A Change Will Do Me Good - DeliaJohnson

[DeliaJohnson]

I've never done a public Fitness Journal before (just used fitday.com and my home grown Excel chart), so I hope I can keep this up. I introduced myself over on the Female boards and got some good advice from folks:

http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/s...ad.php?t=40776

Uhm, what else to say? I'm shooting for at least 100 grams of protein a day, and I've lowered my cal intake to "around" 1450/day from 1650/day. I was maintaining at 145 pounds on 1650/day. I would estimate that I eat about 80% "clean".

I'm 5'4", 26 yo, 156 pounds, 32% bf.

I lost 80 pounds in 2006, have kept 69 pounds off permanently, have spent the last year watching my weight fluctuate between 145 and 156.

My goals are to cut my bf% down (once upon a time, I was 18% bf at 145) to a place where I could maybe start prepping for a bodybuilding competition, and to look *good* in my bikini.

I have chondromalacia patella in my left knee, and it is the bane of my existence right now, because for the past week it has hurt like hell.

Oh, and a new goal-- to make these work pants that fit me well over the summer fit well again. They're a little tight.

http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJournals.html?Owner=ZoraJ1121















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[DeliaJohnson]

So I followed Maya and Guava's advice and went off the machines this morning, to free weights.

Holy cow is that hard! I was doing 30 pound bicep/tricep machines and 60 pound back/arm machines, 45 pound pec machine.

Here's my routine from today, and my arms were WIPED after. It was all I could do to keep them in the correct position while I did my cardio after:

stretching/PT exercises, then,

2 sets; 12 reps each

2, 12lb dumbbells in each hand, bench press up
2, 12lb dumbbells in each hand, dumbbell curls
12lb dumbbell, overhead tricep extension

using the chin up machine at the gym (it's like you're doing chin ups or bar dips, but if you can't do it with your whole weight yet):

62 pounds,
24 bar dips
24 military chin ups
24 pull ups

24 push ups (totally felt that in my abs!)
and 24 squat walks (we used to do something similar in PT, so I figured it would be ok, and it didn't hurt as long as I kept my knee behind my toes).

then I jogged at 5.0mph for 30 min, and had a hard time keeping my arms from just falling at my sides. what a good workout!

[DeliaJohnson]

Today:

Today at the gym:
15 minutes of PT exercises
200 situps
30 min cardio on the elliptical cross-trainer

my butt hurts like hell from yesterday! and my thighs and hips have mysteriously swollen. my jeans didn't fit this morning! they fit last weekend! i did measurements this morning because i thought something was off, and it is.

My hips are 2" bigger than they were on Tuesday
My thighs are 2" bigger than they were on Tuesday

I know it's not real weight or muscle gain, since I'm not eating enough for that, but what is up?

I had a hankering and made protein pancakes this morning. Oh so tasty. My boss has brought in homemade chili for lunch today (she uses lean beef or soy so that I can partake). It's sitting in the office right next to my cubicle, bubbling away, and it smells SO GOOD.

Mmm, I can't wait for 3rd meal.

Fitday!: http://fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJourn...wner=ZoraJ1121

[docutech]

Originally Posted by DeliaJohnson

Today at the gym:
200 situps

Good lord that's a lot of situps! There is no way in heck I could do that many! Sounds like you are really applying yourself. Remember to give your body a rest every now and then!

Good job, keep it up!

Have a great weekend!

[DeliaJohnson]

Originally Posted by docutech

Good lord that's a lot of situps! There is no way in heck I could do that many! Sounds like you are really applying yourself. Remember to give your body a rest every now and then!

Good job, keep it up!

Have a great weekend!

I just checked out your journal-- awesome transformation. You look like you could kick my ass at situps any day of the week!

200 doesn't seem like a lot to me. I used to do that many every time I went to the gym as part of my warm up. I'm much more reasonable now.

[DeliaJohnson]

Day off from gym today. May go tomorrow with bf (who's only been 2x this week). I was really sore yesterday. I took a long hot bath last night and it felt so good. I'm still a little sore all over, but nowhere near as bad. I could do another workout, but I know it's good to let my body repair itself.

The swelling is down in my right thigh and hips, but my left thigh was still swollen, so I still can't wear those jeans.

Food today:

[COLOR=black]http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJ...wner=ZoraJ1121[/COLOR]
I may up my cals today or tomorrow. Will have to see what I'm in the mood for. BF and I saw El Orfanato at the movies this afternoon. I wonder if you burn calories when your heart races from being scared?

Cod for dinner tonight with bean/tomato recipe I got from one of my vegetarian friends. And bf has decided he wants to make a turkey breast for tomorrow. A whole big one so we have meat for the week.

[Lo0p]

Originally Posted by DeliaJohnson

200 situps

Feeling woozy just thinking about it!

Take some of that extra energy and do some squats!! Way more bang for your buck. if that knee injury can take it that is...

