Little Leg Workout

As promised, my 30 min lower body workout for all you mums and ladies who have little time. It took me about 30 mins. It'll be around this time but take care to do each move with good form. 

I squeeze it in around my baby. She joins in, she watches, she plays with her toys. She loves it when I'm counting reps so it's kind of educational too. Don't forget they learn to be fit, healthy and how to work hard.

Leg Workout

● Warm up - 3 mins

● BABY SQUATS - hold baby as your weight if they are happy to join in. My little girl loves it.

X 15 

In between sets do 

20 x mountain climbers

ALL THIS 3 TIMES! 

● Baby Lunges - 10 each leg, holding baby if they are happy.  Otherwise use bodyweight, kettlebell or do walking lunges (see my instagram for video) 

● Single Leg Deadlifts - use kettlebell (no weight is fine if you're beginning) x 10 each leg

Superset with:

● Single Standing Leg Extensions - 8 each leg

ALL THIS 3 TIMES

● Exercise ball hamstring curls X 10

Superset with:

●Exercise ball thigh squeeze - 10 secs hold x 3

ALL THIS 3 TIMES

STRETCH

Ditch The Excuses!

 

I'm in the playground waiting for my son to finish school and there is always a conversation between mums about losing weight and who is on a diet.  I find it very hard to join in to these conversations.  If I do all I hear are the following;

 

It's easy for you.

You're so lucky.

I wish I was like you.

You don't need to diet.

 

These are the most annoying things for me to hear.  I actually resort to getting out the above photo to prove that actually I started somewhere too. They all seem to forget what I looked like when my son started school 5 years ago.  I wasn't fit, healthy or in good shape. 

 

My point is ladies is ditch the excuses.  Stop comparing yourselves to other people.  Stop comparing your chapter 1 to someone else's chapter 10.  Don't say these things to other people.  Majority of people that you think are really lucky and have it easy have actually worked hard and are still working hard and staying dedicated to get where they are and where they want to be.  You're not just going to be born fit, healthy and athletic.  YOU have to put in the work yourselves. 

 

Everybody Starts Somewhere!

 

 So stop judging and start asking. 

 How did you do it?

Do you have any tips?

What is your diet like?

How long will it take?

 

Be prepared for the answers though.  If I reply then you are likely to hear it's not a quick fix.  It won't happen over night and you will have to put the work in.  Good news is you can probably eat more than you think and stop boasting that you've only eaten a ham roll today.  If you want the body, the fitness levels or the healthy lifestyle someone else has and they give you real advice then take it.  Don't just go back to your yo yo dieting and no exercise. Take a step out of your comfort zone and go for it. 

There's no limit to what you can achieve, so go get it!

 

 

Monday Morning Motivation

 

Wake Up Early

Take 5 mins to just breathe & have a hot drink (hot water & lemon is great first thing)

Think Positive Morning Thoughts

Give yourself 1 thing you want to achieve today

Read some positive affirmations, inspiring stories, motivational quotes

Have a healthy breakfast to set your day up right

Put on your workout clothes & don't change until you've worked out (not always possible but can always do this straight after work)

Go for a walk (walk to work or cycle)

Remember if you want things to be different then you have to do something different

Just be happy, don't put too much pressure on yourself and share a smile. You never no who you might motivate today!

 

 

 

 

No Excuse Workout

No excuses time! 

A quick upper body circuit that even mummy's can join in

It won't take a lot of time to do this. I squeeze in a 30 minute strength workout every other day at the moment. That includes a little warm up. 

I'm a single mum of 2 who hasn't had a full nights sleep in a long time. Let me tell you this,  finding time is not impossible. Mind over matter! 

Plus i actually find doing a 30 minute workout makes me so much happier and more energised than not doing one.  Working out in the morning gives me a positive attitude and I make better choices for the rest of the day. 

A favourite quote of mine that got me motivated at the beginning is:

Work out first thing in the morning before your brain figures out what you're doing!

This is true.  I find the longer I leave it on the day the more excuses I make up. I'm too tired, I haven't got time, my body aches, oh it doesn't matter.  I end up making bad choices with food. Working out first thing for me just sets me up for a good routine for the day. I'm a lot happy and that shines through on to everyone else. 

HOW TO DO THE WORKOUT! 

• Warm up for 3-5 mins - This may be star jumps or jogging/skipping on the spot. 

• Do each move the number of reps it says. 

• For push ups place your self over your baby. 

Do it on your knees if easier (I do ☺)

Count each rep out loud. Your baby will love this and give her a kiss each time. 

• For bent over rows and shoulder press I use my baby. She laughs so much. She loves being my workout partner. Please don't use your baby if they are unhappy. You know your baby. You can use filled water bottles or food cans. 

• During tricep dips, I put my hands on a chair and knees bent in front. Baby lies on my mat between my feet. Be careful. Do slowly. 

Repeat 4 times. Or set a timer for 10 mins and see how many rounds you can do!

Enjoy. If you have any questions please leave a comment or head over to instagram or twitter 

Xxx

Witness The Fitness, On A Budget!

Here you go guys! 2 new items here and the total cost..........

£13! Wow!

Where from you ask?...... Primark

Leggings = £9

Sports Bra = £4

New season fitness clothing in Primark. They are comfy, they look pretty cool and they don't break the bank. Ok, so there are benefits to getting the more expensive brands but in reality we can't all afford that.  I definitely can't.  Not right now.  I know, the majority of the time, you see fitness bloggers posting there matching, colour co-ordinated gym outfits by all the top brands but there's no shame in heading to Primark.  Why?  Because who cares where you bought your clothes when you have took that step to improve yourself.  When you are working hard on yourself, for yourself.  That kind of confidence is all people will see.  Plus no one will tell the difference when your clothes still look this good hey.

