Alternative to P90X Eating/Exercise Plan

So, I just wrote out this plan for a friend of mine who is hoping to drop 20 pounds in the next 50 days. I thought it might be something someone else might be able to use, so I posted it here. Obviously, feel free to change it up as you see necessary!

You can go to http://www.printablecalendar.ca/ and make up your own workout schedule/calendar. I've used this many times when I was doing P90X...to keep me on track.
You can fill in (using Microsoft Word) each day what you plan to do and then just print it out.

My suggestion is to try to do weights every other day-alternating with intense cardio sessions. For instance, M-W-F you might do an interval session where you do 10 minutes of weights alternated by 5 minutes of some kind of hard-core cardio (jumping rope, running, high-level elliptical) and then back to the weights. In my experience, alternating between these 2 is THE BEST way to drop calories. (but you can’t do it every day because your muscles need a chance to recover). So for instance, let's say that on M-W-F you did this:
5 minutes of mild-moderate walking on treadmill for warm up
10 minutes of weights focusing on chest and back work
5 minutes of running at a pace of 6 on the treadmill
10 minutes of weights focusing on biceps and triceps
5 minutes of jumping rope (HARD to do!)
10 minutes of weights focusing on shoulders and legs
5 minutes of elliptical machine (high level, high intensity)
5 minutes of stretching for cool down
That is a total of 55 minutes

On Tue/Thur/Sat you could do this:
5 minutes of walking/jogging for warm up
Begin circuit training: Go hard for 1 minute, then rest for 30 seconds (rest meaning walking or jogging in place)
Cardio Circuits:
Jumping Jacks
Squats
Mountain Climbers
High Knees
Plank
High Front Kicks
Towel Hop
Tricep Dips
Lunges
Push Ups
Squat Jacks

Let's say you went through that circuit 2 times, doing each one for 1 minute and resting in between for 30 seconds. Then you could finish up with about 10 minutes of abs.
Abs
25 Scissors
25 Bicycles
25 crunches
25 Side-to-Side crunches
25 Twist (punch across)
That should come up to around an hour as well.

Sunday could be your rest/stretch day...meaning no work out, but do take a few minutes to REALLY stretch out your muscles (think yoga or pilates poses)

Also, to help you with your eating, I suggest following a plan something like this:
Breakfast: 1 cup non-instant oatmeal w/ banana
Snack: Apple or orange
Lunch: 4 oz. chicken breast or baked fish with 1 c. squash and 1/2 c. brown rice
Snack: 2 c. celery with 1 TBSP. natural peanut butter
Dinner: 4 oz. chicken or fish, 1 c. asparagus, 1 c. zucchini, 3 cups salad greens
Snack/Dessert: 1 cup fresh fruit

Another alternative:
Breakfast: 3 egg whites, 1 whole wheat toast, 1 turkey bacon
Snack: 1 c. bell pepper with 1 TBSP. light dressing
Lunch: 4 oz. chicken or fish, 1/2 baked potato, squash
Snack: 10 almonds, apple or celery
Dinner: 4 oz. fish or chicken, veggies, salad
Snack: 1 c. fruit

Basically, this plan gives you all your carbs early in the day and fills you up on water-filled nutritent-filled veggies in the afternoon/evening. It is very low calorie (around 1200) and you may need to add in some extra healthy snacks (such as almonds, fruit, low-fat yogurt) etc.
I have always had GREAT success following this eating plan. I don't do it perfectly, but if I at least TRY to stick t o it semi-closely, I will always drop weight.
To make it easy and less tempting to cheat, I usually make several chicken breasts on Sunday or Monday and sautee up all my squash, asparagus and zucchini. I cut it all up into bite sized chunks and measure it out and put it into containers in the fridge. I also pre-cook my brown rice. I chop up all my salad, celery, etc. The only thing you can't cook ahead is the oatmeal. It is totally gross warmed up the next day! :) (and I cut my apple up each day)

These are just some suggestions, but I know that if you get a plan and print it out and start marking it off...it will really help to keep you on track! You will NO DOUBT lose 20 pounds by your vacation this way!

Let me know if you need any explanations on the exercises I suggested. ---or if you have any questions!!
XOXO!
Jen

**Here are some suggestions for the weight days:
Chest & Back: Lying down chest press, push ups, Bent over rows, Back Flys

Biceps & Triceps: Bicep curls front, Bicep curls out (arms to sides not in front), Tricep kick backs, Tricep dips.

Shoulders & Legs: Squat with shoulder press, Leaning forward lunge with shoulder press, Calf raises, In & Out Shoulder Fly.

