Getting back in the groove...
It's January... and I didn't expect to be in the situation I am right now but I am actually glad I am here. I worked hard in December to keep up my workouts and allowed myself to eat just about everything. My thinking was that if I stayed strong I could get away with not so great eating habits. Oh how the world just laughs and laughs... I started feeling sick a few days before Christmas and haven't done a lick of real exercise in nearly two weeks. So much for strength!
So... my antibiotics are doing their job and I am back to teach 4 classes a week tomorrow. EEEK! This week might suck. So I am getting ahead of the game with a plan to feel and work my best over the next few weeks.
GOAL:
Last year I hit it really hard in March and got my body fat lower than it has been since my 20s... and it was still winter. By the time bathing suit season hit I was burned out and ready to just play. So this year I am working on a slow and steady improvement to try and keep my body fat at at level I like for more than a few weeks. I knew myself better than to try for something that wasn't maintainable, so now I am doing what I know best and staying away from the heavy sacrifice and just doing it with some consistency.
TRAINING PLAN:
4 weeks to consistency....
I am teaching/attending 6 classes a week (crammed into 4 straight days) that are a combo of cardio, HIIT, and functional movement. The great news is that my cardio is totally covered with these classes. The problem is that it is ALL Bodyweight, so I need to figure out a way to balance it out with some weights without overtraining.
I am starting slow... This week I am going to teach my 4 classes, and possibly attend the 2 spin classes if I feel up to it. Nothing else, maybe a little restorative yoga over the weekend and that is it. No weights until I can maintain this for the week, or two. We will see how it goes.
My plan after that is to add 3 days a week of lifting. I am going old school with the 3 day split.
Day 1 Chest Tris
Day 2 Back Bis
Day 3 Legs Shoulders
I get a good deal of abs in with the classes I teach but if I need to add some power work I will.
Overall goal....
9 workouts in 5-6 days per week... Yikes! This sounds daunting, but I have done it before and since I am getting paid to be at the first four workouts I don't have much excuse.
This isn't the most balanced plan so we will have to see how it works. Due to my teaching schedule this is the best I could come up with. The added spin classes are because I am attending a spin certification in February and I need to be in shape for it. I hate being in the gym on the weekends, since I work there it feels like I am at work even on the days I am just working out. My goal is to hit the above plan in weeks 2 and 3...
EATING PLAN:
I haven't been eating badly, just too much...and too much refined sugar.
So I am taking it back to what my body loves best. Sugar is less than 60 g per day.
35-40% protein
30-35% carbs
25-30% fat
This has worked great for me in the recent past. But it usually takes a little for me to work up to 40% protein consistently. I am giving myself 3 weeks to get to this consistently.
My main focus this time is keeping it healthy, when I restrict calories too much I end up bingeing and my workouts suffer. So my goal is keeping it around 1400-1800 calories per day on average, this may mean a little less during the week and a little more on the weekends.
WHAT AM TRYING DIFFERENT THIS TIME?
Last year I had a specific goal, I got there but couldn't maintain it. What is the fun in that? Plus I found that since I am already close to my goal weight the scale became a set back for me. I would lose muscle and be happy with the scale but unhappy with the way I looked and how my clothes fit.
So this time I am using clothes, not the scale, to judge my progress. I have a pair of jeans in the closet that I could wear last summer that look a bit ridiculous right now. When I can slide into those babies I am good to go!
What is your plan to achieve YOUR GOALS?
So... my antibiotics are doing their job and I am back to teach 4 classes a week tomorrow. EEEK! This week might suck. So I am getting ahead of the game with a plan to feel and work my best over the next few weeks.
GOAL:
Last year I hit it really hard in March and got my body fat lower than it has been since my 20s... and it was still winter. By the time bathing suit season hit I was burned out and ready to just play. So this year I am working on a slow and steady improvement to try and keep my body fat at at level I like for more than a few weeks. I knew myself better than to try for something that wasn't maintainable, so now I am doing what I know best and staying away from the heavy sacrifice and just doing it with some consistency.
 |
| Andrea during her season and off her season. Honestly, I am using both for motivation, and a reality check. |
4 weeks to consistency....
I am teaching/attending 6 classes a week (crammed into 4 straight days) that are a combo of cardio, HIIT, and functional movement. The great news is that my cardio is totally covered with these classes. The problem is that it is ALL Bodyweight, so I need to figure out a way to balance it out with some weights without overtraining.
I am starting slow... This week I am going to teach my 4 classes, and possibly attend the 2 spin classes if I feel up to it. Nothing else, maybe a little restorative yoga over the weekend and that is it. No weights until I can maintain this for the week, or two. We will see how it goes.
My plan after that is to add 3 days a week of lifting. I am going old school with the 3 day split.
Day 1 Chest Tris
Day 2 Back Bis
Day 3 Legs Shoulders
I get a good deal of abs in with the classes I teach but if I need to add some power work I will.
Overall goal....
9 workouts in 5-6 days per week... Yikes! This sounds daunting, but I have done it before and since I am getting paid to be at the first four workouts I don't have much excuse.
|
Monday
|
Tuesday
|
Wednesday
|
Thursday
|
Friday
|
Saturday
|
Sunday
|
|
TEACH SPIN/TRX
|
TEACH TRX
|
TEACH SPIN/TRX
|
TEACH TRX
|
OFF
|
LEGS AND
SHOULDERS
|
OFF
|
|
CHEST/ TRIS
|
SPIN CLASS
|
BACK/ BIS
|
SPIN CLASS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EATING PLAN:
I haven't been eating badly, just too much...and too much refined sugar.
So I am taking it back to what my body loves best. Sugar is less than 60 g per day.
35-40% protein
30-35% carbs
25-30% fat
This has worked great for me in the recent past. But it usually takes a little for me to work up to 40% protein consistently. I am giving myself 3 weeks to get to this consistently.
|
MEAL
1
|
POST WORKOUT PROTEIN SHAKE
|
|
MEAL 2
|
OATMEAL,
FRUIT, PROTEIN
|
|
MEAL 3
|
PREMADE SOUP OR GOULASH (LEAN
PROTEIN, VEGGIES, HI QUALITY CARB LIKE QUINOA OR LENTILS)
|
|
MEAL 4
|
PROTEIN BAR
OR GREEK YOGURT
|
|
MEAL 5
|
LEAN PROTEIN, VEGGIES
|
|
MEAL 6
|
SWEET TREAT BEFORE
BED PROTEIN COOKIE, COTTAGE CHEESE, PB2 AND PROTEIN CAKE
|
My main focus this time is keeping it healthy, when I restrict calories too much I end up bingeing and my workouts suffer. So my goal is keeping it around 1400-1800 calories per day on average, this may mean a little less during the week and a little more on the weekends.
WHAT AM TRYING DIFFERENT THIS TIME?
Last year I had a specific goal, I got there but couldn't maintain it. What is the fun in that? Plus I found that since I am already close to my goal weight the scale became a set back for me. I would lose muscle and be happy with the scale but unhappy with the way I looked and how my clothes fit.
So this time I am using clothes, not the scale, to judge my progress. I have a pair of jeans in the closet that I could wear last summer that look a bit ridiculous right now. When I can slide into those babies I am good to go!
What is your plan to achieve YOUR GOALS?
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