Iron in the Blood

Training
181

lol- MIM. Hell in that case every time I leave the gym I’m pulling my ass up.
Thanks for the encouragement Kimba and Arachne, I guess I’m afraid of looking like a total loser in front of the whole gym. especially after a badass bench. I should check my ego at the front desk and learn to do the stuff I’m not so good at too.

Nuff chit chat - Tonight’s workout:
Squats 95lbs ATG
1 x 8
145lbs
1 x 3 - squated heavily yesterday - I should have known better than to try them again tonight. Silly girl.
box squats 95 lbs - switched to low weight high reps
3 x 12

*I usually listen to my body better than this. Tried to box squat 135lbs which I have done before only to stay seriously stuck on my first rep. I just sat there and couldn’t get up. I managed to wiggle the bar back in the rack without hurting myself by some miracle.

calf raises 135lbs
3 x 8 - lowered the reps. Last time I did 10 but with a lot of bounce. Decided to scale back and keep them slow, controlled and fully extended.

BB bicep curl 40lbs
2 x 10 - have managed heavier weight in the past but with my big bench yesterday I wanted to keep these light
1 x 7

leg press
255lbs - Okay 1 redeeming lift tonigh. Added quite a few pounds to the bar and it still felt OK.
3 x 8

BB row 40lbs - Did these for the first time in a long time. Kept it slow and controlled trying to feel the muscles in my back contract properly.
3 x 10,

20mins of 5mph treadmill

Food log
pp with 1/2 cup of oats
dried raisins
P/C
400 cals

Vit C, D, Multi, Calcium.

lunch
sardines in olive oil
brocolli
handfull of almonds
tbsp of avocado oil
slice of cheese
P/F
400 cals

snack
pre-workout drink
pp
small handfull of almonds
squeaky curd cheese -yummy
P/F
350 cals

supper - post workout
1/2 cup of whole grain couscous
with dried raisins, big handfull of spinach
2 small lamb medallions
1/2 a bottle of stout
P/C
900 cals

late night snack
pp with 1 tbs of almond butter
P/F
200 cals

total: 2150 cals workout day.

Cheers
N

182

…

183

No work out tonight. 2 days in a row is enough but enjoying the extra time to catch up on all the logs.

Food Log

breakfast:
banana
1/2 cup of oats
choco pp
P/C
400 cals

vit. C, D, Multi, Calcium

Lunch - was smart this time and planned an “on the road” meal in case.
pp
slice of cheese
small handful of almonds
P/F
350 cals

supper:
a bottle of oatmeal stout
poached chicken breast
blue cheese
fresh baby spinach
cherry tomatoes
2 tbps of good olive oil
Was going for a P/F meal but the beer screwed this up. D’oh!
700 cals

10pm snack - before bed. This helps me sleep better at night
pp
2 tbs of crunchy organic almond butter
P/F
300 cals

1750 cals - non workout day

cheers
N

184

Had to be on the road and work later today so I went to the gym early am after breakfast: I put those carbs to work. It felt nice to be alone in the weights area. I took advantage of being alone to face my enemy. No bands. No machine. Just me and the bar. I cheated and used a step to give myself a boost. It was ugly, an ugly shade of ulgy but I managed it: 2 unassisted pullups. I dropped and then pulled myself up a second time. In this story 3rd time was not the charm so I simply held myself as long as possible.

Unassisted pullups:
2 x 1
1/2 with hold
tried for a chinup but no go.
Blah.Wasn’t naked but the T was riding up enough to flash some serious belly button.

After this pathetic crap I needed a boost so I turned to my good friend the bench.
115 lbs - increased weight! using the big boy 35lbs plates (told you I was a sistard)
2 x 5
95lbs
1 x 12 - easy peasy.

Hypers with 25lbs plate
3 x 8 - haven’t done those in ages - tough.

declined situps with 10lbs plate
3 x 12

machine cable pull down - another I haven’t done in a while
60 lbs
1 x 12
1 x 10
1 x 8

cardio: 20 mins of 5 mph treadmill.

Food Log:

breakast
1 banana
1/2 cup of oats
choco pp
400 cals
P/C
vit. C, D, calcium. Multi

workout

post-workout lunch
tuna mustard sandwhich on whole grain bread
slice of artisanal herb saugage
400 cals
going for P/C but the sausage screwed that up. Ah well I forgive myself these things post-workout.

snack
pp
powdered greens
1/3 cup of almonds
450 cals
P/F

supper
2 egg omelet with blue cheese and cherry tomatoes and small can of salmon
410 cals
P/F

total cals:
1660 cals - workout day.

Cheers
N
xx

185

My bench song for the last couple of weeks:

186

early am training:

couldn’t really pull myself up by kind of jumped from the step and held myself a couple of times.

deadlift
135 lbs
1 x 8
tried for 185lbs - overzealous wench. Of course the bar did not budge an inch.
155 lbs - increased weight yeah for me. Really worked on pushing the hips forward.
2 x 5
135 lbs
1 x 8

machine cable pull down -wide grip
50 lbs
3 x 12 - slow and controlled to feel the back muscles contract

good mornings
55 lbs
1 x12
65lbs
1 x 12
75bs
1 x 12

20 mins of 5mph treadmill

food
breakfast
1 banana
1/2 cup of oats
scoop of pp
400 cals
P/C
vit C, D, Multi

lunch
2 slices of whole grain toast
jam
1/2 cup of cottage cheese
banana
P/C
400 cal
probiotic

afternoon snack
pp
handfull of almonds
P/F
300 cals

supper:
spaghetti at my brother’s with wine
plenty of cals
macros all mixed and happy in my belly.

