New Rules of Lifting for Women

[Alezia]

I had started a thread about the New Rules of Lifting for Women on the Health, Body and Mind forum. I decided that a journal thread would probably be more appropriate and easier to track down.

 

For those who are not familiar with the book, it is a 6-month "diet" and weight lifting program. It is strangely different from other books as it does not recommend cutting calories below maintenance level.

It recommends that I consume around 1900-2000 calories on a "non-lifting day" and 2200 calories on a lifting day. I am not tracking them as I am pregnant and don't want to restrain myself to a specific calorie target.

Likewise, it also doesn't advocate you to "cut out carbs" like so many girls think they need to do to lose weight. It does focus on a ratio of protein, fats and carbs to ensure proper nutrition and balance.

 

The other great thing about is it doesn't recommend 30 minutes of areobic activity as a workout. I do enjoy other kind of exercices, but not slaving on a treadmill mindlessly. I'd rather be snowboarding, dancing, walking in nature than staying on that thing!!! The only form of cardio machine I find enjoyable is the elliptical for some reason.

 

My old gym workouts were 20 to 30 minutes on the elliptical with about 5-10 minutes of weight lifting afterwards. I would just plow through the weight lifting and never really felt like I did any work or sore afterwards (to some close exceptions). I think doing both in one session is too much for me. I need to focus on either cardio or weight lifting, not both.

I'd rather show up to the gym 5 times a week for 30 minutes, then 3 times a week for an hour. I'm obviously cutting the gym time by 30 minutes short but who cares =)

 

I've only completed two "training" days of the book so far (although I had practiced routine A twice before officially starting to get into the ease/mind of it). The training days are the weight lifting days where you follow a pre-set routine, either A or B. You alternate between those two routines with at least one day rest between each. I'm pretty much going to work on a "preset" schedule of Monday, Wednesday and Friday as I need my workplace's gym to complete the workouts.

 

Any results so far? I've noticed that my calves are already more defined already but that might just be artificial. Feels good nonetheless. I do feel like although I am only doing 5 exercices for each workout, that I am as a matter of fact doing something instead of just going through the motions.

 

The last result which is the funniest, is that I now discovered where the stupid bar and free weight circles(?) are today. Took me about oh, 4 months?

Ever since I started the workouts from the books, I've been wondering where that bar was... Then after I could not find it, I asked myself why does my gym not have any? This seemed completely ridicoulous to me that my gym would have nice quality machines and no bar to lift.

I was trying to see how to adapt the workouts so I could do the moves with some weights but with difficulty. Then TADA, it appeared like out of no where today. I feel like such an idiot for not noticing it after such a long period of time. Granted, before starting the book I would have not considered using it, but this shows you that out of the how many people that do attend my gym that NO ONE uses it. Strange huh?!

[Alezia]

Week 1

 

My goal is to ease up into the workouts for the first two workouts. I aim to use the actual bar without weights (apparently it weighs around 30-45lbs? that doesn't seem right...) on the workout friday just to ease up into the proper bar instead of the other weird weighted bar.

 

# 1: Workout A (Monday)

Squats 18 (heaviest weighted bar - yellow) /15, 18 (heaviest weighted bar - yellow) /15

 

Tricep Push-ups -/15, -/15 (Doing the modified versions, I can't do full push ups yet)

 

Seated Row 6/15, 6/15 (Weird machine, this is not 6lbs)

 

Step up 15/15, 15/15 (Both were done with two risers)

 

Jacknife -/8, did 8 ball crunches to lower the intensity on second set.

 

 

# 2: Workout B (Wednesday)

 

Deadlift 18 (heaviest weighted bar - yellow) /15, 18 (heaviest weighted bar - yellow) /15

 

Dumbell shoulder press 10/15, 10/15

 

Wide-grip lat. pulldown 5/15, 6/15 (not sure of what the weight unit is on this machine, someone said 12lbs per unit but that seems like way too much)

 

Lunge 10/15, 10/11

 

Ball crunches -/8, -/8 (honestly way too easy, but I can't really do too much work in the abs area)

 

# 3: Workout A (Friday)

 

Squats bar + 20lbs /12, 18 (heaviest weighted bar - yellow) /15 (The first set was too easy, and somehow it's harder with the weighted bar.. I tried upping the weights but I think I jammed the thing... I just walked away and proceeded to use the bar... *lalala* No one else was in the gym to help me figure it out)

 

Tricep Push-ups -/12, -/12 (Doing a 45 degree modified version to make it harder)

 

Seated Row 7/12, 7/12 (Definetly getting stronger here!!)

 

Step up 20/12, 20/12 (It was my hands hurting more than my legs... I'm not sure how I'll manage to increase the weights on this one. Maybe the trick is to set higher risers next time? to 3 instead of 2 :S)

 

Jacknife -/12, -/12 (just did simple crunches instead of the jacknife, I'm not too sure how I feel about the jacknife with pregnancy)

[Alezia]

Week #1

 

Work-out Summary

 

Well I'm glad I figured out where the weight lifting bar is. I was able to use it for one set of squats before I proceeded to jam it while trying to put on more weight. I wanted to start at a light option to get used to the bar, but eugh... I failed miserably. Couldn't put more weights on since I had put the holding pin on the wrong side and everything was stuck.

