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Good evening guys and happy Sunday!! I hope you all have had an incredible weekend! Mine was low key and mostly spent at home, and that is okay with me!

I am going to dive right into today’s blog topic, which refers to something that I get asked about a lot…a typical day of eating.

To begin, I am an early riser. I am up by 3am (4 at the latest), and begin my morning with about 16 ounces of water. Most of us are dehydrated upon waking, so immediately downing some water kickstarts hydration, digestion, and coats the belly for the oh-so acidic black coffee that usually comes next. I like to get in a sweat first thing, so I either hop on the eliptical at my house, or if time permits and I want added intensity, I will head to the gym just down the road and sweat it out on the stairmill. Although I take in BCAA’s (brach chain amino acids) while completing my cardio, by the time I am finished, I’m ravished. Breakfast for me is always one of two meals: either oatmeal and egg whites topped with Texas Pete (the best hot sauce ever), or riced cauliflower mixed with shredded potatoes, bell peppers and egg whites with a side of fruit. The first option is usually on days when I am in a bit of a hurry, or am working out within an hour of eating. The second option takes a bit longer to prepare and takes longer to digest, so this breakfast choice I save for days that I train later in the day.


Three days a week I coach the early classes at F45, which leaves me getting ready and heading out immediately after breakfast. When coaching in the am I typically cover three classes, and am done by 9:00. My calorie expenditure is always at least 200 cals per class, so by the end I am more than ready for meal two. I try my best to have something prepped and waiting for me at home, or at least something that I can fix up relatively quick; this way, I’m not tempted to drive through and scoop something up on the way home. A typical lunch for me includes pre-prepped veggies of some sort (the last two weeks has been broccoli and red potatoes), a protein source (a veggie patty or egg whites), and a fat (almost always avocado or olive oil).

 

Once my lunch settles, the pup and I will take our am neighborhood stroll. Our walks are divided into two sessions now that it’s getting warm, so we’re back home within 15 minutes. I use the next couple of hours of the day to take care of my “to-do’s.” By noon I’m munching on my pre-workout snack, which almost always includes some sort of fruit, whether it be on top of oats, yogurt, or mixed within a smoothie.


On a typical training day I’ll spend about 60 to 90 minutes in the gym depending on my programming. I try to make certain that I eat within 1 hour of my weight training (for optimal recovery). My post workout meal always consists of a faster absorbing carb and a protein. Protein pancakes with fruit is a top choice!


If most of you are like me, I find that I have a good amount of energy for a couple of hours following my workout. After my post-workout meal the pup and I will either take another short stroll, or take it to the backyard for a few minutes of play time. My afternoon’s are spent completing client check-ins, studying or taking care of things around the house. I go to bed fairly early, so I am usually prepping dinner around 4 or 5. I find (like most), I am much hungrier in the evening. In order to feel completely satisfied, I load up on fibrous veggies: broccoli, okra, eggplant, green beans, zucchini and cauliflower are my usual go-to’s.

 

There is no rule stating how many meals one should have per day, nor is there enough evidence stating that meal timing is detrimental to training; however, for me I find that 4 to 5 meals spread throughout the day works best. Some individuals may react better to 2 to 3 larger meals. Bottom line, the foods you choose to eat are far more important than when you eat them.

Cheers to an incredible week ahead and staying on track!

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Happy Tuesday Fam!!

This last week was so busy that I haven’t been able to blog a single day. I volunteered  to coach at our second F45 location in Henderson, Las Vegas for a couple of days (in addition to my already loaded schedule), so it has been, go-go-go-  Segueing into todays’s blog topic..eating on the go.

The key to staying on track on days that you don’t have time to stop and cook your food, is to prepare in advance. We have all heard the saying “fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” Well, it couldn’t be more true! Meal prep is key when it comes to staying on track, particularly when calorie restricting for something such as summer shredding.

Below, I have given some of my favorite on the go meals along with some tips that seem to help me stay on track.

For breakfast, overnight oats seem to be a big hit with a lot of my clients. These can be prepped in larger quantities so you can have several days planned in advance, or simply prep an individual serving the night before and it’s ready to go in the morning. Overnight oats can be eaten cold straight from the fridge, or popped in the microwave for a quick minute, and served warm. Below I have given my most recent prepped oats with the macros included. Any fruit that you traditionally combine with oats will work as well: strawberries, blueberries and bananas are some of my faves. For additional fats and fiber, chia seeds, almonds or walnuts would be a perfect addition, and when trying to bulk, I would add in some nut butter.

