Exercise routines, tips and chatter?

[C~Q]

Quick question - do i keep my arms straight as i lower or do i bend them?Bx

Keep them slightly bent to relieve the stress on the joint. Also forgot to say make sure you use lighter weights for the flys or you could tear your pec muscles - ouch!

Yay for the house! When do you move in?

I will keep up the same training except i'll be adding a class I'll be back to 6 days again! I'm also going to drink again but only when I have people over or I am out - I'm not going to drink when i'm by myself. It's a bad habit to get in to and I have proved to myself that I don't need it to relax in the evening. The thing that worries me is that everyone, well some people are giving me crap now about eating healthily and not chowing down on chocolate and MacDonalds and stuff and I have the excuse of the challenge. When it's over i'm not going to have that. It ****es me off that I have to justify myelf to people when they should be applauding me for making healthy food choices. Urgh, anyway thats another topic!

How exciting about getting a gym room! You should get a medicine ball as well - they;re awesome and there is so much you can do with them! And a fit ball!!!

Here is my OP from the platinum thread...

Wow, can't believe it's all over on Saturday It has been one hell of a rollercoaster ride lol! On Sat we get our final weights and measurements done and our "after" photos. We also have to hand in our essays which are more like a little questionaire that we have to fill in. The problem is we have to stay on the page, about 5 lines per answer. This is worth 50% of the overall competition so it's very important. I know what I want to say but i'm not sure how to word it to keep it short and sweet and on the page lol!

This is what I have, if anyone can help me word it better then please help!

Why did you participate in the Horley's Goodlife 12 Week Challenge:
I wanted to get to the next level in my fitness and challenge myself again. I wanted to improve my diet and better educate myslef with regards to nutrition. I also wanted to stop drinking alcohol for a while.

What obstacles did you face during the challenge and how did you overcome them/it:
Having suffered with anorexia from the ages of 14 to 25 I found the weighing and measureing very hard. I overcame this by not focusing on the numbers and more on how I was feeling and my energy levels. Finally realising, and feeling, how what I ate was directly affecting how I felt during the day and while exercising was an incredibly liberating feeling.

How has participating and completing the Goodlife 12 Week Challenge benefited other aspects in your life:
Whilst I have grown stronger physically I have also grown incredibly stronger emotionally. My self confidence has improved and I feel a lot more empowered in my life. I found the strength to leave an unhappy relationship and take stock of my life and realise what I want and don't want for my familiy and the future.

So guys what do you think? It's not too cheesy is it? I do want to re-word bits because it doesn't really sound right to me.

[paradise lost]

Well you're a target because you're lean - i NEVER eat maccas - it's NOT FOOD!!!!! But because i'm a curvy woman no-one can comment. As for chocolate, i've eated it about 3 times since my new health kick but i have 2 squares instead of 2 bars - nothing wrong with that at all. If you don't like chocolate (ARE YOU MAD!?! lol) who cares what people think?

The best thing about my recent health kick is that it's an inclusive rather than exclusive diet - i'm aiming for 5-9 portions of fruit and veg yes? My average now i'm settled in is 7-8 (7.7 - SUCH a geek!), and do you know what? I am not HUNGRY for more food! I'm so stuffed with fibre the whole time i just don't want it. Someone will say "you want a slice of carrot cake" and i'll say "you know, i would, but i ate 2 actual carrots, 3 tomatoes and an apple an hour ago and i'm STUFFED still...maybe i could just have a bite of yours?" and a bite is always enough. It feels, after years of being overweight before DD and trying a million faddish diets, like i've found the holy grail of eating. I'm finding "eat more...." so much easier than "eat less...." you know?

ANyway, we've talked about this already. You are raising daughters, and THEY are who you need to worry about. Do you think "don't eat crap and try to fuel your body well" is a bad message for them? I know you've had anorexia in the past, and you're very lean just now, but i also know that you MUST be eating about 2500 cals a day to sustain the training you're doing - you cannot build muscle without calories. SO you're not harming your body, quite the contrary. If YOU know you're healthy and you're happy that your daughters will grow up seeing you and have a healthy attitude then you really need to file the opinions of others under "don't care" you know?

