[Georges] Accountability supports my goals.

[Georges]

21 Jan, 2015 (Wednesday)

 

Rough morning.  Mr.Georges had someone visit first thing in the morning >.< so I started out my day infuriated.  Forgot my 2nd cuppa instead of bringing it to work.  Remembered to bring my SAD light, but forgot to set it up and use it because there was too much going on.  Forgot to bring lunch, so I only had the orange I'd brought but not eaten on Tues.  Didn't really drink enough water.  The working part of work went okay (mostly) which is good because I probably would have given up otherwise.

 

Workout was okay. Did my three lifts and used some kind of rowing thing because I still can't isolate my lats to know if I'm engaging them on my bench press.

Highlight of the workout: I had someone smart and capable there to lift off/spot for my bench press.  Yay!

 

Working sets weights:

Squat: 90lbs (x.454= 40.86kg)

Bench: 65lbs (x.454= 29.51kg)

Deadlift: 145lbs (x.454=65.83kg)

 

Got a compliment today on my progress.  I'm still having trouble with the graceful acceptance and thanks instead of the denial and minimizing thing.  I'll get there, though.

[Georges]

(yesterday) Thursday, Jan 22

Rest day.  I'm finally feeling ready (recovery-wise) to start treadmilling a bit, but I haven't figured out when to schedule it in.

 

 

Friday, 23rd

AM

Weight is up.  I think I need to drop weighing frequency until normal daily fluctuations are less than half of my average loss.

 

 

 

PM

Worked.  Ready for the weekend.  So very ready.

Worked out.  Must now review what to do when I can't finish the reps (press).

Got the okay to use the gym treadmill tomorrow when the gym isn't actually open.  Because they're awesome.

[Georges]

(Yesterday) Saturday, 24 Jan

 

Mentally, rest day.  Took the day to regroup, relax, restore my energy.

 

Physically, run day.  Warmup, 30 min @ 12:00 min/mile, walking recovery, slower

walking recovery (off the treadmill) when my breathing got a little dodgy, back on

the treadmill and back up to walking speed, then a few minutes (5) at incline, to see

how it feels*, and then 6 more minutes at 12:00 min/mile so I can get the full 3 miles,

and then a walking cool down at progressively slower speeds so my lungs didn't freak out.

 

It was meant to be an "average" run (neither a slow, easy run nor a hard, fast run) but it

turns out that it was a hard run because I haven't been running.  But it felt good, and I know

where I'm at now.

 

Edit: I forgot to add my footnote!

* I have until mid-February to decide if I want to try to get in on the Mt.Washington Road Race this year.

 

Sunday, 24 Jan

AM

Need more stretching with running.  Also, I don't think I got enough water yesterday.

Today's plan is to do some of the adulting I skipped yesterday (bills, dishes, laundry, etc.)

and to throw firewood down to the basement so it's all inside before Tuesday's predicted

snow.  Not exactly restful prep for tomorrow's workout, but necessary.

 

Side note:  Tuesday I go see my new Nurse Practitioner for the first time with my new insurance.

 

PM

So.  Much.  Firewood.

My decision to run Saturday was made partly because I think I need 3 rest days per week.

Apparently, I do still need more than just the one one Thursday.

On the brighter side, several hours of moving firewood means I don't feel at all guilty for not doing

any of the responsible adult things I had planned.

Lots of work with my lower back and hammies.  I'm a little worried about tomorrow's lifting.

[Georges]

Monday, Jan 26

I'ma blame the firewood.

Worked.  Didn't really drink enough water, I think.  I drink a pint after my protein power in soymilk breakfast, so I'm not too worried that I don't seem to drink as much water at work as I used to.

Also, I was rushed and didn't find anything this morning to bring to work to eat.  Oops.

Ate between work and workout, a little too quickly according to the clock, but my stomach didn't seem to mind.

 

Worked out.  Another 'bare-minimum' workout, with just the 3 lifts plus 3 10-second dead hangs for grip.

But I missed reps on my deadlift. ; ;  I got 2 out of 5, then on the third, I got about a quarter of the way up and that was all.  Didn't drop the bar, but it wasn't moving up any more than that.

