my best fitness age so far was 42. that year i began seeing myself as an athlete, rewriting the story from middle school that said i can't do athletic things and exercise. i was stronger than i had ever been and knew that if could just figure out the food thing ... and then life ... but i have to tell you if i actually believed that there was some specific age where suddenly exercise was just something that burns calories, i'd cancel my gym membership and just buy ice cream. since my plan is to make 52 even better than 42 (because i'll have a better understanding of the food thing), i'm celebrating the fact that i have a little bit of time (i'll hit 50 before you hit 40).

if you are really worried about a number, check out these numbers

and for the record people are probably only surprised that you have a gym membership because you make it look effortless and easy. they believe you look that good without working at it and now they are depressed because they once again are faced with the knowledge that there is no magic pill. and the ones who say something about not knowing you go to the gym are really still not thinking about you, they are thinking about the fact that they don't have time to go to the gym so how do you find time? people rarely see YOU. they see parts of themself in you and put it together and think that is you. like Nebulus and aveoturbo said: Do you.

daejamurrachan Wow.... thanks for sharing this amazing link! It really helps to shift the point of view and to see what actually is possible if one does not give in, believes in himself/herself and keeps on grinding

Congrats on your 205 deadlift, 'rin! Great work!

I know we've had this discussion before, and you assured me that accepting other people's opinions of what you look like is somehow better for your self-esteem than ignoring them, but then you keep making these comments about being hurt when other people don't "see" you as someone who works out. Maybe you can reassess? 'Cause you do work out. A lot. And you are seeing gains from your work. What possible relevance is it to anything whether or not people who are not you can see that? (Also: I think your expectations for these other people may be too high. If you cannot even see yourself how amazing you are, how do you expect other people to be able to see it?)

Also, please remove from your head any crazy nonsense about gains stopping when you hit 40. Every single day when you wake up you are one day older than you were the day before. This is true for all of us, every day. There is absolutely nothing specially bad (or good) about turning 40. It's just being one day older than the day before, just like every other day. I learned to play roller derby since I turned 40. Learned to be a far, far better skater than I ever was in my youth. I learned to do handstands after I turned 40. Though I tried many times as a child and teenager, I never could do a freestanding handstand until I was well into my 40s. Today I can kick up off of either leg, into 2 different styles of handstand, and hold with no assist for 3-4 seconds pretty much every time I try. I can also now, for the first time in my life, kick up into a freestanding forearm balance and hold the pose with no assist for 10+ seconds and come down with control, when I choose. And I can pike press into a headstand--something I was not ever able to do before this year. I have far more upper body strength now than I have ever had before in my life, and I nailed my first 5 minute plank this year, at the age of 47.

Age is just a number. It's what you do with your body that matters. And you are doing so much incredible work with yours every single day! You are amazing!

I need to find where I read that, now, bc honestly ot was actually a reputable place >.> the quote was basically that women can gain, at most, 1lb of muscle a month and that after 40ish/menopause due to hormonal shifts we cannot at all. Bastards had me scared for nothing >.>

it wont be hard at all to find a dozen articles that say that. and for each one, you can find a matching article that says its true but you can counteract it with physical activity and especially resistance training. most women who do suffer from the consistent weight gain and muscle loss after 40 are doing the same things they did at 20 and wondering why it isn't working.

Yesterday, I ate the universe. Looking at it, I realize that on top of "social food" I was probably hungry at the end of the day bc I totally failed at fiber and veggies >.> trying not to eat like an unsupervised 5 year old today.
7am-avocado on toast w turkey, tomato, poached egg, a clementine. Coffee
1130- burger at 5 guys, unsweet ice tea
1230 - caged coffee off nespresso ppl
1- cupcake at work bc collegue is leaving (no guilt here bc awesome cupcake)
2- some demo at work of a frying pan? Bit of pasta
3- other collegue is leaving, cake (feel badly abt this bc it was mediocre cake)
5- roast beef, chocolate bar, orange (I pack awesome lunches sometimes...)
7- nespresso again
10pm - leftover fried rice
12pm - could not sleep, made popcorn and had a hard cider
so... legit like 4k cals. But hey, I got over 150g of protien lol.

anyway...

