Maureen
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Do we have to use resistance bands for phase 2? Would it be ok to still use dumbbells, cable machines instead of the exercise bands?
Do you not have access to bands? They are a great addition to a strength routine…one major things they offer that free weights do not is…that as the range of motion increases and the resistance increases, the number of muscle fibers that are being used in the exercising muscle increase. The more muscle fibers being used, the greater the adaptations in muscle strength that can be achieved with the training program. This benefit is not offered by free-weight resistance. The movement is more functional and applicable to daily life…or getting an athlete ready in a more sports specific way. So if you have them, use them….if it’s a matter of not having access than use what resistance tools you have available. Hope that helps 🙂
Any thoughts on the amount of weight we should be looking at for the resistance band exercises? They vary like 10lb and up.? I don’t want to order some and it not be strong enough or vice verse.
Are you able to get a variety of them?
I have found it in Walmart
not the answer I would expect LOL
I love tuna so I was excited to see it on the menu for meal plan 2. However, I can not stomach canned tuna. I use the fresh packs. Will that be ok to use? Not sure if there is a macro difference when i compare 4 oz of both. Thanks so much:)
If there isn’t a macro difference, I don’t see a problem.
Thanks for replying , now for phase 2 cardio , do uou recommend to do it first thing in am or afternnon its ok , iam been doing weight lifting ams and cardio pm , can i keep doing this pattern or should i change to get better results ? Other thing i ordered my protein powered about two weeka ago , and i know it does not take to long to get it but for some reason my order is taking for ever , is anyways you can tell me if there are any back orders ? Or anything wrong with my order , iam so inpatient to try the protein power
YOu can do the cardio whichever way best fits your schedule. Go into the “contact us” section and you can ask your question there regarding your order for supplements.
Heading into week 4 I look back and feel great that I have been able to put into action some great habits that will serve me well the rest of my life. In a couple months I will be 55. Four years ago I did a few Figure competitions, however, soon after lost my father and my brother. Being so close together sent me for a bit of a tailspin–not in the gym but with nutrition. A little depression set in but the gym gave me a bit of an outlet to let off steam and stress. Doing this challenge has helped me regain a peaceful attitude again with food. It has been a wonderful guide and boost for my morale. I have reserved my spot for the Vancouver nPower Fitness Camp and so excited for it! Age is only a state of mind–I have never felt better. Have a great week–Phase 2 here I come!
Nice job! You are really doing a great job. I am glad this challenge has been a positive thing for you. I can’t wait to see you in Vancouver!
Hi! Where can I find maple extract? Is imitation maple extract ok? I live in So Cal. I couldn’t find it at Sprouts or my normal grocery store. Thank you!
It should be near vanilla…might be a little harder to find.
HI Ladies,
First off…you aren’t letting anyone down. You are making a decision to do something for you. It’s never easy. Sometimes you find out who is really with you, and who isn’t. You aren’t forcing your new plan on anyone else…but there needs to be a common ground. If you normally go out for crap food, well maybe you find a different restaurant where you can find something on the menu to eat. Think about if you had some food allergies……you would have to make some changes with how you socialized. Remember why you are doing this. If your reasons are strong then you won’t have a hard time sticking to your “whys”….you don’t have to share your whole life story on why you are doing something. This challenge was your choice…and a challenge it is proving to be.
When i decided to change my lifestyle many years ago…I lost friends. But when it came down to it, we were party buddies. There wasn’t much substance to it. They couldn’t understand why I was doing this and I couldn’t understand why they couldn’t just accept me just the same. Some will come with you on your journey and some won’t. Like I said, As long as you have good reasons why you are doing it, You should feel very confident in the path you are taking. Good luck.Holy Dinah! Today is a rough day. I have plans to go to the gym, but just the thought of it is making me want to cry. This is the most tired and most sore I’ve felt since starting the program 3 weeks ago! I know work is also contributing to my overall mood, and the weather is also gross,but I’m thinking I might need an extra rest day, or will hitting the gym make me feel better? All I seem to do is sleep, work, and work out (and eat and meal prep!). It’s been difficult mentally because my idea of fun mostly involved eating out, drinking wine and socializing. So re-learning what is a healthy way to relax is hard!
My nutrition has been spot on (and I’m so proud of myself!) though sometimes I miss my vitamins and I don’t always get my 4L in. Sleep has been decent, and I’ve been sleeping more often normal but I’m still wondering if it’s enough? I’ve already dropped more weight than I thought I would (Yay!) and for the most part my lifts are getting stronger every week. So I’m super stoked and I know I’ve been working hard!
