CardioGrl’s BodyBlog

I’m so nervous and excited at the same time!

Starting a new position today, PERSONAL TRAINER! YEAH!!! me fat ol’ me a Personal trainer… 

It’s like I’m in some kind of a great dream that I don’t want to wake up from!

I’ll know my schedule today, I need to figure out how to deliver the news that I have two vacations scheduled, a surgery, and a few days off in between… argh….hope that they don’t fire me .

Wish me luck!!!!

My dream came true!

This is it for me, I’ve completed my Personal Training course, I’m testing this Sunday, Practical at 9:30am.  And written 100 multiple choice afterwards. 

There is so much to remember, so many things to go over.  I love this subject, love kinesiology, love it, but can’t help and feel absolutely nervous.   So many thoughts, so many fears, will I measure fat properly, will I take measurements correctly, will I remember how to properly warm up the tester? What about Flexibility Assessments, the stretches, all the tests, Par-Q, risk stratification … sigh. 

I’ve been busting my ass everyday reading and reading, all the acronyms are driving me out of my mind, GXT, THR, Systolic/Dystolic,  FIT principle, Training methods; Continuous, X-training, Interval, Fartlek.  Phosphagen System, Glycolisys, Lardosis {excessive curvature of the lumber spine}, Kyphosis {Excessive curvature of the thoracic spine}, Scoliosis {Lateral Curvature of Spine}, Agonist, Antagonist, Synergist, SITS (Four muscles of the rotator cuff, stabilize the shoulder; Superspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor, Subscapularis).  How do I not confuse Biceps Femoris with actual Biceps, Lactate Threshold, Slow twitch type I fibers generate low force resist fatigue.  Type IIa- Fast twitch, generate high force, resist fatigue, Type IIx- fast twitch generate high force and easily fatigue…Oy.. my head.

My friends say “Hey M, don’t worry, you’ll pass, look at the average Personal Trainer, an idiot” (Which I personally take offense at, but hey you’re supposed to accept friends for who they are), my answer is always the same “If they’re certified they’re far from idiot, please don’t repeat this ignorant statement”. 

Part of this whole certification program is 20 hours of Internship.  Another issue that I’m stressing over, I mean, what do I do? Just approach a gym manager, any gym and say “hey I’m here to be your slave for the next 20 hours?!?!?!”

How do I calm these nerves of mine?  I’m going to need all the help that I can get it seems!

I am scheduled for a training session in about two hours.  Part of an interview for a luxury spa that I’m trying to get a job with.  I was told that the woman that I’ll be training is five feet tall, 110lbs, in tip top shape and no health issues that prevent her from performing any training. 

I never trained anyone in my life.  Though I’m almost done with school for my certification, we’ve not gone over an actual training session though I’m very familiar with most gym equipment.  It’s so weird for me to be tossed to the lions like this.  Not putting her through tests or reading her Par-Q information. 

I’m thinking of an overall body routine, something like standing overhead barbell triceps extensions, hammer curles, cable internal rotation, Cable crossover, Ab cruncher, Barbell shrug behind the back, straight arm pulldown, One arm dumbell row, hyperextensions, dubbell lunges, and plie lunges. 

I’m puzzled about the warm up, is it ever part of the training session? Do I put her on a treadmill for an 8 minute warm up?  Do I stretch her?

I’m so nervous, what am I going to do?!?!?!

It’s been a while since I wrote, thank you for emailing me the reminder.  I’m a bit busy these days.  My certification program is taking much time, but non the less it’s amazingly interesting. 

Tomorrow we cover Physiology.  I tried reading ahead, the names of the bones, ligaments, connective tissue etc is driving me insane.  I hope that we are not expected to remember them all for the exam. 

Training and Weight:
  

I continue to workout regularly even though I skip updating the Workout tracker on occasion.   

I did skip a workout yesterday, but instead we skied all day! Interestingly not a single muscle is sore .  Working-out pays off! 

My weight is not dropping much in fact, in the less month maybe 1/2 a pound or so.  But my body fat percentage dropped by one percent.  I just find it hard to believe that I, at a quarter inch shy of 5′6 will go through the rest of my life weighing 145lbs with something like 20% body fat.  Why can’t I be like the really slender muscular women? Is my skeletal structure this big?!?!?! . 

Frustrations, frustrations, frustrations! 

