April posts

Fab ABS day 1

Hey ya, yesterday was a rest day. Today was going to be legs, but I opted to run instead (and ABS).
Here’s my starting stuff for the #AbsApril challenge– By the way I’m posting daily on social media for the challenge, plus you can always reference this page for the day’s “assignment” http://buffmother.com/fababs/

Height: 5-6.5

Starting weight: 138 (goal is to lose at least 3 pounds)
Ending weight:

 

Starting waist relaxed: 29 (goal is to lose 2 inches)
Ending waist relaxed:

 

Starting waist sucked in: 27
Ending waist sucked in:

 

*Optional extra stats can be included like cycle day, caliper or body fat measurements.

Waist at belly button 30.5
Caliper by belly button horizontally=20mm
Caliper Suprailliac diagonal spot= 10mm

Starting Cycle day= 14

PHOTOS~
Starting Front photo: 20160401_150140
Ending front photo:

 

Starting side photo:20160401_150201
20160401_150150Ending side photo:

 

Thoughts about the contest~ a short essay about how the contest helped you, what your favorite info was and your progress during the 28 days:

Start…I am excited for this contest. Last time I did this program was last August. I was getting amazing results a little over halfway in but ended up getting really sick with a UTI (actually a total of 3 of them in a row).  Since that point my abs became the worst they have in years.  It also felt like I had strained something in my bladder/stomach up until about the end of February.  I plan to “be careful” but also aggressive in my goals to get FAB ABS!  My diet will be a very low carb style, so I plan to focus more on GREEN veggies than fruit for my carbs.  I have a goal to compete in the Masters track meet this June– running the 100, 200 and doing the long jump. That meas I’ll be hitting the track 2x’s a week for sprint and jumping workouts. I also plan to get in my daily 20 mins of steady cardio during the 28 days in addition to my normal strength training/interval workouts.  Should be good!!

Day 4 abs….

Hey all!! Glad to have MONDAY here and a quite house. It’s GORGEOUS here today~ I need to get outside some!  I can’t believe it’s our final week in the SSS contest. Your challenge this week is to FINISH The contest by taking final STATS and pics.  More details here:

http://www.teambuffmother.com/…sss-week-10-finish-1

and here…..SSS Week 10- Photo prep!!

My POA for the week– Daily AB Challenges!! ( www.BuffMother.com/fababs)
M- Lift upper body (back/bi/shoulders) and Hills/Intervals Run outside
T- Lift Chest/triceps/ABS
W- Run at track
Th- Legs
Fri-  Upper body lift
Sat- Run outside- hopefully at the track
Sun- Off — do pics and measurements

Yesterday, we had a  sad incident. Our electricity was out for several hours in the early morning and our little baby chicken died from getting too cold   My girls were really sad and so were the rest of us! It’s hard seeing that happen.

The rest of the day turned out good though. We watched some tv, got some sun, cleaned and at some good meals~ An overall great REST DAY!  It was good because my legs were really sore from Saturday’s workout!

Time for me to get moving, I have a Dr.’s appt today and need to get a bunch of stuff done prior to that!

Have a good day~
Michelle

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legs are stronger

I had a really good day yesterday!! The best part about it was that I did not even login to my computer!! YAY!! I think I’ll start doing that more.

Got some cleaning done, put together some shelving and had a killer leg workout! I felt really strong!

Dead lifts
135x10x3sets

Squats
135×10, 155×10, 175×6, 175×6, 135×10 (closer stance)

Dead lifts
135x10x 2sets

Knee extension
90×10 rt leg focus+10 lft leg focus x3sets
Leg curls
100x10x3sets
Plus did abs between sets– knee ups, ball sit ups, hands on hammie sit up, hip ups, hip swivels

Joined a gym

So I finally did it I joined a gym yesterday and got in a really good first workout I lifted back shoulders and biceps started with

shoulder press

Lat pulls

seated rows

high lat row Hammer Strength shoulder press on Hammer Strength

bicep curls

I did some abs hip adduction and abduction more abs then a little bit of assisted Pull-Ups really light focused on the stretch then… I did the elliptical for my 20min intervals where my hard minutes we’re going backwards instead of forwards

I have just 68 days left in my birthday bikini countdown feel like I’m getting some progress although the scale isn’t moving much. It’ll be interesting to do my final pictures for the Superstar success contest and final measurements…. feels like I’m in a lot better shape that I have lost some of my body fat. I’m frustrated though that I didn’t lose really any weight I’m still working on getting my thyroid levels normalized and realized yesterday that the 10 pounds I gained while my thyroid was low aren’t magically going to fall off just because my thyroid levels are better again.

