PHASE 3: Construction

Duration: 4 weeks
Meals: 4-5 daily along with nightly snack
Exercise: 25% more than phase 2 (35 minutes is now 45 minutes)

Try one day of Phase 1 during each week of Phase 3. This will cut the calories down for a few days and shake your body from it’s comfortable routine, which can kick-start more weight loss.

If possible try to burn off some extra calories by doing a “two-a-day.” Work out twice in one day: a morning exercise routine and another in the evening. This will really rev up your metabolism.

FOOD/DRINKS ALLOWED:
Same as Phase 2 with additional foods

Drinks
·2 cups of freshly squeezed fruit juice (you can divide this up throughout the day as you like)

Meats 5oz. (size of a deck and a half of playing cards)
·Chicken: baked without the skin (NO FRIED!)
·Turkey: baked without the skin
·Ground beef: EXTRA lean or ground sirloin,
·Sirloin steak, broiled
·Lamb, broiled
·Turkey Sausage 1 link

Eggs
·4 egg whites plus 2 whole egg; scrambled, boiled, or poached

Milk & Cheese
·3 cups of low-fat, skim, or soy milk
·Cheese: 1.3oz (about 2 slices)

Pasta & Bread
·Whole wheat pasta: 1 cup per day
·White wheat/whole grain bread: 4 thin slices

Desserts (the serving size for the cookies is approximately the size of a silver dollar (e.g., an Oreo)
NOTE: One dessert per day at any meal you choose
·3 chocolate chip cookies
·4 gingersnaps
·2 oatmeal raisin cookies
·2 whole graham crackers
·1 scoop of low-fat ice cream

FOOD/DRINKS NOT ALLOWED:
·White rice
·White potatoes
·White bread/English muffins
·White pasta
·White flour
·Pastries/donuts/Danish
·Cake
·Brownies
·Candy
·Potato chips/corn chips/tortilla chips/popcorn
·Bacon
·Sausage
·Alcohol
·Regular sodas
·Milkshakes
·Frappuccinos or cappuccinos
·Café latte

I can't believe I've made it! Phase 3! Today the exercise goes up to 45 minutes! Quite a jump from 35, but I can do it! I didn't workout this morning because I couldn't sleep... I woke up about 4:49 and just laid there awake and prayed. I decided instead of trying to do it all tired this morning, I'd wait until after work and ride down to the lake and do it there... it's a nicer place to exercise.

Phase 3 requires 1 day of phase 1 a week... so I'll be doing that on Wednesdays... the day before my Weight Watcher's weigh-ins... which works out good for me because that's what I was planning to do today anyway... :) Nothing but fruits and vegetables... with minimal protein and dairy.

I should have an okay weigh-in tomorrow... I know I've eaten more this week so they might not be a 3 or 4 pound loss. Next week I'll be doing more exercise so that should boost my weight loss... I'm still aiming to be under 170 by the time Ross comes back. 10 more days...