amysuds’s BodyBlog

So I am all ready to go for a lesson today! My two youngest children 5 and 6 years old are home with me. As I pack up all my gear and get ready to go……I see my little girl looking horrified at the sight of the gloves. She obviously only has ever seen boxing matches on television and has no idea that I just want to learn. But for a 5 year old little girl, the thought of her mommy with boxing gloves on and possibly getting hit is too much for my baby. I saw a look on her face today that I will never forget. So I try to explain it to her ….but the tears are now in her eyes. So the hell with boxing for now, my baby ’s feelings come before mine. There’s always another day for the lessons….just something I’d like to try. Not worth her having nightmares over…makebe she watched a little Rocky with daddy? So she just gave me this picture and told me to just do this mommy! A great drawing of her and I with a barbell over our heads!

Well I am taking this medication which is an anticonvulsant and have been gradually increasing the dose. A week ago, I go to the doc for a check on how I’m feeling and I said "TIRED!". Here I am blaming it on the meds of course..and then we discuss my diet. I don’t count calories or grams (except for protein)…and I am just too busy to keep track. So the doc says, " I believe you have low cholesterol" . The carbs I guess factor into this. But honestly, I have really been pushing my training harder than ever. And from my reading knowledge, I know that carbs are your energy, right? Yes..but if there are not enough to fuel the brain etc, the protein I take in, gets used for energy! Shame on me for not using my brain on this…maybe I can blame it on low carbs! I increased my protein intake to 150g and really ignore the carbs. I am just used to eating the same things every day. Oh , but there’s one lovely side effect from this med. It makes me crave carbs at night..YIKES! I know it messes with my hormones from reading the brochure and I think it’s the estrogen level. I hope I don’t have permanant cravings similar to the ones I get the week before my womanly friend visits all the time. I think I will go back to daily morning cardio sessions to surpress down that estrogen! The one thing I am trying to do is add the carbs in the morning and afternoon. I also know the carbs are needed to make muscle! I need to spare the incoming protein better!! The carb increase may also spark some more fat burning..as they are necessary to burn it. I am getting myself all fired up now..maybe I will go workout:)

Well…. I am trying to turn over a new leaf here. Today was the first time I EVER did a shoulder workout fully. I used the December 2007 Oxygen magazine page 116 plan. I love the way Robert Kennedy explains all the details. And I have had so much progress from his abs routine, I feel this one has got to be good too. It was a new feeling for sure..and a crazy shoulder pump following. The veins in my arms are grossly popping though! Hoping to post some new and improved shoulder pics in 6 weeks!!

My arms are always sore. It is not from bicep curls or tricep pulldowns…because I confess that I don’t do any of that. I should work my arms I know. The trouble for me are my weak wrists. In the past, I have attempted preacher curls etc….only to get nothing but frustrated and no pump. I definitely feel it’s partly do to my carpel tunnel problems and the necrosis in my thumbs as a result. So yes, I probably overtrain my legs and glutes for the turns of workouts are higher than most other people I know. I just stay focused as much as possible on whole body training. The 3 sets of pushups everyday have ripped my arms . I incorporate isometric holds at different points of the last reps. The pump in the entire musculature is unreal. It lasts the entire day. So I stretch the sh*t out of it and go back on it for a few more reps til I fall on my face. The only other thing I do is carry heavy on my traps during squats. I probably tense this area again, for fear of dropping it on me again! I try not to always "train like a girl" but I do the best I can. I really try to relax my upper body on the squat..I just have a problem with isolating areas I train. My whole body likes to dig in to everything I do. I even sprint the stairs in my house everytime I go up:)

Well I have received some feedback regarding my blog about the ab routine from Oxygen magazine January 2008. I know it would be easy to list the exercises mentioned on here, but that would not be in anyone’s best interest! It is so worth the $5.00 I paid for it. There is more to it than doing the plan, there is specific information that you need to read and understand to get results! Go to www.oxygenmag.com and order it if you can!

