Linda Cusmano 2009 Off/Pre and ON Season

**lizzyb** · April 21st, 2009, 03:47 PM

Yeah......what ^^^^^he said!!

**Italianangel** · April 25th, 2009, 01:50 PM

Okay, things are good, some painfree moments have been coming....this new drug must be helping and hallelujah for that!!!
I am slowly tightening and have not made huge changes yet with diet or cardio.

Have been lifting daily, comfortabley, no huge push or anything, mainly consistency and re intro......and so far so good, changes are coming faster than the effort I am putting in so its motivating me as i know it all gets easier and I can work harder......and I love that progression, toward feeling invincible.

I have to do some dang lab samples for my tum issues........stuff I have never done - yicky stuff...............and maybe have to get some tube put down into my body through mouth, better be through mouth. the dr gave me some pill for my tum incase its not ibs, see it was 2 doctors ago I was diagnosed so that means he did not diagnose so he does not look at it as a diagnoses, even so its in my fricken file.............anyway.......he wants to ensure its not just acid reflux, even so I don't get the reflux part, where you feel it in the upper areas, he says it can be causing what I am feeling.......otherwise he mentioned another drug htey use for ibs and said i would be easy to see if it is ibs by taking it and seeing if it helps but for now he is diong this acid thing and drug first........love being a fricken guinea pig!
so anyway, I am happy with how full I look right now and can feel hardening which is all good!!!
still need to get on routine though, cutting it close.......I may just go over the drive dance center and see about hiring one of them for a choreography and teaching session or 2, or barter if they are into that.
Linda

**Italianangel** · April 26th, 2009, 07:57 PM

Okay so in my attempt to splurge this weekend, the universe made it so that my splurges were more like mild treats.
It was so funny, so I end up eating cleaner than I even tried simply because of crazy little non obvious, small, nothing, little circumstances........its so funny!!!

I love it when things flow in my favor with minimal efforts!
I keep forgetting to tap into positive thought yet everytime I do, I am reminded like this, how the universe is so ready to work for us!!!
And for those who believe, God is pretty good too, with an odd sense of humor though!
Linda

**Italianangel** · April 27th, 2009, 12:08 PM

Great news, the drug I am trying is helping my pain, and its not a pain killer, it should help rebuild bone and such, I know I have had painfree moments which is something I have rarely felt in the past 2 years.
The tightness from the rearender I had is coming along fine with my work and conditioning and it was most of the spinal...upper/lower and mid back etc but did not seem to worsen my ongoing issue.

IBS seems to be settling too.

Now the most exciting thing for me, I had half an egg yesterday....of course it was like 60% veggies (spinach/tomato) and 30% egg and I only ate half the mix just incase but it was fine!!!!!! 16 years later and yippeee, I can have eggs again.
I also had a few bites of chicken on the weekend and that was fine too but not sure how much I enjoy that......it tastes alot like the mock stuff I used to eat and well.....did not make me float like the taste of the eggs did plus I hate eating animals!!!

**lizzyb** · April 28th, 2009, 10:04 AM

Great things are happening in here, awesome!!

**Italianangel** · May 4th, 2009, 01:47 PM

I feel strong, thick and solid! I am looking it too, I am carrying around 18-20% bf, by guess..........I will check and post it later....but showing a foggy 6 pack, nice shape and much less pain in both amount of time I am in pain but also in the intensity. I think I dropped a tad body fat and have pumped up muscle so I still sit around 128 ish, up or down a lb.

