Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

The 5th is good for me. We will do it again together.

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

:peeking head in:

I'd like to join y'all for the restart.

My doctor has offered some diet tweaks but otherwise, I am fully recovered and ready to kick some circuit training arse.

Azad - you are far from a failure. You look FANTASTIC!!!

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

Today was Day #1 for me! I only have 10-12 pounds to lose, but my body fat percentage is 24.1%, and I'd really like to get that way down to like 18.

I took the day yesterday for "prep": going through the recipes and making a shopping list, going shopping for everything (do i really need rice vinegar, sherry vinegar and cider vinegar? Hey, why not?), creating a food journal, typing out the exercises I need so I didn't have to bring the book to the gym... it all took a long time. So I officially started today.

The workout was HARD. I'm in ok shape. I jog a few times a week and lift weights 2-3 times a week, but I was kind of lightheaded by the middle of this workout. 50 squats in a row and then a 7mph sprint on the treadmill with no rest in between - that was a killer! But I made it through. Most of it, not all (I could NOT do "burpees" in a gym full of people, I just couldn't).

I followed the Day #1 diet with a few modifications - I'm a vegetarian - and came up a few calories short. I did the Moroccan "chicken" with Quorn brand fake chicken for dinner, and the turkey and broccoli wraps for lunch with fake turkey and spinach (so I didn't have to cook anything). I'm definitely not hungry, and it feels good to have not had any processed food the whole day.

I can't believe I have to go through that workout again tomorrow...

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

I would like to try the diet portion of it but am too cheap to buy the book. Can you tell me the basics?

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

Posted by pmpkn087

I would like to try the diet portion of it but am too cheap to buy the book. Can you tell me the basics?

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

Just did the Day #2 workout, and it wasn't as bad. Maybe that's because I knew what to expect this time out.

The hill sprints (5.5 mph at a 10 incline after every circuit) were BRUTAL, especially because she had me do so many lunges throughout the workout. I had some trouble with the reverse plank (there's no pic in the book and I don't think I'm doing them right) so I substituted an exercise with the stability ball that I used to do with my personal trainer that really hits the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. I'm sure that's ok.

Breakfast this morning was supped to be 1 cup of cottage cheese with whole wheat toast, but that's A LOT of cottage cheese, so I at half a cup instead and added a banana, with the toast. It was filling enough and gave me energy for the workout.

Almost all the dinner recipes involve chicken or fish. I'll eat fish once or twice a week (I was a vegetarian but I know I need a lot more protein this month, and I'm willing to do with a little fish), but never chicken, so I'll have to play around a lot with the recipes and see what I can do.

Can't wait for you other girls to start on this too so we can share ideas!

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

Today was Day #3, and it was fine. It was a rest day from working out () but I went on a 30-minute walk around my neighborhood because I was just sitting on my couch doing nothing all day.

I tried the "Fancy Fish Sticks" for dinner and they are DELICIOUS! I used fillets of sole from Whole Foods that I had in my freezer, and served them with broccoli and a salad. Yum. DH loved it, which is good because I feel bad that I'm depriving him of take-out and junk food for the month when he's already so fit.

Tomorrow will be my first day back at work while I'm on the plan. I hope I can handle a workout after a full day back with the kids (I'm a HS teacher).

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

Dava sounds like you are ROCKING this program girl!!!!! You are totally in the zone - your results are going to be amazing!!!

I FINALLY re-started Day 1 again today. Looking forward to the next 29!

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

Bump!

Anyone else doing the program still? I actually had to re-re-start this past Monday. I am doing it with a friend and it didn't workout last week.

Finished Day 5 today and am feeling great!! I really love these workouts

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

It seemed like no one was interested in Making the Cut anymore so I stopped posting about it, but I'm on Day 15! I still LOVE it. The workouts are different every day, and that keeps it really motivating for me. And I'm noticing some differences in my strength - like I can do more pushups than I could 2 weeks ago, and my quads are much harder to the touch than they were 2 weeks ago.

I have to admit, I'm not following her diet so much anymore. Well, I'm eating roughly 1500-1600 calories a day (BMR = 1468 but that just makes me cranky!) and I'm making sure that every meal is at least 30% protein, which is new for me as a vegetarian. I have absolutely given up all alcohol and caffeine too - not a drop of either since December.

