Week 5 – Success is in the Details!

In order to know where we’re going, it’s important we know where we are. A few weeks ago, you figured out how many calories you were eating, and we made sure we didn’t cut this more than, say, 20% (lest we put our bodies into fat-hoarding mode!). Now we can get more specific as you take a detailed look at calories, and how it all plays out – timing, size, to starch or not to starch, and how much of each macro-nutrients we really should be eating. This is also where we focus in and find our Goal Weight!

Now I know we don’t like to do the math, but the difference between an average physique athlete and a great one is the great one does the math…..she puts in her time, and learns how to manipulate the all-time granddaddy of them all – carbs! That includes when to eat the starchies (heavy carbs) and when to eat the fibrous ones over her 5 meals, and around her training times, for optimum nutrition and leanness.

So many people want to lose the weight but they want the short and easy answer….”just tell me what to eat” they say. Well, in week 5, I meet you half way. I’ve done a lot of the work for you, I give you some scenarios, but now it’s your time to take the lead. I think you’ll find that you’ll feel strangely liberated and empowered by it all. I know I did when I first did it over 20 years ago, and I still do!

We want to live as Empowered women, yes? Then let’s get empowered! Let’s specifically lay out your protein, carb and fat ratios and calories for the perfect day. So grab your calorie counter, your food journal and your calculator. It won’t hurt that much…really!

I also share with you my two golden rules for weight loss and how can you eat while on vacation? Very carefully….oh yeah, and beware the trolls!

And for good measure, I’ve thrown in some of my stand-by protein recipes and menu plans which we live by in the fitness world. You can make your own too. They’re fast and easy and they really keep you on track (did you know the average person eats the same 11 foods all the time?)

And check out your HIIT Training and Karen’s Protein Pancake videos in your Real Training Album!

Your Support Package for Week 5.

PHASE 2
Week 4 – Burn, Baby Burn!

OK, as we head into PHASE TWO, we really start gaining momentum! Now we can now start looking at real muscle-building and fat-burning!

I show you how advanced athletes really use their protein shake and supplements to enhance their training, and out of all our meals, we focus on post workout nutrition. I also share with you my Big 5 sports supplements, complete with charts and amounts tailor-made for YOU (never mind reading the labels on these supplements to see how much you need…most of these amounts are geared toward 200-lb men!). 

We look at the art of squatting and dead lifting, we throw in two types of cardio training (LSD and HIIT) into our training days, and we find your individual fat-burning zone based on your target heart rate for all your cardio. No more guesswork! Whew! This week is a BIGGIE!

We need to keep our immune system strong and our bodies cued up for the following weeks of intense training as we bump up your training intensity to 80% (10-12 reps) and we’ve added in an extra training day, so now we’re at 5 days weight training!

Are you still using your FOCUS CARDS?  Your POWER Words and GOALS need your attention!

Your Phase 2 E-Workout Card with Exercise Video Links.
Nutrition and Lifestyle Package for Phase 2 – weeks 4 to 6.

Don’t forget to watch your 5 new uploads for this week in the Real Training and other cool stuff! album – Protein Shakes, Cardio, Squatting, Deadlifting, and Intensity…it’s all there!

Week 3 – Getting in the Groove!

As we finish up the last week of PHASE ONE, we look at an assortment of things that could be happening as we get into the groove of our new life!

Injuries…oh yeah, they’re a real factor, but no need to be sidelined by them. We all get ‘em (if you don’t, you’re truly not an advanced athlete) and the secret is to work around, not through them. I’ve been sidelined many, many times, but the secret is to know when to take time off, or when to move through it with ease….there’s not always an easy answer, but this is all about you learning how your body talks to you and works. You are building a new kind of intimate relationship with your body, so listen well.

And we hammer in our numbers for our macronutrient spread (our starting place) of a 30/40/30% spread (it’s in your Support Package, pages 6-7).

