Body Revolution Day 17 of 90

Day 17 = Cardio 1

Is it just me, or does Omar look like he is chewing gum??? LOL  This workout goes by so quick, before you know it, it's breakfast time. 

Breakfast: Greek yogurt Cup with Quinoa Crunch- this picture was from the other day(just thought you might want to see it again)

Lunch: Roasted Salmon with Pepita and Cumin Seed Crust- I served it with Cappellini and my homemade Ketchup-(I didn't have time to make the Potato Salad that was recommended. This was very tasty, I love salmon...I could eat it everyday.

Snack: Trail Mix(I will take a picture tomorrow and post it)  I didn't think this would be much of a snack, but it was very satisfying.

Dinner: Mediterranean Lamb Burger served with Creamy Cucumber and Yogurt Salad and Broccoli(leftovers)

People have messaged me, or left comments asking me if I like/love Body Revolution???? 

My answer: Yes, I love it!!  Why???

I love this program because it's a challenge.  A challenge for both body and mind. 

When I first started on MyFitnessPal.com, I was working out to DVDs and spinning.  I would usually workout for about an hour or so a day, sometimes more.  The weight was starting to come off.  Then I took up a challenge in doing Jillian's 30 Day Shred.  The 30DS is a great program.  The workouts are about 27 minutes in length, 3 levels which you work through for 10 days each and remember to take your rest days.  By the end of the 30 days, I was lighter on the scale and inches had come off.  While doing the 30 Day Shred, I also combined it with spinning, yoga or some dance DVDs. Even though I had started to lose weight and lost inches, I still had a ways to go to get to my goal.  I thought what should I do next...I purchased Jillian's Ripped in 30...another great program.  Again, I was still combining Ri30 workouts with other activities.  More weight came off and more inches were lost...yay!!!...but I still hadn't hit my goal yet.  I kept on working out, changed my calories up and down.  I had hit a plateau.  I thought maybe I wasn't working out enough, so I kicked it up.  A few pounds would come off here and there but it just seem like I was in a rut.  My workouts times were still up there, I wanted to enjoy more time with my family.  Plus, to maintain my fitness level and healthy new life, I didn't like the fact that I would have to workout for an hour or more a day to stay in the shape that I would be in once I hit my goal. 

Don't get me wrong, I do love working out and I am not afraid to do it.  Once I get on my spinning bike, and I tell myself I am just going to do a short ride...well that so called short ride, turns into a 70 minute ride.  Once the music starts playing, I can't seem to stop.  I find that if I set a long time for working out, that is when I started not liking it anymore.   I think to myself, 'Ugh, I have to do this workout, and that workout, for that many minutes/hours, in order to keep that weight off'. 

I don't want to be a slave to the workouts, I want them 'working' for me. 

And this is why I love Body Revolution.  The workouts are not long at all 26-36 minutes in length.  There are days like today, after doing the 26 minutes of Cardio 1, where I think to myself, "that's it, that's all I have to do?"  The answer is, YES!  Like Jillian says, "you don't have to spend hours, phoning it in at the gym".  I don't want to spend hours working out, because I have cooking, baking, shopping and cleaning to do(well I don't really like the cleaning part) plus working and spending time with my family and friends.  Oh yes...and blogging.  I know that I could do these workouts for a long time...like, "All your life long"!(<<<For those of you who are still waiting on your BR package, you will get it, once you start the program)

I find the meal plan manageable and it's good food.  It is helping me to train my mind, to eat better each and everyday.  To make better choices to keep this body in tip top shape.  'Cause that's where it's heading! 

Someone messaged me once asking, "What happens after the 90 days?"  I answered back, "You keep going with your workouts, and the healthy eating habits that you have learned and grown accustom to. It's a lifestyle change".

I love it, and recommend it to anyone who wants more of a challenge.  If you are just starting to workout, I would say, yes you could do it, but you might want to start with Jillian's 30 Day Shred.  Some people have said that they don't have the money right now for the Body Revolution program, that's okay.  Start with one of her other programs and work your way up.  Maybe use the purchasing of Body Revolution as a REWARD to yourself for hitting some of your smaller goals.  Build your strength, balance and your Body Revolution fund(LOL) and then treat yourself to this great program.

Enough of my jibber jabber...my body is feeling workouts 3 & 4 today.  More so 4 because she hits on the abs a little more, which I was happy about, but, boy oh boy, my sides are sore today.  And those damn 'Fast Feet', I can feel them in my calves right now.  I love it!

Well I must get to sleep now...until then.

Good night.

Body Revolution Day 16 of 90

Day 16 = Workout 4
My first time doing Workout 4.  I haven't previewed any of the workouts, so I don't know what I am in for.  I like the element of surprise.  Well, I kind know, because I read the fitness guide before I started the program, but that was 2 weeks ago.  What I mean is, that I don't know what type of moves Jillian will be having me/us doing.  I only tell you about a few because, I don't want to ruin the surprise for any of you either. LOL.  A MFP friend of mine is on Day 10, and in his blog today he said, "We're all in this together, and we're all going to kick some serious butt".  And we do!  Workout 4 starts off with Butt Kicks.  So get ready to kick up those heels and kick that hardening butt of yours! In this workout, I used mostly 8 lb weights with exception for the Side Lunge/Bicep Curls.  One move that I had trouble grasping the concept of 'how to do it right', it is the Terry Pulls.  It was hard to find 'it' at first, but by the second round, I think I figured them out(I'll see how Friday goes).  Workout 4 has more Plyometric moves in it than the 1 & 2.  The Box Step Ups that we did the last 2 weeks...we do them again, but with an added hop with weights in your hands.  They're not bad.  And the good ol' "Fast Feet" or "Hot Feet" are back, oh wait a minute, they haven't left...I have to do them again tomorrow in Cardio 1, right???  Well at least in Workout 4, you only have to do them once. Yeah, once for 1 minute!!!  "Shake what your mama gave you".

Equipment for Workout 4: mat and weights.  In the DVD they show them with having their resistance bands on the floor by their weights, but you don't use it in this one.  If you check the Fitness Guide that comes in your Body Revolution package, it tells you what you need for each workout. 

My books seem to follow me around my house.  Especially the Fat Burning Meal Plan book.  With other cookbooks of mine, I always know a favourite recipe from the look of the page.  The pages are marked up with ingredients that are used in the recipe, it looks a little more worn out.  And this book is NO exception.  Check it out...



