Allison's Journal

Okay, I'm finally jumping on the bandwagon. Figured I'd try reporting my diet and exercise...maybe you guys have more tips for me.

BUT a little disclaimer: I'm pretty down these days because I got laid off a little over a month ago and am having a really hard time finding work. So please be nice and try not to be very condescending.

I'm currently 190lbs, 5'8", 33% b.f. was the last reading, which is depressing. I was 196 and holding steady there, and at 32% b.f., but then I took a few weeks off with only light exercising...went down in pounds but apparently lost some muscle. However, the most recent b.f reading was done by a different person, so maybe the calipers are a little different? Whatever.


Today, Monday:

Breakfast ~ 9:30 am
+ 2 eggs, fried in a little bit of sesame oil
+ couple slices red onion
+ 2 slices brown rice & whole wheat bread
+ some miso "mayo" (canola-oil based with miso added)

Workout ~ 11:15
+ warm-ups (2 circuits): 10 x prisoner squats, 6 x pushups, 6 x prisoner lunge each leg

+ set 1 x 3: 8 x each leg step-ups on bench w/ 15 lb db, 8 x push-up

+ set 2 x 2: 8 x each arm db row w/ 30 lb db, 10 x each leg hip extensions (they had a different name but I've forgotten it now)

+ set 3 x 3: 30 sec plank on ball, 12 x hip extensions on ball

+ abs (3 circuits): 12 x Y squats, 10 x small ab curls, 10 x each leg mountain climbers, 5 x each side bird dog

+ 1 hour spinning class

Post-workout:
+ whey shake w/ almond milk

Lunch ~2pm:
+ goat milk kefir w/ plain granola

Snack (will be around 4 or 4:30, I think...but not there yet!):
+ ~1cup basalmic tofu w/ red peppers and spinich

and dinner will be probably around 8. Tonight we're having fish tacos (sprouted grain tortillas, fish lightly friend in cornmeal, homemade coleslaw with grapeseed-oil vegan mayo). I'll have 2 max. May or may not follow that up later with a few dark chocolate squares. Depends on the mood, I guess.

So it was a heavy workout day.

Oh, and I do drink at least 1 liter of water a day, but on days when I exercise like this, it's easily 2 or 3. (It's 3pm and I know I've had 2 already!)

Thanks for reading, folks.

turn this into a positive...

you've now got all the time to get into this fitness and eating thing so make the most of it

not a bad workout but still looking a little "girlie" for me...you've got some strength there so let's build on that

i'll be interested to see the rest of your workout

not a bad workout but still looking a little "girlie" for me...you've got some strength there so let's build on that

Hey, still waiting for the "Biggest Loser" workout!

just gotta my internet at home sorted so i do my own site and i'll do it from there...should be ready to go in the next 4 weeks anyway

Cool deal. I'm looking forward to trying it out.

Tuesday:

Breakfast ~ 9:30am:
(same as Monday:)
+ 2 eggs, fried in a little bit of sesame oil
+ couple slices red onion
+ 2 slices brown rice & whole wheat bread
+ some miso "mayo" (canola-oil based with miso added)
+ green tea (I had that yesterday as well but forgot to add it)

Workout ~ 11:15:
+ 1 hour Pilates machines
(I'm advanced enough to be on my own without a trainer at my studio, so I move through exercises pretty quickly)

Post-workout:
+ whey shake w/ almond milk

Lunch ~ 12:45pm:
+ 1/2 whole wheat pita with falafel, tomato, lettuce, and tzatziki sauce
+ 1 small piece pistachio baklava (a little piece of heaven! )

(then I had a long workshop from 1 - 4)

Snack ~ 5:15 pm:
+ 2 stalks celery with almond butter and raisins (aka ants on a log!)

Dinner, probably within the next hour, so will say 8:30:
+ 1 can 3-bean and pasta soup (Amy's Organics, for those in the USA), it also has some veggies in it


So not so great diet wise today. I'm feeling pretty depressed and don't feel like eating dinner at all, so the soup is a compromise I'm making with myself.

Tomorrow is another weights / HIIT day. I used to do MWF, but I've changed to MWTr because my gym has a class called Chisel that I've been trying out. It's an hour of weights + bodyweight exercises + plyometrics (and a ton of push-up variations, crikey), and I was really sore last week from it since I'm not used to the movements.

Didn't get to the gym yesterday after all, so will go tomorrow (just switched rest days around).

Trying a simpler format here with just basic info.

Wednesday

(got up late)

Breakfast ~ 10: goat milk kefir w/ honey-sweetened granola

Snack ~12: apple

Lunch ~ 2:30: soy-chicken salad on brown rice & whole wheat toast

Dinner ~ 7: Thai (ginger peanut tofu & veg with white rice), 1/2 dinner portion

(no exercise)



Today

Breakfast 9:30: 2 eggs, brown rice & wheat toast, miso mayo, onion

Workout 12 noon: Chisel class
(1 hour weights & plyometrics, stuff like jacks w/ light weights, jump squats, decline push-ups, spiderman push-ups, mountain climbers, ab stuff, static lunges with db, etc. Not an easy workout.)

