30 Day Ab Challenge

NEWSFLASH: If you eat crepes and pastries and large chunks of white baguette every day, you gain weight. Fast, and in large quantities. 
After a glorious week in France with the Fantastic Four, I'm the heaviest I've ever been.
No bueno.
Last year there were loads of challenges going round, mostly to do with squats and crunches. So I'm jumping - very late - on to this band wagon, to see if it actually makes any difference to my sad excuse for a waistline. 
The first day was easy as I have good core strength, so I did a couple of extra exercises from Maxx's chest and ab challenge (from a different site). I might do it again later, too, and I think I'm going to get my exercise bike back out for the evenings when I just want to watch TV.

I've been struggling to eat healthy for the last few weeks, and my exercise regime has been all or nothing, so I need to be more moderate. I find this difficult in everything I do, which leads to being burnt out and not wanting / having the energy to do anything.
There are a few events coming up over summer, so I'm using them as my targets - not necessarily to weigh a certain amount, but to look more toned and fabulous. I'm tired of talking about how I want to look. I now need to actually do something about it.
These are my targets: 18th June - 30 days away - brother's birthday 27th July - 69 days away - friend's birthday 14th August - 87 days away - my 25th birthday!
And these are my current stats: Weight: ...... I'm actually too embarrassed to admit this right now. Waist: 26 1/2 inches. Hips: 37 inches.
As well as not eating like a 'fat pig' - an explanation will follow in my next post - I'll be working out 2-3 times a week, riding 4-5 times a week (especially training for dressage and showjumping competitions), and running (now I have new trainers).
Depending on how this challenge goes, I will post a before and after, then a before and after on /  around 14th August.

New PT Workout: #6

Yesterday, The Smiling Assassin texted me to tell me she'd ‘tweaked’ my programme an hour before we were due to meet - I took this as a warning. 

Warm-up: run, 10 mins

Circuit 1 - Lower Body (3 sets)

Walking lunges with 15kg barbell - 20 reps

Leg press 50kg - 12 reps (with this leg press machine, you push yourself up as opposed to pushing the weight away from you)

DB crossover lunge 5kg each hand - 20 reps

Superset (this will make you feel like you’ve broken your bottom):

Sumo squats 8kg - 12 reps

Pop squats - 12 reps

Circuit 2 - Upper Body (3 sets)

Cable chest press - 12 reps

T-bar/seated row 15kg - 12 reps

Cable/DB flyes – 12 reps

Lat pulldown 25kg – 12 reps

Tricep pressdown – 12 reps

Circuit 3 - Abs (3 sets)

Sit ups with 6kg med ball – 15 reps

Plank with rear leg extension - 20 reps

Russian twist with 6kg med ball - 20 reps

Hanging leg raises – 10 reps

Cool down, stretch, and collapse on floor.

Programme designed by Michelle Maxwell of Youmefit.co.uk.

There are no weights listed next to some of the upper body exercises as we focused on legs. I will update this post when I’ve done the full upper body circuit.

New PT Workout: #5

I have put on 1.5 inches around my waist. I blame Easter and filling my gluttonous mouth hole with chocolate every 5.2 seconds... But still, that's quite a feat in 2 weeks. Thankfully, my body fat hasn't increased but I'm still stuck at 19.64%. 

After accidentally missing my session last Tuesday, I was excited to start a new programme today. My Dad recently renamed Michelle, my trainer, 'The Smiling Assassin', which was highly appropriate after today's session. I still feel a bit delirious!

Warm-up: interval run, 10 mins

Circuit 1 - Lower Body (3 sets)

Superset:

Walking lunges with 15kg barbell - 20 reps

Squats with 15kg barbell - 12 reps

Deadlift with 25kg barbell - 12 reps 

Superset:

Leg extension 17.5kg - 12 reps 

Leg curl 15kg - 12 reps

Circuit 2 - Upper Body (3 sets)

Superset:

DB bench press with 6kg - 12 reps

Single arm row with 9kg - 12 reps

Superset:

Kettlebell snatch with 8kg - 10 reps

Lateral raises with 3 kg - 12 reps

Skull crushers with 4kg - 12 reps

Circuit 3 - Abs (3 sets)

The Matrix - 15 reps

Cross body crunches - 20 reps

Russian twist - 20 reps

Cool down, stretch, and collapse on floor.

Programme designed by Michelle Maxwell of Youmefit.co.uk.

I have no doubt, now I've got my eating back into order, that I'll lose those sneaky 1.5 inches, especially as I'll be doing this plan 2-3 times a week. I said "I think I'm going to shit myself" about 5 times during the first circuit, as well as a certain profanity which rhymes with 'duck' about 700 times throughout. It was painful, but I really enjoyed knowing that I'd pushed myself as hard as I could during circuit 1 - we ran out of time so just did circuits 2 and 3 once.

As recommended by Michelle, I'm going to split the circuits into Upper and Lower days with abs on both. I'm hoping to do upper and abs on Thursday.

Wish me luck, as I'm not sure I'll be able to walk tomorrow...