Diet week 1 update

It has been exactly I week since I start my diet and new training routine as a part of Michelle Brannan's Shape Team. 

As I already mentioned on my Facebook page, for 3 months I will be working with Showgirls Fitness and see how are my results and motivation level after. If after 12 weeks I will be in a reasonably good shape, I might think about competing in bikini fitness :) 

my coach Michelle Brannan at last Olympia contest

My 12 weeks started exactly week ago, on Tuesday. 

I have to admit that first days were the hardest day dieting I have ever in my life. Calories restriction killed me and together with very, very busy working scheldue I was terrified how I am gonna survive that next 3 months.

favourite meal of the day - breakfast :)

The is only onre reason it was that hard and it is ME only. 

meal prep in full scope ;)

I was tottaly unware that I get into trap I was alarming every one of my clients: eating too much because of tiredness and active lifestyle. I was counting my macros but I relied to much on listening to my body. And my body was sending me signals about hunger when it was not only hungry, but tired and stressed. It all result in eating too much and too often. 
When I got my meal plan and eat according to eat, for the first days I couldn't adjust. Hunger I experience was indescribable.
Luckly, during that days I was in still contact with my coach Michelle. She reacted very quickly on each of my strugglings. After few days we adjusted little my calories intake and make things easier. 

Now every day required a lot of planning. I have to do meal prep at least every second day. But on the other day, during day I don't have to think what to eat to meet my goals, everything is ready so I just have to grab a fork and eat it. 

one leg press exercise

Training-wise I am thrilled. 
I have 5 day split training and I train legs a looot! 
I thought I was keen on almost every resistance exercise, but still tried some few new for me, like one leg press. 
This exercise literally killed my ass ;)
 
Beside resistance training I have my cardio workouts. Luckly, Insanity classes count as a one of them, so only with no-Insanity days I have to do something additionally. Cardio will be definately that big change if it comes to my training since I wasn't do much cardio during winter time.

On Saturday I had my first cheat meal/free meal. I had some of them before, but that time I wasn't dieting that strictly. This time it was tottally well deserved meal.

I didn't choose anything fancy, just a toast with double cheese and ham together with some corn nachos and rice cakes. Carbs mostly ;) Nothing sweet. Again, I just realise that I don't have necessar a sweet tooth ;)





The feeling of happines while eating my toast was soooo big. I don't want to build wrong realtion with food (and junk food), but I needed that carb loading.

Now I've just send my stats and pictures to my coach and wait about her comments about how well or bad I did during my first week. 
My current form pic (I dropped 2cm in waist, and 2,5cm in hips so far):

7 days done, 77 days to go :)

Terrible blogger

I admit sincerely. I am terrible blogger recent days/week. 
It is all due to the fact that we are still not settled down in here, in UK. We still don't have our own apartment and share place with my man's kind family. I hope this situation will change somehow soon and I will be more dedicated to my blogging.

warm up at roing machine

If it comes to work and training, it couldn't be better. I started my own routine consisted of 3 heavy lifting sessions and 2 hiit cardio days in between. 

daily lunchboxes

I am not so strict with my diet as well, I still track my macros. I keep my carbs quite high, but I have to admit, that my body react very positive for that. 

friday flex

My current training split is: 
* back/biceps
* legs/shoulders
* chest/triceps
(I did ABS on my class and sometimes with chest day)

Beside that I have 2 cardio workouts, which are normally hight intensivity interval ones. In practice they are no longer than 25 minutes. 
Sometimes I did hiit on treadmill, sometimes by doing 15 reps of different exercises like clean up, burpees, push ups, kettelbell swings and so on. After one full month of that routine I want to track my progress by doing bodyfat percentage measurment :)

current form

Have a nice Sunday!

New role, new gym

new workplace - Soho Gyms Bow Wharf

Today I had my first day at new workplace - Soho Gyms Bow Wharf.
I will be a fitness instructor there. My new role would be all about taking care over our clients on a gym floor - from doing induction hours and taking measurements for designing training programmes.

new outfit ;)

This is the club where I had one of the best trainings in London ever, so I am very glad that I will spend there more time :)

and new neighbourhood

Soon I will start a new training routine, since I know where and how I work. Yupii! :)

I'm back!

After some pause from blog I'm back and ready to start a new chapter of my English journey.

making off latest photosession

Over the last couple of weeks I finished my Stoppani's program as well as work for LA Fitness. I got another job offer which was even more into my interests than sales. From today I will work as gym instructor/general assistant for Soho Gyms :)

Finishing my work for LA Fitness was at the same time as I had my trip to Poland planned. It was a great ending of some chapter for me, my first chapter of my life in UK.

 

Over last week I had a photo session, then break from gym (recovery week) and dieting. I spend quality time with my closest, eat natural and home-made food and try to relax as much as possible.

made by Marek Sysoł http://foto.sysol.pl

As I mentioned, I finished Stoppani's "Shortcut to shred" program. Honestly speaking, due to my very demanding job I did 80% of the program, but still I was satisfied. 

Marek Sysoł http://foto.sysol.pl

How was effects of the program? I think that pictures from my last sessions speak for themselves :)

I start this week with new energy and excitement! How about you? :)

Crazy week!

totally tired but happy :)

I survived my first week of trainings at new work! I have to say that it was the most challenging and instructive time in my life for like 2 years! :)

I've had my training in sky scrapers area

I definitely went out from my comfort zone, learned sales basics, met lots of new people. I am impressed how LA Fitness is structured and organised. 