Tomato splattered, oil stains, whole wheat flour sometimes falls from the pages.  Just wait until I make those Chocolate Cinnamon Frozen Banana Pops a few more times.  LOL

As I said on Sunday, REST DAY, I took my Fat Burning Meal Plan book to my show, and worked on my grocery list.  I also have another little note book that I keep on hand to plan my days.  Yes, even in this age of technology, I hand write out my meal plans.  I write them out even if they are exactly the same as in the 90-Day Meal Plan Suggestions.  (KEY WORD: Suggestions)

 Meal Plan/Shopping - I touched on this subject yesterday, and how I have seen comments about the food plan is "outrageous", or that "the food on it, is not regular things you would already buy on a weekly basis", OR that "you don't want to add an extra cost to your grocery bill".  Well...I don't think that is outrageous, and the things that you already buy on your weekly shop, ARE PROBABLY the things that made you put weight on in the first place.  In regards to the "extra cost", your grocery bill does not need to be high.  Look for sales, buy in bulk.  Most of the items you will be purchasing on a weekly basis will be vegetables, fruit and meats.  As I said in an earlier post, your first shop may be more "costly" because there might be oils, sauces, spices and other items that use will only use a little of each time, so these things will not run out in a week.(some may or may not-depending on which recipes you choose to create)  You will not go through a jar of Coconut Oil in a week, nor will you go through a bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 

And let's talk Chocolate...you know I am a recovering Chocoholic, and if you don't..."Hi, my name is Trina and I'm a Chocoholic"...The chocolate that I purchase is good chocolate, no, it's GREAT chocolate and it's not cheap.  However, I only use what is called for or less, plus any extra you will save for future recipes.  When making the Banana Pops yesterday, the recipe called for 8oz of 70% cocoa chocolate chopped.  Mine was 75% cocoa, and I only used about 5oz.  The rest I let set up and I put it back in the airtight container I have the chocolate stored in.(under lock & key and high security...just joking)  Once you stock your pantry with good things, great things and ALL things healthy you will notice a difference.  A difference in the way you look at food, the way your grocery bill will look, and best of all, the way YOU LOOK, in the mirror.

Pour any leftover chocolate on some parchment paper, once hardened, store in airtight container.

So buy the good stuff, use only what you need and store the rest properly so it doesn';t go to waste. 

Don't buy crap stuff(processed), even if it's on sale, BECAUSE IT WILL JUST GO TO YOUR WAIST.    And we don't want that!

Today's food...

Breakfast: Pumpkin Cranberry Muffin

Lunch: Tomato Sandwich on Garlic-rubbed Toast/ 2 Hard boiled Eggs

Snack: Hummus with Baked Garlic Pita Chips

Dinner: Grilled Lemon Chicken served with Roasted Garlic Beets

I could scare off the vampires with all the garlic I consumed today.  My lunch plan changed and I needed to something quick to make.  The dinner was excellent!  Very flavourful.  This is the first time I have ever eaten beets.  They were delicious, even my kids ate them.  All the meals were made from the Body Revolution Fat Burning Meal Plan.

I just want to take this moment to Thank everyone who is following my journey through these 90 days.  I appreciate all your comments very much.  If you have any questions I will try to answer them in the blogs to come.  I've had people tell me that I am "an inspiration", well you are my inspiration.  Your comments help keep me on track and push a little more.  I'm glad that the sharing of my journey can help all of you with your goals. 

Tomorrow I will talk about how much I like/love the Body Revolution Program.

Take care, and I will talk to you tomorrow.

Good night.

Body Revolution Day 15 of 90

Day 15 = Workout 3

Today was the first day of Week 3, and the first day of Workout 3.  It was great to be able to move on with some new/old moves.  Some moves were new and never done in other Jillian Michaels workouts(well at least the ones that I have).  Others were old and done before.  Good old jumping jacks start off Workout 3.  I know a lot of people don't like jumping jacks, but I don't mind them at all.  The equipment you will need for this workout: your mat, your resistance band and your weights.  Make sure your resistance band has more tension on it.  The one move that I really like in this workout is, Tree Pose with Lateral Raise.  It's great, it really challenges you to work on your balance.  You are building your strength and balance at the same time.  I used my 5lb, and 8lb weights during this one.  I will build the weights I use as I move through these next two weeks.  My calorie burn for Workout 3 today was 292.  I was quite surprised that it was this high.  I didn't feel like the workout was that difficult.  Again, I'm not saying that it was 'easy'.  I added weights to some of the moves to make them harder.  So by my calorie burn, I guess I worked harder than I thought I did.  I will talk more about Workout 3 again on Thursday.

Today's Food

Breakfast: Pemeal Bacon and Poached Egg with Tomatoes

Lunch: Chicken Salad with Red Grapes & Toasted Pecans

This brings me to snack time.  Yesterday I told you that chocolate was coming back into my life.  Well here is comes.  Chocolate Cinnamon Frozen Banana Pops = DELICIOUS.  I took pictures while I was making them.

A banana starts it off...

Cut it into 3 pieces...

Insert wooden stick...then place in the freezer (about 2 hours)

Above is the chocolate that I used for this recipe.  Cacao Barry 75% Dark Chocolate Couverture, Tanzanie. 

Melt the chocolate...

Toast and chop the hazelnuts...

Dip frozen bananas in chocolate, roll in hazelnuts...ENJOY!


OR

Pack into freezer bags to enjoy another day.

 These are really good.  To me, they are much better than a frozen ice cream treat.  My daughter LOVED them.  She said, "Mummy, these are really good!"

One banana makes 3 banana pops.  To make 6: I used 2 bananas, 5 oz of chocolate, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts. Plus the 6 wooden sticks.

Dinner: Mediteranean Lamb Burgers with Creamy Cucumber & Yogurt Salad.  I loved them.  It was the first time I had ever had lamb burgers and I enjoyed them a lot.  Even my kids liked them.

Mediterranean Lamb Burgers with Creamy Cucumber & Yogurt Salad

I think next time I make this salad, I will cut down on the Greek yogurt.  The recipe calls for 1 cup, I think I will probably only use 1/2 cup. 

I really enjoyed the food I consumed today.  All of them, except for breakfast were from the Fat Burning Meal Plan recipe book.  My breakfast was kind of like the breakfast in the Kickstart menu but without the Avocado and only 1 poached egg.

I have seen many comments in regards to the meal plan.  You don't have to follow it to a T.  In order to get the best results, just make sure your calories are within the counts that are stated on the first page of the Fat Burning Meal Plan book.  Pick and choose the meals you want to make and plan for them.  Yes, it does take some time and effort, but REMEMBER you are worth it.  And so is your family.  You don't have to buy food for you, and different food for them.(there are some exceptions)  Get them healthy too.  Exception example: I buy chicken rather than fish for my husband when a recipe is for a salmon dish, I love it...he hates it.  Once you start taking the time out of your day and plan and prepare foods, it gets easier.  Just like the workouts...you get stronger as you go along.  It's the same in the kitchen.  You get stronger and smarter about your planning, shopping, chopping, a meal making.  Take some time on the weekend to make your meals and freeze them if that works for you.  Tonight I made up a batch of Hummus that I can enjoy for my snacks over the next few days.  Last week, I had made the Baked Garlic Pita Chips and I had bagged them so I don't have to worry about making them tomorrow.  Planning is KEY.

Well I must get some down time now.  This blog post tonight has taken much too long due to my computer running very slow for some reason.

