Chicken Piccata coated in Flax Meal

Chicken Piccata coated in Flax Meal

This recipe submitted by Leslie Rogers. 

Ingredients

4 sliced thin thicken breasts
2/3 cup of flax meal 

2-3 Tbs of Italian seasoning

1 egg white lightly beaten

S/P to taste

Glaze

1/2 cup low sodium/low fat chicken broth

1 lemon, juiced

Kale

Capers

Optional: Sliced Applies

Instructions

1) season chicken w/ salt and pepper, 

2) mix the Italian seasoning with the flax meal. 

3) Dredge chicken in egg white and then the flax meal/seasonings 

4) place in a pan with 1-2 tbs of olive oil heated on medium high. 

5) cook for a few minutes on each side until cooked, remove from pan.

6) Deglaze the pan with 1/2c of low sodium/fat chicken broth and juice of one lemon, add kale and capers and braise. Place chicken on top of the kale.

Add some sliced apple to this which adds a little sweetness.   

Turkey Meatloaf with Rosemary and Almond Meal

Turkey Meatloaf with Rosemary and Almond Meal

This is a really quick way to enjoy some lean ground turkey. I used the same recipe mix to cook the meat two different ways. The Turkey Meatballs are described here.

This was honestly one of the most flavorful, moist dishes I've ever prepared, even when eaten as leftovers one & two days later.  

Ingredients
16 oz of lean ground turkey
1 3.5 oz package of crumbled low fat feta cheese (optional: With tomato & basil seasoning)
1/2 cup of almond flour/almond meal
1/3 cup of egg whites
Far out Feather Dust** to taste (momsgourmet.net)

Directions
Mix the Turkey, feta cheese, almond meal and egg whites in a large mixing bowl.   Shake on the far out feather dust or other poultry seasoning to taste.  I used mabye 1/4 tsp. 

Press the turkey mixture into a small loaf pan with at least 1/4" to 1/2" space remaining at the top. I'm not quite sure why...but this recipe rises nicely!   Take a sprig of fresh rosemary and break off the smaller branches. press lightly into the top of the loaf.

Heat the oven to 325 degrees and bake for 45 minutes to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

Let cool and serve immediately sliced with your favorite greens on the side, or cover and place in the fridge for amazing lunch leftovers.

Additional ingredients used for the meatloaf (rosemary) and the meatballs (coconut oil)

Small Turkey Meatloaf pan before baking. Sprigs of Rosemary pressed into surface of loaf.

Cooked 45 minutes @ 325 F to internal temp of 160

Nutritional information for the almond meal

Low Fat Feta Cheese Nutritional Info

Turkey Meatballs in Coconut Oil

Turkey Meatballs grilled in Olive Oil

This is a really quick way to enjoy some lean ground turkey. I used the same recipe mix to cook the meat two different ways. For simplicity of each post I'll cover the Turkey Meatloaf in a 2nd post.

These were a cross between meatballs and burgers. The consistency of the ground turkey mixture was soft enough taht itwas easier to form balls and drop them in the pan. But as they cooked i worried that they wouldn't cook through so I flattened them a bit. No matter what you call them, this is still a GREAT way to enjoy some lean turkey meat.

(Gluten Free, Diary Free, Soy Free)

Ingredients
16 oz of lean ground turkey
1 3.5 oz package of crumbled feta cheese (optional: With tomato & basil)
1/2 cup of almond flour/almond meal
1/3 cup of egg whites
Far out Feather Dust** to taste (momsgourmet.net)
1 tablespoon Coconut Oil

Directions
Mix the Turkey, feta cheese, almond meal and egg whites in a large mixing bowl.   Shake on the far out feather dust or other poultry seasoning to taste.  I used mabye 1/4 tsp.

Melt the Coconut oil in a skillet and drop small spoonfuls of the turkey mixture into the skillet and saute for a few minutes turning once when browned.

Show here served with sliced cold kiwi slices. Cold cucumber slices would also make a great side serving.

** Far out feather dust contains chili, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, fennel, garlic and marjoram.

Parchment Baked Tilapia with Ginger, Carrots & Garlic

This was my first experience cooking with parchment paper, and it was fantastic!

Meets the 90/10 Nutrition Guidelines


Serves 2
Nutrition Information:

p90x Portions
1 Protein
1 Veggie
1/2 Fat

Ingredients: 
Tilapia Fillets (2)
Fresh Basil Leaves sliced lengthwise in 1/8" strips (10-20 leaves)
1 Clove minced Garlic
1/4 " minced ginger root
1/2 Cup shredded carrots
2 tsp Olive Oil
2 tsp White Wine or Cooking Wine
2 sheets of parchment paper
Cooking Spray


Instructions:
Preheat Oven to 450 degrees

Mince, grate and slice the carrots, basil, garlic and ginger and set aside

Prepare 2 sheets of parchment paper (nonbleached) with a light spray of olive oil

Lay each piece of thawed Tilapia in the middle of the parchment

Sprinkle the sliced basil leaves, ginger, garlic and shredded carrot over each piece

Drizzle 1 tsp each of olive oil and white wine over each piece

Fold parchment over the fish fillet and seal remaining three edges with small narrow folds or rolls.

