Day One:

What the heck am I doing, starting an online journal of ANY kind, much less an EXERCISE journal?? I keep thinking I can always come back some time in the future when it's laying dormant and quietly delete it...but, nope, that's not very optimistic of me, is it?

(Deeeep breath)
Okay, just to get my blood flowing again I worked out on my spin bike and set the intermediate goal of gaining enough strength and endurance to survive a particular gym instructor's spin class. Honestly, why I set the bar so high on this one is....well, I could just be light-headed from the workout. Anyway, I played with the tension, chose music to vary the tempo, tried some jumps, did a couple slow hills (standing and seated) and generally enjoyed the whir of the fly wheel and the music. As I expected, my legs gave out before my wind so I left off in order not to be too disabled to cross train tomorrow.

Eventually I'll be adding in weight training and the big question there is:To BFL or not to BFL? I don't do well with rules or schedules made by someone else...but those success stories.....

Hey Optimist, glad to see you started a log One more step in the right direction to a healthier happier you!

Thanks, Mel! I still have mixed feelings about online journaling for exercise though. I have such a bad bad drop-out history I'm loathe to leave online proof forever imprinted upon the ether, but who's to say this isn't THE time I don't quit? Anyway, I appreciate the attention a great deal.

Okay, Day Two:

Jeepers, what to do now, girl? You got a response directly from NAT! I mean, are you going to just let the BFL book gather dust now that you've called attention to yourself?? No way, dudette! Alright, so I'm logging a big fat 0 for today's workout because I HAD to do the beginning Journal exercises and re-read the important parts of the the book. It was like homework and more than a little intimidating (okay, it scared me a lot - SIX meals a day, a mere 20 minutes of cardio...and I'm supposed to end up looking like Xena - hah!). Oh, and what about the sleep component?? That's almost as hard as the SIX meal thing.

Til tomorrow, I guess.

Check out the very first line of my journal - almost verbatim.

Nothing like accountability to get you moving, is my motto As for that sleep component - by week 2 you'll be so pooped it won't be a problem!

Nat

Hi Optimist! Just stopping by to say, you go girl! BFL is hard but we can do it!! What kind of exercises are you going to do? Do you go to a gym? --Sarah

Hey, Nat and SarahO! You know, don't you that you're not making it very easy for me to slide out of this, don't you? Is that the plan??

I have a gym membership but I'm going to start off at home because my schedule's wacky right now. I have a bench and free weights so I'm set (she said with confidence she doesn't really have). I'm doing the exercises from the BFL book as per Nat, Sarah. I was tempted by my other books but she says I can change in 4 weeks anyway.

Day Three
Busiest day of the week - in and out ALL day long

But, this is an exercise journal so here it is: another 0. How much work is there getting to this BFL thing anyway?? I leafed through cookbooks, rummaged in the cabinets and made up a shopping list during my allotted training time. I'm getting impatient and a little suspicious that maybe I'm stalling but starting on Monday is important to me. Phil says M,W,F for Strength and T,Th,F for cardio and that's what the heck I'm gonna do.

This weekend I've got yardwark and I'll see what I can fit in.
(why am I DOING this out loud??)

Hi Optimist, I think you're smart to start on a Monday. I started on a Sunday and I'm out of sync with everyone! But it just works out better for me to have Saturday as my free day.

Sounds like you're going to benefit from all your advance planning. Two days until you start, how exciting! Here's to Monday! -Sarah

(ps: yardwork is exercise too! Today is my free day but I've been doing housework all day. Giving the dog a bath is hard work!)

Hi again Optimist! I saw your post about having a hard time with the carb increase, which is an issue for me too. I know I need more carbs on weightlifting days but I want to do it sensibly. I wanted to share my recipe for sugar free granola which I adapted from Alton Brown (the "Good Eats" guy on TV). I have it with yogurt and strawberries for breakfast on weightlifting days.

1.5 cups rolled oats (not instant)
.5 cup slivered almonds
.5 cup crushed pecans
.5 cup flax seeds
2 scoops whey protein powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons da vinci sugar free syrup (I like pancake flavor)
1/8 cup vegetable oil

Combine dry ingredients. Add liquid ingredients and stir to coat. Spread granola in even layer over cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hr 15 min, stirring every 15 min.

Yield: 3 cups

Total Calories: 2036~
Fat: 141~ 1269~ 66%
~~Sat: 14~ 126~ 7%
~~Poly: 42~ 378~ 20%
~~Mono: 69~ 621~ 32%
Carbs: 129~ 328~ 17%
~~Fiber: 47~ 0~ 0%
Protein: 83~ 332~ 17%

I think it works out to 8 net carbs per 1/4 cup.

SARAH! You're so generous, I appreciate the recipe a great deal! What the heck have I done for you to deserve this?? Do you whir the flax in a grinder or blender first?

Day....whatever:

Okey dokey, grocery shopping is done. I can't think about food one minute more.

There are parts of the journal (and book) I've been skipping - the whole 'improve your life' theme he's got goin'. I want to lose fat, don't really need a guru (okay, so I'm a tiny bit cynical). Today as I enjoyed a rare quiet moment I read and re-read the chapter and gave his questions serious thought.

What are my reasons for wanting to change? I was surprised not to instantly think of fat loss. How weird is that? Of all the reasons I listed, my appearance wasn't one of them. 'I know I can be better', is was what my pencil etched on the paper first, followed by, 'I need to commit to something and finish it'.

