S.M.A.R.T. Goals 2014

Specific.
Measurable.
Attainable.
Realistic.
Timely.


Reflect on each word. Take out a sheet of paper and ask yourself:
What do I want to accomplish?
How will I take action?
When will I actively do this?
What obstacles will keep me from this goal?
How can I be ready for a detour?
Why do I want to accomplish this goal?

I am working on mine today.
Physical.
Emotional/Spiritual.
Relational.
Career.

Share for accountability!

Go to BodySpace @ Bodybuilding.com to join and let us take control over our bodies! >>> Lift out PCOS & follow PCOSAA on FB, Twitter, Instagram

& ME! @aura_sklenicka on Twitter, IG, FB!

Happy New Year!

My Journey to Raw(ish), Vegan(ish): Healthy Mind, Body, Spirit: Part 1

Disclaimer: This is written as a journal. Please forgive any grammatical or spelling errors, as I will simply be writing directly from memory and at times, a rushed perspective. This is intended to share my experience and how this impacts my symptoms of PCOS, health and general well-being and is not intended to be utilized as a meal plan.

First Week, cut out: grains, nut butter, chicken

Monday: Coffee with sugar free creamer. Strawberries, some apple, almond milk, Garden of Life protein, strawberry acai coconut Kevita, mixed greens smoothie. Banana, supergreens, greens, protein powder smoothie. 1 Coconut cashew Quest bar, mixed nuts, salad with cucumber, green pepper, cherry tomatoes, sunflower seeds, red wine and apple cider vinegar.

A.M.: Bloated, blah, little gym energy or motivation but pushed through. Some acne on chin.

P.M. Tired.

Tuesday: Same coffee. Similar morning smoothie, minus kombucha. Banana, strawberries, mixed nuts post-wo. ½ Quest Nutrition bar, GOL cacao raw super foods with almond milk. Cauli, brocc., carrot, sugar snaps with 2 vegetarian fed eggs.

A.M. Slept harder night before, bit more zest in my wakeup, excited to drink smoothie and get to the gym asap.  Less bloat.

P.M. Full of energy to go on an hour walk with dogs even after workout and little food. Content and ready for bed with ease. Bloat (sodium from the nuts…) Doubled water intake but could not get feeling of h20 satiety.

Wednesday: Same coffee, but no longer actually desiring it. Banana, super greens, vegan protein, kale, almond milk smoothie. Celery, banana, grapes, apple, mixed nuts. 1 Quest bar. Green tea, H20 H20 H20! Broccoli, kale, cucumber, almond milk, raw protein powder, super greens, cinnamon, banana, ginger smoothie: was nervous for this one but it tasted really GOOD! More nuts…not too many but I do have the munching problem in the evening…. I’ll be working on this. More water. Some baby dill pickles.

A.M.: More ambition and motivation with a feeling of ‘clean’ energy and pushed harder in the gym. Little appetite; more lightheaded during yoga but deeper meditation. Felt detoxed after morning smoothie. No afternoon lag.

P.M. My vision seems more acute, more sensitive to light and I feel more anxious to move around; a big foggy headed and unfocused but yet more apt to use problem solving skills, or ready to, at least. Feeling rather ready for bed, my head congestion is still here, but sore throat is gone from Monday. Missing my husband doesn’t count, does it? I need a Skype date to truly solidify whether these are legit… So, aside from the isolated whey in the protein bars, only eggs yesterday. I feel lighter, yes I wish I was already leaning out but I haven’t focused on that for once; my flexibility went up thanks to doing yoga everyday now!

Thursday: kale, blackberry, almond milk, raw protein powder, supergreens, spices smoothie; made double to drink before work and at lunch; Quest bar; mixed greens salad with red and green peppers, a sliced beet, nuts nuts nuts, oops, cherry tomatoes, typical dressing; pickles

A.M. Full of energy but bloated and constipated.

P.M. POUNDING headache, chills, exhausted.

