Sunday Sept 19 - Medium Carb Day

Meal #1 - Steel cut oats w/ cottage cheese, blueberries, stevia
Meal #2 - Chicken breast, sweet potatoe, green beans
Meal #3 - Cottage cheese w/ peanut butter, green beans

Workout: Hamstrings/Abs

Stiff-Legged Deadlifts - 42x4/82x4x4/87x4
Decline Situps - 6 sets of 4 reps
2 circuits

Meal #4 - Protein shake w/ pumpkin, soy milk, SF caramel syrup
Meal #5 - Summer chicken, green beans, fish oil
Meal #6 - Cottage cheese w/ peanut butter, fish oil

Calories - 1563; Protein 144g (37%); Carbs 112g (29%); Fat 58g (34%)

___________________________

Another hard workout yesterday, psychologically. I seem to enjoy low reps but really despise high reps. I need to develop a dissociative disorder to get through them!

I forgot to change the weights after my leg press machine and used the same weight to do a v-bar cable row. I did 6 rows at 100 lbs. That was a first.

Wanda

saw it, thanks.
re: the tingling. I sometimes get a strange stabbing sensation like getting stuck with a pin in the end of my fingers or my big toe. I have to stop what I'm doing and put my feet up and stretch them out. The tendons just pull up in the arches of my feet. Luckily it doesn't happen very often.

Monday Sept 20 - Low Carb Day

Weight: 145.6

Workout: Treadmill HIIT - 30 minutes, 8 intervals

Meal #1 - Protein shake, fish oil
Meal #2 - Summer Chicken, raw almonds, cauliflower
Meal #3 - Chicken salad w/ fish oil & balsamic vinegar
Meal #4 - Summer chicken, green beans, fish oil
Meal #5 - Cottage cheese w/ peanut butter, fish oil

Calories - 1353; Protein 134g (41%); Carbs 22g (7%); Fat (including fish oil) 77g (53%)

Wanda, how are you liking the carb cycling?

This is something I want to try at some point. After my trip to Toronto next week, I come home and go to Anchorage Alaska for another conference, and when I get home from that, I wouldn't mind trying this approach.

One thing I notice from reading your nutrition stats, is your calories are really low. Do you think you're actually eating enough? I would have thought someone with your activity level would need at least 1500/cal/day to lose 2 lbs a week.

I eat alot! 1800 - 2000 cal/day, many of my calories come from fat, I absolutely love it.

This week I'm trying to stay away from the sprouted grain bread that I put back into my diet. Somehow, for some reason, I think it's causing my weight loss to stall. I know it makes me bloated at the very least.

Good luck with this carb cycling, I'm going to follow your progress with it.

Maggie

Ya think??? - It's a GREAT coping mechanism Wands

Tuesday Sept 21 - High Carb Day

Meal #1 - Steel cut oats w/ cottage cheese, blueberries, stevia
Meal #2 - Summer chicken, butternut squash (no room for green veggies)
Meal #3 - Summer chicken, black japonica rice w/ tamari sauce, cauliflower

Workout - Chest/Back

Bench Press - 32x6/55x4x3/60x4x3
Barbell Row - 45x6/65x4x2/70x4x3/75x4
2 circuits - 30 minutes

Meal #4 - Protein shake w/ soy milk, butternut squash, pumpkin pie spice
Meal #5 - Summer chicken, fish oil (late for work, no veggies)
Meal #6 - Cottage cheese w/ peanut butter, stevia; fish oil (gag)

Calories - 1729; Protein 145g (34%); Carbs 141g (33%); Fat (including fish oil) 64g (33%)
__________________________________

I am so full right now, I feel like a stuffed pig. I still can't believe I ate an entire butternut squash today. But hey, it got me 10 servings of veggies for the day!

My workout was a killer. I'm definately getting stronger. The bench press worries me a bit though. I love using the barbell but I don't have a spotter. Using the dumbbells makes the tendon in my right shoulder click (old injury). But the good news is that I can get 7' barbells that are 22 lbs (to go along with my 45 lb bar) so I may end up getting that squat cage after all to help me with spots for various exercises.

