MichelleRisley

Hi Stephanie. Just checking in. Have you tried incorporating some of my suggestions? If so, how are things going?

I see you tried some intervals. Great!!

I know it's difficult, but try not to get discouraged when the scale temporarily stalls. This is when progress photos (and measurements) come in handy. Sometimes fat loss and muscle gain will be about the same, and the scale won't move much. But you will be able to see that you're getting leaner by photos, measurements, and the way your clothes fit.

But also keep in mind that sometimes weight loss will just stall. That's when it's really important to change things. So along with the intervals, you can also add burpees, jump ropes, mountain climbers, etc., between your weight training sets. It's like doing interval cardio during weight training. Another thing you can do is change weight, reps, sets during weight training. Or change the types of exercises &/or hand/foot positions...the variables are endless. The key is to change things up. The human body is very good at adapting to what you throw at it. That's why it's important to vary things to keep your body challenged.

Don't let temporary setbacks get you down, Jesse. You've been doing great! Life has a way of challenging the commitments we make to ourselves. It is a true test of character to rise above the things that could possibly make you give up. It's like working out; if you don't give up, you get stronger in the process!

1/19/12

Weight:

113.4 lbs

Training:

Back

Warmup:

Sun salutations

Ez bar underhand rows: 5 x 10

Db rows 5 x 10

Smith machine inverted rows 3 x failure

Seated cable rows: 5 x 10

Flat bench pullovers: 4 x 15, plus 1 to failure

Lat pulldowns with rope: 4 x 10

Stretching:

10 min

Nutrition:

Total macros:

Carbs 305 gm

Protein 153 gm

Fat 63 gm

Water:

5.5 liters

1/18/12

Weight:

113.8 lbs

Training:

Bis & tris

Warmup:

5 min on eliptical

Sun salutations

Bb curls: 4 x 8, plus 1 set to failure

Incline dumbbell curls 3 x 10, plus 1 set to failure

Db hammer curls 3 sets to failure

Close grip db presses 4 x 8, plus 1 set to failure

Cable pressdowns 4 x 10, plus 1 set to failure

Db skull crushers 4 x 15, plus 1 set to failure

Stretching:

10 min

Nutrition:

Total macros:

Carbs 300 gm

Protein 147 gm

Fat 65 gm

Water:

5 liters

1/17/12

Weight:

113.4 lbs

Training:

Chest / delts

Warmup:

External rotations

Sun salutations

Incline db press: 4 x 10, plus 1 set to failure

Flat bench flys: 3 x 15, plus 1 set to failure

Pushups with feet on a ball: 4 sets to failure

Side laterals: 4 x 12, plus 2 sets to failure

Shoulder press machine (neutral grip): 4 x 10, plus 1 set to failure

Db rear laterals: 3 x 15, plus 2 sets to failure

Rope upright rows: 2 x 20

Stretching:

10 min

Nutrition:

Total macros:

Carbs 297 gm

Protein 148 gm

Fat 69 gm

Water:

5 liters

1/16/12

Weight:

113.8 lbs

Training:

Legs/glutes

Warmup: Sun salutations

Leg extensions: 5 x 12-15

Bb squats: 5 x 10

Smith machine squats: 4 x 10, 1 x 20

Superset: 4 x 10 each

Bb stiff leg deadlifts

Db bench lunges

Superset: 4 x 10 each

Leg curls

Cable squats

Calf raises (smith machine): 4 x 15, 1 x 25

Stretching: 15 min

Nutrition:

Total macros:

Carbs 301 gm

Protein 148 gm

Fat 63 gm

Water:

5 liters

Wow! Awesome progress in under 2 months!!! Keep up the great work. : )

I'm a huge fan of progress photos; they can give so much info than the scale alone.

1/15/12

Weight:

113.4 lbs

Training:

Rest day

Nutrition:

Total macros:

Carbs 299 gm

Protein 152 gm

Fat 66 gm

Water:

4.5 liters

1/14/12

Weight:

112.8 lbs

Weight is steadily increasing, which is great!! The tweaking in my splits is working. I want to add a little more size (I'd like my weight to be around 115 lbs) before I begin pre-contest in 6-8 weeks. Looking at my progress photos, the added weight doesn't appear to be body fat. I will also be getting my % body fat done again soon.