Friday: strawberry, super greens, raw protein, beet leaf, almond milk and spices smoothie, quest bar, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, and squash blend with hot sauce and olive oil; yogurt; mixed peppers with onions, small spoonful of black beans and small handful of corn tortilla

A.M. Oh my word, no headache, blasting with energy first thing and had the BEST workout I’ve had ina long time…extra energy even after LEG DAY, lifted heavy and faster than before with ease and seeming mental clarity during my lifts; more focused. Having cravings today that rolled over from yesterday a bit…family had pizza last night and I sniffed it haha but wasn’t too tempted, managed my cravings last night with pickles before bed and chugged water. Craving no sugar added frozen yogurt today…it’s the only dairy I’ll ever succumb to but trying to use up my veggies in the fridge but missing my bananas since I’m out now…Kinda spacey now, this afternoon, off to take paperwork up to the school and get my hair cut, hopefully no cravings come.

P.M. Had to kill some time before my cut and had my brother; we passed the frozen yogi place and he asked if he could get a little bowl, I said yes. I caved, myself. In my defense, although I don’t need one because I’m doing this for myself and making my own ‘rules’ whatever, as I was saying: I did way better than normal in there; as always, I only got a no-sugar added yogurt (vanilla and blueberry blend this time) but got the smallest bowl possible, whereas I normally go for the medium and fill it up, and didn’t even fill it up more than halfway and topped it with some shredded coconut and almonds, peanuts, pecans, walnuts. Felt slightly gassy and bloated about an hour after but not like normal. Chugged so much water before bed I felt bloated but energetic for the next day.

Saturday: Strawberry, almond milk, super greens, raw protein and spices smoothie, quest bar, mixed greens with green pepper, sunflower seeds, vinegar dressing, lemon, cherry tomatoes; handful potato chips, Udi’s gluten free choc chip cookies with almond milk,  sweet potato with brocc, caul, carrot mix and 1 veg. brown egg

A.M. Felt centered and started my day with yoga, but got thrown off because then went to bro’s bball game and felt ‘tight’ and clean energy but got depressed and tired on our way home; possibly due to the snow and lack of sun but ate my salad and drug myself to the gym and ended up having a great workout; my body def prefers morning workouts, though

P.M. Felt so cheerful and healthy minded, optimistic after workout and cannot remember why but wanted those gluten free cookies and sweet potato….maybe because I had already planned to cut out all processed food or starchier carb sources this week…? The sweet potatoes even made me swollen almost immediately and the cookies were not as satisfying as they would have been previously; almost ended up getting in that, “I’m bored”, mindset and depressed, which typically leads to mindless eating but instead dug deep to think more intuitively and realized I was craving fresh smoothies and fruit and crave that feeling of clean inside that changed so quickly with just a few items that were part of my everyday diet and for most people, do not bug them at all. I passed out watching Forks over Knives….as I am running out of the documentaries to watch.

Sunday: Finished off my sugar free peppermint mocha creamer in my last cup of coffee for at least a week, hopefully longer. I love coffee but pretty sure I drink it more for the warmth it gives me in the morning and perhaps a social matter. Broccoli, banana, avocado, almond milk, protein powder, beet root smoothie; apple, banana, grapes, nut butter with cinnamon; quest bar; spaghetti squash, cabbage, zucchini mix with olive oil

A.M. Awoke to a phone call from my amazing husband, which left me in a great mood, but Sundays are just so ugh in Ohio, I haven’t even been into my NFL teams all too much and I’m pretty sure that’s because I can only go to the gym between hours 1-5 and I’m working hard at keeping my training routine promise so while I can easily do a workout at home, I’m dedicated to that other aspect of my life and it interferes with other things annnnd of course, I have nothing to do around here except blog and create training programs for people; so, I just allow myself to be glum, I guess. I watched, The Heat, with brother bear though and it brought me up and made me laugh despite the dreary morning and headed out to the gym even feeling really full somehow from my fruits and veggies.