Tomorrow is almost here.  The Giants, the absolute underdogs, with a baby QB are facing an undefeated superior team, the New England Patriots.   

I grew up in NY, in Brooklyn.  Only two years ago moved away to the Garden State.  But it hasn’t changed the fact that I’m a huge fan.

I find it interesting that in 1925, that at their very first game they faced the  All New Britain in New Britain, Connecticut, [New England team] on October 4, 1925.  They defeated New Britain 26–0. 
 

Will they be able to defeat the Cheatriots?

May the best team win!

My certification program starts on the 10th of Feb.  I’m getting more and more nervous.  I’ve read and re-read the chapters that I’m supposed to, in the Fitness Professional’s Handbook.  And some things are still not making sense.  I still can not figure out some of the forumulas, particularly the chapter on VO2 max.  I hope that in class it will become clearer.

On the other hand, I am very thrilled.  I am hoping that it’s not just a temporary insanity and that for the first time in life, I will enjoy work for a living .

I’m leafing through the Oxygen magazines and I am looking at the workout outfits that the models wear.  I’ve been searching on the internet high and low for those boy shorts and sports tops that they wear and good god, I just can’t find them.  They look like hot shorts, boy shorts, barely covering the ass, and I’m amazed that I am simply unable to find them. 

What is a girl to do?

Not really sure what is so different about today than any other day, but I just didn’t have it in me.  Woke up as always, did my morning routine, fed the kids, fed myself, stacked up on the supplements water, and to the gym I went.  Got on the elliptical cross trainer, and just fizzled out 20 minutes later.  Every step seemed to be forced, difficult, as if the breath was being knocked out of me.  Somehow I managed the 20 minutes and was hoping that lifting wouldn’t be as difficult. 

I was wrong.  Today was shoulders day, I was hoping to really work them well.  I went to the free weights and picked up a set of stinky 12lbs, I started with simple front raises.  Completed a set of 15 and almost died.  My face was red and I was completely out of breath.  I actually had to place the dumbbells back on the rack and sit down for a minute to catch my breath.  I watched my husband as he worked his shoulders effortlessly and wondered what on earth is wrong with me.  I had a full night of sleep, ate correctly, drank 1/2 a gallon of water, but just felt like crap.  

I took a few gulps from my water bottle and reduced the weight to 10lbs in each hand (sad, but hey it’s true).  Completed two more sets of 15 and felt as if my brain is ready to explode out of my head!   I decided that I’m going to just chill for five minutes and try again.  

Fast forward five minutes and I’m up there with a curved barbell attempting an upright row, with major effort I put it to rest after 3 sets of 10 and went on to the Bent over lateral raises with stinky five pounders in each arm.  Completed 3 sets of 10 and ended my workout.  On the way home had my protein bar and wondered what on earth could have caused me to feel so weak and so useless! 

I’m required to read a whole bunch of chapters before the first class for personal training starts on Feb 10th.  The book name is Fitness Professional’s Handbook, Fifth Edition.  I’m covering chapter 5 on Cardiorespiratory Fitness.  I’m stuck on how to calculate CRF (Cardio Respiratory Fitness).  Which can be expressed as follows:

 * Liters of oxygen used by the body per minute (L * min-1)

* Milliliters of oxygen used per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml * kg-1 * min-1)

*METs, multiples of resting metabolic rate, where 1 MET = 3.5ml *kg-1*min-1

 So a person with the ability to use 35 ml * kg-1 * min-1 during maximal exercise is said to have a CRF equal to 10 METs (35 / 3.5 = 10)

I keep reading and re-reading and I just don’t get it. 

HELP ME!!!!

It’s so disheartening to watch what some people do on this site.  I thought that this site is for the purpose of getting oneself into shape, working out, posting workouts, pictures, progress reports, learning, getting positive criticism etc… And yet daily I see negative comments, ridiculously low ratings for people who appear less than perfect to the so called *Muscle Heads*. 

A young lady had the courage to post 3 photos of herself, she let it all out, showed herself, posted what her goals are, explained what she is hoping to achieve through hard work and proper nutrition, and yet got slammed with ridiculing statements.  How, prey-tell is one supposed to get to where they want to go if they’ll be degraded, laughed at, and told  "I simply don’t understand this, is this a joke?". 

Did we not ALL start somewhere? Or did some of us woke up all chiseled and cut up one morning? Shame on every single one of you who are in the habit of doing this.  You might have the physical beauty, but your inside is hollow and cold, you are the reason that titles like  *Dumb jock* exist.

