Old lady first-timer bikini log

[Nunya]

Backed off arms and chest stuff, focusing on getting to the point of unassisted pull-ups for a sense of accomplishment and hell yeah's, and working on lats, glutes, hammies.

 

[Dirthand]

Backed off arms and chest stuff, focusing on getting to the point of unassisted pull-ups for a sense of accomplishment and hell yeah's, and working on lats, glutes, hammies.

Definantly have more definition coming out! Keep up the hard work!!

 

[Nunya]

Just a little update, been grinding it out at the gym, and prepping for a mini-cut to strip off a bit of padding. Looking forward to a break from cramming nearly 3000 calories in to my face every day.

Been hitting posing classes every week that I’m able to. I really love posing class, and am learning a lot from the other people who attend. I *thought* I was hitting the gym hard….hahahahahah nope.

Upped my volume by quite a bit, with an upper / body split, but a bit of light lower body pump stuff even on upper days. 3 lower body days/wk, 2 upper.

Two main exercises each session at 10x10 sets/reps, and two others at 3x12-15. And, been working on really getting good at time under tension, so those 10x10s are taking FOREVER, but I kind of like that I can walk out feeling like I blasted those muscles with relatively low weights.



My tracking app told me Monday that in the past 9 months I’ve lifted 1.5M lbs If I could train lower body every day I’d do it.

 

[BigDadd7]

Keep up the good work!

 

[Grey Spartan]

Just a little update, been grinding it out at the gym, and prepping for a mini-cut to strip off a bit of padding. Looking forward to a break from cramming nearly 3000 calories in to my face every day.

Been hitting posing classes every week that I’m able to. I really love posing class, and am learning a lot from the other people who attend. I *thought* I was hitting the gym hard….hahahahahah nope.

Upped my volume by quite a bit, with an upper / body split, but a bit of light lower body pump stuff even on upper days. 3 lower body days/wk, 2 upper.

Two main exercises each session at 10x10 sets/reps, and two others at 3x12-15. And, been working on really getting good at time under tension, so those 10x10s are taking FOREVER, but I kind of like that I can walk out feeling like I blasted those muscles with relatively low weights.

View attachment 332064

My tracking app told me Monday that in the past 9 months I’ve lifted 1.5M lbs If I could train lower body every day I’d do it.

Hell ya sister! Looking good.

I also found out that increasing the volume for the week really made a difference at older age.

 

[Nunya]

Hell ya sister! Looking good.

I also found out that increasing the volume for the week really made a difference at older age.

Yea, finding that sweet spot with volume/weight/tempo where I can blast muscles but be easier on joints has been great for recovery.

 

[Nunya]

Omg I'm so excited, got a DEXA today after six months of a lean bulk and damn if it isn't nearly picture perfect. January to June! January weight was 134, today's weight 146.

Dem squats and BSS paying off

 

[Ateam2023]

Omg I'm so excited, got a DEXA today after six months of a lean bulk and damn if it isn't nearly picture perfect. January to June! January weight was 134, today's weight 146.

Dem squats and BSS paying off

The hard work is really paying off ! Good job!

 

[readalot]

 

[Nunya]

The hard work is really paying off ! Good job!

No gains like beginner gains

 

[Nunya]

Stripping off some fat now. Back down to 142. Show date ~16 weeks out Photos don't quite do it justice but abs are popping out and I can see some definition in the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. I really have no clue, just enjoying the process; my coach seems pretty excited about it though so I guess that's good

Posing is for sure getting better and now I can walk like a sexy mamma in my heels instead of just clomping around like an athlete who strapped on heels and is still going for a goal

Still enjoying three high volume lower body workouts a week. Upper body days still doing a bit of glute pump stuff and also wearing my heels and walking/posing between sets.

No cardio aside from what happens in my real life. BUT I'm busy busy busy in the gym and my HR gets up to 130 and then down again, repeatedly. So it's perfect for HRV and the sport I play, which involves short bursts of speed. And, I added in sprint training to leg days as well, so now leg days are pushing close to 90 minutes from gym entrance to exit.

I have to say it's a huge ego stroke that I'm "that woman" at my gym now. Normally I'm in and out before staff gets there, but last week I was in a bit later and chatted with the manager to get some merch to wear to support the gym, and she said "oh yea I know who you are, people keep telling me about the transformation over the last year" etc etc. I love my little gym

 

[Sicsemptyran]

Incredible progress since your early June post, great job!

 

[Nunya]

Incredible progress since your early June post, great job!

I appreciate that, thank you!

 

[readalot]

Stripping off some fat now. Back down to 142. Show date ~16 weeks out Photos don't quite do it justice but abs are popping out and I can see some definition in the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. I really have no clue, just enjoying the process; my coach seems pretty excited about it though so I guess that's good

Posing is for sure getting better and now I can walk like a sexy mamma in my heels instead of just clomping around like an athlete who strapped on heels and is still going for a goal

Still enjoying three high volume lower body workouts a week. Upper body days still doing a bit of glute pump stuff and also wearing my heels and walking/posing between sets.

