Girl vs (Body) Horror

[LastGirlStanding]

Starting the log for my first 4 week challenge! Challenge goals here. 

 

My base level is:

- I walk to work most days, for 45 minutes aka just over 2 miles. I try to walk back as well - so on a good day I walk for an hour and a half. 

- According to the scale in the changing room at the gym, I weigh 57 kg. I'm 152 cm tall. 

- For the past 3 weeks I've been going to the gym at least 3 x a week, also attending Pilates classes.

 

A PT at the gym has set me up with the following programme:

Warm up on treadmill:

5 min at 10 incline, 5-6 kph.

5 min at 5 incline, 6.5-7.5 kph.

5 min at 2 incline, 8-9 kph.

5 min at 10 incline, 5-6 kph.

5 min at 1 incline, 8-9 kph.

 

Weights:

Leg press 4 sets of 10, 31.5kg.

Deadlifts 4 sets of 10, 10kg.

Kettlebell swing 4 sets of 10, 10kg.

Inverted row 4 sets of 10 (bodyweight).

Bent over row 4 sets of 10, 7.5kg.

Clean and press 4 sets of 10, 5kg.

Squats 4 sets of 10, 10kg.

 

I don't mind saying that this takes a while to get through - about 1 hour 15 min all in, so doing it 3 x a week on my lunch break is a real challenge! Some days I've split it in 2, and just done the weights or just done the treadmill (but for longer and faster intervals). I'm trying to stick with giving my muscles rest days from weights, though - not hard to justify, as some days when I've done "the whole" routine my legs are certainly telling me about it!

 

Sunday 17th July - attended 1 hour of beginner Pilates at the studio near my house. Signed for a block of beginner sessions to be used at will over the next 9 weeks. The Pilates class at my gym is mixed-ability and therefore a bit... "aspirational", also I can't always make Thursday evenings so this will give me Monday, Wednesday and Sunday options. Fasted. Spent 2 hours on my novel at writing group.

 

Monday 18th July - no exercise today as I was in court (thus away from gym location). Fasted. Spent 1 hour on my novel in our riverside garden. Blocked out a plan for the rest of the month to ensure I can schedule in enough weight training and Pilates classes as I have SO MUCH coming up that could knock me off-challenge:

4th - 8th August going on holiday in Avignon for a long weekend. I'm thinking taking some spare kit and the Beginners Bodyweight Workout. Plus, all that walking and exploring! 

12th - 14th August attending a nerdy conference in my home town (but staying in a hotel with a gym... if I can bring myself to use it...)

25th - 29th August attending Frightfest film festival. I'm staying 50 min walk away so I'm hoping to get at least that much exercise in daily! 

 

 

[Jessebel]

Your August looks awesome! As does novel writing by the river. 

 

You've got this!

[LastGirlStanding]

Tuesday 19th July - Fasted. Went outside and spent 45 min on my novel in my lunch break. Went to the gym after work:

Warm up on treadmill:

5 min at 10 incline, 5 kph.

5 min at 5 incline, 7.5 kph.

5 min at 2 incline, 9 kph.

5 min at 10 incline, 6 kph.

5 min at 1 incline, 9 kph. Getting easier to do these faster runs... hoping to go up by .5 kph next week!

 

Weights:

Leg press 4 sets of 10, 31.5kg.

Deadlifts 4 sets of 10, 10kg. (Used a bar, not a kettlebell, so my weight was lower... for some reason I can lift heavier KBs easier)

No Trx available for bodyweight rows, so 4 x sets of 10 knee push-ups instead. Need to work on my form here.

Bent over row 4 sets of 10, 7.5kg.

Clean and press 4 sets of 10, 5kg. Getting easier! Hoping to go up by 2.5kg (the smallest possible increment) in a week or so.

Squats 4 sets of 10, 10kg. (Harder to get good form using a bar rather than a KB).

 

Wednesday 20th July - Fasted. Spent 45 min on my novel after work waiting for a rather late Pilates class (seriously... 8:30pm?). Then attended level 1 Pilates for an hour. I really enjoyed this - it's a really small group so the instructor can help on form. I think I've finally learnt good form on the curl-up position and the hundred.

[LastGirlStanding]

Thursday 21st July - Fasted. Hit the gym for a weights workout in my fasted state, which felt scary but hopefully has encouraged my body to work at burning fat!

