This week’s Fitness Friday is a little more personal. I am setting myself a challenge of getting a festive flat tum! We have 6 weeks and 4 days until Christmas, or 46 days, really not long! However it is long enough to do something about your body if you want to! I know this time of year is busy and stressful, with parties to organise and attend, deadlines at work and university and Christmas shopping to be done, but if you can spare half an hour to an hour a day and make small changes to your diet you will notice a difference in your waistline, and will look amazing in your Christmas party dress… just imagine the dress!
By starting now, and by pushing yourself you will look and feel amazing, but more importantly will be the most confident you! I personally can’t wait to look drop dead gorgeous in my Christmas party dress, and turn some heads this year. Over the next 46 days I am challenging myself and you to become toned, motivated and confident.
I am aiming to tone up my hips, bum and tum (hence the title) and am going to share with you how I plan on achieving this as well as keep you updated with on-going posts about all my highs and lows, meal ideas and workout reviews.
Diet- “Eat Clean, Eat Often”
With the endless Mince Pies, Christmas Chocolates, buffet tables and cocktails surrounding you over the next 46 days, it is vital that you are full of healthy food all the time to help you avoid temptation. I aim to;
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Eat 5 times a day- 3 meal and 2 snacks
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Eat clean(er)- Swap my snacks of crisps and cereal bars for fruit and nuts. If it comes from a packet it’s not going near my mouth.
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Reduce the carbs and up the protein- My dinner is always low carb, however I eat carbs for breakfast and aim to swap this for a more protein full breakfast, by replacing my cereal bars for egg; boiled or scrambled.
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Keep the alcohol to a minimum! I am doing pretty well at this since I have moved home, but still need to keep control of it at the weekends… no bottle of wines in front of the television on a Friday night.
An example of a typical days meal plan;
Breakfast- Yoghurt and fruit with scrambled egg, bacon & tomato/ boiled egg.
Snack- Green smoothie/ fruit/ nuts
Lunch- Soap (homemade ideally) or vegetable crudités with houmous.
Snack- Fruit/ nuts
Dinner-Chicken or fish with vegetables
Exercise- “Go hard or Go Home”
This is where I am going to excel! Go hard or go home as they say!
I already try to run at least 2 miles a day, 5 times a week, which has significantly helped my waist line over the past couple of months. I aim to continue this and also add another workout, so I will be working out twice a day, one workout will be cardio based, the other will be strength and toning.
The running will make up my 30 minutes of cardio but you can choose a different cardio exercise if running is not your thing. You could try swimming, skipping, aerobics, Zumba, cycling or even a brisk walk.
For my second exercise I plan on concentrating on toning by using a variety of workout videos. I am going to use the 30 Day shred workout, varying between levels 2 and 3 as they both use different muscles, as well as using the workout videos form the lovely Tone It Up girls, who have a Holiday Hotties workout challenge going for themselves at the moment. These workouts tend to last around 30 minutes, so I won’t be over doing it as I will only be working out for around 1 hour a day.
You can find the workouts below: (Note: the videos do not below to me, and I am not responsible for the content of 3rd party sites.)
I have included two workout calendars, one the “Go hard or Go Home” option which I will be using, and another less strenuous plan for those just starting to workout or who don’t workout often. Yes they are both a challenge, but that is the fun of it! With your health and fitness you get back what you put in! If you workout hard and often then your body will soon see results, and you will look fab for Christmas.
I have designed the calendars to match my schedule and Christmas plans, but feel free to change them. Also one last tip; please make sure to stretch well after all your workouts!
I will be posting regularly throughout this challenge, with updates on my Twitter and two blog posts a week. One will be Motivation Mondays, which will include a load of motivational pictures and sayings to keep you on track, the second will be a Fitness Friday, which will share my highs and lows, along with healthy meal ideas and workout video reviews.
Be sure to follow me on Twitter so you can keep up to date with the latest posts and I can spur you on with your own fitness kick.
