It’s all about the food today!
TODAY’S WORKOUT: Day #2 of Jen Heath’s Hard-Body Workout (on page 400), again fromThe Women’s Health Big Book of Exercises. It looks like this:
1a. Single Leg DB Straight Leg Dead Lift (google it
1b. Pull Up (use assisted PU machine if needed…I do)
1c. Cable Pull Through
1d. Cable Row
1e. Side Plank (raise and lower top leg)
(do 2 sets of 12 for each with no rest in between; rest for 60 seconds after 1e)
2a. BB Row
2b. Underhand Grip Lat PD
2c. Ball Hip Raise/Leg Curl
2d. Rear Lat Raise
2e. Cable Crunch
(do 2 sets of 12 for each with no rest in between; rest for 60 seconds after 2e)
Do all of the “1” exercises in succession without resting in between (you rest after you do 1e), then do your second set before moving on to the “2”s. I had to tweak a few things since my “gym” is still “under construction” and I don’t have access to a cable cross-over machine or many back machines. You can substitute resistance bands for pull down and row exercises; just loop them over an anchor. My cardio was 30 minutes on the rowing machine/erg. I wanted to try something different and it was okay. I think my traps and rhomboids might be killing me tomorrow…
TODAY’S TIP: Eating. We all have to do it so we may as well make the most of it and fuel our body with products that will give us energy, lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol, keep our blood sugars and blood pressure in check, and taste good. You only have a certain number of calories to consume in a day so make each one count! Forget “dieting”. You want to adopt an eating plan that you can continue for the rest of your life. Do you really want to be eating tiny, unsatisfying microwave meals (likely filled with sodium and artificial ingredients) for the rest of your life? Do you really think it is healthy to have two of your meals be shakes? Is it smart to omit an entire essential nutrient from your diet (carbs…I promise, they’re NOT the devil!)? Here is what I do:
-Based on my current weight and weight loss goal of 1.5-2 pounds per week, consume around 1600 calories per day, independent of exercise. I rarely allow myself to eat more based on how much I exercise. I try to hold myself to 1600 calories consumed.
-NEVER, NEVER, NEVER skip breakfast! People who eat a healthy breakfast are more likely to lose weight and keep it off. I’m going to guess that people who actually eat breakfast don’t reach lunchtime and think “OMG, I’m starving so I’m going to inhale my extra-large value meal and a dessert because, hey, I didn’t eat breakfast and therefore I have the calories to spend!”
-Breakfast is oatmeal with fruit. And a diet coke. Shh, it’s my dirty little secret. 260 calories
-I work-out in the morning (lift first, cardio second) and as soon as I finish my lifting I eat a piece of light string cheese before doing cardio. I’m drinking approximately 20-40 ounces of water during activity. After cardio I’ll eat a piece of fruit, usually an apple. 115 calories
-Mid-morning I have a tiny snack, usually my beloved Hershey kisses, dark chocolate. They come in at 20 calories each and since they’re dark chocolate they contain flavonoids which have antioxidant properties. Perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth! I’ll also drink another 20 ounces of water (yes, I am running to the bathroom all day long). 20 calories
-Lunch is always chock full of vegetables. Today I’m having a turkey, swiss, and spinach sandwich with 1 T of light honey mustard dressing on 2 slices of Healthy Life with flax seed and omega-3 bread, 2 cups of veggies mix (cucumbers, red peppers, green peppers) , and Yoplait Light Fat Free Very Vanilla Yogurt and fresh cut strawberries. I’ll have another 32 ounces of water. 444 calories
-Mid afternoon snack will be a 100 calorie snack size popcorn.
-Dinner will be a grilled boneless pork chop and corn. Finally another 24-32 ounces of water, but I know I gotta stop drinking at dinner otherwise I’ll get up a million times in the night to pee, thus interrupting my much-needed sleep. 210 calories.
If you add it all up, you’ll see that I will be consuming about 1250 calories, so I still have 350 calories left that I can play with. NEVER dip below 1200 calories consumed (more on why later). Since I’m close to that 1200 calorie mark, I will definitely find some other snack to eat during my long commute home. Hmmm, do I go with the super delicious but nutritionally worthless non-fat, no-whip Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha – hey, I guess I *am* getting some calcium and protein with the milk – or do I be responsible and have a handful of Kashi Cinnamon Harvest cereal or almonds? Fortunately these are my 350 calories to play with, so I don’t have to feel guilty about them at all.
And finally according to My Fitness Pal, I burned 732 calories through exercising and am consuming 1250 calories through food which gives me a net intake of 516. I’m pretty stoked about that – it’ll get the number on the scale going in the right direction. But, never forget do not consume fewer than 1200 calories per day. You will sabotage your weight loss efforts and do damage to your body.
TODAY’S HAPPY THOUGHT: Did I tell you I’m one day closer to having a 3-way? At Skyline, that is…
What are you going to do today to get closer to your fitness goals? Comment on this note or drop me a line! Here’s to good health! -Michelle
If you are interested in weight loss or exercise, you need to consult your physician. Period. End of story.