5-7-2012

SO much has been happening since I last wrote!

I had been prepping to do the spring comps and just kept battling different issues.
1st we lost an entire week of workouts due to driving a 2 day drive to Warner Robins , Ga to see my dad who is in late stage alzheimer’s and had been admitted to a nursing home. It was a very emotional time, and my priority was totally my dad. I stayed on plan for eating but was exhausted & constantly busy so no workouts happened, still, I thought if God wants this, everything will work out and I kept going once i was home. I was doing fine for about a week or two and then bronchitus and sinus infections set it and kept me out of the gym for 2 weeks. I just had an odd feeling all along that maybe the timing was off and I also was having a change in heart and priorities as I wanted to go to school so badly and have been wanting to and there would be 1) no way to make up that much time of lost prep and 2) I felt I couldn’t prep and work and do school all together and be a wife and mom and etc. Finances are a huge part of that, as well, and I’d rather invest in my future.
I prayed and soul searched and just decided, actually I just KNEW, it was time to hang those posing shoes up and retire. I cannot say i’m done for good but i can say, with certainty that i’m done for NOW! My heart is elsewhere…It’s on my future and my new goals which are……….

I’m studying to become a Physical Therapy Assistant! It’s a 2 year program and is wait listed, so while I wait I have a year of prerequisites to get through which i’m currently working on! I’m loving every minute of it!!!

It’s very cool how everything came together once I decided to go this way. I had gone down and barely made the cut off to register for the spring quarter, then i chose what 2 classes i’d start with and miraculously as the registrar informed me, there was actually room in my chosen classes!!! She said at that late date this was highly unusual!
Well that was a Wednesday and the following Thursday I started class!

I really didn’t enjoy school when I was in high school but now I am loving it and the homework as well!

I also had ended up back in the grocery store cashiering after looking for work all summer and not finding anything, but was miserable there and still was searching for a new job. Now God really taught me a LOT and purged some pretty icky stuff out og me through that time at the grocery store and I’m truly thankful for that, but I needed a challenge and a change.
I submitted several resumes for job and one in particular caught my attention and gave me goosebumps. It was for an office assistant to the office manager and also filled the role of PT Tech!! I actually was contacted in less than an hour after I submitted my resume and was scheduled an interview. I made it through and got called back for a second interview with the owner and the office manager and a week later was offered the job!
I LOVE this job! I assist with office duties as well as administer e-stim therapy and ultrasound therapy and also assist with exercises until the PTA and PT can take over with the patient. I also assist them with all their needed preps and have general duties along with that. It’s a busy job with lots of up and down as far as moving and sitting. I love being of some help to patients and love chatting with them!
It;’s so cool to be working in my chosen field of study in some capacity and to be observing and learning on the job as i’m learning in school simultaneously! This will also be an abundance of experience for once I am graduated and go to find a job as a PTA!
I can look back and see God’s hand in every little thing, tangible and intangible!

Onto health news I’m now at 1 month of missing gym time due to my gallbladder konking out. I was experiencing pain in my epigastric region(just in the middle of my upper stomach right under the breast bone) as well as Upper Right Quadrant, specifically right under my rib cage and wrapping around my torso to my back just under my scapula. The pain would get so bad at time while I was at work, i thought I was going to have to go to the ER, but then it would go away. It would also get worse when I ate especially a high fat meal. I would get nauseous and was having diarrhea( Gross! Sorry) but it got to be bad enough I couldn’t be in a check stand and had to miss 3 days of work. To the doctor I went and the first thing the nurse asked was if I still had my gallbladder. Uh Oh! Not a good sign!

The doc came in and said it definitely was presenting as gallbladder and didn’t fit the presentation of GERD ( Gastroesophageal reflux disease) or IBS (Irratable bowel syndrome)
He sent me for an ultrasound right away. No gallstones showed up. Then he sent me for an abdominopelvic CT scan with contrast the next day, still no stones shown. Next up was a hida scan. I basically lay on a table with a video x-ray machine for almost 2 hours. The fist hour and a half they filled my gallbladder with a contrast solution via I.V. and watched it fill. The final 35 minutes they came in and injected a hormone that mimics a very fatty meal into my I.V. I lay there and a few minutes later major pain gripped me unlike any i’d had, I had tears and was gripping the table, it eventually settled down but still hurt just the intensity waxed and waned. I was finally sent home and had to wait to find out. By late that afternoon i hadn’t heard back and called my doc’s nurse who was amazing through this entire thing!! I had only 40% gallbladder function and they didn’t normally take it out until you are 35%, BUT they said that the fact I had such pain during the procedure made the result positive, and that coupled with my symptoms meant that baby needed to come out. My doctor had me and my husband come down right away even though it was after hours and there were no appointments left so he could discuss this.
They ended up getting me into the GI surgeon, who he highly reccomended as he was the BEST, for the next day. I went in and saw the surgeon on Thursday April 19th and since i’d just started my new job at the PT office that Tuesday April 17th, my best date for surgery was THAT Friday April 20th….a COMPLETE longshot of possibility, so i prayed and had my Bible Study group pray as well….Would you believe I got that date for my surgery…the day after my consultation, I got my gallbladder out via laparoscopic surgery. The bummer part was surgery wasn’t until 3p.m so I had to go all that time without food or drink, but I made it!
I almost didn’t get to go home that day, they almost kept me overnight as i was REALLY struggling to be awake and etc. I had to stay awake for a bit, get up and pee and be able to keep food down…..No Mas…..I got up and pee’d but couldn’t stay awake and wanted to just be left alone to sleep and I normally am like that 24 hours after general anethesia surgery, and i’m positive the pain meds they kept giving me was what was making me toss my cookies!
Eventually she spoke with my husband and realized I was in good enough hands she could release me at last. It was almost 10 when i was sent home and then I had a rough night waking every 3 hours to pee and puke! Lovely right!? Ugh! My husband was simply the BEST throughout this. I was sleeping in the great room in the recliner which is outside of out master bedroom. Every sound i made, he was up and helping me! He rocks!
I ended up just not taking any more pain meds except motrin and tylenol alternately, and gradually resumed eating liquid/bland foods. Each day has gotten better and I am STILL sore in my epigastric region as well as where my gallbladder was, but each day is a little better. I’ll be thrilled to be able to workout again and to be able to lie on my stomach!! LOL!!!