Bake for 15 minutes until parchment is puffed up.  Slice open parchment to allow steam to escape and serve as is, or slide it out and serve on the plate with your sides.

Parchment Baked Tilapia with Basil, Ginger, Carrots & Garlic poached with white wine and Olive Oil

90/10 Traffic Light Food Zones Based on Michi's Ladder

**Thanks to Coach Ryan Chapman for organizing Michi's Ladder into a much simpler system to follow here ** 

Green Light Zone 90% of Calories from this Tier, no need to track them
Proteins	Carbohydrates	Fats
Beef, Lean cuts (between 10% and 20% fat) Cottage Cheese (F) Egg Whites Fish (Broiled, Steamed, Grilled) Fowl (skinless, dark meat) Fowl, Ground (between 10% and 20% fat) Lamb, lean Shakeology Yogurt (Greek or Regular, unsweetened) (F)	Apples Applesauce (raw, unsweetened) Artichokes Asparagus Bananas Beans (low sodium if canned) (P) Beets Berries (fresh) Bok Choy Bread products (100% Whole Wheat only, no HFCS) Broccoli Broths (low sodium only) Brussell Sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Citrus Fruits Coffee (Black) Corn CousCous (100% whole wheat) Cucumbers Dates Eggplant Figs Garlic (fresh, not powdered) Granola (raw, no sugar or preservatives) Grapes Greens, Leafy (all types) Herbs Hummus Kiwi Lentils (P) Lettuce Mangoes Melons Milk (fat free or whole raw) (P)(F) Muesli (raw, no sugar or preservatives) Mushrooms Nectarines, Peaches Oatmeal Onions Papaya Pasta (100% Whole Wheat) Pears Peas Peppers Pineapple Plantains Plums, Prunes Quinoa (P) Radishes Raisins Rice (Brown and Wild) Spelt Squash Stevia Sweet Potatoes, Yams Tea (unsweetened) Tomatoes Vegetable Juice Vinegar Water Yacon Syrup Zucchini	Almond Milk (unsweetened and unflavored) Avocados Butter, Unsalted Coconut Flaxseed Hempseed Nut Butters (raw, unsalted) (P) Nut Butters (roasted, unsalted) (P) Nuts (raw, unsalted) (P) Nuts (roasted, unsalted) (P) Olive Oil Olives Sunflower Seeds
Yellow Light Zone 10% of Calories for this tier...keep track of these only
Proteins	Carbohydrates	Fats
Beef, ground and cuts (greater than 20% fat) Beef, Lean cuts (between 10% and 20% fat) Canadian Bacon Fowl (skinless, dark meat) Fowl (with skin) Fowl, Ground (between 10% and 20% fat) Fowl, Ground (greater than 20% fat) Ham Hot Dogs (Turkey) Jerky (Turkey) Lamb, lean Pork (fatty cuts, pork chops, etc) Veal	Applesauce (big brand) Agave Nectar Broths Corn Tortillas and Tortilla Chips Crackers (whole grain only) Chili (not homemade, no sugar or lard added) Granola (not raw, no sugar added) Honey Jam or Marmalade (no sugar added) Lettuce (Iceberg) Maple Syrup (natural, no sugar added) Milk (1% or 2%) (P)(F) Muesli (big brand) Molasses Oatmeal (Flavored and sweetened) Pancakes (buckwheat or whole wheat, not 100%) Pickles Popcorn (plain) Potatoes (baked or boiled) Refried Beans (low-fat) Rice Cakes Rice Milk Rice (white) Sauerkraut Sugar alcohols (anything ending in -tol) Tortillas (whole wheat, not 100%) Wine Artificial Sweeteners (sucralose, aspartame, saccharine, etc) Bagels (Refined Flour) Beer Bread (Refined Flour) Chips (low-fat, baked) Coffee (sweetened and/or creamed, includes lattes, etc) Crackers (not whole grain) Graham Crackers Ice Cream (sugar or fat free) Jell-o Juice (from concentrate) Milk (whole, not raw) Muffins Nut Butters (big brand, not natural) Popcorn (with salt and butter) Pancakes Pasta Pretzels (not 100% whole wheat) Sauces (steak, BBQ, ketchup, etc) Sherbet Soup, Canned (creamy) Soy Sauce Yogurt (frozen)	Almond Milk (sweetened and/or flavored) Butter (salted) Canola Oil Mayonaise
Red Light Zone Just avoid these for 6 weeks..see how you feel!
Alcohol (hard liquor) Cake Candy Cereal (sugared) Chips (potato or corn) Milk Chocolate Cinnamon Roll Coffee (extremely sugared and full cream versions, mochas, lattes, etc) Cookies Creamed Veggies Creamer (non-dairy) Doughnuts Energy Drinks (sugared versions) Fast Food (unless you can verify all ingredients are from upper Tiers) Fried Foods of any kind (excludes items litghly sauteed in EVOO) Gravy High Fructose Corn Syrup Hot Dogs Hydrogenated Foods Ice Cream Juice (sugar added) Margarine Pastries Pies Pizza (restaurant) Salad Dressing (creamy, full fat) Sausage Soft Drinks, Diet Soft Drinks, Regular Sports Drinks and Sports Nutrition Products (unless you are seriously training and using them properly) Syrup Sugar Vegetable Oil (big brand)

