Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I stuffed the squash with brown rice, shredded "Follow Your Heart" cheddar, pine nuts, and ground turmeric. It was very yummy!

_________________
Courtney

"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, we'd all be vegetarians."
-Linda McCartney

Friday, May 29, 2009

Last night I was talking to my mom who was ordering me two outfits for my cousin's upcoming wedding in June. We placed the order, the dress being one size larger than I had expected. Also, in case you didn't know back in January my mom had Lap Band weight loss surgery. She's down 50 pounds in the 4 months since the surgery. She asked me last night after we placed the order how I'd been doing with going to the gym. Well, as you all know I've been slacking in that department. I've been eating healthy but my weight loss has been small. Just a pound or two here and there. Nothing decent in the past two months. I admitted that. I also asked her how much she weighed. She said, "269 this morning." That puts her at one pound more than me. Yes, I weigh 268 pounds. (That comes from an entire lifetime of crappy eating and not exercising.)

Now I've always had the small consolation that I was not the fattest person in my family. No matter how big I got, I always had the consolation that my mom was larger. Well, not anymore! She ordered the same size clothes I did from the website. Shit. If I don't get my lazy ass to the gym then I am going to be the fattest person in my family. That will suck! So I talked with my husband about it this morning. We're setting a gym schedule for me. I will go Wednesday mornings, Friday mornings, and sometime on Saturday at a minimum. Due to his work schedule I can't go in the evenings after work because he has to go to work then. So it's got to be in the morning if I go during the week. Weekends are flexible. Once I finish my banana shake, I am getting my stuff and heading off to the gym. Gotta get my lazy as to work!

Feel free to shake me up if you catch me slacking. Remind me that I don't want to be the fattest person in my family. Remind me of my slim and trim cousins and aunts and my fit, in-shape uncle. And remind me that I wanted to lose this weight to prove to my mom that I didn't have to spend $15,000 at the hospital to lose it. It can be done in a healthy and natural way!

I'm going to the gym now.

Breakfast: banana protein shake
Lunch: hummus on whole wheat bread with lettuce, tomato, and banana pappers, spinash salad with mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, and a homemade raspberry vinaigrette dressing
Dinner: leftover stir fry, Tofutti Almond Bark

Exercise: 30 minutes on the elliptical

_________________
Courtney

"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, we'd all be vegetarians."
-Linda McCartney

Good for you - I'm glad you're off to the gym and I look forward to reading about your workout when you get back!

Personally I'm addicted to working out in the morning...I love the buzz it gives me all day!

_________________
vegan for the win!

I'm back and at work now! Yeah, I definitely feel good! It's been nearly a month since I was in there. I only had a half hour to spend so I did 30 minutes on the elliptical. I wanted to stay longer but sadly had to come to work.

_________________
Courtney

"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, we'd all be vegetarians."
-Linda McCartney

There is a lot of exercises that you can do around your house for even a few minutes when you can't get to the gym. So don't let that hold you back on your goal of losing weight! I know you can do this!!

Think bodyweight stuff like squats, lunges, pushups, situps, jumping jacks, etc.

I tried to add you on FB and MS but I don't know your name. You can add me if you want.

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http://www.myspace.com/MaryStellaStab
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id= ... ef=profile

I just went to Facebook and requested you as a friend. I don't get on MySpace very much but I am a Facebook-aholic.

_________________
Courtney

"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, we'd all be vegetarians."
-Linda McCartney

Saturday, May 30, 2009

This definitely wasn't one of my better days. My friends Sarah and Chris were having their 5 year anniversary party today. I drank. Margaritas are definitely not on the weight loss plan. Just had 2, but still it's a minor setback. Ate like crap today, but learned that fried broccoli is super yum! Dang near anything fried is gonna taste good, yet be so bad for me! Also, Aunt Flo is visiting so I feel all bloated. Ick. I'm ready for this week to be done.

Breakfast: Boca burger, soy milk
Lunch: fries and ketchup
Dinner: 2 margaritas, 2 veggie dogs, Tofutti Almond Bark, fried broccoli

Exercise: Due to the party, I am hitting the gym on Sunday.

_________________
Courtney

"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, we'd all be vegetarians."
-Linda McCartney

Sunday, May 31, 2009

I am really wanting to shake things up at the gym. Just doing the elliptical or treadmill is exercise, but doesn't work all of my muscles. I am going to spend a little time browsing through some of the workout blogs on here and make a list of various exercises to try at the gym this morning. I am going to concentrate on arms and chest today. Please, when I get home and post that I did, if you see anything I did wrong or any other exercises that could help me improve, share them with me! I love feedback!