As for your essay...i cannot believe they give you such a tiny space to discuss it and judge 50% of the final result on it! I could sneeze and say more than that! LOL. I've put my ideas in in bold. HTH

Why did you participate in the Horley's Goodlife 12 Week Challenge:
I wanted to get to the next level in my fitness and challenge myself again. I wanted to improve my diet and better educate myself with regards to nutrition. I also wanted to stop drinking alcohol for a while.

What obstacles did you face during the challenge and how did you overcome them/it:
Having suffered with anorexia from the ages of 14 to 25 I found the weighing and measuring very hard. I overcame this by not focusing on the numbers and more on how I was feeling and my energy levels. Finally realising, and feeling, how what I ate was directly affecting how I felt during the day and while exercising was an incredibly liberating feeling - food has become valuable fuel, and my relationship with food has been profoundly simplified with this realisation.

How has participating and completing the Goodlife 12 Week Challenge benefited other aspects in your life:
Whilst I have undoubtedly increased my physical strength I have also grown incredibly strong emotionally. My self confidence has improved tenfold and I feel so empowered in my life now. During this challenge I found the strength to leave an unhappy relationship and take stock of my life and realise what I want and don't want for my family and the future. Those changes, in my outlook and character, whether i go on exercising like this or not, are permanent.

Bx

[C~Q]

Oh thanks hon you're the best! I know it's crazy that it's so important and yet they give you so little space.

BTW - I do like chocolate! I just know people are going to be force feeding me to make themselves feel better and i'm just not really ready to face all of that yet!

I think the way that you're thinking at the moment is the best aproach - don't deny yourself anything but fill up regularly on healthy food and eat little and often and you won't be hungry for crap. I know that the message I am sending to the kids is a good one and I let them have chicken nuggets or fish fingers and oven chips at least once a week so I know they know about everything in moderation.

I don't really care what other people think it just gets really tireing when it's so bloody constant! But like I said to my friend today "****'em"! I am my own person now and if they don't like it they can all get ****ed! Excuse my language but I have really had enough of it all now!

Thanks again Hoobs, mwah!

[paradise lost]

Someone on another thread said "Someone can make you a **** sandwich, but you don't have to eat it" and it's SOOOO true! If people are rude enough to make comments on your eating habits then tell them to shove it! I mean my friends think i'm sworn off chocolate, DP think i'm still eating a fair bit - i tend to eat it around him! I don't really care what my friends think of that! If anyone comments on your food intake ask them if they'd like to see your poop diary, to get a proper overview to base their criticism on....

Bx

[C~Q]

If anyone comments on your food intake ask them if they'd like to see your poop diary, to get a proper overview to base their criticism on....

Bx

Hahahaha I love it! I'm just going to wait for someone to say something tomorrow and and then throw in that cracker!

[C~Q]

Well thats it - it's all over! What a strange day, i've been feeling really weird about the whole thing. First I went and got my measurements done...put on 0.1KG! No change to my arms +2cm in chest (woohoo, good bra!) , waist the same, -1cm hips, thighs the same. Down 6.5mm in my skinfold measurements so down to 12.5%

Then I went down to the Coast to do my photo. They made me do this silly pose and I look really uncomfortable in the photo I wish it had just been a front on but oh well...

Then I went down to give Brett my essay and measurements and stuff and he just took them and that was it - no "well done" "congratulations" or anything. He was busy but still I was so dissapointed. I left the office thinking "what now?" I felt really lost. It's like it's been this huge thing in my life that I have been working towards and now it's all over and the end was such a let down No slapping on the back, no woohoo we're done, just a "see ya". So I ran. I jumped on the treadmill and just ran and ran as fast as I oculd for about 15 minutes trying not to cry.

Then I saw Brett leaving so I called him over and told him I had a present form him )bottle of wine) and he just went "no, no you haven't" and walked off. So I told him i'd bought him a present to say thank you to be polite, as anyone would and he should accept it. He said "your presence is present enough, blah blah blah" so I just told him to wait there and gave it to him. He seemed a bit uncomfortable but I really thought everyone would be buying presents for their trainers He said we are going to go through everything on Tuesday and review it all which made me feel a little better.

Then I ran again for a bit longer then did my chinups. As I was leaving he called out and told me to go and have a Big Mac - I deserve it!

