Welcome back! I trust you enjoyed your Week 1 and Week 2 workouts. Feeling the difference that tempo and intention make?
Don’t worry, I am going to teach you A LOT more to get the most out of your workouts in the LEAST amount of time and without a lot of CARDIO.
I just, this week after 6 weeks, added cardio and I only did a moderate 20 minute stair walk. I was still losing weight despite having ZERO cardio in my week. ZERO!
Want to start a 6 week FAT LOSS + MUSCLE GAIN transformation with me?
Starting this Monday April 25th to June 6th, follow my exact exercise and diet plan. Take pics NOW, today, before you start and then again Monday, June 6th.
You will then be able to enter into our next Flavilicious Transformation Contest that usually only paying members are allowed to enter.
Below is Week #3 or the first week of our transformation. Plus I included my diet plan. I don’t count calories anymore but I also know what 1 cup of carbs looks like and what 4oz of meat looks like too. I also know, from previous experience, what food I can manipulate to lose weight if my weight gets stuck: it’s usually carbs that I decrease in my diet.
NOTE:
- If you eat healthy already and exercise and you are still feeling stuck, try using this calorie reference:Â Calories = Your weight x 14
- If you aren’t losing weight after a week, simply decrease that to your weight x 13 OR add cardio (HIIT).
- Keeping a food journal is so very valuable. I don’t even have to think about my diet anymore because I know exactly what my body does with each food and the amount of food it takes to lose weight and to gain muscle. In return this allowed me to very simply manipulate portions if I was losing weight too fast or too slow. I have 5 journals from previous years where I recorded everything. Now there is no hard work for me. I cook and eat. THAT’S IT. You can do the same thing simply by keeping track of your meals and referencing it every week. You can then see what works and what doesn’t work. NOTHING IS MORE VALUABLE WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT.
What gets measured, gets managed!
NOTE:
- If you don’t eat healthy, cut out gluten, wheat, sugar, soy & preservatives. DON’T worry about counting calories because you will drop weight FAST simply by eliminating those food-like products.
*If you need help getting started on eating healthy see this blog post: HOW TO START EATING HEALTHY
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THEÂ WORKOUT
Below you will see your Week #3 workout. If you don’t see each day, just click the next button for the next chart to appear.
NOTE:
- If you don’t workout 5 days a week, cut out the shoulder workout on Day 3. This day is dedicated to my weak muscle group.
- I usually do cardio on Thursdays, my day off. I added it after Day 3 incase you don’t do cardio separately. Do a 20 minute HIIT session if your gym doesn’t have a prowler.
- Make sure to check back on Week 1 and Week 2 for the exercise techniques. THESE ARE A MUST
| tempo | reps | sets | rest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1: Hams And Glutes | |||||
| A1 | Lying Leg Curl | 3012 | 10 | 4 | 15 |
| A2 | 45* Hip Ext | 2012 | 10 | 4 | 15 |
| A3 | RDL (Romanian Deadlift) | 3210 | 10 | 4 | 75 |
| B1 | Seated Leg Curl | 3211 | 10 | 5 | 15 |
| B2 | Bridges (note 4 second hold) | 2014 | 10 | 5 | 15 |
| B3 | Leg Press (Hips: Feet High and Wide) | 3110 | 12 | 5 | 75 |
| C1 | Walking Lunges | 2110 | 12 | 4 | 20 |
| C2 | Standing Single Leg Curl | 2111 | 8 | 4 | 20 |
| C3 | Bridges | 2011 | 15 | 4 | 60 |
| Day 2: Back | |||||
| A1 | Rope Straight Arm Lat Pull Over | 3111 | 10 | 6 | 60 |
| B1 | Single Arm Low cable Row | 3112 | 10 | 6 | 60 |
| C1 | Overhead Lat Pull Down Machine w/ Underhand grip | 3112 | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| D1 | Seated Low Row with Overhand grip | 3112 | 10 | 4 | 15 |
| Rip Handles apart to engage rear delt too | |||||
| D2 | Rope Face Pulls with Cable High | 2111 | 12 | 4 | 60 |
| Day 3: Shoulders | |||||
| A1 | Single Arm DB Lateral Raise | 2111 | 12 | 5 | 15 |
| A2 | Low Cable Single Arm Lateral Raise | 3111 | 10 | 5 | 60 |
| Go directly from DB to Cable on one side first | |||||