We also look at our recuperative abilities, and our immune system strength. You are likely feeling a little tired (I know many women who find they have to take a nap after hard training, because they’re so tired, and that’s fine! It’ll pass!) Or you may find your body’s strength is dipping a bit and you may be feeling a bit unsure at this point and that’s normal. Your body’s trying to adapt to its new job. It’s all normal. (Also, those who are fairly new to training will gain strength faster (and see faster results at the beginning), whereas those of us who have been at it for awhile will see slower gains because we’ve got a lot of our big gains behind us, and now we work in smaller increments.

Do you fear you’ve damaged your metabolism over the years with less-than-perfect eating or crazy dieting schemes? Not to worry. I answer the age-old question of whether you can reverse a damaged metabolism (it’s all good news! Remember the water diet? I did that one. And the grapefruit diet? Yuck! To this day, I can’t eat grapefruits!)

I’ve got two recipe books for you (yum!) to download, and I have a clean shopping list of acceptable, clean foods that I’ve compiled to help you shop with fresh eyes! And did you do your homework? Did you figure out how many calories you’re currently eating? I can’t cut your calories down unless we know how many you’re eating…it’s not just about finding your ideal caloric count to lose the weight…if it ends up being too many, you’ll hamper your weight loss hopes as your body loses, then learns to hoard, the fat!

And finally, we look at how to eat consciously and live responsibly….the two are inextricably linked!

Are you still using your FOCUS CARDS and Power Words? Are you envisioning every am and pm? This is not voodoo, it works ladies, and I can’t prove it to you unless you stick to the plan.

Workouts – same as weeks, 1 and 2…we get more intense NEXT week!
Your Support Package for Week 3.

Check out your Real Training Album for my behind-the-scenes ‘I Spy…’ videos! (Sshhhh….!)

~ Best Shape of Your Life Challenge! – YOUR MOMENT OF TRUTH!

– WEEK 10

Theme of the Week: You’ve Come a Long Way baby!

Wow! What a great 10 weeks! It’s hard to believe the Challenge is almost over!

As we move into Week 10, let me congratulate you on all your hard work. I know it’s been tough, given life, responsibilities and such, but your commitment to just showing up and doing the work to the best of your abilities is commendable.

In the Kumon Approach to Fitness article, we look at how to ensure we stay on track with our training, a must for a strong, shapely, lean body.

And let’s not forget to fill in your measurements on your Body Measurements Sheet, ok? Ah yes, the day of reckoning is upon us! Not to fret, they’re only numbers, but they become most valuable over the long haul, when we see large changes over large time periods, and they’re a way for us to stay on track. After all, this is your defining moment! 

And finally, we cover the Law of Creation, one of the most profound Universal Law yet. It’s the one that explains why we often keep getting the same lousy stuff, even when we don’t want to, and shows us how to shift that around! We’ve just touched on Universal Principals, there’s still so much to cover…

Here at McCoy Fitness, we live as WARRIOR WOMEN. It’s a way of life that honours the mature woman all her glory.  And with your completion of the Challenge, you now qualify for my 12-Week Advanced Best Shape Challenge! which runs 2 times a year!

This week, we summarize all we’ve covered in You’ve Come a Long Way Baby. As well, you all receive a month’s free access to my monthly training, nutrition and coaching program – the Warrior Woman Group Coaching Program. Likely, you’ve already received the current month’s E-Workout card and all the goodies included in it, and you are on the WW Private Facebook page! Awesome. Get your feet wet! This is where the REAL work begins, and the REAL results appear! More on this in a bit…

Stats show that those people that are successful at maintaining a healthy lifestyle are those that have constant support and reinforcement, which is what the WWGC Program, is all about. Monthly training videos and E-Workouts, interviews, group conference calls, recipes and menu plans, spiritual themes, interviews, lectures, webinars, seminars etc.  Whew!

Ever thought of doing a competition? It’s a tough sport, but I LOVE it, and I went back into competition at the tender age of 53. Here’s just a collection of videos to pique your interest! CLICK HERE!

Please note: you are automatically put into the current month’s program for FREE for 30 days, and if you decide to stay, you will then be charged the monthly fee. (You may unsubscribe at any time!) Remember, getting there is one thing, staying there – and continuing to progress – is another! So let’s continue on this amazing journey together, as Warrior Woman! You are a part of OUR tribe now! Please check out more on the Warrior Woman Group Coaching program HERE!

