Cara's 4 Week Mini Challenge: Abs

Alright, kids, I have exactly four weeks until I am getting my new head shots and some full body shots for my portfolio, which means THIS IS THE HOMO HOME STRETCH before I can go back to burying myself in Breyer's chocolate icecream and a six-pack of Angry Orchard cider on my Wednesday nights. Just kidding. Sort of.   I did find, that this past Sunday (which I had designated "cheat" day) I got really sick after eating a lot of crap.What? You mean my stomach had adjusted to only digesting certain foods and that stuffing it with with gluten and processed chocolate and bread was a tiny bit overwhelming?  Shocking, I know.  No, but really, after October 17th, my diet will be less strict and it will just be about maintaining the shape I'm in, no more focus on fat burning.

But that's four weeks away, so let's focus on the here-and-now, THE CHALLENGE:

Goals! I'm setting four goals, like the last challenge, and this time around I will come up with a way more specific plan of action for each one.

#1 & 2 Six Pack Abs (Two Part Goal)

So, I was actually inspired to do the original 6WC by Joel Runyon's mission to get six-pack abs. This challenge, I am openly embracing that as my goal; I am committing fully. I want a six pack.  This means recommitting to no sugar; no dairy, no artificial crap, no alcohol; solomente meat, veggies, and eggs for the next four weeks.  I'm already half way there, I just need to buckle down for the remainder of the challenge.  This might get difficult to stick to on filming days because I don't know what food I will have on set, so I will have to really be good about preparing meals ahead of time and bringing snacks. I will be allowing myself -minimal- "cheats;" such as super-rich dark chocolate and salted almonds; but only in small amounts, obviously.

I am going to break this into two sections; and I will reward myself based on the completion of each section; because while I cannot control how my body reacts to the diet and exercise, I can control my work outs and what I eat, so I will be rewarded myself based on the completion of the regimen, and not based on actually getting a six pack. Make sense? Good.

PART ONE: 

-Six Workouts Per Week:

     Okay, so this is how I started the last challenge, but I wasn't quite up for it, but I feel ready now.

      The Structure will be:

•      Circuit A
•      Circuit B
•      Light Workout (short run, a few sets of push ups, a few planks/supermans, some combo of those)
•      Rest Day
•      Circuit A
•      Circuit B
•      Light Workout

PART TWO:

-Track Meals/Strict Paleo

• I food-logged a little last challenge but really did not stick to it.  Doing that this time; writing down    everything I eat.  Tedious, but it will help me stay on track.
• Continue my basic meal structure; eating during 8 hour windows
• No alcohol at all
• No more Starbucks/Dunkin flavored coffees.  This is like not working out; it's not an option.
• Preparation.  Make sure at the start of each week (Wednesday) I do comprehensive brainstorming about what I'm going to eat that week (find new recipes; switch it up a bit).

#3 Do 1 Pull Up

This was one of my goals from the 6WC that I didn't accomplish, but but but GUESS WHAT, my pull up bar came today! So now, I will be able to more actively work on that pull up and not just talk about it.

How:

• Negative pull ups, assisted pull ups, MOAR PUSH UPS, Dumbbell Rows
• Continue to track workouts; make sure I am always adding one rep/one set; always doing quantitatively more each workout.

#4 (Life Goal) -Write 25 mins EVERY DAY

I had a cool idea for a novel earlier this summer and I completely abandoned the project.  I also started writing music, but then dropped it; this was all a result of self-doubt and fear.  I'm going to work on getting this projects off the ground by writing for 25 mins every day, no matter what.  Already did that today, so we're off to a good start!

• Wake up earlier or, when I get home from work, write before logging into anything online (Facebook, etc).

Okay, those are the goals. Haven't come up with rewards yet, but I will probably do that later today.  Right now, it's beautiful outside and I need to go work out!

Abs away!