"Where there's a will, there's a way" - English Proverb
This week, I was bound and determined to make forward progress. Because I was traveling for work in the middle of the week, I needed to be even more diligent about what I ate and when I fit my workouts into my week. I would be away from my kitchen and my normal gym for 2 days.
Even with those hurdles, I'm happy to report that I managed to make progress!
Importance of Planning (again)
I already stressed at Week 16 how important preparation was for success. When you throw traveling into the mix, you need to be even more prepared. What were my steps taken to make sure I succeeded? First, I prioritized my workouts. I normally lift Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday with HIIT/plyos on Wednesday and Saturday. Because I was flying down to LA on Tuesday evening, I knew I wouldn't have time to lift before or after my flight. I shifted my lifts to Sunday and Monday, took a rest day on Tuesday, and did my workout at the hotel Wednesday. Thursday I was back home by 5:30 PM and was able to pick up with my normal gym/lifting routine.
As for nutrition, I made sure I followed the KISS rule: Keep It Simple Stupid. This was not the week to get creative with my meals. I wanted to make sure when I could control my food preparation, I knew exactly what I was eating. When I was traveling and forced to eat food I didn't prepare myself, I made sure to stick to the same rule.
Workouts on the Road
When I travel, I like to bring a few basics. Regardless of what equipment may be available where I'm staying, I know I will still be able to get a quick and effective workout with just a few key items.
1. Foam Roller - I love traveling with my foam roller, especially on trips where you spend a lot of time on airplanes/buses/cars/etc. it is great to be able to stretch and mobilize upon arrival to your destination!
2. Mini Resistance Bands - These are so versatile! I use these for glute activation drills, accessory work and banded lower body movements. If you don't have access to weights these bands are a great alternative.
3. Sliders - I recently purchased these and I'm so glad I did. I haven't even gotten a chance to put them to their full potential. Currently, I've used these for reverse sliding lunges (legs) and bodysaw planks (core). Using the sliders adds an element of core stabilization to whatever exercises you preform, core-specific or not.
On Wednesday even at the hotel, I performed a series of plyo, core and glute activation circuits. I followed this with intervals on the elliptical machine (15 sec sprint, 45 sec recover) for 15 minutes followed by a 10 minute moderate steady-state pace. Quick and effective!
Nutrition While Traveling
Like I previously stated, I followed a simple approach to nutrition this past week. In the days leading up to my travels I ate very basic. Lunches were a salad topped with grilled chicken and a light balsamic vinaigrette.
On my travel days (Tuesday - Thursday) I made sure to have a protein bar on hand. While I normally don't eat these, it was good to have something to eat when there was nothing else alternatively. I had one saved for both plane rides so I wasn't tempted by soft drinks, peanuts and pretzels.
For meals I had to eat out I tried to stick to basic dishes. Lunches on Wednesday and Thursday were provided through work (we had these catered) and it consisted of sandwiches and salads. Instead of eating the sandwiches, I made a salad and pulled the meat from a few of the sandwiches. For dinners on Tuesday I had a Cobb salad (dressing on the side) with turkey, grilled chicken, hard boiled egg, bacon and avocado. On Wednesday, I went to dinner with my sister so we shared a few small plates of brussels sprouts and meatballs, and I ordered a main dish of black cod.
When I got back home it was right back to basics! Pork tenderloin, rice and sauerkraut (great for balancing your gut and your digestion!) for dinners and protein pudding with bananas for dessert.
Progress
I'm happy to report that I made progress from last week! As little as it may be, I definitely am starting to see some more definition in my legs. Going into this prep, leaning out my legs was my #1 goal. While my weight and measurements haven't changed in great amounts, I am starting to see the results of body re-composition.
I'm in my last week of my 1st month of my workout program so it is a bit of a ramp-down. I'm looking forward to beginning a new program next week!
Left to right: 17 Weeks, 16 Weeks, 13 Weeks Out
Left to right: 17 Weeks, 16 Weeks, 13 Weeks Out
Measurements - 13 Weeks:
- Weight [lbs] - 150
- Waist [in] - 28
- Abdomen [in] - 30
- Hips [in] - 39
- Thighs [in] - 22.5
- Upper Arm [in] - 11.5
- Bust [in] - 33.5
Measurements - 17 Weeks:
- Weight [lbs] - 150
- Waist [in] - 28
- Abdomen [in] - 31
- Hips [in] - 39.25
- Thighs [in] - 22.75
- Upper Arm [in] - 11.5
- Bust [in] - 33.5
Non-Training Day Macros:
- 1508 Calories
- 160 g Protein
- 55 g Carbohydrates
- 72 g Fat
Training Day Macros:
- 1780 Calories
- 155 g Protein
- 175 g Carbohydrates
- 51 g Fat
I am changing my macros slightly but over the next few weeks I'm hoping I won't have to decrease these too much. My plan is to go into the holidays (Thanksgiving, my birthday, Christmas) with manageable macros and get really serious after the 1st of the year. The day after Christmas will mark 7 weeks out from my show - I think will be the perfect amount of time needed to dial down nutrition and finish strong.
Bring on Week 12!
