Today I was very lethargic, exhausted even. My routine was off slightly so I didn't make it to the gym in the afternoon per usual. I did manage to drag my butt there for an evening session and I was the only female in the weight room. Last night I had an outing that should have required real pants, you know with a button and such. All my jeans are just too tight. So I wore workout leggings, she didn't care but it annoyed me to no end that at almost 4 weeks complete with this diet that my jeans are tighter then they were day one. 

Workout;

15 minute warm up on treadmill at 4.1 at a 1 incline

Quick Shoulders: 4 x 12 sets

Alternating dumbbell press ( twisting the weight) 

Military press

Side lateral raise

Low Cable raise

Alternating front raise

The meal I posted yesterday turned out very tasty and we omitted the tomato from the recipe, purely because we had non on hand, both the canned and the fresh. Today was my low carb day and since I didn't do a cardio class I felt fine. Today's meals were the chicken from yesterday 5oz at a time and my last two meals were protein shakes out of time restraints. 

I took some selfies in the gym changing room and am noticing a slight change in my back so I am continuing to push on with the diet plan as Mike has suggested. 

I wanted to thank you for all the kind words to my progression post. It is very difficult for me, and I think most women, to take a compliment. We tend to notice our flaws instead of our strengths. I am very aware that I do that more often than not but it is very hard not to. I spent the majority of my life pudgy and it wasn't until I had Matthew that I really started working out because I wanted to be a healthy mom, a mom that had the energy to keep up and play with my kids. I gained 60 lbs with my first pregnancy and it was hard but I lost it all and got in the best shape of my life. I gained 40 lbs with Lily and busted my hump to get rid of the weight afterwards. I gained 35 lbs with Levi and am trying my best to shake these 10 lbs. I have a compulsive desire to weigh myself every morning, I know that is not great but I cannot help myself, so even if I am gaining lean muscle and losing fat, if the scale doesn't move I get discouraged. Just speaking my truth. 

Today was another good carb day in the morning and I had 5 oz lean pork loin for lunch. I am attempting to make chicken ropa  vieja for dinner. I am looking forward to our cheat meal this weekend although I am not yet sure what it will consist of. 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/111745634480175900/

Today's Workout:

One hour of kick ass Body Combat this morning and this new release is very leg-centric; lots of squats and lunges. Also, after most classes is an ab track, so if you don't see a lot of ab work in my regular workouts it is because between Pilates Reformer and ab tracks I am fairly covered.

Legs and light shoulders:

• Stiff Leg Deadlifts 4×15
• Leg Extensions 4×15 with 1 drop set 
• Hamstring Curls 4×12 
• Squats into overhead press 4 x 12
• Wide Stance Hack Squat 4×15
• Standing lateral raise 4 x 12

Last night after combat and my 5th meal of the day which was 5 oz. of ground turkey, I was not feeling the best. I knew my blood sugar was low so I had a quarter of an apple with some almonds and it took a while but I eventually felt better. Yes it was not part of my meal plan but it is about feeling good and what serves you as a person not following the restrictions so hard that you make yourself ill.

Today was my high carb day, so my first meal was 60 grams and my second meal was 40 grams, the remainder of the day was no carbs with my meals.

Workout- Back and Bi's:

15 minute warm-up on treadmill at 4.1 speed with an incline of 1, which for me is a super fast walk
Wide grip lat pull downs (front of head, back of head) 12 x 4 each front and back
Bicep cable curl with W bar 12 x 4
V bar rows 12x 4
Preacher curls 12x 4
Bicep curl with barbell  12 x 4
Dumb bell rows 12 x
Standing alternating dumb bell curls 12 x 4

v bar row

Progression

Today I am on day 3 of the cycle which is the lowest carb day for me. I completed a Pilates Reformer work out and will be back later for another round of Combat. No weights today. I wanted to share the whole picture with you in my progression. Progress pictures are not for compliments or vanity; they are to have a good visual of how your body is changing and something that helps me move further. When I get a little braver I will share with you the bane of my post postpartum belly existence which is the dreaded 'flap'. 

Morning of birth

1 week postpartum

3 weeks post

6 weeks post

8 weeks post

11 weeks post

week 4

So today I am 12 weeks postpartum and yes I am still nursing, I am in no way a dietitian but this plan is what I am choosing to do to help me shed these post baby pounds and gain muscle. For starters, I was very active prior to having my third child and tired to stay active through my 8th month of pregnancy, so if you are just starting out you may need to adjust for your own fitness level and goals.

