Holy Bikini Body

I’m so glad you guys are excited about the Shape Up challenge!!

I’ve already received over 200 emails from people wishing to participate, so instead of emailing the info out individually (which was the plan but I had NO IDEA you would be so stoked!), I figured I’d post it on the blog for you guys.

If you have not received an email from me yet, here is a copy of the one I sent out:

hey everyone!
i am BLOWN away by your interest in the summer shape up! it’s going to be a blasty and i know we’ll all be able to provide some great motivation for each other.
you are about to get 3 google docs from me: this week’s workout and eating plan, and a spreadsheet to track your progress.
today you have 5 things to do:
1) get a small notebook
2) measure your bicep, chest, waist (at the smallest part) and thigh and write these values with today’s date in the notebook; if you belong to a gym (or can visit one) get your body fat percentage measured and write down this percentage as well.
3) from now on, write down EVERYTHING you eat and drink (you don’t have to count calories at all). also keep a daily keep a tally of fruits and veggies (at least 5 per day), water (at least 8 glasses per day), and briefly write down your workout
4) at the end of each day, open the spreadsheet and give yourself 1 point each for getting enough fruits and veggies, drinking enough water and doing cardio. at the end of the week, in the spreadsheet give yourself 1 point for each weight workout completed- there are columns for everything.
5) get started!!! 3 months is a PERFECT amount of time to see a huge difference!
some things to remember: this week’s workout and eating plans are a suggestion.. feel free to alter them how ever you need to for specific injuries or dietary needs. while lifting weights PUSH yourself.. you should be able to do 10-12 (but no more than that) reps for 3 sets of each exercise. if you can do more than that, increase the weight.
as far as eating goes (and eating is SO important), if you want to eat something that isn’t included on the eating plan ask yourself if it’s a pure and whole food. check the ingredients and make sure you can pronounce everything that’s in there and if you can, go for it. if it has weird chemicals and you don’t know what is in it, don’t eat it.
every sunday you’ll get a new set of meal ideas and a set of workouts for the week.
HAPPY TRAINING!!!
email me with "SUMMER SHAPE UP" in the subject line with any questions.
happy training,
gina

*******************If you do not have access to the online spreadsheet, please create one for yourself with a column for “veggies and fruits”, “water intake” and “cardio”—give yourself 1 point for each column, each day (max 3 points per day). At the end of the week, give yourself 3 points for completing 3 weight workouts. Keep track of your points from now until July 31.

SUMMER SHAPE UP: Eating plan, Week 1
Make sure to keep a journal with a tally for fruit and veggie servings (at least 5), water intake (at least 8 glasses); write down EVERYTHING you eat and drink and your workout for the day
-Try to eat as CLEANLY as possible- choosing foods that are going to be consumed the way they were created by nature.
Smart carbs:
-100% whole wheat bread/pita/pasta (Hodgson’s Mill and Ezekiel products are great)
    -sweet potatoes and other starchy veggies like peas, corn, squash
    -whole grains: brown rice, quinoa, millet, barley, wheat berries, oats
    – beans and legumes
    -fruit (raw, canned in its own juice, dried with NO added sugar)
    -all veggies (except for white potatoes)
Lean proteins:
    -lowfat deli meat (look at for lower sodium choices)
    -fat free or nonfat milk or dairy products (almond or hemp milk is great too)
    -boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
    -extra lean ground beef/ground turkey
    -fish: salmon, tilapia, halibut, mahi mahi, tuna, shrimp, crab
    -beans and legumes
    -eggs and eggs whites (eggbeaters)
    -nut butter (max 2 tbs per day with NO added sugar- ingredients should be nuts and (optional) salt. That’s it)
    -dark green leafy veggies (romaine, collards, spinach, kale)
    -protein powder (whey, soy, brown rice, hemp)
    -nuts and seeds (raw unsalted)
Healthy fats:
    -Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, canola oil
    -eggs
    -Fish: salmon, tuna, halibut, mahi mahi
    -lowfat dairy
    -Nuts and seeds: aim for raw, unsalted
    -avocados (1/4 avocado is one serving)
Drinks:
-Coffee (with Stevia and fatfree/nonfat milk or vegan milk), unsweetened tea, WATER (8 glasses per day), red wine (5 oz per day) instead of a second snack
Condiments:
-Annie’s ketchup
-mustard
-balsamic vinegar/rice wine vinegar/red wine vinegar
-Salad dressing (make sure to measure and choose ones without weird ingredients– better yet, make your own with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper or balsamic vinegar with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper)
-salsa and hot sauce
-hummus
*Make sure EVERY meal and snack has fruits and/or veggies, lean protein and a little healthy fat. This will keep you feeling full and satisfied and will keep your metabolic fire burning!
*Remember, what we look like is 80% nutrition, 10% genetics and 10% exercise.
*To cook, always pan sear, bake, roast or grill with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, nonstick spray, coconut oil or canola oil
MEAL IDEAS

