Belle's Training Log

[deegee]

the average gym goer doesnt have a clue, also ... the average pt doesnt either

unfortunatly true I see the same people year in and out doing some mad routines, which is fine, but they dont grow. I'm not perfect but at least I'm getting bigger so something is right.

[Growth]

I'm not perfect but at least I'm getting bigger so something is right.

Thats the one mate.

[DumBelle]

Can I kind of get smaller and get bigger at the same time? lol.

Only time will tell... :grin:

[jono]

Can I kind of get smaller and get bigger at the same time? lol.

Only time will tell... :grin:

i was able to put on muslce and SLOWLY drop fat at the same time for a while.. but now i cant.. its either one or the other.

[DumBelle]

Well I feel smaller in the abs. I will just keep on the schedule that I'm on until I feel it is not working and then add a cardio session at a time.

[Growth]

It is possible to put on muscle and lose fat at the same time, more possible with anabolics, generally people try to do one then the other.

[DumBelle]

Well I don't want to get into a debate, but if your pushing more, and getting bigger, essentially your metabolism is speeding up and becoming faster and more efficient. So technically, making new headway each week even just with body building should reduce fat a small amount.

I just think each session needs to be a little more intensive and challenging than the last. I'm going to try that anyway and leave the frequency at 3 times per week. I have seen some reduction, even though my appetite has picked up. I note I am less inclined to eat pastries which is a good sign.

[jono]

Well I don't want to get into a debate, but if your pushing more, and getting bigger, essentially your metabolism is speeding up and becoming faster and more efficient. So technically, making new headway each week even just with body building should reduce fat a small amount.I just think each session needs to be a little more intensive and challenging than the last. I'm going to try that anyway and leave the frequency at 3 times per week. I have seen some reduction, even though my appetite has picked up. I note I am less inclined to eat pastries which is a good sign.

i know what you mean but this is not right.

adding muscle will give you the advantage of increasing your metabolism.

that in itself wont take any fat off you if you are eating to gain (ie more than maintainance)

however it will be easier to drop fat when you start to diet if you have more muscle.

[deegee]

try to do just one thing at a time when it comes to fat loss and muscle building though on a clean bulk I can loose a little fat but it does depend on what else you are taking too.

[DumBelle]

Yeh that was my plan. Just to do one thing at a time and gradually clean up the diet.

[DumBelle]

Friday:

Chest/Shoulders/Triceps

Lying Chest Press 1x15 36 kg's/2x15 36kg's

Seated Flyes 3x15 18kg's

DB Side Laterals 3x15 4KG DB's

KickBacks 3x15 3kG DB's

4 Minutes Tabata Intervals on Elliptical Trainer

20 Minutes on the Treadmil @ Grade 4 Speed 5.3

[jono]

Friday:

Chest/Shoulders/Triceps

Lying Chest Press 1x15 36 kg's/2x15 36kg's

Seated Flyes 3x15 18kg's

DB Side Laterals 3x15 4KG DB's

KickBacks 3x15 3kG DB's

4 Minutes Tabata Intervals on Elliptical Trainer

20 Minutes on the Treadmil @ Grade 4 Speed 5.3

nice work

[DumBelle]

Thanks.

I was pressing 42KG's happily until Tash came over and corrected my form. lol. I had the weight over my shoulders instead of my chest area and as soon as I shifted my body and took a wider grip I couldn't push the 42 so I dropped back down to 36.

However, I did 20 reps like that and am feeling it in the shoulder joint this morning so have been icing my shoulder as don't want that problem back again.

She's a good trainer and looks out for you. I'm glad she came over when she did otherwise I would no doubt be paying for it this morning. Obviously my left shoulder is not as recuperated as what I thought it was. The physio said I would have to keep an eye on it and watch out for problems and be on top of them as soon as they cropped up so I think I'll throw some rotator cuff exercises into my workout on Monday if it has settled down by then.

I'd rather be pushing a modest weight with correct form than be risking injury and set back to be honest.

[DumBelle]

Feeling heaps better today and cold seems to be easing. Had a long sleep last night although last night I needed something.... popped a amitryptiline tab and just went out to it.

Finished reading Venuto's book. Been reading it in dribs and drabs over the past few nights as it involved sitting at the PC to read and I hate that. Would rather curl up on the couch when reading.

I've managed to get my protein levels up and have been peeing like heck since. I've just been concentrating on eating the "thermic" foods and less of the refined stuff. My favorite is 'lite' low gi berry yoghurt with whey added. I think thats going to replace a lot of the rubbish I was eating anyway. lol.

[jono]

Feeling heaps better today and cold seems to be easing. Had a long sleep last night although last night I needed something.... popped a amitryptiline tab and just went out to it.

Finished reading Venuto's book. Been reading it in dribs and drabs over the past few nights as it involved sitting at the PC to read and I hate that. Would rather curl up on the couch when reading.

