4HB updates

Latest update:
I found my Levis that I wore pre-wedding and tried them on. They are baggy! OMG! I'm flabbergasted and motivated even more to press on!

I've also learnt what I can do on days I feel flabbier, say after a big binge (although these are less likely now that I've gone easy on myself and allow myself a treat almost every other day haha!).

What's constant: exercise.
My short and super intense 10 to 15 min workouts, 5 times a week (mondays to fridays) plus one 4 min super duper intense workout once a week (i.e. Tabata) on Saturdays. Oh, rest is important too, so Sundays are active rest days. I might go for a leisurely walk but no high intense anything haha!

What changes according to needs: diet.

Maintenance mode: (still experimenting the limits)
- tried adding carbs once a day (sometimes twice), mostly at breakfast time after the workout. No weight gain or increase in size.
- carbs are mostly high octane carbs like fruit, whole grains in the form of granola or muesli
- I've always been a little averse to rice so have not tried adding it, except for Saturdays where my free meals might include fried rice or some bread or muffin.
- absolutely no snacking after dinner. I find this really helps in maintaining a flat tummy, but I do indulge sometimes.. Haha!

Shrink/ tone mode:
- strict lean protein and veggies diet for at least 2 days straight. The flab falls right off.
- no fruits or any carbs, except for those present in the veggies.
- definitely no snacking after dinner.

I haven't been on the shrink / tone mode for some time. So far maintenance mode keeps me happy and satiated. Of course, I'm lazy to plan more carbs so I only add say a banana or 1/4 cup of muesli to breakfast when I feel a little fatigued and think I need the carb boost.

On Saturdays, I know we're always out for breakfasts so I'm not too hard on myself if I have white / sour dough bread toast with butter and jam and maybe a cupcake. This is on top of my usual eggs and sausages (I still love my proteins:) ). I've also been treating myself to an entire box of durian each Saturday afternoon for the past 2 weeks and am getting a bit tired of it. However, I do realize I really miss my fruits and muesli and so snack on them on Saturdays as a treat. They also give me an extra fibre boost! I seem to be craving dates this week, maybe will eat them on Saturday in place of my durian treat... We'll see.

I'm at day 46 of the 4 Hour Body / nutrition cycling lifestyle now. It's sure been an adventure but I've learnt so much about my body, my psychology and how to keep an even balance of both. I think each individual body responds to nutrition and exercise differently and it's important to find out what's best for our own bodies. The goals remain the same. To cut fat, maintain and gain lean muscle in order to burn even more fat and to increase our metabolism. To increase our energy levels so we feel better and not sluggish.