In sickness and in health

I feel like a hot, sticky pile of shit. My nose is either blocked or runny –  I think it decides what to do based on what would be most horrible for me at this particular moment. My throat is scratchy. My sinus area feels tender and inflamed.

 

And any other excuses, right?

 

So I missed Tabata yesterday. And I’ve not done any yoga. My aching body just does not want to bend or cycle. It is weights day again, and I must lift. Yet here I sit, sniffing and coughing.

I took some measurements and saw some changes, so I should be taking that as encouragement. It is, slowly but surely, working.  And I am lifting some amazing amounts, when I do actually get out there and do it. Once upon a time I was a uni student who did body pump three times a week. I don’t think I would have been able to bench more than 25kg at the time. Now? Well let’s review:

It’s now week 4. I am a third of a way through my 12 week challenge. Let’s start with what I did last week, starting with cocking up what I did on which day.

Tuesday 25th February: Squat: Bar, 10kg, 20kg, 25kg, 30kg.

Overhead Press: Bar, 5kg, 10kg, 11kg, 15kg.

Deadlift: 15kg.

Wednesday 26th:                Yoga 10mins.

Thursday 27th:                    Squat: Bar, 10kg, 15kg, 25kg, 30kg.

Bench Press: Bar, 10kg, 15kg, 25kg, 25kg.

Row: Bar, 10kg, 15kg, 20kg, 21kg.

 

Monday 2nd March:        Squat: Bar, 15kg, 15kg, 35kg, 36kg.

Bench Press: bar, 15kg, 15kg, 25kg, 30kg.

Row: Bar, 15kg, 15kg, 20kg, 25kg.

 

So today we aim to squat a bit more (I felt like was starting to hit the ceiling, so I will add just 1 kg more) Overhead Press today will be a trial. I feel confident I could add an extra 5 onto the deadlift though, so I have that to look forward to.

 

And those measurements?

Bust: 45.5 (+1.5 inches, but with both of us being sick, I’ve been breast feeding more.)

Underbust: 38 (6 inches down, body finally starting to go back to normal through the ribcage)

Waist: 38.75 (+1.75 I need to attend to my nutrion, obviously)

Hips: 47.5 (1 inch down)

 

Everything is so higgledy piggledy. Some of it can be explained by the whole having a baby thing, but some of it is just weird. I need to make a stronger commitment. No more sugar. Have breakfast, not just 3 soy lattes. Do your damn work out Mel.

My work rang me yesterday, to try and sort out how and when I will be returning to work. I’d hoped to be stumptious by then, but it’s only 4 weeks away. I either need to really get into this or else accept that I cannot expect to be looking good by mid April.

I’m going to try.

96.1kg.
Have done nothing.
Have had terrible tummy aches.
Might be able to do something later this arvo.

UNSTOPPABLE~ish

It’s the end of week 2, tomorrow is the start of week 3. No weigh ins and measurements. I’ve done much worse, in terms of actually ticking the boxes on activities. I didn’t do any yoga, for one thing. And only 1 out of 2 Tabata sessions. But I did get all my weights done, although a day late. It’s like I took an inadvertent weekend on Thursday and Friday, but then finished my last session on the Saturday, right on the last squeak of light.

I was determined to do that last session.

I’ve started taking on things again, and that’s always been a problem for me. I will be very dedicated when I’ve got no other commitments, but then I add things into my schedule and the exercise gets squeezed out. In this case, I’ve started volunteering at my son’s school (only  1 hour, I can manage that right?) But then I was also out an hour all up in the afternoon taking him to his swim lessons. So that threw Thursday’s Tabata out.

Friday is really where I started to come unstuck. We had to run an errand in town (1 hour round trip) plus it was hubby’s day off and he wanted to have lunch out. No prob, we can work out in the arvo. However, by the time we get home he’s not doing any weights and I treat this like a free pass.

This could have been the story of every other failed plan, except I had Saturday still.

Saturday looked like the same again: We were out all day. The Morning was spent chasing down and hog-tying children to get them to the shops, the afternoon at the raffles (yay! vegie tray winner!) and that could have been the end of it .

Late afternoon and, sitting on the couch, I watch as the shadows crept up at the windowsill,. Something inside me just clicked. The light was almost out and this was the only chance I had. I jumped up and fled into the backyard where the weight set sits under the awning. It hadn’t been a great session on Wednesday and I had to return my attention to form.  Slow and heavy, I lifted. The last set I busted the fuck out of.

I went back inside nicely salted for a drink right on dark. That was the session that almost didn’t happen.

So, with an uneasy sense of triumph, here is this weeks rounds:

Monday 17th: Squats – Bar, 5kg, 10kg, 15kg, 20kg

Bench – Bar, 5kg, 10kg, 15kg, 20kg

Barbell Row – Bar, 5kg, 10kg, 15kg, 20kg

Tuesday 18th: Tabata @ 68%

Wednesday 19th: Squat – Bar, 10kg, 15kg, 20kg, 25kg

Overhead Press: Bar, 5kg, 10kg, 15kg, 15kg.*

Deadlift 15kg

Saturday 22nd: Squat – Bar, 10kg, 15kg, 20kg, 25kg

Bench – Bar, 10kg, 15kg, 20kg, 25kg

Row – Bar, 10kg, 15kg, 20kg, 25kg,

* I had tried for 20kg and failed. My last sets ended up being 3, 1, 1 reps because I had this bright, sparkly pain in my wrist from my failure. So when I did work on the Saturday I went back to basics and tried to keep good form.

