DAY four ;)

It’s getting harder….but if i just take a moment and look at my pinterest inspiration pictures it snaps me right back to reality…STAY on DIET!

• Tip for today: Smaller portions! You should try to eat smaller portions with every meal and remember to next supersize ANYTHING! Believe it or not in the 1950’s a 20 oz cup (that is a “regular or medium” sized cup in today’s standards) was considered an extra large!
• Meals: Thursdays are test days for me, so that usually means no sleep on Wednesday nights and rushed mornings, so my meal for this day is usually a lot lighter:
  Breakfast: Berry Smoothie
  1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen berries
  3/4 cup  low-fat plain yogurt
  1/2 cup orange juice
  1 scoop protein powder
  1 tablespoon honey (optional)
  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  *orange juice adds some much-needed vitamin C to wake me up and keep me going!Snack: Pretest Protein Bar
  You can get these anywhere, my favorite i get from my nutritionist called Chewy peanut Butter by Healthwise, i try to choose the ones that are 150 calories with 15 grams of protein and less than 12 grams of carbs!

  Lunch: Turkey Breast Salad on the go!
  3 cups mixed, salad
  1/2 cup shredded carrots
  1 tablespoons green onion, chopped
  1 tablespoon dressing
  5 cherry tomatoes
  2 slices roast turkey breast, cut up (3 ounces)
  1 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese, cut up (2 ounces)

  Snack: Protein shake
  On the run, so Planet Nutrition it is…Strawberry Cheesecake (under 300 calories of yummyness!)

  Dinner: Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Cream Sauce
  2 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and tenders removed
  1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  1 tablespoon safflower oil
  1 medium onion, minced
  1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
  1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
  2 tablespoons heavy cream
  2 tablespoons green onion
  Preparation
  Season chicken with pepper and herbamare on both sides. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once or twice and adjusting the heat to prevent burning, until brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, 12 to 16 minutes.
  Add onion to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 minutes. Pour in broth and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cream and green onions; return to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan, turn to coat with sauce and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
  

• Exercise: Being in college does have some of its perks – intramurals! Thursdays are softball games for me, so I suggest everyone to get involved in at least one extracurricular activity where you’re getting in some form of exercise! But after the game I keep my body going, you know the weekend is coming tomorrow and that you will want to splurge!
  First a 3 mile jog/run! This should be feeling easier and your time slowly should be decreasing! Then follow up with this:
  

   

  This is a fat routine. It takes no time at all to do but gets your heart rate up there. Here’s how I did it. I did each exercise for 1 minute and when finishing my first set of this routine I ran a mile. I repeated this same routine and mile run for 3 times. WOW! Let me tell you. I felt done, done, done but very good about what I had done! ROCK IT!
  Star Squat

  
  Targets: Arms, abs, and legs

   

  • Stand with feet together, arms by sides. Squat low, placing palms on floor in front of feet, directly under shoulders.
  • Kick feet straight behind you, landing in push-up position (balancing on palms and toes, back flat, abs engaged).
  • Jump feet forward to squat.
  • Immediately jump straight up, bringing arms and legs up and out to sides (like a star). Land in starting position.
    Do 10 reps.

  Speed Skater
  
  Targets: Shoulders, back, abs, butt, and legs

   

  • Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms by sides. Lunge left leg out to side, keeping right leg straight. With back flat, hinge forward from hips, reaching right arm to left toes, extending left arm behind you.
  • Staying crouched, hop left foot next to right, then switch sides, lunging right as you sweep left arm toward right foot and right arm behind you to complete one rep.
  • Do 20 reps.
  Lunge Kick

  
  
  Targets: Abs, butt, and legs

   

  • Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms by sides, elbows bent. Lunge forward with left leg while swinging right arm forward and left arm back.
  • As you rise, kick right leg straight up and swing arms in opposite directions.
  • Lunge forward with right leg as foot lands on floor.
  • Continue lunge kicking forward 10 steps, alternating legs. Turn around and lunge kick back to start.

  Knee-Up Jump Lunge

  

  Targets: Abs, butt, and legs

  Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms by sides, elbows bent. Lunge back with right leg while swinging right arm forward and left arm back (like a runner).
  Press off left foot and jump straight up (as high as possible), bringing bent right knee toward chest and swinging arms in opposite directions.
  

  • Return to lunge as you land.
  • Do 10 reps, then switch legs and repeat.
    Sumo Kick
    
    

     

    Targets: Abs, butt, and legs

    • Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes turned out slightly and elbows bent by sides, fists in front of chest. Take a large step out to left with left foot and sink into a wide squat.
    • Stand up, placing weight on left leg, leaning slightly to left, and kick right leg out to side with foot flexed.
    • Lower right leg, bringing right foot beside left.
    • Do 10 sumo kicks across floor; switch directions, kicking with left leg back to start.

*Grab some water and feel good about things because tomorrow is FRIDAY 😉

 

Day 3!

Hump days here!

