RFSC: Week 6 Goals

Week 6 Goals

Halfway through the challenge already?!  I don't feel like I'm nearly as close to where I wanted to be when I first started the RFSC, so it's really time to focus on certain things.  #1 nutrition.  #2 workouts.  And more specifically, my HIIT workouts.  

Week 6 will be my bitch!

Exercise Goal 

• Keep on going.  Continue my current 12-week exercise program, which will take me into the middle of May. 

• Sun:  arms and abs +HIIT
• Mon:  OFF
• Tues:  full-body weight training + cardio
• Wed: chest and abs
• Thur: shoulders + HIIT
• Fri:  legs
• Sat:  back and rear delts + cardio

Nutrition Goal

• Clean, clean, clean!  My #1 priority for the next 10 weeks is to really focus on and dial in my nutrition.  Clean, whole foods to support my body and intense workouts.  I know I keep saying it, but it's true... I have to get my nutrition on track.  Being that my weight is close to goal, exercise alone won't give me the body I want.  Nutrition plays 80% of the equation so I don't understand why it's so hard for me to control this part.  I just love food THAT much!
• Increase healthy fats.  Definitely need to add more "smart fats" to my diet: salmon, avocado, nuts, olive oil, flaxseeds, coconut oil, etc. Once again, stocked up on all the healthy fats and threw in some extras like raw/unsalted walnuts and pistachios, sunflower butter, and good-quality olives.
• New eats = happy tummy.  Making it a goal to try one new recipe a week.  Nutrition can get pretty boring if you eat the same things over and over, so finding 10 new (hopefully yummy) recipes to add to my rotation will do me good.  With the olives I bought as one of the new healthy fats for this week, I'm planing on trying this recipe. 

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Week 5 recap

Is it just me or are the weeks getting harder as they go on?  Nutrition this week... blah!  Exercise this week... blah x2!

My exercise schedule below may look pretty good because of all the crossed off days, but I didn't stick to the LiveFit schedule at all, so this week puts me behind an entire week in the program.  This sucks because this week was supposed to start the last and final phase of the program and I've been super excited to start this phase.  Ah well, one more week isn't that bad.


Exercise Goal 

• Keep on going.  Continue my current 12-week exercise program, which will take me into the middle of May. 

• Sun:  upper body weight training
• Mon: HIIT
• Tues:  full-body weight training + cardio
• Wed:  OFF
• Thur: skipped!!
• Fri:  HIIT
• Sat:  full body weight training

Nutrition Goal

• Clean, clean, clean!  My #1 priority for the next 10 weeks is to really focus on and dial in my nutrition.  Clean, whole foods to support my body and intense workouts.  This week consisted of 6 (six, SIX!) meals eaten out... that's 5 more than what I allow myself.  It's definitely time to bring in the reigns on the nutrition... again!
• Increase healthy fats.  Definitely need to add more "smart fats" to my diet: salmon, avocado, nuts, olive oil, flaxseeds, coconut oil, etc. It might just be in my head, but after 5 weeks of upping my healthy fats on this challenge, I swear I can feel a difference.  My joints that used to be achy since the beginning of the year are now less inflamed and (knock on wood) haven't bothered me since.
• New eats = happy tummy.  Making it a goal to try one new recipe a week.  Nutrition can get pretty boring if you eat the same things over and over, so finding 10 new (hopefully yummy) recipes to add to my rotation will do me good.  Didn't get around to trying a new recipe this week.

Weigh-in Wednesday: Little late

Starting weight: 176.4 lbs.

Last week weight:  128.4

Current weight:  ?

Current loss: ?
TOTAL LOSS: ?

I totally realize it's Friday morning, but I've been so busy I haven't had time to do much, let alone post or catch up on blogs.  Summer is my departments CRAZY time of year so busy days and long hours keep me off the computer at home.

Another thing taking up my time is going to a new gym location because this week my normal gym is closed down (again!) due to renovations.

I still met up with Trainer L at a different gym but we didn't get a weigh-in in because what's the sense if it's a different scale.  I was kinda bummed about it since last week I was pretty on-point with my weekly goals. 

Ha ha... and when I say "on-point", I mean better than the week before but still kinda sucky. 

I've got my work cut out for me to end the month strong but I know I can do it... it's only four more days!

'V' is for Vanilla

 (source)

 ... as in vanilla-chocolate banana protein muffins (that's a mouth full of a name)!

Word of warning: these came out HORRIBLE! The texture was all wrong, the taste was all wrong, and I just didn't like them at all.  I was going to throw them out but the boyfriend insisted on trying one and said to just keep it... it's edible and he'll eat it if he's starving.  Geez... he makes like we have no food to survive on.

Ingredients:

• 1c oats, divided
• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
• 2 scoops chocolate protein powder
• 3 tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 4 tbs. chopped raw almonds
• 0.25c cacao nibs
• 1 mashed banana
• 0.25c unsweetened applesauce
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbs. honey
• 2 tbs. agave nectar
• 1 tbs. instant coffee powder

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degree.  Spray muffin tin with oil and set aside.  In a food processor, blend 0.5c of oats to make oat flour. 