I am not lifting beyond 75% max and boy I gotta tell you, I am constantly having to remind myself, to hold back and not get all ego filled and grab some heavy weights to show off when I don't need to. Some I cannot even if i tried, it would hurt......but there are some I could totally push more but that is the whole theory around hypertrophy, not max lifting, sub max.
I love how it feels when I know I can lift more and I just so wanna go for it, but I keep in check and focus on bodybuilding, not strength. I keep focusing on feeling the weight through the whole movement, even if its not heavy, its still a load and by controling speed and such I am just concentrating on full motion, form and feeling it all the way, not letting any contraction become unattached to the lift. I find with pec dec its so easy to return and just a bit too fast and you miss the negative.......we forget this when lifting heavy since the lift is the goal, here I know I can lift so its the contraction, form and range which is the goal equaling larger muscle, sculpted muscle, this is how I trained for the first 10 years I lifted then I got all into numbers and loads. Its interesting coming full circle. I look back and the loads I lifted then for the same exercises today, are all higher, not a ton but showing my comfort with the weight for these same exercises had increased in weight. Well duh......but still its cool to see.
I am eating 1-1.5 gm protein per lb on avg, 2000 cals more or less, 1 liter water which has to go up, and am barely making this.........better food item choices now as I ween off dairy and sugars almost completely.
I have been eating an egg every 2 days the past week.....I don't want to push things and eat one daily but I could eat 4 daily!!!!!! I have to hold back. I did try 2 one day and got a tummy ache so I still need to keep it low and eating with other foods. I tried some chicken on the weekend, it was fine, not a huge deal, not as nice as eggs but now I have some choices for proteins as I think I am getting intolerant to whey. I am going to get the hemp from my sponsors and see how it goes. I have been on barely any supps with my tummy being off all year from one thing or another. I have to shift now into a program with what I know works and not stress my system on too many things.
I am going to break it all down once I figure it out. For now I am only on my meds.
This new drug should rebuild the damage to my disc and anywhere else I don't know about so that I can eventually ween off it and I am on such a small dose yet getting such great results.
I should be doing some shoots soon too so I can update my comparisons for this year.
Best year yet is this year, I can see it already. Regardless how I place I know I am going to hit a new level in my physique this year.

Linda

**6-Pak Girl** · May 5th, 2009, 01:38 AM

Linda, This is so exciting! I'm so happy for you. Truly inspirational.

**lizzyb** · May 5th, 2009, 04:07 PM

My goodness.........it really resonates in your update, the whole package!! You sound soooo upbeat, bigger, better than ever......this IS your year to shine even brighter than ever from within!! Awesome!

**Italianangel** · May 7th, 2009, 10:14 AM

Now I remember why I hate going in to train in the evening............the energy and mood is so different than the early morning. People are so crabby, bitchy, frowny, mean and impatient at night after work. I love my job and am so appreciative to have been chosen on this work path...........I feel sorry for those miserable others who end up like I saw last night!
My gym is very neighborhood and friendly comparted to the big name gyms already but I have run into a few miserable people who feel they need to get attention and make others miserable by picking a fight with someone about 'i am still using this' or 'to much and too loud talking on the cardio' or 'you invaded my stretching space' CMON!!!!!!!!!! The gym is packed, no ones fault, come another time if you are not comfortable.....otherwise deal with it without being mean. We share stuff, none of this I am still using it crap........and cardio is loud, machines are loud, music is on, you talk, you talk loud, who cares, most people who are not talking have ipods, turn it up!!!!! It is so sad that some of the easy going, loving people have to share space with this others who really don't want to be alive.............why are they in they gym if they hate life? go away and leave the rest of us alone and don't spread your grungy tude!!!! Now be being a trainer have to look away, ignore or solve amicably when there are issues in the gym.........well sometimes I just wanna punch the f88u88ckers out.
Well of course as I write this, that is the closest I get to this satisfaction so obviously I never punch anyone out.............just the heavy bag.

Anyway, still going strong!!!

**vanessa40** · May 7th, 2009, 11:50 AM

You are right..the mood is different. When i use to workout at the gym i noticed this all the time. The morning people seem more calm. In the afternoon it was always hectic. That's why i started only going in the mornings.

**lizzyb** · May 7th, 2009, 03:05 PM

LMAO!! Oh how I can recall all the negative personalities I used to run into in just one day, with my own work. Got to a point where I actually made those types my personal challenge. I will kill them with kindness and be quite tenacious about it too! After a while I got the rep for having the patience of a saint and a miracle worker at best as these people were then eating from my hands, lol!! The down side?! Well, every nasty new client that was a particular sort of SOB or bi-otch was given to me......great satisfaction watching them leave with a smile on thier faces and feeling all good about themselves and not even realizing that they've just been kicked in the 'nuts' so to speak, lol!! I miss those days sometimes, lol!!

**Italianangel** · May 11th, 2009, 01:09 PM

I only got 4 days of weight and cardio (1 hr sessions) in last week, NO YOGA, even so I can do it at home and its only 30 mins I just cannot get motivated to do it........will keep working on it. Maybe today I will fit one it. I know I should just for back relief.

