6 Day Body Makeover: Summary

Yesterday was the last day of my 6 Day Body Makeover project. I got a small yet easy start to working out on a regular basis. It was relatively simple to complete and I’m using it as a baseline for what I can accomplish.

I’ll be moving forward and increasing the workouts. I’m not going crazy or anything, but I should put in more than 50% of my effort toward each exercise. To many, P90X is extreme, but for me…it’s a good level since I used to be very active and I’m not completely out of shape. I just need a little push to tone up. In a way, it’s like carving an ice sculpture…the basic form is defined and now, it’s time for the little details.

As for food, by taking photos, it has become easier to see my eating patterns. I don’t snack every day at the same time, but my meals are pretty regular. With all these egg white breakfasts, I noticed a lot of yolk was going to waste and I was quickly going though eggs. To slow down this egg consumption, I’ll be eating the entire egg (white and yolk) from now on. I’m healthy, so why not add the yolk back in?

Anyways, I’ve put my before and after photos and measurements at the bottom of the post. I don’t think much has changed and I don’t expect so for a while. Next photo/measurements update will be at the end of March. Things just don’t happen overnight or in a week.

Exercise Plan

P90X Stretch. I felt a bit sore from the Ab Ripper X, but not so bad. Still, some stretching would be good for the body. I don’t want to overexert my muscles.

Food Plan

• Breakfast: 3 egg white custard with 1 blood orange and 1 cup soy milk
• Lunch: 3 pork “taquitos” with guacamole and herb salad with beets, sesame seeds, and balsamic vinaigrette
• Dinner: Chipotle BBQ marinated tilapia, Trader Joe’s harvest blend, and herb salad with beets, alfalfa sprouts, sesame seeds, and balsamic vinaigrette
• Snack: almond jello with 1/2 cup strawberries

Photos:

Breakfast: egg white custard with blood oranges, Lavash flatbread, and soy milk

Lunch: pork “taquitos” with guacamole and herb salad with beets, sesame seeds, and balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner: Herb salad with beets, alfalfa sprouts, sesame seeds and balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner: Chipotle BBQ marinated tilapia with Trader Joe’s harvest blend

Snack: almond jello with strawberries

Summary Photos and Stats:

• Height: 5′1″
• Weight: ? (No scale today)
• Chest: 30.5″
• Waist: 24.5″
• Hips: 33″
• Thigh: 18″
• Calf: 13″
• Arm: 9.5″

From Day 1 to Day 7, the changes in my measurements are a 1/2″ decrease in my waist, hips, and arms. That’s pretty good but I’m thinking it’s just water weight. As for the photos, they’re relatively the same except you can see a little bit more definition in my midsection.

Before

After

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_o1IkY1sHUyo/S43MjuuCGsI/AAAAAAAAAL4/wkbdu_03X_M/s400/day7dinner2.jpg

6 Day Body Makeover: Day 6

Day 6.

It’s the last day! Yay!

Really, it’s been less a week since I started this little jump start exercise “program” and I’ll be picking up speed from here. Since I don’t have the Insanity workouts yet, I’ll be using the P90X program. I’m not going to follow the P90x workout schedule, food system, or anything like that. I’m using the videos for my workouts to keep me active and as long as I’m doing something everyday and mix things up, I won’t be injuring myself.

So I’ll be maintaining the same level of exercise and food for the next week. I’m taking it one week at a time because thinking too far ahead makes me lose sight of the goal. I’m not on any major quest, I just want to be smarter about my health and my lifestyle. If it takes me 3 years to lose muscle mass and be “flabby,” then I don’t expect it to take 3 months to get it all back.

Slow and steady wins the race.

Food Plan

• Breakfast: 3 egg whites “custard”, 1 cup chopped strawberries, 1/3 baked Lavash flatbread, and 1 cup soy milk
• Lunch: Pan-fried tilapia, Herb mix salad, veggie curry, and 1 cup steamed rice
• Snack: 2 mini pumpkin pancakes, 1/2 grapefruit with cinnamon and nutmeg
• Dinner: 2 pork tenderloin medallions, blanched asparagus, and Trader Joe’s harvest blend (couscous, quinoa, orzo, and beans)

Since I did a double workout today, I thought I’d reward myself with some pork “steak”. I no longer purchase beef, but if I go out to eat and I want a steak, I’ll have it. Besides, I think the restaurants cook steaks better than I can.

Exercise Plan

I did the P90X Cardio X today and for being a 45 minute workout, it wasn’t so bad. When I did this the first time 6 months ago, I remember feeling a bit more tired than I am now and asked my friend “Is this the warm-up?” which is probably not the best thing to say when your friend is panting on the floor after the session.