P.M. Super full from all the veggies but am deciding to go all raw for at least Monday-Wednesday and those veggies were going bad and I cannot stand letting paid food go to waste, so cooked it all, phew. Felt the endorphins after the workout, though, and stocked up on fresh kale, spinach, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, coconut milk to hold me over for the next three days. I felt like my face was less clear today, though, than earlier in the week…seriously, just from a few gluten free cookies, tiny bit of yogurt and sweet potatoes over the past few days…? Trying to wind down and show gratitude to my family tonight so I can head to bed early and get up early for my leg workout eaaaaaarly before work so I can start my all raw trial out great!

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For the next 3 days: only raw food personal challenge to myself.

(Below are written on Wednesday, you will understand why…)

Monday: bananas, blueberries, spinach, superfood greens, coconut water, unsweetened almond milk smoothie x3, green tea, bananas, strawberries, grapefruit, apple (I actually cannot recall 100% what was in my smoothies at the end of the day, due to complete brain fog and a headache)

A.M. My alarm went off late, so I couldn’t get to the gym prior to heading in for work but was energized because I was excited about what the day held. My energy and clarity was present and high until the afternoon after-school; I then had the onset of a massive headache. After that came the chills, the inability to think properly or really move, as I felt extremely weak.

P.M. Relay those feelings all night; I couldn’t even make it to the gym or my brother’s basketball game and even doing yoga was taunting…I watched a lot of Netflix and crashed.

Tuesday: strawberry, spinach, greens, coconut water smoothie; raw almonds; kale, yellow, orange, and green peppers, beets, and vinegar salad; kale, greens, raw protein powder, coco water, almond milk, lemon, banana smoothie.

A.M. I received a last minute wake-me-up phone call from the school asking me to work and I am still kicking myself for not just saying, “Yes”, but I still had the headache from the night prior and would’ve had to been showered, dressed (this means rummaging around my car and boxes for proper work attire), and out the door within a half-hour of the call. My body said, “No”. So, I got up sluggishly and planned my workout, drank my smoothie, went and had probably the most pitiful workout in a long time and couldn’t even manage post-workout yoga and accomplished almost nothing that I intended for the day: my OCD for organization was nowhere to be seen.  I also began to get extremely depressed, cried (rare for me) and started questioning everything in my life; I supplemented with Vitamin C, E, Echinacea, and Niacin herbals to help all these symptoms….”Food Matters” professionals show that we are all extremely deficient in vitamins so there is absolutely nothing to fear with an extra dose here or there, as we are taught to believe.

P.M. While eating my salad that seemed to take forever to create, I was honestly feeling glum still and told myself that I would keep this promise to myself and stop focusing so much on how I think this may not taste so delicious compared to umm me downing a jar of nut butter, perhaps. Instead, I didn’t watch TV, play on my computer, phone or talk to anyone. I sat in silence with my rainbow of a salad and thoughtfully ate each piece, savoring the flavors of nature and envisioning how it was nourishing my body and healing me from the inside out. I have to say that I probably could not have done this, as I often eat a mix thoughtful but mindless, as in I eat healthy food and get nutrients in but have let go of my slow eating habits that will help keep me satisfied more without just taking in any food I put in front of me. I also can attest that my daily yoga practices, mixing up the routines and instructors are allowing me to truly become more centered and grateful. Yoga teaches you to move and breathe with a purpose and dedicate our practice, while showing gratitude in all that we do; it was a revelation and an affirmation of this practice when I was able to do this during my meal.  I drank my smoothie at the dinner table, with my little brother tempting me to eat his homemade, delicious looking baked potato fries but I reminded him that I made a promise to myself that I would do this for my health and mental well-being and denied him, ohhhhhh! Luckily, we had Aidan’s basketball game to keep my mind busy and my headache was slowly going away, but it was surely cold and even more so for me it seemed. I was constipated this day, though, whereas on Monday I was flushed out.

