[Naomi]

Thank you so much, Rebecca!! We are LOVING all the questions and interactions and posts and comments. Everyone has been so awesome!! Nicole, Maureen and I have dedicated our lives for just this very thing: to help you better understand your fitness journey and to help you be better equipped for success! We are all here for you, and hope that you learn a ton on this 30 day journey that you can apply to your life for the rest of you life! 😀 xo ~ Naomi

[Naomi]

Hi Diane- I do understand the morning rush and need for convenience, but with this particular 30 Day Transformation Challenge, we really discourage any protein bars and do not recommend them because of additives and preservatives, the macronutrient ratio and ingredients are not conducive to getting the desired results. My recommendation for a quick and convenient breakfast on-the-go is a protein shake (pre-prepared the night before and in the fridge ready for you in the a.m.) and an apple. If you aren’t already doing so, maybe try to prepare as many of your meals for the week as you can on Sunday for the week ahead? Here are some tips Nicole recommends on how to be best prepared for the nutrition portion of the challenge- Transformation Challenge: Nutrition

I hope this helps! Good luck 🙂

[Naomi]

I also stay at the same weight for 6-8 months, sometimes even more than a year depending on the body part. As long as you are feeling the workout in the muscle you are targeting, the amount of weight really isn’t the main point, unless building strength is one of your top priorities. I stayed at the 20lb barbell for barbell curls for it seemed like forever, then stayed at the 30lb barbell for 2 years. I have been able to curl w/ the 40lb barbell now for about 6 months, but still can only do that one for about the 1st or 2nd set then have to move to the 30lb barbell. BUT if I am doing barbell curls at the very end of my workout when my biceps are already shot,sometimes I can’t even use the 30lb and have barely just enough strength left to curl the 20lb barbell. So it also depends on how fatigued your muscles are when you get to a certain exercise in your workout.

My advice, if you are looking for strength gains, is that after the challenge is over you re-group your strength-training split to work the muscles you are trying to gain strength in by themselves, or grouped with as little other muscles as possible. For example, only work chest one day, then hamstrings/glutes/abs the next day, then maybe group back & shoulders together in one workout the following day, then quads/calves/abs, then biceps/triceps. That’s a 5 day split. Or you if you’re really looking to gain strength in your back and shoulders, then work chest/biceps/triceps together and work back by itself one day, then only shoulders another day. Limit your cardio to about 20-25 min 3-4 days per week and keep your rep ranges between 6-8, lifting as heavy as you can for 6-8 reps for 4-5 sets of each exercise.

There are other ways and methods of gaining strength, but this is just one way of doing it. If you haven’t read this already, check out this Tip Me Tuesday: Gaining vs Losing

I hope this helps! Good luck with the challenge and with your strength goals 🙂

[Naomi]

One more thing I’d like to add is that being in a caloric deficit will affect your strength, which is why it is important to focus on one thing at a time 😀 If you are focusing on gaining muscle and losing body fat in a short amount of time (30 day body transformation challenge), because of the required caloric deficit you may not feel as strong as if you were focusing only on strength-gains, which could entail being in a caloric surplus 😉 Does that make sense?

[Naomi]

Hi Nancy- Any seasonings are fine, a long as you look carefully at the ingredients! You’d be amazed at how many seasonings have SUGAR in the first 5 ingredients. Even if the label looks “harmless” and wouldn’t seem to have sugar in it, never assume and always read the ingredients, making sure to stay away from long lists of ingredients, strange ingredients that you don’t recognize and any/all added sugar 😉

[Naomi]

Hi Lisa- It is best to listen to your body, as everyone has their own experiences with different foods and beverages. If you drink regular water often, and electrolyte water and alkaline water makes you bloated and low energy, that is all you need to know to tell you it is maybe not the best thing for YOUR body 😉 Keep drinking regular H2o! 😀

[Naomi]

Hi Tracy- It takes a LONG time to build strength. Of course every person is different, but in my experience it seems like it takes longer to build strength than it does to lose fat or see other body composition changes. This particular challenge is a transformation challenge and the workouts are designed for body composition transformation results, not necessarily strength-building results, though some strength gains may come as a result for some challenge participants.