Breakfast Ideas
-1/2 cup oatmeal cooked in water with 1 sliced banana, 1 tbs nut butter
-1 cup fresh fruit with fat free/lowfat PLAIN yogurt (or greek yogurt) with no added sugar and 1/4 cup cereal (Fiber One, Kashi, All Bran, Barbara’s, Ezekiel)
-Smoothie made with fruit, fat free/nonfat milk, (optional) protein powder, 1 tbs nut butter
-1 egg and 1 egg white omelet cooked in nonstick spray with veggies, lowfat/nonfat cheese and 1 slice of 100% whole wheat bread with Polaner fruit spread
-Breakfast burrito with 1 egg, black beans, salsa, veggies wrapped in a 100% whole wheat tortilla or flat out wrap
-2 Kashi frozen waffles with yogurt and berries
Lunch Ideas
-Salad with romaine/spinach, veggies, lean protein of choice, balsamic vinaegrette or lemon juice and 1/2 tbs olive oil, 1/2 cup brown rice
-Nut butter and Polaner sandwich with 2 slices Ezekiel bread, 1 tbs nut butter, 1 tbs Polaner and 1 serving fruit
-Protein smoothie (fat free/nonfat milk, fruit, protein powder) and a side of steamed veggies
- "Pizza" made with a flat out wrap or 100% whole wheat tortilla, 1/2 cup marinara sauce, veggies, (optional) meat and 1 serving lowfat/fatfree cheese
-Brown rice sushi roll and a salad with 1 tbs dressing of choice
-Grilled meat +smart carb + healthy fat (extra virgin olive oil)
-Soup (Amy’s brand, Wolfgang Puck or Healthy Choice) with salad and a smart carb of choice
-Frozen meal: anything by Amy’s or Kashi with a salad
Dinner Ideas
-Grilled meat/fish/protein with steamed veggies and brown rice (or another healthy carb of choice)
-1 serving 100% whole wheat pasta (check the ingredients- if it has semolina in it, put it down), with 1/2 cup marinara sauce, veggies and protein
-Cobb salad with grilled or baked meat/protein, veggies, 2 slices turkey bacon (optional), a hardboiled egg crumbled on top (optional), 1 tbs dressing of choice
-Fish tacos with grilled fish, yogurt sauce (plain yogurt with lime juice, cumin and garlic), on whole wheat or Ezekiel tortillas with lettuce, salsa and 1/2 cup black beans on the side
-Piza with 100% whole wheat crust, BBQ sauce (Annie’s brand), rotisserie chicken, green onions, cilantro and lowfat cheddar cheese
-Burger with salmon burger, lean turkey or ground beef, 100% whole wheat bun, Annie’s ketchup, mustard, grilled veggies (or opt for no bun and have sweet potato fries instead.. BAKED)
-Frozen meal: anything by Amy’s or Kashi with a salad
-Soup (Amy’s brand, Wolfgang Puck or Healthy Choice) with salad and a smart carb of choice
Snack Ideas 2 per day; 1 midmorning and 1 late afternoon
-Banana with nut butter
-Apple with Laughing Cow light cheese wedge
-Grapes and 1 serving of Triscuits (or another cracker of choice- Kavli and Mary’s Gone Crackers make great 100% whole grain crackers)
-Veggies and hummus (Wild Garden, Sabras or homemade)
-piece of 100% whole wheat bread (or smart carb of choice) with an egg
-1 serving multigrain tortilla chips with salsa and a little melted lowfat/fatfree cheese
-1/2 baked sweet potato with lowfat/fat free feta and chives
-1 serving lowfat cottage cheese and fruit
-quesadilla with a small whole wheat tortilla, 1 serving cheese and salsa
-fruit and veggie plate
-grande latte with nonfat milk and sugarfree syrup
-Luna bar or Larabar
Treats (have 1 serving each day you *need* one instead of a 2nd snack, or skip out on treats for the entire week if you would like to have a "treat meal" in which you can eat whatever you want -1 time per week); it helps me if I don’t keep unhealthy food in the house, but whatever works for you to get into awesome shape and keep your sanity- do it
-Sugarfree Jell-o, Jell-o pudding and popsicles
-Skinny cow ice cream products
-1/2 cup (measure!!!!!) ice cream
-2 oreos
-15 gummi bears
-30 goldfish crackers, Annie’s bunnies
Sweeteners
-Stevia
-Maple syrup (100% pure maple syrup– make sure to measure)
-dates
-honey (measure!)
Food to AVOID:
-mayonnaise
-fried
-white sugar and white flour (cakes, cookies, crackers made with white sugar and white flour)
-anything white that isn’t dairy or fish
-processed snack foods (unless it’s Annie’s brand; stick to 1 serving)
-100 calorie packs.. it’s still Oreo’s
-Anything that has a drive thru that isn’t Starbucks
-full fat dairy and butter
-fatty meat (ground beef/turkey that isn’t extra lean), chicken/turkey with skin, brisket, anything pork that isn’t tenderloin or lean pork chops, bacon, sausage
When eating out:
-Make your own meal: Grilled meat, steamed/grilled veggies, plain sweet potato or brown rice
-Go for grilled, baked, poached, steamed, roasted… stay away from "creamy, fried, butter, crispy, au gratin, escalloped, pan-fried, sautéed or stuffed)
-Request that your meal be prepared with vegetable oil (made from canola, olive, corn, soy, sunflower or safflower) or soft margarine instead of butter. Ask for soft margarine for your bread
-Have gravy, sauces and dressings served on the side, so you can control the amount you eat or skip them completely. Ask if the restaurant has fat-free or 1 percent milk instead of whole milk.
-Even if they aren’t on the dessert menu, many restaurants can offer you fruit or sherbet instead of high-fat pastries and ice creams

