Embracing YOUR Body Type.

“Why can’t I be one of those people who can eat whatever they want, never exercise, and still look great?” Unless you ARE one of the few who fit into that category, you have asked yourself this at one point…and probably wish nothing more than to be able to inhale a Big Mac with zero repercussions. For most of my life I wished the same – but not anymore. Here is why I am proud to work for what I get – and you should be too!

1. Health. Simple, but so, so powerful. If you could get away with it, you would more than likely do it. And it might be fine and dandy for a while, but after a few years of eating artery-clogging food and sitting around, the consequences will be reflected in your health regardless of how you look on the outside. When I start to gain weight, I look it as my body’s way of telling me that I need to get healthy, and give it what it needs. If I didn’t have that reminder, it would me MUCH more difficult to keep tabs on my health.

2. Age. More often than not, those who have extremely fast metabolisms face major trepidation when they reach a ‘certain age’ because things start to slow down, and they have absolutely no idea how to eat healthy and manage their weight. Whereas those who had to learn from the start are not only are in better health, but have made healthy eating and exercise a habit, and don’t have to worry about making a lifestyle change.

3. Pride. Seriously, where has all the self-accomplishment gone? I would much rather know that I worked for what I got than know that some pill, ‘body type’, or surgeon did it for me. There is nothing more satisfying than reaching your goals through pure hard work, sweat, and determination. Take pride in not using shortcuts, so when you reach your goal, you can look back and say 'Yep, that was all me'.

And lastly…don’t assume that everyone with a great body is ‘naturally’ that way. Society may portray it to be so…but it’s unrealistic and you know it : ). I used to do this…but it was really just me attempting to convince myself that I couldn’t achieve it. Once I faced the facts and quit with the excuses, I achieved the results I desired.

Round 2 Day 10: MAX Interval Plyo

Sorry for the week of absence! I was still working out, I assure you. Robert and I went home for Memorial Day Weekend, and I didn't particularly feel like blogging on my iPhone. That being said...working out on vacation is HARD!! It takes all you've got to do it, but it's definitely worth while. We did miss one work out, only because we were driving the entire day. If you're doing Insanity for the first time, it might not seem like it's imperative to follow the schedule. But it IS! If you want to get extreme results, you have to follow the schedule. Sure, you can still get results by skipping a few here and there, but they won't be the kind you're looking for. Insanity was created and designed by professionals...all to get you into incredible shape. Why not take advantage of it? It would cost a fortune to pay a personal trainer to design something similar just for you. I know it can seem impossible to incorporate such a rigid work out schedule into your life. But once you do, it becomes a habit, like brushing your teeth and taking a shower...and before too long it's not so overwhelming anymore. It's just an hour out of your day. ONE HOUR!! That is nothing.

Robert wanted me to post some pre/post work out pics, just to show you how hard Insanity pushes you : ).

Day 2 Round 2: MAX Interval Plyo & INSANE Abs

I forgot how hard that work out was!!! Damn. I love it. I was able to notice quite a bit of improvement. The squat push-ups used to KILL me, but I handled them pretty well this time. And I just about kept up with the Level 3 Drills, but that last set of 16 push ups got to me a little bit. Considering I could hardly do 3 when I first started (for real), I'm pretty proud of myself! And I believe there are 96 push ups altogether during Level 3 Drills...if my math is correct. Not to mention all the power push-ups, squat push-ups, oblique push-ups, and balance push-ups. Wow, I never realized how many push-ups were in that work out until writing it out. Crazy! I still suck badly at the balance push-ups, but I am improving. All in all it feels so good to red line my body again. You just can't match the feeling of accomplishment after completing a MAX workout.

Question of the Day: Ladies...I need help. I have yet to find a solution for my hair during Insanity work outs. Pony tails fall out, braids whip me in the face during Power Jumps, and leaving it down drives me absolutely crazy. Tips are much appreciated!! Comments are activated on the blog so post your advice, if you have any. Thanks : ).
















'Guns' ; ).

