@ashley- Thanks for the suggestion on the plyo workout.  I finished about 20 min ago and my face is still on fire!  Great cardio!  I will be honest and let you know that I skipped the lunges and did extra jumping squats, jacks, kick butts, and high knees though.  Lunges of any kind still kill me and I will save it for my LBWO tomorrow.  Great stay at home alternative!

@bbq-  Congrats to your daughter and you!  You must be so PROUD!!  Celebration was definitely needed!!!  

@faithrainbow- Awesome willpower!  Way to go!!!  I, also, have the same question about being sore the next day.  I was sore all of the first week and I'm not getting sore anymore even though I have increased my weights.  Anyone know anything about that?

Everyone have a wonderful day!

Bucki - Alliance Ohio - Here she comes! That is Awesome. You gotta be proud.

'Me' father started his college career out there before transferring to Kent. Tell her we said Congrates!

Bucki--Congratulations to your daughter, and to you for raising her up good!!!!!!!!!   That's awesome, and definitely worth a celebration!

@Perth - Hope you enjoy the seviche recipe.  Just replace Prawn with shrimp...LOL, a little Ozzy humor.  Sounds like you are on track with exercises, the key is just to work each muscle to fatigue.  If you get into a slump, do another exercise that works the same muscles (Supenated bicep curls vs preacher's bench curls ,eg).  Your diet numbers looked GREAT yesterday - heavier on protein, low calories.  GOOD JOB.

@Agey - as many have said, for C1, just stick to the program  Mix up the routines if you get bored, but work the same muscle group

@Faith - for the first set, go with a lighter weight.  It is all about form and creating muscle memory for the heavier weights in subsequent sets.  Be sure to have perfect form so those last few reps are spot on (less chance of injury).

@Bucki - Or is it Buck eye from Ohio?  Congrats on your daughter's accomplishments.  You get a hall pass to celebrate successes.  You have to stop and smell the roses every now and again.  You also did good in your celebratory food selection (mmmm.....lobsterlicious....).  Hope you didn't slather it in too much butter.

I'm off to try a 5/25 UBWO before lunch.

So Happy It's Thursday (do not make an acronym out of this, please)

Yes, congrats to the proud PapaBucki, and kudos for the wise choices to celebrate with! Only 7 more years until my son gets to go to college!

You are right, Frick-- SHITH just doesn't have a good ring to it...

OK, Thursday's check-in.  Did my cardio today, and pushed hard.  I'd taken a break from the treadmill, using the elliptical machine and stationary bike for a week, and I was faster and stronger on the treadmill today.  My motivation is coming back.

I have a question about cardio:  In the book, Bill Phillips says that doing cardio on a fasting stomach after waking burns up to 300% as much fat as doing the same workout later in the day.  I'm determined to do this, but I'm also having a hard time getting out the door in the morning.  With the commute time, I'm often not working out until 2 hours after I wake up.  Then he also says (in the book) not to eat till an hour after finishing your cardio session.  Is that right?  My cardio days are the ones where I get to sleep in, so if I wake up at 9:30, I'm not eating my first meal till 1:00pm.  

Frick & BuckiBBQ-

Thanks for 5/25 info - I see a C2 in my future and now I just need to finish my C1 strong and then set up new goals for the next one.

I just started to workout in the am and I have difficult time waiting that hour too.  I get light-headed when I don't eat.  My commute plus gettting ready for work - I am having greek yogurt in 30min.  I am getting stronger & leaner - so, I will just leave it.

Tonja

@Faithrainbow- I think it is great if one can get out of bed and head right into the workout without eating...but it sounds like you have a big gap twixt waking and working out!  I can sometimes get to my gym and w/o within 30minutes if waking, but if I have to wait longer that that, I will have a Myoplex RTD. It's light and easily digestable and gives me energy for the workout. I'm not a nutritionalist, but I'm willing to venture an opinion that waiting 3 hours to eat is not going to enhance your fat burning capability. I think it would just make me tired and crabby! Remember that we eat every 2-3 hours to train our bodies to be metabolising constantly, thusly becoming more efficient fuel-burning machines. Try eating a little something and see how it goes- remember, we are in this for 12 weeks, so don't try to lose it all in the first 2!

Hey 9'ers - Finally found some time to get back online and do some catching up with you all! Tons of posts to read.

I started C2 on the 9th with you, but must admit - it's been a slow crawl. Sounds like a lot of us had a lack luster starting week. This week has been getting better, but I KNOW a big part of the difference has been not being here and getting all your posts! Surprising how much difference this makes! So I ended last challenge with only and 11lb loss, out of the 35lbs I need to get rid of. So being realistic, I need two more good solid challenges to get me through. Already the workouts seem daunting......   but I am in this for the long haul.

So great to hear from old friends here and have some new voices joining in.

Amanda Joy- I love that you also zeroed in on my favorite line from Bill -  "If I had been there cheering you on, telling you could get one more, could you have?" Have you seen any of his old videos? I can just picture him standing there at my weight bench.....

Thanks guys for the reminder about form and control. I think I have been getting sort of sloppy in lifting and not even thinking about it.

Bucki -  looking forward to the menu ideas! Congrats on your daughters success! A sure sign of good parenting!

Perthmom - OK this made me laugh out loud - "Oh. And I feel thinner. Why don't I look it?! I want it to happen NOW!"  I do this ALL the time. My body really has changed, I can feel it, It just doesn't look to much like it. When I'm sticking to the plan plus posting on the forum regularly, it feels like my life is revolving around fitness and weight loss. So I find myself surprised when I look down and still have this big belly..... It's just not right. sigh...