I guess I’m just venting, but does anyone else feel like this and how do you lighten your mood?
Thanks,
JolandaHi there,
I get that it’s hard, and that’s ok that it feels hard. You are going to have days that you can get after it and other days that you feel like it’s getting after you. But when I see that you started with the hard but ended the post with all of the positive stuff. That’s the outlook that you need to maintain. Focus on the positive that you have gotten out of this. This a CHALLENGE…..darn right it is! You are challenging yourself and believe it or not, those around you that are watching. You are challenging them to take a deeper look at themselves and what healthier steps can they take. You are making an impact..on you and those around you. I would step into the gym, do an extra long warm up, hop on the foam roller and do what you have planned. Treat yourself to an epsom salt bath and pat yourself on the back for sticking to what you said you wanted to do. Good luck and Train hard.Same problem here. Could I use dry cottage cheese instead of blue cheese?
We caution anyone on subbing foods in and out….that’s where the macros will change and you may get further away from the macro goals. Cottage cheese will add more carbohydrates into the mix. If you can, pick another meal instead of subbing…..if you are skilled at making an equal sub, then go for it. This program is set up with options so that we can hit those macros dead on. Good luck
I know you said there aren’t any substitutions BUT (lol) I am really liking the wrap option for phase 2! It seems like a little less cooking which is nice with my busy schedule and it sounds GOOD!
However, I do not like blue cheese at all . Is there ANYTHING else I could use?? I could double another meal but as I said earlier, this one seems like such a time savor! I had to try lol. Thanks so much! Im really loving phase 1 nutrition!
Excited and anxious for phase 2!You might be able to use a reduced fat feta. Just want to check those macros to make sure you aren’t adding or missing some
Is a glass of wine allowed for cheat meal?
Sure but don’t go overboard with 3 glasses lol. Think refeed but think in moderation as well.
Thank you all for asking questions about the refeed meal. I have a question that may seem odd, but I want to make sure I don’t “ruin” my progress.
I am super excited to be able to have a cheat meal of my choice. However, I am also craving a Reese’s Cup. Would it be okay to have 1 Reese’s cup as part of my cheat meal? If so, how do I adjust my meal. If I would have a cheeseburger, would I replace the bun, the cheese, the fries, etc?
Thank you for your help!
Just enjoy it. Use it for you last meal. Here are some examples Nicole listed:
Here are some examples of good refeed meals:Burger with sweet potato fries
2 slices of pizza
2 sushi rolls
Medium frozen yogurt with fruit
Bowl of cereal with almond milk and a bananaJust don’t make a day of it.
I feel ya. I am in the same boat. Lost 3 lbs right away and now I am stuck. Intellectually I totally agree with what everybody says about not using the scale to measure progress. It makes total sense. Emotionally that scale plays mind games. It’s awful. I tell myself not to weigh in, but it’s just calls me. I do feel a lot better and it’s only a week and half until we get into the shred phase. So I am just holding strong and hoping for more scale movement then.
I completely understand. Don’t let that dictate your progress either way. This is a group of strong men and women doing this challenge. Let’s start seeing it that way. The scale tells you absolutely nothing about the food you prepped, the weights you lift, the miles you run and the effort you put in. Let it go and let your progress be how you perform in the gym and how you feel day to day. Hang in there. The scale is a liar……and is just full of numbers, again, they don’t tell you anything about you!
I like to plan ahead and just looking forward to Phase 2 but have a few questions and want to make sure I have my plan down ahead of time. I understand the goal of phase 2 is to lose the fat… is it still acceptable to do our Cardio AFTER our weight training? I understand the preferred method is to split them up.. but if we can’t, then is cardio after okay? Will our progress/fat loss be hindered in anyway if we aren’t doing fasted cardio? Also… since the goal of this phase is to lose fat, are we still to be eating something PRIOR to lifting- if we lift first think in the morning(prior to work), like 1/2 of meal #1?
Thanks in advance!Yes, it’s ok to still do cardio post training session. Not everyone has the luxury/time to split them up. The goal is still to make sure you are feeding those strength training workouts first and foremost and then get after that cardio post training if that’s how you have to structure it. The rules don’t change from phase one as far as the fueling of your body goes. Your calories will be cut a bit so the fat loss will happen as a result of that and your training of course. Hope that helps. Great questions.
Is the cardio acceleration workout to be done fasted (Since fat loss is the goal) or eat a meal prior? – Thanks!
