• 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!!!

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 

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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

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

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!!

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

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

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!!

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!!

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! )

The first awesome bit of news, that most of my Facebook friends are now aware of, is that My husband & I found a new gym!!! I cannot even put into words how excited we are and how awesome this place is!! It’s a further drive for us, which we were concerned about, but after we saw the place and actually trained there, it was obvious it’d be worth it!! It’s a brand new gym, owned by an old aquaintance of our from back when Gold’s here was still cool. He & his brother own it and obviously know what us serious trainers like!! I’ll try & get some pics to post but he really has put in great quality of equipment. It’s like a whole new playground for me and it’s hard to leave! Besides the awesome equipment, the atmosphere is great! Lots’ of serious lifters and females ones as well! I cannot tell you, how nice it is not having all these women giving me disgusted looks all the time, or looking at what muscle I have on my arms, like they wanna puke! It’s just rocks!!
This gym isn’t a social club either, but yet everyone is friendly and will say “Hi!” We have run into old gym friends as well, which has been great and for all the awesomeness this place has to offer, it’s a third of the cost of what we’ve been paying at our old gym.  I got to where i hated going to the old place and we definitely can’t afford it anymore because of my lay off, so this place is a dream!!!

One of my favorite things, that I asked them about was if they have those big tractor tires that I can work on flipping and they do!!!! They have different weights of tires, one being over 400lbs. The guy who showed us where they were said I won’t be able to do that one as he can’t even do it…Ummmm…Game on!!! It’s my goal, I WILL do it. He lit a fire under my backside!! Hee,hee!!!
Now all I need is my foot to be completely rehabbed…..so on that note………
Rehab is SLOW, I’m shocked my how slow it is. I don’t know why it is, as i’m doing the work, but it is! God is obviously teaching me patience! Anyway, I have gotten quite strong with my original exercises, so have started on the toughest round and that is getting on my toes/ball of foot… calf raises. OUCH!!! Those freaking KILL!!! I am fortunate to have a high pain tolerance and to know the pain is normal, so I push through and embrace the pain.

Right now I just do 3 sets of ten calf raises on the floor with both feet at the same time, holding onto my crutches or the couch. It’s 3 sets of 10 changing toe position. The pain ends up taking a back seat to the sensation of my calves actually getting some work again!!! Oh my word, is the fatigue ever killer! Amazing how quickly the muscles weaken!
Once this becomes pain free, I begin working on just doing a calf raise with the bad foot….I really cannot wait to get there!!

I am making progress in my training as well, which i’ll point out as I share my workouts.

Monday June 27th, 2011-First Session in the NEW gym!!!!
Back/Bi’s/Rear Delts

Pull-Ups-WG
5-semi assisted
5-semi assisted
I have to be honest and say this hurt my ego! LOL! I was doing 10-12 unassisted prior to my injury. I didn’t do them throughout because the boot was too cumbersome, so now i’m starting over. It also doesn’t help, that i gained a few pounds either! Game on! Time to get my numbers/strength back on these!!

Cable Lat Pull-Down
60 x 12
80 x 10
100 x 6-barely, last one was not low enough

One Arm DB Row
37.5 x 12
40 x 10
40 x  9

DB Pullover
25 x 12
25 x 10 x 2

EB Curls
30 x 10
40 x 8-last rep assisted
40 x 7-last 2 reps assited
We are really trying to move me past a plateu on biceps

DB Concentration Curls on Preacher Bench
17.5 x 10
17.5 x 8 x 2

T-Bar Row
45 x 10-Back was really fatigued, so wasn’t getting a great squeeze, so dropped weight-I only did this one because I LOVE doing them & the new gym has the bench for it!!! I was stoked! I usually did them with the BB on the floor,with the end crammed in a corner & hooking a V handle under it-works well but a LOT of work!
35 x 10
35 x 8

Face-Pulls-Cable/Rope
60 x 12
70 x 12
80 x 12
Starting with 80 next time!

Knee-Ups
Hubby had me change my technique & it KILLED!!! LOVED it!!
12/10/10

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thursday June 30th, 2011
Legs

Hack Squat-
First time since my injury-This was a new machine too(Magnum brand), & even with strength loss it felt much heavier than the one at our prior gym. It’s a stout piece of  equipment & I LOVE it!
BW x 12-was having some pain in my bad foot, and playing with foot position a bit.
BW x 12-Still testing my foot
20  x 12-Okay confidence in foot boosted, although somewhat painful, and ankle is weak still
20 x 10
Whoohooo!!! That felt great, even if I ended up a bit sore right after(foot)

Seated Leg Press
This is by Star Trac and I like it MUCH better than the one @ the old gym
I also am now able to keep my entire foot on the plate instead of hanging the toes off!! PROGRESS Baby!!!! )
150 x 15-Both feet-all sets
150 x 15-shocked to find those were easy!
165 x 12
165 x 10
Did these shoulder width apart with toes turned out

Leg Extension
75 x 10-Ouch, this machine has a different movement, so had to drop weight as it kicked my butt!
60 x 6-forced neg.last rep
60 x 8-forced neg. last 2 reps! OUCH!!

Lying Ham Curl
I have always been weak on these….hate them, but hubby say’s I must do them! LOL!
20 x 8
20 x ?
20 x ? I was just trying to survive! LOL! He had me point my toes as I went up and that always kills me! He also had to assist me a LOT on my final rep!

Cable Standing Ham Curl/Glute Kick back SS
30 x 12/12
30 x 10/10
30 x 12/10
30 x 12/10
Okay every set after the 1st one was an exercise in determination! I was feeling SO done, so zapped and was having to dig deep to make myself keep going & to focus on keeping my form. My blood sugar had also been dropping badly since the lying curls, so fortunately this gym sells stuff & I was able to get an ABB Mass Recovery, sipped some of that and recover a bit!

I then decided I felt well enough once the Mass Recovery Drink kicked in, and hit some HIIT cardio on the Precor Crossramp Elliptical, which i was DYING to try! I LOVE that thing!! I was only going to do moderate, but had so much fun, I ended up doing HIIT!
I was a sweaty mess! :0)

Sunday July 3rd, 2011
Chest/Tri’s

BB Military Press
55 x 15
65 x 10
65 x  7

DB Side Raises
12.5 x 10 x 3

Smith machine UR Rows-Fast pace
55 x 20-WAY easy!
75 x 12
75 x 10
65 x 15-for burn out

Arnold Presses
20′s x 10
20′s x 8-barely on the last rep-really pushed that one out!
20′s x 6-last rep assisted

Rear Delt on Incline Bench
15′s x 10 x 3–Those were SO tough,but I made it!

Cable Rope PD
50 x 12
50 x 10
50 x 11

Close Grip BB bench
45(bar) x 12
45 x 12
50 x 10

EZ Bar Curl
He had me do these just to kind of stretch out after the tri work
40 x 9