From Russia with Tough Love!

New Program for me - The New Rules of Lifting

iNatalia — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 05:04:42 +0000

I am going to track my progress of this new program at a different place. I’ve started a separate blog for this purpose at blogspot. After reading the book The New Rules of Lifting for Women (by Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove and Cassandra Forsythe) I’ve decided to join a little challenge that was organized at jpfitness.com forum. Every woman has a different goal, but is determined to reach it! I love a good challenge.

My goal: to reduce body fat to around 10% for the coming summer, after I put on some more muscle mass in the next 6 months.My plan: Since all I got to lose is about 10lbs of fat, it seems like I have an easy task before me…But don’t forget, putting on quality muscle for a woman is no small task. So, protein intake will be high, fats moderate and moderate carbs. Closer to the end I’ll be cycling my carbs.

My current stats:

At 5’8 HEIGHT/ Age 32

CHEST: 35 in
WAIST (narrowest point): 28 in
TUMMY (widest area): 33 in
HIP: 36.5 in
THIGHS: 20.5R/21L
CALVES: 13R/13.25L
ARMS: 11R/11L
WEIGHT: 140lbs
Body Fat: 16.3% (Omron machine. Normal Mode)
BMI: 21.8 (Omron machine. Normal Mode)

if you want to read more just head on over to my site.

My Own Transformation on bb.com

iNatalia — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:22:32 +0000

Hope my story will speak to some ppl….

…….

Supps. What is in YOUR kitchen?

iNatalia — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 20:34:18 +0000

These are mine. Use daily. Exept for Cytolean (use it only when ‘cutting’). What helps you to stay healthy and achieve your fitness goals?

Spinning Class. First-timer!

iNatalia — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 18:19:11 +0000

I am so glad someone told me to wear special padded bike shorts! In that area of comfort I did just fine. Before the class started I told the instructor it was my 1st time. Everyone looked at me in disbelief…"This muscled up chick never did spinning???"…Yeah, well spinning is not the only thing that builds quads;)

The music our instructor chose was excellent. The instructor herself looked like she could loose 10-15 lbs in her bottom and legs, but BOY did she whip our butts! My legs are throbbing still, and the class ended 2 hour ago. I think I did OK for the first time - kept up with the instructor 85% of the time. But she was great in pointing out that ‘it’s YOUR ride, and listen to YOUR body!’

I will definitely be ‘buffeting my body’ in my spinning class next Saturday bright and early.

Pics Of Women Over 20 gallery. Geez!

iNatalia — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 01:28:26 +0000

It’s a bodybuilding site for Pete’s sake. Most (not all) of the pix posted there DO NOT display any fitness progress and achievements. Are you using this site for a free promotion for your services??? There are plenty of sites on www for your pix. Stop flooding this bb site with trash!!!

I am a Chicken! (If ‘You are What you Eat’ is true)

iNatalia — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 05:53:04 +0000

This is what my Halloween costume should be..if I was into Halloween. But I am not.
Like most of ppl here on bb.com I eat a LOT of chicken (and egg whites). Not fried, no thighs, just boneless, skinless chicken breast…or like Archie Bunker said to Teresa: ‘Not a nice word! Call it Chicken Chest’

Today I had a cheat meal, and this time it was really a cheat meal (not sashimi, like last time). I was accused I do not know how to ‘cheat’ ! But it had to be chicken. Anyway, got me some chicken artichoke pizza at Hawthorne’s…yeah, sorry folks if I made you stumble. Be strong and go have a chewing gum. Plus, a 12oz of Sammy Adams. My veins are so full, I look like I just pumped some serious iron at da gym!

So, puck-puck to you, my fellow chicks and roosters:)

Oh, and my public FitDay diet journal is here.

Hot Legs. The Agony and Satisfaction.

iNatalia — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 01:24:58 +0000

"Hot legs, wearing me out
Hot legs, you can scream and shout.."

(Rod Stewart - ‘Hot Legs’)

Working out any body part can be challenging, but I am sure the reader will agree with me that working legs is especially taxing on the body and mind. But since my hubby has the ‘Hot Legs’ ringtone for me on his cell, I gotta live up to the expectation:)

Haven’t done front squats in a while. Have not done box squats at all. Did them both today. Felt different and really good!

Here are the exercises I did for legs today:

Front squats….5 sets x 10….135lbs

Box Squats…..3 sets x 8….135lbs

Deadlifts…..3×12….95lbs

RDLs…..3×12…95lbs

Standing calves…..3×15

Donkeys…..2×15

As I wobbled out of the gym I felt like the time was not wasted. Gotta ge’em hot legs;)

Am I rude?

iNatalia — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 03:01:58 +0000

Chest and arms today. For CHEST: Flat, decline and incline bench presses. Then flys. Bis and Tris exercises were supersetted. Arms were so pumped at the end of workout - I had hard time straightening them:) What I great feeling! Please, don’t leave me…pump! ::::::

Food-wise: did well. Took enough protein, carbs and fats to sustain my rigorous training and to promote the muscle growth.:::::

Today someone at the gym considered me rude. I am NOT a rude person. Some called me heard-headed before, but not rude. For me gym is not the place to participate in prolonged conversations, hanging out, and exchanging phone calls. When at the gym I don’t believe in wasting time. That’s why I try not to return eye contact I sometimes feel I am getting. I just walk around with the earphones in my ears quietly singing along….at times I might sing a line or two out loud. ::::

Gotta get me a T-shirt saying something like "I am focused. Don’t break my concentration!"

Shakin’ Things Up a Little

iNatalia — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 04:45:48 +0000

I decided to change some things around in my training schedule. I still plan on hitting the gym only 4 times a week (doing morning cardio on those days)
Day 1 - Back/Shoulders

Back:

Pull-ups 3 x 6-9
Wide-grip pulldown 5 x 6-12
Seated rows 2 x 6-9
Wide grip hang from pullup bar: 60 sec

Shoulders:

Behind the neck press: 3 x 6-9
Seated lateral raise: 5 x 6-12
Rear dumbbell lateral: 2 x 6-9

Day 2 - Chest/Arms

Chest:

Flat barbell (or dumbbell) Bench press: 3 x 6-9
Incline barbell (or dumbbell) bench press: 3 x 6-9
Flat bench flys: 2 x 6-9
Incline bench cable flye: 2 x 6-9
Arms:

EZ bar curl: 4 x 6-9 (no cheating!)
Close-grip bench press: 4 x 6-9 (keep the elbows in on all tricep exercises)
Dumbbell concentration curl: 3 x 6-9
Triceps pressdown: 3 x 6-9

..and some cable work for bis and tris (supersetting)

Day 3 - Legs/Abs (will write down the exercises later)

Day 4 - Back/Shoulders again

Sunday and Saturday - off days.

Time for a New Cardio Machine…

iNatalia — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 16:14:09 +0000

When I started my journey to a healthier me 2 years ago 3rd level on my exercise bike was enough to bump my heart rate up to 160bpm (85% of my HR max). Today I officially ‘outgrew’ this machine. Had to go to the last, 8th level in order to start breathing heavy and sweat:) The bike is not THAT old. It’s EDGE that I got maybe 3 years ago…

(my daughter was kind enough to take this pic)

The good news is my cardiovascular health has improved. The bad news - I’ll have to come up with some $$$ to get a new cardio equipment. Gym’s machines are fine, but I like to do my cardio first thing in the morning at home.
The trainer with calipers measured my BF at 10.6% , but my Omron BF analyzer has a slightly higher number. Which one is correct?