 

Weights:

Leg press 4 sets of 10, 32 kg. This is much closer to an "effortful" weight for me, so it's good that I keep pushing it. 

Deadlifts 4 sets of 10, 12kg. 

Trx bodyweight rows, 4 sets of 10. 

Bent over row 4 sets of 10, 7.5kg.

Clean and press 4 sets of 10, 5kg. Getting easier! Maybe I'll start by going up a 2.5kg increment in the last set next week. 

Squats 4 sets of 10, 12kg. 

Kettlebell swing, 4 sets of 10, 12kg.

 

I was very proud of myself for attending a work drinks event, having one glass of wine, and then heading home to do another 45 min tinkering with my novel. Let's build good habits! (Not that I'm planning to be this good the WHOLE time...)

[LastGirlStanding]

Friday 22nd July - fasted, worked on my novel, REST DAY!!

 

Saturday 23rd July - fasted. Spent 30 min working on my novel on the train to my parents' house, which was impressive as it was a pretty early start so I was exhausted. I was even more pleased to do a 45 min workout in their garden, using their old 5kg dumbbells from when they were "getting fit" about 20 years ago...

2 x laps of the garden between each set:

4 x 10 squats (10kg)

4 x 10 push-ups

4 x 10 deadlift (10kg)

4 x 10 bent over row (10kg)

4 x 10 tricep dips

4 x 10 lunges (10kg).

 

Sunday 24th July - fasted, worked another 30-45 min on my novel on the train home, REST DAY!!

 

Monday 25th July - so far... got up super early to go to the kettlebells class at 6:45am, which is just... the best possible motivation and start to the week. It's pretty tough. I use a 10kg weight and the sets are cumulative, like so:

10 x KB swings

10 x KB swings, 10 push-ups.

10 x KB swings, 10 x KB circles, 10 push-ups.

10 x KB swings, 10 x KB circles, 10 x KB deadlifts, 10 x push-ups.

We also did rows, snatches, leg raises, sit-ups, squats, and lunges. Eek. By the end, I think I'd done 90 push-ups.

 

But... I haven't fasted "properly" today, as I felt I should have protein immediately after the work-out (I was super hungry), so I had my go-to of a soya chocolate drink (150 cal, 7g protein) and a home-made protein ball (60 cal, 5g protein). I'm going to give myself a pass as I managed to keep up fasting over the weekend when there was breakfast being made in front of me!

[LastGirlStanding]

Also, ha, according to the scale I now weigh 57.2kg. Thankfully I'm trying to change my body fat percentage and "tone" not the numbers! I reckon at the moment I'm about 25-27% body fat and would like to be around 20-21%. Serious point: I'm small but "endowed", so I think I will always carry a bit more fat percentage-wise than I'd like, but I want it to come off my stomach and arms!

[LastGirlStanding]

Monday 27th July - I fell down by one challenge goal: no work on my novel as I sat down to do this at 8pm and found the defence had served 800+ pages of evidence for the hearing the next day... eek.

 

Tuesday 28th July - fasted much longer than usual (until 4pm, as I was at court) and dealt with it by drinking tons of water. Rest day.

 

Wednesday 27th July - Fasted. Went to gym after work:

Warm up on treadmill:

5 min at 10 incline, 5 kph.

5 min at 5 incline, 7.5 kph.

5 min at 2 incline, 9 kph.

5 min at 10 incline, 6 kph.

5 min at 1 incline, 9 kph.

 

Weights:

Leg press 4 sets of 10, 32.5kg. (Went up a weight)

Deadlifts 4 sets of 10, 12kg. (I think I'll stick to KB on deadlifts)

4 sets of 10 Trx bodyweight rows (getting easier)

Bent over row 4 sets of 10, 10kg. (KB to do alternate arms)

Push ups 4 sets of 10.

Squats 1 sets of 10, 10kg. (Right knee hurt so stopped as a safety measure).

 

Thursday 28th July - fasted, worked on my novel, REST DAY!

 

Friday 29th July - fasted, went to gym at lunch while fasting, which was soooooo hard during the cardio warm-up. I felt several tonnes heavier and much slower than usual, and kept shouting at my body to JUST BURN FAT FOR FUEL, FFS.

Warm up on treadmill:

5 min at 10 incline, 5 kph.

5 min at 5 incline, 7.5 kph.