So, back down to 155lbs. for my workset on Wednesday.  Probably with a little more warmup than last time.

 

The reason I blame the firewood is that my grip didn't give out.  I took plenty of time between warmup and work set, but my lifty muscle just weren't lifty enough.  It's always been dodgy grip before my muscles are done, before now.

 

Since my grip wasn't done, I did the dead hangs so it would get some work.

 

So, tomorrow there's supposed to be a big ol' snowstorm.  Not sure if step aerobics is going to be cancelled or not.  I'm kind of hoping not, because I'm still trying to figure out if my knee is going to be okay with it or not.  (If not, I might add a treadmill day on Tuesday, after the class is held.)

[Georges]

Tuesday, Jan 27th

Weigh in: 172

 

Snow Day

 

Much needed rest day with Mr.Georges.  First whole day home together in a long time.

Step Aerobics class was cancelled.

Putting off shoveling until tomorrow.

Only other thing to note here is that I had a nosebleed today, for the first time in a long time.  Hopefully a one-time thing, maybe because the air is pretty dry.

[Georges]

Wednesday, 28 Jan.

Worked, worked out.

Presses felt... wrong.

So I re-checked Starting Strength

and found out I was doing them wrong.

Yay for self-awareness?

Deadlifts got done, but barely.  So, yeah,

I guess I overdid it earlier in the week.

[idealistinfire]

Definitely celebrate self awareness! Glad you got that snow day with the Mr.

[Georges]

Definitely celebrate self awareness! Glad you got that snow day with the Mr.

I sometimes take it for granted, but at this gym, I'm seeing examples/reminders that knowing the difference between "feels right (even if hard)" and "feels wrong" is something to be grateful for.

[Georges]

Thursday, Jan 29 (Yesterday)

Rest day.  I thought about treadmilling, but didn't feel up to it, so I went to the grocery store instead. 

I got a 5-serving bag of prepped (washed & cut) kale, so that was awesome. 

I also got some protein powder, because I ran out of the stuff I had.  Sadly, the grocery store only had 2 choices.  Even more sadly, I think I got the wrong one. 

This one has a lot of added crap.

I've got some whey isolate with no added crap on the way, but it won't be here for probably a week.

 

Friday, Jan 30

 

Worked & Worked out.

I am very ready for the weekend.

Snow didn't close the gym down, though, so I had no excuse.  I didn't really want one anyway.

 

Squats

warmups

bar 2x5

65 1x5

85 1x3

95 1x2

work

110 3x5 (49.9kg)

 

I feel like I'm starting to get the hang of warmup weight/set/rep to be warmed up but not worn out.  Sort of.

 

Bench

warmups

bar 2x5

65 1x5

work

75 3x5 (34kg)

 

Got an assist with liftoffs for my work set.  Still wishing really hard for a power rack to appear.

 

Deadlift

warmups

135 1x5

work

155 1 double over hand

        4 mixed grip  (70.4kg)

 

I'm sad about my grip strength.  But, that was one less rep DOH than last time, so either it's not recovered or I had an off day?  I dunno.

[Georges]

Saturday/Sunday Jan31/Feb1

Weekend.  Rest days.  Did some housework, did not eat all that well.

Feeling down, and I realized this afternoon that I didn't use my SAD light.

Also, hormones.

Hopefully, I'll feel better tomorrow by the time it's time to lift.

[idealistinfire]

So good, bad or indifferent that you can tell the difference from when you use the light and when you don't?

[Georges]

So good, bad or indifferent that you can tell the difference from when you use the light and when you don't?

I guess good, mostly.  It means the light makes a difference, which means one more thing within my locus of control that can help me in winter.

 

I knew for sure that lack of sunlight was a factor, but I wasn't sure if the therapy light was a meaningful replacement.

 

I'd rather be outside getting more sunlight in winter, but there are just too many days here with wind chill advisories.

[Georges]

Monday, Feb 2, 2015 (yesterday)

 

Worked & Worked out, despite my car getting stuck in the snow and really poor planning on my part regarding food.  At least I remembered my winter light at work.

