A Week in the Life of Liss: Planning your Deficit

This week, I want to share with you what a week of my eating and workouts look like. This is a pretty typical week for me if I am eating in a deficit (or cutting). For the 20 week VI contest, my calories averaged to approximately 8,000 per week. So that or lower is generally my goal for cutting calorie-wise. You can figure out your deficit by checking out this post- Controlling Your Calories.

 

 I also try to increase my cardio, and this is already going on with the training for the half marathon in full swing.  The only really odd thing this week is the 2 hour workout marathon,  “Workout Before You Pig Out” on Saturday  at my Y that I had to instruct at, I normally would have only taught VI class that day!

 

You will notice that I still eat out and have social events, even while eating in a deficit! I also generally plan in my dessert with dinner. I love sweets, and without them I feel deprived and I resent my eating plan. So I have them, as long as I stay within goal, then it is fine! 

 

Before my week even starts, I have a few goals in mind:

*Weekly total of 8,000 calories or less

*2x 36h fasts (after one of them, I have a metrics –weigh in morning, usually Thursday AM)

*Try to plan out the day of eating (logging it) before the next day

* I try my hardest to get in 77g of protein

* I try to stick to 1250 calories or below on eating days if I can, this way there is cushion on other days when I feel like I need more

*Getting in 4 VI workouts and 2 runs

 

So here was my week:

 

Sunday, November 11, 2012  Workout- 1 hour teaching of teaching VI class (phase 2)
Breakfast- Cinnamon Rolls with bacon and coffee with creatine
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Bacon, 3 medium slices, cooked (raw product packed 20/lb)	109	9	0	6
Pillsbury cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing-1 roll, 2.5 serving	350	13	58	5
Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 tbsp	52	6	0	0
Regular Coffee, 2 cup (8 fl oz)	5	0	0	1
Creatine, 5 gram(s)	6	0	2	0
	522	27	60	12
Lunch- Bean Nachos and greek yogurt with fruit
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Cheddar Cheese, 0.2 oz	23	2	0	1
Sour Cream, 1 tbsp	26	3	1	0
Fruit Salad, 1 cup	74	0	19	1
Coconut, sweetened, 0.1 cup	35	2	4	0
Tortilla Chips, 0.5 oz	71	4	9	1
Dannon Greek 0% Fat Yogurt - Plain (1 serving = 150g), 170 gram(s)	91	0	7	17
Bearitos Fat Free Refried Beans, 0.1 cup	22	0	4	1
	341	11	43	22
Dinner (at a friend’s house) king ranch chicken casserole with chips and dip and chocolate pie
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
King Ranch Chicken (7 oz) 1/6th pan, 0.75 serving	210	10	16	14
Edwards Chocolate Creme Pie w/Hershey's Chocolate, 76 gram(s)	280	17	30	31
Guacamole - Wholly Guacamole 2 Tbsp, 0.5 serving	30	3	2	1
cheese dip-PHILADELPHIA Gourmet White Cheddar & Chipotle Pepper 2 Tbsp, 1 tbsp	45	4	1	2
Tortilla Chips, 1 oz	142	7	18	2
	707	41	66	49
Snack
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
None
	1,570	79	169	83

 

For me this day above is a wash or what I call a neutral day (+/- 200 cal from 0), my maintenance calories are about 1400 per day and the workout is about a 300 calorie burn. King Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe Here, one of my recipes passed down from my Grandmommy, this one is pretty close. Greek yogurt (plain with some Stevia and a splash of vanilla extract) and random fruit (I like frozen blueberries, but had some strawberries and pineapple on hand) is a yummy snack. I like shredded coconut and/or slivered almonds on my fruit and yogurt sometimes too!

