2010, P8, Week 3 Recap

Happy Monday to you!  I hope you had a restful weekend.  Spent some quality time with those who matter most.  Got a great workout or 2 or 3 in for yourself and planned and prepared some meals for the week.  AND I hope you saw or at least heard about the Pats game.  It was a big win against a very strong team.

This week’s agenda:

• Cardio Minutes
• P8 Overview
• Challenge Week
• Measurements
• Interval Training Program
• Nutrition Handout
• Shout Outs
• Pumpkin Workout

Cardio Minutes:

Week 4 Goals:

Rookies / Returning Boot Campers:  males = 175, females = 250

Please report cardio minutes here:

P8 Overview

Challenge Week

You’ve heard about it, read about it and now its here.  Challenge Week.  This week can single handedly change your body for the best in dramatic ways if you’re following the nutrition plan and getting enough rest (sleep is when you change).  These workouts are tough, fun (at least when you’re done) and make you physically and mentally stronger.  If you thought the happy hormone highs were great before wait until after a challenge workout.  You’ll be flying high, feeling super energized and creative.  Watch your productivity, moods and chattiness skyrocket as you have a personal best week.

Measurements

8am on Saturday, October 23 at the Mackenzie Center.  Look for an RSVP NOW email on Thursday to get your time slot.

Interval Training Program

There are 3 main components to your boot camp program:  classes (strength), nutrition and cardio.  Regardless of where you’re starting, Change Your Body Boot Camps is designed to take you from out of shape and overweight into your best shape fast, while making it sustainable for a lifetime and providing progressions as you change.  Your cardio program or the interval training program is no different.  I’ve laid out 3 levels to help you pick when you should start it, however, if you’re in boot camp you could start it on day 1.

Level 1:  Out of Shape and Overweight

Initially making time to get your weekly cardio minutes in (175 males and 250 females) is enough, let alone asking you to do intense cardio, so we start wherever you are and for many, that’s walking.  As you progress though, walking is going to begin to feel less effective without increased minutes, so you’ll need to progress from a walk to a walk-jog.  Then to a run-jog and later a sprint-jog.

Level 2:  In shape

Here your body weight is closer or at where you want it to be (use BMI as a marker) and you’re focusing more on fat loss, improved strength & conditioning and/or more interesting workouts. You’re able to hit your weekly cardio goal and are ready for the next step.  This is when the interval training program is most appropriate, but for many people you could start it much earlier (talk with me if you’re interested).  You should begin building your cardio workouts around intervals.  It’ll be more fun and more effective and depending on your goals, you may even be able to reduce your weekly cardio goals (think 80/20 rule).

Level 3:  Performance

When you get to this level, you’re focused on kicking butt.  In many cases your body weight is ideal, your body fat is ideal, but not necessarily as many people choose to build their cardio workouts around sports and I often times support this if your body can handle it.  When you’re ready for performance your cardio workouts must be built around intervals as it has the best carryover to sports performance and metabolic conditioning.

The handout is not pretty, but rather factual and full of substance.  Just like the nutrition handout teaches you principles so does the interval training program.  It’s based on a 13 week training schedule.  Each 4 week phase the workouts get more challenging as you get in better shape.  Once you finish the 13 weeks, you start over with the easiest workouts (i.e. most rest during the recovery periods), but you pick a more challenging mode of exercise.  Read it, try it, ask questions, and get a buddy.  It’s fun to get better and that’s what you’re doing.

Nutrition Handout

Many people asked me to resend the Nutrition Handout.  Here it is:  click here.  Read it.  Review the sample meal plans.  And use the food substitution list to create your own meal plan based on what times you train.  You’ll save time & money and gain abundant energy, have more consistently happy moods, reduce your risk for disease, look better and perform better.

Shout Outs

Susana Fantozzi, Sally Babigian and Krista Kett ran the Paddy’s Pub Shillelagh Shuffle 3-Miler this weekend.  Not only did they run it, but Susana ran it with her son and daughter making it a family affair.  Kudos and high fives to you both!

On top of that, Laura Otting and her 2 sons ran a road race recently as well.  She shared a really cool picture with me of her 2 sons and her after the race and all were wearing their race bibs (numbers).  I can already see it as a screensaver, holiday card, framed and on a future slideshow somewhere.

Following on this family affair of training and exercising together, in class we have many couples’ tandems (6), one of which is a husband, wife, daughter and great friend tandem.

You are literally building your support circles, creating an empowering culture of change for you to thrive in and are doing your part to fight obesity and disease.  Cheers, high fives and continued endorphin rushes to you all.

Pumpkin Workout

Now I know many of your would like your partners to train with you, but for whatever reason they’re just not able to do boot camp.  Well there’s an opportunity for you to train together coming up (in addition to local guest days) that’s a fun one.  It’s the 3^rd annual Freaky Fat Loss Pumpkin Workout and it’ll be Friday, October 29, 2010 at the Mackenzie Center from 6:30-7:30pm.  Save the date.  Ask your mate and prepare for a high energy, body fat spooking workout.  More details to come.  Until then…

Burn & Earn Baby!

Your coach,

Mike Alves

Newton Boot Camp