Cheers

See ya all in a week!
N

187

N, awesome job on the pullups! Have a wonderful beach vacation. I’m very jealous.

188


would have loved to give you one with a bright blue sky but this was taken on our last day which turned out to be overcast. Keep in mind I haven’t lifted in a week, ate resort food and drank plenty of cervezas and froofroo drinks.

Still here’s my contribution to why I like to lift heavy:

It gives me a body I am proud to display in a bikini -without a starvation diet.

cheers
N

189

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here’s a pic of the beach we lounged at like lizards all week.

190

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the beach pix. I SO needed that.

Sexy black bikini bod!

191

[quote]nlmain wrote:
would have loved to give you one with a bright blue sky but this was taken on our last day which turned out to be overcast. Keep in mind I haven’t lifted in a week, ate resort food and drank plenty of cervezas and froofroo drinks.

Still here’s my contribution to why I like to lift heavy:

It gives me a body I am proud to display in a bikini -without a starvation diet.

cheers
N[/quote]

You look beautiful! Excellent job sticking to your diet and having fun lifting heavy.

A closer picture wouldn’t hurt though. Just sayin’! :wink:

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How’s this for a close up Oly??

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can you tell I loved my pedi? -lol

anywho - here’s one the hubby took while I wasn’t watching - just a girl being a girl having un on my vacay.

can you tell I just turned 30?

194

enough daydreamin and showing off:
today’s first workout on my return from vacation went rather well. I wasn’t sure if I had turned to mush from all those drinks and buffets but I did try to do the somewhat smart thing. ex: 2 hard boiled eggs for protein with some french toast covered in syrup- well it was a vacation:) The workout out turned out well. I’m pleased to say that those 35lbs plates didn’t even look that big to my mind anymore. Perspective is a tricky thing.

bench
115 lbs
1 x 8
1 x 7 - increased reps
95 lbs
1 x 8

military shoulder press
25lbs
3 x 8
superset sith sistard bicep curls
3 x 5

lower abs
lying leg raises with 5 lbs bb between feet
3 x 12

dips
3 x 5 - increased reps. Maybe not full rom and each and every but still better than last time. I need to pick up a vid and make sure I’m doing these properly.

10 mins of screwing around with the new punching bag.

20 mins of moderate treadmill between 3-5mph.

Food log:
breakfast
1/2 cup of oats
choco pp
box of raisins
P/C
vitamins C, D, multi, calcium

400 cals

snack
pp mixed with preworkout
handful of almonds
P/F
350 cals

post-workout lunch
2 soft boiled eggs
2 whole wheat toast
1 box of raisins (I love my raisins like a kid)
P/C
500 cals

supper
horse steak
broccoli with 1 tbs of olive oil
slice of cheese
P/f
500 cals

late night snack
pp with organic almond butter
P/F
200 cals

total workout day
1950 cals.

did I say it’s good to be back desite the nasty -20 celcius weather?
cheers
N

195

Very good. Those are some cute sandals. Do you feel pretty full on that amount of food?

196

I’m full enough to not feel tempted to eat crap food. Since I’ve made a point of eating like this 90% of the week I find I have the energy to lift heavy yet I can still see upper ab definition. I used to eat the fridge after my workouts, now my cals are more balanced throughout the day. On days I don’t workout I drop about 200 cals to 1750. I’m 5’5 I weigh 145lbs, my goal is to increase strenght without looking like a fridge. I have to say that this method has been good to me. Plus I get to eat almond butter wich I love. I used to be an intense binge eater - due extreme calorie restriction. I’m sure a few here know what I’m talking about. Eating smartly and plenty has totally stopped any old drive for binge eating I used to have. Heck - I received a box of super good quality chocolates for my b-day in mid january and I still have a few left, in the past I would have eaten them all within an hour.

I’m not saying my way is the best way - only that it is the best for me at this time. Plus my bench is still going up which is my #1 priority at the moment. 75lbs was a challeng in october. Now I’m reping 115 for 8. At this rate I’ll be benching 135lbs by spring :slight_smile:
cheers
N

197

horse steak??!!

lounging on a beach sounds PERFECT!!!

198

N, you put the 35 lbs plates on the bar and benched it! That is so awesome.

We eat similarly. I find that this works well for me too.

199

Beach vacay looked incredible - as do you!

Sound advice with the eating, and it seems totally reasonable for your strength goals.

Welcome back!

200

[quote]mom-in-MD wrote:
horse steak??!!
[/quote]

I was debating about actually writing the truth about my supper be decided to do it so
here’s my 2 cents about horse meat.

-you are what you eat.

  • I would rather eat something that I respect, has had a good life without being mass farmed and filled with hormones. I know many of you view these as pets but I find it is a good source of lean red meat filled with iron.
  • the prejudice we build emotionally around animals has led to these mass farms. OK to misstreat pigs and cows and chicken but god forbid you eat horse or seal.
    -your answer may be to eat veggies. That’s not mine. I respect the horse, value it strength and health and am thankful for the nutrients.
    -Horse is free of tuberculosis and tapeworms and generally safer than beef
    -finally it is VERY cultural thing and as a french canadian my family has strong european influences including this one. Horse is very common in french and beligium kitchens.

I could go on but I’ll end my rant here. Me eating horse is my way of saying thankyou for being such an amazing creature. People eating ground before pretending it was never alive are the true problem in my book.