I know this picture with the ice cream don't relate to fitness, but I'm quite amazed at my more defined arms, lmao..thanks to the various types of planks, push ups, tricep toe touch etc etc...
Also, I had never picked up so many new words before in fitness, lol.
Sometimes I wonder why must exercise be this torturous? No wonder, there was this loooong period of time, I stayed away from exercise coz I hated how my body went through various forms of torture, breathing like crazy and sweating like waterfall. But then they say, no pain no gain. So pain it is.....eurghhh.
I had a preview of what I would be doing for the next challenge, the 2 weeks shred challenge, which is her most popular one where many people posted youtube videos of their workout progress and results. It's ah-MA-zing. All of them became stronger and better, but most importantly, had results to show for it and I am so excited for it. It was only 14 minutes but it felt like the longest ever. In the 28 day challenge, where I mostly didn't have to do the up and down planks, this one I had to for the 'do this everyday' workout. But the next hated one (gosh I have so many hates..can't really, count lol..) that I struggled to complete til the last 3 seconds is the hip dip where you will be in a plank position and then move your hip from side to side.
The pain...is unreal.
So I didn't take a before picture to see if there's any changes. However, I do notice some changes, not significant, because it's only 28 days and actually it's even lesser than that coz she included some active rest days. Perhaps over a period of time, like 3 months or so, the changes would be more obvious. Initially, I was a little upset there is no change in weight but reading the comments posted on youtube and instagram, there were people like that too but in the before and after pictures, the differences were amazing.
I am one of those who take a while to have significant progress but it's ok. The motivation is to be strong and healthy.
I know I have been writing about health nowadays not coz I'm a fitness freak and I will never be one, haha. But I am just heartened to know more and more people of various body sizes, even with long standing injuries, started home workouts and to see their happy results when they dropped inches. They do it at their own fitness level such as the modified versions.
Even those people who lead busy lifestyles such as teaching classes online and offline, running here and there for work, clocking irregular working hours sometimes, they make time to include exercise routines as well. Can't do it in the night? Then do it in the morning. Can't do it today? Then do it tomorrow. You just don't give up halfway.
For me, I usually rush home after work and buying dinner and groceries, to change into my exercise pants, googled the challenge and then proceeded to follow the set for the exercises for that particular day. The more I think, the more I won't feel like doing at all and that is so demotivating.
As much as we are encouraged to love ourselves, and be grateful that our body is functioning well to help us perform our daily tasks, if we don't take care of our one and only body, in the long run we will suffer. I know that health issues sometimes come without warning, even if we think we have done most of the necessary actions to keep it in good condition. But until then, we just perform to the best of our abilities, whether when we're exercising, working or learning a language.
Our physical well being is also related to mental well being. You feel good after completing the series of workouts as you push yourself to do better or to complete each exercise up to the end of the time limit. To me, including such workouts as part of my lifestyle, also help me to manage my time because if it's important to you, you will definitely make time for it. And also, when you have successfully managed to do the more difficult exercises after several unsuccessful attempts or upgrading from the modified versions, you will be amazed at how our body manages to adapt over time. To me, it's like an achievement unlocked.
My latest achievement would be doing the reverse plank in perfect form and holding it for 30 seconds. Like suddenly I can balance my whole body weight on my arms and the balls of my feet, without bending my knees to ease the pressure. And I didn't go off balance. Similar to the triceps toe touch, where I had to be in a table top position, lift up my body and then trying to alternate touch my heel while balancing in that position. The arms used to give way very quickly as I had to use each arm to lift my body and raise the opposite leg to touch the heel.
Of course I'm not so gungho and try all the difficult moves. I would do the modified ones too for certain moves if it's just not physically possible for me, example, doing the full sit up.
I recently read the IG post of one young lady who preaches self love and gives motivational talks based on religious teachings but bottom line is, she is still human with feelings. She confessed she hated her body, because she felt she gained a lot of weight since she had 3 children and would hide under pretty baggy clothes. So she recently joined an online programme under the guidance of a fitness coach who taught her to appreciate her body, even if she's not too happy with it.
To be honest, I'm not all raring to go when I have to rush home so I can do the workout before dinner. I don't look forward to it. I'm not physically fit either so certain parts of the videos, I will take a longer break so I have time to switch position coz I'm such a tortoise at it especially when I'm already freaking tired from the earlier workout. Or I would pause the video and then wipe my sweat when it became too slippery so that I can make the next set of moves safely without accidents, lol.
Food wise, I try to eat less carbo though I have already cut down on rice some time back. I still like bread and I can't cut off carbo completely but it's ok. Doesn't mean that I am losing out. It's best to keep at a calorie deficit, meaning, to have a lower calorie intake than an average daily calorie. Example, if it's recommended that your daily calorie intake is 2000 calories, try your best to keep it lower at say, 1500 calories intake. Be more mindful of the 'hidden calories' and treats such as ice cream should be at most, once a week, instead of once every few days.
You're probably going to read about my fitness journey again maybe few weeks from now when I start on the new Chloe Ting 2 weeks shred challenge. Do google it and try it as well. I have to be honest that it won't start off easy, even if you think you are at your fitness peak. Within a day, you may have to do two to four types of workouts, and switching from one to another, when you're already so tired, is quite a mental challenge.
It won't get any easier but you will get stronger, perform better and have better form.
Anyway, here's the video below to get you started. She squeezed 40 results videos and pictures from various social media platforms to show how effective her workouts are, despite being tough and all. But if you persist, the results can shock you.
However, remember not to expect results within a short period of time, though there were those who did, coz every body is different. So don't be discouraged. Do it for the long haul.
Oh, and remember to breathe and engage your core! hehe..
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