Lean Bodies - Noel Clark

Didn’t go in feeling strong, but left feeling great.  I wanted to hit some big numbers on my Rack Deads today.  Erik suggested that I try for 295 but when I got it on there I thought, what is 5 more lbs and 300 sounds better LOL.  I pulled 6 woohoo.  Then I backed off and hit 265 for 10.  My back was trashed.  I also increased my close grip tric by another 10 lbs.  That is one of the biggest improvements I have had.  My tricep lifts keep going up by pretty big jumps (this was one of my weakest lifts). So today was a good one 

This past year, one of the things that was said to me the most was “wait till you have kids-you won’t have time to get back into shape like that”  I have been thinking a lot about that lately and how we as mom’s have gotten to a point that we don’t believe we can get back into shape.  I think that one of the BIGGEST misconceptions is that I must spend hours and hours in the gym.  I don’t think people understand how much of this is dependant on their diet.  This is definitely something a mom can change.  One of the things I want to do this Fall/Winter is go to some of  the local mom’s organizations and speak about diet and exercise.  I am just tired of talking to women who are on the latest cabbage diet. 

I will start off with the good news. I hit a new PR- deadlift–  265 X5.  Yay.

With that said, I have definitely gotten to my max on the whole weight gain thing.  I am going to finish out next week and then try to drop some of this fat.  I have come to discover that most people don’t ‘get’ bulking, which makes it THAT much harder.  It is kind of like one of my friends from the forum said that a guy tells her ‘why would you get fat on purpose’  First of all, that comment, does not help. lol  I realize that not everyone finds this difficult.  That they can look past the tight clothes and uncomfortable feeling of carrying the extra lbs.  NOT ME.  I am at a point where I don’t feel like I am in shape.  I have definitely enjoyed the progress in the gym.  My numbers have not plateaud the entire time.  The mental part of this has definitely gotten to me at this point.  I am starting to realize that others that do not feel this way about weight gain cannot possibly understand how it feels to be unhappy in this state.  I do not handle weight gain well normally and I am actually proud that I made it this far.  And I have put on weight.  Sorry if it seems that the blogs lately have had a negative tone but to be honest…I haven’t felt awesome, so to say that I am just cruising through this would be such a huge lie.  BUT I am not a quitter, and I will plow ahead, double chin and all. 

Weights are continuing to increase.  I have been at this for almost 6 weeks and here are some of my progressions

incline press from 95 to 125

Push press from  95 to 120 and a one rep max of 135(which will go up )

CDLs from 215 to a pr of 285

Preacher curls from 40lbs to 60lbs

Box squatting from 145 to 205

Rack deads from 245 to 285 with a 315 one rep max

Reverse grip Tricep-from 95 to 120

and I am now doing Glute ham raise weighted.

So these are the things that I am trying to focus on when my pants throw me into a hissy fit or I am having a down day because I am not as lean as I want to be.  I have 2 1/2 more weeks to keep pushing.  Then take off a bit of fat and then give it all I have till the end of the year.  I WILL hit my goal of 315 for a CDL and I have already gotten my push press of 135 so I am hoping to up that goal a bit. 

Workouts are still going well.  Weights are steadily going up.  I am definitely starting to get to the point where I am not comfortable in my own skin.  I am trying to hold out until after Thanksgiving and then do a two week diet and then bulk till the end of the year.  I have never been so ready to diet….for me, bulking is 10 times as hard as contest prep.  I think that Erik will be so thankful this next season because he will not hear one word from me complaint wise.  My upper body seems to be pretty full but I can’t stand that my waist is so thick as well as those DARN LEGS BLECH.  And no Blondell==I will not buy larger pants! :)  So I was just about to post a pic and looked at it …OMG- no way

So I am getting dressed to go to the gym and I am looking around my closet.  I decide to try on some of my jeans.  Yes, this by far is one of the dumbest moves I could have made this morning.  I have to say though, I have done pretty well so far being this was the first 3 year old fit that I have thrown.  I just look like such a block.  BLECH   My closet is now a mess LOL.  I tried on a ton of pants and kicked them all over the place.  Then I stomped ( yes, I said stomped) downstairs and sent an email to Erik. LOL  shrug.  So, after that fit I put my workout clothes on and went to the gym.  Numbers were good but I was just in a bad mood after the morning I had.  Now I just have to regroup and keep going.  I am thinking that since this is my 5 week, that maybe I can do two week diet right after Thanksgiving.  I am hoping to last that long.  This is way harder than dieting.  I just don’t like walking around at this size.  I am going to take some pictures on Friday.

This will be my 5th week bulking and things seem to be going well.  I am not weighing myself right now because mentally I seem to be ok at this point.  This past weekend Erik was able to tweak my technique on my deadlifting and I hit a new PR.  I went from 245 to 285.  YAY!  It has been a lot of fun seeing my weights increase in the gym.  I think it is definitely the thing that has kept me going.  As I have said a million times, I do struggle with the whole bulking process so these new PRs are definitely the perk.  While out with one of the girls on the lean bodies fitness forums this past weekend, she asked how many calories I was eating and when I told her she said “ALL IN ONE DAY?”  This cracked me up.  Oh well…..LOLOLOLOL

One of my goals this off season was to hit a PR of 135 in push press.  The most that I had done was 120 while dieting.  After my workout on Friday I went ahead and tried to see if I could do it.  I really wasn’t sure because when you put on 45s and step up to overhead press-it is a little intimidating.  It was definitely hard after the workout that I had just finished but I was able to get that up!  I think that today I am going to see what kind of numbers I can pull on my deads. 

Still haven’t gotten on the scale.  I KNOW that the number is higher than I want to deal with at this point so I am just going to keep on going LOL. 

Thank goodness.

I think one of the areas that I am noticing large gains are in my chest/tricep lifts.  This has always been my weakness….hmmm maybe because I never liked to train them   My caloric intake has been the same now for 3 days.  It is funny how fast you adjust to the amount of food.  The other night I was actually hungry before I went to bed-AND trust me, there was no reason that I should have been.     I haven’t been on the scale in a bit but it is obvious that I have put on some LBS.    Both good and bad weight.  I am doing pretty well mentally until I try to put on a pair of pants and realize that they are snug in either the waist or of course LEGS…  I just have to keep focused on what I am trying to do. 

Weights went up again today.  My back is still trashed from Friday though.  My Barbell curls went up another 5lbs and hammer curls did as well.  I did the Hamstring leg press again today.  Oh, man, I will be lucky if I am walking tomorrow.  I went up on that 40lbs :)  I am feeling a bit pudgy these days.  My calories went up again and I think we are keeping it here for a bit.  There is just sooooo much food and feel like such an oinker.  ugh!!!  I have definitely put on some weight in my legs (boo!!!!)  but that is where I gain weight first anyway.  I might take some pics this weekend to see what a differences there are.  Should be interesting…