With the start of the New Year, I am happy to report that I have not really gained weight.  Despite the parties and all the food fests, I’ve managed to take the advice given in Tosca Reno’s Eating Clean book and managed to not gain.  

Having been on the overweight side for most of my adult life I am forever paranoid that I will regain the weight.  But I suspect that for as long as I remember to eat six properly proportioned meals a day, remain active and physical my weight will not be an issue. 

Though I’ve been training, lifting, resistence cardio and remained active throughout the last weekend of December, I got lazy about entering the information in my journal.  So I began today and hopefully I’ll manage to enter the information on daily basis.

New Year Resolution:

1- To accomplish my Personal Training Certification and secure a position in a reputable gym.

2- To get down to less than 16% body fat and get defined.

Earlier today I finally did it.  I’ve been dreaming about this and promised myself that I will do this as soon as I reach a smallish goal of being able to work with a dumbell 20lbs in each arm when I bench press.  I know laughable weight but hey, I’m a girl stop laughing.

Starting Sunday Feb 10th through March 16th I shall be attending classes for Personal Trainer National Certification.  I’m taking the CPR class on Jan 19th!

It is a class which is co-sponsored with World Instructor Training School.  And part of the requirement is the 20 hour post course internship, with the host sites arranged by the program!

I’m a happy girl today :)

The gym was somewhat empty and it seemed to be safe to remove my ear phones.  BIG MISTAKE.  At first while doing Pliet Squats I noticed that some Geeze was standing behind me with his right hand in his pocket and a bulge directly next to it.  I dismissed the bulge to his hand being in his pocket and refused to even allow a shred of thought to anything else.  He had no shame, he just gawked until I’ve had enough.  Does he not realize that I am looking directly at him even though my back is turned to him? I’m facing a mirror for god’s sake! I turned around and made the 10 steps towards him and point blank asked:
“Do I remind you of someone?”  He lowered his head and walked away.  Man..what a loser! 

But worse was the woman with her two daughters who followed everything that I was doing and insisting that her daughters watch me for form and do the same.  She was trying to talk non stop.  Telling me about her youth and how she popped a blood vessel while lifting in college.  She told me of her first and second marriage, she told me how she got an infection in her nails, she told me about her abusive drug days… my gosh what was I thinking when I took my earphones off? 

NEVER AGAIN 

I am incredibly frustrated.  Since I began the higher protein intake and upped my workingout time and routines, I dropped approximately four pounds.  And here I am at a rot a complete standstill for over four days now.  Not budging an inch, in fact, this morning the scale read 148.4!!! WTF!!! 

I bust my ass at the gym (Glance at my journal), I’m there six days a week always starting with cardio and proceed to weights.  I eat clean and I’m stuck! 

What on earth am I doing wrong? Why is this happening? How am I supposed to reach my goals if I’m in a plateau? 

This is a rant I suppose, a rant that is a bit overdue.  Something that I noticed when I started exploring this site and noticed that some of the most worked-out physiques, those who show the most dedication get targeted by a group of  a*sholes that insist on screwing with the picture ratings.  

You know who they are;  They tend to rate pictures with a one.  And when they are feeling generous they’ll up the one to a three or maybe four even. They travel in packs (Perhaps the same person with multiple profiles?). They rate the same picture one after the other and never ever have their own photos or any information about who they are.  Where they are from, their goals, their routines, their achievements, NONE!  Most of the photos that they rate as one are outstanding photos of people in kick ass shape, with amazing definition that only a jealous loser would rate as a one.While I most certainly can understand that a 10.00 isn’t always deserved, and often even abused.  I would most certainly expect at least an explanation as to why the rater thinks that the photo that they just rated as a 1 has come that short.  A few words of critique perhaps, advice on what area/body part in the raters mind needs to be worked on. 

My thoughts: anyone who has time for such juvenile games is a loser, a lonely angry individual, perhaps even a religious zealot who knows.  My advice to them is that they seek help.  Find a way to escape such anger and bitterness.  Find a way to open that door that is keeping you trapped in such unfulfilled life.  And good luck to you pal/s, you need a lot of it!   

Today I began a two month intense training; Oxygen magazine’s Feb 08 Push Pull routine;

 Sculpt Your Dream Body Today!