Congratulations everyone! I’ve loved working with you all! But we’re not done yet…!

VIDEO and accompanying ARTICLES for this week….

Video: Our Final video will be posted on the page…! It summarizes where we go from here!

Nutrition & Training:

• You’ve Come a Long Way Baby!
• Kumon Approach to Fitness
  Law of Creation

We will see you all in the Warrior Woman Group Coaching Program. Make sure you come into BOTH parts of the Program…

Our Private FB page to support our work together…women in community – www.facebook.com/groups/warriorwomanbykaren

Our Warrior Woman site (where your monthly E-Workout card, and other goodies are kept!) – www.warriorwomanfitness.com. Use your user name and password, that was recently sent you, for access. (Can’t remember? Email Theresa.scholes@gmail.com and she’ll get it to you!).

WEEK 2 – Stepping Into our Power!

When we first started lifting weights, we feel empowered and alive! That’s what weight training does, it connects us to that primal part of us! I’ve known it for years, and I’m guessing you have too!

In a world where we are so often taken out of our power, weights re-ignite our confidence and help us to get grounded again. There’s something succinct, clean and basic in lifting a weight…and that’s how life is supposed to be lived.

This week, we step back into our power and dig deeper! We find our POWER WORDS to take with us throughout the day….5 simple words that best reflect our awesome strength, and we recite these to ourselves all day long! Present tense verbs: loving, kind, non-judgmental, caring, funny, honest, reliable, curious, forthright…you get the idea. What are your 5 POWER WORDS?

You’re likely sore, because no matter how much you’ve been training up to this point, I’ve likely given you different exercises than what you’ve been used to doing…this in itself will cause an upset in your chemistry, and you may wonder why you’re sore, and wonder if you were training properly in the first place.

The answer is likely, yes (unless you’ve had a lay-off and then you expect to be sore, yes?). Your sore body is all good…it means you’re training beyond your current level, and that’s good. That’s what we’re working toward here. We’re working at 70% intensity (12-15 reps) at this point.

Did you do your homework and count your calories from last week’s lesson? Are you getting familiar with our 30/40/30 spread of macro-nutrients? We’ll be building on our macro-nutrient education throughout the Challenge, because the athletic woman talks macro’s (NOT calories!). THIS is our new language – macro’s (versus calories). The video’s in your Cool Stuff Album!

This week’s support package will help you to step further into your power, both physically and mentally. In this starter Phase One, we’re building your machine inside and out, remember, so we’re going to continue to tighten our eating with high-quality foods that build shapely muscle and keep the fat at bay, while tightening our mental muscles even more! We are accessing the Woman Warrior within….she’s in there, and we’re going to help bring her into the light of day!

We also look at basic supplementation that won’t rob the piggy-bank, and some calorie basics…averages, really that women like us need to be aware of (remember, no cutting calories yet, ok? We’re cleaning up our food act only…any cutting too early in the Challenge won’t allow us to build shapely muscle, and we need to tend to that first! Patience!). And of course I’ll be offering my training tips and tidbits every step of the way…this week, breathe, drink, rest, zone in…and more!

Your Support Package for Week 2.

And remember to watch your Thinking in Food Groups video in your Real Training  portfolio! (VERY important lessons…the most important in the whole Challenge!). As well as our fresh upload for this week…!

~ Best Shape of Your Life Challenge! – YOUR DEFINING MOMENT!

– WEEK 9

Theme of the Week: What do YOU Believe in?

At this point of The Challenge, we take a look at underlying beliefs. Why now, you say? Why didn’t we do this at the beginning?

Simple. We needed to get you moving, get acquainted with training, real training, get the soreness behind us, get all the nutrition down pat. Now that the big stuff is done, we can get deeper into other areas. You just wouldn’t have heard me before. You had too much to learn with training and eating. So now you can listen, really listen…

So let me ask you – what do YOU believe in? For many of us, we consciously know what we believe in (God, marriage, post-secondary education, competitive sports etc.) But what about the unconscious beliefs, those that are passed down or ones we adopted early on in life that just might be questionable now? Ever thought about it?

