Category Archives: Nutrition

Making Time on a Rainy Day

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All summer I have been outside just about everyday during my lunch hour. I go for a run or a fast walk. Today, it is raining, and I did not get outside. Isn’t it amazing how; sometimes, it takes a rainy day to stop and “smell the roses.”

I have been away from blogging for the entire summer or most of it. I do apologize for that. The summer brings so many family events, lots of outdoor activities, vacations and just NOT a lot of time for blogging.  I am back and hope to start posting on a more regular basis.

Today, since I had a little more time than usual, I decided to cook one of my families favorite meals for dinner tonight–chili. The recipe is courtesy of Savvy Vegetarian . I usually make a few changes in the recipe, but this is close to the one I use. The bulk of the chili comes from two types of beans (I used black beans and White Great Northern) along with cracked bulgur wheat.  It makes the house smell so good, and in a way, reminds me of the upcoming colder weather.

In addition, as usual, my day will end with a strength training workout. Here is my workout for tonight. My son and I will be completing an intense bicep and upper body workout and will be finishing off with some abs.

5 Sets of the Following (10-15 reps. per set):
-Pushups (feet elevated at 4ft.) standard
-Wide Grip Pull Ups
-Bent Over Barbell Rows
-Standing Barbell Rows
-Reverse Grip Barbell Bicep Curl
-Preacher Curls (Barbell)
-Preacher Curls (Dumbells-alternating)

-Crunches on Bosu Ball using Body Bar (lifting above head at the top of each crunch)
-Forward Crunches using  High Rope on Cable Machine

Biological Age: 44 Physical Age: 20 Something

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Hello everyone!!! This is the last week of my 14 week writing spree on leaning out for summer.  I am very excited to say that I have learned a lot about myself over these last few months and have gained strength and confidence in my ability to maintain, and in many ways, improve my overall way of life.

Another big feat this week is that I will be turning 44 on Saturday. I am not afraid nor ashamed to call out my age. I am proud of my age and the way I feel. Age is just a biological thing…not a big deal. The big deal is how I choose to lead my life and how I work to make myself stronger and healthier as I age. 

I just read an article this morning about aging and the problem in our society with the increasing levels of obesity in our country. Here is the article. I do recommend that everyone read it since it makes so much sense and has a lot of value as we all work to improve our bodies as we age. This is no easy task!!!! http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2012/05/22/you-really-are-what-you-eat .

In June 2009 (then age 41), I did a physical fitness analysis called “Fit Point” at Life Time Fitness in Woodbury . The fit point test analyzed overall fitness levels such as cardiovascular ability, bicep strength, flexibility, body composition/body fat and overall fitness. Based on the results of my analysis, my physical age was 29. I was thrilled with that number. Today, 3 years later, I feel better than ever and have made so many positive changes in my life (both in diet, exercise, reduced stress etc.), that I feel I have not aged a bit–I actually feel younger. 

I have been thinking about the changes I have made since 2009 and I wanted to highlight them below. I also wanted to point out that we all can make positive changes at any age. It makes good sense to do so, especially since the statistics of the middle age and the aging population do not look promising. Here is my 2009 vs 2012 list of changes, improvements, and accomplishments. I have to remember that behind every strong women is a functional network of support.  I have many people to thank for being a part of my life and working with me to accomplish so much. For example:

-My husband, Tom (of 17 years on Sunday) encouraged me to eat healthier and increase my exercise many years ago. We joined Life Time Fitness in 2003. In addition, it was Tom who stopped eating red meat first over 14 years ago. I agreed that cutting out red meat would be good for us since both of us had border line cholesterol levels. He is also the one that supports me when I am wanting to run one more lap, get to the gym, or complete one more set of squats.

-My daughter, Autumn (now 16) became a Vegetarian in 5th grade. I always cooked for her, and our family ate 60% or so vegetarian. She encouraged me to go outside of my comfort zone and implement a vegetarian lifestyle as well. It is one of the best things I have done and I have been doing so for 1 full year.

-My son, Forrest (age 14), has become my strength training partner. This is so exciting to see him develop into such a strong and fit young man. The only scary part is that he is developing new muscle so fast….I think he is now stronger than his mother.