 

Well, I made it through January.  And I'm feeling much better than most Januaries.

 

January thoughts (2nd month since respawn):

I didn't miss any lifting workouts.  One Step Aerobics class (on the 27th) was cancelled for snow, but I made the other one and 2 out of 2 Kettlebell classes.  And one nice long treadmill session.

I lost a couple pounds, more slowly than I wanted, but that's a reflection of compromises I made.  Thanks to shark week I'm not sure what the loss really was, but probably between 2.5 and 3.5 pounds.

I found my workset weights.  I didn't do that thing where you just increase linearly until you can't.  I get the psychology behind it, but don't care about that.  I get the muscle-memory/form training part of it, but I'm feeling good about my form for squat & deadlift, and actively working on my form (instead of increasing weight) for bench and press.  So,

 

Jan 2 working set weights (bodyweight at 175)

Squat:  65lbs

Bench:  65lbs

Deadlift:  125lbs, and starting with the bar so low was messing with me.

hadn't learned press yet. (was doing OHP with dumbbells.)

 

Jan30 working set weights (bodyweight between 172-174?)

Squat:  110lbs

Bench:  75lbs, still working on form

Deadlift:  155lbs

Press:  still working on form (bar only) 45lbs

 

Not much progress with the numbers; lots of progress with the learning.

Still been thinking about (instead of actually doing) adding treadmill once or twice per week, as well as a core/balance day.

Aside from the one Saturday that I did go treadmill, I just haven't felt recovered enough.

 

February thoughts:

I need to be planning things better so that I have what I need to do well.  This means remembering my light, planning my food better so that I'm not caught at work with nothing to eat, and getting my sleep pattern under control.  I am the only person in the world who is trying to powerlift and is sleeping too much.  If my body feels up to it I want to add treadmill day or core/balance day or both.

I suspect that better planning plus a little running will get my weight loss back on track.  I'll re-evaluate at the end of Feb., and if not, I'll have to decide if I can eat less and still do what I want in the the gym, or if I need to change my weight loss goals.

 

 

[Georges]

Tuesday, Feb 3 (yesterday)

 

(Day off from work.)

Spent all day getting things done, but then at the end of the day, there wasn't much I'd gotten done.  So that was frustrating.

 

Step Aerobics class - I still had trouble keeping up/following along.  Knee seems okay, though.  Weird thing happened during the muscle part of the class - we were doing bridges for glute work, but my hamstrings kept freaking out.  I forgot to ask the instructor about it after class, but I'll ask her when I get a chance.

 

My back hurts.  Somewhere thoracic.  (I've noticed that I don't get lumbar aches/soreness since I started lifting, even when PMS cramps hit, which is awesome.)  I think this pain is from trying to do stuff at the wrong (ergonomically) height, but it started almost immediately this time (usually I'm good for a little while), and I can't exactly move my kitchen counter.  I'm a little worried, but mostly I'm just angry about it.

 

Food was a little haphazard, but at least it happened, including some veg (not really enough) and probably 7 or 8 oz. of chicken.  I really need to focus on getting more veggies.  I used my light, and packed it for work so I wouldn't have to remember.

[Georges]

Wednesday Feb 4:

Worked, worked out.

Did a bit better with food, except that I seem to be hungry and hurried in between work and workout... so ate a bit too fast, and noticed it's a trend.

I may have to eat a little more at work and a little less before workout, or something.

 

Thursday, Feb 5:

Rest day, and I needed one.

Worked, spent time with Mr.Georges, did laundry so I have clothes in which to work out tomorrow.

I think I may be trying for 1RM for the NF virtual meet, just to find out how to do it (and to find out how it affects training routine).  Probably during the last week.

 

My good protein powder is taking forever to get here (stupid smartpost), and it's been too bitterly cold to do much outdoors, and for a million other non-meaningful little reasons, I am cross at the world this evening, so that's about all the updating I've got.  (Will probably be better tomorrow.)

[Georges]

Friday, 6 Feb.

