Sample Weekly Menu (using carb cycling)

Monday (L)

Pre-Workout	Protein Shake
Breakfast	Blueberry Protein Pancakes
Lunch	Veggie  Egg White Omelet , Asparagus, 1/8 C. Quinoa
Snack	3 Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Dinner	Tilapia, Brussels Sprouts, and ¼ C Brown Rice
Snack	Greek Yogurt & Whey with PB & J

Tuesday (H)

Pre-Workout	Protein Shake
Breakfast	Yogurt & Oat Fruit Parfait
Lunch	Grilled Chicken, Asparagus, and Sweet Potato
Snack	Protein Blueberry Muffins
Dinner	Deer Stew (homemade)
Snack	Greek Yogurt & Whey with PB & J

Wednesday (L)

Pre-Workout	Protein Shake
Breakfast	Scrambled Egg Whites and 1/3 C. Oatmeal
Lunch	Tuna Salad (w/ 1/8 C. Quinoa – loaded with spinach)
Snack	Protein Cookie Dough Bowl
Dinner	Salsa Chicken, broccoli, and ¼ C. Brown Rice
Snack	Greek Yogurt & ½ scoop Chocolate Whey

Thursday (L)

Pre-Workout	Protein Shake
Breakfast	Blueberry Protein Pancakes
Lunch	Grilled Chicken Salad w/ LF Croutons
Snack	10 Almonds and an Apple
Dinner	Seared Tuna Steaks, Vegetable Medley, ¼ C. Quinoa
Snack	Greek Yogurt & Whey with PB & J

Friday (H)

Pre-Workout	Protein Shake
Breakfast	Protein French Toast and Egg Whites
Lunch	Grilled Chicken Wheat Wrap and Side Salad
Snack	Rice Cake w/ Almond Butter and Honey
Dinner	DINNER OUT (try to eat healthy)
Snack	Greek Yogurt & Whey with PB & J

Saturday (L)

Breakfast	Protein Crepes w/ PB and Banana
Lunch	Veggie  Egg White Omelet  and Side Salad
Snack	Banana with Peanut Butter
Dinner	Salmon, Green Beans w/ Mushrooms, ¼ Sweet Potato
Snack	Greek Yogurt & Whey with PB & J

Sunday (H)

Breakfast	Scrambled Egg Whites and 2 slices toast
Lunch	Tuna Salad on Wrap
Snack	Protein Lemon Squares
Dinner	Deer Steaks, Red Potatoes, Onions, Carrots, Zucchini
Snack	Greek Yogurt & Whey with PB & J

This is an example of what foods I may eat on high or low carb days.  Granted they may change and I'll have to accept that unexpected bumps come and knock you off your schedule.  Just do the best you can and get right back on top of things ASAP.  

Also, I'm not having the best of luck getting my training guide videos on here, so if you have any questions please see the instructional videos from bodybuilding.com or message me for any questions.

Challenge starts tomorrow!!  Ready, Set, Transform!!!!

2014 Challenge Workout Program (first 5-6 weeks)

Training Schedule

Monday: Back & Biceps          *add Ab routine from Friday’s workout if wanting to train abs hard.

Performs tri-set 3 times, resting about 1 minute between set.

(Tri-Sets 1) Wide Grip Pull Down	20
Alternating  Bicep Curls	15-20
Resistance Band Rows	20
(Tri-Set 2) Underhand Pull Downs	20
Outer Bicep Curls	15-20
One-Arm Bent Over Rows	15-20
(Tri-Set 3) Close Grip Pull Down	20
Concentration Curls	15-20
Hyperextensions	15-20

20-30 minutes HIIT on treadmill

Tuesday: Shoulders & Glutes

Perform each set 3 times, resting about a minute between sets.

(Super-Set 1) Kettle Swings	25-30
Plié Squats	20-25
Wide Squat	20-25
Narrow Squat	20-25
(Super-Set 2) Donkey Kicks	25-30
Ball Squeeze	20-25
Weighted Hip Thruster	20-25
Squat Jumps	20-25
(Tri-Set 3) Shoulder Press (palms in)	15-20
One Arm Lateral Raise	15-20
Face Pulls (w/ band)	15-20
(Tri-Set 4) Upward Rows	15-20
Front Raise	15-20
Diagonal Raise	15-20

25-30 minutes Inclines on treadmill or stairs

Wednesday:   HIIT Core

Repeat the circuit 3-4 times without rest in between, then rest for 1-2 minutes between different circuits.

(Circuit 1) Swiss Ball Crunch	25-30
Plank	1 min
Throwing Punches	1 min
(Circuit 2) Crunch Twists w/ Ball	30-40
Right Side Plank	45-60 sec
Mountain Climbers	30-60 sec
(Circuit 3) Leg Raise w/ Ball	20
Left Side Plank	45-60 sec
Burpees	10-15

45 minutes Low Intensity Steady State Cardio

Thursday:  Legs

Perform each set 3 times, resting about a minutes between each set.