(Note: I need to have my OWN kitchen so that I can whip out kitchen tools, buy more than just what fits in addition to my family’s food right now and get creative on these raw dishes!)

Wednesday: banana, spinach, strawberry, blueberry, raw protein, coconut water, almond milk, ginger, cinnamon, ice smoothie; ¼ cantaloupe, 1 orange, 3 strawberries, 1 banana with cinnamon; raw almonds; kale, broccoli, coco water, almond milk, small portion of raw protein powder, supergreens, mixed greens, blueberries smoothie, spices; ¼ cantaloupe

A.M. Finally woke up with barely any headache but was slow to rise. It was technically a day off from lifting but I didn’t have work so I knew my body would thank me for getting to the gym. I ended up wanting to do mostly cardio but once I got in there, decided I would switch it up and do something that hasn’t been in my routine for a while: running and lifting for endurance. So, basically, I did a Crossfit style workout but it felt great to run a steady pace; it’s bizarre because I love to run but have not for so long because I am up North now and it’s not possible where my family lives to run outdoors and, the neighborhood crime is up, as well. I cannot wait to get back down to the South so that I can get some fresh, open air in the warmth! I started to get spacey again when I got back, but being drenched even more than normal in sweat was an amazing feeling and reminder of my journey; my yoga was great and I felt the high from my practice once again!

P.M.  Well, I’m writing this presently at just after 1600 and without being too nasty, I have to say I have only had the first two meals that are listed (the rest are planned for tonight) and for some reason am urinating every 15 minutes and have gas like crazy! (I am actually nervous about the fiber packed smoothie I have planned for dinner…. Oh and I usually do urinate A LOT, but it is clear and I have drank a lot of water, but not any more than normal.) When looking in the mirror today, I do feel like my skin looks more alive. I have battled with acne in different ways for over 10 years and have discolored, red skin, mostly on my face (not to mention, the mustache and out of control eyebrows), so for me to feel comfortable without cover up or powder on outside is a step in the right direction. It’s this overload of nutrients, I’m assuming! Now, I do not wear makeup everywhere I go, but am almost always self-conscious about people seeing me with blotchy skin. I am taking my brother to another bball game tonight and am hoping to pop in to Vitamin Shoppe and pick up more Apple Cider Vinegar-with the Mother and a glass of GT’s Kombucha, if they have it-yumm! Because I am taking each moment of my day with more ease and thinking out more thoroughly, I cannot say I have planned out where I am going from here, as in even tomorrow, yet and perhaps I will contemplate as I lay in bed tonight but the remainder of the day is still to be enjoyed and fulfilled whole-heartedly.

A rough idea of what I will continue with: incorporate a green smoothie everyday (with larger amounts of green over fruits per meal); have at least 2 completely raw meals each day; when I cook vegetables, only lightly steam them to prevent loss of nutrients; maintain no animal products and seek out alternate sources of protein; keep the majority of grains and coffee out; add in more cardio to my training routine, as I feel; try a new fruit or vegetable each week and a new method of cardio; make sure I meditate or do full yoga practice for at least 10 minutes each day; eat with more thought on how each bite is either helping or hurting my health.

In the holiday hurricane.

Rather than delving into juicy details of my personal life and how I am still living on an air mattress, couch, or just crashing on my dogs, I’ll take this post to cover a topic we all seem to shutter at for one reason or another: the holidays. So, Thanksgiving has already passed and to touch on that briefly, I have to state that my optimism on my willpower was low the days preceding this day. First, my family has typical drama and places many obligations on me to dote on everyone, on top of carving time for my in-laws an hour and a half away, topped with the stress I feel just thinking of what types of food may come across my path and how I am going to battle balancing out healthy and not-so-healthy. Well, long story short, I did not even end up celebrating Thanksgiving this year! Ha! The day came and went, I had a few depressed days but believe that was due to the cold and this dreary Ohio weather and external factors rather than feelings of emptiness, even with my husband being deployed during every holiday. Now, since then I have been eating according to my goals but perhaps just truly realized an aspect of my PCOS that I had thought was just me being lazy and noncommittal: I am OCD and the only way I don’t crave sugar and carbohydrates is by being relatively ‘strict’.

