Phase 3 - Sealin the Deal

Phase 3 is really here and I'm PSYCHED!!! I have had 9 (8 weeks + a redo) of intense workouts, mental and physical challenges...significant highs and lows and it has all led up to this....PHASE 3! Phase 3 really focuses on demanding more from my body and therefore more mental intensity in order to incorporate everything have learned from this program thus far.  Maximizing my weight lifting, intensifying my cardio training and combining the two throughout an entire workout rather than breaking them into segments of my daily regimen.  Phase 1 was all weights, shocking my muscles and helping me to adapt to strength building without cardio.  Phase 2 continued with weights but added moderate cardio post weight workouts to help begin the shredding.  Phase 3 incorporates more weight training, heavier weights, more reps and includes HIIT cardio training and active rests.  Active rests being a cardio activity in between each weight set and HIIT cardio stands for (High Intensity Interval Training).  HIIT training is no joke!!!! Performing a single/high impact cardio exercise for short periods of time with limited rest.  I have been using 'sprints' as my HIIT training and it is intense! I sprint at 9-10mph for 30 seconds and rest for 30 seconds.  You can imagine that the rest 30 seconds is much shorter than the sprint 30 seconds..;)   It is another way to shock my body and hopefully force fat loss.  The regimen calls for 30 minutes of HIIT training but I am building up to that amount of time.  I have done 23 minutes and will continue to push myself to hit that 30 minute mark.  But believe me...its difficult...I dare you to try :) 

I can tell that I am getting stronger and I appreciate that element of this program becasue, as I have said before, I have been strictly a cardio girl and unable to trigger physical changes in my body for a long time.  My high expectations have sought greater results....but I am happy with how far I have come.  Thinking that I have completed 9 weeks of this program really makes me proud.  I KNOW FOR A FACT, if I hadn't had this blog to hold me accountable, I would have given up long ago.  Not because I couldnt do it, but because I am not a patient person and this program requires you to allow for a body evolution over time....rather than a quick fix.  This type of training has now become the norm for me and is a regimen I will continue to follow long after this challenge is over. 

My eating practices still suck and I know that is something I will continue to work on for a long time.....or at least I know it is something Karrin will continue to harass me about for a long time ;)

Couple new pics from this week that show how my body has begun to reflect the hard work I have put into this....