Sonya's Road to Lean...

[headinahole]

I got a late start working out today because my son had an early morning scrimmage for football. By the time I got to the gym I really didn't feel like doing much. So, I thought, before I get all tired I am going to try and do some pull ups. More than anything I want to be able to do pull ups. I did two sets of 6 with 20 lbs assist. I thought, if I can do that, I am sure I can do at least one pull up. To my utter surprise, not only did I do one pull up. I did two with my arms wide apart, and three with them close together, YIPPEEEEEEEEE...

I did some more pull downs but really wasn't much into the weights today. So I went to the elliptical machine and worked for 45 minutes. Burned about 500 calories and went home. I think I will just chill by the pool.

I got online today and read up on amino acids that are in Purple Wraath. I have been having some interesting, yet good side effects. I have been trying to figure out what product they are coming from, so I can be sure to buy stock in it. I do believe it must be the purple wraath. Later when I am not so tired from working out I will blog about them....

beta analine ftw... It's nice having the energy to after.

[smorgan1227]

lol

No problem in area for sure! It also seems to be rebuilding a lot of areas of my body. My skin is great, and I am growing in areas of growt during my teen years.... lol You could sell PW for it's age defying qualities....

I'm buying stock!

[smorgan1227]

so excited

I am so excited this morning. I woke up feeling pretty lean. I grabbed the tape measure (that is usually my response, I don't even own a scale) I have lost 1/2 in my waist. It is now 25 1/2 inches. I have been carb cycling for a little over a week now. I will have to take pictures later if I get time. I don't think it is something you personally notice when you look at yourself every day. Last week I felt plump because I was starting the new carb cycle. I have carb cycled in the past so I knew what to expect.

Up to this point I have not seen much help with the REDuction. It does not suppress my appetite. However, that is a good thing. When I was younger and took appetite suppressants that only lasted a day or two because they made me feel sick to my stomach. I like enjoying the food I allow myself to eat. I don't need the suppressant. Anyways, back to the REDuction. I have been on a long term plan of bulking then leaning out. I wanted to gain as much muscle as possible without getting terribly fat before my photo shoot at the end of this month. Now that I am purposely leaning out, I can see the Reduction helping that be accomplished sooner. I didn't get extremely fat during my bulking stage. And I am leaning out amazingly fast. I can honestly say I would be satisfied to have my shoot today, however, I have several weeks to prepare for it.

I will begin a more detailed log of my measurements now that I am leaning out.

waist: was 26" today 25.5
thigh: was 21 1/2 " today 21.75 (bigger, but I have been working my legs)
hips: were 36" today: 35 1/2"
bottocks was 37" today: 37"
chest was 35" today: 37" (I am shocked that my chest is growing when the rest of me is shrinking. I think the Purple Wraath is kicking my hormone reproduction up. Crazy)

Those are the important measurements for me.

[smorgan1227]

pictures

[smorgan1227]

Talk about a mental block

Boy, I had a rough day at the gym. I am going to pat myself on the back for staying and working out anyway. I had a leg day again. I just had a hard leg day on Friday, so I went a little easier today. It was still hard though. I did super sets.

3 sets of 10-12 reps each

1. warm up set
Leg extensions
Plie Squats with 10 lb dumb bells

2.
Lunges 50lbs double dips
Standing Calf Raises 260 lbs

3.
Dead lifts 60 lbs
Leg presses 200 lbs

40 mintutes on the cross trainer glute setting level 8

[smorgan1227]

Crazy busy

Yesterday was a crazy busy day. I had meetings first thing in the morning, and clients all day. Then I had three children that needed to be picked up from practices at three different times. Needless to say, between making dinner, working and playing taxi I didn't think I was going to make it to the gym. I returned to my roots yesterday. My husband was putting on his running shoes. I thought, I can take 30 minutes for a run, then I will do the Jamie Plyo Card workout while I cook dinner. So that is what I did. The run was easy, we chitty chatted and I enjoyed it. Then, when I got home started dinner and headed to my room for my plyo workout. Holy Cow, I forgot how hard it was. I thought all my lifting weights was going to make it easier. It took me 20 minutes to get through the workout.

Just for an easy number, because I actually use the deck of cards, lets say I did 25 of each exercise. I went through the list twice. Then I ended with some additional abs.

jump squats 25 x 2
jumping jacks 25 x 2
alternating jump lunges 25 x 2 (hate these)
high knees 25 x 2
mountain climbers 25 x 2
running butt kicks 25 x 2
wide push ups 25 x 2
jumping jacks 25 x 2
bicycle crunches 25 x 2

Going to the gym this morning.

[bull.dogz]

Looks like a great workout. Always good to change things up a bit.

[smorgan1227]

Turning into a clutz

Went to the gym this morning. Time to work out the biceps and triceps. I had a good workout. However, when I was putting the dumbbells back after my first set, I missed the rack and smashed my knuckle. Ozzing blood, Yuck. That is the third self imposed injury I have had this week. Slammed my pinky into the window on tuesday, and Ran the top of my foot into the cupboard door Monday morning right before my leg workout. As I get stronger I am getting clutsier. lol. Crazy. The nice gal at the gym gave me a band aid so i could go on with my workout. Thank God my adrineline was pumping! I didn't feel the pain. I am starting to now though.

I am too tire to log all my exercises, and my finger is hurting, so we will just say, I was strong. I increased my weights. I did three sets of 9 dips without assistance. I had guys comment that I was getting really strong. I went on the stairmaster for 30 mintues. That is usually not my machine, so it kicked my bummm....Thank God for purple wraath!!! Love it, love it love it!!!!!