Week 1: Workout plan
Weights 3x per week, cardio 6 days each week (some days harder than others)
Remember, instead of the suggested cardio workouts you can always take an aerobics class instead
You can switch the days around to correspond with your schedule but try not to lift weights two days in a row
Day 1: 30 minutes of cardio (steady state, keeping your personal level at 5 or 6 for the total of 30 minutes), stretch
Day 2: Weights (Shoulders, chest and triceps) and cardio
    -Elliptical 5 minutes to warm up
    -Dumbbell lateral raise
    -Triceps extension machine
    -Elliptical 5 minutes (1 minute steady pace, 30 seconds as fast as you can go; repeat for 5 minutes)
    -Dumbbell chest fly (do this laying on a mat)
    -Dumbbell upright row
    -Elliptical 5 minutes (start at 5 resistance and 5 incline and increase each by 1 for total of 5 minutes)
    -Chest press machine
    -Push ups- as many as you can
    -Crunches (3 sets of 15-25)
    -Elliptical 10 minutes
Day 3: 30 minutes of cardio (intervals)
    -Choose cardio equipment of your choice (elliptical, stairmaster, treadmill)
    – Warm up for 3 minutes at a comfortable pace
    -Sprint (as fast as you can) for 30 seconds — to make it even harder, add some resistance
    -Recover for 1 minute
    -Repeat sprinting 30 seconds and recovering 1 minute for a total of 25 minutes
    -Cool down for 5 minutes and stretch
Day 4: Weights (legs) and cardio
    -5 minute cardio warm up
    -Leg extension machine
    -Calf raises on a step  (if this is too difficult, just stand on the floor instead of on the step and use your body weight instead of dumbbells)
    -Squat jumps  (as many as you can for 1 minute total)
    -Lunges (use dumbbells or body weight)
    -Jumping jacks (as many as you can for 1 minute)
    -Stability ball hamstring curl (if this is too difficult, use the hamstring curl machine)
    -Wall squats (Hold for 30 seconds with 30 seconds rest in between; 3 times)
    -Dolphin plank (hold 30 seconds) then do a side plank  for 30 seconds, other side 30 seconds, then back to dolphin plank for 30 seconds
    -10 minutes on treadmill (walking or running with at least 2% incline)
Day 5: 30 minutes of cardio (OR take an aerobics class)
    -Hills: start at an easy pace/resistance for 5 minutes (0:00-5:00); increase incline by 1% every minute for the next 10 minutes (5:00-15:00); take it back to easy (level 4) for 3 minutes (15:00-18:00); increase incline by 1% every minute from minutes 18:00-26:00 (reduce your speed if you need to); cool down for 4 minutes (26:00-30:00)
Day 6: Weights (back and biceps) and cardio
    -5 minute easy cardio warm up
    -Bicep curl
    -Lat pulldown (make sure to squeeze you back muscles and keep good posture)
    -Cable hammer curl with rope attachment
    -Two arm dumbbell row
    -Stability ball back extension
    -Cardio of choice (20 minutes, moderate intensity- cool down for 3 minutes and stretch)
Day 7: Active recovery
    -Take a yoga class, go for a walk, clean/garden/do something active without formally "working out"

********I’ll post the week’s workouts and eating plan every Sunday (and if you’re already on my email listerv, you will receive an email and new Google docs)

HAPPY TRAINING!!! Let’s start “shaping up”

xoxo,

Gina