Prone Bridges: 3×30sec – 2 30 sec reps, the third only went 20
I accidentally left my notebook at home today and couldn’t remember the weight for deadlifts, so I ended up way short of where I was supposed to be. Oops. Everything else went fairly well, though. Prone bridges went the full 30 seconds for 2 of the 3 reps, so that’s improving sharply now that I’m adjusting some to doing them. I stuck with the same weight on LPD’s because it increases by increments of 15, and I just barely made a 5×5 last time. I’ll bump it up to 165 next time, or I’ll try negative , everything I could use as a boost to do them was in use by other guys.
A non-workout-related post is coming after I get back from class tonight. Stay tuned.
Day 64 (Monday) Chest, Shoulders & Triceps and Ab Ripper X…..I did 209 total push-ups and 364 ab exercises. GOOD MONDAY Y’ALL!
Day 65 (Tuesday) Plyometrics, including the bonus…..I kept up with Domi. I’m sorry, but that guy bugs me!
Day 66 (Wednesday) Back & Biceps and Ab Ripper X…..79 total pull-ups and 364 ab exercises. Protein shake time, baby!
Day 67 (Thursday) Yoga X…..I have a pretty full schedule today, so I only did the first 50 (killer) minutes.
Day 68 (Friday) Legs & Back and Ab Ripper X…..134 total pull-ups and 368 ab exercises! Hulk-a-mania, for the 45 year old man!
I completed a 40-minute bicycle ride of 10.5 miles. My average speed was 16.1 MPH. The temperature was near 100 degrees at 9:00 PM! I rode to Lana’s for my birthday dinner and dessert, thanks for a great dinner and cupcakes!
Day 69 (Saturday) Plyometrics, including the bonus…..I was supposed to do Kenpo X today, but I worked out with 702FitClub and we did Plyo. I crushed Domi!
I completed a 40-minute bicycle ride of 10.5 miles.
Day 70 (Sunday) Rest…..My 1st rest day ever, I’m so disappointed with myself. Hittin’ the weights tomorrow!
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the weight loss drug orlistat, marketed as Xenical and Alli, may increase the risk of serious liver damage.
Between 1999 and 2008 the federal agency has received 32 reports of serious liver injury in people who were taking orlistat. Of those injured, 27 required hospitalization and six had liver failure.
Orlistat blocks the absorption of fat in the stomach and small intestine, and by doing so reduces calorie intake. The most common side effects of Xenical and Alli are oily spotting, flatus with discharge, fecal urgency, fatty/oily stool, oily evacuation, increased defecation, and fecal incontinence, which is another way of saying that the drug can cause uncontrollable greasy diarrhea. For those who take the drug, this side effect is a powerful incentive not to eat fatty foods. It’s also likely why orlistat has not become a blockbuster weight loss drug.
As orlistat blocks absorption of fat, it also blocks absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E and beta carotene. Women who take orlistat are advised to take a multivitamin.
Early Warning Signs of Liver Damage
One of the few clear early warning signs of liver damage is jaundice, a yellowing of the whites of the eyes and the skin. Other symptoms of liver damage can include weakness, fatigue, irritability, headaches, fever, brown urine, light-colored stool, an ache under the right rib cage, and itchiness on the palms of the hands and bottoms of the feet.
The simplest and safest way to lose weight is free, and free of harmful side effects: eat moderate amounts of wholesome food and get regular moderate exercise.
Women taking Xenical or Alli who experience side effects should report them to the FDA’s Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program.
I like the idea of looking good while working out. Weather I achieve “looking good” or not is questionable. My favorite look is a tight athletic tank paired with yoga pants or lounge pants. I especially like wearing my pink sports bra under a yellow racer-back tank and black pants. I always feel amazing when I wear this combo. Don’t ask why.
Although I care what I look like when I work out I hate the idea of spending $50 plus for a pair of pants or just as much on a t-shirt I’m going to wear while sweating. These items I know will be washed over and over again only to die. Faded, nubby versions of their former selves. So sad.
Solution to my dilema: I LOVE the Danskin line at Wal-Mart….yes, Wal-Mart!
Prices range from $5 – $15 depending on the item.
The lounge pants are by far my favorite Danskin item. They are soft and comfortable and come in several styles including boot cut, relaxed and modern. I have put these pants up against expensive designer yoga/lounge pants and have found them to be comparable in quality, fit and style. Another selling point is that they come in sizes ranging from XS - multi-XL. Their bottoms also include pants, capris, etc. depending on the season.