 

Monday, November 12, 2012 1st 36 H fast Workout- 1 hour of teaching VI class (phase 1)
Breakfast- Cofee and Creatine
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Regular Coffee, 4 cup (8 fl oz)	10	0	0	1
Creatine, 5 gram(s)	6	0	2	0
Heavy Whipping Cream, 2 tbsp	104	11	1	1
	119	11	2	2
Lunch
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
None
Dinner
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Ground beef, lean, 1 oz	75	6	0	5
	75	6	0	5
Snack
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Apples, fresh, 1 medium (2-3/4" dia) (approx 3 per lb)	81	0	21	0
	81	0	21	0
	276	17	23	7

 

 

I do not generally do perfect 100% water fasts. I eat an apple almost every work day on my way home before going to the gym. I snuck a meatball while cooking the fam spaghetti and meatballs too LOL With my workout, this was a nice deficit day approx -1400 cal.

 

Tuesday, November 13, 2012 workout: 7 mile run in 60 minutes
Breakfast- Half PB Sammy with Cofee and Creatine
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Regular Coffee, 2 cup (8 fl oz)	5	0	0	1
Creatine, 5 gram(s)	6	0	2	0
Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 tbsp	52	6	0	0
Bread, whole wheat (including toast), 0.5 slice, thin (3-3/4" x 5" x 3/8")	46	1	8	1
JIF creamy peanut butter, 0.5 tbsp	48	4	2	2
	156	10	12	4
Lunch- Thanksgiving luncheon @ school
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Mashed Potatoes, 0.2 cup	32	0	7	1
Turkey breast meat, 2 ounce(s)	59	1	2	10
Bread stuffing, bread, 0.2 cup	71	3	9	1
Green Beans French style, 0.2 cup	8	0	2	0
Pecan Pie, Marie Callenders, 1/8th pie, 0.75 serving	338	17	43	3
Betty Crocker Sweet Potato Casserole, 0.2 cup	112	3	17	1
	620	25	80	16
Dinner- taco salad with wine, pumpkin brownie with ice cream
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Ice Cream - Blue Bell Ice Cream (Pistachio & Almond), 0.25 cup	85	5	0	2
Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie (made w/ 1 can pumpkin), 2 serving	290	3	61	4
Guacamole - Wholly Guacamole 2 Tbsp, 0.5 serving	30	3	2	1
Colby Cheese, 0.5 oz	56	5	0	3
Sour Cream, 1 tbsp	26	3	1	0
Salsa, 0.5 cup	36	0	8	2
Rose Wine, 1 glass (3.5 fl oz)	73	0	1	0
Tortilla Chips, 0.5 oz	71	4	9	1
Turkey, Ground turkey, 93% lean, 1.5 oz	60	3	0	8
Ground beef, lean, 1.5 oz	112	9	0	8
Romaine Lettuce (salad), 0.5 cup, shredded	4	0	1	0
	843	34	82	29
Snack- student broughtme a treat!
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Pumpkin chocolate chip muffin, 1.5 serving	243	5	48	6
	243	5	48	6
	1,862	74	222	55

 

So with the luncheon at school, at which I planned on having pumpkin pie (not pecan, too many cals!!!) and a sweet student who brought me an unplanned treat, my day was over the top in the calorie area!  However, my great run totaled a burn of 700 calories…which STILL makes this day at least neutral (if not slightly forward).

 

Mexican fiesta nights are one of my go to meals. I usually make my taco salad on a bed of lettuce and just put a few tortilla chips to the side to save calories. The kids and husband like to make burritos or nachos and everyone is happy. I generally mix 1 lbs ground turkey with 1 lbs lean ground beef at the start of the week and use 1 lbs of the mix at 2 different meals. It saves calories and $ over just using ground beef at both meals. I make my own taco seasoning every time I cook Mexican food, I used to work for a spice company so it is engrained in my memory (and much cheaper). For 1 lbs of meat: use 1 tsp salt, 1/2tsp pepper, 1 tsp ground chili powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp cilantro, and 1 tsp oregano. Have you heard of pumpkin brownies? So easy and yummy, and saves some calories! Pumpkin Brownies Recipe HERE

