How To Do Your Own Personal Body Assessment
15 Comments August 9, 2009 / Posted in Uncategorized
Body Assessment Checklist
Take “before” pictures! I know this seems scary. They’re not to be judged - this is just your baseline and how you will determine what you need to change to get to where you want to be. They’re also EXTREMELY motivating when putting side by side with your progress pictures as you go through your program.
Take initial measurements! I like these positions: neck, chest, abdomen, 2” below the belly button, hips and around each thigh. Again, these are just to establish baseline numbers. Not to be judged.
Keep a food & lifestyle journal for 3-4 days. This will expose any bad habits and/or patterns you can eliminate.
Some things to look for:
- Are you skipping breakfast?
- Are you eating frequently enough? (every 3-5 hours or approximately 5 meals per day, including snacks
Lifestyle Questions - share your answers in the comments section below! Let’s all help eachother!
1. On average, how much sleep are you getting?
2. How much water are you drinking? (a good number to shoot for would be atleast half your bodyweight in ounces every day!)
3. How much stress is in your life?
4. How much are you exercising? (per day? per week?)
5. Give an example of what you eat in a day! (maybe we can help!)
One of my ‘Assessment girls’ just sent me this email!
I just finished watching the personal body assesment DVD you made me and I wanted to say a huge “THANK YOU”. You have no idea how much this means to get such an informed, in depth, professional assesment from someone of your level of expertise and intelligence. I know I have lots of work to do, but the way you approached my assesment was without judgement or pointing out all negativity. I am extremelly hard on myself and have never really been proud of my body, but you have given me the courage to rock this program of yours and be the best I can be…and I will send you after photos!
-Denise L.
Click Here To Find Out If Personal Body Assessments are still available!
1. About 7 hours but waking up during the night (not good!).
2. Lots!!! Don’t need help here. I know how important this is for fat loss. I drink
100 oz.
3. Now, more than usual. Launching new products and about to do my first ever trade show for the Valslide (Come visit me at the IDEA show in Anaheim!).
4. About 6x per week. Not all with enough intensity. I’ve been testing a new program so that’s fun but sometimes I’m tired like everyone else. I use all my best motivational techniques to keep me going. (I have a whole CD of ideas in the IWMBB program). What’s working best right now is my vision board and the new play list that Nikki made me. It rocks!!
5. 6:30 am - Green smoothie
9am - more veggie than egg scamble, plus 1 piece of spelt toast.
12pm salsa chicken (leftovers from last night)
3pm Celery and hummus
7pm halibut w/spinach sauce, grilled veggies, 1/3 cup cous cous.
1 glass of wine
All in all, not bad. I should not have had both cous cous and wine but it was one of those days. I have already prepped my food for tomorrow. It will be tight!!
What’s happening with you?
Love,
Val
1. About 6-7 hours (broken as my little boy is teething and has a cold, so up and down to comfort him).
2. I drink at least 100 oz. But some days I find it hard if I am out-and-about or busy and can’t constantly drink from my water bottle.
3. This is getting better. The part-time work, parenthood and life juggle is getting easier and more balanced… plus exercising helps.
4. About 6x per week. 2-3 RCR workouts, 2-3 cardio (usually a walk pushing a pram with my son in it up hills etc, or rowing machine intervals) and pilates once a week (still working on the pelvic floor muscles and the stomach muscles coming back together after having a baby).
5. 6.45am - 1/2 cup of muesli (mostly oats) and skim milk and 1 piece of wholemeal multigrain toast with honey (no butter).
9am - 1 cup of green tea.
10.30am - 1/2 cup of mixed raw almonds and raisins + 1 cup of green tea.
1.30pm - homemade salad (1/2 cup of quinoa, 1/2 grated carrot, handful of baby spinach, 1 tablespoon of hummus).
3pm - cup of tea, handful of mixed berries, a few sultanas
7.30pm - crockpot (slow cooker) beef stew (made from cauliflower, carrot, sweet potato, celery, beef cubbed, thyme, rosemary, tin of tomatoes, salt-reduced beef stock, red wine) plus some steamed green beans on the side.
Not a bad day!
My goal: have the before photos and the measurements and my main goal at the moment is to continue to tone up my whole body, but mostly my legs. I seem to tone up my arms and tummy quicker.
Val and girls,
So, question. I am squishy and probably only need to lose 10 lbs at most. But I am afraid of bulking up. I tried kettlebells two years ago and gained a lot muscle and weight - nearly 10 pounds and two sizes. I was fat/flabby but bulky underneath. It was uncomfortable to say the least and I’m really scared to try weights or strength training again.