But anyways, I think I’m better at cardio than doing strength training and I’m glad that there are different types of exercises to do during the 45 minutes. I kind of get bored running and jogging because I’m just doing the same thing over and over for 30-60 minutes at a time. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing the sights as I move by, but it’s boring for my body.

I also completed the Ab Ripper X. Honestly, I thought Cardio X wasn’t enough…so I’m back for more punishment. I think my abs are pretty strong, though I can’t do all 25 reps perfectly. I’ll get there eventually.

Photos

I love what I eat and I eat what I love…there’s nothing wrong with that!

*Please don’t steal these photos, I took them myself and I’m very proud of how they turned out. At least email me and link back to this site if you’re going to use them.

Breakfast: egg white custard with strawberries, lavash flatbread, and soy milk

Lunch: Pan fried tilapia with Japanese vegetable curry, herb salad, and steamed rice

Snack: Mini pumpkin pancakes and 1/2 grapefruit with cinnamon and nutmeg

Dinner: pork medallions, blanched asparagus, and harvest blend

6 Day Body Makeover: Day 5

Day 5.

One more day and I’ll be done! So short, but at least, I’ll have one week under my belt.

I must hold back on the caffeine because it’s making it difficult to fall asleep at the end of the day so I’ll need to find something else to stop that 4-5 PM sluggishness.

Food Plan

• Brunch: 3 egg whites “custard” (with dried shrimp and Shiitake mushrooms), 1/2 cup steamed rice, and 1 cup peach yogurt
• Snack 1:  2 baked “taquitos” with chili sauce and guacamole and 1 cup  soy milk
• Snack 2: 1 blood orange
• Dinner: 3 seafood dumplings, 2 mu-shu pork rolls, 1/4 plate of tofu pillows and veggies, 1 bowl steamed rice, and 1/2 red bean pancake with ginger ice cream, orange slices, and kiwi (Eating Out)

I had 2 snacks before dinner today because brunch was at noon and I was having a late dinner (8PM). It just makes sense to eat when you’re hungry and not when you’re not hungry. If you’re not sure if you’re hungry or thirsty, drink something first and if you still feel hungry, then eat something. Starving yourself won’t help you in the long run.

Anyways, back to the food…the egg white custard didn’t look as pretty as I’d like because the air bubbles got trapped as I was steaming it. Still it was light, smooth, and savory.

What are these “taquitos”? I’ve been craving some Mexican food and one of my faves are taquitos. Due to cookware constraints (I don’t have anything big enough for deep-frying) and lack of motivation to walk two blocks to a landmark Mexican fast food place, I opted to drive to the grocery store. (Strange, but bear with me) I stocked up on ingredients for my own version of taquitos…healthier…and so delicious.

Here’s the recipe to make about 12 taquitos (they last pretty well in the fridge or freezer):

• 2 oz. pork tenderloin (cut into 6 medallions or whatever you want)
• 1 package of wheat Lavash flatbread (4 large sheets) or tortillas
• 0.7 oz. or larger of hummus
• hot sauce or chili sauce for heat (optional)
• salt and pepper

1. Add some salt and pepper to the pork medallions. Sear the medallions on both sides. Stick it in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes until done. If you poke it, it will feel stiff. Let cool and chop into pieces or “pull” to make pulled pork. Mix in some chili sauce (optional).
2. Take a sheet of Lavash and spread a thin even layer of hummus.
3. About 1/2″ in from the edge and place a line of pork. Roll the sheet towards the center. After two “rolls” slice off the “taquito” and place in a baking dish.
4. Repeat until all are completed. (You can stop here or continue to the next step for a crunchy crust)
5. Bake for 3-5 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees. Remove from oven and let cool.
6. Serve with salsa, guacamole, or bean dip.

Exercise Plan

I had planned to do P90X Yoga X but I got sidetracked and my friend stopped by for a chat and dinner. I’ll just workout tomorrow…no big deal.

Photos

Here are some of today’s dishes…I do my best to make them as visual appealing and as tasty as possible. Who wants to eat food that tastes like cardboard?

*Please don’t steal these photos, I took them myself and I’m very proud of how they turned out. At least email me and link back to this site if you’re going to use them.

Breakfast: egg white “custard” from the top and bottom

Snack: pork “taquitos” with chili sauce and guacamole

Snack: blood orange

Dinner: Seafood dumplings

Dinner: Mu-shu pork

Dinner: Tofu pillows with assorted vegetables and mushrooms

Dinner: Red bean pancake with ginger ice cream, orange slices, and kiwi

6 Day Body Makeover: Day 4

Day 4.

