Jen's Journal

[ArtzyJen]

Yesterday I ran a mile at 12:00 even pace then did 5 miles at 80rpms on the recumbent bike on a level 5-7 with an interval course. Did calisthenics at home including bicep curls, lunges, pushups, reverse crunches. Just 2 lbs away from all-time low. Pushing hard, tracking net calories closely and eating right. Still trailing husband in weight loss, but he's always lost weight easier than me (and I build muscle in nothing flat, so I'm sure that accounts for some of it). I have to mention, from just ten days ago I can tell a difference in arms and legs with muscle definition. It's kind of crazy. I don't remember bouncing back like this before, but hey... I'm not complaining!

husband is training for a 150 mile bike ride in Sept. so he burns about 2500 calories in a single bike trip but the only time he does long rides like that is on Saturdays (it's about 50-60 miles). He's also tracking his net calories, so we're making a little bit of a competition out of it.

[ArtzyJen]

Ran 2.07 miles. Hamstrings were really tight tonight and took a couple of stretching breaks, but still managed to slightly pull one. Didn't feel it until muscles cooled down, so that's why I'm thinking it's just slight. No spasming... I just feel it a bit when I walk. I've already been icing it and took some Ibuprofen. Here's hoping it goes away by next run.

[musculArgirl2]

Hope it feels better!

Just 2 lbs away from all-time low

Nice!

Ran 2.07 miles. Hamstrings were really tight tonight and took a couple of stretching breaks, but still managed to slightly pull one. Didn't feel it until muscles cooled down, so that's why I'm thinking it's just slight. No spasming... I just feel it a bit when I walk. I've already been icing it and took some Ibuprofen. Here's hoping it goes away by next run.

I hope it feels better. I pulled a muscle in shoulder yesterday so i know how you feel!

[ArtzyJen]

Feels completely normal today. I'm guessing it was just fatigue, but I'll still wait 'til tomorrow to run again. Still might hit the gym later and get on the recumbent bike before I do weights. At least it'll help break up any stiffness.

[Athene]

I have to mention, from just ten days ago I can tell a difference in arms and legs with muscle definition. It's kind of crazy. I don't remember bouncing back like this before, but hey... I'm not complaining!

Awesome! It sounds like you have a bit of muscle-memory going on. Your body remembers what it used to do, and you'll be surpassing your old personal bests in no time if you keep this up.

Your husband's cycling distances are blowing mind. That's just incredible, what he is doing.

[Boss Man]

To elaborate on the muscle memory thing. Your muscles have a stretchy membrane called a fascia. It stretches when you muscle build, but doesn't shrink much, if at all, when you lose muscle, so muscle can grow back quicker, because it's not encountering any resistance from the fascia at first, until it goes back to the exact point where it started atrophying from, then it will if you initiate circumstances, where the muscle can grow beyond the point where it had previously started atrophying.

The cardio before weights may help, but I'd limit to about 5-10 minutes as part of a warm up, in case you use a bit too much ATP and / or Glycogen as it could affect the weight lifting.

Some people are different though. Some poeple could do an aerobics class before a weights session, with little to no deprecable effect on lifting and some could find themselves not coping with such a strategy too well, when they were in the middle of the lifting.

[ArtzyJen]

Did 1.75 miles on the elliptical at 20% incline, Level 5, in 30 mins. Felt great! No muscle pulling or anything.
Bicep curls 3 sets/12 @ 8#
30 tricep dips
30 reverse crunches
30 sit-ups

[ArtzyJen]

Being stressed out makes for excellent energy. Almost lost best friend last night after she had her second child. She's doing ok now, but it was close. Baby girl is healthy though, and her husband and son are coping well. I just talked to friend on the phone and she sounds good, so I can relax a little now.

All of that pent up nervous energy has worked towards me needing to do something, so I've already done 30 mins of cardio, 45 reverse crunches, 50 tricep dips, 30 oblique crunches, 4 minutes of 18" step-ups... and still have plenty of energy to burn.

[ArtzyJen]

Haven't worked out yet today but got on the scale this morning and low and behold... I'm half a pound away from previous all-time low. I've lost 8 lbs since August 1st!!!!

[musculArgirl2]

Haven't worked out yet today but got on the scale this morning and low and behold... I'm half a pound away from previous all-time low. I've lost 8 lbs since August 1st!!!!

Awesome!

[Boss Man]

Keep pushing and keep believing okay, because you ARE worth it and you ARE making it work.

You ARE becoming a really good rolemodel to your son .

[ArtzyJen]

husband and I just got a garmin heart monitor/gps strap. Today was first day trying it out. Set up all of stats. Ended up burning around 500 kcal and it was great because it allowed me to keep heart rate in a good zone!

Today's workout, 20 mins running on treadmill (1.5 miles including the warmup), 40 minutes spinning (7 miles) + Calesthenics.

[ArtzyJen]

Yesterday 45 minutes of cardio at home, calisthenics at home including reverse crunches, pushups, tricep dips, and then about 1.5 hours of moving furniture by myself up a flight of stairs. LOL. (Not recommended, BTW). I'm a little stiff today, but other than that, I'm good. I've seen a little bit of a bounce on the scale, but I think it's probably muscle growth because clothes are fitting looser.

[Boss Man]

It's muscle growth from all that furniture lugging

[ArtzyJen]

Went to Dallas this weekend. Amazingly stayed within calorie limits, and spent hours walking! Spent 6 hours shopping yesterday, 4 hours the day before. Didn't really eat back calories because I just wasn't all that hungry. I noticed a difference in clothing as I was trying stuff on yesterday. Waist is smaller, arms are smaller, waist to hip ratio is better than it used to be. According to several calculators I'm actually within normal 'good' range now. I know it's not that odd to not see any change on the scale, but I'm 2.5 lbs heavier than lowest weight and measurements are smaller in a lot of ways, and more proportional. Body shape is changing...more muscle mass I guess? I'm a bit frustrated with no loss being shown on the scale, but I know I've got to be losing fat based off of how clothes are looking and fitting. I'm fitting most U.S. size Medium shirts now... which I've never done in life.