| B1 | Rear Delt High Cable Cross | 3112 | 10 | 5 | 15 |
| B2 | Teres Minor High Cable Cross (take a step forward so cables come above head) | 3112 | 10 | 5 | 60 |
| C1 | Overhead Press Machine | 3111 | 10 | 4 | 15 |
| C2 | Seated Lateral Raise Machine (arms in "L") | 2112 | 10 | 4 | 15 |
| C3 | Standing Lateral Raises with Band (holding handles) | 2111 | 12 | 4 | 75 |
| D1 | HIIT - Prowler Heavy or any HIIT for 20 min | ||||
| 1 Lap | 8 | 45 | |||
| *Off Day | |||||
| Day 4: Quads and Glutes | |||||
| A1 | Split Squats w/ Back Foot Elevated (switch legs) | 3210 | 8 | 5 | 15 |
| A2 | Split Squats w/ Front Foot Elevated | 3110 | 8 | 5 | 60 |
| B1 | Bridges (weighted) | 2012 | 10 | 5 | 15 |
| B2 | Leg Extensions | 3012 | 10 | 5 | 60 |
| C1 | Leg Press (Feet Low) | 3110 | 12 | 4 | 15 |
| C2 | Walking Lunges Weighted | 2110 | 12 | 4 | 15 |
| C3 | Bridges | 2011 | 15 | 4 | 75 |
| Day 5: Upper Body | |||||
| A1 | DB Chest Flies Flat Bench | 3111 | 10 | 4 | 30 |
| A2 | Neutral Grip Lat Pull Downs | 3111 | 10 | 4 | 45 |
| B1 | Cable Chest Press | 3112 | 10 | 4 | 30 |
| B2 | Seated Cable Neutral Grip Low Row | 3112 | 10 | 4 | 45 |
| C1 | Standing DB Biceps Curls | 3111 | 10 | 4 | 30 |
| C2 | Double Rope Triceps Pull Downs *see video | 2111 | 10 | 4 | 30 |
| C3 | Standing DB Lateral Raises | 3111 | 10 | 4 | 60 |
| D1 | Seated Incline Bench DB Biceps Curls | 3211 | 10 | 4 | 30 |
| D2 | Standing DB Triceps Kickbacks | 3112 | 10 | 4 | 30 |
| D3 | Seated Reverse Pec Dec Rear Delts | 3111 | 10 | 4 | 60 |
| *Off Day |
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THE DIET PLAN
Below you will see a meal plan that I used in the past to lose weight after having Milia. I am not following an actual meal plan currently but my meals do look something like this.
NOTE:
- I don’t have butter currently as I cut out all cows milk. Instead I do avocado and nut butters for fat sources.
- I also eat whatever veggie I have on hand. I don’t actually ONLY have cucumber or zucchini. Replace and vegetables freely with one another.
- Protein sources are exchangeable. I don’t like having lamb too often. I tend to stick with bison, beef, salmon, white fish, some pork and chicken. I just rotate these protein sources according to what I feel like eating. You can do the same.
- Post-meal protein shake can be BioTrust. I used a lot of shakes when Milia was first born due to time restraint. I added them here knowing that most people can benefit from fast options. Currently I am only using shakes whenever I am on the run which isn’t often since I am home with the babies right now.
Meal Plan 1 – Training Days
| Meal One | |||
| Units | Food | Type | |
| 25g Goat Whey | LF Protein | ||
| Greens And Fiber Shake | Veggies | ||
| Meal Two | |||
| Units | Food | Type | |
| 3 ounces | Chicken Sausage | LF Protein | |
| 2 tbsp | Olive Oil | Fats | |
| 0.5 cup | Oats | Carbs | |
| 2 cups | Spinach | Veggies | |
| Meal Three | |||
| Units | Food | Type | |
| 3 ounces | Beef | HF Protein | |
| 1 tbsp | Organic Butter | Fats | |
| 0.75 cup | Quinoa | Carbs | |
| 2 cups | Zucchini | Veggies | |
| Meal Four | |||
| Units | Food | Type | |
| 3 ounces | Lean Ham | LF Protein | |
| 1 tbsp | Macademia Butter | Fats | |
| 0.75 cup | Oats | Carbs | |
| 2 cups | Cucumber | Veggies | |
| 1 cup | Blueberries | Fruits | |
| Post Workout Meal | |||
| Units | Food | Type | |
| 4 ounces | Chicken Breast | LF Protein | |
| 1 tbsp | Organic Butter | Fats | |
| 1 cup | White Rice | Starch | |
| 2 cups | Carrots | Veggies | |
| 1 cup | Rasberries | Fruits | |
| During Training Shake | |||
| Units | Food | Type | |
| 10 grams | BCAA's | Protein | |
| Post Training Shake | |||
| # | Units | Food | Type |
| 25 grams | Protein Shake | Protein | |
| 30 grams | Carbs (berries or rice cakes) | Carbs | |
| Macro & Calorie Totals | |||
| % | |||
| 0.2895 | Protein | 142 | |
| 0.4077 | Carboydrate | 200 | |
| 0.3028 | Fat | 66 | |
| Calories | 1962 |
Meal Plan 2 – Off or HIIT Days
| Meal One | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Units | Food | Type | |
| 25g Pea Protein | LF Protein | ||
| Fiber And Greens Shake | Veggies | ||
| Meal Two | |||
| Units | Food | Type | |
| 3 ounces | Bison | HF Protein | |
| 1 tbsp | Coconut Oil | Fats | |