I shall get some rest tonight and tackle Workout 4 in the morning.

Until then....good night.

   

Body Revolution Day 14 of 90

Day 14 = Rest Day

I have come to the end of Week 2.  Since it is rest day, and I don't have much to say in regards to Body Revolution, except that it is AWESOME!!!!  I am really looking forward to tomorrow morning, and Workout 3.  I did weigh-in this morning.  My current weight is still, 159.6...that's no change from last week(after the Kickstart).  I'm hoping that Workouts 3 & 4 will start to burn the fat again.  I know though, that the fat is still burning away, and that the muscle is building.  I can feel it.  The sides of my butt are starting to form that dent...yeah...that one that Jillian refers to as "Sexy"...Hell ya!  

Rest Day for me, was a work day.  Not with the daycare, but with my business, Maus Wear.  I had a show today from 10am-3pm, set up was at 8am.  Setting up and taking down is a workout in itself, but I didn't log it.  The show was not that busy, so I took the time between talking with customers and the other vendors, to make up my menu and grocery list for the week.  The reason why I am bringing up the show is not to promote my business, Maus Wear, http://www.mauswear.com/  LOL, but for the reason that the vendor across from me, that I had to look at all day long was called, London Cupcakery.  They sold Cake Pops, and were handing out samples of Peanut Butter Truffles.  Ahhhhhh!!!!  Not to worry, I held strong.  I bought some for my kids, but said, "No thank you", to the offer of the sample.  To tell you the truth, I had no temptation to eat any of them.  I had packed my lunch, my snack and 2 bottles of water.  I had my fuel.  After these last 2 weeks of eating clean and healthy, I have no need for proccessed sugary sweets.  I told you that I was a Chocoholic...then the last 2 weeks turned me into a recovering Chocoholic...well, tomorrow, I get to have some CHOCOLATE!!!!  I will tell you all about it......................................tomorrow.

Today's food...
Breakfast: Pumpkin Cranberry Muffin
Lunch: Chicken Salad with Red Grapes & Toasted Pecans
Snack: Roasted Russet Fries served with Ketchup(homemade)
Dinner: Roasted Chicken with Steamed Broccoli-I also used some of the ketchup to dip the chicken in. 

All my meals today with the exception of Dinner, are from the BR's Fat Burning Meal Plan.

Sorry no food pictures today. 

I do have pictures of my booth at the show though. 

hehehe

I didn't take a picture of the Cake Pops table, because I didn't want to tempt any of you.  We have to stay strong, TOGETHER.

Whether you were resting or working out today, I hope you had a fantastic day.

I will talk to you again on Day 15...good night. 

Body Revolution Day 13 of 90

Day 13 = Cardio 1

Is today Saturday????....because I woke up at 5:15am this morning...WTF?  I guess I just had a lot on my mind.  I had a customer coming by the house this morning to shop in the Maus Wear showroom...I NEEDED to get my workout done before that, and I had to get my son ready, and to, a birthday party for 11am.  Before I went to bed last night, I looked out the window to see if it was snowing.  Yesterday there had been a storm watch on.  The school buses were cancelled(my son got a snow day), why, I don't know, because we didn't get the snow they were calling for.  Until...last night...it snowed and snowed and blew around.  So, I got out of bed, and was downstairs ready for Cardio 1 by 5:40am.  Well, ALMOST...you know how I said yesterday, "my heart rate monitor tells me things", well I think this morning it was telling me, 'Trina, come back upstairs, YOU FORGOT ME ON YOUR BEDSIDE TABLE!'  Aarrrgggghhhh!!!!  So back up I went, trying not to wake up the rest of the house.  I put it on, went downstairs, put my shoes on and hit play on the DVD player and remembered to hit the start button on my Suunto M4 HRM.  It was ALL good!   I was ready for Cardio 1 to show me the burn.  My target 'fat burning' heart rate, is between 155-167.  I hit that during the first set of 'Suicides'.  After that it didn't really come down below 130 for the rest of the workout.  It spiked while doing Hot Feet, Running Man and Suicides.  After completing the 26 minutes of Cardio 1, I stopped the HRM and looked at my results.  I had burned 253 calories.  I was expecting more, but hey, that will do.  Seeing those results, I realized that for the last 2 weeks, I had over estimated on the calories I burned.  I may have burned more during the Kickstart, as my heart rate was already up after doing Workouts 1 and 2 right before.  Oh well, that is in the past now...living in the present and looking towards the future.  Tomorrow REST DAY...ahhhhh.

After my workout with Jillian, I had another personal training session with none other than, Jack Frost himself.  That's right, there was snow to be cleared away.  I still had my HRM on, so I turned it on and started to shovel.  And shovel and shovel.  Winter had finally arrived in Ontario.  I was out there shoveling for an 1 hour and a half.  After shoveling our driveway and sidewalk, I did the neighbours' drives and sidewalks on either side of our home too.  PAY IT FORWARD.  My calorie burn was crazy for the time spent shoveling...613 calories for 90 minutes of work.  So needless to say I am really looking forward to tomorrow's REST DAY.  While shoveling I could feel some soreness in my quads, and I think I may have heard them screaming a bit too.  It was nice to come in the house and sit down to enjoy my breakfast.

This was taken this morning at about 6:15am.  Winter has arrived.

It doesn't look like a lot of snow, but it was over a foot deep in most areas.

Today 's Breakfast was Whole-Grain Toast with Soft Cheese Spread & Raspberries.  It was quite nice.  Since I burned 866 calories total today, I ate 2 servings of this recipe.(found in the BR Fat Burning Meal Plan)
  

Lunch was while we were out.  We stopped at Tim Horton's.  I had a small Chili with a Whole Wheat Bun.

Snack was the Banana Almond Smoothie...YUM!

Dinner we enjoyed the Almond Crusted Chicken Breasts served with Red Cabbage & Apple Slaw. 
(I did eat more calories today due to the crazy snow shoveling calorie burn.  I will always log any 'extra' workouts so that you what else I did on top of Body Revolution.)    

This afternoon, I made a batch of the Ketchup, from the Fat Burning Meal Plan.  I hope to enjoy it tomorrow for snack time with the Roasted Russet Fries.

I am looking forward to starting Workouts 3 & 4 next week.  I will let you know how they go each day.  Tomorrow I will weigh-in and see if Week 2 brought some results, or just maintained me.

Talk to you tomorrow...good night.

Body Revolution Day 12 of 90

Day 12 = Workout 2

Today was a good day but with one glitch...actually two glitches.
I shall start with the second one first.  I started to write my blog on my iPhone earlier and was nearing the end of it.  I went to check something on my phone to add to the blog, and I lost everything that I had already written. F#$kkkk!!!  It was a good one too.  Now, I am sitting here trying to trying to remember how everything was worded in the original one.  Blahhh!!!

Okay here comes the first one...

