Saturday, August 30

Took a rest day on Friday and got a massage. Weight has been maintaining for a few days at 115.5 (last at 116.5 on Wed 8-20)

Saturday did BACK and SHOULDERS and 20 min. HIIT on the bike. Feeling pretty good now that I'm eating right. This is almost, dare I say, easy!

WORKOUT
Superset
1. Lat PD 40/14, 45-40/12, 45/10, 45/8, 50-45/6
2. Bent row w/ barbell 40/10, 40/8 x3

3. DB shoulder press 12/12, 12/10, 15/8, 20-15/6

Superset
4. Lat bar Push Down: 20/12, 25/12, 30/12
5. Side shoulder raise 8/10 x4

DIET
Meal 1 (5 F, 27 C, 31 P)
1 waffle, 3 turkey bacon, 1 container 0% Greek yogurt (high protein--18g), 70 g strawberries
Meal 2 (5 F, 31 C, 31 P) (PWO)
Weight Control oatmeal, 1 scoop whey protein
Meal 3 (12 F, 15 C, 31 P)
baked 6 oz tilapia covered in 14 g walnuts, 2 oz. cooked pasta, steamed asparagus & squash
Meal 4 (12 F, 15 C, 31 P)
2 chicken sausage, 1.5 oz cooked pasta, spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes

Thursday, August 28

I feel like driving to Buck's County just to kiss you for helping me figure out the carb thing ;-)
I felt SO MUCH BETTER today.

I did get a little less sleep last night--went to bed by 11:00 and woke up at 5:00, 2 hours before my alarm. So kinda tired. Plus, I think my body is still recovering from being hypoglycemic all week. I did chest and arms today, but low strength. Tomorrow will be a rest day so hopefully Saturday I'll come back strong.

CHEST AND ARMS
Superset
Incline DB press: 12/14, 15/12, 15/10, 15/8, 15/6
Tri bar pd: 50/12, 50/10, 40/8, 40/8
Superset
Cable pec fly 25/12 x3
Bicep incline curl 12/12, 12/10, 12/8, 12/6
Superset
Cable curl 30/10 x3
Lying tri ext 8/10 x3

Oh yeah, and 30 min. Pilates in AM

DIET
Just for a few days so we're sure we're cool. No need to comment unless you want me to change anything.

Meal 1: (12 F, 15 C, 31 P)
Coffee, 1/2 cup skim, 1/2 cup egg whi, 1 piece 10g carb toast, 1 oz cheese, 3.5 light turkey bacon, 2.5 oz watermelon.
Meal 2: (5 F, 31 C, 31P) -- split into 2 meals
4 oz cooked wheat pasta, 3.75 oz turkey breast, spinach, tomatoes, 1/2 tbsp Smart Balance flax oil spread
Meal 4: (5 F, 31 C, 31P) PWO
Weight Control oatmeal mixed with 1 scoop whey protein
Meal 5 (&6): (12 F, 15 C, 31 P)
lean beef burger, 1.5 slice bread, 1 tbsp miracle whip, lettuce
1/2 cup egg white, broccoli

Wednesday, August 27

Hi, today much better. I think part of the issue was eating 4x a day. I had wanted less fuss and to eat bigger meals, but I'm guessing my blood sugar was just not consistent enough. Today it's 6 meals and I haven't got to the murderous rage part yet. In fact, had good energy throughout leg workout.

LEGS

Superset
1. extension: 35/10 x 3
2. squats with 13 lb MB: 14, 12, 10, 8, 6 reps
3. Leg curl: 40/12, 40/10, 45/8, 45/6

4. Sumo squat w/ DB: 20/12, 30/12 x 3

Superset
5. step lunge w/ 10# plates: 20/15 x 2
6. calf raise on Smith: 20/15 x 3, 25/15

HIIT: Step and mix of jumprope, prone runners and some plyo

Tuesday, August 26

Did 20 minutes of HIIT cardio today, followed by some Pilates until I got interrupted with a call I'd been waiting for. Plan on legs and more HIIT tomorrow.

Ok, I had a hard time with the diet today. Tried to stick with 60 g of carbs, but at one point I felt so sluggish, weak and just couldn't concentrate. A challenge for me is working in an office on Tues. and Thurs. I don't have time to prepare food to take those days, but I researched all of the local chains' salads and found a few I can eat that match the macro mix. I had a chicken salad at 11:30 and another at 3:30 while at work, but still needed a few grams of fat and protein for the second one. There were leftover sandwiches in the break room and my intention was just to grab some cheese from the sandwich, but I ended up eating the whole damn thing. I immediately felt better and energized, but of course awful that I messed up the plan. I ate according to the plan the rest of the day though.

So tell me exactly what is normal during this prep...Are there days you feel you just want to lie down on the sidewalk with the homeless people? Or, if you're on your way back to the 12th floor to devour your dry chicken salad and someone stops the elevator at the 6th and another at the 8th, you want to poke their eyes out (and maybe eat them)? How do you deal?

I am motivated by the changes I'm seeing in my body already, but I think I just need to know this is normal and that I can get through it.

Monday, August 25

Took a rest day yesterday--legs were feeling pretty heavy and so did stretching.

Today, did back and shoulders and steady state on bike.

