Fitness: Bikini Body Challenge (Part One)

shop the workout:
Kayla Itsines 12 week Bikini Body Guide;

shop the look:
Compression Tights by Cotton On Body; Active Workout Tee by Cotton On Body; Zip Crop by Cotton On Body; Nike Pro Classic Crop by Nike; Nike Rosche Shoes by Nike;

I've never been one for fad diets and exercise routines, in fact I'm strongly against most of them. I don't believe in teatoxes and weight loss shakes, it's all about active living and making healthy choices. I believe each individuals body has different wants and needs and what works for you may not work for your bestie.

I'm quite passionate about fitness and exercise; at times obsessed and I think it can sometimes be contagious for those around me. People think it comes easy to me because I work out so many times a week but it's not. There is many days where I just want to be lazy and eat ice cream but I know I'll feel all the more better once I complete my work out. My junk food cravings generally disappear after a workout too because I don't want to ruin the hard work I've just put in or I just feel less guilty for eating the ice cream because I know I'm balancing it out.

I'm constantly researching and reading about healthy eating and what foods can do what for your body. I'm also always looking for inspiration on how to mix my weekly workouts up and that's how I stumbled across the 'Bikini Body Challenge'.

The most common place I find my exercise inspiration is through following fitspirational accounts here and there on insta. One day I came across Kayla Itsines' account and she had me intrigued with all the success stories she was posting. Day in and day out I would do my daily morning ritual of scrolling through insta on the train to work and day in and day out, was success story after success story. Now, like I said I am not one for fad exercise routines so I remained sceptical but it was hard to ignore all these success stories, as they were your average sized to slightly overweight girls transforming into healthy toned girls.

I WANTED THAT!

I decided to give the free week trial a go. It gave me three days worth of circuit style training that focused on different areas of the body; legs, arms and abs, the rest of the days were filled with cardio and stretching. It was two rounds made up of four exercises that are to be performed for 7 minute intervals twice - therefore 28 minutes of training. All the exercises seemed somewhat simple so I thought this is going to be easy.......BOY was I wrong! I have never sweated so much during a workout in my life!

I WAS CONVINCED!

It was just after my birthday I went ahead and purchased the 12 week workout plan. Legs and cardio was first up, on that first Monday I started and Oh-My-God - I lost all use of my legs for pretty much the whole week following. Every time I got up from my desk chair I would forget and almost fall head over heels as my legs were just too sore to hold me up.

The workouts would slowly build up over the weeks following the same structure but working new muscles each week. I am yet to feel as sore as that first week though. Week five threw a spanner in the works, changing up the structure of the plan a little and moving around the days and body parts the workouts targeted. This was great though as it was when I was just starting to get a little bored of them and it put an element of surprise in for my body, meaning my body did not become immune to the workouts and therefore making them continue to be effective.

Fast forward to six weeks later and I have completed the first half of the twelve week challenge. What I have loved about it so far?! Not having to think about a workout plan each week, the cardio involved that is enhancing my fitness, the body strength exercises building up / maintaining subtle muscle tone, the light feeling and energy it gives me and the way it makes me feel like I'm about to either throw up or pass out (yes I'm crazy but it gives me the feeling I'm doing something right).

I chose not to purchase the eating plan that accompanies the workout plan, as I never follow them and tend to eat quite healthy anyway - well on weekdays at least. However, I think this has been my downfall as the eating plan compliments the workout plan and limits your calorie intake to 1200 calories a day and therefore maximising your results.

In saying all this, stay tuned for part two and my results.

Subtle results are noticeable in this progress shot. I've definitely slimmed down a little with my body shape changing slightly. There is also evident tone starting to build in my obliques area, as I do tend to get tone in this area before my mid section. I look forward to seeing further results in week twelve.