peridot in the rough

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peridot23

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I am exicited about posting. tried starting my journal earlier but something happened. I think it was because I started trying to post from the activation screen in my email. will do it tomorrow and tell you my workouts and how long I have been working out and all that good stuff.
Geneva:D
 
Welcome to the forum
 
thanks for the welcome.

I started working out seriously back about 8 years ago. doing body splits, heavy weights, etc. after about a year got tired of not losing the body fat. so, started adding in first a 45 min run five times a week after about nine months increased to an hour five times a week. lost the bodyfat combined with a low cal diet but my muscle tone wasn't that great because I still hadn't added in good carbs and enough protein. Well, it took me a year and a half doing the low cal diet and hour running combined with full body workouts, three times a week, I finally got more toned. Well, finally got burned out of that routine and started doing videos at home. Some were pretty good when I would up the weight. like legs, 30s; chest, 30s. After about two years or so I didn't look like I wanted to, lean with great muscle definition, but never really had that leanness and muslce definition when doing my previous workouts. I was getting upset and fustrated because of all the effort and discipline I was putting into my training and diet. There would be times that I was taking time off from my really strict diet like every now and then, literally. I remember all that work and effort I put into my body and looked one day of a picture of me and my friend at the beach in bikinis and her body looked like mine and she didn't diet, didn't come close to eating right, and didn't workout like I did. Well, I started trying different workouts like the bar method and high rep, low weight training. This seems to work really great for me.
I am now over my little binge phase I was having because of the super strict diet I was on forever. Now, when I want a burger and fries I eat unitl satisfied, which is like three bites of a kids size burger and a few of the fries and am done. I realize that being strict on my diet and not watching portions wasn't helping me. I really think my body was doing that mode where your body keeps on all the weight because it was thinking it was starving, even though I was eating healthy and around 1800 cals a day. I still eat those delicious, nutritious meals I was eating when I eating clean, like I love grilled chicken seasoned with Tony Cachere's splg. and brown rice. that is so yummy to me. my husband doesn't understand why I love brown rice. I have to add I have finally added in more water to my diet. I cannot believe how much it really helps my appetite. soda really does trigger it. I have noticed my teeth don't look so dull anymore. Oops. my bad. I still enjoy my favorite diet soday, diet cherry pepsi, but only like one every two or three days. I also do this one weird thing but I think it started making me gain muscle, I drink a protein drink before I workout. I know. I have read about afterwards but noticed that carbs before I tire out and lose strength, with the protein I stay strong and can workout forever. since I started doing this little trick, I think it triggered my muslce gain in Feb. I probably put on 10 lbs. and after I workout I will have of course plenty of water and now my carbs. I think my body is backwards. but after my journey I feel like I need to focus on what works for my body and not what mags and fitness experts are telling me is the best.

Well, about my workouts. I now do, like I said, high rep and low weights. always read that it does nothing for you. not this body. I am very sore from yesterday's workout. People are commenting how I am losing weight and I know I am because a pair of pants that should fit me baggy and didn't, are now baggy. and to speak of definition my triceps are finally losing that last layer of fat. noticed Saturday my arms looked great when I was getting dressed up for the Kelly Clarkson concert with my sister. my chest is really getting defined. feel like I have found what is working for my after all these years.
My workout yesterday was interval training consisting of giant drop sets of lower body exercises paired with upper body exercises then did jump squats for cardio, about a minute's worth.
single leg squats - 6s, dropped down, glutes sore.
chest- pushups, dumbell press, dumbell flyes, 15s, dropped down. need to keep going on the medium range weights to get a good burn when dropped to low the burn went away. wished I would have got sore here.
shoulders - lateral raise - 7s, dropped down, next time will do 8s next time. military press did 9s, dropped down. will do 10s next time.
outer thighs - lying abductions - 6s, dropped down. worked great because butt is sore from the squat/abduction combo.
back - dumbell swing, 6s, dropped down. perfect. back sore.
glutes - kickbacks. no weight
abs - lower ab raise.
biceps - dumbell bicep curls - 7s, dropped down, biceps are sore. will do 8s next time.
triceps - lying triceps extentons, 12, dropped down, next time 15s. they are a little sore today.
Cardio - did fat blasting cardio. love it. very effective and gets my heart rate up. it goes by so fast and on top of that it is so much fun.
not sure if will do any cardio today. ran 45 mins. sunday and monday. did a strength training video on sunday. did not get sore from the video. wasn't effective at all. kind of wasted my time. it was firm's firm strength. so-so.