No cardio aside from what happens in my real life. BUT I'm busy busy busy in the gym and my HR gets up to 130 and then down again, repeatedly. So it's perfect for HRV and the sport I play, which involves short bursts of speed. And, I added in sprint training to leg days as well, so now leg days are pushing close to 90 minutes from gym entrance to exit.

I have to say it's a huge ego stroke that I'm "that woman" at my gym now. Normally I'm in and out before staff gets there, but last week I was in a bit later and chatted with the manager to get some merch to wear to support the gym, and she said "oh yea I know who you are, people keep telling me about the transformation over the last year" etc etc. I love my little gym

Incredible work!

 

[Nunya]

Incredible work!

Me overdosing on PWO that contained way more caffeine than I thought lol

 

[Nunya]

Latest update - things have been progressing as expected for a first show later this year. I see glutes, I see hammies, it’s crazy cool and I am so addicted. Leg day is my favorite day (all 3 of them each week).

I’m eating at a small deficit to continue cutting, and down to 139 as of this morning, and around 14% BF. I have NO BF on my upper body or in my face, boobs are gone gone gone LOL. So all that’s left is on those glutes and hammies. My quads are rock hard, I can barely pin my creatine magic potion nonsense before workouts, bought one of those little cupping things to work on the fascia over those muscles to loosen things up a bit, works great, highly recommend: Amazon.com

Prep is doing weird things to my brain - I’ve NEVER been this lean, my brain is telling me it’s not healthy (it isn’t), and I can see how women drop in to eating disorders around this shit. The body dysmorphia is real and I look like a fckn super heroine, and STILL don’t know who I’m seeing in the mirror some days. It’s so unsettling. So I’m being very very careful, very attentive, and will be backing out of stage lean back in to a winter bulk very very carefully, the moment I’m off stage later this year. Those competitors I overheard when I volunteered at a show bragging about how they’d eat a burger after their show? I can’t imagine, it’d make me vomit, BUT, I will for SURE go back to eating at a surplus and building. Lifts were way more fun then

IN OTHER NEWS:

My LDL has been chronically elevated; last year it was over 300 while I was dropping weight, and then settled around 140. My triglycerides and HDL were low low low. A week ago I requested a Calcium CT score ‘for the data’ and because I have a maternal family history of heart disease (gramma). Score came back as 171, *all* in the ‘widowmaker’ LAD area of the heart. So that was a huge blow, mentally.

A statin was automatically prescribed as well as a stress test.I got with my PCP immediately to request a different statin than Crestor, and also ezitimibe and Repatha. I’d gotten labs back in May from mybloods.ai (now goodlabs), they never made it to my labcorp portal, and life got busy and I forgot about them, but I’d requested ApoB and Lp(a), and they were both high, with Lp(a) flagged as URGENT Sent them to my PCP as evidence I’m an excellent candidate for the repatha + ezetimibe. She said yes, ordered repeat labs to verify. Waiting for those results.

Meanwhile, had that stress test this morning. Nailed my nuclear stress test: almost 12 minutes on the Bruce protocol, 13.4 METs, normal perfusion, and a 74% ejection fraction. No ischemia, no blockages. So, high calcium score, but otherwise healthy as can be, and now the gym is even MORE my source of mental health, and I have even MORE reason to stay fit.

I’d been on a low (2.5mg) dose of ‘var for several months, and it didn’t nudge any of my values UP, but I am taking a break from it for a few months so time off = time on. I loved all the sides; hydrated skin and hair, slightly elevated body temp (ie not freezing all the time), higher libido, not to mention pumps at the gym. I miss it a LOT. But I want to get the heart thing solidified first, and then be even MORE strict about labwork every 6-8 weeks if/when I hop back on. I can’t imagine I won’t, I absolutely loved it, and ladies, if ANYbody tells you 2.5mg is a worthless dose, they are full of shit and you should say ‘nah Imma start low and slow thanks bro’.

Thanks @Ghoul for all the posts throughout the forum about statins, ezetimibe, and repatha/praluent.

I’m basically the perfect candidate:

- Lp(A) (May): 309
- ApoB (May): 109
- LDL-C (May): 130 —> LDL-C (Sept yesterday): 91
- Total cholesterol (May): 196 —> Total cholesterol (Sept yesterday): 170

My PCP is totally on board with navigating the stuff that insurance needs extra evidence for, and I suppose if there’s a silver lining to any of this, it’s that:

1) my heart is fckn healthy
2) my cardio health is fckn GREAT
3) I can probably get insurance to pay for frequent metabolic panels, lipid panels, and ApoB/Lp(a) tests, leaving me only needing to DIY the hormone stuff.

The Cardiac CT was only $100 bucks, guys. DO IT. Live to lift another decade. My plan is to live to lift for another 3 decades at least!

 

[Ghoul]

Latest update - things have been progressing as expected for a first show later this year. I see glutes, I see hammies, it’s crazy cool and I am so addicted. Leg day is my favorite day (all 3 of them each week).

