[Maureen]

judyv wrote:

Sorry if the question has been addressed elsewhere that I’ve notice sugar totals are not given in the meal breakdown on the plans. Can you tell me the total for plan 3?

Thanks,

Hi there,
I don’t have that info for you. If you input the meals as they are listed into MFP…and the macros are within 5g for each. You should find an accurate total of sugar.

[Maureen]

kathydraperfitness wrote:

And this picture also shows you why a spray tan would be appropriate LOL!

🙂 Still looking good….even though your tan looks like Michigan in December lol

[Maureen]

Valerie Sauve wrote:

Hi,

I recently pinched a nerve in my neck. I received 2 acupuncture treatments and thankfully, the pain and twitching are now gone, but I lost strength in my left arm…going to the doctor later this week to have that checked. I can’t do back or arm workouts but for some reason chest is fine… I LOVE the MU challenge and really don’t want to quit… is training legs 4 times a week (twice each workouts) and chest twice too much? I feel like I’m in the momentum and don’t want to lose it but not sure if 4 leg days too much!

Thank you and please disregard all the grammar mistakes, English isn’t my mother tongue 

I am so sorry you are hurt. I am happy you are getting that checked out. I would say that 4 times/week would be too much in regards to how you guys are training on this challenge. You won’t give your body enough time to recover between workouts. I would just do what you can and see what the doctor says and be patient with it. Injuries can hang around if we don’t take our time with the recovery. Stay strong

[Maureen]

BRENDA DUQUETTE wrote:

Hi – I have been doing the Scrambled Legs for HIIT, but the treadmill really seems to hurt my shins.

Unfortunately as I mentioned in one of the Live Q&A sessions, my gym does not have a spin bike and I was not able to find anywhere nearby that does without buying another full gym membership.

We do have elliptical machines. In looking at them today, there is not a speed option.

Suggestions how I could use the elliptical to do my HIIT?

Thank you so much.

Brenda

Hi there,
For the speed intervals you could add some incline and pick up your speed each time the plan tells you to bump it up. Not sure if yours gives you some indication of how many revolutions you are getting or steps/min etc..(not sure what gauge they have) You could use that as an intensity indicator as well. Play around with the resistance and incline and you can make your own using the template Nicole has given you. Hope that helps a bit. Check that heart rate as well. Aim for numbers she gave as well.
Foam roll those shins/calves as well. Before you get on the treadmill. Sit with your leg out in front of you and do the abc’s with your ankle, side to side and up and down. That will warm up that entire area. And also stretch that gastroc (calf stretch with straight leg out behind you) as well as the soleus (unde the gastroc) the leg back out behind you with a slight bend. You will feel this one more in the achilles. Hope that helps.

[Maureen]

Jolie Goldstein wrote:

Hello, I have a couple of questions, first, what brand of Tempeh do you recommend? second, when we measure out vegan meat substitute do we do it after or before cooking it?

Thank you!!!

Hi there,
I am not sure of brands of what she used but you can input the other ingredients into MFP and then take a look at what brands are out there and input one of those and see if the macros add up for that meal.

[Maureen]

Cadenheadlove wrote:

The site isn’t letting me upload a pic.

Amounts I’m coming up with
165 P what I should have is 130P
153 C what I should have is 140C
75 F what I should have is 65F

Hi there,
It’s hard for us to tell without seeing the actual foods you have selected. Sometimes it’s just one or two foods are off and it will throw everything off. Make sure the foods you are selecting are in fact the correct macros….a Green check can help you weed out what’s legit and what might be wrong.

[Maureen]

mhopey wrote:

Can you recommend a pre-workout supplement ? I’ve used Jym and Kaged products in the past but I notice you mention creatine monohydrate but Jym and Kaged have creatine hcl. Does this make a difference ?

Thanks
Mike

Hi Mike,
I would use these guidelines (pasted below) that Nicole laid out and then you can go into a local shoppe and ask them to help or do some looking online at other brands.
PRE WORKOUT
A quality pre workout will help increase muscular endurance, blood flow, energy and strength.

What To Look For One that contains following ingredients:
Caffeine (100-200 mg). Caffeine is a safe and effective substance that boosts energy and performance levels
Creatine Monohydrate (2-5g). Although creatine is typically best taken after a workout, I recommend taking about 2-5 grams beforehand to help with strength. Creatine is one of the most thoroughly researched supplements and is considered safe and effective.
Beta-Alanine (2-5g). Increases muscular endurance by delaying fatigue from lactic acid buildup and may help increase muscle size.

What To Avoid Any product that describes itself as a “proprietary blend.” This is typically a telltale sign that the company is not being fully transparent with all of their ingredients.

Take It This Way Take one scoop mixed in water before you weight train. If the supplement contains a stimulant (not all pre workouts do), avoid taking at night to prevent it from effecting your sleep.

[Maureen]

Kim Ertelt wrote:

In the supplement section it is mentioned that Omega’s or EFAs are one of the most important supplements. I typically take two teaspoons of cod liver oil a day which equals 10g of fat. Are the fats from Omegas considered in the macros or should they be deducted form the meal plan totals?

I don’t believe Nicole is figuring any of the supplements (besides the protein powder) in the macros. I don’t work them into my daily totals.

[Maureen]

capparellinancy wrote:

This meal with tuna and avocado comes also with 3 rice cakes, totaling to only 21 g of carbs… I thoughts each meal had 52g of carbs????? Now I’m confused.

Which meal plan are you following? Thanks.

