Transformation Tuesday (2 months in)

In June, my husband and I decided we were going to loose 10% body fat each. Before that, we had been eating less healthy then normal, and were not working out regularly. Yes, we both had crazy demanding schedules, but we were not making time for ourselves. After getting a fat caliper and taking body measurements (including weight) we both decided we were not happy with where we were at and wanted to make a change. At first, it was really hard to get our buts in the gym and regularly work out. Before deciding on this change, I was going to the gym 3-4 times per week, but all I did was either run on the treadmill or do my cardio on an elliptical. Well, I had been doing just these two things for the past 8 months, so my body had gotten used to it. When we decided we were going to take up the challenge of body change, I drastically changed my workout regime. Instead of just doing 45 minutes of the same cardio, I added 2 days of strength training (weights, kettle bells, etc) which I did for an hour or more, I added 2 days of spin class (which incorporates light weights) 1 day of intense Pilates or pilates class with 1/2 hour of cardio, 1 day of a TRX class, and the final day, I did 45 minutes of cardio such as kickboxing or stair master in combination with a short 15 minute ab, glue, or leg focused workout. At first, working out EVERYDAY was so hard, I was in a constant state of soreness. But as the weeks passed, my body got used to working out more intensely, and soon, was craving it. Now I feel so gross if I don't do some sort of workout everyday (not to mention, I have trouble sleeping), but for the past month, I have done really well and worked out everyday.

In addition to the modified workout plan, we started to take supplements that are proven to help with fat loss and endurance during workout. We added L-Carnotine (Vegans and Vegitarians should take this because you can only really get this from meat) as well as Caffeine, White Willow Bark, Yohimbine, Forskohlii, and HTP at night. Normally, I don't agree with supplements, but we read a research based, highly regarded publication (done independently as they do not sell any of the supplements as well as it being an independent company), by Examine.com entitled "FAT Loss" that talks about supplements and what you should take for different reasons (its called a supplement stack). Not only does it include supplement stacks for fat loss, it also includes supplements to take for other reasons such as supplements vegetarians should take. The publication also includes proven, unproven, and cautionary supplements, what each supplement is, how it works, and what it is good or not good for. It is a great read and very educational and I would highly recommend this publication (it is also a short read!).

After following this workout plan for a little over 2 months, I have definitely seen an improvement. I can see my abs again, I have lost 2lbs and 2% body fat as well as a couple inches here and there. I can see muscle gain and better muscle definition all over. I can not wait to see the results in a month from now!

Here is a pic from 2 months ago:


And here is one from today:


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Warm Pesto Pasta Salad

Image
This is such a great dish and can be served either warm or cold. It is also a great dinner that can be refrigerated and eaten for a bunch the next day. This dish is high in fiber and taste amazing! It is a little higher in calories, but it is for a hefty serving (about 1.5 cups).  Warm Pesto Pasta Salad Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Servings: 5-6 Calories: 400-460 per serving What You Will Need: 1/2 Box of Elbow Noodles 1/2 Container Grape Tomatoes (cut in half) 2.25oz Pine Nuts 4oz Fresh Basil 1 Green Pepper (chopped) 1 Red Onion (chopped) 5 Cloves Garlic (peeled) 1 8oz Package Baby Bella Mushrooms (chopped) 3 Stalks Celery (chopped)  3/4 cup Nutritional Yeast 1/4 cup +1 TBS olive oil 1 TBS Fresh Ground Pepper 1/2 TBS Onion Powder 1/2 TBS Garlic Powder 1/2 tsp Mustard Powder 1 TBS Sea Salt 1 TBS Lemon Juice To Prepare: Place 1 TBS olive oil in pan and turn to medium heat. When oil is hot, place mushrooms, pepper, onion, and
Read more

My Story on how I Became a Vegan Chef

          I was not always a vegan. In fact, I am not a strict vegan, but my husband is. When I started cooking vegan food for him many years ago (at that time I was a meat eater, but have since become a strict vegetarian), the only "vegan" food I knew how to make was (surprise, surprise) salads. Honestly, they always consisted of the same ingredients: romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, green peppers, tofu, and oil and vinegar dressing. BORING!                  Well as you can image, we got tired of those salads pretty quickly. That is when I started experimenting in the kitchen. At first, most of my experiments didn't come out very well,(some of them were even completely in-eatable), but my husband was a trooper and always thanked me for the meal, even if it was unappetizing (several years later, he told me how bad I used to be, but by then, I was able to laugh about it).                 After experimenting for a while, and failing miserably, I started to notice i
Read more

Pesto Pasta with Mushrooms and Peppers

Image
Pesto Pasta is one of my absolute favorite meals. It is so tasty, especially with a homemade pesto sauce. Many people think sauces are complicated and hard to make, but this one is super easy and takes about 5 minutes total!  Vegan Pesto Pasta Servings: 5-6 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time 10 Minutes What you will need: Pantry: 1/2 box of your favorite Rotini Pasta (I used Barilla Veggie Rotini) 1/3 Cup Olive Oil + 2 TBS for sautéing  1/3 Cup lightly salted or unsalted Cashews 1/2 Cup Nutritional Yeast 1.5 TBS Sea Salt  1/2 tsp Onion Powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder Fresh: 4-5 Cloves of Garlic (peeled) 2 Cups fresh Basil 1 TBS Lemon Juice 1 Green Pepper (chopped) 1 Red Pepper (chopped) 8oz Baby Bella Mushrooms (sliced) 5 Green Onions (diced) 1/2 Red Onion (diced) 3/4 Cup halved grape or cherry Tomatoes Directions: For Pesto sauce Place cashews in food processor and pulse 5-7 times. Add 1/3 cup oil, garlic, yeast, basil, lemon juice, spices, and salt
Read more