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The Journal of Veggie P (Melissa)


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http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc14/penelopepope/Melissa7165web.jpg

Wow, I was just about to post my own pictures in this exact same outfit, so I'm glad I checked here first.

 

Seriously, though, you look beautiful and fit. I'm sure you'll keep inspiring us through the new year.

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Aaawww.... well, thank you for all of the nice compliments.

 

I was very pleased with how they turned out. It helps to have a great photographer and good lighting. This was my first professional photo shoot in ages. All of the pictures from 2008 were shot in my apartment with a sheet against a wall and a cheap digital camera. Now I see the difference it makes when you hire a professional.

 

Today... the cold is in full force today. Probably because I didn't take my Zicam all day yesterday because I was shooting.

 

Managed 40 minutes on the Stepmill and I'm going to try for a little more later and going to try to get to Legs. I have evening clients though, so we'll see.

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Thank you again everyone for all the lovely comments on my pictures. It means alot

 

I almost cancelled the shoot because I'm so out of shape from surgery in November (you have no idea how much I'm holding my stomach in on those shots). Just goes to show ya.... always follow through and you'll never be sorry

 

Got a good workout yesterday despite the fact this cold is in its full-blown stage. I have no voice (that's why I haven't called you Seasiren... no voice to speak with

 

Legs

Walking Lunges - 4 x 90 second sets

Hyper Extensions with Glute emphases - 4 x 12

It's a form thing if you want to engage mostly glutes and work less lower back. You relax your back as you come up and make yourself pull completely from your glutes and hams and you disengage the back. It's just kind of along for the ride. I wonder if this made sense to anyone

Leg Extension - 4 x 15

Ball Crunches - 4 x 90 seconds

30 minutes Stepmill

 

I'm not focusing on any weight numbers right now. Just making it challenging but doable and doing them in a 4 set circuit without stopping.

 

Gotta check Bravo to see whats on today and schedule my cardio around my favorite shows! That's my secret to my hour or more cardio sessions. Really entertaining bad tv!

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Thanks VeganNY. Feeling better daily.

 

Tasha... haven't seen Zoe in awhile... been watching the Housewives lately... Atlanta, OC and New York. They make for a good hour of drama Some people get ed by these shows but if it can hold my attention for an hour of cardio... I'm in. My favorite to watch is Millionaire Matchmakers Club. I find that show so damn entertaining.

 

Yesterday:

1 hour stepmill

 

Today:

1 1/2 hours stepmill

Close Grip Pulldowns 4 x 12

Lat Raise Machine 4 x 12

Ball Crunches 4 x 90 seconds

 

Will try to get more weights after my PM clients.

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I didn't have time to go all through the journal, but if your photo/avatar is/are the result(s), ROCK ON!

 

Did you ever lose the butt fat? At 115lbs, probably so. That is really a good weight for your height. I'm a little shorter by a quarter inch.

 

The butt is such a problem area for me, that and all the lower half, but the stomach is actually responding to the vast amount of cardio. Each week I pinch less. I would like to just have more muscle to fill the butt in, so my rear is constantly in pain from walking lunges all over the house all the time and the other butt resistance stuff with weights. I hope it's growing. I'd like to have bigger leg and rear muscles to match my wide hips. After my daughter was born, they seemed to get wider.

 

I'll read more of this cool journal tomorrow.

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http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc14/penelopepope/Melissa7203web.jpg

 

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc14/penelopepope/Melissa7165web.jpg

 

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc14/penelopepope/Melissa7100web.jpg

 

 

 

WOW! You look exquisitely beautiful! And because you are vegan, you are on the inside too!

 

I couldn't help myself I started reading more of this. It's hard to work out with a kid.

 

I wanted, for some reason, to share this living room floor cardio routine I did today because it was really cold in my exercise room:

 

All in a series:

Sumu squat

Plank 20 seconds

Mountain Climb x 10

 

Repeat. That will make my heart race. I try to do it until I can't do it any more. And then I run on the mat and try to kick my own butt. Then I walk lunge side ways like a freak around the house and then regular lunges. Followed by a bunch of pulsing plie (sp?) squats with a 15lb weight, I will die from that some day! Do it over and over for 30 min. then I call the funeral director.

 

Veganly,

Christina

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The photos from this weekends shoot.

 

 

 

Va Voom!!

 

If you don't win then we know the contest is rigged!

 

 

Wish the physique was better, but what can I do? We worked with what we had

 

OMG! The only way the physique could get any better is if you moved it to the Washington D.C. area!

 

I'm guessing the woman thing, the figure contest mentality, and the California thing are making you second guess yourself, but,Seriously VP, I can't see how you COULD improve, there isn't anything left to get better!