Yesterday I got a call from the store that I bought my HRM(Heart Rate Monitor) from, telling me that they got the replacement strap in.  YAY!!!!  So last night I went to pick it up, looking forward to using it this morning.  I had been without it for about almost a month, and I missed having it.  I had used my Suunto M4 HRM(www.suunto.com) almost everyday for 8 months.  Since I was bigger when I first bought the HRM, the elastic strap had kind of stretched out in a few spots.  That wasn't the problem though.  A few days before I ordered Body Revolution, I had just finished my spin and took the strap off, and noticed that the little clip snapped off.  F#$kkkkk!!!  I took it in to the store, as it was still under warranty, and they sent it out and replaced the strap with a brand new one...YAY!!!  I was SO hoping to get it back before I started the Revolution, so that I could get an accurate calorie burn count.  But I didn't.  But better late than never...right?  So I was excited that I had it this morning for Workout 2.  Stay with me...the first glitch of the day is coming up...

Since today was my last day doing Workout 2, I decided to turn it up a notch.  I used 8 lb weights for most of the weighted exercises and raised my legs for the pelvic thrusts(I haven't tried them with resistance band yet).  I only used one 8lb weight for the 'Good Mornings', and not two, like Omar does in the workout.  I am looking forward to moving on to Workouts 3 and 4 next week.  

Okay here it comes...my HRM is so smart that it tells me things.  For example, it will let me know how long my workouts should be to help me reached my goal, if I should push a little harder to get my heart rate up and best of all(or maybe not the best) when I first got it, it told me that I was OBESE...gee thanks.  Anyway...I had put it on this morning before starting Workout 2.  After about 20 minutes I noticed that the arrow wasn't showing on the watch to let me know if I should be going higher or lower.   Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!  I forgot to hit the start button.   F#$kkk!!!  I was so pissed at myself.  I then hit the start button and kept working out as I was almost done.  Once I was finished the workout, I hit the stop button.  At least I was able to get an idea of what I burned.  My watch logged about 14 minutes of my workout.  In that time I burned 99 calories.  So I wasn't that far off of my log in(222) calorie burns for the past 2 weeks.    I said my HRM tells me things, it doesn't really speak, because if it did, it would have said, "hit the start button, you cotton-headed-ninny-muggins".  Plus, it no longer tells me that I am OBESE, it now just tells me I'm OVERWEIGHT...LOL.  Not for long though.  I am only about 4.7 lbs away from being told I am in the HEALTHY weight range on the BMI chart.  WooHoo!!!!  I am over the halfway point to my goal.  My goal was to lose 62.2 lbs and so far I have lost 33.  In 9 months I have gone from an OBESE person to an almost HEALTHY weight person.  I didn't get to this place without hard work.  I worked hard because I am worth it and I deserve it.  I put my mind to my goals, and I am succeeding.  And so can you!

Today's meals...

Breakfast-Greek Yogurt Cup with Quinoa Crunch and Berries

Greek Yogurt Cup w Quinoa Crunch & Raspberries

Lunch-Salmon Fillet with Green and Yellow Beans

Snack-Baked Garlic Pita Chips(2 servings)

Dinner-Roasted Chicken(4oz) with Grilled Veggie Kebab and a Spinach Salad with Egg

Okay so I got through this without deleting it a second time.  Phewww! 

Tomorrow is Cardio 1 for me. 

Until then...good night.

Body Revolution Day 11 of 90

Body Revolution Day 11 of 90

Day 11 = Workout 1
No "girly" push ups for me.  Jillian does not call them that.  She refers to them as "modified" push ups.  Good girl!  We girls can do ANYTHING the guys can do!(that's right!...we can even pee standing up, sorry guys).  When I first started working out last May 27th, 2011, I was doing the "modified" version.  By mid-summer, I was into full military style push ups.  I will admit, last week when I did Workout 1 for the first time, I did do the "modified" push ups.  I wasn't sure what she was going to get me into.  The next time Workout 1 rolled around, I was up on my toes again.   I guess today was the last day of this workout(Workout 1) for me. Next week I start on Phase 1 Workouts 3 & 4.  I'm ready! 

This morning for Breakfast I enjoyed the Steel-cut Oats with Apples & Pecans(I used walnuts). 

Steel-cut Oats with Apple & Walnuts

 Lunch will be leftover Curried Salmon Salad Pitas Pockets.  Mine don't look as cute as shown in the recipe book.  It doesn't matter though because they were still good.  A little bit dry, but good.  When sandwiches are really moist and sloppy, that's when you know that they are loaded with fat and not so good stuff.  I found that I just drank more water while eating these.  And that is what we all need...H2O...I love it!



Curried Salmon Salad Pita Pockets

 Snack will mostly likely be Baked Garlic Pita Chips with Guacamole. 

Baked Garlic Chips with Guacamole

It was so good yesterday, I want to eat it up before it goes bad.  I made the full recipe of the Pita Chips, once cooled, I bagged them in serving sizes to enjoy in the future.  I did double up the serving size though(the picture shows a single serving of chips)  When I looked at the serving size of the Guacamole, I thought I would be eating the remaining with a spoon, as I would have run out of chips of the single serving.  (I will get to talking about serving size and calories per recipe in a moment).

Dinner tonight was going to be Grilled Lamb Skewers with Plums, but that will have to wait.  I have some beef in the fridge that needs to be used up.  So I was thinking of doing Beef Skewers with Veggies, not sure of what I will be serving it with yet.  (I will probably be eating more of the Red Cabbage and Apple Slaw). 
Recipes
All the meals that I have made so far that are from the Body Revolution Fat Burning Meal Plan have been great.  In order to get your 'calorie count correct'(say that five times fast), enter the ingredients that YOU used to create the meal or snack.  Don't just enter the calories and other nutrition facts that are in the book.  I found that some of my count have been higher, while others have been lower and some right on.  So take the time to input the recipes into your MFP recipes.  You only have to do it once.  For example: yesterday I made the Guacamole.  The calorie count in the book is quite low compared to mine.  I entered the stuff I used, and it came up almost double per serving.  I have found that whenever I use Olive Oil, the calories are off.  JM must use a real low-cal olive oil.  As I said, just make sure you enter what you use.
I am feeling better today from the head up.  I did get sleep, but it wasn't the greatest.  My little girl decided to come into our bed and rustled around and then nestled into my back.  I was feeling so icky last night, I didn't have the energy to get up and move her.  But I still woke up this morning and knocked out Workout 1.


 Have a great day!  

Body Revolution Day 10 of 90

Day 10 = Cardio 1

Well it's was back to "Hot Feet" and "Suicides" for me today.  The best thing about Cardio 1 (besides the fact that it is burning fat off your body)is that there is NO equipment required. That's right...you don't need anything but YOU.  No mat, no weights, no resistance band.  In Cardio 1, you are on your feet throughout the full 26 minutes.  And that 26 minutes goes by quick, even quicker after you complete the first circuit.  A tip I have to get through the "Suicides".  TIP: Figure out how many you do...next time you do them, count down to zero.  I started counting how many I would do each time...my count was 23.  I then, started to count down from 23-22--21 and so on.  I found this helped me get through them easier. 