(Tri-Set 1) Walking Lunges	20
Straight Leg Deadlift	20-25
Split Squats	15-20
(Tri-Set 2) Fast Step-Ups w/ High Knee	20 each leg
Curtsey Lunge	20 each leg
Stationary Lunge	20 each leg
(Tri-Set 3) Box Jumps	15-20
Dumbbell Leg Extensions	25-30
Dumbbell Leg Curls	25-30
Circle Squeeze	50
Wall Squats	1 min

20-30 minutes Inclines on treadmill or stairs

Friday:  Chest, Triceps, & Abs

Perform each set 3 times, resting about a minutes in between each set.

(Super-Set 1) Incline Press	20
Chair Dips	15-20
Bench Flys	20
Skull Crushers	15-20
Push-Ups	15-20
Triceps Overhead Extension	15-20
(Super-Set 2) Cable Crunches	25-30
Weighted Incline Sit-Ups	20-25
Bicycles	40-50
Leg Raise w/ Butt Lift	20-25
Flutter Kicks	40-50

20-30 minutes HIIT on Treadmill

Saturday:  Active rest

45 minute run (preferably outside)

Sunday:   Yoga

As most of you know I love to workout and exercise.  It is my me time, a way for me to de-stress and unwind and sometimes even vent.

With that said, I like to do something active just about every day to keep me moving and my energy up.

In order for you body to really respond and change it's shape you must strength train!  It doesn't matter if your goal is to look lean, curvy, toned or completely shredded, the only way to get and of is to lift some weights and strengthen your muscles.

Cardio still plays a large role in getting rid of some of the extra fat, but building muscle is what helps keep your metabolism high all day long!

If you don't have a treadmill or any type of cardio equipment, don't throw in the towel just yet.  There are plenty of exercises you can do that will raise your heart rate and give you just as good as exercise.  Some examples are:

• Running outside (always a fav!  Find a track, good trail, or safe road or neighborhood)
• Stairs (if you have a stair case in your home, work, or maybe a park, just go up and down - A LOT)
• Jump Rope (even if you don't have a jump rope, pretend to jump rope - still works)
• Jog in place (try different intervals and different intensities:  high knees, butt kicks, super fast, etc)
• Kickboxing (take it back old school with some Billy Blanks moves and start throwing some punches and high kicks around)

The same goes with the equipment I use with the strength training, if you don't have it, modify it!  I've learned how to modify almost anything to make it fit what I could do with only what I had (safely of course).  You can use bands for almost anything, use body weight for many, even fill totes or bags with books to lift with.  Bottom line is there's always a way.  You don't have to have the best, just give it your best!

I'll be trying to post videos with descriptions and details of each exercise (just disregard the photobombing dogs and huge mess of toys that I have to work around).

Beginners I would suggest starting with my previous workouts or maybe only starting off with one or two sets of each circuit or tri-set of this program and work your way up.

I really hope some of you will join me on this and really look forward to seeing some transformations!!  Remember, this doesn't come easy and it is something that you have to work for.  If it were easy we'd all be healthy and active and never dread bathing suit season, so MAKE YOURSELF!!!

*I am not a certified personal trainer.  I've developed this program on my own from the research and modifications from various other programs.

My Challenge Diet Plans

DON'T EAT JUNK..... THE END.


Just kidding (well kind of).

First of all let me make the point that the word diet here simply refers to the types of food you eat, this is not 'a diet'.  I do not 'diet.'  I chose to eat healthy, clean foods and make it a lifestyle.

And yes, I eat.  I eat a lot.  I still probably eat way more than I should.  It's just that what I eat is not filled with processed chemicals and overloaded with sugars and doesn't get stuck directly on my butt.

And no, I don't just eat rabbit food all day, munching on carrots and celery.   I like my meals to be large and filling, that's why it is important that they are filled with 'good for you' foods.

My diet hasn't changed much since I first made the blog with my sample menus and favorite meals.  I eat 5-6 times a day every 2 1/2 - 3 hours; 3 main meals and 2-3 healthy snacks.  I try to have a lean protein, complex carb and healthy fat with almost every meal.  I do like to switch it up from time to time and try new things.  And I definitely still have a cheat night every week.

However, throughout this challenge I will be incorporating carb cycling with my meals.  This is a nutritional approach that alternates high carb days and low carb days that can help improve fuel utilization efficiency and use fat for energy instead of muscle.  Therefore I can try to lean out and get shredded without loosing a lot of muscle mass.  This healthy approach has also been shown to increase thyroid productivity and support one's psychological state.

