Fitness Friday| Overcoming Set Backs & Negativity

 

If I am honest with you I was a little unsure as to what to write about this week, but it wasn't until the top image came up on my tumblr dashboard that inspiration struck me. I hadn't seen it before and came across it at a time when I was feeling low about my weight loss health gain journey. 

It reads "An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backwards. When life is dragging you back, it means it's going to launch you into something great. So just focus and keep aiming."

This quote can be applied to any tough or difficult time in your life and I wish that I had heard it sooner for times of difficulty in my life, but if by sharing it I can motivate and encourage some of you then atleast it's helping someone!

For the past few weeks I have been feeling a little down about my healthy lifestyle journey. A few weekends ago I measured my body for the first time in three months. I was feeling great about myself and my body and wanted to confirm that I was actually making progress and it wasn't all in my head. Unfortunately that wasn't the case and I was upset to find out that I had only lost a couple of inches off my entire body in three months! I was so mortified! How could this be, I eat healthy, I workout often and for the 4 month prior to this I lost 19 inches... how can I have lost only a couple in 3 months! I spent a good day or so upset, demotivated and beating myself up about it and it wasn't until I found the image above that I gave myself a little talking to. 

Just because I had a set back does not mean I have gone completely off course. I need to remember how far I have come and remember how far I have to go. As you all know the less body fat you have the harder it is to lose it. So yes, last year my body will have lost inches fairly quickly because I had a lot of fat to lose, but this year it has less to lose so it's going to take twice as much effort to lose it. I need to refocus and keep aiming for my goal. As long as I am focused I will achieve it! So I am changing my workout routine .. less relying on running, more toning and HIIT, and I have to be stricter with my diet. My body was clearly becoming used to the routine it was in and was not burning as many calories as it used to, so it's time to shock it and put it through it's paces again so that it remains a lean, mean fat burning machine! 

So remember if you have a set back, it is not the end of the world! It may feel like it but I swear it's not! Hard work and perseverance will ALWAYS pay off! Remain focused and keep aiming for your goal! 

Don’t forget to check out my blogger of the week Vicki and her amazing lifestyle blog A Life Of Geekery, full of food, crafts, beauty and life. Her photos are truly gorgeous and I love her recipes!

*Images above are from tumblr*

Fitness Friday| 10 Weeks until June!

 

Wednesday was the first day of spring, although here in England you would think we were still in the depths of winter! Now I’m not one for wishing my life away at all, but I am one for preparing so with spring arriving that only means bikini season is up and coming! In fact June is only 10 weeks away! So if you, like me, are aiming to look fit and toned in your bikini this year then if you haven’t already started your body transformation you had better start now!Because if the above imagery is anything to go by, you are already two weeks behind everyone else being able to notice your body changing!

Thankfully many people have clocked onto the fact that we will be wanting to up our health and fitness efforts in the coming weeks and the Tone It Up girls are no exception. If you have not heard of Tone It Up before, you need to go and visit their site as they are really motivational! They offer workouts, recipes, regular motivating emails and workout schedules… all for free! This year they have partnered with Self Magazine and have started the Drop 10 Challenge. 

For the Self Challenge Drop 10 Challenge all you have to do it sign up and you have access to 10 weeks of fun workouts! So this means you will become bikini ready in 10 weeks thanks to fitness videos, HIIT workouts, exercise schedules, online tools, daily motivation and tips and recipes and menus! Basically everything you could possibly need.

I have signed up for the challenge as I am moving out of home next week so I need to ensure that I keep my diet on track when I’m back picking my own meals and cooking for myself. Plus I really need to increase my toning exercises. I have lost alot of fat thanks to cardio exercise over the past three months, but need to get some definition in on my arms, stomach and bum! So hope by this challenge will help me achieve that.

So far this week I have completed a couple of strength exercises and know I am out of practice! I did the workout below with a medium sized weight which I used to lift with ease, and couldn’t move my arms properly the next day! Its a great short strength workout, that says it works all areas that you need to target, however I felt it most in my arms and bum! Give it a go!

Have you started your fitness and health regime in preparation for your bikini body? If not, are you going to start now? Do you fancy the Drop 10 Challenge, if so let me know!