5 min at 2 incline, 9 kph.

 

Weights:

Deadlifts 4 sets of 10, 12kg.

KB swing 4 sets of 10, 12kg.

4 sets of 10 Trx bodyweight rows (still getting easier)

Squats 4 sets of 10, 10kg.

2 sets of 10 crunches.

2 sets of 10 leg raises (these were super hard).

 

No bent over row, leg press or clean and press as the equipment was all in use and I was stuck for time. I think my next challenge will be a core/abs challenge as I really feel it when I do ab work at the kettlebell class, and am sore for days after - so I need to work on this!

 

[LastGirlStanding]

Saturday 30th July - fasted, worked on my novel (3 hours!) REST DAY!

 

Sunday 31st July - attended another Level 1 Pilates class. I know it's good to focus on form and technique, but I confess I'm finding these deathly slow. I can't get over wanting the difficulty/pain that so motivated me in my mixed-ability gym Pilates class, where I felt I was really stretching myself. I'm going to give it to the end of this block of sessions, and then reassess. Fasted, and stayed very calorie-light until 5pm as I'd had a big meal the night before (vegan pizza at Fed By Water in Dalston, yum). Worked on my novel for 3 hours at writing group.

 

Monday 1st August - new Kettlebells instructor, which is GOOD for keeping my muscles guessing, BAD for my sense of achievement... I can do the whole class usually with a 10kg weight, but this time I had to down-scale some exercises (largely the abs work... notice a theme here??) and there wasn't as much aerobic effect from stacking the exercises. I really hope the other KB instructor comes back, as I love how intense and tiring the work-out is. I also attended another Pilates class in the evening - the above continues to apply. I suck at balance. That is all. Fasted, worked on my novel.

 

Tuesday 2nd August - very very hungry all day due to PMT. I managed the fast, but for the minimum time possible and had to have a banana before I could contemplate going to the gym. I decided to try something a bit different and went for sprint intervals, so:

5 min walk (6.5 kph) at 11 incline.

Sets of 60 sec sprint (11 - 12 kph) and 60 sec walk (6.5 kph) at 1 incline for 20 minutes.

10 min walk (6.5 kph) at 11 incline.

I felt REALLY tired, so I must have pushed myself! Worked on my novel in the evening.

[LastGirlStanding]

Wednesday 3rd August - very very hungry all day due to PMT - had to break the fast early in the morning for a 100 calorie protein bar. Had to skip working on my novel in the evening to see a (sick) friend and pack for my holiday.

 

Warm up on treadmill:

5 min at 10 incline, 6 kph.

 

Weights:

Leg press 4 sets of 10, 32.5kg.

Deadlifts 4 sets of 10, 12kg.

KB swing 4 sets of 10, 12kg.

4 sets of 10 Trx bodyweight rows (still getting easier)

Squats 4 sets of 10, 10kg.

4 sets of 10 push ups.

4 sets of 10 leg raises (ouch).

4 sets of 10 KB rows, 10kg.

4 sets of 10 clean and press, 5kg.

 

Thursday 4th August - off to Avignon on holiday! I had a 150 calorie smoothie/juice to break up what would otherwise have been an unbearable fast from 4:30am (getting up) to 1pm (packed lunch on the train). I also skipped working on my novel (boo).

 

Friday 5th August - REST DAY, fasted, worked on my novel.

 

Saturday 6th August - Fasted, worked on my novel. Did the Hotel Room Workout, which was satisfying and very motivating, although I didn't have a suitably heavy weight for the rows. 5 x circuit in 15 minutes.

 

Sunday 7th August - REST DAY, fasted, worked on my novel.

 

Monday 8th August - REST DAY, fasted, worked on my novel.

 

Overall I was happy with my level of activity in Avignon - I was walking approx 4 hours a day around the city and the surrounding area, and keeping my diet relatively friendly by making a selection of salads or a baguette for lunch (we were self catering) and then having a smaller than usual evening meal. A few sorbets, but then... we WERE on holiday!

 

Tuesday 9th August - fasted again and worked on my novel in the evening (snatching 30 min when I really didn't feel like it turned into a whole hour). Went to the gym after work and managed to really speed things along by doing my weights in alternate sets so that when I'm "resting" my arms from Trx rows I'm doing squats, and vice versa:

 

Warm up on treadmill:

5 min at 10 incline, 5 kph.