 

Wednesday, November 14, 2012- 2nd 36 H fast Workout- 1 hour of teaching VI class (phase 1)
Breakfast- Coffe with Creatine
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Regular Coffee, 2 cup (8 fl oz)	5	0	0	1
Creatine, 5 gram(s)	6	0	2	0
Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 tbsp	52	6	0	0
	63	6	2	1
Lunch
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
None
Dinner- chai tea and a taste of the kids dessert
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Half and Half Cream, 1 tbsp	20	2	1	0
Tea, brewed, 16 fl oz	5	0	1	0
Ice Cream - Blue Bell Ice Cream (Pistacchio & Almond), 0.1 cup	34	2	3	1
Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie (made w/ 1 can pumpkin), 0.25 serving	36	0	8	0
	94	4	13	2
Snack- normal apple
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Apples, fresh, 1 medium (2-3/4" dia) (approx 3 per lb)	81	0	21	0
	81	0	21	0
	239	10	36	3

 

So again, not a 100% water fast. But still a very forward day of at least 1400 cals (-3500 is a pound).

My metrics the next morning were- 146.2 lbs 41.75” shoulder, 27.0” waist, and 37.5” hips. My final pics for VT5 (at VI=best I have looked yet) I was- 141.2, 41.5” shoulders, 26.5” waist, and 37.25” hips.  So I am still within VI striking distance after maintaining for a while.  I will be right back there very soon J

 

On nights I am fasting, I plan a meal that I am not really into. This night, the family had a DiGiourno pizza with dessert. Smh, frozen pizza…. Not my thing. Neither is most Italian food- lasagna, pasta. The family loves that stuff, so I make it for them while I am fasting.

 

Thursday, November 15, 2012     Workout- 8 miles in 75 min
Breakfast- green monster protein shake, half a PB Sammy, coffee w/ creatine
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Spinach, fresh, 0.4 package (10 oz)	26	0	4	3
Bell Plantatin PB2, 0.5 serving	27	1	0	2
Almond Breeze Almond Milk, Unsweetened Vanilla, 8 oz	40	4	2	1
Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 tbsp	52	6	0	0
Regular Coffee, 2 cup (8 fl oz)	5	0	0	1
Bread, whole wheat (including toast), 0.5 slice, thin (3-3/4" x 5" x 3/8")	46	1	8	1
JIF creamy peanut butter, 0.5 tbsp	48	4	2	2
Creatine, 5 gram(s)	6	0	2	0
Whey Protein Isolate - Super Advanced Whey Protein (Body Fortress), 1 serving	140	2	4	26
Banana, fresh, 0.5 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long)	54	0	14	1
	443	18	36	37
Lunch- Grapefruit and candy
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Grapefruit, 1 fruit (3-3/4" dia)	74	0	18	1
Candy - Heath Halloween Mini - 1 pc, 1 serving	38	2	5	0
Milk Duds-Fun Pack (4 milk duds), 1 serving	54	0	9	0
	166	3	32	2
Dinner- Egg white omelet with onion and asparagus, bacon, roasted winter veggies, and pumpkin brownie with ice cream
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Asparagus, fresh, 0.5 cup	15	0	3	2
Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie (made w/ 1 can pumpkin), 1 serving	145	2	31	2
Colby Cheese, 1 oz	112	9	1	7
Bacon, 3 medium slices, cooked (raw product packed 20/lb)	109	9	0	6
Onions, raw, 0.4 medium (2-1/2" dia)	17	0	4	1
Sweet potato, cooked, baked in skin, without salt, 1 medium (2" dia, 5" long, raw)	103	0	24	2
Butternut Squash, 1 cup, cubes	82	0	22	2
Rose Wine, 1 glass (3.5 fl oz)	73	0	1	0
Blue Bell Pistachio Almond Ice Cream, 0.25 cup	85	5	9	2
egg white, fresh, 2.88 large	49	0	0	12
	790	26	93	34
Snack- apple (pink lady is my fave)
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Apples, fresh, 1 medium (2-3/4" dia) (approx 3 per lb)	81	0	21	0
	81	0	21	0
	1,481	47	182	73