I’ll have to do really work hard to get them off!!

I’ve had some epiphanies lately regarding my career, I have some projects that I’d like to do and explore some others.  I’m going to be off line a little bit more. Then after this ABS challenge I don’t think I’m going to do anymore challenges for the public

I have an interval run outside and abs on tap for today….20160406_122723hope you have a good day too!

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  • Striving for progress

    Hey just sitting outside right now very nice here about 69 degrees and sunny little windy…yesterday was kind of the same when I went running outside. I did a longer interval run and really push hard to challenge myself then after the run I did my abs. Plus I had biked for 20 mins in the morning.

    I was thinking about going to the gym today but it just didn’t work out for me.  I think the allergens have really been bothering me a little bit.

    This morning, i got in 20 minutes on the bike then I did my abs, the Pepsi. I really like that one!!

    Then later I did a little chest workout tride the bench with my bad, but getting better thumb…first time I’ve been able to do that in a few weeks!

    I did some  more abs and POBOY buttwork out.  I like that one too!!

    Had a decent day of workouts…been really striving to try to see some progress. I’m in the middle of boosting, cycle day 21, really bloated feeling but I feel stronger and I have good motivation.

    I just need to buckle down on my diet. I keep saying that I’m going to go no carb and I just don’t ever really do it. For me to lose weight I have got to really cut my carbs and I know that’s why I haven’t lost it over these last 10 weeks is because I haven’t really been super strict about my diet.

    In other news I’ve been listening to some audiobooks while I clean and do laundry and work out the last couple days. I listen to “You are a Badass” and then a little bit of the book about the 50 most amazing Christian leaders. Now,I am listening to “Elon Musk” a bio about the entrepreneur who is involved with Tesla and some other amazing companies. It’s a very interesting story!

    I’m really glad it’s Friday Travis is on his way home early today and 2 of the girlsare spending the night at friends…so we just have 2 kids home tonight or maybe just one depending on what Gunner has planned.

    I really want to get to the track on Saturday or Sunday and the other day I’m going to do LEGS

    I plan to take  my final pictures for the SSS probably not until Tuesday…hahaha

    I’m going to give myself as much of a window of opportunity is possible to maybe get rid of some of this hormone bloat before then.

    TGIF have a great weekend, Michelle

    Done! and free HT Pill TRIAL!!

    Whoohooo We FINISHED!! the SuperStar Success contest Entry is due April 13th….
    Your final entry info is located here: http://wp.me/p4kaPT-1M0
    And, don’t forget everyone who sends in a final entry WINS a free shirt as a prize…..I love seeing the results posted!! I plan to get mine posted on Wednesday.

    In other news, for the next month I am offering a FREE TRIAL to the amazing HORMONAL TIMING PILLS!!

    http://buffmother.com/product/…l-with-subscription/

    Now for my recap of the weekend and POA…

    I’ve done good- got my legs  and abs done on Saturday and then Sunday did bike and abs.  I am totally loving the ABS APRIL “FAB ABS” workouts…They are full of variety, but all very challenging! Join in on the fun www.BuffMother.com/FabAbs

    POA:
    M: Run and upper body mish-mosh lifting
    T: Upper body at gym and cardio machine intervals
    W: Pictures/Stats for the SSS and Legs at home
    Th: Gym- upper body and run
    Friday: Gym- lower body

    So as you can see, I’m going to try to get to the gym 3 times this week. I was going to go today but my TIA is home sick. She had a fever yesterday, but is feeling much better today.  Poor thing though she wanted to get perfect attendance this year. Today’s the only days she’d missed

    I’ve been doing some work on the computer…not been moving much yet today. Time to get rollin’! Here’s in interview I did this morning Childhood Obesity interview

    I am also working on a new “secret project”…very fun to have an exciting focus.  It’s just in RESEARCH stage right now, but has a lot of potential!! I’ll know more in the next few weeks!