So any advice or reassurement? I’d like to try some of your free workouts, but I just finally got the weight and inches off (with walking 3 miles daily) this past year and am happy to fit into my skinny jeans, even though I’m flabby and not as toned and lean as I’d like to be.
Val - I know this is off subject but I am LOVING your hair!! It is so cute.
1. About 7-8 hours average. Sometimes though waking up through the night.
2. About 4-5 liters of water a day. I’ve been very good about that Val. Thanks.
3. Better now since July show is over but have another performance coming up in September so you know how that goes. The closer it gets the more nervous I get but working out helps me de-stress.
4. 6x per week with great intensity. My mini vision board (index card I carry in my purse, gym bag and organizer) and my music helps me with the days that I am tired or get that little lazy person talking to me! LOL -
5. 7:30 am - Green smoothie
10 am - 4 oz grilled salmon with steamed veggies with balsamic vinegar and EVOO dressing.
1pm 5 oz grilled chicken breast with small green salad (watercress, bib lettuce, spinach) with same dressing as above, 2/3 cup of brown rice.
4pm Celery and hummus
7pm 4 oz steak w/Cuban black bean soup and small green salad (same as lunch) - was tempted to eat some jasmine rice but I didn’t.
Not bad I think. I have already prepped my food for the next couple of days.
Thanks Val for everything. Val did my personal body assessment and it is invaluable to me. I know what to look out for. I saw how my hours hunching over at the computer was hurting me which Val pointed out not even knowing that it was the computer I am in front of!!! I also saw, again THANKS VAL, how I would do well when I pre-prepare my meals ahead of time. I have been following your recommendations Val and you’ll be glad to know that with my weekly massages, stretching especially using the foam roller as you suggested and my strength routine I feel great. It’s made a huge difference in my performances when I bellydance and bhangra. Thanks again. Your body assessments are invaluable!!! Keep it rockin or rather surfing Val!!!
Hey Val,
1. I try for 7 hours sleep a night.
2. My goal is to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day (8oz each), but I’m usually at around 8.
3. As far as stress in my life, I try to manage it. Sometimes, I find a great cardio workout to “work off” the stress will do it. Other times, I find if I just close my eyes and do a few deep breathing exercises, it really helps to “calm me”.
4. I teach 7x fitness classes a week (a variety of classes) and one day a week I like to do something different like a run on the treadmill, work out in the gym, a ride on my mountainbike or a brisk walk.
5. A typical eating day would be:
I start off every morning with my healthy chocolate square. It’s a perfect way to start my day.
Breakfast: 2 pieces of whole wheat bread with peanut butter, and a sprinkle of dry cereal or homemade granola on top
Snack: Healthy chocolate (nugget)
Lunch: Chicken/cheese/veggie wrap on whole wheat, fruit & yogurt
Snack: Healthy chocolate (omega square)
Supper: Either fish or chicken, with rice or potato and veggies
Snack: Healthy chocolate (probiotic square)
Thanks Val. I absolutely love your site.
Have a wonderful week!
Thanks Val. I absolutely love your site.
Have a wonderful week!
1. Usually 5 hours, sometimes less. I know it’s not much but i’ve never had a problem with it so far
2. 2 litres per day. Unfortunately i also drink lots of diet coke, trying to reduce it but i’m really addicted to that stuff…
3. Private life is ok - not too much stress but mostly lots of pressure at work.
4. 5-6 times per week (mostly cardio / elliptical machine)
5. Today’s example
breakfast 6:30 weetabix whole grain and fruit cereal and skim milk
snack 9:30 a banana
lunch 12:15 low-fat cherry yoghurt and a small banana
dinner 6:00 whole grain spaghetti and tomato sauce
snack: luna bar (couldn’t resist)
workout: iwmbb workout A
Have a g’ day everybody!
1. I typically get between 6-7 hours night.. it’s ok for me though I know I’d be kicking way more ass if I could get more.
2. Typically between 1/2 gallon and gallon per day.. lately, closer to the half gallon. Funny just typing this right now made me realize I gotta get back on it. Val is on to something!
3. Product launches etc are always stressful and we’ve been doing a bunch in a row.. plus other things. But hey.. can’t complain cause I’m having fun. But this is definitely an area I need to work on. I do let stress get to me.. no doubt.
4. Exercise has been really good lately.. I typically get 3 strength workouts, 2-3 intense yoga workouts and 1 interval workout at the stairs. Sometimes more, sometimes less.