My recommendation is to lift as heavy as you can for the rep ranges given. And as you mentioned, the last 5 reps shouldn’t just be hard, but you should feel like you can barely get through the last 3-5 reps. It should be a struggle. I hope this helps! Good luck and keep pushing hardddddd 😉

[Naomi]

Hi Krista- For reps. I there are the following guideline ranges:
8-10
10-12
10-15
12-15
15-20

For all of these, aiming for the highest rep range possible isn’t necessarily “better” or harder, nor is is less beneficial or easier to aim for a lower rep range. The varying rep range (chosing 10 reps instead of 15, for example) allows participants a little flexibility in selecting a heavier weight that will challenge them and a given rep target range. If you select a weight for a rep range of 12-15 reps, but you struggle to get 10 reps out, your weight is too heavy. If, however, you breeze through 15 reps with no problem, your weight is too light. Think of Goldielocks and the Three Bears. You want to choose a weight that is just right where you’ll struggle to get the last three reps out. If you’re at rep #12 and you think you can muster out just three more, then go for it! I hope this helps! Good luck 🙂

[Naomi]

Hi Sharon- I also train clients/work at the gym where I workout (though there are a few other nearby Anytime Fitness locations I try to workout at if I can, or I try to workout at home so I can just focus on my workout). If I am working out at my gym in between clients and someone interrupts me, I kindly say “Hey, I would love to talk but I only have a short window to get my workout in so I need to try and keep it going. But let’s chat after, or I’ll catch up with you in just a bit.”

This sounds really bad, but body language speaks volumes and I rarely get interrupted anymore when I workout because I carry this look on my face (headphones on and brim of hat low) so that I ooooze “please don’t interrupt me while I’m working out.” I basically try to not be very inviting while I’m working out. That sounds awful, and I hate that I feel I have to do that where I work, but my workout time is so incredibly valuable to me and I feel it is my break time. I do try to be very friendly and inviting at all other times, and I do explain to any gym members I interact with regularly that I am totally in my zone when I am working out, so I think at this point people understand and don’t interrupt.

It is very hard though when people need help with something or have a question, etc., and it is your job to assist them. Just use your best judgement, but you can always politely tell them you don’t have much time for your workout and would love to talk to them when you’re finished 😉

[Naomi]

Hi Lori- with any of the daily meals and daily macro totals for the meal plan you’re following, you can substitute any of the foods recommended on the foods exchange list here and here for your last meal to make up for any macros you are short on. So yes, if you are short on protein, you can either eat another 4 oz chicken breast, egg whites, etc., or a protein shake at the end of the day to try and get all your protein in for the day. I hope this helps! Good luck 🙂

[Naomi]

Hi Nicole- That sounds very serious. If you have an injury of any kind (even as seemingly minor as a strain), I would recommend not doing any leg workouts until your injury is healed. All you are doing is increasing the severity of injury and possibly exposing other muscles, tendons and ligaments surrounding the injury to possible injury as well because they are trying to pick up any load that your injured area simply cannot physically support. Have you gone to the doctor to find out exactly what’s going on in that area?

[Naomi]

Hi Julia- nonimpact lunges or Bulgaian split squat are fine. You are doing the right thing by listening to your body and avoiding any kind of weird or concerning sensation or pain. Great job, keep it up! 🙂

[Naomi]

Hi Vanessa- Good question! I would recommend going immediately from strength-training right to yu cardio, then having your post-workout shake after your entire workout (strength-training and cardio) is complete. That way, you’re not trying to digest the protein shake while doing cardio, especially if it’s HIIT (eeeek, the shake might come back up??) Good luck girl! 🙂

[Naomi]

Hi Sharon- the best way to get around this is by using the scanner bar in MFP and scanning the barcode for food items. The exact nutritional and macros info should pop up so you can plug the appropriate portion size right in! 😉

[Naomi]

Hi Tracy- this link seems to be working fine on my end, so you may want to restart your computer and try it again? I am not a tech person, so I am not sure what the problem could be since it is working find here 😉

[Naomi]

