Week 1 done & 11 more to go!

Yesterday I completed week 1 of The Get In Shape Girl's 12 Week Bikini Guide. The guide has you working out 6 days a week and is very circuit based. This is great for me because my body responds quickest to circuit based work-outs. When I was training with Rachael before the wedding, I came down the quickest when we trained HIIT/circuit style. After the wedding, I continued to train but it consisted of weight training and then up to 30 min cardio after. Even though I occasionally broke a sweat during the weight training my heart was not elevated enough.

On the 1st day of the work-out guide I left the gym feeling very accomplished because I was sweating the whole way through and then the cardio at the end was just the icing on my work-out cake.

I love this guide for many reasons. One is because I have a plan. Each day I look up what my work-out consists of and I write it down to bring to the gym. I do not go wondering what machines will be available for whatever body part I am working that day. I also pre-plan what area of the gym will give me the most space for the circuits. Going into the gym with a plan is a sure way to be successful.

I also love this guide because I no longer skip days at the gym. With my new schedule and days that I am just lacking that pep in my step I would skip days or have too many "rest" days. Now that I have a plan I no longer skip even if I want to because I know there is a reason for the way the work-outs are laid out and a reason why Sunday is my rest day.

Reason number 3 is that I am eating great! I have it in my head to not have too many cheats because I am only cheating myself. On days that I would "rest" or skip the gym I had no reason to eat well because in my mind I had already messed up (my mind is much too hard on itself) so why not have a little extra of this or that. The other night my 2 year old niece, Marlie, came over right when I was supposed to be leaving for the gym. I really wanted to stay and play with her and fulfill my craving for ice cream. Plus what a perfect excuse, I would totally be the favorite Auntie if I bought her ice cream! Well, I got pushed out the door to the gym by my lovely husband and after I ran over 2 miles of HIIT cardio followed by an additional 30 min of cardio I no longer wanted the ice cream because why would I just reverse all the hard work?! I felt once again so accomplished and proud of what my body and mind could do if I just did it!  

Today was rest day and it was muuuch needed! My muscles were so happy to rest and I got to sleep in a little since today is my Saturday. In honor of the weekend/no school/rest day Robbie made us an amazing breakfast! He made sweet potato hash cooked with chopped onion, chicken sausage and 2 over easy eggs on top. It reminded me of a healthier version of a skillet. Then we of course had to have my fav blueberry pancakes on the side. This meal was a great reward meal and it was super cheap. We always want to go out for breakfast but it's expensive and hard to eat healthy.

I hope you all had a great weekend!

XOXO,

E 

P.S. do you all have instagram? Follow me @determined2bfit