[Naomi]

djrosebrough wrote:

Looking for some advice on how best to structure the workouts in phase 2. I will be moving to 13 hrs shifts that same week and so may likely only have 4 days per week to workout. Wondering how best to combine the workouts if needed. I am going to try to get in a least a 30-45 minute session before work if I can but on days I’m working back to back this may not be feasible! Thank you for your help I really DO NOT want to miss workouts… super bummed this is happening when it is!

Hey there- Ugh, all my best to you! I hope you are able to prioritize sleep as well during those taxing shifts.

I would recommend prioritizing weight-training and nutrition as best you can. If you need to cut out cardio in order to get as much weight-lifting in as you can, I would definitely do that, as weight-training workouts will be key. In phase 2 there is a lot more high intensity cardio aspects involved in the workouts, as well, so you will be getting cardio in. Just do your best to get whatever workouts you are able to get in. All you can do is the best you can with what you have to work with.

Good luck and please keep us posted! 🙂

[Naomi]

rebekah wrote:

Hi
I am still trying to understand my nutrition and macros specifically.
I wish you could mail items to Canada, but that is not yet possible (hopefully soon!).
I have been logging my food in an app I found that seems I am eating carbs/fats and minimal proteins.. hmmm
Do you have somewhere I can read up or chat with to better understand how to optimize my nutritional intake? I do not grasp the macros concept, and wonder if that is my missing element to my help me tweak my eating habits and optimize my energy!

Nicole has done all the work and calculations for you, so there is no need to log your food if you are able to follow the challenge meal plan or use the food exchange list with items you ay not be able to get in Canada. If you are using My Fitness Pal by chance, there is a wealth of information on how to calculate macros, nutrition info and tips in the “help section.” 🙂

[Naomi]

rebekah wrote:

Hi
2 questions;
1. As I do any leg exercise with leg lb (hamstring curl), my knee makes pop sound,although no pain. I am already limited with only 5 lbs so I am focusing on form in my techniques… suggestions?
2. Squats- I am challenged in a proper squat… where do we place lb on our feet on my heels or full foot somehow?) … how to keep back more upright? How to keep knees from passing over toes?… tips or video can help me please!!!

Hey there-

1. it’s hard to say what might be going on, so I am not sure how to accurately make recommendations if I don’t know what is actually occurring in there, but if it is just a sound with no pain accompanying it, I’m guessing there is no risk of injury and it is just things clicking together in there.
2. your weight should be in your heels, try not to lean forward too much, keep your chest up and open, and don’t go too heavy or too low if you are sacrificing form. In other words, as you get stringer, you will be able to go lower and heavier while still keeping proper form. But for now, if you find you can’t go too low or too heavy without your knees going over your toes or your body leaning forward too much, it just means you need to give it time to get stronger with your squats.

I hope this helps! 🙂

[Naomi]

Lisa Rathmell wrote:

Thank you. I did read the page – don’t know how I missed that! 🙂

No worries at all, girl, there is a ton of info! It is hard to remember everything 🙂 Kick butt!

[Naomi]

Lisa Rathmell wrote:

Hello. I have only started the challenge this week as I was recovering from Covid. Are you able to advise if I should be using heavier weights for weeks 2 and 4 than weeks 1 and 3? Thank you

Correct, less reps = heavier weights. Nicole explains a lot of this info, as well as other important info, in all of the challenge tabs for the different portions of the challenge HERE. Make sure you read through everything and watch all the videos so that you don’t miss anything important 🙂 Best of luck with the challenge! 😀

[Naomi]

tracet21 wrote:

Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri and Sat.

This has been corrected in the ebook calendar. The correct weight training schedule for Phase 2 should be: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri and Sat.

[Naomi]

ella87co wrote:

Oh no, I meant for future food exchange lists. I saw that Nicole has asked what isn’t on the list that folks might enjoy. Sorry, I should have phrased my question better.

I don’t want to substitute with anything that isn’t on the current approved exchange list. I’d feel like that would be a cheat, plus we have a lot of options as it is.

Thanks, Naomi!

Ahhhh, gotcha, that makes sense lol! If you email any food suggestions to: [email protected] then they can keep a record of food/meal suggestions for future challenge consideration 🙂

[Naomi]

ella87co wrote:

Any chance we can incorporate a seaweed wrap into food exchange? Not sure if I’d just have to forego some starchy carbs? I feel I could make a mean hand roll with the rice and ahi tuna options.

Thank you in advance for your time and help!

Hey there- if you are going to incorporate any foods that aren’t in the challenge meal plan or on the foods list, you’ll have to calculate the exchange nd portion size in a food journaling app such as My Fitness Pal.

