6 week Challenge - WEEK 6 in Review +THE RESULTS

 

Hey All,

As you all know I was on holidays from work, my routine and computers last week. It was a staycation I enjoyed and why not with the fabulous 28 degrees +++ weather we’ve been having on the emerald Isle.  I did however have 2 training sessions that brought my 6 week programme to an end. And I decided that even tho I was very much in holiday mode, I would see this course through to the end.

On Monday only 7  turned up of the 12 that started so Ian our instructor decided to do his Bodyshock Class with us rather than circuit training, Its similar to what we had been doing in that we had to do a certain amounts of reps of different exercises, BUT we all had to do them together rather than racing through them like we normally would and we also used a weight bar each to add resistance, so it was an intense slow burning class and I assure you that it was a total body work out and shock. Definitely a class I would do again in the future.

Wednesday evenings class with Keith was a good class, there were 7 of us again, we paired off and had to count each others rep’s as we each had to do 50 of every exercise, we had a good laugh doing it this way I must say, and it was a nice way to end the course, we worked our asses off but we enjoyed it also, I could definitely see how far my fitness/strength has improved over the last few weeks.

I had the vomiting bug and wasn’t feeling great on Thursday and Friday! So I didn’t eat or drink much on these days!

So lets get to the RESULTS of my 6 Weeks shall we? I know that’s all I wanna know about, get to the point woman!!

Ok, so on Monday evening I was weighed, pinched and measured and here are the results

Inches                   Week 1                 Week 6                 Total Lost

Chest                    43.5                        41.5                        2 inches

Waist                    47                           40                           7 inches              

Hips                       48                           46                           2 inches

R Thigh                 27                           24                           3 inches

R Calf                    17.5                        14                           3.5 inches

R Arm                    14                           14                           0

Inches lost in total: 17.5 inches

Weight lost in total: 5.5lbs

Body Fat % has gone from 34% to 32%

I’m happy with the results, it’s the first time this year that I stopped worrying about the number on the scales and just done as I was told for 6 weeks (more or less)

I attended 10 of the 12 classes and stuck to the food plan 90% of the time.

I enjoyed the change up to my food and the work outs also, I’m thrilled with the inch loss factor, I hadn’t been taking my measurements before now so it was good to get those numbers and watch them getting smaller, and feel my clothes become a little looser.

I have officially dropped a dress size and people have noticed, so its been a good experience for me.

I would say that with the great weather of the last few weeks, it made this waaay more challenging with all the BBQ’s, Beer Gardens and Ice Creams. Saying no wasn’t always an option and my willpower decided to take a holiday, so the last few weeks have defo had its moments, good and bad. Other ladies in my group agreed with me on this front. I also had a lot on during this course, (concerts, weekends away and nights out) and I feel that if I hadn’t had this challenge to keep me going then I would definitely have gained an ice cream belly in the last couple of weeks.

Before and After photos are on the way at the end of this week.....

Week 1 = start

Week 2 = -4.5

Week 3 = +2

Week 4 = -2

Week 5 = +4

Week 6 = -3

Final weigh in = -2

***Photos from Google Images

6 week Challenge - WEEK 5 in Review

Hey Guys,

I'm on a weeks holidays this week, which is badly needed, so I've been trying to avoid computers and doing anything really!! So this  will be short!  I know I say that every week!!

Sooooo week 5
I missed training Monday night because my shoulder was still not right. I did go on Wednesday evening and it was fine, we did mostly cardio and leg exercises, so I was able to train, training in this heat is no easy feat! I was wiping the sweat from my brow and I'd no sooner have dropped the towel when I needed it again!! YUK!  So it was almost a double work out with the heat to contend with!
That was the only exercise I got in last week.... I ensured that my food was clean and fantastic Monday to Friday because I was out on Friday night for my best friends birthday. I had a LOT to drink, and the finger food didn't even tempt me, so I was happy about that.
I was very hung over on Sat and craving bad foods. I had a yummy dinner of Garlic Mushrooms and pizza.
I also got burnt in my face and chest which left me so so tired and hot!!
Sunday I was still dying (don't two day hang overs suck!) I had chipper for dinner (breast in a bun and garlic chips)

No regrets for me this week tho, sometimes life gets in the way of the best of intentions, you have to just keep going.
I wasn't sure what the scales would bring me this week, (they haven't been my friend of late)
I was down 3 pounds, which was good after the 4lb gain of last week... So I'll take it :)

Tonight is my last training session of my 6 week programme, however we will be weighed and measured next Monday to give our bodies the full 6 week benefit...