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Another great on-the-go breakfast, smoothies. Simply blend up your favorite fruits and veggies and any add-ins that you wish (protein powder, collagen, etc), and freeze in individual servings. I personally use ziplock baggies. When morning comes, I grab one from the freezer, pop back into the blender, give it a quick spin and its good to go. You can also toss the baggie into your gym bag, and by the time you have finished your workout its unthawed to a perfect slushy texture. Simply dump into your blender bottle, give it shake (its partially separated at this point), and down the hatch it goes.

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For lunch, I find that sandwiches and wraps work really well for most; however, if you  prefer to avoid breads and grains all together, alternatives are available as well. When prepping your sandwich (or wrap), preparing the night before is perfectly fine. I suggest adding any condiments (mustard, hummus, etc) just before eating. This prevents the oh so gross, soggy sandwich. I suggest using the little 2 oz plastic cups that come with a lid. These can be purchased at just about any store, and make for perfect condiment/dipping containers. Sandwiches will hold up for a couple of hours at room temp, but I suggest an insulated lunchbox anything beyond that point. My favorite sides to pair with any sandwich or wrap are celery, bell peppers, apples, cucumbers, broccoli, and carrots. Again, fill your 2 oz cup with a dab of hummus or yogurt based dressing for a dipping sauce for your veggie/fruit of choice. If you aren’t a sandwich or wrap eater, you can simply prepare your desired lunch in a compartmented lunch box. These too, can be prepped the night before and tossed in your work bag on the way out the door.

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Dinner, for many is a meal that they can prepare at home, or at least put a few extra minutes into; however, it’s a good idea to have the foundation of the meal prepped and ready to go. Spaghetti squash for example is a big hit among my clients. Two squash can be prepared on meal prep day and for four days you have the “shell” of your dinner ready to go. Spaghetti squash can be stuffed with chicken (also prepared on meal prep day), cheese, chopped peppers and onions, chickpeas, corn, beans, veggies, the list goes on.

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If eating out, or picking up fast food on the go, it is much easier to track nowadays thanks to the FDA’s Menu Labeling Requirements. My favorite salads are from Panera Bread, Chick-Fil-A, and Jason’s Deli. While all offer low-fat dressing options, I prefer to take my own. Yes, you heard right. If I know ahead of time that I am having a salad while out and about, I will fill up one of my little 2oz cups with a yogurt based dressing. Your girl here has been known to take the whole damn bottle in her purse. If I have to stop and grab a bottle on my way to the restaurant, I will. Salad dressing can be detrimental when eating out.

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My other go to option when dining out is usually Mexican. Mexican restaurants will almost always have corn tortillas, which pair perfectly with sautéed peppers and onions (fajitas).  You can add chicken or steak, top with salsa and guacamole, and you have a healthy, balanced meal.

Meal planning and meal prepping isn’t always easy, but it’s key when aiming for specific goals.

 

 

 

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Hey you all! Happy Thursday! Here I am halfway through week 2 of summer shredding, so let’s catch up!

I ended last week with a kickball game on Sunday with my F45 fam. Y’all, it was so much fun!! The weather was perfect, and I couldn’t have been in better company. Oh, and my team won (btw).

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This leads me to today’s topic…treating yo-self when summer shredding. I have been asked repeatedly since beginning this series, “Do you have a cheat meal when summer shredding?”

I don’t designate a set “cheat” meal when completing a cut, but I will allow myself a little treat here and there. Take Sunday for instance, I celebrated with a beer following our game (blue moon for those with inquisitive minds), but my snack plate was full of fruit and raw veggies, and I brought a protein shake in my bag. Fast forward to today, and while grocery shopping after my workout, I bought myself one chocolate covered honeycomb. I kept looking at the bulk section where they have all the yummy extras, and decided, why not. The five minutes it took for me to figure out how to weigh this 30 gram piece of yumminess was worth every second and all .36 cents. I sat in my car with the air conditioning blowing and enjoyed every single bite (well it was a small piece, so it was only two bites), but it was delish!

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Throughout the week I typically have three to five meals a day, which consist mostly of whole, non-processed foods. I stay away from sugar (hence why that honeycomb was so delectable), drink lots of water, and aim for 20-25 grams of fiber.

