Lean Eating for Women –

Second Phase (4 weeks)

It’s time to get serious!

Congratulations on completing the first phase of Lean Eating! We hope you’ve learned a lot and
are starting to feel a little more at home with resistance training.
This new phase is a chance to work with the movements you’ve learned so far and take them a
little further.
Most of the exercises in this phase should look very familiar. That’s good! It’s testament to your
growing understanding of how to move well. With that in mind, it’s time to really perfect that quality
of movement.
While there are a number of differences between this phase and the last, let’s concentrate on the
similarities:
 The first week will be the easiest – it’s an opportunity to get a feel for things without any
pressure. It’s also an opportunity to take some rest from the previous week. If you
capped off Phase 1 right, you’ll need it.
 Every successive week will be tougher. By the final week, you’ll have the pedal to the
metal in terms of effort and achievement.
 Movement quality is the first thing that should improve. Increased weights mean little if
you’re making compromises to move them. Trust us: focusing on movement quality is an
important investment in your future success.
One of the most important differences in Phase 2 is that you’ll be moving at a faster pace. You’ll
notice that rest only comes at the end of an exercise grouping, which means you’ll not only have
to keep things moving but you’ll have to organize your exercise stations to facilitate that.
This phase will be an opportunity to push yourself and redefine your own boundaries. As always,
train safely but stay focused!

1  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PHASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 

Calendar

MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN

Week Workout 1 Intervals Workout 2 Active Workout 1 Intervals Off

1
recovery

Week Workout 2 Intervals Workout 1 Active Workout 2 Intervals Off

2
recovery

Week Workout 1 Intervals Workout 2 Active Workout 1 Intervals Off

3
recovery

Week Workout 2 Intervals Workout 1 Active Workout 2 Intervals Off

4
recovery

2  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PHASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 

Warm-up

Foam rolling work

 IT bands (side of legs) Key points:

 Hip flexors (hips) Complete 5-10 passes of each.
 Quads (front of legs)
Keep your muscles relaxed (even
 Hamstrings (back of legs)
though you will feel moderate pain).
 Adductors (low and high; inside of legs)
 Glutes Keep duration under a minute for any
 Upper back one area.
 Lats

Stretches

 Pecs Key points:

 Lats From the list, pick only two of the
 Hip flexors stretches and hold for 60 seconds
 Hamstrings each.
 Adductors Choose the stretches that you find the
 External rotators (10 repetitions) most challenging.

Mobility

 Ankle mobility (middle, inside and outside) Key points:

 Wall slides Complete 5-10 repetitions of each.
 Hugging hip lift
Important: don’t simply go through the
 Scapular push-ups
motions. Take your time on each
 Assisted rear lunge
movement, concentrating on what
 Prone hip flexion you’re supposed to feel.
 Lateral squat
 Standing X-band abduction Your goal isn’t to achieve the greatest
 Assisted squat range of motion possible with any
 Shoulder dislocations particular movement, but to use the
right muscles and joints.
  

Note:
You can view the video of the entire warm-up sequence in Today’s Workout (from your Lean
Eating home page.)

3  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PHASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 

Workout 1

WARM-UP

Group 1

A) ½ kneeling cable chop (10 reps/side) Week 1 – do 2 rounds of group 1

B) Plank on stability ball (hold for 60 seconds) Week 2 – do 2 rounds of group 1
Week 3 – do 3 rounds of group 1
Rest 60 seconds, repeat
Week 4 – do 3 rounds of group 1

Group 2

A) Goblet squat to box with pulse (10 reps) Week 1 – do 3 rounds of group 2
B) 3-point dumbbell row (10 reps/side) Week 2 – do 3 rounds of group 2
Week 3 – do 4 rounds of group 2
C) Single-leg Romanian deadlift – (assistance optional)
(10 reps/side) Week 4 – do 4 rounds of group 2

Rest 60 seconds, repeat

Group 3

A) SHELC (Supine hip extension leg curl) (10 reps) Week 1 – do 2 rounds of group 3
B) Single-arm dumbbell bench press (10 reps/side) Week 2 – do 2 rounds of group 3
Week 3 – do 3 rounds of group 3
Rest 60 seconds, repeat
Week 4 – do 4 rounds of group 3

Note:
Exercises in a group are to be performed one after another. In contrast to last phase, Phase 2
requires you to move, without stopping, from exercise to exercise within each group. As such, it’s
important to have your stations set up beforehand.
Knowing what exercises can be reproduced with a band (or otherwise improvised) will help you
keep things moving in a crowded gym environment.

4  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PHASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 

Workout 2

WARM-UP

Group 1
Week 1 – do 2 rounds of group 1
A) Side plank (hold for 45 seconds/side) Week 2 – do 3 rounds of group 1
Rest 30 seconds, repeat Week 3 – do 4 rounds of group 1
Week 4 – do 4 rounds of group 1

Group 2

A) Rear elevated split squat or split squat (10 reps/side) Week 1 – do 3 rounds of group 2
B) High incline dumbbell press (10 reps) Week 2 – do 3 rounds of group 2
Week 3 – do 4 rounds of group 2
C) Lateral squat (10 reps/side)
Week 4 – do 4 rounds of group 2
Rest 60 seconds, repeat

Group 3
Week 1 – do 2 rounds of group 3
A) Low cable Romanian deadlift (10 reps)
Week 2 – do 2 rounds of group 3
B) Single-arm cable pull-down from tall kneel (10 reps/side) Week 3 – do 3 rounds of group 3
Rest 60 seconds, repeat Week 4 – do 4 rounds of group 3

Note:
Exercises in a group are to be performed one after another. In contrast to last phase, Phase 2
requires you to move, without stopping, from exercise to exercise within each group. As such, it’s
important to have your stations set up beforehand.
Knowing what exercises can be reproduced with a band (or otherwise improvised) will help you
keep things moving in a crowded gym environment.

5  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PHASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 

Active recovery

WARM-UP (OPTIONAL)

Mildly to moderately challenging work– preferably outdoors Week 1 – do 25 minutes

Week 2 – do 25 minutes
Week 3 – do 30 minutes
Week 4 – do 30 minutes

Note:
This activity is intended to be relatively easy. Your goal should be to find an activity (outside of the
gym) that will provide a change of pace and leave you feeling better than when you started.

6  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PHASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 

Intervals

WARM-UP

Perform 20 seconds of all-out work followed Week 1 – do 4 rounds

by 40-60 seconds of light work, repeat Week 2 – do 6 rounds
Week 3 – do 8 rounds
Week 4 – do 8 rounds

Note:
Choose a low-impact exercise, such as stationary biking, sled pulling or swimming. Your goal is to
work at peak intensity for each 20-second interval. The 40-60 seconds in between should be slow
and recovery-oriented.

7  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PHASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 

Phase 2 –
Exercise Directory

Workout 1
½ kneeling cable chop ..................................................................................................................... 9
Plank on stability ball ..................................................................................................................... 10
Goblet squat to box with pulse....................................................................................................... 11
3-point dumbbell row ..................................................................................................................... 12
Single-leg RDL (Romanian deadlift) .............................................................................................. 13
SHELC (Supine hip extension leg curl) ......................................................................................... 14
Single-arm dumbbell bench press ................................................................................................. 15

Workout 2 
Side plank ...................................................................................................................................... 16
Rear elevated split squat (or split squat) ....................................................................................... 17
High incline dumbbell bench press ................................................................................................ 18
Lateral squat .................................................................................................................................. 19
Low cable RDL (Romanian deadlift) .............................................................................................. 20
Single-arm cable pull-down from tall kneel .................................................................................... 21

8  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PHASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 

WORK
KOUT 1

½ kneeling
k g cable chop
c
 

Set-up
p
Take a half-kneeling position
p perpen ndicular to a ro
ope cable handle (it will be in its
i lowest posittion).
Rotate a few degreess away from the e handle so tha at it’s slightly be
ehind you. To start,
s grasp the
e
rope, ensuring
e there is tension on th
he line and thatt the weight is offo of the stackk. Set your position
with shoulders and hips level, and your
y shoulder blades
b squeeze ed together andd pulled down.
ment
Movem
Keeping your shoulde
er blades pulled d back and dowwn, move the handle
h upward on a 45-degree
angle as
a high as posssible, without tw
wisting or comp
promising your shoulder align
nment.
Key Po
oints

 At the bottom and top

t of each movement, re-esttablish your sho
oulder position
 Don’t let your body twist
 Ensuure that your fro
ont knee remaiins stacked ove
er the ankle
When do
d I add weigh
ht?
Add weeight when youu can perform th
he movement with
w all of the keyk points – particularly keeping
the sho
oulder blades down
d and your front knee stab
ble – in place.