Now, note that I said 'low' carb days - not 'no' carb days.   As evil as fad diets have made carbs out to be, they are an essential part of our daily diets (the good carbs that is).  Simple carbs found in anything with sugar, chips, cakes, baked goods, most breads and cereals, etc. are the evil ones, those you should avoid.

However, complex carbs, such as brown rice, whole grains, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, and those found in green veggies, are what SHOULD be in your diet everyday.  These are the foods that give you energy and help your brain to function.  Every try to go without carbs and end up cranky and maybe even a bit air-headed and zero energy?  It's because you're body is needed those complex carbohydrates to manage working properly.

Another thing to mention is that high carb days do not mean high calorie days.  Continue to try to eat the same amount of calories, just adjust your meals accordingly.  On high carb days eat less healthy fats with your meals, but keep the protein intake the same.  On low carb days, make sure to incorporate complex carbs into your meals, just in a very small amount.  I also may eat my meals closer together and add one more healthy snack, such as almonds (a healthy fat), to my day.  And I plan on making sure my cheat meals are on high carb days so I won't regret that piece of pizza.  There are specific macro-nutrient information on how many carbs you should be eating on high and low days according to your size and goals (see references), but I don't count macros .

FOR BEGINNERS
A quick tip for beginners.  Start off slow.  Don't throw out your entire cube of Mtn Dews that you regularly drink all day long and expect to be fine.  Like it or not, our bodies are completely addicted to sugar; mine, your's, everybody.  And completely quitting cold turkey will throw your body into a crazy withdrawal that will leave you tired, moody, cranky, and eventually throwing you far off the wagon.

Start slow!  If you drink 4 pops a day, cut it down to 2 for a couple of weeks, then 1, then quit them all together.  Choose wheat instead of white, start measuring your portion sizes, and add more whole fruits and veggies everyday.

I would also suggest starting off using a calorie counter.  There are tons of apps and websites for this.  It is an amazingly useful tool to really make you aware of how much you are eating because most people drastically underestimate how much they are putting into their bodies.  Start off tracking how much you eat on a normal day (without trying to eat unusually good), see where you are and then start assessing what foods are hurting you and start making small daily changes until you're in a healthy calorie limit while getting in all your nutrients.

I'll post some of my weekly meal plans throughout the challenge for anyone following!  Hope all you all are going to challenge yourselves too and MAKE YOURSELF transform!!

References:
http://www.fitnessrxwomen.com/nutrition/healthy-eating-tips/carb-cycling-diet-101/

2014 12 Week Challenge

It's that time of year again - Challenge Time!!!

Anyone looking to make that huge lifestyle change to living a healthier life and getting in great shape?  Taking on a fitness challenge is a great way to do it!

As most of you know I made a huge transformation with my body and my life last year with Dymatize Nutrition and Bodybuilding.com's 12 week challenge, and have been able to keep up and maintain a healthy lifestyle since.  I'm going to do the challenge again this year, with my husband, and I encourage anyone who wants to make a change or even just improve to join us.

A little about the Dymatize 12 week challenge:

• You must register and sing up through Bodybuilding.com NOW.
• Challenge doesn't officially start until January 13th.
• You will need to take before photos at the beginning of the challenge (see site for details).
• You can follow any program you want throughout the challenge.  There are numerous programs on Bodybuilding .com to follow as well as other sites on the internet.  Two of my personal favorites are Jamie Eason's Live Fit Trainer and Gina Allioti's daily workouts.  You could find a trainer to assist in a program, or do your homework and make up a program that works for you.  I personally don't follow any specific program, mostly because a lot of them are meant for use at the gym with a variety of gym equipment which I don't have.  I make my own programs to accommodate what I have to use and for how I want to train my body.
• Bodybuilding.com will send you weekly motivational emails and even fun little challenges throughout the 12 weeks, as well as provide a social media site to interact with others doing the same thing.
• Challenge is officially over April 7th; take final pictures.

This challenge is free to enter, provides tons of information about health and fitness, and has some awesome cash prizes - there's really no downfall here!

Now I know that some of you are probably already getting sweating palms from just the idea of putting a 'before' pic of yourself on the internet in a bikini.  It is not for humiliation, but for motivation.  It will motivate you to work hard so that in every pic you take you will be stronger and see healthier changes, and it might be the pic that one  person needs to see to motivate them to make a change as well.

And if you still feel like this kind of challenge isn't really your style but still want to make a transformation, I urge you to do your own 12 week challenge.  You can follow along here or find another great one out there.  If taking control of your health is something that is really important to you, you need to MAKE YOURSELF get up and fight for that control and challenge yourself!

I'm going to be posting my workout programs and some of my meal planning throughout the challenge as well as progress pics for anyone to follow.  You may follow along with my program (slightly advanced) or use one of my previous programs.  I will also (try to) post videos of my workouts to show how the moves are done and modifications.

