Hanging in There

Today marks Day 22 of the Velocity Diet, and I'm still alive.  Woo!  I've maintained about 80-90% compliance on the diet, although Dave and I have implemented solid meals with the same protein-fat-carb breakdown as our dinners a few times a week.  I know that takes away from some of what the people who market that diet so fanatically advocate, but from reading other V-Dieter's blogs, this alteration is VERY common and still produces pretty much the same results.  The whole point of the V-Diet is mental discipline and strictly portioned meals, and if the solid food comes in those exact proportions, you're accomplishing the same thing.  Sorry, T-Nation.  ;)

I have been really busy at work, so the blog posting has been less frequent than I'd like, as have the weigh-ins and measurements.  I will do another weigh in and measurement next week to check my progress.  A lot of changes apparently happen during the 2 week period following the initial 28 day super strict timeframe, but everyone responds differently.

As far as MY progress: Physically, my weight has fluctuated day to day (like usual), but overall I'm down about 6-7 lbs.  I've lost more in the way of inches than anything else.  My clothes fit more loosely, and I noticed that my bodyweight exercises like pull ups and rings feel easier.  It's amazing what a small weight fluctuation can do to those movements!  In terms of energy and attitude, it's been rough.  I get tired in the afternoons due to the very low carb levels, and I really don't like "meal" times because I dread the shakes.  They really don't taste bad; I'm just freakin' SICK of them. 

I'll just do a catch-up summary of a couple of my workouts below and add more as I find time:

9/2/10 Workout

Quads Gym

Warm Up: high incline walking - 15 min. (I was feeling particularly sluggish this day and needed to loosen up a lot)

Good Mornings (in kg): 20 x 10, 30 x 5, 35 x 8, 40 x 8

Press (in kg): 30 x 5, 35 x 3, 40 x 2

Note: I have been doing presses a lot lately, and there is some interesting anecdotal evidence from Dan John that women should be pressing every day.  Check it:

"'Press more' in terms of volume, of course…women should press probably every day, doing something in a pressing movement. I didn’t say heavy, I didn’t say 100 reps. In the same vein, wom[e]n should stop stretching all the time. They are predisposed to flexibility, yet lack in pressing strength. No, for total candor, I like the female design and I am not being critical. My point is that everyone likes to play to their strengths and ignore their weaknesses. Women need to press. Women tend to have a narrow shoulder base vis-à-vis the waist and it is difficult to press with that issue. I would argue that a guy can get away with just one press in his program, but a woman should master every variation they can find. I have had some great insights, by the way, from training women, as working with this 'problem' has given me some insights to improve my own lifting. So, I decided to add more variation into my training and it has made it more fun and more productive."

Source: http://www.begin2dig.com/2010/06/pressing-matters-wee-chat-with-dan-john.html

3 Round Circuit:

Incline Single Arm DB Press: 25 # x 10 each earm

25 Sit Ups

9/3/10 Workout

CrossFit

Squats (5-5-5): Bar x 10, 145 x 5, 165 x 5, 190 x 5 --> felt WEAK.  Ugh.

MetCon (rx'ed): my breakdowns of reps are listed after rep scheme

30 Pull ups -- 23-4-3

30 Front squats (65#) -- 19-6-5

30 Kettlebell swings (35#) -- unbroken

1k Row

8:19

Shorter Time Domains

The recommendations for the first 28 days of the Velocity Diet are to focus on lifting 3 times a week, general active behavior (long walks are encouraged), and limited cardio.  I was trying to ignore that last bit for awhile, but after how Sunday's soccer game made me feel, I acknowledged that it probably makes sense to focus on shorter duration metcon -- at least for now.  A calorie restrictive diet based mostly on protein doesn't do much for one's cardio energy, and I'm learning that lesson.

9/1/10 Workout

Press 5-5-5+ (60-70-80%):

55 - 63 - 72 x 15

21-18-15-12-9-6-3:

SDHP (55 lb)

Push Press (55 lb)

6:48

The rest of the 7 PM class was doing a FGB variation that was taking people anywhere from 13 - 20+  minutes, so I went with a shorter metcon that still focused on 2 of the key FGB movements.  Workout went pretty well; the round of 21 was unbroken.  I got a bit lightheaded toward the end, but overall I felt alright.  

 

Post WOD:

One-handed handstands

Butterfly pull ups: got 10 in a row, then 8 (rhythm was solid on the first set but fell off on the 2nd)

 

Confession #1: I missed 2 of my shakes during the day because I got buried with other work and tightly scheduled conference calls, so I was at a severe calorie deficit for the workout.  I really have to make sure I get the shakes in, even if they are starting to make me gag just thinking about them...