So that’s it in a nutshell! I’ll catch you on a couple other things on my next post! I have SO much I want to share with you!!!!!!!!

My Ouchies

Dad & I

Get Better Flowers

2-week Kick-Start Tips for Fat loss

Every New Year I seem to get questions about kick-starts for New Year dieting or recovery from the holiday sweet-fest.  Well here is one of my more basic, easy to manage tips that seem to work well for most busy people who are just getting started for the first time or in a long time. This one is designed to attack sweet cravings, help clear the gut and make you feel better. It is good for a quick out of the gate drop of excess body water and to help get healthy enzyme and pro-biotic activity going.

• Step away from ALL soda (yes, diet too), oddly enough diet soda can increase your cravings for sweets. Also can prevent vitamin and mineral absorption.
• Drink coffee black or have tea (green or black) – black and unsweetened in the way to kick-start, plus you get greater benefits of the antioxidants and other good things.
• Drink a couple liters of water a day, hydration is the key to feeling better and helping flush the system. Of course spring water will be a good choice since it is typically higher in minerals.
• Have an apple between breakfast and lunch. The redder the better, has fiber and other good stuff.
• Salad with a vinegar (low-cal) dressing (subway salads rock, no meat though and lots of the veggies), another great option even for a meal if paired with (real, not lunch meat, thinks lean chicken breast, turkey or tuna.
• low-fat Greek Yogurt (love Chobani) between lunch and dinner.  Some manufacturers play games with the content so don’t believe the labeling look at the ingredients. Low-fat Chobani is one I really like from an ingredient and profile perspective, very satiating.
• If you have to have something before bed have another apple or small salad.

Do this for 2 weeks while increasing your activity level, like taking the stairs as many times and flights as you can instead of the elevator, park in the back of the lot, go for a walk in the park, mall (stay away from the food court) or wherever, hit the gym, anything.

For meals follow sensible healthful, portion controlled, plan lean protein, quality carbs and fats.

If you are adding weight training might I recommend Body-for-LIFE by Bill Phillips by the book for best results or you can incorporate Eating-for-LIFE cookbook by Bill Phillips for more moderate results like Tonia and I had, both books will get you going the right direction simply and effectively.

We wish you all the best for 2012!!!

Latest Workouts

Just going to post a couple of my latest workouts. I got bronchitis and so haven’t been to the gym since.  My head is still not all clear and i’m still coughing stuff up, but I FEEL better, so i’m going to give it a go at the gym tonight, probably something not quite as taxing, like delts and arms. I hope all goes well, I’m tired of having to have time out of the gym!

 

Thursday October 13th, 2011

BB Rows-Wide
95 x 12
95 x 10
95 x 10

Cable Row/Squat Position/Narrow “V” handle
100 x 12- Could have continued
120 x 1o
130 x 8

DB Rows
35 x 12/12
40 x 10/10
40 x 10/10

Chest Dips
12/10/8

Cable Lat P/D
80 x 10
90 x 8
90 x 8

HS Incline Press
50 x 12
70 x 7
70 x 4

Pec Dec
60 x 10
60 x 8
60 x 8
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Monday October 10th, 2011

Unilateral Std. Leg Press
75 x 12/12
105 x 12/12
105 x 12/11

Smith Squats-DEEP
95 x 12
115 x 10
115 x 8

Power Squat
90 x 10 front
90 x 10 front
110 x 10 front
140 x 8 front

Unilateral Leg Ext
30 x 10/10
30 x 8/8
30 x 7/7

Straight Leg Deadlifts
95 x 12
115 x 10
115 x 9

Ham Curls-Lying
30 x 10 w/lift off
30 x 8 w/lift off
30 x 6 w/liftoff

Calf Raises in 45* Leg Press
50 x 15
70 x 15
70 x 15- with double pumps
70 x 12 with double pumps 

Workouts, Life & A Hair Scare 10-26-11

Life has been TOUGH lately, I’m not going to lie!

 

Job Seeking
Trying to find a job and facing rejection is tough, but I know God has a reason. I’m continually working through all my feeling as I go along and i’d be lieing if I said I never had days I just shut down, because I have. It messes with your mind sometimes making you feel you aren’t good enough but then i’m reminded that yes, I am, and that’s a lie from the pit of hell and I am not going to buy it!  The devil just LOVES to throw that one around! I struggle with fear. Can I really do this job if I get it, what if i have to do something i’m NOT real familiar with or haven’t done, am I going to get in over my head? More thoughts I have to shut down and remember that if God brings me to it and gifts me with a position, he will enable me to do what is needed.

My faith has been repeatedly tested and the longer this goes the more I learn. One HUGE thing i’ve learned is just how much I put my TRUST in the things of this earth… A job, payday, a person, a situation, etc. Every time I do, i’m not even realizing I am and when it all falls down and fails, God is very quick to gently remind me, that my trust doesn’t belong in those things but in HIM alone. Bottom line. I’m STILL working on this, I guess that has been an unconscious  habit that God is working with me to break and grow in Him.  It is HARD but not impossible!

 

BIBLE STUDY TIME!
I am so excited that our church has started the fall Connect Groups and I was able to get into one doing the Beth Moore study on the life of David. We just began 2 weeks ago and i’m loving it. We watch a DVD of Beth teaching on each meeting and then the workbook has 5 days of homework, and it’s been great already!! God is showing me things already! It’s so exciting!
A PERSONAL Turmiol
Another difficutly I faced recently and am still dealing with is something SUPER hard for me to share, and has been pretty traumatic to have to go through. I have tossed and turned, hemmed and hawed over whether i’d share it, but I always have promised to be real and in doing so desire that in being real, it helps someone, anyone even if it’s just one person, so I swallow my pride and I am sharing it here. At this point only my immediate family and 1 friend know about this, and to be honest i found there isn’t much information from real women going through this!

