HulaGirl's Hana Hou Hoedown! BFL Journey...
 

Hana Hou means "Again! Again! Again!" in Hawaiian. And that is the mantra I have chosen to help me reach my first BFL challenge.

I went to 24 hour fitness in Honolulu yesterday and signed up for a membership. The gym is nice, and has a women's workout area with weights and cardio equipment, and a nice women's dressing room with showers so that I can work out in the morning, and then shower and get ready for work.

Hana Hou Dates: August 5-October28

Gym Days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday mornings.
Home Days: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.
Free Day: Sunday

I'm excited to get started. I'm planning to go to the gym today to walk through the uppper body workout so that I'll be ready to go full force on Monday, August 5th.

Planning to stick with my low carb WOE, but don't know if I'll have to adjust the WOE while I'm doing the challenge. Advice and feedback is always welcome!

Hana Hou! Hana Hou!

OH! Almost forgot!
 

Basil (my husband) took BEFORE pictures last night. I have alot of work to do!

I will put up a BFL section on my site, and post photos along the way.

Alright!! :cheer: I love before/after shots. I'm going to post mine, too, if I ever get them developed. :)

You'll see improvements in a matter of weeks. It'll be fun. Sounds like you've done a lot of planning. Good luck!

I saw your screenname and I thought--- wonder if she's from Hawaii!?!?! I am so jealous! I have been there twice and wow! what a beautiful place! One day, I hope to build a home there...when I win the lotto! Have you always lived there?
I was in Honolulu last May and this Feb. Everyone is so nice!!!!!
Anyway, I wanted to stop by and say "Aloha!"

Best of luck w/ your exercising!
Linda

Mahalo Nui Loa (Thanks so much!)
 

Thanks for the encouragement!

Now you see why it's so important for me to get my bod into shape! It's always bathing suit season here!

Have you guys ever done BFL? Did you get good results?

I have never done BFL but we do have a BFL forum here. A lot of people get great results from the program. I do a CKD and thats what works for me. There is a forum for that too.

Take care,
Linda

Practice Session 1
 

I went to the gym last night, and met with a trainer named Debra, who walked me through some of the exercises that I'll be using during my workouts.

She also gave me the "carbs don't make you fat, and fat doesn't make you fat, what makes you fat is taking in more calories than you burn" speech. She said that if I wanted to continue to eat low carb, then I could add fruit and veggies into the diet, and occasionally have an oatmeal or potato after a particularly heavy workout day.

She recommended, of course, drinking TONS of water, and also recommended keeping my calories around 1500!! That seems low to me, but I'm willing to give it a shot for a week or two. Hmmm...I think I'm going to have to do some experimenting, and see what works for me.

Anyway, I did my first practice work out this morning. Trying to get a feel for what weight is right for me before I start the program on Monday.

Here's how it panned out:

UBWO

Chest:
Ran out of time! Didn't get it in.

Shoulder:
Shoulder press
12x10
10x20x
8x30
6x40
Need to lighten up, and max out at 30. Couldn't finish set of 12 at 40lb.

Lateral raises:
12x30

Back:
Cable rows
12x30
10x40
12x40
40 was max

Biceps:
Alternating curls:
12x2.5
10x5
8x8
6x10
12x10
Could have moved up to 12s for the last set.

Barbell curls/Concentrated:
12x15

Tricep push ups:
12x15

Tricep kickbacks:
12x2.5
10x5
8x8
6x10
12x10
Not sure I'm doing this exercise correctly. Will ask someone to show me next time I do UBWO.

Aerobic: 20 minute Walking between 3.4 and 4.0
Sit ups: 25 Upper body crunches

Showered, left the gym at 7:45, and made it to work on time for the first time in a month! :)

Tricep kickbacks...
 

Well, I definitely think I was doing those tricep kickbacks wrong. My upperbody is sore, naturally from the practice round yesterday, and my triceps are REALLY sore. But also, underneath my tricep, the area from the bottom of the tricep to the elbow is also really sore. So, I'll be using less weight for triceps next time, and also getting somebody to show me how to do the exercise properly.