[smorgan1227]

Jury Duty

I got stuck on Jury duty this week and it really messed up my schedule. I am glad I got off. I didn't work out Thursday or Friday. Today I went and had an ok workout. It was extremely hard to get moving. I even had someone comment that I wasn't my normal energetic self. Part of the problem could have been that I was working chest, and while I know most men love to work their chest, it is not my favorite exercise. I did get a lot of good cardio in. I needed it after a carb load day on Friday without exercising, Yikes...

Ran a mile to warm up

Bench Press 85 lbs 4 sets of 8-10
incline dumbbell bench 25lbs 4 sets 8-10

flat dumbbell bench 25lbs. 3 sets 10
good mornings 50 lbx 3 sets 10

Another two chest machines, (I have no idea what they are called, lol)
55 lbs each arm
50 push ups.

Finished with 45 minutes on the cross training machine.

Even though I looked like I was dragging my bum, I still think I got a pretty good workout.

[timberwolf]

Went to the gym this morning. Time to work out the biceps and triceps. I had a good workout. However, when I was putting the dumbbells back after my first set, I missed the rack and smashed my knuckle. Ozzing blood, Yuck. That is the third self imposed injury I have had this week. Slammed my pinky into the window on tuesday, and Ran the top of my foot into the cupboard door Monday morning right before my leg workout. As I get stronger I am getting clutsier. lol. Crazy. The nice gal at the gym gave me a band aid so i could go on with my workout. Thank God my adrineline was pumping! I didn't feel the pain. I am starting to now though.

I am too tire to log all my exercises, and my finger is hurting, so we will just say, I was strong. I increased my weights. I did three sets of 9 dips without assistance. I had guys comment that I was getting really strong. I went on the stairmaster for 30 mintues. That is usually not my machine, so it kicked my bummm....Thank God for purple wraath!!! Love it, love it love it!!!!!

That happens quite regularly with me... bumps and bruises that is. Second day back from the gym since my vacation and I bounced the bar off my noggin doing the power snatch. With the same lift I gave my self a black eye last time I was in California, and before that just a few days before my CL shoot. Fun times.

Belated welcome to the forum.

[bull.dogz]

Remind me to wear a helmet if I train with either one of you.

[timberwolf]

Remind me to wear a helmet if I train with either one of you.

You don't know the half of it. I tried to do clapping pullups with a new power rack the gym had brought in. The pullup bar was knurled. It tore my palms and everytime I clapped, blood would splatter on my face. I would have stopped immediately but the expression on the two guys I was training with were priceless so I continued and just wiped the bar at the end.

[smorgan1227]

lol

YUCK!!!! Men..... I would have been passed out on the floor! Thanks for the welcome!

Legs today:

warm-up five minutes sprinting and 3 sets of 10 leg extensions 60 lbs

Super sets:
Squats 3 x 10 95 lbs (stronger than usual, didn't have any problems)
hanging straight leg raises 3 x 10

Plie Squats 3 x 10 65 lbs
hanging bent leg raises 3 x 20

Dead lifts 3 x 10 55 lbs barbell
standing calf raises 200 lbs

hamstring leg curls 3 x 10 60 lbs
lunges 3 x 10 55 lbs. barbell

elliptical machine 10 minutes.

I needed to get to work today so I cut the cardio short, but I had a great weight workout. I have been feeling like I am dragging lately. However, I am coming to realize that it is simply because I have increased all the weights I am working out with, and it is causing me to feel weak, even though I am actually getting stronger. I am wondering if I wear a weight belt if that will help me lift more weights doing squats. I have one. What are the thoughts on that. I don't see to many people using them any more. NOt at my gym anyways.

Carb load day today, Yipee!!!

[smorgan1227]

I woke up sore!

Today was the first time since I have taken purple wraath that I woke up sore. Yesterday was a leg day. I worked out REALLY hard. I even took two scoops of purple wraath. Still today I was sore. I am actually pretty excited about it, because that must mean that I had a killer workout.

Today I read the article 8 F's = A training. It is very close to what I do. So... I decided to follow it exactly. monday:leg day, tuesday:biceps and shoulders, wednesday:cardio and abs thursday: chest and triceps and friday: back, Saturday cardio and abs, Sunday rest.

Today was biceps and shoulders:

When I got to the gym there were about 7 teenage boys "playing" in the free weight area. They had all of the light weights. It kinda pissed me off, because they weren't really using them, they were rolling them back and forth on the floor. The only good thing about it was that I was forced to go heavier than all of them and make them look stupid!

bicep curls
3 sets of 10 25lb dumbells
barbell bicep curls
3 sets of 10 50 lbs

Arnold presses
3 sets 10 25lb dumbbells
hammer curls
3 sets 5 25lbs

Front Extensions
3 sets 10 10 lb dumbbells
incline front extensions
3 sets 10 10lb dumbbells

Military press
3 sets 10 45 lb barbell
standing upright rows
3 sets 10 45 lbs

dips
5 sets of 7 reps no weight, only body weight

cardio for 25 minutes on stairmaster

I can't believe my bumm still hurts. I am so excited about that...

[smorgan1227]

Cardio day

Today was an abs/cardio day.

I spent 5 minutes doing abs. I try to go five minutes without taking a break. I used to go 4 minutes. I will just keep trying to work my way up. Five minutes is hard for me though.

I did the elliptical machine for 45 minutes, five miles 500 calories. I feel pretty good.

The carb cycling seems to be making me fatter. I am going to have to adjust my calorie intake. I am bulking good, but not leaning out. Starting today I will limit my calorie intake to 1500 for the remainder of September, even on a carb load day. It pisses me off that I am working out so hard, and taking Reduction, and carb cycling yet I am still getting bigger. I guess that is the whole point of journaling and keeping track of things so you can see what does and does not work for you.