Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Rest day. I like the two days on, one day off cycle. I rested most of the day to try and feel better. But I am getting so sick of eating, eating, and eating. I am now looking forward to January 1 and dieting and doing cardio (I will have to come back to this entry to remind myself in March when I am so sick of dieting ).

Leg Day: few people at the gym being that it is a Friday. Internet musik was out, so they had two CDs being played loudly. One was heavy metal and the other was hip hop. From screaming guitars and lyrics about bitches to the hip hop girl's lyrics of explicit sexual favors she was expecting, it was the first time I noticed I was the only girl in the gym at that time. Just for a split second it bothered me, but heck I am just there to lift weights, and at 180 I am one big bitch . So off I went to do my leg extensions this time (leg press was first last time).

Leg Extension: 90/25warmup, 180/15, 210/10, and 225/5+1 (whole stack with one more than last time). Still not warmed up really well so I did 120/25 and 135/15, and they were pumped after that.

Leg Press Calf Raises:360/50 X 4 (did these in between leg ext and leg curl sets)

Leg Curl: 90/25 warmups, 150/15, 160/12, 170/8, 200/4+2 (whole stack but not one more. still struggling), and an extra 120/8 and fatigue set in.

Leg Press: 450/12+3, 540/8, and did another PB with 590/4+4 (put 25's on each side, instead of looking for four 10's. a PB cause I was lazy ).

Seated Calf Raises: 115/25, 125/15, 150/8 (hurt the top of my thighs-guads are alittle sensitive at this point. Have to find a new calf exercise. they are the only muscle not growing fast like the rest of the body).

Plie (Power) Squats: 90/25 X 4 (inside middle quad muscle was screaming through the last five reps of each set).

Done with legs. They feel wasted and so do I. I was thinking of trying to do shoulders today too, but it took me an hour already and I just wanted to go home.
Started running the track with the kids today also. Only 15 laps around (less than a mile but around 15 minutes of cardio) with my kids passing me around every 2nd lap. Just wait, in two months I will be kicking their little soccer @sses! My plan is to increase cardio by 5 minutes for the week, so I can be up to 30 minutes by Janurary. Then I will work up to 45 minutes of cardio/treadmill jogging actually, which seems to drop the pounds fast for the first twenty or so (then I usually plateau ).

Shoulder Day: had an hour in between dropping off and picking up my son for driver's training driving, so I popped into the gym early.

Hammer Strength Shoulder Press: 50/25warmups (not warming up!), 70/15, 90/10, 100/8+1(to try and do one more than last time/pitiful), and for fun I did 70/failure at 6.

Dumbbell Laterals: 10/25warmups, 15/15, 20/15, 25/10+2(starting to warmup and feeling it), 30/8 with right away 10/failure at 15.

Smith Press Military Press: 50/15warmup, 70/10, 80/couldn't do 8 like last time, did only 5. Bummed.

Cable Rear Delts: 15/15, 20/12(doing well with these since the last time I did them), and pushed to 25/8 (new weight).

Barbell Front Raise: 30/15 (very light), 40/15, 50/10 (new weight).

Time to go and get my son. Wanted to do Icarian Dumbbell Grip Shoulder Press, but I'll leave it for next time. No cardio today or tommorrow since I started my . and will be lethargic if I do too much.

Yesterday was an off day. Took a long Sunday nap, and the sun was shining on me when I awoke (I love that! ).

Chest and Bicep Day: Have to go early since I will be running with the kids around the track, and the 8th grade Christmas concert is tonight (son plays clarinet). Nice crowd in the gym at this hour, they all came in and went right to work and no long talking conversations going on (which is good for me since I usually start them ).

Hammer Strength Wide Chest Press: 90/25warmup, 180/15, 200/10, and 230/6 (had to do one more than last time, but it was an all out maximum effort to get it to go up. definitely ripped a muscle fiber on that one).

Cybex Flyes: 90/15 (this was an oops! it was suppose to be 80/15 but I noticed it after I had done it already and was moving it down for the next set. One way to move the weights up/when I had a partner she would do this to me all the time! she was great that way), 100/8 (three more than last time).

Incline #3 Smith Press: 80/15, 90/8, lets push it with the little 2 1/2 lbs weights-95/7.

Cable Flyes: 50/10, 60/8 (way bent over on these, otherwise I wouldn't be able to do them after all the inclines).

Life Fitness Dumbbell Grip Chest Press: 105/11, 120/8 (same as last time/ more solid this time on the execution)

EZ bar Curl: 20/15, 30/12, and a new one 35/8 (40 here I come!)

Dumbbell Hammer Curl: 25/15, 30/ 10, and 35/6 (one more than last time and it was a little rocking motion on the upswing to get it up there-cheated just a little ).

