30 day ab challenge results.

Hello all,

I hope you all had a good November?

I had a challenging one, in more ways than one. 

My 30 day ab challenge on the whole went OK. There were days where there simply weren't enough hours in the day, and days where I was sore, so I didn't do any work. I was OK with doing my exercises - it was the food side I struggled with. Much as I keep telling myself I want to and need to eat GOOD, I do fall in with both feet now and again (too often).

But I am happy with my shape and weight now, so I need to live and be able to eat what I want in moderation (or at least that is what I have convinced myself).

I have plenty of new exercise DVDs that I shall continue doing and a new Swiss ball that I do my ab crunches on.

Swiss Ball Linkage

L: before- R: after

Not the biggest visual difference when standing like that, but when I lift my arms in a certain way (I know, so natural) I can see the six pack but there will always be a nice protective layer (of fat) over them -but my stomach has flattened down and my love handles at the back (jeans over spillage) has gone too.

I have in total gone down by 5lb from 1st November - 30th November.

It was a hard challenge and I am not sure I can commit myself to any other monthly challenges, as it felt so long and I wanted to have a break as I've been so busy with life.

 I am keen to see how all the other Team 30 Day Ab Challengers got on, so I am off to stalk their blogs now :)

I was wondering what kind of posts would be interesting on this part of the blog- perhaps some fitness DVD reviews?

Speak to you all soon xxx

Stina 

Day 10 of the 30 day ab challenge.. How am I doing?

Hi all,

I have been busy with the beauty part of my blog, so it's been so difficult to update here as well..

I have *mostly* stuck to my pledges to myself and I have done workouts every other day..

I could have been better with the food, but saying that, most days I do eat lots of raw vegetables and I do drink my water.. I think I need to have a little word with myself - and tighten up on the food side of things..

I have made a little video for you all, just telling you how I've been getting on and a general ramble :)

Enjoy ;)

Day two of the 30 day ab challenge & what I ate.

Evening :-)

Today we had a rest from the grueling ab workout of yesterday - I can assure you that the workout Melissa had filmed for us was NOT EASY. Half way through I screamed and cried (Well you get my drift).
It was a killer.. It shattered me and I went to sleep at 11pm and didn't wake again till 8am. 9 hours sleep for me is UNHEARD of.. I usually average 4-5 hours per night.

Today is a day of rest for those poor abs (even if it hadn't been a rest day I couldn't have done it again- abs are in agony today..)

So on Mel's advice I kept my posture in check today and walked tall and proud and went for a long walk with my very heavy toddler in his pushchair, up and down hills.

Day Two thrutheblue.me/2011/11/02/stay-woke

My food today has been as follows:

Breakfast- 30g of porridge oats mixed with hot water and topped with 1 sliced banana

Snack: small handful of almonds (No more than 10 or so)

Lunch: Humous and celery sticks + 1/2 a whole grain pitta containing lean ham slices & 1 boiled egg.

Snack: Raw radishes & a couple of chicken slices

Dinner as pictured

Spinach / Beetroot / Goats cheese salad

This salad consisted of:
fresh spinach
cherry tomatoes
cucumber
radishes
baby corn sliced
goats cheese
topped with seeds

Afterwards I had a 0% fat active danone yogurt. And I made sure I drank 2 liters of water today although today I had sparkly water as I prefer it to still.

This was a very yum food day and when I have felt the need to snack I have eaten raw veg!

So far so good and I am now "excited" to see what tomorrow brings x

Day 1 of my 30 day challenge- menu and exercises.

Hi all,


So today is the day I kick start my 30 day abs challenge..


I didn't get off to the best start as I realised when getting into my desk at 9 am I hadn't had breakfast- this is mainly due to the fact that I never eat breakfast AND I left the house before 7am -so simply forgot.


Anyway at least I had my lunch with me which I will share with you here for a very filling and tasty option.
I actually feel like what I had was too much as I felt SO full afterwards, but looking at the portion it seemed a normal lunch type portion.


What I had was Warm Beetroot and lentil salad, and here's how it's made and what you need to make it.

Ingredients (serves 6- but I'll split it up and have it over a few days.)

• 1 table spoon olive oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 x 400g cans brown lentils, drained, rinsed
• 450g can beetroot wedges, drained
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 80g baby rocket leaves
• 180g feta cheese, cut into cubes

Method

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium heat/ or use frylight as I do.  Add onion. Cook for 2 minutes or until softened. Add garlic, lentils and beetroot. Cook for 1 minute.
2. Whisk together remaining oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper. Add to lentils. Toss to coat.
3. Combine rocket or spinach, feta  or goats cheese (optional) and lentil mixture in a bowl. Toss gently to combine.

