[Maureen]

mela_giroux wrote:

Hi Nicole,
I plan on doing my cardio phase 2 fasted in the morning. I will also start fat burners during this phase 2. In your instructions, you recommend taking fat burners first thing in the morning, on empty stomach, before breakfast. Question 1: Can I take the fat burners upon waking, then go do my fasted cardio? Is this ok?
Question 2: On non cardio days, how long to wait before taking fat burners upon waking, and eating breakfast?
Question 3: I take Omega 3’s, vit D, B12 and probiotics with breakfast. Is it OK to add my fat burners to the mix? Fat burner bottle doesn’t say anything, and I don’t have any medical conditions.
Thanks,
Mel

HI there,
YOu can try taking it on an empty stomach and then do your cardio. If you are at all sensitive to caffeine, I would caution you on this. Pay attention to how you feel. They can be strong.
You can take it in the morning when you get moving etc and then eat your breakfast shortly after.
Drink plenty of water throughout the day as well. Remember, use the fat burner when you feel like you need that extra push.
You should be ok….as long as you aren’t combining it with other caffeinated products. That will heighten the effect. It might be too much. As far as your other supplements, another option would be to take your other supplements with your first snack. If you are worried at all. You can always chat with your doc on that as well. Hope that helps.

[Maureen]

melaniepeed wrote:

Just want to make sure I am understanding correctly…we whip it up according to instructions and it makes 3 meals?

At the top it does say it makes 3 for all women’s meal plans.

[Maureen]

trudychase wrote:

For the sweet potato mash meal, there are 10 pecans listed that go with it. I could only find pecan halves at the grocery store. This is probably a dumb question, but should I eat 20 halves or does Nicole intend that to be assumed as pecan halves. I’m not sure if they even sell whole pecans unless they’re still in the shell.

I honestly have never seen pecan in whole form. The ones you buy in the store are probably the ones she is talking about. They are halves…but that is the form I see most people work with.

[Maureen]

Lorrie Harrell wrote:

Walmart usually carries bands. You can see how long they are & try them out in the store before buying

That’s a good bet. Dicks sporting goods would be a good option too.

[Maureen]

jennifer wrote:

Anyone have any other ideas on HIIT and Interval training than the ones that are posted? Just looking for variety. I don’t like the stair stepper or elliptical. Also, steady state–>is that just running on a treadmill at one certain pace and making sure your heart rate is ideal?

I suck at this stuff—i just like running my own pace

Hi there, This quoted in the guidelines for the challenge:
Steady State Cardio Low-to-moderate intensity cardio, typically performed at one speed for the duration of the session. Incline walking at 4.0 mph is a good example of steady-state cardio.

Target Heart Rate
Be sure to wear a heart rate monitor to make sure you are challenging yourself during your cardio sessions. Don’t just go through the motions!

Your target heart rate for each type of cardio should be:
• HIIT Cardio Range from 120 (low intensity or rest intervals) to 190 bpm (high intensity intervals)
• Interval Cardio 140-160 bpm
• Steady State Cardio 120-140 bpm

You can create your own HIIT just follow the heart rate recommendations.

[Maureen]

Stephanie wrote:

Hey guys! Anyone have any creative ideas on how to prepare the meal that’s basically oat bran, eggs, and ghee butter? Make a pancake of some sort? I’ve never had ghee butter before but I’m excited to try it

You can always cook your eggs in the ghee….or melt it in the oat bran after cooking them. Or make some sort of pancake from it as well. People in the forum always get creative.

[Maureen]

lmcclendon82 wrote:

Help me understand meal 1: 1/2 cup oat bran, 4 egg whites and 1 whole egg. Is the oat bran just eaten dry?

Yep, It’s just like oatmeal. 🙂

[Maureen]

Rebecca Bargeloh wrote:

Hello.
I started Phase 2 today. Here are my progress pics for phase 1. I still don’t know pounds lost but I did level out with pounds this week and didn’t lose any.
I did lose inches.
Ready for phase 2!!!!!