Breakfast
170 - Protein Bar
90 - Small Banana
Snack
69 - Almonds (10)
105 - Flax Crackers (6)
Lunch
180 - Shakeology w/Almond Milk
15 - Strawberries (4)
45 - Smoked Turkey Slices
Snack
170 - Protein Bar
Dinner
60 - Veggie Stir Fry
86 - Pistachios (1/8c)
160 - Protein Shake w/Almond Milk
1150 - Total
1585 - Budget
435 - Under (will probably snack on something else tonight)

Day 1 Round 2 - MAX Interval Circuit

Well, I decided to skip the rest of month 1 and jump right into month 2. Why? I'm not exactly sure. I just missed them. Plus, I have about a month before Hawaii, and I want to get in the best work outs possible. And since I'm already conditioned for the MAX work outs, might as well do them, right?

Anyway, I had a lot of fun with MAX Interval Circuit. I did pretty well on it too, better than I expected anyway. I figured I would have lost at least a little ground after having not done it for a few weeks, but this wasn't the case. I had noticeable improvement in the Ski Abs, Push Up Jacks, In & Outs, to Oblique Push Ups exercise. I used to die out towards the end, but I was able to get all the reps in this time. I also did much better on the Floor Switch Kicks. All in all I'm happy to be back in month 2!!

Tip of the Day - Don't look at the timer. If you have to, shut your eyes. This will ensure that you're pushing yourself to your personal max, not letting the timer get the best of you. Once I tried this I was able to get in a lot more reps.

Breakfast
180 - Shakeology w/Almond Milk
77 - Apple
Snack
360 - Veggie Chips (too many)
Lunch
240 - Think Thin Bar
172 - Almonds (25)
Snack
140 - Flax Crackers
160 - Casein Protein Shake w/Almond Milk
Dinner
190 - Veggie Patty
60 - Stir Fry Veggies
(literally took 2 minutes to prepare)

1580 - Total
1585 - Budget
5 - Under

Day 9 Round 2: Pure Cardio & Insane Abs

I got my 'I earned it' Insanity T shirt today, pretty stoked about it : ). It's actually soft and comfortable, and for being free, that's not bad. I've never been so proud to wear a plain old cotton T-shirt in my life!!

I was actually supposed to have Cardio Recovery today, but I wanted to work out with Robert so I just decided to do Pure Cardio. Then I convinced him to do Insane Abs instead of Cardio Abs : ). I freaking love Insane Abs. Probably because core work is the only thing I'm really good at. Anyway, Pure Cardio was still just as hard as it was before, because I really pushed myself. And it's still one of my favorite work outs. My arms just about gave out in the middle of Push-Up Jacks, I think it has something to do with Upper Body Weight Training yesterday. But I'm determined to have a stronger upper body before month 2! Well seeing as how it's 2:30am and I am probably not making any sense I'm going to cut this post short.

Breakfast
170 - Protein bar (NuGo)
145 - Flax Bread w/Swiss Cheese
78 - Egg, hard broiled
Snack
77 - Apple
70 - Baby carrots
170 - Protein bar (NuGo)
Lunch
180 - Shakeology w/Almond Milk
78 - Egg, hard broiled
Snack
140 - Protein bar (South Beach)
Dinner
225 - Veggie Patty w/Swiss Cheese
50 - Spinach salad w/bell pepper
Snack
180 - Shakeology w/Almond Milk
1563 - Total
1585 - Budget
22 - Under

Day 8 Round 2: Cardio Power & Resistance and Upper Body Weight Training

Well I just finished Upper Body Weight Training. My plan is to do it 2-3 times a week, alternating with Insane Abs. Why? Because my upper body strength sucks : (. It's MUCH better than it was pre-Insanity, that's for sure, but I still would like more strength in that area. I don't want to have like, P90X arms or anything, I really just want to be able to lift heavier things! Especially since my husband is gone 1/2 the year, it helps to be self-sufficient in that area : ). Speaking of my husband...he has already lost TWO INCHES off his waist in the first two weeks of Insanity. I love him and hate him for this : ). But seriously...I am so stoked to share this with him and be able to be mutually enthusiastic.

Anyway, I still haven't started Cardio Power & Resistance, I'm waiting for it to get cooler outside (I'm a wimp when it's hot). For some reason NO ONE in Washington has A/C, so when it actually does get hot, everyone freaks out and doesn't know what to do. Including me. Oh...by the way...for those of you who have done Upper Body Weight Training, you know at the end how Shaun says something like "Well that's it, good job everybody...now go do...Cardio Power...haha just kidding"...thanks Shaun, thanks : ).
Breakfast
255 cals - 2 Pieces Flax Bread w/Laughing Cow cheese
180 cals - Shakeology
Snack
170 - Protein bar
Lunch
225 cals - Veggie Patty w/Laughing Cow cheese
77 cals- Apple
Snack
170 - Protein bar
Dinner
169 - Ground Turkey Patty (4oz)
44 - Spinach/Romaine salad w/orange bell pepper

Snack
160 - Casein protein shake
1450 - Total
1585 - Budget
135 - Under

Tip of the Day: It sounds obvious...but BE AWARE of what is around you when you're working out. Today I was doing the Heisman and my ankle caught onto the couch and I rolled it. Could have been bad, thankfully it wasn't.

