This week’s breakfast: chocolate chocolate chip muffins (~235 cals). Lunch: Thai peanut chicken, edamame, veg, and rice (~410 cals). Dinner: macaroni and cheese, bbq chicken thighs, and green beans (~760 calories). I’m still on my weight loss journey and eating around a 2100 calorie budget, so this is the bulk of my food for the day but not all of it. I’ll make a new dinner midweek.
This week’s menu includes: Moroccan-inspired spiced chicken with chickpeas, carrots, golden raisins, couscous, and roasted summer squash, with a side of fresh parsley garlic yogurt sauce for lunches; Korean bbq ground beef bowls with rice, edamame, and a side of cucumber and kimchi for dinners; and healthy jumbo muffins with raspberries and peaches for breakfasts. One of each dish throughout a day will come to roughly 1400 calories, 95g protein, and 26g fiber, all from whole food sources. I’ll supplement these meals with my morning coffee and cream, post-workout cottage cheese and pineapple, and a nightly sweet treat (usually a serving of Jeni’s ice cream), and I’ll make a new dinner mid-week.
Charlie, 11yo border collie + Brittany cross
Charlie’s an 11yo border collie + Brittany cross, and this was the MST to Carter Falls trail in Elkin, NC
I’m 35F and morbidly obese, down 30 lbs over the last several months. I’m eating in a calorie deficit, tracking macros, and exercising. I joined a gym and started strength training a few weeks ago, but I barely know what I’m doing. I lift weights 4x per week. I do legs/glutes Tuesday and Friday, arms/chest/shoulders/back Wednesday and Saturday. I usually play pickleball 2x/week after the gym but on flexible days, so I do abs whichever days I’m not playing pickleball. I’ve been doing 3x10 sets/reps, with 30-60 second breaks between. Idk if that’s optimal! It takes a long time. On Mondays and Thursdays I hike, and on Sundays I do active rest with some kind of social activity like walking, disc golf, or swimming.
My ultimate fitness goals are based on interests over aesthetics. I want to get back to horseback riding, hike some 14ers, and be able to secure a kayak to the top of my Subaru without assistance. While I am ofc working on losing weight, that isn’t specifically my goal when weightlifting. I want to be strong enough to do the things I love, and I want to build muscle that’s going to support my joints and spine and improve my metabolism. I’ve read many different sources re: the “best” approach of reps/splits/weight/break length, but there’s so much conflicting information idk what’s actually best for me. Thanks in advance for any advice!
Charlie’s an 11yo bc + brittany cross and the best hiking buddy around.
The best girl in the world, 11yo bc x brittany cross