5 Things to Do Before Your 90/10 Nutrition Challenge Starts

Doing these 5 things will help you succeed in your 90/10 Nutrition Challenge.

Tip 1)  Set a realistic goal and TELL someone about it.  You don't have to tell the whole world, but tell some one you trust outside of the challenge group.  Letting others know your goal makes it more real to you and improves your chances of success.

Tip 2) Clear your kitchen and Pantry of any RED ZONE foods!  Don't even let there be a temptation.  If you live with someone else, or even a whole family, make sure that they understand what you are doing and if possible, get rid of ALL the forbidden food sin the house. If this is not possible, designate a small cupboard or pantry area for those Red Zone foods that other people in your family will still eat.  When the family sees yoru results, everyone will be ready to ditch the bad stuff.

Tip 3)  Get your SPOUSE or SIGNIFICANT OTHER on board.  This is vital. Even if your spouse or significant other is not interested in following the challenge with you, they will most certainly want to support you in your effort to become healthier.  You may be surprised with how much they will go out of their way if they KNOW what you are trying to achieve. But they won't know unless you tell them.

Tip 4)  Take Photos and Measurements in the week before you start. YOu are about to start a great journey and you can't go back and take them again later!  You'll be really glad you have these in the future, even if you don't want to look at them now or show them to anyone.

This video will help with doing pics

This video will help with measurements

Tip 5) Plan your meals ahead of time, especially dinners which tend to be more involved.  Keep things simple if you like or go ahead and let your inner gourmet cook shine...just plan ahead.   Here is a blog post that describes how I plan my dinners in just 20 minutes a week.


Ready to get involved?
Step 1)  Read the main 90/10 Nutrition Challenge page here to get up to speed if you haven't read it yet.
Step 2)  Review the 7 Rules and make sure you are ready to commit!

In order to participate in my 90/10 Nutrition challenge group, simply click  HERE  to make me your coach.. If I am your coach, send me an email or message and let me know you want to participate in the challenge.  After you email me at coach@steelcityendurance.com, you will receive an email (within 24 hours) with final instructions for being added to the group and getting your Shakeology ordered.
 

7 Rules of the 90/10 Nutrition Challenge

Here are the 7 Rules of the 90/10 Nutrition Challenge

These rules are simple enough to be easy to follow, yet firm enough to guarantee success as long as you want to succeed!  Once you've decided to commit to the challenge you MUST take action in order to reach your goals. 

Rule 1) Commit to the first 2 weeks before deciding if you need to modify the rules or diet.  For many people, changing to the 90/10 nutrition will mean significant changes in the amount of refined carbohydrates and sugars that they eat.  This shift in energy use by your body can cause fatigue, headaches and a foggy feeling in some people.  Unless you already have a clean diet, it's almost a guarantee you'll feel tired and foggy the first 2-5 days.  You MUST decide ahead of time that you will push through this phase because the rewards are so great.  This is an unsolicited comment from a challenger on only day 8 of  Power 90 which basically follows the 90/10 plan:

I find myself not being as hungry as a used to and less food filling me up  - Patrick M.

The rewards are worth it so decide and commit to succeed.

Rule 2) You must eat 90% of your daily calories from the "Green Light Zone".   Eat from these food selections until about 80% full and then wait 15 minutes before finishing any remaining food.   You don't have to count and track this 90% closely...for some folks like me, it simply becomes too tedious. If your foods are all Green Light Foods then you'll be getting great nutrition & fiber as well.

