D Wood - A New Beginning...

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerful Women
#1

So… I consider myself a bit of a powerful woman, so as sic suggested I will begin a log here.

I have just had my fourth baby 6 weeks ago. The pregnancy for me as I mentioned in my other thread became not only an enjoyable time for me but a time of self-reflection as well. (here is the link to that thread for some of my background: http://www.T-Nation.com/tmagnum/readTopic.do?id=1528602 ) I re-assessed my goals and outlook on life, food, and weight. I am learning to accept my body in the different stages it is going through. Yes I still would like to lean out and lose some pounds, but my focus has changed to healthy eating and enjoying it, and just enjoying my family and my life.

Living my life for losing 10 lbs. and making myself crazy over every morsel of food or pound of weight or inch off my body is NO way to live. I am not a happy person when I live like that. In turn, everyone around me suffers as well.
So I have now begun a new journey. Improving MIND and body.

I have been doing the AD and just got back into my heavy training. This is what my program currently looks like:

Deplete and Load Low-Carb Training Plan (for Fat Loss)

Monday �?? Full body light workout (perform in circuit fashion)
Squat or Leg Press: 5 sets of 15-20
Bench Press: 5 sets of 15-20
Leg Curl: 5 sets of 15-20
Pulldown: 5 sets of 15-20
Shoulder Press: 5 sets of 15-20
Arm Curl: 3 sets of 15-20
Pushdown: 3 sets of 15-20
V-Sits: 3 sets of 15-20 (or Roman Chair leg lifts or weighted ball crunches)

Tuesday �?? HIIT for cardiovascular exercise

Wednesday �?? Repeat Monday’s workout with a few variations

Thursday �?? HIIT for cardiovascular exercise, Centregy (yoga/pilates style class)

Friday �?? Heavy full body workout using full rest intervals
Squat: 4 x 6-10
Bench Press: 4 x 6-10
Romanian Deadlift: 4 x 6-10
Leg Curl: 4 x 6-8
Pulldown/Chin: 4 x 6-8
Lateral Raise: 3 x 10-12
Preacher Curl: 3 x 10-12
Triceps Extension: 3 x 10-12
Calf Raise: 3 x 15-20 or 5 x 10-12

Saturday �?? Off

Sunday �?? HIIT for cardiovascular exercise

Basically my diet looks like this:
7:30 AM:
Protein Shake 1 scoop and 1/4
Heavy Cream 2 oz

10:30 AM: (after the gym)
Protein Shake 1 Scoop
3 Flax Muffins

1:30 PM:
Tuna 3.75 Oz
Flax oil 1.5 TBSP
Lettuce 3oz
Cucumber 2 oz

OR

2 Whole egg + 2 whites omlette
Muenster Cheese (1 full slice)
Mushrooms 2 oz.

4:00 PM:
Cottage Cheese 4.5 oz.
Walnuts 1 oz. (14 halves)

7:00 PM:
Salmon Raw 4 oz
Olive oil 1 TBSP
Broccoli Raw 3.5oz

9:30 PM:
Protein Shake Scoop and ¼
Heavy Cream 2oz
or some natural peanut butter

I am pretty much back down to my prepregnancy size (no scale yet :wink: ) with a bit of hips and back fat to rid myself of. Otherwise I have to say I’m pretty proud of myself.

So far this week of training has gone well. It has really been interesting doing weights again, as I am really starting from the begining. Weights have to be lower than when I finished before I was pregnant, but I know it comes back real fast.

I am looking forward to that empowering feeling again of being strong and fit (or should I say MORE fit) and lifting heavy.
I will keep you posted how things are going.
Sincerely,
D

#2

Welcome- O’ Powerful Woman :slight_smile:

c.

#3

Happy Holidays!

Claire

#4

Are you shooting for a specific caloric range, or just eating what fills you up? Do you have the added hassle of calculating enough calories for a breastfeeding baby, or are you bottle feeding?

#5

[quote]sic wrote:
Are you shooting for a specific caloric range, or just eating what fills you up? Do you have the added hassle of calculating enough calories for a breastfeeding baby, or are you bottle feeding?[/quote]

I am aiming for between 1600 and 1900 calories per day and see how I do. Right now I am doing the AD but we will see how that goes. Before the baby I was doing a kind of carb cycling and it was working so I will see how things go.

No breastfeeding for me!! I started this one on bottles from the start.
D

#6

I’m definitely interested in your results with the AD vs. a simple carb cycling approach.

I hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas yesterday. :slight_smile:

#7

So this is my 2nd week into weights and things are going well. Don’t notice many body comp changes yet, but I will give it a few more weeks. It takes a bit of time I know to gain the muscle and burn the fat. So I will keep plugging away.
I have made a few changes to the workout re: moves. Monday is as posted but Wednesday I do INCLINE BB Press and Weighted Cross Over Step Ups (for the bench press and leg curl)and I do weighted ball crunches. We will see how those changes impact results.
Otherwise, not much too report. Gabriella is doing well as are my other three.
I am just having a hell of a time getting the baby to sleep without being rocked. Sometimes she goes and sometimes she doesn’t. She is just over 7 weeks now so I know I have to be patient but sometimes it is really frustrating when I think I have her asleep and then I don’t! AHHHHHHH Just venting.
That is all for now.
D

#8

Good to see your still keeping to your new w/o plan. Especially with a new baby! Now none of us have an excuse :wink:

and mom’s with new babies are allowed to vent as often as needed. I can picture her pretending to be fast asleep until you put her down :slight_smile:

Proud of ya for all your commitments.

Hope you had a Happy Hanukkah. And i hope I spelled that right.

c.

#9

EXACTLY!!! … any advice??

THANKS C.!!! and I did have a great Hanukkah, and yes it is spelled Perrrfectly!

#10

[quote]d wood wrote:
I can picture her pretending to be fast asleep until you put her down :slight_smile:

EXACTLY!!! … any advice??
[/quote]

Well heck, lay her down and rub the crap outa her back, then just ease on out.

worth a shot anyway.

c.

#11

Thanks c. I actually just purchased “A Miracle Blanket” for swaddling her. We shall see if all the hype is true. So far for her nap today it has helped. So I will keep you posted.
Love,
D

#12

[quote]d wood wrote:
Thanks c. I actually just purchased “A Miracle Blanket” for swaddling her. We shall see if all the hype is true. So far for her nap today it has helped. So I will keep you posted.
Love,
D[/quote]

Hope it works! Heck, if the blanket has the word ‘Miracle’ in it…well, that’s like buying potatoe chips that say fat free :wink: JK. good luck!

c.

#13

Just wondering how things are going. It’s been about two weeks and I felt like checking in on you. :slight_smile:

#14

Hey Ladies. Doing well. My little daughter is now 9 weeks old and so sweet. Cute, smiley and cuddley!

I have been doing well. Just signed up with Jen for some workout/nutritional re-vamping!! I will keep you posted on how that goes.

I have been doing well with my workouts and getting strong again. Can do one bodyweight pull up now, trying to work back to the three I was able to do before I was pregnant. Takes time, I know.
So that is all for now.
Cheers!
D

#15

I’m glad to hear that things are going well with you and the little one. I’d definitely love to hear about your progress with Jen as I’m mostly interested in the intensity of your post baby training as well as your caloric level. I hope she doesn’t mind you posting a few non-specific details such as how many days a week you are training, the rep ranges you are using, and how much cardio she has you doing.

Congrats on the pullup, btw!

#16

Well I am already 10 weeks post partum and I saw my Dr. and I got the green light. I believe Jen is training me as if I was just a regular client, no special post partum considerations as I am not nursing etc.
I have two different calorie levels one for training days and one for cardio/off days. Very similar to what I was doing before pregnancy, just now I have Jen’s expertise and someone to answer to ;).
I am still training only 3 days weights 3 days cardio (HIIT), as before. The rep ranges vary by day.
Jen rocks, she is helpful, caring and friendly as well as reliable.
She is WELL WORTH the money.
When are you do sic? Soon I suspect?
D

#17

Awesome, I hope that you have some really good results with her.

I sure hope I’m due soon. The doc says the baby is still too active to be engaged in the birth canal and I’m not dilated at all yet. I"m keeping my fingers crossed though. This weekend works well for me. :slight_smile:

#18

LOL, you are so cute!!
Keep us posted…
D

#19

[quote]sic wrote:
This weekend works well for me. :slight_smile: [/quote]

Then this weekend it shall not be :slight_smile:

Unless you make some plans that are so fun, only a baby to deliver would stop you.

D, Good luck with your ‘revamping’. I can’t believe Gabrielle is 9weeks already!!! (took a shot on spelling her name right)

Nice job with the pullup. That puts you ahead of 99% of the world population.

c.

#20

WELL SIC??? Come on!! Your kids must be like mine!! They just won’t leave!

c.-thanks for the kind words. Now Gabriella is almost three months and the sweetest little yummy thing around!
I am doing well. Working hard on keeping the “diet” clean and kicking ass with the workouts (JEN RULES!!)
I am into the last 10-15 lbs (from even before pregnancy) to lose now. This is the hardest part I know, but I am determined to do my best!!
I shall keep you all updated!

[quote] Hope it works! Heck, if the blanket has the word ‘Miracle’ in it…well, that’s like buying potatoe chips that say fat free :wink: JK. good luck!

c. [/quote]

An update here: as for the “miracle blanket”… it really helped. That is all I will say… don’t want to jinkx anything :wink: