do yourself proud

Hey guys. So since my recent progress picture I have had a lot of people ask what I have been doing etc so I thought I would properly post details of what I do most days and basing it on one of my best days :) 

I will provide options as I try to change my meals up so that I don’t get bored and binge. Remember I stick to a diet of under 1200 and less. 1200 calories is to maintain weight whereas to actually strip a bit of extra fat I need to be eating less than that.

NORMAL MEAL PLAN 

Breakfast Options

1. 3 egg whites scrambled with 1 tablespoon of low-fat cottage cheese, 50g of turkey breast & a cup of spinach.

2. 100g of low-fat greek yoghurt, 1/4 of a cup of toasted muesli with 6 blueberries, 6 raspberries & 3 strawberries. 

3. 30g of wholegrain oats with 1/2 cup of low-fat milk

4. 40g of protein, 1/2 a banana, 1/4 cup of oats, 1 cup of low fat milk, 1 tsp of honey blended into a smoothie. 

Lunch and Dinner Options

1. 100g of lean steak or 150g of chicken breast or 200g of white fish or 100g of atlantic salmon served with a cup of greens or a cup of greek salad (no dressing) and 100g of sweet potato (if before 6pm)

2. Turkey mince mixed with kidney beans, carrot, paprika, garlic, chilli, cumin and served with rocket, low fat cheese, jalapeños, tomato salsa and avocado (200g serve)

3. 100g low-fat meat patty served with low fat sour cream, salsa, jalapeños, low fat cheese, avocado, rocket, egg. 

4. Frittata made with egg whites, chicken breast, sweet potato, garlic, chilli, low fat cottage cheese, red onion, zucchini and cherry tomato. 

EXERCISE PLAN

Firstly, I try to run/walk (interval training) for 30mins a day 6 days a week.

My weight training will be 3-4 times a week and focuses largely on my legs as these are the biggest muscle group in the body and therefore training them means while your muscles are repairing your body is burning more energy than any other muscle in your body. i.e. it is good for fat loss (and it is the area I want to improve). 

Day One & Day Three

Superset One
- 3 x 10 squats no weight
- 3 x 10 lunges (each leg) no weight

Superset Two
- 3 x 12 barbell squats
- 3 x 12 dumbbell lunges

Superset Three
- 3 x 12 straight-legged deadliest
- 3 x 15 v crunches 

Superset Four
- 3 x 12 kettle-bell squats
- 3 x 12 push-ups

Day Two & Day Four

Superset One 
- 3 x 12 barbell curls
- 3 x 12 shoulder press

Superset Two
- 3 x 12 lateral raises
- 3 x 12 reverse band bench press

Superset Three
- 3 x 12 barbell chest press 
- 3 x 12 tricep dips

Superset Four
- 3 x 10 pushups
- 3 x 12 cable flys

After I have finished my 12 week challenge based on the above, I am then going to try the Jamie Eason 12 Week Challenge and see which gets me the best results :) xx

(Source: becausefitandhappymatters)

How many  of you girlys think that lifting weights will make you look like a man?

Don’t beleive me? I lift weights 3-4 times a week (and almost as heavy as the boys)… check out my “ME” section. Do I look like a man?

Have you been slogging out at the gym for no results? Unfortunately maximum effort alone with little variety in our workout routines can lead to frustrating plateaus that can be hard to break out of! Here are five tips that can get you out of that rut and back on track to achieving your goals..

1. PERIODISE YOUR TRAINING

Group your training into distinct periods or phases. Each new phase should be dedicated to a particular training goal whether it be strength, muscle-building or fat loss. Doing this will not only add variety to your training but will also encourage the recruitment of different types of muscle fibres. You should aim to stick with the same program for 3 - 5 weeks before changing it up!

2. VARY THE EQUIPMENT YOU USE

Doing this will help both your neuromuscular and muscular development. When using the same equipment our muscles are only being exposed to the same stimuli. This leads to training plateaus and boredom, not to mention injuries incurred from overuse. 

3. VARY YOUR TEMPO

Varying your tempo enables you to produce a specific desired training effect such as muscular endurance, hypertrophy, power etc. This is an important tactic to help you get better results immediately. 

4. PRACTICE A FULL RANGE OF MOTION

Moving through a full range of motion with every repetition ensures that a large proportion of your muscular fibres are getting used, contributing to better development of overall strength and development of that muscle. 

5. REST

Overtraining is a massive stress on your body! Your body responds to this by increasing its levels of cortisol & on an ongoing basis this leads to the breakdown of muscle and encourages fat storage around the front of your belly. So keep training times to no more than 60 minute sessions & take a week off after every 12 weeks of solid training. 

xx