Then I took the kids out to a restaurant which was hectic and I had garlic bread, spring rolls and a steak sandwhich and chips lol! Yummo! Tonight I've got a friend coming around with a bottle of vodka woohoo!

Phew! I still feel a bit strange but I guess thats normal. I think i'm going to post about this in the other forum...I feel like I need to debrief.

[paradise lost]

OOOH, sounds like a bit of an anticlimax - maybe he's panicking about your bf%? As a trainer DP said he would freak out if he had a female that low, maybe it's an industry thing?

But WOOOOOT on being finished and being able to drink again! LOL.

I ran today too, my first run back. I have lost a fair bit of fitness, but it still felt good, so i don't mind. The funnest bit about not BEING fit is GETTING fit again.

Bx

[C~Q]

The funnest bit about not BEING fit is GETTING fit again.

Bx

That is so true lol! To be honest I just don't think he really cares, he doesn't seem to think about anyone but himself and i'm a bit over it. At first it was funny but now i'm starting to think I may need something else in a PT. Someone a little more caring. Someone who actually listens to me and to what I want.

I spoke to some of the others at another gym today and they all said it was really off the way they were at the gym I was at. At the other gym they all had chocolate cake and a celebration Oh well, at least I know it wasn't just me. I put in another thread that I think that matbe it wasn't such a big deal to other people but it was to me. My PT is always telling me to focus on other things besides the gym but it was a big deal for me...but not for everyone obviously.

[hot_mum]

Hey all i was just reaading everything u guys are doing really well. I am a personal trainer and i work hard as anything well atm i am on leave i lost a baby in July when i was 7 1/2 mnths along if u have any questions feel free to message me

[C~Q]

Hi hot_mum! I've just finished my Cert 3 and about to start my Cert 4 in fitness so hopefully i'll be a trainer by mddle of next year - i'll be able to pick your brains! I'm also going for my Combat certification in Feb and then Pump and Step and maybe Attack lol! See how I go...

Where abouts are you?

Sorry to hear about your loss.

[C~Q]

How are you going with the Flys Bec?

[AngelPunks]

Well 5kg to go until I can start doing weight type exercise. I know my body muscles really fast (must be the Zulu blood), so I know have to be under the 100kg mark before I can actually start to tone properly. Heck last time I was a twice a day gym junkie (yes even on most weekends) I was 97kg the whole time, even though I'd got down to a size 14 (from a 16/18 in a 6 week period).

I'm walking for exercise at the moment (about 3km, 2 or 3 times a week) and watching what I eat. *IF* xh comes through with it, I'll be getting my Wii Fit shortly (he bought it for me for my birthday .. supposedly). So I'll be getting into that, if he doesn't come through with it then I will probably end up buying one for myself with either my xmas bonus or our backpay due to our pay rise.

He and I made a deal (when we were together) that once I got under 100kg he'd take me indoor rock climbing, so once I'm under the 100kg mark I'm taking MYSELF off rock climbing.

[paradise lost]

Welcome Punkin! Yep, i muscle well too - it's the plus side of being an endomorph for me. WHy are you wait to use weights? To keep your weight moving down? I find weight training helps me burn fat WAY faster than cardio, and doesn't make me any hungrier like cardio can. There's a woman at my pump class who says she's 123kg (is heavier than many, but doesn't look that heavy at all) and she can squat 40kg! I only squat 20! She said she was 163kg when she began pump, she had to do modified moves then as her range of movement was less, but she really enjoyed it all the same and she lifts more than a lot of the guys nowadays.

I'm missing the gym! I've not done pump for about 4 weeks now, just because of childcare awkwardness and moving (always seem to have to use the childcare XP CAN provide to do something for the move we can't do with her in tow...). DP is buying me some exercise equipment for Christmas though (which is ace because i'm using weights left here by a previous tenant and it sucks having to get the pliers out between sets to change the weights up or down!) so hopefully even if i can't get to the gym i'll have scope to stay/get in shape.

