Have you seen this?

http://bit.ly/Fatisnotyourfault

What do you think?

I have now officially crossed the 20lb mark!!!

20lbs lost!

All I've done differently in the last couple weeks is tighten up my diet. I've been following the meal and snack suggestions from Red Carpet Ready.

Where I am now

Not too bad. So far I am loving the Valslides. Totally new way to torture the body. :) Oh and I almost forgot - I am now down to size 27 jeans from 28 a month ago (29/30 was my starting point.)

Stats ranking from the beginning

Here is how the top three people are ranked so far: (this takes beginning weight through last recorded weigh in)

1.Gabby -7.54% body weight -8.3% body fat
2. Amanda -7.37% body weight -3.8% body fat
3. Chad -7.35% body weight -3% body fat

Explosive full body workout

http://figureathlete.tmuscle.com/readArticle.do?id=2454294

High intensity intervals but not just sprinting - sandbag sprints, jump squats, medicine ball throws etc. I would say its at the next level.

Another post along the same line

http://joshsgarage.typepad.com/articles/2009/01/how-padma-from-top-chef-stays-supermodel-fit.html

Padma Lakshmi from Top Chef works out 12-15hrs per week while filming the show and still gains 10-15lbs by the end.

When exercise alone isn't enough

http://fitin-lindam.blogspot.com/2008/09/when-exercise-doesnt-work.html

"...The Texas Study -- These data came in the form of a study I recently worked on at the University of Texas. In this study, nearly 100 initially sedentary participants either stayed sedentary (about half of them) OR began exercising (the other half). They exercisers were given a program to follow that added up to about 5 1/2 to 6 hours of activity per week and that lasted for a total of 12 weeks. The non-exercisers did nothing for the 12 weeks except show up for measurement sessions.These individuals, as stated above, did no exercise before the study began. As a result of this sedentary lifestyle, they averaged between 35% and 40% body fat (according to DEXA scans). Once the study began, the training group gathered together for 3 weight training sessions per week and 2 group exercise / interval sessions per week. All the training was designed by myself and overseen by a weightlifting coach and group exercise coach. So there was a pretty high level of quality control there.Now, it's important to note that we didn't alter the participant's eating at all. And we did this on purpose. We wanted to test the effects of exercise alone - without diet. In other words, the question became:"Without a dietary intervention, can exercise alone reshape a person's body?"At the end of the 12 week study, we got our answer: "Not so much..."

Reducing Lower Body Bulk (Women)

http://figureathlete.tmuscle.com/readArticle.do?id=2450928

Covers fat loss, training to reduce muscle bulk - including pre workout muscle fatigue, plyometrics, sprinting, and long distance running.

More Fat Loss Intervals

http://markyoungtrainingsystems.com/2009/04/interval-training-for-fat-loss-part-ii/

Week 1 - 4 intervals (1:4 work to rest ratio)
Interval #1 - Sprint 30 seconds - Rest 120 seconds
Interval #2 - Sprint 30 seconds - Rest 120 seconds
Interval #3 - Sprint 30 seconds - Rest 120 seconds
Interval #4 - Sprint 30 seconds - Rest 120 seconds

Week 2 - 5 intervals (1:4 work to rest ratio)
Interval #1 - Sprint 30 seconds - Rest 120 seconds
Interval #2 - Sprint 30 seconds - Rest 120 seconds
Interval #3 - Sprint 30 seconds - Rest 120 seconds
Interval #4 - Sprint 30 seconds - Rest 120 seconds
Interval #5 - Sprint 30 seconds - Rest 120 seconds

...

Arg stuck in a rut

So I think I learned something. I can do one month of diet really hard, but after 5 or so weeks I really started to break down. I haven't had any problems with keeping up the exercise though. Its just the eating. For the last couple weeks I've been pretty much off diet but not going crazy. Breakfast, lunch and snacks are still on, but I've been eating a regular dinner at home. I also ate whatever my parents served me last weekend for Easter. :) No big deal. I feel a lot better after taking a break.
Anyways so I was trying to decide what to do to blast through the last four weeks and meet my goal - or at least not flat line like I did this month. I want to say that in no way am I dissatisfied with the Fat Loss Troubleshoot. To the contrary this plan completely turned things around for me. In fact, the training program was able to really take me to another level of fitness that I have really struggled to achieve. I can actually run! I can sprint! I could never do that before. So really I am just looking for something to get me motivated again (and something a little more intense so maybe I can eat? I hope this is possible but we'll see). So I was deciding between Alwyn Cosgrove's Afterburn (hmmm but don't want another 12 week program) as I am now in good enough condition to take a more intense program and Valerie Water's Red Carpet Ready program. I decided on Red Carpet Ready as I know the programs are home gym friendly, I've been wanting to try the Valslides for a while, and the purchase includes more client support as I suspect I need regular motivation. I'll start this up next week and see how it goes.