Bodybuilding/Sculpting check-in;-)

[Burning2]

Hello ladies,
I have been reading all the posts but not responding. You ladies are a wealth of information and I can't believe that I lucked out doing this rotation with y'all.
Okay, so this is my recovery week and I pulled out Party Rockin step 1 last week and learned the segments bit by bit to learn it. I had to stop, slow it down and did that three to four times before I moved on because I could not learn those darn steps. It moved so fast for me and everything was spinning and turning and sometimes Cathe would be on the right of the step and I had no idea how I got to the other side of it. I was dumbfounded at times and laughed my head off( not my butt off because I want to keep all that I have there) because it was comical to see me staring at her and really not being able to grasp any of it.BUT!!!! I got it and on Sat., Sun., and today I did the whole workout and LOVED IT. It is really exhilarating to do. I have also done PRS2 and that was easy to grasp. I never had to rewind because I felt I would master that one quickly even if I got off track a few times. No fancy moves in that workout.



Nathalia, I went to the store and got all of the ingredients to make the bars. They were very easy to make and get this, I had to make more two days later because they did not last in my home for me to even try them the first time around. So, in other words, they are quite tasty!

Mary, I was on track with you with the workouts but decided to do the Pyramid style STS like Jen and Nathalie. So now I am a week behind them. And your words on eating clean have been so right on. I have lost control since my hubby is a tutor at an upper school and quite a few of his pupils are giving him baked goods as gifts. I have dipped into these goodies way too much and am so ashamed that I am not giving my hard work any consideration at what I am putting in my mouth. What kind of results am I expecting if I keep this up all month long? Not very good ones obviously. So, I am upset with myself about my self control.

Nathalia - you mentioned you have your menu planned out for the next two weeks. Would you share how you are eating and how many times? I am wondering if my clean eating still is to much, but I am not one to count calories. Instead, I do more portion control.

I actually am glad to have a week off just to do cardio and have been inspired by you to do two a day cards this week. Thanks everyone.

Veronika

 

[Burning2]

Nathalie, I do not know why I keep typing your name with an "a" at the end of it so sorry about that.

And Mary, that is way cool to hear that you are using the #30!!!! Do you do a lot of other dvd's for cardio? I am wondering if I am doing myself a disservice by only working out to Cathe. When I don't do her workouts, I just go for a run. I really want a spin bike so I can do her workouts. I feel that she is so much fun to workout to and that (this may sound silly) I am disloyal to her by letting other instructors in and that I will compare them to her and not like them and will have wasted my money. But maybe you ladies can give me suggestions where to start and who I might like.

Okay, happy working out Ladies

 

[bzbnmom]

I really wanted to skip my workout this morning. I woke up too many times last night. To get motivated I treated myself to Party Rockin Step 2! In the middle of it I had the crazy idea of following it with Party Rockin Step 1. But no... Still, I didn't want it to end!

Jen, thanks for the thoughts on Peak 10. I may try one when I find a good deal. I've had Patrick's Lean Hot Body for 6 months and this was the first time I've tried it. There were 5 blocks. It either started? or ended? (can't remember which) with a short cardio section and there were 3-4 short sets of compound moves using medium or heavy weights. This was done twice for each block. I really like Patrick Goudeau, very upbeat, lots of variety, great music. It felt fun and the time flew by. Probably no where near as intense as Peak 10 and certainly not like Cathe's Afterburn, maybe more like Supercuts? Honestly I'd have to try it again for a better review. But I liked it and would get more of his DVDs. (I got this one on a trade.)

I think you'll enjoy Power Max. I did that once and I was smiling and flying over that step as if I'd done it many times. I've been itching to do it again. Ah yes the IMax 2 & 3 and Low Max, intense!... I have Rhythmic Step/IMax/MIC but haven't tried any of them. I'll have to pull together a new set of cardio soon, I'm thinking all old Cathe stuff for a while. Many are new to me.

