summer school (blegh) and, as requested, workout routine!

good morning!

it's too early for me. waking up at 6:15am to get ready for summer school is the pits. 

this is what i get for wanting to graduate early! 

(side note: the clock for my blog isn't set correctly)

my classmate and i have decided to workout every morning after class for the next few weeks. i'm always happy to have a workout buddy. i've gotten quite lazy with my workouts ever since i hit my goal weight a month or so ago. many people  have requested my workout routine and diet plan so here goes...

lazy workout ootd:

leopard headband, forever XXI, $3

pink burnout tank, stolen from lauren, free

sports bra, old navy, $15

workout capris, aerie, free w/ cami purchase

flip flops, nike, $30

backpack, jon hart, $127 (gift)

stats:

5 ft. 3in. 

108lb. (orig. 136, jan. 2013)

the workout:

cardio: (for weight loss) when i wanted to lose the bulk of my weight i began running 4 miles a day almost every day (i was very determined) on a treadmill. i would walk 5 minutes (@3.5), followed by 10 minutes of running (@6) one after another until i had done this for 50 minutes. this led to some knee problems and i quit running for a period of time. (for toning) during this time i walked (@3.5) on an incline of 5.0 for 25 minutes a day most days. during finals i got lazy and stopped for quite a while. (for building endurance) lately i've been into HIIT (high intensity interval training) on the treadmill at 0 incline. with this i walk half speed (@4) for 30 seconds followed by 30 seconds of full speed running (@8). i do each 15 times to equal 15 minutes. that's all! it goes by really quickly and does the job. this usually equals about 1.6 miles. 

weights: i've had to build up my arm strength over a long period of time. at first i couldn't even curl 5lb. weights and now i'm at 15lbs, sometimes 20lb! you can do any different type of arm exercises with weights. i suggest googling different workouts to target different muscle groups. my suggestion is to do 3-5 different exercises, 3 sets of 8-12 reps. from research i've learned if you can do more than 12 it's too easy and if you can't do at least 8 it's too hard. i also use weights to work my abs and bum. for abs i stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold a 20lb. weight at my side in one hand. i then put my other hand up by my head and side crunch opposite of the weight, bringing my elbow towards my hip. i do this straight to the sides and also angled slightly backwards to target love handles. for my bum i do squats with my legs in a straight line to the sides and knees bent at a right angle. i usually hold a 20lb. weight straight down with both hands while i'm doing this. from here i pump up and down (in a normal squatting manner) on flat feet 25x. i alternate this with 25 squats on my toes with my heels raised. i do each one twice to equal 100 squats. this is the only bum exercise that i do consistently. sometimes i'll throw in donkey kicks and glute bridges. 

me myself and i: when i'm at home and don't have any equipment i do 3 sets of girl pushups. some with arms out to the sides and some making a triangle with my hands positioned right under my chest. i also do leg lifts, crunches with my feet straight up, reaching for my toes, and side to side crunches. there are a lot of fun ab exercises on the internet. find what works for you. 

the diet:

i know it's cliche but i am not on a diet. i've changed my lifestyle to better myself from the inside out. when i started trying to lose weight i tried to cut carbs altogether and stick to lean meats, sharp cheeses, egg whites, and almond products, accompanied by lots of fruit and veggies (not corn, grapes, or starchy potatoes). i went through a faze where i would eat all whole grain pitas, pastas, and bread, or try to replace them with quinoa and gluten-free products, but decided to (mostly) cut carbs again. below i'll include an updated meal plan that i usually stick to. i also drink a TON of green tea. boatloads. i splurge pretty often but not in a huge way. you have to keep yourself sane! 

current meal plan:

breakfast: 

• lean and toned protein shake, $5 for 4 @walmart (100 cal)
• natural green tea

snack

• laughing cow light swiss cheese wedge (35 cal) OR
• nuts (wasabi almonds or walnuts)

lunch: 

• can of tuna or chicken with walnuts OR
• canned chicken on spinach leaves with walnuts, cheddar, and greek yogurt dressing OR
• light soups (180 cal) with a laughing cow light swiss cheese wedge OR
• deli turkey meat (45-90 cal) with mustard, a light cheese stick (45cal), and a can of green beans (70 cal) 
• natural green tea OR almond milk with sugar free chocolate syrup

snack:

• banana with almond butter OR
• light cottage cheese with peaches (no sugary syrups)

dinner:

• another item from the lunch list OR
• eggs or egg whites and turkey bacon or mild salsa OR
• ground turkey (used in different ways) with a can of green beans

LOTS of water throughout the day. bring a water bottle EVERYWHERE!

(i recommend a camelback because they're awesome)

now... i'm considering trying the "mean green" juice fast for a few days. i'll include a link for it below. because i'm not trying to lose an extreme amount of weight i think i'll let myself eat egg whites and lean meats during this process. what do you think? try it with me? 

"mean green" regimen:

http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/mean-green-juice/

i believe you drink 15-16oz, 5 times a day. joe (inventor of the juice) also made a movie called fat, sick, and nearly dead that is on netflix. check it out! 

disclaimer: i am not a professional trainer, nor a dietitian. this is just the process i've used to lose weight and get fit. 

let me know what you think or if you have any tips of your own!

XOXO.

-B