Helen's Training Journal

[Helen121]

Hi there,

I came to this site last year, with a very clear goal that then spectacularly fell flat on its face as life came and stepped in.

Anyways, I am back and raring to go and get the body of my life (at last).

So, I have a few specific limitations with lifting weights. I don't own any - specific enough eh!

We travel and so are very limited with what we can take with us - both weight and amount of stuff, so lugging weights (or any fitness equipment other than a skipping rope and my yoga mat) around is a definite no-no.

Therefore, all the exercises that I do are body weight exercise, which I know are not as good as lifting weights, but it is what it is and this is what I have to work with.

So, before I get started, if anyone has some good body weight exercises that they want to throw in the ring for me then please do, I would love to hear all your suggestions.

Many thanks and looking forward to getting on board here.

Helen

[mrbear666]

hey Helen, welcome! quite alot of people here do bodyweight routines and seem to make good progress so im sure youll do well with it! have a browse in peoples training journals and steal their ideas

mike

[AndiMorris]

Have a look for a book called You are your own gym. It's entirely bodyweight stuff.
Best of luck.

[Helen121]

Day 1 of my new training plan and time for some hard truths…..

Weight – 134 lbs (9st 8lbs)

Body Fat Percentage – 27.59% (ouch!)

Phase 1 – 1 month

Goal – to lose body fat.

Training today

Upon waking – 30 minutes of yoga

Workout 1 – 1 hour

1 mile warm up jog – 11.39mins

Interval – 40 secs work/10 secs rest – x 3 sets

1. Squats

2. Side Taps

3. Squat Thrusts

Shoulder workout – 10 reps per exercise x 3 sets

1. Pushups

2. Dolphins (yoga exercise)

3. Shoulder Press – with 2kg hand weights *

4. Lateral raises – with 2 kg hand weights

Core workout – 10 reps per exercise x 3 sets

1. Competition sit up

2. Crunch

3. Pulses

4. Oblique crunch

Workout 2 – 12 mins

2 min warm up – set ups

10 mins – as many sets as possible – I did 10 sets

1. 30 skips

2. 10 plyometric jump ups – I used a low wall of about 1 ft in height

Workout 3 – 30 minutes

30 minutes of yoga – various asana

Food today

Upon waking – cup of hot water with lemon and 1tsp molasses

Post workout smoothie – 4 oranges, 1 pink grapefruit, 1 banana, 1 tbsp hemp powder and 1 tbsp bee pollen

Mid morning snack – 2 power/energy balls – made with almond meal, chia seeds, 1 banana, cacao powder, maca powder, honey and coconut.

Lunch – raw club sandwich – lettuce, cashew nut cheese, sliced tomatoes, shredded carrot and cucumber, sliced avocado and spring onion with a drizzle of extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil and himalayan rock salt.

Mid afternoon snack – 2 power/energy balls (as above).

Tea – 1 mango and 2 passion fruits

Evening snack – cup of hot cacao – made with fresh homemade almond milk, cacao and honey - delicious

[HIT Rob]

Them energy/power balls sound the bomb:) Do you blend those ingredients together and roll em up?

[Mini Forklift Ⓥ]

Nice selection of exercises you had going on there Helen! Mmmmm, that evening snack sounds pretty good!

Welcome to the forum, great to have you here. Good luck for hitting all of your goals this year MF.

[Helen121]

Manatee - The energy balls are very simple, just whizz them all together in the food processor and then roll them into balls. I forgot to add that I put about 2 tbsp of coconut oil in them as well. They will last in the fridge for about a week - if I don't eat them all!

Mini Forklift - Ultrarunner eh! I am looking to do an ultra, have done some marathons in the past - last one was the Malaga marathon in December 13, but would love to up the distance. Will have to pick your brains over this one!

[HIT Rob]

Cheers Helen,

I shall be rushing out to pick up those ingredients tomorrow:))

[C.O.]

So how is your training coming along?

[Helen121]

So, last week was a wash out.....too many work deadlines vied for my time and I'm sorry to say that it was my workouts that lost out. That can't happen again, so I have worked hard for the last few days to make sure I have some time every day to complete my workouts, without distractions. That's the trouble with being self-employed and working from home, there is always the tendency to take on too much and lose balance with your life!

Anyway, I started back with the training yesterday and today so all good.

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Food was/will be the same for both days as I am on just liquids at the moment.

Breakfast smoothie - orange, red grapefruit, banana, hemp powder and bee pollen
Lunchtime juice - pineapple, lime, celery and parsley
Afternoon juice - apple, celery, cucumber, broccoli, lambs lettuce and lime
Evening smoothie - orange, mango, banana, raspberry and passion fruit with bee pollen
Evening drink - hot chocolate with almond milk, cacao powder, honey and maca powder
Other drinks - water both cold and hot

[Helen121]

Training today - 20 minute yoga practice on waking
30 minute yoga practice this afternoon
Main workout below

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Still juicing/smoothies today so nutrition looked like this:

Breakfast smoothie - orange, red grapefruit, banana, hemp powder, ashwagandha powder and bee pollen smoothie
Lunch juices - pineapple, celery, parsley and lime juice followed by apple, celery, cucumber, lambs lettuce, broccoli and lime juice
Dinner smoothie - oranges, mango, raspberry and banana
Evening drink - hot chocolate made with almond milk, cacao powder, honey and cinnamon

[Helen121]

Yoga am and pm.

Main workout -

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Food today - as yesterday

[C.O.]

Last time when you failed your goals what happened and what are you doing this time around to ensure it wont happen again?