Workout Wednesday - Kettlebell Swing

I have changed up my routine to make sure I am effectivly using my cardio time and working to my best potential to reach my goals.
HIIT exercises are the best exercises to burn fat, sprints on the bike or running, skipping etc short bursts of exercise to really raise the heart rate and get that fat moving!

Kettlebells is one of these exercises that help burn the fat, build muscle and build endurance, I have been working on these and found I am getting stronger within 2 weeks of doing these exercises - I use them in my shoulder and back routine, cardio and core and arms - so 4 times a week, sometimes 5 if I do them on leg day!
Second to burpees this exercise is fantastic for hitting all the spots you want to target.
You can vary the swing from 2 hands to one handed swings and vary the weights - I started light at 8kg and am now up to 16kg, I will be going up to 20kg this week coming as 16kg is becoming slightly easier now!
I work in a drop set style:
20 swings at 16kg
16 swings at 16kg
12 swings at 20kg x3 sets
8 swings at 20kg

and relax! The technique for this is pretty easy, start standing up straight with the kettle bell in front of you, hanging between your legs.
Going into a squat position, keep your back straight, and using your legs and hips to power the drive swing the kettle bell in front of you, level to your face, and bring back down - repeat this motion for however many reps you can manage.

Here is a video for you to watch to make sure you know exactly how to do it before trying!

Currently

Happy Sunday! It is lovely weather here so obviously a BBQ will be happening this afternoon and we may be able to actually sit outside! 

So here we are with 5 weeks exactly to go until holiday, infact this time in 4 weeks I will be last minute packing ready to set off the airport :) 

But with 28 days to go there are still 27 workouts to be had, I have already trained today, and plently of time for last minute touch ups! 

I have achieved alot in the past 4 weeks and I am excited to see where the next 4 weeks can take me. 

Body wise I am actually feeling pretty good, I am leaning out nicely but keeping the muscle and achieving more definition now, for the next 4 weeks I am cutting carbs to be very low with high protein, no cheat meals and good quality workouts and meals.

I am also trying this cleanse... one of the girls at work says it is great for clearing all the bad stuff out your body, this is one is particularly good for heart health and clearing the arteries, I am 2 shots in and oh god it is gross! The mixture is garlic, lemon and ginger, I will post about it if it is successful but at the moment I am not so sure! 

I am also switching up all cardio to be fast paced, HIIT interval training, with an endurance session on a Saturday, I am using the treadmill for up hill sprints, skipping rope and kettlebell swings to get the heart rate up and the body really working. 

Have a lovely, content Sunday and wonderful week ahead!

 

Happy Friday!

May your Friday be stress free and your weekend a good one! 

Workout Wednesday - The Deadlift

Want to feel badass and strong? Then try a deadlift.
I have mastered the art of squating and working comfortably at 120kg, so naturally I needed a new challenge.

Boyfriend suggested I join him on deadlifting, at first I was like yea ok why not, I don't consider myself strong so I was prepared to just lift the bar and be done.
But once I started I felt that competitive drive in me and I wanted to lift heavier!
I progressed from 20kg to 60kg each with strong reps and I left the gym feeling strong and badass!

Deadlifting works muscles from the chest right down to your calves so if you want to target a lot of muscles in one go then this is the left to go for.

If you haven't done it before, I would recommend having a trainer talk you through the movement to ensure that you are doing it properly and do not get injured.

You can also try straight legged deadlifts with dumbells, I do this exercise on leg day to target my hamstrings and really make them work!

Currently - Sunday update

Long time no write! It was a hectic weekend last weekend and I have been full of hayfever all week so have been basically coming home and going straight to bed, hayfever hits me hard, like a lot of allergies some people get them really bad and hi I am one of them!
Still life goes on ;)

So what's been happening?
Wednesday  saw the 120kg squat and this week saw the 3rd week end of fasted workouts and 4th week of cleaning eating and things are looking good! Yesterday I was craving carbs so I indulged in a garlic, cheese and tomato roll and it was glorious!
I am holding out on a full cheat meal until after holiday - pizza of course!

I am going out for dinner on Friday and going to see Jurassic world as well - can't even begin to explain how excited I am for that!!

Friday I tried deadlifting, I have done this before briefly but never really got into it, but this Friday I smashed it, deadlifted to 60kg - very happy with that!

So 5 weeks to go until holiday and it is full steam ahead, I am continuing the fasting and clean eating of course and next week will begin the low carb cycle!

Have a wonderful week all!

                       H  

Currently

A little late this week - I had a weekend of family, friend and of course gym time.

So whats new? Well as of today I am officially a WTF (witness the fitness) gymwear rep - you can use my code to have 10% of your purchase - visit the website and see what takes your fancy!