Nice work! You know you can do anything when you can stick to a plan like this. Just believe in the process and learn a few things about how your body responds to certain things and in the future you will more in tune with what your body needs and when it needs it. Can’t wait to see what phase 2 brings 🙂

[Maureen]

Nice work! Phase 2 is going to be amazing 😉 Keep up the hard work.

[Maureen]

naynayarcher39 wrote:

I’m not focused on others journeys
I’m focused in my own. It was a concern of mine for others wanting to do the challenge in the future & a true representation of the results . This is not my first challenge or prep or diet I am 41 years old with a lot of experience in ‘focusing on yourself ‘ so please in the nicest way I am doing just that

You my friend are taking advantage of the great advice and guidance this program offers. You are right, the first phase was about building. Some people can have a hard time of letting go of the “do more cardio” mentality. We know that cardio is not the answer, muscle is. Weight training has it’s place in a plan and so does cardio. Too much of anything is probably never good. So there is a reason Nicole constructed this the way she did. You fed your body plenty in phase 1…as you just said “time to shred” in phase 2. Good luck and keep on kicking ass…..sounds like you already are 🙂

[Maureen]

samantha.shelton wrote:

I ordered these bands and there is no way I can do tricep extensions with them. They are way too short. I am 5’6″ tall. Did anyone else order these? Did I just get a defective set? Does anyone have a recommendation for longer bands? Am I doing something wrong?

Hi there,
Go to this site: http://www.performbetter.com/categories/band-tubing/general-bands-tubing
They are helpful and there are some options to what you can get. Hope that helps.

[Maureen]

Amanda wrote:

I was going to ask this exact same question (thought about guessing with 1/4 cup) and I don’t think weighing the batter will help me any, as I usually make batter in a heavy porcelain bowl. If you were to use a cup to dip it out and put in in the waffle maker or pan (I’m really tempted to do pancakes) which cup would you use?

Hi there,
Are you aware of the “tare” button on your scale. When you put the heavy bowl on, you press tare and it will zero the scale out again. Therefore, your heavy bowl won’t be reflected in the weight of the batter. 🙂

[Maureen]

Erin Heyl wrote:

I saw a link to some on amazon on another thread. went ahead and ordered some. Thanks! My gym doesnt have them.

Great! Let us know what you think 🙂

[Maureen]

Donna Oliver wrote:

warning long post and mild pity party

I have always trained alone i don’t think my peer group in general understand why i choose to train with weights and eat the way i have, that’s ok but sometimes you need someone on your side to chat to and give you that knowing smile that says “i get it” also they say writing things down helps clear the mind and bring clarity sometimes so here goes.

In 2014 did a Master figure class i loved the prep it was hard but my body just changed so dramatically. Afterwards. for me i believe the competition brought its own negative aspect to my live, i knew i had to be careful how i ate afterwards and in hindsight i was too careful i didn’t reverse diet my BF was low for a long time ,8% for 18 mths maybe even 2yrs this did me no favors, but i loved the way i looked. i started to show signs of depression, and ended leaving a job i loved and taking medication. I thought the answer laid in prepping for another competition!!
i found a trainer and the first he said was you need to eat more calories and especially more carbs, No way i thought i will look awful, and my peer group will think i have piled the weight back on and lost control, i tried but i couldn’t eat the extra calories. roll forward too 2018 i didn’t compete again but i was still weight trainingg 4 times a week, slowly the weight went back on (22lbs) through comfort eating because i felt like i had failed. This challenge is my chance to get back in control and understand that i hadn’t failed because i don’t look like i had competed in a figure competition anymore.
Phase 1 scared me when i saw the amount of carbs i had to eat, my first though was i going to get even heavier! i haven,t i have stayed exactly the same. Not quite if i am happy about that or not yet.

