Lurker coming out from the Shadow...

[Nara]

Hello all,

I've been that mysterious lurker who pops out of sight everytime you look over your shoulder. But I greatly admire the mental strength of so many of you - not to mention your physical!

At any right, I've been just 'average' for most of my life. Sick of that, I went on the Shadow plan last spring, and did I see results. I've lost 2 pants sizes and 10 pounds, and have seen weight-lifting abilities go up. I'm running the Shadow through right now but I have a few questions.

First, I know what has been holding me back; what I need is ways to get around them. First is job: I work 20-40 hours/week at a physically demanding, no-sitting-at-a-desk (don't have a desk) job, and go to school full-time. My hours vary weekly, from shifts starting at 4 am and others ending at midnight. The result? I get barely 4 hours/night and somedays either can't sleep (off the sleep cycle) or find it really hard to train hard, barely able to lift the weights I know I can when I've had 6-7 hours/week. I do HIIT maybe once a week right now.

Second is diet: I have food allergies: nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, etc; can eat peanuts but hate them); some fruits and vegetables. Other than that, I eat lean protein, oats, veggies, etc. I also drink way too much coffee - a substance I don't really like the taste of but find it necessary to keep me going!


1. How long - aka, years - has it taken you all to achieve your physiques? I'm no where near 'cut' or strong enough but would like, someday, to try figure competing. I know I have a lanky figure that doesn't scream 'bodybuilder'.

2. How many of you have physically demanding jobs, crazy sleep schedules, and how much do you eat for that? How do you train with being absolutely wiped out too?

3. How do suggest I eat, considering my various food allergies?

Thanks in advance

 

[needtogetaas]

wow you really are a lurker.glad you posted up...

 

[Bikini Mod]

Thanks for posting up...

I used to do all sorts of shift work, took care of four kids, fought a long and ugly divorce and it was during the time that I was fitness modeling and competing so to answer your questions, yes, it can be done. You just gotta shift stuff around a bit. For me, I gave up my social life. It was all about my girls, my job and trying to stay above water... Yes, I know wasn't very balanced but going through a divorce socializing slipped way down on the priority list. I needed to work on *me* first.

So I dunno how you divide up the hours in your day, but if your fitness goals are a priority - you can achieve them.

I struggled FOR YEARS spinning my wheels. I knew all about how to be skinny, but I wanted to be lean and more muscular and I stumbled upon the women's board (true story). Liked what I read and stayed...

Post up pics please so we can get a better idea of what you mean when you use words like lean and fit.

As for your food allergies, they aren't severe (meaning that you are only allergic to nuts). You can fully achieve your goals WITHOUT nuts. LOL And please let us know what fruits and veggies you can't have so we don't waste time telling you to eat them!

Post up a sample of how an average day of eating would be and we'll be happy to give you suggestions on how to substitute and tweak if necessary. As for the caffeine, it seems a necessary evil to a lot of us.

Pics first, then sample diet and we'll take it from there. OK?

Oh yea... and welcome! There are plenty of knowledgable ladies and gents who will be more than happy to assist you in achieving your fitness goals, regardless of what they may be.

 

[Gymgurl]

I don't follow the Shadow plan so Im sure you will get some good info on that from someone else. I can say I work and have 3 kids and still find time to train 5 days a week. You have to make it a priority. You fit it in where you can...be it 5:00am or 8:00 pm. I lost 60 pounds 4 years ago and have been here since. But I work at it every day.....food allergies...You can get your fat in other ways besides nuts. But since you follow the Shadow program I would pm him and ask what he thinks. Good luck!

 

[time]

Good luck man!!! Remember Lifting is away of life YOU and only YOU can make it happen.... You will find good help here that I'm sure of..

 

[needtogetaas]

great

 

[Nara]

great

Thanx
I’d love to post pics… if I or a friend had a digital camera. But to give you an idea of dimensions, imagine a size 4-6, 150 pounds, spread over 6'2".

As for food allergies, for fruits and vegetables it’s apples, pears, peaches, plums, and for nuts, it’s hazelnuts and almonds. So I can have other kinds but I don’t really like them.

As for caffeine, I’m 6-shots over ice, 3-4 x/day, no additions.

I tend to eat the same thing, day after day. Sample diet:
Meal 1: 2/3 c. oats, 3 oz. chicken
2: 1/3 c. oats, 3 oz. chicken,
3: 1/3 c. oats, 6 oz. chicken, 2-3 c. vegetables (cauliflower, mushrooms, broccoli usually)
4: 2/3 c. oats, 6 oz. chicken/fish, 2 c. vegetables
5: 1/3 c. oats, 3 oz. chicken, 2-3 c. vegetables
I might have a cup of blackberries, strawberries, or melon a few times a week. I prefer to make my own meals and carry with me. I usually season my chicken and veggies with Ms. Dash or maybe have some mustard on the chicken. Sometimes I cook the fish in soy sauce and garlic (very delicious, in the microwave, covered with plastic wrap, 2-3 minutes).

