My story - Am I doing everything right? :)

[gYmgIrL]

Originally Posted by sucher67

Awesome attitude. Very cool.

Originally Posted by sucher67

Congrats, gymgIrL! With your determination, you will see some super results. Using the calipy thingies is a good idea-- be careful with using the scale-- you will find that muscle weighs a lot. No need to be too nervous about it. Go with how you look and how you feel.

hehe calipy thingies. I still got on the scale cause theres one in the changeroom at the gym, and it fluctuates by so much so often! But now I'm rooting for it to go up! hehe. It's hard not to be nervous, because sometimes you look different depending on how you feel. I know that makes no sense. But all you need if for those things to say you've got a little more fat then before and all of a sudden you can see it popping out everywhere! i need lying calipys!!

Originally Posted by sucher67

It sounds like you are feeling a lot better, as well. I am excited for you-- keep us updated on your progress!

I am! lots! And I will Thank you!

Originally Posted by sucher67

(Perhaps I too should try a weetabix in the morning as a workout enhancer . . .)

I'm assuming weetbix and weetabix are the same thing! It's crazy here they have a theme song "Aussie kids, are weetbix kids. Aussie kids, are weet-bix-kids!" I'm sure they must have stayed up alll night writing that one :P

Originally Posted by sucher67

Very positive. Not only does a fit body look great, but staying strong and healthy gives both men and women a good shot of confidence. I have heard rumours that men generally find confident women to be attractive . . . you might want to be on the lookout for doughboys . . .

Haha! cute It's funny when guys come up to talk to you at the gym. The last time someone came n sat next to me and was doing bicep curls making pain face and everything and then stopping to ask me where i work and why am i working out and all that sort of thing. Haha, its hard to stop and be nice when you just want to say "cant talk... lifting"

haha

yeah they say some funny things. Sometimes people come and help you out though, and thats nice. Or have a joint complaint with you about how hot is

The other day a lady came over and pointed the fan at me and said I worked really hard and deserved all the fan! hehe that was lovely

It's strange, cause I'm in the music industry over here and it's so bitchy and yet everyone that i speak to about this seems so lovely. Is everyone that lovely everywhere? Or do competitions and things get quite nasty?

[ItGrl]

great story! way to go!

[Mr. Stone]

Hehe. I can't stand it when someone tries to talk to me while I have weight in my hands. You're very nice.

[gYmgIrL]

hehe thanks! I secretly want them to go away though!

hehehehe

[Mr. Stone]

Then tell them!

[gYmgIrL]

ah ok dont yell I'm sorry! hehe

Nah they're ok! They're just trying to be nice I'm sure!

[Nightshade]

I think you are a nice and kind person .

BTW check your PM please

have a nice day
(Nightshade)Alex

[gYmgIrL]

Thank you very much I'll write back now!

Speaking of PM's! How lovely is it to get them? And reps but i have no idea what they are! but they are sooooo lovely!!

I wanted this thread to be a thread so that i could get advice from lots of people and so that others in a similar or the same situation as me could learn and not make the same mistakes i have, or do the things that I'm doing that are working. So I'd prefer to chat out here!

And to save some of ya the trouble if you're going to msg me about it - nope i dont have anymore pics! and same deal if i did with any progress on it I'd post them out here.

I do love getting PM's though! So if you want to talk about anything fitness related things then yay!

I have some more questions too... *new post*

[gYmgIrL]

Ok so when it comes to doing weights to failure, some excercises are too scary to do rediculous weight on.

Like squats for example. If you squat until you cant stand up straight anymore... what do you do?

is it better to do squats on the smith rack?

and does form matter a lot on 45o leg press or is it more how much weight you can do?

[Mr. Stone]

That's what spotters are for. Your gym should have a staff on hand to help you if you don't feel comfortable with one of the patrons helping.

Form ALWAYS matters. The danger of doing heavy weights on the 45 degree leg press is contracture. (lower back pain) Don't let that scare you, just make sure you are doing it correctly.

Let me recommend a book to you- "Strength Training Anatomy" by Delavier. It's an illustrated guide on various resistance exercises. Get it. You won't regret it.

[gYmgIrL]

Thank you very much! they also have Womans Strength Training Anatomy but i think the normal one might be better I'll order it now!

Oh ok. I did the 45 press this morning until i couldnt push it anymore. It was on 80kgs (176 lbs) and i had to get off and remove some weight. (oh the shame! )

I hurt my back a bit so I'm blaming that, but i didnt get any lower back pain so thats good. I think I'm pretty strong there. I can tell when I'm getting nackered though because after a while my knees come in together. Do you think i should go down weight?