I made it over the hump! What a little victory!

I got my blood pressure taken the other day and it’s 106/61, which is considered low, but “normal” because I’m “thin”. I think that’s just a nice way of saying “you’re short” and therefore, my heart doesn’t need to pump as hard to get the blood circulating through my system.

As long as I don’t have high blood pressure, that’s good news…but then again, I’ve never had that problem, I have the opposite situation. Too low blood pressure can lead to poor circulation and in colder temperatures, I notice that I get cold really fast in my extremities and I must bundle up or keep moving to prevent bad things from happening. The doctor always reminds me to stay active to keep the blood flowing and avoid little spells of dizziness, light-headedness, and fatigue.

Food Plan

• Breakfast: 3 egg whites, 1 blueberry muffin, 1 cup yogurt
• Lunch:  Pan-fried tilapia, vegetable curry, Spring mix salad, and 1/2 cup steamed rice
• Snack: 1 handful of melon seeds
• Dinner: Pan-fried tilapia, vegetable curry, Spring mix salad, and 1/2 cup steamed rice
• Snack: 1/2 grapefruit with a dash of cinnamon/nutmeg

Last night, I wasn’t hungry during dinner time so I had applesauce instead. I saw that four of my small apples were getting a little wrinkly, so I made applesauce to sustain me for the two hours before bedtime. Perhaps it’s due to the lack of exercise yesterday that prompted less “fuel” for my body.

I got to make some vegetable curry with red potatoes, yellow onions, black eyed peas, and carrots. Lately, I’ve been craving curry, but I didn’t have the opportunity to make it, but now…I have no excuse because it’s the weekend! There’s a lack of snacks today as I stayed in bed later than usual.

By the way, I’m taking a couple of supplements daily. I’m taking a multivitamin, a fiber and iron supplement, and fish oil. When I was young, my mother would give me a spoon of actual fish oil everyday (gross!)…thank goodness for liquid gels. I’m taking these to round out the nutrients I’m not getting in my food. Eventually I want to wean off supplements by having a fully balanced meal plan where I get all the nutrients I need, but I’m not there yet.

Exercise Plan

It’s raining outside, so no jogging and instead, I did a bit of weight training. A while ago, my physical therapy friend gave me a couple of exercises to work out the muscles that I wanted to tone. At the time, I was highly against purchasing workout equipment so he adjusted the exercises by using textbooks and a backpack instead of free weights or heading to the gym. Really, there’s no excuse not to workout because I don’t have the “right” equipment.

Below is the plan he gave me to work out my upper body, specifically, my arms. I used my 7 lb Larousse Gastronomique as the weight. Since I’m starting from the beginning, I’m doing 3 sets with 8 repetitions for a total of 24 per type of exercise. Not a lot to gain bulk, but just enough to build up some strength and extend the muscles for a leaner build.

With all of these exercises, do 3 sets and between 8-10 reps each. The main thing to remember is keep it slow, steady, and controlled. Don’t rush. Also, keep the same speed going into an exercise as going out.

For example, with the modified military press, if you’re bringing the weight above your head really slow, bring it back down to your chest at the same speed. You’ll definitely feel your muscles working.

1. Push-ups – don’t go on your knees
2. Fill backpack with books and bring it from your chest to above your head – modified version of a military press which helps tones shoulder muscles
3. Same backpack, stand but bend over with back flat like a table, legs spread shoulder width apart and pull backpack from the floor to your chest
4. Same backpack – bicep curls

Photos

Food is delicious and variety is the spice of life. The more colorful your plate, the more well-rounded your meal. I’m so used to having 3 “dishes” for dinner that making my own mini dishes is a challenge. But I don’t mind cooking. In fact, I think the extra preparation and love I put into my meals keeps me healthy. You can get a mini-workout running about the kitchen with all stove tops bubbling and the oven cooking.

*Please don’t steal these photos, I took them myself and I’m very proud of how they turned out. At least email me and link back to this site if you’re going to use them.

Breakfast: blueberry muffin, 3 hard-boiled egg whites, 1 cup raspberry yogurt

Snack: 1 handful of melon seeds

Lunch/Dinner: Pan fried tilapia on Spring Mix salad, Japanese vegetable curry and steamed rice.

Snack: 1/2 grapefruit with cinnamon and nutmeg

6 Day Body Makeover: Day 3

Day 3.