I will admit, I wouldn't head outside or to the gym without a top over this but that doesn't suddenly boost up the price.  The majority of my gym outfits have been made up of old clothes.  Old, worn down vest tops and t-shirts.  I don't think I have ever had a matching outfit! This, today is a first.  It's also the first time in over a year I've bought some new fitness clothes. 

My old fitness clothes, I still use.

Primark bras. Karrimor shorts.

My Gym Wear Journey

When I first started, on that running journey I have told you about, I wore really old, heavy tracksuit bottoms that probably survived from the 90s haha true!  My trainers had been bought for me, years before, and the bottom was flapping off!! Sometimes you just have to shrug it off and go for it.  Once I knew I was determined, dedicated,  I then treated myself to some Karrimor running trousers and t-shirts from Sports Direct.  They would have been under £15 for both.  You want to know something, I still have them too.  They actually have lasted years.

The only thing I've spent over £30 on is TRAINERS! They were still under £40 though.  From Sports Direct again and they were Nike.  It was my treat for getting the results I had achieved.  They are bright blue and I love them.  Not past tense because yet again I still have them.  They are still going strong.  You don't need to flash the cash constantly to have a fit, healthy and happy lifestyle.

Primark also sell trainers, so if you are right at the beginning, on a budget and don't own a pair then go for it.  Get a cheap pair and where them with pride. In the end the thing that will feel best on you will be the sweat dripping down your face, on to that huge smile you'll be wearing after your workout!

 So, please don't give up before you start because you think you don't have the right outfit for the gym.  Don't give up because you are worried about how you look or especially how you think others think you look.  Don't tell yourself you can't afford it, your clothes are old or too tacky.  There's always an option.

A Few Places To Shop

• Primark
• TK Maxx
• Sports Direct
• Asda
• H&M

Online Shopping for something different

• V3 Apparel

V3 Apparel sell some great quality clothing at reasonable prices.  You'll find something different here to stand out in at the gym.  Colourful leggings and slogan vests.  You really can't go wrong here.  I still own my first v3 apparel vest, One More Rep. It's always been one of my favourites.  Really gets you noticed too, in a good way.  Check them out and follow them on social media!

Sneak Preview

Plus, you just got a little look at what my 4 month post partum body looks like. Eeeeek, nervous!

Everyone Starts Somewhere...

If I can do it, anyone can do it.  This is me. Yes, top and bottom.  The top, I'm about 3 months post partum after my first born, 9 years ago. I was never a fitness (or healthy) person.  I avoided all sports at school and always used asthma as an excuse. I probably always found anything I could as an excuse. I did not do exercise and I told myself I couldn't do exercise, so what was the point.  I ate what I wanted, when I wanted.  Sugar, processed, take aways, all the bad stuff, you get the picture.

So, how did I get to the bottom picture?

Well, firstly let me tell you, there are NO QUICK FIXES!

It took me a good 6/7 years to realise this.  Years of telling myself I'll diet and go to the gym (lasted about 2 days then I'd try again a year later).  It took 6 years for something to finally click in my head, if I wanted things to change then I had to do something different.  I had to change.

I will admit, I didn't jump into fitness for my body.  I needed to change my whole lifestyle.  I needed something for my mental health as well as my physical health.  Once I fell in love with feeling great from health and fitness the other great physical benefits followed.  So you have to make that decision to do this for YOU! YOU have to want it. YOU have to put the effort in and be dedicated to making that initial change.  Its a lifestyle!

So, what was my fitness routine?

Cheap and Simple!

You need: 1 pair of trainers, water, the outside and a positive mind!

I taught myself how to run.  Yes that's right, I was so bad at exercise I didn't even know how to run so I had to learn and I did! Every other day...

Run for 1 minute

Walk for 1 minute

x 10

Ta Dah...You've ran! Feel proud! I did!

This slowly increased and the walking slowly decreased until I could run 20 mins non stop.  It was the best feeling ever.  Can I do this now?  I'd like to say no, I haven't ran in over a year,  of course not.  Then that'll go against everything I'm trying to tell you guys.  Of course I can do this, I just need to start somewhere again.  Don't put pressure on yourself to be able to run like a long distant runner who's trained to run non stop for an hour.  You are YOU! Don't worry about what everyone else is doing.  Go out there and be proud of that 1 minute you can run.  Be proud that you are determined, dedicated and up for a challenge! YOU ROCK!

I'll add on about how you should add strength training with your new running plan

  in another post.

Let Me Add...

The bottom picture was the start of my weight lifting training.  I spent too much time, like a lot of newbies, doing cardio.  Then I got educated on weight training benefits and things improved from here.  So this picture isn't where I stayed and I am far from it now too, so don't be fooled in believing this is me now.  I have had a baby.  My body has been through a lot over the past year and I'm back on this journey again and its a whole new one, new life, new routine, no pressure.

Follow me.  I'll give advice on what I've learnt so far and what I am learning now. 

I'm 4 months post partum.  I'm single, I'm on a budget and I am normal.  I have limited time but I know I can do this.  I love this life.  I'm enjoying getting my kids involved so follow us and see what we get up to to stay fit, healthy and most importantly happy together!