Push It

[mini-natty]

Hope everyone is having a great w/e

My w/o yesterday was Bulk Back. I was determined to up my weight #'s and I successfully increased on dead-lifts and underhand barbell rows.

Today Bella get's her hair cut. She is such a little bum with her hair -- she won't let me comb, style, or do anything to it . So I'm giving her a hair cut like mommy a nice short bob.

Heartymax
Congrats on the 3mile run! Do you actually like running? That is def a form of exercise I don't ever see myself doing in the future. I commend you though, cuz' I can't imagine how super tough it is. And how awesome you and DH are doing it together!

Toni
Lovin' the new do .
No, I was not a huge fan of M3. You know I love heavy lifting, just the w/o's were too long for me. Not to mention that for some reason I tweaked my back during the first week. Had Cathe compressed them into 30-45min w/o's, I would have done that Meso over and over again. Don't let that detour you from at least attempting it though. You never know, you might love it. As far as Plyo Legs, those are THE BOMB!

Stacie
Build Legs does it again! OMG those step-ups into the back lunge get me every time! I def have to go to my "happy place" while doing that w/o .
Yes, the reps are done at a faster speed than I would like . I try not to match the guys in speed if I'm going heavy with the 8R. I will usually pick a weight that will allow me to go to failure, and count at my own pace. I wish Sagi did not count the reps though, because it's distracting as hell when I'm trying to count mine .
And yes, please take pics of the trails if you go. I'm fascinated by all the beautiful sights this world has to offer. My dream is to travel the world one day -- hopefully I win the lotto (or score a sugar daddy ).

Jennifer
I'm glad everyone is safe from the tornado. How scary .
BB cardio is absolutely BRUTAL. I'm now convinced it is the toughest cardio I own. No, not kidding.
Mark is going to the gym, still doing his thang . He uses Body Beast as a guide on ways to perform exercises/sets/reps, but he is not doing the program. He needs the gym anyway because we don't have all the necessary equipment he needs (he uses 100lbs dumbbell's for heaven's sake!).
Thanks for the info about the PB2. I had no idea they used sugar . Not that I'm adverse to sugar or anything, but I usually get my PB natural with no added sugar.

TMJ
So you liked Chalene Extreme? If that's something you enjoy, then go for it! I personally find her annoying as heck, but that's just me and my picky self .
How are you feeling today?
I heard about Tylenol PM. I have tried Unisom a few times, and it did absolutely NOTHING for me. Does Tylenol PM have the same ingredients?


Have a lovely day ladies!

 

[atompki1]

Hey everyone!! Today was Intensity. I was going to try the bootcamp add on, but that just wasn't gonna happen. Especially since I want to pull a double today to get some ab work in. My booty still had some DOMS from my last STS Leg workout, so they got fatigued a little quicker than normal. I took some extra rest and was able to make it through the workout. My legs are really feeling it now Tomorrow is an UB day, so they will get some rest.

I forgot to mention that on Friday I had Haagen Daz butter pecan ice cream...the WHOLE pint It was so good I just felt like I needed a mental break from making sure all my calories were healthy and nutritious. It was just what I needed. Today I'm back to snacking on red bell peppers...yummy!!


Tasha
I don't mind the length of the workouts. I honestly LOVE the extra rest. Lets me prepare mentally for the next set. But I think you and HeartyMax are right, I need to do it so I can see what it's all about. I've already done the plyo leg workouts in a previous rotation. Those are no joke, but they really worked my legs well!!

Jennifer
The Vitamix is loud. Certainly would never even come close to calling it quiet. It's an expensive piece of equipment. I think it's worth the price, but if I had all the stuff you had already I'm not sure I would get an additional appliance. I only had a cheap blender that didn't work well.

HeartyMax
Thanks for the advice. I'm going to go ahead and do M3. Well three weeks of it anyway. That's all I will have time for before leaving town again. I listened to you about doing M1 and it paid off nicely, so I'll continue to listen to you and Tasha about M3. That's what these check-ins are all about, right

 

[Jenniferlove]

Hi All,

Tash,
Nice job on increasing your weights for deadlifts! Are your forearms getting stronger, too? They must be! I forgot how hulk-like Mark is; yeah, he definitely needs the hulk-like weights

Sorry to hear Bella doesn't like her hair messed with; I wonder how long that stage lasts? At some point she'll be driving you nuts with all the new hair styles she wants! LOL!