I started losing an alarming amount of hair about 5-6 weeks ago. I have been literally left with strands/clumps of hair in my shower and handfulls of hair as I combed and styled it, clumps of full strands of hair as I even ran my hands through my hair. It got to be where i’d wait days to wash my hair and was afraid to even touch it!
I swept the floor and had a mound of hair the size of my head that i threw away….and pulling my hair back no longer perfectly disguised it, as i’d have scalp streaks peeking through and if I did manage to cover all, my hair is noticable VERY thin. I had small hair loss since probably 2005 but it was so minimal and seemed to always get better and was cyclic it seemed. This is VERY different and nothing I did slowed it down.

Every time I had to wash/comb my hair, just seeing all that was coming out traumatized me so much and I’d ball, sometimes quite hard and often when my husband was traveling for work so i was going through much of the early stages of this alone… It wasn’t letting up and after 2 weeks I texted Jim and sent him a picture of the handfull of hair. I told him I cannot deal with this any longer and am freaking out about it. He was concerned and assured me we’d get an appointment and try and get some answers.
I had to wait until pay day after he was back home to book an appointment with a dermatologist i’d seen before and really trust. Got my appointment and was scared to death of what they would say. Back in my mind I still had hope but I was very emotional.
I sat in that doctors office and he looked at my head and was taken aback with the extent of thinning. He told me it was very diffuse and not just to one general area or even just the top of my head, to which I said I know  and it was freaking me out. He talked with me and Jim about  his thoughts, asked alot of questions, took alot of notes and told me his thoughts were it appeared be alopecia. He said there is a diffuse type that you lose most but not all the hair and alopecia isn’t just the type that comes out in patches, or genetic or telegen effluvium. He had the nurse and PA do 2 punch biopsies on my scalp to send it for complete analysis and looking at two different positions of the follicles. he also sent me to a lab to have several blood tests, for thyroid, hormones, vitamin d and a genetic panel for autoimmune diseases, and genetics. He took the time to look me dead in the eyes and promised he would do every thing he can to find the cause and help fix this, and I knew he meant it and told him so. He is a GREAT dermatologist!

As my doctor told me his inital thoughts, i was try SO hard not to lose it and start balling, but I did tear up and was fighting hard to hold it all in. I kept thinking I’d rather be chubby forever than be bald, that it’s such a sick thing when you actually hope for a physical illness because you know it can be reversed and  sooooooo many other emotions and fears swarming through me. What if I was going to be bald or almost bald, how would i handle that. Yes there are great wigs out here that look real and that’s great but how  would  I feel lying in bed next o my husband or being intimate, etc, being bald or almost bald. And you cant swim in a wig either. Jim is a great man and said he would still love me and i’d still be beautiful to him and all. That’s all well and good but how was I going to cope, to deal with all this. I know how i was already feeling with the hairloss as it is.

As a woman being beautiful to our husbands is SO, SO, SO important. I knew there was at least a week of waiting before i’d know the results of those tests and a week and a half before I’d revisit the doctor. I was SOMBER and emotional that entire day. I had to wear my ball cap every where we went that day especially since they had just put stitches in 2 places where there did those scalp biopsies..OUCH!! I noticed everyone who had gorgeous hair and i didn’t feel negative toward them but I did feel envy.  I wondered if i did something to be punished by losing my hair. All things that in hinds sight seem so dumb but when you are in pain and afraid and you are a WOMAN who is experiencing hair loss, it is HARD!!
I felt guilty and thankful that at least I didn’t have some deeadly disease or was dieing or going to have to live with limitations, but i was so upset and traumatized. I kept a cool exterior but inside was a hurricane raging.

I was in church on a Sunday after this visit and I was worshipping during the worship service and I gave it all to God and I made a vow that even if i lose my hair, i will STILL praise HIM and trust HIM! I may not like it, I may be sad and have much to work through but i would not cease in praising and living for Him. I was exhausted.

A week passed and it was the Wednesday I could call for my results and I couldn’t do it, I was so afraid of the news and afraid it was the permanent type. It took until Monday before I decided to call and…………..

It was good news!!! It didn’t show ANY signs of alopecia because there was no scarring and because of the way the hairs and follicles were it didn’t point to genetic either but the tellegen effluvium that my doctor said is the temporary huge amount of hair loss that comes back!!!! I could tell the nurse was SO excited to tell me this!!! I was thrilled!! I went back to my doctor that Thursday and he filled me in on more about it and we discussed stress and he felt that wasn’t it because the stress that causes it is usually much greater and that it’s usually with people who don’t handle stress. I’ve had a lot but by the grace of God i’ve handled it.

I asked several questions and he really couldn’t pin point what could have caused it, but was concerned about supplements maybe containing substances that aren’t disclosed which we all know DOES happen. His other concern was the dieting for comps and how many i’ve done and etc. I very teeny and my cals go VERY low towards the end of prep. It could be that with this leaning out and the hormonal upheaval it causes that my body is VERY sensitive to those little shifts and this was the reaction, especially coming off a comp season and getting injured and all, my body may not have had enough time to recover and this was the result. It’s all vague and guessing at this point.

He had me start a drug that is normally used for high blood pressure but they have had success in using it for women with hair loss for helping them get back their hair or to at least not continue losing as well as using men’s Rogaine and i can keep using my Nioxin shampoo as well. He said there are no gaurantees, all we can do is try and hope it works, so i do what i need to and wait and see. The medication they put me on, my potassium levels have to be monitored with a lab test monthly and i have to watch my potassium intake, which means no banana’s or white potatoes. If potassium goes too high, you can go into cardiac arrest…scary!!

