Fitness Friday: Spring Shake Up

Hello!

The last few weeks I've been struggling to keep up the motivation and focus. The 'New Year' enthusiasm has definitely packed up and gone so I've been looking into new ways to get back into it.

Working long hours with training, sorting out house stuff for my mortgage and solicitors and travelling with work have all meant that my exercise regime has all but disappeared. Now things with the house is mostly sorted and my work trips are only 2 days long I've been trying to get back into it.

I've been catching up on my fitness magazines and finding new workouts to try out but noticed that there were a lot of new programs starting online soon or that are available on the internet for free.

Tone It Up: Bikini Series 2015 - the TIU girls are amazing, I have huge crushes on both of them and I would absolutely love to look like either of them! 

Look at their beautiful abs!

I signed up straight away for their latest Bikini Series, they do it every year and it's an 8 week challenge. You get a new timetable every week with exercises and they regularly post recipes too - worth signing up for to give you motivation into your inbox regularly!

Muscle and Fitness 6 Week Fat Blast Program - another program this time for 6 weeks. This program consists of 3 full body workouts a week with 2 days dedicated to cardio and 2 for resting. This allegedly maximises fat burning and muscle growth and the workouts are detailed on the website, 2 full body workouts that you alternate and also 2 cardio routines. 

For someone that needs everything given to them at once so they can get their head around it and plan, this is perfect!

Shape's No Fail Fat Loss Plan is also another 6 week program. This program is also given to you in advance, it contains 11 different programs detailed in separate pages with videos and demonstrations so you know exactly what you need to do. The good part about this program is that there is a good range of exercises to keep you entertained including tabata, cardio, stretches, HIIT and metabolism boosters. 

I haven't tried any of these programs myself but having had a quick browse they look pretty good to me, a good range of exercises and catering to those who need time to prepare and those who need regular contact via email to keep their motivation up.

I will be reading through more closely and choosing some routines to try out myself, changing things up will boost my metabolism and keep my body guessing, both of which will help the fat burn faster!

Which of these do you think would be best for you? Will you be signing up for TIU as well as downloading the other programs?

It's 2 months before 'bikini season' arrives, it might not be bikini season in the UK strictly, but holidays are definitely looming and baring my body isn't going to be a pretty sight at the moment!

Hopefully this will keep me interested!

L xxx

Fitness Friday: Running Events

Good morning!

I don't know about you, but sometimes motivation is a little hard to come by. Especially at this time of year, I find that I'm passed the initial 'New Year, New Me' kind of mentality but unfortunately better weather still hasn't arrived so I still don't feel ready for outdoor running or hiking or generally anything else that's different.

Last year me and M both completed Tough Mudder, it's a 10-12 mile obstacle course designed by UK Special Forces to test your strength, stamina and mental grit - we did complete it but not without digging deep and working hard in the months leading up to it.

Image from Tough Mudder Twitter page

We took part in the August event in the South West area, but there are many Tough Mudder events throughout the year around the UK. But as it's one of the original events it can be expensive and it's also the hardest - there are so many other events you can try out for fun!

Today's Fitness Friday is all about the variety of running events you can sign up for that doesn't include a single fun run or marathon, hope you're inspired!

Spartan Race - This one is also another very popular obstacle race with three separate distances, Sprint (5km), Super (10km) and the Beast (20km). The idea with Spartan races is to complete all three within a year and you get an extra medal, plus you can fit all of your medals collected throughout the year together. It also gives you the opportunity and aim of building up your distance over a specified length of time. Here's their website

Tough Guy - Allegedly the hardest, this 8 mile course claims to be the original obstacle course (website here). The catch with this course is that its run on the last Sunday of January and contains a whopping 250 obstacles. Dear Lord.

X-Runner - another obstacle course with a variety of runs including a Wild Run, Water Wipeout and Wild Warrior. You can find out more on their site here, but there should be something for everyone on this site courtesy of the variety of types and 5km and 10km options for distances.