My worries for phase 2 are that i am expecting too much change to happen . i can see new muscle growth since my competition in 2014 and i am eager to see it uncovered but if this doesn’t happen to the extent i hope it will i will quit because i will feel like a failure again. i just want to find a place where i can feel happy with my food choices and my body shape.
Thanks for listening
Donna

Hi Donna,
Thanks for the honesty. Prepping for a show is tough…it does alot to our bodies but much more to the mind. We set ourselves up for not being satisfied with anything less than that six pack. We know going in, that it’s not realistic to hang on to such a lean body year round. We think we are ok with it and then post comp happens. I think it’s a good thing you are doing this challenge. You crawled out of the box as far as the calories went, and what happened? You found some new gains as a result. The fact that you are following through with this and trusting the process says a lot about how far you have come. You have a TON of support here. Some women have been in that headspace before and can relate. There is strength in that struggle. I can tell you that it takes time to figure out that balance of having it all (competition you) and being out of contest shape and not knowing what to do. You feel uncomfortable in your own body. That’s just not an option. You have the body you have….take care of it like it’s the only one you will have (cuz it’s true) and most of all. Look yourself in the mirror and say “I am enough right now exactly the way I am”. Think of phase 2 as an experiment. You aren’t quite sure what will come of it. So don’t put ANY expectations on what the results will be. I am sure you will be proud of your accomplishments. You are one strong woman, and a great example for others. Being strong doesn’t mean we always have it figured out. Being strong is continuing to stand despite the curve balls that come our way. Stay strong. Enjoy phase 2 and I can’t wait to see how it turns out for you. Head high and stand tall. 🙂

[Maureen]

mariapappasmassage wrote:

Rebecca, It was more of the cardio I wanted to be straight on! I guess I didn’t realize that S/S was a cardio workout we could do as a full 40 Min session! I thought it was only on the end of HIIT!
Do you know how the S/S is to be done? I thought I read on treadmill level 4 but didn’t quite understand it! Is it, as high of incline as you can take at level 4? Is that right? For the full 40 Min? Sorry this type cardio is new to me! (Interval and HIIT I understand)!

Hi there,
Here you go. Just pulled this from the description for cardio for this phase:
Steady State Cardio Low-to-moderate intensity cardio, typically performed at one speed for the duration of the session. Incline walking at 4.0 mph is a good example of steady-state cardio.
Keep your heart rate between 120-140 BPM

[Maureen]

moniho2 wrote:

Hi Nicole,

Do you have a coupon code for the 6 pack bags?

Thanks,
Monique

Try NicoleW10 Hope you find a good one!

[Maureen]

Kelsey wrote:

I was curious if the protein waffles will be just as tasty with the chocolate truffle powder instead of the vanilla cupcake . . . my intuition says yes . . . thoughts?

My experience says yes! I make a bulletproof coffee every morning and add the protein in….AMAZING! (obviously, I am not doing the challenge) So ignore the bulletproof, but you can take my word for it on the chocolate.

[Maureen]

lori wrote:

Thanks for explaining. That makes a lot of sense. So if after the challenge we still have fat to lose where would we go from there? How long would it be ok to stay in the cutting phase of phase 2?

Hi Lori,
I would just get through this challenge and then look ahead to after. Nicole does a pretty good job of giving you some options of “what do I do now that the challenge is over”. I would wait and see where you are at the end….who knows, Your questions could be alot different when you see the final product. 🙂

[Maureen]

Erin Heyl wrote:

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 🙂

[Maureen]

Rachel McAran wrote:

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?

[Maureen]

Sarah wrote:

I have found it in Walmart

not the answer I would expect LOL

[Maureen]

Jessica Hanna wrote:

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.

[Maureen]

kemaouga599 wrote:

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.

[Maureen]

Patty Bielert wrote:

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!

[Maureen]

samantha.shelton wrote:

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.

[Author]

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