5. Eating far less than I used to think I had to.. much less protein for sure and still make great progress.
Breakfast: Superfood Smoothie: raw cacao powder, cacao nibs, aloe vera, banana, acai, goji berries, maca powder, blue green algae,
M2: Breakfast tacos w/ egg, salsa, tomato etc
M3: Vanilla protein + banana
M4: Salad from whole foods.. chicken, spinach, tomato
M5: Protein shake/berries
I just have one comment about water and kinda confused. I was at my annual gyno exam last week and was asked how much water i drink. I told her for sure 64oz daily, but generally i drink about 100oz plus. She looked at me like i was nuts! She said i should only be drinking no more than 64oz per day. Then I looked at her like she was NUTS! She said i would be stretching my bladder out and when i am older i will be in for trouble! My thoughts are: 1. that when my bladder is full i empty it.
2. Isn’t water good for you? 3. I hever heard a Dr. tell anyone that drinking too much water is not good for you.
What are your thoughts?
Thanks.
1. On average, how much sleep are you getting?
6-8hrs
2. How much water are you drinking? (a good number to shoot for would be at least half your bodyweight in ounces every day!)
Way too little. Maybe 20-30oz
3. How much stress is in your life?
A LOT lately. Extreme life circumstances and challenges, and very huge changes.
4. How much are you exercising? (per day? per week?)
None lately, except for all of the chores, errands and moving stuff, etc. Aiming for 5-6 days a week.
5. Give an example of what you eat in a day! (maybe we can help!)
Morning:
Usually either fruit or a smoothie / shake.
Afternoon:
Snack on cashews or other nuts, goji berries, etc.
Evening:
Green salad with avocado and hemp seeds, and something warm like Quinoa, Lentils, or Noodles, etc.
Hey Ryan:
Your superfood smoothie for breakfast, how does that taste? Unfortunately, I’m one of those that if it even tastes a little funky, I won’t drink it? Curious.
1. I get about 7 hours of sleep. I am much better when I get around 8 or 8.5
2. I am doing about 40-50, which is ok, but I need to be a bit more consistent. I am getting a larger stainless waterbottle, so that will help with that.
3. My husband is finishing up his dissertation, so it has been stressful for me the past year, but it will soon be over. My job is rather uneventful, which actually stresses me out as I like to be busy. Seem backwards, but that is just how I am.
4. I usually exercise at least 5-6 times per week. I rotate between vals exercises and the cardio workouts. Sometimes I run outside instead of the cardio workouts. When I do workout it is between 30-60 minutes.
5. I am always looking for new things to try to spice up my menus.
6am-greek yogurt, some type of berries and granola
9or10am-apple with peanut butter
1pm-spring mix salad with 1/4 avocado, feta, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts. dressing: splash of lime juice, salt and olive oil
3pm-1/4 avocado, some veggies either cherry tomatoes or red peppers
6pm-banana with peanut butter
8pm-brown rice with red peppers, onions, shrimp and some low sodium soy sauce
Val, I never commented on this one, but this video and blog post have helped me now several times evaluate where I am and kind of put me in my place. In a good way of course. I see everyone answering these questions, so I will too!
1. On average, how much sleep are you getting? 6-8hrs…
2. How much water are you drinking? (a good number to shoot for would be at least half your bodyweight in ounces every day!) 1/2 gallon at least…sometimes closer to 1 gal.
3. How much stress is in your life? A lot of self-induced stress, but working out and doing your circuits really helps.
4. How much are you exercising? (per day? per week?) almost every day doing something 2 days resistance circuits, 2 days hiit cardio, 1-2 days pilates/abs circuit and triple threat.
5. Give an example of what you eat in a day! (maybe we can help!)
M1: 1/3 cup of whole oats plain, 8 almonds, 1 mini box raisins and 1/2 scoop of protein powder, sometimes a 1/2 tsp of flax seed.
coffee, creamer (ya I know…creamer = bad)
M2: 6 slices of apple with 2 tbs of almond butter
M3: 1 piece ezekial bread with lean chicken leftover or turkey burger and tomatoes/cukes
M4: Protein shake - 1 scoop and 1/2 c. water 1/2 c. ice sometimes banana or blueberry too.
M5: Mixed veggie salad - cuke/tomato/onion with olive oil/vinegar/garlic dressing or steamed veggies and fish or other type of meat. usually that’s it.
I pretty much only drink water or tea…with my coffee only in the morning.
Ok that’s it!
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