Protein Veggie Dip

I found this idea on Pinterest recently, and decided to try it.  It was really pretty good, and I didn't have to feel guilty about dipping my veggies in it. 

Another good thing about it is that you only need a little bit, so it will last for a couple days.  Healthy snack!

Protein Veggie Dip
1 container of greek yogurt
Vegetable Dip seasoning mix, any kind (ranch would be excellent)
vegetables

I just sprinkled the mix into the yogurt a little at a time, until it looked good. :)

Dip veggies and enjoy - Yummy!

Body Beast Worksheets

I made my own worksheets for Body Beast - if you would like a copy.

Body Beast Block 1 Worksheets:
Build: Chest/Tris - Download PDF
Build: Legs - Download PDF
Build: Back/Bis - Download PDF
Build: Shoulders - Download PDF
Body Beast Block 2 Worksheets:
Bulk: Chest - Download PDF
Bulk: Legs - Download PDF
Bulk: Arms - Download PDF
Bulk: Back - Download PDF
Bulk: Shoulders - Download PDF

Body Beast Block 3 Worksheets:
Beast: Total Body - Download PDF

Extra Worksheets:
Tempo: Back/Bis - Download PDF
Tempo: Chest/Tris - Download PDF

I love when my Beachbody orders get here! :)

Body Beast - Block 2: Bulk

The second phase in the Body Beast program is called the Bulk Series.  It will last for the next 5 weeks.  These workouts use new-school set routines, to really add to your muscle-building.  Another great thing about this phase is that the workouts are only 30 - 40 minutes long!

Here is what the Lean Beast schedule looks like for Block 2: Bulk -

• Day 1: BULK: Chest
• Day 2: BULK: Legs
• Day 3: BULK: Arms
• Day 4: BEAST: Cardio and BEAST: Abs
• Day 5: BULK: Back
• Day 6: BULK: Shoulders
• Day 7: Rest

You use this same schedule for 5 weeks.  Since the workouts are shorter, and I want to lean out, I am also adding in extra cardio on the upper-body days.  I will do my cardio in the morning and then the weights in the evening.

Download the Block 2 Worksheets HERE.

Wow! These workouts fatigue my muscles like no other - it's crazy! I totally love them, though! I still recommend this program to anyone - male or female. 

90-Day Challenge Nutrition

Along with the Body Beast program I am doing for the Challenge, I need to eat clean and drink a Shakeology every day.

What is 'clean' eating?  Eating clean is the practice of eating whole, natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.  It also means staying away from junk food, processed foods, sugars, simple carbs, and unhealthy fats. 

Here are a couple of books that I use all.the.time to help me stay on track.  If you're new to clean eating, they will help you learn the concept.  If not, they are still excellent sources for information and delicious recipes!

Eating for Life by Bill Phillips is probably my favorite source for clean-eating recipes!  Every single one I have tried, I loved.  They have basic ingredients - not really weird stuff.  (I am kind of a picky eater.)  There are great shake recipes, too.  (I just sub out the Myoplex for Shakeology!)

Tosca Reno's The Eat-Clean Diet is an excellent plan to follow, especially if you want to lose those last stubborn pounds.

 

I am eating 5-6 small meals a day, and each meal contains a protein, and a complex carb.  For my last 2-3 meals, I try to eat vegetables instead of complex carbs. 

 

I pretty much eat the same thing (or close to it) every day, except for dinner, where I need to be a bit more creative for my family.  Here is an example of a typical day:

 

Wake Up:  I drink 2 cups of water with lemon first thing.  (It's better to drink it warm, but I can't stand it, so I just drink it room-temp)

 

Breakfast:  1/2 cup cooked oatmeal with a little cinnamon, and a protein shake, (multi-vitamin, vitamin C and Biotin)

                      Protein Shake Recipe:
                       1 cup water
                       1 scoop vanilla protein powder
                       1/2 banana (chopped, frozen)
                       2-3 frozen strawberries, whole
                       1 TBS ground flaxseed
                       3-4 ice cubes (wedge kind)

                       Blend all together - soooo yummy!

Morning Snack:  1/2 apple, 1/2 cup cottage cheese

Lunch:  sliced turkey breast on 2 slices Sara Lee 45 cal wheat bread, with mustard and lettuce, raw veggies and baby dills on the side. (Omega 3 supplement)

Afternoon Snack:  Shakeology with 1 TBS peanut butter

Dinner:  2 cups green leaf lettuce with lots of veggies, 4 oz grilled chicken breast, 1 hard-boiled egg, 2 TBS Oil and Vinegar dressing

Workout:  Body Beast   (I take BCAAs after my workout, and glutamine before bed)

Evening Snack:  either a chocolate (casein) protein shake or Chobani yogurt with 2 TBS sugar-free Jell-O pudding mix, cheesecake flavor - YUM!!

I thought this was funny.