I explain this because I will feel renewed and full of energy after many straight days of eating just whole, organic, real food with absolutely nothing processed and then I’m on the road or making cookies to send my husband and think I can handle just having one, right?! Wrong! I seriously want to start kicking and screaming (that’s what I literally feel like inside) when I have these days. One cookie or slip in diet leads me to crave carbohydrates. Now, I’m not talking necessarily cakes, cookies, chips, etc., I’m talking complex carbohydrates, like sweet potatoes, oatmeal, gluten-free cereals, and well-I’m always craving natural nut butter; I must note that I only buy products that are under 6g of sugar, as well, so it’s not like these are high sugar items. So, I end up feeling like a mad crazy, chunka-munk of a woman raiding the kitchen, like I cannot get enough of my ‘crack’. How did I think that was normal before or just that I should be ‘punished’ for going off my diet? Please, someone correct me if I’m wrong, but from what I’ve researched with PCOS-friendly nutrition and insulin sensitivity, eating complex carbohydrates are typically easy on us, of course within proper portion sizes. With that said, I have now recognized that, 1. I have been over-complicating my diet in order to obtain my thin physique that I had only several months ago and 2. I need to make a plan and have accountability partners because my family does not (and I do not expect them to) understand the impact certain foods have on my body.

With several holidays currently running and coming up quickly, how can we fight the holiday hurricane of sugar and whacked out insulin and bloating while feeling strong and triumphant over our symptoms? Do you talk with your families and friends about your symptoms? It is inevitable that we will be subject to foods that do not agree with our bodies, especially during the holidays and that not everyone will support our whole, organic, or healthier options because, as some family members often claim, I’m, “obsessed, a protein monster, not fun, too serious”. Instead of succumbing to that one little bite or negative responses that we know will lead us down a destructive path (at least within our minds, if not being like me raiding the jar of nut butter), how can we focus our holidays around doing something other than just eating? I’d like to challenge each of us to pick a new activity or inspire a diverse conversation during a holiday event to prevent the temptation of food and perhaps even educate those around us on something they do not know. To close, I would like to highlight one little tip that I’ve researched and found to be beneficial: at least once a day, if not at each meal (esp. with carbohydrates or sugars), drink a shot of apple cider vinegar in order to assist with glucose utilization.

I have created a group within our Community entitled, “Life out PCOS”, and I encourage everyone to come over and join in the discussion and support one another in a journey for fitness and health!

@aura_Sklenicka

Note: This blog technically belongs to the organization, PCOS Awareness Association, as it's original version is posted within that site's Blog.

No risk-no reward!

As my last post entails, I decided close to the last minute to sign up for the 2014 Bodyspace Spokesmodel Search. After much anxiety because I am not necessarily where I want to be right now, I chose a safe 'risk' of enrolling and making myself vulnerable to being let down because if I don't put myself out there, when will I ever? While I know through my journey of not only life but especially my with my health and fitness that we cannot sit still and expect change to come our way. Haven't the greatest successes in our history come about from constant failure, rejection and tough battles only to be continuously pursued with persistence and dedication? Alas, I uploaded the video, put in some progress pictures and hopefully they all meet not only the requirements but impress the internal judges @ Bodybuilding.com enough to place me in the top 20 for the females. I'll keep you posted!

