Maureen
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I am following meal plan 2 for females. Are we supposed to log our cardio sessions into myFitness Pal?
If so, that may make it so that the app will refuse to record my progress. I have been within 100 calories of my daily goal but if I log cardio it will give me a deficit of 400-500 “calories” and put me at 1500 instead of the 2000 Nicole’s program calls for.
Hi there,
Don’t put in your activity. It will give you more calories, therefore changing the macros. Just log your food.Hi there,
If you are lifting in the morning, I would not suggest doing that fasted….only the cardio. Do what you can to eat meal 1 prior to your workout. You need the energy to be able to hit those weights as hard as Nicole wants you to. 🙂Just curious on time for the legs workout. Should it take 1.5 hr or was I being slow. Should all these workouts fit into an hour?
4 sets on some of those exercises will tend to take longer. As well as training body parts one leg/arm at a time. Right now the rest between is longer so that makes the workout longer as well. They usually run me over an hour as well.
Good afternoon,
I’m lifting followed by cardio session per schedule as a split each doesn’t fit well with my work schedule. I’m eating and following supplement suggestions, but I find I’m hitting a wall if you will during cardio portion. What are your thoughts on using a re-carb supplement before starting cardio session? Or over the course of the program will my body naturally adapt?
I appreciate your time and thoughts!
AngieThe point of fasted cardio is that you don’t have that immediate carb to get you through. Your body will tap into stores in order to get you through that workout. You will eat right after. Just hang on and do the best you can. If you haven’t done it before, it definitely is a new thing.
I have never used one in my life. Is this really important for effective workouts, or is it just another hi-tech gadget? Haven’t people been getting into great shape without them for years and years? Please enlighten me! I am here to learn!
You are right….people have been training for years without one. I for one, find it useful to keep myself in check with my cardio. I can go on feel but the heart rate monitor is like a trainer on my shoulder for…..”work harder Maureen”…or “rest a little longer you need to recover a bit more”. Or even to see that when I train hard, my heart rate takes a nose dive upon resting because I have improved so much. Personal preference but a great tool to up the game in my opinion.
What am i doing wrong?! I get a few in and then my body starts swinging and it’s too difficult to finish the set after that starts.
Just focus on lowering yourself down slow. I hold the straps at the top which helps me to control the “down” on the exercise.
Is cardio to be done ever day or should it be done on a 5 day on 2 day off split similar to weight training?
By the looks of the schedule, she wants you to have 2 FULL days off. So do your cardio on the days of strength training as well.
Actually the way you perform a pyramid set is as follows:
Set 1: Lift heavy enough to get 15 reps. If it was easy at the end, up the weight
Set 2: Weight is increased. Shoot for 10-12 reps. If you finished that easy, up the weight
Set 3: Weight is increased. Shoot for 8-12 reps. If you still finished that set easy without failing at the end, you can add another set OR take note that you need to lift heavier next week.
It is good to struggle! It should be hard!! As the weight increases, the reps typically go down. If you can do 15 each set solid AND you are increasing weight each time, that means that the first set you did was wayyyyy too light for you.Go with Nicole’s explanation.
“Actually the way you perform a pyramid set is as follows:
Set 1: Lift heavy enough to get 15 reps. If it was easy at the end, up the weight
Set 2: Weight is increased. Shoot for 10-12 reps. If you finished that easy, up the weight
Set 3: Weight is increased. Shoot for 8-12 reps. If you still finished that set easy without failing at the end, you can add another set OR take note that you need to lift heavier next week.
It is good to struggle! It should be hard!! As the weight increases, the reps typically go down. If you can do 15 each set solid AND you are increasing weight each time, that means that the first set you did was wayyyyy too light for you.”