Great post Cat – I love fitness things & the Tone It Up girls! I know you will be able to do this — you can do anything if you set your mind to it! As you know I am currently doing the 'Holiday Hottie' series with Tone It Up & what I find really motivating is connecting with other girls on twitter & instagram so I can't wait to see your progress! xxmissjaynebecca.blogspot.com
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aire bra said…..Dear admin i am too much satisfied from your post. I hope you will countinue your good work, i have no words which i say you, May God bless you and you will keep continue it…..
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Great post!I think that I will join you on this challenge, only it's a summer challenge for me as we are heading into bikini season in South Africa. xx
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Thanks Jayne! Really happy you enjoyed it, seems you are such a little fitness bunny 😀 The Tone It Up Girls are great, and their workouts are tough, but work! Good luck with your challenge, I can support you as you support me 😀 xxx
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I wondered why you were talking about wearing your bikini, didn't realise you were in South Africa… silly me! Well you have double the reason to workout, as you can't hide anything when wearing a bikini 😀
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A brilliant post! coincidentally I've just started a very similar regime, given myself six weeks, and a very strict diet and exercise plan! Good luck let's hope we're both feeling a little more confident in 6 weeks time 🙂
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Oh great! I will be following your progress, I'm looking froward to 6 weeks time when I'm going to look and feel so much better. thanks for your comment 😀
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Your plan is almost the exact same as the one I've been doing the past couple of months, and believe me, it works! I've not tried the Tone it up, (but going to check it out!) I've been using Jillian Michaels other workouts (6 week 6 pack, killer buns and thighs and no more trouble zones) along with 30ds. I havn't lost a huge amount of weight but my god the definition in body is the best its ever been. Can't wait to see how you get on with it! xx
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Jillian Michaels is great isn't she! Works you hard that for sure! How strange that were both doing something very similar, it's great that you've been getting results, a good sign for me and other if things to come. I'm hoping to tone up more than anything so it's great to hear you're getting definition 😀 Thanks for your comment xx
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I too decided I'm not going to let the holidays add any bulk. While everyone else is indulging I want to prove that you CAN lose weight and look better even during the holidays. And, it will definitely help get a leg up on the summer bikini season. My plan is very similar, except I will be doing 30min cardio a day + weight training (varying between lower and upper body days) along with 2 days doing HIIT and abs. Twice a days is a good idea though, may have to up my game 😉 Good luck!!
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aire brasaid that this good blog for ever and nice postingGood work its really like it..
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I've been thinking of doing a pre-Christmas fitness countdown too. It's so easy to wait until the New Year to kick start it. Your post has just inspired me to get with the programme sooner than later. Thanks and good luck with sticking to the plan! x
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Thanks 😀
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Yeah do it! Everyone likes to look amazing fro Christmas and New Year and it's only 6 weeks away, not long, but long enough to lose some weight and tone up 😀
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Love the look of this. To be honest it sounds a bit much for me, but will certainly give it a try! x
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Glad to hear it lovely! We'll be here to support you 😀 xx
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I'm finding it hard to stay healthy at the moment but this is quite inspiring, thank you for making this post!Love,True Drifterxo
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Thanks so much lovely, thats what I aim to do motivate you all 😀 xx
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love your fitness friday posts SO much – please keep doing them hahaa 🙂 i'm also a beauty blogger but have recently become very interested/involved in fitness so it's nice to see posts like these! i have a motivational tumblr if you'd like a look – http://m0tivate–me.tumblr.com xx
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Aww Thank you so much lovely, this comment has made my day 😀 I will take a look and follow of your tumblr, always love more motivation! xx
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I had bilateral knee replacements (they were having a two-for-one sale!), and I experienced a bit of that sort of attitude from people. I didn’t normally need anything but my walker when I was out, but in the grocery store, I used the little motorized shopping cart. When I think about it, I don’t know if people were really giving me “the look”, or if I’m so aware of these things that I assumed people were doing so. That’s part of the stigma fat people experience: Too often, we’ve internalized the hatred, and we sometimes heap the insults upon ourselves first before anyone else gets the chance. (And I’m a 51-year-old woman whose been involved in size acceptance for at least 25 years.) Thankfully, I’m back on my feet and mostly pain free! health
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