Category: Fitness

• Weight: 134.8 pounds (19.8 to go!)
• Steps: 10,668 (as of 8:54pm)
• Lows: Didn’t quite get 8 hours of sleep last night.
• Highs: Weight went down for a new low on this challenge!
• Nutrition:
  • Meal 1 – 1 slice of white bread, 1 slice of American cheese, 1 whole egg and .5 c egg whites, scrambled
  • Meals 2 and 4 – 1 serving of protein shake
  • Meals 3 and 5 – salad with 4 oz boiled chicken breast, lettuce, 10 g croutons, 7 g raspberries, blueberries and walnuts, 14 g blue cheese, zero-everything raspberry vinaigrette
• Exercise:
  • LISS – air climber for 79 minutes
• All other markers checked.

Don’t forget to recognize and deliver love today! ❤ G

• Weight: 135 pounds (20 to go!)
• Steps: 10,544 (as of 10:38pm)
• Lows: None!
• Highs: Weight hit a new low on this challenge! Week 5 done!
• Nutrition:
  • Meal 1 – 1 slice of white bread, 1 slice of American cheese, 1 whole egg and .5 c egg whites, scrambled
  • Meals 2 and 4 – 1 serving of protein shake
  • Meal 3 – .5 c steamed white Jasmine rice, 3 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1 hard boiled egg, fresh tomatoes (Filipino chicken adobe!)
  • Meal 5 – .5 c steamed white Jasmine rice, 4 oz shrimp, baby corn, water chestnuts, corn, green beans, Lima beans, carrots, peas in a peanut sauce (Thai shrimp stir fry!)
• Exercise: (1st number is the number of reps, 2nd number is the weight on each side, 0 means bar only for curl/barbell moves or body weight for others)
  • Close grip bench press and standing dumbbell hammer curls super set – 15-15/8, 15-17.5/10, 15-20/12, 15-22.5/15
  • Dumbbell extensions and alternating dumbbell curls super set – 15-8/10, 15-10/12.5, 15-12/15, 15-12/17.5
  • Skull crushers and curls super set, both with curl bar – 10-7.5, 10-10, 10-12.5, 10-12.5
  • Dumbbell kickbacks and dumbbell concentration curls super set – 10-12/12, 10-12/12, 10-15/12, 10-15/12
  • HIIT – rowing machine for 45 minutes
  • LISS – walked and danced to get my steps in
• All other markers checked.

Don’t forget to recognize and deliver love today! ❤ G

• Weight: 135.6 pounds (20.6 to go!)
• Steps: 11,980 (as of 10:28pm)
• Lows: None!
• Highs: Weight went back down for a new low on this challenge! I was not feeling well at all today and was not going to get my steps in, but the four of us went out for a walk and got me going!
• Nutrition:
  • Meal 1 – 1 slice of white bread, 1 slice of American cheese, 1 whole egg and .5 c egg whites, scrambled
  • Meals 2 and 4 – 1 serving of protein shake
  • Meals 3 and 5 – salad with 4 oz grilled chicken breast, lettuce, 10 g croutons, 7 g raspberries, blueberries and walnuts, 14 g blue cheese, zero-everything raspberry vinaigrette
• Exercise:
  • LISS –walked and air climber for 77 minutes
• All other markers checked.

Don’t forget to recognize and deliver love today! ❤ G

• Weight: 136.4 pounds (21.4 to go!)
• Steps: 10,305 (as of 10:05pm)
• Lows: None!
• Highs: Weight went back down! I almost went off track today, but I got my head together and stuck to the diet and pushed through the workout! It ended up being a great one with both boys today!
• Nutrition:
  • Meal 1 – 1 slice of white bread, 1 slice of American cheese, 1 whole egg and .5 c egg whites, scrambled
  • Meals 2 and 4 – 1 serving of protein shake
  • Meal 3 – .5 c steamed white Jasmine rice, 4 oz boneless, skinless rotisserie chicken breast, .5 c corn
  • Meal 5 – .5 c steamed white Jasmine rice, 4 oz boneless, skinless grilled chicken breast, grilled tomatoes, sumac (kabob!)
• Exercise: (1st number is the number of reps, 2nd number is the weight on each side, 0 means bar only for curl/barbell moves or body weight for others)
  • Deadlifts with curl bar – 15-10, 10-15, 10-20, 8-25, 6-30
  • T bar row – 12-45, 12-50, 12-55, 12-60
  • Bent over rows with curl bar – 12-30, 10-32.5, 10-35, 10-37.5
  • 1 arm dumbbell rows – 15-30, 15-32.5, 15-35, 15-37.5
  • Dumbbell shrugs – 15-15, 15-20, 15-25
  • LISS – air climber for 57 minutes
• All other markers checked.