Bobby -  Simple- yes. Easy- No!   right on

Thanks for being here everyone!

Sherene

Okay guys, I have to share.  I know it isn't really a recipe, but it tastes great.  Vanilla myoplex shake and I added some blueberries (not even a whole serving) and about a tbsp of flax seed meal (for my omega-3's) and it makes a great flavor and is such a pretty color.  It is making me happy, so I wanted to share the wealth...lol

Hope everyone is having a wonderful day!!

OK, just finished my first 5/25 UBWO.  The fact that I can still type is an indication that I did not hit my 10's.  I may still be dialing in my weights and some of these exercises I have not done in literally years.  I didn't really break a sweat until the 3rd set.  Set four, I upped the weight by 5# on everything.  On set 5 I held the 10th reps at just below full extension and let the muscles fatigue.  It took just under 30 min to complete.  I will add this to my repertoire, and may add some of the exercises to my regular routine.  Because I am working smaller muscle groups, I think that 1 minute between sets is sufficient compared to 2 min for 5/25 LBWO.    I liked the speed of gitin' r dun, but did not like the 5 different weights that I had to use (compared to using the same weight for LBWO or the adjustments I made to my workbench (45 incline, no bench, flat bench to 30 incline).  Again, I like it, I'm just not "IN LIKE" with it right now...

So Happy It's Thursday, (Good Morning, Perth, TGIF...)

@ Agey, since you are a vegitarian, here's my absolute favorite Indian dish.  I make this and keep it in my fridge to top my turkey/eggwhite omelete every day for lunch.  Hope you like spicy, this ROCKS!

Makhani Daal

Ingredients:

1 cup Split Red Lentil (Masoor Dal)

1 inch ginger

6-8 whole garlic cloves –or– 1-1/2 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp Ghee (clarified butter)

2 tsp cardamom pods (try mustard seeds);

1 grated onion

1 tsp. Ground Masala

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon cayenne powder

2 teaspoon cumin powder

1 Bay Leaf

2-3 chopped Habanero or Naga Jalokia pepper (I use about 7 now, but I'm damaged that way...)

1 teaspoon Salt

1-2 diced tomatoes

1/4 cup cream or sour cream (optional)

Recipe:

1. Thoroughly wash legumes.  Soak in water for several hours.  Add water to keep them submerged.

2. Add ginger and clove garlic to the above if minced garlic is used add it to butter below.  Simmer for several hours or bring to a boil for 3 minutes, reduce heat and simmer until done.  Reserve ginger-garlic from the cooked grams and make a paste with them.  Mash or blend legumes if a smother consistency is desired.

3. Heat 2 tbsp. of ghee (or EVOO?) in a pan.

4. Fry asafetida, onion and mustard seeds until they begin to pop. Add garlic-ginger paste. Heat until the onions are clear and the peppers begin to brown.

5. Add ginger-garlic paste and finely chopped onions. Fry until golden brown.

6. Add dry ingredients, stirring frequently to assure they do not scorch.  Add peppers and salt. Cook until the mixture thickens into pulpy sauce (about 3 mins).

7. Then add tomatoes and reduce heat.  Add bean mash to the mix. Heat for 4-5 minutes. Add water as required if it is too thick.

8. Add cream (optional) to mixture just prior to serving or dollop sour cream onto finished presentation.

Makhani Daal - 1 cup = 108 cal, 6gm fat/ 10 gm carb/5 gm protein

Indian Omelet consists of 4 oz turkey and 3 eggwhites Cook turkey in pan w/ nonstick spray, add eggwhites, add ~3/4 c makhani Daal and cover.

288 cal, 6 gm fat/16 gm carb/41 gm turkey.

I'm not a veggie and eat a lot of deli turkey.

@Frick- Thanks for the recipe!  I will give it a try.  I have been working on some recipes that will balance my carbs/protein.  Will share those when I can for those who might want to try them!

Hey everyone!!!  Did my cardio tonight.  BC I am training for my 5K I am doing steady state training right now.  I am running 3 miles in 33 minutes.  I am soo  proud of myself.  Eating was great today too.  Just finished having an EAS Lean Vanilla protein shake with ice, water and a banana.  It was soo good.  I just gulped it down.  haha  and just because I thought it would be funny I have a little photo for everyone LOL!

Who said steady state wont give you tens LOL!!!

@Perthmom: i havent uploaded the photos yet because I have been sooo busy.  I will def do them this weekend!

@Agey and Frick: Keep the recipes coming!

@Sherene!!! welcome back girlfriend!! I am in your same camp of only losing 11 pounds of the 35 I need to lose.  We can do this :)

@Bucki: Woot Woot with your daughter!!! How proud you must be!!!  So exciting.  I remember my first day of college just like it was yesterday.  Enjoy every minute of it!!!  Good for her!

@faithrainbow: You are going to have to figure out a schedule that works for you.  Unfortunately this program really works when you get up early and start the gym early in the morning before 8, or if you at least have your first meal before 8AM.  It seems that if you delay the first meal or the workout, you will be eating really late and that might hinder your weight loss.  Is there any way that you can do your cardio after you get off of work?  What I do is that I have a two hour train commute.  Lets say I leave work at 5PM.  I will eat a protein bar or at least something at that time.  Then by the time I get home around 7PM, I have digested the snack and am ready to work out. Then I workout for 45 minutes or 20 depending what I am doing, then have a protein shake around 8:30PM.  Hope this helps  You are going to have plan it out and write it on a piece of paper.  That is the best way to make sure that you are successful.  Let us know what you decide to do.  Remember that you can do this with just a little bit of planning.

Alrighty everyone.  Friday is almost here!!!  Off to watch American Idol!!

~Natalie