[Naomi]

j.atwood wrote:

I’m wondering if it’s ok to use 1% low fat cottage cheese vs nonfat cottage cheese?

I would stick with the fat free Nicole has listed, the 1% will throw off your total calories (higher calories) and macros (higher fat) since Nicole calculated everything using the foods she has listed.

[Naomi]

Penny Laliberte wrote:

Hi! So far so good with Challenge… One question – is there a limit on Stevia that we can have per day? I find it easier to drink lots of water if I put some flavoring in in with Stevia…

Actually I prefer Whole Earth (Stevia and Monk Fruit blend). Can I use a lot of that each day? Is Monkfruit sweetener and Swerve acceptable?

You can put stevia/monk fruit in your water, that’s no problem. As far as a limit goes, I wouldn’t use like 15-20 packets a day or anything excessive. Just enough to make it more palatable for you.

[Naomi]

Janice Ambler wrote:

Are all the food exchanges the same no matter what plan you’re on?

That is correct, there is only one “Master Food Exchange List” that applies to all meal plans in the challenge.

[Naomi]

amyrhum wrote:

I’m doing the 60 day challenge now and wanted to ask if I can use carob in my protein balls instead of raisins?

I would not recommend using anything different than what Nicole calls for in the ingredients of a challenge recipe. She calculated the calories and macros for the recipe based on the amount/portion size of the ingredients she used, and if you start changing the ingredients of a recipe, it may throw off your totals.

[Naomi]

Dynagirl2011 wrote:

I’ve noticed that on certain exercises my knee or somewhere in lower leg (usually the left) snaps. It doesn’t hurt and I cannot feel it to know exactly where it’s coming from, but I can hear it. Is this just because I haven’t exercised much recently (and probably because of weight)?

Also, I’ve noticed that my knees do hurt with any type of jumping, so I’ve modified all jumping activities for now to avoid any possible injury. Even modified though, I’ve loving the workouts!

I wouldn’t be able to determine what physical issues you might be experiencing or why, this would be something that would have to be looked at and possibly diagnosed by an ortho medical doctor. Any physical issues that, if aggravated (which it sounds like is happening), might lead to injury are outside our scope of practice.

It sounds like there might be some delicate tissue issues going on, such as ligaments and tendons, so I would recommend avoiding any movements that irritate those areas (which it sounds like you are doing) and possibly pursue these issues further with an ortho. Best of luck, please keep us posted! 🙂

[Naomi]

mrsjholloway wrote:

I used 1 25lb dumbell for these. Is it recommended to use 2? I know Nicole uses 2 in her demo video. Wondering is that would help balance me better? Also, is depth what the goal is in this exercise? Just wondering if I should shower up my length so I can go deeper in squat. Hope this makes sense

You should use 2 dumbbells for the Bulgarian split squats, yes, but you’ll probably need to go lighter as this is much more intense movement and doesn’t require heavy weight to feel the intensity of the exercise. If you are using one 25lb dumbbell, then you should be fine with two 10-15lb dumbbells.

[Naomi]

Corie Smith wrote:

For breakfast, can I have a meal replacement shake? Mornings are hard as I am getting everyone else and moving and I many times do not eat breakfast (fast 18-6) or I am eating late.
I have added nutritional value of the MRS that I have used in the past.

If you are going to incorporate any foods outside of the challenge meal plan, I recommend you food journal in an app such as My Fitness Pal to make sure you are hitting your daily macro goals of the challenge.

[Naomi]

kathandgreg wrote:

Hello. I am still following PT after knee surgery and am not cleared for curtsey lunges. Is there an alternative suggestion to target the same muscle groups?

Are you allowed to do regular bodyweight stationary lunges? If so, you can do these instead and really focus on driving with the glute of your front leg by pushing up through the heel. Don’t go down in the lunge too low (maybe half way or just above half way) so I doesn’t compromise your knee. Best of luck with recovery!

[Naomi]

Lisa Vinagro wrote:

Are we allowed chicken thighs? Would they fall under FP or P?

Chicken thighs are not on the current challenge menu or on the food exchange list. I would wait until the challenge is over to eat chicken thighs, or you can eat chicken thighs for your mid-challenge “re-feed / cheat meal” which you can learn more about in the video and information in the Nutrition Tab.

[Naomi]

cindywynn1 wrote:

This picture is a baked sweet potato – 3.10 ounces. I baked a few sweet potatoes last night and was going to measure out 4 ounces. This is a big ass sweet potato… but not even one portion?

