Body Assessment #6: Julie
August 14, 2008 by Valerie Waters
Five years ago I weighed 180 pounds! I lost about 25 pounds doing Weight Watchers and have kept all but a little of it off all this time. I work out between 5-6 days a week. Usually a mixture of running, weights, and sports. I enjoy softball, racquetball, and tennis. I like step aerobics and kickboxing as well.
I put on muscle easily in my upper body and start to look fairly masculine–I have broad shoulders. My abs are my trouble spot, if you couldn’t tell. 
I bought RCR at the beginning of the summer but have mostly been doing a community-based bootcamp style workout program this summer, along with lots of softball and racquetball. I’m planning on hitting RCR hard this fall/winter when I need something to keep me motivated through the cold and dreary Kansas winter. I have done a few RCR workouts when I’ve had time, though, and I LOVE them!
Thanks again,
Julie
Thank you for touching on that thickness of the waist thing..most don’t realize that they can actually make that wider with all the extra stuff they do. Liked your ‘fine tuning’ tips..and also your reminding everyone how important diet is…
Val, like Julie so many of us did New Rules of Lifting for Women (which is a great workout program), but were unhappy with how much we bulked up. Is there a way to use this program as intended without the bulking?
Love those tips too! I’m quilty of doing side bends, i still have a small waist but i have notice that there is a new muscle on the side (before there was a hole:) and it’s getting wider so i stopped. No harm done:)
And the back exercises are so useful!
Big thank you!
Val–quick question–how can twists actually make your waist wider? It seems that the media are trying to fool us into thinking that endless ab exercises can produce the lean abs we’re looking for.
Julie, you look good!
Best of luck!
debbie - do you mean use the New Rules program w/o the bulking? I’m not totally familiar with how its designed but I’m sure it can.
Or if you meant Red Carpet Ready, then it was designed to not bulk you up
Iris - I’ll let her answer but unnecessary volume on any muscle group can make it thicker. Not to mention those twisting exercises are murder on the back.
I have some of my own ’secret’ exercises you might like for these areas - maybe Val will let me post them later. I’ll ask
Julie!!
You look great already. I also did the Rules for woman and quickly became burned out and lost my motivation wheI saw that my legs were Bulking and my jeans would no longer fit. Which made me look even more outta whack with my small upper frame.
I have been doing RCR for almost 2 weeks. I am still only able to complete 2 circuts of each set. I do plan to move on to the harder part B but I am already seeing great results. As well as feel it in my clothes.
Val~ Having gone from nearly starving myself of 1 meal and 2 snacks a day. It si hard to eat 5-6 small meals a day. Along with the fact that I am a HUGE scale watcher. I under stand muscle weighs more than fat, but it has really only been 2 weeks. I feel like I am consuming too much for the energy out.
I do as I put in my letter to you have scales, rearranged the kitchen and got rid of junk. But it is hard for me. Do I really need those 5-6 small meals?
Along with your suggested meals I am enjoying “Clean Eating” by T. Reno and have used some meal plans there.
I am afarid that i won’t loose the jiggle consuming the extra cal. ?
Julie, I can’t wait to hear how you love RCR, it really is great.
Laura
Hi Laura,
You do not have to eat the snacks. For most people, it helps control blood sugar so they don’t end up over eating at the next meal. I also really like “Clean Eating” any fully endorse you using some of those recipes and meal plans. Her concept is basically the same as mine. Real food, small portions,often. Keep me posted.
val
Hi Debbie,
If you like some of the exercise from New Rules of Lifting and enjoy training a little heavy but don’t want to get too bulky, then you could try doing it just 1x per week and going a lot lighter the other 2 days. If you follow RCR, it is designed specifically to create a long lean sexy look.
Val
Julie~
How is it going? Still doing well…
What is your goal date?
Laura
The workouts are going great! I am really enjoying the RCR workouts–I can feel myself getting stronger, especially in some of the stabilizing muscles in my lower body, which is awesome. My upper body is looking nice too, and the fun part? I’m getting “V cuts” in my lower abs. I am noticing that I am just firming up/perking up all over.
I will confess that I am not eating as cleanly as I should be. I was doing well and then things kind of fell apart (complete with some mild food poisoning, fun!) over the labor day weekend, but I as of today I am getting back where I need to be with eating.
Yeah!!
That is great.. Are you keeping a journal of your food intake?
Just wondering, as I just started to and let me tell you, when You have to write it down, it’s almost not worth putting it in your mouth, especially if it is bad for you..
Laura