Toni,
I love your new hair style! It really brings out your eyes and your smile Thanks for the info on the Vitamix; I will nix the mix
Glad you enjoyed that ice cream; butter pecan is one of my favorites.

Have an awesome evening!

 

[atompki1]

Back quickly to report that I did indeed do a double today. Second workout was MMA Boxing. My first time with that and loved it

 

[TRSTACIE]

Good morning ladies! Friday night was BB Shoulders, Saturday was a night out for my neighbor's birthday, and Sunday was an unintentional rest day. This week is going to be crazy too due to small get together I am having on Saturday and my neighbor has family coming in for a wedding on Saturday. I'm hoping that we will be able to follow the BB program much better went we get to the next phase in two weeks.

HeartyMax
I don't blame you for wanting a boss you get along well with to stay in their position. Although the new one is well respected, that still doesn't mean that she will make changes that will correspond to what you feel is best. Hopefully, it will be a good thing and not a bad one! I'm surprised how much more school you and your sons have. Whoever didn't get out last week is getting out this week!

Great job on those runs! Doing three miles off the bat is pretty impressive. Btw, I perfer early morning / last night runs too. It's much more peaceful and grounding.

Toni
I think the new haircut looks nice on you. I remember that you had short hair before. This one looks a little different though like it has more curl to it. I envy you and Natasha for going short! I have tried shorter hair styles before and they don't work my hair type.

Overall, I would have to say that I do like BB. The workouts are not as short as I thought they would be (some are but others are just as long as Cathe's) but I do like that they have lots of Supersets and Giant sets. I find Sagi to be a good trainer as well. He is very thorough in his explanations of how to do an exercise. One thing that I did like better about STS than BB is that Cathe goes into the explanation of the why instead of just the how. I learned a lot from her during Meso #2. Of course, it is possible that Sagi may do that as well later on in the program. His style is a little bit more like JM than Cathe -- he doesn't do many of the exercises or he won't do all the reps for a set. Instead, he will walk around and watch the other exercisers and provide tips on good form vs bad form. He will definitely call them out if he feels they are not doing something correctly. I find him to be very positive and encouraging as well.

I would recommend doing M3. I actually really liked it. In fact, I have been thinking about doing M3 on it's own for some time now. It may be what happens after we finish BB if Cathe's new workouts aren't out yet. I especially love the squat rack discs. Since you have a squat rack, I think you would really like them as well.

Jennifer
Thank goodness that the tornado passed you by! I know Sioux Falls was much scarier than here due to the tornados. The sirens used to go off and really freak me out because our apartment was on the 2nd floor!

I have been debating about the Vitamix as well. I have the Nutribullet which is really close but I still think about the Vitamix. I just saw it in Costco for only $379 which is a really good price. I do agree with Toni though (which is why I haven't bought one!!!!) that it might not be worth it if you have a lot of other kitchen appliances.

I have no idea what might in the first aid spray that caused all the problems! I'm just happy that I am finally starting to look less like Quasimodo.

Natasha
I don't know what's in Tylenol PM but I didn't like it for me. I used to take it and yes it would help me sleep but I would wake up foggy headed and it would take hours to go away. One time I took it and simply couldn't get up. It was really scary because Tyler kept trying to wake me up and I just couldn't. To make matters worse, that happened to be the day that they dropped off newsletters to residents in the apartment complex. Tyler actually opened the door and talked to the guy that was handing them out and I had no knowledge of it because I couldn't wake up. Thank goodness he wasn't a bad man and that Tyler didn't get hurt. After that, I decided that sleep aids were much too scary for me to take while having a young child in my care.

Have a great day everyone!

 

[Jenniferlove]

It is SO NICE to see the day-lilies and the hydrangeas blooming!

Oh man, I am s-o-r-e; yesterday was the first time in a while since I did Burnsets; my entire upper body aches! Geez, especially my traps. And my shoulders. And, well, just everywhere!