Very delicious and so filling..

I have some pineapple slices, 1 banana and 2 apples to eat too at some point. Oh and a bag of pumpkin seeds.. They are so tasty!

Tonight I'll get home late sadly (I work on Tuesdays and Thursdays) so it'll be 7.30 pm maybe even 8pm before I can think about dinner. 

I want to do a workout tonight followed by day 1 of the abs challenge exercises, as Melissa from http://thrutheblue.me/ has kindly posted as a video here Abs video - so in terms of food I am not really sure.. 

I think I have to rethink my meal routines on the days I work. Today I will grab a banana near 6pm so I have some fuel for my work out and then possible a vegetable soup later. 

I have so far had 1 litre of water but fully intend to finish my 2 litres by the end of the day- and there endeth my Day 1 #30DayAbChallenge post- I shall update you all on how much that video kills me - because I *know* it will...

30 day Mind / Body and Abs challenge - WILL SHE DO IT?

Hi all,

I have been gone for a while from this part of my blog, and it's mainly been due to lack of hours in the day.

In an ideal world I'd love to be able to post here regularly, exercise regularly, eat sensibly all of the time, as I am only too aware of what happens to me and my body and my mood if I don't make the right choices.

I am not 100% happy with my shape at the moment, and although I fit into standard 8-10 clothes all over, I feel I am so un-toned and just *soft* for lack of better way of describing it.

I have personally always preferred to be toned and fit and have been known to have a six -pack stomach at various stages of my life an even though I have 2 kids I don't accept that as an excuse to myself for NOT looking my absolute best.

I have decided to part take in a "30 day Ab challenge" run by Melissa from 

thru the blue blog  

Melissa is a fitness fanatic (whom I used to work with in a gym many years ago) who ran half a marathon this year with a group of girls from Twitter formed by the lovely @BangsandaBun and when she tweeted about it recently I thought here's my cue to make the month of November the month where I get back on track and get those abs back in shape!

There really is no excuse for me, I know I am capable of being a lot fitter - but sometimes lazing about in the evenings and wasting time of Social Media sites is a much preferred option!

My inspirational picture would have to be this of Anna Kournikova.. Yes please!

She's got a fab body, abs of steel yet still maintaining a girly feminine look

SO NO MORE EXCUSES! I hate excuses and I hate when I hear myself making them!

I am the only person holding me back and I cannot excuse myself anymore.

So Mel will be running the 30 day challenge through her blog and Twitter and there is a group of us who've committed to taking part and we'll be following a grueling abs routine for 30 days and tweet and blog about it, and keep each other motivated 

I have decided that as well as doing the abs challenge I will change my food & general exercise habits for the month of November, and obviously hope that the the good habits stick after November. 

If anything I'll be in great shape for Christmas parties ;)

Tomorrow morning I will take a before picture of my stomach- depending on how that looks I may or may not post it here. (I may wait till I have the after pictures so I can post them together ;) )

My promises to this challenge are:

1. To put in my all 100% to this challenge! I shall not let the team down!
2. Zero Tolerance. On the banned list will be Pasta, White Bread, Simple Carbs, Cakes, Chocolate, Fizzy Drinks, Crisps, Sugar, Cheese, Biscuits, Processed foods, Any carbs after 3pm, Sweets….
3. Clean & wholesome eating. Fruit, Vegetables, Greens, Salads, Protein Rich, Low-fat, Complex Carbs, Nuts & Seeds.
4. I will complete 45 minutes high intensity cardio workout (at home) 4 times a week.
5. I will follow the abs challenges and tasks given to me/us and not cheat- after all I'd be cheating myself.
6. I will not binge on ‘Indulgence Sundays’ – One treat only, not a whole day of binging!
7. I will not drink any alcohol AT ALL (This will be the hardest for me actually)
8. I will NOT make excuses! None. If I do- smack me! Virtually..
9. I will drink 2 litres of water as standard, daily, I already have 4 bottles waiting in the kitchen, I intend to finish one per day!
10. I will eat breakfast daily, even if it is a tiny portion of porridge with water (I have never eaten breakfast as I tend to eat majority of my food really late at night)

So all there is left to say now is -WISH ME LUCK- Join us if you want to - all the details are right here:thru the blue.me/category/30-day-ab-challenge

I shall be posting about my progress here and definitely on Twitter as Chic Beauty Blog on Twitter - Ciao for now x