My extended family, friends and gym colleagues  have also supported and encouraged me as I work to have a healthy lifestyle rather than sabotaging my efforts. This is a really big deal because when people close to you don’t support your lifestyle, it becomes very difficult to continue this more structured (but better) way of life.

Please share your accomplishments too if you would like. I’d love to hear them.

LIFESTYLE IN 2009 LIFESTYLE IN 2012
Worked out 4 days a week mostly cardio and almost always stairmaster Workout 6 days a week, cardio and strength training most days
Did not eat as clean as I should, quite a bit of meat and processed foods including beer I have been a vegetarian since May 2012-challenging but better. Very clean diet and a glass or two of red wine once a week
Just starting to jog and doing light weights Run or walk most days of the week,  much heavier weight lifting and strength training for overall body
Weighed in at approximately 128 Weight today varies from 115-120
Body fat: 13.4% Body Fat: Ranges from 8-12% depending on time of year, competitions, off-season etc.
Skipped gym days, claimed I was too busy or tired Very rarely skip workouts—too valuable to miss
Completed workouts, without a real plan Since the Fall of 2010 competed in 4 fitness competitions: 2 in figure and 2 in Bodybuilding
  Received my Pro Card in Female Bodybuilding: Oct. 2012.

Back From Vacation So Now I Can Take Vacation

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Isn’t it a funny thing, how you plan for weeks to go on vacation and then vacation comes and goes and it seems as though it never even happened??? At the same time, in many ways, taking a vacation is hard work. Coming back home can sometimes feel like more of a vacation than actually being a thousand miles away on a beautiful sandy beach.

What I know for sure is that vacation is necessary. It recharges my battery and I come home feeling ready for a new day, a new challenge, a better nutrition plan and a new perspective on my workouts and training sessions. So even though vacation can be exhausting, it also has its rewards.

Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

My husband, Tom and I just got back from Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. The beaches were beautiful and the weather was in the high 80′s everyday. I worked hard to stay fairly close to my regular diet but it wasn’t easy. We also didn’t get to the gym at the resort which was ok since my body needed a break. Instead, we spent time everyday walking on the beach.

Tom and I enjoying our daily walks on the beach

Tom and I enjoying our daily walks on the beach

There were many food choices at the resort’s restaurants but most of those choices involved meat (actually 99% of them). The chef was kind enough to provide vegetarian meals for us, but I believe vegetarianism is a very misunderstood way of eating. Our evening meals were cooked vegetables mixed with curry powder or soy sauce AND that was it….no rice, beans, cheese, eggs or any type of substantial protein source.

Breakfast was easy for me to eat, enjoy and feel satisfied. Each morning I mixed up the following: hot oatmeal, cottage cheese, some nuts and whatever fruit was available that day.

Lunch was the same each day…vegetable fajitas. We did pack extra nuts and protein bars so that was very helpful. The evening buffets were filled with 5-8 meat choices including numerous seafood options. All of the visitors at the resort that we talked to thought the food was excellent. I guess, for most people it was the ideal spread. I still have to commend the chef because they certainly didn’t have to accommodate our diet at all, but they took the time to make sure we had a meal to eat. One of the waiters even sent bananas and mangos with me back to my room for when I got hungry.

The vacation was relaxing but now I am ready to get back to my regular routine. For me, routine makes me the happiest, and I feel my best when all is in its proper place. Mixing it up every once in a while is still very necessary and a part of my healthy lifestyle.

Me getting a massage on the beach, $20 for 30 minutes

Me getting a massage on the beach, $20 for 30 minutes

Cooking with Mushrooms Tonight

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Hi Everyone! Sorry, it has (once again) been awhile since I have posted in my blog. It has been an extremely busy week. It is hard to believe that I have been writing now regarding leaning out for summer for 10 weeks. I have 4 weeks to go until the process is officially complete. I have been monitoring my food intake as well as my training sessions and feeling very good overall about my progress. I think the biggest challenge is deciding, “should I or shouldn’t I eat that?” For me, doing daily workouts is just part of my routine and something I enjoy and need.  On the other hand, eating clean, 80 or 90% of the time can pose a challenge especially on the weekend and late in the afternoon (in my case).