Post-Workout: whey shake (25g p) w/ almond milk

Lunch ~1:30: goat milk kefir w/ honey-sweetened granola

Snack ~4: celery w/ almond butter & raisins

Will prob. have leftover Thai for dinner (same as last night) around 7 or 7:30. Maybe some dark chocolate squares as well.

Okay, switched days off again so was off yesterday and on today. Last week, I worked out w/ weights & spinning Monday, Pilates Tuesday, Chisel class Thursday, and weights & HIIT today (Sat.).

Today, Saturday:

Breakfast ~ 10am: 2 eggs, brown rice & wheat toast, miso mayo, onion

Workout @ 12 noon:
And you'll have to tell me what you think...this is first day I've tried it without a guided program.

+ warm-ups (2 circuits): 10 x prisoner squats, 6 x pushups, 6 x prisoner lunge each leg

+ A1 = inverted rows x 10
+ A2 = forward lunge x 8 each leg w/ 25lb dbs
x 3 super-sets

+ B1 = rows x 12 @ 90 lb (it was the Y rope coming from above, so I leaned back and did it that way...I think that's right)
+ B2 = shoulder press x 12 w/ 15 lb db
+ B3 = side plank x 30 sec each side
x 3 super-sets

+ C1 = cable press x 12 each arm @ 35 lbs (I think it was 35)
+ C2 = RDL x 12 w/ 25 lb dbs
x 3 super-sets

HIIT on bike, 8 intervals @ 90% for 45 sec, 90 sec recovery


Post-Workout: whey shake (25g p) w/ almond milk

Lunch ~ 3:15 (soon as I finish this it should be done!):
Quorn "chicken" patty, sprouted grain bun, miso mayo, onion, steamed kale, baked sweet potato fries


Will have a snack and then am going to a dinner/dance with my husband & parents. I don't know what they will have we can eat (it's corned beef night or something), so prob. will have salad...if they have cocktail shrimp, I'll throw those on there.

So how's the workout? Was thinking Monday would do some db rows, squats, planks, chest press. Suggestions?[/b]

not bad...covered all the "must" area's and popped in few more for a better training effect, it's an easy game

next session looks good, just remeber trhe "musts" and then schedule around them

Are there any exercises I could be doing to help with chin-ups/pull-ups? Just inverted rows and the reverse pull-ups or whatever, where you jump up to the high point and lower yourself down?

inverted rows are just as good, you need to have a good strength to bodyweight ratio to do them so they're not easy...pulldowns will strengthen the actual muscle sin the meantime but don't really carry over to pull ups

Yeah, I'm still doing the beginner inverted rows. Working on it, though!

Okay, yesterday was off.

Today's workout:

(and my thighs were SO SORE yesterday and today...I think I might need to skip single-legs on Wednesday to give them a break)


+ warm-ups (2 circuits): 10 x prisoner squats, 6 x pushups, 6 x prisoner lunge each leg

+ A1: step-up on bench w/ 10lb dbs x 12 each leg
+ A2: elbow-out rows w/ 25lb db x 12 each arm
x 3 super-sets

+ B1: inclined chest press w/ 25lb dbs x 12
+ B2: prone plank on stability ball x 30 sec
x 3 super-sets

+ C1: [EDIT] pull throughs (I you tubed this this morning, I think I did it right) w/ 80lbs on cable x 12
+ C2: push-ups x 12
x 3 super-sets

then 1 hour spin class

Thighs are still VERY sore, hard to go up and down stairs!! Think they do need a break. Have Pilates tomorrow, so will see how they feel Wednesday morning.

i wouldnt skip them entirely if your still sore, even if you manage a lighter than usual leg workout it will get the blood flowing into the muscles, healing them quicker.

i wouldnt skip them entirely if your still sore, even if you manage a lighter than usual leg workout it will get the blood flowing into the muscles, healing them quicker.

They actually feel better this morning. So will give that a try. Thanks!

Okay, Tuesday I had my 1 hour Pilates equipment practice session, Wednesday was off, Thursday was the 1 hour Chisel class (jacks, push-ups, bicep curls, lots of inner and outer thigh work and ab work, jump squats, lunges, bunch of other fun stuff), today off...more sore than I expected to be.

Tomorrow (Sat) will be regular weights & HIIT workout...will post what I come up with. Sunday I hope to get some cardio in, Monday weights and spinning class (I have a free 30 min PT session with one of the trainers, will see what I think of that), Tuesday Pilates, and then I'm off for the rest of the week on vacation.

I won't be able to get in any weights. I'm hoping to have time to do some bodyweight exercises and some hiking, but I'm not expecting much. Good news is I won't be eating too badly since it will be a retreat at a vegetarian center.