I have also paid closer attention to my nutrition and got a good multi from GNC. I also have a friend who is sending me some Monavie to try and see if that helps.

I’m still prepping for the spring shows and we have made changes in my diet plan because if i do them that will be necessary. I am seriously waiting to see how everything goes and praying earnestly about competing because as much as I LOVE it, it may not be worth it if it could make the hair loss worse.  For now I leave it in God’s hands and continue as if I’m going to.

I’ll post workouts a bit later on a seperate post since I feel it doesn’t belong in this entry.

 

8-10-2011

Hello friends and lurkers! ;o), Well we had a quite a weekend!
I had planned to get my leg training in over the weekend, but everything blew up. Our oldest daughter moved back in(long story there!) and then we had this crazy storm roll in that was short but VERY powerful, with straight line winds. Jim and I stood at the window watching as the trees looked like they would break at any moment! It was scary!
At one point he told Amanda & I to run, because the tree was coming down after he had heard a crack…Amanda(my youngest) and I tore off as fast as possible running to the front of the house fully expecting to hear the tree tearing through our roof. I turned to make sure she was with me and Jim was back at the window.
No tree, it was a  false alarm. Turns out we found out the next morning it was a neighbor behind us who’s tree came down and most likely was the culprit for losing our power because as soon as that crack had happened there was a LOUD sound of the transformer going out!
Jim and I were getting close to the ending of “The Lincoln Lawyer” when all this happened LOL! It was right to when the tension was mounting too! We didn’t get to finish it until the next day!
We ended up without power for all night and didn’t get it back until around 3:30pm the next day. We managed to save all our meats but lost all the ice cream! All my Skinny Cow and Breyer’s Carb Smart and Jim’s & Mandy’s Chip’s Ahoy Breyer’s and Mandy’s M&M ice cream sandwiches! We had JUST bought both the Breyer’s too!! Of course all the frozen veggies as well as MOST of the fridge stuff was lost. All our deep freeze stuff was fine as well. I was worrying about that meat if things went any longer, but all worked out! Fortunately it wasn’t as hot as it had been and our house stayed pretty cool!

A little insight….

With all the rain we’ve had & then this big storm a certain well known phrase kept running through my mind as as things often go, I converse with God all throughout my day about pretty much everything, good, bad and ugly and so God was speaking to me about this saying and here’s where it went…..The phrase is….
“Into every life a little rain must fall”

It’s funny how i’ve heard this all my life but never given any thought to it, until now….
I look at this in a few ways. I think it originated with rain being bad as in it raining on your parade, spoiling your plans and the like. I started thinking a bit deeper and how a normal rain is pleasant, nourishing  and refreshing, but sometimes it’s a rainy season of torrential down pours, pounding away & erroding the soil. What is already strong continues to stand and isn’t harmed, but what is unhealthy or weak(not deeply rooted) is destroyed. I started thinking about this and how destruction can seem so cruel, but it isn’t. These are the parts of our lives we haven’t dealt with before the Lord and allowed Him to change in us, so when these are left, they are weaknesses that leave us vulnerable. But them being destroyed and dealt with , it exposes those weaknesses and provides an opportunity for it to establish better roots and to grow up stronger, and not left vulnerable to those crazy storms. They key is getting it before God and allowing Him to deal with it, to endure and learn what we are meant to so that these weaknesses are no longer! It needs proper nourishment to be strong or to remain strong or to get strengthened in the first place. If you neglect it, it can become a weakness again, becoming vulnerable to life’s storms! But if we endure the storm and allow God to do the strengthening of the weaknesses, when the next storm comes it too will stand strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9

New International Version (NIV)

⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

 

Here are a few storm pics I took with my phone, so they aren’t the best….

 

Monday’s Leg Session 8-8-2011

Power Squat
90 x 15 Back
90 x 12 Front
90 x 10 Back
90 x 10 Front
Went up in weight this time so those were brutal!

Full Deads
135 x 10
135 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 7
In between the 3rd & 4th sets. Jim set it up for me to try a 1 rep max. I tried and tried will all my might 3 times and couldn’t budge. Just gotta keep at it!!

Glute Isolator
40 x 10 x 3
Tried my usual 50lbs but my glutes and hams were fried from the extra deads this session!

Lying Ham Curl
20 x 10
10 x 8
10 x 8

Seated Calf Raise!
25 x 12
25 x 12
25 x 12

First time doing any kind of weighted calf work since my injury!!! I was surprised it didn’t hurt, although my right calf sure cramped up!! I did LOT’S of stretching and so far so good!!

Tuesday-
I did 45 mins of cardio. I did part HIIT, part SS and then ended with working out my foot on the treadmill for the final 10 minutes.

 

7/27/- 8/4/2011

Hi guys!

I’ve given up on staying up to date during the summer, LOL! It’s been busy and we have had bad and good days! Right now i’m waiting to hear about getting assigned a job from the temp service…hoping, hoping, hoping! I had to re-test for data entry and it’s NOT my strong point at all. I started working on a typing tutorial and I suck at it so bad, but am DETERMINED to get it! Things just never come easy to me and that is just the way it is. In the midst of all this we are trying to get my 17 year old licensed to drive so that if I get a job, she can get her and her sister to and from school. They won’t let her get her actual license because they now require you to have it 6 months before being allowed to test, soooo plan B is to go for the school permit! Let’s hope it all works out!

Well Update on that since it’s taking me 3 days to finish this! LOL! She can’t because she’s in town! I hate the DMV!! At least at this moment! I will have to leave this whole thing in Gods hands!

Also completed my entire process for the temp company to begin to be able to assign me work…now to wait! Also, get this, Jim comes up to me after my nap yesterday saying I need to call the plumbing company that i had such great interviews with because they JUST posted a CSR job opening which is what i interviewed for before. Well my phone # had changed since then so i called the HR person to find she’d left for the weekend already. I left her a VM at least, so we’ll see what happens Monday!