Cable Curl: 110/8, 120/6 (these hurt, but stricted form than last time)

Overhead Curl: 4/15, 5/10, 6/6 (no decending sets this time. 1/2 second contraction peak on these, pretended I was doing the front double bicep pose with the fists touching my ears for the peak contraction).

Plan to do maybe 20 times around the gym track with the kids for around 20 minutes of cardio (20 minutes this week is the plan). Well, still have to do the breakfast dishes since I made lemon blueberry scones this morning for everybody (had one left for an after workout snack! yum !! two more weeks of eating with Sucanat/sugar before the sugarless cutting diet takes over).

Nice workout,it's hard forme to comment on all these machine exercises though


I hope you won't do that on stage

Back and Tricep day: Thought I'd mix it up today. Try some free weight stuff and test out the secondary muscles.

T-Bar Row: 25/25, 45/15, 75/12, 90/8 (stance got more bent over as the weight went up. the 90's were short little pull backs. Back lats were smarting).

Straight Arm Lat Pulldowns: 40/20, 50/10 (the little muscle on the side of the lats was screaming, so I stopped doing these).

Stiff-Leg Deadlifts: 70/15, 80/15, 90/12+3 (out of breath and the hamstrings were screaming).

Upright Row: 30/25, 40/20, 50/12 (forearms were screaming at this one, letting my traps get no workout really. Have to add shrugs back next time).

Rope Tricep Pushdown: 40/20, 50/15, 6/10 (splitting the rope at the bottom to get an extra contraction).

EZ Bar Behind the Head Tricep Extensions (Skullcrushers): Bar/25, 10/15, 20/10 (just hit my ponytail, not my skull this time. Triceps were full at this point).

Cybex Assisted Dip: 12/15, 11/12, 10/10 (triceps were full and shaking at this point so I stopped).

It is going to be tough getting back into cardio. I jiggled so much yesterday going around the track that it hurt (it being the jiggly parts ). I am going to go back to yoga tommorrow since it is my day off and run for 20 minutes with the kids again.
It is also going to be different with the free weights since I felt today that all my back parts were not being used to their max since I was being limited by the other muscles (like the forearms for the upright rows instead of the traps). I will add my old back exercises in with the new ones next time so I can keep my weights the same and not loose any muscle mass there.

Today was a rest day. Good thing too, cause my lower back is so tight that it is almost in spasms, but only if I put it in this certain position (so I don't). Great deadlifts yesterday I guess. And my lower traps between my shoulder blades also hurt this morning, from the bent over T-Bar rows I guess. I still went to yoga and had only one tight spasm in the lower back during bridge pose , but I still did the wheel (I like punishment I guess ). We also did handstand and was able to get up assisted, so I can still do that. Goal for 2007 is to be able to do handstand unassisted.
I also ran with the kids. Increased it by one lap, 16 total now, and still in 20 minutes of jogging. Not too much jigglyness today though. Still hurt to jog around and around, with shins hurting and the spasm tightness in my lower back. Breath was going OK, a little shallow at the end of the laps.
Not eating as much today, and I am not going to force myself anymore. I think my body has had enough and at 182 (2 more pounds this week) I am satisfied with how big I am, and I've got alot of work to do to get this layer of fat off me (4 months hopefully will be enough).

Shoulder and Leg Day: lower back is still spasming from the deadlift! and the hamstrings were a little tight. Usually I do legs today and shoulders tommorrow, but I wanted to combine them and see if I can do both on the same day, and do each justice (I like my shoulders huge and my thighs huge for asymmetry ). So today I did shoulders in the morning and legs in the late afternoon (split routine).

Smith Military Press: 50/15, 70/10, 90/4 (my goal is 90/8 solidly), and a descending set of 50/15 right away.

Rear Delt Dumbbell Raise: 10/25, 15/15, 20/15, 25/8, and a descending set of 15/15.

Icarian Standing Deltoid (using a stepmaster step to line my shoulder joint with the cam/mimicking a lateral flye): 10/20, 20/15, 30/12, 40/8, and a descending set of 10/20 (shoulders are now screaming and they are done).

Icarian Hack Squat (hate this machine cause it is so hard on my inner quads! punishment here I am ): B/25warmup, 50/15, 100/15, 150/15 (quads have had enough and my back is hurting/spasm. Have to hold my lumbar in a curve with my tailbone down/llower abs engaged with this machine).

Icarian Lying Leg Curl: 120/15warmup, 160/12, 170/8 (same as last time. Try the Seated Leg Curl next time).

Lifefitness Leg Extension:180/10 (quads can't take this. shaking and not going to be able to do anymore weight).

