Building Muscle - My Diet and Exercise Plan

Sunday:
Breakfast - PB & banana on toast (2), milk
Lunch - 2 salmon cakes, broccoli, baked sweet potato fries
Snack - apple
Snack #2 - carrots and eggplant hummus
Dinner - 1 beef rib, small serving of shrimp gumbo, small serving of roasted potatoes
Dessert - waaayyyy too much cake
Workout - Boot Camp:

Combination 1 – Repeat x2
Power taps (1 minute)
Plank sliders (1 minute)
Box jumps with 2.5kg plate (1 minute)

Combination 2 – Repeat x2
Squat jumping jacks (1 minute)
Walking planks (1 minute)
Side shuffles and jump squats (1 minute)
Football drills (1 minute)

Combination 3 – Repeat x2
Standing front delt raises with 3kg dumbbells (1 minute)
Bent over rear delt raises with 3 kg dumbbells (1 minute)
Ninja rolls (1 minute)
Jumping jacks (1 minute)

Combination 4 – Repeat x2
One arm, one leg plank with 4lb dumbbell (1 minute)
Side plank with abduction (30 seconds each side)
Crunch with 3 heel taps (1 minute)
Scissor abs (1 minute)
 
I agree with you about your progress pics - definitely looking better in the newer photo. I wish we could get the message through to more women! Keep up the good work :)
 
Thanks Ryan!! :)

Monday:
Breakfast - PB and banana on toast (2), skim milk
Snack - coffee with milk; Greek yogurt and blueberries
Lunch - leftover salmon cakes with baked sweet potato fries and broccoli
Snack - almonds
Dinner - whole wheat pita with grilled chicken, vegetables and tzatziki
Snack - almond butter
I took my rest day on Monday instead of Thursday this week... it just worked out better with this week's schedule.

Tuesday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2), apple
Post-workout - banana and skim milk
Lunch - blackened Atlantic salmon on foccaccia with guacamole, garlic aioli and mango salsa; side salad
Snack - skim cafe misto from Starbucks
Dinner - mixed greens salad; chicken supreme stuffed with pancetta and cheese, garlic mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables
Dessert - lemon tart
Workout - NROL4W Workout A + RPM

Weights workout was okay except that someone removed the Olympic bar from the squat rack and replaced it with a lighter one. I was aiming to squat 70 lbs but don't think I did nearly that much. I later found the olympic bar in the bench press (it didn't occur to me to look there in the first place lol). Other than that, I also added another riser for my step ups. Goals for next workout = actually squat 70 lbs, increase barbell row to 50lbs (or at least attempt it), add another riser to step ups and increase dumbbell weights to 25lbs.

I also got in a nice RPM workout after my weights. My diet is a bit of a mess this week (I've had a lot of birthdays and special events to attend) so I've been stepping it up in the gym a bit to make up for it.
 
Wednesday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2)
Post-workout - protein shake
Lunch - egg whites, spinach and cheese in WW tortilla
Snack - non-fat cafe misto, fruit and nut bar
Dinner - Teriyaki chicken breast, lots of broccoli and a mix of chickpea salad and kamut power blend from Whole Foods hot bar.

Workout - boot camp:

Combo 1 (repeat x2)
Power taps on the bench (1 min)
Burpees (1 min)
Push ups (1 min)

Combo 2 (x2)
Stride jumps (1 minute)
One legged dead lifts with 3kg dumbbell shoulder press (30 seconds per leg)
One legged side to side hops in high plank (30 seconds per leg)

Combo 3 (x2)
Squats and lunges holding up 2kg dumbbells (2 minute)
Ticep kickbacks in high plank (30 seconds per arm)
Standing barbell shoulder press w/ 16 lb bar (1 minute)
Running on the spot and jumping jacks (1 minute)

Core (x2):
One leg/one arm plank with 2kg dumbbell (1 minute)
Side plank w/ twist (30 seconds per side)
 
Thursday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2)
Snack - small handful of almonds
Lunch - had to attend a luncheon for work where they served turkey scallopini dipped and fried in egg, roasted mini-potatoes and vegetables in tomato sauce; I had a glass of wine with lunch (tedious networking events require at least one glass of alcohol)
Dessert - chocolate cake, coffee with milk
Post-workout - cup of skim milk
Dinner - bean pasta with a bit of parmesan cheese
Snack - peanut butter with flaxseed
Workout - NROL4W Workout B + 20 minutes on the elliptical
I met all of my weights goals yesterday:
Deadlifts - 65 lbs - this was tough on my grip muscles but my legs/back were okay
Shoulder press - 20 lb dumbbells - I made it through most of the reps with good form, but by rep 8 I was a shaking hot mess; I'll try this weight again next week and see if I improve
Lat pulldown - 60 lbs - much better this time around
Lunges - 25 lb dumbbells - I might switch to the bar the week after next because I don't think the dumbbells at my gym go higher than 30lbs and even if they do I don't know that my hands can hold much more than that
Not much to say about the elliptical trainer, except that it was the most tedious twenty minutes of my day... I hate cardio machines.
 