    Have a good day,

    Michelle

    Entry for SSS– Michelle Berger

    2016 front2016 side

    Today’s Date:_2/2  4/13  height: 5-6.5     weight:139.8   138.8  -1

    age:_40______
    Today’s cycle day- cday 10     cday 26

    Please list the following measurements-

    Bust (around breasts the biggest part):37   38   +1 (this is cycle day related!!)
    Chest- relaxed (just under armpits above breasts with arms down at your sides):35    34.5  -.5

    Waist- relaxed (smallest part): 28.5    28     -.5
    Waist-sucked in (smallest part): 27    26.5   -.5
    Hips (largest part of your butt): 37    36.5   -.5
    Shoulders (around the outside ): 42   41     -1
    Biceps (relaxed at midpoint of upper arm): 10.5  10.5
    Biceps (flexed at midpoint of upper arm):12  11.5     -.5
    Thigh-mid (about 8” above knee cap): 20    20.25      +.25
    Thigh- upper (about 12” above knee cap): 21  22       +1
    Calf (about 7” below knee joint): 13   13

    Caliper measurements~
    Ill-  12  10
    Ab- vertical 16  12
    Th- 10  7
    Tri- 8   6

    Lots of .5 inches lost many spots…that’s progress!!  Body fat is going down and the good news is I am keeping my legs~ I have been working hard on leg day!!

    #3-FinishingThoughts:
    Where are you in your journey? I am still in “recovery” from the past year’s  (or longer) bout with my thyroid.  Thankfully I have also been UTI free since the beginning of the year.  I am progressing, but would like to get back to a place where I truly feel like ME in my own skin!

    Did you reach your goals and aspirations? Nope.  I had high hopes of losing 10 pounds, but only managed to lose 1.  The truth is though I was weighing in the mid 140’s a lot during the first month of the challenge. So to be consistently under 140 again feels much more than a 1 pound loss.  I am STILL SUPER HAPPY with my progress! I feel like I have gained more momentum than I’ve had in well over a year!!  I have no doubt that I’ll be back in my happy zone of under 130 within the next few months!!

    Where do you see this challenge brought you?

    It’s brought me more energy.  It’s brought me more insight. It’s given me some closure on certain things and it’s brought me to a place where I have belief again! I believe that my body can and will be pristine once again!

    Do you have any lingering concerns?

    I do…I am worried about the side effects of Thyroid meds.  I don’t like taking anything that is an RX.  But, I also don’t like feeling like a turd.

    Do you feel you made an impact on your legacy during this contest? your WHY?

    Yes, my kids see me working out daily. They are proud of me and they too understand that to look amazing you have to work amazingly hard!

    Did you feel the support group helped you stay on track? Yes!! Team BuffMother is the best!

    What tactics did you use to stay focused and engaged for the entire 70 days?
    Blogged very often. I made POA’s. I followed my training plans. I also watched the SSS Video coaching

    Did you reward yourself when you hit certain goals along the way? Yes, I reward myself too often– part of why I don’t have more results.

    What other thoughts are in your head at the moment?

    I am excited to be able to really workout again…over the past 3 weeks my fitness level has drastically improved and so has my consistency and determination to be disciplined.  If I can replicate the past 3 weeks over the next 8 I’ll truly see some results in time for my 41st birthday.  62 days to go!!
    #4- Comment about your HORMONES
    Did you GET to know your body? Yes, even more about hormones than before.  I really dug into more research about Thyroid and Testosterone.  My sponsorship with HighT brands has really opened my eyes to the fact people do not understand Testosterone.  I have a new found respect for it and Thyroid.  My thyroid is low, but now that I’m getting it back to more normal levels I feel like a different person!

    Did you learn about your good c-days, your bad c-days, your weight fluctuations, etc…
    Did anything surprise you?  Yes, through my years of tracking my worst PMS days were during boosting. I had lower energy then and just felt more sleepy.  During the months when my thyroid was lowest, it was the opposite.  ZILTCH energy during buffing and I could at least function during boosting.

    #5- Favorite Journal/Blog Posts
    take a peek back at your blogs– what were some of your favorite entries from the 10 weeks?

    http://www.teambuffmother.com/…ee-last-weeks-lunges
    And also the 10 year RR anniversary celebration
    Did anyone else’s impact you along the way? Oh for sure! Every post in the RR seems to impact me more than anyone could imagine. I love it when members share, and it also hurts when members don’t share   Of the 168 people who signed up to do the contest only a handful truly participated and even less sent in an entry, it’s sad to me.  BUT, the focus has to be on those who saw improvement and those who were impacted in a postive way. I know I certainly have come a long way towards my goals these last 10 weeks! Can’t wait to keep on progressing!!