Confession #2: Dave and I used the same macro nutrient breakdowns as the "dinner shake" after the workout (40g protein, 20g fat, 10g carb), but we made salmon and green beans instead because my momma was in town, and I'd feel like a horrific hostess making her drink a shake for dinner after she drove all the way here (with a bunch of our wedding gifts in tow)!  Dave and I have talked some about subbing in a solid meal every few days -- just for dinner -- if the headaches and stomachaches don't subside.  A lot of V-Dieters have used that modification with pretty much the same results.  We'll see what happens. 

7 Days Complete

I've survived 7 days on the Velocity Diet so far, and I'm still going.  I wouldn't exactly call it going "strong", but I'm slogging through.  I'm battling a lot of boredom already, and I have gotten a few headaches.  The shakes are no longer treats, and my stomach turns a bit when it comes time for another meal, but I have always had a reactive stomach and am not that surprised.  Haven't been able to get away from the office in time for CrossFit yet this week, but the plan is to go tonight. 

On Sunday, I had my team's championship soccer game.  I play for a pretty high level league in the city over at the Rauner YMCA on Western.  Our halves for the championship were 35 minutes, and WOW did I feel it.  We only had 1 female sub, so I had maybe a 5 minute break each half.  Normally this isn't much of an issue, but I now understand why the V-Diet advises that you don't engage in long, high intensity cardio.  I was utterly drained.  Luckily, the team we were playing in the finals didn't pack too much of a punch, and we won either 8 or 9 to 1. 

Sunday also marked Dave's and my very first HSM (healthy solid meal) of the 28 day diet, so as soon as I got back from the game, we headed to Whole Foods to do some damage.  The great part of the HSM is that you don't have to worry about quantity at all -- just HIGH QUALITY food.  So here's what we did:

Appetizer (Dave did this on a whim since the oven was taking too damn long to get to 350 degrees)
Seared steak with some salsa tossed in -- We ate this right out of the pan.  Yeah, we were excited for solid food.

Dinner
Chilean sea bass filet -- oven roasted with butter, salt, pepper
1/2 baked sweet potato -- mashed with cinnamon and a little butter
Sauteed green beans and red peppers

Dessert
Sliced pineapple

We were so stuffed after this meal that both of us were completely dazed for the rest of the evening.  The bad thing was that we were so full that we missed our bedtime shakes.  Oh well.

I weighed myself this morning (morning of Day 8), and I've lost 4 lbs so far.  I am going to try to drink more water today to see how that impacts the headaches, nausea, and general lack of energy.

Thursday's Workout: Sectionals WOD #3

One of my first ever muscle ups!

8/26/10

After posting twice yesterday, I figured I'd wait a bit to post my recap of Thursday's workout and diet to avoid blog overkill.

Muscle Ups:
5 pre WOD
5 post WOD

Didn't manage to string any together this time around, although I got about 3/4 of the way there on 2 of them.

Sectionals WOD #3:
5 min row - 72
4 min box jump - 90
3 min hang snatch (45 lb) - 14
2 min wall ball (14 lb) - 33
1 min HSPUs - 0

Feb. 2010 total: 176
8/26/10 total: 209

This would have placed me 23rd in the event at Sectionals.  I don't remember what my breakdowns were in each of those exercises, but I know my score was substantially higher on box jumps.  Bryce told me I should have stopped earlier on the hang snatch to grab some more wall ball reps, and I'm sure he's right.  Either way, it was another big improvement.  Just have to get those HSPUs!!!

So, here's my breakdown from the 3 workouts, using the scoring method from Sectionals:
Air Force WOD: 7:00 min --> 420 pts
Ground to Overhead: 36 reps --> -180 pts
5-4-3-2-1: 209 pts --> -209 pts
Total: 31 pts

Therefore, with those scores, I would have placed 3rd overall in Sectionals.  I know you can never compare scores from one point in time to those from another (everyone has improved, different conditions, etc.), but that is nonetheless eye-opening for me and REALLY lights a fire under my ass for next year.  Bring it on.

Diet Update:
Day 2 of the V-Diet was mostly uneventful.  My energy has still been high throughout the day.  By eating roughly every three hours, I am not only never hungry but also avoid any crashes.  I think the casein in each shake really helps since it's such a slow-digesting protein.

Dave and I did indulge a smidgen with 2 of our friends by having a bit of tequila with soda water and unsweetened lemon juice.  I had 2 weak glasses and promptly fell asleep.  I had to wake up for my bedtime shake, which I'm glad I did since that's my favorite of the meals (the bedtime shake contains 2 tbsp of natural nut butter...yummmmmmmmmm)!

Newlyweds vs. The Velocity Diet: An Introduction

The Guinea Pigs: on our honeymoon in Barbados

So, Dave and I have decided to embark on the infamous Velocity Diet, which is essentially a 28 day all-liquid protein fast.  This was Dave's plan, and, being the supportive brand new wife that I am, I let him talk me into joining him.  Here goes nothing...

My diet breakdown is here: http://velocity.t-nation.com/programs/vdiet30/downloads/V-DietMenu1.pdf

The "Superfood" is comprised of a crapload of fruit and veggie extracts.