Don’t forget to recognize and deliver love today! ❤ G

• Weight: 137 pounds (22 to go!)
• Steps: 10,370 (as of 8:59pm)
• Lows: Wrong direction on the scale. I was on the road today, so I couldn’t really measure the protein for Meal 3. I also didn’t want to drink too much water while out, so I only got 7 glasses in.
• Highs: Still got my HIIT in, despite being on the road most of the day!
• Nutrition:
  • Meal 1 – 1 slice of white bread, 1 slice of American cheese, 1 whole egg and .5 c egg whites, scrambled
  • Meals 2 and 4 – 1 serving of protein shake
  • Meal 3 – total 6 oz of white Basmati rice, ground beef and green beans (lubia polo!)
  • Meal 5 – .5 c steamed white Jasmine rice, 4 oz baked salmon, mushrooms and asparagus
• Exercise:
  • HIIT – air climber for 45 minutes
  • LISS – air climber for 15 minutes
• All other markers checked.

Don’t forget to recognize and deliver love today! ❤ G

• Weight: 136.4 pounds (21.4 to go!)
• Steps: 10,955 (as of 9:03pm)
• Lows: I couldn’t sleep last night, so I only got about 7 hours of sleep.
• Highs: Weight didn’t go down, but it didn’t go up!
• Nutrition:
  • Meal 1 – 1 slice of white bread, 1 slice of American cheese, 1 whole egg and .5 c egg whites, scrambled
  • Meals 2 and 4 – 1 serving of protein shake
  • Meal 3 – .5 c steamed white Jasmine rice, 2 grilled chicken legs, grilled tomatoes (chicken kabob with sumac!)
  • Meal 5 – .5 c steamed white Jasmine rice, 4 oz baked salmon, mushrooms and asparagus
• Exercise: (1st number is the number of reps, 2nd number is the weight on each side, 0 means bar only for curl/barbell moves or body weight for others)
  • Dumbbell flys – 20-20, 15-20, 15-20, 10-22.5
  • Dumbbell bench press – 12-25, 10-27.5, 8-30, 6-32.5
  • Barbell bench press – 15-7.5, 15-10, 15-10
  • Reverse bent over dumbbell flys – 20-8, 15-10, 15-10, 10-12
  • Seated dumbbell lateral raises – 20-8, 15-10, 15-10, 10-12
  • Crunches and leg raises super set – 4×15
  • LISS – air climber for 55 minutes
• All other markers checked.

Don’t forget to recognize and deliver love today! ❤ G

• Weight: 136.4 pounds (21.4 to go!)
• Steps: 10,124 (as of 10:14pm)
• Lows: None!
• Highs: Weight didn’t go down, but it didn’t go up!
• Nutrition:
  • Meal 1 – 1 slice of white bread, 1 slice of American cheese, 1 whole egg and .5 c egg whites, scrambled
  • Meals 2 and 4 – 1 serving of protein shake
  • Meal 3 – salad with 4 oz boiled chicken breast, lettuce, 10 g croutons, 7 g raspberries, blueberries and walnuts, 14 g blue cheese, zero-everything raspberry vinaigrette
  • Meal 5 – .5 c steamed white Jasmine rice, 2 grilled chicken legs, grilled tomatoes (chicken kabob with sumac!)
• Exercise:
  • LISS – air climber for 59 minutes
• All other markers checked.

Don’t forget to recognize and deliver love today! ❤ G

Exercise Plan Breakdown Part 3

Saving the best for last in this Exercise Plan Breakdown, let’s talk about progressive weight training! While I’ve incorporated cardio into my exercise plan, it is viewed as a supplement in the fat loss pyramid. Up until a few years ago, any exercising I did was mainly cardio – Billy Blank’s Bootcamp, Beachbody’s P90X and T25, jogging, going up and down stairs, etc. If I did anything with weights, they were light weights for the fear of getting bulky.