If you’re self-sabotaging yourself (if you’re still struggling with food, weight, getting to the gym), now is the time to look at this. (It would have been fruitless to look at this earlier, as self-sabotaging doesn’t really show up until many weeks into a program. That’s because early on we’re running on pure motivation, but that won’t sustain us forever.)

I ask that you challenge your beliefs. Check out the What do YOU Believe In? article, and use the worksheet included to write out your own deep-seated self-sabotaging beliefs, the ones that are likely cropping up (right about now!). I’ve seen it hundreds of times over the years,and now is the time to nip these self-sabotaging behaviours in the bud!

Remember, health and wellness is an inside job. Lean, healthy people think differently, and I want you to adopt that way of thinking too! They think like lean people think! Period.

And talk about shifting you’re thinking, someone asked me what the perfect day looks like, so I’ve thrown that in too. If you’re not meditating, or at least focusing on the Law of Attraction to co-create your world, you need to! This principal is something we practice every month in our Warrior Woman Group Coaching Program!  

You will get access to this lovely maintenance Program this week! I’ll be sending you out the current month’s Warrior Woman E-Workout card, and other goodies that we’re working on, so you get a chance to see how our tribe of Warrior Women – women who started out just like you on the Challenge – train, eat and live! We’re 100+ women strong, and growing! Because getting there is one thing, staying there, and progressing every step of the way, physically, mentally and spiritually in community, is KEY! We walk the walk every day! And we love it! You’ll see!

And remember, you’re not just what you eat, you are WHEN you eat! So make sure you pay attention to the Bailey Hunger Scale as your guide for life (your handout in week 4). If you go to bed un-full (around level 4 or 5) you’ll stay lean and your body will stay detoxified easier, for life! (Tidbit – your body can’t detoxify at night if there’s a bunch of food that needs digesting!).

Be brave, be bold, be firm with yourself. No need to confront anyone else on this. This is your deal, and your deal alone. Don’t look to your parents, husband, TV, marketing…. it’s your life now. You best live it YOUR way, yes?

So let’s clear out the past and move forward with fresh eyes!

Training: Keep on keepin’ on, ladies. Aim for 5 weight training days!

Nutrition: Stick with the program and keep it clean!

Body/Mind: Continue to Build Your Vision Board!

Training: Training Tidbits – to keep things moving forward!

Nutrition:

• The Perfect Day
• You Are WHEN You Eat!

Support Articles:

• What do You Believe In?
• Ten Winning Foods

~ Best Shape of Your Life Challenge! – YOUR DEFINING MOMENT!

– WEEK 8

Theme of the Week: The Law of Attraction!

We’re going to take a hard left into one of my favourite areas – the mental / spiritual realm. You ready?

‘Hang on a second’, you say, ‘what’s this got to do with training and eating?’ It has everything to do with everything, including health.

When it comes to health, I’ve always said health and wellness is an inside job. All the training and nutrition info in the world won’t help you if your mind isn’t on board and your heart isn’t into it. But this week we’re going to look even deeper, into the subconscious, where focused intention meets spiritual law, and can bring about that which you seek.

So the Law of Attraction is the first Universal Principal, and in my opinion, one of the most important. It’s about taking responsibility for your life, and purposely creating a vision of your life that transpires into reality.

We’re going to stay the course with nutrition and training. I’ll add in a few tidbits along the way, but you’ve got lots on your plate (pardon the pun) and lots of training and clean eating to do. I’ve added some meal plans to help you.

Don’t forget to use your nutrition tracking sheet and fill it in daily to keep you on track. Post this on your fridge! I’ve thrown in a few Menu Plans for you to try, based on the clean eating principal. (Note, you may have to adjust the calorie count to be in line with your needs).

We’re keeping the Triple–Split routine for the rest of the Challenge – 3 different workouts each week. This is necessary to really help burn the fat and add more definition to your physique! Remember, intensity is key here, so practice reach your high point once within each muscle group, ok?

Week 8 : Same – Triple Split – Legs/Glutes, Chest/Back, Shoulders/Arms, Core work

Training: 6 days total – 4 days weight training, 2 other days – cardio and core
Example: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: Weight training (30-45 minutes)
Example: Wednesday, Saturday – Cardio (30 minutes or more) and Core

Body/Mind: The Law of Attraction!

