Weekly WI

So I had my WI last night and I am delighted I was down 2.5lbs. I really wanted 3.5lbs so I could reach my first mini goal; 13st 13.5lbs. I probably was a little too ambitious with that target though. What I really wanted this week was to lose more than what I had gained last week. I gained 1.5lbs last week so I am happy to have that off again along with another pound. When I was updating my weekly results in the side bar, I did get a bit upset. I have only lost 1.5lbs in the first 4 weeks and only 4lbs in 5 weeks. Now don't get me wrong, 4lbs down is still 4lbs down, which is good. However when you hear of others losing a stone in a month etc. it does get a bit disheartening. Being honest though, the first few weeks I wasn't as good as I should have been. This week I did try really hard and I enjoyed my week and it showed on the scales. It is time to put that effort in every week and I know if I do, I will get the results I want. I have six weeks until my holidays and I'd really like to get my first stone by then. 10lbs in 6 weeks. A bit optimistic but as long as I am sticking to the plan every week  and losing every week, I am happy.

Along with the challenges I set for myself this month, I am also setting myself a new one this week. I have realised I am a bit obsessed with the scales. Every time I am in the bathroom, I hop on them. Ideally I would love to put them away but I am not the only one that uses them. Digital scales are also sensitive to movement so its best just to leave them where they are. So I am going to use every bit of willpower in me to avoid the scales until Saturday. I will take a sneak peak then as I found last weekend, when I saw I was down, it helped me stay on track for the weekend. I will then stay off them until my WI on Wednesday. I am liking setting myself challenges, as I find they help me stay on track. So if you are struggling, set yourself some weekly goals or challenges. Keep them small and simple such as trying new foods. It really does help :)

My Fitness Challenge and Challenge for May

My exercise challenge has been put on the back burner this week because of work. I was working late all week so I never got a chance to do any. The last day I did 30DS, prior to yesterday, was last Monday which was day 4 of level 2. I found it so tough and I actually threw up during it. I was so confused as to why I was finding it so difficult in comparison to the previous day until I saw my time.....32 minutes! My previous time was 37 mins so I was extremely proud of myself for doing it in that time. Just to reiterate, I time myself to stop me from taking breaks, no other reason. You can only do the DVD as fast as Jillian herself does it! Also it is important not to compromise on form. I did it yesterday and today as well. I didn't time it as I have had a head cold and it was a miracle that I did it all! I definitely need to up my exercise, especially at the weekends.

In the spirit of challenges, I have set a few challenges for the month of May. I am a bit late starting, but better late than never.

1. Lose 8lbs.....okay may be a bit optimistic but I'm going to give it my all and try and get as close as possible.

2. No bingeing.....I have come a long way since I rejoined for the umpteenth and last time, but there have been a few slip ups.

3. Fizzy drinks on weekends only......I know I was supposed to give them up altogether but I will admit I slipped up badly this weekend. So I am going to stick to the squash during the week and allow myself a fizzy drink at the weekend.

4. At least one workout a day, except for Wednesday (WI day)

5. Try a new fruit or veg each week......this week its banana and spinach. I'm making a green smoothie for a mid-morning snack. I hated bananas when I was younger so its going to be a big step. I haven't tried it properly but I did take a sip when I made it and it wasn't too bad. I'll post the recipe for it tomorrow.

6. Stick rigidly to my daily points except for Friday and Wednesday where I will have a treat within my weekly allowance.

7. No mozzarella cheese.....it is low in points but I have a tendency to open the fridge and pick at it so I'm not having it in the house any more!

8. I am not going to let my weight affect my mood. Since I regained the weight, I have not done a proper clothes shop. As a result I have been wearing the same clothes, leggings and baggy tops, all the time. Today I went on a big shopping spree (my bank balance will not thank me) and bought nice clothes that fit me properly. I didn't care what size was on the label as it is only temporary. I was actually surprised though as everything I tried on fitted me and they were all 14-16. There was even a 12 thrown in there! I know I will feel much better about myself for having nice clothes that look good on me.

If you have been lacking motivation lately or looking to try new things, set yourself some challenges. Even set yourself just one new thing to do this month. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself but also don't push yourself. My list may seem like a lot, but most of it is stuff I have already set in motion, I just need to stick to it!

