laurabzz getting ready to slay some White Walkers

[Amandaba]

wow, my coworkers tend to be just as "wise" as well.

We all have bad days (heck I've had a terrible week as far as the challenge goes!). Good luck on your clean sweep!

[Amandaba]

so I saw this and thought you'd enjoy...http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/31/91/d2/3191d23d08c3a91b0dadf34680ee4f2a.jpg

[idealistinfire]

so I saw this and thought you'd enjoy...http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/31/91/d2/3191d23d08c3a91b0dadf34680ee4f2a.jpg

Love it!

[laurabzz]

wow, my coworkers tend to be just as "wise" as well.

 

 Do you remember any pearls of theirs? I love reading them

 

so I saw this and thought you'd enjoy...http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/31/91/d2/3191d23d08c3a91b0dadf34680ee4f2a.jpg

 

Oh my, I'm saving and using it!! Thanks for sharing

[laurabzz]

Day 14, Sunday.

 

Nothing much, did lots of cycling though. Went to see Wolverine YAY!!! 

My healthy snacks to the cinema were: a pack of crunchy salad (it's mainly cabbages with some greens), mango pieces and an apple. Left me full and happy. I cringed when I though about all those unhealthy calories that people were putting into their mouths with popcorn. Jeez, will I be able to enjoy these things ever again?

 

Week 2 done!

 

I did incredibly on strength training (A), failed miserably with swimming (F) and failed with my diet for the last few days (D-F). However, I'm not feeling that it was a bad week - I learned that I have enough will power to stop eating unhealthy and not give up, I am making progress with a barbell (although a slow one, considering my sleeping patters. Shame.). I feel progress with kettlebells as well. I need to get more sleep to be stronger so it has to be one of my priorities.

 

 

Day 15, Monday, 12/08/13.

 

Work, some random survey for my uni from which I got a £20 Amazon voucher, kettlebells, home, work, home. Quite a busy day. I think I'll buy a pair of trousers for lifting for my Amazon voucher. Any recommendations about sports brands in general? 

We did so many push ups at kettlebells that my arms are falling down.

 

Oh, and I resisted a free slice of chocolate cake at work! And I even asked for tea without milk (I'm in Britain, remember). Second day of 100% Paleo. 

 

Day 16, Tuesday, 13/08/13.

 

After all that busy Monday, I had 4 hours of sleep last night so I was dying at work. I decided to go get some sleep instead of going to gym. I was feeling very weak and barely cycled back home. I think I wouldn't have been able to lift anything heavy at that state. I got some sleep now and feeling so much better (although I still haven't eaten anything and it's 2.30pm here... crap). Gonna go make some tuna salad. 

 

I'll be working for 13 hours tomorrow AND barbell training in between. Now that's going to be fun.

[Cort]

I never knew about any females lifting either. In fact, only because of NF I realized that heavy lifting won't make me look like a bodybuilder... >.> I always wanted to try it but I was afraid. NF taught me so much

 

Hey Laurabzz - you should check out some of Jennifer Thompson's you tube videos. She's broken several world records with her powerlifts over the years and she looks nothing like what I would have pictured, esp knowing that she can bench over 300 and deadlifts well into the 400s. She's like my new hero. And she's an algebra teacher! So inspiring.

[laurabzz]

Hey Laurabzz - you should check out some of Jennifer Thompson's you tube videos. She's broken several world records with her powerlifts over the years and she looks nothing like what I would have pictured, esp knowing that she can bench over 300 and deadlifts well into the 400s. She's like my new hero. And she's an algebra teacher! So inspiring.

I just spent half an hour checking her out - she's amazing. And also shows that women look nothing like bodybuilders even when they're lifting very heavy weights. 

Thanks for sharing this, she's truly inspiring

[Fonzico]

You really can't be firing all pistons without proper sleep! Nothing wrong at all for trying to catch up there... And you won't see any gains if you aren't getting enough rest to repair.

Sleep is our friend!

Good luck with your crazy day ahead! You can do it!

[Skywalker]

I agree, you need to get your sleep in order. I'm one of those people who need a full 8 hours or I don't function at all.

You seem to be making good food choices, well, done.

[Vixen68]

It's only my second week in that room but I already noticed so many weird exercises that people do... Hope they don't get injured!

 

I know this is a little delayed, but i just read your post and I feel exactly the same way - sometimes i see people doing things that i have specifically been told not to do (like walk the bar forwards when unracking for squats) and i cringe thinking they are going to hurt themselves one day. I regularly have to remind myself that there may be some reason people are doing the things they do!

