I always try to get six days in every week because it allows a full week’s workout cycle and one full day of full body muscle recovery. I typically like to schedule this workout cycle from Monday to Sat with Sun off or Sunday to Fri with Sat off. In theory both of these workout cycles sound great and both of these schedules on paper look solid but in reality they are both flawed because they rely on me making into the gym on Sat or Sun. On Friday when I’m leaving the gym I’m thinking to myself, “alright man tomorrow when you wake up, just throw back some protein water, hit the gym first thing and enjoy the rest of the day.” But when I wake up on Saturday I think to myself, “I’m already sweating tequila and I haven’t even started working out” or I think “man I just worked a 55 hour week; I can do my sixth day tomorrow on Sun and then start the six day cycle going form Sun to Fri.” And if I think the later I will wake up on Sunday and think to myself “Ah man I have a full week of work starting tomorrow I should either have a crazy wild extended weekend and suffer through Monday or I should sit on my butt and do nothing for a change and truly enjoy the day.” Both of these scenarios are killers of my 6 day cycles, which ultimately makes me disappointed and angry with myself. But they only become killers if I let them.

Now, I am fully aware that not everyone spends there weekends boozing and being counter productive like I find myself doing every so often, but I am also aware that both Saturday and Sunday are the weekend days, and no matter how you look at them, you don’t want to be doing work. You deserve that time off, truly you do, but you also know how mad you are going to be with yourself if you break your routine cycles for reasons that are trite and mundane. Lately I haven’t missed a cycle, but it’s not because I stopped getting Mexican food at 3 am on a Fri/Sat Night/Morning or that I started writing my congressmen on ways they could improve the country in my spare time. I am still that same unproductive wreck from 6 pm on Friday to 7 am on Monday morning, the only difference is that I actually stepped foot into the gym. I know this sounds like the dumbest thing ever but it is truly the only way for me to get into the gym on the weekends. I can sit there and come up with a million and two excuses as to why I shouldn’t work out on my days off, but if I set foot in the actual gym its like any other day. For example I was, for a lack of better words, hung over about five Saturdays ago, when I woke up. My head was pounding and my stomach was more than edgy and I told myself just go up to the gym and try to at least get half a work out in. The first two sets were like kicking bricks, they just plain hurt. But after that I felt a whole lot better. My body began to detoxify and my morale jumped up several levels. Not only did I complete my cycle and my workout but I had a great rest of the day because I didn’t feel like such a pile. The same thing happened to me last week, but I wasn’t hung over. Last Saturday morning I woke up, dead sober from not drinking the night before, and I just went to the gym before I could convince myself otherwise. Ever since that Saturday morning five weeks back I have yet to miss a cycle, because the first thing I do when I wake up is go straight to the gym and if once I am in the gym I don’t feel like I can do a whole work out, I don’t. And I am perfectly ok with that, because I physically didn’t have the strength not because I was just being a lazy oaf. So if you struggle with these weekend work outs, just don’t let time kill you, get up get into the gym and get on with your day…you will feel a lot better unless you really did drink too much the night before and in that case…well I’m sorry and you should seek counseling…j/k but seriously).

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Hello Friends,

 I hope you had a great week. I am kind of bummed. I weighed in and haven’t lost one stinkin’ pound in a month! I have been cleaning houses on the side to help make ends meet. I have been cleaning 3-6 hours a day! My weight did not budge. I feel I let my friends, Designer Whey, and myself down. I know it has to be because my eating plan gets all messed up. I can’t seem to get on track or stick to my schedule when I am working. In between houses I have been eating a handful of nuts and that may contribute to not losing weight…too many nuts! I need to pre mix my Designer Whey powders and carry a cooler with some fruit, maybe a sandwich and eat that instead of a handful of nuts all day long.

 I am reading a book called ‘Chris Johnson’s On Target Living Nutrition: The Power of Feeling Your Best’. It puts nutrition in very simple terms. Chris Johnson is a Michigan native and lives in the Lansing area. I just started reading. And as I do, I will share with my friends what I learn. One thing I get from flipping through the book is we don’t have to be perfect. To live an 80/20 mix of our healthy plan; that means 80% of the time stay on target the other 20% give our self some slack. I have never seen a book so simple. It lays it all out for you. They give you a list of “target foods” which consist of a variety of proteins, carbs and healthy fats. The list is starts out as the best foods, better foods, good foods, fair foods, and poor food choices;  basically take small steps to changing your health. The book suggests if you are starting a ground zero to do these 3 simple things. Drink 2-3 bottles of water a day, best if its spring water or mineral water (you can refill), walk for 10 minutes a day and to eat 1-2 proteins, 1-2 carbs and 1-2 healthy fats from the ‘best list’ from the list they give you in the book. Slow and steady wins the race! For me, simple is good. This book has me excited and recharged again.