My Fitness Challenge Day 12 and 13.....and a bit of a WW ramble!

This post is all over the place and a bit of a ramble so I apologise!! It starts with last Sunday's fitness post and then goes on to today's!

Nothing like doing a good workout on a Sunday afternoon. It really does put you in a good mood. I also find it stops me from boredom eating or in this case hangover eating. I did 30DS level 2 day 2 today. I did it in 37 minutes which is not great but an improvement. Just something to note if you do 30DS, for the walkout push-ups make sure to bend your knees if you are not that flexible. The instructors do it without bending their knees but I would only end up injuring myself if I kept then straight.

I finally got around to doing Banish Fat Boost Metabolism again. It was much easier this time round and I even enjoyed it. I will admit though that I skipped the burpees. I have never been able to do them so rather than risk injuring myself, I just jogged on the stop for that exercise. It took me 1hr 10mins previously to complete it and I am proud to say that it only took me 57mins this time around! I am already looking forward to next weekend and doing it again.

Eek my fitness challenge was put on the wayside this last week. I have not been sleeping that well and the tiredness got the best of me, not to mention work was extremely stressful this week. I finally gathered to energy to do a workout on Saturday (yesterday). I did BFBM and I did it in 51 minutes! I had intended on doing 30DS but I was wrecked after doing BFBM. I was feeling really disheartened until I was reading a WW supplement. It talks about how we are more likely to fail if we are too hard on ourselves. So instead of being annoyed with not doing my planned exercise, I am proud of myself for doing BFBM.

Today, Sunday, I am sitting here writing this and putting off doing my workout. Even after a 10 hour sleep last night, I am still tired and just drained of energy. I have no idea why. Granted I do have my TOTM but I have never been this tired before. Also I should add that my previous attempt to try and overcome the TOTM weight gain myth is well and truly abandoned. Now in fairness I have not been as bad as I have been in the past. The worse is picking at the rich tea biscuits, which for some reason my Mum decided to buy a double packet of before going on holidays! Maybe a sneaky bar of chocolate as well and okay a few bottles of fizzy drinks.....and not diet. However if you have read my previous posts you will now that I can easily demolish a share bag of Minstrels and tube of Pringles in one sitting so I am not going to stress over a few biscuits. I really have come a long way in the space of a few weeks. My scales are showing me as STS so there is still hope to get down a lb or two before Wednesday. Anyway I am going to get up and do my exercise and the next paragraph will be about my results.......when this programme finishes, I'll definitely do it then!

If you saw me this evening, you would laugh your head off at me. I was a mess. I got up started, to do 30DS, and after the warm-up, I gave up. I decided to do a few sit-ups instead. There I was lying on the floor, thinking how ridiculous I was being; so up I got and did level 2 day 3. I was sweating like a pig by the end of it. My phone died during it so no idea what my time was but I say it was bad enough. I am just glad I did it. Now to push myself to do it tomorrow.

Going off topic again, my appetite seems to be all over the place this last week. It probably is a mixture of PMS and lack of sleep. When I get up in the morning, the last thing I want to do is eat but I force myself as I know I'll be starving in work. Then as it turns out I am starving anyway by 10. Nothing seems to work, I've tried porridge and boiled eggs. Then lunch comes and I could easily skip it as I just don't want to face food.
Come dinner, I am hungry but nothing appeals to me and funnily enough neither does junk food. I had bought  some gorgeous smoked salmon the other day, it cost €5, but I have yet to open it as its the last thing I want to eat. This evening I had planned a gorgeous beef and trimmings dinner but I wasn't that hungry. I am proud of myself as instead I just had some beef with two poached eggs. It was a light meal and better than not eating anything or even worse, eating crap. I am open to suggestions on how to overcome this and I am willing to try anything! I know I probably just need to wait it out but I really don't want it to effect my plans or my weight loss journey.