Awesome job so far Don't forget to rest

[DeliaJohnson]

Went to the gym today w. bf, who had not been his 3x/week. I normally only go 4x/week, but figured an extra session would not kill me. Taped up knee before I went, which got me through the exercises, but I'm achy now (weather is also changing). Just took some Aleve. It'll be back to the elliptical cross-trainer for me tomorrow morning.

Exercise today:
-PT exercises (lying on back, lift leg up and down 30x, lying on side, lift leg up and down 30x, lying on back, bend knee at right angle, lift leg up and down 30x)

-with 2, 12lb dumbbells:

2x12 tricep curls
2x12 bicep curls
2x15 walking lunges
2x12 chest presses
2x15 stiff-legged deadlifts (i dunno if i did these right, it wasn't nearly as hard as the walking lunges)
2x15 squats

then

-20 min HIIT, (5.0mph for 1 min, then 6.0mph for 30 sec.)

bf left for the store and said he was bringing back a "surprise". i was both happy and sad when he brought back cream of mushroom soup, green beans, and SF chocolate chip muffins.

he knows i'm trying to 'eat clean', but i don't think he really knows what i mean by that.

Food today: http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJ...wner=ZoraJ1121

[kree-kree]

Glad you started a journal...I look forward to reading it! I took 2 days off this weekend! I am so sore from last weeks workouts. Do you have a foam roller? You probably used it in PT. They sell them at Target (I think they are sold under the name Get Fit?). Anyways, it helps so much with the Doms. I love it. I roll my hamstrings, quads, back and down the sides of my legs for my knees (for the IT bands). Its made a huge difference. Take care and keep posting. I enjoy looking at your food journals. Kree-Kree

[Maya]

Originally Posted by DeliaJohnson

-with 2, 12lb dumbbells:

2x12 tricep curls
2x12 bicep curls
2x15 walking lunges
2x12 chest presses
2x15 stiff-legged deadlifts (i dunno if i did these right, it wasn't nearly as hard as the walking lunges)
2x15 squats

You did all of them with 2 x 12 lb dumbbells?
If so, then probably you didn't do your deadlifts with enough weight (thats why they might have been "easy").
Mark which exercises were "too easy" and next workout use more weight.
Deadlifts can be done with barbell. Add weight and try doing them with double the weight you are using. Don't be surprised if you can easily lift 60 lb + (so the large bar + 10 lb on each side). I got up to lifting about 100 lb quite quickly. Now I do deadlifts with 130 lb and more.

[DeliaJohnson]

Originally Posted by Maya

You did all of them with 2 x 12 lb dumbbells?
If so, then probably you didn't do your deadlifts with enough weight (thats why they might have been "easy").
Mark which exercises were "too easy" and next workout use more weight.
Deadlifts can be done with barbell. Add weight and try doing them with double the weight you are using. Don't be surprised if you can easily lift 60 lb + (so the large bar + 10 lb on each side). I got up to lifting about 100 lb quite quickly. Now I do deadlifts with 130 lb and more.

The chest presses and deadlifts seemed pretty easy, so I'll go up to 20 pound dumbbells for those and see what it does.

Honestly, the squats and walking lunges on their own are pretty hard for me. I guess I'm getting used to the movements. I do love lifting like this, though. No waiting at machines and I was dripping with sweat by the time I stepped on the treadmill yesterday.

I usually don't sweat when I lift, even though I am doing things that are challenging, so this was great. It sounds strange, but there are some things that I can do at the gym where I don't sweat and if I don't sweat, I don't feel like I actually worked out. This is part of the reason I'm so in love with running. I always sweat when I run and thus I always feel like I really worked out hard. But doing all these free weight exercises, I felt like I actually got a workout just from lifting!

[DeliaJohnson]

Swelling is down. Pants fit again (hurray!), just in time for my period to start, and for them to not fit!

Scale said 155.6 this morning. I thought about taking a bikini picture yesterday, but felt it was too soon for me to see any progress.

I'm pretty sore from yesterday. Not nearly as bad as Friday night, but I felt like I should rest today, and had to be to work a little early anyway, so it all seemed to jive.

Downside:

Today is definitely not my cleanest day. Lunch provided by work: Indian food! and the bf and I usually go out Monday nights before we go grocery shopping (read: no food in my house!!! i ate the last two eggs for breakfast and finished off the milk by pouring it in my coffee). I'll be within my cals, but these are the days when its hard to get those 100 g's of protein. Sometimes, I think I could be a vegetarian.

Food today: http://fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJourn...wner=ZoraJ1121

Bad Delia!

[DeliaJohnson]

gym this morning:

200 situps
30 push ups
PT exercises
45 min on elliptical cross-trainer

doing good with balancing carbs out with proteins. dinner tonight is a cannellini bean/tomato dish. i'll probably have to have some whey or cottage cheese to get my 100g's of protein in, though.

someone needs to genetically alter fruit so that it contains more protein.