[Maureen]

Wendy wrote:

I know you said not to switch foods. But I don’t like cashews..can I do almonds?

Thanks,
Wendy

Hi Wendy,
Can you just do another meal? The exchanges can be tricky. If you choose another meal entirely, it makes life a lot easier.

[Maureen]

wendy tolles wrote:

Has anyone tried making the banana bread without the bananas being really ripe…i really want to tryit with all u posting and when i want my bananas to get ripe it takes for ever…

You can put the bananas in a paper bag. That will help them ripen a bit faster. They won’t mash up as good if they aren’t super ripe. You might have to use a little more muscle in order to get them mashed 🙂

[Maureen]

wendy tolles wrote:

ALSO I HAVE ALMOND FLOUR PROBABLY CAN GET BY WITH THAT INSTEAD OF THE OAT FLOUR OR THE OTHER

Hi Wendy you will have to check the macros on the almond flour and compare it to the oat flour. Not all flours are created equal.

[Maureen]

dea costopoulos wrote:

For the most part. Last week I tried the veggie burgers to switch things up a bit. Think I got the wrong Boca option. Each patty was 4.5g of fat, 120cal. So, I was over those 2-3 days…oops. I’ve since found the ones with .5g fat and 70cal. So, hopefully this week my macros will come out closer.

Thank you for getting back to me. Look forward to seeing you in Simpsonville on Friday. Safe travels to you and Nicole.

Thank you! Can’t wait to see you as well 🙂

[Maureen]

wiebzy19 wrote:

Is there a reason why the meal plan calls for almond milk and not regular milk?
Thanks,
Lacey

ALmond milk is pretty low calorie and lactose free. It’s a preference thing.

[Maureen]

wendy tolles wrote:

ok so it took me a week to ask this i buy my blueberries frozen should i thaw them out then measure then?

HI there, You can do a quick rinse and then weigh them. The ice on there will add to it a bit but it’s not going to make or break it.

[Maureen]

kemaouga599 wrote:

Its ok to drink diet coke ? I been ddinking 2 gallons of water but was told by a friend that is in fitness that was ok to drink diet coke !

I don’t see a problem with it. The artificial sweeteners may cause you some bloating as well as the carbonation. A little doesn’t hurt. You can test that out for yourself.

[Maureen]

dea costopoulos wrote:

Are the refried beans supposed to be fat free? I saw someone asked this in the training forum and it made me question it, too. It is one of my favorite meals, so want to make sure I’m getting it right. I’m currently using beans with 2.5g of fat per serving, so I’m thinking it’s probably ok. Thanks!

Are your macros coming out at the end of the day? You should be ok.

[Maureen]

Christina Cubbage wrote:

This is sort of a dumb question but I am always in a quandary about. I often use a measurement tape to measure thighs or abs or hips to see progress. When measuring thigh, do you take the measurement standing with knee straight or with the knee bent? It makes quite a difference. Just wondering for future challenges. Even if I take the measurement with a straight knee, it even makes a difference if I put my weight full on the standing leg.

Here’s the video where NIcole shows you. Make sure you have gone through all of the material.

How To Take Your Measurements

[Maureen]

Olivia wrote:

Okay that’s what I thought lol killer!! Thank you!!

You’re welcome. Good luck!

[Maureen]

Beverly Simmons wrote:

Just curious if we could include the new breakfast pizza in our challenge menu if we make the ratios match. If not no problem. It just looked really good!

HI there,
🙁 I would just try to stick to the meals that are being offered on this challenge. Maybe Nicole will make one in the future 🙂

[Maureen]

Olivia wrote:

For the tuna on the meal plan can we have tuna steak?

The Tuna steak may have more fat than the tuna in a can. If it’s Blue Fin Tuna…according to my calorie counter, it does.

[Maureen]

freitas.family wrote:

I was drinking apple cider vinegar with hot water and lemon every morning. Is it ok to still drink this?

I think that’s fine.

[Maureen]

Olivia wrote:

I looked ahead to the back workout for week 2 can you explain how the drop set works? I didn’t see it anywhere. Thanks!

Hi there,
The way I see that as written is that you do 1st set for 8 reps, drop to the lower weight another 8 reps, drop the weight again. another 8 reps. That’s the first set. There is no rest between all of those drops. You would do that 3 times. It’s killer!

[Maureen]

michelle andreas wrote:

Can you link to a video on this technique please? Could not find it anywhere…Thank you!

Hi there…I dug this out. HOpe this helps:
do the regular reps but hold the contraction for 1 or 2 seconds (whatever is specified). Flex the muscle you are targeting as hard as possible..this will increase the time under tension. Which will make it tougher but more effective. (Flex magazine had a great explanation)

[Maureen]

LB wrote:

Up until the challenge started, I have been eating the meal plan from the last challenge, which had a total of 160g of carbs (more or less). Now, I am eating 260g a day on the days I am lifting. I am finding that I am SO swollen when I wake up in the mornings. I am hoping that I will level out and my body is just shocked due to the fast increase in carbs, but I wanted to ask to be sure. Is there anything I can do or take to help? I honestly have to push my rings on and my watch and socks are tight. I am drinking my daily gallon per usual, but I am uncomfortable in my work clothes and slightly stressed out lol. HELP!!

Hi there,
I am sure your body will adjust. Carbohydrates when they are stored as glycogen end up containing a couple of grams of water as well. You retain this water because your kidneys hold on to sodium in your response to carb consumption. It’s the first week….just allow your body to adjust.

[Author]

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