Day 3 Round 2: Cardio Recovery & Cardio Abs

Well, on the bright side, Cardio Recovery is a breeze after having pushed through MAX Recovery for a month. However, it was still easy to challenge myself. This time around I'm able to have better form, and sit deeper into the squat & lunge pulses, whereas two months ago I could just barely get through them without collapsing. It's pretty encouraging to see how much I've improved. I also did Cardio Abs; I would have done Insane Abs but my core was still a little soar from doing it on Wednesday. Plus I was a little pressed for time. I've come to the realization that there really is no better feeling than having soar abs : ).

I haven't had dinner yet so I can't really post my diet for the entire day, but here's what I got so far. OH - also, I got my Shakeology today...so happy : ). I'm going to try Greenberry for the first time tomorrow, I'll be sure to let you all know how that goes.

Breakfast: Casein protein shake w/1tbs instant coffee
Lunch: Veggie burger patty (190cals) w/1 wedge Laughing Cow Cheese (35cals). Don't bash veggie burgers before you try them!! I buy mine at Costco, they are chipoltle flavored and have like 10grams of protein, and they are DELISH. And the best part about them is they only take 45 seconds to prepare : ).
Snacks: Almonds, apple, protein bar

Tip of the Day: Write down everything you eat. Like, everything. Determine your appropriate daily calorie limit, and track! I purchased an iPhone app called 'Lose It' and it has helped me immensely. Every time I eat, I search for what it was, select it, and it adds the calories to your daily log, and tells you how many calories you can eat that day (or how many you are over). You can also create your own food if it's not already in the database. But, if you don't have an iPhone, just suck it up and use good old fashioned pen & paper : ). There are also several free online calorie trackers you can use, just remember to log *everything* you eat.
http://www.my-calorie-counter.com/
http://caloriecount.about.com/

Day 2 Round 2: Cardio Power & Resistance

WOO-HOO! Round II is here!! I had a nice week off after my last day of Round I, but it feels so good to get back into the Insane swing of things : ). I missed it. For those of you who might be curious about what exactly I did on my week off in terms of exercise, here you go. I ran 3-6 miles every other day, with a little Cardio Abs thrown into the mix. I really wanted to let my muscles recover, and just enjoy the mental break. Turns out, the 'mental break' kind of made me crazy. I hated not having the feeling of knowing that I worked my ass off that day, and knowing that my body was changing shape. If you are wondering what you should do during your recovery week, my best advice would be to listen to your body. However, I wouldn't advise anything super intense.

But anyway...back to Round II. I decided to start from the very beginning instead of jumping right back into month two, because I feel that I can still push myself harder and get the absolute most out of the month 1 work outs. And I was right. Even though they are considerably less painful than they were two months ago, I can still push myself harder, and feel just as challenged as I was before. That's the beauty about Insanity...you can take things at your own pace, and I truly believe that none of the exercises will become 'easy' if you are pushing yourself to the max. You can always strive to be faster, jump higher, squat deeper, etc.

My diet today was kind of messed up...I was exceptionally lazy and didn't feel like eating unless it took less than 5 seconds to prepare. I'm also stuck in that frightening time of the month when I'm in between Shakeology orders. I'm not perfect, so don't follow my diet to the T! I just wanted to give you an honest representation of what I'm eating, and what kind of results it's producing. If you want to follow something verbatim, follow the Elite Nutrition Guide : ). Nevertheless...I promised honesty, so here 'goes:

Breakfast: Casein protein shake w/strawberries & pistachios (sounds gross but IT'S SO GOOD!)
Lunch: Protein bar
Dinner: Exact same thing as breakfast.

Tip of the Day: If possible, work out in front of a mirror, and write a short-term physical goal on it with a dry-erase marker. Not only will this keep you motivated, but it will more importantly allow you to correct your form. I just have one of those cheap full-length mirrors and I brought it out into the living room. Hey, it works!