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I am typically in a fasted state for the first 3-4 hours of the day. There is no reasoning behind this approach, other than I am just not hungry when I wake. I am up at least four days a week no later than 4 am, and usually eat around 8 or 9.

So to wrap up today’s post…
I think its important to remember that having a full on “cheat meal” can stall progress; however, some people plan a cheat meal the last day of the week as a reward, or something to look forward to. While this may work for some, I usually prefer to have a little treat here and there throughout the week if I choose. Other individuals find that a cheat or treat will send them into full on binge mode and opt to avoid the temptation all together. Bottom line, I think it’s important that each person finds their own approach and what works best for them.

 

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Happy Sunday y’all! Here we are approaching the end of summer shredding, week 1!!
In today’s post I want to focus a bit on food balance.

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Above, I have shared a weeks worth of breakfast choices. While each breakfast is a bit different, they all contain almost identical calories and macronutrient totals. I am a creature of habit and could eat the same breakfast almost everyday of my life; however, I find this approach does not work well with clients. People don’t necessarily like change in general, but when it comes to food, most like a variety. This is where macro tracking comes in handy. Take the above for example: you will see some of the photos show clementines (baby oranges), which are mostly made up of carbohydrates, and others do not. On days that I have orange slices, I will not add fruit to my green smoothie, instead I opt for yogurt, almond milk and spinach only. On days that I have avocado which is considered mostly a fat, then I will skip the oil when cooking my peppers or egg whites.

Every meal needs to have a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats. If you are having two slices of bacon, then you should choose egg whites as opposed to whole eggs to pair it with, due to the fat found in the bacon. I love, love, love shredded potatoes (aka hash browns), but I know that potatoes are strictly carbohydrates, so on days that I want to add fruit to my meal (or my smoothie), I will substitute half of my potatoes with riced cauliflower (which contain half the carbs of potatoes). This allows me to hit my suggested macronutrient totals, without going over on my carbohydrates.

I also want to make it clear that not everyone has to follow macros. I haven’t tracked macronutrients consistently in over a year. I am now because of summer shredding, but otherwise I like to eat intuitively. Macro tracking is perfect for individuals that need and appreciate discipline, and have specific goals in mind. For those that are looking to simply live healthier lifestyles and eat a more balanced diet, intuitive eating is absolutely fine. Intuitive eating means listening to your body, eating when you are hungry, and being mindful of what is on your plate- striving for balance. Not all of my clients are macro trackers. For those that track macros, I have them tracking and weighing each and every piece of food that they put in their mouth; where as, my intuitive eaters begin by creating their plates using measuring cups and spoons. After a few weeks they are able to “eyeball” each portion size. This approach allows people to become aware of what they are eating and how to pair foods together to create overall balance, eventually leading to a healthier way of eating.

I challenge you all to be more aware this week of creating balance on your plate.
If you choose whole eggs for your protein, then avoid any other fatty foods (bacon, avocado, cooking oils). If you choose egg whites, then enjoy a couple of slices of bacon, or some avocado, or use cooking oil to sauté your veggies. If you choose a banana then skip the potatoes and opt for riced cauliflower. If you are an on-the-go breakfast type, have a smoothie that includes a balance of each: almond milk with a 1/2 tbsp of nut butter (fats), paired with your carb of choice (any fruit), and a protein- this could be in the form of greek yogurt, liquid egg whites (they are pasteurized you won’t die), or protein powder. While you’re at it, toss in some spinach (a multitude of vitamins and nutrients). The taste is masked by the other ingredients!

Creating a healthier, more balanced lifestyle doesn’t happen overnight. It takes small steps that will eventually generate greater health and wellness.

Thanks for continuing to follow along as I share my tips and personal journey throughout 8-weeks of Summer Shredding.

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Good morning you all! Happy hump-day!! It is currently 5:15 am and I am sitting here working on coffee no.1. I have a fairly open morning, so I wanted to share my day (yesterday) with you all before jumping into today’s post.

On Tuesdays I coach the first three classes of the day at F45, which makes for an extremely early wake up call! I was up at 3am, and out the door by 4. The morning started off great! My classes were loaded, the energy was hyped, and it was a great way to kickstart the day.

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By the time I left the gym I was beyond hungry! As soon as I got home I whipped myself up some breakfast: riced cauliflower mixed with shredded potatoes and bell peppers, sautéed in olive oil- a side of break free liquid eggs topped with Texas Pete, a nibble of avocado- and (of course) my favorite mug filled with black coffee.

