Body Beast, Hammer & Chisel HYBRID!

I only have 2 more weeks left of The Master's Hammer & Chisel! It went by so fast! I absolutely LOVE this program! I am totally planning on doing another round but I think this time I will add in one of my other favorite programs - Body Beast.

This was a really hard hybrid to make. The Hammer & Chisel workouts are total body, working legs practically every day. This is seriously great for the booty! I definitely liked that about the program. ;) Body Beast focuses on one or two body parts each day so I had to be careful when planning this that we didn't overlap the muscle groups too much.

I found the best way to incorporate both programs was to do alternate weeks. (With a little extra cardio added in on the Beast weeks.) This actually works out really great for a couple reasons. 
1) You can adjust your calorie intake week to week to fit your goals. (Like eating more on Beast weeks, and cutting down on the H&C weeks.)
2) There is a lot of variety. I am actually looking forward to trying this one out!
3) You can focus really hard one week on lifting heavy and reaching muscle failure. The next week you can work on your strength, speed, & endurance by adding in the total body workouts each day.

I made this a 60-day hybrid so if you want to continue month 1 for a couple extra weeks before moving on to month 2, that would be totally fine. Feel free to add or remove any of the ab workouts too. I made this based on what I would like to do. ;)

Good Luck! Have fun and let me know how this works out for you! I will be starting my hybrid February 29 if anyone wants to join me.

coachbethclark@outlook.com

https://www.facebook.com/BodyRemodel/

Body Beast Tempo Workouts

Have any of you tried the Tempo workouts from Body Beast? I can't believe I had never even ordered these until recently! I figured the regular program was fine for me. But since I have been doing Body Beast again, I decided I needed to have something different to substitute in.

Seriously - these workouts are AMAZING! I fatigued my muscles so much faster with the Tempo workouts! If you haven't tried these yet, you really need to ASAP. :)

So what are the Tempo workouts all about? During these workouts, you still have 3 sets - 15, 12, and 8 reps each. However, you lift reaaallly slowly! 6 counts up and 6 counts down for the 15 reps, then the tempo changes as the weights go up. By the time you are done, your muscles are shaking! Try doing 15 tricep dips 3 counts down and 3 counts up - OUCH! haha 

Sagi also has ab exercises in between each set. The Tempo Plank is KILLER! 

I updated my WORKSHEETS page to include the Tempo workouts. So go download them and get started!

Beast Up and Max Out - Hybrid

I just finished up my first round of Insanity Max:30 and I LOVED it!! I sometimes modified and sometimes not, but I improved my cardio and strength so much! However, I know my body does best when I am actually LIFTING heavy weights.

For my second month of Max 30, I actually started Body Beast again as well. It was pretty tough, because I hadn't lifted in awhile and I was ALWAYS sore!

Here was my schedule for the Build Phase and Month 2 of Insanity Max: 30 -

*Notice how I rearranged Body Beast to fit around Max 30. My first priority was Max 30 because I was almost done with the program for the first time.

Now that I'm in the second phase of Body Beast, and done with Max 30, I can incorporate Max 30 back into my routine, but not EVERY day. I am LOVING it so far!! Basically I only have 2 extra days of cardio a week, but I left room to add in more if I feel I'm not dropping body fat as fast as I would like.

So here is my schedule for the Bulk phase:

This time I am concentrating more on Body Beast and just adding in Max 30 for extra cardio.

I will also say that I am not following either meal plan, but keeping a small calorie deficit and eating at 40/40/20 macros.

I will be looking at my schedule for the final Beast Phase, and planning that out and posting it as it gets closer. :) So be sure to check back in a few weeks for updates!

If you have any questions or need help with anything - let me know. :)

Beast Up and Max Out!!!
coachbethclark@outlook.com
https://www.facebook.com/BodyRemodel

Body Beast Women's Transformation

Okay, here it is!  I'm doing it - I'm posting my pictures for all the world to see!  This is super scary, you have no idea!  I just completed a 90 day challenge group using Body Beast and Shakeology. 

