Training

A1 1-Legged Box Jump 29"x3x2, 28"x3x6
B1 Extended ROM Step-up 50x10x3
C1 45 Deg Hyperextension 20x12x2, 20x11
D1 Cable Crunch 145x15, 145x12, 145x10, 130x17

Thoughts

Changed up the box jumps so I wouldn't wreck my shit for no reason. They're now what they're supposed to be, take off from one leg, come down on both, step off onto mat. Got a lot better very fast. I think what I'll do is add an inch a week or so and just keep doing that until I run out of inches.

Step-ups were good. The extended ROM provided the extra difficulty, weight increases next time.

Added a bit of ROM to the Hyperextensions as well (which I did today 'cause that damn she-hulk tricked me into doing wrist rolls on the wrong day). And a fair amount of reps.

That 15 lbs really made a difference in difficulty on the crunches. Gonna leave it there for a while and perfect my form, get the momentum out of there.

And the posture work is coming along really well. Really well. But I gotta remember to live it; not just do the extreme version at the gym.

Hehehe, like you go to the gym every day and do the posture work so that you can slouch the rest of the day

So, have you tried taking a notebook with you to gym...? so the she-hulk doesn't trick you again (and don't forget missing that max set!)

Hehe, yeah, exactly, on the posture.

I do take a notebook. It's just that she's very distracting. The reason I managed to forget was I was so strong I needed to add an extra set, but somehow thought I had already done it. But thanks for the suggestion. I will have my shit together next week, I promise. And I'm going to destroy my personal best by 20 lbs, rawr!

I will not be updating this journal for some time, as it has become temporarily obsolete. For those of you interested in following my progress, you may go here. I'll still be around, though. Sup.

Okie dokie then... good luck in all your efforts!!!

Thanks. I'll try to actually read yours once in a while, hey? Haha.

If you need a laugh, check out the linked thread, though. It's pretty amusing.

In Anke's journal you said that if I have been losing weight really slowly over 7 and a half months odds are I am doing something wrong.

I disagree, I think I am just doing it very slowly (and I have a thryoid imbalance that does not really aid the weight loss, I am still trying to find the right dosage of medication I need). I have lost 22 pounds over 7 months, I have lost 8% body fat, I eat very healthy, exercise 3 to 6 days a week (mainly cardio, I am not a weights girl, I know everyone says I should do them, but I don't enjoy doing them and I know I won't keep up with something I don't enjoy so I'd rather do swimming, running, dancing and burn some cals, than weights).

Isn't a slow weight loss preferable? I never gained anything, just plateaued for a good 2 months (or more) at 144 pounds, but I had reduced my exercise due to exams etc...
As long as I don't get tired or too frustrated with my 1 pound every (or every other) week loss, it is supposedly the way to go, or not?
There is tons of posts in this forum saying that we should never aim to lose more than 2 pounds per week (and I started at a relatively low weight being under 160 pounds at start).
Oh yeah you wanted my stats, I am 5'4 or 5'5, start weight 159 pounds, goal weight 120 pounds and I am 23 years old. Started the 8th of january. I only eat gluten free, dairy free food, mainly fish and veggies, lots of salad, only fruit for breakfast.

Since you asked... I thought I would let you know, maybe I am doing something wrong and didn't realize. In that case please tell me! Thank you for being interested, Camy

Well, I did say barring unusual circumstances, or at least I thought it and meant to say it. But a thyroid imbalance isn't much of an excuse, imo. That can be corrected for, like most other things. And it sounds like you are doing alright at it.

22 lbs over 7 months isn't really that slow at all. You are right about at the recommended rate for sustained weight loss, statistically speaking. This is a good thing.

So, basically, you are absolutely right. For some reason I had the impression that you had lost hardly any weight at all. Sounds like you are doing just right, except for not weight training. It is definitely something I would recommend for everyone, but especially for women (as I feel you benefit from it much more than we men do, especially later in life). I strongly suggest you learn to like it.

Only fruit for breakfast is dumb. Eat protein at every meal. As a general rule, every time calories go in your mouth, you better be taking in 15'ish g of protein. This will no doubt be an adjustment, but it's very important. Why? Because protein (aside from EFAs) is the only nutrient your body cannot produce for itself from other sources. That's why they're called essential amino acids, (and essential fatty acids).

