.8%

So I had another weigh in this morning.  I've been busting my butt this week, eating clean and I was down another .8% in body fat.  Not where I wanted to be but at least we are still headed in the right direction.
 Yesterday, I totally torqued my neck and was laid up on the couch hardly able to move.  Today, I had my workout with Cord.  Totally opposite ends of the spectrum as far as activity is concerned.  Luckily, we only worked lower body for the most part (hamstrings, glutes, and core).  My rear is going to hurt for a few days- it already does!  My neck hurts something terrible right now too.  Anyway, Cord said that on average most people lose about 1-2% body fat a month and since that's my weekly total I guess I'm doing okay.  He thinks I should up my fiber intake a bit.
 My diet still consists of mostly protein and veggies, some fruit and a little more carbs like brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal.  Still no wheat or dairy.  My favorite snack has been a plain rice cake w/ 1 Tbl pbutter and a small green apple with some herbal tea. 
Tomorrow is 5:50am cycle class and Bis/Tris day. 

http://www.bodyrock.tv/2010/11/19/550-rep-fat-massacre/ This looks like an awesome home workout for those days I can't get the kids out of the house.  (Brielle is teething and daylight savings time has really thrown a wrench into our normal cycle of things)

Sore.

Since my devastating results on Thursday, I have literally been working my booty off and eating very strict.  I'll post below what my diet looks like and what my workouts have been like as well.  Today I met with my trainer Cord and had another weigh in.  Praise the Lord, I'm back down to around 22.8%.  Obviously, not where I want to be but at least the numbers are going in the right direction this time.  It was very eye opening to see how MUCH it's important to be super consistent and strict with my eating in these 90 days especially.  Once this is done I will be okay with ordering takeout once a month or so but not when I'm under a timeline with very specific results.  Every time I was tempted by an off-plan food I just kept reminding myself of how terrible it was to lose ground and that my weigh in was today.  That was all the motivation I needed. 
Sunday was heavy leg day before church.  And even though Eric was still out of town we made it!
Monday I got my rear up at 4:45am for early cycle class and a quick (but intense) Bicep/triceps workout.
Today I met with Cord and we did shoulders and back.  I told him I wasn't sore after my last workout with him on Thursday and I think that made him kick my butt even more.  Which I prefer. 
I have no idea how I will be able to get out of bed tomorrow for early morning cycle/core/glutes.  I am so sore- everywhere.  But my goal this week is to get to 20% body fat.  We will see next Tuesday when I weigh in and have another session with my trainer.

Meal Plan Example:
Depends on my workout schedule but here's a rough idea of what I eat on a daily basis-
Chocolate Protein shake w 2tsp PB2 and almond milk
1/2 banana (if we have them)
cycle class
(sometimes it's hard to eat/drink so early in the morning, so I will eat/drink half before class and then finish the rest right after class before I head home)
Breakfast- 2 eggs, 1/2 avocado, large amount of steamed broccoli (around 2-3cups), herbal tea- no sugar
Lunch- grilled chicken on top of a large salad w/veggies, 1/2 avocado, nuts, seeds, etc. Balsamic vinegar dressing
Snack around 3pm- protein shake or smoothie.  Sometimes green juice and some nuts.  Apple and pbutter is a fav too.  Just whatever is quick and easy.
Dinner 6:30pm. This varies but it could be meatballs with veggies and some quinoa.  Stir fry w/brn rice.  Lettuce wraps.  Soup.  Pot roast. 
Before bedtime snack is most often pbutter on an apple/celery.  A smoothie or some nuts, tea and fruit.  Just enough to hold me over until bed time. 
I also try to take my vitamins every day which include calcium/magnesium, multi, fish oil.
No wheat, dairy, fried or heavily processed food.  I will sometimes have gluten free Udi's bread for some toast or a sandwich when I am feeling unusually empty. 

My workout schedule also varies depending on how heavy I lift, how sore I am or what I feel needs to be worked.  But here is a rough idea.

Sunday: Heavy legs (start the week off strong)
Monday: Cycle/treadmill, Bis/Tris
Tuesday: Session with Cord
Wednesday: Cycle, Shoulders
Thursday: Legs, glutes, core
Friday:  Off day (this is our library day)
Saturday: Shoulders, core

I also like to sit in the dry sauna after each workout if I have time and stretch.  I foam roll and sit in the hot tub when I am really sore (which I will do tomorrow after my strength training). 

So, there you have it.  It's tough, but I have goals and these 90 days are flying by fast. 

18 Days in.

Okay. Updates. 
Last this week Brielle had hand foot and mouth disease, I lost my weight lifting gloves and deleted all of the Father Daughter Dance pictures... so life got a bit more complicated.  My workouts were not as consistent or as demanding because I literally had to squeeze what I could when I could in.  A couple times I went crazy early or late at night just to get something in.  Unfortunately, my results showed the lack of consistency.  Basically, we are back to square one.  I tried not to cry about it, but a few tears were shed.  Over 2 weeks of working my tail off all for naught.  But Brielle is not contagious anymore and I ordered new gloves.  (Seriously, my hands have been raw w/out them)

With all that was going on I also was unable to be as strict with my eating plan and that also contributed to my downfall this week.  Back to it!