 

Better today.  Very Much Ready for a weekend, though.  My protein powder arrived (after I'd already had the crappy type for breakfast, so I haven't tried it yet), along with my electrolyte drink that I don't really need in the winter unless I use the treadmill or do a lot of firewood stacking.

 

Worked, with my SAD light and a sweet potato, and some yummy beef & veg meal that Mr.Georges made and dropped off to work for me.

 

Worked out.

Some back extensions while I waited for the squat rack.  I think only 3 people use it during the evening, so I almost never have to wait, and never for too long.

Squats

45 lbs 2x5

65 lbs 1x5

95 lbs 1x3

115 lbs 1x2

120 lbs 3x5

Press

45 lbs 2x5

50 lbs 3x5 -still working on form, struggled with it for the last set

Deadlift

135 lbs, 1x5

145 lbs, 1x5 -I'm still sad that I had to back off on these already, but today's went well

 

I feel like I ate well and drank well today, which is nice, and this morning's weigh in was the 3rd out of the last 4 to be 171.5 (4th was lower, I think I was a little dehydrated that morning), so I adjusted my progress bar.  I'm looking forward to tomorrow - some time with Mr.Georges, some time with housework, and some time with the treadmill.

[Georges]

(Sat. 7 Feb.)

I tried my whey protein powder.  It tastes like whey.  I'm not sure why that surprised me.

[Georges]

Saturday Feb 7 (yesterday)

 

I had to add drink mix to my whey powder drink in order to drink it.  Sort of defeats the purpose of buying a 'pure' product, except that I can choose which crap to add and which crap to keep out.  Limited options in the house meant I used cranberry/pomegranite drink mix - one of those artificially sweetened packets for adding to a water bottle.  At double strength, it masked the whey... adequately.

 

For anyone who has never had actual whey from making cheese curds, the NOW whey isolate powder is almost exactly the same taste.  I'm not sure how much whey it would take to get the same amount of protein, but I am sure the powder is a lot less expensive here.  (Maine has high milk prices compared to the rest of the USA.  I'm not sure what milk prices in the rest of the world are like.) 

 

Treadmilled. 

It felt like I hadn't run forever, but I just looked back and saw that the other time I went in was only 2 weeks ago (so I only missed one Saturday.)  I'd like to be running every Saturday that I feel rested enough to do so.  I really want to use this winter, when I feel like I have to use the treadmill if I want to run, to get in some well measured interval training.  So that's what I did.

 

(Minutes)

3 walking warmup

3 @ 5 mph

2 @ 6 mph

3 @ 5 mph

2 @ 6 mph

3 @ 5 mph

5 walking recovery break

3 @ 5 mph

2 @ 6 mph

3 @ 5 mph

5 walking recovery break

3 @ 5 mph

2 @ 6 mph

5 walking recovery break

2 @ 6 mph

?somewhere between 5 and 10  walking cool down

?somewhere between 14 and 19 walking

for a total of 75 minutes moving (with 1 mile at 6 mph and 1.5 at 5 mph, and a little over 1.5 at various walking paces).

 

I wanted to keep brisk-walking for more calories, but I could feel blisters starting.  So I switched to the recumbent cycle for another 20 minutes.  I'm not sure the cycling is going to work out for me.  The lower part of my quads were a bit burning, close enough to the knee that I'm waiting to see if it was muscle or connective tissue   .  I was really hoping that I could cycle, but if I have to wait until it's safe to ride outside, I will.  I haven't been cycling since I moved up here to the sticks (maybe 6 or 7 years now?) except a few minutes to make sure the bike was in working order... There's an ice cream shop just down the road a bit (21 miles) that I've been meaning to bike to since forever.  Yes.  I would do that.  And yes, I know that a big, indulgent banana split or whatever would have more calories in it than I would burn in 42 miles of hilly cycling.  But I like cycling and I like ice cream. [ / defensive]

 

Anyway, nutrition.  Drank plenty of water before during and after cardio, plus some Nuun (electrolytes).  Ate okay for the day, a bit low for anything except a rest day, but history tells me that it will all average out - my high calorie eating days and my high calorie workout days don't usually match up.  Remembered my SAD light a bit late, but used it anyway, so that's okay.  Got a tiny bit of housework done, but not as much as I'd wanted.