The "Flameout" supplement is fish oil.  The diet site also calls for a specific thermogenic (Hot Rox), but Dave and I are substituting Nitor for it.  We're also adding a fiber supplement.

We eat 6 liquid meals a day, with a post-workout drink on workout days.  Once a week, we get an "HSM" (healthy solid meal).  It's not a cheat, though.  The point of the diet--apart from being a brutal mental challenge--is to shed weight quickly but also to develop a different approach to eating.  What I've seen from people's logs and discussions is that post-dieters tend not to have as much of a sweet tooth and make healthier, cleaner food choices.  All of this sounds great to me.

So far, I'm midway through Day 2 and feeling good.  I haven't felt fatigued, and I haven't missed real food...yet.  Dave is convinced that I'll still make strength gains even on a strict diet like this since I'll be getting so much more protein than I usually do on a daily basis.

We'll see how the Sectionals Workout #3 feels tonight.  I felt good doing the strength work yesterday combined with the short (5 min) met con, so it will be interesting to see how the V-Diet affects me on a somewhat longer time domain.

Wish us luck!

Revisiting the Sectional WODs - Workouts 1 & 2

This week at CFC we've been attacking the WODs from the Sectionals in February 2010.  This was a sore subject for me since I fared so poorly at Sectionals back in February after having spent the last 6 months traveling non-stop and battling illness throughout the month of January.  I was in a bad place, and my performance showed it.  I know that my conditioning, strength, and body composition have all vastly improved since February, but I still get knots in my stomach anticipating these workouts.

8/23/10

Press 5-3-1+ (70-80-90% of 1RM)
63 x 5
72 x 3
81 x 7

It's time to get that 1 rep max higher than 90 lbs.  Need to hit pressing more often.

Sectionals Workout #1: The Air Force WOD
20 min. cap
Women's Rx: 65 lbs
Start with 4 burpees, then do 4 burpees on the minute until all 5 movements are complete.
20 thrusters
20 SDHPs
20 push press
20 OHS
20 front squats

Feb. 2010 time: DNF -- went decently fast until I hit OHS (around the 8 minute mark I think), and then I couldn't control my legs and got too dizzy to stand after a burpee.  My body essentially shut down, and I ended up on the floor surrounded by medical personnel with a bottomed out blood pressure.  Not quite the auspicious start to Sectionals I had been hoping for, to say the least.

8/23/10 time: 7:00

Quite the improvement.  Would have been 4th place going purely by Sectionals results, although I have no doubt that everyone has improved since then.  Still, it felt great.

8/25/10

Deadlift 5-3-1+ (70-80-90% of 1 RM)
(warmed up with 135 x 10, 185 x 5)
245 x 5
280 x 3
315 x 5

315 felt heavier than I'd anticipated.  Note that I used my 350 lb 1 RM, although the heaviest I've gone lately is 345.  Hoping to try for 355 or 360 after I finish the Velocity Diet (more on that later).

Sectionals Workout #2: AMRAP 5 Minutes Ground to Overhead
Women's Rx: 105#

Feb. 2010: 24

8/25/10: 36

I was shooting for 30 on this and was surprised by how easy--and quickly--the first 15 reps flew up.  I focused on resting the bar at my shoulders for as little time as possible because I tend to lose my breath faster the longer I hold the bar in the clean.  Split jerked the last 2 or 3.  This would have been good enough for 6th place based on Sectionals results. 

Wednesday was my first day of doing the Velocity Diet (more info here and here), too, which is my 28 day "protein fast" challenge that I've embarked on with my husband.  It was his idea, and he convinced me to join him.  My energy level felt good, and I wasn't hungry at all throughout the day.  In fact, it felt like I was having to force feed myself to "eat" (i.e. drink a shake) every 3 hours as prescribed.  The post-workout shake was too sweet, so I'll have to water that sucker down next time.

Back At It

I know a lot of my CFC brethren stopped blogging after Sectionals, and I was one of them.  The primary reason was that I was so disappointed with my Sectionals performance that I wanted to distance myself from it for awhile.

Well, the CF 2010 Games are over, and it's time for a whole new year of training.  Maybe this time around I can spend some more time in the States so that I can stay healthy and hit up the box as often as I'd like!

I have met some goals in the past 6 months, so I'll recap them here:

Bench 1 RM: 150 lbs

Press 1 RM: 90 lbs

Note that this is not really a milestone, and I'm not HAPPY to only be pressing this weight.  Still, it's an improvement from being stuck at 85-87 for so long.

Squat 1 RM: 245 lbs

The most I've ever squatted was 275 lbs, but I weighed about 15 lbs more than I do right now, so I've had to accept the decrease in strength.

Strict Muscle Ups: I can get them one at a time, FINALLY!

Multiple Muscle Ups: By "multiple" I mean 2 with a kip.  Hey, progress is progress.