Veronika, I don't think you are missing out at all by doing just Cathe! And with running, that is a nice variety. Since I have almost all of Cathe's I have acquired a few others out of curiosity (some have been trades, others are used copies, some new - I wait for sales though), but Cathe is by far my favorite. When I do a Cathe rotation I don't want to sub in someone else. When I put together a non-Cathe rotation I can't even last the whole first week. With STS I feel I have more freedom to make use of my non-Cathes and try to get to know them. Many of them are badly neglected. With any non-Cathe it has to either have really good music or be so engaging that I don't notice the music (Cathe is both) - too much repetition and I won't reach for it again. I too would like to get a spin bike someday in the distant future because I know I'd LOVE her 3 spin DVDs. My favorite outdoor fitness pursuits are cycling and x-country skiing. I think of fitness as my hobby (my only hobby) so I like to indulge a bit.

 

[Burning2]

Glad to know I am not missing out then and that I better stick to Cathe,Mary.

Well today was PRS2 and I did not do it. I never woke up early enough and then in the evening,it got too too busy and then I didn't want to. So tomorrow I will do it.

Mary,do you stay on a pretty clean diet and for your family? I find it very hard to eat clean and cook for my family at the same time.


VERONIKA

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Hello ladies,

Okay, so this is my recovery week and I pulled out Party Rockin step 1 last week and learned the segments bit by bit to learn it. I had to stop, slow it down and did that three to four times before I moved on because I could not learn those darn steps. It moved so fast for me and everything was spinning and turning and sometimes Cathe would be on the right of the step and I had no idea how I got to the other side of it. I was dumbfounded at times and laughed my head off( not my butt off because I want to keep all that I have there) because it was comical to see me staring at her and really not being able to grasp any of it.BUT!!!! I got it and on Sat., Sun., and today I did the whole workout and LOVED IT. It is really exhilarating to do. I have also done PRS2 and that was easy to grasp. I never had to rewind because I felt I would master that one quickly even if I got off track a few times. No fancy moves in that workout.

Veronika

Hi Ladies,

To Veronika, Lol you cracked me up with your sentence highlighted above. Funny but so true lol. Me too want to have something there Not fatty though I want a cast iron ,rounded large defying gravity DERRIERE/rear

As to PRS#1, I had to be patient learning it. I have played it slowly, broken down moves in count and practiced. I agree it is exhilarating once you have gotten the hang of it! The music of the first combo keep on popping in my head. I have also done PRS#2 this is a piece of cake compared to#1. I must admit this is the most difficult cathe's step I have ever learned. Now that i can complete the program without stopping I found it difficult to put it away

Reading your previous post, You have done TTM and afterburn within 3 consecutives days. How did you feel? Both are afterburn. With leg day in between you must have felt it.

As to my nutrition, I am not tracking and counting calories in a strict manner. This is just for a short term period. I have re-introduced complex carbohydrate to re-set my metabolism. It did get sluggish/damaged causing plateau, fatigue etc---.I got to a point I hit a wall and had to reconsider my food selection. I was training at a level not realising I needed to eat accordingly. I still eat clean though and check my portions. I have not put on any weight in the last year but my clothes are getting looser and looser. I am happy with that.
To be honest, I need to see a nutritionist. That is my goal for to achieve by the end of the first trimester 2014.

As to exclusively working out Cathe, There is no harm IMO. Cathe provide a diverse type of workout. I truly do not know any other trainer who does the same. That being said I am not stating you should not try program from other trainer. I would say choose what you know for sure you will be reaching for in future. Also do not jump on a program just for the trend sake.
I exclusively work out cathe but I have Bodybeast on my to do least and will add program such as skogg kettlebell.. I am selective when it come to fitness programs.

To JanieJoey: It has been a while since I have read you post. Hope you are well

To Mary: Well done on your rotation. It is good to add other program you feel having neglected in the past. This way you do not get bored at all. Remember we can do STS as often as we want. With Cathe's collection and what other trainer are offering we can all design our rotation to the best of our preference, goal to avoid boredom.

This week so far I have done:

Day1: Disc 13 chest, shoulders and triceps+ 100 hip thrust I am loving hip thrust and feel it's time to add weight. Will try this next week.