VIDEO and accompanying ARTICLES for this week….

Video: Video – Law of Attraction

• Sample Clean Eating Menu Plan #1
• Sample Clean Eating Menu Plan #2
• Sample Clean Eating Menu Plan #3

Support Articles:

• Law of Attraction
• Riding the waves – Where are we now?

Phase 1
Week 1 – Building the Machine!

OK everyone, welcome to the first week of the 12-Week Best Shape of Your Life Challenge!

I know you’re gonna love this Challenge, because it picks up where the 10-Week Challenge left off, so we’re going to build on every principal out there – muscle-building, fat-burning, superb nutrition, supplements, and some awesome body/mind practices that leave others in the dust! Oh yeah, we’re going to get into some cool, effective training practices too! Whew! We got a lot to do over the next 12 weeks together!

Oh yeah, and we’re going to change how you think as well, on ALL fronts. But to start, you will NO LONGER see the world through the eyes of the majority, because they have it all wrong! So to start, we are going to shift how you think about WEIGHT LOSS…‘Metabolism first, weight loss second…” and I’ll be repeating this over and over again. You’ll see!

Our main focus is to start teaching (or re-teaching) our bodies how to build shapely, sexy muscle! No need for cardio at this point (YES you read that right!), we want to focus on getting our moves down and our eating right! We’re training at 70% intensity (12-15 reps) on a quadruple split. We are also focusing on building our tendon and ligament strength, and enhancing our body’s recuperative abilities through HYBRID training: multi planar, multi directional body sculpting and functional moves combined! You’ll see! Remember, it’s often hard to build muscle, burn fat AND recuperate at the same time, so we sometimes walk a thin line between growth and maintenance. It’s the Advanced athlete’s way (and we’re OK with it all)! We’re training at 70% intensity (12-15 reps) on a quadruple split, which I think you’re going to love. So minimum 4 days training. If you’re experienced, you can do 5!

CALORIES and MACRO-NUTRIENTS: Yes, it’s time to do some math…we’re going to figure out what you’re eating NOW calorie wise, where you need to go to, and how to put this into the language of macro nutrients. And you’ve got a reminder of the caloric content etc of each macro…it’s time to get back in touch! It’s all in your Nutrition and Lifestyle Package (below) and I would like you to post your daily caloric value on our Private Facebook page, ok? That way I know you’ve done the work!

MACRO-NUTRIENT PERCENTAGES: This varies from athlete to athlete, and things like age, genetics, activity level, muscle percentage determines this, but generalities CAN apply (for example, I find that the 40+ woman is a wee bit carb sensitive, so I keep it on the average side of 40%, versus 50+%, like some programs suggest…if it’s too much for me, at my tender age, I figure that’s too much for you too!) So we’ll keep it simple and work on 30/40/30 ratio, so that’s 30% protein, 40% carbs, 30% fat!

CLEAN up our (Eating) ACT!: We also need to revisit our principles of Clean Eating (in case you forgot or you’ve been hiding under a rock somewhere, clean eating is where it’s at!) I offer up some tried and true CE practices that I’ve used for years to keep me on the clean eating bandwagon (which you may have also learned in the first Challenge…but may have forgotten??)

Having the ATHLETE’S MINDSET: Let’s get our brain back on board! In short, I want you to be excited by what you’re about to do – build a great body, change your life, feel empowered and take control of your life – for life! Success and failure always starts and ends in the mind – period. I don’t care what area you look at – relationships, money, career, or health – if you don’t honour and strengthen your mental muscles, you will eventually fail, and failure is not an option! Not for you, anyway! So here’s where we touch our inner landscape and access our inner goddess, that amazingly Empowered Woman that is US!

Download your FOCUS CARDS and transfer your Goals from your Pre Challenge Kit onto your FOCUS CARDS….don’t forget! Carry them with you…say them out loud every am and pm and walk as if they’re becoming a part of you…because they are! And remember, we live, train, and eat like Warrior Women! 

OK….let’s get going!