Friday:
Breakfast - almond butter and flaxseed on toast (2)
Post-run - cup of skim milk
Snack - skim cafe misto, almonds
Lunch - grilled tilapia and salad
Dessert - 1/2 danish
Dinner - edamame and a spicy salmon roll
Snack - tbsp almond butter
Workout - 5km run
 
A good diet for your muscles is a healthy one.Remember that good food brings you health and best results in building your biceps and any other muscle groups.Without a proper feeding the process of muscle building would just not be the same and it’s almost impossible to get muscles if you’re not eating right.
I have lots of info on muscles and feeding you can check it out on
 
Saturday:
Breakfast - peanut butter, banana and flaxseed on toast (2), apple
Post-workout - protein shake
Lunch - egg whites, spinach and cheese in a whole wheat tortilla; Vita top
Snack - beef jerkey, small serving of cashews
Dinner - slice of vegetarian pizza, 3 puff pastry appetizers, pasta with meat sauce, salad
Dessert - slice of chocolate cake
Workout - Body Pump

Body Pump was much better than last Saturday but I am still having a tough time with the chest track for some reason. I increased my weights for the squat track (20kg) and part of the biceps track (7kg). Both were hard but in a good way.

Luckily, my week of a million birthday parties and banquets is almost over (I have to go to a bridal shower this afternoon). After today, I don't want to even look at a piece of cake for at least two weeks...
 
Sunday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2), apple
Post-workout - 1/2 banana, skim milk
Lunch - salmon cakes, sweet potatoes and broccoli
Dinner - mango salad, chicken, beef and vegetable stir fry
Snack - Vita muffin with almond butter
Workout - 60 minute step class
 
Monday:
Breakfast - PB and banana on toast (2), skim milk
Snack - Greek yogurt and blueberries
Lunch - leftover salmon cakes, sweet potatoes and broccoli
Snack - carrots and eggplant hummus
Dinner - grilled chicken, vegetables and tzatziki in a whole wheat pita
Post workout - protein shake
Workout - NROL4W Stage 1 Workout A
Squats - 3x8x75lbs
Push ups - 3x8
Bent-over row - 3x8x50lbs
Step ups - 3x8x25lb dumbbells
Stability ball jack knife - 3x15
 
Tuesday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2), apple
Snack - Greek yogurt and blueberries, a few walnut halves, coffee with milk
Lunch - chicken, small Caesar salad and a small serving of soba noodles
Dessert (co-worker's bridal shower... so much for no more cake) - strawberry short cake
Snack - carrots and spinach dip
Dinner - spaghetti squash with roasted grape tomato, navy beans and cheese
Post-workout - Vita muffin
Workout - 50 minutes RPM
 
Wednesday:
Breakfast - peanut butter and banana on toast (2), skim milk
Snack - Greek yogurt and blueberries, coffee with milk
Lunch - leftover spaghetti squash and beans
Snack - almonds
Dinner - buffalo chicken panini on whole wheat from Mr. Sub
Snack - vita muffin
Rest day

Today:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2), apple
Snack - almonds, coffee with milk
Lunch - 2 salmon cakes, broccoli and sweet potatoes
Snack - carrots and hummus
Dinner - chicken, cheese and broccoli casserole with brown rice
Post workout - protein shake
Workout - NROL4W Stage 1, Workout B
Deadlifts - 3 x 8 x 70lbs
Dumbbell shoulder press - 3 x 8 x 20 lbs (still very challenging at this weight)
Lat pull down - 3x8x60lbs
Lunges - 3x8x45lbs (used the bar instead of dumbbells and liked it much, much better)
Stability ball crunches - 3x15

One week left until I start stage 2... the first exercise is a front squat/push press so I decided to try it out tonight since the weight room was pretty much empty (I felt more comfortable testing it out then there was nobody around to see me potentially bomb lol). It's a tough move but I was able to do it. Yay!
 
Friday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2)
Post-workout - flax plus cereal with skim milk
Snack - almonds
Lunch - amy's organic frozen burrito
Snack - beef jerkey
Dinner - roll with a bit of butter, grilled blue marlin, rice, broccoli and corn
After dinner, went to a wine tasting thing and drank probably about 2 glasses of wine in samples
Workout - 5km run
 
I hope you've been doing some wrist and calf stretches for the front squats. Remember that because the bar is across the front of the shoulders rather than the back, and because the bar should always be over the midline of the foot, you'll also be very upright in the front squat, you won't be focusing on sitting back so much, and your knees will have to come forward a lot more, inevitably requiring more calf flexibility than a back squat.
 