On to food…I have been cooking with mushrooms over the past few days. I don’t know how all of you feel about mushrooms, but I think most either love them or hate them, there seems to be no middle ground. My kids don’t really care for the slimy consistency or in their opinion, the lack of taste. My husband, on the other hand, loves them. I have been learning to like them. Growing up, I don’t think we ever ate mushrooms so it was easy to think that I didn’t like them.

Last night (because I had so many Portobello mushrooms in the refrigerator) I created my very own mushroom soup. My husband had a bowl of Cream of Mushroom soup at David’s Chophouse in Woodbury, MN last weekend and thought it was the best Cream of Mushroom soup he had ever had so I thought I would try to duplicate it and keep it as healthy as possible. The soup at the restaurant was very creamy so I assume there was quite a bit of heavy cream mixed in. My recipe did not include cream. Here are my ingredients:

-2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
-Chopped Garlic (3 Tbsp.)
-Mushrooms (chopped) I used 9 Portobellos
-2 chopped medium onions
-3 Cups (light) Coconut Milk
-1 Cup 40 calorie Almond Milk
-2 Cups Vegetable Broth
-1/4 Cup Brown Rice flour to add to the consistency, stir in until smooth
-Spices included: parsley, thyme, black pepper and lemon juice

This mixture is heated in a large pot on medium heat until in cooks down to half of the original mushrooms. I take it off the heat, let cool a bit then blend in the food processor in batches.

Remove and put back into the pot. Reheat and add between 1/4 and 1/2 Cup Feta Cheese and approximately 1 Tbsp. of your favorite margarine or butter along with about 1 cup of chopped mushrooms (any type).

Serve plain or with bread or crackers. The soup turned out great. It is creamy and tasty.

In addition, tonight I made Portobello Mushroom Burgers on the grill. These were marinaded for about 2 hours in basalmic vinegar, olive oil,dried basil, dried oregano, dill week, garlic and black pepper. I topped the burgers with a piece of smoked cheddar cheese, tomato and onion. This was also a tasty and filling meal.

I like experimenting with new recipes and most of the time, our family enjoys what I cook. Sometimes; however, the recipe can be thrown in the garbage. In both of these cases, the recipes were a success and have been filed away for another day.

Vacation Prep. Eating Plan

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I hope everyone is doing well today. In this blog, I would like to discuss a few things. First off, my husband and I will be going on a short vacation in a few weeks so I want to look my best. I will be including our Eating Plan for the next 10 days.  In addition, I have 2 workouts to share, last night’s Chest Workout and tonight’s Cardio  Workout. Enjoy!!!

Here is a sampling of my daily eating plan. It will remain pretty much the same for the next 10 days, after that time, I will be increasing the calories and protein a bit and decreasing the carb intake several days before the trip.

BREAKFAST

1/4 cup oatmeal mixed with 5-6 half walnuts, 1 scoop Plant Fusion Protein Powder, and 1/4 cup berries along with 1/2 grapefruit

MID MORNING

1 small fruit such as an apple or pear along with 10-12 raw almonds

LUNCH

2 Slices of Ezekial bread or 2 Ezekial Wraps made into a sandwich with the following Ingredents:
-1 cup spinach, 1 small tomato, 1/2 cup sprouts, 1/4 avocado or 2 Tbsp hummus and Franks Red Hot Sauce to taste

BEFORE WORKOUT

8 celery sticks spread with hummus or almond butter-no sugar and no salt variety (I use about 2 Tbsp. total on all the celery sticks)

AFTER WORKOUT

1 to 1/2 Scoops Plant Fusion Protein Powder

DINNER

Protein Source (generally eggs whites) or Homemade Black Bean Burger (no bun)
1 Cup Vegetables (Broccoli, Cauliflower, Spinach or Asparagus). If eating eggs, I add about 1/4 cup oatmeal to the scramble. I also use bulgur in my bean burger and a little oatmeal.