REHAB UPDATE!
I’m so excited with my progress right now! I am finally able to walk on my toes. It hurts and i can’t go to far/long but i can finally do it! I’m getting higher up on single calf raises as well, so i’m a happy camper! Still keeping up with all my rehab exercises as well. It’s time consuming and hurts some of the time, but it’s making a difference.
I’ve also started walking the treadmill for part of my cardio, really focusing on heel to toe with push off and even walking on my toes for part of the time. I also am doing deep lunge strides on it also really focusing on the push off. it’s helping…it hurts pretty good, but it’s helping. I’m truly looking forward to the day i am walking and there is zero pain!

 

Okay Workouts now…here we go….
Tuesday July 27th, 2011

Incline BB Bench Press
45(bar) x 15
65 x 6
55 x 6
55 x 7

DB Flyes
22.5′s x 10
22.5′s x 8
22.5′s x 8

Front Military Press
50 x 10
50 x 7
50 x 4

Straight Bar P/D
80 x 12
80 x 8
80 x 8

This was “one of those” workouts. I was NOT feeling it, could not feels strong and was wiped out. I did this much and it just kept going downhill, so called it quits. I usually feel better after a workout but this time felt so drained and like crying.
I honestly think my first deadlift session just fried and shocked my CNS to the extent it wasn’t recovered. That’s my theory anyway.

SATURDAY  JULY 30th, 2011

Power Squat
50 x 12
50 x 12
50 x 13

Deadlifts-Full
135 x 10
135 x 5
135 x 5

Unilateral Leg Extension
30 x 10/10
30 x 10/10 + 4 w/ both
30 x 8/8
30 x 6/6 + ? w/both

Glute Isolater
40 x 10/10
40 x 10/10
40 x 8/8

Lying Ham Curl
20 x 8 w/lift-off
20 x 8 w/lift-off Last 2 assisted
20 x 3 then dropped to 10 for 3 more

Stiff Leg Deads
Just to stretch out
1 set of 12 with just the bar

Military Press-BB
55 x 10
55 x 8
65 x 5

DB Sides Raises
15′s x 10 + 2 assisted
15′s x 9
15′s x 10

Face Pulls
80 x 12
80 x 10
80 x 12
80 x  8

Front Raises
BB- 20 x 10
DB- 10 x 10 x 3- Alternating

Roman Chair
12/10/10

 

THURSDAY AUGUST 2nd, 2011

Pull-Ups
8
4 + 3 assited w/ final hold & slow neg.

Wide Grip BB Rows
95 x 10
95 x 10
95 x 8

Cable Lat P/D
80 x 12
80 x 10
80 x 10
60 x 10 & 10 Front & behind the neck

HS Iso Row
90 x 10
90 x 8
90 x 8

Reverse Grip Bench
45 x 12- Too easy
65 x 10
65 x 9

BB Curls
40 x 10
50 x 6 as cheater reps
40 x 8

Cable Rope Pull Through Curls
30 x 10
30 x 10
30 x 9

DB Alt. Curls- Walk the rack
17.5 -10lbs Got quite a few reps through entire drop set
20lbs -12.5lbs Much Less reps

I was going to keep going to the 5 pounders BUT all the girls getting trained kept taking the girly weights! I was even getting ready to switch to the 10′s after my second set when I finished with the 12.5′s and this girl grabbed it right from under my nose. Fortunately I know her and she is sweet and I realized she had no idea what I was doing.  I was bummed to not get to keep going though, LOL!

 

THURSDAY AUGUST 4th, 2011

BB Bench Press
45 x 15
65 x 12
75 x 6

HS ISO Incline Bench
50 x 10
50 x 8
50 x 7

Pec Dec
40 x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10
60 x 10

Star Trac Shoulder Press
40 x 12
40 x 12
50 x 7
50 7
This machine is surprisingly great!! It really puts a bite into the delts and makes them burn!

DB Side Raises
15′s x 12
15′s x 10
15′s x 10 Last 3 assisted

Alternating Front Raises
12.5′s x 10/10
12.5′s x 11/10
12.5′s x 8/8 

Face Pulls
80 x 12
80 x 12
80 x 10

Cable Tricep Pushdown
60 x 15
80 x 10
80 x 11

Weighted Bench Dips
35 x 9
35 x 10
35 x 10

 

And that is it for now!!! I enjoyed a movie with my husband last night, we saw “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” and it was awesome!!! We really enjoyed it and was worth every penny!

Today is Leg Day once again and i’m excited for it!! ‘Till later!

Also if you are on FB please visit and “like” my public page at…

 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tonia-Goodman-Figure-Competitor/154152947995978

 

Busy, Busy! Time to Catch Up! 7-27-2011

Hello All!

I have been busy! Trying to find a job and may be making some progress! I hope! I’ve put in many resume’s and one place I applied at ended up being a job placement service. I am working with them now in trying to find work. They sent me several tests to do and i did GREAT on the Microsoft &  Excel….The Excel shocked me as i’ve done so little with it! I didn’t do so great on data entry or typing but I haven’t ever done data entry and typing I had some issues with hitting a wrong button and having to restart, also i never learned proper typing, so i’ll have work to do on that! From what I understand they do have tutorials that can help me with my weaknesses. They are sending some more stuff for me to do and a video to watch & then we go from there!!

The possibility of being a temp is out of my comfort zone but i have to trust God on this and who knows maybe i’ll love it and thrive!?
If anything it’s the first honest lead on anything thus far. I haven’t had any interviews at all lately and it’s weird. I’ve never ever in my life had a tough time finding a job! Shoot I even applied at Sears out of desperation for doing merchandising but never even heard from them!  Weird!!
Me not working is causing some tough financial times in our family amongst other trials coming at us from out of the blue. We are really taking a hard hit and praying for provision continually as things have hit the insurmountable level. All we can do is what we have been and trust God!  Shoot Jim has even tried to sell his best guitar and nothing….It’s not like we aren’t trying! It doesn’t make a lot of sense, but i know there’s a purpose! It sure makes you thankful for the little things though!
Anyway enough of that!

