Pushed it hard at the gym today -- lost my last post!  Gotta run!

Who ever said clean eating had to be hard?  Check out my eats for the day!  Awesome.  

8:00 am -- Chocolate Muscle Milk Light, boiled egg whites, half a banana

10:00 am -- Fiber one cereal mixed with raw almonds

12:00 pm -- Pure Protein Bar

2:00 pm -- Albacore White Tuna with a crisp Green Apple

4:00 pm -- Brocolli mixed with Garbanzo beans, raisins, sunflower seeds

6:30 pm -- Lightly grilled talapia, sweet potatoe with sea salt, asparagus

8:00 -- Glass of Fetzer Merlot

I love getting up in the morning!  Felt a little groggy, made some coffee, decided to check in here at BB to see what's going on.  I've got limited time this a.m., so I'll need to cut this short.  Back workout today, and I'll be headed to the gym shortly. 

Rhonda -- Stairs, face first with your baby in your arms?  I had to read it twice to be sure I read it right.  You're lucky it wasn't even more serious.  In terms of suggestions while dormant, stay inspired.  Keep your meals clean and consider watching some inspiring movies.  My recommendations -- anything with Michael Jai White and a movie I watched last night called Never Back Down.  Best of the Best is also a good one.  Get well!

Faith -- Good luck with your program.  Make sure you write out your goals.  Lots of people miss this step and it's critical.  Also, be sure to change your workout routine up about every 4 weeks.  The other area where I've failed in the past is my eating plan.  Be sure to include healthy foods you like to eat and allow a free meal now and then.

Zach -- Love the name Gianni.  How's she doing?

Last night I was beat.  I fell asleep watching some show about great white sharks.  When the alarm went off, my abs were pretty sore and my left bicep was still a little strained from a projects I was doing around the house last weekend -- picture me hanging a TV mount on the wall by myself for an hour.

I digress........to make a long story short, I switched my program around and trained shoulders today instead of bi's and tri's.  Great workout, going very heavy for 6 reps on the seated DB press.  Followed it all up with 12 minutes of HIIT and another 30 minutes of Ellipse at random intensity levels. 

Meals today are clean and green.  Right now I'm eating a raw almond / Fiber One cereal mix.  Brocolli, tuna, apple, and other clean eats packed away for later.  I plan to have ground turkey and winter squash again for dinner. 

Great ab workout today, followed by slow-go cardio for 40 minutes.  Lots to do at work today.  Gotta run. 

- JI

Chest workout at home last night was great.  Legs and HIIT this morning took about an hour and 15 minutes to get through...

Packed up my eats this morning & plan to have winter squash with ground turkey tonight for dinner.  Abs & Slow-go cardio in the morning. 

For a simple "prep week", last week was over the top intense.  I spent about 1.5 to 2 hours per day at the gym.  Lots of heavy lifting and intense HIIT left me feeling drained but good.  By Sunday I'd had enough and had to take the well-deserved rest day.  I also took my before pictures and plan to post them today if I find time.  The eating was pretty clean last week too.  I ate lots of ground turkey / chicken and sweet potatoes.  I've only recenlty developed the taste for sweet potatoes, but now that I have, I love 'em.  Sweet potate fries with a touch of sea salt make my mouth water every time.

I hit the grocery Sunday with my daughter, stocking up on the Synergize eating plan foods -- raw almonds, healthy cereals, veggies, fruites, and so on.

My workout plan for the next 4 weeks: 

Monday: Chest (No Cardio) 

Tuesday: Legs (HIIT) 

Wednesday: Abs (50 minutes of "Slow Go" Cardio) 

Thursday: Bi's / Tri's (HIIT) 

Friday: Shoulders (RIIT) 

Saturday: Back (HIIT) 

Tonight I'm hitting my chest workout at home.  Exercises have been changed to include more pushups, decline DB press, stability ball, and so on. 

Zach -- Congrats, Pops.  No need to explain the MIA status, but pop in and see me in 4 weeks.  I'm on a roll right now and I want to see how far I can take this momentum.

Rhonda -- Lots of energy behind your posts!  Keep 'em coming.  Bare your soul all you want but save some chocolate for me!   

Had a hard time getting up this morning...weather here has been lousy & my HIIT last night made me extra tired.  I had around 8 hour sleep last nigh -- no matter -- still tired...  Woke up, read an entry from Rhonda on the blog & felt a little better knowing it's not just me.  

Making some coffee right now & heading down to the basement home gym for a bi / tri workout b4 braving the storm and heading to work.  More later.

JI

I stayed with my workouts throughout the holidays and I even managed to lose a few pounds in November and December.  I am moving ahead full force in 2010 with a new workout plan that emphasizes HIIT for cardio and new (harder) exercises that are already making a difference.  Today was "Ab Day" -- did a lot of exercises I found here on Youtube: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNmuF7l0iuY

I tried to snap a B4 picture Monday, but the batteries in my camera lost their juice!  Officially starting my 8 week plan on Monday, January 11th.  Pics and goals will be up before the 11th.  I need to hit the grocery to stock up on more clean foods.  I'll be doing the Synergize eating plan....   

JI