5 min at 5 incline, 7.5 kph (this felt much easier)

5 min at 2 incline, 9 kph.

5 min at 11 incline, 6.5 kph.

5 min at 1 incline, 9.5 kph.

 

Weights:

Leg press 4 sets of 10, 32.5kg.

Deadlifts 4 sets of 10, 12kg.

KB swing 4 sets of 10, 12kg.

4 sets of 10 Trx bodyweight rows (still getting easier)

Squats 4 sets of 10, 12kg.

4 sets of 10 push ups.

4 sets of 10 leg raises (ouch).

4 sets of 10 crunches.

4 sets of 10 KB rows, 10kg.

4 sets of 10 shoulder press, 5kg.

 

Wednesday 10th August - fasted, and went to the gym at lunch for some interval training. This time:

5 min walk (6.5 kph) at 11 incline.

Sets of 60 sec sprint (11 - 12 kph) and 60 sec walk (6.5 kph) at 2 incline for 20 minutes.

5 min walk (6.5 kph) at 11 incline.

 

 

[LastGirlStanding]

Ugh! So I'm really behind posting here, so here's a small summary:

 

Thursday 11th August - weights.

Saturday 13th August - weights - really proud of this workout, as it was when I was at Nineworlds convention - not traditionally a time when I'd be trying to go to the gym! I even forgot my sports bra and went out and bought another one so I wouldn't derail myself.

Tuesday 16th August - weights, increased some:

Leg press to 85lb - have just realised that the increment bar is in pounds and the measurement I've been using is in kilos, oops.

Deadlift to 14kg.

 

Thursday 18th August - I looked back through my old training diary and smacked myself in the face with the fact that, barring small improvements on the running and leg press, I hadn't really challenged myself on the weights front since I started logging my workouts. This is wholly as a result of inattention. I need to do better! So yesterday I increased the weights after working out what (with the bar in particular) would be the smallest possible increase to try out:

3 sets of 10 leg press, 85 lb (see above)

3 sets of 10 bent over rows, 10kg (I'd previously been using 7.5kg on the bar)

3 sets of 10 clean + press, 7.5kg (this one was hardest - I'd previously been using 5kg on the bar)

3 sets of 10 deadlift kettlebell, 14kg.

3 sets of 10 kettlebell swing, 14 kg.

3 sets of 10 squats, 14kg (this was haaaaaaaaard)

3 sets of 10 push ups

3 sets of 10 leg raises

3 sets of 10 TRX rows.

 

I was pleased with this, and not hurting too much this morning. Ultimately reflecting on what I've achieved since I started here - I am DEFINITELY smaller and really notice the difference in my stomach and legs. The scales are lying, as they still have me at 56-57kg depending on the day, but I can see the progress "in the flesh" so to speak - for the next challenge I'm busting out the tape measures and trying to track it properly.

[LastGirlStanding]

Friday 19th August - went to the gym for some interval sprints at lunch time. 5m warm up on 10 incline and 6.5 speed, then 20 min of sprint (11.5 kph) for 1 min, walk (6 kph) for 1 min, then 5m cool down on 10 incline and 6.5 speed. I then took a baseline on my holding a plank, as this is something I SUCK at - over 3 attempts I averaged 30 sec, so this is where I'm starting.

 

Saturday 20th August - a quick session in the afternoon with the particular intention of getting my sets up to 4 x 10 reps on the increased weights:

4 sets of 10 leg press, 85lb.

4 sets of 10 bent over rows, 10kg.

4 sets of 10 clean + press, 7.5kg (still hard - I left this one to the end and wished I hadn't)

4 sets of 10 deadlift kettlebell, 14kg.

4 sets of 10 kettlebell swing, 14 kg.

4 sets of 10 squats, 14kg (this was haaaaaaaaard)

4 sets of 10 push ups

4 sets of 10 leg raises

4 sets of 10 TRX rows.

I'm pleased with this overall success. The real test will be whether I can get through it all on Wednesday evening after some interval training to warm up!

 

Monday 22nd August - got up early for my 6:45am kettlebells class. This was tough, so I used a lighter weight (10kg) to accommodate all the reps and the upper-body exercises. We did:

- swings

- round the body

- deadlift

- cleans

- bent over row

- sit ups

- leg raises

- squats

- lunges

- and of course, push-ups.