The standard $5 cotton tee is nothing to write home about and the fit is not slim enough for my taste. They do have some pretty sweet racer-back tanks in the $7 – $10 range made from dry-weave fabric as well as hoodies and wind-breakers.
Although I don’t bat an eyelash when parting with large amounts of money for handbags, eye wear and designer clothes I just can’t seem to do the same when it comes to workout wear. Wal-Mart has filled the gap nicely. Check it out…I promise you won’t be disappointed!
Saltines have many uses I am certain you are aware of — settling a thrashing stomach, crumbling into perpendicular lines in your tomato bisque for a pleasing presentation, substituting for toast when you want something to spread jam on and have conveniently forgotten to purchase a loaf of bread.* Saltines even have uses you may not have considered yet, such as dueling your family members in the Saltine challenge, or gluing sparkles to the crackers and stringing them with fishing line to hang on your holiday tree.**
As sublime as Saltines are however, if you find yourself not just tasting like a crispy treat, but looking like one as well after a workout, you could be in trouble. It is normal to be salty after a run (don’t believe me? Give yourself a lick). According to “Salt and Runners” from RunthePlanet.com, “The amount of sodium in sweat averages about 500 milligrams sodium per pound of sweat (and ranges from 220 to 1,100 milligrams). If you lose two pounds of sweat per hour for four hours of sweaty running, your sodium losses can become significant (4,000 milligrams of sodium).” Salt loss increases in the heat, too, which makes sense as you sweat more when the thermometer climbs. And while it is inevitable that you lose some salt as you workout, if you are building up salt residue that you can see on your skin, it could be a warning sign. ***
Being a salty sweater (as opposed to the ugly sweater you keep in your dresser for theme parties) should ring a few caution bells. For starters, low sodium levels can cause muscle cramping. But that is the least serious concern. Salt deposits are also a sign of dehydration, which, besides being extremely unhealthy, can have dire consequences. Medicinenet.com says
“As fluid loss increases, the patient may be so dehydrated that there is not enough water to sweat and heat exhaustion or heat stroke may occur. Heat stroke is a true medical emergency…In dehydration, electrolyte abnormalities may occur since important chemicals (like sodium and potassium) are lost from the body through sweat…causing muscle weakness and heart rhythm disturbances. Some examples of symptoms caused by abnormal electrolyte levels include muscle weakness due to low potassium, heart rhythm disturbances due to either low or high potassium, and seizures due to low sodium.” ****
Lots of fun stuff, right?
There are more salt-loss issues, too. More formally known as “hypokalemia,” low potassium is another concern for athletes. Potassium sounds like some mystical substance – we are told to eat bananas in order to get this electrolyte, but we are never told why. What it does is simple: potassium keeps your muscles moving, your nerves sending messages to your brain faster than the pony express, your kidneys filtering, and quite literally, your heart beating. Low potassium can lead to heart failure. Yikes.
Fear not, if bananas do not inflate your hot air balloon. Potassium is found in potatoes, tomatoes, avocados, strawberries, spinach, dried fruits, beans and peanuts. I swear I firmly believe in a spoonful of peanut butter for a runner – protein, healthy fats, healthy minerals, and now potassium? That substance is miracle food.
Last, losing salt (which means you’re losing water and electrolytes) can also mean you’re losing energy. If you’re feeling tired, and particularly unmotivated, you may need some sodium to sparkle up. Or, you may just need a glass of water. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day before you run ensures you are hydrated properly, and wards off the consequences of dehydration. Your body will adjust to drinking more water with time, and you will simply feel better if you do not let yourself be thirsty.
If you are concerned about potassium levels, I am a firm believer that eating fresh foods (as opposed to electrolyte supplements) is the best way to take in vital ingredients for your body chemistry. The healthier you are in what you eat, the healthier you will be as you run.
* But don’t substitute for using to make French toast if you are out of bread; it works out less well.
** The Saltine Challenge: to eat six Saltines in one minute. Good luck.
*** http://www.runtheplanet.com/trainingracing/nutrition/salt.asp
**** http://www.medicinenet.com/dehydration/page4.htm#complications
Last week I met a good friend of mine after almost a year. But believe me I could not recognize her – she had put on weight. I couldn’t imagine she would ever be so healthy. When I asked her the secret – she said, “there is no secret even I am worried about my weight and want to be slim again.”
