The Lean Body Challenge

A Word About Measurement

Measurement techniques include:

• Measuring body fat, using body fat calipers
• Weighing on a scale
• Using a tape measure
• Using photography by taking before and after photos
• Clothes becoming too big-having to "downsize"

All forms of measurement can be beneficial and true indicators of your progress. For the most accurate indication of your body composition, you may want to consider visiting a physician or nutritionist and having them give you a complete body composition analysis.

When Motivation Fails: How to Avoid Pitfalls

So how do you deal with bumps in the road, and better yet, how do you avoid them in the first place when motivation fails you? Here are some suggestions:

Be true to yourself.
If you know you've messed up, acknowledge it and get back on track.

If you blow your diet don't get desperate;
don't throw in the towel or continue to binge. Admit to yourself that what you are doing isn't conducive to achieving your goals, and cut your losses. Think of a car with a flat tire. You don't conducive to achieving your goals, and cut your losses. Think of a car with a flat tire. You don't want to slash out the other three tires, just because you had one flat, do you? Slow down, think it through and "fix your flat." Get back on course.

Maintain stable blood sugar levels
by following the Lean Body Challenge Exercise craving reduces the potential for "diet blowouts."

Schedule "cheat meals."
I'm not saying that pizza, ice cream, burgers and like are maintain your sanity and stay in compliance with your program the rest of the time, plan them. Pick one day every week, and on that day have one meal where you consume a small portion of your favorite foods. Just don't overdo it! Again moderation is the key, especially here.

Remember that not feeling deprived is an important aspect of dieting.
The perception that we can eat whatever we want, but are choosing to postpone its consumption to a specific time of our choosing, is a lot better than thinking we can never have the desired foods that are "off limits." If you consistently eat 5-6 meals each day, you are less likely to allow yourself to get hungry. Getting hungry makes it much more difficult to control what foods you eat. At the same time, if you are truly carving something bad, go ahead have a little piece of it, but get right back on your program.

A Final Word of Encouragement

Remember, this program is all about progress, not perfection, The goal is for you to make gradual lifestyle changes that will help you get into better physical shape and health. Day by day, week-by-week, one "step" at a time, keep making progress.

GOOD LUCK!

The Lean Body Challenge

Exercise Summary

• During your resistance (weight) training sets, do 5 sets of 10 reps per set for each exercise we have down on the previous page.
• To determine what your beginning weight should be, start with a weight you think you'll be comfortable with, and perform 1 set. The last three reps of that set should be difficult, but not impossible. You should feel the muscle getting fatigued. It it's too easy, go up 5 to 10 pounds until with time, so gradually increase the weight you lift as your program progresses.
• Rest long enough to catch your breath in between you lift as your program progresses.
• Work in a30 minute cardio session 3-4 times a week.

Success Factor Two: Motivation

If you will recall, I mentioned early on in this program that the two main reasons people fail are:

Reason one: People simply start out with the wrong information.
Reason two: People lose motivation.

Hare are some of my favorite motivational techniques:

1. The Buddy System.
Get a workout buddy or partner to help you stay accountable Having a partner, you can encourage and push each other to reach the goals you've set.

2. Pictures.
Pick out pictures of fit people and put them in places where you will see them constantly. Choose images of those who have physiques you aspire to, but who also have similar body types as you do.

3. Keep a Journal.
It's important that you track your progress so that you keep going. A training journal is a good way to mark off your exercises as you do them. You can look back at them later and see what you've accomplished. This will help motivate you on days that you don't feel like working out. Likewise, a food journal is equally as helpful for tracking your diet.

4. Small rewards.
Every week you should reward yourself with what I call a "cheat meal." Note that I said cheat meal, not cheat day. The idea is that once a week you get to use one meal to eat any thing you want. This way you won't feel as though you are depriving yourself. But be careful that you get right back on track, so that you don't set yourself back from all the progress you just made. Keep in mind that in the next week, you can look forward to another cheat meal.

5. Progress, not perfection.
Many times when someone up on his or her diet or program, he or she will have the mentality that the entire program is blown. The thought goes something like this, "Well, I just messed up, so I might as well eat whatever I want and start over next week." Keep in mind that your program is about progress, not perfection. You want to maintain a diet and program that can become lifestyle. Just get right back on track and keep going.

6. Set specific goals and target dates.
It is important that you not only set realistic goals for yourself, but that you also set a specific target date in which you want to have it accomplished. " I want to lose 30 pounds this year" is not specific enough. Try something like, "By June 30, I am going to lose 15 pounds and fit into a size 6 dress." Pull out your training journal and keep marking off the days you work out, write down what you eat, and keep visualizing your goal. You can expect to lose 2-3 pounds per week safely. Any more than that is not considered healthy.

7. Measure your progress.
It's important to measure your progress as you go along to give yourself true and unbiased feedback. Measurement can be an incredible motivator because it cannot lie to you. When you notice that your waistline has reduced by a couple of inches, that is true measurement! When you notice that your body fat has decreased, that is true measurement! And when you notice that your physique looks more toned and sculpted based on your progress report (photography), that too is true measurement! And all can be motivating and help keep you on track.

The Lean Body Challenge

The Workout Plan at a Glance
Here's a sample breakdown of recommended exercises.......

The exercises listed here can be safely performed by both men and women. Remember not to lift more weight than is comfortable, but always lift enough weight to make your muscles have to work hard. Perform 5  sets of 10 reps for each of the 2 exercises pictured. After several weeks, try alternating other exercises (right).

Also Recommended for Chest:

• Incline Bench Press
• Incline Flys
• Pec-Deck
• Cable-Crossovers

Also Recommended for Shoulders:

• Seated Barbell (Military) Press
• Bent-over side Raises

Also Recommended for Triceps:

• Lying Rricep
• Close Grip Bench Press
• Standing Cable Pushdowns
• Dip Machine

Also Recommended for Back:

• Assisted Pull-ups
• Wide Grip Pull-ups
• Dead lifts
• Shrugs

Also Recommended for Biceps:

• Alternating Curls
• Concentration Curls
• Preacher Curls

Also Recommended for Legs:

• Leg Extensions
• Straight Leg Dead lifts
• Seated/Standing Calf Raise
• Squats

Also Recommended for ABS:

• Reverse Crunches
• Standing Oblique Curls
• Hanging Leg Lifts
• Swiss Ball Crunches

A World of Caution.............
If you are a relative newcomer to weight training or aren't 100% sure how to properly perform these exercises, visit your local gym and have a professional trainer show you the proper technique. This will help you avoid ineffective workouts, or worse.......injury.