9  HASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 
LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PH
WORK
KOUT 1

Plan
nk on sttability ball
b
 

Set-up
p
Place your
y forearms on
o a stability ba
all (your elbowss are bent at ninety degrees) and the balls of
o
your feet touching. Yo
our spine should be neutral (iff in doubt, defa
ault to a slight pike).
p

Movem
ment
Not eve
en a little.

Key Po
oints
 Do not allow your back
b to “sag”
 Take e a 3-5 second break if form starts
s to break down.
d The clocck is not runnin
ng during this break.
b
 If you
u feel this in yo
our spine at all, take a short break and resumme with your bu utt higher in the
e air.

When do
d I add weigh
ht?
No neeed – progress hereh is strictly about
a postural quality.
q To movve forward, you
u’ll choose a
smallerr stability ball (tthe larger the easier)
e or narro
ow your feet.

HASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 
10  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PH
WORK
KOUT 1

Gob
blet squ
uat to bo
ox with pulse

Set-up
p
Sit on the
t very edge of o a box or step p. Make sure th hat your feet arre shoulder-wid
dth apart, angleed at
about 454 degrees or less and stacke ed under (or jusst behind) yourr knees). Pleasse note: this is the
first andd only time tha
at you’ll actuallyy be sitting on the
t box. Cup th he top head of the dumbbell in n
your ha ands.
Sit as far
f forward as you
y can on the box without fa
alling off. From there, stand up
p without adjussting
your feet.

Movem
ment
Sit back toward the bo ox, beginning byb moving yourr butt backward ds (hinging from
m the hips). Un
nlike
the gobblet squat in yo
our first phase, you will keep the dumbbell ass close to yourr body as you can
c
(while maintaining
m a neutral
n spine) on
o the way dow wn. At your lowest point, you will
w make light
contactt with the box, push the dumb m your body and bring it back. You will then dig
bbell away from
your heeels in, squeezze your glutes and
a stand tall.

Key Po
oints

 The box serves only as a marker of depth and hip movement. If you are fallin ng backwards –
evenn an inch – raise the height off the box
 Drive
e your chest forrward – particu
ularly during the
e last few inche
es toward the bottom.
b If you’rre
roundding your lower back– even a little – raise th
he height of the
e box
 Yourr weight shouldd remain in your heels through hout the movem ment
 Squeeeze your shou ulder blades tog gether throughout the movem ment

When do
d I add weigh
ht?
Maintaining neutral sp ge of motion is your second. Maintaining
pine is your firsst priority. Rang M
retraction of your shoulder blades iss third. Any weight increases will
w be increme ental (we’ll be
g these up soon
loading n enough) and occur after all the other criterria are in place
e.

HASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 
11  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PH
WORK
KOUT 1

3-po
oint dum
mbbell row
r
 

Set-up
p
Put onee shin and the same-side hannd on a bench asa if you’re cra
awling. The outside foot will be
e
plantedd on the ground
d. The outside hand will be ho
olding a dumbb bell. Ensure tha
at your hips aree
level an
nd that your ch
hest is pushed forward
f to help
p you maintain a neutral spinee.

Movem
ment
Draw your
y elbow to th
he sky, rowing the dumbbell up
u

Key Po
oints
 Even
n at the bottom of the movement, do not let thet shoulder go
o completely slack
 Stabilize the body – don’t rotate th
he torso during
g the movemen
nt

When do
d I add weigh
ht?
You ca
an increase the weight of the dumbbells
d as soon
s as you can perform the movement
m with
h all
key poiints in place.

HASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 
12  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PH
WORKOUT 1

Single-leg RDL (assistance optional)

 

Set-up
Standing tall, ensure that you have a slight bend in your knees. Shift your weight over to one foot
and hold the other foot just a little bit above the ground. Hold onto a stick (or any other piece of
external support) with the hand on the side of the un-weighted leg.
Note: If you’re able to perform this movement without external assistance (maintaining the same
quality of movement), please do so.

Movement
Hinging from the hips, move your butt backwards. As you bend, you will start to feel a gentle
stretch in your hamstrings. Once you can go no further without bending the knee or rounding the
back, stop, ensure that your hips are level and that your back has a natural arch. Dig your heel
into the ground, squeezing your hamstrings and glutes to initiate movement. Drive your hips
forward until you’re standing upright again.