I enter everything I eat into the myfitnesspal app on my phone, and usually it's about 1200-1400 cals, and close to 40/30/30 pcf ratio.  I think in my last month of Body Beast, I will cut my carbs down and do more of a 50/30/20 pcf ratio.  I'm not sure I'm eating enough calories, though, so I will have to see how I am doing by the end of this first month.

There's my plan, in a nutshell.  I am feeling really good, though.  The first week was a little rough with wanting to snack on things I shouldn't, even though I wasn't hungry.  But week 2 I had absolutely no cravings!  It was crazy!  I am loving Shakeology so much!  I have more energy, I feel lighter inside (if that makes sense) and I don't feel deprived at all.  Woo Hoo! :)

Body Beast - Block 1: Build

The first 3 weeks of Body Beast is called the Build Series.  You are basically laying the foundation for muscle growth.  This is what my schedule looks like:

Week One:

• Day 1: BUILD: Chest/Tris
• Day 2: BUILD: Legs
• Day 3: BUILD: Back/Bis
• Day 4: BUILD: Shoulders
• Day 5: BEAST: Cardio and BEAST: Abs
• Day 6: BUILD: Chest/Tris
• Day 7: Rest

Week Two:

• Day 1: BUILD: Legs
• Day 2: BUILD: Back/Bis
• Day 3: BEAST: Cardio and BEAST: Abs
• Day 4: BUILD: Shoulders
• Day 5: BUILD: Chest/Tris
• Day 6: BUILD: Legs
• Day 7: Rest

Week Three:

• Day 1: BUILD: Back/Bis
• Day 2: BEAST: Cardio and BEAST: Abs
• Day 3: BUILD: Shoulders
• Day 4: BUILD: Chest/Tris
• Day 5: BUILD: Legs
• Day 6: BUILD: Back/Bis
• Day 7: Rest

I changed the schedule just a little bit, so my rest days would always be on Sunday.

Download the Block 1 Worksheets HERE.

Okay, so for the first 3 weeks, I did not add any extra cardio in, besides what was scheduled in the "Lean Beast" program.  I am concentrating on building my muscle foundation first.

It's been awhile since I've lifted weights, and it's sad how low I have to go on my weights compared to the beasty men in the videos! haha 

However, I am still lifting as heavy as I can, and that's what is important. :)
(In case you are wondering, I started out using 5-12lbs on upper body, and 8-20lbs on lower body.)
I am increasing my weights on most exercises every week though, so I'm excited to see where I am after 90 days! I am telling you this, so you know that you don't have to be lifting super-heavy or even be an experienced weight-lifter to do this program - it's for EVERYONE!

Also, lifting heavy won't make you bulk up - I am NOT going to look like the guys in the videos!! Lifting weights will make women smaller and tighter.  I don't want to just be a skinnier version of myself, I want shape, and the only way to do that is to LIFT WEIGHTS.

 

My thoughts so far:  I am LOVING this workout program!  The workouts are short, and I find I am looking forward to doing them every day.  I also kind of like not having to do cardio right now.  I was super sore the first week.  I would laugh at myself as I hobbled around, because I like that sore feeling - it lets me know my body is changing. :)

 

I actually started my challenge after the first week of doing Body Beast, so since I have only really been eating clean for 2 weeks, I am going to wait for 2 more weeks before I do my 'official' measurements.  I have only lost about 2 lbs so far, but I'm not too worried because I am adding muscle.  (I am trying to stay off the scale, too.) haha :)

 

In the next post, I will go over the nutrition part of this challenge.

Beachbody 90-Day Challenge

Anyone who knows me, knows that I looove the Beachbody workout programs.  I have almost all of them by now, and I have been involved in the Beachbody community for a few years. 

However, since having my daughter a few years ago at the very young age of 38, :)  I have found it more difficult to lose the weight and get back into shape, even with the arsenal of programs at my disposal.  So after trying to do things on my own, without much success - I decided to finally join a Challenge Group!

This picture was taken in November 2011.*  I had actually lost a little weight before this trip.

 

A Challenge Group, for those who don't know - is a small group of people who are committed to their fitness goals, and help motivate and support each other along the way.  It's just the motivation and accountability that I needed to kick this butt into gear and finally be able to fit all my clothes again! 

 

For my 90-day challenge, I decided to do Body Beast!

Kind of scary-looking, I know! 

 

Here are my reasons for choosing Body Beast for this challenge:

 

1)  Old-School Weight Lifting - You need to lift weights if you want to change your body shape, and you burn more calories for every pound of muscle you have.  I didn't want anything fancy, just give me basic weight lifting. Yes!

 

2)  Shorter Workouts - These workouts are all under 1 hour, and in the second phase they're even shorter!  Who doesn't love that?

 

3)  I already had all the equipment - nothing to buy - yay!

 

Along with choosing a program to do, I am going to be drinking Shakeology every day, and eating super clean.  I am not eating the calories they suggest in the BB program, I am just logging everything into myfitnesspal.

 

 

*I refuse to put my before pictures up until I have an after picture to go right next to it, so you will just have to stick around until the beginning of June to see the results! :)