I’m eating at a small deficit to continue cutting, and down to 139 as of this morning, and around 14% BF. I have NO BF on my upper body or in my face, boobs are gone gone gone LOL. So all that’s left is on those glutes and hammies. My quads are rock hard, I can barely pin my creatine magic potion nonsense before workouts, bought one of those little cupping things to work on the fascia over those muscles to loosen things up a bit, works great, highly recommend: Amazon.com

Prep is doing weird things to my brain - I’ve NEVER been this lean, my brain is telling me it’s not healthy (it isn’t), and I can see how women drop in to eating disorders around this shit. The body dysmorphia is real and I look like a fckn super heroine, and STILL don’t know who I’m seeing in the mirror some days. It’s so unsettling. So I’m being very very careful, very attentive, and will be backing out of stage lean back in to a winter bulk very very carefully, the moment I’m off stage later this year. Those competitors I overheard when I volunteered at a show bragging about how they’d eat a burger after their show? I can’t imagine, it’d make me vomit, BUT, I will for SURE go back to eating at a surplus and building. Lifts were way more fun then

IN OTHER NEWS:

My LDL has been chronically elevated; last year it was over 300 while I was dropping weight, and then settled around 140. My triglycerides and HDL were low low low. A week ago I requested a Calcium CT score ‘for the data’ and because I have a maternal family history of heart disease (gramma). Score came back as 171, *all* in the ‘widowmaker’ LAD area of the heart. So that was a huge blow, mentally.

A statin was automatically prescribed as well as a stress test.I got with my PCP immediately to request a different statin than Crestor, and also ezitimibe and Repatha. I’d gotten labs back in May from mybloods.ai (now goodlabs), they never made it to my labcorp portal, and life got busy and I forgot about them, but I’d requested ApoB and Lp(a), and they were both high, with Lp(a) flagged as URGENT Sent them to my PCP as evidence I’m an excellent candidate for the repatha + ezetimibe. She said yes, ordered repeat labs to verify. Waiting for those results.

Meanwhile, had that stress test this morning. Nailed my nuclear stress test: almost 12 minutes on the Bruce protocol, 13.4 METs, normal perfusion, and a 74% ejection fraction. No ischemia, no blockages. So, high calcium score, but otherwise healthy as can be, and now the gym is even MORE my source of mental health, and I have even MORE reason to stay fit.

I’d been on a low (2.5mg) dose of ‘var for several months, and it didn’t nudge any of my values UP, but I am taking a break from it for a few months so time off = time on. I loved all the sides; hydrated skin and hair, slightly elevated body temp (ie not freezing all the time), higher libido, not to mention pumps at the gym. I miss it a LOT. But I want to get the heart thing solidified first, and then be even MORE strict about labwork every 6-8 weeks if/when I hop back on. I can’t imagine I won’t, I absolutely loved it, and ladies, if ANYbody tells you 2.5mg is a worthless dose, they are full of shit and you should say ‘nah Imma start low and slow thanks bro’.

Thanks @Ghoul for all the posts throughout the forum about statins, ezetimibe, and repatha/praluent.

I’m basically the perfect candidate:

- Lp(A) (May): 309
- ApoB (May): 109
- LDL-C (May): 130 —> LDL-C (Sept yesterday): 91
- Total cholesterol (May): 196 —> Total cholesterol (Sept yesterday): 170

My PCP is totally on board with navigating the stuff that insurance needs extra evidence for, and I suppose if there’s a silver lining to any of this, it’s that:

1) my heart is fckn healthy
2) my cardio health is fckn GREAT
3) I can probably get insurance to pay for frequent metabolic panels, lipid panels, and ApoB/Lp(a) tests, leaving me only needing to DIY the hormone stuff.

The Cardiac CT was only $100 bucks, guys. DO IT. Live to lift another decade. My plan is to live to lift for another 3 decades at least!

Brother you've saved your own life.

You can wake up every morning knowing you took charge of this and think "My risk level is lower and my health is better than it was yesterday".

Put your mind at ease, and relax, knowing you've stoped the progression of, and begun to reverse, the things most likely to kill you.

Thanks to the incredible developments in medical science you're taking advantage of, you can escape your genetic fate.

Something that would've been impossible for your ancestors.

 

[readalot]

Brother

 

[Nunya]

Brother you've saved your own life.

You can wake up every morning knowing you took charge of this and think "My risk level is lower and my health is better than it was yesterday".

Put your mind at ease, and relax, knowing you've stoped the progression of, and begun to reverse, the things most likely to kill you.

Thanks to the incredible developments in medical science you're taking advantage of, you can escape your genetic fate.

Something that would've been impossible for your ancestors.

Yea, the dx hit me HARD, I remember my Grandma’s decline, and it wasn’t pretty. Of course, she smoked, ate margarine, never exercised, and died 30 years ago in hear EARLY sixties.

It’s just crazy to me how so many BLOBS are walking around with no plaque in their hearts, and then there’s people like me…ticking time bombs, that woman who dropped dead of a heart attack and nobody could figure out why. Well, folks, look to your family tree, that’s why

Very happy for today’s landscape, and like I said, your drumbeats on the topic throughout this forum have been really empowering in managing this. Many thanks.

 

[Nunya]

Bra-th*A*h LOL