So I will let ye know how my final result of this 6 week experiment goes next week

Adios Amigos (says I as I sit out my back garden in the sunshine)

Week 1 = start

Week 2 = -4.5

Week 3 = +2

Week 4 = -2

Week 5 = +4

Week 6 = -3

Final results =

***Photos from Google Images

6 week Challenge - WEEK 4 in Review

Hey All,

I hope yer all enjoying the beautiful weather that we've been having lately J

I’ll try to keep this post short.. My week started well, I was down 2lbs on the scales and down 12.5 inches from me wobbly bits.

Monday nights circuit class was good, you could feel that the intensity level has gone up, it was  tougher work out that we normally do on a Monday, but a good one none the less J

Tuesday night I decided that I wanted a night off from exercise, so we went to see Despicable me 2, it was BRILLIANT, haven’t enjoyed a film so much in a long time and it even inspired some nail art from me.. It also saw me having ice cream and carmel nibbles, yum yum.

Wednesday evening is the class I dread the most, but the one that gets me to work the hardest. At the end Drill Sargent Keith even commented that he could see a big difference in our fitness levels and said there was a lot less moaning and hesitating in us during the class, so that’s all really positive. I did find that I stopped a lot less for water breaks, so he may be onto something J

I slept badly Wednesday evening and turned in my sleep and something clicked in my right shoulder! I was very sore on Thursday, not sure if I was lifting the weight wrong in class and that’s why my neck clicked or if it was some a restless sleep! Either way. Ouch!

Thursday evening I went for a stroll in the sunshine to try and ease the neck pain!!!

Friday, I took as a rest day from exercise and I was careful with my foods, I was still aware of what I’d eaten on Tuesday, so food was great for me Weds, Thurs + Fri.

I had booked myself a Boot camp class for Saturday morning ,(unheard of for me, I luv me sleep) It was Drill Sargent Keith taking the class, so I knew it would be a good work out for me J

Unfortunately while we were using the weight bar to do tricep and bicep work I felt my left shoulder pull, I didn’t think much of it and worked through it, however the next exercise was push ups, stopping after each one to high five your partner. When I lifted my right hand to high five, my left arm wouldn’t support my body and I feel down hard, I couldn’t finished the push up’s.

I tried to shake off the niggley feeling but my left neck/shoulder/back was sore and my arm was feeling kinda pins and needlely!!  I did try to continue with the class, but after another 10 mins, Keith sent me home to ice it.. even driving home was a struggle with the gears!!

 This a trigger for me of the “poor me” variety, I iced it, had a shower, took some pain killers, more ice! It was a scorcher outside and I wanted to be out enjoying it, so the boy took me to Cobh for a stroll and an ice cream, then we went for dinner, I opted for the warm chicken salad over the burger stuffed with pudding (how yum does that sound?) and ate most of his chips too.

This was only the start of my eating!! We went home for tea and more ice and painkillers and I ate junk for the next 3 hours, I was trying to put myself into a sugar coma to ease the pain!! It didn't work I can tell you!!!

The painkillers helped me to sleep on Saturday night, which was a relief. On Sunday it was my best friends babies christening.  It was a glorious day, so we sat outside all day, no umbrella to shade us!

I didn’t drink alcohol (evening tho it probably would have been better than the painkillers) I enjoyed the finger food and the christening cake. We left at 6 to go to see a friend of ours that plays in a band, stopped in Abra for dinner on the way (Cajun chicken kebab & chips) Got home around 9pm for more painkillers and tea and chocolate!!

Are these posts becoming very repetitive? Its amazing how I can be good Mon- Fri but come the weekend I become a bottomless pit and have to eat and I ALWAYS find a fantastic excuse to eat junk!!

