Rest Week

As most of you know, Dream Team is 17 week challenge.  8 weeks on, 1 week rest and then a final 8 weeks.    The rest week is an important component of Dream Team and out in place for a many reasons.
First and most importantly is that if you have been training hard for the past 8 weeks and doing all the things your trainer asks you to do, the you should be ready both mentally and physically for a one week break.  If not, you should evaluate how hard you really worked the first 8 weeks and come back the second half with more intensity.
Secondly, we are trying to teach you how to live healthy and in "real life" you are sometimes going to be away and unable to go to a gym for a week.  This does not mean your whole life should fall apart.  You should still get up around the same time and eat right (more on that later).
Finally, 4 months without a break is simply too much and seems overwhelming.  I want you to look at this as if we are at halftime right now.  Maybe you didn't have the best first half?  That's no reason to give up.  Think of it like this; there are quite a few people doing amazing right now and anything that someone else did in the first half, you can do in the second half!  If you had a great fist half, this is no time to let up. 
I'll tell you right now that the second half seems to go a bit slower, especially if you don't rest this week and you will be tested mentally, especially when that darn Easter bunny comes around.  So take this week off to set some new ambitious goals for the second half and start thinking about what you are going to wear to the banquet on May 3rd.
So what should you do on the week off?
The gym will be open from 5-7 am and 4-6 pm M-F for cardio only (bike and rowers)!  There will be boot camp this weekend (march 1-2), but not on the 8th and 9th.  Feel free to do your max-ot a few times this week, but nothing else.  As for your diet, you want to keep that on point.  It is a week off from training, not a week off from proper eating. Basically you should still be eating your 6 meals of high quality protein, goods fat and vegetables each meal. 
Stay positive.  Bill