I have had an egg daily, no prob but with bread so today I did just an egg alone and I was fine - WOOHOO!! So I think from now on for this month I am going with an egg every day pre gym, it did the trick, I used to not eat at all and eat after or just have a shake but I think I am sensitive to whey now so until I get some hemp powder I am going to use grilled chicken breast, egg, fish and hemp for my protien.

I have half a sandwich left of goat cheese, avocado and sprouts on a sourdough rye and that is it for bread for now and once I eat that today, no more bread, as I feel a bit heavy, I look okay but weight 133.......until I feel that I look leaner, 6 pack was a bit cloudy today, then no more bread. Also okay with fruit, need more produce and have to get back into oats/brown rice and quiona.

I have to admit this chicken and egg thing is a bit of an unknown. I have not competed with these items so have no idea how my body will react, if it will bloat me or what. I get fat off red meat so........this month is a tester but I cannot gain so much it won't come off by show so lets see.
I also was not as aware of my body when I DID eat them so have no idea how I was reacting then and that was prior to 1993 so.........its all new.

I may have to drop chicken and eggs by July if I don't see it working with me and my diet but that's okay, at least i get some variety for now.......and also last week I went a bit crazy on testing chicken items I used to love and have not eaten in years.......like chicken tenders from wendys with bbq sauce to dip! Wow. Has some pesto fetuccine with grilled chicken one day but otherwise have been off regular pop, decreased sweeteners hence my starbucks americanos each morning - no more, I use tea at home and will be on decaff tea next. Decreased diet pop too.
I have a few crystal lights but have not gone nuts on that either so its all good.
I like using a full lemon juiced into a liter of water. Its like a unsweetened lemonade.........I so want to add sweetener or sugar but am fighting it.

I missed my new med for 2-3 days and pain set in......I cannot miss more than a day or 2. Its not a pain killer but seems to work as anti inflammatory.

Still no fitness routine, this week its a must!

I am also thinking of doing a hi low weight thing alt. by week. so your basic 8, 10, 12 rep training for my low week and 15-20 for my high week so I can blend some hypertrophy with leaning and avoid looking too stringy like last year. Cardio is not too high intensity yet, low to mid and for long bouts. that works for me to lean but I can up intensity as we go if needed, I usually do anyway as I get better on the cardio machines from consistency.

side note- short hair is weird for sweating, hard to deal with compared to a pulled back pony tail, I mean like wiping it etc.......but otherwise my hair has been fun and is growing out slowly, I should have a nice short bob by show.

Business is okay, slowed a tad for summer but not too scary. I would love to get a few more onliners or one more in person regular for now for the summer so I may do some marketing toward that.

Linda

**Italianangel** · May 11th, 2009, 11:07 PM

Diet Plan is done - if I find that the chicken and or egg is too much I will have to redo the plan, adjusting to fish only.
http://members.shaw.ca/italianangel/MP09.pdf

**Italianangel** · May 11th, 2009, 11:17 PM

Some of you should try this diet out just for a 5-7 day period and see what happens, it would be kinda neat to see how others would take to it. It's safe enough, nutrient rich enough and for guys you can just double the protein, I have to keep it lower for now, my system has been on high protein diet cycles for too many years now so this year I decided to do less than MY norm which was kinda high even compared to some guys I know.
It is also carb rich enough for most.

If anyone does try it out for a week, let me know how it goes, weigh before and after and because its only 5-7 days, it only counts if you follow it strictly- protein increase adjustment for those guys who need of course.

Linda

**Italianangel** · May 12th, 2009, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Italianangel

Some of you should try this diet out just for a 5-7 day period and see what happens, it would be kinda neat to see how others would take to it. It's safe enough, nutrient rich enough and for guys you can just double the protein, I have to keep it lower for now, my system has been on high protein diet cycles for too many years now so this year I decided to do less than MY norm which was kinda high even compared to some guys I know.
It is also carb rich enough for most.

If anyone does try it out for a week, let me know how it goes, weigh before and after and because its only 5-7 days, it only counts if you follow it strictly- protein increase adjustment for those guys who need of course.

