Week 7--10 Weeks to a Slimmer Summer

by Rebecca J. Clark

NSCA & ISSA certified personal fitness trainer

Welcome back! I hope all you moms out there had a great Mother's Day. Perhaps you ditched the healthy eating  for the day and indulged a bit more than you should have? I know I did. But that's okay. We're all just one meal or snack from being back on our program. So get back to it right now. Don't wait until tomorrow or next Monday. Do it now. Wait until you're hungry again, then make a healthy choice. Easy peasy.

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 1-6. Plus you’ll add this next step:

Drink 8-10 glasses of water daily 

Our bodies are about 60% water, our brains are 75% water by weight, and muscle is about 80% water. It follows, then, that if we’re not hydrating enough and sufficiently, our entire body will suffer. All the systems in your body will function better if you’re well hydrated.

Don’t rely on your thirst signals to drink water, because once you actually feel thirsty, you’re probably already dehydrated. Look at the color of your urine. If it’s dark yellow, you’re dehydrated. If it’s light in color, you’re doing pretty well. Everyone’s dehydrated in the morning, so you should try to get into the habit of drinking a tall glass of plain water first thing when you wake up each morning.

Water also helps you lose weight by controlling calories. There’s nothing magical about this: if you drink plain water instead of a beverage containing calories, you’ll save those calories. And every little bit helps. 

Signs of mild to moderate dehydration:

· Dry mouth

· Thirst

· Sleepiness/tiredness

· Dark yellow or gold urine (all of us are dehydrated in the morning, so drink a cup of water first thing when you wake up)

· Dry skin

· Constipation

· Headache (when I get a headache, I immediately pound a tall glass of water. That usually takes care of it.)

· Dizziness or lightheadedness


So drink up! In fact, stop what you're doing right now and go pour yourself a tall glass of plain water. And drink it, of course. 

EXERCISE

CARDIO: This week, I want you to try something new for at least one of your cardio workouts. Try a new DVD, add in a bit of running to your walk, go for a hike. Do something different.

4-5 days this week, do 30-45 minutes of cardio/aerobic exercise. This means doing something that makes you breathe faster than you're breathing while you read this post. LOL. Push yourself to the point where you could talk if you want to, but would rather not.

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

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!