I got my annual eye exam and I was nervous because I thought my prescription got worse since I’ve been experiencing blurred vision. It turns out my prescription went down -0.50 which is half a diopter and great news, but not much in the overall scheme of things since I can’t see very far without my contacts. I’m pretty sure this improvement in vision is due to my increase in consuming blueberries, spinach, green leafy veggies, fish, and Omega-3’s.

It’s a rest day according to the 6 Day Body Makeover program, so I’m taking a break. I need to prep for the rest of my workouts but that’s not too difficult. Since I’m technically half way through, I’m thinking of the next step and it might be something more challenging like the Insanity workout. But I’m not sure yet.

Towards the end of yesterday afternoon, I had a little snack  but I don’t think it was enough to sustain me. After I made it back to my apartment, I napped to regain some energy, but I had trouble sleeping for the rest of the night. Boo!

So today, I modified my food plan and had some coffee to prevent that mid-evening slump. I’m definitely awake for now and hopefully, I’ll be tired when I head to bed.

Food Plan

• Breakfast: 1 cup soymilk, 1 blueberry muffin
• Lunch:  Spring mix salad with strawberries,  3 egg whites, 1/2 cup steamed rice, and lemon vinaigrette
• Snack: Taro cake with Hoisin sauce, spring mix salad with 2 slices of pastrami and sesame vinaigrette and French press coffee
• Dinner: Pan-fried tilapia with mushroom stew and 1 cup steamed rice

When it comes to food, I love variety and can hardly stomach the idea of eating the same thing for an entire week. So I’ll be mixing it up and increasing the amount of greens I’ll be eating. It’s a huge step because for the longest time, I hated salad, with a passion! I still refuse to order salad at any establishment because you never really know what they put in it and if it’s good for you. In college, I know that they put starch and filler in the salad so people would feel full…and consequently, gain weight. By making my own salad and dressing, I know what’s going in it and how it’s going to taste. I must work on my vinaigrette skills because the one I made last night was too oily and tart but, today’s experience was much better.

Exercise Plan

Rest Day

Photos

*Please don’t steal these photos, I took them myself and I’m very proud of how they turned out. At least email me and link back to this site if you’re going to use them.

Lunch: Spring mix salad with steamed rice, strawberries, hard-boiled egg whites, and lemon vinaigrette

Snack: Pan-fried taro cake with Hoisin sauce

Snack: Spring mix salad with pastrami and sesame vinaigrette

6 Day Body Makeover: Day 2

Day 2.

I’m pumped to continue this little 6 day journey. It’s been a while since I had an exercise schedule and I’m excited at the thought of being successful in this mini-makeover. By the end of today, I’m 1/3 complete. My calves were a little tight this morning, but with a couple of stretches, it was totally fine.

Food Plan

• Breakfast: 3 egg whites, 1/2 cup multigrain oatmeal, 1 cup strawberries
• Snack: 1 cup soymilk
• Lunch: steamed rice with pan-fried tilapia, mushroom stew, and decaffeinated green tea
• Snack: 1 blueberry muffin
• Dinner: steamed rice with pan-fried tilapia, black eyed peas, and spring mix salad with lemon vinaigrette

Exercise Plan

I completed the P90X Yoga X in its entirety today, the second time I’ve ever attempted to do so. Usually, I go  halfway because the last 10 minutes of the 45 minute set (out of the 1.5 hr program) really tires me out and I get light-headed. I didn’t really get through all the push-ups or the Crane or Bridge poses, but I’ll get it eventually. I need to straighten my legs for some of those core poses, but at least my balance is solid. It was a great decision to do yoga after a nice jog yesterday to stretch out my muscles and build up my core for P90x Chest and Back tomorrow.

I know some people don’t like Yoga X, but for me, it’s alright and it has that power yoga quality to it that keeps your heart rate up and pushes you to do different positions that you wouldn’t normally try. But I definitely prefer taking a yoga class so you get the right technique and corrections. After all, if you don’t do the positions right, how can you stretch properly?

Anyways, after a couple of hours post-workout, I noticed my wrists were a bit sore. They’re weaker than I expected but now I know where my strengths and weaknesses lie.

Photos

I’m putting up photos of the food I eat to show that eating healthy does not have to look sad, disgusting, or pathetic. In fact, it’s downright cheery…for the most part.

*Please don’t steal these photos, I took them myself and I’m very proud of how they turned out. At least email me and link back to this site if you’re going to use them.

Breakfast: Multigrain oatmeal with hardboiled egg whites and freshly chopped strawberries

Lunch: Pan-fried tilapia, mushroom stew, and steamed rice

Side/Dinner: Spring mix salad with lemon vinaigrette

Dinner: Pan fried tilapia with black eyed peas and steamed rice

6 Day Body Makeover: Day 1

It’s Day 1.