That Dreaded Time of the Month and Weekly WI

You do everything right; you plan, you track, you exercise and you drink your water. Yet when you step on

that scale at your WI your worst fear comes true; you are up. There is no explanation for it. Or its there? Is the dreaded time of the month (TOTM) the cause? Most people will put their gain down to that reason. However scientific research has found that the opposite should in fact happen; you should lose weight. I know you are probably cussing at the screen right now, not believing a word I am saying. I would have been one of the first to blame it on the bloating and the water retention until I read this article.
http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=42321&sc=801

Now it should be noted that I have looked into this further and there appears to be conflicting evidence regarding this. It may or may not be true. However this article gave me some hope that I may just get a loss last week. The main causes of weight gain during TOTM are water retention and increased appetite which can both lead to bloating. There are ways to possibly overcome these causes. To prevent water retention; you should limit your sodium intake and increase your water intake. This also applies to processed foods which are high in salt. Avoiding heavy carbs may also help prevent bloating and high fibre foods will help with bowel movements.

That sounds easy enough right? Well this is the hard part; say NO to your cravings. Stick to your plan, do not allow yourself to succumb to temptation. If you are feeling hungry, then snack on fruit or drink some tea, particularly green tea. Do some exercise. Exercise will not only help you ignore the cravings but will also aid in preventing a weight gain. If you were to look back over your tracker from a TOTM week you will most likely find you had gone over your points; and that does not include the items you did not track!

It is important to keep track of your weight loss pattern during your TOTM weeks. You should always highlight or mark the weeks you have your TOTM on you weight loss tracker. I always highlight the date so that I know that particular week I had my TOTM. Before I did it to prevent me from being disheartened over gains. Now I am doing it so I can monitor my eating patterns during those weeks. Some people may think this is excessive obsessing with WW. If you are like me and would like to see a consistent loss every week, then it is important to keep track and to make necessary changes. I have looked back over my old weight trackers from the last time I did WW. I was kind of surprised at some of the results and it does show you can lose during your TOTM. The weeks I gained I have no doubt that other factors i.e. eating crap, played a role in that gain.

Week 1 - +0.5lb
Week 2 - STS
Week 3 - -5lbs (not sure what happened that week!)
Week 4 - +0.5lb
Week 5 - STS
Week 6 - +1.5lbs (more due to lack of following the plan)
Week 7 - -1.5lbs
Week 8 - +1.5lbs (was the beginning of my plateau and yo-yoing)
Week 9 - -1lb
Week 10 - -0.5lb
Week 11 - -1lb
Week 12 - STS
Week 13 - +0.5lb

So why am I stressing out over TOTM? Last night I had my WI but I did not reach my weekly target of 2.5lbs. I only lost 0.5lb. I really do not want to see a gain next week as it would set me back as I am only down 3lbs. 3lbs in two weeks is good but not so good if I see a gain next week. So I really want to see a loss. Although, if I am being honest with myself, the reason for such a small loss this week was that I was only about 60% good; so to get any kind of loss was a good result. I also found myself writing off my weeklies, more than once. This is a bad habit to get into and it is what happened to me the first time around on ProPoints. The weeklies are the reason I am not the biggest fan of ProPoints. It does not help that I caved to the cravings this evening.

So I am setting myself a challenge this week to try and get a loss on the scales at my next WI, on Wednesday.  I am going to lower my sodium intake, make sure I am drinking 3 litres of water a day and I am going to make sure I reach my exercise target over the weekend. I am also going to make a big effort to stick to my daily points and to only use a few of my weeklies for a girls night on Saturday. I am going to make sure I am getting enough sleep and avoiding all fizzy drinks. These are two goals I set myself a few weeks ago. As I have said before weight loss is not just about the results on the scales but also about the other changes you make in your life. Here is to a good week and hopefully a good result on the scale.

Fitness Challenge Day 11 (Day 1 Level 2 30DS)

Today I finally got around to starting level 2 and boy do I miss level 1. I forgot how hard level 2 is. This level is very tough on your wrists as there are a lot of plank moves in it. It is a very good all round body workout

though so if you do get this far, persevere. It took me a whopping 40 minutes to do it. I could not remember some of the moves so that counted for some of the additional time but I did find it tough. It is a big step up from level 2 so my advice is make sure you are ready to move on before starting it and take your time.