LAST NIGHT’S WORKOUT (chest/delt)
5 Sets of the following were completed (10-12 reps per set):
-Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
-Incline Dumbbell Flyes
-Flat Dumbbell Bench Press
-Shoulder Shrugs with Dumbbells
-Upright Rows
-Barbell Bicep Curls

TONIGHT’S WORKOUT: (cardio)
Machine: Stair Master
Level: 12
Duration: 65 Minutes (approximately 7.6 miles)
Program: Fat Burner

Whole Food Eating Plan for a Healthy Lifestyle

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I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday weekend. Our family went to South Dakota for the weekend to be with family and friends. On Thursday, I posted about the challenges of social events including extra eating, drinking, and less movement. Our drive was over 5 hours in length, so right there, the distance and all the sitting can be difficult.

In my blog on Thursday, I suggested that we avoid fast food restaurants and I was able to do that. I brought 2 small coolers for the front of the van and then a portable electric cooler with weekend food that is plugged in at the back of the van. This works out really well. I had made Ezekial and Sunflower Butter Sandwiches, sliced and packed various fruits, bagged up small portions of nuts, packed protein bars and plenty of water. The trip was a success. We enjoyed our visit, but I must admit, still ate more than I normally would. I also enjoyed some really good dark chocolate and Peanut Butter Reeces Eggs. Sometimes you just can’t resist!!!

This is week 8 of my 14 Week Lean Out Program. Over the next 2 weeks, in addition to my regular workout plan, our family will be working on a Whole Foods Eating Plan. We will be eating meals that contain no more than 3 ingredients. My daughter came up with the idea and wanted to give it a try. For the most part, I already do this, but making a point of keeping foods limited to 3 ingredients or less will really make us think about what we are putting into our mouths on a daily basis. For example, some of the things that we won’t be eating include:
-Prepared Processed Meals
-Cold Cereal
-Sugar Sweeteners
-Sugared Drinks
-Cereal, Protein, Granola Bars
-Fruit Strips or Snacks
-Salty Snacks, Crackers, Cookies, Bread

This is just a partial list, but you get the idea. So many of our foods that we eat today have multiple ingredients. If you look at the ingredient lists on foods, you will see what I mean. Sometimes, the ingredient list could be 20 or more items. When this happens, you have to ask yourself this question: How could this really be food?????

Here are some of the foods we will be incorporating into our diet. As I said earlier, this is not all that different from my regular diet, we are just paying much closer attention to our menu plans:
GRAINS:
Brown Rice, Bulgar, Barley, Oatmeal, Quinoa, Steel Cut Oats

 FRUITS AND VEGGIES:
(Fresh and Frozen) including apples, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, grapefruit and bananas. On the vegetable side, we will be eating broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, mixed greens, asparagus, sprouts, tomatoes and celery.
PROTEINS:
Various Beans (kidney, black, garbanzo), Lentils and Eggs both whites and some yolks
FATS:
Avocado, raw almonds, cashews, pepitas, walnuts, peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower butter
NOTE: We will be drinking some almond milk or Soy Milk for Calcium and of course lots of water. I also like black tea and coffee.
I will keep you posted on how the whole foods plan is going as time goes on. I usually take protein shakes several times, per day. I haven’t yet decided if I will incorporate these into my plan. I might, just to keep my protein levels up. I will do a test over the next few days to see how I feel.
On to my workout plan:
YESTERDAY:
Equipment: Stair Master
Duration: 65 minutes
Level: 11
Program: Fat Buster
TODAY’S WORKOUT:
Cardio and Lower Body
-20 Minutes StairMaster, Level 12, Fatburner Mode followed by:
-10 Sets of Smith Machine Squats (10-12 reps per set. using wide stance)
-10 Sets Stiff Leg Dead Lift (10-12 reps. per set feet together for 5 sets and 5 sets with feet shoulder width apart)

Whole Food Eating Plan for a Healthy Lifestyle

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I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday weekend. Our family went to South Dakota for the weekend to be with family and friends. On Thursday, I posted about the challenges of social events including extra eating, drinking, and less movement. Our drive was over 5 hours in length, so right there, the distance and all the sitting can be difficult.