Yesterday, I made me and DH a "Meat Lover's Pizza" and it was awesome! Got a whole wheat pizza crust and spread on tomato sauce and part-skim mozzarella. Cooked up 2 morningstar sausage links and Trader Joe's vegetarian meatballs, and satueed some onion and mushrooms in a teensy bit of olive oil. Topped the pizza with the sausage, meatballs, mushrooms and onions, and a little more cheese and voila! Delicious!

I lost 3.5 pounds in 2 weeks, and considering that I went to 2 weddings during that time, I think that's pretty good! My goal is to lose 5 more, but it's more than that - I want to be fitter, stronger, and faster - and I think that's coming along great.

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

I'm on Day 17, a rest day. It feels too easy - I think I'm going to have to go clean the bathroom or something and expend this energy.

I went to the gym with my book yesterday and when I got home, I realized that I had left it in the locker room. I panicked! I felt so lost! But I made up a fish taco recipe for dinner and had some oatmeal and egg whites before going to pick up the book this morning. I think I did okay .

The workouts are getting so, so much easier. I'm really used to the pace now, and I'm enjoying the diversity of the exercises. They change every day, but it's easy to see how there is a natural progression from simpler exercises on Days 1-5 to tougher ones the next week and week after.

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

Azoodie, thanks for posting your progress too. Sounds like you're doing great! It's nice to be "partner in Jillian" with you .

I've been having some off days. I have a little cold - nothing terrible, just sniffles - but it is making me so tired and so hungry all the time. You know how when you're sick you feel like you need to eat all the time? Maybe it's just me. But the past few days have been rough. It's not like I sat down and ate a whole cake or anything, but I missed one workout day (my first in 20 days) and had a cookie at work on Tuesday, then a granola bar and tons of nuts when I got home (I know, nothing tragic but I was a good 300-400 calories over my target). Had a hot pretzel yesterday, then 2 small cookies at my sister's house (that's another 450 or so calories over my target, and all carbs). Not terrible, but Jillian allows NO CHEATING, and after 18 days of no refined sugars and no carbs without protein on the side, I have to say, I felt pretty icky. But it's made me really see what effect sugars have on my body. I used to eat junk so often I never really noticed, but after nearly a month of no junk, it's so easy to see how eating one cookie makes you hungry right afterwards, even if you weren't hungry before.

Still no caffeine and no alcohol though, for 20 days straight. And tonight I'm attempting the chicken soft tacos with apples and onions. Sounds odd but I'm willing to give it a try.

I'm really just on LIF now procrastinating, because I should be at the gym already. But I'm tired, achy, wah wah wah .

Okay, time to make myself accountable - I will post back here tonight that I did at least an hour at the gym, or I have to do the dishes for a week!

Message edited 1/22/2009 5:34:56 PM.

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

Dava I feel your pain

I hit that same wall last time I did the program. It was December and it was the holidays. I held out till the 25th but then gave in to a couple glasses of wine. I just found the diet so restricting I couldn't take it! Hang in there you are doing great!!! I am sure being sick has a lot to do with how you are feeling. If you are not into working out just try to shift your days a bit so that you don't miss a workout.

I am on Day 11. I have to miss tomorrows workout so I will do it on Saturday instead

Things are going well but I am not doing so hot with my diet. I was down a few lbs and then I was a bit stressed last night and I definitely overate.

It is so not easy but I am determined to do every single workout this time!!!

Keep up the great work you are doing AWESOME!!!

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

I have a question for you ladies that have been doing this program. Is there a plan for maintenance that goes with this?? I am thinking about trying it to jumpstart a fitness/weightloss rut but am worried that it is gonna kickass and I will lose wieght but than as soon the 30 days are up and I start eating a little bit off the plan the weight will be right back....thoughts?? Does she give a strategy for that?

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

First off - I did it! I finished the workout in 55 minutes, but then I went on the elliptical for 5 minutes to get to an even 60, because I posted here that I'd do an hour.

I'm finding that I really look forward to the back/bicep/shoulder/hamstring days, and don't really love the chest/tricep/quad days. I can usually only do half the amount of pushups she tells me to (look how I act like she's talking to me...) and some of the weirder jumping movements that I'm too embarrassed to do at the gym are on those days too. But today was all lat pull-downs and cable rows and lunges and it rocked!

To answer the question about maintenance: No, the book doesn't really mention it as far as I recall. The book is basically a manual for 30 days of HARD work and limited diet. She wants you to use it if you have 10 pounds or so to lose and your wedding or your high school reunion is next month or something. Beyond that, it's up to you. My friends have taken a look at the book and seen what I eat for lunch and they always say, "Man, you're not going to be able to keep that up for more than 30 days!" And that's the whole point. It's not enough calories for day-to-day maintenance. But - I think I'm going to keep up with the workouts. At least the back/shoulder/hamstring ones. They're awesome.