In regards to food today...it was leftovers day, with exception to Breakfast and snack.  Breakfast was delicious.  I made the Multigrain Pancakes with Berry Maple Syrup.  I chose raspberries to be my berry of choice.  But that you will see quite a bit.  I LOVE raspberries.  After mixing the pancakes together and trying to spoon them into the pan, I thought they would be heavy and not so nice.  But, boy oh boy, I was wrong!  They were SO very good!  I do have a picture.  I have been taking pictures of all the meals that I make up from the recipe book.
 

Multigrain Pancakes with Berry Maple Syrup

Lunch was the second serving of Chili-lime Shrimp Skewers with Pineapple Salsa/Barley and Roasted Cauliflower.  I really enjoyed the Pineapple Salsa. Dinner was leftover Beef Stir-fry w Broccoli and Shiitake Mushrooms served with Red Cabbage & Apple Slaw(<<<not a good combination, but I need to use the slaw up) Snack  I made the Baked Garlic Pita Chips served with Guacamole...Delicious...I will be having some leftovers of this tasty snack in the days to come.
Remember when you are making up the meals, you can always split them in half.  If you are only cooking or baking for 1 or 2 people, don't make the whole recipe if it's not a meal that can be frozen and thawed out at a later date.  The meals that are in the recipe book are quite nice, but remember they are not the only things you can eat.  As long as you stay away from processed food and stick to fresh produce and meats you will be fine. Take your fresh ingredients and create the meals yourself.  Then you know, what is in, what you are eating.  And you will know that it is good for you.  You take the time to workout.  Take the time to make yourself some good, no GREAT food.  You are worth the extra effort.
I told you yesterday that I had a sore throat and I had started sneezing...well...my throat is better, but the sneezing is crazy now.  So I am sorry if I haven't answered all your questions yet, whether it be through my blog or by message.  I will.  I promise.  But right now I must get to bed and rest.  From the neck up, I feel like crap.  Everything else below, feels excellent.  My quads are screaming a bit, but I think they are saying, "hey look at me, I'm starting to look good...I work out!"

Body Revolution Day 9 of 90

Body Revolution Day 9 of 90

Day 9 Workout 2
In this mornings workout, Workout 2, I used 5 lb weights and 8 lb weights,  The 8 pounders were used when JM says, "go heavy".  I do have 10's but I was afraid to use them just yet, maybe I will try them on Friday.  I got the hang of the resistance band, I may tighten it up for Friday though.(just for more of a challenge)

I can definitely feel my body changing.  Today I can feel it in my BUTT.  I feel like the muscles are forming, and they are eating away at the fat in the trunk.  I can also feel it across my chest.  It's not that SUPER sore feeling you get when you first start working out.  You know that one...where you can barely walk, and you need to hold onto the wall to sit down on the toilet.  I think tomorrow when I do Cardio 1, they may be less jiggling during "Hot Feet". LOL

I had some people ask, "How Body Revolution is delivered?.  Not sure about everywhere, but here in Canada, mine was delivered by Canada Post.

Another question...How many days a week is the program?  The programs workout are 6 days a week with 1 rest day.  The Body Revolution calendar starts on a Monday and ends on the Sunday with a rest day.  You can begin with the 7-Day Kickstart and then move on to week two OR begin with Day 1 of the 90-Day program.  You always have that rest day, and I highly suggest you to take it.
I am a bit of a maniac when it comes to working out.  Back in November I challenged myself to burned 1000 calories/day/6 days a week.  Guess what??? I burnt myself out by mid-way of week 3.  It was too much.  Last week when I was doing the 7-Day Kickstart, it was just like my other workouts where I would do...example...30 Day Shred(one level), then do Yoga Meltdown(one level) for a total workout time of around 60 minutes.  When I looked ahead to what I would be doing this week I thought it wouldn't be enough.  ONLY one workout between 26-36 minutes long, but Jillian is RIGHT, it only takes 30 minutes a day.  After my rest day on Sunday, I only did Workout 1 yesterday, and I could feel it, like I said..."in my BUTT".

So yesterday I forgot to post my stats resulting from the 7-Day Kickstart Your Metabolism.
My starting weight: 164.8 lbs   Current Weight: 159.6 lbs  Total Weight lost: 5.2 lbs
My starting measurements: 
Bust: 38.5"         Current: Bust: 38"
Waist: 32"          Current: 31.5"
Hips: 42.5"         Current: 42"
Arms: 11.5         Current: 11"
Thighs: 25"         Current: 25"  : (
Shoulders: 44.5" Current: 43.5  : )
Neck: 13.2"       Current: 13"
Total Inches Lost: 3.2"
I would say that's pretty damn good for one week of hard work with workouts and eating right.  Eating right is probably more important that the workouts themselves.  Like Jillian says in Extreme Shed & Shred...'You can eat your way through any workout.  Two slices of pizza can wipe out Levels 1 & 2 of ES&S".  So make sure you make good food choices.
Speaking of FOOD...Today's BREAKFAST was the Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins.  It was quite nice.  LUNCH was a little short on calories.  I made the Curried Salmon Salad Pita Pockets.  It was to be served with the Braised Baby Artichokes with Tomatoes, but I didn't get a chance to make it up.  SNACK was a Banana Almond Smoothie...yummy...and quite filling.  DINNER was the Almond Crusted Chicken Breasts/Red Cabbage & Apple Slaw, I enjoyed this one.  My husband had the chicken but he wasn't too crazy on the Apple in the Cabbage Slaw.  He ate some of the left over Barley and Roasted Cauliflower from lunch yesterday.  EXTRA SNACK just now as I started writing about food...he he he...Poppers from Sobey's with some Roasted Red Pepper Dip and a medium Orange.

Tomorrow is Cardio 1...yay!!!!  That wasn't very convincing, was it???  YAY!!!!  I got a bit of a sore throat last night and I started sneezing before bed last night.  I thought...'oh NO, I can't be getting sick'.  I always found the best way to get rid of a cold, was to sweat it out.  So hopefully Cardio 1 will kick thing this out of me.  I found in the past that when I got sick, I would start eating like CRAP, because I felt like CRAP.  But not this time, I feel great, even with this sore throat.  I will not let it get to me.  Saying that, I shall get my sore BUTT into bed and get ready for Day 10.

Until then....sleep well. 

I'm still up...I had to enter my foods into my food log and I realized that my calories were higher than I thought.  Reason being...I had a double Banana Almond Smoothie...I didn't realize that the recipe serves 2.  That is probably why it was SO YUMMY.