Biceps are sore, but nothing major, and my back feels tight, but not sore.

I'm happy that I went to do a practice UBWO to determine weight that is right for me. I'll be going to the gym over the weekend to do the same for LBWO.

Hana Hou!

Hey there Toots :) I just read through your gym log. Loved the bathing suit pic you posted in the other thread. Reading the replies to that poll I'm beginning to think I have a few more than just one secret goal!

If ever you're looking for info on how to do a particular exercise this website is pretty useful Fitsite.com - just pick a body part then choose an exercise. Here's an example of a kickback.

About the carbs and fat and calories - I can tell you from personal experience trying BFL a few different ways, low calorie / low fat in combination with low carb won't work. Can you say 'hungry'? There's a thread in the BFL forum on how to incorporate LC with BFL - you might want to take a read. Intense lifting and the 20 MAS will demand a lot out of you - the rewards are of course, GREAT - but eating to lose fat is very important. I'm sure you'll find that right 'zone' for you. Remember, if it doesnt feel right, it probably isnt :)

Best of luck!
Nat

Mahalo Nui Loa, Nat!
 

Nat, thanks! I went to the site, and saw the little tricep kickback video with complete instructions! Wowza..isn't technology amazing? It looks like I was doing the exercise correctly. I guess I need to lighten up on the weight a little.

About LCing and BFL. I don't want to give up my low carb WOE. I feel better and sleep better than I have in so long, and have no more heartburn! I'm going to try BFL on a low carb WOE, and see how I manage, with the understanding that after a workout, I can give myself a little carb boost via non low carb protein shake, or a 1/2 cup of oatmeal with a few berries.

If I'm going to get into that bikini by my birthday in January, I better get cracking!

Thanks for your encouragement. Your posts are always fun and informative!

Aloha

C1 W1 Day1
 

Yay! I made it through my first BFL workout this morning!

Chest:
Barbell bench press
12x10
10x12.5
8x15
6x17
12x20

Dumbbell flyes
12x12


Back:
One Armed Dumbbell rows
12x5
10x8
8x9
6x10
12x12

Seated cable rows
12x40

Shoulders
Upright cable rows
12x20
10x30
8x40
6x40
12x50

Dumbbell lateral raises
12x8

Biceps:
Alternate dumbbell curls
12x5
10x7
8x8
6x10
12x12

Concentrated bar curls
12x12.5

Triceps:
12x8
12x9
Could not complete...

Kickbacks
12x3

Abs:
25 incline upper body crunches
25 side raises
25 crunches

Post workout food:
One protein bar
1/2 cup chicken salad
1/2 cup green salad with olives and feta.

C1 W1 Day 2 Challenge Day 2
 

My boobs are so sore from TOM that I forewent the 20MAS, and hiked straight up the trail behind the house at 5:45am. It was super wet and mushy from the rain, and I eventually had to turn back. So, I kept up the walk around the neighborhood.

40 minute brisk walk. Annie in tow.

Hey there......

Just wanted to pop in and congratulate you on getting started with BFL. Before you know it, it will be second nature to you and you will actually CRAVE a workout!! LOL!!

:cheer:

Marlaine

C1 W1 Day 3 Challenge Day 3
 

LBWO

Man, my hamstrings are so weak. I've always known they were, but trying to get through this pyramid workout this morning really confirmed it. I mean, jeez, I've been out of the gym for an hour, and they're already sore! :)

Had a great LBWO this am. Very motivated, because I know that this is going to be the hardest part of this challenge for me. I want to have stronger shapelier legs.

Did decline abs! HOLY COW! That is so hard! But I managed to finish the set.

Took tons of glutamine when I got to work. I got a bad feeling about how I'm going to be feeling tomorrow. Hurts so good, right???

Glutamine
 

You're going to come to love this little amino acid ;) Glutamine post workout and again before bed - it will help. And all I can add to what you're about to experience tomorrow and the following day? It get's better. Those first workouts are a killer. Stretch as much as possible and don't turn down any free massage offers!

Nat