tbradfor’s BodyBlog

I got to the gym early this morning and did 30 minutes on the elliptical, 15 minutes walking up an incline (15%), and 15 minutes on the StairMaster machine. I went home ate, rested, and cleaned up the house. Later on in the afternoon I went to the gym and did a great back weight training session followed by 20 minutes of the upper body cardio machine.

Today, my diet has been extremely clean and healthy. I had my 10 servings of veggies/fruit and feel great. With the exception of some healthy popcorn, I’ve been consuming only fibrous carbs today. My supplementation was the same as it was yesterday. I will continue to keep supplementation as simple as possible.

In a couple hours I will take my son to the gym and have him do a leg workout today.

Have a great day!!!

Tameka

I started training my 10-year old at the gym yesterday. He’s been telling me that he wants to be a bodybuilder for the past few months. I had him doing chest and back yesterday and he rocked, especially when he was doing deadlifts–perfectly!!! He’ll be competing in a INBA kids competition later on this year if he decides that he wants to continue training.

Today, I squatted-unassisted until I ran out of time. I had a really great leg workout. I’m so excited that I was able to squat 155lbs for at least 10 reps. I could of added more weight, but I was on my 10Th set by the time I decided to try squatting 155lbs.

Well, have a great day everyone!!!

Tameka

One of the main reasons why I haven’t posted in a few days is because I’ve had my head in the books. I received my Group fitness instructor manual on Wednesday (1-23-08) and haven’t been able to stop reading. I love to read and study–I’m a book worm!!! I will take my group fitness instructor exam sometime in March 2008. So, far I have read half the textbook in less than a week. Also, I haven’t posted in a few days because I’ve been messing up on my diet–feeling really discouraged. I decided to do a weekend fast and I feel refreshed and renewed again. I plan on finishing this challenge a success. Sure, I have had some recent set backs on my diet, but nothing to worry about. I’m ready to restart this challenge again. I have about 12 weeks to go, and I will work 110% to get the results I desire.

Today, I did a chest weight training session. I also added in some ab and calve sets into my workout because I want to start working out my abs and calves more often. I will attempt to work my abs and calves at least three days per week–Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. My calves are so stubborn at growing.

I did 30 minutes on the StairMaster and 20 minutes on the upper-body cardio machine. I seriously jammed to my Beyonce B-day Cd while doing my cardio, and it felt so good.

Today, I have been eating really well. I finished my fast early this morning. I managed to get in 2 servings of fruit(grapefruit) and 8 servings of steamed vegetables (fibrous carbs). I will continue to strive to eat 10 servings of fruits and/or vegetables per day. As far as starchy carbs like oats, brown rice, etc. go–I don’t know. Honestly, I know this sounds bad, but I will attempt to eat some starchy carbs at least every fourth day. My macro nutrient range is currently 40/40/20 (40% calories from carbs, 40% calories from protein, and 20% calories from fat).

Today, I supplemented my diet with EAS Betagen, whey isolate, and a multivitamin/mineral.

Tameka

I did a 45 minute elliptical cardio training session at work early in the morning. Later in the afternoon I did a shoulder workout followed by a 30 minute StairMaster cardio session and a 15 minute SciFit upper body cardio session. I must say that I was very impressed with the upper body cardio machine!!!! I’m usually only doing lower body cardio at the gym. Although, I’m obsessed with rowing on a rower, gyms around my area don’t have rowing machines. So, I barely do any upper body cardio. I did 15 minutes on the upper body cardio machine at a moderate pace and burned over 100 calories in just 15 minutes!!! I think I’m hooked on the upper body cardio machine. So, in addition to doing elliptical and StairMaster cardio I will perform 15 minutes of upper body cardio 15 minutes per day at least 4 days a week.