She is just making sure you are lifting enough to stay within that designated rep range. She gives a great way to make sure you are lifting enough for the desired rep range. But not starting out too heavy. That way you can build the weight up as you work through the specified sets.Hello,
I’m super excited to be starting this as I have done my last 2 preps by myself. I was wondering, I am a Fitness Instructor and will is hinder my progress if I workout on the “OFF” workout days?? As a Fitness Instructor some and most of my classes I participate in and I was just curious. Thanks!Melissa
Hi there,
Because this program is pretty intense…it might mean you will be doing more than you need to. As far as the cardio goes…you can count some of your classes toward the cardio if your heart rate gets elevated like it should.Hi-
Are we supposed to be doing pyramids during phase 1? When I looked through the workouts the rep ranges led me to believe you stay the same with each set for the exercises. Or when it says 8-12 do I need to start with 12 and work my way down to 8 reps by set 4?
Lauren
Hi there, Your rep ranges would be between the 8-12 range for the 4 sets. It will indicate whether it’s a drop set or not. Your goal is to increase the weight as you go. You are resting longer, eating more and trying to lift as much as you can. Hope that helps.
Hi there!
For phase 3 nutrition/carb cycling, it appears that I don’t fit into any of the height or weight categories.
It only goes up to 150 and 5’6.
I would love to be 150 by that time but that’s not going to happen
(I’m a realist)…I figured I’d stick with meal plan #3 unless there was a typo…any thoughts??
Thanks in advance!As the notes say…just go for the height. Are you taller than 5’6?
I would use the one that comes closest to your height.Should we implement this as part of our total fat for the day?
Hi there,
Don’t count this in for your fat totals…just take it as a supplement. Follow the guidelines listed to find the one that will work best for this program.I’m confused on the meal plan. Am I suppose to eat the same thing every day? Or is this where the food exchange list comes into play?
Hi there,
I would recommend eating the same meals everyday. When you feel like you need a change, swap out something. But make sure the macronutrient amounts make a good exchange and it doesn’t effect your plan too much.I’ve tried that one too Kim and I am right there with you. It’s one thing that I can’t give up either! My quest is always on when I go grocery shopping.
And yes–I have several sets of tablespoons in my house to measure out the Creamers, because it is that important to me. I can give up desserts, tortilla chips and alcohol but having a cup of coffee is important to me. That’s why I asked what’s the big deal about it? Nutritionally, is it really going to HURT my efforts for 1 or 2 tablespoons and if so what ingredients so I avoid?
Trans fats?- haven’t touched them in years
Fat/Sat fat- I keep it low
Sugar- is this the culprit?
Lactose- non dairy creamers seem to have more junk and chemicals than regular half and halfI’ve searched the internet for answers and it always comes up just drink black which is not what I want in life LOL.
I UNDERSTAND this is a challenge, and that extras are cut out but it’d be helpful to learn going forward.
So for two tablespoons of reg half and half 3g fat (2 of which are saturated) 1g carb 1 protein. 40 cals 30 of which are from fat… I tend to look at foods and say “what am i getting from them? Not what can I get away with”.
That being said, could it fit into your macros for the day? Of course, are there better choices to get your fat from? Yes.
A diet rich in saturated fats can drive up total cholesterol, and tip the balance toward more harmful LDL cholesterol, which prompts blockages to form in arteries in the heart and elsewhere in the body. For that reason, most nutrition experts recommend limiting saturated fat to under 10% of calories a day. Polyunsaturated fat can actually decrease your risk of heart disease.With that being said, will that 2 tbsp break the diet of someone who makes excellent choices 90% of the time? No. But it could continue to tip the scales in a negative direction for someone who is not making healthy choices.
I hope that helps a little bit.
🙂Hi!!
I just wanted to clarify on a couple exercises…I tried to YouTube a few but these two seem the same on the videos I’ve seen and I just wanted to make sure I’m doing it correct for the last couple weeks…
Medicine ball oblique twists followed by weighted oblique twists w medicine ball
And cable oblique twists
Thank you in advance!
Did you watch the videos on nicole’s site under the challenge exercises for phase 2? If you are doing it like that I am sure you are fine 🙂 Just focus on your abs and holding them in tight while doing it.