Rule 3) You may eat 10% of your daily calories from the "Yellow Light" or Caution foods.   These foods are fine in moderation...so we carefully measure only these foods and STOP at 10%.  If your daily calorie goal is 2000 calories, then you'd limit yourself to just 200 calories from this group.  Remember, you don't HAVE to eat from this tier, but you may.  Just be sure you track this 10% closely.

Rule 4) All foods in the "Red Light" Zone are OFF LIMITS for the duration of this challenge.    Now I know that we are not perfect, I certainly am not. If you eat from this Zone during the challenge, it needs to be a conscious decision and an exception to your daily habits!  And you MUST fess up in the challenge group!!!  It's OK...just get it out of your system, we will still love you. :)

Rule 5) Drink your Shakeology every day!  You must be on Shakeology Home Direct with me as your coach.  Drinking your Shakeology every day is the best way to add fiber, antioxidants, probiotics and greens along with protein & carbs from plant sources!   Shakeology is a clean, Good to GO meal that is very versatile.  You can drink it first thing in the morning as is or with added fruit, yogurt or almond butter for example.  You can drink it pre workout, post workout or as a between meal snack.   If you're working 12 or even 16 hour shifts...this is a fantastic thing to have...it's really saved me during many a work day!

Rule 6)  Be active in the Facebook challenge group. Make quick daily posts, "like" others comments and in general get involved with the others int he group. We are all there to help and motivate each other and keep each other accountable.

Rule 7)  Plan to Succeed!!   Follow the Five Getting Started Tips (which will also be posted in the facebook group prior to day 1) to give yourself the best chance of success.



Want to get involved?  

First, Make me your Beachbody Coach by clicking HERE to set up a free account.   Check here for the next challenge group start, and then send me an email at coach AT steelcityendurance.com to let me know when you are ready to order your Shakelogy on home direct. I will walk you through the process.  Don't hesitate to ask me any questions or leave questions here in the comment section.

Too busy for Meal Plannign? Think again! 20 minutes on a Sunday afternoon.

This week I sat down for the first time in years and planned out a weeks menu of dinner or main course items.   Up to this point I don't plan too far ahead, and have been following the portion based approach to nutrition.  However  seeing my friend Ryan Chapman's blog photos of his weekly meal planning I was intrigued and actually a little bit jealous.

I've always told myself I don't have time to plan menus, shop & cook.   That was about 6 months ago I first saw Ryan's post about his weekly planning. This week Ryan challenged me to just sit down and try it...and see if it didn't save me time overall.  He said 15-20 minutes tops for the planning portion which is the most important part of the week.

He actually made it sound fun, so this is what I did.

1) I'd just bought a pretty new journal without knowing exactly how I'd use it.  It has a nice durable orange cover with an elastic band to keep it closed and fits nicely in my had when holding it open.  So I made it my nutrition journal!

2) I sat down with 3 cookbooks I've had for awhile, the p90x Nutrition Guide, The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno, and The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet.   If you do this, it can be any 2 or 3 cookbooks...just grab some and sit down with yoru journal!

3) Across 2 open pages of the journal I wrote the following columns. On the left hand side I wrote these headings:  Day, Page and Book.  On the right side of the double page I wrote these headings: Recipe and Nutrition. 

4) Down the left hand side I wrote the days of the week.  I only planned to plan for 3 or 4 nights so that I wouldn't end up with a long shopping list. I need to keep my shopping trips short & simple or else I get overwhelmed easily

5) I browsed through the books and picked out 5 different recipes that all sounded yummy & yet simple plus a few things I"ve wanted to try like cooking with parchment paper.  As I found a recipe, I wrote down the page number and the book, the name of the recipe and simple nutrition information in the form of Calories  grams or fats/protein/carbs.  (So a recipe might look like this:  221 cal  2g/11g/30g) 

6)  As I wrote down the name of each recipe I jotted down a shopping list on another page in the same book. 

The whole process took only about 15-20 minutes to do.  

So today I went to the store with the list and I couldn't believe it...shopping only took me about 20 minutes!   I was so impressed with how quickly I got in and out.  My list had exactly 20 items on it and I checked each one off as I found it, and only had to sub for one item...adn it was a sub for the better...fresh green chilis rather than canned.   






Stay tuned for details of my first yummy recipes from this adventure.  Parchment baked Tilapia, Green Chile-Cilantro Rice and Baby Mixed Greens salad with blueberries. 



 

Week 9 p90x Lean -Emerging Abs & Hipbones! Baggy Clothes to boot.

Yesterday was day 57/90 for me. This is the furthest I've ever made it in my p90x program. I've been light on the workouts during phase 2, but continuing with the nutrition I've continued to lose weight and bodyfat. 