Social Gym W Friend
Action Hero 15
Upperbodybuilder w just 5lbs, and shrugs /rows were ouchy lol
Dare - reverse lunges, ec
Totals 23
and 24
Foam rolled back
Stretched



238 dares, 192 w ec. 452 day streak

I was in our ER yesterday in the nurses station and we were talking about food. Shocking. Anyway, the ER doc was in on the convo, and he says that chocolate is an antioxidant. So, its kind of like a salad.

I mean, a doctor said it, so....

Great progress with the deadlift. Congrats!!

Weekly Digest:
43 miles.
2750 cals average. Will do this week no sugar just to limit the things I can overeat/try to get some better nutrition
3/4, win. Last time I was this stressed out I was drinking like a fish so, I'll take this as a major win.
2 heavy lifting days, check.
1 very light/yoga day, check.​​​​​​
​​​​​​

Last nights attempt to wind down included half a pizza and some gin consumed in a bubble/epsom salt bath while reading oldschool scifi (some gil the arm stories from Niven). Took it easy-ish today. There was no class.

Casual training
Action Hero
10 easy mins on eliptical
Rins remedial strength B
Alt Tricep kickback (reps per each arm on all alt)
3x15x5
Alt Hammer
3x20x5
Alt Overhead punch
3x15x5
Chest fly
3x10x5 (+)
No pullup work, my back is so angry
Set a timer to beep every 30 sec for 10 mins and did some yoga/serious stretching
Foam rolled back, and further worked on it w ball between wall and shoulder blade area
​​​​


238 dares, 192 w ec. 453 day streak

Strength Day!

Nia Strength 9
Squat
1x45x10, 1x95x10, 3x155x8 (struggle, stay here and fix form), 1x95x10, 1x45x10 - that last 45 set feels lije a feather lol
Incline bench
1x35x10, 3x40x8, 1x35x8
Bent row 1 arm
3x30x8
Prawn
3x15
Carry*- used kettlebells, weight is for 1, used 2. Last number is steps. Rests were all 30 sec or less
​​​​​2x24kgsx50, 2x20kgsx50, 2x16kgsx50, 1x12kgsx125, 1x8kgsx175
Action Hero 17
dare - arch hold... did in one go but didn't take ec bc not fully in pose
some random abs work w trainer bc she happened by. She is moving gyms, I am sad.



*added carries bc of this interesting thing I read

239 dares, 192 w ec. 454 day streak

Sorry to hear about your trainer.

Todays food log....
730- 3 eggs, bunch of broccoli, cheese, ham, English muffin w butter, coffee
8- more coffee
1030 beef jerkey, chips, skim latte, banana
3pm- drinkable yogurt, strawberries, blueberries, oats
430- chicken ceasar salad, broccoli, tomatoes, coffee
930 - cheese, chorizo, pretzles, clementine, maple whiskey

just shy of 3000 cals, 155g of protien, and still somehow under carb goal according to mfp. I KNOW I did not have enough water today, which leads to over hunger... I might also need to be mindful about getting more (complex) carbs/a bit less fat to help control appetite.

but hey, 18k steps today at least.

15K steps is very solid!

Thanks CODawn. .. I am hoping she does an outdoor thing in summer so I can check in w her.

Afternoon training bc strange day-remedial strength
Action Hero day 18 -side raises are getting hard
Totals 25 - been putting off lol
Rins remedial strength A
Zottmans
3x15x5 (+ if 17.5 avail next time)
Lat raises
3x10x5
Shrugs
3x55x5
Calves
3x55x10​​​​​​

Carry - uneven, 20kg 1 hand 16 other. 50 steps from rack, swap arms/breath, back. Times 2.

did not do pullup work, resting back a bit

Stretched. May do yoga later.


239 dares, 192 w ec. 455 day streak