Here are my results:

 

Just to be completely honest, my last month I totally struggled with working out and even eating healthy all the time.  My son was graduating from high school, and those of you who have kids know that the entire month of May is like crazy town!  We had something going on EVERY DAY, not to mention family coming to visit. 

 

So, I was completely surprised that I still lost inches!  I am not exactly where I thought I would be at the end of my 90 days, but you get what you put in, right? 

 

Here are my stats:

Total weight lost: - 6 lbs.

Chest: - 2"

Waist: - 4"

Hips: - 2"

Right leg: -1"

Left leg: -1"

Right arm: - 1"

Left arm: - 1"

Total inches lost: 12!

 

I know some of you are thinking that 6 pounds is not very much.  But I lost inches ALL OVER which is EXACTLY what I wanted!  I am 12 inches smaller than I was 90 days ago!  I am tighter and less squishy, I'm stronger, my posture is better and I have sooo much more energy!!

 

 

My upper back has totally leaned out, and I can actually see some muscle starting to show.  I am losing my love handles and my legs are leaner.  I will definitely continue to lift weights because it makes you so much tighter!

 

Overall I really loved the Body Beast program!!  I would highly recommend it to ANYONE!  The workouts are short, I gained lean muscle and lost body fat and I never got bored - ever!  Love it!!

 

I am really looking forward to round 2 with maybe an Insanity hybrid - yes!  BUT FIRST, I really want to try Shaun T's new Focus T25 which comes out June 24!!! Maybe lose the rest of my middle.  If you are interested in joining me, email me for details at coachbethclark@outlook.com.

 

My Weight Loss - (Work In Progress)

Do you ever have one of those days when you think you look pretty good and then you see yourself in a picture and you're like, "What?!"  I do ALL THE TIME!  Well, here is the picture that got me to make some serious changes -

Now, I will say that I had recently had a baby. (Well - who are we kidding, she was almost a year!)  And I'm sure the angle of the camera was bad, right? ;)  Anyway, whatever it was - I didn't like it!  I printed this picture out and put it up by my bed-side table so I could look at it every morning when my alarm went off.  I lost at least 15 lbs in 5 months.  I can't remember because I didn't ever do before pics and measurements.

Here is me in November of 2011.

 

Then I felt pretty good, so I relaxed again all winter.  Then in the spring of 2012 it started all over with me trying to lose weight before summer so I could fit into all my clothes.  When I would get down a few pounds, I would relax again until winter came and I gained it all back.  Are you seeing a pattern here?? 

 

Starting in March 2013, I joined a Challenge Group so that I would have motivation and accountability to actually stick with it and change my lifestyle.  I loved the set up so much that I even became a coach!  This way I HAVE to stick to it and stop hibernating over the winter! :)

 

I seriously love challenge groups, it is sooo much better than trying to do something on your own!

 

So far, I am down 10 lbs and 8 inches!  I say 'so far' because I still want to lose more body fat. 

This picture was taken last night.  (About 20 pounds difference!)  I am still going to be posting my actual before and after pictures, but I still have a few days left of my 90 day challenge. :)

I made a goal that I would complete 2 more Beachbody programs before the end of the year.  One of the programs I want to do is Shaun T's new Focus T25 which comes out sometime this month!

If you would like to be in one of my challenge groups - feel free to email me - coachbethclark@outlook.com.  You can also message me on facebook or comment below.  I would love to have new friends join me as I continue to remodel my body! :)

Body Beast Update - Week 8!