Due to travel last week I didn't train as intensely as I wanted to, but did swim daily and ran once.   My calorie burn was definately down, and fearful of gaining back my total calories were probably pretty low...maybe 1200-1500?

Today I jumped back into Chest & Back for phase 3 and I was crushed. Bonked hard...most likely due to lack of stored glycogen from not eating a lot of excess calories.   I did my best and forget the rest and then ate an amazing meal that I'll post here soon.

Here's a picture I took this morning...this is the leanest I've been in several years. 

Today's weight 144.4 Waist 29" Hips 39" Body fat %age 29%!

The reason I took this photo today is because I'm finally seeing my hip bones emerging with some definition in my abdominal area.   You can even see my ribs in this picture!  p90x Lean works to cut body fat...but only if you follow the nutrition plan!

I like this photo a lot...you can see a small belly there, but the pants I'm wearing were too tight just 6 months ago and now they are actually baggy!  This shirt was a gift from one of my Ironman Athletes after he completed Ironman Arizona...and it's always been snug.  Today it feels great, and you can even see it's big on me in some areas.

I'm so pleased with how things are going so far...very proud of myself.     If I can do it, you can do it too.

P90x Lean End of Week 7 updates and measurements

I just returned from a 9 day coaching trip, where we lived out of a Studio 6 Extended stay suite with kitchenette. We worked from about 8 am to 5 or 6 pm each night wiht groups of students and trainee coaches, then spent several hours each night reviewing, planning and organizing the photos & videos of the day.  With 3 of us sharing 1 rental car and the pool about 30 minutes away, the commuting and grocery shopping time as well as any small errands also consumed up to 2-3 hours each day.

Little time at all was left for personal fitness or training.  I did manage to do a small amount of Yoga each day. I traveled with my set of bands, and rather than taking my DVDs I purchsed the ipad app for all thep90x exercises...but they never downloaded.   Must have been the hotel wifi I guess, but I was dissapointed to not get my Tony fix.

it's just as well since there was so littel personal time.

One thing I AM happy about though was maintaining my diet. We spent a little more money shopping at whole foods for groceries than I normally would, but again with 3 people in one car and concerns about food allergies/sensitivities, it just would have been too time consuming ot shop at 2 grocery stores rather than one.   We were also able to share foods with each other so that less would go to waste.

I felt skinny and lean most of hte time on the trip and was sure I'd been losing weight. The last few days I cheated a bit with maybe 1 or 2 extra squares of chocolate that I would not have normally had.

I loved all the photos I was in, check this one out from the back. I love the definition that's starting to appear in my shoulders & waist, let alone the hint of muscle definition in the back.

And here are this week's numbers & Measurements:

Day 50/90
Weight: 145.3 lb (Lost 9.1 lbs)
Chest: 37"  (Circumference the same, but smaller volume, yay)
Waist: 29"  (lost 3.5"
Hips: 39"  (lost 2")

Body Mass Index:	25.8  kg/m2
Waist-to-Height ratio:	0.47
Percent Body Fat:	30.3%
Lean Body Mass:	101.3 lb

Total Fat Lost: 14.7 lbs!
Total Muscle Gained: 5.6 lbs


And the comparisons from 2 weeks ago (week 5, I missed week 6 numbers)

Day 35/90
Weight 146.6 (Lost 7.8 lbs )
Chest: 37"  
Hips 40" 
Thighs 22" (left) 22.5" (right)
Waist:  29.5"(yeah)


And the bodyfat summary from
http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html

Body Mass Index:	26.0  kg/m2
Waist-to-Height ratio:	0.47
Percent Body Fat:	30.9%
Lean Body Mass:	101.3 lb

What I find especially interesting is that my body fat percentage has continued to drop slowly, while my lean body mass stayed the same. This is fairly consistent with what I expected sicne I've been following good nutrition, but not doing as much exercise due to the travel. It's nice to see the bodyfat calculator website showing results that seem consistent.

A Goal Setting Dilemma - Lean Body Mass vs. Body Fat Percentage

A peek inside my brain. Lean Body Mass on the left axis. Body Fat %age on the Top Axis. The 2 Red squares represent my starting point and Yesterday's point. The colored bars represent a range of Body Weight Targets. 

Here's what I find so interesting. If your sole goal is a body weight in lbs, how does that break down into lean muscle and body fat %age? If I continue adding muscle like I have been...I'll have to cut my body fat %age to 21% to reach my "goal weight". 

If I continue the same rate of both body fat reduction AND lean body mass (muscle) building over the next 5 weeks, I'll still be 7 lbs over my goal weight. 