[Cort]

For the FIRST time in my life EVER, I actually gathered my courage and went to that scary room in my gym where the magic happens. That place that smells of testosterone, that's filled with weights, scary looking machines and 99% male population. Man,that was some scary thing to do. But I squatted, deadlifted and did other things I couldn't imagine myself doing a month ago. So awesome.

 

I was thinking about this comment the other day and I thought I'd share something my husband told me once. The more people, especially women, are nearby when he lifts, the more motivated he is to crank out his own lifts. I don't think he even pays attention to what everyone else is doing specifically. It's just this natural male/testosterone/reaction to become even more focused on what HE'S doing when the opposite sex is nearby. I call it the peacock reaction. 

Also, if you think going into a regular gym is intimidating. Try walking into a military gym on deployment. Some of these guys look like freaking Under Armour commercials. But despite their incredible shape - they always seem to be impressed, supportive, and encouraging when they find out one of the "girls" is into not just lifting, but lifting heavy. 

 

I love the pearls of wisdom too - someone should start a running tab of all the "good advice" received from people with absolutely no authority for giving advice. There's actually a term for it "False Authority Syndrome" - people who proclaim expertise when in reality they have limited knowledge of [subject]. I've recently been reading about it in the context of computer hacking and viruses for a graduate class, but I've noticed it applies to both "nutrition" and "exercise experts" as well. I can't count how many times I've had someone tell me "my personal trainer Jill Rippedabs says you should do this/eat this" and they've had a grand total of 2 training sessions.

I used to find these comments annoying, but now I just find them amusing. 

[laurabzz]

You really can't be firing all pistons without proper sleep! Nothing wrong at all for trying to catch up there... And you won't see any gains if you aren't getting enough rest to repair.

Sleep is our friend!

Good luck with your crazy day ahead! You can do it!

 

 

I agree, you need to get your sleep in order. I'm one of those people who need a full 8 hours or I don't function at all.

You seem to be making good food choices, well, done.

 

Thanks guys! I'm definitely trying to get more sleep, it's just my work schedule makes it rather difficult. Skywalker, 8 hours of sleep is the best thing in the world (right now, at least).

 

I know this is a little delayed, but i just read your post and I feel exactly the same way - sometimes i see people doing things that i have specifically been told not to do (like walk the bar forwards when unracking for squats) and i cringe thinking they are going to hurt themselves one day. I regularly have to remind myself that there may be some reason people are doing the things they do!

 

Oh my god, is someone walking forwards when unracking for squats? Whoa. I think I'm currently doing too many mistakes myself to correct anyone else, though

Obviously, at least I'm aware of them.

[laurabzz]

I was thinking about this comment the other day and I thought I'd share something my husband told me once. The more people, especially women, are nearby when he lifts, the more motivated he is to crank out his own lifts. I don't think he even pays attention to what everyone else is doing specifically. It's just this natural male/testosterone/reaction to become even more focused on what HE'S doing when the opposite sex is nearby. I call it the peacock reaction. 

Also, if you think going into a regular gym is intimidating. Try walking into a military gym on deployment. Some of these guys look like freaking Under Armour commercials. But despite their incredible shape - they always seem to be impressed, supportive, and encouraging when they find out one of the "girls" is into not just lifting, but lifting heavy. 

 

I love the pearls of wisdom too - someone should start a running tab of all the "good advice" received from people with absolutely no authority for giving advice. There's actually a term for it "False Authority Syndrome" - people who proclaim expertise when in reality they have limited knowledge of [subject]. I've recently been reading about it in the context of computer hacking and viruses for a graduate class, but I've noticed it applies to both "nutrition" and "exercise experts" as well. I can't count how many times I've had someone tell me "my personal trainer Jill Rippedabs says you should do this/eat this" and they've had a grand total of 2 training sessions.

I used to find these comments annoying, but now I just find them amusing. 

 

That's very interesting to hear, Cort. It's quite cool to inspire people to do more, whatever the reasons for that. You've lifted at military gym? You're my new hero haha. 

 

Fitness instructors/personal trainers/bla bla are such a phenomena now. It's not only the people they train but also they themselves are mostly annoying for a sole reason that they think they know everything (I know there are nice PTs too). Even after 4 years at uni, a person cannot claim that he/she knows everything about health and fitness.

Yesterday I've seen a fitness trainer in one of the hotels who was incredibly skinny and with no muscle definition whatsoever. Since we are here on NF, we know  that growing muscle is possible even for skinny people. Anyway, we were eating lunch at the same table and he ENCOURAGED a girl (who told us she's trying to be healthier) to eat chocolate cheesecake. He obviously felt that he had the biggest authority among us to give us advice on health and fitness. Ugh.