Day Three:

• Tip: No closet snacking. Just because no one saw you eat it, doesnt mean your body will hide it too! If it helps write down in a journal everything you eat and keep track!
• Meals:
  Breakfast: Breakfast Muffin Only eat one muffin and have a glass of almond milk. 🙂

  Ingredients
  1 cup All Purpose Baking Flour
  1 ¼ cups oatmeal ( whole grain)
  2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  ½ teaspoon sea salt
  1 teaspoon cinnamon
  ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  1 teaspoon ginger ( fresh or powdered)
  2 cups bananas, ripe & mashed ( about 4 medium)
  2⁄3; cup applesauce
  1⁄3; cup carrots, shredded
  1 large eggs
  2 tablespoons safflower oil

  Directions
  Preheat oven to 375.

  Combine first 7 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir until well blended.
  In a separate smaller bowl combine all other ingredients (bananas – butter), stir until well blended.
  Add banana mixture to the flour mixture along with the raisins, if you desire.
  Fill muffin cups 2/3 way full.

  Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, until the muffin springs back when lightly touched.
  Makes 16 small muffins, or 8 giant-sized muffins.

  Snack: Berry Yogurt Parfaits
  This makes extra. Just have one bowl full.

  Ingredients
   1 containers yogurt vanilla flavor
   1 cup frozen or fresh black berries or raspberries
   1/2 cup granola

  Directions
  In a small bowl combine yogurt, berries, and granola and top with yogurt.

  Lunch: Berry Boost Protein Shake
  Ingredients:
  1 scoops Vanilla Protein Powder
  1/2 cup raspberries
  1/2 strawberries
  8 oz ounces almond or coconut milk
  1/2 cup ice cubes
  * if you’re on campus and its to hard to run home and make this, you can make it the night before and freeze into a water bottle and by lunch time it will be nice and slushy.

  Directions
  Blend all ingredients together and yummy. 🙂

  Snack: Muffin from Breakfast
  
  Dinner: Herb Infused Chicken with Tomato & Wine Sauce.
  10 servings
  Active Time: 45 minutes
  Total Time: 3 3/4-6 3/4 hours
  Ingredients
  4 slices turkey bacon
  1 large onion, thinly sliced
  4 cloves garlic, minced
  1 teaspoon dried thyme
  1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  1 cup dry white wine (see Tip)
  1 28-ounce can tomatoes, with juice, coarsely chopped
  1 teaspoon salt
  10 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 3/4 pounds), skin removed, trimmed
  1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  Direction
  Cook turkey bacon in a large skillet with a little safflower oil over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Crumble when cool. Add onion and cook over medium heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine, bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits. Add tomatoes and their juice and salt; stir well.
  Place chicken thighs in a 4-quart (or larger) slow cooker. Sprinkle the bacon over the chicken. Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken. Cover and cook until the chicken is very tender, about 3 hours on High or 6 hours on Low.

• Exercise: Try 30 minutes on the eleptical with alternating intervals between resistence 4 and resistence 8 every 4 minutes. Then try these exercises to strengthen your back:
  Upright row
  
  Do three sets of 12 to 15 reps

  Target Muscles: trapezius, lateral and front deltoids

  Set Up: Stand on the middle of a band with your feet shoulder-width apart. Cross the band in front of you and hold one handle in each hand [A].

  Action: Leading with your elbows, pull the band upward until the handles reach your shoulders [B]. Extend your arms back to the starting position to complete one rep. Repeat for your set.

   Seated row
  
  Do three sets of 15 reps

  Target Muscles: latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius

  Set Up: Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. Loop a band around the soles of your feet, cross it in the center and hold one handle in each hand, arms straight.

  Action: Bend your arms to pull the handles toward your sides as shown. Slowly extend your arms to finish one rep.

  TIP: If this move feels too easy, gather some of the band’s slack in the palm of your hands.

  Straight-arm pullover
  
  Do three sets of 10 to 12 reps

  Target Muscles: latissimus dorsi, hamstrings, erector spinae, gluteus maximus

  Set Up: Anchor a band to a low, secure object in front of you. Hold a handle in each hand, step back from the anchor point and bend forward from the hips as shown [A].

  Action: Straighten your knees and hips to stand, while simultaneously lifting your arms overhead [B]. Slowly reverse to return to the start.

  Rear delt flye
  
  Do three sets of 10 to 12 reps

  Target muscles: posterior deltoids

  Set Up: Stand with your feet hip-width apart holding a dumbbell in each hand. Hinge forward from your hips and bend your knees slightly until your wrists are below your shoulders [A].

  Action: Open your arms out and up until they form a straight line with your shoulders [B]. Reverse slowly to return to the starting position.

   Lat pulldown
  
  Do three sets of 15 reps (each side)

  Target Muscles: latissimus dorsi

  Set Up: Stand with your feet hip-with apart. Grasp the center of a resistance band with both hands, about a foot apart, and extend your arms overhead [A].

  Action: Bend your left arm, drawing your elbow down to the side; stop when you feel a stretch in the left side of your back [B]. Slowly extend your arm back overhead and repeat. When your set is through, repeat with your right arm.