Wanda

Hi Wanda

I posted a reply to you in my log.

Have you ever considered seeing a naturalpath to help with the estrogen problems? I've been seeing one for years, and it really helped me in a number of different areas, particularly with my thyroid problem.

Maggie

wow both your bench and your rows look pretty good...great program huh...it really makes you stronger. I was reading about the philosophy behind doing opposing muscle groups like that...it is called antagonistic training and it allows you lift more that you would normally. Great progress, I am sure you are going to see amazing results...make sure to take pics...you would be amazed the subtle changes you will not pick up cause you are used to seeing yourself.

wanda oky doky on the bi curls instead of declines...those are hard on the back..I don't do them much either

Wanda, as I was driving into town tonight, I remembered something.

Estrogen sits at the same receptor site as thyroid hormones. High levels of it can actually block hormones from reaching these receptor sites, making you seem hypothryoid.

I know that progesterone can increase the availability of thyroid hormones.

This might be something to explore with your natural minded MD.

Hope I haven't confused you too much.

At any rate, be sure and get the free T3. This test is usually readily available.

Good luck!

Maggie

Wednesday Sept 22 - Low Carb Day

Forced Rest Day

Meal #1 - Protein Shake
Meal #2 - Cottage Cheese, Peanut Butter & stevia
Meal #3 - Cottage Cheese, Peanut Butter & stevia
______________________

Went to the dentist and then had to have an IV Vitamin drip afterwards. Couldn't really eat so I had mushy food.

Thursday Sept 23 - Medium Carb Day

Meal #1 - Protein shake; Steel cut oats, blueberries, stevia
Meal #2 - Chicken breast, sweet potatoe puree, raw broccoli
Meal #3 - Cottage cheese, peanut butter & stevia; raw broccoli

Workout: Quads
ATF Squats - 30x4/70x4x2/80x4x3/85x4
One Legged Calf Raise - 35x6/85x4/90x4x4/95x4
2 depletion circuits

Meal #4 - Protein shake w/ soy milk, butternut squash & pumpkin pie spice
Meal #5 - Chicken breast, fish oil
Meal #6 - Cottage cheese, peanut butter & stevia

Calories - 1498; Protein 147g (39%); Carbs 113g (30%); Fat 53g (32%)

Friday Sept 24 - Low Carb/Calorie Day

Rest Day

Meal #1 - Cottage Cheese, peanut butter & stevia
Meal #2 - Chicken salad w/ fish oil & balsamic vinegar dressing
Meal #3 - 2 hazelnuts
Meal #3 - Summer chicken, broccoli, fish oil
Meal #4 - Cottage cheese w/ peanut butter & stevia; fish oil

Calories - 1267; Protein 112g (36%); Carbs 20g (7%); Fat 79g (57%)

______________________

The end of 3 crazy days is over. Food and exercise has been a challenge, but I did the best I could. Ate less than I should have and missed cardio twice. At least my lifting sessions weren't compromised.

I planned on cardio, but at the last minute, I had to go look over a property then run to work. I left work really late, rushed home to prepare dinner, then spent the rest of last night discussing business with DH. Fun!

Wanda

My workout was a killer. I'm definately getting stronger. The bench press worries me a bit though. I love using the barbell but I don't have a spotter. Using the dumbbells makes the tendon in my right shoulder click (old injury). But the good news is that I can get 7' barbells that are 22 lbs (to go along with my 45 lb bar) so I may end up getting that squat cage after all to help me with spots for various exercises.
Wanda[/QUOTE]
Hi Wanda

i just wanted to say that I just started doing free squats and bench, and I find it scary too, without a spotter. I think it's a better workout tho. Good for you for doing this. A lot of women just stick to the 'machines.'

Have a great weekend!

We're off camping....

Maggie