Also another question about that, is there a link or anything for that excercise and feet positioning? I always have my feet at the bottom of the pushy thing, but i saw someone getting trained on it today and she had them almost at the top. it must do different muscles but what?

Squats scare me! but because its such a bum sticky-outy thing i like to do them when theres no one around. Once i'm a little less self concious I'll ask someone to help! until then i think I might just stick to 44lbs squats

[gYmgIrL]

oh and yet another question

is it normal to have not-so inspiring spates? like this week i did something to my lung/back and i dont know whether to blame that, or blame the fact that i havent changed my workout routine yet? For some reason over the last couple of days i haven't felt very awesome, like i did when i first started getting results.

On Sunday was when i woke up with the hurty and i tried to do back at the gym, and i did and everything, maybe lost a set or two but it was ok and i did abs a plenty, but they're just appearing so its easy to stay amped about them. Then on Monday I was in too much pain and just did cardio, which still hurt, so on Tuesday I had the day off. On Wednesday I tried to do legs but it wasnt very successful and then today i did biceps and chest and it was hard to bring myself to do it. Not cause it hurts but just because im getting really down about it.

I'm not about to give up or anything, i was just thinking maybe I'm getting bored and need to change everything? Maybe I need to concerntrate on losing fat again? That made me feel better last time. Maybe its because I'm not going up 5 kilos a day anymore? Or because I'm not seeing instant results?

I dont want to start thinking negative! So what positive steps do you think i should take towards amping myself up about it again?

Maybe i'm screwing the diet again? Perhaps half an hour talking to a trainer might help? Spensive though.

If this is a normal come with the territory feeling thingy then if anyone else is there you're not alone! Go team!

[gYmgIrL]

I think this might be the culprit

I did an inverview in a local Music rag here, and they decided to put the worlds most unflattering picture in it.




It sort of makes you wonder what the point is of working as hard as i do when i still look like that anyway. And theres absolutely nothing I can do about my face.


UUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGHHH I'm so SAAAAAAAAAAAAAADD

[bluebird]

Gymgirl, don't let that discourage you! I wouldn't consider that an awful picture, but one which shows that you are a serious rocker.

I think you are making wonderful progress. Everyone hits a plateau some time or another. I'm sure one of the many fitness experts here will chime in with some effective, modification of nutrition or exercise for you.

IMHO, you're doing Great!

[gYmgIrL]

Thank you so much for cheering me up

You're so very lovely

I shouldn't let such superficial things upset me but there are so much better pics they could have chosen.



no one would say i had fat arms in that one!

what does IMHO stand for?

Aww you've made me feel so much better already

[bluebird]

Originally Posted by gYmgIrL

shouldn't let such superficial things upset me but there are so much better pics they could have chosen.

I completely understand how you feel and it's truly not a superficial thing to be concerned about your appearance, well being, and health...it's something everyone owes themselves.

what does IMHO stand for?

For...In My Humble Opinion....

Aww you've made me feel so much better already

Yeah! You've been working hard, you deserve it

[sucher67]

Originally Posted by gYmgIrL

I shouldn't let such superficial things upset me but there are so much better pics they could have chosen.

Your arms look really great! Stay on track-- you will not see changes as rapidly as you did when you first started training. No one can sustain progress at the same rate as when they first started-- if that were the case we would all have to go to the gym a few times a month. Stay confident! You will be an EF Babe in no time...

By the way, there is the lounge forum for discussing things like music. You could probably contribute some good stuff there. It would be refreshing to have a few more female contributors.

[gYmgIrL]

Thanks Sucher

Ugh, damn those unrapid changes!

I booked a personal training session with a lady who came 2nd in the australian ameture figure comp! so I will be a blabbering idiot, but I'll be able to get my fat percantage checked out properly and figure out i can do to keep it interesting.

I also booked to get some photos done!

so that should help!! (as long as they turn out good! haha)

staying positive and driven is the key im sure! I sorta lost my apetite a bit though but i had the day off training today so that should be ok! though i have a gig tonght and that gets your heart rate up a fair bit!

Lounge sounds awesome for music chat!! ill definately join in!

[gYmgIrL]

Woohoo! I'm down to 15-16%! that didnt take too long! and after my bad week! No wonder you can see some abs!

I did personal training with the figure lady today, she's so awesome. So now I'm completely pumped! well... my back is anyway :P

I think I'm going to start blogging everything so that I definately eat properly and stay focused!

YAY!

[ItalianStallion]

awesome news...keep up the good working....giving me motivation to go out n work better myself...you are very dedicated...good stuff