Circuit 1:

Strength

Walking push-ups

Squat with wide rows

Cardio

High knees

Squat thrusts

Abs

One leg lift double crunches 

Swap legs

Circuit 2:

Strength

Static lunge with medium grip row

Pendulum lunges with hammer rows (one leg)

Switch legs for repeat

Cardio

Jumping oblique twists

Skaters

Abs

Chest press holds with double leg lifts

Double crunches

Circuit 3:

Strength

Military presses with leg extension (one leg)

Chair squats with v arm raises (I found this very tough on the arms so you may want to use lighter weights or even do one round heavy weights and one round with lighter weights.)

Cardio

Plank jacks

Double jump rope (do normal jump rope if you want)

Abs

Plank oblique twists

My Fitness Challenge Days 5-10

I decided to document the remaining days together so as not to clog up the blog with lots of posts!

I did day 5 on Thursday. Yet again I had to force myself to do it as I was exhausted after work. I am always so tired after work that normally I come in throw my dinner in the microwave and collapse on the couch. Now I make myself do the 30DS and then allow myself to collapse :) Funny thing is, I always feel so much better after I do it. I can really feel it starting to affect my stomach. This is great as I have been feeling very bloated lately. I managed to do it in 25 minutes which is not too bad. I was distracted by something else so I have to up the ante to get back to 23 minutes.

The tiredness got the better of me on Friday so day 6 was left until Saturday. I was not feeling the best on Saturday but I made myself do it. I took my time at it though, 29 minutes which was not too bad. I had intended on doing Banish Fat Boost Metabolism and No More Trouble Zones, however I ended up having to visit a family member in hospital. That took up most of my day and by the time I got home, I just about managed to get through 30DS. On a side note, for the squat and punch exercise, try and squat as low as possible. Also take note that the proper form is to hold your head up and look straight ahead. I only realised today that I tend to look down at the screen while doing this exercise. By keeping proper form, not only do you prevent injury but it helps keep the abs tight.

Day 7 did not go according to plan either. I ended up going for drinks with some friends so I only had time to do 30DS. I was even slower again today, completing it in 29 minutes. I have got back into the habit of taking quick breaks in between exercises so I need to reign that in. I really wanted to measure myself today but I am holding out until Wednesday when I should be finished.

Monday was day 8 of 30DS and while I was doing it, I decided to do day 9 as well. What I did was, I did circuit 1 once through and went back and did it again before moving on to circuit 2. I was sweating like mad doing it but I am really starting to feel the effect it is having on my body. It took me 50 minutes to complete it so about 25 minutes for each round which is not too bad. I am going to do day 10 tomorrow (Tuesday) and then wait until Wednesday to measure myself.

Delighted I finally completed level 1 yesterday along with Jillian Michaels No More Trouble Zones. I really felt it today, I could barely walk. I took my measurements this evening and they are not that good. I am not too disheartened though as I can feel the effect it is having on my body. I am looking forward to starting level 2 tomorrow.

My Fitness Challenge Day 4

I had a whirlwind weekend in London and I am already dreading the scales. I was really hoping for a loss this week after last week's gain but I will be quite happy with a STS. I was getting really frustrated until I realised that this is the last weekend I have something big planned until June. I have just over two months to properly focus on WW and shifting some of this weight.

While I was not 100% perfect in London, I did manage to do day 4 of 30DS when I got home on Sunday. I felt stiff and groggy after my flight so I decided to go and do some exercise I am happy that I did it as I felt so much better after it. I managed to do it in 24 minutes which wasn't bad as I was feeling sluggish.

I was looking through photos from London and I am disgusted with how I have let myself get like this. It reminded me of why I want to do this and how I have a very long way to go. As I said previously, I am setting myself non WW goals as well. This week I am aiming to exercise at least three times and also to go the week without any fizzy drinks. I am off the antibiotics now, finished TOTM and like I said no more major events planned so no more excuses.

 I have not had a chance to do it since Sunday because of work. I will do day 5 tomorrow as I have my meeting tonight so I will not be home until late. I am hoping to have level 1 finished by this time next week.

My Fitness Challenge Day 3

I did not get a chance to post on Thursday, but I did complete day 3 of 30DS. I did it in record time as well, 23 minutes. I felt so tired after work that I had to drag myself off the couch to do it. The hardest part is always starting the workout. Once you finish it, you feel so much better and you can feel energised as well. I am loving the weather this week as well. It definitely has played a part in me sticking to both the diet and the exercise plan. I know it is only three days but I am feeling my thighs and arms getting firmer, as well as my stomach getting flatter. I cannot wait until I finish level 1 so I can measure myself.