Leg Press: 450/12+3, 540/8, 590/4+4 (same as last time)

Calf Raise: Leg Press/360/50 X 2, and Seated Calf Raises: 115/25 X 2

No time for Plie Squats/ Next time.

Weight was still 182! Caught a site of myself in the mirror while doing the Hack Squats (facing right into the mirror!). Oh boy, I look really fat !! I haven't cut for five years, I hope four months will be enough time to strip off this fat.

Chest and Bicep day:I do this once a month, it is to keep my ligaments in shape as I keep lifting heavy (especially the "for fun lets see how much I can max out on" sets). I take my middle weight and do 4 sets of 15 reps for each body part (more of a burn and endurance training for the week). Besides it keeps my body guessing/cycling my training.

Smith Press Incline (#3) Press: 70/15 X 4

Cybex Cable Incline (#3) Flyes: 20/15 X 4

LifeFitness Dumbbell Grip Chest Press: 90/15 X 4

LifeFitness Pec Dec: 60/15 X 4

EZ bar Curl: 20/15 X 4

Hammer Curl: 25/15 X 4

Chest was very pumped and still is after an hour later. Biceps were fatigued, but I probably could have done another exercise like Cable Curl, but I had to go and pick up my son, and I was pretty well whipped. I also ran with my little soccer stars (no so little at 12 and 13) this afternoon for 17 times around the gym track (20+ minutes of cardio), and I also went to yoga this morning (nice stretch in the outer thigh area with a twist. . . mmmmm felt wonderful after yesterday's leg day). I am glad tommorrow is rest day because I feel like I have worked my muscles a little too hard (doing both legs and shoulders yesterday and the 4 sets of 15 today).

Rest Day: I started cardio this morning by going on the treadmill for 20 minutes only. Didn't make it to my yoga class today, maybe tommorrow. I did get out the scale, I'll post the results tommorrow. I wrote down everything I ate today and I will say that I am hungry a little as I go to bed, but I did have my shake at 9:00 pm already. I kind of like the hungry feeling, makes me feel like I am already cutting . See how this all goes on a workout day like tommorrow.

Cutting Phase: No more sugary sweets and watching portions now . I weighed myself on my new scale that tells me not only my weight, but my percent bodyfat and water weight percent. Cool, except on my bodyfat measurement! Yikes

Weight: 176 lbs
Bodyfat %: 36
Water %: 45
Measurements:
Chest 41"
Abs: 33 1/2"
Thighs: 27"
Calves: 15 1/2"
Bicep: 15"
Forearms: 10 1/2"
Shoulder/Deltoid: 17"

So this is what I've got to work with. Time to mature these soft baby muscles into hard mature muscles .

Started the day off with 20 minutes on the treadmill at 5.0 (12 minute mile jog).

Then in the afternoon:

Back and Tricep Day: Still doing the ligament endurance cycle. The only note worthy incident at the gym was these two guys made a comment (actually they were talking to each other and I happen to be able to overhear what they were saying/no ipod today) that I looked like I had the arms of a Bulgarian woman and then they snickered like it was a bad thing. I just smiled and thought it was a compliment. Plus I took over their tricep station and they didn't work in with me, so I got it all to myself .

T-bar Row: 60/15 X 4
Stiff-legged Deadlift: 80/15 X 4
Wide Bar Cable Front Pulldown: 40/15 X 4
Upright Row: 40/15 X 4
Shrugs 180/25 X 4

Rope Pulldown: 50/15 X 4
Cybex Assisted Dip: 12/15 X 4
EZ Bar Skullcrushers: 10/15 X 4

Triceps were pumped to where I couldn't really push anything down anymore, but I still did the skullcrushers and if I put the bar way past my head I could get the 4 sets, but if the elbows came up forward my triceps screamed no more. The back handled the weight OK, and was hard to get the last set done, but the first two 15's of each set was easy (at least to what I am use to - which is usually failure in a set).

Shoulder and Leg day: Did Jivamukti Yoga this morning (1 1/2 hours) and had a spasm in my lower back during Janu Sirsasana. Ouch! Did a twist and it went away. Went to the gym around 3 pm and did the ligament endurance on the last two body parts.

Icarian Hack Squat 160/15 X 4

Icarian Seated Leg Curl (new) 100/15 X 4

Leg Press: 360/15 X 4

Leg Press Calf Raise: 360/25 X 4

Seated Calf Raise: 70/15 X 4

Plie (Power) Squats: 90/25 X 4

(Legs are dying, and I still have shoulders to do. I took a long break and talked to the gym trainer and his lifting partner. They razzed me alittle bit and they made me smile. OK, back to shoulders! But I noticed they had my bench that I wanted to do Military Press on and they had several descending sets of chest press to do. oh well. I'll go on the Hammer Strength Machine instead).

