Lean Bodies - Noel Clark

There has been a lot of talk lately about sweeteners. Not just Splenda, but those crystal light (or similar brands) water flavors, and their effect on people while dieting. A few people on our forum, www.leanbodiesfitness.com , have been discussing the effects these items have been having not only on there water retention, but also on the cravings they seem to create. So I am now the guinea pig. I don’t eat a lot of Splenda, but I do use those flavors for my water…the kind I use don’t have carbs in them, but we are going to take them out and see if it has any effect on me. I used these items all the way up to Jr USAs last year and seemed to get lean fine, but want to see if it will help or make a difference this time around. So I started today and I am very sad to give up my Cherry Limeade flavoring but hopefully it will help. I will keep you posted!

So I get to the gym today to do my Bodyweight Circuits, which by the way—I HATE. (but in a good way), and realize that my ipod is dead.  You have no idea how ticked I was because now, I get to spend the next 30 min listening to myself breath like I am dying.    Erik had just changed it slightly for today’s workout and it just about killed me. Seriously, have you ever had to listen to yourself breath like that for 30 minutes LOL….It makes you more tired than you already are!  I am going through this thinking, no wonder people walk by this little room and peak in—to see who is dying in there.  I think I might check if someone was breathing that hard, not to mention dripping sweat.  Yes, I know, way too much info, but I will never do that workout again without my ipod!     

So I turned in my biweekly this past Wednesday.  Not as much progress on the 5 sites that I measure but I have seen visible changes which is good.  I am down a total of 12.5 lbs.  I will take some pics and post them this weekend.  I am also hoping to video some of my workout on Monday.  That should be interesting. LOL

Had a bit of lower body workout today. I think after talking to Erik I am going to lower my weight on my RDLs so that I can really focus on my glutes and hams.  I did mine today with 255 and although that is UP for me, I think now I am focusing more on holding the weight then hip drive.  My BW stuff is kicking my butt….guess that is what it is suppose to do

 Have a great weekend

Felt good about my workout today.  I had Rack Pull ups today and did those with 30lbs on my lap.  I also was able to do all of my sets of seated DB press with 45s (4X8).  I still feel really strong.  I think the thing that I continue to struggle with is my weight.  I try to remind myself that as long as the measurements drop I am good, but it is hard.  My next biweekly is Wednesday.  I have been weighing myself about every other day to just watch the fluctuations and am amazed at the ups and downs.  Right now my weight today was the same as my last biweekly which is frustrating, but we will see if the measurements have dropped.  I feel like I am seeing a change up top but my lower half…..grrrrrr. 

Those that know me, know that I LOVE to bake.  I will make any excuse to bake.  This is never good while dieting LOL.  So it is almost Valentine’s Day and I am signed up for two of my children’s parties at school and am baking for them.  My whole house smells like a sugar factory lololol.  I made over 40 of the cupcakes and over 40 of choc dipped strawberries. 

And as anyone knows that is dieting for whatever reason, LIFE goes on….dinner’s out, parties, kids….you will always have to resist something that you want to eat or that is not on your plan.  I have taken tips from a lot of other people on how to do all this AND still not cheat.  Gum always helps, eating before you cook, brushing your teeth (that stuff doesn’t taste great after that lol).  And then sometimes just remembering that you have a goal that you are trying to hit. 

Happy Valentine’s Day!

LOL

Got my new plan, I wanted my legs to come down…I am guessing this is gonna do it

 Workout was great today.  Still feel very strong.  I have Rack Pulls back in my plan which I haven’t done since bulking (one of my favorites).  I did all four sets at 315.  So I will be going up in weight next time.  I was definitely spent after this one.  Brace yourselves, but no SS in this program…NONE.  BUT the dreaded BW circuits have come back with a vengeance.  I have them tomorrow and I know that people at my gym will be thinking I need help during those. LOL  Hoping for big changes in the next two weeks.  I need to start wearing my normal clothes again…Legs are still big.  I have noticed that my shirts are tighter through my lat area…which is always a good thing.  Hopefully I will get some pics soon.  Not to mention I am going to get my hubby in the gym with me to video some of these workouts. 

Yes, I just started dieting, but I have been unusually hungry.  I think we need to remember that this is almost a guarantee.  That you will be hungry.  This is your body’s way of trying to get you to eat and restore status quo.  So how do we combat this?  I have tried to come up with so many different ways to trick myself into feeling satisfied. LOL.  AND usually at the beginning of a diet, it is easy, you are on that high of wanting changes and you are still psyched.  This is just not happening this time around. GRRRR.  So here is my new thing…thanks to a friend, I have a new nightly treat that makes me feel some what normal and kind of like I am NOT dieting.  I eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every single night.  YUM YUM YUM.  So here is how you make them.  I take my protein powder, I use Champion Nutrition Whey Cookies and Cream, and put it in a small square tupperware.  You mix just enough water in it to make a thick paste that covers the bottom of the tupperware.  Then I put it in the microwave for about 45 seconds on power6.  When it comes out, it is kind of like a piece of bread (yes, it will be a little dry-but you will get over it lol).  Then I take my peanut butter and spread it on with sugar free jelly and it is heaven :)(my kids actually love this as well)

Turned in my biweekly this morning and there was no change in weight, but I had some measurement changes.  Even though this is considered ‘GOOD’, I find it frustrating.  I try to remind myself that I want to do this slowly so that I lose as little muscle as possible.  I am now going to track my weight daily because over the last week my weight has seem to be all over the place.  I am hoping to get some progress pics up again soon.  My weights in the gym have been great, no loss in strength.  I actually hit a PR with my Standing Military Press at 110lb.  Starting a new program next week, gotta love change. 

I know that a lot of people do a TON of cardio. I enjoy the occasional steady state myself. It is definitely a stress relief for me. Now keeping this in mind, I think it is way over used. Even with friends that aren’t into fitness the way I am, they think that the DREADED cardio machines are going to be their answer to fat loss. That the 45-1:30 that they spend on those stupid machines - everyday - are going to make up for the pizza, brownies and Valentine’s candy they ate yesterday. I think the one thing that I have definitely learned over the past two years is that this is supposed to supplement your dieting progress. Keep in mind, I am not talking about dieting for a show. I do know that everyone does that differently. (even though I still don’t do that much cardio) But just for fat loss, it is NOT required that you handcuff yourself to those machines for hours on end. To me what a waste of time. And if you are anything like me, you have a million other things that you could be doing … you know … life. Focus your time on getting in your training (WEIGHTS) and then add in some High intensity intervals and LAST - tack on a little bit of SS. And this doesn’t have to be a lot nor does it have to be a treadmill or an elliptical. One of things that I like to do to change things up is to do bodyweight circuits. You want to see your heart-rate climb and see how totally out of shape you are? Do these a few times a week. Incorporating BW squats, jump squats, burpees, push-ups, step-ups, lunges, jumping jacks - there are so many that you can choose from - really allows you to hit your body with something different then the mind numbing stationary bike.

Get creative or you won’t follow through with your plan.