• day2 High step circuit, 100 triceps extension and PRS#1
• Day3: Back and Biceps, 100 lateral raise 10-20 degree tilt
  
  I am feeling pumped today I loved it Disk 15 is lifting in a traditional/conventional way with the last set of rep to failure. I felt the swelling instantly
  
  To Jen: How are doing? How is your mother doing? Let me know how you got on with disc 15.
  
  Hope to hear soon from ladies ;-)

 

[jengollf]

Hello everyone! Mesocycle 2 has kicked my butt! I have been so sore after every workout! Monday was Disk 13 Chest, Shoulders and Triceps--my chest and shoulders were suffering serious DOMS for days afterward. Then Wed. was Disk 15 Back & Biceps--both my back and my biceps are still aching. And yesterday was Disk 14 Legs--my inner thighs and hamstrings are aching this morning. This is all the good ache tho--DOMS! I know I am doing good things! This morning was TurboFire Fire 45 + Abs 10 and tomorrow is Get Extremely Ripped 1000 Hardcore.

Nathalie--thanks for asking. My mom is doing ok--kind of. She is stressed/nervous/depressed. It seems like such a slow process when it should be faster--or I guess, that is our perception of it because we are all worried. She got an MRI more than a week ago and finally got the results and spoke to a surgeon yesterday. They think it metastasized. All these tests and they still don't know? So now she has to wait until her surgery date (which has not yet been scheduled). When they do the surgery they will biopsy all around it + the surrounding lymph nodes to see if it metastasized. Then they will decide where to go from there. But so far she knows she is definitely having a lumpectomy and radiation.

I've actually been feeling kind of depressed lately. It probably has to do with my mom and my age. I am about to turn 43 and I think I am entering peri-menopause. My periods have always been like clockwork and ever since I had a procedure called Novasure I have very little PMS. Well, the past year I've started getting hot flashes at night. Then my last two periods I've been getting depressed beforehand and they have been starting earlier and going on longer than usual. Sorry if this is TMI, but it seems to be indicating to me that my hormones are whacking out and I am really, truly getting older. And my mom has cancer. Sorry to be such a downer, but I have been suffering from lack of motivation this week. I did doubles Monday and Tuesday and didn't feel like it Wed. or yesterday. In fact, I think I'm just going to stop doing doubles until I feel motivated to do them again. An hour a day (my morning workout) is adequate, I think. Plus I have been carb craving bad. I have got to get a handle on the food. I do great until dinner time--then it all goes down the drain. Carbs, carbs, carbs.

So that's what's going on with me!

You ladies have more patience than I do--to keep doing PRS1 repeatedly to learn the steps. In fact, that is why I use my rest days to try new step workouts--because I feel like having to take all that time just to learn a workout is not good use of the time I have available to me to workout. I was so completely lost during PRS1 that I have no interest in trying it again--so I can stand behind my step and stare at the TV in bewilderment? That or keep rewinding to "learn" a step--increasing the workout time and dropping my heart rate? However, with that said, I am picking up Cathe's older step workouts so well that I am considering, when I finish trying them all out, to continue using my rest days to revisit the step workouts I shelved and see if doing Cathe step once a week has made her step choreography easier for me. So I may try PRS1 one more time. However, this Sunday is Power Max!

My 2 cents about sticking with one trainer (I know I wasn't asked, so I'm only throw it out there because I don't stick with one trainer), is that there is nothing wrong with it--especially with a trainer like Cathe. Maybe if you stuck with Jillian Michaels or Bob Harper it could become problematic, because they don't really vary things, but if you are sticking with a trainer that routinely shakes things up and has a huge variety--like Cathe--then there is nothing wrong with that at all. I do primarily Cathe workouts and she is my favorite trainer, but I also own so many other workout DVDs (over 200) and I love a lot of other trainers too that I know deliver excellent workouts that are different from anything Cathe does. So I look at it as the whole muscle confusion concept by trying to vary my workouts. Last month during Meso 1 I did primarily Cathe with some Ilaria Montagnani. This month I am doing Cathe, Jari Love, Michelle Dozois and Chalene Johnson--they all deliver something different. Next month during Meso 3 it will be something different--I don't know what. Maybe back to all Cathe. BTW--I also have severe workout ADHD--I need variety or else I get bored. That is another reason I vary things so frequently--and why I can't take the time to do Cathe's step workouts with complex choreography enough times to learn them--boredom. I never do a workout that frequently in such a short amount of time to "learn" choreography. Doing a workout frequently, for me, is doing it 2-3 times a month.