 Good night...zzz

Body Revolution Day 8 or 90

Body Revolution Day 8 of 90

Day 8 = Workout 1
This morning I remembered to bring all my dumb bells down.  Now in addition to my 4 lbs, I have 5, 8 and 10 pounders to work with.  In today's workout, I used the 5's and 8's.  I used the 5's for triceps and shoulder/chair and the 8's for the chest fly(you're lying down...right??, so try a heavier weight, only if you can).  I also added weight to the second set of "Sumo Squats".  Yes, I could have added the jumps, but I added the weight instead.  Some days you just don't feel like jumping.  And today, was my day.  Not much more to say on this workout today.  I will probably be feeling it tomorrow though.
Today here in Canada, is Family day.  That = NO work for me.  That's funny, my internal clock did not know that then.  I woke up a bit  later, as I did turn my 5:30am alarm off last night.  I got up at 6:30am and got ready to work out. I LOVE IT!  I look forward to my workouts again.  When I first started on MyFitnessPal(May 27, 2011) I was the same way.  I looked forward to getting up and taking on the day by starting it with a great workout.  By about mid-October, I was feeling a bit sluggish.  The clocks changed, the weather was getting cooler and it was much darker in the mornings when my alarm would go off.  All I wanted to do was snuggle under my duvet and sleep.  And that I did, some mornings.  I knew I had to take some drastic measures to keep getting my workouts in.  Some days, I did do some spinning later in the day, but it just wasn't the same. I stepped it up in November, but it was still a challenge to get up some mornings.  So...in December, I changed my ring tone alarm from "Don't Cha" to "I'm Sexy and I Know It".  Just little changes can make a BIG difference.  In January, I started and completed my second full round of Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred.  I NEEDED more of a challenge.(I know I could have added more weight in this, and next time I will).  However, the moves I knew and I wanted MORE.  And that is when I heard about JM's Body Revolution.  90 days....yes in deed.  That was my next challenge.  I did a few days of her Extreme Shed & Shred(which by the way, is a VERY good workout) and I ordered Body Revolution as soon as I could.  I am so glad I did it right away, because Jillian had posted a note on Facebook the other day stating that BR is on back order now.  It is so popular, the first lot sold out FAST.  She did ensure that they are making them as fast as they can to fill the orders. 
Tips for if you are waiting for your copy to arrive:
1. Start cleaning out your kitchen cupboards, fridge and freezers  I don't mean, just throw everything away.  Use up some of the processed(blah) stuff that you may have in there(OR just throw it away).  Make sure you have room in your freezer for your healthier meals(or food prep) that you may be freezing in the weeks to come.  Organize your spices, oils and sauces, that way, you will know what you have on hand and it will help cut down on that first grocery bill.
2.  Stalk the post box
3.  Organize your own home gym.  Make sure you have your mat and your weights...ALL of your weights.  You will get the resistance band with your BR package.
4.  Stalk the post box
5.  Get your mind set on what you are going to be starting and COMPLETING.  We can all start something.  The key is to complete it.  That's when you get results.  Don't let the infomercial intimidate you, or by what you have read about this program(even in this blog), you can do it, and you know you can.
6.  Stalk the post box(not the postal carrier, that's just creepy)
7.  Keep working out.  Stick with your workouts that you are already doing.  The stronger you get while you wait, the easier it will be. Now just remember, just because I said "easier", doesn't mean you get to take it easy when you begin the Revolution.
8.  Hopefully by now, it has arrived.  If not...
9.  Take a deep breath in, and head back down to the post box.
Like in the movie "Field of Dreams"..."if you build it, he(in this case it's a SHE) will come".  If you build a healthier environment and a strong mind and body, the Revolution, YOUR Body Revolution WILL come.
Let's talk about FOOD...
The Blueberry Banana Muffins were delicious...yum.  I heated it up and I did add just a touch of Becel Olive Oil margarine on it.  Did I mention that it was yummy???

For lunch I made up the Chili-lime Shrimp Skewers with Pineapple-mint Salsa served with the Barley with Roasted Cauliflower and Almonds.  It was so good.  Now if you don't like or eat shrimp.  You could definitely try it with chicken or if you are a vegetarian, maybe zucchini skewers.  I cut the Shrimp recipe in half and the Barley into thirds.  I can enjoy this for another lunch, probably on Wednesday of this week, and my husband and kids can have the leftover Barley and Cauliflower for dinner tonight.

For my snack, Oranges with Lemon-Vanilla Yogurt Cream
Tonight for dinner, I will be making the Beef Stir-fry with Broccoli & Shiitake Mushrooms

 The first few meals will probably be the most time consuming.  You will get into your groove and you will be able to fill those spots in the freezer with future meals.
Since it is Family Day(Canada), I must go spend some more time with my husband and kids.
Talk to you tomorrow.

Body Revolution Day 7 - February 19, 2012

Body Revolution Day 7 (Kickstart)

Ahhhhh...rest day.
Anything is better than nothing...
I have had a few people comment on my blog or message me, saying that they are intimidated by Body Revolution.  DON'T BE!  You made the first step by ordering it.  The next BIG step, and most important step is to start it.  It doesn't matter if you can't use the 2, 5 or 8 pound dumb bells(this past week, I was only using 4 pound dumb bells myself, I kept forgetting to bring my other ones down to where I workout) OR if you can only do a few "Suicides".  You WILL get there.  ANYTHING is BETTER than NOTHING.  I counted out the "Suicides", we do about 23 of them.  So if the first time you do Cardio 1, and you can only do 3 or 4, that's fantastic.  Next time you may do 5 or 6, and so on.  Your body will get stronger and so will your mind.  You will start to think and KNOW that you CAN do this.  WE CAN do this!  Together we are going to be a bunch of healthy, HOT and happy people.
 When I was a spinning instructor, I had so many people tell me, "it looks too hard" or "I will have to lose 20 lbs before I could do a spinning class".  A spin class is what YOU make it, and if you start spinning, it will help you lose some of that 20 lbs.  I used to tell my class during the warm up, "You have already done the hardest part, the hardest part is walking through the door of the cycling studio, the rest is just FUN!"  Just like Body Revolution, make it YOURS and you will succeed.
Since today was a Rest Day, I spent the day planning and shopping.  I planned out my meals for the week and created a grocery list.  The 7-Day Kickstart meal plan comes with a grocery list, which is nice(even though I didn't use it).  However, the 90-day meal plan, does NOT have a grocery list, which kind of sucks.  BUT, it also allows you to mix things up a bit.  So it will require a little bit of your time to plan and sort things out.  I know we are all busy with work, family, friends and just living, but we are worth it, YOU are worth taking that time out of your busy life to plan, for a healthier life.  That's why we are all here right?  If we don't take the time, we might not be here much longer.
I had purchased a beef tenderloin last weekend and still had it in the fridge.  Today I cut it up and prepped it for my Beef Stir Fry with Broccoli and Shiitake Mushrooms dinners.  I cut, weighed, packaged(1 lb per bag), labelled and froze the beef.  I made a note, in my calendar on my iPhone, when to take it out of the freezer.  I had enough beef to get me through to Day 90, I think I will be enjoying about 7 of those dinners over the 3 months.  Some of the meals and snacks this coming week will have leftovers, so I will be repeating some of them in the week.  Others, that I can freeze, I will freeze.  Your first grocery shop may be higher than the ones in the future.  You may have to buy some spices, sauces and other things that you will only use a bit at a time.  At least then, you will have them in your kitchen.  Fruits, vegetables, meats and seafood will need to be purchased fresh each week.  UNLESS...you prep the meat, (whether it be chicken or beef) all at one time.  Next weekend, I will purchase some chicken breasts and prep them like I did with the beef(right now I have loads of frozen chicken in the freezer already).  So take the time to prepare your grocery list and know what you need and when you need it.  It's a lifestyle change, NOT A DIET. 
I did step on the scale again this morning...no change from yesterday.  I think I will step on it again tomorrow, and then not until next Monday.  I will then only do weekly weigh-ins.  I will take my measurements again tomorrow too, and then those will become monthly updates.
I feel great after completing the 7-Day Kickstart, and I am looking forward to week 2.
Have a great evening and I will talk to you again, tomorrow.