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

Posted by azoodie

Dava I feel your pain

I hit that same wall last time I did the program. It was December and it was the holidays. I held out till the 25th but then gave in to a couple glasses of wine. I just found the diet so restricting I couldn't take it! Hang in there you are doing great!!! I am sure being sick has a lot to do with how you are feeling. If you are not into working out just try to shift your days a bit so that you don't miss a workout.

I am on Day 11. I have to miss tomorrows workout so I will do it on Saturday instead

Things are going well but I am not doing so hot with my diet. I was down a few lbs and then I was a bit stressed last night and I definitely overate.

It is so not easy but I am determined to do every single workout this time!!!

Keep up the great work you are doing AWESOME!!!

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

Ugh - so apparently I overdid it yesterday. I went to the gym and did Day 19's workout (doubling up the first 3 circuits and everything) and 3 hours after I got home, I was running a fever of 100.6 degrees. Not fun! I still feel like cr@p.

I had a tough, tough week this week overall. I went to a wedding on Saturday with fantastic and abundant food, DH and I fought for 3 days straight and I didn't sleep much, plus I've been sick since Monday. So I didn't lose any weight week 3. But! I didn't gain an ounce either. My weight was exactly the same as it was last Friday, right down to the decimal point. So I'm considering this week a "win." I tried to eat right as often as I could, and I did 3 of the 4 workouts I was supposed to do.

I guess I know now what "maintenance" is for me: 3 workouts a week, and an average of 1800 calories a day. I can handle that.

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

Dava did you finish? I am a second time MTC DROP OUT!!!!

Last month it was "the holidays." This time I got sick. I have not worked out since last week.

Unfortunately I won't be able to resume the workouts either because I start 1/2 marathon training on Monday.

I guess I will still weigh in and do my measurements for completeness. I am such a failure

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

I also got sick! That stinks that we both couldn't do it. I'm sorry you weren't feeling well either. I had the flu and with a bad cough for a few days, and a high fever for 3 days. I was really run-down for almost a week after that and I was in no shape to work out.

So, for the month of January, I lost 5 pounds, but I lost a couple of inches from my waist. I didn't do any measurements, but my "fat pants" that had become my "regular pants" are now my "fat pants" again - in only a month! So I think it's a success.

I'm back to drinking caffeine again and probably eating more carbs than I should, but I'm in the routine of working out 4 times a week. The 3 weeks I did on the plan helped me to see that if I have time to watch tv for 5 hours a day, I can easily find time to do a 45-minute work out 4 times a week, you know?

So, my maintenance plan is to run 3 or 4 times a week (I'm running in a 5K in honor of my mother in May) and to do weights at least twice a week. I think I'll combine the 2 Jillian workouts and do what I used to do: all muscle groups in one day, and then 2 days to recover. Instead of back/biceps on a Monday and chest/triceps on a Tuesday.

I might try it again after the 5K, which would have me in great shape for beach season! Maybe we can resurrect this thread around then?

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

I can't believe we both got sick!!!

Sounds like you got fantastic results!!!!! I agree though, the best thing about the program is getting into a habit and routine. I seriously love going to the gym in the morning and don't feel as good when I don't go (even on those rest days!).

You are so right about tv and time and that's something I've been thinking about too. I am really going to try and start working out while I watch. Why sit there when I could be moving?

I am doing the same - training for a 1/2 marathon in May. I'll be running 4 days a week and doing strength training twice a week. I definitely am going to use a lot of her moves in on my strength training days.

That is so sweet about the 5k!!! Which one are you doing? Good luck!!!!

Message edited 2/5/2009 10:41:09 AM.

Re: The Official Making the Cut Thread - Post your meal plans and progress here!!!!

Good luck with the half-marathon! That will be such an achievement!

I'm signed up to do a 5K in Philadelphia over Memorial Day Weekend - it's to benefit Ovarian Cancer research. My mother passed away from ovarian cancer three months ago and she was from Philadelphia, so a few cousins and I are going to run as a "team" to raise money in her name.

I'd like to run one near the end of April, for practice. I keep thinking of the Philadelphia race as really important because I'm doing it for my Mom, so I don't want it to be my first race! Do you know of anything in LI in April?