No, It’s listed in the training part of your other strength training workouts. I would treat it as such and eat prior to performing this workout.
Does a hike count as a workout for the post workout meal? The hike is 4 miles.
The post workout meal is reserved for post strength training. The hike would be considered a cardio workout.
Hey everyone good day to you all I hope you are all feeling great and still as motivated as you did in week 1..Can you believe it? WE ARE NOW HITTING UP WEEK THREE and I am so stoked, we are getting closer to Phase II of this challenge which is the phase I am super, super excited about. I will be honest this week I did not have a lot of change on the scale and for some reason there was not a lot going on with my measurements..I did feel a little discouraged until I took my pics. Many of you do not know me but I will tell you my rear end is MY BIGGEST PROBLEM right along with the Thighs. I wont post all my progress pics this week but I definitely wanted to share my backside with you (That sounds a little strange right :)) Super excited about the lift…The very first pic is when I started my prep for this challenge. The effort, guidance and plans are working and I couldn’t be more excited about the results
HAPPY WEEKS 3 Everyone!!Great job! Keep working hard. You will be happy you stuck with it.
So I teach a weight lifting class every thursday morning at 5am at the YMCA. I know it is our day off however I do lift with the class just not as heavy as I could due to lack of weights in the room. My question is do I have my post workout shake/blueberries? Or do I act as if it is my day off food day?
I wouldn’t treat your teaching day as a training day.
Is anyone else experiencing shin splints. I have had them in the past, but never this painful. Normally I can push through the pain until it gets better. I have had to do the body weight HIIT the last two days and even the jumping jacks hurt. I have had to modify to lower impact. I know I pushed myself too hard on the treadmill the first week, but I am stubborn. Any secrets on how to get them to heel faster?
Hi there,
Make sure you are stretching both your calf muscles: gastrocnemius(standing with leg straight back as your hands are against the wall. The other calf muscle Soleus,(standing with leg BENT and hands against the wall. You will feel this one more in the achilles area. You can also sit and warm up that area. Flex and extend for 20 times, do circles both ways for 20. You should feel the area warm up really good. You need to check your shoes as well. Are they new? Do they need to be replaced? Hope that helps.So with the post workout meal, I’m having 4 meals altogether is that correct? Or am I suppose to be eating 5 meals with my workouts?
5 meals on weight training days.
Nicole, I just wanted to thank you for this challenge. I decided to post this on the open forum for any woman in my position OR who may find themselves here someday. Last spring I was diagnosed with breast cancer. After two surgeries, four rounds of chemo, 30 radiation treatments, and an anti-estrogen drug (Tamoxifen), I was REALLY battling the mental challenge of finding my new self. So many physical, emotional, and mental changes…Anyway, over the last two weeks I am finally starting to recognize myself again. I cannot express how good this feels. I am happy and smiling again, I’m not falling asleep at work, and people are starting to notice I’m getting better. So THANK YOU for your challenge. This is literally changing my life. xo
And never skip a mammogram!!!
Hi there,
That is the most rewarding impact to make on people’s lives…..Thank you for sharing. We are all behind you. Keep working hard.Hi, Wondering about Hip thrusts. I was just told by someone yesterday that the weight must be really heavy for it to be effective. It sorta bothers my left glute muscle as I know I have some weakness there. I used like only 35 ea side and bb and today I am feeling it (sore). The set up is a little hard. Wondering do I really need my back on a bench? Can I use a Max Rack? Can you just do it off the floor? Do I need a band? Should the movement be quick or slow and controlled? These are all the questions that run thru my head… lol
Hi there,
Do you have any short bars like in Nicole’s demonstration? That seems a bit easier. I would perform it exactly how she does. Slow and controlled with your movements is always best unless otherwise indicated. Good questions…My Quads are still sore from Tuesday’s leg day. Is it ok to take glutamine at this point to see if this will alleviate some of the soreness as it’s a bit painful. How much glutamine if so?
5g of glutamine would be fine. Epsom salts work really well too.
Hi,
I did a previous challenge (and I’m doing this one) and Nicole had a recipe for shredded chicken. I can’t seem to find it. Can you post it or tell me where I the site I can find it.
Thanks!
CathleenI can’t find the specific recipe you are looking for…..My guess is that she made it in the slow cooker. That’s the best way to get chicken to shred like that.
However, I do not like blue cheese at all 
. Is there ANYTHING else I could use?? I could double another meal but as I said earlier, this one seems like such a time savor! I had to try lol. Thanks so much! 
Excited and anxious for phase 2!