In my blog on Thursday, I suggested that we avoid fast food restaurants and I was able to do that. I brought 2 small coolers for the front of the van and then a portable electric cooler with weekend food that is plugged in at the back of the van. This works out really well. I had made Ezekial and Sunflower Butter Sandwiches, sliced and packed various fruits, bagged up small portions of nuts, packed protein bars and plenty of water. The trip was a success. We enjoyed our visit, but I must admit, still ate more than I normally would. I also enjoyed some really good dark chocolate and Peanut Butter Reeces Eggs. Sometimes you just can’t resist!!!

This is week 8 of my 14 Week Lean Out Program. Over the next 2 weeks, in addition to my regular workout plan, our family will be working on a Whole Foods Eating Plan. We will be eating meals that contain no more than 3 ingredients. My daughter came up with the idea and wanted to give it a try. For the most part, I already do this, but making a point of keeping foods limited to 3 ingredients or less will really make us think about what we are putting into our mouths on a daily basis. For example, some of the things that we won’t be eating include:
-Prepared Processed Meals
-Cold Cereal
-Sugar Sweeteners
-Sugared Drinks
-Cereal, Protein, Granola Bars
-Fruit Strips or Snacks
-Salty Snacks, Crackers, Cookies, Bread

This is just a partial list, but you get the idea. So many of our foods that we eat today have multiple ingredients. If you look at the ingredient lists on foods, you will see what I mean. Sometimes, the ingredient list could be 20 or more items. When this happens, you have to ask yourself this question: How could this really be food?????

Here are some of the foods we will be incorporating into our diet. As I said earlier, this is not all that different from my regular diet, we are just paying much closer attention to our menu plans:
GRAINS:
Brown Rice, Bulgar, Barley, Oatmeal, Quinoa, Steel Cut Oats

 FRUITS AND VEGGIES:
(Fresh and Frozen) including apples, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, grapefruit and bananas. On the vegetable side, we will be eating broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, mixed greens, asparagus, sprouts, tomatoes and celery.
PROTEINS:
Various Beans (kidney, black, garbanzo), Lentils and Eggs both whites and some yolks
FATS:
Avocado, raw almonds, cashews, pepitas, walnuts, peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower butter
NOTE: We will be drinking some almond milk or Soy Milk for Calcium and of course lots of water. I also like black tea and coffee.
I will keep you posted on how the whole foods plan is going as time goes on. I usually take protein shakes several times, per day. I haven’t yet decided if I will incorporate these into my plan. I might, just to keep my protein levels up. I will do a test over the next few days to see how I feel.
On to my workout plan:
YESTERDAY:
Equipment: Stair Master
Duration: 65 minutes
Level: 11
Program: Fat Buster
TODAY’S WORKOUT:
Cardio and Lower Body
-20 Minutes StairMaster, Level 12, Fatburner Mode followed by:
-10 Sets of Smith Machine Squats (10-12 reps per set. using wide stance)
-10 Sets Stiff Leg Dead Lift (10-12 reps. per set feet together for 5 sets and 5 sets with feet shoulder width apart)

Keep Healthy Habits in Check During the Holiday Weekend

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A challenging weekend lies ahead for many of us working to stay healthy and fit all year around. When holiday time comes our way, it can often be challenging and sometimes, nearly impossible to stay on track.

This weekend, I will be spending time with family and friends. I’m sure many of you will be doing the same. Our tradition, within my family, is standing around the kitchen island visiting, eating and enjoying a glass or two of wine.  Does this sound familiar to anyone???? This is a great family bonding time, don’t get me wrong, and I love it.  I do need to try to remember to make sure that ….all things are in moderation.  If I don’t remember this small little quote, I will be beating myself up on Monday morning.

I have a few helpful tips for your weekend and mine. Hopefully this will help us all. Most importantly, enjoy the holiday…a few indulgences will not affect the bottom line. Eating and drinking too much can often lead to a sense of self-destruction after the weekend and a sense of….”it doesn’t really matter” or “I give up, I screwed up, so I will just keep eating.” This is NOT the attitude we need to have.  The better attitude is, ” I made a few bad choices on Friday night, BUT, back on track on Saturday.