My motivation isn’t really to lose weight, drop a dress size, or superficially “look good.” I want to tone my body, have better flexibility and endurance so I can travel the world, participate in crazy athletic schemes (like a marathon), and take control of my life. I’m already a size zero or actually, a negative 0, but it’s not what you think. I’m not skinny…I’m just short and I live in America where they keep size-inflating to the point where I can sometimes fit into a child’s medium and still have room.

But anyways, I want to stay healthy and fit, so to get a running start for the 6 Day Body Makeover, I made some things the night before to avoid the “hassle” of cooking when I’m hungry. Despite how people want to be “low-carb” and reduce their sugar intake, I cannot because I won’t have enough energy…so, I have to eat some form of carbohydrates whenever I’m taking in protein. I plan on eating mostly slow carbs (potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, whole grains, etc) as opposed to fast carbs (juice, cakes, cookies, soda, bread, etc). One caveat, I baked blueberry muffins before planning this makeover, so I still have to eat them or they’ll go to waste. That’s my little guilty pleasure throughout this week.

Also, I’m only drinking water unless otherwise specified, though I must get started on some tea/coffee for an extra pep.

Food Plan

• Breakfast: 3 egg whites, 1 sourdough English muffin, 1 apple
• Lunch: 1 bowl of rice porridge with steamed broccoli and turkey breast
• Snack: 1 sourdough English muffin, 2 slices pastrami, and 1 blueberry muffin
• Dinner: 1 bowl of rice porridge with turkey breast, broccoli, and mushrooms
• Snack: 1 apple

Exercise Plan

I jogged for 60 minutes today…what a feat! My calves are starting to feel it, but it’s not so bad. It’s probably about 4-5 miles because I was going pretty slow. I haven’t worked so hard since I went snowboarding last weekend and only learned to master heel side. My quads were sore for 2 days. Tomorrow is P90X YogaX and this time, I’ll go through the entire thing, not half like I usually do.

Photos

To show how serious I am about keeping up with this short workout program, I’m posting up photos. In case you were wondering, I’m wearing an Old Navy swimsuit in XS.

To begin at the beginning

A girl can never have to many blogs just like she can never have too many shoes right?

Well, I’m writing this blog to chronicle my efforts at staying fit, healthy, and toned. This is not another fad-diet attempt to lose weight. I’m altering my habits for the better in the hopes of keeping it as a permanent lifestyle change. I’m not obese, nor am I considered overweight…I just want to have a better understanding of how my body operates and how food enters into the equation.

I love food, but I can’t say that I love ALL kinds of food. I savor the moments when the hot, steaming bowl of soup comes my way or when the cool rush of a chilled dessert finds its destination onto my plate. Despite my adoration of the culinary arts, I don’t often overindulge beyond my limit.

The age has come and gone when I’d attempt to amateurishly compete in food olympics. Back then, food was seen more as calories, a chore that I had to go through to fuel my body. I thought that the more “food” fuel I put in, the more supercharged I’d be for the rest of the day. However, I soon found out that it doesn’t work that way.

I’m reaching the age where my metabolism isn’t as quick as it used to be and the pounds don’t stay off if I’m sitting at the desk for 8+ hours a day. I’m not as active as I used to be. In college, I exercised practically everyday doing cardio and light free weights. Now, I can barely get myself to walk up several flights of stairs without first thinking of pushing the elevator button. When I can easily walk down the street to drop off the mail or packages, I take the 5 minute drive instead.

It’s about time for change.

I’ll be following the 6 Day Body Makeover book’s guidelines to get my exercise juices flowing and from there, I’ll boost up my workouts. I find it best to start small and work your way up than to take that huge leap and fall flat on your face. After all, starting a 6 day workout program is much easier than setting up a year-long schedule. Though the book suggests that you should follow everything as closely as possible, I’m using it more as a guide,  not a stringent rulebook.

I’ll be mixing up the workouts with a 60 minute jog, P90X  YogaX, and P90X Chest and Back to better tone the areas of my body that I really want to focus on. Of all things to want, I want a slimmer arm and leg line, but my abs are fairly toned already. I guess that’s what I get for last year’s major workout in preparation for swimsuit season and it’s still lingering.

Here are my beginning stats:

• Height: 5’1″
• Weight: 103
• Body Type: C (Meso-Endo  with hypoglycemia/low blood pressure tendencies)
• Chest: 30.5″
• Waist: 25″
• Hips: 33.5″
• Thigh: 18″
• Calf: 13″
• Arm: 10″