[laurabzz]

Day 17, Wednesday, 14/08/13.

 

Laura lifted heavy! Also, I gathered some courage and bench pressed for the first time in my life. So exciting and so wobbly! Any recommendations on how to improve the stability in lifting? 

 

Stats: 

 

Squats:

2x5 20kg

1x5 40kg

3x5 52 kg

 

Bench:

2x5 20kg

1x5 25kg

3x5 30kg

 

Deadlift:

1x5 60kg

1x5 70kg (YAY! I need to work on my grip)

 

I'm very happy with this session

 

My 100% Paleo challenge is being tested a lot. We get great food at work. That's what I said 'no' to: chocolate cheesecake, another kind of chocolate cheesecake, 9 kind of canapes (I was able to eat one - figs and parma ham, YUM fresh figs.), risotto.. not counting the usual pasta/rice/potatoes.

 

Fortunately, I found some chicken breast and veggies too. Nomnom protein.

 

Day 18, Thursday, 15/08/13.

 

4 hours of sleep at night left me incapable of going to kettlebells but I got 4 more hours of sleep during the day instead. Feeling rested and happy, finally. I'll lift heavy tomorrow and Saturday or Sunday so I'll have 4 strength workouts by the end of the week. 

I bought a very nice big piece of beef (can't remember what part exactly), so I'm currently looking for cooking ideas.

My shopping list was uber paleo today: 1kg beef, fresh cod, fresh mackerel, onions and spices. I admit, I'm a carnivore.

 

I'm going to my friend's goodbye party tonight (in fact, I should be going just now) so I'll be drinking some alcohol. Knowing that the last time I drank alcohol was probably May, I don't feel too bad about it. I know it's not paleo but it alcohol happens very rarely in my life anyway.

 

Hope everyone's doing great! I don't have much free time these days but I promise I'll check everyone's progress

[Fonzico]

Mmm, big hunk of beef, sign me up!

 

I probably have lots of suggestions, but it depends on what cut it is. I was super sad that my butcher was all out of inside round roasts or any other cheaper cuts of beef, because I really was excited to make stew So maybe you could make some of that for me And then ship it across the ocean, that'dbegreatthanks.

 

Great job with your iron session! I'll be scared to meet you in a dark alley any day now.

[Vixen68]

Oh my god, is someone walking forwards when unracking for squats? Whoa. I think I'm currently doing too many mistakes myself to correct anyone else, though

Obviously, at least I'm aware of them.

 

I have seen a couple working out together and both of them were walking it forward, one of them would hold the bar (with padding on it i might add) on the other ones shoulders while they squatted (like 1/4 squats) and then they would walk backwards to re-rack. I have also seen another 2 people doing it - but yeah im sure im making mistakes as well so there is no way im saying anything!

 

 

Fitness instructors/personal trainers/bla bla are such a phenomena now. It's not only the people they train but also they themselves are mostly annoying for a sole reason that they think they know everything (I know there are nice PTs too). Even after 4 years at uni, a person cannot claim that he/she knows everything about health and fitness.

 

I dont know what its like everywhere else in the world, but here in Aus PTs dont even need to go to uni - they do a 6month or so course through a fitness organisation and there - they are qualified!! and a lot of them dont even look like they have done any fitness themselves. Having said that there are some really good ones

 

Day 17, Wednesday, 14/08/13.

 

Laura lifted heavy! Also, I gathered some courage and bench pressed for the first time in my life. So exciting and so wobbly! Any recommendations on how to improve the stability in lifting? 

 

Stats: 

 

Squats:

2x5 20kg

1x5 40kg

3x5 52 kg

 

Bench:

2x5 20kg

1x5 25kg

3x5 30kg

 

Deadlift:

1x5 60kg

1x5 70kg (YAY! I need to work on my grip)

 

I'm very happy with this session

 

You should be happy!!! I am so jealous of your lifts!!! I am only up to 1x30kg for bench after a number of weeks doing it and you get 3x5 on your first attempt. Not to mention those squats ...

I have found that if i set up properly on bench and keep tight it really reduces the wobbles - not sure what sort of bench you are doing, but i am doing it powerlifting style - with arch in back, and using leg drive. I also make sure that just before i lift i take a deep breath and hold it until i have completed to movement (i do this with all my lifts) and this has really helped my bench.

 

 

Keep up the great work will definitely continue following your progress closely

[Cort]

Nice deadlift!

 

And I'm with Vixen on the stability thing - arched back, tight shoulderblades. Jennifer Thompson has a bench press youtube video (yes, I know I'm obsessed with her right now).

[Eirlys]

Great deadlifting, Laura!