Rehab Report!
Everything is coming along GREAT just in the past week and a half! I had consulted with a friend of mine and Jim’s who’s an athletic trainer for a university. I have followed his tweaks he gave me as well as doing foam rolling and am seeing GREAT a response from all of it! I was actually able to do full dead lifts from the floor instead of the rack, and am finally able to do supported calf raises on my bad foot. I still have pain in working this foot/toe but the fact remains that things are progressing!!

 

Training-

JULY 18th, 2011

Back/Bi’s
Had to work out alone this week as Jim was traveling.

Pull-Ups-Unassisted WG
7/6

Cable Lat PD
70 x 12
90 x 10
90 x 10

HS ISO Row
90 x 12
90 x 10
90 x  9

T-Bar Row
45 x 10
45 x 8
45 x 8

EZ Bar Curl
40 x 10
40 x 6
30 x 10
Bi’s were weak today!

Standing DB Curl-Alt/Sup.
15′s x 10
15′s x 9
12.5′s x 10

TUESDAY JULY 19th, 2011

Cardio~ 40 minutes-Precor Crossramp Elliptical

 

WEDNESDAY JULY 20th, 2011
Chest/Tri’s

HS ISO Incline Press
50 x 13
70 x 10
90 x 5
90 x 4

DB Flyes -Incline
20′s x 12-Wide
22.5 ‘s x 10 Wide It may be small but it’s a new PR! )
22.5′s x 10 Normal 

HS ISO WIDE Chest
50 x 12
70 x 12
90 x 12

Cable Rope PD
50 x 12
70 x 8 + 2 more as pause reps
60 x 10
Apparently not a good week for my arms, lol!

Close Grip Bench Press
45 x 10 x 3

Weighted Bench Dips
35 x 10
35 x 9
35 x 9

Roman Chair-Abs
12/10/10

Cardio~ 10 mins intense on AMT Trainer-That thing kills me…It rocks!!!

 

THURSDAY JULY 21st, 2011
Cardio~40 mins- I divided it up this way since I was bored and wanted to work my push off on my toe:

• 
  

• 
  10 Minutes AMT Trainer/ 15 minutes treadmill @ varying inclines/15 minutes precor crossramp elliptical

FRIDAY JULY 22nd, 2011
DELTS
I realized at this session that I really need Jim with me to spot me so I can push harder!  Had to change it up since I didn’t have him.

DB Press
20′s x 15
20′s x 10
25′s x 10
25′s x 10

DB Side Raises
15′s x 10
15′s x 8
12,5′s x 10

Upright Rows
50 x 12
60 x 10
60 x 6

Rear Delt on Pec Dec
50 x 12
50 x 11
50 x 10

DB Front Raises
12.5′s x 10
12.5′s x 10
Fronts were spent, form wasn’t the best.

Roman Chair-Abs
10/10/10

Cardio~ 10 minutes precor elliptical

 

SUNDAY JULY 24th, 2011
LEGS

Power Squat Machine
50 x 12 back
50 x 12 front
50 x 12 back
50 x 12 front
Was more observant today as I slowed my tempo. I noticed my good leg is taking the majority of the workload. because of this I chose not to increase weight and we decided to get back to some unilateral work. This is a MUST at this point! 

Leg Press-Unilateral
75 x 12/12
75 x 12/12
75 x 12/12
I cannot even tell you how hard the right side is to crank out. The left is easy and I could go beyond those 12 reps with that leg but am really trying to bring my right back up to match.It was really grueling and painful to grind out, but a must as I rehab!

Leg Extensions-Unilateral
30 x 10/10
30 x 8/8
30 x 6/6
This has a cam that really makes the extensions tougher at the bottom! It’s very humbling but I know listening to my body & working smart will pay off as I rehab and regain strength on that side!

 

Glute Isolator
50 x 12/12
50 x 10/10
50 x 9/9
Blood sugar issues again! Grrr…..Jim got me a ABB Maxx Recovery & had me rest a bit- It eventually helped!

Stiff Leg Deads
Jim just wanted me to do the Oly bar just to stretch out well we were both in for quite the surprise!

45(bar) x 12
I was hitting my tops of my feet so he added weight…
95 x 12-still going strong so he replaced the 25′s with 45′s fully expecting to continue stiff legs-I missed that, that was the expectation so….ended up doing full deads off the floor.
135 x 8
135 x 8
135 x 5
We were both in shock, Him even more than me! No pain in my foot either!! I ended up more sore than i’ve been in forever and am still pretty sore today as I type this up!

 

Lying Leg Curl
10 x 6 lift off
10 x 6 lift off
Was too fried, so Jim had me stop.

 

MONDAY JULY 25th, 2011
Cardio~ 25 minutes elliptical/15 recumbent bike
Had to get it in before legs got too sore!!

 