I guess I better get some work done today. Have a great weekend ladies--TGIF!

 

[Burning2]

Hi ladies,
Let me just say from the start to all of you women that post on this thread, I DON'T EVER MIND IF YOU COME IN AND GIVE YOUR OPINION OR ADVICE! I welcome it. You ladies have been so informative and encouraging to me and I appreciate all and any input.

Nathalie, wow, you pay attention to detail. I remember doing TTM and Legs and then AFTERBURN and I remember wanting to eat more and feeling real tired at night.

I wish I could see a nutritionist but honestly, for me, it makes no sense to see one since I have not even been eating clean and sticking to a nutritious food plan for a while. Until I show more commitment and self- control to my fitness diet then maybe it will be time for me to see a professional. But when you do,please pass that info this way.

I think I will just stick to my Cathe workouts. Saves me money also.

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Hi ladies,
Let me just say from the start to all of you women that post on this thread, I DON'T EVER MIND IF YOU COME IN AND GIVE YOUR OPINION OR ADVICE! I welcome it. You ladies have been so informative and encouraging to me and I appreciate all and any input.

Nathalie, wow, you pay attention to detail. I remember doing TTM and Legs and then AFTERBURN and I remember wanting to eat more and feeling real tired at night.

I wish I could see a nutritionist but honestly, for me, it makes no sense to see one since I have not even been eating clean and sticking to a nutritious food plan for a while. Until I show more commitment and self- control to my fitness diet then maybe it will be time for me to see a professional. But when you do,please pass that info this way.

I think I will just stick to my Cathe workouts. Saves me money also.

Hi Veronika,

Here is information i found useful. It is only for those who really workout intensily 5 to 7 times per week for more than an hour per day. It's mainly for those who have been loosing weight (as a long journey, heading toward the end with only 10-15 pound left to loose) reaching a plateau. This makes sense but the amount of calories I need to consume in order to achieve what I really want is frightening me. I know this apply to me cause I have about 10-15 pound to shift off and make complete peace with how i feel about myself. I am feeling great though.

off to workout ;-)

 

[Burning2]

Are your calories really low?
I am not one to do research so I rely on friends to give me info.
I am sitting at 140 lbs. I feel my best when I am between 116 to 120 lbs. I don't want to tell you how I have been eating because it is horrible. My question is, if I would like to lose about a pound a week what should I be eating. You already know that I work with weights three times a week using STS. I do my cardio four times a week for 35 to 50 min. Using Cathe's videos.usually step. Where do I start? Do I eat more protein, only protein, no carbs, a little of it, etc.

 

[Burning2]

Jen, it is hard for me to believe that you are running out of gas with how much energy you have to do all that cardio!
My energy level lowered last year a little after I turned 45. So you are right on about the age Yet, you must have the energy of 10 fit twenty year olds. I guess since you are comparing how you are feeling now to just a couple of months ago, you must see a big difference of how your energy has dwindled.I do agree that feelings like depression and overwhelment ( if that's a word) are probably playing a big part in it too. I never know what advice to give because I can tell you are a woman who knows herself and you probably know what you need to do to take care of yourself regarding diet, rest and getting support with what you are going through with your mom. Am I right? I know when I was eating clean, every few hours drinking lots of water and going to bed early, I felt terrific. So I know for a fact there is truth about nutrition and us being healthy.

And pre menopause is not any fun either. I am right there with you and the changes our bodies are going through. I am more emotional now and my periods are on a funky schedule. We can't control any of it but being aware and going with this life change kind of make it easier for me.

Take care of yourself Jen.
Thank you for your two cents. I don't get easily bored so I guess I will just stick Only to Cathe's workouts. Saves me money and time to only workout to one person.I guess if I was ADHD, I would have as many DVD's as you. I think if I had that many I would get stuck on trying to figure out who I would be working out to for that day. LOL.