So although I started the week with good intentions of wanting to try harder, I had a wobble on Tuesday evening and after my injury on Sat morning all bets were off!!

So again I was dreading facing the scales for my second last weigh in! I see a theme for me running though these posts!!

I was UP 4 POUNDS!!   Onwards and upwards and all that jazz eh!!!

Week 1 = start

Week 2 = -4.5

Week 3 = +2

Week 4 = -2

Week 5 = +4

Week 6

***Photos from Google Images

6 week Challenge - WEEK 3 in Review

Hey All,

Its that time of the week again for me to pick at the bones of my week and take 100% responsibility for my efforts!

So I was up 2lbs last Monday night as ye know as I was expecting that, so we won’t dwell!

***Assumes the Vulture position*** here we go…. (possibly grab a cuppa, its a long one!)

Monday nights circuit class was kicked up a notch for us and it was a tough hour, but we all left sweaty and wrecked and feeling like we’d started the week off on a high and we were fresh to start again.

On Tuesday evening I had my first visit to the Driving Range with the boy, have you done it? Its kinda fun and defo a full body work out with all the bending and swinging in and stretching, once I got used to being stared at by the very much male dominated shed, I didn’t care, I was happy swinging away. On a girly note, my hands were manky afterward from the wet golf balls! But that was just me, I’ll defo be bringing hand sanitizer the next time, lol

Wednesday night was the class I was dreading because I was so sore after last Wednesday and I kinda knew what to expect from Drill Sargent Keith this time around, and he did not disappoint.

It was a tough hour of reps, we done 600 reps in total, we paired up and had to do 50 of each exercise, so 50 x  shoulder presses (14kgs), 50 x Jumping squats, The good thing was that we could decide as a pair how we’d split them up, so we started doing 20 reps, swapping, doing 20 more and then a final 10.. but on other exercises we managed to do them in 2 x 25 sets. The heavy weights for me are a killer as I have no upper body strength at all, so it was a real test to how far I’ve come that I could so the 50 kettlebell swings with an 8kg weight and that I managed to survive the tricep and bicep dips with a 14kg bar. Of course no hour with Keith is complete without doing Burpees and these were left to last, it was the toughest 50 reps of the evening for me, thankfully he broke them down to 5 sets of 10, with mountain climbers in between(sound!!) By the end of that set, I could just about pick myself up off the floor!! I went home knowing that I’d worked every single muscle!!

Thursday morning I was very achey and so so tired, like bone tired.. so I decided that it would be my rest day! I would have done myself an injury had I even gone for a walk I’d say! I was just a write off! Food was fine, I stayed good, but I was hungry all day!

I slept badly that night, between the heat and the body ache!!

So I was not a happy camper come Friday, I was worse than an overtired child!!  I was tired, achey and starving!! If you know me at all you’ll know that this is not a good combination.. throw in cold to that mix and I would have become the ultimate anti Christ!!! I didn’t cheat on my food but my god all day at work I was so so tempted!! If I’d had the energy to go to the shop or McDonalds, It would have been game over for me! I was in that kinda crappy  mood, and feeling so sorry for myself because I was tired and sore that I was feeling like I was entitled to eat my body weight in junk and not care!! So instead of giving in!

I booked a space in Spinning at 6.10pm and took my aggression out on the bike, admittedly my body and brain were possibly a bit too tired to feel the total benefit of a good hours spinning class. But I gave it all I had and I knew that by struggling through the class I’d be guaranteeing myself a good nights sleep and saving my family from another evening of having their heads eaten off them for no reason other than I’m a cranky witch!