Today, I feel like a Zombie. I think that my low carbing is starting to kick in. I will carb-up in a couple of days. Right now I’m at a 30/50/20 macro nutrient ratio. Hopefully, some sleep will help do me some good. I took the same supplements that I took yesterday. I’m still loving the EAS Betagen–some good stuff!! Right now, the only changes that I’m noticing is in my upper body. I will have to work harder and more frequently on my leg training to get the results I want to. I think I will add an additional leg day where I just do 10 sets/10 repetitions each of front squats, back squats, and stride lunges. I’m striving to have some ripped legs!!!!

I did have a really awesome shoulder workout today. I did 3 sets of 10 different shoulder exercises. I’m surprised I still had enough in me to do 45 minutes of cardio afterwards.

Well, I still have a little over three months left of my transformation. I can’t wait until I see what I will look like in a few months. All I care about is not losing all my muscle mass. If I can just keep most of my muscle mass I will be one of the happiest people on the planet.

My hooping is going OK. I need to practice hula hooping more often than I have. I have a hula hooping workshop in April, so, I better start hooping it up. Have a wonderful day everyone!!

Tameka

I have been doing a lot of low intensity cardio for the past few days. Today I did a great back workout followed by some cardio and ab work. I was a little bad today because I ran 4+miles after my weight training session. I will have to resist the urge to run any more, especially if I want to keep any muscle mass. The YMCA has some new Precor treadmills and I just had to give it a try out–love it!!! I will do some more cardio later on today, but it will be a low intensity cardio workout (e.g. slow incline treadmill walk). Here is the workout I did this morning:

*5-minute treadmill warm-up walk
*deadlifts–5 sets
*narrow grip unassisted pull-ups–5 sets
*wide grip lat pulldowns-4 sets
*goodmornings–5 sets
*T-bar rows–5 sets
*one-arm dumbbell rows–5 sets each arm
*low cable rows–5 sets

—-intermission break–had protein shake and amino acids

*ran 4+ miles on treadmill and cooled down by walking up a 15% incline at a slow pace
*Swiss ball ab crunches-3 sets,40 reps
*standing ball twists–3 sets,40 reps

I took Betagen before my workout, after my session at the gym and I will take another serving of Betagen before going to bed. Other supplements that I already have or will take later is Amino acids, whey isolate, CLA, vegetarian EFA’s (e.g. flax seed oil), and a multivitamin/mineral. Remember, EAS Betagen supplies me with a total of 6g creatine, 1500mg vitamin C, 6g L-glutamine, 3g HMB, and 1500mg Taurine.

My current measurements are:

135-weight
35-chest
25-waist
35-hips

I have been naughty lately and eating some cheat meals like Pop Tarts and cereal. I will have to get stronger mentally and resist the urge to eat sweet treats that are overly processed. I’m eating every three hours, which is about 5-6 times per day. I’m always thirsty, so, I will have to increase my water intake.

Tameka

I didn’t feel too well this morning. So, I was kind of slowing around this morning at the gym. Although, I didn’t feel well, I still went on ahead with the workout. Here is the chest workout I did this morning:

*5-minute treadmill warm-up walk
*Barbell flat chest press–3 sets
*barbell decline chest press–3 sets
*barbell incline chest press–3 sets
*incline dumbbell flyes–3 sets
*dumbbell pullovers–3 sets
*cable pec flyes
*incline push ups
*Russian twists–3 sets 30
*Swiss ball crunches
Supplements:
EAS Betagen
CLA
amino acids
whey isolate
multivitamin/mineral
Currently, I’m not taking fibersure because I’m getting plenty of fiber from all the grapefruit and oatmeal that I’m eating. I will do my cardio later on today. Have a wonderful day.

Tameka

Wow, I’m really impressed with the changes that my local YMCA has made to the weight lifting room. Its a big area now–So, three people working out is not a crowd. It’s very spacious. We have about 5 cages instead of 2, and we have these really cool Star Trac Human Performance machines, Impact machines, and Max Sport machines. I love Star Trac’s new machines!!! Star Trac fitness equipment Rocks!!!!