Quite a bit of water weight is lost when potatoes are cooked, so it might look big but I recommend weighing out a total of 4oz of cooked sweet potato, regardless of what it looks like. Nicole calls for 4oz of cooked sweet potato in the meal plan.

[Naomi]

Peaches wrote:

I’m sorry, I should’ve posted the link

Crockpot Turkey Chili Recipe

Thank you for all you help here on the forums

So this recipe isn’t in the challenge and the calories and macros are not specific to any of the meals in the challenge. I would recommend if you want to include any meals or foods not in the challenge that you food journal in My Fitness Pal so that you know what serving size will equal what calories and macros, and so you make sure you are staying within the target calories and macros.

I can’t do these calculations for you, I’m sorry. The best course of action would be to just stick with the recipes in the challenge and the food exchange list.

[Naomi]

maldonadomigdalia8 wrote:

Question
Crunch Dumbbell to dumbbell floor press

1/3*2/4

12-15*8-10

Does this mean 1/3 week, first set of 3, 15 reps high weight, second rep 12 reps higher weight final rep 12 reps at highest weight x 3 sets

*2/4 week 8-10 the same start first set of 3 at 10 reps at high weight then 8 reps at higher weight lastly 3 set at highest weight is this correct ? Please advise

That is correct except for the weight, just lift as heavy as you are able to for the indicated number of reps 🙂

[Naomi]

Alina Petrovici wrote:

For food exchange can you confirm.

1SC = aprox 2 V
1FP = 1lP +1F

Did I get that right?

Any other ones like this that I’m missing?

That looks correct 🙂

[Naomi]

julianne wrote:

Hello,
I have been loving the challenge so far – thanks so much!
I always struggle with Bulgarian split squats…Could you please detail on which muscle/sensation I should focus? I find it really uncomfortable; I have the feeling the chair is “too high” and lose my balance. It’s really difficult for me to feel a “concentrated/focused” effort in a specific part of the lower body when performing this exercise so I would appreciate a little more guidance to improve this for the next workout.
Many thanks for your help and have a great day!
Julianne

It is best to use a low step if you are just getting use to this movement. I would start with an aerobics board or the lowest step on your stairs (if you have stairs) or maybe even just a stack of books or something no higher than about 2-3 inches. Without using any extra weight, focus on pushing through the heel of your front foot and using your front leg glute muscle to drive up. Make sure you aren’t leaning too far forward.

Keep the movement slow and controlled on the downward movement (you should feel it in the quad of your back leg when you go down, it will burn pretty good), then push up through your front heel/glute (you should feel it in the glute of your front leg on the upward movement)>

Here is a video demo of me doing a Bulgarian Split Squat with the step up a little higher than what I recommend you starting off with: https://youtu.be/ylJ1rSBXSXE

I hope this helps! 🙂

[Naomi]

Jennifer Brady wrote:

Hi there.

I’m doing meal plan 2. There is option 1 and option 2. Do you just stick to just one option for the day or can you do one from option 1 and then the next meal do one from option 2? If that makes sense. Example.. I have the guiltless burrito for breakfast from option 1 and for meal 2 I have the triscuts with cottage cheese from option 2.

Thanks

Hey there- you can swap between options 1 & 2 of the same meal plan. Nicole covers all of this info in the Nutrition Section of the challenge. Make sure you read all the info and watch all the videos so you don’t miss anything important 🙂

Good luck with the challenge! 😀

[Naomi]

Timikie Johnson wrote:

Hello team:

I need clarification. I’m on meal plan 1 and meal 3 is
2 slices of sprouted bread
4 slices of turkey bacon
Mayo
Lettuce
Tomato

I’m eating the butterball turkey bacon and it says it’s 2g of protein per slice which is 8g for 4
My sprouted bread is 5 g per slice which is 10 for both
So my total protein is 18. And meal totals broken down is 25g of protein. Am I understanding this correctly? Do I need more protein…
thanks

Hey there- nope, you are good! Nicole has a +/- leeway factored in the macros for all the meals due to inconsistencies with different brands, food journal app inconsistencies, calorie/macro ratio inconsistencies and other factors. It will rarely ever be exact, but as long as you are in the ballpark you are good 🙂

Keep it up! 😀

[Naomi]

lklinger07 wrote:

Is 14g of Ghee correct in Meal 4 Option 2? It seems like it’s too much…each meal in Phase 1 is supposed to have 11g of Fat. And 14g of Ghee is a lot of calories too. Just wanted to make sure the amount is correct.

The amount is correct, yes 🙂

[Author]

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