I was supposed to do day 4 last night but my parents needed me to give them a lift somewhere and I had to pack for London. I am back from London early enough tomorrow so I hope to do day 4 then. I would also love to fit in a Banish Fat Boost Metabolism workout as I have only done it once so far. I think it is a great workout but kind of long. I want to try and fit it in as often as possible.

The evenings have been lovely and hopefully the weekend will be too. Make the most of it and get some exercise in. Ring a friend and suggest a walk. A great excuse for a catch up and a bit of a workout.

My Fitness Challenge Day 2

Day 2 should have been yesterday but I decided to go my WI yesterday instead of tomorrow. As a result I was not home until late.
I came home from work this evening exhausted and starving. I decided to have my dinner straight away and see how I felt after. I honestly did not think I would do the 30DS as I am feeling really bloated today and I feel like I have put on more weight on top of the 2.5 lb gain I had yesterday. But I was determined to do it so I got up and did it. Not only did I do the 30DS, I also did it in record time, 25 minutes (not including warm-up or cool-down). I knocked five minutes off Monday's time. The cardio sections were tough going as I had eaten my dinner prior to it. It does not matter what form of exercise you do as long as you do some. You feel so much better after it.

On a side note, the reason I time myself is not to get it done faster. It is to prevent myself taking too many breaks. I can get into a habit of breaking after every exercise. It is important you take your time doing the actual exercises so you get your form right. Wrong form can lead to injury and inadequate results.

This came today as well! I have no excuses now not to meet my summer target. I cannot wait to get going on them. Just in case you cannot see what DVDs are in it, it includes; 30 Day Shred, No More Trouble Zones, Banish Fat Boost Metabolism and 6 Week Six-Pack. I will be reviewing them all when I do them.

Jillian Michaels Banish Fat Boost Metabolism

As part of my April fitness challenge I am trying out new workout DVDs. Banish Fat Boost Metabolism (BFBM) is a new addition to my collection. It is part of a boxset which I ordered from Amazon. This DVD is seen as a cardio workout but it is no ordinary cardio DVD. It is one of the toughest workouts I have ever done. I am by no means fit so if you are fitter, it could be easier for you.

It is broken down into six circuits, each around six minutes long. The circuits consist of kick-boxing, calisthenics, plyometrics and core workouts. Take it a circuit at a time. Do not focus on how many circuits you have done or have left to do.

One of the main critiques of this DVD is that there are no weights. If you do regular weight programmes then this is a nice break. However just because Jillian does not use weights does not mean you do not have to. Incorporate weights into the exercises. I did this and while it was painful, I could feel it working my arms. In the breakdown of the circuits below, I will state where you could possibly add weights. For the kickboxing sections, it is important to keep your arms raised when doing kicks. This is part of kickboxing and it makes sure you are using your arms.

The other thing to note is that some of these exercises can be tough on your joints. Do not let this put you off. Do not stop, just alternate the moves. It is better to keep moving than not to finish. As you get closer to the end, you will be tired and sore so you may find changing to easier moves will help you finish it out.

For some moves, I do not know the official name or there may not be one. I will try my best to describe the exercise.

Circuit 1 - Kickboxing:
Squat and side kick (one leg)
Squat and punch (can use weights)
Squat and side kick (other leg)
Combination - jab, cross, hook and elbow (make sure to move your legs accordingly to get full impact of workout)
Repeat from top

Circuit 2 - Plyometrics:
Burpees
Pulses and jump
Punches and jump
Squat and twist (180 degree jump)
Jump from leg to leg
Repeat from top

Circuit 3 - Calisthenics:
Running bum kicks (weights)
Running high knees
Jumping jacks
Oblique crunches (put one hand behind your head, raise one leg to side while lowering you elbow to meet leg)
Oblique crunches (opposite side)
Repeat from top