Body Revolution Day 6 - February 18, 2012

Body Revolution Day 6 (Kickstart)

Day 6 workout>>> Cardio 1 twice today.  As you may or may not know, I like to workout in the mornings, so I did them back to back.  I don't know if it is getting easier or harder.  My heart is still pounding during, and by the end of the workout.  I know the routine, and now I'm kicking it up a notch or two(that is probably why it feels harder).  I find myself kicking a little higher on the "Kick Outs with Arm Circles" and sinking lower into a squat with the "Punches"                                    
A little correction from my post the other day...I called it "Fast Feet", JM calls them "Hot Feet".  Plus, I called them "Suicide Runs", they are just called "Suicides".  They both kind of SUCK, whatever they are called.  Ahhh, but they are doing their job.
Weigh in time.  Today the scale shouted out a BIG...159.6...WHAT!  That's right! I was down 3.8 lbs from yesterday...WHAT!  However, I stepped on that thing so many times, and moved it around the bathroom floor in total disbelief.  The first time I stepped on it, it actually read 159, and THAT's when I started moving it around.  159.6 was the number that came up the most, so that is what I logged.  YAY!!!!  See, so those "Hot Feet" and "Suicides" are definitely working. 
Now, remember that ALL this is not possible without the food or lack of the food.  And what I mean by, 'lack of the food', is that I am not filling my face with food all day long.  I have stuck to the 7-Day Kickstart meal plan.  I have switched things up a bit, but my calories are around the same as the plans.  The food in the meal plan is satisfying, but I still feel hungry at certain times of the day.  And that is okay to feel hungry, I'm on a detox in a way.  A detox to help boost my metabolism.  It's working!!!!  Like I said in yesterday's blog, "it's turning this Chocoholic into a recovering Chocoholic".  However, there is a light a the end of the tunnel...Chocolate will come back into my life, but only the good stuff.  Chocolate where the cocoa is 70% or greater will be included in some of the recipes during the 90-day meal plan.  For instance the, Chocolate Cinnamon Frozen Banana Pops...YUMMY.  I was looking over the meals and preparing for what is to come and I noticed those little gems.  Since doing the Kickstart, I have noticed that my sense of smell for foods is satisfying enough.  Like last night, my son wanted pizza, so we picked up a pizza for him.  It smelled wonderful!  Once we got home, I made up my Wild Cod and Spinach & Tomato Salad...it was delicious.  The smell of the pizza was enough for me.  Why would I want to set myself back, by giving into that one slice of pizza??? (And we all know that it doesn't stop at just one slice...RIGHT?)  If you put your mind it in, you WILL and CAN do it too!
I baked up a batch of the Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins.  I will be enjoying one of them on Tuesday (Day 9) morning for breakfast.  They look and smell wonderful.  I kept one in the fridge and the others landed a spot in the freezer for later on, just like the blueberry ones.
After baking and cleaning up.  I started to put the ingredients away and I noticed that my cupboards where crowded and messy.  So, I began to tidy them up.  I threw out the unhealthy things that were lingering in there, and I will replace them with healthy ingredients and supplies for the days and weeks to come.  It's a great thing to do to help you stay on track with your goals.
Did you notice, I changed my blog colours to the Body Revolution Colours???(that's right, I spell colour with a U, as, I am Canadian, eh. And plus it all starts with U, to make that change, only U can do it)
Now it's time to get my kids to clean up as well.  I have only been trying to get them to do it since before I worked out this morning.  Wish me luck!
Talk to you tomorrow!

Body Revolution Day 5 - February 17, 2012

Body Revolution Day 5 (Kickstart)

Only 85 to go!  Woohoo!  One more day of workouts this week, and I will be done week 1 of 13weeks.  Ah yes, rest day on Sunday will make it complete.  I know now that it won't be a total rest day.  I will probably hop on my spinning bike and have a little ride.  I will post any extra workouts that I do.
This weekend is going to be a planning, cooking/baking weekend to get me ready for next week.  I am SO looking forward to trying those muffins I baked yesterday.  Someone asked me for the recipe.  So for all of you who don't have Body Revolution yet(you should get it) here it is:
 Blueberry Banana Muffins      Makes 12 muffins
Olive Oil spray for the muffin tin
3/4 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 2)
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)
1/2 cup honey (I used an organic wildflower creamed honey)
1/3 olive oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (mine was just regular whole wheat flour)
2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder (I almost forgot to put this in...DUH)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (i used sea salt)
1 generous cup fresh or frozen blueberries (mine were fresh)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (I didn't toast mine)
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat the oven to 425 degress F.  Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil spray or lime with paper liners.
In a large bowl, place the bananas, yogurt, honey, olive oil, and vanilla.  Stir together until well mixed.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and stir until just combined.  Fold in the blueberries and the nuts, if using.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin.  Place the tin in the oven and reduce the heat to 400 degrees F.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly touched.  Let cool in the tin for 10 to 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Serve warm. (For longer storage, let cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.)
Per Serving (1 muffin)
Calories:216 kcal / Fat: 6.8g / Protein:4.5g / Carbohydrates: 37.1g / Sodium: 234.5mg
Can you imagine if I had forgotten to put the baking powder in????  Geezzz.  I got all the way to having all the batter in the tin, and then I realized I forgot to put it in.  So I scraped it all back into the bowl and added it in.  They look AWESOME!
I know that I shouldn't step on the scale everyday, and for the longest time it would be like weeks would go by before I stepped on it.  However, during this 7-day Kickstart, I have been checking more often.  I want to chart my daily progress for those of you that are reading my blog.  So this morning I did step on the scale again...163.4 showed up., that was done another .4 lbs. For weigh-ins,  I don't just step on it once, I usually step, reset, step, reset, step and then take the number that comes up the most.  I almost freaked out this morning, because the second time I stepped on it, it read...161.8...WHAT???...but before I got my hopes up, I stepped on it again,...163.4...so that is today's numbers.  I don't usually log gains to my progress, but I will post it in my blog.  I just find that if I see the number go up on paper or in this case, on my progress chart, I will get frustrated.  I just keep working hard and I know that the number on the scale will change.  I still believe that measuring yourself is more important than the numbers on the scale.
Today was Workout 2 and Cardio 1.  I mentioned the other day about the resistance band problem I had during Workout 2.  Well I fixed it, and it was MUCH better today. Tip: Play around with the band before (or after) your workout so you know just where to place them on/around your feet.  As far as how I was feeling today after 4 days of the Revolution...waking up this morning, I felt a little bit stiff, but I believe that had more to do with my 4 year daughter using my head, back and butt as a head or foot rest throughout the night, from about 2:30am on until 5:30am.  I feel strong.  My butt feels like it's turning into a rock. Key words are TURNING INTO. Lol.  I feel hungry too, but not to the point where I going to binge on something I shouldn't.  I have very strong will power when my mind is in the game.  I will talk more on this another day.
In regards to my food for today: Breakfast: Greek yogurt with almonds and cinnamon   Lunch: Vegetable soup with Poached Chicken(I went a little heavy with the pepper)   Dinner: Wild Cod  with a Baby Spinach Salad   Snack: Hummus and Veggies(which I should have eaten between lunch and dinner but I didn't have time again)  Total Calories = 1066  I know that this is low and this is why the scale is changing daily.  REMEMBER this is why they call it a KICKSTART.  It is turning this Chocoholic, into a recovering Chocoholic. 
I have said enough for today I will be back again tomorrow.  Until then...stay strong!

