ixaera keeps on going~

[Jord]

https://www.madewithcode.com/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=HPP&utm_campaign=WonderWoman 

[ixaera]

1 hour ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

https://www.madewithcode.com/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=HPP&utm_campaign=WonderWoman 

 

I love it!

 

I did the thing today

Bench Press was relatively EASY considering it was heavy day and a new PR.

1x5 55 lbs

1x2 65 lbs

1x2 75 lbs

1x1 85 lbs

3x3 95 lbs 

Everything mostly went right up. It felt easier than 94 last week.

 

T-Bar Row

5x3 82 lbs

Also easy

Apparently a shot of rum the night before is just the ticket

 

Leg Press

4x5 "45" lbs (no idea what the base weight is, but I did that)

STORY TIME: I am too small for this machine. I stared at it in confusion trying to figure out how it works for a while, then got the gym guy to show me. He was a little stumped by my stumpy little legs, turns out to use this I have to just let it all the way to the bottom and start from there. Not ideal, he says, but it is what it is. Sometimes the machines just don't fit the little peeps. I laughed and said "sorry" as I do and he says "don't be sorry for being who you are!" Touche, gym guy. Touche. So I have no idea how I'm going to set it up for myself going forward since my legs aren't long enough to push it out of lock out. Didn't try much weight, just feeling out the machine & movement. Didn't feel this in my back except for set up. Hopefully that's fine.

 

Suppinated Pulldowns

2x9 80 lbs

2x8 80 lbs 

Added a couple of reps

 

Leg Curls

4x12 55 lbs

 

Good workout, definitely a great milestone and I feel good about trying something a bit different now. It'll be a while before I'm pushing up near my limit on any lift now but I can now at least say with confidence that I can do 95 lbs "for reps" "sort of"

 

Posted proof on insta, but I don't really like the video. I got two angles, but one you can't see the plates, and the one I posted you can't actually tell that the bar touches my chest. Oh well. (It does! I swear!)

[Sloth the Enduring]

You're subbing in the leg press because of a bad back?  I can relate to that.  Every bad back is different, but what worked for me was to pattern the hip hinge with Roman chair back extensions.  It give the glutes and extensors a solid workout even at body weight.  Another exercise that hits the glutes is the lunge - I do reverse lunges as my back is more upright.  Good luck with it.

[ixaera]

24 minutes ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

You're subbing in the leg press because of a bad back?  I can relate to that.  Every bad back is different, but what worked for me was to pattern the hip hinge with Roman chair back extensions.  It give the glutes and extensors a solid workout even at body weight.  Another exercise that hits the glutes is the lunge - I do reverse lunges as my back is more upright.  Good luck with it.

 

Huh! I went and looked up roman chair extensions, having never heard of that, and it turns out this is apparently what I've been calling "hyperextensions" all along. Though my search returned two flavors: the kind where your feet are held parallel to the ground higher up, and the kind where your body is more at a 45 degree angle to the ground and your feet are near the floor. (I do the second kind, because I haven't figured out how to get in the other one as it's quite tall)

[ixaera]

New Program Day 1

6/4/17

 

 

Gym Time

Leg Press (replacement for Deadlift)

4x10 base weight (it feels like more than 45, and is probably 118 according to the internet, but going forward I'll probably count via the plates added)

Had to get gym guy to set it again, then I could not re-set it and had to use it from the bottom again. I just can't figure out this thing UGH and I feel so stupid.

 

DB Bulgarian Split Squat

4x10 30 lbs (15 in each hand)

 

The program is using notations that of course work for gauging a main lift, not for accessory type replacements, so I'm just doing the best I can with what I think the effort they're going for is. Such is life when trying to heal forever. Seriously, my back is doing much better than even a month ago, which makes me think that it's still healing, just so slowly. So so so so so so slowly.

 

And now the circuit

3x15 roman chair back extensions (just bodyweight)

3x15 50 lbs lateral cable rows

3x20 30 lbs face pulls (upon reflection I think I was pulling these a touch low)

 

Was surprised I could do the circuit on a Sunday, when morning gym is busy gym. No one was using that equipment though so it was easy and guilt free enough just to blow through it. Everyone was just doing squats and deadlifts. (So jealous.)