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I try to do it until I can't do it any more. And then I run on the mat and try to kick my own butt. Then I walk lunge side ways like a freak around the house and then regular lunges. Followed by a bunch of pulsing plie (sp?) squats with a 15lb weight, I will die from that some day! Do it over and over for 30 min. then I call the funeral director.

 

Veganly,

Christina

 

that was hilarious Christina. You are one determined lady. For some reason, I can't motivate myself when I work out at home. I find every excuse in the world not to fully focus on the exercises. Sometimes I have to do it at home... but I get a much better workout in the gym.

 

Thank you BW. I can always count on you for an ego boost. I admit, I will secretly be very dissappointed if I don't get nominated for the contest. Hands down... I'll be very disappointed.

 

Great workout today.

 

Standing Barbell Curls 4 x 12

Skull Crushers 4 x 12

Front Delt Raises 4 x 12

 

One ARm DB Row 4 x 12

Tricep Pulldowns 4 x 12

Crunches 4 x 90 seconds

 

All performed in circuits.

 

Did a new cardio routine today. I actually did some jogging intervals. Even though I forbid my clients to run... I did a lil jogging. I felt my body needed some kickass intervals for a couple weeks, so I'm going to throw them along with my long stepmill sessions

 

Cardio

5.0 incline

Walk 5 min

Walking Lunges 45 sec

Jog 6- 8 min

Walk 8 - 10 min

Walking Lunges 45 sec

Jog 11 - 13 min

Walk 13 - 15 min

Walking Lunges 45 sec

Jog 15 - 17 min

Walk 17 - 19 min

Walking Lunges 45 sec

THEN

Stepmill Intervals for 10 min

2 min at Level 5

1 min at Level 10 doing kickbacks skipping a step

Repeat 3 times

 

PHEW. Was sweating like crazy. Felt good.

 

I have to train a client tonight and I SOOOOOOOOOOOO don't want to. I hate doing night sessions, but I gotta do it right now because I told myself I'd take some more day hours off to get back in peak condition, so that's what I'm trying to do.

 

My daughter is watching me type and laughing at my fingers because I type so fast. Oh, to be a kid again and find absolutely everything funny

 

Bye for now

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Thanks Christina

 

Vivalasvegans;

Yeah it was all done at a 5.0 incline. Actually wasn't that tough at all. I don't run full speed, do a very slow jog at the intervals. I don't like to get my heartrate ever above 150.

 

Today I did the same cardio routine

but with an alternating incline of 5.5 to 6.0

Walk 5 min

Lunges 45 seconds

Jog 2 min

Repeat for 20 minutes

Only had time for 5 additional minutes on the stepmill

2 min Level 5, 1:30 Level 10 with kickbacks, 1:30 Level 5... then I had to go get the rugrat.

 

Worked leg intervals today:

Ball squats holding 5 lb weight plates 4 x 90 seconds

Leg Curls 4x12

Barbell Deadlifts 4 x 12

Seated Calf Raise 4 x 12

 

I feel that I should be doing more.

 

I have been in a real funk lately. I am just discouraged how slow it is to see changes in the mirror. I am working so hard and I really see nothing. Now I know everyone thinks I'm being hard on myself because of the photos I just took, but you have no idea how good lighting, standing just perfectly and the right clothes can camoflauge your flaws. I promise I know the different in my body between when it is really fit and when its not... and right now, the tone is just non-existent compared to what it was a year ago. This makes me feel anxious all day long. I know I need to be patient but I want to see SOME progress. I want some of my old pants I wore last year to fit a little bit. And they just don't. I WILL be patient. I will continue tweaking cardio and working my ass off and being tight with my diet until I get there, but PLEASE GOD just throw me a little bone for all of my efforts. Give me an inch off the hips and butt... pretty please? Then again, I doubt God grant frivolous wishes such as that.

 

That's it for now. Just trying to keep my spirits up despite the fact I've seen zero changes in a month.

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I have been in a real funk lately. I am just discouraged how slow it is to see changes in the mirror. I am working so hard and I really see nothing. Now I know everyone thinks I'm being hard on myself because of the photos I just took, but you have no idea how good lighting, standing just perfectly and the right clothes can camoflauge your flaws. I promise I know the different in my body between when it is really fit and when its not... and right now, the tone is just non-existent compared to what it was a year ago. This makes me feel anxious all day long. I know I need to be patient but I want to see SOME progress. I want some of my old pants I wore last year to fit a little bit. And they just don't. I WILL be patient. I will continue tweaking cardio and working my ass off and being tight with my diet until I get there, but PLEASE GOD just throw me a little bone for all of my efforts. Give me an inch off the hips and butt... pretty please? Then again, I doubt God grant frivolous wishes such as that.

 

 

 

YES! thats the feeling exactly. I couldnt have said it better myself. i feel like i am just now getting past that stage. Looking in the mirror going "hmmm...maybe 145 is a normal healthy weight for me" haha! ah the excuses we make. but honestly it helps to just accpt it. i feel like since i accepted that my body is different than it was a year ago and there's no superfast way around it, that i've made way better progress. maybe i reversed psychology'd MYSELF! Anyway, we can do this VP!

