Day 3

Today is day 3 of ChaLean Extreme and let me tell you....this program is NO JOKE!! Husband is even doing it with me and he'll tell you the same thing. He is pretty lean and it takes a lot for him to admit that something is physically challenging...but he honestly couldn't finish some reps last night during Burn Intervals and gave some HUGE props to the Ab Burner! He does ab workouts almost daily on a stability ball and admitted last night maybe it wasn't doing as much as he thought it was. This makes me chuckle a little bit because he was a HUGE skeptic when I ordered these videos, vowing he wouldn't do some silly DVD with me. Ha ha!

We rearranged the workout schedule to fit our needs. Chris is away on business almost every Wednesday night so we're making Wednesday and Sunday our off days. So we did Burn Circuit 1 on Monday and Burn Intervals and Ab Burner last night. Tomorrow we'll do Burn Circuit 2, Friday will be Burn It Off and Recharge, and Saturday will be Burn Circuit 3.

I know this program states you can use the resistance bands for the workout but I must be doing something wrong. I tried using them during Burn Circuit 1 and just wasn't reaching muscle fatigue buy the 10-12th rep. My husband agreed so we're going to invest in a set of good weights next week. I figure that I plan to stick with the program for much longer than 90 days so it will be something I use for a very long time. Unfortunately I can't afford the Bowflex SelectTech weights. Well, we COULD afford them but they are just SO expensive! Especially since I think we'll be buying two sets so we can still do these workouts together. We would be spending somewhere around $1,000 on weights.....that's just a LOT of money.

I did some looking around online and Weider has a set of weight similar to the SelectTech's for around $250. They have them in stock at our local Sears store so I might be picking up a set. These are also adjustable but not in 1/2 lb. increments like the SelectTech's. I read some reviews and people stated they were good weights you just have to watch when you pick up the weights since some of the unselected weights like to stick...but if you pick up slowly you should be fine.

We have also been watching our food intake very carefully and my husband has made me his personal dietitian for the next 90 days. I get up with him at 5 a.m. and make him breakfast....the same breakfast listed above. I pack him a turkey sandwich with 2 oz. cracked pepper turkey breast on 2 slices of whole wheat bread with one slice of low fat Swiss and mustard. I throw in an orange and our pre-bagged snacks of Triscuits and almonds for him to much on during his snack times.

For dinner the last two nights I have tried some of the recipes I found on Chalene's blog. (http://www.chalenejohnson.blogspot.com) I tried chicken fajitas in lettuce cups and this is a twist I may implement for quite some time. Instead of using a tortilla which is loaded full of carbs and refined flour you use a whole piece of iceberg or bib lettuce. I think we'll even have turkey tacos next week using this same variation.

We also had turkey chili last night which the boys both LOVED. My 1 year old Gavin couldn't get enough! I added a few of my own variations to this recipe like using a little chili seasoning instead of adding each seasoning to the pot, adding about 1/2 c. of bottled salsa, and yes (eek) just a few pinches of salt. I also added a little extra cumin and fresh cracked pepper. Oh, and I can't forget that I added onion and minced garlic to the turkey while I was browning it. I must declare it was a pretty yummy pot of chili. Not a flavorful as the chili I usually make but undoubtedly much healthier.

Yesterday after a trip to the local Wal-Mart for a new blender since mine decided to crap out on me, I tried a whey protein shake. I must admit that I am a little scared of the whole shake scene. Usually I find them 'wheaty' tasting and grainy. I had a shake consisting of 1/2 c. 1% milk, 3 fresh strawberries, 1 scoop whey protein powder, and 4 ice cubes. It was pretty yummy. I even shared a little of it with my 2 year old who even agreed. It made about a 16 oz. shake and it was VERY filling. I had this instead of my usual morning snack of almonds and some fruit. I think this will be something I have either as a meal or snack daily. It REALLY increases my protein intake, which is something that I struggle with. And may I add that I spend a little extra $$ on a GOOD blender which I believe made all the difference in the shake. It has a 'smoothie/shake' presetting and blended it perfectly and chopped the ice really well.

