10 days in

Day 3 - Cardio & Abs Day
I've been on the JNL Fitness Model plan for a few days now.  I find it easier to follow than the paleo diet because you are allow more option.  What I'm finding challenging is making sure I eat all the time, especially the snacks and a big breakfast.  I am not use to eating a big breakfast, I usually just drink a protein shake.  Now when I wake up I drink a smaller protein shake and eat breakfast when I get to work.  Which is backwards....  I should be eating my big breakfast at home and then the protein shake later on.  That's something I need to work on.  I missed my workout on Monday, I was busy with other things and forgot to do it.  I was going to do the workouts in addition to my legs workout yesterday but man, I was spent after my legs workout!!  My legs and buttock are sore today.  Great workout.

Today is Cardio & Abs Day.  JNL says that endless amounts of cardio will get you no where.  The foundation of your training should be weight training.  Endless cardio will help you become a 'skinny fat person'. 

'Fitness Model' cardio - do NOT exceed your target heart rate of 75%.  If your heart rate is higher than that, you start burning muscle mass and not fat.  I didn't realize this.  I do check my heart rate on the machines but I just know when my heart rate is high or low...not really what the heart rate means. Stay in your fat burning zone which is between 65% to 75% of your target heart rate.

Don't make running the foundation of your cardio. Try other forms of low-impact cardio like the elliptical (my favorite), stair master or nordic track. Do in between 25 to 45 minutes.

Day 5

I don't think my body is used to working out anymore!  My whole body is sore.  After chest & biceps day yesterday, I could barely lift my arms up higher than my chest. haha.  This type of sore kinda feels good though.  I needed to get my butt off the couch and get motivated.  I like JNL's schedule.  It keeps me on track and this way I know I'm getting a full body workout each week.  I am definately sleeping better than I was before and overall I'm feeling pretty good.  I'm still not 100% on the diet.  I'm not eating bad foods but I don't think I'm eating enough of what JNL has on her food plan or often enough.  Breakfast is still a challenge. 

I'm amped about getting in shape for my trip to Florida in September. 

I looked into what my fat burning zone would be over the past few days.  I found two apps for the iphone that really helped!  Free Heart Rate and Target heart rate calculator.

My resting heart rate is about 64 BPM.  I measured this using the Free Heart Rate app, while I was still laying in bed this morning.

My max heart rate is about 180 BPM.  I used a new formula that I found on Popsugar Fitness that they said was more accurate.
206 - (88% of your age) = 179.6 BPM

So my fat burning zone is 145 BPM to 151 BPM.

Day 10

I've made it to day 10 although my diet and exercise were put to the back burner this past weekend after some heart ache.  With time, things will get easier.  I'm a strong person.  I believe in what they say "If you love something, let it go.  If it comes back, it was meant to be.  If it doesn't, it was never yours and it's not meant to be."  Letting go is really hard but I've found that exercising really lifts my mood.

I started working out again on Monday - Shoulders and triceps.  My triceps are killing me right now.  I probably could have used a heavier weight for shoulders. 

Tuesday - Legs.  I went to the gym around 8p thinking it wouldn't be so crowded.  BIG mistake!!  It was more crowded than it is at 6pm.  WTH.  I got in my cardio warm-up and some abducter, adducters....but the all the leg machines that I like to use had swarms of people around them.  Oh, and boo.....I hurt my right groin muscle doing the adducter machine....maybe too much weight.  :(  HURT.  So I left and headed to another gym.  Gym #2 was WAY better.  Got all my leg workouts in although I wasn't 100% since my groin muscle was hurting.  Pushed through anyway and it's not hurting so bad today.  Like I said, I'm on a mission!!

PS - I've lost 3.5 lbs so far.  :)