Week 6--10 Weeks to a Slimmer Summer

by Rebecca J. Clark

NSCA & ISSA certified personal fitness trainer

Welcome back! We're more than halfway to the end already. How are you doing? Are your clothes fitting a little better? Have you lost a few pounds?

If you're just joining us, be sure to read the previous weeks, starting with Week One. If you're not losing at least a pound a week (assuming you have weight to lose), then I suggest you read through the previous weeks and find out what step you need to work on. 

This challenge is adapted from my new book, The Checklist Diet, available at most ebookstores now. 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo 

This week, you’ll continue the steps from Weeks 1-5. Plus you’ll add this next step:

Eat 25 grams of fiber each day. 

You need fiber. Why? Because numerous studies have shown that getting enough fiber lowers your risk for coronary heart disease, obesity, and certain cancers. Fiber also will make you feel full faster, which could help you eat less. Pretty cool, eh?

Look how quickly your fiber intake could stack up:

· pear with skin: 5.5 g

· apple with skin: 5 g

· 1 c. raspberries: 8 g

· 1 c. whole wheat spaghetti: 6.3 g

· 1 c. pearl barley: 6 g

· 1 c. cooked lentils: 15.6 g

· 1 c. cooked black beans: 15 g

· 1 oz. raw almonds: 3.5 g

· 1 medium artichoke: 10.3 g

· 1 c. broccoli: 5.1 g

If you have a high-fiber food with every snack or meal, you’ll easily meet your fiber quota. But here’s a word of warning — if you haven’t been eating much fiber, please build up your intake slowly. Otherwise, your tummy will be yelling at you. Then you’ll be yelling at me. And that’ll make me very sad. 

EXERCISE

This week, your cardio will stay the same duration, but strive to work out more intensely--faster speed, higher inclines/hills, faster song pace, etc.

CARDIO: Five days this week, choose one of the following cardio workouts. Feel free to mix and match, or do the same one each day:

--Walk out your door. Walk for 18 minutes. Turn around and come back. For 10 minutes in the middle, pick up the pace until you’re a bit winded.

--Get on a cardio machine of choice (treadmill, elliptical, bike, etc). Go slow for two minutes. Pick up the pace a bit for 25 minutes. Cool down at a slow pace for 2 minutes.

--Pick seven of your favorite fast-paced songs (for a total of about 30 minutes). Crank the speakers. Dance around your house until the songs are over.

STRENGTH-TRAINING: Two days this week, do the following strength moves (can be done on the same day as the above workouts).

Pushups--until you can't do anymore (against a wall, counter, or on the floor)--make these harder than the version you've been doing. If you've been doing them against the wall, move to the counter. If you've been doing them against the counter, move to the floor on your knees. If you've been doing them on your knees, move to your toes.

20 Sit and Stands from a chair or bench--hold the dumbbells by your sides.

15 Dips (slide your hips off a chair or bench, fingers curled around edge. Bend and straighten your arms.) Straighten your legs to make them harder.

15 Biceps curls with dumbbells Stand, holding weights in your hands, arms straight, palms facing away from body. Curl weights to shoulders, straighten.


60 seconds of elbow planks (lie on the floor on your belly, propped on elbows. Lift your body up until you’re balancing on your elbows and toes. Hold.)

20 Supermans (lie on your stomach, arms overhead like Superman. Lift and lower arms and legs at the same time)

Repeat this series 3 times.

Have a great week. Let me know if you have any questions. If you are enjoying this program, please tell your friends!