     

    the Arc!

    Yesterday I did intervals on a new type of elliptical…who knows it may be old??… but it was new to me!!

    The  Cybex Arc. http://www.cybexintl.com/products/arc-trainers.aspx

    It was really a good workout nice to be able to take such HIGH BIG STRIDES!

    Prior to the intervals I did:

    Warm up- 10 mins step mill, 1 set bicep curls, 1 set assisted pull ups w/40

    I don’t remember the weights, but pushed it harder than last week:
    Shoulder press (one set backwards)
    Seated Rows
    Lat Pulls
    Wide Cable Lat pulls on knees
    Pose-down bicep curls
    Hip Abdcutions
    Hip Adductions
    Shoulder Press on Hammer Strength
    Calf machineLeg Curls
    Leg Extensions

    Ab stuff between some sets– standing high knees, slip drill, knee ups

    After the workout I went to the track meet in a neighboring town.  It was good but made for a long day!

    I’ve been cleaning all day and working on my SSS entry— decided to make today a rest day, cycle day 26 

    Now I’m off to guitar lessons for my Gracie,

    Bye~ Michelle

    Implementing 2 changes

    Hey ladies! Sorry to have been a bit MIA at the end of the week. I’ve been here, been working hard and been relaxing hard too, lol!
    My week last week went well but I didn’t get in as many lifting workouts as I wanted and ended up taking 2 days “off” instead of just 1.  A bit of the sickies have been going around and I think I may have got a tiny bit of them– feeling decent today. Poor DH though got hit hard, he’s home sick today

    This month is flying!! It’s already Abs day 18, wow!! Our workout for today is the La Croix~ https://youtu.be/egrPlp_NMzI  I’ve been doing abs most days, but really need to step it up if I want to see big changes by the end of the month.

    Starting today I am implementing 2 things for the remainder of my “bikini birthday countdown” 57 days to go now….

    1- fasted bike, this is just 20 mins on the bike before I eat breakfast, nothing too intense, but typically I work up a nice sweat!
    2- Very low carb!  I’ve got 10 pounds to lose and it’s not gonna come off by doing the same things I’ve been doing the past few months.  Going KETOGENIC is the goal….I’m going to count every carb!  Lots of protein, greens and fats will be eaten– but no chips, fruit, grains, crackers, bread, rice, etc…those have been slipping in my diet recently– but no more!

    Today, I got up and biked then did 2 rounds of the COKE= 30 mins of exercise
    ate scrambled eggs
    The plan is to do legs and the la croix later

    Have a good day!

    -Michelle

    Quickie…

    hey all! Just wanted to post real quick….

    Today was an odd day, not much energy going on…got 23 mins on bike and some abs in this morning, but opted out of my workout this afternoon.  Low, low carb is going good but energy being a bit lower today is normal.  Planning to have a good workout tomorrow.

    I did have some good BRAIN focus today– got done with some boring yet needed paperwork.  Hubby is still on the mend, he went to the Dr. today so he should be on an upswing.

    Have a good night, I’ll be sure to post my killer workout tomorrow!! YAEAH!!

    Lowest in months

    Hey ladies TGIF to you and I have been busy I went to town to the gym past two days Plus have been shopping and doing all kinds of errands and chores…

    My my girls had their District track meet last night they got second place as a team in all three of them did really good. Gracie won every event she was in the 4 by 800 the 4 by 4000 and the 800!

    Today I got dressed up to go help Travis at work a little bit and then went to the gym I was tired from the last few days of workouts I did this is legs mostly

    leg press

    leg curl

    hip abduction

    hip abduction knee ups

    ab machine

    low back extensions

    Smith butt squats

    Smith lunges

    calf raises

    assisted pull-ups and glute Machine… I just realized I forgot to do the knee extension machine

    My low low carb is going well!  the scale rewarded me today with the lowest weight I’ve seen in months 136.6  yay!!

    Winners announced!

    Whoohoo!! Got our winner’s announced for the SSS contest!! SSS winners!! Congrats Ladies!!

    Ovulation is here– cycle day 13 and I feel like one BIG Hormone!
    Weight is up, Motivation is down, Energy is Sluggish…Cravings are high! Anyhow, I will power through!

