February 3 thru 7– Days 29 thru 33
The End of Alpha
My fifth week marks the end of the Alpha Phase of Focus T25. Yay!!! I did it!!!! It was the foundational part of the program and really pushed me, especially that Total Body Circuit DVD (whaaaht)! I had to do that DVD three times this week and it kicked my booty every time. I had to really grind through it. I still have the weigh in tomorrow and the stretch on Sunday, which I actually like a lot now, but the ‘heavy lifting’ for the week is over. That’s amazing, right?! So now I have to figure out how I celebrate this achievement.
If Not a Cheat Day, Then How About a Cheat Meal – The Leptin Discussion
I have been reading about the hormone Leptin. It is said that having a cheat meal once a week will actually contribute to weight loss. I see so many red flags with any kind of cheating, so I have stayed away from it all together. Now, I’m going to give it a shot since I am in between program phases. This is a learning exercise in how to put the fork down and back away. LOL
There are so many different opinions about Leptin and also how best to eat (a mostly carb meal, creating calorie deficits pre and post cheat meal day). It can get pretty confusing, so if anyone has a really good site that explains the impact of a cheat meal on Leptin levels and the benefits and risks, please let me know.
So, I was watching The Chew one day and I saw a woman named Karissa Cooney make this Spicy Chicken and Slaw sandwich. It was already the new year and my indulgences were over, but I knew that one day I would get to know this sandwich intimately.
Karissa Cooney’s Spicy Chicken and Slaw Sandwhich
That day has arrived. I’m going to have this sandwich as my cheat meal. Check it out. I had originally thought to use it as a reward meal, but I am trying to get to the point where I no longer associate food with a reward or celebration. I know that is going to be hard, but my mind is getting familiar with the concept, but sometimes I think well, if you’re having a cheat meal and enjoying it, doesn’t that equal reward? It could be semantics or my approach but I am trying to look at it all differently.
So, I am going to make this sandwich on Saturday, even if it takes me all day and just enjoy it while I watch the Beta Phase videos to get my mind ready for the next intense five weeks!
My Reward for Completing Alpha
So, I have decided that my reward for completing Alpha Phase is to buy a fitness tee-shirt from funfitchic.com, a blog I follow on fitness. I’ll let you know what I settle on.
Weigh in is tomorrow and I will be serving up a five-week summary to see how the culmination of my results look on paper. I’m looking forward to it because regardless of anything, I have made progress! Yes!!!
Lyrical Sphere 