I really like this series!! I found this great article last week on CalorieCount that breaks down each component of the basics for nutrition & exercise. http://caloriecount.about.com/article/partner/exercise_plan
Have a look see – its an interesting read fasho! What I really like is that it tells you what to do each day of the week – so its an easy program to follow in that it spells everything out! **it works for me b/c im the type who's like - just tell me what to do & I'll do it**
If you didnt have a chance to check out last weeks note, thats OK. Here's a note for Week 4.
If you did have a chance to check out the W3 note & are moving on to W4 - let me know how its going for you.

Week 4

Day 22 | Day 23 | Day 24 | Day 25 | Day 26 | Day 27

http://caloriecount.about.com/article/partner/exercise_plan

You've made it to week 4! This week, you'll be continuing with the basic program you've been following, with a few added challenges. You'll be continuing with your cardio workouts, adding sets and/or weights to your strength training workouts and spending some time learning about some of the most popular diets.

As always, now is a great time to reflect on the past few weeks. Take some time to look back and see what you've accomplished. Note any problems you've been having and ways you can get past those obstacles.

Don't forget that these workouts are only suggestions. Feel free to do your own workouts, use videos, etc. If the workouts are too easy, modify them by adding weight, reps, sets or exercises. This is your program so make it work for you!

Checking In

It's time for your weekly check in to see how you did last week on your cardio, strength and nutritional goals.

Did you do all of your cardio workouts? Did you challenge yourself by adding time and/or intensity to your workouts? And what about the strength training? Did you add that extra set or more weight? Even if you missed some workouts, don't beat yourself up. Give yourself credit for everything you did do and realize that making exercise a part of your life takes time. Every day is different...do the best you can!

Take a moment to fill out this checklist to see where you succeeded and where you may need a little more work.

Cardio

Your assignment this week is the same as last week--To do 4 cardio workouts. You'll do the same interval workout as last week, but add 5 minutes to the total workout time. I've also given you some choices for your second cardio workout to spice things up a bit. Don't forget, you added one more cardio workout last week and you'll continue that this week as well, with an added 5 minutes of workout time.

Keep in mind you can always choose different workouts.

Make sure you're keeping track of your Perceived Exertion with this PE Scale.

Strength Training

Your assignment this week is, again, to do 2 full body strength training workouts doing the new full body workout I gave you last week. The challenge is to add one set to each exercise. For beginners, that means you'll be doing 2 sets instead of 1. Be sure to modify this if it doesn't work for you. Intermediate/advanced exercisers will continue with the previous workout, but will be adding weight to make it more challenging.

Feel free to visit my Workout Center to see more options for workouts or use a different workout. Make sure you're lifting enough weight that you can ONLY complete the assigned number of repetitions. It may take some time to find the right weight for each exercise.

Flexibility

Stretching should be part of every workout you do. This week, you'll be performing some of the same stretching exercises as before. Be sure to get that stretch in after your workouts and even between sets in your weight training exercises.

Nutrition

This week, we'll be looking into some of the most popular diets out there today. Keep in mind that I never advocate diets--I'm a big believer in making small changes over time. However, I know many of you either follow some of these diets or are curious about them. If you've been thinking about a diet, your first step is education. The resources I'm providing this week will give you a better idea of the different diets out there to help you make your decisions.

Motivation

This week, we'll focus on staying motivated to eat healthy. Diet is usually the hardest part of weight loss what with all the temptations out there. Many of you are busy and feel like you don't have a lot of time to make healthy choices. I'm a firm believer in focusing on small changes rather than trying to change your life overnight, which never sticks. This week, I'll keep you motivated to make those healthy choices and find small ways to feel good about what you're eating. Need more motivation to keep going? At the end of this week, you'll be tracking your weight loss progress. What you do this week is important for reaching your goal, so keep moving!