Today I had an awesome leg and ab workout. Here is my workout:
*5-minute treadmill warm-up walk
*unassisted touching down to bench barbell squats–4 sets,15reps
*unassisted touching down to bench barbell front squats-5sets,10reps
*stiff leg barbell squats–4sets, 10 reps
*barbell lunges–3 sets,10reps each leg
*sitting calve raise–3 sets,30reps
*standing calve raise-3 sets,15reps each leg
*hamstring curl using cable attachment on Human Performance Machine-3sets,10reps each leg
*leg curl machine–3 sets, 6 reps
*leg extention machine–3 sets, 6reps
*100 step ups–50 each leg
*pop-up squats–3sets, 10reps
*ab crunches–4 sets, 50 reps
*ab twists using ball–100 (50 each side)

Later on today, I plan to do some brisk walking (about 5 miles)on the treadmill. I’m taking my supplements faithfully. Did I mention that I love EAS Betagen? Betagen is some great stuff. Well, have a great day everyone.

Tameka

This morning I went to the gym and did a arm workout, an ab workout, and did a brisk walk on the treadmill. This is my arm workout:
*5-minute treadmill warm up walk
*Unassisted chin-ups–3 sets
*Unassisted dips at dip station–3 sets
*cable bicep curls–3 sets
*cable tricep pushdowns–3 sets
*one-arm dumbbell preacher curls–3 sets each arm
*dumbbell tricep extensions–3 sets
*Concentration curls–3 sets
*barbell skull crushers–3 sets
*standing EZ bar bicep curls–3 sets
*bench dips–3 sets
*Russian twists with weight–3 sets of 25reps
*ab crunches–3 sets of 50reps
*ball crunches–3 sets of 25reps
*60 minute treadmill walk

Supplements:
*3-6-9 essential fats
*CLA
*Betagen (creatine,glutamine,taurine,HMB, and Vitamin C)
*Whey isolate
Have a great day.

Today, my son took some progress pics for me.  I have posted the progress pics under the progress category .  I do notice some differences already.  One thing that I’m not happy about is that my upper body leans out faster and more than my lower body. I’m losing weight and leaning down, but it seems like my glutes are getting bigger—Oh well. I’m looking pear shaped when I want to look X shaped.  I think I will sart running so that my legs can get smaller.  It seems that my legs try to stay big , so, adding running to the equation will help get them leaner.  Since, I’m going to start running I will have to take in more calories and eat more carbs. I’ll try the running thing and higher carbs for a couple weeks and see how my body responds.

Tameka

Ok, so I’m doing the EAS 2008 Body-for-life challenge.  I’m taking EAS Betagen, and it’s the bomb!!!  What’s really cool about Betagen is that in each serving it contains: 20 calories, 5g carbs, 833% vitamin C, 667% vitamin E, thiamin, niacin, B6, folic acid, B12, pantotheic acid, calcium, 2g creatine monohydrate, 2g glutamine, 1g HMB, and 500mg taurine.  Betagen is taken three times daily.  So, daily you would get 6g creatine monohydrate, 6g glutamine, 3g HMB, and 1500mg taurine.  I love the fact that this product has glutamine, creatine, HMB, and taurine in it–all are great at either helping to facillitate muscle growth or to prevent the muscle from wasting. The only downside to Betagen is the cost.  I got 2lbs of Betagen on sale for $59.95.  I give EAS Betagen an A+. So, I’ve finally decided to only take these EAS supplements: Betagen and CLA.  In addition to EAS supplements, I will also take: Isopure whey protein isolate (the best type of whey out there) , 3-6-9 essential oils, and MET-RX Amino acids.

I did some major carbing up this evening,  Lots of rice and vegetables!!! I was bad and had some french fries and bread–which I think would help throw my metabolism off (up) and trick my body since I have been eating low carbs and really clean.

I know today is almost over with, but happy Friday!!!

Tameka