Open book moment: I had to have another invasive procedure recently (which added to my above-mentioned anxiety) relative to my PCOS and did have an emotional break down. I felt like despite being strict on my diet and lifting and doing loads of HIIT at the gym, my body wasn't responding. Then more procedures and associated bloating and well, I'm just FED UP being in stirrups and doctors offices this year! I nearly fell into my old trap of starvation diet and copious amounts of cardio then fall into the depression cycle because I don't feel up to par compared to other women entering the contest. Ummm, key word: compared. I cannot be a hypocrite and tell other women not to compare themselves to others since each journey is unique and then do the same and beat myself up; it won't be the end of the world if I don't get chosen. With that said, I managed to pull away from those negative thoughts and actions as quick as possible and remembered that I'm human and I DID SAY that I wanted to do this with a focus on health versus just appearance.

Conclusion: Yes, I was training hard but I was allowing my upheaval from my home, new environment of living, being on the road, finding work, my symptoms, procedures, etc. to take center stage and really wasn't ending each day feeling fulfilled. As trivial as this may seem to some, I recognized last night that I do need more structure in my life and the only thing I can control is my fitness timeline. I am choosing to finally set down and pick a show (although Dr. Sara Solomon, who is a fitness role model for me, has been leading me to contemplate a WBFF show over NPC because they appear to hold healthier views on what a physique should look like and live healthy year-round) so that I have more holding me accountable. Finally, I awoke this morning with a fire ignited within me. Something had changed over night. I stepped into the gym with vigor and determination in my eyes. I said from the beginning that I wanted to represent women with PCOS in the bodybuilding world and that is just what I will focus on and all the women I interact with are my motivation!
Lower body insanity from today was a combination of the following:
Leg extensions
Lunges
BB Squats
Calf raises
Leg press
Calves on leg press
Single leg deadlifts
Hamstring curls
Rope pull abs
Lying leg raises

I varied my weight, continuously going heavy, varied my rep range but absolutely did not stop, no rest...who needs cardio when you just lift heavy and fast?! Also, I am trying out new videos but learned I cannot do it with my phone, so the only place it would upload to is my FaceBook. I went through a typical PCOS-friendly smoothie that is packed with everything you want for a delicious and healthy post-workout (or whenever) meal!

2014BodyspaceSpokesmodel

I just uploaded my mandatory video and my progress pics on Bodyspace (via Bodybuilding.com) were already up! I am ready to expand our voice for PCOS and show that weightlifting is beneficial and we can achieve anything we set our minds to, so wish me luck, please and thank you! Also, I created a group on Bodyspace called, "Lift out PCOS", for fellow ladies to join. It is an optimistic, judgment and intimidation-free zone!

Get your Namaste on.

Let's face it: yoga can be intimidating. Go on social media, look into a yoga studio, or simply Google it and the vision is made that Yogis are only super flexible individuals that are able to maneuver their bodies into crazy positions and have a great calm all while doing so. These practitioners deserve applause for their dedication and abilities but never forget that everyone has their strengths AND we all start somewhere. Everyone is always a work in progress within their own right and I'm sure they didn't just jump into their first ever yoga session capable of doing a full Peacock Pose (or more properly, Mayurasana). Despite any intimidation factor, in any facet of health & fitness, yoga has been proven to be immensely beneficial for women with PCOS.

In addition to my current workout regimen, I always include at least 2 days a week of yoga practice. Honestly, it wavers from week to week but I feel my best when I awake with sun salutations, even just for 10 minutes each morning and utilize a longer practice for a post-workout stretch and relaxation. I have found that by doing so, my stress hormones are reduced and the intense nature of my workouts and diet do not impact me negatively (such as they were during competition prep; discussed in an earlier posting). Unfortunately, I have never had the opportunity or made the leap to attending a class because of availability near me and time conflicts but I have found YouTube to be a great resource! If you are new to yoga, cramped on time, or want a good meditation practice, I highly recommend:

Yogea ArtFlow Yoga

Plum TV- Yoga with Colleen Saidman

DoYogaWithMe.com

 

Why is yoga even more beneficial for PCOS?

Breathing techniques (pranayamas) assist in relaxing the mind and assist in meditation.

- This will aid in reducing overall stress, cortisol levels and detox.

Specific postures (asanas) can be done to focus on the pelvic region, reproductive system and organs impacted by hormonal imbalances.

