Hamstrings, Glutes & Protein Mocha Frappe

Today I worked hamstrings and glutes followed by 30 minutes of cardio.  I changed things up a little today for hamstrings.  The past few weeks I've been doing stiff legged deadlifts, single leg cable curls prone on the ball, elevated DB plie squats, and hip abductions.

Today I did the following:

1)  Wide stance romanian deadlifts: 2 warms up sets @ 45 & 65 lbs, 5 working sets @ 95lbs x 12 reps
*I focus on going very slow with this exercise and really feeling the stretch on the way down and a good contraction in the hamstrings on the way up.

2)  Lying TRX hamstring curls: 4 x 12 reps
*Focusing on the upper hamstrings and glutes, keeping the hips high.

3a)  Seated machine hamstring curls: 4 x 10-12 reps
superset
3b)  Reverse hyperextensions on bench 4 x 20 reps

Followed by 30 minutes of high intensity steady state cardio on the arc trainer, I had a successful workout, drenched in sweat.  I put my headphones in and let the fast beat of the music drive me through each minute of heart pounding cardio, focusing on keeping my stomach tight and stepping on stage in less than 5 weeks.

My recent kick for breakfast has been what I'll call a protein mocha frappe....it's delicious!

1 cup brewed coffee
1- 1 1/2 scoops of chocolate whey protein powder
1 scoop Emerald Balance Plus (chocolate superfood powder)
1 tray of ice cubes
2 packets stevia/purvia
Cinnamon (Tbsp or so)
coconut milk to desired consistency (1/4 cup or so)

Blend well and voila....Since my carbs are lowered at this point, I use this as a protein only meal with the Emerald Balance filling the spot of vegetables and giving me lots of nutrients in the absence of carbs and fats.  It's also a way for me to have coffee without adding cream.

Tip:  A good blender is KEY to making this excellent.  Thanks to some very wonderful clients of mine (you know who you are) who gave me a Ninja blender for Christmas, I am able to make these perfect every morning.  If you want to make an investment in your blending future consider getting one of these top notch blenders.

Every Bite Counts

Tomorrow marks the 5 week out mark!  My weight is holding steady at about 130 pounds, now it's time to coax it to get leaner.

Summer is quickly approaching, sun, warm weather, bbq's...my favorite time of year.  It's nice to be able to get outside to do my sprints and some cardio for a change.  Take advantage of the grilling season by grilling lots of vegetables and lean meats.  It's all about experimenting with different clean foods to keep things interesting and satisfying.  Asparagus and zucchini fresh off the grill are some of my favorite vegetables.  You can even slice sweet potatoes and grill those, a light spray of olive oil, salt and you're golden.

I've noticed over the past couple weeks I've been a little "loose" with my picking habits.  I have a bad habit of picking at food, especially when I am bored or cooking.  I will take a bite here and a bite there without even thinking about it.  Sometimes it's chicken, which a little extra protein won't hurt; sometimes it's vegetables, which I try to go to first since they are fibrous carbs with very little calories; but sometimes it's extra sweet potatoes, which add up quickly, and even worse something like peanut butter, very calorie dense.  These are all healthy foods, but without realizing it a bite here and there and a finger full of peanut butter throughout the course of the day can add up to a few hundred extra calories, possibly just enough to knock you out of the calorie deficit needed for fat loss.  For most people this isn't a big deal and probably not what's preventing them from fat loss, but for me I think it makes a bigger difference than I realize.

I am really trying to focus on eliminating any extra bites and just sticking to my portioned meals, living by the motto "every bite counts".