 Did you watch the Biggest Loser this pass week? Were you shocked at the end result? I thought the black team would for sure lose with their binge episode. Jillian was right…they still do not get it…I don’t either. I have to admit I would have done the same thing if I was let loose on 24 hours of pampering. I know I would have because I’ve been to a buffet with my daughter on a field trip. I did well but the dessert table called me. I really had to restrain myself to one dessert and thankfully I was able; because if it had not been time to get back on the bus I would have had more helpings. I wish I had a mindful spirit to resist eating too much but I struggle and have to “talk” to myself and hold my self back. I do not have a natural desire to just say no.

 I will write again soon. Take care , Friends.

 Camille

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Happy March, Friends…it’s suppose to warm up this weekend here in Michigan…Bring it on! I hope this finds you healthier then the day before. I have been thinking about patterns and realized that everything is based on a pattern. I, like a lot of Americans have lived an unhealthy pattern. If you pay attention to Bob, one of the “Biggest Loser” trainers he said to be healthy the pattern is “Fuel -> Move -> Rest. For me it was always Move -> Rest -> Fuel -> Rest some more. So I had it wrong.

Our church is having a diet and nutrition course for the next few weeks. I am learning a lot and thought I would share with you all what I have learned in just one session.

To stop cravings – eat every 3 hours small meals that include protein.

Exercise: How much and how long – You only need 30 minutes a day of cardio. Cardio is simply raising your heart rate higher then your sitting heart rate. Here is something interesting… you do not need to do 30 minutes in a row. I never seem to fit in 30 minutes a day then felt bad but if you do 3 – 10 minute work outs or even if you start out doing 5 minutes – 6 times a day that works! You can jog in place, jump rope, dance, rebound or anything that will get your heart rate above your sitting rate even… sex… LOL. OK, now run home and tell your husband its exercise time!

You need 1 hour each week strength training – it does not take very many pounds for strength. 2 – 5 pound weights is great! Carry a weight in your car and do bicep curls driving…ummm… one arm at a time! You can use soup cans or water bottles. I say use water bottles that you refill then after you are done doing reps, drink the water!

You need flexibility every day – stretching, bend touch your toes when you get out of bed, stand up from your computer. Practice flexibility anytime. Just get some stretching in wherever you can. That’s it to stay fit.

It’s best to exercise …ANYTIME! Morning does revs up your metabolism and helps keep it going all day.

The figure below is how to figure out how many calories you need to lose 1 pound a week just by your food intake. **Add exercise and you lose more!

1. Add 655 to this calculation 4.35 X Weight in Pounds
2. Add your answer to this calculation 4.7 X Height in inches
3. Subtract your answer to this calculation 4.7 X age
4. Subtract 500 calories

This equals the number of calories you need to take in each day to lose 1 pound a week. Not doing anything but this formula you could lose 52 pounds a year!

My weight is 278, Height 69 inches and I am 41
655 + 1209.3 (4.35 X 278) + 324.3 (4.7 X 69) – 192.7 (4.7 X 41) – 500 = 1495.9 calories a day. (1500 is close enough!)

To figure out how much water you need to drink a day it’s your weight divided by 2. My weigh is 278, I should be drinking 139 oz of water a day… whoa sure will be pee’n a lot! That’s over a gallon a day! That is hard to see doing but I think I will make it a goal to drink a gallon of water a day… Or lose weight so I don’t have to drink that much!

I hope this helps you with your weight loss journey. Start with figuring out your resting heart rate add a little more movement every day and before you know it you will have worked yourself up to 30 minutes of cardio a day. I will close for now…

Until next time… Camille from Michigan

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Did you watch “Biggest Loser” this week? I did and I tell ya I get so excited to see my whey being used on the show. This week Designer Whey’s Powder was featured right before the last chance work out with a contestant mixing the “Biggest Loser Protein” into his water bottle and a promo too!

  I found interesting that Bob the trainer talked to Mikey about having to eat to lose weight. That still boggles my mind as it still did with Mikey. We are sooooo conditioned to think if we don’t eat, that it is the best way to lose weight. I’ve fallen into the thinking all my life and it has not got me anywhere. I am changing my thinking and see that I need to eat properly and exercise every day. I start my day by filling my 24 oz water bottle and a packet of orange mango 2go packet, take my vitamins, and have a cup of coffee. Then I take my kids to school. When I get back home I have breakfast; usually cottage cheese, toast and a fruit. Then I do sometime of movement. I can feel the difference and Thursday is my weigh in. I weigh in with a group once a month. I know I will see it move down again. So until Thursday and beyond I hope you all see the need to feed your self properly and get moving.

 Take Care,

 Camille

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