During our conversations she told me that for the last 8 months she was taking migraine pills. I knew that these migraine pills have side effects and cause weight gain. Since my friend was taking medicine for such a long time, she put on weight. I told her to see a doctor and discuss about the problem.
After so much discussion, she felt relaxed and ensured me that she would definitely meet a doctor.
I am feeling pretty motivated today. I have tons of energy and I am going to get stuff DONE! I swung by to grab a latte this morning… My one addiction! I saved the smoothie for this afternoon before practice. Tuesday’s practice was pretty good. I felt a little slow, but we did a lot of sprints and I am just not as fast as the other girls. Slowly but surely though, I feel like I am getting faster. My endurance has also increased. I am trying to incorporate at least 2 P90X workouts in my week in addition to two practices. Maybe I’ll even try to squeeze a hike in this weekend.
I really like P90X. The workouts are fun and challenging and I definitely see an improvement in my performance during the workouts despite only doing a few of them a week. When we get back from Alaska, I should have a new routine with practices on Mondays and the Fall season of Ultimate (hopefully playing on Tuesdays!). That will open up the latter part of my week to squeeze in more P90X workouts. So I am looking forward to that. My biggest challenge with P90X – the pushups. (I’m not even going to go into pullups) I can do girly pushups no problem. But I really want to graduate to regular push ups. There are so many exercises’ that I can’t do RIGHT because I can’t do a darn pushup! So maybe I will try to do 10 push ups a day to get me up to speed…
I am really happy with where I am physically. I look great in my clothes and feel comfortable in a bathing suit. Neither of which I could say a year ago. It is really motivating to stay on track when I wake up in the morning and pull up my shirt to reveal a flat stomach. Things are much more firm where they used to be soft. It has taken SO long to become more toned, but what a world of difference! It is so much easier to stay in shape than to GET in shape.
The start of some very odd warm sunny days during Winter in August, have dragged me out of the uggies and thinking about summer. So I tried on my bikini and what do you know… I’m lumpy and bumpy and things are not where I would like them to be! It is that inevitable feeling that either drives you to get your butt moving, or back to the fridge. Thankfully I decided on the former!
I have been a member of the same gym for around 18 months and phoned to schedule an assessment. The last time I did one with them was when I joined so it was long overdue.
My journey is going to be done the old fashioned way… no fad diets, no subscription to magic pills or berries. I will eat healthy food and exercise. It isn’t like I don’t know “how” to do it, it is just a matter of doing it and stop talking about it.
The results are in, and I will continue to track my progress and update how things are going from here on. I have also started taking the dreaded photos so watch this space as I update my change from a squishy body to a fit and toned one!
My measurements were taken and my weight was calculated on the Tanita Body Composition Analyzer, and while I know that it is not 100% accurate in terms of fat percentage, it is a good indicator and from here on I need this to decrease as it is way too high!!
The results were basically the same as 18 months ago, so I was very pleased things did not go backwards, however in that 18 months of gym membership (total cost $1,443!) there should be no reason why things have not changed. I will update measurements also so I can also track how many centimetres are lost, which needs to go down mostly from around my waist.
today is a beautiful day. for so many reasons. first, the weather is gorgeous. second, my work-storm has finally blown over. third, i had a great workout this morning. fourth, vacation is next week.
so, as for this morning. again, i have no idea what weights i’m using, but that’s fine. everything went fairly well. now that we’re starting on leg extensions, it is making the leg press just that much harder. which seems like a whole lot harder. the leg extensions went really well, even at 200lbs. i thought it was going to be too much, but i suprised myself and got out a few solid reps before i crashed. but what that tells me is that next week, there will be more weight. without a doubt.
as for the leg press, brent had to drop the weight twice before i could even lift it. i did ok on this, got out a few reps, but i didn’t make it thru the countdown. brent wanted one more rep, but i could just tell i was already past that point. i got to the low point in the cycle and just never brought it back up. but after a successful leg extension set, i wasn’t too terribly disappointed.
even the leg abduction and adduction went well. i feel good that i can finally get a few reps in on the adduction machine, complete reps, all by myself. that was a struggle to get to this point, but it’s a success to finally be here. again, i’m sure that just means more weight next time. the abduction (think i have those straight, for this i mean the one where you push outward) is getting better too. i never had as much trouble with that one, but i do get kind of cramping sometimes rather than just burning. and the funny part is when i’m about spent and brent goes for the countdown and tells me “don’t let me close your legs”…gee, that sounds a little personal. if i had the energy, i would make some sort of smart comment about it, but at that point, i can barely remember to breathe, so a comment is a little more than i’m capable of.