What are the five most important, specific accomplishments I need to make within the next 12 weeks to be pleased with the progress of my body and life? Once again, looking fabuloso didn't appear at the top of the list. What the heck...? Here's the list:

1. Consistency
2. Focus
3. Forward movement
4. I'd like for my face to be less full
5. I want a better side profile

Whatever. I've done the photo, done the big thinking and am just waiting for Monday. That I thought those particular things is telling though. Am I not vain enough (as usual)? Did I not get the point of the questions? Well, I'm not changing them, they're obviously what was on my mind.

(Officially) Day 1:

While working out I kept thinking how miserable I was. How stupid I am to have gone public, even drawing in DD (aka Cutie), doing a photo session together last night and showing DH the Journal. Cutie is starting her own journal and exercise journey today and I won't lie and say it was great, she's gotta learn. I might have waited to see if this is my kinda thing first because it most assuredly is NOT.

I didn't hit any 10's but got a few 9's and the dumbbell bench press didn't hit my chest til I got to the higher weights. Before then I felt them in my triceps and biceps. The flies were better, will start with them and do the bench presses as my High Point next UB day. For awhile I wondered if I really should give getting out to the gym for the equipment to be a necessity. I'm still undecided but mostly I need to work on my dumbbell form and concentrate on the targeted muscle.

I didn't get enough sleep was quickly worn out. Didn't even want the post workout shake. Grabbed some cut-up melon while I made it and then tried to drink it in three sessions. Was too exhausted and unhappy to work on any of the 5 other things to work on toward my 12 week goal. I did something I HATE to do - wasted daylight by falling deep into the bed and staying there for four hours after I realized I didn't have the strength to make myself breakfast or even get dressed. The nap was great and now I'm feeling normal.

So, this is the positive pressure I have to work through? No wonder the After photos in the book are so dramatic. This requires a MAJOR effort and concentration. This is the biggest, most challenging thing I've taken on (other than the kids) in some time. I'm not grinning, I'm at the tucking my head down to get through it stage.

Hang in there, Toots. It take a while before you even know what 'ten' is supposed to feel like for you!

You're supposed to feel chest presses in the general chest area, but the triceps are a big part of this as well - so much so that if you grip a barbell narrowly and do close gripped barbell presses you're actually targetting your triceps. The first exercise you do for each muscle group should be a compound exercise. Compound exercises involve many muscle groups and they burn more fat because of it. Using flyes for the high point exercise (exercise #2) isolates the chest and stretches it out - it's not a great first exercise though.

Here's a little explanation (and movie) on how to do dumb bell presses: http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises...BenchPress.html

I got it from exrx.net's exercise directory - great place to waste some time. Even better, however, is their muscle directory . Just click on a body part and you get the muscle diagram and the fancy name - click the link on the name of the muscle group and you'll get exercises for that area - tonnes of fun

That exhausted feeling after working out could be a sign that working out with weights first thing in the morning will require a mini meal before hand. I personally do not lift in the a.m. anymore - I do it in the late afternoon or early evening, when I am stronger.

Not sure if you caught it or not but in the book Bill talks about drinking 2 cups of water before a workout - this will also help you feel better afterward. Of course, keep drinking throughout the workout.

I bet you'll be feeling it tomorrow. 9s may not be 10s, but the pyramid scheme of lifting does work.

Nat

Thanks, Nat, for catching me before I screwed up (as usual!). So, I'll stick with the presses and work on my grip. I did try to drink 2 c of water before beginning but I find it hard to face food or beverage (other than caffeine) first thing in the morning. That's on my 'to work on' list. For the time being I'm going to give morning workouts a thorough chance, primarily because I'm really, really afraid that dreading these sessions all day might cause me to become WAY creative with excuses not to get them in the PM! Things like, "The dog needs a pedicure," or "I've got to clip the grass with scissors" come to mind.

Something for me to give serious consideration to is if coffee is something I should keep in my diet. I can drink a cup instead of eating too easily. Perhaps I'll try decaf....or only have it AFTER a meal from now on, never alone.

Two questions for you, Toots.

What do you dread about the workouts so much?

Have you given up coffee / caffeine? A half cup (or full cup for that matter) in the a.m. can actually help with fat loss - and it's recommened by many. After reading about it on this forum it's a staple for me - I have a half a cup every morning before any workout. Or are you referring to having it in place of a meal (this is what I now think you mean after reading your posts a second time).

If you stick with the workouts for a week or two I guarantee you'll be hungry for those meals - working to failure results in muscle damage and repair, it takes a lot out of you energy wise.

Nat

I hate the...monotony of it, the LONG list of sets ahead of me when I start. And, I felt pressure to give it my all and it was harder than I thought to reach failure. It was my first strength session in a long time so figuring out the proper weights might have been part of it. I didn't feel like I was doing any good, believe it or not! Like I was going through the motions kinda blind.

I do use caffeine in place of meals. I wanted a cup before I started the sets but didn't know if the tiny amount of fat from the milk would throw off the whole fat-burning thing. As I've said, I used to down some before cycling. Will the milk throw off the equation, d'ya think?

Fat burning during resistance workouts is a moot point, IMHO. You're there to rip up the muscle as quickly as possible - heavy weight gets it done best. Fat burning happens later - it's not like long slow cardio. The energy expended comes when the body has to repair the damage you've done and when you have the new shiny muscle that wants to be fed.

I put whipping cream in my coffee

Try focussing on each muscle group instead of all the different ones yet to come. You'll find you have favourites and you look forward to them. I just love doing shoulders and triceps. I loath doing biceps. Learning what failure is for you could be part of the problem right now - we women tend to seriously underestimate what we can lift. Lifting whimpy weights is no fun - it's self defeatist too. Waste of time, IMHO. I bet when you notice some twinges in about 24 hours you'll feel differently about 'doing no good'

Just wait for your first lower body workout

-N