>>Jolt your metabolism and drop inches with Oxygen’s new workout series.  Starting this month and continuing over the next two, we give you a new, progressive resistance program for fast results<<:

The Plan
Induction Phase week 1 and 2:
Monday: Push

Tuesday: Cardio

Wed: Pull/Abs/Cardio

Thurs: Cardio

Friday: Lower Body

Sat: Rest

Sunday: Active Rest/Abs

Same thing for week 3 & 4 more intensely higher weights.

I decided to continue doing my cardio daily regardless.  I’m hoping for some amazing results! (Pray for me

Today I drove to the East Brunswick gym.  I wasn’t supposed to work out today, in fact, I was supposed to spend the day with my girlfriend shopping.  But she bailed out last minute and I decided to hit the gym that has the Stairclimber (The real stairs coming at you like an escalator).  
I completed my Chest and Stomach workout, but I really wasn’t feeling it.  I was dragging my ass and can’t say that I really enjoyed my work out as I normally do.  I’m wondering if it has anything to do with the fact that this isn’t really my *home* gym, or the fact that I had my mind set to do other things and those things didn’t pan out. 
I wish that my * home * gym had stair climbers or stair  masters.  But they don’t, so I’m stuck on occasion driving to the other gym.
Bummer!
 

My overall goal is to tone up more, cut up, thin out, and grow stronger. 

I don’t have programs or routines.  I know that my body, every part of it, has to be worked on and pushed further every week.  Biceps, triceps, shoulders, legs, back, abs, ass, etc.  

I always start with cardio, I try to push for an hour, I really enjoy packing 6 hours of cardio per week.  But it doesn’t always workout due to time limitation.  And with the recent dramatic nutritional change I notice that cardio though necessary isn’t as important as lifting.  I’m finding that with the recent dietary change I am losing weight steadily, so lifting is absolutely paramount. 

I make sure that I do at least 3 different exercises per body part (ex: 3 for biceps, 3 for triceps, and if I have anything left I go for 4).  

I like the recent changes in my body, so I’m going to stick to my none structured workout.  It works for me.  But still I wonder, are routines and structured programs necessary in order to reach your goals?

Wow am I sore!

Initially I thought that perhaps I’m sore from working out yesterday, or perhaps that fact that I’ve worked out six days this week.  I felt my upper aching as I turned at night from side to side.  I woke up this morning wondering, is it because I pushed myself yesterday? Hmmm the sore isn’t feeling the same as always though.  And then it hit me. 

It’s leaves that I went to collect from the front lawn that did me in. For 2 hours after the gym I was raking and cleaning up the leaves that covered the lawn.  I wonder how many calories I burnt doing that.  My upper back, lats, front chest are aching.  It feels good though, I really enjoy the soreness of muscles. 

Taking today off, it’s snowing outside, we’re finishing up the holiday decorations today, the fireplace is on.  Life is good!

Happy Sunday!

I was always that woman/girl who was told “if you only lost some weight you’d be so beautiful”.

And now, that I have lost weight, the very same people are telling me “You look emaciated”.  Others tell me “Why have you bulked up so much do you want to look like a guy?”
Is there a happy medium? Are people ever happy for the success of another human being?

I hated myself when I was heavy, wouldn’t take pictures, wouldn’t go near mirrors.  I hid myself from the world in a bucket of lard! I was making myself sick.  Didn’t want to socialize, didn’t want to go shopping, not only did I neglect myself physically I also deteriorated mentally. 

I often hear overweight individuals take snipes at people in shape, calling them vain, full of themselves, Barbie, Ken etc…  How beauty is from within yada yada yada…

The reality from where I stand, and from having been in the shoes of the fat person, I can tell you right off the bat it’s pure bullshit.  NO ONE wants to be fat, NO ONE wants to be unhealthy.  We’re all vain.  And while, beauty certainly is part of what we have inside, having a beautiful inside and an ugly / unhealthy outside is never anything that anyone wishes for.  So when I hear the typical bullshit line of “I’ve accepted myself for how and who I am” and it’s coming from an unhealthy overweight individual, I shrug and move on and wonder just how much more dishonest can someone be?.

I’ve been consuming Premier Nutrition Protein bars (30g of Protein) after each workout session.

I noticed last night while brushing my teeth that in between the teeth there is discoloration, brownish lines (where the teeth meet).  Needless to say it’s a cause for an alarm.  Who wants stained/brown teeth?

