said crunches are pointless, but I find planks rather boring so I googled and found this exercise called The Flag. Oh my gosh, it's hard but you can feel it. Not hard to do, but hard to control like the guy in the video. I actually really enjoyed it and had more control my second time around so I'm looking forward to mastering that one. Overall, I don't really think I got that great of a workout in tonight. I had to keep looking over the article, checking my form, try to remember the difference between the dead lift and the RDL, and keep playing with the weights until I felt like it was the right weight. I'm glad to report I am up to 50lbs (from 30lbs), but there was so much practicing and adjusting that I didn't do consistent reps or sets. And then I was afraid that I would overdo it if I tried. So next time, I guess. *sigh* Hopefully I will start seeing some results soon.

Not really, lol. Well, I guess as good as expected. My 4 year old is autistic, and they are notorious for being potty-resistant especially where #2 is concerned. He also doesn't tell me or just go sit on it when he needs to wee. So if I remember to periodically tell him to go sit, he will usually wee, but he holds his poo until he's in his nighttime diaper. *sigh* The 2 year old lost interest by Day 2 and will only sit on the potty if he is given a snack. And he still doesn't wee on it, lol.

Day 1 of Potty Training Take 3. Didn't go very well. Shoulder Routine. Breakfast: Coffee Snack: Protein Shake Lunch: Grapes & Cheese (this was just suppose to be a snack, meaning I was suppose to have lunch too, but lost track of time and poof, it was time to make supper) Supper: Sweedish Meatballs with Spaghetti Squash. (Would not recommend. Will be making it with pasta next time.) Snack: Jalapeno & Mango Chicken Sausage w/ Cheddar Cheese (+ 1/3 protein shake for extra 10 grams pro.) Rather discouraged with today. Going to bed early. Feeling blah.