This morning was glutes and I increased my hip thrust and DL weight to 75#. I wonder how I'll feel tomorrow. I used 2 25# dumbbells instead of a 50# barbell for the front squat... my wrist did bother me the last time I used a barbell, and the TT is not tall enough for me to do the cool move where you just walk up to the bar and make it stick. Oh well, it was a nice biceps workout (which I did skip yesterday in Burnsets)!

Toni,
I was wondering if you'd ever done the Boxing w/o before now - glad you enjoyed it! Nice job on the double, too!

Stacie,
Glad to hear you got out Saturday night, and your get-together this Saturday sounds like it will be a blast! What kinds of appetizers and drinks are you planning? Wish I could come and join the party!

Have a good night!

 

[atompki1]

Hey everyone!! Today was D18(back and bi). I did 35# barbell curl and 50# barbell row I'm super proud of that. I can probably go up a lil bit with the rows, but I'm glad the curls are staying put for another week

I've previewed all my new spinning DVDs. I really like these. The are very different from Cathe. They are sort of like philosophy if that makes any sense. Lots of talk about the mind body connection and the rhythm of the bike and the body. I really think I'm going to like them. Tomorrow I'm going to do the strength ride(hill climb the whole time) and Thursday will be endurance. I'm a bit scared, but I just need to remember to do what I can do. But there may not be a double tomorrow

Jennifer
Yes I did like the boxing. Those drills are no joke. Lots of core in them.

Stacie
Thanks for the advice. That's a third person saying I need to do M3

 

[mini-natty]

Hello ladies

Sunday I took Bella to get her hair cut. The lady did not cut her bangs well . I'm a dummy, I should have said something, I just didn't notice until it was dried and too late to fix . She also put these ugly pony tails on the top, and side of her head. She looked like Princess Leia from friggin' Star Wars for pete's sake! As soon as we got in the car, I undid the tails . She still looks like a cutie though .

My w/o on Sunday was Bulk Shoulder's. I increased my weight for almost all the exercises! My shoulder's be gettin' strong, boy .

So I have been feeling a lot of DOMS this past week. My upper back and last are especially sore. I have decided that this week, I am sort of taking an active recovery week. I will walk my daily miles as usual, but as far as w/o's, I will be doing only 3: BB Lucky 7 circuit w/o (wed & sat), BB Cardio (fri). I feel as though my body needs a little break from the high volume training.

Yesterday's w/o was a 4mile indoor walk w/Jessica Smith.

Toni
I bow to your biceps of steel! That's SO awesome .
Yes, give M3 a go. If you find that you are absolutely dreading it to the point where you don't want to exercise, then just back off. At the end of the day we have to participate in activities we love and enjoy.
Yummy ice cream day . I agree, we can't be 100% strict with ourselves all of the time...well I know I can't .

Stacie
Thanks for the tip about the Tylenol PM. Honestly, when I took the Unisom, I absolutely could not fall asleep for the life of me . If anything it made me more anxious. I'm sorry to hear what happened with you and Tyler .
BTW, did you get the bonus Lucky 7 and Tempo w/o's? I forgot to mention them to you .

Jennifer
WTG on your hip thrust and DL weights! That's awesome . And of course, YAY for DOMS .
Yes, my forearms are getting stronger. I can hold my 25lbs longer before forearm failure sets in.
Will you be instructing any other classes at the gym besides Pilates?

 

[heartymax]

Tasha---Did you have a new stylist for Bella this time? Can you notice any "bulking" in your upper body since doing BB? I love to see changes in the shoulders. That little curve on the shoulders gives the overall body a leaner appearance.

Toni--WTG on increasing those weights. You are really loving the spinning. I bet it will slim the thighs also.

Jennifer---Oh yeah---Burn Sets can definitely kick those muscles in gear. I bet it did to you what After Burn does to me after I haven't done it in a while---leaves me gasping

Hi Stacie!

Today was Meso 2 Legs. I have skipped my leg workout the last few weeks so I went back a few weeks so I can try to catch up with the leg workout. I was really sweating. I already know my hamstrings are going to be sore tomorrow. I added on 2 of the ab segments from Horizontal Conditioning. I'm feeling really great after this workout.

