It's almost the end of week 6 and I am pleased to announce I lost a total of 20 lbs! I now weigh 172 and am finding a 50 lb weight loss goal a lot more manageable than a 70 lb goal! In two more weeks, I will be posting new photos to show my progress. I am mostly hitting level 10 in my workouts. Some days are better than others, but I find I have a lot more energy, due to my diet and cleansing. The cleansing program recommends we do a cleanse twice a month. On weeks I don't cleanse, I miss it. As it's always been for me, my legs are my strongest part of my body (and where most of my weight is concentrated). I increase the weights almost every other time I work out. The hip abduction (exercises the outer thigh) I'm doing 125 lbs. The hip adduction (inner thigh) I'm doing 100 lbs. I love the leg press, because it gives me a complete leg workout at a 90 lb setting. My arms and shoulders still need a lot of work. I'm mostly lifting 35 to 40 lbs on most exercises. I did feel better when I reached for an item and a friend told me I'm getting "guns". How To: Hip Abductions with Scott Herman Fitness www.scotthermanfitness.com
Most weight loss systems fail to address one important element of weight loss. Cleansing. We store pollutants in our fat cells in order to prevent toxins from infiltrating our vital organs. Thus, our bodies hang onto these fat cells as a defense against toxins. Now let us get into the 7 reasons we need to cleanse. 1. Strengthen the Immune System. Cleansing impurities and flooding the body with high grade essential nutrients allows the body to strengthen its immune system. 2. Vital Organ Support. Gentle cleansing allows your vital organs function more efficiently. 3. Curbs Unhealthy Cravings & Healthy Brain Chemistry. Cleaning and replenishing allows your internal organs to convert nutrients into healthy brain chemicals to create an environment that craves, good healthy food. 4. Slows The Effects of Aging. Cleansing and replenishing allows our cells the ability to attack the effects of aging head on. 5. Lose weight and feel great. Cleansing aids the body to release fat and increase metabolism. 6. Reinforce Liver Function. A clean healthy liver supports metabolism and fat burning ability. 7. Restore Antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that block and destroy free radicals. Article courtesy of Sound Concepts. For more information on cleansing email me at elleneustace@gmail.com
When trying to lose body fat, lot of people make the mistake of going all out on the cardio and neglecting the weights. Weights are important for many reasons. First, when we gain muscle, our bodies need more calories to maintain our body weight. In other words, lean muscle requires more calories to fuel than fat (which takes up more space). That is why we see a well muscled guy or girl, sit down to a big meal and never seem to worry about gaining a pound. Most of us can gain weight standing next to an apple and breathing. Okay, that was a gross exaggeration on my part, but you get my point. Adding muscle ensures a lean physique at the end of our weight loss journey. A friend's mother lost about 60 lbs. She was always pear shaped. When she lost the weight, she didn't look much different. She simply looked like a smaller pear. Adding lean muscle, ensures your body will continue to burn fat, even in your "target" areas. Lean muscle helps to reduce the jiggle. Ever hear of the old joke? "Her arm keeps waving ten minutes after she does?" A lot of the dangle-age is a result of rapid weight loss leaving one with loose skin. Most people who weight train avoid the jiggle.
Bill Phillips recommends the following regimen. I'm using a Monday through Saturday schedule with Sundays as a day off. Or if you'd like you can add Sunday as an extra day of cardio. Monday - Upper Body Workout (UBWO) On my upper body workout days, I work my chest, arms, shoulders and back. Tuesday - Cardio 30 minutes of cardio. You can use the treadmill, elliptical trainer, running, a game of squash... your choice! Wednesday - Lower Body Workout (LBWO) On my lower body workout days, I work my legs, quads, waist and abs. Thursday - More cardio. Bored with the treadmill. Nothing on TV at 5 A.M. Squash anyone? Friday - Upper Body Workout (UBWO) Saturday - Cardio Still not sold on the squash? There's always Saturday morning cartoons and the treadmill. The following week, you will do your Lower Body Workout (LBWO) on Monday and Friday and your Upper Body Workout (UBWO) on Wednesday. Cardio will stay on the same days - adding to the boredom.
Hello, I started my weight loss journey on January 7th. I weighed in at a hefty 192 lbs. For my 5'4" frame, that is pretty large. At the time this photo was taken, I weighed 187 lbs. I had followed Body For Life in the past, but "life" got in the way. Work became busy, there were family issues and I was working hard at launching my fashion line. I pulled my Achilles Tendon and had to stay off the weights and the elliptical for six months. With my schedule easing up a bit, I decided to make a "new" New Year's resolution and get myself back on track. I got rid of all the beer and wine in my house the weekend after New Years Day. I gave up caffeine and purged my cabinets of all processed foods. I bought skinless chicken breast, salmon, brown rice and a load of fruits and vegetables. I swore off eating out (unless on special occasions). I began to hit the the gym hard! I was pleasantly surprised when I got back on the elliptical. Before I pulled my tendon, I was doing level 7 for 30 minutes. I was able to train at a level 5 for 30 minutes (okay, it was a struggle, but I still managed). I found I was able to do squats of 65 lbs (previously, I was pushing 85 pounds for three sets and 90 for my last set of six reps). I was almost back to where I was and getting closer to that goal everyday. By the end of January, I lost another 10 lbs. bringing me to 177 lbs!