 

 

Sunday, Feb 8 (AM)

 

Rest day, unless I work on core/balance stuff.  Haven't decided.

 

Remembered my SAD light.  Yay!

 

I have a big ol' list of housework to work on, and I actually feel motivated, so that's good.

 

I mixed my whey powder with key lime yogurt today, figuring that it would mask the flavor well.  It may be because it was cheap (store brand) yogurt, but it got supersoupy.  Tasted like (drinkable) key lime yogurt, though, except for the lumps.  I think I'm going to have to break down and start using a blender.  I might buy a stick blender for it though, because I hate cleaning blenders with the passion of a thousand burning suns.  Seriously, I never use our blender, just because I don't want to clean it.

[Sloth the Enduring]

Going to the ice cream shop is the best use of a bike. Seriously, the ice cream tastes so much better after a ride. I used to go 36 miles to a little shop, best ice cream ever.

[Georges]

Monday, 9 Feb.
I mixed my whey powder with chocolate soymilk this morning.  Much better tasting.  Probably not the best choice for my caloric limits, though.
Worked and worked out.

 

Work out was okay. 
 

Squats - working weight: 125 lbs. (56.75kg, also my target bodyweight)

 

Bench - working weight: 85lbs. (38.59kg)

I felt okay about doing the first two sets on my own, but things got a bit dodgy, so I got a spot for the third set.  Only got 3 (out of 5) reps.

 

Deadlift - working weight: 150 lbs. (68.10kg)

I got 2 reps double overhand.  Had to use mixed grip on the other 3.

 

Then, since I had time, I did a 10 minute (that's how much time I had) treadmill walk @ 15% grade.  Wanted to give my blisters a chance to heal up, but wanted some calorie burn.

 

There is definitely a little something going on in my "bad" knee, very lateral.  Probably a bad thing, so I'll be leaving the recumbent cycle alone for now. 

The lateral bits (I'm sure there's a name for 'em) of my calf muscles had a lot to say to me today, too.  I'm not sure if that's from the cycle or the treadmill, but it's DOMS, not injury, so that's okay.

 

I've been looking at the VVLL, but it's making me weirdly anxious, so I may just sit this one out. 

[Georges]

Tuesday, 10 Feb

AM

It's my third day weighing in at 170.0 lbs.  I'm going to update my progress bar.  45 lbs. to go...

Day off from work today, and Mr.Georges has the day off.  My only time obligations are Step Aerobics this evening and getting paperwork done for my first visit to my new primary care provider tomorrow morning. 

[Georges]

Tuesday PM

Step Aerobics class.  Knee is still fine with it, so I bumped the height up.  Kept up a little better, too.  Partly the learning curve, and partly, I think the instructor was cueing more or repeating more or something.  Bridges went better - I moved my butt closer to my feet, as suggested, and it was definitely more of a glute workout.  Ab work was rough, but I already knew that I've lost some (a lot) of core conditioning.

 

Wednesday (Today), Feb 11

 

Poor sleep - anxiety about my health appointment first thing in the morning meant I woke up several times before my alarm.    But I got there on time.  Set up appointments for normal tests (fasted glucose & blood lipids) and then for a physical scheduled after the test results come back.  Got prescriptions for my asthma meds called in to the pharmacy, just need to pick them up and figure out what they cost tomorrow AM.

 

The down side is that I was late to work.  Oops.  I spent the whole day feeling like I was trying to catch up, right up until workout time.

 

Worked & worked out.  I think I'm going to stall soon on squats (already), and I missed reps on Press, and my deadlift was exactly the same as last time... I think I need to just accept that I already need to use a mixed grip, and get over it.  To cheer myself up, I walked on the treadmill @ 15% grade for 20 minutes (until closing time).