I've managed to get my protein levels up and have been peeing like heck since. I've just been concentrating on eating the "thermic" foods and less of the refined stuff. My favorite is 'lite' low gi berry yoghurt with whey added. I think thats going to replace a lot of the rubbish I was eating anyway. lol.

its always good to remember you get out what you put in

[DumBelle]

Monday Workout

Back/Biceps:

Rower 1500 Metres Level 6

Assisted Pull Ups - 62.5KG's - 2x12 and 1x10 (<3.5 kgs)

Close Grip Pull Downs - 24kgs 3x12 (>6kgs)

Concentration Curls - 3kg's - 15 reps/4kg's - 12 reps/5kgs - 12 reps/6kg's - 6 reps

Hyperextension/Swiss Ball 3x12

10 Minutes Intervals on Elliptical

10 Minutes on Treadmill Grade 10 Speed 4.5

Stretches

I felt bullet proof after that workout. lol. Hate to think how I'll feel when pushing heavier weights. Really enjoyed my workout today and went up in weight on everything. Feel as if I'm getting back on track quite quickly. I have been trying to make each workout just ever so slightly more demanding. That way my body will not adapt to what is happening for a while. I can feel fat loss occuring at the moment but it isnt my number one priority...I have been trying to increase strength and size, and if fat loss occurs it will be a bonus at the moment.

[DumBelle]

Leg Workout tomorrow and just plotting my course. I'm thinking to hit the walking lunges high reps first and then hit the leg press when fatigued. Will see how it goes.

The workout I am most looking forwards to is chest. Mainly chest press and doing it with correct form this time. Hopefully I'll hit it this time without the hassle with shoulder cropping up.

[DumBelle]

So much for planning.

I went for my leg workout this morning and of course I'm understandably thinking that all the gym mirrors are from the "Hall Of Mirrors" at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. (You know the ones... you stand in front of one and you look short and fat, and another one next to it makes ya look taller and skinnier). It's a farce! I feel ok looking in my long mirror at home, but the minute I enter the gym I feel like a friggin 4ft squashed up munchkin with the hugest @$$ on the planet. lol. Have I said all this before???? Sorry for repeating myself. Pity I have to look like Ten Ton Tessy when I'm working my guts out... I don't feel a normal size until I get home.. Totally unfair!

Dy'a suppose it's psycholigical and you spend more time there doing cardio because you feel so HUGE? Maybe...maybe my mirrors at home are the ones that are inaccurate and their's are the ones that are accurate. Who know!? Still onwards and upwards...

Geez I hope doing all this lifting is going to make my butt a little bit smaller...I'm living on a wing and a prayer that that'll happen at the moment. lol

I was gonna do high reps first in my workout today but curiosity got the better of me, so I did as I did last week to see if my weights and reps had gone up any:

Leg Press 60KG's (>5KGs) - 3x12 (I could feel muscles working at this weight)

Walking Lunges - 7x10 (up ten reps and very knackered as 30 second rests inbetween)

Calfs - 54KG (>6KGs on first set) for 15 reps (48KG's) 2x12 and 1x10

Leg Curls - 14.5KG (sorry legs fried) 3x12

10 minutes Intervals on Elliptical

10 Minutes on Treadmill @ Grade 4.5 Speed 4.7

Legs felt ok after that but I pushed heavier than last week so expect the same where DOMS are concerned as last week. I had a word with Tash and asked if we could do BF% next week to see if it was going down any and also asked if we could then check it 4 weekly to make sure it was reducing and that I was on the right track with my training. I think I'll fine tune my workouts around what that reading says rather than the weight on the scale as I expect to put on mass in the coming months besides reducing body fat and scales sabbotage my progress. Funny thing is I always get to looking good when a way in, but because of what it reads on the bloody scales it does my head in and I give up. So...I threw my scales out a while back when packing "important" stuff and sorting through the "non important" stuff as they arn't that accurate anyway and they are fatal where I'm concerned.

She was understanding and said she would check it for me 4 weekly then we could tweak things around that cardio wise. At the moment I am not doing any extra sessions of cardio whatsoever. I intend to approach these things later on if I am not getting results. However, if there has been fat loss and muscle gain in any four week period then I am certainly not going to throw any extra cardio into the mix if I don't need it. As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I realise that there could be long periods where I am working out and nothing is happening if I only check monthly but there is a method in my madness. Checking at the same time every month makes sense because my water weight can go up from one end of the month to the next, so I'd be concerned about checking it anymore often as it may not be fat she is measuring in some weeks.

I came home after that session and slammed x2 shredded wheat and skimmed milk down and then low GI yoghurt with x2 scoops of whey. I did my workout on an empty stomach so was blood ravenous. lol. Feeling good today about my workout and I did feel I could push more on the leg press in weight but that it would have to be between 8-10 reps, so I'm confident I will reach my goals.