[COLOR=black]http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJ...wner=ZoraJ1121[/COLOR]

[kree-kree]

Delia- do you belong or should I say pay Fitday so that you can copy your diet??? I'm not to computer bright but I can't figure out how put in my journal...I use fitday everyday (the free version) and would love how to just cut and paste it over instead of typing it out everyday like I do.

Your incredible with those sit-ups!
Kree-Kree

[Maya]

Originally Posted by DeliaJohnson

gym this morning:

200 situps
30 push ups
PT exercises
45 min on elliptical cross-trainer

doing good with balancing carbs out with proteins. dinner tonight is a cannellini bean/tomato dish. i'll probably have to have some whey or cottage cheese to get my 100g's of protein in, though.

someone needs to genetically alter fruit so that it contains more protein.

[COLOR=black]http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJ...wner=ZoraJ1121[/COLOR]

Oh my god girl, check out my diet I post.
I actually just dropped my protein from like 230-250 g ram sometimes to 170 g. a day.... and I had a hard time. It feels like I'm not eating enough protein at each meal.
3 oz chicken? 4 oz cottage cheese? Thats nothing! Feels like I'm not eating enough, yet still it adds up to over 170 a day.

[docutech]

Originally Posted by DeliaJohnson

I just checked out your journal-- awesome transformation. You look like you could kick my ass at situps any day of the week!

200 doesn't seem like a lot to me. I used to do that many every time I went to the gym as part of my warm up. I'm much more reasonable now.

Tsk! I dont think I can even do 20! foreal!

Keep it up!!

[DeliaJohnson]

Originally Posted by kree-kree

Delia- do you belong or should I say pay Fitday so that you can copy your diet??? I'm not to computer bright but I can't figure out how put in my journal...I use fitday everyday (the free version) and would love how to just cut and paste it over instead of typing it out everyday like I do.

Your incredible with those sit-ups!
Kree-Kree

No, I don't pay. It took me a while to figure out how to do it. After you log into FitDay, click on the Home tab on the left-hand side. On the next screen, scroll down to the bottom, and you'll see the option to make your journal public. It then gives you a public URL that you can paste in.

[DeliaJohnson]

Originally Posted by Maya

Oh my god girl, check out my diet I post.
I actually just dropped my protein from like 230-250 g ram sometimes to 170 g. a day.... and I had a hard time. It feels like I'm not eating enough protein at each meal.
3 oz chicken? 4 oz cottage cheese? Thats nothing! Feels like I'm not eating enough, yet still it adds up to over 170 a day.

I think I find it hard b/c I'm restricting my calories so much, and I tend to gravitate towards non-meat items in what I like to eat naturally.

I made myself like eggs over the past month (couldn't stand the smell of them before), so I could eat something that wasn't meat in the morning. Finding whipped cottage cheese has made it a lot easier too. With a few artificial sweetener packets, I can eat that stuff like yogurt. I'm also trying to find veggies that are higher in protein.

[DeliaJohnson]

7am workout

PT leg exercises
30 bar dips
30 pull ups (variety of positions)
30 chest presses with the bar instead of dumbbells, no weights (how much does that bar weigh? I felt like such a weakling!)
1x15 tricep curls and bicep curls with a 15lb dumbbell (i was really tired after the chest presses and all).
30 min biking, varied resistance, varied pace, heart rate between 120 and 150.

Food:

http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJournals.html?Owner=ZoraJ1121
BF and I made critical mistake with canellini beans yesterday (we forgot to soak them! )

So turkey meat again last night and cannellini beans/tomato dish tonight. i'm only at 68g's of protein for the day (work lunch brought in again) i hope dinner and 5th meal will get me to 100.

[DeliaJohnson]

i am totally cursed on this bean/tomato dish. got home last night and can't find the can of tomatoes. since we had to go to the store anyway, we decided to grab food out. i think i did fairly well, considering it was bertucci's. i ordered a chicken/broccoli/pasta dish that, surprising, was fairly normal-sized. i only had a little pasta, since i'm not big on pasta it anyway (10 noodles, i counted!).

anyway, TONIGHT, BEAN/TOMATO. i am *determined*! and hungry for it.

my right leg finally stopped being achy this morning, so i thought it was probably safe to do some more work on my legs.

today, workout, 7am:

PT exercises

2x10 walking lunges w/o weights
2x10 walking lunges w. 20lb dumbbells in each hand
2x15 stiff-legged deadlifts w. bar (no weights)
2x15 stiff-legged deadlifts w. bar, (20lbs)
2x15 free-weight squats w. bar (no weights)
2x15 squats w. 20lb dumbbells in each hand
2x15 calf raise (w. 40lb on machine)

15 min elliptical cross-trainer

i've never used the calf raise machine before, so thought i'd give it a try.

i worry that i'm not doing the deadlifts correctly. i feel them in my lower back.

as i was walking around with the weights, i kept thinking to myself, "gee, four years ago you would have been carrying around twice this much weight all the time". i guess this is the theory behind weighted arm bands and leg bands.

food today:
http://fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJourn...wner=ZoraJ1121