Day 31--as unto the Lord

So, I'm still learning and figuring this whole thing out, but one thing I know is that the whole weightloss/eating issue is clouding my mind WAY too much. I want my total focus to be on God and I want Him to use me anywhere/anytime/anyhow. In short...I wanna be ALL IN.
But, I've realized that I can't be completely available to Him when I have a hundred thoughts running through my mind all the time about "too fat" "burn calories" "can't fit into that" "need to work out" "shouldn't eat that" "ate too much" "exercise more"....blah, blah, blah. It's all-consuming a lot of the time and it's spilling over onto my daughter. When she had her tonsils out, she was unable to eat solids for about a week...and she was SO excited (like way too excited) to see that she'd lost several pounds. Because there is a scale in the house, she weighs herself very often and complains about "looking fat" in certain clothes. I never ever ever wanted that to happen with her...and yet, how stupid for me to think that it wouldn't. Children imitate what they see...and even though I THOUGHT I was hiding this "dark side" of me from her....it was impossible to keep completely hidden. She's only 9. :(
Plus, there were parts I DIDN'T want to hide...like the times when I eat very healthy and exercise regularly. Those are things I wanted her to see and imitate.
Anyway, it's still a bit of a jumbled up mess in my mind and I'm not 100% sure of how I'm going to "fix this" but I do know that I have GOT to start viewing my eating and working out as things I do "as unto the Lord." I MUST renew my mind daily with the Word. I eat healthy because God gave me this body, He dwells within me and He desires for me to take good care of it. I honor Him and bring glory to him by feeding it food that is wholesome, healthy and fuel for it to use. Likewise, when I exercise, I need to be focused on a goal of being fit and healthy and a valuable resourse to Him......rather than how "ripped" I can look to all the other people working out in the gym. If my focus is on getting compliments from other people and wanting to be "more sculpted than that girl", then my focus is not on God and bringing Him glory.
Having my focus on God will also keep me from slacking...AS WELL AS...from going over-board. God's way is perfect. It is balanced. It is not too much and it is not too little. God's way is going to be my way.
Proverbs 16 says (and I'm paraphrasing) "A man plans his way...but God makes the final decision". So, I will still "plan my way" but now God will be the final authority. I will compare my progress against his Word...not against the unrealistic women in my fitness magazines or the gym instructors that look better/tiny-ier/more muscled up than me. No, I only have one standard with which to compare myself...and that is what God outlines in his Word. A healthy strong body that is fully and completely submitted to Him.
So...all that being said...I did P90X Day 31 today. (took a week off due to being sick and getting some of this stuff figured out) but I'm back in the swing of it and intend to finish this round of P90X.
It was Chest, Shoulders & Triceps today and Ab Ripper. It was TOUGH, but thinking about God and honoring him with my effort was a total energy boost. I certainly haven't "achieved" or figured this all out (by ANY MEANS) but I do know that I am on the right track. And it feels good. Very good!

A Sneak Peek...

God is working on me...and the end result is going to be beautiful. It already is...but He's perfecting some flaws right now...

Anyway...the lyrics of this song are a perfect "Sneak Peek" into what is happening...(gives me goosebumps every time).

Also, if you have time, I encourage you to click HERE to watch the video/listen to it!


Little girl fourteen flipping through a magazine
Says she wants to look that way
But her hair isn’t straight her body isn’t fake
And she’s always felt overweight

Well little girl fourteen I wish that you could see
That beauty is within your heart
And you were made with such care your skin your body and your hair
Are perfect just the way they are

There could never be a more beautiful you
dont buy the lies disguises and hoops they make you jump through
You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do
So there could never be a more beautiful you

Little girl twenty-one the things that you’ve already done
Anything to get ahead
And you say you’ve got a man but he’s got another plan
Only wants what you will do instead

Well little girl twenty-one you never thought that this would come
You starve yourself to play the part
But I can promise you there’s a man whose love is true
And he’ll treat you like the jewel you are

There could never be a more beautiful you
dont buy the lies disguises and hoops they make you jump through
You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do
So there could never be a more beautiful you

So turn around you’re not too far
To back away be who you are
To change your path go another way
It’s not too late you can be saved
If you feel depressed with past regrets
The shameful nights hope to forget
Can disappear they can all be washed away
By the one who’s strong can right your wrongs
Can rid your fears dry all your tears
And change the way you look at this big world
He will take your dark distorted view
And with His light He will show you truth
And again you’ll see through the eyes of a little girl

There could never be a more beautiful you
dont buy the lies disguises and hoops they make you jump through
You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do
So there could never be a more beautiful you
There could never be, a more beautiful you.


Now that your heart is all warm and fuzzy...let me give you something to compare that with...and break your heart:
Click HERE to watch an opposite video...of a very popular song right now, even one that I thought I LOVED until I watched this and read the lyrics. Now I feel sick.
If you have a young girl...please...before it's too late...Train her how to love and take care of her body GOD'S WAY! Read "6 Ways to Keep the Little in Your Girl" now!

**CHANGING**

I hereby interrupt this blog to give an announcement. This blog (and it's author) are undergoing some serious changes in the area of weight/exercise/nutrition.
All former thought patterns, eating patterns and workout habits are being exchanged for new ones that God Himself has been delivering to me in the past 24 hours. As He continues this work, I am putting this blog on "hold" for the time being. I assure you...if you have EVER found this blog helpful in the past...you are about to find it WAY more helpful in the future!

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!