I asked Nathalie about her diet. Would you mind sharing how you eat to keep body fat down and how you stay at your ideal weight? I am so confused on how I should be eating.

 

[Burning2]

By the way, I am done with recovery week and start on disc 13,14, and 15. I am looking forward to working out with weights. The week off has done me a lot of good.

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Are your calories really low?
I am not one to do research so I rely on friends to give me info.
I am sitting at 140 lbs. I feel my best when I am between 116 to 120 lbs. I don't want to tell you how I have been eating because it is horrible. My question is, if I would like to lose about a pound a week what should I be eating. You already know that I work with weights three times a week using STS. I do my cardio four times a week for 35 to 50 min. Using Cathe's videos.usually step. Where do I start? Do I eat more protein, only protein, no carbs, a little of it, etc.

Hi veronika,

Here are few point about my diet

• Last time I tracked my food consumption, was eating 1600kcal. I have worked out the calories as per activity level/what I want to achieved. It has added up to about 2100kcal. I know at the moment I am not eating more than 1600. so I need to retrack my consumption.
• I eat minimal complex carb which are low gi ( whomeal pasta, rice etc...)
• Vegetable sautee in non stick pan with no more than a teaspoon of olive oil.
• breakfast consist of porridge cooked with water with cow milk sometimes.
• I only have a protein shake after a workout when I lift heavy hypertrophy. like this week with disc 14,15 and 16 i had serious doms which lasted days on my chest!
• I do have meat twice per week only. Try to have fish most of the time.
• Before going to bed i do have a protein pudding consisting of greek yoghurt, egg white protein, cinnamon
• I do not deep fry my food.
  
  I do eat fruit too apple. Everyday I do have one or two apples. I prefer not to eat early in the morning while doing cardio. I just do not have time to eat in the morning before working out. It also make me uncomfortable if I do.
  
  I need to recheck what I eat to make sure I am not eating anything I should not. I have to keep dry fruit, almond nut to a minimal level!!
  
  Veronika Try to get a food tracker such as fitness pal. Tracking food consumption does help. 1400-1700kcal is a range of calories as a starting point for weight loss IMO.

 

[Burning2]

Okay Nathalia,

I wrote down how you eat and now have something to go by. So on days you lift heavy, do you start eating more nutritious food earlier in the day to get the calories in and not wait until after the workout,in case I do the weights later on in the day?

 

[Burning2]

I am chomping at the bit to start lifting tomorrow. Very excited.

 

[bzbnmom]

I finished my 2nd round of week 3 (Meso 1) yesterday with Low Impact Challenge - Double Lower Body Blast premix. I highly recommend that premix!

Jen, I'm praying for the best for your mom. I'm sorry to hear you're not feeling so great. That's understandable. Stress can be a huge demotivator. I hope you're not feeling bad about not doing doubles. Your workouts are so advanced, you're doing more than enough. The fact that you're eating clean all day, up until dinner is great. Would it be possible to have those some of those "bad" carbs removed from your kitchen. If it's not available you can't eat it.

It looks like I'm the old one here. I'm 48 (for another month yet) but I don't think I'm experiencing anything peri-menopausal yet? so I can't help there. However, if I am then exercise and clean(er) eating is my cure. I'm always suspicious when something feels "off" though. My mom never went through any menopausal symptoms. Her periods just stopped. She is now 77 years young, 4'9", trim fit athletic build, and still exercises. She is Japanese (Okinawan) and has never completely adopted the American diet (and has *never ever* had any weigh issues). I think clean eating comes naturally to her.