Here are my suggestions for a healthy holiday weekend:

-Pack snacks for your travels.  If you stop at the gas station or fast food restaurant you will just be tempted to make a quick impulse buy. If you do this, even before you get to your destination, your mind is going to keep on tricking you to eat more and more sweet, fatty, high carb foods. Don’t let it happen.
-Pack snack bags with veggies, nuts, sliced apples, or even a protein bar (one that is worthy of eating).
-Pack a cooler. I always pack a cooler whenever I travel. In this way, I have the foods that I am used to eating. If I have a craving, I can always go to my cooler for food choices. I still eat many of the foods that are provided at our get togethers, but just choose them wisely and remember, portion control.
-If you do stop at a fast food restaurant, choose wisely. A salad with the full fat dressing may seem wise…but don’t fool yourself.  The large yogurt with berries and granola…although it may seem healthy..is not the best choice either. On second thought, pass on ordering, it only leads to challenging your mind, and possibly making a bad choice.
-If you are not driving, pack some good reading material such as a fitness magazine.
-Once you arrive at your destination scope the area and notice your weak spots, the bowl of dark chocolate M and M’s or the freshly baked brownies on the counter top.
-Make sure you drink plenty of water (1 gallon at least) during the day. Also, try hot tea and coffee. This helps me when I have cravings or see others eating. It keeps my hands busy.
-I try to limit myself to 1 or 2 glasses of wine at the most. If I have more, I start to lose my will power.
-Get in a workout while visiting family and friends. Get out for a walk, go to the local gym, do pushups in the morning, mid day and at night. Believe me, it helps and keeps me focused on the challenges. I also feel so much better after a long drive. Exercise is definitely, the best medicine one can take. I highly recommend it, especially when traveling.
-Finally, get your sleep. As well all know, if you are tired, we tend to make bad choices.

Enjoy your holiday weekend!!!!! Oh, I almost forgot—eat and enjoy the Decorated Easter Eggs (the hard-boiled kind)…they are GOOD for you!!!

Dairy Free Diet to Reduce Allergies

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I hope everyone is having a good week so far. We have had a little gloomy weather for the past few days, but at least it is still warmer than normal for  this time of year, so I will definitely take it.

Last week, I talked a little bit about my son, Forrest’s, allergy testing. He went for 1 month without gluten or dairy products. Last week, we were able to start introducing foods back into his diet to determine what was causing him so much stuffiness, head pressure, drainage and almost daily headaches. After some testing with cheese, milk, bread, crackers etc….we feel…most definitely…that the culprit has been dairy products.

I would highly recommend to everyone, that if you have been having these types of problems for years and can’t figure out why (and you eat dairy everyday) give the one month dairy and gluten-free diet a try.

This is not an easy challenge for anyone. Can you imagine a 14-year-old boy following through on the diet???? Well, he did, and he did a great job. He found the most difficult food to take out of his diet to be PIZZA!!! We did make a lot or modifications so that he could still eat his favorite foods.

Now, a week later, Forrest has switched to Almond or Soy Milk. He is also using a soy or tapioca based cheese. It is not nearly as tasty as the real stuff, but he is making the substitution. He has had cheese on occasion, but feels bad after he has it and even worse after drinking milk, so he really is making every effort to avoid it.

We will see what happens over time. Maybe, down the road, he will be able to have his old favorites again. If anyone out there has had similar experiences, please let me know by responding to the blog article or sending me an email. It’s always good to know that others out there have shared some of the same experiences.

Speaking of my son, the two of us did complete a great Bicep/Tricep Workout tonight at the gym. Here is what we did:

5 Sets (8-10 Reps) of the following:

-Seated Overhead DB Tricep Extensions (Using one dumbbell only)
-Rope Pressdowns (high rope)
-Rope Bicep Curl (low rope)
-Straight Bar Press Downs (high bar)
-Bicep Curl with Straight Bar (low bar)
-Single Arm Concentration Curl
-Standing Barbell Curl
-Leg Raises (straight leg)-Core Strength

Diet Plan and Food Diary Revised

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As I move through my 14 week process of making my body a little leaner and stronger, it is important for me to re-evaluate from week to week to see what is working and what is not. Below, I have included my revised Daily Food Menu as well as my list of “Foods” including their Protein, Fats, and Carb. content. This helps me to add foods to my diet and easily log them in my food diary. I have also tweaked my eating plan and have increased my Protein intake and decreased my Carb. intake.