Body Revolution Day 4 - February 16, 2012

Body Revolution Day 4 (Kickstart)

Welcome to my Day 4 of the Kickstart Body Revolution program. 
Today's workout was Workout 1 and Cardio 1.  I found the exercises in Workout 1 were not that difficult...ONLY because I have completed the 30 Day Shred and Ripped in 30 before.  My strength and balance has improved greatly over the past 7-8 months so I found that I could do these moves with ease.  I'm not saying that this workout is easy, I still got a great workout in.  I know for the week to come, that I can add more weight and/or more jump training with this workout.  I don't want to run myself down by doing too much and eating fewer calories than I was last week.  So I am not going too crazy with add ons and "fancy" stuff.  I do jazz things up a little bit when I am working out.  Like the Speed Bag, I kind of get a groove on.  LOL.  It kind of takes my mind off of the areas that are screaming(Once you start the program for yourself, you will know what and where I'm talking about).  I can definitely see where Workout 1 is heading.  We work legs and then arms, right now, in the weeks to come it will be both legs and arms together, just as it's been done in Ripped in 30 and 30 Day Shred.  If you have done either one of these other programs, you will be fine.  Even if you haven't, start with the modified moves and work your way up.  Your strength will improve as you go.  You can do it!
Cardio 1 - I mentioned the Suicide Runs yesterday, I forgot to mention the Fast Feet drill.  Yikes!  Don't be afraid, but I find this one challenging.  It's not so much in the way of being out of breathe, but your legs will be screaming after the minute drill.  Plus my a$$ was shaking all over the place.  My goal for the end of the 90 days...my a$$ will not have a chance to shake like it is now, because it will be rock hard.  Oh yeah! 
After my workout this morning and before my shower, I decided to step on the scale.  Today's weight was 163.8 lbs.  I am down 1 pound from my starting weight. YAY!                                    
My starting measurements are as follows:
Bust: 38.5"  Waist: 32"   Hips: 42.5"   Arms: 11.5"   Thighs: 25"   Shoulders: 44.5"   Neck: 13.2"
I will update the measurements every 2 weeks.(That's if I remember, sometimes I not very good at remembering to take my measurements.  So a reminder from a follower is welcome.  Or a good swift kick in my shaking a$$...lol)<<<by weeks 11 and 12 you might hurt your foot though.
In regards of food for today,
for breakfast I had the Poached Eggs and Bacon with Avocado & Tomatoes...very good.
for lunch I had the Salmon Salad
Snack is to be eaten in the afternoon, however I did not get a chance to eat this then.  I was extremely hungry by dinner time tonight. 
for dinner I had left over Roast Beef with Gravy and Sweet Potatoes & Onions.  Served with a Baby Spinach & Tomato Salad topped with an Olive Oil/Balsamic Vinegar Dressing.  After eating this dinner I was quite satisfied.
Since my calorie count was still too low, I decided to eat my afternoon snack, after dinner while watching some TV. 
my snack was Hummus and Veggies.  YUM YUM.
My total food calorie count for today is 1178.  Water-15 cups= 120oz
Planning is KEY.
Tonight I started prepping for next week already.  The workouts I know I can handle them as they are the same as this week.  However, the food will be a problem if I don't start thinking about it NOW.  On Monday of next week, it will be Day 8, so I am starting on Day 8 of the 90-day meal plan, and not on Day 1.  (It's the same for the workouts...if you do the 7-day Kickstart, you will then continue with weeks 2-13)
With that being said, I made up a batch of Blueberry Banana Muffins which are on the Breakfast menu.  Tomorrow, or on the weekend, I will be whipping up a batch of Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins.  I will keep some of them out fresh, and the others I will throw in the freezer for later dates.  Over the next 3 months I will eat 8 out of the 12 Blueberry Banana Muffins that I made today.  So I will have 4 leftover.  Any takers???  They smell delicious.  I'm sure my children will help out with the remaining 4.
Make sure you plan your meals so that you don't just grab for the first thing that you see. 
Last night we had promised our children a trip to McD's.  They hadn't been there in a very long while.  At the beginning of the year, my husband also joined MFP(well that's when he started logging.  I had actually signed him up last year but he wasn't ready yet) and was ready to make the change.  So that meant no more quick trips to fast food places while we were out shopping and running around.  We started to plan our meals and started to eat at home more.  Well the kids kept asking when would they get to go to a restaurant, "We haven't been for so long", they said.  So last week they earned a trip to a restaurant.  And their choice was McD's.  We had their swimming lessons last night so I didn't get a chance to eat before and we were taking them to the "restaurant" right after...I thought I was doomed.  But fear not, my will power is strong and I resisted the temptation of the fries.  I just ordered a cup of water and thought of what I would eat when we got back home.  On the way home, we stopped at the grocery store and I picked up some Wild Cod and some spinach, along with a few other things that I would need in the next few days.  Once we got home, I made myself a very tasty dinner.  Only 309 calories as opposed to whatever the calories those fries would have been.(I'm proud of my husband too because he just ordered a salad)  So make sure you plan things out.
Also make sure you get plenty of sleep.  We need to rest our bodies so that we can push that much harder the next day.
So with that said...I am off to bed.  Good night.