Nathalie, I think 1600 cal would be soooo hard! Last month I tracked my food for 1 day with a goal of 1400 cals. I ended up about 30/30/30 % for fat, protein, and carbs. It was very hard to keep the carbs low! The next day I was so tired I didn't have much energy for my workout. I felt awful and didn't do that again. Oh, BTW I am barely 5' tall, would love to be 120 lbs, felt great at 130 a year-and-a-half ago, and hopefully am not over 140 right now. I don't have a scale (yet). I'm not going to kill myself trying to be tiny but I am *very* happy with my blood work lab numbers (cholesterol, triglycerides, etc) blood pressure and so on. My husband says I don't need to lose weight but I'd like to see if I can. I think my weight is pretty evenly distributed but my problem areas are my tummy and inner thighs and I probably could reduce my butt too. I'm also thinking/hoping? I have a fairly good muscle base. Look at me - no decent full length mirror and no scale - I must be in denial. LOL Then I go into a changing room in a store and am horrified. Ok, so I'm the oldest here and probably the heaviest (going by height). How tall are you all? I honestly think it would be easier if it weren't for my kids. They started making Christmas goodies today! Oh nooo!!!

Veronika, my family pretty much eats the same. I can't eat differently from them, too much work. As I mentioned before, we started the GAPS diet a year-and-a-half ago (high fat, whole natural foods, no starches/sugar/grains). I started this with my family because my youngest, now 11, started having absence seizures and this was supposed to help, taking a few years to see results. She still has the seizures, but we are not focused enough on the fatty meat broths, raw egg yolks, homemade fermented vegetables/probiotics, cod liver oil - again too much work and not totally appealing, but we're trying to keep it all natural. For the most part we try to eat according to her diet, but we've now added back things for the rest of us like oatmeal, natural granola, Ezekiel bread, occasional frozen pizza, occasional ice cream or cookies, where in this case she gets a Larabar or fruit leather. What we've been eating recently: venison chili made from scratch with Daisy sour cream and cheese, baked drumsticks with a vegetable, hamburger patties loaded with sauteed onions & mushrooms with a vegetable (my husband and now my teen son will always take a bun with that if we have them), taco salads with optional tortillas and non-GMO clean chips, baked salmon is a really big hit here, chicken soup with vegetables. For misc grocery stuff I look at every ingredient label and try to make sure the list is minimal, no hydrogenateds, no corn syrups, no MSG, no nitrates/nitrites, etc. I never buy pasta but we've make rice twice this year. We always have plenty of fruit, yogurt, cottage cheese, crisped raw nuts, natural peanut butter (as fruit dip), eggs, cheese, and honey. I think the best thing I could do for myself right now is to always have on hand and eat a bunch of raw veggies at lunch and dinner and to drink more water. Personally I would love to eat more salad meals. I keep thinking I'll be able to focus more on eating better in January (just procrastinating?, I hope not). I think we'll be babysitting less hours starting next month, it's been hard on our homeschooling too.

Well that was rather long!

Jen, how did Power Max go?

 

[jengollf]

Hi everyone. I don't have a whole lot to contribute today. I'm in week 2 of meso 2, yesterday I did Disk 16, today was Peak Fit Cardio Strength 2 and tomorrow is Disk 18.

bzbnmom--your name is Mary, right? And I really enjoyed Power Max. It had the most complex choreography of the ones I've been trying out on my rest days and I actually fell on my a$$ doing the 360s, but Cathe teaches the steps so well in these older workouts that I was still able to follow it well and get a good workout. Step Works and Step Jam are still my favorites of the 6 I've tried so far. This Sunday is Rhythmic Step.

Veronika--thanks. I'm trying to take care of myself. Still working out every day and trying to eat well. I have done much better this week. I am usually really good about environment control, but last week I just didn't seem to care. I am doing better now tho. I'm not at my ideal weight. I wish I was--I've been trying to get there a long time. I am at a comfortable weight. I am 5'6 and weigh 135. I prefer to weigh 125 but I can't seem to tighten up my diet enough (consistently) to get there. I do maintain by trying to keep my daily calories around 1600, eating lots of protein and minimal sugar and refined carbs. I drink a green smoothie every day (1 cup kale, 1 cup spinach, 1 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup frozen grapes and 1/3 frozen banana), try to eat an apple and broccoli every day. I eat Greek yogurt every day. I eat Ezekiel bread rather than regular bread. In fact, when I am doing well, I have a list of power foods I try to eat every day and I refuse to "treat" myself unless I have eaten all of my power foods for the day. But unfortunately I am cyclic person I guess and can never stick with it consistently. I do it a for a month, then I am eating junk for a several weeks, then back to eating clean. However, generally, even when I am eating junk I stay in my calorie limit 80% of the time. My biggest downfall is my husband. He is a foody who loves to feed me and to go out to eat. He is a food pusher. He has gotten better over the past few months but he still does it. I don't know what my problem is these days either--I know how to eat right in a restaurant and used to do it regularly, but for some reason these days when we eat out, I have a "cheat meal" every single time.