Unless I had a chart like this, it would be easy to get frustrated with slow weight loss. Thank goodness I'm not single minded like that. :)

Frrthermore...if I STOP exercising...and keep working with my diet, I'll reach my goal weight much sooner...but I don't want to stop exercising, lol.  I'll take the yellow or even red band for weight target if my lean body mass increases another 6 lbs, over the other combination (same lean mass, lower BF %age)

Just thought I'd share!

p90x Week 6 Day 1 (lean version) Core Synergistics

So this is Week 6, Day 1of my p90x Lean program.   I was getting a little bit disappointed in myself because during the first recovery week, I used it as an excuse to basically not do anything at all. The firs today or two I told myself I needed the extra rest.  Then it just got hard to find the time to fit the workout in.   To be fair, I did get in the water for about 7 minutes prior to one of my swim clinics...but I can't really count that for much.

Last week, Week 5, I only did 2 of the workouts, I did Core Synergistics and I did a Power 90 routine, Sculpt 1-2.   Both went really well, and i hadn't really lost any fitness, I just didn't have that awesome feeling I get when I feel like my muscles are actively growing!   I missed it.

I DID follow the nutrition plan well for both weeks and actually decreased my caloric intake almost naturally to compensate for the decreased activity.


This week, in fact, this AM while laying in bed feeling like I'd blown it for this round of p90x I tried to distance myself from my head and my feelings.  I thought about it in terms of what I'd tell one of my own athletes for Steel City Endurance, and just keep on with the schedule without trying to make up any missed exercises.  I went back and forth trying to place some kind of a value judgement on myself.  The I realized it didn't really matter.  Just do something, get back in the game, get back in the routine.

Since i"m currently in a beachbody challenge group with my coach Ryan, I figured it'd be easier to just jump in on week 6.   The bonus is that this will give me 2 weeks "on" before my next recovery week.  I had been feeling pretty tired & sore in week 3 and actually think that  2 week on, 1 week recovery (not "off") plan would be really good for me.

of course, I can rationalize anything, but with that decision made I jumpt right back in and absolutely CRUSHED Core Synergistics tonight.

I'm feeling great and I fit into my skinny shorts again...and they are actually kind of baggy.  I'm liking this.

p90x Week 5 Weight loss results

The past 2 weeks have been tough..week four was a recovery week and I got really out of the habit of trianig. I was tired and used that as a mental excuse for NOT doing the DVDs.  While it may be OK physically, getting out of hte routine habit really set me back for this week.

I did 2 workouts this week, but have been really foolowing the diet. Feeling pretty good but I notice a difference when I'm exercising less.

Here are this week's measurements & weights and thoughts

Day 35/90
Weight 146.6 (Lost 7.8 lbs )
Chest: 37"  
Hips 40" 
Thighs 22" (left) 22.5" (right)
Waist:  29.5"(yeah)


And the bodyfat summary from
http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html

Body Mass Index:	26.0  kg/m2
Waist-to-Height ratio:	0.47
Percent Body Fat:	30.9%
Lean Body Mass:	101.3 lb

Total weight loss 7.8 lbs
Body fat starting: 37.7% (OMG!)
Lean Body mass starting: 95.7 lbs

Current body fat: 30.9%  (Awesome!)
Current lean body mass: 101.3

Which means that I have gained 5.6 lbs of muscle mass, and lost 13.4  lbs of Fat!

At my goal weight of 135lbs, maintaining 101.3 lbs of lean body weight, my BF% would be  25%.  That sounds pretty nice!  

At a BF% of 20% maintaining current lean body mass, my weight would be...  127lbs.  That's sounding more realistic than last week's weight of 120lbs for 20% BF.

it's pretty cool to see how losing weight and defining yourself by your BF %age requires addition of muscle mass and not just loss of fat.  Loss of fat alone would be difficult without adding muscle mass due to the increased difficulty burning calories.

While I realzie that these numbers are not 100% accurate...the trend is clearly there!! 

I'm really excited about the BF% getting down to 30.9%!!!

p90x Day 21 Results

Another week of p90x lean. I was really tired this week due to work (12 hour shifts) and I think just things catching up with me.  I was a little less creative on my meals, but nutrition still went really well. I have no desire or craving for any cheats at all...no sugar or fatty treat cravings.  Feels really good to be in control.

Here are this week's measurements & weights:

Date 1/29/13 
Weight 148.8 (-4.6 lb)
Chest: 36"   (- 1")
Hips 41"  (-1")
Thighs 22.5"  (-1")
Waist:  30.75" (1.75")

And the bodyfat summary from
http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html

Body Mass Index:	26.4  kg/m2
Waist-to-Height ratio:	0.49
Percent Body Fat:	33.7%
Lean Body Mass:	98.6 lb

TEt


HEre is my summary comparing total weight with lean body weight and a little projection for realisti body weights and body fat %ages...