 

Have you heard of green monster (or spinach) protein shakes? SO GOOD, seriously. GREEN MONSTER PROTEIN SHAKE recipe HERE.  I like to use 1 TBSP of PB2 in mine instead of regular PB- too many calories. I freeze my bananas too. Sometimes, I freeze my spinach as well. I also prefer unsweetened almond milk to regular milk.

 

Breakfast for dinner night is also a family favorite. I can make myself an egg white omelet and some veggies and be a happy camper. I can make my husband and kids, super cheesy omelets (or scrambled cheesy eggs) and again everyone is happy. Do you know the trick of broiling bacon in a pan? Huge time saver for me! Life changing LOL Roasted Winter Vegetables may be my all-time favorite vegetable dish that I have EVER had. I can eat GOBS of this stuff. Roasted Winter Vegetable Recipe HERE Sometimes, my grocery store does not have parsnips, just leave them out. Just as good. I like to cut the baking time down, and broil the veggies for the last 10 minutes.  I also like to sprinkle a little cinnamon over my veggies once they are on my plate.

 

With the workout and calories, this is a neutral (or slightly forward) day.

 

Friday, November 16, 2012  -No workout, rest day
Breakfast- Half PB Sammy, coffe with creatine
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Bread, whole wheat (including toast), 0.5 slice, thin (3-3/4" x 5" x 3/8")	46	1	8	1
JIF creamy peanut butter, 0.5 tbsp	48	4	2	2
Regular Coffee, 2 cup (8 fl oz)	5	0	0	1
Creatine, 5 gram(s)	6	0	2	0
Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 tbsp	52	6	0	0
	156	10	12	4
Lunch- (lunch out with Friends) Taco Salad (no shell) with a few chips
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Iceberg Lettuce (salad), 2 cup, shredded or chopped	15	0	3	1
Cheddar or Colby Cheese, Low Fat, 1 oz	49	2	1	7
Chicken Breast, no skin (roasted), 3 ounces	102	2	0	19
Black Olives, 5 jumbo	34	3	2	0
Onions, raw, 0.25 cup, sliced	11	0	2	0
Green Peppers (bell peppers), 0.25 cup, strips	9	0	2	0
Jalapeno Peppers, 2 pepper	8	0	2	0
Don Pablos Pico de Gallo, 1 serving	8	0	2	0
Chilis, green canned Old El Paso, 2 tbsp	10	0	2	0
Salsa, 0.25 cup	18	0	4	1
Beans, black, 0.25 cup	57	0	10	4
Tortilla Chips, 1 oz	142	7	18	2
Candy - Heath Halloween Mini - 1 pc, 2 serving	77	5	9	0
	541	20	57	36
Dinner- (Dinner out with Fam) salad w/ fruit, Steak with potato, squash casserole and bread
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Marzetti Simply Dressed Strawberry Poppyseed Salad Dressing, 1 tbsp	70	6	4	0
Cheesy Squash Casserole (3/4 cup), 1 serving	95	3	11	6
Dinner Rolls, 1 roll (pan, dinner, or small roll) (2" square, 2" high)	84	2	14	2
Fruit Salad, 0.25 cup	18	0	5	0
Romaine Lettuce (salad), 0.25 cup, shredded	2	0	0	0
Baked Potato, with skin, 1 medium (2-1/4" to 3-1/4" dia.)	160	0	36	4
Beef, t-bone steak, 8 oz	299	10	0	48
	729	22	71	62
Snack- apple
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Apples, fresh, 1 medium (2-3/4" dia) (approx 3 per lb)	81	0	21	0
	81	0	21	0
	1,507	53	161	102

 

So this was neutral or slightly backwards day here, as there was no workout. But, it is still pretty good for eating out twice in one day. It can be done and still stay on track for the day/week.   The place that we ate at for dinner has the best pies! But I was stuffed, and thinking I was already over the calories budget for the day, so I got one to go. I planned it into the next day so I could enjoy it without feeling guilty. That is important about treats.