Well here I am today, looking at the picture of my stomach kind of in shock. I have been trying for what seems like forever to get these muscles out of hiding. Plus, lets face it…my skin there is so darn stretched out, it seemed like all the crunches were done in vain for awhile. For myself, this progression represents a million crunches probably. The point I want to make is the importance of doing the exercises properly. Had I stayed with one program instead of jumping around…who knows, maybe it would have happened sooner. Well, I bought Oxygen magazine January 2008 and followed the plan on page 116. I did exactly what was shown(by the way, only 3 different exercises)…and I am 8 weeks in roughly. Hats off to Robert Kennedy for sharing his knowledge. I am by no means done with these abs. This was the beginning. I know now that I have to change up the program…my body adapts quickly. So now, my good friend jdang416 has shared his ab workout in his blog. I can’t wait to see more progression and to continue to learn and share! Go check these out…well worth the money and time!!

My meal plan stays relatively the same everyday. I do not count calories however. My main goal is to eat healthy foods.Currently I am raising my protein intake, therefore 6 small meals covers it.

breakfast    1 whole egg + 5 egg whites with 1/2 cup oatmeal with cinnamon, splenda and skim milk and 1/2 c blueberries

snack        apple slices with natural peanut butter

lunch         1 can tuna & 2 cups romaine lettuce with spritzer spray dressing

snack         post workout   2 scoops protein powder mixed with skim milk and maybe a banana

dinner        plain cooked chicken breast with asparagus or sweet potato with romaine salad /handful slivered almonds

bedtime snack      nonfat plain yogurt with splenda , 1 scoop whey protein, sometimes sliced stawberries, handful chopped walnuts (chocolate whey protein is good with this..like pudding!)

That’s about the only variety I give myself besides occasional turkey breast or Lean Cuisine dinner and dark chocolate squares on occasion.If I must snack, I eat mixed nuts. I have convinced myself that food is fuel and that’s it.I rarely crave anything else.I drink water or coffee only.

My workout plan is quite simple and not regimented strictly besides obviously hitting the target muscles consistently. I  have not dedicated specific exercises for arms or chest. I do pushups instead every day 3 sets. I rotate legs/glutes, shoulder and back/abs 5 days a week. I vary exercises,weight,rep,sets,volume and tempo all the time. I journal everything for reference and result tracking.I follow Oxygen magazines for ideas and great workouts.I do cardio 2x a week.Either treadmill or recumbent bike 45 minutes with heart rate at 65-70% maximum. Sometimes I also do interval sprints at 9mph , 9% incline(thankyou Jschott65) with 1 minute rests. I do however incorporate a few sets of squats  and jump squats everyday.I always stretch the muscles worked afterwards. My workout is 60 minutes a day. I take a day off if I am too fatigued.

The best thing I have been doing for myself is reading everynight for motivation. I read and reread magazines for ideas.Almost like studying for a test the next day, I study and think about what I’ll do tomorrow and let it sink in. I seem to perform better by doing this….kinda like how I would if I studied for that exam the next day. It’s the mind - muscle connection that I focus on, hoping for an A+ when it’s over!!

I have had many kind people inquire how I have come this far in fitness and when did I start. Well, back in 1987, I delivered my daughter and weighed 209lbs when I went into labor.She weighed 8lb 9oz.So the trouble started there. My subsequent pregancy max weights were …199, 191, 176, 186, 185.I will never forget those numbers! All my beautiful children were blessings and worth every bit of stretching skin! So after my last child was born 5 years ago, I tried to get in and stay in shape again. But the problem for me is, I would lose it, and then just gain it back . I have clothes in my closet sizes 2 through 14. Where is the happy middle here? The key to my success thus far has been through educating myself. Reading books, magazines,talking to amazingly smart people here…has given me stability. I have finally maintained this weight for a year. That is the longest time frame ever. Also, by testing different meal plans, exercises and journaling everything.Anything is possible if you truly believe!!!