Workouts and Rehab Updates! 7-18-2011

Rehab Update-

Okay,after working on my rehab for about a month. I really was worrying and unsure about everything. I still have a lot of pain when doing the calf raises and can only do them with both feet. I can barely get my heel off the ground trying to do it only on the bad foot, but not with total weight bearing. I still get sharp pains in my toe after working it and doing cardio, as well as still not being able to walk down the stairs “normal” meaning still just going with the good foot leading as I can’t push off with the bad foot and the ankle is still VERY weak and painful. My foot is still turning pinkish purple except when I have it up.  I finally decided to contact a friend of mine and Jim’s who had offered his expertise up should I need it! He’s an athletic trainer and a highly regarded one at that. This guy is seriously smart! Anyway he’s so kind he was going to let me call him during his vacation, but I couldn’t do that, so waited until he got home and had a moment. He was so great to take time out of his busy schedule to call and answer my questions and give me tips to improve what I was doing as well as new stuff that I needed to be doing.
One of the main things is explaining to me that much of what i’m feeling is all a normal side effect of being immobilized for so long and to allow at least the 15 weeks I spent with the injury for the healing time. He also explained to me about a thing called adhesions that form along the muscles during that amount of immobilization and that I need to do the foam rolling for those and that I’ll feel the “hot spots” where those adhesions are. he also explained the “right” way of doing it where you pump the foot as you hit those spots.  I looked up some vids as he suggested and  incorporated that as well as a few other things he suggested.
The first experience with the foam roller KILLED SO BAD!!! He warned me and he wasn’t kidding!! I have the hot spots all the way up the calf from my ankle up and one in particular was SO bad, i about collapsed when I hit it!  This was last night. I went to roll today and it felt even worse, so, he advised me a bit further and said if that’s the case ease up and wait 24 hours, so that i’ll do then.
Anyway, I wrote down everything he said, and am putting it all into action and feel SO much better having clarity, some suggestions that will work better and a general time frame and just knowing i’m normal and actually doing quite well with what I AM able to do at this point!  Apparently the big toe takes 75% of the bodyweight in propelling you forward, so it’s really the one toe you DON’T want to break and especially to the degree that I did! No joke!! LOL!!! Seriously People, pay attention when handling weights and what have you because this has been and still is no joke and definitely no walk in the park.
The atrophy I have as well is quite crazy!

Workout Logs-

Tuesday July 12th, 2011

Pull-Ups- Unassisted-WG
8
7 + 3 assisted with a final hold with slow negative 

 

WG BB Row
85 x 12
95 x 6
95 x 6
75 x 12

I truly HATE BB Rows, I have no idea why, but Jim says I need to do them, so I do! I’m sure i’ll be happy he makes me!

Underhand BB Row- NG
75 x 10 x 3

EZ Bar Curls
40 x 8
40 x 8 + 2 cheater reps
50 x 6- All Negatives and at top

Seated Incline DB Curls
12.5′s x 10
12.5′s x 10
12.5′s x 7 + 2 assisted- Bi’s would not go any more- TOTAL failure- made me giggle!! )

Short workout, we were done in 45 mins and then rushed a trophy to a friend who left it behind at the Norfolk show.

Thursday July 14th, 2011

 Seated BB Military Presses
45 x 15
65 x 10
75 x 4-TOO heavy, so dropped to 55 x 10 more
65 x 8

 

BB UR Rows
45 x 15
55 x 10
Did side raises with 10lbs plates in between these 2 sets
55 x 9
45 x 13

 

Rear Delt on Pec Dec
50 x 12
50 x 10
50 x 8

 

After those Jim had me do these holds with 45lb weight plates to help stretch out- That was torture! I had to grasp them by their openings and hold out to sides as far as i could which wasn’t much and keep the shoulders back, then let them hang at my sides . Yowzers! 

DB Side Raises-Hold for 1 count @ Top
12.5′s x 12
12.5′s x 11
15′s x 12-last 3 reps assisted by Jim
15′s x 6 + 3 more assisted

We will be starting with 15′s next time.

Hammer Strength ISO Front Military Press
40 x 6
30 x 9
30 x 6
Epic fail! I was so fried from delts, i could not really push these very well.

HS Incline Chest
50 x 6
50 x 4
50 x 4

UGH! I can normally push 90lbs but this killed me because my delts were that fried. We won’t be doing this combination again.

Pec-Dec
40 x 10 x 3
It took all i had to grind those out, but i did it!

 

Saturday July 16th, 2011

Hack Squat
BW x 12
BW x 12
20 x 12

 

Icarian Power Squat Machine
BW x 12 back
20 x 12 front
50 x 10 or 12 Back
50 x 12 front

This is a new piece of equipment out gym just got that week and I LOVE it!!!! There was NO pressure on my bad toe/foot/ankle and i could really squat and felt those legs like never before!! 

Icarian Glute/Ham Isolator
40 x 12/12
40 x 12/12
50 x 12/12
Another brand new piece of equipment @ the new gym! This REALLY KILLED my hams and glutes nicely!!  I had shorts on, so Jim watched what what going on and liked what he saw, so we’ll be keeping this in for now!

Lying Leg Curls
10 x 12 w/ thigh lift off & squeeze @ top
20 x 12 same as above
20 x  7 or 8 No lift off-fried!

Staimill-
15 mins
Elliptical-
15 mins

 

 

Realization 7-15-2011

Today is going to be a little different post! I have some workout logs I’ll post tomorrow, but I realized I have had opportunities to share from my heart on Facebook and these are things that really belong in my blog! God is doing a LOT in my heart & Jim and I go through this crazy thing called life.
I’m going to share a post I made on FB, with comments as well….
Tonia Goodman

REALLY great Bible Study tonight!!! Great content that i’m STILL meditating on and great discussion!!! Ah it was just a much needed time today!! Feeling strengthened and refreshed!!

From Anon-just brilliant… “what was it about.. new or old testament.”

From Anon 2-”Hey Tonia, I hope it wasn’t the same ole religious stuff that’s been regurgitated over and over again???”

Tonia Goodman

Hey guys! It’s a study by Beth Moore, Kay Arthur & Priscilla Shirer about going deeper with God. Last night was all about How God is able and we need the foundation established in that we believe Him. It’s about how God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly beyond all we can ask or even think. It addressed a struggle I had and confirmed what truth God had spoken to my heart and that is God IS able, it’s who He is, but I had raised the question in my own trial and it was brought up again that a woman was so upset because she knows God is able but He won’t. Priscilla talked bout the fact that God is able but sovereign and if He is not answering how we think, we HAVE to trust He is working out something even better in our lives.

When you think about it, we are here for His purpose. We aren’t alone and He always knows what is best.