 

Saturday, November 17, 2012     workout- 2 hours of kickboxing, zumba, pilates and 1 hour teachinhg VI class (phase 1)
Breakfast- Half kids’ donut and coffee with creatine
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 tbsp	52	6	0	0
Regular Coffee, 2 cup (8 fl oz)	5	0	0	1
Creatine, 5 gram(s)	6	0	2	0
Dunkin Donuts Old Fashioned Cake Donut, 0.5 serving	125	8	13	2
	188	13	15	2
Lunch- egg white omelete with green onion and asparagus and roasted winter vegetables
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
egg white, fresh, 2.88 large	49	0	0	12
Green Onions-Green Giant Fresh Green Onions (1/4 cup), 1 serving	10	0	2	0
Cheddar Cheese, 0.4 oz	46	4	0	3
Asparagus, fresh, 5 spear, medium (5-1/4" to 7" long)	18	0	4	2
Carrots, cooked, 0.2 cup slices	11	0	3	0
Sweet potato, cooked, baked in skin, without salt, 0.2 cup	36	0	8	1
Butternut Squash, 0.2 cup, cubes	16	0	4	0
	186	4	21	18
Dinner- Chicken stir fry and strawberry cream cheese pie
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Chicken Breast, no skin (roasted), 4 ounces	136	3	0	26
White Rice, long grain, 0.5 cup	103	0	22	2
vegetables, Bird's Eye Oriental Stir Fry Vegetables, 1 cup	50	0	9	2
Strawberry cream cheese pie, 1 serving	290	13	39	5
	579	16	70	35
Snack- Texas grapefruit
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Grapefruit, 1 fruit (3-3/4" dia)	74	0	18	1
	74	0	18	1
	1,027	33	125	56

 

The workout marathon was fun but I was exhausted, and had to go back later to teach VI class still. I estimated that between the two workouts I burned about 800 calories though! (As a side note, when you estimate burn, be sure to subtract your hourly RMR from the total calories burned… so when the app says I burned 970 calories for the 3 hours, I subtracted 60 cal an hour from that total because I would have burned that anyway sitting on my butt.)  So the day was definitely a forward day by about 1400 calories!

 

Looking at the week, here are my totals:

Weekly TOTALS
Calories Eaten	+7,962
Workouts	-3,200
RMR	-8,865
Deficit	-4,103

 

That is a pretty decent deficit and I should see a pound or so loss the next week. Do not expect to see the loss come perfectly linearly. It does not work that way generally speaking. So even though I was not a pound down on my metrics day- no sweat. It will come, eventually. My body does not defy the laws of nature :) Hope my week in review was helpful for you! Try some of those recipes, you will be thanking me later!

Seeing the Bigger Picture

Sometimes when we are bogged down in counting calories and getting in our workouts (see Focusing on What is Important), we forget the bigger picture of what we are doing. Becoming the best you.  It can become so mundane and your thoughts cycle through:

• eat less, 
• eat this -not that, 
• do I even have room to eat that?,
•  need to get to the gym...

 We start to feel restricted. Then we get negative about the whole deal, and before you know it, you are throwing in the towel again! This is not the way to live.  STOP! And step back to see the bigger picture. You need to make this a lifestyle change, that means something you can keep doing for life.

If what you are doing is not sustainable, then stop. If what you are doing is affecting your attitude, then stop. If what you are doing makes you dread the next day, stop!!!  Why does it have to be this way? It doesn't.  Venuses put in the minimum effort for the maximal result. We work smarter, not harder.

