NO MORE PLATEAU!! I can't pass up a teaching opportunity!!
So, you've made some progress toward your goals, or you've achieved them....now what?? How do you pinpoint WHERE you are now, WHAT direction you want to go now, and HOW to put all this into action?
As a fitness/nutrition coach, I find the BIGGEST obstacles men/women have, is they don't know what they want....they have some ideas, some pictures that they admire, but what do they REALLY want?? In addition, HOW do they get there!!? This is where a Nutrition Coach/Fitness Coach can be the BEST investment you will make this year.
I was recently walking thru the kitchen, spooning up some food from the stove and my husband couldn't help but comment on the size I had put on in my back...he took a short video so I could do a side by side comparison of my last couple months of progress!!! I was SHOCKED at what I saw, and thought, what a perfect teaching opportunity for all of YOU!!
My GOALS the past two months were:
1. To grow my shoulders: My goal has ALWAYS been to be able to see my shoulder definition thru a long sleeved shirt.
2. Cardio Twice a Week: I've always HATED cardio, but now that I have become a coach at Orange Theory Fitness, I have a new found love for HIIT cardio, especially when the one hour workout includes strength training. This would also help me keep the fat gains at bay while in a caloric surplus.
3. Eat for Gains: I was starting my day with a protein and quick absorbing fat meal. I was also having two meal replacement shakes a day, two additional meals, and supplementing to control cortisol, ease inflammation, and for quality sleep.
So now I see this SIZE, and no offence to anyone who desired a lot of muscle mass, but I think I've hit my limit. I'm borderline uncomfortable and starting to feel less feminine. In another way, I think it looks amazing, and I'm super proud of how much I've been able to grow!
So where do I go from here?? How do we make the next decision, and plan of action??
Well, we could go in many directions, but it all starts with a good amount of thought on WHERE you want to end up, and what steps are most important for you to make FIRST, to reach that final destination in the most timely fashion!
First off, pay attention to how you are really feeling. What do YOU want. Not what your family wants, not what judges want, not what's easiest...what do you REALLY want to work toward. If your heart isn't in it, you won't get there, nor will it be worth the effort!
At first glance, I think my upper body is looking less feminine, kinda bloated, and stalky. I feel like I would be happier with the look if I leaned out. Less fat on top my added muscle, will make the muscles more defined.
What you DON'T see, is that my legs still don't have much shape, and I don't have any hips. When I wear a dress, I WANT to have some shape by building more glutes and fuller quads. They are getting stronger, and looking better, but they have some catching up to do to meet up with my upper body. So how do I start??
To lean out my upper body, I would have to be in a caloric deficit by either eating less, or working out more/adding cardio. This would help me reach my goals for my upper body, but then what about my legs?? I would still be left with an assymetrical physique...
To GROW my lower body, I would have to be in a caloric surplus, increase the frequency of my leg workouts, (AHHHHH) and more than likely DECREASE my HIIT running. I would also have to decrease the way I train my upper body so it doesn't keep getting bigger. This would mean more time feeling a little "bulky" and "fuller" than I ideally want.
These are basically my two choices, but what is more important to me right now? Do I want a leaner body all together now, or a more symmetrical physique later (I mean later, because the latter will be TWO steps: BUILDING the lower body while maintaining the upper, which takes a long time, THEN leaning out)
So, What have I decided?
I'm going to make a huge effort to grow these legs, THEN lean out!! This decision was helped when I developed a groin/leg injury, and can't get through a HIIT workout without a lot of pain. (Pretty much the most beneficial exercise when you want to lean out) My legs are unfortunately going to have to be coddled as well for a while, and I don't want to be in a caloric deficit while my body is trying to heal.
So Here's my plan:
1. Nutrition: As of now, I WISH I could say I've been eating an abnoxious amount of calories to grow, but I haven't been. I've been around 1600 Calories/day. So my goal is to build my caloric intake SLOWLY over the next few months. Adding about 100/day/week. (i.e next week 1700 cals/day, following week 1800 cals/day) This will be necessary to fuel lower body muscle growth. This is also important for when it comes to leaning out. They higher my calories are when I start my lean out phase, the easier it will be mentally.
2. Workouts: I will have a hamstring dominant workout and quad dominant workout on their own days. Focusing on Isolation exercises so I won't aggravate my injury. (Plyometrics are out of the question at this time) I will also include an additional leg day once my injury is healed. At this time I will also add in my Orange Theory workouts 2x/week. Weight training sessions will vary once this happens because some of them are heavy on the legs. In this case, I would be able to ease up at the gym. Upper body workouts will be higher reps and less frequency so I don't continue to put on too much size. I may throw in a little big of strength training there as well, as I've been focused on hypertrophy for a LONG time.
3. Supplementation: I will always have my two shakes for convenience and complete nutrition. As well as the supplements I mentioned above. Depending on my veggie intake, I may add some greens powder. Magnesium, Zinc, and of course Omega or fish oils are in my daily regime.
4. Yoga-This is a random addition, but I feel like I need some relaxing, stress free stretching in my life, so I've challenged myself to at least one yoga session per week. I'm starting to feel some aches and pains, and regular life stresses are catching up to me. In addition, I don't do nearly enough stretching. I feel this is a really important component to add to my regime.
5. When Build is Complete: This build isn't going to be overnight. I'm guessing 5-6 months. (I've already been working on this over the summer) I'm going to have to be OK with feeling a little bigger. As long as I can see my abs, I'm usually happy ;) There is NO easy fix, it's hard work, consistency, proper/smart planning and compliance. I would like to start leaning out
Once I feel like my legs are where I want them to be, OR when I decide to change my plan because being lean becomes more important to me, I will start my lean out....I will start by adding additional cardio. Once the weight loss plateaus with additional output, I will decrease my calories. I will rotate these methods back and forth until I'm at my desired leanness. (that sounds like recipe directions, lol ;)
This REALLY is a simple process, but you have to follow the plan. Accountability is usually the most important part. Tell someone close to you your plan, or better yet follow a plan TOGETHER.
The next SistersInShape Challenge starts Early August!!! (Ask how you can get your first months training, a $250 value, for FREE, and even MAKE money if you join with a friend or two)
I'm also opening up more spots for Online Nutrition/Fitness Coaching/Competition Prep ( This link takes you to my bio with my Sisters in Shape Team, where you can also sign up for training)
If I'm not the perfect fit for your journey, I guarantee one of us are!! We want to be part of your plan!
It is our job to walk you thru these steps, help you make the best decisions for YOU, create a plan, and ensure you implement it to the best of your ability. We offer you tools to help you along the way based on YOUR lifestyle, while making changes to keep you progressing.
Have additional questions?? Email Me, or post below.