I find it cheaper and easier to get something good to eat if I pack it myself, and there are microwaves at work and on campus.

How I divide my hours of the day up: it varies because yesterday I had to be at work at 4 am, then I had school in the afternoon. I was at the gym that night and working out, then did homework. Other days, I’ll have school in the day, start work at 4 pm, and go until midnight, then have school the next day. I have basically given up any social life, perhaps once a week but frankly, I am so tired from work, school, and keeping up with just the little things I have to do to live (like laundry and grocery shopping), that my idea of a fun night is snuggling up under my covers. I'm glad to hear that others have made this lifestyle work with crazy schedules.

 

[Bikini Mod]

Thanx
I’d love to post pics… if I or a friend had a digital camera. But to give you an idea of dimensions, imagine a size 4-6, 150 pounds, spread over 6'2".

As for food allergies, for fruits and vegetables it’s apples, pears, peaches, plums, and for nuts, it’s hazelnuts and almonds. So I can have other kinds but I don’t really like them.

As for caffeine, I’m 6-shots over ice, 3-4 x/day, no additions.

I tend to eat the same thing, day after day. Sample diet:
Meal 1: 2/3 c. oats, 3 oz. chicken
2: 1/3 c. oats, 3 oz. chicken,
3: 1/3 c. oats, 6 oz. chicken, 2-3 c. vegetables (cauliflower, mushrooms, broccoli usually)
4: 2/3 c. oats, 6 oz. chicken/fish, 2 c. vegetables
5: 1/3 c. oats, 3 oz. chicken, 2-3 c. vegetables
I might have a cup of blackberries, strawberries, or melon a few times a week. I prefer to make my own meals and carry with me. I usually season my chicken and veggies with Ms. Dash or maybe have some mustard on the chicken. Sometimes I cook the fish in soy sauce and garlic (very delicious, in the microwave, covered with plastic wrap, 2-3 minutes).

I find it cheaper and easier to get something good to eat if I pack it myself, and there are microwaves at work and on campus.

How I divide my hours of the day up: it varies because yesterday I had to be at work at 4 am, then I had school in the afternoon. I was at the gym that night and working out, then did homework. Other days, I’ll have school in the day, start work at 4 pm, and go until midnight, then have school the next day. I have basically given up any social life, perhaps once a week but frankly, I am so tired from work, school, and keeping up with just the little things I have to do to live (like laundry and grocery shopping), that my idea of a fun night is snuggling up under my covers. I'm glad to hear that others have made this lifestyle work with crazy schedules.

K the your diet seems uber clean... do you EVER cheat? You should have ONE CHEAT DAY per week.. After the first cheat meal you will most likely get so sick to your stomach that you will greatly reduce the rest of the cheat food ingestion for the day. But you MUST cycle your carbs... And unless you are pre-contest and unless you get really sick I can't see depriving yourself of every worldly pleasure "just because." It will actually help your metabolism to cheat a bit. Also, where is the fat in your diet? Is the fish you are ingesting oily fish? (ie salmon, etc?) YOU NEED EFA's (essential fatty acids) in order for you to maintian proper metabolic function.

Now you are wanting to lean out, correct?

You have an erradic schedule true, but that doesn't mean that you can't shift your comp carb intake. In other words. On the days when you know you will be sleeping sooner (ie bedtime like 9/10PM) cut out your comp carbs by 4PM having only protein/fat/veggies anytime thereafter. If you will be up all night, obviously you can still have a comp carb meal at 4PM. Just cut off the comp carb meal 5 so hours before you know you will be sleeping.

Also, what has your cardio been looking like in the past 4/5 weeks?

It's been a while since I have had to think about this stuff and I have always taken a very MACRO approach to diet/training - in other words, I don't worry too much about micromanaging every tiny detail. In MOST CASES this isn't necessary anyways, only leads to frustation and a lower success rate.

So wait on the other knowledgeable peeps to chime in.

 

[2raptors]

6'2 and 150! Geez...I'd love to see pics...I'm 5'11 155 (145-148 competition weight).... tall gurls rule! Your diet looks clean.. just pick up the protien and start hammering the weight training...got a training plan?? -s-

 

[Nara]

Thanks to all for the upbeat attitudes.

Bikinimom - love the quote under your name. Cardio: basically none the last few months because the job can leave me just wiped for the rest of the day. I've even had problems getting the weights in like I've wanted (ex. supposed to lift five days/week but only do 4 so carry 1 over to the next week).

I eat a whole range of fish, and yes, some of it is salmon. Cheats: not really. I sneak in a few servings of fruit during the week, but I hardly eat out - last week I did, had a tapas of garlic clams. I don't feel that that counts. So, I'll look at my work/school schedule and try to plan my meals around that better, especially trying to stay away from carbs at night.

2raptors: 5'11 is pretty sweet. Have problems finding shoes? That's my big complaint. Training plan: the Shadow program's weight schedule; I'm having problems getting the cardio done. How long have you been at this?