Total weight loss 4.6 lbs
Body fat starting: 37.7% (OMG!)
Lean Body mass starting: 95.7 lbs

Current body fat: 33.7%  (Awesome!)
Current lean body mass: 98.6 lbs

Which means that I have gained 2.9 lbs of muscle mass, and lost 7.5 lbs of Fat!  

Goal body fat 20%, which means if I add no extra muscle, my target weight is 123lbs.  That sounds a "little" extreme since I have not been that weight since I was 17! 

So re-estimating the numbers based on current lean body mass and goal weight of 135lb would bring my body fat to 27%...that seems entirely doable as a target by beginning of April.  

Onward!   
====

Previous Week's Body Fat summaries:
End of Week 2

Body Mass Index:	26.8  kg/m2
Waist-to-Height ratio:	0.49
Percent Body Fat:	35.6%
Lean Body Mass:	97.3 lb

Beginning of Week 1:

Body Mass Index:   27.2  kg/m2 Waist-to-Height ratio:   0.52 Percent Body Fat:   37.7% Lean Body Mass:   95.7 lb

p90x Lean Body Results Day 15 (measurements)

I'm on Day 15 of p90x following the lean program, and so far have been happy with the results.  Not quite as rapid as the last time but I'm 4 years older, 10 lbs heavier and in worse shape than when I started last time, so I'm happy with the progress.

Here is the 2 week update:
Weight:  151.3"  (2 lbs lost)
Chest: 36.25"  (3/4 inches lost)
Biceps:  13"  (same)
Waist: 30.75"  (1 3/4" lost)
Hips: 42" (stubborn)
Thighs:  22.5"  (1" lost)

I'm not trusting the body fat calculator I used last time because it did not include waist measurement. It seems impossible to lose inches from your waist and lose weight and not lose body fat %age.

I'm going to try this one for awhile, even though it's more depressing...

http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html

Body Mass Index:	26.8  kg/m2
Waist-to-Height ratio:	0.49
Percent Body Fat:	35.6%
Lean Body Mass:	97.3 lb

For comparision starting measurements from 2 weeks ago:

Body Mass Index:   27.2  kg/m2 Waist-to-Height ratio:   0.52 Percent Body Fat:   37.7% Lean Body Mass:   95.7 lb

So I've lost a total of 2 lbs
Added 1.5 lbs of muscle
Lost 3.5 lbs of fat

Day 4 p90x Lean - Yoga X - Fatigue & Soreness

Today was the hardest day so far, not training wise, but energy, mood  & motivation wise.  Woke up very groggy, tired sore & achey muscles all over.   Never really got my energy at all today. I stuck with the diet and front loaded the day with my calories and the fruits to get some good carbs into my system. 

I was supposed to attend a meeting today but I was so foggy in the brain I just couldn't make it. I finally motivated to go do some training and was planning to hit the pool first, but a text from my friend Todd said he was getting ready to do Yoga X in the studio above the bike shop, so I headed there.

It was really motivating to do it with a friend!

Yoga X is HARD!  I made it to the half-moon pose, then we did a few of the following balance moves and I was done. 

The stretching in Yoga X felt great, especially in the hip flexors. I'm looking forward to doing it next week.  I'm a little bit dissapointed I've missed swimming all this week, but seeing how difficult many of the moves in the yoga and core synergistics have been, I think I've allowed my body to become very much a single sport (or tri sport) body.   It may be good in the short term, but for simply living live, enjoying movement, and keeping weight under control, I'm seeing more and more how important full body work is, especially as we get older.

What is it about the body turning 40s that makes it rebel so much? Is it simply the inactivity that has set in ? Keep in mind this is only relative inactivity...I mean I still raced my bike a bit this fall and swim regularly, and was running up to 3 miles last summer.  

I'll keep you all posted of course.

interesting stats so far:
Body weight up by 2 pounds
Seeing muscle definition in my upper body/shoulders (deltoids & biceps)
Lost 1/2" from my waist (I think??)

Keep pressing play!!

Days 2 & 3 - p90x Lean - Cardio X , Arms & SHoulders

Normally I like to do a post for each day but yeasterday was day 2 AND it was a 12 hour work day for me.

I was super stressed trying to make sure i got up in time to do the workout, eat my breakfast and fix all the foods I needed for the day at work.  Turns out the cardio X was really great, and I felt awesome afterwards.  It was fun an I had a big smile at the end.

I did pretty well on the food, bringing snacks & a chef salad with me.  It was a tough, tough day though...in the end I was very, very tired. I think the switch from too many processed foods to eating on a schedule with high protein resulted in some significant brain fog.  I got home and fixed a hearty dinner following all the guidelines and still ahd trouble getting enough calories in.