Hammer Strength Shoulder Press: 70/15 X 4

Rear Delt with Dumbells: 15/15 X 4

Icarian Standing Deltoid (Lateral flyes): 20/15 X 3

Icarian Shoulder Press (Dumbell Grip): 50/15 X 3

(Could only do 3 sets on the last two exercises because my middle delt was screaming with pain and I didn't want to hurt myself so I stopped. The Icarian Standing Deltoid really tears into my shoulders when I do them. Love it !).

Rest day! Except that I did 25 minutes of cardio/treadmill. It was kind of a hard day of cardio (was feeling like hurling after 15 minutes, but then at 20 minutes I got a second wind and was like I can do 30 minutes, but I stopped at 25 minutes). And now that it is at night, I am hungry and all I am looking forward to is drinking my shake.

Chest and Bicep day: started out by doing yoga. The pose Hero/Virasana up the wall really stretched my quads out. My right side especially was so tight that I couldn't get my glutes up against the wall. But I feel my shoulder girdle loosening up more and more with each class. I was able to clasp my hands together under my back in Bridge Pose/Setu Bandha Sarvangasana. I did work up a good sweat in yoga class (not like a vinyasa class which I am working my way back up to in the New Year).
Went to the gym around 3pm today (the kids didn't run today cause they have been sick for two days and just went back to school, so I let them off easy ). It was quiet and I was able to get everything done without waiting for equipment.

Smith Press Incline (#3) Chest Press: 50/25warmup, 70/15, 90/10, 110/4+1 (maybe try only 100 next time to get 8 ).

Cybex Cable Incline (#3) Chest Flyes: 20/15, 30/13, 40/7 (trying different positions of where to place the bench in relation to the cables: waist placement, overhead placement, or at shoulder placement).

LifeFitness Chest Press (Dumbell Grip): 90/15, 105/12, 120/8 (not a real solid 8, I was pushing even my face at the end of that set and maybe eyeballs!).

LifeFitness Pec Dec: 60/15, 75/8+2 cheating ones (elbows didn't come all the way together).

EZ bar Curls 20/15, 25/15, 30/12, 35/8 (40 will be my new goal).

Hammer Curls: 25/15, 30/10, 35/6+2 (rocking alot on those 2 to get it up and then fighting it all the way down slowly).

Cable Curl/straight bar: 90/15, 100/6 (biceps done).

I need to work on my biceps alittle bit more cause my triceps are getting bigger than them. Need to maybe push it more. Add the 2 1/2 lbs weights on the barbell to get them bigger. Very tired tonight. Diet is going well. I have noticed that I am eating a little bit more at dinner than during the day. Might have to look into that and try to eat more for lunch because I am so hungry at dinner time which is usually two to three hours after working out/even though I do eat right after workout too.

Back and Tricep day: I did 25 minutes on the treadmill in the morning. It was easy, and again I was tempted to do more, but knew I had to workout yet this afternoon and diet today. I will be up to 30 minutes next week (although I will have Monday and Tuesday off as I will be out of the state for Christmas). Went to the gym around 3:30 pm to be done by 5 pm to pick up my son from driver's training. I saw a new couple in the gym today. I always smile when I see the guy trying to train the girl, especially when he is so tentative and she is laughing and smiling as she tries to get into and out of the machines.

T-Bar Row: 45/25warmup, 70/15, 90/10, 115/8 (new weight).

Wide-bar Cable Front Pulldown: 50/15, 60/10 (hard to do 10, but will try 70 next time for at least 6).

Stiff-legged Deadlift: 90/15, 100/12, 110/10 (that was the highest fixed weight barbell on the tree. Asked the trainer where he does his/client's deadlifts and he pointed to the spot with the rubber mats in the corner. So next time I'll be adding weights to a barbell in the corner).

Upright Rows with the EZ bar (the fixed ones hurt my forearm too much): 10/15, 15/15, 20/10

Shrugs: 180/25 X 4 superset with Cybex Row: 112.5/12, 125/15 (went up? maybe trying harder since it was the last set for back for the day).

Rope Pulldown: 50/15, 6/10 (really hard, will be awhile till that is a solid 10).

EZ bar skullcrushers: 20/15, 30/8

Cybex assisted dips: 10/15, 9/10

Did some more rope pulldown on 40 for 15 which was failure. Time to go now. Day off tommorrow. Kids will all be home. I will enjoy sneaking out to go to yoga for two hours (may try Short form Ashtanga or the Anusara Mixed level tommorrow as I feel my flexibility returning).