 

Challenges so far: Figuring out what weight to do. This is only my second time ever doing leg press and the machinery is ... more complex than the others I've used. The guy kept saying "pull the lever in and down" and my hand doesn't listen to my head and it's a weird lever. Luckily it's only once a week. I'm sure it'll grow on me once I'm able to use it as my ego exercise. BSS's were easier, and only not on barbell because the gym was full and the free racks had the super heavy bars set up and I didn't want to deal with navigating that stuff around the busy gym, so I just used DBs in a little free corner. 45 lbs might be a touch iffy for so many reps anyway, but I'd be willing to try it out.

 

Food Time

This week's calories (yes it changes) is 1622

110g protein

183g carbs

50g fat

So there's macro tracking.

 

I did pretty decently for a first day, though I missed breakfast and I had a lowish appetite, so I didn't quite hit the mark, but I'm sure the week's average will be fine.

1439

110g protein

159g carbs

45g fat

 

------------

I've had several days to really dig into the program and examine the methods, and I think I really like it. It starts out at maintenance, with activity levels slightly beneath what I'm used to. I'll be able to meet the cardio requirements without even doing elliptical (until week 8 when things really ramp up). The calories gently step down week by week, while the workouts (4 days a week, general upper/lower split w/ hypertrophy type methods with a smidge of higher intensity mixed in) step up slightly each week, and in week 8, HIIT 2x a week is added in. Each week you get one more set or a new RPE or an additional exercise in a circuit. The gradual method is appealing, so far. We'll see what I say when I'm experiencing the last four weeks, which look like Real Work.

 

I dislike being stuck not doing the good compound lifts, but what else is new? I think even being forced to replace 3 of the exercises it'll do what it's supposed to do. 

 

Starting Measurements

weight: 109.8 lbs

waist at narrowest: 26"

waist at navel: 30.2"

hips: 35"

butt: 36.2"

R&L thigh: 21"

r calf: 12.25"

l calf: 12.4"

R&L biceps: 11"

chest: 31.25"

R&L forearm: 9"

 

Body fat calculators that take forearm measurements put me at 25%, which is more or less visually accurate (I'd say more like 26-27% from a visual guess.)

Not too shabby, and I don't care as much about the numbers as the mirror, since everything's already in a healthy range (still! so happy! it's been 2 years now since I dropped 30 lbs and it's mostly still gone )

[Urgan]

10 hours ago, ixaera said:

Food Time

This week's calories (yes it changes) is 1622

110g protein

183g carbs

50g fat

So there's macro tracking.

 

Ah, that moving target. Good luck~

[ixaera]

3 hours ago, Urgan said:

 

Ah, that moving target. Good luck~

 

Today I am able to fit pop tarts in my macros. That is how softcore week 1 is. \o/ (I had extra pop tarts in my desk from a time I accidentally ended up with two. Must not waste food? or something)

[Urgan]

22 minutes ago, ixaera said:

food?

 

The most correct placement of a question mark in reference to poptarts ever, lol. It and cockroaches will outlast us in a nuclear apocalypse. 

 

Enjoy the wiggle room while it lasts.

[Sloth the Enduring]

1 hour ago, ixaera said:

 

Today I am able to fit pop tarts in my macros. That is how softcore week 1 is. \o/ (I had extra pop tarts in my desk from a time I accidentally ended up with two. Must not waste food? or something)

 

I just shed a tear of joy for you.

[ixaera]

Day 2 of 84

6/5/17

 

 

Gym Time

Rest day

I did 20 min walking per program at lunch time. Did not elliptical, following program as close as I can. There's circuits in this thing anyway. Tomorrow for example is what I'm going to call "Crazy Arms Day" and in Week 1 is just a 4x10 of fairly easy bench (doing 65 lbs with a closer grip than usual) then 4 sets of a circuit that's all arms all the time. By week 12 the bench is pretty heavy, and there's 5 sets of the circuit, which has push ups added to it by week 5 or 8. Yeeeeesh. 

 

Food Time

This week's targets / current day / avg:

1622 / 1664 / 1552

protein 110g / 127 / 119

carbs 183g / 169 / 164

fat 50g / 60 / 53

Think I will track this this way. Can see more in one go. Doing fine so far. 

Fitting pop tarts in is a win, and bringing donuts in for the short timers at work. (We got two more people who put their notice in... )

 

Speaking of work, life's a bit too crazy to fit much beyond this program in, so I will be attempting maybe an easy writing goal and that's it. I have written so far twice this week.