Circuit 4 - Core:
Mountain climbers
Superman
Full body crunches (lie on your back, lift your arms and legs to meet in the middle)
Oblique twists (push up position, twist knee to meet opposite elbow)
Walking plank (in plank position and lift yourself up using your arms. You can stay on your knees for this one but I would recommend trying it in full plank and just do as many as you can. It is a really effective exercise so you want to get the full impact of it.)
Repeat from top

Circuit 5 - Kickboxing:
Swing kicks (alternate legs. Swing you leg around, keeping it straight)
Upper cuts (squat and punch straight up. Can use weights)
Back kicks (alternate legs)
Squat and punch (weights)
Knee crunches (step back and pull your knee up to chest. Do not lunge back as it will make it harder)
Repeat from top

Circuit 6 - Plyometrics:
Jump squats (make sure to do the arm movements as shown. They help work the stomach)
Cross-country skiing
Scissor kicks (squat and kick your legs together)
Skaters (jump side to side in an ice-skating motion)
Standing mountain climbers (this is extremely tough so if you can't do it running, walk it through instead)
Repeat from top

Circuit 7 - Core/Cardio:
Jump twists
Standing crunches (left your leg straight up and bring both arms to meet it, alternate legs)
Knee crunches (one leg, bring leg towards chest)
Knee crunches (other leg)
Jump rope
Repeat from top

Rating: 5/5. I think this is a great workout. It is not a weight based workout but more cardio based. It is a not change from doing weights and you still get a really tough workout. As I said you can incorporate weights into it. It is such a good all over body workout. You really do work every muscle in the body. I cannot speak for the results yet but follow my fitness challenge to find out how I get on.

Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Level One

Jillian Michaels is a trainer on the hit TV show The Biggest Loser US. She has become known worldwide as one of the best personal trainers in the business. Along with her successful TV show, she has produced numerous fitness DVDs. According to reviews on Amazon.com, they have have performed miracles on overweight people worldwide. So does they live up to the hype? I have bought three of her DVDs, 30 Day Shred (30DS), Ripped in 30 (RI30) and Killer Buns and Thighs (KBT). I have also ordered her boxset which includes No More Trouble Zones (NMTZ), Banish Fat Boost Metabolism (BFBM) and 6 Week 6 Pack (6W6P). Over the next few months I am going to give these a go. My challenge is to complete both the 30DS and RI30 by my holidays on 1st July. I will also do the other DVDs in conjunction with these two. However I will not be doing it as advised and I may not get to complete all the levels. By offering to be your guinea pig I am hoping that it will force me to exercise! I will review each level per DVD on an individual basis.

When exercising it is important to take measurements and photos before starting. For some people exercise can slow down movement on the scales. I hope this does not happen to me. It is important to remember that weight loss is not linear. What is important is that your body shape is changing and you are becoming healthier.

I am going to start with the 30DS level one. Does it do what is says on the tin? Of course not. 20lbs in 30 days is unrealistic unless you are 500 lbs or you spend the majority of your day exercising. My aim is to lose inches, not lbs. I hope that the lbs will come from following WW.

I first did this DVD in March 2012 in preparation for my holiday in May. I was terrified of wearing a bikini and the thought of it spurred me into action. I do not know how many inches I lost but I do know that for the first time since I was 13, I wore a bikini. I still had weight to lose and I by no means had the perfect body but I felt comfortable with the body I had at that moment. For those of you who have read my introduction, you will know that I regained all the weight I lost after this holiday. So I am back to square one, terrified of my impending holiday and the holiday wardrobe. The difference this time around is that I am not fretting over the date. I am doing this to get to help me get to goal at some stage between now and December 2014!

The 30DS is split into three levels, each 30 minutes long including warm-up and cool-down. The instructions say to do it every day and to spend 10 days on each level. However I listened to a podcast by Jillian Michaels where she said the optimal plan is to do 30DS for 2 days followed by a day of cardio. My advice is to spend as long as you need on each level. There is no right or wrong. As long as you are exercising at least three times a week you will see results eventually. Do not be afraid to hit the pause button. Try not to but if you really have to, then it is better to hit pause than to not finish. You should time yourself to see how long it takes you to complete. The aim then is to improve each time you do it. When I first did level one, it took me over an hour to complete. I physically thought I would throw up. Now I can do it in just over 30 minutes. Listen to your body.
You do not need a lot of space to do this DVD. You will need a pair of hand weights. Be innovative if you do not own dumbbells. Use water bottles. For beginners try using 1 or 2 lb weights. If you are more advanced you should be using heavier weights. The heavier the weights the slimmer the arms! You may also need a floor mat if you are working out on a hard surface.