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It may be cliche, but I feel your pain sistah. I've been drinking the Tulsi tea and it calms me, it's an adaptogen, like Macca in some respects, and then meditation, I even have a hypnosis mp3 on raising metabolism (very calming), and good self talk. Your really hard work will pay off massively.

 

Tulsi Tea: Sweet Basil anti-stress, metabolism improvement, skin tone... GOOD STUFF!

http://www.divavillage.com/article.php?id=41118

http://hinduism.about.com/od/ayurveda/a/tulsibenefits.htm

 

I'm going to chug some now.

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I feel like this a lot too! Sometimes it sucks being a woman. We are always very critical of our bodies. Anyway I wish I could get rid of the last five pounds or so, and that results of my workouts would be seen, we just have to continue being patient. At times it seems that I see progress, but it is definitely slow, I wish it would be faster. I'm sure that one day soon you will notice a big difference, and everything will start coming together for you.

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VP, you are such a beautiful woman instead AND out. To me that is what is really important.

You inspire many of us here on the board and are always encouraging and supportive.

YOu should feel REALLY REALLY good about that.

What would you tell a client if she was feeling how you are now? Many times we KNOW what we need to do but we don't listen to ourselves. We can be really hard on ourselves.

 

Keep up the hard work, don't back down and I know you will get to where you want to be, I guarantee it.

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What would you tell a client if she was feeling how you are now?

 

Ahhhh, but here is the difference. As a Personal Trainer (and model) we are expected to be the ideal and not "human". Even though in the back of clients minds they know we are but human... it's not what they want to see. Those who don't like what we stand for (health and fitness) are looking to find "the one" flaw. So if we eat something that makes us bloat, put on a few pounds during a cycle etc.... they have their ammo. It is a REALLY, REALLY, tough business to put yourself out there on body image daily. So, I KNOW where she is coming from!

 

There are many many days where I want to go back to the skinny fat cardio queen .... ribs and all. Those models just maintain with low cal diets and some cardio. Keeping & building muscle while being low BF for shoots and appearances is so much harder! Are we healthy? Darn right we are! It's the daily mental fight we have with ourselves on the image part of it all.

 

****before the lecture begins... we KNOW being healthy is the point. However, our image pays the bills in our chosen field. We either stay in and deal with it or get out of this business. In this case VP and I both will be around for many years to come

 

VP: Got your message (tag, I'm it, lol).... will phone you back this afternoon!

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God knows how much I hate plateaus! Why? Why? Why?

 

Though, when we plow right on thru them. Figure out what we have to do to change our bodies once again. The feeling of victory is oh so sweet. When I peak (I am trying again for the second time to reach my comp weight as a vegan) it will be sweet. I will probably smile inside and outside all the time.

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Wow, thanks for all of the wonderful words of encouragement ladies. Very wonderful to get all of this support.

 

Dani... I hear ya, but I guess the problem I face is that there ARE little tricks to make it go away faster, so its hard for me to be patient when it just creeps along.

 

Having said that, I have noticed some things I'm doing different this time around and I have to incorporate some good 'ole tricks that seemed to work for me.

 

Now, these are little things that worked for ME, so it doesen't mean they will work for everyone, but I'll keep you posted if it starts coming off quicker now. I don't care about my upper body, that always gets toned in time with just the gym. But the lower half hangs on for dear life, so that's where the lil tricks come in.

 

1) I'm not consuming as much protein as I used to. Because I'm struggling a bit financially at the moment, I've cut back on the powders and so I only have two in my cupboard, both of which made me gag, so I'm investing in at least 3 new powders that I know I like the taste of.

 

2) Speaking of powders, I'm going back to taking in more of them as my protein source. The fake meats have been nice and all, but I've been using them more and seeing slower progress and I really think the more powders I can use as opposed to other proteins, the quicker my progress is. Then I'll incorporate the fake meats that I love later.

 

3) Invested in a strong fat burner. I really trust my Supplement guy. I send him alot of business and he always cuts me a discount and never recommends that I take anything I don't need so he reminded me of the one I was taking last year and it was falling off faster with that fat burner come to think of it. So I bought it.

 

4) Water intake. Been lazy about the water so I've got to go back to a gallon a day. PERIOD. No excuses, no exceptions.

 

That's about it. Training is good, cardio is great. I never EVER mindlessly do an exercise and give it all I've got each and every rep as far as form, so that is spot on. Hopefully these littel tricks are exactly what I need.

 

Okay, now off to look at the Cox cable listings to see if any of my fave shows start soon so I can blast out a good hour or more on the stepmill and some upper body.

 

Ciao... and thanks again everyone for the support.

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