 

[atompki1]

Hey everybody!! Today was my strength/endurance ride. I survived There is no timer in this one. He tells you where he wants your heart rate and what RPMs you should be cycling at. You put the resistence on high enough to get you to that level....and you leave it there.....and never turn it off There are also times when you add more resistence. I was really proud of myself. In the beginning he talks about learning to ride in a bit of discomfort because that's pretty much what a hill climb ride is. My inner thighs burned for about half the workout, but I kept going. Then about half way through it wasn't as noticable. I was able to match cadance at all times, but there were times when my heart rate was a bit higher than it was suppposed to be. Something to work up to. I totally felt like a rock star after that workout

I still find it funny that my quads don't burn with spinning. It's my inner thigh that really feels it. Still my weakest area I'm sure.

Tasha
Sorry about the hair cut for Bella I'm sure she still looks super cute though I honestly think I could go higher in bicep work if it wasn't for my forarms. I never feel my bicep burn. Instead my forearms can no longer get the weight up. In fact, I have no bicep DOMS today. But I feel it in my forearms

HeartyMax
M2 legs isn't as fast paced as M1 legs, but I sweat just about as much The increased weights really gets my heart rate up.

 

[TRSTACIE]

Good morning! I had written a long wonderful post full of wisdom, humor, and encouragement and then lost the whole <insert your favorite swear word here > thing!!!!! This will just be a short post until later. Last night was BB Back and Biceps -- that's a tough one. I am waiting for the DOMS which I knew will kick in soon. I upped most of the weights and was on fire last night.

Natasha
Here are the pictures I promised you! I hope you like them!

Hopefully I will BBL for more personals!

 

[atompki1]

Stacie
Those pictures are GORGEOUS!! I really can't wait to go hiking now. My trip is all about waterfalls. I'm hoping to get some good pics also.


I'm back to report that the double for today was a no-go!! I tried to do MMA Kickboxing. I didn't feel weak in the workout, but I also didn't feel strong. And since that's a pretty low key workout, I figured that was a sign that I didn't need to do it. I did do the ab portion at the end and some stretching. I don't want to take any chance of over training or injuries before my hiking trip. And I think I read somewhere that you aren't supposed to add more than 10% of effort to your workout regimen a week. I think adding the spinning counts as my 10%. So I will probably only do the one double this week and that will be enough. No sense killing myself

 

[heartymax]

Today was a mix and match workout. I did the warm up, 5 sets up push ups (14,16,12,12,15) then Tabata one and then 30 minutes on the elliptical. Feeling good after this mix and match. I have to run because I have to go to another school for today and it is much longer drive.

 

[mini-natty]

Yesterday I took a nice 2hr walk with Bella. The weather was actually very comfortable, so we were able to stay at the park a little longer this time.

I have to tell you guys about a yummy recipe I tried in my slow cooker! It's called Sweet & Saucy chicken . I used chicken thighs (boneless, skinless) and they turned out fantastic! I paired it with small red potatoes and carrots that I roasted in the oven. If anyone wants the recipe, let me know. Just be warned, the sauce would not be considered the "cleanest" or "healthiest" (it has brown sugar) but I don`t give a hoot because I'm all about that stuff in moderation.

Toni
I forgot to mention that along with the protein, make sure you eat enough calories to support all your exercise. I have been reading so many articles and blogs about fueling my body for optimal performance. I realized that I was essentially not eating enough calories to build muscle. Here is a great article if you are interested: Should You Actually be Eating MORE and Exercising LESS?

Heartymax
To answer your questions, yes Bella got a different hairdresser this time and yes I am getting shapely shoulder's (which is a goal of mine). If you want, you can go look at my profile page. There is a pic I took of myself about 2 weeks ago. Just for the record, I'm not a fan of taking self pics, but I figured it might be a good idea so I can "see" my progress. I'm not expecting any dramatic results, and I know I need to work really hard to get my muscles, but I can definitely see an improvement from 2yrs ago.

Stacie
Stunning photo`s! I think I just died a little.
I love Back & Bi`s! Oh heck, I love em`all .

Have a nice day everyone!

 

[Jenniferlove]

Happy Wednesday!
Monday morning was glutes, Tuesday morning was glutes and abs (ups/downs - standing crunches and planking with a pushup variation). Nothing this morning, and tonight I'm going to ripped for some basic weight lifting and cardio. Then of course is class; we'll use the rollers.