the upper body seems to be going well. which seems strange for some reason. i don’t know why the legs give me so much more trouble. i do like the chest flys. even though they are hard, it’s nice to get to lay down for a minute after it’s over. ha. and the lat pull down is giving me a workout. i know i’m going to feel it tomorrow…but in a good way.
i really like going to brent. he is such a good person. and naturally, i get to know him more and more each time i see him, which is cool. he makes it fun. i’m struggling, muscles burning, can’t breathe, sweating, and he keeps me laughing and enjoying it all. that is something that is essential to a good trainer, and definitely what makes him so good at what he does.
so next week is vacation for me. i’m totally looking forward to it, except that i’m nervous about being out of my routine for an entire week. it’s much harder to control what you’re eating when you are faced with eating out all the time or eating from endless buffets. not to mention that there will not be a scale for me to step on every morning to keep on track. i’m just going to have to make sure that i pace myself, focus on what i’m eating, and try not to overdo it. i’m pretty sure i can do it, since i have successfully gone to picnics and stuff this summer without totally losing it.
i also have to try to figure out what to do about exercising. we’re going on a cruise for part of the vacation, and i know there is a gym on the ship, so i’m hoping to be able to work that into my days. i was going to get brent to just give me some weights, but he said the machines could be so different that 200lbs on one machine might seem impossible on another or way too light on another. so then it dawned on me that we’re not leaving until monday night, so maybe i can get over to brent during the day on monday. then i won’t miss a week, and i don’t have to worry about what weight is right for this type/brand of machine relative to what i have been doing. i’ll still try to get to the gym on the ship, probably for cardio, maybe a little light lifting, just to offset any of the damage i might do with all the food. yikes.
i’m feeling really good these days. i feel so much better about how i look. i’m still waiting for that “wow you look great” comment from someone other than my own mom, but even though no one has said it, i certainly feel it. i suspect my mother-in-law notices a difference too, because she kind of kept trying to push food on me the other night, as if i wasn’t eating enough. i have to assume that was her way of saying she was afraid i am trying to starve myself. which i most certainly am not. i like food too much to do that!
i love the feeling that i have right now – muscles are tired, not sore yet, but definitely have that sensation of having been worked hard. i like that.
so here are my stats for the week. not much change at all in the measurements, except that i finally got 159 to stick. just a number, right, but still a cool number.
When researchers at the University of Southern Maine used an advanced method to estimate energy expenditure during exercise, they found that weight training burns as many as 71 percent more calories than originally thought. In fact, the researchers calculated that performing just one circuit of eight exercises can expend up to 231 calories. The more muscles you work, the more calories you’ll burn, says study author Christopher Scott, Ph.D. Maximize the number of muscle fibers you activate in each set by performing a circuit in which you alternate upper-body movements with lower-body and abdominal exercises. This allows your upper-body muscles to rest while your lower-body muscles work, and vice versa—ensuring your best effort each set. Complete three full circuits of eight exercises and it’s likely you’ll burn as many calories as you would by jogging for 30 minutes.
I was still doing some research on the internet, so this was more of a work-in-progress, not a final version of my workout. Actually I don’t believe there will ever be any final version of it since I’ll be constantly modyfing it. I wanted to do 3 workouts the first week, but I got sick and only managed to do 2.
Monday
Thursday
Set 1
Set 2
set1
set2
Upper Body
Pull Ups (Back)
2
1
3
2
Push Ups
10
10
10
10
Pull Ups (Biceps)
2
3
3
4
Triceps Dips
10
10
10
10
Chest Butterfly (weight)
x
x
10 (20kg)
Abs
P90 Ab Ripper 100
medium
medium
Lower Body
Calf Rises
10
10
x
x
Squats
40
40
x
x
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good morning, or whatever time it is for you. i don’t have much food porn for you because there was a whole lot of eating out this weekend, which of course i was not that thrilled about but anywho- let’s get this party started.
not very pretty, but tasty! chicken, rice, red pepper, plum curry. with peanut sauce
green club soda. i added some Greens+ superfood powder to my soda. awesome stuff!
half an odwalla bar.