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Most of my day was spent online getting work done. I added a couple of new clients (which is always great), and caught up on some reading.

Mid-morning I had myself a big bowl of proats (protein and oatmeal) topped with apples, blueberries, almonds and cinnamon.

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Jack and I spent lunch in the backyard so we could soak up some sun. I had zoodles topped with organic pasta sauce, chickpeas and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese- a side of mini bell peppers grilled in olive oil- and I had a protein shake as well, but that would have ruined my Instagram worthy food photo!(ig:tiffanymitchellmull/tiffanydietetics)Screen Shot 2019-04-03 at 6.53.38 AM.png

I took the day off from training yesterday due to such an early wakeup call, so the remainder of the evening I piled up and watched Shark Tank. Due to taking the day off, I had a fairly light afternoon snack: Lettuce wraps made filled with zucchini noodles, chick peas, yogurt based ranch dressing, hummus, and crushed red pepper.

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I ended yesterday with my favorite tacos (hello, taco tuesday): Yellow corn tortillas topped with hummus, grilled shrimp, sautéed onions and bell peppers, shredded lettuce and topped with fresh squeezed lemon.

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So now, fast forward to the rest of today.
Once I finished up my coffee, I got in a quick 20 minute yoga session. After, I had breakfast which I believe looks almost identical to yesterdays.

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Just after breakfast Jack and I were out for our typical neighborhood stroll.

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A quick 15 minute stroll was a perfect warm up for today’s upper body workout, which focused mainly on rear delts.

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Following my workout I had my usual post-workout smoothie made up of coconut water, greek yogurt, almond milk and banana. Soon after I had lunch: a veggie patty, zucchini noodles, broccoli and carrots with a side of yogurt based ranch dressing.

 

Just before heading out to the gym to coach my afternoon class I had a bowl of quick oats mixed with protein powder.

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On Wednesday, F45’s training is high intensity cardio. Although I am not taking the class, I am constantly jumping in with members knocking out sets just to keep them pushing- so my calorie burn can get quite high. Today’s total caloric output was 365 calories! So, since Wesley was off early today, I skipped cardio and headed straight home after coaching. I scooped up some sushi (raw salmon and tuna rolled with avocado and white rice), and the evening will be spent piled up watching Hulu.

Today was a great day!!

 

 

 

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Good morning y’all and happy Monday! I am going to jump right into this post because I am super stoked! The time has come- today officially marks the beginning of my 8-week Summer Shredding Series!

While I was already looking forward to beginning this series for summer, my husband shared news with me this weekend that sweetened the deal even more! We have officially booked our two week summer vacation! We will be taking our annual road trip the first two weeks of June to visit family and friends in Alabama, Florida and Indiana. My birthday, June 5th, marks the end of my 8-week series- just in time for the beach!

This series is different than any other I have blogged about in the past, in the sense that I will be tracking each and every meal (and workout) along the way; then, at the end of 8-weeks this shredding series will be available on my website! My current clients will be  following the same nutrition approach and same programming as I over the next two months. We will follow specific macronutrient percentages, incorporate hybrid workouts at least five days a week (reaching 75-90% of 1RM), and cardio will be increased slowly and steadily as weeks progress.

I won’t begin this series by promising to blog every single day, but I will check in at least three days a week. This will not only share with you all how I personally do over the next couple of months, but can give you an idea of what to expect from the program if you yourself decide to give it a try in the future.

After typing up this blog entry over a cup of coffee (black of course), I decided to get in a good stretch session. My back and hamstrings have been incredibly tight recently, so a little extra TLC over the next few weeks is a must to make certain that I can bring my best to each and every workout. I spent about 55 minutes stretching, really concentrating on the areas that are lacking in range of motion and flexibility.

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Following my morning stretch session I had a big bowl of oatmeal mixed with liquid eggs, and topped off with nothing other than Texas Pete hot sauce. On the side I had a green smoothie made up of cashew milk. spinach, greek yogurt and coconut water. I take my supplements in the morning with breakfast. Currently I am taking in a tablespoon of Turmeric for inflammation around my elbow, fish oil, glucosamine, calcium and a women’s multi-vitamin.

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After breakfast Jack and I made our way outside to do some lemon picking. The biggest harvest for lemons is during the fall, so this is the final batch before summer comes along.

