Friday 17:23

I'm Absolutely pooped, but it's the weekend! Buzzzzzz nuggets! 

I've had a real busy couple of days, and I haven't been to the gym shamelessly in the last 2 days, which is why I've come up with an exercise routine which I can do at home for those rest days and those days that are too busy to fit into my day. It does happen sometimes and in my eyes there is very little point in feeling bad about it, that is the easiest way to a downward spiral. 

So my friend told me about a fitness lady who runs the BBG programme, Kayla. The home workouts she promotes are 28 minutes long: 7 minutes of constant excersise, minute break then onto the next routine. So I've formulated 2 routines:

1. Bums

- 20 squats

- 20 pulse squats 

- 10 pulse ski squats

- 10 ski squats

- 10 high kick squats

2. Abs

- 40 bicycle crunches

- 20 heel taps

- 10 roll ups

- 20 v-ups 

I've downloaded an app, which has the stop watch running for 7 minutes, and then starts again and it allows me to track which days I've done the routines etc. The bottom half routine allows me to go through the routine 3 times with about 50 seconds to go, and due to my irritable OCD I can't bring myself to start again and not finish, so I do arm circles to finish, which totally kills, but as I haven't set an arm routine yet I like adding a little arms in there. The abs workout allows me to complete it 4 times and again with the remanding 40 seconds I do some more arm circles. Each routine is done 2x to make a 28 minute workout and honestly, I sometimes get more sweaty than when I'm at the gym. 

Anyway, I'm going out for dinner tonight, it's my boyfriends, Dads, birthday and we are going to Pea Porridge, a fine dining restaurant. I have been a little apprehensive as I've done so well for my first week but you have to enjoy yourself in order to keep up the motivation and keep that goal in sight! I know I'm going to have 3 course and wine, but it's ok because I think I've earnt it! 

Xx

Thursday 07:12

Morning!! Oh my I'm absolutely knackered right now, it's Thursday for one, which I usually get on ok with but I couldn't wish it was Friday more this morning. However this morning I've got a breakfast awaiting for me that is something I've never had before! So I had a crack at a Chia Seed Pudding... And honestly, it's like a cold porridge but it is tasty and my gosh it's so filling!! So I've made my Chia Seed Pudding with mixed berries, peanut butter and a handful of prunes.

I washed out an old jar of mayo and put 1/2 cup of chia seeds with 1 1/2 cups of vanilla almond milk. Bash the lid back on the jar and give it a good shake. Open the jar to add, 1 cup of mixed berries and 1 tbsp of peanut butter. Lid back on, shake once again and leave over night. The seeds will expand and the pudding will firm up, to garnish I popped a couple of prunes on top. 

Very interesting breakfast. I think I will have another go but expirement with flavours. Anyway I'm now ready for Thursday. Good start!

Tuesday 21:46

Oh my, totally knackered, I'll make it a short one.

Great day two, feeling exhausted, 3 solid good meals and an upper body gym workout this evening which has left me for dead. On the plus side, I picked up some Skyr High Protien Honey Yogurt, absolutely delicious! It's so thick and creamy and not too sweet, but really refreshing! Loved it!

I'm dead! Night!

Monday 20:49

Such a good day today and I'm pretty chuffed with myself as well.

Have eaten so well today, no slip ups; prawn salad for lunch with an apple, fish and stir fry veggies for tea with a pear and after my workout I had 2 large tbsp of protein yogurt. All finished off with 4 bottles of water, very pleased! 

I must say, I don't find eating well difficult at all, but after a good few weeks off, bearing in mind I've had a holiday and such, it's gone really well.

I hit the gym this evening, it was leg day today, and I pulled it off pretty well. Leg day is a lot of squats, lunges and machine work, as well as a hearty ab workout tucked in there too. As I've mentioned previously, I have been such a cardio girl for so long that the transition of exercise is going to be a bit of a change, but I did enjoy my workout today and I feel the aches and pains already!