Well, I better go! This took longer than I thought! Hope every one is doing well!

 

[Burning2]

Hello BodySculptors,
after reading on how you all eat I have come to the conclusion that when I don't have someone telling me how to eat, I eat way too much and too many carbs , cheese, and junk food such as cookies ,cakes, chocolate. I overeat throughout the day and eat before I go to bed.

Mary, I don't think I could eat all those fatty foods and no grains since I am a carb junkie. I do understand eating that way to help your daughter. We did the same for our son. We eliminated anything with yeast and did that for a summer. It was so hard and yes,we lost a lot of weight and we felt great but I could not stay on that diet. It was too hard when we would go out. And seriously, our son would "steal" other people's snacks when no one was looking. My point is, restricted diets work temporarily but in the long run, I am not sure most people in our society can live that way unless you move far away from civilization. I did not like the way I felt and I also liked the way I felt when I was eating for the competition.
It was clean eating and 6 times a day and I felt so in control of my eating. Once I decided not to train for the event my eating habits went out the window.

Jen, my hubby is good about not pushing food on me. Yet, whatever he eats I want to eat it too. When we were dating 19 years ago, I thought he was a health nut . He says it was easy to eat clean because there wasn't much cooking involved. Now, he wants everything juicy and fatty. And I follow. Yuck!

Here is why I am struggling. Maybe You can help me. When I started training for the marathon, I was about the same weight I am now. About 140 lbs. Four months later, I was about 110 pounds. Three months later, I started training for the bodybuilding, I started at 116 pounds. My trainer had me gain weight through eating healthy. I got to 127 lbs. Then he had me losing weight and I got down to 118 lbs before I quit. My trainer wanted to get me down to 112 lbs going into competition. I can honestly say that the body I had at 110 at marathon time was very different from the body I was getting from doing the bodybuilding at 118. I now wish I could have gotten my body to 112 . I had very little fat and I liked the cuts in my body. But when I started eating whatever I wanted and now sit at 140. Now ,I don't know how to lose the weight without training for a marathon. I want to get the cut look I was going for but I don't know the diet I need to follow while losing all the fat but not the muscle.

Wow, I did ramble a lot. Sorry ladies. I know it is not easy to do but it is simple. I know what to cut out. That is obvious. It is the amount and how and when do I eat to get to that sculpted look.

Any suggestions?

Veronika

 

[Burning2]

Mary, I meant, I liked the way I felt when eating that way for our son. It was a yeast free diet.

 

[bzbnmom]

Ok, ok - ladies you've now got me convinced that I'm eating too many calories! Thanks a lot!

Veronika, you are right, restricted diets do work temporarily but are very hard to maintain. I guess that's why I don't want to take the time to count calories, coz I'm comfortable with what I'm doing. Do you remember or have it written down what your diet was like when you were training for bodybuilding? Could you just start aiming for that? I too have a nutrition plan (5 meals/day) from a few years ago from our local fitness place, before we started GAPS. Doing that again would mean lots of time cooking and weighing portions, buying non-GAPS ingredients, and eating a lot. It would also mean providing alternate meals for my daughter and there's the possibility of having a single meal go 3 different ways. Ughh. I wish I had a meal plan that would make everyone happy. I like planning my workouts; I don't like planning meals. Sorry, I can't help. It's a good bet that right now we're both not eating enough protein. IMO it's hard to keep protein very high at the same time as keeping fat and carbs low. I can't accomplish that without protein powder (and of course that's not GAPS legal).

Jen, please let us know how Rhythmic Step goes later this week. I haven't done that one yet, or Step Works either, but they'll be in my next meso cardio rotation.