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I spent a good amount of the day online getting prepped for next semester. I managed to squeeze in lunch which was a big bowl or brown rice, black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and avocado. I haven’t shared with you all yet, but I will be transferring to UNLV in the fall! I have enjoyed my time with UA; however, I want to direct my focus more towards sports nutrition/dietetics as opposed to general nutrition/dietetics. This will also allow me to get back into the classroom and sit in on face to face lectures versus always online. Because I will be transferring and focusing on a specialty, I will be adding another 6 months onto my graduation date (insert crying emoji). No, but in all seriousness, it will definitely be worth the extra time invested.

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I had to coach this afternoon, so I made certain to go in a bit early and jump on the In-body to have my stats recorded for a starting base. No surprise, I am sitting where I was last week at the end of the F45 8-week challenge. I am just under 133 LBS (132.7 to be exact), and  my body fat read to be 18.9%. My body fat percentage showed an increase, but this is why it is imperative that you follow procedures when having these tests completed. I tested after having two meals and almost a half gallon of water, so I am not sweating the inconsistency.

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After coaching, I decided to hang around and take today’s class. It was 45 minutes of intense intervals that left me dripping with sweat and completely spent!!

It is now 8:45 pm and I am finally finishing up my dinner, which consisted of a veggie burger, two corn tortillas, carrots, zucchini and avocado.

I would say that day one of summer shredding has been a success!! Cheers to the next 8-weeks!!!

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Hey fam! Here we are wrapping up week 7 of the F45 Global Challenge. I had my final  in-body scan completed yesterday and must say that I am pretty shocked! Comparing week one’s scan with yesterday’s, I have gained exactly one pound. What?!!  Day one, I weighed in at 131.8 pounds, and yesterday I weighed in 132.8 pounds. How is this possible?! Maybe I haven’t been perfect with my nutrition or hit all of my workouts over the last 7 weeks, but how in the world did I manage to gain a pound?!

Well, let me explain. My overall body fat percentage dropped down from 20% to 17%, but this wasn’t reflected on the scale due to the fact that I increased my overall skeletal muscle mass by 4 pounds. This is exactly why I beg my clients not to freak out over the scale!! 

My overall goal for myself and my clients (particularly females over the age of 30), is to increase overall skeletal muscle mass, all the while shedding unwanted body fat. In order to create increases and decreases, simultaneously, one must realize that the scale won’t show a great change.

So having stated the above, I am thrilled with the progress made over the last 7 weeks. Next week marks the final week of the challenge and then, I will officially head into my own personal Summer Shredding program. My nutrition approach will differ compared to what I am currently doing in the sense that, I will begin following a calorie range and macro breakdown. At the moment I am just simply avoiding sugar and high-processed foods. But, we will talk more about Summer Shredding next week.

Now to address the last couple of weeks. My coaching schedule shifted a bit and I am primarily working in the early am. My first week with this new schedule was a bit of a struggle. I woke around 3:30am, which left me just enough time to get ready and get to the gym to coach my first class. After coaching three classes (usually in a fasted state or running on a banana), my own personal workout later in the day, suffered. My solution this last week was to wake even earlier in order to get my workout in before coaching. This meant an a wake time of 2:00am and a bedtime of 7:00pm. It made for a long, tiring week for sure, but enabled me to get in all of my workouts without sacrificing intensity. Fingers crossed this next week will be even easier!

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Cheers to an incredible week ahead!!!

 

 

 

 

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Hey guys! Here we are wrapping up week 4 of the F-45 Global Challenge!

I am currently sitting in the airport in Columbus, Ohio waiting to get back to Las Vegas. I have been in Ohio since Tuesday afternoon working with my fit fam, Gorilla Wear at the Arnold Sports Expo. While it was an absolute blast, I am more than ready to get back to my little doodle man (and of course my main man).