    Got in a solid leg workout yesterday and in just a bit I will bench for chest/tri’s/abs and go for an interval run. Then it’ll be time to head to the track for my son’s District meet.  He’s running the 400 and 4×400

    I’m also going to pick up a weight bench today. Found it on Craigslist and am going to put it at my husband’s office so he can squat and bench there

    HUMP DAY!!

    Today has been a much better day than yesterday, yay!! I did end up sleeping in this morning and it made such a difference~ I seriously need more sleep than the average human!

    It’s HUMP DAY and Guitar lesson day here for us…I’ll be heading to pick up my 3 sweet little ladies from school so we can get to my Gracie’s lesson.  She’s been slacking on her guitar lately, but now that track is over, I am hoping she’ll get a bit more serious about it!

    I got up this morning finally at about 10:30 and decided to hit the trail for a run instead of sitting on the boring bike.  I ran intervals 6 total then a walk jog back up the hill– total time was 22 mins.  I also did a few drills after the run.  Came back home and ate.

    Do you like my long socks? I have to wear them so the weeds don’t get me so much, lol!

    My weight was up a lot yesterday, I think I was 140 actually, so today it felt nice to see the scale at 137 again.  Ovulation Hormone spike is almost over and i expect to see a nice low weight come Friday!!

    I’ve decided to do an EVERY DAY IN MAY challenge again this year, please join me!  The goal is to workout every day in May for at least 11 mins.

    Today is the 3 year anniversary of our VEGAS trip…I love the memories I have from that fun time!!  I’d love to get my body back to how it felt then!! I will do it!!

    Time for me to go clean some more…I opted to stay home from the gym today to do that instead. Seriously, I must be going loony tunes!!

    Gym day

    I hit the gym today

    Started with 5 hard mins on the step mill

    Hit the chest press a bit then did circuits of the following~

    Rows and Lat pull downs

    Leg curls and Leg extensions

    Shoulder press and bicep curl machine

    Hammer Chest press and Assisted pull ups

    Hammer rows and Hammer shoulder press

    then 20 mins of elliptical intervals (backwards for my hard mins)

    Then did the hip adduction and hip abduction

    It was a good solid workout…

    got grocieries and did some errands, came home to shower and relax with the hubby!!

    Abs April Ending Picutres and Stats for Michelle Berger

    Abs April Ending Picutres and Stats for Michelle Berger

    Height: 5-6.5

    Starting weight: 138
    Ending weight: 136.5 1.5 lost

    Starting waist relaxed: 29
    Ending waist relaxed: 27.5 1.5 lost

    Starting waist sucked in: 27
    Ending waist sucked in: 26.5 .5 lost

    Starting Waist at belly button 30.5
    Ending Waist at belly button 29 1.5 lost

    Caliper by belly button=20mm
    Ending= 14mm 6mm lost!!

    Caliper Suprailliac= 10mm
    Ending= 7mm 3 mm lost

    Starting Cycle day= 14
    Ending Cycle day= 16

    PHOTOS~981
    Starting photos: Before on April 1
    Ending photos:

    After on April 29Thoughts about the contest~ a short essay about how the contest helped you, what your favorite info was and your progress during the 28 days:

    Start…I am excited for this contest. Last time I did this program was last August. I was getting amazing results a little over halfway in but ended up getting really sick with a UTI (actually a total of 3 of them in a row).  Since that point my abs became the worst they have in years.  It also felt like I had strained something in my bladder/stomach up until about the end of February.  I plan to “be careful” but also aggressive in my goals to get FAB ABS!  My diet will be a very low carb style, so I plan to focus more on GREEN veggies than fruit for my carbs.  I have a goal to compete in the Masters track meet this June– running the 100, 200 and doing the long jump. That meas I’ll be hitting the track 2x’s a week for sprint and jumping workouts. I also plan to get in my daily 20 mins of steady cardio during the 28 days in addition to my normal strength training/interval workouts.  Should be good!!

    END…

    The contest really made me accountable to DO my AB work!! i really enjoyed all the challenges!  I especially liked the Bud Lt ab routine!! the Decline sit ups really made me sore!  The fasted cardio is really helping me shed fat, I’m very happy with the progress and excited for more to come in MAY!!
    I only started “no carb” 2 weeks ago and that’s when I stared to see more results.  I have decided to NOT DO the track meet.  Instead, I hope to go to MIAMI the third weekend in June!! I have increased my running and sprinting  a bit more too, but haven’t hit the track just yet.

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