Goldfish said:
I hope you've been doing some wrist and calf stretches for the front squats. Remember that because the bar is across the front of the shoulders rather than the back, and because the bar should always be over the midline of the foot, you'll also be very upright in the front squat, you won't be focusing on sitting back so much, and your knees will have to come forward a lot more, inevitably requiring more calf flexibility than a back squat.
Click to expand...

I haven't, at least not outside of my regular post-workout stretches, so thanks for pointing that out... I still have two weeks until I start stage 2 (one more week of stage 1 and then an off week, which the book recommends) so I'll start focusing on that more... maybe throw a few yoga moves into the mix.

Saturday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2)
Snack - coffee with milk, beef jerkey
Lunch - egg white, spinach and cheese in a whole wheat tortilla with salsa
Snack - apple
Dinner - cold vegetable roll, basil stir fry with eggplant and shrimp, ~1/2 cup rice
Workout - Body Pump... same weights as last week.
 
Sunday:
Breakfast - PB and banana on toast (2), skim milk
Lunch - pasta with meat sauce, salad with oil and vinegar
Snack - Vita muffin
Dinner - egg white, spinach and cheese wrap w/ salsa
Snack - strawberries
Workout - Boot Camp
Combo #1:
Jump squats on the bench (1 min)
Walk out with a push up (1 min)
Jumping jacks (1 min)
Repeat x3
----
Combo #2:
Squat to jacks (1 min)
Plie squat with overhead press (1 min)
Plank sliders (1 min)
Repeat x3
-----
Combo #3:
Quick step ups (1 min)
Hip thrusts (1 min)
Jumps over the bench (1 min)
Repeat x3
-----
Combo #4:
5 squat jumps, 5 burpees
4 squat jumps, 4 burpees
...continue for 3,2,1
Repeat x2
Elevated push ups (1 min)
 
Monday:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast (2), apple
Post-workout - Greek yogurt and blueberries
Lunch - egg white, spinach and cheese wrap
Snack - Vita muffin
Dinner - chicken with carrots and orzo
Snack - strawberries
Workout - RPM + Yoga (was planning to do Workout 1A but my legs were way too sore... I was in a rush after boot camp on Sunday and didn't have enough to time to properly stretch or refuel after the gym... definitely paid for that one yesterday but am feeling a bit better today)
 
Tuesday:
Breakfast - peanut butter and banana on toast
Snack - Greek yogurt and blueberries, coffee w/ milk
Lunch - leftover chicken and orzo
Snack - walnuts
Dinner - beef and lentil stew
Snack - Vita muffin
Workout - NROL4W 1A + 20 min. elliptical trainer
Squats -- 3 x 8 x 80 lbs
Push ups -- 3 x 8
Rows -- 3 x 8 x 50 lbs
Step ups - 3 x 8 -- It's come to my attention that I haven't been doing these properly (i.e. putting ALL of my weight in my working leg) and that I should focus on improving this and adding height before adding weight. This exercise is also in Stage 2, so I'll start adding weight again in stage 2.
Stability ball jack-knife - 3 x 8
 
Goldfish said:
You're starting to put up some decent weight on the squats. Good to see :) Keep working on getting the step ups right.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'm pretty happy with my squat weight progress but I've looked ahead in the NROL4W program and there aren't any more squats in any of the other stages. I want to keep building up my squat weight so I'm thinking I might sub them in for another exercise every other workout... not sure if this is a good idea or if I should stick to the program as written, but I figure as long as I make it more challenging each time by adding more weight, it should be okay.

Yesterday's food/exercise:
Breakfast - almond butter on toast, apple
Post-workout - protein shake
Lunch - egg white, spinach and cheese wrap
Snack - Vita muffin
Dinner - peanut shrimp with egg noodles, bok choy and carrots
Snack - Greek yogurt and blueberries
Workout - Boot Camp

Jump rope (1 minute)

Combo 1 - repeat x3
Burpee w/ shoulder press (1 min)
Tire runs (1 min)
Mountain runners (1 min)

Jump rope (1 min)

Combo 2: repeat x3
Forward elevated and reverse lunges w/ overhead press (10 per exercise per leg)
Jump squats on the bench (1 minute)
Chest and tricep push ups (8 of each)

Jump rope (1 min)

Combo 3: repeat x3
Walking plank (1 min)
Jumping jacks (1 min)
Power squats (1 min)

Jump rope (1 min)

Core:
Bird dog (30 seconds each leg/arm)
Side plank (30 seconds each side)
 
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