I've no idea how my weightloss is going. I have PMT this week. I was getting it pretty bad. Like the morning after O my boobs were agony and i was tearful and irrational (by my standards) and i was hating it. I do think some of it's the progestogens in the Mirena but i only need to keep it in for another year AT MOST so i'm sticking it out. I took EPO this month and i feel much better, boobs just beginning to get sore now (7DPO) and moods are labile but i'm generally much more cheerful. I'm going to look into getting starflower oil too, to see if that helps even more. I can't wait to be PG/BF again! ANyway due to the PMT i am retaining water so feel fat, though i can feel i'm not getting fatter. Last week i lost nothing but it'd been a tough week with only one workout and my eating wasn't too good. Already had 2 workouts this week and going to go out for a run in an hour or so today so hopefully will be getting back on track. I don't have any specific goals except to lose some fat, though at 80kg i think my BMI is back in normal again...yep, 24.4. Was 25.5. No idea what to aim for in terms of weight. Was thinking 75kg BUT last time i weighed that i was doing no resistance work, so maybe i'll aim for 77kg and see how i go...

CQ the flys HURT! So they must be doing me good. My trapeziums are killing just now, the other day i carried two huge bin-liners full of old clothes and toys down to the charity shop over a mile away! What a workout moving house is proving to be! I'm using MapMyRun to chart my workouts etc. and it's a joke in some ways - if you put your workout weight at 80kg it DEDUCTS the weight theoretically burned off by the workout without you asking it to! ANNOYING! Also yesterday it estimated that 35 minutes of high impact step aerobics, 45 squats, 45 weighted lunges each side, 45 presses, 45 flys, 45 chest presses, 45 tricep presses and 45 bicep curls, 90 crunches and 45 leg-extensions each side burned 135 calories all together! Hmmm.... Lol

Bx

[AngelPunks]

I'm not doing weights now coz I get all blokey and actually get bigger - I really don't need my legs any bigger than they are now - they're still quite muscular.

Since we're coming into summer, I might start swimming again or even water running.

[Bloom]

Hey ladies,

How are you going post challenge CQ?

Sorry to hear that you're not feeling great with PMT Hoobley. Hope the move went well!

Pumkin - hi! Good to hear you getting out walking - what time of day do you go? It's getting hot!

I'm off to the gym this morning but I can't decide if I should do the new pump release or just cardio..
The other day I tried some interval training: 8 seconds sprint and then 52 seconds at normal intensity. I managed for 10 minutes before I caved. Tough. I'm going to try again. My gym buddy can sustain it for 20 minutes.

Hope you are all well!

Ruth

[C~Q]

Hello everybody!!! Havn't been here for a while!

How is everybody? Ruth - did you do the new Pump? I don't do Pump anymore but my friend said it was really hard!

I have changed my timetable up and around a bit as they closed one of the gyms that I used to go to so I'm doing more weight training which is good. I've gotten bigger in my arms and I like that! This is how my week looks now...

Mon - Upper body weights/Step
Tues - Boxing (am).Combat (pm)
Weds - Combat/Lower body weights
Thurs - Step/PT
Fri - Attack/Balance
Sat - Combat/PT

There's not much else to report really! We have the 12 Week Challenge dinner on Fri night where they will announce all the winners but a friend of mine has seen the finalists for the club i'm at and didn't say I was one of them so i'm assuming i'm not! I was upset initially but now i've realied that i've gontten what I wanted out of it and so I am a winner!

What news does everybody else have???

ETA - I now have a new gym partner who I have told to come in here...Boomba!!! I'll get her posting in here very soon!!

[AngelPunks]

ok I've got a pedo now, on days I'm not walking home from work, I am going to have to push myself to walk more, it is 4800 steps from work to in the front door. On a non-walk-home day I'm doing about 7000 steps so I'm going to have to pump that one up a bit, but I've worked out if I catch a different bus I have a 1300 step walk home.

Have to start doing situps etc to get the baby belly gone.

[C~Q]

I was thinking about what you said Shaz about not doing resistance training because you bulk up too quickly, but I really think it's important to assist in weight loss. The more lean muscle mass you have the higher your metabolic rate so you're burning more KJs even when you're sleeping!

There are 3 main ways to program for resistance training - Muscle strength, Muscle endurance and Hypertrophy (muscle growth) - if you train for muscular endurance you will get some growth but not a lot. So if you work with low weight and high reps you should see some results. Let me know if you want more info or a program hun