FINAL RESULTS.

Well, I kind of think the photos speak for themselves! It's been an incredible, sweat-filled, muscle-burning 63 days...and I can't wait to do it all over again!!! More than anything, INSANITY showed me just how hard I can push myself, mentally and physically. My definition of 'difficult' has changed, let's just put it at that : ). I'm pretty proud of myself, I must admit. It's a great feeling of accomplishment.

Muscle vs. Fat...this is why you should throw out the scale!

Right now you're looking at 5lbs of fat, and 5lbs of muscle.

Notice how much larger and bulkier the fat is in comparison to the muscle. This is visual proof that even if you gain muscle and lose fat, your weight probably won't change that much. However, your body will be leaner, tighter, and smaller. So which one is more important? Would you rather weigh 10lbs less and still be flabby, or the same weight, and tight, lean & toned?

For example...a woman, 5' 6" tall weighing 140lbs who does regular muscle enhancing exercise, will have a lower body fat percentage, and look slimmer, than a woman of the same height and weight who doesn't exercise and therefore has a higher ratio of body fat.

I think it's time we stop obsessing over the # on the scale, because it is so incredibly inaccurate when it comes to tracking your progress. I personally haven't weighed myself since high school. It only made my life more frustrating and discouraging...two things you definitely don't need when tackling an intense fitness program, or any fitness program for that matter.

I used to think that cardio was the best weight-loss cure...thinking that I could get the toned body I wanted just by running alone. I was so wrong! I was running 5-10 miles every day, and saw little change in my body. Yeah...that was frustrating. It happened for a few reasons.
1) Muscle burns fat, even when you're not exercising...and I didn't have enough of it.
2) My exercise routine was the same every single day - resulting in a plateau that negated pretty much any results. This is one of the reasons why INSANITY is so effective, because you are constantly switching up your work-outs, and producing maximum results in the shortest amount of time possible.

So how do you track your results? My personal favorite method is by using a body fat percentage meter. You can pick one up from Amazon for a reasonable price. Just make sure you choose one that measures fat throughout the entire body, not just the upper body (here is an article that explains how body fat percentage monitors actually work). It takes all the guesswork out of tracking your progress, and really is the only way for you to know for sure that you are losing actual fat. Another great but simple method is measuring. I would recommend measuring the areas where you carry the most fat, for women around the thickest part of the upper thighs, and for men around the bellybutton area. This can vary between different body types, so pick your own personal problem-area.

So...in conclusion...throw out that scale!!!

(me holding 10lbs of fat...if that doesn't motivate you I don't know what will!)

ONE WEEK LEFT!!!

I know, I know, I totally slacked on blogging the past two weeks! Life got a little crazy, and those MAX workouts don't leave you with much extra energy! As of today, I officially have one week left. I am so incredibly proud of myself. I pushed myself to a level I never thought I could get to before, and I realized just how much my body is capable of! And the results are awesome. My body fat so far has gone from 23% to 17%, and pretty much toned up everywhere. After this last week I'm going to take a Recovery Week (Core Cardio & Balance) every day, maybe with some Cardio Abs thrown in, and then jump right back into the MAX workouts and do it all over. Now that I know how good this program works I can't wait to see what it will do to me after Round II : ). I will be posting my final results & pictures next week, but here is one from today.Breakfast: Think Thin Protein Bar
Snacks: Flax Crackers, Almonds
Lunch: Shakeology w/banana
Dinner: Clam Chowder (homemade w/light soy milk, not heavy cream!!)
After Workout: Casein Protein Shake

Here are some various tips I've acquired since the last time I wrote.

If possible, don't work out when you're in a hurry. I did this once...never again. It just stresses you out, and takes your energy away from the exercise. Plus, I tried fast forwarding through the breaks to save time, and ended up almost not being able to finish. INSANITY takes just as much mental strength as it does physical strength...and if your mind isn't in the right place, you're making things harder than they should be.

Wait AT LEAST three hours after a meal before working out. If you need something in your stomach right before, grab a handful of almonds or a banana.

The object of each exercise is not to get to a point where it's easy. You should constantly be pushing yourself and digging deeper!