But by 9pm I was still hungry and I didn't have it in me to fight against it anymore! I’d been hungry most of the week and there’s nothing worse (says me moaning myrtle) So I went to SUPERVALU and allowed myself to have WHATEVER I fancied! I had 2 x mini rolls (new frozen mint ones - yum) and 2 x iced Biscuit Cakes…. I needed the sugar fix I think! I ate these and felt calmer and fuller AND I SLEPT :)

I had a sleep in on Saturday and woke feeling better than I had in the last 2 days!! Breakfast was 2 x Turkey Rashers on 2 x Soda Bread, and it was yummy :)

Although I didn't do any exercise on Saturday I was walking around shopping centres and dancing at the Corona’s gig, which was UNBELIEVABLE may I say, it was my third time seeing them live and this time they blew me away, it was a full house in the marquee and an amazing Gig! Rihanna could learn a thing or two from these guys! Their tickets were a third of the price and I enjoyed it waaay more.

Food Wise on Saturday I had Chinese for my dinner, I had fish cakes, followed by beef stir-fry & noodles – delicious and I felt satisfied after my dinner, there’s a lot to be said for feeling like that :)

Coronas - Please don't go

On Sunday, we took advantage of the good weather and went for a 2 mile a walk along the Marina, it didn't feel like something I “had to” do, so I enjoyed it all the more, and I didn't have ice cream afterwards, even tho it would have been lovely.

So I was unsure how the scales would go on Mondays night, I was hoping for a good result, but I felt that the week was a struggle for me and I fought with myself for most of the week, until I gave in to it… so I wasn’t sure how the scales would react to my cake binge!!!  

I was down 2lbs.. I’m a bit disappointed with that, yes I’m down the 2lbs that I gained last week, but I had been hoping for an extra pound, just so I could say that I’m still on target!

But there’s nothing I can do about it now and I was still down! I should wear a sign around my neck that says “must try harder”   Not sure why I’m so disappointed this week, I think its just because I’m feeling a bit Meh in general!

We also had our measurements taken on Monday night to see how we’re getting on and I must say that I’m a lot happier with my inch loss than with my weight loss so far, I’m down 12.5 inches from my body in 3 weeks, 4.5 inches from my waist alone..

I still find that it’s the weekends are where I am struggling because I have no set routine, I’m out and about, smelling and craving the wrong foods, my decisions food wise have definitely improved, but I could feel my resolve dissolving this weekend again! I let myself get hungry on Sunday evening between dinner at 2.30 walk and tea at 6.30 and ate a Double Decker bar because I’d forgotten to bring a granola bar with me. Its those kinda days that catch me out, I’m not a home and buying a chocolate bar is the easy option!! When I did get home I had a very filling salad sandwich for my tea and I was grand again!

I know that my food could be a lot worse, but its facing the scales and being accountable for the food that freaks me out. I know I need to behave even more while I’m in the loosing process because at the moment I’m being good for 5 days and bad for 2, this would be fine if I was at the maintaining stage of my process, but I’m not. I’m still a good long way away from even being close to my target!

Next week I aim to try harder

Week 1 = start

Week 2 = -4.5

Week 3 = +2

Week 4 = -2

Week 5

Week 6

***Photos from Google Images

6 week Challenge - WEEK 1 in Review

Hey Guys,

I hope yer all well today, I’m finally getting back to report on my first week of my new challenge!! At the moment I just have no time to myself or time to blog, so I apologise for the lateness of this post!!

So last Monday 10^th I decided that my healthy eating would begin again after a weekend of gluttony! I stuck to my old plan because I wasn’t sure what foods would be in my new 6 week challenge.

I went to the gym at 7pm to report for duty and find out all the info, the first thing we had to do was weigh in! ( I hate getting on new scales, cuz I’m always weigh more on them and I’m not thrilled about getting weighed at night time either) But anyhu, these are adjustments that I will have to make for the next 6 weeks of my life. Aren’t I full of problems! Lol

So I hit the scales (its all down from here!) My measurements were taken, grand I can stand with my arms sticking out. THEN, then I was attacked with these pincher like things to have my body fat checked (omg, I was morto!)  He pinched 4 bits of my bingo wing to get an accurate fat reading! The same on my back fat, and then asked me to lift my tshirt to take my wobbly jelly belly reading! I can tell you I was purple, PURPLE in the face leaving the room! I think it was just because I wasn’t expecting to have to get my wobbly bits out!! I’m there to loose em, not to show them off! And  it was a guy taking the measurements and the girls were queued up behind me to have theirs done! So I had an audience, I know we’re all in the same boat! But I was morto for myself!