I can't believe I have already done 2 months of Body Beast!  It is so fun - I am loving it!  I am getting so much stronger and my arms are super tight - I have biceps!  Just by looking at myself in the mirror, I notice the most changes in my legs, and upper body so far.  My shoulders, back and arms look thinner and my legs actually have shape to them - woo hoo! :)  My waist is getting smaller too, although not as fast as I want - but your fat comes off in sheets, and there are definitely more 'sheets' on my belly. haha  

I weighed and measured this morning and compared it to day 1.  No pictures to share yet...but here are the stats:

In 60 days, I have only lost 4 lbs - BUT I have lost 6.5 inches overall!! I still have 30 days left to bust my behind before I have to post my after pictures! I can do this! :)

Here is my schedule for this month:

Monday:  Build: Chest/Tris
Tuesday:  Bulk:  Legs
Wednesday:  Build:  Back/Bis
Thursday:  Beast: Cardio & Abs
Friday:  Build: Shoulders
Saturday:  Beast: Total Body

Monday:  Bulk: Chest
Tuesday:  Build: Legs
Wednesday:  Bulk Shoulders
Thursday:  Bulk: Back
Friday:  Bulk: Arms
Saturday:  Beast: Cardio & Abs

Then you repeat these for 2 more weeks.  I am adding in sprints on the treadmill 4x week so I can lean out a bit more without losing my hard-earned muscle. Here is what it looks like:

HIIT Interval Sprints
Run level 8 for 30 seconds
Step off/rest for 30 seconds
Repeat for 30 minutes total

This is killer!!  Let me tell you, the first day my legs were wobbly, the second day I was so sore, and the third day I had to do it again!!

For my diet, I am carb cycling!  It's really strict, but I need to totally tighten up my diet this last month to see the best results.  For 3 days I keep my macros at 55% protein, 20% carbs, 25% fat.  Then for 1 day I change it to 35% protein, 50% carbs, and 15% fat.  I keep my calories the same on my high and low carb day - I just alter the macros.

So that's it!!  Wish me luck on getting throught these next 4 weeks! haha :)

Body Beast Update - Week 6!

I can't believe I am finishing up week 6 of Body Beast already!  I am halfway through the program!

We always want to see results yesterday.  I know I do - it's hard to be patient!  It's also hard to step on the scale and not see it going down.  I kept telling myself that I was building muscle, so the scale probably wouldn't change - but it's still frustrating.

 

I am so much stronger than I was a month ago, I have gone up on all my weights, my form is good, and I can feel my biceps!  I have more core strength too, so my posture is better.

 

I have only lost 2.5 lbs., which is okay because I have also lost 3 inches all over.  I am totally fine with these results so far, because I know that I see my biggest changes start around 60 days, and I still have another 30 days after that.  Nope - not worried. :) 

I know that these programs work, and like Tony Horton says, you need to just put your head down, push play, work hard and in 90 days when you look up, you will be amazed at the results.  I know that it also depends on where you're at with your weight.  For instance, I've seen a few girls doing Body Beast that are very skinny to begin with.  They want to add muscle and shape to their bodies, and are seeing results very quickly, like in the first couple weeks!  That's so great! 

I however, have a lot of fat to lose, so even though I have been building muscle, now I need to start burning some of the fat so I can see it. :)

To do that, I needed to add in some extra cardio.  So this is what my schedule looks like:

Monday: Bulk Chest, walk/jog 30 min.

Tuesday:  Bulk Legs  (no cardio - legs need to recover!)

Wednesday:  Bulk Arms, walk/jog 30 min.

Thursday: Cardio, abs

Friday:  Bulk Back, walk/jog 30 min.

Saturday:  Bulk Shoulders, HIIT cardio, abs

 

I've been doing my 2nd workout directly after Body Beast, so I try to keep it short.  Depending on the results I see in the next 2 weeks, I will either keep it somewhat similar or add intensity or even another cardio workout for the last 4 weeks.

 

 

I have also been drinking my Shakeology every day, which totally helps me with my cravings so I can eat clean!  I am also drinking 2 liters of water every day.

 

Consistency is the key - keep at it and results will come!!

 

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! :)