So what's the new game plan?

WEIGHT & MEASUREMENTS

Take on Day 1, Day 10, Day 20 and Day 30

EXERCISE

Morning Exercise: Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred – 20 mins

Midday Movement: Walking & Stretching – 10 mins

Evening Exercise: Yoga or Core Toning – 15 mins

FOOD

*Drink cup of hot lemon water before consuming anything else (flushes out the liver – can use ½ real lemon or a couple splashes of lemon juice, to taste -- doesn't have to be every morning)

*Breakfast w/in one hour of waking up

*Small, healthy meals approx. every 3 hours (drink 20 mins before eating)

*Drink as much water as body can tolerate per day (as tolerance increases, add another glass…continue increasing in this way – goal is to build up to drinking half your weight in water per day, in ounces – e.g. @ 130lbs, you’d drink 65oz. per day)

*Can flavor water w/splash of lemon or other 100% fruit juice for excitement (no Crystal Light or other processed goods)

*Lean meat – no skin

*Love brown (sugar, flour, rice)

*Healthy carbs – brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, steel cut oatmeal

*Aim for 2-3 servings fruits each day

*Aim for 2-3 servings veggies each day

*Only 1 handful of unflavored, whole roasted nuts per day (too much can raise cholesterol)

*Increase fiber gradually to avoid bloating/constipation (start out every other day)

*Aim for 8hrs of sleep each night

*No alcohol

*No fried food

*No unhealthy snacks

*No juice or soda (except for occasional 100% cranberry juice)

*Cut back on/Gradually eliminate adding sugar to tea or coffee

*Limit/Eliminate processed foods (i.e., prepare fresh as much as you can)
*Follow 7 days a week (no "cheat" days)

Sample Schedule w/Meal Ideas

4:40am   - wake up/exercise -20 mins 30 Day Shred

5:40am   - breakfast -cup hot lemon water (no sugar) options: -steel cut oatmeal, ½ grapefruit -scrambled eggs w/turkey bacon -spinach omelette

9:00am   - mid-morning snack -water options: -apple and yogurt -hard boiled egg -mixed fruit

12:00pm  - lunch -10 mins walk/stretch -water w/splash of lemon  (or other flavor) options: -grilled chicken, brown rice w/ grilled broccoli and cauliflower -sushi -turkey sandwich on whole wheat w/lettuce, tomato, avocado and honey mustard

3:00pm   - late afternoon snack -water options: -nuts w/craisins -pita chips w/hummus -orange and grapes

7:00pm   - dinner -water w/splash of cranberry juice options: -salmon and asparagus -grilled chicken salad w/mesclun lettuce, walnuts, granny smith apple, feta cheese, raisins and fat free raspberry vinaigrette -stir fry veggies and whole wheat pasta

9:30pm   - yoga/abs/bed -15 mins abs/stretch

Days 88 & 87 - Food Schedule

Level 2 of 30 Day Shred is no joke!

The first time I did it yesterday, I felt like the twenty minutes flew by - but I WORKED for those twenty minutes!! This morning, I was PRAYING for the twenty minutes to be over!! I definitely have had to do a lot more of the modified exercises at Level 2 than I had to do at Level 1. There has been a LOT of panting, huffing and puffing.

But I'm kind of excited by it. This really is a whole new level for me. Whenever I want to stop and pop a squat on the couch I keep telling myself, "It's almost over." Like my cousin said to me yesterday, "You've lived your life for ahem-hem years, enjoying all sorts of pleasures and indulgences. What's a few months out of ahem-hem years? It won't be forever."

I like the idea of pushing myself through the discomfort to see an extreme change. And I'm curious to see how long it'll take me to get used to these new exercises so I can ditch the modifications and keep up with the advanced version.

Level 2 features a whole new set of exercises. All the strength, cardio and ab moves are different. The jump rope move is included again, but at a higher intensity. The only move that has insisted on re-rearing its ugly head, as is, is the jumping jack, which is used to get the heart pumping during the warm-up.

Most of the warm-up and cool down moves were introduced in Level 1, with the exception of a new leg kick thing that seems to have aggravated some sort of pinched nerve in my leg. I plan on doing some yoga stretches when I get home in the evenings. This should help to loosen me out...It should also help to improve my performance when I exercise in the mornings...Higher intensity aside, my leg was giving me juice!

I've also gotten serious about my diet. I mentioned before that I would make some changes to my daily habits. Here's my new schedule:

4:40am   - wake up/exercise
6:00am   - breakfast
9:00am   - mid-morning snack
12:00pm  - lunch
3:00pm   - late afternoon snack
7:00pm   - dinner
9:30pm   - yoga/bed

Breakfast: steel cut oatmeal (flavored with vanilla, nutmeg and ginger)
Mid-morning snack: apple and/or yogurt
Lunch: lean protein, veggies, small portion of a healthy carb
Late afternoon snack: banana and almonds
Dinner: protein and veggies

I'll mix it up as I go along, but I'm gonna stick to this schedule for the remaining eight days of Level 2. My body is already starting to change. I need to eat in a way that will help it do just that.

Lunch and dinner will probably be interchangeable; but the goal is to eat a larger meal at lunch. Here's why:

1. When I wait too long to eat a decent meal I am more likely to forget my good senses and pig out as soon as I walk through the door.

2. I don't always get home by 7. If I'm starving, I don't want to eat a huge meal at such a late hour and then go to bed shortly after. Ce n'est pas bon.

3. Gas. Lawd! Mi cyaan tek when gas ah tear out mi tripe. Gotta eat regularly to avoid that.

I'm really excited about this phase. :) Have I inspired any of you out there to get moving or change the way you eat? Spring is upon us and, before you know it, summer will be here. How are you getting the body beautiful?

Day 95 - Don't Forget to Eat (or Drink)!

I have literally been running up and down today. Upstairs to one meeting. Cancelled. Downstairs to another meeting. Cancelled. Up to check up on a project. Back to desk. Oope - another meeting...Sheesh it's like a cardio workout unto itself. But I won't complain too much. Thank God I have a job. Plus, being this busy makes the day fly by.

It also makes me forget to eat and drink. Not good. Eating several small, healthy meals throughout the day helps to boost your metabolism so you can burn calories and lose weight. Water has its benefits too.

What I need to do is bring food to work with me, daily. So everything will be planned out. No brain, easy access. And I'll save some cash.

Waking up this morning wasn't any easier. In fact, I jumped out of bed at 3:45am, convinced my alarm was ringing, and I rushed out of the bedroom to turn it off. (I don't set the clock in the room when I have to wake up that early. There have been many times when I've turned off my alarm without even realizing --sleepwalking. If I have to go all the way out to the kitchen there's more chance that I'll wake up along the way, so I set my phone alarm out there.)

When I got to my phone, I was very confused. I could still hear the ringing, but the phone wasn't lit up or alarming at all. That's because the alarm never went off. The ringing was in my head. I was still sleeping! o_O I picked up my phone and, at that point, I woke up, realized what was going on, and headed back to bed for another hour of sleep.

That hour felt like 10 minutes. But, still, I got up. Still exercised. Still made  it through a busy, busy day.

Needless to say, I feel like a zombie now, so I apologize if any part of this post seems incoherent. I'm headed to bed.

Some of you have emailed or called me with suggestions for interesting posts. I promise to start implementing them soon. Feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments section as well.

Thanks for keeping up with me. :)