I’m still moving forwards, the weights are stacking, but I did really worry myself this week with nearly overdoing it on the Wednesday and then almost giving up the rest of the week. I particularly feel bad about the lack of yoga. All I can do is wake up tomorrow and do it.

And on that note, I ought to go to bed.

Start of Week 2

I’m aware of the whole 12 weeks thing. 12 weeks body transformation with Michelle Bridges, 12 weeks in the stronglifts program. 3 months is a decent chunk of time: short enough to commit to, long enough to see some results. If I’d just pushed on in January, I’d be 1/3rd through now. As good a motivation to keep going as any.

Weigh In.

At the end of week 1 my weight and measurements are down, and I’m up in the amount I’m lifting.

From 97.7kg -> 95.3kg, down 2.4kg. I’m not too excited, even though it’s a great result. I guess I think it’s mostly water weight. The measurements are less dramatic:

Bust now 44 inches, down 4 inches, but much of that could be explained by the fact I’m not producing as much milk.

Waist now 36.5 inches, down 0.5 inches.

Hips now 48 inches, down 0.5 inches.

Activity.

I did all my lifting and Tabata, but only managed to do Yoga on Wednesday & Thursday.

In terms of lifting, by the end of the week all my last sets were 15kg, up from 10kg on day 1. It felt easy, so this week I will keep stacking on the plates.

Monday 10th: Squats – Bar, Bar, 1kg, 1kg, 10kg

Bench Press – Bar, 1kg, 1kg, 10kg, 10kg

Barbell Row – Bar, Bar, 1kg, 1kg, 10kg

Tuesday 11th: 8x20secs probably only pushing at 60%

Wednesday 12th: Squats – Bar, 1kg, 10kg, 11kg, 15kg

Overhead Press – Bar, 1kg, 5kg, 6kg, 10kg

Deadlift – 5kg

Yoga – 5mins @ 6AM

Thursday 13th: 8x20secs @ 65%

Yoga – 10mins @ 6AM

Friday 14th: Squats – Bar, 5kg, 5kg, 10kg, 15kg

Bench Press – Bar, 5kg, 5kg, 10kg, 15kg

Barbell Row – Bar, 5kg, 5kg, 10kg, 15kg

So today I hope to hit 20kg on the last set. Last week was about making a start, pushing myself a little bit but not so much that I risk injury. This week I feel that I could push a bit hard. I’d also like to focus on my yoga and get that happening a bit more frequently and for longer. No hubby to spur me on today, I will just have to stay focused for myself. Right now though, the baby is asleep so I have a wall to paint. I hope he stays snoozy long enough that I can do my weights this morning, if not I will have to do it during his afternoon nap. Don’t wish me luck, wish me a sleepy baby!

Try again

So I failed. Even with such low goals, I failed.

But, I try again.

Today, Monday, is 5×5 stronglifts. I did it. I tried to sneak off to do it alone, wound up raking leaves instead and came back in because the baby was crying.

Then my hubby said he’d join me.

That little difference changed this Monday from what every other Monday has been.

I’m very grateful he’s going to join me.

We busted through the first session together. He wasn’t familiar with stronglifts, and in the end he actually said it had been fun!

I had drunk 3 soy lattes for breakfast.

This was lunch. Scooped out some tin tuna that looked suspiciously like cat food. A squirt of balsamic glaze and some chopped spring onions fixed that problem.

Dinner is just me and the boys so I’m making my extra-vegetabley meatballs. I’ve diced all the veg superfine so little mouths don’t know the difference. I’ll serve them in a tomato sauce, and skip the spaghetti for myself.

A pretty promising start. I just have to keep going. Future Me, if you’ve quit I’m going to be so mad. Rarrrrrr!

Happy New Year!

My name is Mel and I’m overweight. I don’t feel too bad about it, I’ve got a 7-month old baby! But it is time to get it back under control. New year, new me.

The goal isn’t about a weight, so don’t expect religious weigh ins. Success is inches and weight on the bar.

I am passionate about my yoga practise, so well being is the third aspect of success.

Program

Daily yoga

Follow Stronglifts program Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

Tabata Tuesday, Thursday & 1x weekend day.

It’s actually the 2nd today (here in Oz) and a Thursday, so I should hop on the bike, but first the measurements.

Bust: 48

U/Bust: 44

Natural Waist: 37

Hips: 48.5

97.7kg

I maxed out at 111kg when I was pregnant (I was gloriously large, like a royal ship) and you can see in the underbust to waist measurements my rib cage and whole mid section is still stretched out.  I don’t expect to transform into some willowy diet-maven. I want to be fit and strong for my children. I might look at what I’m eating, but the focus will always be on physical achievement. Which I will start right now.

8x 20 sec Tabata, 76kj. I will aim to push harder next time.

Tomorrow, Friday, will be the start of stronglifts. Follow to track my progress!