| 2 cups | Spinach | Veggies | |
| 1 handful | Macademia Nuts | ||
| Meal Three | |||
| Units | Food | Type | |
| 3 ounces | Chicken | LF Protein | |
| 2 tbsp | Coconut Oil | Fats | |
| 1 cup | Oats | Carbs | |
| 2 cups | Kale | Veggies | |
| Meal Four | |||
| Units | Food | Type | |
| 3 ounces | Lamb | HF Protein | |
| 2 tbsp | Olive Oil | Fats | |
| 1 cup | Rice | Carbs | |
| 2 cups | Swiss Chard | Veggies | |
| Meal Five | |||
| Units | Food | Type | |
| 3 ounces | Turkey Breast | LF Protein | |
| 1 tbsp | Almond Butter | Fats | |
| 1 cup | Lentils | Starch | |
| 1 whole | Bell Pepper | Veggies | |
| Post HIIT Shake | |||
| Units | Food | Type | |
| 25 grams | Goat Whey | Protein | |
| 10 grams | Glutamine | Extra | |
| Macro & Calorie Totals | |||
| % | |||
| 0.3041 | Protein | 135 | |
| 0.2703 | Carboydrate | 120 | |
| 0.4257 | Fat | 84 | |
| Calories | 1776 |
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THE SUPPLEMENTS
Where I shop for my supplements:
BioTurst:
BCAA
Protein
Fish oil
Probiotic
BioOptimizers
MAIN BIOPTIMIZERS ECOMMERCE STORE
PRIMERGEN Liquid Vitamins and Liquid Minerals
Athletic Greens:
Why do you have 4 meals. And shakes before and after. How many calories is that
Confused with our questions. If you read the post, I was having shakes just after the babies because I was too pressed for time. Now, I prefer 4 whole food meals.
If I multiply my weight by 14 that’s a whopping 2, 324 calories!! Even with high intensity workouts daily that will cause weight GAIN. Please explain what you mean by this number? I have lost a lot of weight over the past 4 months due to working out daily and restricting calories to the 1200-1500 range, and still have 26 pounds to go…so I know this figure can’t possibly work.
Thanks
Hi Ingrid,
That actually is the correct calorie amount you should be at for optimal metabolic function. As long as you are keeping your nutrients coming from really healthy foods, you can eat that much and lose weight. Since you aren’t used to eating that much you can work to increase your calories weekly (by about 250 each week) , while maintaining eating very healthy foods.
All the best,
Anna, CPT, FF Specialist
Anna is correct. If you are losing weight and are happy eating the calories you are eating, keep going. The real problem comes when you are eating too little calories and it negatively affects your hormones. If you find your weight loss at a standstill, it often means too little or too many calories. If you are already low, what you will have to do is add the right foods to boost your metabolism again.
I really think many people get caught up in eating too little calories and get stuck. You can ALWAYS decrease calories as the weeks go by to aid in weight loss. It’s better to start high and then subtract causing a safe and effective weight loss instead of messing with hormones.
Yes i am Really confused on calories= weight x 14??? what?? Also you say too cut out soy yet biotrust has soy in their protein powders I know because thats only protein i use also how do i do these workouts with out a gym?? What can i use in place of the machines and how do i read this chart? I jave been watching your last workouts etc but confused to how to follow it and want to het back in shape So badly Flavia? Please help! Thanks so much
Hi Jen,
You can switch exercises as you like. If there is an exercise you aren’t able to do, have a look in Flavia’s exercise library and try to mimic the same movement as much as possible to work the same muscle. If you need help with a specific exercise let me know 🙂
You simply click the next arrow to see the workout for the next day. The A1, 2, 3 then B1 etc. is specifying which superset you should do. Perform all of the A exercises before moving onto the B exercises. Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
All the best,
Anna, CPT, FF Specialist
Increasing your calories will actually help aid in muscle gain and give your body the fuel it needs to do a workout like this. The key is to watch your macros to make sure the food you eat is coming from the right source. Maybe you’d gain weight if all those calories where just carbs or fat but having the right balance will actually benefit the body.