 

Writing: 2/7

 

Same goal as before, just ANYTHING counts. Brainstorming on a walk, outlining, editing, writing a crappy shark week emo poem, whatever. Today it was brainstorming.

[ixaera]

Day 3 of 84

6/6/17

 

trying to get in carbs like

 

Gym Time

Crazy Arms Day

Bench Press

1x5 45 lbs

4x8 65 lbs

 

Big Arms Circuit

4x30 20 lbs Cable Face Pulls

2x11 2x10 10 lbs Lateral DB Raises (5 each side)

4x11 40 lbs Cable Tri Pushdown

4x13 20 lbs Alternating DB Curls (10 each side)

 

10 min on the treadmill

 

So tired! omg

It's quicker than my usual programming but more tiring. Wow lat raises after face pulls wow. I can usually manage 8 lbs on each side but not after 30 reps that almost but don't quite hit the medial delts. I had the cable system on the smallest setting for face pulls. Geez Louise. I filled in some of the time with treadmill b/c I could.

 

Food Time

This week's targets / current day / avg:

1622 / 1539 / 1547

protein 110g / 119 / 119

carbs 183g / 149 / 159

fat 50g / 54 / 53

I somehow am having trouble eating enough?? It's the fat limit. I normally eat a lot more unsaturated fat and trying to swap over to a more complex carb heavy diet is... challenging. Gotta figure that out I guess?

 

Writing: 2/7

 

Yeah, um, I basically came home, ate til I couldn't stand it anymore, then watched a lot of youtube. I read once that Stephen King worked as a teacher and wrote when he came home and on the weekends and... I just can't imagine that right now!

[Jord]

What about fruit for some of the carbs? I'm really into fruit at the moment and it tis the season for fresh produce. I just got nectarines this past weekend for 99cents a pound! I don't love them because pits are annoying, but cheap cheap cheap. Normally I'm an apple a day kinda gal. Blueberries are also often on sale, but that may be a Michigan thang. 

 

10 hours ago, ixaera said:

I filled in some of the time with treadmill b/c I could.

 

 

I know these feels from my leg only (vs arm only for you until recently) workouts. I end up done early so then I do a bit o the ol' cardio. 

[ixaera]

2 hours ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

What about fruit for some of the carbs? I'm really into fruit at the moment and it tis the season for fresh produce. I just got nectarines this past weekend for 99cents a pound! I don't love them because pits are annoying, but cheap cheap cheap. Normally I'm an apple a day kinda gal. Blueberries are also often on sale, but that may be a Michigan thang. 

 

This is funky to say but it'll get easier as the calories get lower??? lol Right now I'll get to the fat limit at 1200 calories and I'm like... oh no, how do I pure carb 400 calories cuz that's like 4 bananas dang

(the answer is probably more rice???)

I'm just so used to avocado and feta and olive oil everywhere when I eat better. 

 

That said, I am not doing so great today. I brought donuts and I have already blown my fat goal. Just gonna finish out today making sure I hit protein and stay within the calorie limit and dust off for tomorrow.

[Urgan]

18 minutes ago, ixaera said:

(the answer is probably more rice???)

 

[ixaera]

[Urgan]

I have a drawerful of the things. In case of emergency, you know.

[ixaera]

6 hours ago, Urgan said:

I have a drawerful of the things. In case of emergency, you know.

 

Truefax, I found a 6 pack on prime and hit the purchase button. Pure carbs WOW

[Urgan]

31 minutes ago, ixaera said:

 

Truefax, I found a 6 pack on prime and hit the purchase button. Pure carbs WOW

 

Ix you got a problem, I solve it

Check out the beat while the DJ revolves it

Rice, rice baby~

 

I know stores may or may not carry them where you live, but they are a normal grocery store item here? Just FYI. But they are SO convenient.

[ixaera]

4 hours ago, Urgan said:

I know stores may or may not carry them where you live, but they are a normal grocery store item here? Just FYI. But they are SO convenient.

 

I frequent a farmer's market with small selection and sometimes a Sprouts which can be hit or miss on such things. I'm very rarely at the normal supermarket, just because most of what I need is at those places. Honestly, I mainly hit up Sprouts for the wine and coconut date rolls and just stock up on a few sauce & rice packets and egg whites while there. I used to do Amazon Fresh but they stopped doing the green totes that you could just give back to them and it became far too much recycling / waste to justify it.