There's a woman at my church who has a great set of shoulders and biceps and triceps on her; I am going to try to meet her. There's a "women's conference" Friday night and Saturday that I'm going to; hopefully I'll run into her.

Stacie,
Sorry about your post.
I'll have to look at your pictures; I still have to get in to post here the round-about way.
I'm glad you're still enjoying BB!
How many people are you expecting for your get-together this Saturday?

Heartymax,
Your workout sounds nice! Minus all those pushups Your numbers are great!

Toni,
Congrats on those weight numbers and kickin' butt on your bike!

Tash,
I just posted that P90X's chinup bar just went on sale for this week only; you may have gotten their email though since you are probably on their email list. You've been wanting one and theirs is awesome; it also can easily be taken down to close the door; the mounting stays in place behind the door frame.

Bummer about Bella's hair cut but I'm glad you got it fixed

I definitely will go into your profile and look at your pictures. It's awesome to see some shoulders!

Nice job on the walks and active recovery, and going with a higher weight on shoulders! You'll be even stronger than ever next week

I am hoping to teach a low-impact/high-intensity class at the gym but for now Pilates is the only one. I still have plans to check with the church, though, to see if they are interested in a group fitness class; L-I/H-I is the one I want to teach their (not Pilates).

Oh, I am interested in the recipe - it sounds awesome. I agree, moderation is key

Have a great day, ladies.

 

[heartymax]

Tasha---WoW! Definitely a change in the shape of your shoulders/arms. You are getting awesome progress. Love it! Nice pic of you and Bella too.

Jennifer---stalking the highly defined women at church---huh definitely get her story and tell us about it. I have to admit that I notice a woman with good biceps/shoulder/tricep definition also. I woman recently gave a informational health report at church and I could barely listen to her for looking at the nice shape of her arms.

Today was Meso 2 Back and Biceps. I hate concentration curls and usually sub something else but I made myself do them today.

 

[mini-natty]

Just a quick post then BBL!

Here is the recipe I was telling you guys about. They are pic attachments (so I wouldn't have to write it down ).

 

[atompki1]

Hello!! Yesterday was STS Chest, shoulders, and tricep. Did a 35# front shoulder press...whoot whoot!! Also upped my chest press to 45#. I did a 20# chest fly, but I don't like those with that heavy of weight. I think I may replace flys for wide pushups or go lighter. It bothers my shoulder.

Today was spinning an endurance ride. Totally easy compared to Tuesday. Cadance is 80-110 RPM with a heart rate between 65-75% of your max. I can handle the cadance, but the heart rate is again a bit high. I can get it down if i reduce some tension off the wheel but then my foot flies around the like air, which I dislike. So I'll just leave it and train my heart, which is what this is all about. The instructor said that when I got done I should feel like I had MORE energy than I started....and I did. THAT was very refreshing

Happy to report that my waist is *almost* 29.5 inches. Anywhere between 29.5-29 is my goal. I'm oh so close

Yesterday I got a new phone(iPhone 5). I gave my son my old phone(an iPhone 4). We gave it a new case and a new cover and it looked like a brand new phone!! He is super excited and just too cute about it. I told him it might be a little slow and he said....well it's gonna be better than that flip phone I had...LOL!! Love that kid!!

Tasha
Totally doing that receip!! My kind of stuff....easy Thanks for the article. I totally agree with needing to eat!! I refuse to go below 1800 calories and on the days I'm super hungry....I add more. There are some days that I can do it and some I don't. And I don't count calories....I sort of eyeball them So my count is not exact anyway. Lately, I'm much more interested in the content of my calories over the amount of them. Whatever I'm doing it's working so I'll take it!!

HeartyMax
I don't like the concentration curls either!! Another forearm killer.

