Over winter break, I was going through some old paperwork I had saved in a drawer. I wanted to get organized. Guess what I found? The very first training plan that was designed for me by JK-L- the trainer who changed my life!
It was fun to see what I was up to in the weight room when I first started in June, 2012 and compare it to what I do these days!
For instance...
Dumbbell Lat Row
Then- 15lb
Now- 25lb-30lb
Shoulder Press
Then- 10lb
Now- 25lb
Bench Press (Smith Machine)
Then- the bar (15lb)
Now- 80lb
(I know I am not breaking any records here with my lifting, but as you can see
there is a huge improvement from where I started, and that's
what I measure myself against... not what others can do!)
If you haven't read My Fitness Journey Part 1 and My Fitness Journey Part II, check them out. But the Cliff Notes version is.... I was doing 2 hours of cardio a day, not eating enough calories, doing no weight training (for shame!!!), and not eating enough protein.
This is the body 2 hours of cardio/1,500 calories of carbs a day will give you:
I'm not saying I looked horrible, but I was working out way too much to not have the body, strength, and speed I desired. What I was doing was not working for me. I was not working out correctly. I valued quantity over quality and that is a recipe for disaster!
Let's fast forward to ....
After 5 months of weight training
After 13 months of weight training
After 14 months of weight training
31 years old and rockin' the shorty-shorts.
When I see girls in these shorts, I whisper to my husband, "She forgot to put pants on today."
But apparently when I wear them, it's okay!
PS. I only lost about 5lbs between the first
picture and the last picture.
I realize I'm not going to be on a fitspiration poster anytime soon, but it's a VAST improvement from how I started. I am not posting these pictures to boast and say "Look at me now!!!". I am posting them to show you that if you are training the right way and eating the right way you can get the results you desire. I workout HALF us much as I used to and eat 500-700 more calories than I used to. Yes, I am glad some of my results are aesthetic. I would be full of shit if I did not admit that. BUT I am also glad to have performance results- I am stronger and faster than I used to be. Before, I was run down and tired.
The point of this post: If something is not working for you, CHANGE IT!!! They say insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. If you're not getting the results you want, educate yourself and CHANGE your approach.
Are you a runner who weight trains? How has it helped your running?
I got stronger, faster, and leaner.
If you don't weight train, what is holding you back from trying it?
I thought I would get fat if I took time off from running. I thought weight training was boring and I thought I wouldn't see any results. (I had tried before in college but didn't see results... probably because I wasn't doing it right!)
I am guilty of doing almost 2 hours of cardio a day! However, I do eat extremely clean and I do do pilates as well. LOL. I am actually quite healthy. But yes, cardio by itself isn't going to get ya ANYWHERE!!! Which is funny, because you do log miles! LOL!
ReplyDeleteI never did pilates but recently started STRETCHING. Oh my word, I never, ever, ever stretched. Talked about neglecting an important part of fitness!
DeleteI am a runner who does not weight train. I'd say that what is holding me back is a combination of finding the time (without taking it from my running, which is only 30-60 min 4x on weekdays + a long run on Saturdays), and having no idea what I'm doing. My goal is to start strength training at least 1 day a week and using the Nike NTC app to help me learn. Thanks for the inspiration, a picture is worth a thousand words!
ReplyDeleteI had no clue what I was doing either, so I totally get where you're coming from. I bought 10 sessions from a trainer who knew her shit and she taught me how to get started. It was expensive, but seriously the best money I ever spent on fitness!
DeleteI do not currently weight train, but after reading so many blogs that discuss the benefits of it, I really want to start. I'll be pretty honest...the one thing that has kept me from starting is that I was scared, because that's one area that I know nothing about...Sara from LovingontheRun gave me some advice on how I get started, but if there's any info you'd like to share (or links to old posts about this), I'd really like to learn more!
ReplyDeleteI had no clue about weight training either. The best thing I ever did was higher a KNOWLEDGEABLE trainer (aka, looked at me as an individual person and taught me what to reach my PERSONAL goals) to get me started. I bought ten half hour sessions from her. After 5 weeks, she wrote me a program to do on my own. I used to go back every two months for a new program, but now I write my own. It was pricey to invest the money in the sessions, but if your trainer knows what they're doing, it is SO worth it. One on one I could ask her questions, she would look at my form, recognize my strengths and weaknesses, etc. It was the best fitness $$ I ever spent. I have a few posts about the importance of weight training, but nothing specific on how to get started. I shall type one up because I always talk about how important it is to do but offer no tips on getting started!!
DeleteTHIS is why I'm sooo excited for my resolutions this year!!! I'm going to weight train, focus on squats and core work, and run SMART...I can't wait to lose my skinny-fat body :o)
ReplyDeleteGirl, you are going to tear it up!!! And you can challenge your 8th graders to a push up contest!
DeleteI began my fitness journey with running and I was JUST like you. Only I definitely did not eat 1500 calories. I probably ate about 500/day. That was my worst stage. Then I found weight lifting and I fell in love. I am obsessed with it and I so wish more women would do it. My friends in my cohort have recently begun running, but I told them they must lift also, as it is almost more important than cardio. They said they hate strength training and my heart hurt. My body has definitely changed since I switched from massive amounts of cardio to picking up the heavy stuff.
ReplyDeleteThose legs girl! Beautiful!
Wow 500 a day?? I am hungry just thinking about that. (I bet you are too!) How long have you been lifting? In some ways I still feel "new" to it. There are a few things I haven't done yet... dead lifts and such.
DeleteYou're looking good! Glad to have found another PA runner!
ReplyDeleteThanks!! Ooh yah we PA runners have to stick together... for warmth!
DeleteWow, you really look great! You can be my fitspiration poster woman. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you my dear!!! I do work hard, but I work a lot less hard than I used to. It's amazing...if you actually *know* what is effective, you can spend less time in the gym and more time...ummm.... blogging? Hehehe
DeleteI am a runner and a huge proponent of strength training. I wish more people would believe me when I tell them cardio is not the solution for weight loss. I happen to like running so I do it, but strength training gives my body much better results.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy running too- and it is a great way to torch calories, that is for sure. But I will never ever again *just* do cardio. My body also responds better when I do strength training.
DeleteAugh it was such a trap! I am so glad I'm out of it. Glad you are too! :)
ReplyDelete