1. Lat pulldown: 40 on 14, 12, 10, 8, 45 on 6
Superset--
2. Back row with BB: 30/10, 30/8, 40/8, 40/8
3. DB Shoulder Press: 10/12, 15-10/10, 15/8, 15/6
Superset--
4. Lat pushdown--straight bar on cable: 15/12 x3
5. Side lat DB raise: 8/10 x4

Saturday, August 23

Hi. Um, I have a confession.
I did a 2-hour road bike ride today. But swear--didn't mean to! I planned on an hour, but we got lost and ended up going several miles out of the way. And I kept saying, "My trainer says I can't do this!" I ate a peach afterwards to refill the carbs. I won't do it again, honest!

Otherwise, I'm doing exactly what you told me to ;-)

CHEST (I use different gyms depending on where I'm at, so some weights may be slightly different than last time).
Super-setted these 3:
1. Incline DB press 12/14, 17/12, 17/10, 17/8, 20/6
2. incline DB curl 12/12, 12/10, 12/8, 12/6
3. tri bar pd 50/12, 50/10, 50/8, 50/8

then these:
4. cable curl 40/10x3
5. tri ext with DB 8/10x3

finished with these 2:
6. flat bar press 25/12, 25/10, 25/10
7. pec fly 20/12 x3

Friday, August 22

Hey buddy,
I'm down to 115 and waist is an inch smaller. I know you said not to measure every day, but I'm secretly hoping you'll increase my calories on account of my early success ;-)

Did LEGS today. I'm surprised I had the energy I had, and did HIIT (step and jumprope) as well afterwards.

1. Leg ext: 30/10 x3 (these still burn!)
2. Squat with 13-lb MB: 14, 12, 10, 8, 6 (last set with another 3 lb ball)
3. Leg curl: 35/12, 40/10, 40/8, 45/6
4. Sumo squat with DB: 15/12, 15/12, 20/12, 20/12
5. Alt lunges with 10 # plates each hand: 2 sets 15
6. Calf raises on Smith machine: 15/15x4

Thursday, August 21

Biceps and chest still sore. Did a 30-minute easy-moderate bike ride and stretching tonight.

Got almost 8.5 hours of sleep, but very low energy levels this afternoon. Ate my 3rd meal earlier than I wanted to, but felt better after and now feel fine.

Wednesday, August 20

Weight down again, 116.5
Sore chest and biceps today. Diet on target.

Workout Back and Shoulders (lbs/reps)
1. Lat pd 40/14, 40/12, 50/10, 60/8, 60/6
superset with
2. DB shoulder press 8/12, 8/10, 10/8, 10/6

3. Bent over row on cable 40/10, 40/8, 40/8, 40/8
superset with
4. Side lat raise 8/10, 8/10, 8/10, 8/10

5. Rope pulldown (switched to straight bar because felt it targeted lats better) 30/12, 30/12, 30/12

HIIT
After a few fits and starts because of faulty machines and a twinge in my knee, I decided to make up my own. Did step aerobics combined with 12 sets of 15-sec crazyfastjumpingjacks and a few prone runners tossed in. Much more fun, and believe me, I was tired and sweaty!

I've been sleeping better this week so far than I have in a looonggg time. Looking forward to a rest day tomorrow, though will probably still do some Pilates and maybe a 30-40 minute bike ride.

Tuesday, August 19

I weighed myself this morning and am down 2 pounds to 117. Nice! I like this diet. OK, I know it's water weight but still nice to see.

Legs are a little stiff today so I am giving them one more day to recup before doing cardio again. Hey, if I do an hour or more of cardio (road biking) one day, does that count as 2 cardio sessions, like maybe a steady state and a HIIT? I do alot of hills and really like biking...much more interesting than treadmills, and better for my knee.

Okay, hit my diet goals pretty well today and did chest/arms. Over the past 6 months, I have been doing alot more endurance/balance/Pilates, so strength is a little down, but I do feel like I really worked it.

(weight/reps)

1. Hammer Strength incline press: 10/12, 10/10, 10/8, 15/6, 10/10
2. Cable chest press: 30/10, 30/8, 30-20/8
3. Fly: 40/12, 35/12, 35/10
4. Incl DB curl: 10/12, 10/10, 10/8, 10/6
5. Tri PD: 30/12, 30/10, 35/8, 35/8
6. Cable curl: 20/10, 20/10, 20/10
7. Tri ext on ball with 1 DB: 15/10, 15/10, 15/10

Day 1 of contest prep -- Monday 8-18

What am I getting myself into??!!

Weight: 119
Waist (bellybutton level): 29.5
R thigh: 20.5

Workout: Legs (lbs/reps)
1. Leg extensions, 35/10 x3
2. Leg curl, 40/12; 40/10; 45/8; 45/6
3. Deep squats with 12 lb.Med ball: 14, 12, 10, 8, 6
4. Sumo squats: 15/12 x4
5. Calf raises at Smith machine with Reebok step: 15/15 x4
6. Alternating lunges with 10# plates each hand: 20/15 x2

During rest periods, did Pilates abs exercises.

Steady state cardio:
13 min treadmill 3-4 incl/3.5-4 mph, then 17 minutes on recumbent bike, 7-10 resistance, 70-80 rpm
(My hip flexors felt really tight so I switched. Stretched alot afterwards. Need to vary cardio so as not to bother knee.)