Hmm, I seem to be slowing down lately. I went up to 70% this week, M1 W4. Monday's Disc 10 CST was sooo hard. Disc 11 BT was great! Today was Disc 12 Legs, again hard and tiring. I keep thinking about that recovery week and wishing it was sooner, but I have another week to go. Been also thinking about doing only 4 weeks per Meso instead of 8, not sure though.

My home life is about to change. We're finished babysitting til January 2 (more time), my husband is on vacation starting today until Jan 2 (more food and alcohol temptations), my daughter comes home from college today for 6? weeks (more stress), and we're taking two weeks off of homeschooling (kids want to make cookies, regular and GAPS - I think they want to make them almost as much as they want to eat them ). I feel like I need my defenses en garde and right now I'm tired

Tomorrow Friday is Patrick's Lean Hot Body again and Saturday is Michelle's Body Fit 360 again, before I put them away for an indefinite amount of time.

So how is Meso 2 feeling for you all?

 

[jengollf]

Hello everyone! I actually got inspired yesterday and planned out my recovery week after Meso 2, my Meso 3 rotation and the recovery week after that! I'm all excited about it now. I actually want to plan out even more since I am pyramiding back down, but I know if I go too far in advance it will change anyway--so I made myself stop.

Today was Disk 17 Legs + extended stretch. Tomorrow is Fire 55 and Saturday is Get Extremely Ripped Bootcamp.

Mary--I'll let you know what I think of Rhythmic Step. I have had it a long time and have avoided it out of choreography fear. But I am finally going to give it a go. In fact, this Sunday is the last "rest" day I am going to use for step workouts--or any workout at all. I will start actually resting again. I have one more step workout I want to try--Step Moves, but I decided to just try it during my recovery week.

For me, both this time so far and the last time I did STS, Meso 2 is my favorite for upper body strength workouts and I adore Plyo Legs, so Meso 3 was my favorite for lower body strength. This time through I am doing both Squat Rack Legs and Plyo Legs. So we'll see what I think of that.

I always keep a food and workout journal and I have been doing it for many, many years. In fact, I have a box full of my journals that cover more than 5years--so I can actually go back and see what I was eating during a certain fitness program or what workouts I was doing 2 years ago. I count calories always, but currently I am also counting carbs. It is habit (like my morning workouts); I just do it automatically. I write down everything I eat, even if it is clearly unhealthy and not in my "plan." If I know the calories I record that too, even if it is horrifying. Accountability I guess. I can never scratch my head and say... I wonder why I am not losing...? Or I wonder why I gained...? The proof is always right there. But let me also add that I used to weigh a lot more. More than 10 years ago I maxed out at 172. Then I discovered The Firm and started losing weight, then I divorced my ex-husband and lost even more weight. I stopped at 128 and was very happy there. But I met my current husband who loves to feed me. This is no joke or exaggeration. He brings home my favorite junk food and tries to feed it to me. He gets upset when I order healthy at restaurants. This has been an ongoing battle with us for years. He has gotten a lot better over the past 6 months or so, but he still has his moments. But my weight has slowly risen and I live in fear of being 172 again. I do stay in the 130s, and I attribute that to keeping a food journal religiously (and working out daily). But even that isn't enough to get me where I want to be. I would be much happier if I could get down to and stay at 130.

And I'll be honest--I get sick and tired of always having to think about food and what I put in my mouth and wanting chocolate chunk cookies or layered carrot cake, then feeling like a fat slob when I do eat them. I hate the constant focus on food. But I don't know what else to do.

And with the holidays approaching, my goal right now is to just try not to go crazy. I will be off work next week. Both of my daughters will be home for the holidays (one is in the Air Force stationed in another state and the other lives in the college dorms). Both of my brothers will be home (they live in other states). It will be a food fest. That is the way my family works. Even when everyone sits around and complains about their weight, they also bring an endless supply of delicious junk to nosh on. BTW Veronika--I am a carb junky, too, so this cutting my carbs has been so hard for me to get back track with and will be impossible over the holidays.

I will get through it, try not to go overboard, and refocus on cleaning up my diet the week after. And of course, I will continue to workout every morning no matter what!