so no post yesterday i was just trying to recover from the weekend. i find myself doing that a lot on sundays,lol. but i don’t think you missed much. i went shooting with DH and his friend. your truly did manage to hit something (a bottle. i love shooting the shotgun!). the night turned kinda sour after our car died because we had the lights on too long, it was getting dark. good thing the parents live close by and could come give us a jump. actually i had to laugh a little. and while we were sitting there waiting for help i was thinking to myself- you know, these are the things that count. the little memories you wont forget. nothing lasts forever. sometimes that is a good thing (being in the middle of nowhere with two dudes carrying guns and ammo, lol) but sometimes we want the good times to just go on forever and ever, never ending. to be in that moment until the very end. but life doesn’t work that way, it keeps going and you are forced to keep going. all you can do is hold on to those memories, cherish them and revisit them often. make memories and make good ones, because in the end that’s what is going to get you through. anyways enuf rambling! the weekend was good, our first weekend since school started and this morning was kinda half hazard and disorganized getting ready to take the little man back to preschool. but we made it. my main problem now still is finding something to do with myself for 4 hours. i feel like it’s a waste to go home and go straight back to bed, even if i am tired. so i have been running(today’s run was awesome) and trying to concoct some way to make some money. and i have also been working on some masks, which i have pictures to share with you.
YES! I am back! I finally made it back from a very interesting vacation! I am going to need a vacation to recover from my vacation. Somehow I survived and managed to pick up a speeding ticket. If that isn’t a hammer over my head telling me to SLOW DOWN, then I don’t know what is. The Universe has a funny way of sending us messages…whatever happened to a little subtlety, Huh?
Well, not many people GET subtle messages anyway, so why bother, I suppose, just hit us with the big one and be done with it! Now that I am back, my health and immune system seem to be in order again, just in time to go back to work, too. Imagine all those sick days I would have had to waste.
I just had to mention my back at least once, since my back is back to normal, too.
As a tribute to my healing process I have made yet another Youtube video…and I know you just love my long dialogues about what I ate for breakfast, so I thought I would bore you some more with videos of my lovely ankle and all of it s colorful glory!
Feel free to comment on my ridiculously large ankle or my amazing recovery…I like those stories of hope and optimism in the face of hardship and struggle. That’s what life is about anyway, right? A little glory followed by failure or is it hope followed by utter disappointment.
That is why we have hero’s out there doing there best to show us how to unlock “the Secret”…and I do think it is possible to create SOMETHING, despite obstacles that obstruct. The real question is whether to push through, go with the flow or know when to let go…hmmm….that might be why we have psychics out there who can predict things.
Here are my pictures…
August 23, 2009: Day 175
Exercise: bike 45 minutes, ankle stretches (it never ends)
Menu: Protein and veggies
Until next time…
Think, Believe, Act, Adjust, Never Give up
Dakota
Today’s Mantra:
Healing is a process of handling pain and pleasure in positive ways rather than self-destructive ways.
When most people think of losing weight or going on a diet, they think they have to starve themselves, eat bland tasting foods, and have very little food choices to choose from. Also, they know snacking is out of the question!
Not true!
Snacking actually has many benefits to help you shed body fat! As long as you eat healthy snacks and have a little self control, remember everything in moderation, snacking is a great way to help control your diet and produce drastic new results in your weight loss efforts.
Benefits of snacking include:
1. Binge Control- If you eat a very small meal and then go a long period of time till you eat again, you may find yourself binging at your next meal! To avoid a binge meal, try eating a piece of fruit or other healthy snack. This will ward off hunger pains, keep you next meal in check, and help you to actully consume less calories during the day!
2. Extra Energy and Nutritients- If you live a busy lifestyle and find yourself on the go a lot. Planning ahead and bringing a snack will provide you with a burst of energy when you start to feel down. Plus, it will keep you from running to the next McDonalds for something quick to eat!
3. Controls Insulin Levels- You may think if you’re not diabetic then you don’t need to worry about your blood sugar. Well, your wrong! Trying to keep your blood sugar levels steady actually helps to keep your body in a fat burning mode. Once your blood sugar levels start to spike and plummet, your body gets out of whack and will start to store your calories as body fat! A steady intake of healthy foods will help keep your blood sugar levels steady.
As you can see these are only a couple benefits to snacking. Healthy snacks will help you stay on track in your weight loss efforts and help you avoid all the dieting mistakes and pitfalls most people run into.
Think of snacking as a “mini” meal not a chance to eat something bad!
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