Use WTFRHI at the checkout for your discount!

Fasted cardio is going well - I think the mix of clean eating and fasted workouts is really kicking off the bikini body - I saw a peek of abs Saturday guys, for those of you who follow me on Instagram will know that abs is on my list of fitness goals!

I have 6 weeks until holiday so I am hoping for some real progress and some real definition to appear before I leave!!

I am tracking my calories again because I like to watch my eating and make sure I am on the right track and not over or under eating!

I am tracking progress with pictures rather than weight and measurement this time as I like to see the progress pictures next to each to see how far I have come.

Have a wonderful week whatever you may be doing, eat well, workout and above all enjoy your life!

 

Eating out - to cheat or not to cheat!

Going out for dinner is one of my favourite things, good food is also one of my favourite things so when I go out for dinner I like to make the most of it! 

I used to use it as an excuse to eat loads of food, feel stuffed and basically crappy. 

Now I use it to eat good food, enjoy what I am eating - maybe have a small treat but know my limits. I am on a no cheat meal at the moment because of holiday so when I go out I choose the healthier options when I am eating out such as salads, a starter or a dessert - not both - and go from there.

Usually I would make this my cheat meal of the week so I would choose a burger with a bun or have a sweet instead of a starter. 

I have been out for dinner a lot lately with birthdays, evenings out etc I have tried to stay on track and opting for meals with side salads, no chips, and no desserts.

When I went out for my boyfriends birthday I chose the vegetarian option of a spring roll with sundried tomato, ratatouille and side salad and it was amazing! With a started of bread and houmas it was one of the most delicious meals I had eaten in ages, drinking water and a small amount of alchol I left the restaurant feel full, satisfied and did not touch a chip! 

I like opting for healthy foods not because I have to but because I want to! I don't like feeling overly stuffed and like I cant move for a few hours - I save those for my once every six months epic pizza cheat, when I am at home in my pjs - it was nice to enjoy my meal and still feel like I am on track to my goal! 

It is true that you don't have to be strict all the time and that once meal won't mess up your hard work but there are certain sacrifices you have to make to ensure you stay on track and meet your goal - if I have to give up chips and chocolate etc everyday then so be it because I have been working hard for so many years to get into shape and honestly I want abs god dammit!! 

Workout Wednesday - Rowing machine

I have a love/hate relationship with the rowing machine - when I switched gyms and they don't have good rowers then I realised how much I missed it! 

Thankfully my other gym (yes a member of 2 gyms) does have a rower, it is a good rower and oh man does it feel good to be back on and rowing! 

Rowing works your entire body, from your back and shoulders right down to your legs - take a look at this picture to show just how many muscles it works! 

It is the perfect exercise to improve your endurance and increases heart function. It is also a good calorie burner so if you are looking to lose weight this is the machine for you! 

It is also a low impact exercise so if you are looking for something that is going to be less of a strain on the joints again this is an ideal exercise. 

Overall it is a total body workout - I do around 20-30 minutes on the rower on level 9-10, the more resistance the stronger the pull and the more you will work! 

Lift like a girl

I don't know why but I have become more and more sensitive to the phrase "like a girl" recently, it might because the blogs, women I follow on Instagram etc are highlighting being a strong, independent woman that I have taken on their mindset, the face I am comfortable in my own skin and also probably that I am training with boys and its all I hear!

The other day I over heard some guys talking in the gym and he said "come on, do it properly, your doing it like a girl" and then this morning a guy couldn't lift heavy and he said to his friend "eugh I feel so girly".

It frustrates me because well I could easily turn around to these guys and correct them as I can squat heavier than one and lift heavier than the other - I know this for a fact as I have seen them train!

But I don't obviously because are they going to care/listen - no of course not because they are already set in comparing weak performances to being "like a girl".

I feel that men like this fear strong women, I am lucky that my boyfriend was raised by a strong woman so he encourages me to be stronger and fearless - sometimes he does use the phrase like a girl and he gets a look ;) but he would never put me down because I was a girl, if I can't do something it is not determined by my gender it is determined by my own strength.

I posted this on Instagram for International Womens Day and also because it is my favourite image to show that doing things like a girl is NEVER a bad thing unless you make it a negative!

Working in male dominant industry (marine industry) and training with men 7 days a week really makes me want to stand up for women and represent us as the strong, independant women we all are!

If the men in your life can't encourage you to be this, ignore it and do it anyway - they will either accept the change or you know you are better off without them - I have known so many men who think strong women are out of control, or women who believe in womens rights are "lesbians" I don't have time for people like that when I want to build a brand that empowers women and encourages them to shine!

So friendly reminder on this Monday - lift like a girl, run like a girl, think like a girl and act like a girl, because you are awesome!