 

Anyway long story short, I get a few random things from Amazon until I find an acceptable sub at the local places.

 

Woo!

 

 

[ixaera]

Day 4 of 84

6/7/17

 

oops

 

Gym Time

Rest day nothing to see here

 

Food Time

This week's targets / current day / avg:

1622 / 1628 / 1568

protein 110g / 113 / 117

carbs 183g / 96 / 143

fat 50g / 79 / 60

Carb/fat ratio all messed up. Fix incoming.

 

Writing: 2/7

Really want to get this back on track, tho.

 

Work let up a bit today so hoping this means my brain will right itself and want to do adult things again soon.

 

[ixaera]

Day 5 of 84

6/8/17

 

it me

 

Gym Time

Bulgarian Split Squats

4x8 40 lbs (20 lb each hand) think I'm clear to move to the barbell for 8-10's now

 

Roman Chair Back Extensions

3x10 5 lbs

Holding some weight was just fine

 

DB Rows

4x10 25 lbs

 

Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns

1x14 3x12 60 lbs

Didn't quite get the weight right, so I might have gone to 9 for RPE oops. Brain farted and didn't bring the reps all the way down to 10 or mayyyybe 11 for a proper 8 RPE.

(Was probably thinking about suppinated grip pulldowns when I estimated weight, since on those I can do almost 10 on 70 lbs no problem so I was sure 60 would be fine... but as you know wide regular grip is not the same thing)

 

10 min on the dreadmill

Program calls for 15-20 low intensity cardio 2x per week, but for the sake of walking more for the back I've made it 10 min 4x per week instead and just squeeze it in at the end of the session. When HIIT appears I'll probably do that separately, we'll see.

 

Food Time

This week's targets / current day / avg:

1622 / 1674 / 1589

protein 110g / 113 / 116

carbs 183g / 148 / 144

fat 50g / 66 / 61

That fat macro gonna take some work. Today my issue wasn't anything in particular, just me being me not realizing that whole eggs have 4g fat apiece and I eat 3. Not so bad by itself, but combined with half a sandwich that had some condiments & a pack of cheesy quinoa poofs, my fat took a turn for the not-so-on-track. Oops. Trying to follow this program as close as I can but me I loves my fats. (Note: the saturated fat has MOSTLY been awesome except for donut day, so I'm not worried about things, just trying to follow the targets.) I might need to swap to egg whites. I've done that before, those are just fine (but not sold at the farmer's market, :| )

 

Writing: 2/7

Work is so crazy. Tickets poured in the earlier part of this week, some urgent. Been training on top of that somehow. My brain has been fried every night when I come home, so I'm not being too hard on myself about this, but I'd like to try harder. ANYTHING, even if it's just putting my mind in that world.

 

Tonight I at least managed dishes and litter. The rest was spent turning off the frontal lobe in front of Supernatural.

[Jord]

On 6/7/2017 at 11:08 PM, ixaera said:

Day 4 of 84

6/7/17

 

oops

 

Gym Time

Rest day nothing to see here

 

 

 

more power to you for logging here on a non-lift day. sometimes i feel like when I didn't lift I have nothing to report :|

[Urgan]

22 minutes ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

 

more power to you for logging here on a non-lift day. sometimes i feel like when I didn't lift I have nothing to report :|

 

If I do not lift, life has no meaning. 

[ixaera]

1 hour ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

 

more power to you for logging here on a non-lift day. sometimes i feel like when I didn't lift I have nothing to report :|

 

I consider the food bit worth logging so I'm not tempted to try and fudge bad eating days by conflating them with surrounding days when I lift XD

Today I'm going to be the cause of all the rum being gone, though.

 

1 hour ago, Urgan said:

 

If I do not lift, life has no meaning. 

 

Needs lifts!

Lift = only one letter away from life

there are no coincidences

 

Today was an easy lift day and I was moderately disappoint. I like to feel like I got near my limits, but week 1 just doesn't call for that.

[Urgan]

11 minutes ago, ixaera said:

Today was an easy lift day and I was moderately disappoint. I like to feel like I got near my limits, but week 1 just doesn't call for that.

 

Cuts have a way of fixing this.