She said think of the biggest miracle you can think of for your situation right now, and know God can go beyond, beyond.
The focus has been on Ephesians 3:20-21. Now is the time to turn…& how whatever our trouble is that is taking all our energy and focus, we are to make a deliberate decision to turn away 180* from focusing on it and turn our focus to God. We are not to wait for the abundant life for another season but to live the abundant life now, where we are. Paul did when he wrote this. He was in prison and yet he was able to worship God through it. Basically God doesn’t ask us to do what He has not equipped us to do.
She talked about how we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and how we have access to the power of God, yet many of us never access the full potential of the power available to us because we don’t believe or are afraid.

She gave a comparison of her whole family getting together for a reunion trip in New York and they were all @ dinner and her brother who’s a big football player sized guy, just ordered an appetizer for the 2nd night in a row and Priscilla leaned over to ask if he was feeling alright because it was so unusual to see him eating so little. he told her how he has a family of 5 and these dinners are kind of pricey so he’s been ordering a little appetizer then grabbing a hot fog off a cart outside. She asked him, Hadn’t he gotten the e-mail? He answered he didn’t. Priscilla told him, the e-mail stated that their parents were covering everyone’s dinners each night. He was like , “What!!???, I;ve been starving for 2 days!” Then he immediately called the waiter over and ordered the biggest steak on the menu. Priscilla likened it to our prayers, Once we know the menu, it completely changes how we order, just like it changes how we talk to God and what we know we can expect from Him.

This does not mean we pray out of selfish ambition nor do we get everything we want, but it dramatically changes out prayer life and we can see amazing things happen and prayers answered.

She also went over the whole way we put everything we know about God into a box and then slap a lid on it, but God cannot be contained in a box, He wants to build skyscrapers, so to speak. That is something God has spoken to me for a LONG time and honestly I’ve been judged for it. It’s quite sad but i have seen God do AMAZING things because of my decision to follow Him and not people! I could go on & on…. Oops, just looked up, already have!! LOL!!

My Brother-

well God has worked a lot of HUGE blessings in my life. I’m not always a great person but i must be somewhat obedient to him because he has taken good care of me and continues to do so. I don’t try to be fake or front who i am and I think that …See More

My Brother-” U can say u forgive someone then bring it back up tomorrow. that’s not from the heart. forgiveness is something you have to completely surrender to and rid all your emotions. Remember…you cant fool God. Once we ask for forgiveness…its taken care of and nailed to the cross. Therefore there’s no need to revisit shame or whatever. let it go because that’s what He did.”

Here is a blog post I read a little bit ago…It’s so awesome, so thought I’d share……….

http://blog.lproof.org/

Have a great weekend!!! I’ve been a bit mopey & grumpy today, but am kissing those grumpies good-bye!! The sun is shining, I’m alive and growing in my faith, my hubby is grilling chicken and my shoulders are getting very sore from the hurtin’  Jim put on them yesterday!! ) Great start to the weekend , if you ask me!!

Latest Training 7-12-11

Latest Training

I just cannot seem to stay caught up!

Wednesday July 6th, 2011
Back/Bi’s

Pull-Ups-Unassisted-WG
6
7- last rep assited by my hubby + 2 slow negatives

Since i was hanging there, I did a set of hanging leg raises- I think i got 10 before my abs gave out, lol! Been a while for those!

Wide Grip BB Rows
85 x 10 x 3

T- Bar Rows
45 x 10 x 3

Reverse/Narrow Grip BB Rows
65 x 10 x 3

Ez Bar Curls
40 x 6 w/ hold & slow neg of last rep
40 x 9 + 1 assisted w/ 2 partial reps @ top with holds and slow negatives-almost barfed here!!! 
40 x all same as above + 3 partial top reps after and with hold and VERY slow final negative- REALLY thought I was gonna barf now-grabbed a peppermint Altoid, LOL! 

Alternating/Sup. DB Curls Seated on Incline Bench
12.5′s x 11
12.5′s x 8
12.5′s x 6 + 4 partials @ top
Wanted to kill by husband at this point, LOL! Really, though I enjoyed the pain! 

Cardio
30 mins moderate paced on Elliptical

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Friday July 8th, 2011
Legs

Hack Squat
20 x 15
20 x 10
20 x 12
I’m pretty certain our hack itself weighs about 80lbs. Someone suggested it might, and I think it may be the case. I cannot even hold the thing to lower the releases on my own, which I had NEVER experienced!

Seated Leg Press
165 x 15
165 x 12
165 x 11-immediately dropped to 135 and blasted out 5 more- thought i’d get more before burnout, but that was it, LOL!! Kind of cracked me up!

Lying Leg Curl
20 x 12- toe point at top
20 x 10- “
20 x 8- this time with thigh lift off at top- This felt so amazing on the degree of contraction I got, we have decided we will stick with this method for a time!

Standing Cable Ham Curl-unilateral
40 x 12 R
40 x 10 R assisted by hubby last 2-3 reps
40 x  9 R assisted on last 3 reps
Remember my right leg is MUCH weaker due to non-use from injury
40 x 12 L
40 x 10 L
40 x  8 L
These were MUCH easier, of course!

Kind of a shorter leg session as we went later than normal, but it killed. I’m STILL sore today!

Saturday my husband and I went to a small bodybuilding show in Norfolk Nebraska and I had an absolute blast!!My husband emcee’d and I did my second round of test judging and passed so i’m now officially an NANBF judge!! I’m super excited!
I am also even more motivated, something about seeing everyone on stage just gets me pumped to be there again come spring! I have basicly started a pre-comp diet with a little less strictness on foods, but following macros and avoiding junk. I’ll allow a cheat meal each week or two, and have begun morning cardio on an empty stomach. I HAVE to get 10 pounds off. I plan on that as an initial goal besides getting my foot and ankle back to normal. I then want to maintain at about 103lbs to stay tight so when i actually get to start comp prep again, it will be much less painful.
I’m very motivated right now!

 

More later. I’m waiting for the carpet cleaners to come re-stretch the basement carpet, then clean it after it finally dried out after some slight flooding down there a week or so ago!

I’m planning to hit the gym later this evening when my hubby is home. Back & bi’s are on the agenda! )