I would love to hear back from you guys about your own transformations too!!

**I must state again that I am NOT a personal trainer.  I have done a tremendous amount of reading and studying on various topics of health and fitness and have experimented with many different styles and approaches myself.  This is what works for me.  I cannot say what is exactly right for everyone, but I can definitely say that something is better than nothing!!

**Before beginning any workout routine I must suggest that you consult a physician or complete the PAR-Q form at www.csep.ca/forms

References:
www.Bodybuilding.com
www.GinaAlioti.com
www.csep.ca/forms

One Year Stronger

So it's been officially one year of healthy living!!!  It feels kind of like a birthday, I'm just so excited that I've made it a whole year, and hope to continue it for the rest of my years.  (plus I finished out the holiday season with a little ab definition!!!)

Yes, there were difficult days (and weeks, and well pretty much most of the month of August), but the main point is that every time I fell off the wagon, I jumped right back on again and tried even harder.

Here's a little reflection from what I've learned about health, fitness and myself from the past year:


Finding Balance
This was by far the hardest part of healthy living.  Throughout the first half of the year I was so strict on myself with everything.  I'd be upset if

I missed a workout or a meal, or if I didn't have any healthy meal options.  From every little calorie to every rep or mile ran - everything was tracked.  That put a lot of pressure on me and made me crazy.  I kept setting goals higher and higher and let it consume a lot of me.  Goals are good and work for a lot of people, but I wanted my main goal to just live healthy and be fit.

I'm not really for sure when or what that 'ah ha' moment was, but one day I realized that I was seeing everything as a task, instead of just a way of living.  I stopped tracking everything and just sort of went with it, and turns out I feel and look better now than I did.

Another huge part of finding balance was to accept that life happens, especially with two toddlers.  Not everyday is going to turn out the way you had planned or scheduled.  Some nights your little ones might keep you up for hours, leaving you exhausted and unable to

get up at your normal time to workout.  Sometimes all they want it to do it make a big batch of cookies or order a pizza for dinner.  And sometimes I just really need a DQ Blizzard at the end of very stressful day.  Life happens.  I've learned to accept this and treasure these moments that interrupt my routine and believe they are for a reason.

With this, I still very strongly believe in the 80/20 rule.  I eat very clean the majority of the time, that way when these little unexpected things pop up, I can partake without the guilt.  Of course I still watch my portions (usually), and then start right back up where I left off the very next meal - not the next day, the next meal.






Forget the Scale
After I decided to stop tracking everything I even stopped getting on the scale.  I did not want that number to consume me anymore either.  I wanted to be happy with me and how I looked instead of what my weight was.  I think I've checked my weight maybe 4 times in the past 6 months.

I was shocked when I'd gotten back on the scale for the first time in a long time and had seen my weight back up to almost where I had started the year at, but I still looked the same and fit into the same clothes.  I've been able to add more muscle, yet maintain a low body fat percentage.

Accepting my Body
One of the best forms of motivation for me is to look through women's fitness magazines at all of the amazing physiques of the fitness models and competitors.  It's very common for women to say 'I want to look like her.'  But I have found that the models in these pages don't always look like that.  They train extra hard to get ready for photo shoots and competitions to be camera ready, but that is not how most of them look every single day.  I also learned that no matter how hard I trained, my body will never look exactly like theirs because we are each individual people with our own genetic makeup.

I've trained in various ways and tried to improve many different parts of my body, but realize that some things are just going to be a part of me, and I'm now ok with that.  Like my thighs, I've always hated that there is no space between them, but that's just how I'm made.

Another problem area that took me a long time to accept was the muffin-top.  I've learned that only with consistent 100% clean eating, that thing won't completely go away.  I've done it before but after the first piece of dark chocolate - bam - it's back.  I have a 4-pack on top a muffin roll!!  But I'm ok with my muffin top because I began seeing it as what it is, instead of what it isn't.  And what it is is a reminder that I once carried my two most precious blessings inside that now stretched out muffin top, and I will always be proud to show that!!

And with my pregnancies, nursing's, and major weight loss I, unfortunately, have found that there is one part of the body that no amount of exercise can help - the boobies!!  Nursing alone can deplete and flatten the breasts, but that combined with loss of body fat and you can kiss those puppies bye bye.  Now there are only two options ladies have who have significant loss of breast tissue and fullness - 1) Get over it or 2) Get new ones.  I personally am going for the latter of the two.  I know it's not for everyone, but it is everyone's own personal decision for their own personal reasons.



2013 has been an amazing year for me.  I've gained so much, started new things, and followed dreams.  I'm not perfect and I still have so much to try and work on, but by God's grace, I'm sure 2014 is going to be just as great!!!  And remember:  MAKE YOURSELF!!!

(my kids need to work on their flexing.  lol)