Jennifer
I don't know how you have the energy to do all those workouts in one day!!! Super endurance you must have

 

[mini-natty]

My w/o yesterday was BB Lucky 7 + BBW from the Rock Bottom Rotation. A quick explanation of this w/o: a circuit w/o (7 in total) that combines big compound movements + isolation movements. You start off with your first set of 1R, and then continue until you finish all 7R in each set. Much harder than it looks! Anyhoo, I have a bit of a grip about it -- it's TOO FAST . Keep in mind, I'm not mrs.turtle over here . I was at least 1-2 rounds behind those guys . How they manage to go at those speeds while keeping good form is a mystery to me. So what I did was 1) mute the w/o. 2)put on some kick butt music from Sonza. 3)counted my own rounds/reps. It turned out to be a fabulous sweaty total body circuit w/o . LOVE the concept of it -- very effective and original! The BBW was great too. I was able to do 1min of walking lunges with my 25lbs without my forearms or grip failing...which means they have gotten stronger! And the 2min of firewalker's with the blue band nearly killed me. You guys should do this add-on!

Heartymax & Jennifer
Thanks so much for the compliments . I'm finding the stronger my body gets, my mind gets. The muscles are just a nice bonus .

Heartymax
I hate those concentration curls too . But you know what, they work the biceps well.
Great mix & match with the push-ups the other day .

Jennifer
LOL on the "stalking" of the lady at your church . You know what, if I knew a woman that was into fitness like myself, I would totally try to be friends with her too.
Thanks for the heads-up on the P90X chin-up bar. Unfortunately, the shipping fee is insane! I could probably find a similar one at a store here. Ahhh, the joys of living in Siberia .
Hopefully you get a chance to teach low impact! I'll be crossing my fingers and toes for ya!

Toni
Great job on your increase in weight #'s!
I'm jealous of your spinning rides. They sound like so much fun!

Good day everyone!

 

[TRSTACIE]

Good morning everyone! No workout last night; the day before was Legs -- another BB killer. I think I am going to call that disc the torture disc since the two hardest workouts are on the same disc. We're trying to figure out how to maintain the schedule since my neighbor will have company for the next three days. We'll see how it all shakes out.

Natasha
I'm sorry to hear about little Bella's haircut! When that happens with Ty, I always just have to remind myself that it will grow back!

It sounds like you are loving the results from BB. I feel that my stomach is a little flatter since starting the program. I feel an hunger increase as well which is always a good sign. Unfortunately, I don't have the Tempo DVD or the Lucky 7. Did you buy a set with the supplements? I did price them out and even if I pay full price for them I will still come out cheaper getting the set from Craigslist instead of via Beachbody. Of course, I couldn't help pricing out Les Mills Combat as well! I think I might buy the three of them next month when my raise kicks from the promotion I will be getting!

Thanks for the recipe! I personally NEVER mind hearing about new recipes. If you worried about the sugar in this one maybe you can use sucanat which sugar cane in its raw state. Unprocessed sugar cane has a taste a little like brown sugar.

I'm glad you like the pics!

Toni
Will this trip be your first hiking trip? I actually love hiking but for some reason never really did it until I was an adult. I prefer trails with less people on them (which is extremely hard here in Colorado -- it's a very active state) so that I can pretend I'm the first person to see a site. I like too the feeling that no car has ever been up to certain places. I think you are going to love it!!!

That's great news about the waist and all the progress you have made working out! It's always nice to see hard work pay off. I'm extremely jealous of the new spinning DVDs!

HeartyMax
I personally love bicep work -- even the concentration curls. I think that's why biceps are my 2nd strongest muscle group. I always feel super tough when working them. I know it's silly but it's just the way I am!

Your pushup counts are super awesome! I am still staying stagnant on them. I did have a slight increase when I was doing Xtrain but they are no where near your numbers!

Jennifer
I think that's fantastic that you are willing to teach another class! They are so lucky to have found you. I will keep my fingers crossed that an opening comes up soon.

So, about the dinner party...I have invited two friends over. They are the ones that invited Tyler and I over a month ago. Their house is super clean though and my friend actually used to do decluttering as a professional service. Of course, this has stressed me out a bit since I have got to find a way to get my apartment in order before they arrive. Anyway, the menu I have planned is spinach enchiladas, calabacitas, maybe spanish rice, and maybe sopa (a bread pudding with apples and cheese) for dessert. I was thinking of getting Coronas or making some margaritas as well. When we were there, they had Limeade so I will probably pick up some of that as well. They have also asked for the green sherbet I make since they are very interested in trying green smoothies and stuff. Do you think that chips and salsa with a veggie tray might be good for appetizers?

Gotta run to a meeting! Have a great day everyone!