Day 34: MAX Recovery

My legs have never trembled so much! MAX Recovery is hardly a recovery, so don't underestimate it. However, it was nice to have a break from hardcore plyo for a night. Just prepare to have your thighs set on fire. As usual, the upper-body exercises were tough for me. The elbow-back push-ups were really really hard, unfortunately my arm strength just isn't there yet, so I wasn't able to go all the way down to the floor on most of them. I did, however, kick ass on the core exercises : ). The squat pulses were definitely the most 'painful', in a good sort of way. I can't believe I used to think my quads were strong, holy goodness!

Breakfast: Shakeology (banana+strawberries)
Lunch: Chicken burger patty w/steamed veggies
Snacks: Plantain Chips, Kashi Crackers, and Snap Pea Crisps
Dinner: Shakeology
After Workout: Casein Shake *I decided to start drinking Casein because it is metabolized slowly, and is perfect to take in the evenings because it prevents your body from going into starvation mode during sleep.

Day 33: Max Cardio Conditioning

Whew, awesome workout. Max Cardio Conditioning is my fave so far. It really does feel like day 1 all over again! Which is pretty encouraging, actually, because I know a month ago there was no way I could do what I'm doing today. I wasn't able to keep up as much as I'd like, but I'm not letting it get me down because I know each week I'll be able to do a little bit more. These were the exercises I found exceptionally difficult:

Push-up Abs: Again, those upper-body strength exercises kick my ass. But man o man did this set my abs on fire...and I loooove that feeling.
Football Sprints to Plank: Couldn't keep up 100%, but I wasn't far behind. Great exercise though.
Plank Punches: Also probably because they were at the very end, right after Push-up Abs. I had to take a few split second breaks so my arms wouldn't give out.

Tip of the day: Like I said before, don't get discouraged if you find you can't keep up with the MAX work outs like you could in month 1. Remember that each week you're going to improve, and that the more the difficulty of the workout increases, so will your results.

Breakfast: Shakeology (banana+1tbs organic peanut butter+2tbs instant coffee)
Lunch: Think Thin Protein/Meal Replacement Bar (20grams protein, 0grams sugar, 300cals)
Snacks: Plantain Chips (great 'potato chip' replacement, I get mine at Trader Joe's), Snap Pea Crisps
Dinner: Kashi Lemongrass Coconut Chicken frozen entree
After Workout: Casein Protein Shake

Day 32: Max Interval Plyo

Not gonna lie, tonight's workout left me crumpled on the floor in the fetal position. In a completely good way!! There is something incredibly rewarding about finishing a workout that leaves your body completely spent. Just knowing that you pushed yourself to the max and kicked ass. In fact......I'm so tired that I don't have the energy to write anymore haha. Catch me tomorrow.

Day 31: Fit Test & Max Interval Circuit

Oh. My. God. That was freaking hard!! But I must be honest, it felt really good to take the intensity level back up to 110%. I'm beginning to love the feeling of sweat dripping from my body, and the burn that sets in during each exercise. These are just reminders that my body is transforming into exactly what I want it to be. Plus, I didn't fail as miserably as I expected I would haha, I actually made it through relatively well without many breaks at all. The exercises themselves were slightly more difficult than month 1, but where it really got hard, was repeating them over the span of an HOUR! That was the most grueling part, in my opinion. I thought the plank punches were pretty hard, probably just because they were at the very end and because my upper body strength is my weakest link. But I LOVED the burn I felt in my abs. Month 2 definitely brings it to a whole new level! It feels like day 1 all over again, which is a GOOD thing because it means my results are going to be twice as good.

Oh yeah...almost forgot to talk about the fit test! This one was tough. I improved in every exercise except for switch kicks. If you don't improve a ton on this one don't be too hard on yourself, remember that you still have 3 more fit tests to go. I also "cheated" and did it the day before on my day off. Some advise against this, but I say do what's comfortable for you. I knew that today was going to be a SUPER long day for me, and that I probably wouldn't have the steam to give both the fit test and my work out my all, so I opted to separate them.

Tip of the day: Eat small amounts often throughout the day to keep your metabolism running like a well oiled machine. If you wait too long between meals it will go into starvation mode and store fat instead of burning it. Additionally, you want to keep your energy level up so you don't crash in the middle of your work out!

Breakfast: Protein bar
Lunch: Shakeology (1 scoop, frozen banana, 3 ice cubes, milk, blend...with frozen strawberries mixed in after)
Snacks (throughout the day): Flax crackers w/light swiss cheese, banana, protein bar
Dinner: Veggie burger w/guacamole (minus bun)
After workout: Recovery drink *definitely needed it today

My Journey to Health.