Key Points
 Think tall, not back
 Ensure your hips are level at the bottom position. If you’re not sure which way to turn, it’s the
harder way.
 Use external support as minimally as possible (but retaining great form). The goal is to do this
unassisted.
 Neutral spine should be established at the beginning and end of each rep, not while you’re in
motion.
When do I add weight?
Add weight only when you can bring your torso parallel to the ground with impeccable form, no
external assistance and all of the key points in place. 

13  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PHASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 

WORKOUT 1

SHELC (Supine hip extension leg curl)

 

Set-up
Lay on the ground with your heels resting on a stability ball. Spread your arms (palms-up) out to
the sides.

Movement
The movement is divided into four parts:
1. Lift your hips off the ground
2. Bend your knees, bringing the ball toward you
3. Extend your knees, pushing the ball away
4. Lower your hips back to the ground

Key Points

 Always ensure that you’re stable before you move

 Don’t over-arch your lower-back – focus on bringing your hips up by squeezing your glutes

When do I add weight?

Instead of adding weight to make things more challenging, you’ll progressively narrow the angle of
your arms until they are resting on you (instead of the floor). Swapping up for a smaller stability
ball will also work.

14  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PHASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 

WORK
KOUT 1

Sing
gle-arm
m dumbb
bell bench presss

Set-up
p
Lay on your back, enssuring that your feet are solidly on the floor. Hoisting one dumbbell
d to sit on
your sh
houlder (the dumbbell should be parallel to your
y body), squueeze the bencch with your
shoulde
er blades.

Movem
ment
Maintaining the shoulder squeeze, push
p the dumbbell away, turn
ning your palm away as you press
p
(in othe
er words, rotate
e during the pre
ess, not after).

Key Po
oints
 Use your shoulder blades to sque eeze the bench throughout the e entire movem
ment – even at the
top.
 Keep p your shoulderr as low as posssible throughoout the moveme ent. Making sure that your latt is
flexe
ed will help this.
 No dancing! Your fe eet should remmain firmly plantted and your kn
nees should re
emain in-line wiith
your ankles. Stabilitty is essential

When do
d I add weigh
ht?
Add weeight when youu can perform th
he movement with
w all of the key
k points – particularly keeping
the sho
oulder blades back
b and down– – in place.

HASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 
15  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PH
WORK
KOUT 2

Side
e plank
 

Set-up
p
Lay on your side with your forearm on
o the ground. Pick your hipss up off of the ground
g while
squeez
zing your glutess.

Movem
ment
Not eve
en a little.

Key Po
oints
 Keepp your hips drivven forward, maaintaining yourr body in a straight line.
 Takee a 3-5 second break if you feeel this in your spine
s at all or form
f starts to break
b down. The
clock
k is not running
g during this bre
eak.

When do
d I add weigh
ht?
No nee
ed – progress here
h is strictly about
a postural quality.
q

HASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 
16  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PH
WORK
KOUT 2

Rea
ar eleva
ated spliit squat (or split squat))
 
 

Set-up
p
Standinng on one leg, reach your opp posite foot back as far as youu can, placing th
he top of the re
ear
foot on a bench or equivalent. This will
w set the leng gth of your strid
de. Try to keep
p all of your weiight
in the heel
h of the frontt foot. Your fee
et should be hip
p width apart.

Movem
ment
Keeping your weight ini the heel of th
he front foot, drop the rear kn
nee in a controlled fashion unttil it
gently touches
t the floor or a foam paad. Drive your weight through h the front heel, focusing on
extending your hips as
a you come up p.

Key Po
oints
 Keepp the weight in your front heell throughout – don’t
d let it shift forward
 Ensuure that your fro
ont hip, knee and ankle are veertically stacke ed throughout; don’t let your knee
k
cave
e inwards
 Try not
n to let the rear leg “help”

When do
d I add weigh
ht?
You ca
an increase the weight of the dumbbells
d as soon
s as you can perform the movement
m with
h all
key poiints in place. If you’re unable to perform the movement beautifully with bo odyweight alon
ne,
you will need to take a step backwards and perform m the split squa
at as used in Phase
P 1.

HASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 
17  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PH
WORK
KOUT 2

High incline
e dumb
bbell pre
ess
 

p
Set-up
Lay bac ck on an incline
ed bench (approximately 70 degrees)
d with your
y feet firmly on the floor an
nd a
dumbbell in each han nd. The dumbbeells should be in line with you
ur body and witth the top head
sitting on
o your shoulders. Squeeze your
y shoulder blades
b together and ensure th hat your lower body
is stable.

ment
Movem
Press the
t dumbbells straight
s o the air (not at a right angle to
up into o your body). As
A you press, rotate
r
the dum
mbbells during the movementt (not at the topp) so that they finish
f perpendiicular to your body.
b

Key Po
oints

 Use your shoulder blades to sque eeze the bench throughout the ment – even at the
e entire movem
top.
 Keep p your shoulderrs as low as po ossible through
hout the movem ment. Making sure that your la
at is
flexe
ed will help this.
 No dancing! Your fe eet should remmain firmly plantted and your kn
nees should re
emain in-line wiith
your ankles. Stabilitty is essential.

When do
d I add weigh
ht?
Add weeight when youu can perform thhe movement with
w all of the key
k points – particularly keeping
the sho
oulder blades down
d – in place
e.

HASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 
18  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PH
WORK
KOUT 2

Late
eral squ
uat
 

Set-up
p
Cradlin
ng the top head
d of the dumbbe
ell in your hand
ds, take a wide
e stance with yo
our feet paralle
el and
your sh
houlder blades retracted.

Movem
ment
Shift yo
our weight laterrally (while movving your butt backwards)
b unttil most of yourr weight is on one
o
foot. Att the halfway mark,
m you will se
ee your knee stacked
s over yoour ankle on the e weighted side e
and thee other leg straight. Dig your heel
h and the la
ateral side of yo
our foot into the
e ground to pussh
yourself back to the standing positio on.

Key Po
oints
 Yourr shin angle shoouldn’t change during the mo ovement but your hips should move backwarrds
(like the goblet squat)
 Both feet should remain parallel and
a flat on the floor
f
 Push e side so it sits in-line with the
h the weighted knee out to the e ankle

When do
d I add weigh
ht?
Maintaining neutral sppine is your firsst priority. Rang
ge of motion is your second. Maintaining
M
retraction of your shoulder blades iss third. Any weight increases will
w be increme ental (we’ll be
loading
g these up soon n enough) and occur after all the other criterria are in place
e.

HASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 
19  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PH
WORK
KOUT 2

Low
w cable RDL (R
Romania
an dead
dlift)

Set-up
p
Graspin
ng a cable han ndle or band in both hands, ta ake a few stepss back, ensuringg that the weigght
remains slightly off off the stack once
e you’re in the bottom position hile pulling your
n. Stand tall wh
ers back and down.
shoulde d

Movem
ment
Move your
y butt backw
wards, keeping your chest drivven forward thrroughout. At so ome point in thee
movem ment (don’t worrry about wheree), you won’t bee able to proceed any further without either
compro omising your knnee angle or ne
eutral spine. Paause to re-esta
ablish your alignment. From th here,
dig in your
y heels, squeezing your gluutes and driving your hips forrward until you’’ve returned to your
original position.

Key Po
oints
 Yourr knee angle (a slight bend) shhould not chan
nge at any point
 Yourr back alignmen nt should not change
c at any point
p
 Don’t “help” with the
e arms. Keep them
t passive but
b do keep you ur shoulders pu
ulled back and
downn.

When do
d I add weigh
ht?
You caan increase the resistance on the band or ca
able as soon ass you can perfo
orm the movem
ment
with all key points in place.
p  

HASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 
20  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PH
WORK
KOUT 2

Sing
gle arm
m cable pull-dow
p wn from tall kne
eel

Set-up
p
Take a tall kneeling position and gra ab a single han
ndle, or resistan
nce band. The starting positio
on
should be above or sllightly in front of
o your head.

Movem
ment
Pull the
e band or cable
e to your chest..

Key Po
oints
 Conccentrate on drivving your elboww downward
 Yourr shoulder shouuld be the first thing
t to come down
d and the last thing to com
me up
 Don’t allow your ba
ack alignment to o change durin
ng the movemeent

When do
d I add weigh
ht?
You caan increase the weight you’re using as soon as you can pe
erform the move
ement with all key
k
points in
i place.

HASE 2 (4 WEEKS) 
21  LEAN EATING FOR WOMEN | PH