Week 5 of Holiday Avoid-The-Poundage Blowout

Week 5 went well. It was the start of a new 30-day program that changes up the weight lifting portion on Mondays & Wednesdays. The other days remain the same: Tuesdays is plyometrics, Thursdays is yoga, Fridays is Legs & Back, and Saturdays is Kenpo (although I have been known to substitute Kenpo for another cardio activity of my choosing including a 3-4 mile run, 45 minutes of stadiums, or a Tracy Anderson or Insanity cardio workout.

I got in 6 workouts last week. I had my first final exam on Thursday, and so it was good to get out all of the exam gitters in the gym. My other two finals are this week.

I was asked some questions about breakfasts this week. Because I'm a student, I take my breakfast on the go about 2-3 times per week. Here is an awesome spinach shake recipe that I love. I change up this recipe almost every time I make it. I often use 1/2 a frozen banana & a handful of spinach. The Jackie Warner mix is great, but I'm not sure if she's still selling it. Other options include Shakeology or regular Whey or Soy Protein from GNC. I used to always use an egg, now I rarely do. Also, I use regular milk or almond milk depending on what mood I'm in. If I could afford it, my first choice would be Shakeology. I love to take my multi-vitamin with my shake for an extra bang.

Other breakfast options that I use often include oatmeal (no sugars, add raw almonds and raisins) to  give the right amount of carbs, fat, and protein. Oats are a form of soluble fiber which contributes to lowering cholesterol. Another option I love is an egg white scramble (I buy egg white packages in the egg section of the store) with lots of veggies and either whole beans or a whole-wheat tortilla, or both. It's perfect with salsa....Sadie's is a fav.

Just a note on those breakfasts...we should always eat them. Failure to eat breakfast slows our basal metabolic rate and causes us to be unable to think clearly. If we're a bright-and-shiny worker-outer, we can do our workout early on an empty stomach, as long as we make sure we eat when we're done. Breakfasts should be about 400 calories, and a mid-morning healthy snack about 100-150 calories. Here, you can find info on nutrition. Remember, the less-processed, the better...and always read labels.