Linda

I realized I forgot the veg for lunch, so I just amended it, so if anyone kept a copy before today, adjust or save it again now.
Linda

**6-Pak Girl** · May 13th, 2009, 12:20 AM

Hi Linda, I love reading how you're mixing it up. Sounds like you're having fun trying new proteins. I do hope the chicken and eggs work for you. It'd be nice to have some variety. Question for you - what kind of cleanse do you do (if any) post season?

**Italianangel** · May 15th, 2009, 09:23 PM

i forgot the dinner starches, but I adjusted the diet now.....

**Italianangel** · May 17th, 2009, 12:48 AM

so this week was good in the end, lots of cardio and workouts NO YOGA again.....oops, weights etc, diet on. I lost 3 lbs a few days ago, then 2 more the next day and another yesterday so even so I was up to 133 I am back down to 127. I am so happy I am fuller and going to come back competing at a lean heavier weight.

I would not normally really cheat anymore at this point other than a coffee with some milk, very little but because there were 2 occasions missed, one was dated for today and one is dated for tomorrow so these will be the last cheats until July 25th.

I had a client who wanted to take me for afternoon tea in March but I had to put it off due to my tummy issues last few months. We went today so although the bread stuffs was small, its still a cheat and you know there is sugar in the small sweets tier and you know I used a 1/2 tbs of devon cream and a small smear of jam......and I used sugar in my tea but less than my norm and a but of milk. I brought the little deserts on the top tier home to split with my guy so that helps.
Dinner is going to be a veg dog, so the cheat there is mainly the bun and ketchup.
I may have a handful of fries though.

Tomorrow is the belated anniversary - 19 yrs. so we figured to not bust my diet too much we go to earls. I may have a drink or a pasta or instead a calamari which is fried or I may have a bread item.......and for sure I am going to have a desert and I know which, and its very very much a huge huge cheat, chocolate pudding cake with hot caramel, hot fudge and a scoop of ice cream. So although I will not have all the foods mentioned, prob just one of them, I will def be having that desert and a drink or 2.

The rest of my day today and tomorrow are on diet.

I got my hour cardio in today and did a wicked abs session - 3x20 vsits, 3x20 oblique crunches, 3x50 knee crunches into chest, laying on mat, 3x100 bench vsits or kips. All bodyweight and done by the 20 or 30 with small 7 sec or so rests but its done!

**Italianangel** · May 17th, 2009, 11:51 AM

So in browsing the menu, I think I have decided what my cheat meal will be tonight.
Champagne Berry and Spinach Salad | seasonal berries, goat cheese, red onion slivers, avocado, toasted almonds, baby spinach, champagne vinaigrette
Add 1/2 breast of grilled chicken
So not a huge deal here but .........desert......and I DO NOT SHARE!!!! So I am eating this all by my lil old sefl!

Chocolate Sticky Toffee Pudding | warm rich chocolate cake, chocolate and toffee sauces, Mario’s Gelati vanilla bean gelato

And I wonder if I should order a drink or glass of wine? I may or may not, I am not a huge alc craver really. Its the sweet alcs I like, cuz of the sweet! I may order a glass of ice wine or a sweet white or maybe a slushy type bellini thingy.....I don't know, I get full too fast in one sitting so I usually share the drink.
Anyway, this is it for 10 weeks after this!!

I figured today I will do another hour of cardio similar to last night.
This week is lo week so I am going to do descending sets with ascending weight like 12, 10, 8, 8.
2-3 exercises per area. I think I may do 2 chest exercises and 2 tricep today, those areas are pretty well developed........I need to do more for areas like my lats and legs right now and abs, even side delt, but chest I can do one less exercise and tricep too, and train at home today then tomorrow I may either hit the gym or do shoulders at home and do 3 exercises with again similar cardio or maybe recumbent bike? not sure, I kinda felt like doing a blade around Stanley Park which is like 10kkm and takes from 35 to 55 mins depending on speed and stops. If I go for exercise I boot it and go intense for shorter time but I may just want to go fore a 47 min time and moderate the speed/intensity.

Have a great long weekend to the Canadians on the board.......I don't think its a long wkend for you US folks.

Linda

**Italianangel** · May 17th, 2009, 12:00 PM

I found the drink I think I may try
-white peach bellini natural peach syrup blended with rum, peach liqueur and sparkling white wine

although if any one is familiar with any of the white wines listed on the menu and know if there are any super sweet ones, lmk.
earls.ca, menu and then scroll down to wine list after the foods/deserts etc.