Alisha
How do we find out the correct macros for us? I tried before a d honestly I can never figure it out. I hardly eat as is? i found out about this approach with intermittent fasting how would we do this? Thanks and hope flavia will get back to my questions above. Thanks all
The right macros? This is why I say NO CALORIE COUNTING because it’s so confusing for people. If you eat the right foods, you won’t have to count calories or try to figure out your macros. Do you have Flavilicious Cooking? You can just eat those foods and you’ll be set.
Too many people major in the minors and don’t look at nutrition properly. I’m saying this to everyone who reads this BTW — not coming down hard on you — it’s a fair question and I am really happy you asked 🙂
IF you just eat protein with every meal, eat 4-5 meals a day and have carbs and fats from the right sources, you won’t have to worry about your nutrition.
KEEP A FOOD JOURNAL and measure everything, write down everything. Each week look back and adjust one factor to see if the following week helps you towards your goals or does the opposite. Then keep adjusting from there.
The easiest thing to manipulate is carbs. By decreasing carbs (SLOWLY), you will see your weight drop. The trick is to keep enough carbs to fuel your workouts and little enough to help you lose weight. Safe amounts to start with are two cups of carbs a day. See if you are losing weight, if you are – around 2 pounds a week – then keep it at that. If you are losing more than 2 pounds a week, add more carbs in 1/2 cup per day.
If you aren’t losing weight, cup that by 1/2 cup OR add some HIIT which is best.
If you are adding weight and that isn’t your intention, cut it to 1/2 cup and add HIIT.
If you aren’t eating enough and you already do a lot of cardio, where do you go from there?
My way is to start with a lot of calories, push myself hard and when weight loss stalls, simply either add in cardio or decrease carbs a bit. Once that doesn’t work anymore, do it again; either cut down on carbs (not too much) or add HIIT. Once it stalls again, manipulate AGAIN! Eventually you will reach your goal and know your maintenance from there — if you are still losing weight, add in a small amount of carbs or decrease cardio FIND YOUR BALANCE — that’s what the food journal is ALL ABOUT.
The other concern is people with Hashimoto’s should not consume excess amounts of iodine if it is in their medicine already. Spirulina has iodine and there is additional iodine in that greens and fiber. What replacements can be made for the shakes if doing real food..? ie; would 1 cup green beans and a protein source suffice in place of the shake…. give some ideas please. Also, the calculation for the x 13 or 14 is that the desired weight or current? finally can the HIIT be done after the workouts as well if it is harder for one to lose weight?
Thanks for the program looking forward to trying it.
Hi Tara,
If you prefer not to have the shake, yes that’s fine to swap out any vegetable of your choice. You should multiply your current weight by 14 to get your calorie intake. Yes, you can do your HIIT sessions whenever works best for you.
All the best,
Anna, CPT, FF Specialist
Protein can come from ANY source. I prefer whole foods as opposed to shakes. Vegetables can come from any source as well. Look at the serving of protein in the shake. A safe bet is 3-5oz of protein per meal.
Jen,
Flava has already put what percent macros to follow.
0.3041 protein
0.2703 carbs
0.4257 fat
So if I weighed 150 and mutually that by 14 = 2100cal
Now take 2100 x it by my protein 0.3041 = 638.61 cal from protein. each meal would need 128 calories from protein for 5 meals a day. Now you can finish by doing the same thing to all of them.
Thank you Alisha! 🙂
All the best,
Anna, CPT, FF Specialist
Hi everyone,
I am totally confused on how you measure and figure out what macros we need….how do I do this, please? It sounds really difficult, but I’m willing to learn.
Hi LeAnne,
your main focus shouldn’t be on calorie counting. Focus on eating clean, nutritious food, giving it your all during your workouts, and you should see great results. Let us know if you have a specific question though and we will help you out 🙂
All the best,
Anna, CPT, FF Specialist
Hi Flavia, Just curious about some of the shoulder exercises. Where can I find a video or explanation for the following:
B2 Teres Minor High Cable Cross (take a step forward so cables come above head)
D1 HIIT – Prowler Heavy
Thanks
Hi Jodi,
You can search on youtube or google images. For B2 – stand in the middle of a cable apparatus, grasping the left cable with your right hand and right cable with your left hand (hold the little ball where the hook is, no attachments are needed for this) then pull the cables apart, away from your face, working your rear delts. D1 – the prowler is a piece of equipment at the gym, like sled that you push. If you don’t have anything to do that with you can run on an incline treadmill or get in the bike.