What does level one contain?
Warm-up is about five minutes long. Jillian does not like to do static stretches in the warm-up. The idea behind this is that you should not stretch cold muscles as you can pull something. However I cannot not do static stretched before exercising. I do her warm-up and then I pause it and do a few simple stretches for the hamstrings, calves and arms.

Each level consists of three circuits. In each circuit there is three minutes of strength, two minutes of cardio and one minute of abs. For the strength and cardio sections, you repeat the exercises e.g. you do 30 secs jumping jacks, 30 secs jump rope, then 30 secs jumping jacks and 30 secs jump rope. Except for the cardio in circuit 3 where you do 30 secs of all the previous cadio exercises.

Level 1 Circuit 1:
Strength - push ups, squat and press
Cardio - jumping jacks, jump rope,
Abs - basic crunch, leg and bum lift crunch

Level 1 Circuit 2:
Strength - dumbbell row, static lunge and bicep curl
Cardio - running bum kicks, squat and punch
Abs - opposite elbow to opposite knee, done separately on both sides

Level 1 Circuit 3:
Strength - lying on back with lateral arm raises, side lunge with arm raises
Cardio - do each of the cardio sections again
Abs - bicycle crunches

Rating: 4.5/5. I love this DVD and I would recommend it to anyone who is trying to tone up and get that perfect bikini body. It is not easy but if you stick with it you will get the desired results. In order for it to work, you must to do at least three days a week and not too long in between the workouts. It would have got 5 stars only for the warm-up and cool-down are too short.

To follow my Fitness Challenge, see http://eabhabear.blogspot.ie/2013/04/my-fitness-challenge.html

My Fitness Challenge

Day one of my fitness challenge. To start with I took my measurements. When taking measurements, there are loads of different ways to do it. I take official measurements and I also measure areas of my body that are not my best feature.

Here are official guidelines for measuring your body:

Arms - measure at the thickest part of your bicep.
Waist - bend forward and note where your stomach creases. This is where you measure your waist.
Hips - the widest part of you body.
Thighs - the thickest part for upper and thinnest part for lower.
Calves - the thickest part

My starting measurements as at 01/04/2013:
Weight - 13st 11lbs ( maybe a few more added on after the weekend!)
Arms - 13.5
Waist - 31
Hips - 43.5
Upper thighs - 24
Lower thighs - 22
Calves - 16

Today I did day one of 30DS along with Banish Fat Boost Metabolism. I thought I would struggle with BFBM but I found the 30DS tough going. It took me bang on 30 mins to complete (not inc warm-up or cool-down). I was dripping in sweat. I am proud that I did it.
While I was doing it, I noted a few things. In circuit 1, abs, for the crunches, it is important to keep your hands behind your head. I found that I was not doing this and I was using my hands to pull myself forward. By keeping your hands behind your head, the emphasis is on the abs. The two parts that I hate the most in level 1 are, the static lunge and bicep curl in circuit 2 and the side lunge and front raises in circuit 3. They are very tough as you are using multiple muscle groups. They can also tend to last for ages as well. I find that the best way to push through them is to blank Jillian out and do them at your own pace. Count how many you are doing and try to improve on it. I tend to get about 22 reps in each go so that is a reasonable attempt. For the bicycle crunches in circuit 3, take your time doing them. They do not need to be rushed. The better the form, the better the result!

I never thought I would start BFBM let alone finish it. I was wrecked after 30DS but I decided BFBM is cardio so it will not be too bad. Boy was that a mistake. I felt physically sick doing it. I could barely do circuit one let alone the remaining six circuits. I persevered and I am proud to say I FINISHED IT!! Do not mistake it as a simple cardio workout because it is not. I have done cardio DVDs before, mainly Davina ones but that is nothing in comparison to BFBM. It is a mixture of cardio, calisthenics, plyometrics and core. It should only take 36 minutes (excluding warm-up and cool-down) but it took me just over 1 hour and 10 minutes. Long I know, but the important thing was for me to finish. It will be hard to rack up the motivation to do this one again knowing how hard it is but I think it will definitely pay off.

