Week 8--10 Weeks to a Slimmer Summer!

by Rebecca J. Clark

NSCA & ISSA certified personal fitness trainer

Welcome back! How's it going? Are your clothes getting a bit looser? If not, go through the steps in previous weeks and ask yourself if you're really following them all. If there is a step (or two or three...) you're not following, try focusing on that one this week.

If you're just joining us, be sure to read the previous weeks, starting with Week One. 

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 1-7. Plus you’ll add this next step:

Stop eating 2 hours before bedtime.

You’ve probably heard this rule before, too. There’s nothing magical about it. Digestion takes a lot of energy. If you eat too close to bedtime, you’ll expend so much energy digesting your food, you may have trouble sleeping and getting the rest you need.

But the main reason I put this down as a step is because the night time, after dinner, is many people’s weak time. It’s been a long day, we’re tired, we just want to sit in front of the TV and munch. A handful (or more) of chips would taste so good. Or some buttered popcorn. Or another serving from dinner. But by following this step, you’ll eliminate this problem.

It’s okay to go to bed a little bit hungry. I’ll repeat that last part: a little bit hungry. But if you’re absolutely starving and it’s less than 2 hours until bedtime, you need to eat. Maybe you get home from work or the gym at 8 and need to be in bed by 10. You don’t need to refrain from eating if that’s your situation. If you’re really hungry, please eat. Just make a healthy choice, okay? And make it a small serving.  

EXERCISE

CARDIO: 

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. For 5 minutes in the middle, go a little bit faster.

STRENGTH-TRAINING: 

Two days this week, do the following strength moves (can be done on the same day as cardio).  The exercises marked in RED are new.

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.

10 Step Ups  Set one foot on a step that's about 8-12 inches tall. Step up, tap the step with the trailing leg, step back down. Do this 10x. Repeat with other leg.

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  your belly, propped on elbows. Lift your body up until you’re balancing on your elbows and toes. Hold.

20 Bicycle crunches Lie on your back, hands behind the head (head resting in hands--you're not pulling on head). Pull knees into the chest. Alternate knees in and out, while the opposite elbow reaches for the knee.
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!