I’ve told others of my experience with the pinchers and apparently this is a normal thing to happen!! It was a first for me I can tell you! And I presumed (silly me)  that I would hit the scales, it would do all the magic working out of my weight, bmi, body fat, water fat, fiscal fat, blah blah blah! I’ve been spoilt by technology these last few years it would seem!!

I wasn’t off to a great start was I!! So down to the training room I went where we were all introduced to Ian, our trainer/ motivator for the next 6 weeks. He informed us that we would be starting with some circuits. He had the room set up to accommodate the 12 of us, there were 12 stations, we would do the task that was allocated to our station for 1 minute and have 30 seconds to move to the next station and go for the next minute.. We played this game for 40 minutes, then we done a quick cool down (I had a little sit down) and we were then given a copy of our new food plan and food diary sheet  and had a quick chat about what lay ahead.

The foods aren’t hugely different from what I’m, eating at the moment, but I will be eating A LOT MORE, its basically 3 meals a day, 3 snacks a day, 4-6 Litres of water per day & No eating after 8pm.

So on Tuesday, I stuck to the same eating routine as Monday because I hadn’t had a chance to go shopping for my new food stuff! Tuesday evening I went on a little food hunt to my local Lidle, Dunnes and Aldi and managed to get everything marked off my list and had a plan for Weds.

Weds was the start of my new eating regime, the key to the foods is eating them at certain times, rather than when your starvin marvin. So you never get to the super hungry, will eat your own arm stage (clever right) I found the day long and full of clock watching, I was nervous about not eating on time and not liking the new foods that I would be trying. Also it was a day that seems to be full of yummy foods out to tease me and test my will power. The boss brought in loads yummy biscuits for the office (think double choc cookies half coated in chocolate and you on the right course) I went home to find that there were 2 full bags of choc and jammy doughnuts! ( we NEVER get these at home) My resolve was starting to weaken. I went to The Marquee to see Olly Murs that evening, I felt bad missing my second training session, but it was OLLY and he was amazing…. I didn’t stay outside for too long when we arrived because the smell from the Eddie Rockets van was amazing and EVERYONE around me was eating. Everyone but me…. I think it was just one of those days. I was feeling so sorry for myself over it. But I was thrilled going to bed that I had “passed the test”

I went to Spin & Abs on Thursday night and Spinning on Friday night to make up for missing my Weds night class. I found the foods were easier for me also, so these days passed by in a busy blur.

It was the weekend that I had been half dreading because I would be getting up a bit later and would be out of my Mon-Fri routine! The advise we were given was to try and stick to the same times as much as possible and that Sunday was Cheat Day.

I must admit that I cheated on both days! I ate out on Saturday night for my dinner Chicken Caesar Salad and Chicken Stir Fry. And I also had Carmel Nibbles at the cinema that night (I needed the choc to get me thru Superman!!)

On Sunday, it was Fathers Day, we had a yummy roast chicken for dinner and I had some dessert – strawberry flan, it was delicious.

Monday morning came and I was back to being good. I was very nervous about facing the scales at 7pm that evening, I felt that it was hanging over me all day and I wasn’t sure what the outcome would be!!

And finally I come to the results of my first week… I was down 4.5lbs J a very good result I thought, everyone from my group of 12 was down, so we were all thrilled and we all went to face Ian for an hour of circuits with smiles on our faces and determination in our bellies

So that’s my week in review. I’m glad the first week if out of the way, I feel more confident about my foods and times and I’m adapting slowly. This time last week I had never tasted peanut butter or sweet potatoes and would have turned my nose up at rice cakes and granola bars. Now I look forward to them! It’s a new experience and a learning process for my taste buds and my body.

Week 2 for me involves, 2 x classes, 1 x spinning and a weekend away.. but I’m determined to stay as good as I can and stay focused

Wow, I didn’t expect this to be so long! If you’ve made it this far, congrats J

Have a good week my friends xx

Week 1 = start

Week 2 = -4.5

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

***Photos from Google Images