Training:

"Bonus day" for a little extra emphasis on a few body parts

Warmup:

10 minutes on eliptical

Superset: 5 x 10

Cable curls

Cable pressdowns

Superset:

Db curls 5 x 10

Dips 5 x 20

Superset: 3 x 10, plus one to failure

Side laterals

Rear laterals

Smith machine squats: 5 x 15

Lunges: 4 x 15

Bench step-ups: 3 x 15

Leg curls: 1 x 50, used rest-pause until I reached the full 50 reps; first failure was around 33 reps

Stretching:

15 minutes

Nutrition:

Total macros:

Carbs 303 gm

Protein 149 gm

Fat 64 gm

Water:

5 liters

_________________

Just checking in to see how you're doing....Email me with an update when you get a chance. Thanks!

Just checking in to see how you're doing....Email me with an update when you get a chance. Thanks!

Just checking in to see how you're doing....Email me with an update when you get a chance. Thanks!

Just checking in to see how you're doing. What has your weight done over the past few days? Have you been able to increase your water intake? Send me an update when you get a chance. Thanks!

Since the eliptical seems to be working okay for you, try doing intervals on it now (HIIT).

I'm so sorry to hear about your finger, Jesse. Just do what you can. But if you have to, lay off the weight training and get in as much cardio as you can this week.

Your weight is still steadily dropping. Yay!! Be patient and keep at it. You didn't put on the extra weight in a few weeks; so it won't all come off (permanently) that quickly. You're doing great! Keep it up! : )

I'll take a look at things more closely and send you an email shortly.

1/13/12

Weight:

112.8 lbs

Training:

Rest day

I'm changing my workout split again. This week has been slightly modified. But beginning next week, I'm going to a 4-day split, plus an additional "bonus day" to hit some body parts a second time. And I will only be doing cardio once per week. This is my plan for the next 6 weeks or so. Depending on how I look around mid-February, I will begin my pre-contest phase somewhere between the end of February and mid-March, which would give me 12-14 weeks pre-contest for a June show.

Nutrition:

Total macros:

Carbs 298 gm

Protein 149 gm

Fat 69 gm

Water:

5 liters

1/12/12:

Weight:

112.6 lbs

Training:

Back

Warmup:

Sun Salutations

Ez bar underhand row: 5 x 10

Seated cable row: 5 x 10

Flat bench pullovers: 4 x 15

Power cleans: 5 x 8

Rope pulldowns: 4 x 10

Machine deadlifts: 5 x 10

Stretching:

10 minutes

Nutrition:

Macros:

Carbs 299 gm

Protein 148 gm

Fat 67 gm

Water:

5 liters

1/11/12:

Weight:

112.6 lbs

Training:

Chest / delts

Warmup:

Internal & external rotations

Sun Salutations

Incline db presses: 4 x 10 (last set to failure)

Incline flys: 4 x 15

Pushups: 4 x failure

Machine shoulder presses: 4 x 10

Side laterals: 5 x 15 (last set to failure)

Rear laterals: 5 x 15 (last set to failure)

Stretching:

10 minutes

Nutrition:

Macros:

Carbs 296 gm

Protein 153 gm

Fat 71 gm

Water:

5 liters

I don't want to bother you. But just know that someone you've never met is thinking about you and wondering how you're doing. Hang in there! It will get better.

If you feel up to it, check in with me. If not, I completely understand.

Big hug!

Update me when you get a chance, Kim. Thanks!

Email me with an update when you get a chance. How are you feeling? I see that your weight hasn't gone down. But that doesn't mean you're not improving!! Remember, the scale is a tool. But it's not the whole picture. Take some more progress photos and compare them to the "before" shots. You may just be retaining a little water OR you may have put on a little more muscle, which would be GREAT!

As soon as you can get into the habit of tracking macros, I can zero in on small changes you may be able to make. Your increase in water is good. Keep it going!

Your workouts look great! : )

How are you doing, Jesse? How is your strength and stamina during your workouts? Update me when you get a chance. Are you sleeping any better?

Robert is right, Zach. You're doing fantastic!

I will email you in a bit.

1/10/12:

Weight:

112.4 lbs

Training:

No weight training. 30 minutes pre-breakfast cardio.

Nutrition:

Water with glutamine and BCAAs prior to cardio.

Meal 1: (post-cardio)

Green smoothie with banana, baby spinach, brown rice protein powder, BCAAs, glutamine

Meal 2:

Steel cut oats with cinnamon, raw walnuts, an apple

Meal 3:

Lentil and eggplant soup

Marinated kale and broccoli

Meal 4:

Mixed greens salad with seitan, purple onion, red bell pepper

Homemade raw cashew dressing

Sweet potato

Meal 5:

Black bean soup with sliced avocado

Meal 6:

Edamame & sushi

Before bed:

Hummus and veggies

Water with glutamine

Macros:

Carbs 297 gm

Protein 148 gm

Fat 67 gm

Water:

5 liters