EDIT: Back from the gym! Workout is posted below!

Breakfast: banana protein shake
Lunch: fried rice (brown rice, tofu, carrots, peas, corn, potatoes, and teriyaki sauce)
Dinner: fried zucchini with marinara sauce

Exercise: My workout at the gym today. It's not awesome like the other workouts I read on here, so please don't laugh.

15 minute (1 mile) warmup on the elliptical

Tricep Extensions:
10 x 10
10 x 10
10 x 10

Preacher Curls:
35 x 10
35 x 10
35 x 10
35 x 10

Pushups:
20 on the knees

Abdominal Machine:
65 x 10
65 x 10
65 x 10
65 x 10
80 x 10

Compound Row:
65 x 10
65 x 10
65 x 10
65 x 10
65 x 10
65 x 10

Bicep Curl:
10 x 10
10 x 10
10 x 10

Front - Side Raises:
7.5 x 8
7.5 x 8

Overhead Press:
20 x 10
20 x 10
20 x 10

Lat Pull Down:
65 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10
80 x 10

Ended with 30 minutes (2 miles) on the elliptical.

_________________
Courtney

"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, we'd all be vegetarians."
-Linda McCartney

got it. I am the same. I still have a myspace but don't use it nearly as much as facebook. have fun at the gym and I will check it out later.

_________________
http://www.myspace.com/MaryStellaStab
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id= ... ef=profile

Glad you are not letting your minor setback stop you - keep right at it!

_________________
vegan for the win!

Monday, June 1, 2009

Happy June! I am a little sore from yesterday at the gym. Once my body gets used to a more well-rounded routine than just the elliptical, I shouldn't be so stiff. Won't be going to the gym today, but will find some other exercise to do.

It's weigh-in day too. Had a gain of 2.8, possibly due to Aunt Flo visiting and not eating the best earlier on this week. But now that I am going to make a habit out of getting to the gym and getting healthy food in me, this number should start decreasing.



Breakfast: banana protein shake
Lunch: leftover fried rice, fries, salad with sesame dressing
Dinner: Mexican pizza

Exercise: 40 on the knees pushups, 100 crunches

_________________
Courtney

"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, we'd all be vegetarians."
-Linda McCartney

Glad to see you still got some work in even without the gym!

_________________
http://www.myspace.com/MaryStellaStab
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id= ... ef=profile

Me too! While on break at work, I went into "The Quiet Room" there. We have this room we call "The Quiet Room" at the office which has a couple of recliners and a cot and lots of floor space. It's hardly ever used so I am going in there on break and doing the crunches and pushups in there. It's a great little space at the office to get away from the computer and do some compact exercises. That also helps me feel refreshed. I find that if I'm getting tired at work I can go in there and do a little bit of exercise and come back to my desk feeling good because I got moving a little bit.

_________________
Courtney

"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, we'd all be vegetarians."
-Linda McCartney

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Hey folks! I have to tell you about the weirdest freaking dream I had last night! I dreamed they had a "Vegan Girls in Iron" bodybuilding competition for the chicks on the forum. And I decided I was going to compete! Me, in a bodybuilding competition? The idea is completely laughable! It was really funny, especially afterwards. No, I didn't win the competition. Marcina did actually! But afterward we all had a tofu fight. We were running around this parking lot somewhere throwing tofu at each other. It was so funny and totally weird!

Yesterday at work they sent out an e-mail looking for volunteers to help with Habitat for Humanity. I e-mailed the coordinator and volunteered. They'll e-mail everyone today and let us know which seven people from the office were picked to go. I really hope I get picked! There are about 300 people at my office and they're only taking 7 so my chances of getting picked are slim, but I am trying anyway. The chosen few will get a paid day off of work tomorrow and go help build a house! That would be so neat and so rewarding! So, I'll find out this afternoon if I get picked. Keep your fingers crossed!

Breakfast: Cream of Wheat hot cereal with a little sugar and Earth Balance, glass of soy milk
Lunch: 2 burritos with beans, rice, tomatoes, guacamole, salsa, and lettuce
Dinner: Boca burger, fries with ketchup

Exercise: 40 on the knee pushups, 125 crunches

_________________
Courtney

"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, we'd all be vegetarians."
-Linda McCartney

Love the dream - especially the tofu fight!

I hope you get picked to go, that would be awesome!

_________________
vegan for the win!