- They will leave you feeling rejuvenated, clean on top of an increase in flexibility, weight loss and in some cases, may be integral in proper organ and system functioning.

Check out these tailored options.

 

How has yoga impacted my life?

When I practice on a regular basis, my OCD tendencies are more in check, depression does not show it's nasty face as easily, I have a better perspective on my current situation because I am forced to be introspective, my flexibility increases slightly each time (this is a huge bonus when lifting), I am grateful in any tumultuous situation, and of course a PCOS favorite: a reduction in breakouts!

 

Tips:

Try to do on an empty stomach. (Trust me, I've not waited long enough after a meal and it didn't feel too amazing in my digestive system!)

Drink plenty of water after a practice to rehydrate.

Find an empty, serene area-preferably with a view of nature to ensure complete relaxation and dedication to your practice.

Focus on your breathing-this will help quiet the crazy ongoing thoughts.

 

 

 

 

 



So you want to start working out...?!



And..here's your funny for today!

 

Recently, I have been approached by two different females with very different fitness goals, lifestyles, age ranges, body compositions, and access to equipment seeking advice on wanting to start on a path to getting in shape. As a frequent reader of many social media and fitness sites, I have found a common theme that women don't want to get bulky and just want to look toned. Unfortunately, some advertising and marketing schemes have made women assume that these are any valid outcomes of working out. First off, while the rate of muscle growth is greatest for newbies, it takes a tailored diet and lifting regimen to truly see large muscles on a female. (I will highlight PCOS and muscle growth in a moment.*) Secondly, that toned appearance can come only from using muscles, not from just doing cardio. (Trust me: I was a cardio bunny at the beginning of my journey and mind you, my weight was lower but my booty was not lifted and I wasn't necessarily 'tight'.) You will get lifted in all the right places just by slowly implementing a resistance aspect to your fitness routine. With that said, I have come up with a few circuits that you can complete if you are new to working out and have no equipment at home. I will do circuits like this at times I do not have access to my home equipment or a gym. I hope the links have not expired on these, but it should send you to videos demonstrating proper form.

 

For the following circuits, do each workout in order, take a minute or two break and then repeat the sequence again as many times as possible. (I'd say first go for at least 2, no more than 5 times through each circuit.) For each exercise in the circuit, do as many as possible, until your muscles become fatigued. I've made the name of each exercise a link to exercise demonstrations that help show you proper form. Example: Circuit One, do 15 pushups, 12 bench dips, 45 seconds wall sit, 30 Russian twists. I take a water break, then repeat that circuit 2 more times before moving on to Circuit Two. I'd recommend doing this workout 3 times this week, with a rest day in-between (i.e. Monday, Wednesday, Friday).

Circuit One

Pushups

Bench Dips

Wall Sit
Russian Twist

Circuit Two

Plank
Flutter Kicks
Diamond Pushups
Bodyweight Squat

Circuit Three

Mountain Climbers
Calf Raise
Jumping Jacks
Bodyweight Lunges



If you are already doing cardio, go ahead just remember that there is no need to over-do it! I'm a fan of High Intensity Intervals or Tabata training but I cannot recommend that for unseasoned individuals, as it is easy to lose coordination and injure oneself during these. For those with PCOS, if you incorporate these circuits, and yoga and leisure walks several times a week you should be good; no need to overstress your adrenal system. REMEMBER that the #1 first goal of working out should be a focus on health, hence my little graphic above! Focusing on health first will also decrease the liability that you will stop the program because it does take time to see physical changes. Invest now in your health and save money and enjoy life down the road!
 

*If you are an aerobics junky, stop. Do low intensity relaxing exercise (leisure walking, tai chi, restorative yoga) and weight training instead to control cortisol which can be one of the major issues in disrupting brain ovary signaling. (Teta, Jade. Metabolic Effect, Inc. "How To Lose Weight with PCOS". www.metaboliceffect.com)