 

I do feel some of my muscles burning after the exercises, notably the ones where I increase the weights. I was hoping to feel some burn in my legs today since I increased the weights for the step ups, but nope =( All I could get was sore fingers from holding the weights.

I hope someone fixes my weight bar screw up though

 

This week's eating

 

Definetly not a healthy eating week for me. I did not come close to the 40-30-30 portions they recommend in the book. I ate lots of restaurant foods, pizza, pre-made foods, deserts, pastas, chips etc... In fact, I definitely had more non-healthy meals than healthy ones. I'm hoping to get a bit better on that front next week.

 

Fun weekend items

 

Going to be hosting a supper at my place tomorrow night for bf's brother's and sisters. We're going to have Vietnamese summer rolls! MMmmmm....

 

Since my goal is to get the meals a bit healthier, I'm bringing two coleslaw salads for the Father's Day BBQ sunday. One of them will be the traditional fat-mayo laden coleslaw and the other one a healthier Waldorf Coleslaw salad (nuts, apples, raisins, honey, mayo/yogurt mix).

 

 

Long-term Goal Items

Career Update

I'm going to try to ask my boss if my letter of intent for Project Management certification training was approved by the DG. I think it's been two weeks since I last sent it. At least this way I can get things going by the time I leave for my mat. leave, since it probably won't be approved yet.

 

House Update

I am also going to be pretty overwhelmed next week. We should be finalizing our mortgage pre-approval with ING (10-year closed). I also contacted TD for one, but not sure how that will go. Maybe we should have tried negotiating with ING... but it was an online application, so not too sure how that would work since they have no actual banks. We might try to negotiate with TD from our pre-approval offer though.

 

(Ok, seems we somehow got pre-approved already... never spoke to one person.. just mysterious typing behind an online app...)

Wedding Update

I should also be sending back my engagement and wedding ring for "resizing" and appraising. It will take 3 weeks to get done, so I am in no rush since it still somewhat fit on my finger. It's just about half a size too big... There's just so many things to do, I just better get it done.

 

Is it wrong that I call him the bf still? =)

 

Pregnancy Update

 

No appointments this week, next one is June 29th for my 30-31 week update.

 

I really need to get working on baby girl names. I'm terrible. It's the moment I dread the most of the entire pregnancy process (yes that includes labor!). I figure I could maybe start compiling a list of 2-3 names every day and then eliminate them at the end of the week.

 

I also need to see if I can increase my hospital coverage to level II to pay for the private rooms. If not, I'll still end up with the private room except that we'll have to pay the difference out of our pockets. Not that big of a deal since we already have 60$/off a room per night each with the basic level I insurance.

 

If we stop at the mall tomorrow, I might also try to purchase some of the items on my "baby to buy list": a carrier, a pump, new baby bottles, a cute baby wrapping bag (I'm terrible with swaddling). Most of the stuff is still good from my son so at least the purchases shouldn't be too heavy. We should also get some of the stuff we lent to my bf's cousin.

[Alezia]

Although I'm too lazy to post formally, I did continue my workouts this week.

 

Eating did not improve one bit. I did not even manage to prepare the healthier coleslaw for the BBQ, I just made the unhealthy one and eat pretty unhealthily at the event.

Still ate pizza half of the week - either take out or frozen.

I bought 7 frozen chicken pizzas since they were on sale for 3.99$ each! These never go on sale!!! Only the gross cheap pep and cheese ones.

I've also eaten out at least once a day every day in the past week. It's definetly killing my budget!!

 

The dishes have also taken the side... I'm still trying to convince my boyfriend to buy the paper plates. I come back very exhausted from work, even though I'm taking iron supplements to increase my energy. I usually end up going to bed by 9-10pm to wake up at 7-7h30am. Sometimes I nap coming back from work if I get the opportunity, though this doesn't happen often enough.

 

Ok, enough complaining, so let's try to think of the positives:

 

- I did manage to complete my three strength workouts this week.

- I was a bit less lazy at work, got more stuff done than last week.

- Bought a baby carrier and pink baby thights (6-12m) for our little girl. I don't know if I'll need 0-6m ones?

- Found out I can't "last minute" increase my hospital coverage. By the time the coverage takes into effect it will be October 1st. I'm pretty sure there is no chance that I deliver 1 month and a few days late. (My "date" is August 26th).

- I decided to wait to resize my rings until the end of my pregnancy. If my fingers are bloated with water, at least this won't affect the size too much.

- We're going to meet with a real estate agent on Saturday at Tim Hortons.

- We're going to meet with my TD banker on Saturday to see if they can give us a better mortgage rate.

 

No news, but hopefully good news soon:

 

- Pregnancy 31/32 week apointment on June 29th. No rush for this one as both my bosses will be gone for the week.

- Still no news on my Project Management certification program approval.

- Still no baby name picked out but we have a few in mind. I don't want to say them before she is born though.

- Still haven't completed my 31-week checklist (get back my basinette and newborn clothes).