Zombie Evacuation - Totally different kettle of fish, a 5km fun run from one place to another trying to 'survive' the zombie apocalypse. There is a massive increase in runs like these and you can see why! Definitely one to get your adrenaline going with a zombie chasing after you trying to steal your 'life' (also known as a scarf that you wear during the run!). Website here.

London Cardiff 24 - If you're not one for too much mud or being chased, this one might be more your thing. Running from Twickenham Stadium in London to the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff with a team over 24 hours. It's certainly a challenge but it won't leave you bored like a normal half marathon might, the darkness and map reading will keep you on your toes! Website here for further info.

Survival of the Fittest - Another obstacle run but this time it's an urban theme. Men's Health devised this event in major cities around the UK including Cardiff and Edinburgh, expect less mud and more water and tyres, with views of the city around you. Website link here.

Last but not least....

Tough Mudder - The beast that me and M are so proud to have conquered! We endured 25 obstacles over an extremely hilly 11.5 miles including swimming through ice water, electric shocks and jumping off a 4m high platform into freezing cold water. You can browse the site here, and view the terrifying ordeal of the World's Toughest Mudder event. I just can't even...!

Have you taken part in any other types of runs? There's also Revolution Runs which is a new event in the South Wales area, there's Dirty Dozen, Total Warrior....the list is endless!

We've signed up to do another Tough Mudder this year but the training for it is looking a little bit behind courtesy of our new jobs.

What are you training for this year?

L xxx

Fitness Update

Hello!

I thought I'd start today's Fitness Friday off with my own personal fitness review. A few weeks ago i attended a session with my trainer and I'd been working so hard to get a few pounds off. 

If you've never read a fitness post of mine before then let me fill you in. I'm 5ft 9 so quite tall for a female and a few years ago I weighed a little more than I do now. A few years of uni binge drinking and late night take aways meant I'd piled on about 14-20 lbs (I'm unsure exactly as I've never been someone who weighed herself).

Due to stress i found myself feeling ill after every meal and kept getting stomach cramps so I ended up changing my diet completely cutting out crap food, dairy and bread, and citrus fruits as they were too acidic for me. I lost 17lbs and ever since have been OBSESSED with food in a good way and I absolutely love going to the gym, planning my meals, and generally eating as who doesn't love that?

Obviously i love a binge like everyone else but I've totally changed my lifestyle over time and now i don't crave bad food unless I'm hungover, I combat stress with exercise and I'm generally enthusiastic about the whole thing, reading and researching new foods, recipes and workout routines.

However as with all stories that go along this line, even with my relatively healthy diet and regular exercise, usually 4/5 times a week I've been finding it hard to shift some pounds. I'm not overweight by any means, my BMI is 22 and I regularly do weights so probably have more muscle than others but I'm really conscious of trying to get my fat % down. 

I actually can't remember my specific percentage as my trainer keeps it all recorded for me, but i was OVER THE MOON when I had lost 3lbs of fat the last time I was weighed. It was a huge confidence booster and I was so unbelievable happy.

I've got a long way to go to getting where I want to be as I'd like to lose a further 10lbs of fat before the summer but I'm clearly doing something right this time.

Moving on from that my trainer also gave me my new program which is AMAZING! I'm so into it at the moment that I could scrap all my classes and running just to do it, but I need to keep up my stamina in the others too.

This routine incorporates box step ups with weights, mountain climbers, lunges and lat raises with weights, and squat and press with weights.

In total I use the cross trainer, bike, rower and treadmill for short bursts of cardio and i also have a circuit of exercises to do using TRX which I repeat three times.

It's an all over body blast and although i love it it does take a considerable amount of time. Sometimes i have to cut out the third circuit of TRX exercises because there just isn't enough time during the week.

How have your fitness routines been going lately? Have you got any new programs you'd like to share?

Do you have any running tips for increasing distance to 10 miles plus?

I'd love to hear any of them!

L xxx