[laurabzz]

Mmm, big hunk of beef, sign me up!

 

I probably have lots of suggestions, but it depends on what cut it is. I was super sad that my butcher was all out of inside round roasts or any other cheaper cuts of beef, because I really was excited to make stew So maybe you could make some of that for me And then ship it across the ocean, that'dbegreatthanks.

 

Great job with your iron session! I'll be scared to meet you in a dark alley any day now.

 

I made LOTS of stew, it lasted me four days I think gonna get some more soon, it's delicious. I'll send some next time to you

Thanks haha, although I still look like I've never even been to gym in my life - female body... hiding my muscles... ugh.

 

You should be happy!!! I am so jealous of your lifts!!! I am only up to 1x30kg for bench after a number of weeks doing it and you get 3x5 on your first attempt. Not to mention those squats ...

I have found that if i set up properly on bench and keep tight it really reduces the wobbles - not sure what sort of bench you are doing, but i am doing it powerlifting style - with arch in back, and using leg drive. I also make sure that just before i lift i take a deep breath and hold it until i have completed to movement (i do this with all my lifts) and this has really helped my bench.

 

 

Keep up the great work will definitely continue following your progress closely

 

Well I'm quite big (tall and all) so those stats are not too impressive if you count body weight to weight ratio I think Yes, that's the way I'm trying to bench as well - I guess I just need some practice - I can't expect to be good at something in one day. Valsalva is the best (that breathing thing. I just love the word 'Valsalva').

Thanks for the support!

 

Nice deadlift!

 

And I'm with Vixen on the stability thing - arched back, tight shoulderblades. Jennifer Thompson has a bench press youtube video (yes, I know I'm obsessed with her right now).

 

Thanks! I'm going to try and focus on my technique over the next sessions. It's a good obsession though - it's not like you're following Paris Hilton or something (r maybe you are.. I'm not judging )

 

Great deadlifting, Laura!

 

Thanks!

[laurabzz]

Day 18, Thursday.

 

...and here comes the time when Laura learns that health should be her priority and something that is not taken for granted. 

I now feel like I've been slowly wearing myself out for the past couple of weeks, with all the crazy work schedule, lack of sleep AND trying to achieve something at the gym. The first sign was on Thursday when I just couldn't get up from the bed to go to kettlebells, I stopped my alarm and slept for 4 hours straight (it was 1pm, mind you). Oh well. Then I had a party that night, it was okay but I didn't enjoy myself as much - somehow I was feeling very self-conscious of my appearance. All the other girls were skinny and beautiful ugh.

 

Also, I decided to start cutting the alcohol from my life completely - I don't actually like the taste much and I don't need to be drunk to enjoy myself and also it saves money. I'll see how this goes but I'd like to do that

 

Day 19, Friday.

 

Been working 13-14 hours again, had no time for anything else in my life... And no energy too. 

 

Day 20, Saturday.

 

My body's clearly trying to catch-up with sleeping as I slept lots. Also, I had a few slices of pizza and that ruined my 7 day no crap challenge. However, my stomach was feeling really bad after. Even if I overeat veggies/meat/fish, I never feel as bad as when I had some unhealthy food. Go figure.

 

Day 21, Sunday.

 

Tomorrow's the new day and new week and new 7 day no crap challenge. I realize now that I just can't earn all the money in the world and I don't need that: I'll take fewer shifts this week as it just drains me. All I ever wanted during this challenge was to keep getting better at strength training and it seems I gave it all up for the extra cash. I'm rethinking my priorities and focusing on myself more

 

Things I'm gonna do:

 

-go watch Wolverine with that one guy who likes Xmen as much as I do (he doesn't know I've already seen it and he doesn't have to)

-go to St. Andrews for a day trip (I've been wanting to go there for the past 3 years)

-go to Edinburgh Book Festival next Saturday (F*** YEAH I'M GOING TO SEE NEIL GAIMAN I CAN'T WAIT) (no really, Neil Gaiman is my favourite author and I'm going to see him. Life can't be better than that)

-go for a coffee with a new friend I met last week (I haven't had ANY kind of social life because of work, I need to change this)

 

 

So, here we go. Rethinking my life over and over, one week at a time.

 

Hope everyone's had amazing week! (I checked ALL of you guys and I actually know you're having a great week)

[Vixen68]

I know exactly what you mean about wearing your body down, between gym, uni, work and partying hard on the weekend i have now ended up sick and its sucks! But reassessing life and goals regularly is what helps you meet them in the end so well done. I hope you enjoy Wolverine as well - i saw it a couple of weeks ago

[idealistinfire]

Nice work on the prioritizing of life-ness.  And I hope you have fun rewatching Wolverine - I still need to see that. 