My turning point was when Farhad discovered Beachbody’s Body Beast and asked if I wanted to do it with him. Since I love doing anything with him, I decided to do some research and found that you burn calories after lifting weights much longer than after a cardio session. Understanding what being “toned” really meant also did it for me. As I mentioned earlier, my goal isn’t only to lose weight. If I want to be toned, I need to build muscle and lose fat so I can see that muscle. I was convinced that lifting progressively heavier weights is the best way and, as long as I am in a calorie deficit, I will continue to lose fat and not get bulky. People in a calorie surplus, on the other hand, get bigger and that’s where nutrition comes in.

Since doing a few rounds of Body Beast, I’ve also tried a CrossFit challenge, and another program with an online coach I found on Instagram. The weight training I am doing on this weight challenge is mostly based on what I did on this latter program. The days I do them, however, are moved around in order to fit my schedule better. There are certain moves that work better for me as well, so I changed them up.

Day 29 Results

• Weight: 136.4 pounds (21.4 to go!)
• Steps: 9,783 (as of 10:23pm) – I’ll hit 10k by the time I’m in bed.
• Lows: Didn’t get my post workout protein shake in again and dinner was later than I prefer.
• Highs: Crushed leg day today!
• Nutrition:
  • Meal 1 – 1 slice of white bread, 1 slice of American cheese, 1 whole egg and .5 c egg whites, scrambled
  • Meals 2 and 4 – 1 serving of protein shake
  • Meals 3 and 5 – salad with 4 oz boiled chicken breast, lettuce, 10 g croutons, 7 g raspberries, blueberries and walnuts, 14 g blue cheese, zero-everything raspberry vinaigrette
• Exercise: (1st number is the number of reps, 2nd number is the weight on each side, 0 means bar only for curl/barbell moves or body weight for others)
  • Dumbbell goblet squats – 15-25, 15-30, 15-35, 15-40
  • Barbell squats – 15-15, 15-17.5, 12-20, 12-22.5
  • Bulgarian split squats – 8-12, 8-15, 8-17.5, 8-20
  • Deadlifts with curl bar – 15-15, 15-20, 15-25
  • Walking lunges with dumbbells – 12-12, 12-15, 12-17.5
  • Standing 1 leg calf raises (1 dumbbell) – 20-20, 20-25, 20-30, 20-35
  • HIIT – rowing machine for 45 minutes
  • LISS – air climber for about 44 minutes
• All other markers checked.

Don’t forget to recognize and deliver love today! ❤ G

• Weight: 136.8 pounds (21.8 to go!)
• Steps: 10,252 (as of 11:16pm)
• Lows: Wrong direction on the scale. Didn’t get my post workout protein shake in.
• Highs: Week 4 complete!
• Nutrition:
  • Meal 1 – 1 slice of white bread, 1 slice of American cheese, 1 whole egg and .5 c egg whites, scrambled
  • Meals 2 and 4 – 1 serving of protein shake
  • Meal 3 – .5 c steamed white Jasmine rice, 4 oz baked tilapia, .5 c Brussels sprouts
  • Meal 5 – salad with 4 oz boiled chicken breast, lettuce, 10 g croutons, 7 g raspberries, blueberries and walnuts, 14 g blue cheese, zero-everything raspberry vinaigrette
• Exercise: (1st number is the number of reps, 2nd number is the weight on each side, 0 means bar only for curl/barbell moves or body weight for others)
  • Dumbbell skull crushers and standing dumbbell curls super set (not the same weights for each move) – 4×20-8/10
  • 1 arm overhead dumbbell extensions and 1 arm dumbbell concentration curls super set (not the same weights for each move) – 15-10/10, 15-12/10, 15-15/10
  • Dips and 1 arm dumbbell preacher curls super set – 3×20-10
  • Close grip bench press and dumbbell hammer curls super set (not the same weights for each move) – 3×15-15/8
  • Decline sit ups – 100 (first 25 straight up, then 50 alternating sides, then the last 25 straight up)
  • Crunches and leg raises super set – 1×25
  • HIIT – rowing machine for 45 minutes
  • LISS – air climber for about 55 minutes
• All other markers checked.

Don’t forget to recognize and deliver love today! ❤ G