​My Healthy Eating and Exercise Plan – Update!

I’m nearly two weeks into the SSS Plan by Joe Wicks, The Body Coach.  As I write this I am on Cycle 1 Day 11, it feels good to be in double figures.  So here I am with a little update and some things I have learnt so far (you can see my original post here):

Activity Tracker

Firstly, I have been wearing my Jawbone UP2 for nearly three weeks now and I have to say I love it!  There is no doubt about it; it is definitely getting me more active.  So for optimal health and weight we are advised to walk/be active for 10,000 steps per day and I soon realised how difficult this actually was, taking into account my lifestyle (I am at home full-time) and that we do lead much more sedentary lives than I first thought (read about the benefits of walking here).

So I am not quite regularly hitting 10,000 steps a day yet.  But I am averaging around 7,000 to 8,000 steps and that is certainly more than I was doing.  I have learnt that to reach anywhere near the target I do need to exercise, go for a dog walk and maybe even add in a walk around the shops!

Exercise

As part of the SSS Plan I have to do 4 or 5 HIIT sessions per week.  I chose to do 4 as realistically I knew 5 might be pushing it a bit timewise.  But I have done them and that is a huge achievement.  Two are done with my friend/PT and two are done at home – via YouTube fitness videos.  They only last 20-30 minutes but they are hard work and I have incorporated them into my routine.  I have NEVER managed to exercise at home – it was always one of those things that I’d do ‘next week’ but always found an excuse now to. 

Off for a workout and learning to use my heart rate monitor to keep the effort up!

​Eating

I have never spent so much time in the kitchen!  If you are considering doing this, do think carefully.  If you (a) love cooking or (b) are at home a lot then it is easier.  Huge well done to those who follow the plan and work full time – I salute you!  However, that said, the meals in the plan are not complicated and there are very clear recipes to follow (in Cycle 1 anyway).  And prepping is key – Joe calls in ‘prepping like a boss’ and a weekly ‘cook-up’ is recommended.  I am not doing this as I am at home in the afternoon’s and can cook as I go along but I do make extra so that I have one portion for the freezer.  The portions are enormous!  But it is all good clean food, I have given up sugar and tea and snacking on chocolate. And I've not been tempted either!

The idea behind the plan is to gain muscle which burns fat more effectively.  So you are fuelling your body with high protein, low carb.  Except after exercise when you have a refuel carb meal.  And then you get LEAN!  And lose inches!

How am I doing?  Well I am not supposed to weigh/go on the sad step or measure until the end of Cycle 1 – it is encouraged to look for the NSV (Non Scale Victory) but come on we all need a little peek to motivate us to keep going.  I am about 2” down and I have lost a few pounds.  That’s pretty good at Day 10!  And today my belt has gone onto a tighter hole! I am keeping to the food … 95% probably and exercise 100%.  

There is a fabulous Facebook group – an unofficial one that is just so helpful and motivational, there are regular before and after photos from those ‘graduating’ after completing the 90 days and these really are impressive and do keep you going.  Plus it is a place to ask questions and get ideas that maybe the official Body Coach coaches can’t help with.

I’m off to the kitchen now to make RCO Muffins!  Reduce Carb Oatmeal which apparently as a cereal is pretty disgusting but as Muffins much much better.

Michelle x