Day One

Today is day one of my body trasfomation (HOPEFULLY LOL) using ChaLean Extreme. This program was created by Chalene Johnson, creator or PiYo, Hip Hop Hustle, Turbo Jam, and owner of Powder Blue Productions. I started doing Turbo Jam about a month ago and fell in love with it. One of the huge motivating factors was Chalene herself. Even though she is not in my living room pushing me- the things she says while you are working out, as corny as it sounds, keep you moving. She keeps reminding you to push yourself as hard as you can and you only get what you put into it. She's so spunky...and a little dorky....which makes it feel more like you're working out with a good friend....not a silly DVD.
Here's the basic rundown of the program:It's a 90 day program consisting of mostly lifting free weights. Three days of lifting, two days of cardio. This 90 day program has three phases: Burn, Push and Lean.During the burn phase you concentrate on certain muscle groups every day and while lifting you try to reach muscle fatigue in the first 10-12 reps. You wait 10 seconds and then try to lift 3 more reps. You alternate this with 2 days of intense cardio.
The Push phase is about the same only you try to reach muscle fatigue within 6-8 reps, still alternating days with cardio.
The Lean phase is about the same as the Burn phase only you're lifting heavier weights. This is where she says the weight comes off the most and the muscle you've been building over the last 60 days becomes more evident- although you're promised to see dramatic results every 30 days.
Another thing I really loved about this program is that it doesn't consist of just a pile of DVD's. It also includes an audio CD to help explain how the body works, why you're probably having difficulty losing weight, and how to 're-program' your brain to eat right. Unfortunately this program doesn't allow you to eat at McDonald's every day and still get a 6 pack.....regretfully that isn't how the body works. If you see anyone with an awesome body you can probably guarantee they don't eat cheeseburgers and fries everyday.
It also contains an introduction DVD on how to make-over your kitchen to help you succeed, how to correctly do the lifting exercises, a meal plan, and a guidebook. It encourages you to take photos in 10 different poses, use the fat calipers that come in the program to measure your body fat and take measurements of several different areas of your body. And, it encourages you to repeat this process every 30 days. So...today is day 1 of 90. It sounds like a long time but if all goes well I'll be getting into a bathing suit by this summer.....and not hating every minute of it.

This morning I ate a pretty big breakfast and it wasn't bad....and very filling. I had 1 piece of whole wheat toast with spray butter, 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites- scrambled, 1/2 cup fresh strawberries and 1/2 cup pineapple. It's actually only 311 calories and 9 grams of fat.

Yummy!

As skeptical as I was about the bottled egg whites- they were actually pretty good! Of course separating your own eggs is much cheaper but this is much faster and I'm not wasting two egg yolks every time I have breakfast. This is what I used. 1/3 c. equals two egg whites. I also invested (not much of an investment) in some 8 oz. disposable containers. This way I know how much I'm eating. I put my fruit in it and know I'm only having 1 cup.

And spray butter! This will be one of my new best friends during the next 90 days. It tastes just like butter...but has NO calories....ZERO! Tasted pretty good on my whole wheat toast. I also added a couple of sprays to my eggs since I'm used to cooking them in butter. LOL

Another thing I'm doing is trying to be more prepared so that it's easier to snack and eat right. As a suggestion Chalene recommends buying your snacks and packaging them into one serving size baggies. Of course it takes time and you can buy these already pre-packaged but they are MUCH more expensive. I also included a few 100 calorie packs for the days I have a sweet craving. These are also OK in moderation. I put all the snacks in a very accessible area in the pantry in a plastic tub. The easier the better. I have Triscuits, dry roasted almonds and 100 calorie Chips Ahoy packs.

Another crazy thing that she mentioned on this audio cd is tracking calories. She compares it to balancing your check book. Everyone hates balancing their checkbook but it's one of those things that you have to do so you know how much money you have to spend. Same with calories. Did you know that if you consume only 100 extra calories/day for ONE year you'll add somewhere around 10 lbs in that year. Just 100 calories per day....that's not much. I'm certain that I was adding much more than that every day! I'm using the nutrition calculator at http://www.sparkpeople.com/ to track my intake every day.

She also stressed the need to eat every 2-3 hours and explained why you should do this. I'm having either almonds or Triscuits for snacks during the day along with some fruit or veggies.

Wish me luck on my journey! I'll be updating weekly. Accountability is my goal here.