Talk to you guys later,
Geneva:D
 
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WOW. That is an inspirational story! You never gave up, when it didn't work for you you tried something else until you found what works for you! There are so many factors that go into what works for each individual: genetics, psychological, physical, diet, previous experience, family, friends... How can anyone say "this program is best" or formulate a study that could possibly isolate all these factors and prove what works best...
 
Congrats and well done - when not seeing results many would have quit long before you did. Good on ya for fighting the good fight.
 
Thanks, guys, I really love your welcomes and compliments.

I didn't cardio yesterday or today because my shoulders, triceps and the rest of the back side of my body was so sore. Have been getting up at 5 to practice, in court reporting school, before I go to school and I worked last night and I work tonight and just wanted to rest. I used to overtrain so much for the first few years. Trying not to get that way again. but about my dedication to this I think it is my obsessive compulsive side of me.
Tomorrow I should be doing cardio or, if not sore, circuit training.
 
did workout in 35 minutes. it was a good one. did circuit training; giant drop sets upper, then lower, and another upper; followed by one minute of 1. jump squats, untill tired out, followed by jumping jacks. pretty tough. didn't have to time for extra cardio because of work. knew after my workout I would be getting hungry, so took a protein shake with a small plum. it really helped me not get hungry.

chest - pushups, press - 15s, dropped to 9s; flyes - 9s, dropped
legs - one legged squat - 6s, dropped
shoulders - lateral raise - 8s, dropped; bent arm raise - 7s, dropped; military press - 10s, dropped
biceps - 9s, dropped
calves - 9s; 12s
back - dumbell swing - 7s, dropped; pullover - 15s, dropped

if sore like last time, will not be doing cardio until the day before.

Geneva
 
my body got used to my workouts because didn't get sore the last two times.

40 minute circuit training, upper, lower, upper sets seperated by one minute of jump squats with jumping jacks.
legs - one legged squats - two sets, not heavy enough the first time. 7s, dropped; then 9s, dropped. worked. my hamstrings are slightly sore.
biceps - dumbell curls - 10s, dropped.
thighs - lying adductions - 7s, dropped.
back - swing - 7s, dropped. great weight. maybe 8s next time.
calves - press - 10s; 12s
shoulders - military - 10s, dropped; lateral raise - 8s, dropped; bent arm raise - 9s, dropped; upright rows - 10s, dropped.
chest - pushups - to failure; press - 15s, dropped; flyes - 9s, dropped. next time 12s.

noticed my strength is really increasing.

did a cardio tape for 40 minutes.
 
thanks, guys, put a big smile on my face.:D
did 30 mins. of cardio.

hope ya'll have a good day and great workout. (can you tell I'm from Tx.)

Geneva
 
good job on the cardio today! and yes i can tell ur from texas lol, when my husband was in the air force we had a friend from there and when we lived him for a while he got me sayin "yall" lol
 
good workout. used heavier weights with ease. and my calves are really coming out. a coworker noticed them and I noticed them when I was walking past a mirror in the dressing room at work. really liked the set I did for them this time because I had the best burn. really felt a good burn in my shoulder work. always had a pear shape and now I am more hourglass but want larger shoulders so really doing a lot more shoulder work to get it there. noticed I had to really up the weight for my chest. the lighter weight didn't allow me to fatigue it like I like.

groups of upper, lower, upper separated with jump squats then when no more jumping jacks for the rest of the minute.
chest - pushups followed by press with 20s, dropped. flyes for the second round - 15s, dropped
legs - one legged - 10s, dropped
calves - 15, 20
back - swing - 8s, dropped; second, 6s, dropped; pullovers - 20, dropped
shoulders - press 12s, dropped; lateral raise, 9s, dropped; bent lat raise, 10s, dropped; upright row, 8s, dropped
outer thighs - side abductions - 7s, dropped

did a cardio video for 30 minutes.

Geneva
 
Yeah. am excited because videos always seem to neglect that area. having to build it back up.

work out as usual:
legs - one-legged squat, 12s, dropped
outer thighs - abductions, 7s, dropped
chest - pushups to failure followed by press with 20s, dropped. second set flyes - 15s, dropped
shoulders - press - 15s, dropped; upright row - 12s, dropped; lateral raise - 9s, dropped; bent lats - 10s, dropped
biceps - curls - 10s, dropped
triceps - extensions - 7s
back - swing - 9s, dropped
calves - burns - 20s

shoulders starting to feel sore. good workout but next workout a video because wasn't into it today. so need a change of pace for one workout.

Geneva
 
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