I'm making sure I get a good nights sleep tonight, rest is just as important as the healthy eating and the exercise!

So long!

Monday 07:35

So, this morning I have just had my first yummy breakfast, 2 scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and spinach. I'm feeling very full, this is definetly a bigger brekkie than I usually have! 

I have also, begrundley taken some underwear shots this morning, to help me track my progress! Big step!

Ouch feeling very nervy right now!

Ciao for now!

Sunday 21st 20:05

Well, I suppose I had better introduce myself. I'm not sure why I feel strangely nervous about doing this, as I do already have a blog which allows me to upload recipes from my latest baking and cooking ventures, but this blog is going to be a little more personal, I suppose.
I've wanted to do this for a while now; this, being an over haul of my current lifestyle, especially in terms of diet and fitness; Ill start from the beginning.

4 years ago, I went through my lowest lows in my 23 years of age so far. I had just completed my first year of university and I was back home for the summer and after a series of devastating events which had occurred previous to me returning to home for the summer, I managed to find myself in a dark place and pretty over weight. I knew that I had to pick myself up again and that is when I found fitness and dieting most comforting. I've always been pretty tall for a girl, 5 ft 5 to be exact, and through out my life I have been a pretty average size, that was until 4 years ago, where I found myself over-weight, depressed and weighting in at 13st. Now, this is an unhealthy weight when your body composition is mostly fat and no muscle. It took me a year or so to loose nearly 4 stone. I was totally proud of myself, however loosing weight has not come without its difficulties. I have had times where I have been too thin and felt totally miserable, barely eating anything. I have put on half a stone, from a binge, then I've had to starve in order to get back down to a weight I am happy with and it has become something I have obsessed over massively and it really isn't a nice thing to have to deal with.

Currently, I am weighing in at 137ibs give or take, I eat well and exercise regularly, however its time for a change. I have thought endlessly about it and I've done extensive research and reading. I know that I am not over-weight and my body isn't that bad, but there are areas of my body I want to nurture and transform. I want toned arms, with some definition. I want abs, which are subtly defined. I want a nice round bum, and strong toned legs.

Is that too much to ask for?

I have set myself a realistic target of 6 weeks to make a change to my fitness routines, and to start gaining muscle and toning areas of my body, to define my assets and make myself proud of what I have and who I am. I have mapped out a clear eating plan, which is full of protein and nutrients, vitamins which is going to enhance my weight training gym workouts and body pump classes. I am most likely going to put on weight as muscle weighs more than fat, but I have put the scales away for a while, as I have spent too much time taunting myself over pounds, the scales really are a sadness step and I think that by putting them away for a while is defiantly going to alleviate some pressure for me.

I can do this.

My boyfriend and I have just been to Valencia for our summer holiday and it was amazing, we had the best time. I spent the 6 weeks before hand, practically starving myself, weighing myself everyday and doing 2 hrs of cardio per day in order to prepare, and honestly it made me feel low and stressed. Once I was on holiday, it was great and I totally relaxed. Sure, when I was on the beach I saw lots of girls with perfect figures who looked amazing in bikinis, but I didn't let this effect my enjoyment on my holiday, as it usually does, but it was in my mind when I came back to England. I was thinking how do they do it? How do you achieve such a toned figure, where am I going wrong? Luckily, I get on well with one of the personal trainers at the gym and he told me, I'm not eating enough, and I'm not training enough and that has sent me on a quest, I have researched and researched and finally I am ready to embark on a whole new way of looking at fitness and diet.

I have meal prepped for lunches and dinners for the next couple of days which is exciting, and I went and did a good hearty shop on Saturday in order to prepare. The first couple of days might be a challenge but I'm looking forward to it. Saturday allows for a cheat day so that'll be something to look forward too. I'm also very lucky to have my boyfriend who is supporting me throughout the process, but I'm excited!

Wish me luck for day 1, speak soon!