Tuesday began with meeting up with the team to get settled into our hotel. They originally had us an apartment rented for the week so we could all hang out together, but we were informed Monday morning that the apartment had an unexpected pipe burst, so we were relocated to the Hilton, downtown. The Hilton is one of the host hotels for the Expo so it actually worked out pretty well. The main thing that had us all a little aggravated was the fact we no longer had a kitchen to meal prep, which left us eating out every. single. meal. The breakfast buffet was actually re-vamped to cater toward the Arnold and competitors so there was plenty of variety: eggs, egg whites, boiled eggs, steel cut oats, greek yogurt, fresh fruit, nuts, potatoes, and grilled veggies. We began every morning with a group meet up at the buffet before heading to the venue. During the day we were all so busy that we didn’t have time to think about food. We kept a cooler on hand jam packed with fruit, protein bars, sandwiches and protein drinks for those quick few minutes throughout the day that we could squeeze something in, but for the most part we saved our feast for the evening. We ended up eating at the same restaurant every evening (with the exception of one night). The restaurant was literally right next door to the venue, so it was perfect for our raging late night appetites. The menu was pretty limited for a vegetarian diet, but they did have a veggie burger that was  pretty scrumptious. This ended up being my go-to four out of the five days. While yes, it was good, almost anything after a ten hour day would have sufficed. I will say however, they had a Scottish Ale that surpassed just about any beer that I have ever had. By evening two, everyone at our table had tried it and made it part of their regular order. Is beer considered acceptable on the challenge menu?! Um, no. No, it is not. But after an eight to ten hour fast each and every day and working my booty to the bone, I drank that beer along with my black bean burger without a single trace of guilt.

Expo days are insane, intense, exhausting and motivating all at the same time. It is so  inspiring to be surrounded by like-minded individuals that share the same passions and desires. We had several Gorilla Wear athletes that made appearances: Erko Jun, Felice Herrig, and William Bonac .

While they all three were super warm and welcoming to everyone that came to the meet ups, Erko, has a presence that cannot be dismissed. He is an extremely funny guy, and after a couple of days I have to say that I am a total Erko Jun fan!

 

I got to meet a handful of people that I had only interacted with through social media. Meeting Jordan Edwards was a huge highlight for me this weekend. I have followed her for the last couple of years and always flip to her instagram when needing a good ab workout. I was walking from the restroom back to our booth and recognized her and her boyfriend, Steve walking towards my direction. I went up and introduced myself, and she just wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me big. She was (genuinely) so sweet. We spoke briefly about the industry, and of course had to grab a quick pic to document my fan-girl moment. 

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I met the hilarious Jen Heward, aka @hunnybunsfit while roaming around and while we did get a selfie, her eyes were closed and I looked a mess after a 10 hour day, so we’ll just leave that one in the mysterious iCloud. I caught glimpses of several influencers that I admire and just being in the same venue sharing the same passions is enough for me. I didn’t have time (nor the patience) to stand in line to meet anyone.

I mentioned at the beginning of this post that I am sitting in the CHM airport. I have to share with you all that I am sitting in the general food court and Jessica Arevalo is sitting to the right of me, and Bradley Martyn to my left. So on that note, I am going to hit pause on this entry, perhaps go say hello, make my way to my gate, and I will pick back up with you guys once back in Vegas.

Fast forward another week and here we are….Let’s catch up!
I made it back to Vegas this past Monday night around midnight, and had to be up at 5am to coach a couple of early classes Tuesday morning.

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Luckily I was off Wednesday because I began feeling like total poop! The last time I flew (which was the last time I went to Bama to visit family), was the last time I got sick. All of the recirculated germy air is absolutely repulsive to think about, so I always double up on the vitamins and nutrients before flying. I did great with my micronutrient intake before flying out, but working long hours at the expo and minimal rest, I fell victim to the reclaimed plane pathogens (blah, so disgusting). Anyways, so now that I have been back almost a week, walks with Jack have been my only form of cardio.

 

It’s now Sunday morning and I am finishing coffee number two with hopes that I will muster up some sort of energy to head into the garage for a shoulder workout. If not a lifting session, at least some yoga to get the blood flowing.

Needless to say that, week five of the F45 Challenge has not been so great, but here’s to week six!

 

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Hey Fam! Happy Saturday! I wrapped up week number three of the F45 8-Week Challenge this morning with an EPIC Series Obstacle Race!

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Our gym was invited to set up a tent for the day so, of course I jumped at the chance to get in on the action! This obstacle course was unlike any I have ever completed before in the sense there was minimal running, no water, and no mud! In total, it was just over two miles long making certain that each obstacle was back to back. It made for a short- yet super intense course and I loved it!

Most of the obstacles I was somewhat familiar with or had completed one similar in past races; however, when I came upon the keg carry, the kegs were filled with water instead of the usual sand, so to say it was demanding on the core is an understatement! It was a blast and a great (almost) midway point in the F45 challenge.