Day one of fitness challenge is complete. Tomorrow will be painful in work but I am glad I did it. My plan for tomorrow is to do 30DS. My plan is to do it straight away when I get in from work. If I sit down, I probably will not get back up to do it.

Uh Oh!

My well intended plans for this weekend were thrown out the window by Friday night. Thursday's, Friday's and Saturday's binges were unnecessary and more so boredom eating. Yesterday was a more relaxing, enjoyable day with family so I do not feel too guilty. I had a Galaxy egg and then my Mum's home cooked lamb roast dinner with all the trimmings. It was delicious and I have discovered a new favourite, Colcannon mash! It was gorgeous and I am not even a fan of cabbage. My Mum made it with kale.
This morning I woke up feeling bloated and guilty after my gluttonous weekend. My TOTM is due so that is not helping. I am doing a 5:2 day today to help with the bloating.

Today is the 1st of April, exactly three months until I go on holidays. 21 lbs is reasonable by then right? I was doing some browsing this morning and I came across a thread on weightwatchers.com, titled 'Binge Enders Challenge'. It is based on the theory that it take 21 days to break habits and form new ones. My challenge for the month of April is to eliminate binges. I am going to start by not planning any treats but if during the day I crave then I will allow myself a treat that is tracked and pointed for. I think it is going to be a trial and error challenge. I need to start recording triggers. One trigger I have noticed is when I am alone, I get bored or I feel sorry for myself so I head to the shop. I am going to take it a day at a time. I am also going to stop fretting about my weekly WIs and focus on the overall results every month.
It is 13 weeks until 1st July so that is an average of a 1.5 lb loss a week. I need to rein in the binging in order to achieve this. I seem to be a broken record on this issue but I think it is better to keep trying than to give up altogether.

I am also going to start a fitness challenge this month. I am a big fan of Jillian Michaels DVDs. I know they have worked for me before so I just need to get up and actually do the workouts. I already have her 30 Day Shred, Ripped in 30 and Killer Buns and Thighs DVD. .I ordered this boxset http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jillian-Michaels-The-Collection-DVD/dp/B005ZCAZIK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364820212&sr=8-1 last night. My plan is to start with the 30 Day Shred today and do it alongside Banish Fat Boost Metabolism and No More Trouble Zones. I will do a separate post where you can follow my fitness challenge.

While I was browsing, I also came across a post on another blog, The Nip Tuck Food Blog, that mentioned a few things that hit home with me. The first was about eating foods that you like and are healthy in a general sense and not just because they are low in propoints. I have been trying to do this over the past few weeks and I have discovered some amazing foods. My favourite is a home made steak sandwich or poached egg and smoked salmon. By reducing the amount of junk you eat and by focusing more on healthy meals and not stressing too much over points, you can discover some amazing recipes and you are less likely to get bored. I cannot wait to have Colcannon mash again but with bacon this time. I have also found that while I cooked nice meals before, my portion sizes are tiny because I am restricted by points either due to junk food or empty low pointed foods. So I am going to focus on eating more healthier and balanced meals and not going hungry.

Another thing that I could relate to from Nip Tucks post, was about friends and being 'the fat one'. The majority of my friends are extremely supportive of my weight loss journey. If I decide not to drink on a night out, they know why and do not question it. They do not see me as being fat, they see me for me. There is however one friend who is very skinny herself and is constantly going on about how fat she is. It really annoys me and she will keep saying it until I say something like 'obviously your legs are not fat, they are slimmer than my arms'. Awful I know but it is the only thing that will make her stop and every time I come away feeling bad about my weight. Now it is not just me she does this to and I do understand that weight is relative. However she acts like a teenager and does it for attention and for the comments. I have talked to some of my friends about it. I have decided that I am not going to talk about weight with her anymore. I am just going to ignore her or change the subject. This may seem harsh but I need to put myself first in this situation.

That was a bit of an Easter Monday rant but I am glad I got it off my chest. After all, that is why I am doing this blog, to document my journey and feelings. 21 lbs to summer....here it goes!!