Today was Day 3 and I was really, really tired until about 5pm.  I'm not sure if it was the exercise, the calories, 2 days of working late in a row or what. 

I finally got my shakeology today and I tried that out and LOVED it!! I might already be addicted to it!

Then I did shoulders & arms...I kept the weights pretty light, mostly 5 & 8 lbs, but did do some 10lbs dumbells for one of the bicep exercises.  It felt really good in the end and I finally felt energized!

Finsihed up the day with coaching some masters swim, then back home for more FOOD!  Still a bit low on the calorie targets, but we'll see what happens with the weights and measurements. 

Confession:  I skipped AbRipper X today. :(  

Recipe: Tuna with Avocado, Dill & Lemon Mustard Dressing

It's Day 3 and I've been doing well on the diet as far as not eating anything "off limits" but fixing fast, convenient foods is almost an oxymoron with p90x.  Fast proteins are hard to come by in whole food products.

One of my costco purchases was a case of 6 oz. White Albacore Tuna cans, so this is what I ended up putting together.

Tuna with Avocado, Dill & Lemon Mustard Dressing

2 Servings
6 oz white albacore tuna
1/2 diced Avocado
2 tbs Dijon Mustard
2 tbs ginger dressing (low fat if possbile)
1/4 tsp dried dill or 1 tsp fresh dill
lemon or lime juice

Each serving ~ 1 portion protein, 1 portion fat, 1 portion condiment.

Starting over with Round 3. Day 1 Core Syngergistics - p90x Lean

Here we are again. Here i am again. It's been a long day, a sleepless night, I can't quite understand why I have so much anxiety about this.  It's not the training, it's not the workouts, it's not the committment...but fear of failure I think.

I'm afraid of "failing" the nutritional aspect of this.  This morning was so much work, so much thought!  it took time, it wasn't just "grab adn go".  I didn't used to be like this. I used to really enjoy cooking and fixing my meals.

I think as I've gotten older (I'm 44)  I've lost touch with what really healthy living feels like. Healthy in all respects starting with respecting myself and my body.   I've become lazy and given in to indulging in things that make me feel good because well, "I deserve it!".

Things like:

• Sleeping in on days off
• Eating out
• Reading Forums
• Posting in Forums
• Watching Netflix
• Skipping Workouts or Planned Training

At the same time I've taken on more responsibilities and juggle a training business, one-on-one coaching sessions, traveling all over to train new coaches for Total Immersion, participating in improvement projects for the coach training process, and working 2 'regular' part time jobs as a physician. 

It's a lot but I don't want to let any of it go. My coping mechanisms are all a way to deal with the stress.  in reality I'd have a lot more energy if I applied some willpower to my vices and took more time for healthy activities.  

So this round of p90x isn't even as much to get back into shape or learn to eat well, but more an accountability system with my amazing friends, and something to force myself to stick to so I can learn to re-allocate time to important things.  

Oh...and core-synergistics today kicked my butt. I did about half of each exercise after the first few and knocked off at about 45 minutes in.  I still got a lot out of it, but wow it's so much harder than it looks like it should be.

nutrition so far so good, but I'm hungry and still have 2 1/2 more hours at work.  I have about 1000 calories still to eat today.  :(   I know what I'll fix when I get home but it takes time!  

Some of my previous habits are startign to get refreshed in my memory...fixing a lot of brown rice at once and storing in single serving bowls for example.     Well, day 1 is 3/4 of the way through. 

Just don't look at that chocolate lava cake...Must.Resist.

Starting measurements pre-p90x lean - Day 0

Per my routine before, here are my measurements and BF %age.  

As I've said before, I'm not sure how accurate the bodyfat calculator is but as long as I use the same calcuator I'm OK with it.

Your Results
You have 29.5% body fat.
You have 45.1 Pounds of fat and 107.9 Pounds of lean (muscle, bone, body water).

That's actually less than what I've measured in the past.

My goals right now are 10% total body weight loss at the end of the 90 day program, and a BF %age of 20%.  

That math would work out like this:

Total Body weight
Current:  153lbs  
Goal:   135 lbs

Body Fat %age
Current:  29.5% 
Goal:  20%

Lean Body Mass
Current:  108 lbs
Goal: 108 lbs

Fat Mass
Current:  45 lbs
Goal: 27 lbs

Wow...here's what's really intresting is that with those goals which I arbitrarily chose, my fat mass decreases significantly, but my lean body mass stays the same. I actually have a hard time believing I won't add lean body mass with this program.  let's just even say that I add 5 lbs of lean body mass and reach my goal weight of 135 lbs, then my BF%age would actually be... 16%.  Wow, that sounds extreme.   Pretty much cutting my BF%age in half.  

Let's see what happens!