2% Down.

Just a quick update.  I'll post more details later:

I had my heath check lab testing today at lifetime.  Which meant that today had to be my day off this week due to required fasting/resting pre test.  The good news- My body fat is down from 25.1% to 23.3% and my weight is down from 144.6lbs to 142.2lbs.  My blood work that included cholesterol levels, glucose, blood pressure, etc. also came back 100% in the very healthy range.  My only goal in that area is to up my strength training and fish oil supplements in order to get my good cholesterol even higher since it's only on the low end of healthy.  It's always nice to have a cushion when it comes to health.  I am so excited and to see results after my first hard week of dedication is very motivating.  I'm back at it tomorrow with my trainer (who is sure to make me cry again;)) at 9am so I am off to bed!

PS
We took week 2 progress photos and it would have been discouraging had the numbers not been so awesome as I couldn't really see a difference yet.  But I'm down 2in on my hips and 1.5in on my waist.  So BOOM to that!

This is hard.

This week has been hard.  5:30am spin class when it's -17 out isn't my idea of a ton of fun.  Being sore everywhere, all the time isn't super awesome either.  I want to eat cheese.  Cheese on crackers.  And sourdough bread with my morning tea (which I haven't even had time for).  Yeah, life around here has been....ummm...different.  But.
I have been steadily improving on my strength, endurance and nutrition already and we aren't even past the 1 week mark.  This morning I had a major butt-kicking session with my trainer Cord.  He actually made me want to cry.  A few times.  But it felt good to be strong again and to push myself beyond what my mental capacity for myself has been.  He expects me to BE strong.  And to PUSH hard.  So, this is what my week has looked like so far:

Monday: 5:50am spin class
9:00 leg day (in hindsight I will never pair spin and leg day again)
2 eggs/banana
Huge salad w/veggies & chicken breast
Quinoa/kidney beans
2sm feta/cilantro burger patties on top of raw spinach and tomato slices

Tuesday: I missed my workout due to very crabby kids. So I'll count this as my off day this week.
2 eggs 1/2avocado
Leftover 2 burger patties, raw carrots 1/2avocado
1 bowl chicken chili soup w beans & kale

Wednesday: 5:30 spin class
@home ab workout w/kids
9:00am shoulders
9:30 dry sauna for 10min

1/2 banana & choc protein shake pre cycle
1/2 banana & choc protein shake post cycle
egg whites, 1/2 sm tomato & green onions
protein shake + PB2
Chicken breast, small green apple 1/2 tomato 1/2 avocado
Taco salad: ground beef, veggies/ balsamic dressing

Thursday: 8:45am Workout w trainer
choc protein shake pre workout
turkey, avocado, tom sandwich on Udi's bread
green smoothie w/ avocado, kale, pineapple, almond milk, protein powder, and powdered veggiemix, arugula salad w carrots and lemon dressing


Creating new habits, forming new disciplines aren't easy.  Otherwise, everyone would do it.  Greatness is in doing all of the little things no one else is willing to do.  That's what sets you apart from "normal"

90 day challenge weigh in.

Today I embarked on a new fitness journey.  Lifetime Fitness' 90 day transformation challenge.  We calculated my body fat percentage and sat down to make a plan.  I was in the "normal" range for females my age and height with 25.1% body fat.  But, you know what?!  I don't ever want to be just "normal".  So, my goal is now to train my booty off for the next 3 months and get down to around 17%.  It's going to take a lot of consistency and commitment but I'm excited.  And a little nervous.  Right now I am planning on meeting with my trainer, Cord, every other week starting this Thursday and go from there.  Ideally, I would love to meet with him 1x per week but it gets pretty pricey.  My goal is to achieve a look like a fitness bikini model.  I like the overall look and shape they go for and they aren't big and bulky like body building models.  Here's an ideal picture for me.  Strong yet feminine:

My food today:
  
No breakfast (had to fast for the test)
10:20am- Mediterranean egg wrap w/ pico and a small herbal tea
1:20pm- Green smoothie w/ Kale, avocado, mango, protein powder, veggie powder, almond milk
4:20pm- Salad w/ 1 head romaine & lg  handful sugar snap peas, med bowl quinoa and kidney beans
6:30pm- large salad w/ grilled chicken, sugar snap peas, balsamic dressing (2Tbl), carrots

No workout today due to testing.

Tomorrow's plan:

Spin class 5:30-6:30am
Breakfast- oatmeal, egg whites, fruit
Heavy legs day 8:30-9:30am
protein shake/veggies
lunch- Chicken & salad
4pm protein snack
Dinner- mini burger patties, rice and veggies

I will also be posting progress photos but we have yet to take today's yet.