The first chart includes the foods that I am eating. I have added several to my diet plan. The second chart includes my revised menu. Use them if you find that they are helpful. Oh, and for tonight’s workout–only two machines were used. The Smith Machine for Squats and the Leg Press. Here is what Tom and I did today (I also got in a great noon time, one hour, fast paced walk):

10 Sets of Smith Machine Squats, Wide Stance (10 reps. per set)
12 Sets of Leg Presses changing out the foot position (3 sets per foot position, 15 reps. per set)-Start at a lower weight and increase at each set for maximum benefit:
-Feet Shoulder Width Apart
-Feet and Legs Together
-Toes Pointed Out
-Toes Pointed In

FOODS AND THEIR MACRONUTRIENTS (Revised)

FOOD SERVING SIZE PROTEIN (GRAMS) CARBOHYDRATES FAT
COOKED BARLEY .25 CUP .5 5  
“  BROWN RICE .25 CUP 1 11  
“ QUINOA .25 CUP 2 10 1
“ BULGAR .25 CUP 1.5 8.5  
“OATMEAL .50 CUP 5 27 3
F.F. COTTAGE CHEESE .50 CUP 13 5  
PROTEIN POWDER (VEGAN) .33 CUP 21 4 20
GREEK YOGURT 1 CUP 23 9  
EGG WHITE 1 CUP 24    
LENTILS .25 CUP 4.5 10  
EDAMAME .50 CUP 8 9 3
BLACK BEANS .25 CUP 4 10  
CHICKPEAS .25 CUP 4 11 1
CANNELINI        
SPLIT PEAS        
SOYMILK 1 CUP 7 7 3.5
ALMOND MILK 1 CUP 1 8 2.5
SWEET POTATO MED. 2 24  
BLUEBERRIES .75 CUP 1 17  
RASPBERRIES .75 CUP 2 29  
APPLE MED. 0 25  
PEAR MED. 1 28  
ORANGE MED 1 15  
WALNUTS .25 CUP 5 4 20
PISTACHIOS .25 CUP 6 8 14
ALMONDS .25 CUP 6 6 14
SPINACH FREE FOODS      
BROCOLLI FREE FOODS      
ASPARAGUS FREE FOODS      
CAULIFLOWER 12 PIECES 3 12  
PROTEIN POWDER (WHEY) .33 CUP 24    
PROTEIN POWDER (SOY) .33 CUP 24 1  
Food Amount Protein Carbs. Fat
Celery (1 stalk)     2  
Avocado ¼ piece 1 3 5
Hummus 2 T. 1 95 5
Almond Butter 2 T. 8 6 17
Sunflower Butter 2 T. 6 7 15
Broccoli Sprouts 1 C. 1 1  
Ezekial Break 1 Slice 4 15 .5
Tomato 3 Slices 1 1 1
Grapefruit ½ 1 13  
Orange ½ large   11  
         
         
         
 

EATING PLAN (14 WEEKS TO A LEANER YOU)

 

Upon Waking Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Meal 5 After Workout Before Bed
Decaf. Coffee ½ Cup Oatmeal  Mixed with: 1 Cup Greek Yogurt or Cottage Cheese Salad made with the following ingredients: (If needed)1 Cup Greek Yogurt or Fat Free Cottage Cheese Whatever I prepare for the evening. Will Include:Protein (such as veggie burger Or egg whites, beans or lentil Dish Protein Shake (Whey or Plant Based) ½ Cup Cottage Cheese or Greek Yogurt
Protein Whey 5-7 Walnut Halves   1 Cup Spinach   1 Cup Broccoli or Asparagus   10-12 Almonds
  ½ cup Greek Yogurt OR Cottage Cheese Mixed In   1 Cup Alfalfa, Broccoli or Pea Sprouts        
  ½ Grapefruit   3 Slices Tomato        
      ¼ of Avocado        
      Frank’s Red Hot Sauce       20-30 Cups of Water per Day
      1/8 cup raw pepitas        
TOTALS:  
Protein:112-135 Grams
Carbs:80-100 Grams
Fat:43-60 Grams