I noticed in the hints section that we should change our routine every 4 weeks, which means that I should plan a new routine for Monday . I'm not quite sure how to change it. Unfortunately, the gym I joined is still under construction (it was supposed to open Feb. 1, but they're behind), so I am very limited with just my home weights.

Do you mean we should change by increasing weights (I have already done that as I went along) or by completely changing our routine? For example, if I have been doing the 12-10-8-6-12 reps of lunges plus 12 deadlifts that I should reverse that and do the 12-10-8-6-12 reps of deadlifts plus the 12 lunges?

Also, I was wondering about the weights I've listed in my gym log that I've been using. When I listed 10 pounds for lunges, I actually had 10 pounds in EACH hand. Should I have been listing the TOTAL weight of 20 pounds? The same for the bicep curls -- I'm listing the weight I'm holding in each hand, not the total weight. Have I been doing that correctly?

Also, just as an update: Total inches lost in 4 weeks:

1/4 inch from each upper arm
1/2 inch from bust
1 inch from chest
1 inch from waist
1 inch from hips
2 inches from each thigh
none from calf

Total: 8 inches lost in 4 weeks!

Since I began low carbing in June, I have lost a total of 28 inches (8 of them in the past 4 weeks)!!!!!

P.S. Before someone else notices that I can't add today, make that 8-1/2 inches lost in 4 weeks.

*lol* Peg. You can always go back into one of your own posts and edit anything you like - as long as you do it within 48 hours.

You should change your exercises every 4 weeks because muscles learn wha is expected of them - and they don't work as hard. It's not just increasing or changing weights, its doing something else. Instead of flys, do incline flys, instead of bench presses do decline presses. They work the same area of the body (chest) but they work the muscle differently. What I did was pull up this interactive page and click on the muscle group I wanted to get exercises for. Say the Deltoid (shoulder) Then I clicked on the link called "Deltoid - anterior" and voila, exercises for that muscle. Scrolling down will give you the posterior detloid and lateral deltoid - all the Shoulder but different 'heads' of it.

I'd also suggest checking out the sticky in general exercise about the best exercises for different muscles - so you can pick the ones that you'll benefit the most from.

FYI, flys should always be done as the second exercise for the chest, never the first - they are not 'mid-range exercises but more a stretching one. A good place also to look at some different workouts is www.jeanpaul.com/workouts.html

Happy BFLing
Nat

Thanks, Nat. I thought changing the routine probably meant changing the exercises. I really appreciate the links -- I'll use them to plan Monday's new routine.

Thanks again for all of your help!