Here are some suggestions for you to take a look at to see where you can improve your lifestyle:

1) Where are you spending your calories?
Are you mindlessly eating breakfast in the morning because it is habit? Cut it out, save the calories for later in the day when you are ravenous. Another one is eating lunch with co-workers because it is a habit. Go run errands or do extra work so you can leave work faster! Productivity! Most people's hunger peaks at dinner, so I like to save most of my calories for my evening meal with my family.

2) Do you feel like you are not getting to eat what you really want to?
As long as you are getting in your minimal protein needs (for me it is 77 g/day) you can spend the rest of the calories as you would like. I like to "save" my calories for dessert each night when I am not fasting, I love cake and brownies. I have them too and then I do not feel so restricted. Or on the verge of a binge. My morning coffee is also non-negotiable, with one tablespoon of heavy cream.

3) Are you burning yourself out doing cardio?
You do not have to do high intensity cardio. Why are you dreading the elliptical every other night? Why do you force yourself to do that? The healthy benefits, you say? Sure it keeps your heart healthy, but check your heart rate the next time you are in the middle of a VI workout. Yeah, it shoots right on up there. There is your high itensity cardio. If you feel like you must include some type of cardio, try walking on your off lifting days. Or add in more VI workouts, you can lift on sequential days as long as you feel up to it! You have to be careful with the extra cardio, it can make you extra hungry!

4) Are you cranky and hungry all the time?
You might have cut your calories too low. If you really want them there for a short run, that is fine. I agree with ripping the weight off quickly like a band-aid and getting it over with. But if there is no time deadline, you can cut more gently and be a happier, less cranky version of you! If you are hungry but you are still eating over RMR, that is another story. You need to make sure you are eating more volume so that you feel less hungry at lower calorie levels.

Those are some common themes that I see, and my advice for them! Hope you find them helpful. Next week I plan to share my weekly eating habits when cutting weight. I will even share how I ate this week to give you some go to meals and tips.

Inspirational Story of the Week

Meet Denise DeGrazia, she has been lifting since the age of 16 and has seen every fitness fad come and go. She has tried them all too and will tell you the ins and outs along the way. What I really like about her story is that she is a professor of Anatomy and Physiology, so she has a different take on lifting for women than vanity. In her podcast when she placed in the VT2 open, she shares how lifting can keep you strong and able through your later years. Heavy resistance training like the VI workouts, will build up your bone density and can keep you out of a nursing home and living on your own in your golden years.  It will keep your muscles firing so that you can get yourself up and down in the bathroom too, one of the top reasons people are placed in nursing facilities.  She knows her stuff too, and I have learned lots of great form and stretching insight from her wisdom.  Check out Denise's VI blog post- Stop Wasting your Gym Time: How Women Shortchange Themselves at the Gym, it is excellent.

Motivation: Igniting your Inner Drive

Motivation, you probably have it if you are setting out to change your body. Have you really stopped and thought about the WHY? Why are you committing to changing your body? Looks? Health? Money? Family? An interesting fact that I took away from this article written by a fellow Adonis is that you should always figure out the why before you set out on your goal. Another article written by an Adonis explains how you will stay more motivated if you are doing it for someone other than yourself.  The WHY for me- it is about being a healthy, strong role-model for my 2 children, being attractive for my husband, and for my personal confidence- I want to feel like I look good.

Those without written goals are less likely to achieve what they have set out to accomplish. It has been researched and proven time and time again. If you have not written out your goals (typed or by hand) then you are selling yourself short! You need to keep your goal somewhere that you will see it frequently.  I find that the best place to keep my goals is to type them out right above the speadsheet that I track my weekly metrics on. That way I can have a re-look each week! Be specific! Is your goal a set of metrics? To get to a goal weight? Fit into that old pair of jeans? 