 

Feeling a little anxious about food - As an omnivore, I go with the IIFYMs thing, but lately, I'm having a hard time keeping calories under control on days that I eat things like bread, rice, pasta.  They don't upset my guts or my energy levels, but when I eat them, I don't seem to get enough veg, or I skip meaty things, because I don't want to eat too many calories for the day.  Today was a day like that.

 

But, over all, a good day.

 

Edit to add:  mfp says I didn't go over on calories, so that's good.  But 2 servings of veg is not enough per day.

[Georges]

Thursday, Feb 12

 

Rest Day.  I thought about getting on a treadmill, but I'm a bit tired.  I'm still adjusting to the move from 3 to 2 rest days/week, and this week has had some poor sleep.  So I will treadmill on Saturday again and be training instead of overtraining.

 

I was so excited to go to the pharmacy today, just like someone who takes proper care of her health.  Sadly, I could only get one (of two) medications, and I got to spend time trying to chase down the red tape to get the other.  Also, I forgot (wtf?) to put the leftovers that were already packed up in the fridge into my bag for work.  So, a bit of mixed day.

[Georges]

Friday the 13th

 

Tried the pharmacy again this morning, no go.

Worked.

Got a call from my doctor's office, explaining that my primary care provider will be having a talk with my insurance company on Monday.  Mostly, I think she's going to tear them a new one for trying to make her make me try an inhaler that I've had a bad reaction to in the past.  Anyway, it should all get sorted Monday, and after 3 years of relying on expired inhalers, I'm not too worried about 3 more days.

 

Worked out.

Squats... finally hit the big kid plates (135lbs).  I got all 3x5, but they weren't all pretty.

Bench... missed reps again (2nd try).  If I don't get them all next time, I'll deload 10%.  My spotter said that my form looked like my rear delts were holding me back, because I didn't have good control at the bottom of lowering the bar.  True?  I dunno.  But my shoulders are definitely less trained than my triceps, so it kind of sounds legit.

Deadlift... increased by 5 lbs, got the same 2 DOH, 3 mixed grip as last time. 

All in all, I didn't feel strong today, even after yesterday's rest day. 

I have some program interruption coming up, though, since I have bloodwork on Tuesday.  I haven't decided yet if I should do a light work out Monday or skip it all together.  I should be fine to work out Wednesday, unless something goes terribly, terribly wrong with the blood draw. 

Maybe I'll use Monday to learn the power clean (with just the bar, for form) and walk on the treadmill.

 

Excitement at the gym:  We might have found a yoga instructor (still negotiating).  Also, the manager went and looked at some equipment she might be buying.

 

Now I'm just winding down for the week and trying to convince myself that I should eat 2 more servings of veg... I got 5 (fruit & veg) yesterday, so this would be a *gasp* two day streak.

[Georges]

Saturday, 14 Feb

 

Interrupted sleep last night, but a nice slow morning to get over it.  Remembered my light, even though I hadn't unpacked it from my work stuff.  Yay!  Went to the grocery store (so I wouldn't have to go once the roads got nasty with the snowstorm we're having... for safety), where someone backed their big ol' truck into my teeny tiny car.  Barely scratched the bumper, since it was backing up at parking lot speed, but I got so angry.  So, so angry.  I don't get angry a lot, so when I do, it is really evident (to me) that I've never worked on anger coping skills.

 

Treadmilled.  3 min warmup, then 3 sets of [3 min @ 5mph, 2 min @ 6mph], a 5 minute walking recovery break, then 3 more sets of the same, and then a 5 minute super-slow cool down.

Compared to last week, that's one more 2 minute bit @ 6mph, and one walking break instead of 3.  I am happy with it.

I took an off-the-treadmill break (swap water bottles, change music, get heart rate down.

Then instead of the recumbent cycle, I did another 5 minute warmup and 15 minutes walking at 15% incline.

All together, I felt like it was a good "last workout" before resting up for fasting bloodwork.  (I know hard exercise skews results, and the tests are to establish baseline numbers.)

 

Tomorrow is a scheduled rest day.  Monday, I haven't decided if I want to do a light workout (in my head, that feels as wrong as running 'junk miles'), or skip it entirely, or use the same time to work on learning to power clean, because I haven't done that yet.