All the best,
Anna, CPT, FF Specialist
Hi Anna,
So what’s the difference between B1and B2? They sound so similar. And when I tried looking up the exercise, it literally just showed the same thing.
Thank you 🙂
Fran
B1 you are working the rear delts so take a good step back. B2 you take a big step forward so your arms extend right above the head.
Thanks for these workouts Flavia!! I love working out using Tempo, my body has been so sore, in that good way 🙂 DOM’s!! And thanks for your meal plans, all the info has been great!
I can’t wait to see new videos!
Tanya
I have been following the macros on the meal plan and hasve steadily been losing weight. I may not hit the macros everyday (working on increasing protein and carbs) it gives me something to strive for. iIt gives me structure which is something that I had gotten away from.
Hi Flavia,
I’m a vegetarian-pescatarian. How may I get the same amount of protein as what you recommend on your menu, but without eating meat and/or chicken? I do eat fish, so not a full blown vegetarian 🙂
Also, what is a HIIT? And, where can I see pictures and/or videos of the exercises you list here?
Is there a help cheat sheet that explains what all the D2, D1, etc are and what we need to be prepared for, when you list this?
And, you said to exercise 5 days a week, but I’m only seeing exercises for 4 days a week? Maybe I’m missing something?
Thanks, Flavia!
Hi LeAnne,
This article may help you out some with more protein options but eating fish 1 – 2 times a day to help you reach your protein goals would be great. https://flaviliciousfitness.com/2012/10/07/vegetarian-diets-for-women/
Check this out to learn about HIIT – https://flaviliciousfitness.com/2012/05/30/female-fitness-cardio-tips/
Flavia will be coming out with a video soon explaining all of the exercises but for now you can look them up on google images.
There are 5 workouts, just keep clicking the next button and you should see them all.
All the best,
Anna, CPT, FF Specialist
Anna! Thank you so much for answering all my questions. I think I got it….though I’m sure I’ll have more questions! 🙂 I’m excited about my workout tomorrow!
I have a question about the calories to eat. You say body weight X 14. But should I use the weight I am or the weight I want to be. I’m 140 and want to be 125. So should I use the 125 X 14 or the 140 X 14. I would think where I want to be rather than where I’m starting
Hi Debbie,
You multiply by your weight now. You want to start at a higher caloric level because that way, if you hit a plateau you can slightly lower your caloric level and keep seeing results without putting your body into starvation mode. You want to nourish your body with enough, quality food so that you keep a high metabolism.
All the best,
Anna, CPT, FF Specialist
When will Week 4 be posted?
Is it ok to do the routine from Monday to Friday and rest sat and Sunday? Or is it advisable to rest on Thursday?
Hi Jessica,
As long as you are getting the workouts done is the main thing, whatever fits your schedule best 🙂
All the best,
Anna, CPT, FF Specialist
I have only received two wk outs, have you added anymore wks ?
Yup, just check back on the blog. You will see the previous weeks from there.
Hi, I love Flavia and I know people are busy, what should we do when we are done with week 3 out of 8 of the transformation?
Hi Jessica,
You can alternate between weeks 2 and 3 until more workouts are posted. Flavia and her son have been sick and she still has to edit the next weeks of workouts. Thank you for understanding,
All the best,
Anna, CPT, FF Specialist
Thank you! Hope they get better!
Hi! I’m trying to figure out how I join in on the workout videos and meal plan.. I’ve been searching and watching you tube videos but I want to be a part of what is going on here.. Thanks in advance!
Hi Holly,
This isn’t an official challenge so you can just start on week one of the workouts and meal plan then continue on to weeks 2 and 3. This is the exact workout Flavia used. As long as you stick to it as she has outlined you should start to see great results 🙂 Let us know if you have any specific questions.
All the best,
Anna, CPT, FF Specialist
Hey Holly
Do you mean the forums? The forums are for members only and you can become a member by purchasing any workout program or Flavilicious Cooking.
Anything here on the blog you can use.
I also have a newsletter that is sent out every week, sometimes more often then once that tells you about everything going on at Flavilicious fitness. All you have to do is give me your email and you will be added and also sent some awesome recipes & workouts for joining. Simply add your email address in the pink box at the bottom of the blog post.
Hi,
Flavia only incorporates hiit once a week, I used to do it 4 times a week, should I worry I’m not doing as much cardio? Or just do as she says and relax.
Thank you