Supplements: I take many supplements, since seeing an herbalist over 3 years ago I have been a big believer in herbs for natural cures. Here is a list of what I am currently taking:

Blessed Thistle

Nettle leaf

Fenugreek

Selenium

Thyroid Activator

Vitamin D3

OmegaPlex

Magnesium and Sea Calcium

and I am finishing my bottle of prenatal vitamins

More than half of these are to make sure my milk supply does not diminish. Since I am nursing and plan to do so for a while longer, I want to make clear that Levi is my first my priority and if my supply starts to dwindle I will change my diet again to make sure that he is getting the nutrients he needs.

The plan Mike and I are using is based of your current body weight and this is not a calorie counting diet, in fact you will likely feel like you are eating an enormous amount of food but the goal is to gain lean body mass which will in the end lower your body fat. The scale may not move initially, which is what I am struggling with currently, but your body will change. This is about eating clean not counting calories. 

Phase I

Protein: 1.5 grams per pound of body weight

Fats: 0.5 grams per pound

Carbs: 1.5 grams per pound

You will need to adjust this as the weeks go on. So for me it goes in three day increments and I am still feeling like I am eating too many carbs in the morning. Good carbs, like oatmeal (non instant or quick)

Day 1

grams of protein/ grams of carbs

Meal 1- 35/ 60

Meal 2- 35/40

Meals 3-6 35/ 0

Day 2

Meal 1- 35/60

Meal 2- 35/40

Meals 3-6 35/0

Day 3

Meal 1- 35/40

Meal 2- 35/20

Meals 3-6 35/0

What that translates to is 60 grams of carbs is 2 servings of oatmeal, one scoop of protein (depending on brand) and a tablespoon of almond butter ( or natural peanut butter) for meal 1 on the first two days, and then I adjust the serving and have the same thing for my second meal.

Pardon all the phone pics

We eat lean meats like chicken, steak, pork loin, so 35 grams is about 6 oz and 25 grams is about 4 oz of meat and 40 grams of carbs would be a cup of cooked rice. (Yes you should get a good food scale.) The fats are coming from the nut butters and olive oils used when cooking. No butter, no dairy, no sugars. You can have black coffee and I like to drink Amino Energy, which my OBGYN cleared to have during pregnancy, I have two servings in the morning mixed with water. You also should be drinking have your weight in oz of water. So if you are 200lbs you would drink 100 oz. of water ideally a day.

A lot of the issue for most people is planning their meals. This is by far the hardest thing of the diet, making sure you have proper meals 5 to 6 times a day.

Now for today's workout, I did an hour of Les Mills Body Combat which is a 500-600 calorie burn. I then did chest and triceps.

flat bench chest press 12 x 4

flat bench fly 12 x 4

tricep kickback 12 x 4

incline chest press 12 x 4

pushups to failure

tricep pull down 12 x 4

cable cross overs 12 x 4

You should be struggling with your last reps, so if you are not you should increase your weight, this is a high protein diet which will help you build muscle but you have to lift heavier than you think and no lifting heavy wont make us bulky, you would have to eat a lot different to look like a bodybuilder.

SO that is today's workout and I am on day 2 of the 3 day cycle. Mike and I are talking about adjusting my protein since I do also want to lose weight and I will adjust my carbs based on my cardio, since having 3 kids doesn't always allow me the time to do 2 a days at the gym.

I hope this helps some of you and I know for me, it will keep me honest and accountable.

Battle of the Bulge

Wow it doesnt seem like 5 months since I posted a blog and it doesnt seem like 12 weeks (tomorrow) that my little nugget will have been in the world. I am on a new journey to lose the stubborn baby weight that came along with indulging during my last pregnancy and perhaps enjoying some holiday cookies too much. I plan to journal what I eat and what I work out as well as monitor my progress here for the next few weeks as Mike and I have entered a 12 week workout goal together. We are beginning week 4 and I have not noticed any changes yet which is super frustrating. We have had 2 glorious cheat meals and Mike 'caught' me the one time I added a smidge of cream to my coffee but otherwise have been on a strict protein eating plan that gives me high and low days of carbs. I have been lifting weights heavier than normal, started back to doing pilates reformer and do body combat 3 times a week which is getting increased to 5 times a week starting tomorrow. 10lbs to go and a lot of firming up to do....Ill check back with ya to let you know how its going.