Clean Eating Check-In & Leg/Glute Workout

So today is Friday and it is my 5th day of my strict clean eating plan. I am actually pretty dang proud of myself because I've kept with it. Day 1 was great...I felt great, it wasn't hard at all to keep to my plan. Admittedly though, Days 2 and 3 are when the cravings started to hit...mostly for red wine - ha! But I fought through and came out on top. And as of this morning, I'm down FIVE POUNDS since Monday! I can hardly believe it. I will note that since I'm carrying postpartum weight, it is natural for my body to lose faster right now than if I were at my normal weight, but it still feels good.

I made another round of veggies last night. This time I mixed asparagus, zucchini and yellow squash.

Instead of using the oven {I was out of tin foil}, I steamed them on the stove top. I put a few tablespoons of olive oil in the pan, threw in the veggies and added about a 1/2 tsp each of sea salt and black pepper. I simmered them for 20-30 min over medium-low heat.

Today, I plan on getting some more chicken grilled and baking more sweet potatoes.

I do have a concert to go to tonight with my husband...so I'm strongly debating letting myself have a glass of red wine...I haven't decided yet if I'm going to allow myself. On one hand, I've been so good and I deserve it, and it's not like I'm yet training hardcore for the bikini competition, but on the other hand, do I want to derail myself? Would it derail me? I don't know...let me know your thoughts and help me decide!

I did my leg day at the gym on Wednesday. It was a great workout and I'm surely feeling it today. Here it is if you want to try it for yourself or tweak it to your liking.

Interval Cardio on Treadmill
3-5 min warmup jog
1 min sprint at about 80% exertion
2 min fast walk/jog
Repeat 4-5 times

Superset
Back Extensions/Leg Lifts on Roman Chair
3 sets of 15 reps for each exercise, rest 30 seconds between sets. Be sure to go right from back extension to leg lift to make it a superset. I also cradled a 10 lb plate on the back extensions. You can do none, same or more as your level allows.

Superset
Step Ups/Dumbbell Squats
3 sets of 15 reps for each exercise, rest 30 seconds between sets. Be sure to go right from step ups to dumbbell squats to make it a superset. I used 2-10 lb dumbbells for the squats.

Superset
Stability Ball Leg Curls/Bridges
3 sets of 15 for the leg curls and 3 sets 25 for the bridges, rest 30 seconds between sets. Be sure to go right from leg curls to bridges to make it a superset.

Leg Press
3 sets of 12 reps at a weight that makes it impossible to do more than 12 reps. Rest 30 seconds between sets.

Have a great weekend!

Meal Preparation 101

Hope y'all had a wonderful weekend! I felt like ours was rushed and busy, but I suppose that's how it's going to be for a mother of two boisterous boys and a newborn baby girl.

I did make sure to spend Sunday going to the grocery store for my clean foods and then prepping and storing my meals for the week. My husband is wanting to drop a few lbs too, so I made some extra so he would have some lunches for work this week.

Basically, I baked some chicken breasts and then chopped them into bite size pieces and stored them in 4 oz portions. I roasted some vegetables with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper and stored those in portions of around a cup each. I hard-boiled a lot of eggs since my meal plan involves a lot of egg whites. I also bought an extra case of eggs so we could still scramble, over-easy, etc. And finally, I baked some sweet potatoes and stored them in approx. 3 oz portions.

This is butternut squash, yellow squash and grape tomatoes. I first put them in a bowl and tossed with 2 tbsp EVOO, then spread them on my tin-foiled pan {also coated the tin foil with a little olive oil}, sprinkled some sea salt and black pepper over them and then roasted them on the top rack of the oven for 30 min at 375.

This is asparagus, zucchini and grape tomatoes. I did the same with these as I did with the squash mix and they also roasted for 30 min at 375.

Our veggie portions all nicely stacked in the refrigerator! They were later joined by the chicken and sweet potatoes. Oh, and don't worry, this picture made me realize the green lid wasn't shut tight, so now it is!

I am very excited to start this journey of eating clean and training dirty {hee hee} to accomplish my goals. Something feels very different about my efforts this time...I feel extremely motivated, more so than I ever have in the past, and I'm a pretty motivated girl. My sight is set on my first goal of getting the last of this pregnancy weight GONE and regaining some muscle tone along the way. I've been able to get back to the gym more now as well, and will be able to fully commit to a gym schedule in just a little over a week once Farrah is old enough for the childcare there. When I can't get to the gym, I am making sure to get a great workout in at home, whether that's Insanity, a good stroll with the kids or some weight training with the equipment I have. Oh, and on Saturday, I had my last bit of alcohol for a while. I really want to see some great results with this new eating plan and I know that cutting out alcohol is going to make a huge difference. I'm not sure how long I will cut the alcohol for now, but I want to at least get a good month in, and then maybe have it back in moderation. Of course, when training for the NPC Bikini competition next year, alcohol will be nixed completely.

Be sure to stop back in this week as I share my weight training routines!

Protein-Packed Power Breakfast

This turkey bacon and egg sandwich is a great way to start your day. It give you carbs for energy, plenty of protein and good fats. You will feel full and satisfied for hours.

NUTRITION FACTS

TOTAL SANDWICH

Calories: 290 | Calories from Fat: 130 | Fat: 15g | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 21g
Protein Calories: 84 (29%), Fat Calories: 130 (45%), Carb Calories: 71 (26%) 

-BY ITEM-

THOMAS LIGHT MULTIGRAIN MUFFINS

Calories: 100 | Calories from Fat: 10 | Fat: 1g | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g

(2) LARGE EGG(S)

Calories: 140 | Calories from Fat: 90 | Fat: 10g | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 12g

(2) SLICE(S) BUTTERBALL EVERYDAY LOWER SODIUM TURKEY BACON

Calories: 50 | Calories from Fat: 30 | Fat: 4g | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 4g

*Note: This breakfast is a great option for anyone, but unless you are also exercising regularly, I recommend only using 1 slice turkey bacon and 1 egg. I exercise for one hour five days a week, so these calories are essential for muscle growth and repair. Remember, food is fuel, not entertainment!