One quest at a time...

[Shello]

Glad to see you are back and are all set for Beast Mode Buffy.  Looking forward to how things go with SS and barbells.  I plan to start that once the weather changes in the fall when it's no longer ideal for running - and after my 5K in August.  

 

I'm not sure if I'll start with SS or there is some other beginner's plan.  I'll be watching!

[RxLady]

So, I haven't posted much lately, but today is definitely a day that I am here to vent. 

 

So, I am in week 4 of the beginner barbell workouts through the NF academy.  And things have been going really well. Up until today. 

 

I have been able to gradually increase my weight for most of my exercises - the arm based exercises are a little slower going, as that's where I need more work.  The rotation is two workouts:  A = bench press, barbell squats, push ups and planks, B = deadlifts, push press, barbell lunge, pull ups (or for me, dumbbell rows) and crunches (reverse, but for me usually double as reverse are a little tough on my lower back right now).  

 

Today was a workout B day.  Which I actually find that I love.  I like using my barbell a lot.  So I warm up, using Steve's routine warm up, and start warming up for deadlifts.  I start with lower weight to warm up and progress to my workout weight.  During my second set of warm up deadlifts (about 90% of my working weight) I feel my lower back twinge, so I stop right away, walk around, stretch a little and try again at a lower weight.  It works out for the most part - was able to deadlift about 75% of my true working weight for the rest of my workout - and though I was being safe and listening to my body, it felt like a failure. Like, I was feeling stronger, albeit a little, over the past 3 weeks, and today my body just gave up.  And it didn't really get better.  Push presses were at 90% of my normal weight, barbell lunges were only one complete set with the barbell, and then then the remaining two sets as bodyweight lunges.  Luckily, I finished out with some good dumbbell rows and crunches.  And I can tell that my legs/lower back are going to be sore tomorrow, despite some stretching afterwards and ice, and it just makes me extra pissed and feels like a set back.  And on top of all that, I started out with a headache that is better now after some ibuprofen, but still a dull ache. UGH. 

 

I'm not sure if it was not enough warm up or poor technique or advancing my warm up weights too fast or what. But I do know it's extra frustrating. And I'm trying to focus on my diet, but that fucking sweet tooth man. Every time I think I have it harnessed.... 

 

I am NOT giving up.

 

Tomorrow will be better.

[Shello]

Ouch. I hope the back got better and wasn't anything serious.  I haven't started any barbell stuff yet but from what I've read from other's challenges I would check out your form and make sure it's solid before adding more weight.  That could be a sign that something isn't quite right and as you add weight, it will start causing injuries and pains.  

[Aces3000]

Found your battle log and will start following. Before deadlifing any weight, my trainer had me practice the form first. He was watching and gave me pointers along the way. I think you did start using a trainer, maybe a step back is a good idea for now. 

[RxLady]

Sigh, my friends, sigh.  It has been a while since my last post.  Having a little downer of a week in terms of eating.  Time to get back to being more engaged with NF forums and the academy.  

 

The good news:  

  *I have been keeping up working with my trainers and average 3 workouts per week - 1 with him and 2 on my own (mostly weight training and small amounts of cardio)

  *I still prepare my lunch for the week over the weekend - paleo-ish style Bachelor Chow (as my husband calls it) - Ground Turkey or Grilled chicken, peppers, onions, mushrooms, garlic, 1 can of beans. I eat 1.5 cups or so of this with a small avocado. 

  *I have lost weight overall!  When I started this journey (3+ years ago) I was 210 lbs.  I have managed to stay around 180-184, so I do consider this a success.  

 

The bad (Less-good?) news:

  * I have plateaued in terms of weight loss.  I have read some of the opinions on this topic (through here and otherwise) and I understand that usually when you get to this point you have to shake things up again.  I'm just not sure where to go next.  

  *My eating is good, not great.  I have been experimenting with intermittent fasting (my hours are 11-7) and it doesn't seem to be helping (it hasn't been PERFECT based on my work hours sometimes, but better than 90% for sure). I do very well just drinking tea or water in the morning until 11am, and then dig right in to my prepared Bachelor Chow/avocado... HOWEVER - there are times where I am just crazy hungry and a very opportunistic eater still!  Whatever happens to be around (especially at work) I will graze on. It makes me so upset at myself when I give in, but I still have the thoughts of "I've been doing really good with workouts" and "I'll just have a little" and I am still treating food as a reward. 

 * I have stopped doing much on the days in between lifting days.  I think this is partly timing, partly motivation/soreness, partly just wanting to do other things.  

 

I have also found myself thinking a lot about the people in my life and how I wish I had more close friends (Yes, I know, if wishes were horses, we'd all be eating steak ^_^).  There was always a stage of my life where I had people around me to be closer friends with (high school, undergrad, professional school) but eventually you move on from those life stages and those relationships tend to fade, both due to proximity and partly because priorities and interests shift.  Of course now, there are coworkers and of course my husband and I have our couple friends that we see on a fairly regular basis.  But I'm not sure I have that one friend that you go to for everything- chatting, hanging out, whatever it may be... So that has been keeping me down a little bit lately.  But it comes and goes.  Sometimes you get too busy to notice - until you're not. 

 

So I have taken a few steps to working on some of these things:

 

**First, I am going to Nerd Fitness Camp in the fall!  I am bringing my sisters along, so we are going to make it a sister bonding trip, but I really hope to find some people to connect with.   

**I'm looking around for some clubs to join.  A running club strikes me as good, but I'm not really a distance runner, and I haven't run for a while, so not sure I would be of benefit to anyone else trying to improve....

**Speaking of not running for a while, I have a goal to run on my non-lifting days. No specific time or distance goals.  Just to keep moving on my days off -and I do like running but I tend to shy away from it in the cold weather, so I jog maybe 6 months of the year (sometimes).  Maybe signing up for a 5K this summer (finally)?

 

I am hoping that summer and good weather will help improve my habits and mood overall.  There's always time for a respawn, right?