Do you know that friend who would find a thousand reasons to be absent from all your gym meetup appointments? That’s Me.
Before the coronavirus lockdown, I would not be found dead doing a fitness challenge. I deliberately kept away from all semblance of exercise and fitness routines, even walks. Whenever my friends tried to rope me into one of those challenges, I came up with an excuse. Why? I looked stunning anyway, why would I need to stress myself out with exercise? Or so I thought.
Two months into the coronavirus lockdown, I went from seventy-six, to eighty-six kilograms in body weight, and I couldn’t make it up a flight of stairs without taking a few minutes’ breather. Also, my laps would not fit into my jeans, and I was spotting a slightly bulgy lower abdomen. Now I knew there was a problem. At my new size 12, I still didn’t look fat, but I was definitely out of shape. And that’s when I consulted my google.
I may have spent a lot of time in the past trying to avoid exercising, but there was no way I was letting myself gradually grow into a size 16. I googled a lot of fitness experts for women, and I came across experts such as Brianna Battles, who specializes in post-partum athleticism, Christa Doran, founder of Tuff Girl Fitness which teaches specific routines for women, and Chrissy King, who is a fitness coach, and body conditioning, specialist.
One thing that stood out in all my search, and that is, when it comes to fat loss, one of the best tips is the importance of patience and consistency.
While prioritizing habits such as eating a diet rich in lean protein, fibre, and vegetables in conjunction with physical movement involving strength training is very important for fat loss, consistency and patience are game-changers.
We can rush the fat loss process to drop body fat as quickly as possible, or we can create sustainable lifestyle habits which will allow individuals to lose fat and keep it off for the long haul.
In Chrissy King’s notes, she wrote that while seeing two to three-pound drops on the scale each week may feel gratifying, it’s not helpful if it’s not sustainable. However, if you consistently lose one pound per week in a sustainable manner, you would not only be down 52 pounds at the end of the year, but you would be more likely to adopt permanent lifestyle changes.”
That’s it right there, “permanent lifestyle changes” I do want to lose the bodyweight I have gained, stay healthy, in shape and keep the weight off permanently. And using digital apps, I have learnt that you can actually keep fit and stay in shape from the comfort of your home, without gym equipment. I have tried out two different 30-day Workout challenges using digital apps such as:
- The Classic 7 Minute Workout App an
- The Nagel Body App
- Female Fitness 30 – Days Women Workout
- Home Workout for Women
- FitOn
- Limerick Women Fitness
- Kayla Itsines Fitness
The apps operate similar features, designed for women who want to get back in shape and keep it permanent.
You start by registering your profile, which includes your body weight, height, age and target weight. The apps also request additional information such as the current level of physical activities you engage in, your preferred food types, and some personality tests.
When this is done and profile registered, the app launches your 30-Day workout challenge, which consists of 8 different routines, interchanged weekly to put pressure on certain body parts. Some of the daily routines include:
- Squat
- Wall Push Up
- Side-Lying Leg Raise
- Hip Thrust
- Jumping Jack
- Bicycle Crunch
- Donkey Kick
- Russian Twist
- Flutter Kick
- Sidel Lunge
- Plank
Each session contains at least seven of the exercise routines listed above, each lasting a minimum of 30 to 45 seconds. The app also allows you to repeat the exercises when your stamina increases over time.
Using these routines over the last two months, I have been able to keep in shape, lose up to 4.7kg and tone up my muscles. I can now run up and down the flight of stairs without a panting party, and I can fit right into my lovely jeans. I feel energetic, and I am enjoying the routines.
There is a good chance that your daily gym schedule has, in the last four months, dwindled to a couple of walks to the fridge and a bit of fresh air at lunchtime. And like me, you probably found yourself getting out of shape. Do not fret, with patience and consistency, this 30 – Day Fitness Challenge will help you keep the weight off and stay in shape.
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