Hi Krystal- I would advise that you rest. If you have body aches, sinus pressure and a chest cold, then the energy and effort you use to try to workout will only take away from your body trying to fight off being sick and you may end up prolonging getting well. Also, if you try to workout while you’re not feeling well, you’re not going have a great workout because your energy and strength is so low. Try to rest up, and you can catch up when you start feeling better. I hope you feel better soon! 🙂

[Naomi]

Hi Leslie! 🙂

If there are no cable pull type pieces of equipment anywhere, worst-case scenario you can do incline bench reverse grip rows with dumbbells, lying chest-down on the bench with palms facing forward. Then, in the same position, turn your palms facing each other (neutral position) for the close grip cable row substitution. These substitutions are working the same muscles, just moving from down pulling up instead of moving from the top pulling down, and you’re using free weights instead of cables.

I hope this helps! I hope all goes well in Boston and that your nephew’s surgery went well and his recovery goes well! Way to keep up with your workouts, girl!! xo ~ Naomi

[Naomi]

Hi Monica- What a great question! You will be working out at PhatCamp Friday night, Saturday and Sunday and you will be working ALL body parts and doing cardio. I suggest you follow the challenge workouts until the Wednesday before PhatCamp, then don’t do any strength training Thurs or Fri (cardio Thurs is fine, but I strongly suggest you take Thurs as a full rest day since you will be exercising all weekend). You want to be fresh and rested for your workouts with Nicole and Maureen during PhatCamp 😀 You will get ALL your workouts in at PhatCamp (and then some) so rest up Thurs & Fri and be ready to hit it hard Friday evening! HAVE A BLAST!!! 😀

[Naomi]

What a great attitude, girl! Prepping for the week ahead isn’t just about prepping food, but mentally prepping for the workouts. Great job, GET IT TRACY!!! 😀

[Naomi]

Great news, Ivonne!! Keep it up, you are doing fantastic 😀

[Naomi]

Hi Carissa- the total macros for the day (protein, carbs and fats) should equal roughly (give or take 5 grams) the daily macro totals outlined in the meal plan you are following.

Make sure you read all the information here and watch the video, then look at the daily totals for the meal plan that correlates with your height and try to aim to hit that total throughout the day following as closely as you can to the meal plan outlined and using the foods exchange list here and here if you’d like to substitute any foods.

I hope this helps! 🙂

[Naomi]

Hi Kay- For this challenge, you should choose the meal plan that correlates with your height. Good luck! 🙂

[Naomi]

Hi Christina- 5 miles is fine 🙂 but depending on your speed, I would try to keep it at no more than 45 min duration, so that might mean 4 – 4.5 miles 😉

To increase your cardio capacity, HIIT will help A LOT! HIIT, in my opinion, helps to increase cardiorespiratory output more than running. Actually, to help with one’s exercise endurance for long-distance running, one would do HIIT training as cross-training to increase lung capacity and cardiorespiratory function 😀

As far as HIIT on the elliptical goes, that will be a great cardio session. I do it myself and have my clients do it and it can be very intense. Keep in mind that all ellipticals are different so you need to chose the level that will best suit your capabilities and intensity level 😉

I would suggest trying the following:

2 min/1 min intervals:
2 min at an intense level you don’t think your could do for longer than 2 min, then a “resting” interval (still at a moderate level, but manageable), then keep alternating 2 min super intense, 1 min moderate/lower intensity and keep alternating until you reach 20-30 min

I hope this is helpful! Good luck 🙂

[Naomi]

Can you be more specific? How long/far?

[Naomi]

Hi Jane-

For your first question, weigh all food after cooking, except oatmeal. Weigh your oatmeal raw. For your second question, the safest way to know if you are hitting all your macros and not going over or under on any certain macro is if you food journal everything in MyFitnessPal. It is a free food journaling website/phone app. If you weigh your flaxseed oil in grams instead of measuring with a tablespoon, your portion size will be more accurate. I would definitely count even a half a tablespoon of flaxseed oil toward your macros, as even just a half a tablespoon (7 grams) is about 50-70 calories and 7 grams of fat 😉 I hope this helps! Good luck 😀

[Author]

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