Is it at all possible that protein has this impact on teeth? How would I even find out?

In July of 2007 I was diagnosed with two disc herniations, one in the cervical-spine and another in the lumber spine, as well as degenerative disc disease, a fancy word for aging.
It happened when I gardened, I went to pick some tomatoes cucumbers peppers and fresh herbs for a dinner salad.  I bent down and could not straighten out from the position again.  My husband carried me into the house and from there to the chiropractor.  The chiro gave me an adjustment and a few heat treatments which did help slightly but not enough to solve the problem.
Prior to the incident I’ve been consistently suffering from crick neck, crick back etc.   As a result of my back and neck problems, I visited my family practitioner who subscribed anti inflammatory and muscle relaxants.  He also referred me for an MRI which revealed that I have a problem that really has no solution.
I have not experienced any back or neck pain since then.  I woke up today with a nagging pain under my right shoulder blade.  It’s driving me insane, but I don’t want to take anti inflammatory medication, because when I do I tend to retain water and it slows down the progress for my goal weight.
The pain didn’t slow me down at the gym.  I still packed the hour cardio followed by a great weight lifting session.  But I just want the pain to go away, and not sure how to go about dealing with in a natural way. 
What a pain!
 

I was on my way home from the gym listening to the local readio station.  They were talking about working out addictions, the signs:

1- If you must burn a certain amount of calories by a certain time. 

2- If you feel guilty on days that you don’t go to the gym. 

3- Lifting until you are sore. 

I finally inquired into what Hydrolyzed means. 

This is what I found

from wikipedia:

Hydrolyzed protein

Hydrolyzed Protein is protein that has been hydrolyzed or broken down into its component amino acids. While there are many means of achieving this, two of the most common are prolonged boiling in a strong acid or strong base or using an enzyme such as the pancreatic protease enzyme to stimulate the naturally-occurring hydrolytic process.

According to the FDA, hydrolyzed protein is used to enhance flavor and contains monosodium glutamate. When added this way, the labels are not required to list MSG as an ingredient.[1] Many in the organic food industry believe this is a way for dangerous food additives to be hidden from public scrutiny. [citation needed]

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and:Obesity

Monosodium glutamate has been shown to indirectly cause obesity in lab rats by downregulating hypothalamic appetite suppression and, thus, increasing the amount of food the lab rats consumed. Animal research compels some researchers to theorize that MSG has a role in the occurrence of obesity in humans.

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WOW!

Quite a concern isn’t it?

A friend suggest that I try: Metabolic Drive by Biotest, that it’s micronized protien (what does that mean?) and that it’s better for you.  Anyone try this? Any other recommendations?

One would imagine that on a Saturday people sleep in. Again, I found myself wide awake at six am thinking that I must get to the gym.

Had an Activia cup. My vitamin, Omega 3, Glucosamine, B complex. Drove to the gym through my favorite town.  It takes me half an hour to get there and I have many different ways that I can go.  On a cold and crisp Sunday morning, what could be more enjoyable than driving leisurely, watching the foliage swirling all around me.

Did 35 minutes on the elliptical cross trainer. Followed by a fairly decent shoulders and triceps work out. Driving home I munched on a Premier Nutrition Protein bar, a nice 30g protein doze! Good god, why are they so difficult to chew? . After running a few errands, had a whole-wheat toast with some leftover turkey breast and a drop of mustard. Some Romaine lettuce and ¼ avocado.

We’re going clubbing tonight. My drink of choice is Ketle one and cranberry juice. Hopefully I wont overdo it on the drinks tonight .

Black Friday.
For some today was a day to battle the crowds to get that great sale on some toy or a gift.  For B and I it was another day when we woke up around six am, got into our workout clothes, fanny pack in hand, our ½ gallon jugs filled with water ready and off to the gym. 

As always we began with cardio, but decided to get in a longer session than we normally do due to the eating that we did yesterday.  It’s not that we ate a lot, those days are in the past.  It’s what we ate.  Though we’ve been eating clean for years, when the holidays roll in and the family congregates in our place, we can not force them to eat what we eat.

B did an hour on the treadmill at eight minutes mile.  And I did an elliptical crosstrainer for the same amount of time.  Both drenched, and after re-hydrating our bodies we went on to lift; Chest and back day.  After 30 minutes of lifting we had to run home.  The kids were about to wake up, time to feed them and go out there to get that sale .