2.) Combine oat flour, remaining oats, protein powder, cocoa powder, salt, almonds and cacao nibs in bowl.

3.) Blend banana, applesauce, vanilla, honey, and agave in food processor until smooth.

4.)  Add wed ingredients to dry and combine well.  Pour mixture into muffin tin and bake 13 - 15 mins. **Do NOT over bake.**  Cool and store in air-tight container in refrigerator.

Mini-Review
OMG these were horrible!  Seriously, I don't even know how to fix them to be "okay". FAIL!

Weekend Recap: Tired

Happy Monday!  Hope you had a good weekend.  Besides a scary incident that happened to Anthony on Friday night, my weekend was pretty busy.

Friday
One of the scariest days ever!

While he was at work, Anthony texted me that they had just been robbed at knife and gun point!  WTF?!  He was gonna be home later than normal since the police were there taking statements and pulling fingerprints (since the dumbass robber touched several areas in the restaurant). 

It didn't even happen to me but when I got the text, I was pretty shook up... I mean, things could have gone really bad.  Thankfully, no one was hurt.

Saturday
Went hiking...

Got some froyo after hiking...

Why yes, that is a big piece of red velvet cake on my froyo.

Went to Costco and picked up our favorite dip...

Gave these girls a much needed bath...

Sunday
Went for an early morning walk followed by a gym session...

Celebrated a cutie's first birthday...

Went grocery shopping...

This is about 3% of everything we bought.

Cooked dinner for the week...

Doesn't look super appetizing, but this veggie chicken soup is yummy!

Hope you had a good weekend, too!

RFSC: Week 5 goals

Week 5 Goals

Exercise Goal 

• Keep on going.  Continue my current 12-week exercise program, which will take me into the middle of May. 

• Sun:  upper body weight training +HIIT
• Mon:  OFF
• Tues:  full-body weight training + cardio
• Wed:  arms weight training + cardio
• Thur: chest and abs weight training + HIIT
• Fri:  shoulders weight training + cardio
• Sat:  legs weight training

Nutrition Goal

• Clean, clean, clean!  My #1 priority for the next 10 weeks is to really focus on and dial in my nutrition.  Clean, whole foods to support my body and intense workouts.  Like always, nutrition is my top priority but it's also the area I struggle in the most.  Groceries are done, meal planning is in the process of being finished, and no events this week except a party on Satruday (which is at a local Japanese restaurant so I can definitely choose some healthy options).
• Increase healthy fats.  Definitely need to add more "smart fats" to my diet: salmon, avocado, nuts, olive oil, flaxseeds, coconut oil, etc. I've started to use a lot of coconut oil in place of my normal olive oil and I gotta say I love the switch. It adds a slight coconut-y flavor to whatever you cook.  I also picked up a can of mackerel and gonna give it a try... I've heard horror stories about eating it, but it's a super healthy fat so I want to learn to like it.
• New eats = happy tummy.  Making it a goal to try one new recipe a week.  Nutrition can get pretty boring if you eat the same things over and over, so finding 10 new (hopefully yummy) recipes to add to my rotation will do me good.  Recipe for week 5 will be a new breakfast recipe.  Haven't found one yet, but still looking through all my cookbooks for one I've never tried yet.

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Week 4 recap and mini-challenge

Week 4 was probably the best week so far in this challenge.  Everything was on point and nutrition has been kept in check this week, except for one late night of fast-food.  Fast food is never good for you, but it completely motivated me to turn on the beast-mode and kill it with exercise and nutrition this weekend.  I'm still super pumped so gonna carry over my motivation into week 5!


Exercise Goal 

• Keep on going.  Continue my current 12-week exercise program, which will take me into the middle of May. 

• Sun:  upper body weight training + cardio
• Mon:  HIIT
• Tues:  full-body weight training + cardio
• Wed:  arms weight training
• Thur: OFF
• Fri:  shoulders and chest weight training + cardio
• Sat:   hike

Nutrition Goal

• Clean, clean, clean!  My #1 priority for the next 10 weeks is to really focus on and dial in my nutrition.  Clean, whole foods to support my body and intense workouts.  This week went really well!! Besides a birthday party I had this morning, it's been clean, clean clean!
• Increase healthy fats.  Definitely need to add more "smart fats" to my diet: salmon, avocado, nuts, olive oil, flaxseeds, coconut oil, etc.  Found a new vendor at the local farmers' market and bought some coconut peanut butter!! The guy working the booth was really friendly and I suggested that he make some coconut almond butter.  I would be a customer for life if he did!
• New eats = happy tummy.  Making it a goal to try one new recipe a week.  Nutrition can get pretty boring if you eat the same things over and over, so finding 10 new (hopefully yummy) recipes to add to my rotation will do me good.  Recipe for this week was a dessert... paleo style.  Coconut blueberry protein squares (original recipe found here).  SUPER yummy and has become a recipe in my dessert rotation.