Lastly, I ate a bunch of crap food this week because The Saboteur is sneaky like that, and I just felt sick.  It's hard being in this spot when crappy food still sounds good but runs havack on your system.  I would retry the clean sweep food week, but that backfired terribly this week, so I'm sticking with my 4 or less hfcs challenge.  Hope this week goes well for you!

[Fonzico]

Hmmm your last post really hits home for me too! I've been cutting drastically back on the alcohol lately  - all the things you said + horrible food decisions = it's just not worth it.

 

This weekend was horrible for food also... I need to get it all out of my house, and then I need to do a clean sweep too! Enough is enough, eh?

 

Glad to hear you've decided not to wear yourself into the ground for the sake of some extra money... Another thing that's just not worth it. Enjoy your life instead! As long as you're not about to be tossed onto the streets

[Amandaba]

I was thinking about this comment the other day and I thought I'd share something my husband told me once. The more people, especially women, are nearby when he lifts, the more motivated he is to crank out his own lifts. I don't think he even pays attention to what everyone else is doing specifically. It's just this natural male/testosterone/reaction to become even more focused on what HE'S doing when the opposite sex is nearby. I call it the peacock reaction. 

 

haha, I've TOTALLY noticed the same reaction at my gym! Typically I'm the only girl REALLY using the dumbells (the others I've seen only use 2 pound weights and flex their wrists, I'm not real sure what that's supposed to accomplish). Anyway,this one guy in particular will do real intense reps on whatever then strut around with his chest puffed out and his arm flexed (behind me if I'm in front of the mirror, or beside me if I'm warming up or cooling down) and keeps looking my way. It's kinda hilarious.

 

 

 

I love the pearls of wisdom too - someone should start a running tab of all the "good advice" received from people with absolutely no authority for giving advice. There's actually a term for it "False Authority Syndrome" - people who proclaim expertise when in reality they have limited knowledge of [subject]. I've recently been reading about it in the context of computer hacking and viruses for a graduate class, but I've noticed it applies to both "nutrition" and "exercise experts" as well. I can't count how many times I've had someone tell me "my personal trainer Jill Rippedabs says you should do this/eat this" and they've had a grand total of 2 training sessions.

I used to find these comments annoying, but now I just find them amusing. 

the best is when one of my patient's tries to tell me what I should do. It's like "okay, did you go to nursing school for 4 years too? or did you get that off of "the doctors""

 

 

 

Fitness instructors/personal trainers/bla bla are such a phenomena now. It's not only the people they train but also they themselves are mostly annoying for a sole reason that they think they know everything (I know there are nice PTs too). Even after 4 years at uni, a person cannot claim that he/she knows everything about health and fitness.

Yesterday I've seen a fitness trainer in one of the hotels who was incredibly skinny and with no muscle definition whatsoever. Since we are here on NF, we know  that growing muscle is possible even for skinny people. Anyway, we were eating lunch at the same table and he ENCOURAGED a girl (who told us she's trying to be healthier) to eat chocolate cheesecake. He obviously felt that he had the biggest authority among us to give us advice on health and fitness. Ugh.

yea, there's this PT at my gym who was training these (must-have-been) high school girls, and their form was so wrong I was afraid they would hurt their backs! AND HE DID NOTHING!

 

and this is kinda a dumb question but when you list the weights your lifting, is that the total weight or each weight? Like dumbells I deadlift 30 pound dumbells ( for a total of 60 pounds). Does that question make sense?

 

 

Day 19, Friday.

 

Been working 13-14 hours again, had no time for anything else in my life... And no energy too. 

 

Day 20, Saturday.

 

My body's clearly trying to catch-up with sleeping as I slept lots. Also, I had a few slices of pizza and that ruined my 7 day no crap challenge. However, my stomach was feeling really bad after. Even if I overeat veggies/meat/fish, I never feel as bad as when I had some unhealthy food. Go figure.

 

 

So, here we go. Rethinking my life over and over, one week at a time.

 

Work/sleep/having a life with long hours-I can totally sympathize with you (as I'm sure you know).  Also isn't it crazy how quickly you're body's tolerance for things change? I did a "no fast-food" goal last challenge and I've found a TON of crappy foods I can no longer eat, or risk getting sick. Good luck your goals!

[laurabzz]

I'm going to St. Andrews today so I'll update and reply to your awesome messages when I get back tonight

(Random: I feel like I'm in an experiment where I'm researching the effects of Pepsi, crisps and chocolate consumed every morning as breakfast by my pregnant co-worker. It makes me sad.)