Okay my initial assessment
Good job! That's not an easy regimen to keep up for an entire year. Here are your answers Ill go over them with you in bold.
I drink 3 cups of green tea a day (good)
I drink maybe 40 ounces of water a day (that's about 5 cups, here are some techniques to get one more cup in...when exercising you want to have 8oz. about 20 minutes before your workout, 4 (large sip) every 20 minutes during your workout, and 8 ounces within 1 hour after your workout. During the day I would suggest 8 ounces after every bowel movement to replenish the water that you've lost ( it takes water to adequately move that stuff). Finally a glass of warm water before each meal. *Ever wonder why some Chinese restaurants serve tea before the meal? My research showed me that it is to warm up the digestive system and get it ready for "work" If you can implement that, then you will be up to 48-56 oz of water without noticing it
I take a women’s multi vitamin from the vitamin world (Good job, my favorite brand is "Alive" it's got some things most multi-vitamins don't have like essential fatty acids and digestive enzymes. If you have the opportunity,give it a shot
I don’t have a fancy brand of protein I get it from walmart. I think it’s called Six star whey protein in Chocolate. I just started drinking it in the morning right after my workout with water and a banana.Again, nothing bad to say about that, if you ever find yourself at a Vitamine Shoppe, I would say try out ISOPURE. It is quickly digested into the body and has no fat, you want to avoid fat as much as possible right after your workout because fat slows digestion.
Now I would also recommend that you pick up a branch chain amino acid supplement that includes glutamine. Why? Because glutamine aids in protein synthesis so essentially the protein gets to your muscles even quicker. The branch chain amino acids, (or BCAA's for short) aid in the reversal of the catabolic process that causes you to lose muscle. Google glutamine and branch chain amino acids for more info.
The last supplement I would recommend is L-Carnatine which is a lipid mobilizer. Essentially it can cause the body to use fat for energy. So on days that you are just doing cardio, take a serving of L-Carnatine with your water. DO NOT overdo it, too often, people get the idea that if I just take more of all this stuff, I'll get quicker results. No you won't. I'll explain why if you really want me to.
Before you buy anything 1) consult your physician as this advice is not intended to replace his or her advice 2) touch base again with me so we know we're on the same page.
I am a horribly picky eater. The only veggies I like are corn, string beans, peas, cooked peppers, cooked celery, and cooked carrots and stewed tomatoes. One word, broccoli. Go to nutritiondata.com and type that in and you will see the nutritional benefits of it. Honestly, my goal is to get you to eat as much of it as possible, as cleanly as possible, ( sauteed over canola oil won't get the job done) Reply back to me with your feelings on broccoli and spinach. The rest of the stuff isn't bad, but the aforementioned veggies are SO much better.
I get maybe 6.5 hours of sleep during the week and 9 on the weekends. (cool)
I don’t have a thyroid problem. (cool)
I think my stress levels are pretty normal, they use to be high but now I’m ok (cool)
Yes I have very bad joints. I take glucosamine for them (knees?)
Yes I only workout at home. i have free weights that weight from 3lbs all the way to 35lbs a bench, a ball, a bike and a treadmill. (perfect, you have everything you need)
I’ve been doing it for a while now almost a year. (congrats)
I don’t like using salt but if I do I use sea salt.(excellent)
I love sugar so I keep it out of the house. I also never bring money to work so I can’t use the vending machines. Once in a while I will treat myself to ice cream. ( okay, I'll tread this carefully :cheeky: how often do you treat yourself and at what time of the day?)
I only drink tea with stevia or a teaspoon of pure honey and water all day. (okay)
Workouts
The first thing I would suggest is supplementing the bike with the treadmill at least 3 times a week. Not only will it add some variety to your workouts, but it will also force you to use your legs and arms more. You don't have to run, your focus to to elevate your heart rate. So even if you're walking at a moderately brisk pace you can raise the incline to increase the workload.
20-25 minutes of strength training will be about all you need anyway so your time commitments are good. However, the body is very adaptable so my assumption is that the reason you haven't seen drastic change recently is that your body has become used to your routine.
I go by time...have you gone to my youtube page? If so, try the starter workout for your day one workout; the back workout for your day 2 workout; and the chest workout for your day three workout. Keep me posted on how you do with each of them. There's still alot to go over with in terms of theory and routine but lets keep it at that for now. Touch base with me after your first work out. You get there by going to youtube search : epersonaltrainer
If during the starter workout your knees bother you, skip it, do the back workout and touch base with me two days after you are done. It will give us some time to see if your DOMS( delayed onset muscle soreness) sets in.
Okay Jenn, sorry for any run ons or typos, I started typing at 7:30 on a saturday morning. Enjoy your weekend and your valentines day!