Your Phase 1 E-Workout Card with Exercise Video Links.
Nutrition & Lifestyle Package for PHASE 1 – Weeks 1 to 3.
FOCUS CARDS.
Please READ – Metabolism FIRST, weight loss second!

Don’t forget to check out your Real Training Album for our two corresponding videos for this week: Macro-nutrients, Calories and Portions, and more!

~ Best Shape of Your Life Challenge! – Weeks 7 to 10 – YOUR DEFINING MOMENT!

– WEEK 7 

Theme of the Week: Hitting the High Point!   

OK Warrior Women. As we move into the final few weeks of The Challenge, we’re going to up the ante!

Ever wondered why some people say exercise is boring? And it’s those same people that train year after year, with no real change in their physique! And they blame that on the exercise program! Hardly! Here’s a trick – turn off your IPod and tune in! Feel and envision that beautiful muscle of yours strengthening and shaping itself! That’s what Warrior Women do!

From here on in, we’re going to apply the High Point to every workout (another way of saying intensity). It’s the only way to continue to tone and shape our bodies, and to accelerate fat-burning (yes, science shows that intense weight training is the best fat-burner…did you know that?)

And for the 40+ female athlete, working with intensity – pushing through when it’s hard and going to your outer limits – is KEY to keeping the lovely muscle on your body (as Father Time tries to rip it off after 35!) AND in laying down fresh, healthy muscle, which translates into a changed body shape, one that’s tighter, toned, and stronger!

But be ready to work. Life is hard. Growth requires you put yourself into it. So now’s the time! We put way too much time and effort into training, so we want to make sure you’re getting everything out of your training and eating program…unlike the scores of people who aren’t!

Nutrition: By now, your new eating habits are hopefully becoming less of a ‘diet’ plan and more of a style of eating. If not, get back on the bandwagon, experiment with some new recipes, shift your perspective and ingrain this eating lifestyle in your brain right away! There’s no going back, got it?

Stick to our new eating lifestyle – what we’ve learned so far:

– eat clean (whole foods rock! Build that recipe repertoire).
– eat your protein 3-5 times a day ( breakfast is 15-25 grams)
– eat local, and in season (to alkaline your body for health and vitality!)
– cut the man-made stuff (I don’t have to explain this one, do I?)
– no eating after 7:00 pm
– eat your healthy fats, drink your water!
– get your sleep!

Don’t forget to use your tracking sheet and fill it in daily to keep you on track. Post this on your fridge!

We’re moving into the Triple–Split routine for the remainder of the Challenge – 3 different workouts each week. And I’ve added in two mini Yoga Stretching videos for you, one Upper and one Lower Body. A nice break from the traditional stretches, for sure!

You’ll be training at least 4 days (5 would be better), and you are circulating through the workouts. You can train on whatever days you wish now, 5 in a row, two off, or break it up!  And keep up the cardio, of you need to (but you may find with your eating dialed in, you need less of it!). And remember, cardio POST-workout, if you are using it to burn the fat!

Intensity is our new friend, so practice reaching your potential in both weights and cardio, using the high point method. And here, we can use the Power of Drop Sets to ramp up our training and move us through our workouts more quickly! I have suggestions for SuperSets in your new Workout Card.

These last 4 weeks are your Defining Moments: when you up the ante in your training, and you apply the nutritional aspect, you will get cut and lean. But it takes diligence!

I’ve also thrown in my version of the eating pyramid – the Clean Eating Pyramid. Download and save it to your fridge! AND it’s time we learn to shed the food app, and live with autonomy…this is ALL about you being able to manage your food and life on YOUR terms (and my article outlines the pro’s and con’s of using food apps…mostly the con’s!). You CAN do this!

So let’s get going!

VIDEO and accompanying ARTICLES for this week….

Your E-Workout Card – Triple Split Workout for weeks 7-10, with links to your Exercise Portfolio, as usual!

Nutrition:

• Foods Must be Chosen with Health in Mind!
• Clean Eating Pyramid.
  
• What the APP? Learning to let go of the Security Blanket

Support Articles:

• Hitting the High Point!
• How to Fight Cravings and Win