It seems to be a common trend in America today to look good no matter what the cost. We impulsively resort to 'quick-fixes', completely disregarding the permanent damage they have on our bodies. Crash diets, diet pills, artificial/souped up protein powders, plastic surgery, eating disorders, and God knows what else...as long as it seems 'easy & quick', we're all over it. I'm sure every one of you has at one point in time been affected by this, so I thought I would share my story on the matter and how I came to realize that health should be prioritized before the way you look, not the other way around. Once you do this, I promise, it will pay off, in more ways than one. I hope that by sharing my experiences you can learn from my mistakes, and save yourself a LOT of wasted time, and more importantly, save your body from having to undergo the strain of unhealthy eating/exercise habits.

Not too long ago in high school - freshman year of college (actually come to think of it, that was a long time ago), I would do just about anything to be thin, in shape, and beautiful. In fact, I've tried just about every single one of the methods I listed above (minus plastic surgery).

Crash Dieting/Eating Disorders
I started experimenting with crash dieting in high school. I think we've all done it, or all of us women anyway. Before I had *any* understanding of nutrition and the metabolism, I skipped meals, expecting to lose loads of weight because of the restricted caloric intake. And I did, for about a month. What I didn't understand was that I was kicking my body into starvation mode, and that my metabolism would eventually adjust to the change and my weight loss would plateau. And that's exactly what happened. The metabolism is a beautiful, frustrating thing. It's designed to keep us alive and adapt to just about any situation you throw at it, which is why it is SO important to keep it happy...seriously, piss off your metabolism and you can pretty much kiss your weight loss goals goodbye. However, I didn't know this at the time. So I took things a step further, and stopped eating altogether. Biggest mistake of my life. I kid you not. If I could take back one decision in my entire life, it would be that one. The physical, mental, and emotional repercussions of engaging in an eating disorder are so incredibly massive, and they take years, sometimes a lifetime, to repair. Anyway, once I stopped eating it was just a huge downward spiral. Sure, I lost a lot of weight, pretty fast. But once you stop eating for that long, you will gain weight twice as fast because your metabolism has been in starvation mode for so long. You can't just say, "I'm going to be anorexic for a month or two just to get to the weight I want, and then I'll start eating normally," because by that time you've F-ed up your body so bad that it won't burn calories as efficiently as it was before. And this is why eating disorders kill people. Because once you get to that point, you either want to be healthy again and are ready to risk gaining all the weight back to repair your metabolism, or you feel trapped, like gaining weight is the most terrifying thing in the world, and that you have to keep on starving yourself. And by then that is the point you will have come to, starving yourself just to maintain weight. Sound fun? No. So please, spare yourself the pain and frustration, be happy that you have a functioning metabolism that burns the calories that you eat, and if you don't think it's burning them fast enough, then focus on increasing your metabolism through frequent exercise and eating small, healthy amounts often. Avoid putting your body into 'starvation mode' at all costs. Even after just 3 hours without eating your body is forced to store calories as fat instead of burning them, because it does not know when it will get it's next meal. Crash dieting and eating disorders are extremely counter-productive, and they pretty much screw over your metabolism. I struggled with my eating disorder off and on for about 6 years, and my metabolism is just now getting to the point where it can burning calories efficiently.

Diet Pills/Artificial/Souped Up Protein Powders
I think I've pretty well established that a happy metabolism=easier weight loss, right? Ok. Diet Pills=UNHAPPY METABOLISM. Throughout those unfortunate 6 years, I also experimented with these. Who could resist the outrageous claims they make, right? Most of these pills have the same affect on the body as eating disorders do. They may (I stress...*may*) work, but even if they do, it will only be for a short period of time. However, once the metabolism adjusts for to the crap you're putting into your body, your weight loss will plateau and you've just made natural weight loss 10x more difficult, and weight gain 10x easier. So once again, spare yourselves. They do not work, and after a period of time will become counter-productive and actually make you gain weight. 'Artificial/souped up protein powders' do the exact same thing. Products like No-Xplode that increase your heart rate/blood flow are not only extremely dangerous for your heart, but also have the same affect on the metabolism.