I’ve been having a hard time with the high volume ab training. I thought that my progress would improve as continue the training, but now as we move into phase 3 and abs are being hit more frequently, I’m having a harder time.
My lower back just feels awful by the time I hit the 3rd to 4th set/round of ab training. I stretch, and after a few months off I’m also finally back to Yoga. I’m ok with standard sets, 30s-60s breaks in between…but ab circuits are painful to the lower back. I’m also finding I need a day off in between ab training.
Any recommendations on how to keep the intensity high if I can’t do the circuits?
Thanks
Break it up however you need to. Sometimes there is an imbalance and your abs are stronger than your low back. During ab exercises, your lower back may feel pain. This is due in part to your muscles attempting to control the lowering phase of a situp and not allowing you to fall quickly to the floor. Your hip flexors could be tight as well. When they are tight, they can also pull on the pelvis and the result is feeling that in your low back. Kegels are a good one for strengthening the pelvic floor which can provide additional support. If it persists…..might have to go back to basics plank and bridging etc. Hope that helps 🙂I’m not being”picky” just trying to be helpful. I really enjoy my coffee with cream in the morning, and I found the low fat half and half to be more healthier than all those non dairy creamers. Also the cholesterol in the egg yolk raises my cholesterol so that’s why I avoid them. The low fat half and half has only 5 mg of cholesterol. I try to get my good fats from food low in cholesterol like olive oil and nuts.
I meant that if you were to put the egg yolk and creamer side by side…the egg yolk would be a better choice. “picky” was a poor choice of words… You are absolutely right…the non dairy ones have a lot of “crap” in them that isn’t helpful for the body. Everyone’s body chemistry is different. Try and limit the saturated fats in certain products and that will help the cholesterol count. The fats you go for are great for you! Keep up the good work.
Looks like that was an old PDF because I see now that it’s been updated online!
Hopefully you are all set 🙂
The video link (for me) still says it will be posted the week of 8 May. Can anyone describe the exercise for me since the video isn’t working?
Should be up soon. Just emailed the powers that be.
I use low fat half and half. It has 25 calories in 2 tbls 1.5 grams of fat, and only 1 gram of sugar. I do use my scale to weigh it. I just don’t eat the egg yolk, which I don’t like anyway
If you want to be picky…..the egg yolk you sacrifice for the creamer has more nutrients. Maybe just what your body needs. When we are talking having visible abs….everything counts even in small amounts. Keep working hard.
1 more ? For tomorrows crazy 8 abs : what’s the diff between med ball oblique twist and weighted oblique twist?
The video for med ball oblique twist is there in the list of exercises for that day. Not sure where you are seeing weighted oblique twist on crazy 8’s workout
Can anyone tell me how to do crisscross kick ..
Please see the list with all of the videos for the exercises. You will find it there
On Day 1 – phase 2 – straight arm cable pullover is listed on the “pdf-picture” but not on the list with videos…
Hi there,
I am sure it’s just an oversight. I would keep it in your program.Most creamers have alot of sugar in 1 tbsp.(30 cals, 1.5g fat, 5g carbs 5g sugar) Do you measure out one tbsp? I am sure the average person doesn’t. Some of the flavored creamer contain trans fats. Trans fats which both raises your LDL cholesterol and decreases your HDL cholesterol (good kind). It can cause heart disease and inflammation in the body.
Can it work into your macros? I am sure it can. It also could be that one additional thing that most people aren’t logging but it’s adding sugars/calories to the diet but you aren’t counting them. For this program, it’s not included. This program aims to keep it as clean as possible and rids your diet of all of those little “add ons” that could be holding you back from your goals.If we are doing both first thing in the morning and are doing our weights first then cardio, is cardio still considered a fasted cardio?
Not technically…..because I would hope you were eating breakfast before strength training. It would be a more “depleted” cardio session but not fasted.
