Goodbye Plateau - dropping the stubborn lbs

For the past 3 weeks I have been a solid 120.8. I finally tweaked my diet to remove processed foods, drink 80 oz water, and cut my sodium intake (not much play room there, but I tried).....AND IT WORKED!!!! I finally was able to get past my plateau and dropped about 2 lbs.

I weighed in yesterday at 118.4

Grant it, part of the reason I was on a plateau was my body taking its time adjusting my new metabolism after so much weight loss.

Yippee!! Now if I can just keep this up for 4-7 more lbs I will be a happy camper!

Stubborn Pound Tips:
1. Cut sodium by 1000 mg
2. Drink 80 oz water
3. Cut processed foods
4. Cut alcohol (I don't drink anymore)

Supplements

I've been considering supplements. I want to get big, lean muscles. Have you heard of N.O.? They have a couple products I was looking into: NO Xplode and NO Fury. I have heard better things about the results on NO Xplode than Fury, but I am really wondering about the lasting affect on my veins.

I am anxious to get built, but I need to remember that fitness is a lifestyle and that "steady" is the best method.

So for now...I will truck along in my endeavors. I think I will increase the weight and lower my reps. 20-30 min prior to each workout I will drink a LC Monster (or a protein shake which is what I have been doing). That should give me an extra burst of energy that I need to have a strong workout.

Yesterday, I was trying to rush to the gym so I could join the husband, so I was unable to have my usual pre-workout protein shake. As a result, I was only able to complete 3 safe sprints...grrr...I did push through 4 full shoulder sets, 4 squat sets with increased lbs from last, 4 full dead sets, abs, 3 back sets - 1 exercise and a 7 min stint on the bike. BUT I WAS FORCING MYSELF THE WHOLE TIME. Oh man, it was ROUGH! I felt sooo weak. ergh. Today will be better. Protein at 4.30 and possibly a Monster to help make up some energy-lack from yesterday.

Rock that gym and rock that diet. Press on peeps,
FK

Grocery, grocery, grocery

PRODUCE
red cabbage
broccoli
red, yellow and green bell peppers
yellow/white onions
avocados
yukon potatoes (husband's BB workout requires heavy starch in carbs)

SPICE/ETHNIC
cayenne pepper (I am almost out!! I love cayenne!)
garlic chili paste (another fav that I am uber low on!)

CANNED/MEAT/POULTRY/FISH
tuna in water
all natural chicken breast
wild alaskan salmon

DAIRY
skim milk
2% milk (the husband does NOT like skim for his protein shakes)

MISC.
all natural no-stir peanut butter (for the husband's protein shakes. I get my fats from nuts and avocados)
flax seed
raisins
raw almonds
sugar free pudding

Low Calorie Week: Day 7

Today is the last day of low calorie week. FYI - it is important NOT to continue a low calorie diet as a way of life. Your metabolism WILL adjust and then will only require those lower calories and so if you eat more than what it expects, it will store it. People often refer to this as starvation mode, but most dont realize it happens way sooner than they think.

MEAL PLAN
Meal 1: Omelette - mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, salsa, jalepenos
Coffee
Snack: vanilla protein shake plain
Meal 2: Tuna salad with walnuts, jalepenos, a little jalepeno juice and apples
Snack: SF ActiveLifestyle jello - cranberry green tea
Meal 3 Chicken salad with jalepenos, raisins, romaine lettuce

WORKOUT PLAN
sprints
bic/trics:
T: one arm cable pull down
B: hammer rope cable pull
T: kick backs
T: skull crusher
B: one arm cable pull
1 mi jog at 5.4

Happy Monday!! I am SO EXCITED about today's meal plan and workout routine! This past weekend was rough and stressful...I had a lot on my plate making it tough to stick to the plan, but I'm plowing through! Keep up your motivation! Today will be your healthiest day yet - I will be fit TODAY! ^_^

Low Calorie Week: Day 6

MEAL PLAN
Breakfast: Honey Toasted O's
Snack: organic granola bar (skant because I'll be in church)
Lunch: baked fish and veggies
Snack: protein
Dinner: protein meal replacement

WORKOUT PLAN
Sprints
biceps
back
ABS

Happy Sunday everyone!

Low Calorie Week: Day 5

Breakfast: Honey Toasted O's
Snack: apple + nuts
Lunch: Tuna
Snack: 2 bite-size rice cakes + coffee
Dinner: crab and shrimp with lemon and tomatoes

workout skipped...Packing up the house - we move in 2 weeks!

Low Calorie Week; Day 4

MEAL PLAN
Meal 1: Oatmeal with cinnamon & Coffee with cinnamon

Snack: 1/4 cup purely O's (Cascadian Farm)

Meal 2: 1 scoop Optima slimfast powder in 80z skim milk

Snack: Coffee and almonds (small handful)

Meal 3: can of tuna (tuna in water) with diced jalepenos

Meal 4: TBA birthday party tonight

WORKOUT PLAN
Abs - 4s hanging leg raises; 4s planks; 2s swiss; 2s reverse swiss
Bike 6 minutes on level 10; 2 minutes on level 6; 2 minutes on level 10
Elliptical 40 minutes

STUBBORN POUNDS
I've noticed I was consistently losing weight at the beginning and have been holding at 120.8 for several weeks now. FYI This is normal - when you have a few stubborn pounds that are remaining that you cant seem to shake after a good lifestyle pattern, your body is just taking its time to adjust your new metabolism. No worries. Meanwhile, I am going to start downing H20 like there is no tomorrow. A minimum of 80 0z, reduce processed food intake (I already don't eat much processed foods) and watching my sodium should do the trick.