Alcohol
Ahh, this is a tough one for me. I'm not really a hardcore partier but I do love having a drink every now and then. And realistically, I probably will have a drink every now and then until the day I die. Moderation is definitely key here. Most people, myself included, drink without thinking of what it's doing to your body. Alcohol is not 'free calories', in fact, it is metabolized exactly the same way as sugar. Additionally, it clogs your liver. Big deal, right? Actually, when your liver is too busy filtering alcohol, it can't effectively filter other toxins/fats, and they will go straight to your gut/hips.

In summary - if something seems to be a 'quick & easy' fix, it's not. It is a long-term detriment to your body, and will only make your weight loss goals harder to reach. Be a purist to your body. Don't do anything that will unnaturally affect your metabolism. And don't be afraid of hard work, because when it comes down to it, that is the only thing that is going to get you long-term results. Your health is priceless, invaluable, and it will be with you for the rest of your life. It's up to you to decide what condition you want it to be in. Pursuing health will not only give you a great body now, but it will enable you to do the things you love to do later in life. Make health your priority, and the nice body will come as a result, permanently!

Day 30: Core Cardio & Balance

Yep, I'm still here : ). This recovery week has been incredibly nice. I hope my body still remembers how hard it has to work during 'regular' work outs, because month 2 is only three days away. Today when I was putting my hair back in front of the mirror I realized how toned my arms are getting...it's awesome! I haven't felt this good about myself in a really long time.

I went running today on top of my work out; I didn't realize how fatigued my muscles really are. They definitely feel stronger, but now I know that I really do need to take a break and let this be 'recovery' week, otherwise I have a feeling I'll have some strong regrets in month 2. I took some time to watch all of the MAX work outs yesterday, just so I could get the form down on the new exercises. Holy goodness!! It looks awesome. I'm excited.

Day 28: Core Cardio & Balance

RECOVERY WEEK IS HERE...yay! I'm pretty stoked about finishing month one. Today's work out was suuuch a nice break. It's strange to have been giving it 110% and then taking it down to 90%, definitely took some getting used to. Nevertheless, my body is thanking me : ). The only really difficult exercise was the hip flexor burners...or whatever you call them. Anyway, I probably won't post every day this week considering it's the same work out every day. If not, I'll definitely be posting my re-cap of the first day of month 2!

Breakfast: Shakeology + frozen banana & instant coffee blended (soooooo good)
Lunch: Baked Tofu, Flax Crackers & light swiss cheese
Snack: Apple
Dinner: Veggie burger (minus bun) and steamed broccoli & cauliflower

Day 27: Plyometric Cardio Circuit

This is probably one of my favorite work outs. I pushed myself much harder than usual because I didn't seem like I was on the brink of exhaustion like I usually do, so I sat deeper into the squat jacks and went much deeper into my push ups. My arms were literally trembling by the end! I've noticed much improvements in the squat type exercises. In the first week I could barely keep up and now it's almost easy (until I decided to sit deeper into them). In & Out Abs and Ski Abs are still EXTREMELY hard. However I was able to do Ski Abs the entire time w/o taking a break, but those damn In & Outs got me on the last circuit. My core could handle it, but my arms just aren't there yet. Anyway, it was my last day of month 1! Yay!! I'm terrified/excited for month 2, and am really curious as to what this 'recovery week' is all about. I have a feeling it's not easy haha.

Tip of the day: Shakeology + Instant Coffee = Best Hangover Cure EVER.

Day 26: Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs

I brought it today! I really focused on contracting my core during each exercise, and sitting even deeper into the squats. I'd say the Pedals exercise is the hardest, the one with the lunges in between. Once again I had to take a quick break during the frog jumps. The exercise itself isn't that hard, I think I lose steam during them because by that time in the circuit my quads are trembling. But I have improved immensely. Oh yeah, today was also my first day with official cross-trainers. DO NOT wait until day 26 to get them! Trust me, your ankles will thank you. Regular running shoes do not support side to side movement like cross-trainers do.

Breakfast: Shakeology
Lunch: Grilled chicken w/steamed broccoli & cauliflower
Snack: Flax crackers & light swiss cheese
Dinner: Veggie burger (minus the bun)
Snack: Apple & flax crackers
After Workout: Recovery drink

Tip of the day: When you get to the 3d-4th week, you will feel yourself being able to complete the exercises 'easier'. When you get to this point, DIG DEEPER. Sit into the squats deeper, go faster to complete more reps, and really concentrate on contracting your core. The point isn't to get to a point where it is easy. The point is to constantly push yourself to a higher level.