Now we have a why and a goal. You should now give it a deadline. The deadline should be urgent but not impossible. I like to have a far out goal- my current one is March 2013 and then a set of mini-goals to get there.  By the end of November, I want to be back at VI. By the end of 2012, I want to be at VI for someone who is 5'7". I want to maintain that through March 2013 which is when I will compete in the bikini category of the 2013 NPC Ronnie Coleman Classic in DFW, TX!

Alright, we have checked off the why, the goal, and the deadline. Now we need to set our criteria, or our action plan!  This is a set of actions that you will focus on meeting each week. It might include a calorie goal, workout goals, fasting goals, and/or accountibility goals. (Notice it does not contain a weight goal, that is my personal choice and here is why- I can control my calories, workouts, blogging, etc. My weight loss is dependent on those, but is not directly linear (meaning if I eat 1000 cal less this week I should lose .33 of a pound, but it does not always work out that way.) That drives me crazy to not meet my plan... and if I cannot control it, why stress?! Sometimes our weight loss stalls for a week or so even though you have done everything right. Just know it will come as long as you are doing what you are supposed to!) Here is my action plan for my upcoming goal:

March 2013 NPC Ronnie Coleman Classic

End of 2012 Goals

1) Hit (or get as close as possible to) 5'7" VI metrics sh: 41.41 wa:25.59 hips: 36.34
2) Get in a minimum of 3 (4 IF possible) VI workouts per week.
3) Get in a minimum of 2x1 hour cardio sessions per week. (IF I get a 3rd day in, give permission to myself to make it leisurely... like a nice run/walk)
4) Hit within weekly calorie range of 5700-8350 every week. Must make up the next week IF I go over.
5) Log food, THEN eat. Planning ahead always works better for me, I just need to accept that fact. I am already good about logging weight/metrics/daily calories, just have to keep that part up.
6) 72 hours of fasting per week. 2x36 h fasts or 3x24, just be consistent on whichever is working.
7) Post on blog for accountability.

Be sure to place your action plan somewhere that you will see it often too. I like to put mine above my spreadsheet along with my goal and deadline. Also, your weekly tracking should include an area to track the items on your action plan if you can. So here is my weekly tracking spreadsheet (I included some old data so you can see where I came from over the last year!). You can see how it matches up with my action plan:

Age: 28 Height 5’9”	Weight F=fasted	Shoulders	Bi	Ribs	Waist	Navel	Hips	Thigh	Calf	Weekly Cals	Weekly WO	Fasting Hours
8/13/2011	159.6		11.38	34.13	31.50	36.00	40.00	20.75
2/19/2012	156.6	41.25	11.00	32.50	30.50	34.50	39.50	20.75		8,782		24
Start VT5 5/21/12	155.0	41.13	10.75	32.50	29.00	32.00	39.00	20.50		12,644	3VI2C	48
End VT5 PIX 10/6/12	141.2 F	41.5	10.625	31	26.5	30.5	37.25	20	13.625	8,658	5VI1C	96
Start 11/4/12 DAYS 303-3309	146.0 F	41.50	10.50	31.50	27.50	30.00	37.50	20.25	13.50	9,605	4VI3C	88
GOAL	136F	41.41			25.59		36.34			max 8,000	3 VI 2 C	36+

Visuals of your goal are good to have too. I found these two pics of bikini competitors online and they are helpful to look at for motivation! The girl above is Meredith Long. She is 5'9" too and completes at 135. She looks amazing! The girl below is Kelsie Bergin. She is 5'8" and competes at 124. She won the 2012 Ronnie Coleman Classic bikini class, it was her first show and she beat out 117 competitors! WOW.

Inspirational Story of the Week:

Meet Kimberly (AKA Kimmits) Dransfield, one of the first ever Venus Open contest champions in early 2011. She is a rocket scientist by training, and a business consultant and everyday Venus by day. She has tried it all (trying out and sticking with over 26 programs in the span of 5 years) before finding Venus and she has loyally been with VI every since then- maintaining her physique and even improving it! Her podcast is great, you can download it here and hear her story.