Three weeks out from moving on Friday. I am really looking forwards to moving now though having some reservations about the new house and getting a little worried about whether my car will bear up to the amount of travelling back and forth every week that I will do to the gym and tech. So I'm looking at getting a new car that uses less fuel, and is more reliable just to chaffeur Ty and myself around. It will have to be automatic as I don't drive manual which makes it difficult and reduces the choices when ever your looking for something. When I get this car, it will be the first ever car that I buy for myself, and I don't even have a clue what type of car I want. Never really thought outside driving the Pajero before now. So it will be fun and games looking.

[jono]

i wouldnt do another workout on an empty stomach.

goodluck with finding the car :grin:

[DumBelle]

I can't workout with food in my stomach...I have been very nauseous before now and prefer to do it on an empty stomach in the morning. If it were in the evening I would eat an hour before but I have never been an early morning eater.

Again if my progress stalls up, I'll tweak things, but I just want to be consistent for the time being until I reach a point where I need to tweak because there is has been no fat loss for 4 weeks or something.

[DumBelle]

Last year I did so many things that it was hard to tell which was helping and which wasnt. So my approach this time has been to be consistent with my training and keep it simple. Otherwise if I do too many things all at once, I'll be starting back at square one to find out which it was that hampered me.

Possibly a workout without food may...but I won't know until I try I guess.

I've found there's a varied opinion on that and that some folks work out without a meal and some with a meal.

In my late twenties I always worked out without a meal and I lost fat like crazy (after the birth of children and being out of shape) so I'm trying to repeat the things that worked at the moment before I move on.

[jono]

training on an empty stomach is a great way to burn muscle. i eat 45-1hr before training .. so i dont feel sick

[DumBelle]

Hi,

It could also be said that the growth of muscle only takes place after the workout and in resting phase. Because I have fat to burn, I'd like to take advantage of the lower glycogen stores and tap into fat burning a little faster. To me I visualize my recovery being at night and growth being at night because thats when the GH and the anabolic hormones are all high, so I eat at night late. What I'm looking for is to keep mass as it is at present whilst losing fat, and if gains occur then that is great.

From what I can gather a lot of pro body builders do it this way when they are trying to drop fat. My cardio is only three sessions of 20 minutes every week and tacked onto my workouts. Throughout my workout I replenish glycogen stores by drinking glucose, water and other electrolytes. I'm therefore unconcerned about muscles being burned as that's literally all they require for a workout in my opinion--glycogen.

I take my post workout shake straight away after to tank up so to speak and put the breaks on any mass deterioration. That consists of whey protein, skimmed milk and red grape juice.

I feel fine in doing it that way anyway lol. If I have my body fat checked next week and notice a large drop in mass and no drop in body fat I guess I will know I have been doing something wrong. Since it cannot be overtraining then I will be able to deduce then that it's diet and possibly the way I am approaching pre and post workout nutrition. I guess it's all a process of elimination and tweaking at the moment and I'll stick with it until my body fat is checked next week and see how I go.

My expectations are that my weight will be pretty much the same give or take a pound or maybe two downwards which should correspond with body fat percent reading going down. lol.

I'm expecting to lose some mass because you cannot lose fat without some mass being sacrificed but I have a lot to spare jono. Honestly I do. Having spoken to other women my height and some taller at the moment 109 lbs of mass for a woman with my small frame and height of 5ft 2" is pretty good going and I can afford to lose a pound or two getting down to a healthier body fat percent now.

Next week, I'll get her to check things anyway and see what she says and if she says I havn't got anywhere, I'll certainly try taking in a couple scoops of whey as soon as I get out of bed and do 4 weeks of that and check it in June measurements. You'll then have the privelage of saying I told you so if it get's that far. lol.

[jono]

i wasnt talking about recovering, or growing.. duno where you got that connection from.

view this article to kill those training on empty stomach misconceptions of yours.

check out the cardio section of this article, its quite the read.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/layne36.htm

btw are you a pro bb on high dose aas ? why do you think what works for them works for natural athletes.

btw i hope you dont get offended by this.. im just trying to say there are better, more effective ways to do what you're doing

[DumBelle]

I drink plain water half way into workout and then hit the sports drink as above.

As far as I knew there are two trains of thought on the topic of fat loss:

That glycogen depletion forces your body to tap into fat stores quicker therefore enabling you to shorten your workout or burn more fat.

The other was that you keep up on the glycogen sports drink as this means your muscles will be able to go for longer periods at exertion and that a higher proportion of fat to glycogen is burned when your not low on glycogen.

Because those two theories don't match I don't know which one to believe or which is true if you know what I mean. I may need to try both to see which has the best effect for me. Therefore, my first month or so of training is going to be a bit of trial and error and I'll progress slowly I'd say until I find the right mix for me. lol