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Fast forward to this afternoon, Wesley and I took the doodle to Floyd Lamb Park. It was finally back to a beautiful and sunny 48 degrees after two weeks of nothing but wind, rain and snow (hello, we live in Vegas).

Dudes- aka doodle, jack, poodle butt (the list goes on), absolutely loves going to the park. He is a playful pup with loads of energy, so to keep him from testing our patience, we make sure he gets lots of  play in during our down time. Our morning strolls have just recently turned into morning jogs. Jack ran his first mile earlier this week at a 12 minute pace!

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As for this week’s menu, food prep was in full effect. This was my second week preparing zoodles for lunch- they make for quick easy meals and I can eat a ton of them without a heaping amount of calories. I usually sauté them in a sprinkle of olive oil along with cherry tomatoes and chick peas.


Was everything 100% on track this week? No, it wasn’t perfect. I skipped a day of workouts that were programmed because I just simply couldn’t seem to find my motivation and today’s post race meal was a vegetarian burger with a side of sweet potato fries. I’m not beating myself up over it, its just the way it goes sometimes.

I have yet to get on the scale, take measurements, or progress photos since day 1 of the challenge. I will track this progress at the halfway mark which will be the end of next week, week 4.

Cheers to an incredible week ahead at…..The Arnold 2019!!!

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Well y’all, I haven’t done so well keeping up with blogging this new year like I had hoped, but I am excited to share my newest series with you all, “F45’s 8-Week Challenge.”

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We are now coming to the end of week two, so let me catch you all up.
Beginning week one I had my body composition broken down using the In-Body Test. This service was offered by our F-45 gym as part of the challenge; however, your girl here had not had her pedicure and was not about to get bare foot and show off these half painted, runner’s toes! Instead, I made an appointment on the military base and had it completed the next morning. I weighed in at 131.8 pounds with a body fat of 20%. When competing, my off season body fat would usually sit around 17-18%. Although it was a bit higher than what I expected, I’m not terribly disappointed seeing as I haven’t tracked or logged nutrition consistently in over a year.

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My goal throughout the next eight weeks is to attend at a minimum, three F-45 classes while still incorporating three to four days of Olympic Weightlifting and/or Power Lifting and squeezing in at least 15 to 20 minutes a day of yoga and mobility. I typically coach three to four days a week, so I usually go in before coaching and complete the days workout. This allows me to get my workout in and heart rate up which in return, gives me plenty of energy for coaching (also allowing me to burn another 200-300 for each class coached as well).

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The challenge gives guidelines to support members during the 8 week Challenge. The F45 nutrition team provides weekly meal plans with mainstream and vegetarian recipes specific for male and female body compositions. These nutritional guidelines are what you will traditionally see with any “healthy eating” meal plan prescription: lean proteins, whole grains, low-glycemic fruits and vegetables, no sugar and no alcohol. The F-45 8-Week Challenge isn’t a magic pill or prescription. It is an approach to “challenge” each individual to put forth their best effort to reach personal goals.

 

An observation within myself since the challenge began is, cardio improvement. If you aren’t familiar with F-45, the HIIT training is incredibly intense! We do a lot of agility training and explosive movements with extremely short rest periods. Only two weeks into the challenge and I am seeing great improvements in my speed and recovery rates (a tighter waist and glutes are just an added bonus).

As for my menu, not a lot has changed. I typically stick to healthy eating habits all year round (with the exception of my weekly pizza and beer indulgence on Friday evenings). Last week (week 1 of the challenge), I had midterms for school and didn’t adhere 100% to my schedule. I always keep it real with you guys, so I have to report my slip ups as well. I missed a day of training and the same evening, indulged in a bit of late night snacking due to excessive studying. You know what though, its okay! Just like I tell my clients and fellow challengers, “one slip up is not detrimental to your progress, just like one workout doesn’t make you fit”. It’s all about consistency and getting back to the grind.

Having said that, week two has been, LIT!!
This morning’s workout (deemed Hollywood) is our longest workout of the week. On Saturdays, our F-45 classes are 60 minutes long, rather than a typical 45-minute class. We also have a DJ that comes in and keeps the energy high and the class hyped. You can’t even begin to imagine the flow of energy without the experience first hand! We weren’t able to get in a workout before coaching this morning, so instead we hung around after class and got it done.

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Hang around over the next few weeks and see what the challenge brings!!