Protein is necessary for the body to effect repairs (which are happening constantly inside of you, regardless of how much or how little you exercise), and when you don't get enough, it's forced to break itself down to replace it. And not fat, we're talking lean, healthy mass. The stuff you don't want cannibalized! I can't stress this enough: Significant protein at EVERY meal. Breakfast most importantly of all, as your body has been fasting while you slept.

I'm glad you did. I like that you keep an open mind and take the time to check things out. I know you will do very well. Just never, ever, ever ever ever, give up. Persistence is the only requirement - provided a long enough timeline. But always seeking to improve your knowledge will save you quite a lot of time and frustration, too.

Please feel free to ask questions if you're unsure about anything I've said, or any claims I've made, or have any additional questions. Or if you'd like references or anything of that nature. I recommend just taking my word for it, as it'll save you some time, but you're a grown ass woman and you can do what you want.

P.S. If you're going to ask what I think you should do for weight training, I recommend Westside for Skinny Bastards Part III. Lift like a man, look like a goddess! It may seem all scary and such, but honestly everything you think you know about weight training is wrong. Know how I know? You don't do it.

(Do you like how I just plagiarized Alwyn, Steve? Me so funny. XD)

Hey I found it!

What is "it"?

Oh. Yeah, I'm already maintaining two different journals on the other forum. Besides, you ladies don't want to read my log, it'd only make you feel inadequate.

Yo Diary.

Yo daddy on bacon scruts, trick!

Stop saying diary. I AM A BOY!! Also, I edited my below post, once I clicked on teh other thing.

Training

A1 Full Squat 45x5, 95x5, 135x5, 165x3, 195x3, 215x3, 235x2 (PB), 235x3 (PB), 245x1 (PB)
B1 Wide Full Squat 135x20, 135x18, 135x13
C1 Raise BSS 35x10/10x3
D1 45 Deg Hyper 60x12x3
E1 Sprinter Sit-up 0x10x3
E2 Hanging Leg Raise 0x20x3

Thoughts

No keto = no limits.

Felt like I wussed out on 235, then I got mad, is what happened there. Felt ridiculously powaful. It wasn't that I couldn't squat more weight, it was that my stabilizers gave out on me. Didn't want to fall over sideways and wreck my shit.

Too soon for toe touches. Tried, but there was nothing to give. For now it looks like I'm not progressing on the E set, but I really, really am. It kicks my ass a little less each time.

So, regarding what I said about making a decision earlier, here is what I have concluded based on this summer's experimentation:

Observations

1) keto is a waste of my time - it's actually worse than useless, it's counterproductive
2) my body responds very well to high volume
3) my body responds very well to high intensity
4) my body responds very well to high carbs
5) my body responds very well to low frequency

Conclusion

To finish out August and September, I will be eating 2400 calories/day, zig-zagged (more on work days, less not - but also zig-zagged for time of day.. large pre and post workout meals, not much eating at other times). I'm setting the goal of >50% calories from carbs. Yes, greater than. That's not a typo. 30%'ish from protein, 20%'ish from fat. My body doesn't seem to need much fat at all, but it definitely likes its protein. This works out to about 1g/lb of bodyweight protein 5/3g/lb of bodyweight carbohydrate. I'm fairly certain now that these are my magic numbers. Also this will put me at about a 1000 calorie deficit theoretically, but in all likelihood will be something more like maintenance. Will reevaluate intake after bodyfat testing at the end of the summer, also will see what the scale and progress pics show.

For strength training, everything stays the same, as this program is doing very well for me. My modifications have proven very successful, so volume stays high like it is. If anything, I may increase it substantially over the course of the next couple months. Same for occasionally strapping and doing grip isolation.

Half-marathon training is by the book, Mon, Thurs and Sat. Wednesday is a full day off , and Sunday is play day (some sort of cross training will always occur, I assure you).

Extra NEPA goal for the summer is still 200 hours. Currently a little behind this week at 132, but it shouldn't be anything I can't make up over the next couple of days. (Dance, Dance, Revolution!) Okay, good talk.

Nice on the 245. You on WS4SB?

Uh huh. My own little version of it, but yeah. I call it Westside for Skinny Fat Bastards.