There is a procedure for everything which happens in the club which gives you control over everything. My training was designed to give me the overall view how I will be working and checking all the competitors as well to see how we differs from them. 

Amazing! 

LA Fitness Waldorf is based next to Hilton Waldorf hotel in amazing musicals area, Covent Garden

First day I spent at LA Fitness St Pauls, checking out one fo Membership Advisor's work. Then 2 next day were dedicated to Sales Foundation Course. Led by Regional Sales Managers and Directors, I was impressed how easy one can learn from others by using different learning techniques. Last today I spend at LA Fitness Waldorf. General Manager dedicated so much from his time just to explain me how it is my work about. I am so thankful for that experience!

 

This week was so busy, crazy and exhausting, you may guess it was not so effective from my 'Shortcut To Shred' perspective. I did have my days off from training because I was too exhausted to train after 11 hours shifts. Regarding diet - I did eat no more than 1g carbs per pound of weight, but found it difficult to eat within 1800 kcal. I had 3 days off instead of 1, but there is still Saturday and Sunday to catch up :) 

 

 

This is the moment when keeping up with trainings and proper nutrition gets heavy - once you are too busy to find a time to prepare food and so tired to get your ass for training. I will manage everything properly next week!

Exploring London - Fitness First Black Label

pic from fitnessfirst.co.uk

As you know, I am new to London. I use this summer time for checking out different fitness clubs and try to find the one proper for me. 

pic from fitnessfirst.co.uk

Last week I had a chance to visit the best Fitness First's club in London - the one on Baker Street (thank you for invitation, Eva!). 
It is a special one because it is the most expensive one and even though you buy a multiclub membership at Fitness First you don't have access to that particular one. You have to member of their club first in order to have a chance to experience all of Black Label's facilities. 
Sounds posh and expensive? Well yes, for sure, but on the other hand the club is amazingly new and fresh!

I like their gym and swimming pool. Club has also great space for circuit training with lots of kettlebells, sand bags as so on.  Aerobic room was for little in my opinion and air conditioning there could be better. However, we had a very nice and creative Zumba class and it reminded me how much I like to teach classes! :) Instructor was very energetic and even though Zumba is not on the top of most intensive sport activities, I sweat out almost 500 kcal! Not bad! ;)

If you are a swimmer who like to train in modern club, this one might be perfect for you. Location is also great, near Hyde Park so you can always have a lunch outside after your training, as we did :)

Sweat&endorphines

Hello!

With Monday and Wednesday off from training, I had really good 2 training days after!

On Thursday had I step class (60min) which I followed with quick intervals session on treademil (45s x 45s).

Pink girl attack! ;)

Friday is my usual double-trainings-day. I started it with resistance training (30min) with my lovely group and I will follow this one by another step hour (60min). 

 



Classes which I have on Fridays are the one I can design myself (and listen to my clients needs, of course). 
That is why I always try to do things different, change routines, choreography etc. This time instead of doing typical aerobic choreography, I will made a step class with resistance training (15 minutes step, 15 minutes strength,  followed by another round of step and strength training with stretching at the end).








Productive two days, full of sweat and endorphines! :) Have a nice weekend!

Friday flex and gym log

Ok, so it is Friday evening and the weekend has officially began! :)) I start mine with some biceps flex. Yeah, I know I am horrible in flexing, would have to work on that ;)

I had two good classes today. I just have finished my aerobic and probably will take a weekend free from gym.

This week I have 3 cardio trainings, 1 strength class and only 1 my own training, but still - it was much, so body will have some active rest* :) 

*check my previous article about training periodisation and active rest if you are interested why day off are co crucial

And that how I was celebrating start of the weekend:

sushiiiii :) (good after training meal, by the way)

 

Diversifying training routine (video)

I've just got back home from my first of today's two classes.

I tried to do things a little different, diversify daily routine to make it much interesting for customers.
That is why I use elastic gum for leg exercises (instead of barbell) and bosu ball for core and abs (instead of mate).

Here you can see a photo of me doing squat having elastic gum between my knees:

black gum is not good seen on my black pants, but it actually IS there ;)

Proper exercise technique you can see on video here:

 and here: http://siljemariela.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/medium6.m4v

The next exercises are both planks - classic and side plank

I did also bench press on a bosu ball (with barbell) and exercises for lowerback with use of the same equipment.

With little effort you can get interesting trening and some fresh variation of your old routine :)

Busy, tired, sweaty, but.. satisfied :)

tired, but happy :)

Finally it is Friday's evening and I can begin my totally free weekend! After very intensive last 2 weeks I really need some time to rest!

I will also take 2 days off from training due to my sore muscles after recent trainings.

it suppose to be a Friday Flex but it turned into Friday Stretch ;)

Another hard-core Friday at work it was! 
At 10 and 11 I had spinn and toning class and another cycling in the evening followed by an hour of aerobic. Ouch!

Push up with wide legs

But I am very happy because of my classes - more clients keep coming on them each week*! And to see a happy face of sweating customer after class is the best reward for me!

* I am having toning class at 10:30 and aerobic class at 18:00 on Fridays - for those who are in Oslo and would like to drop in to Sport og Mosjon :)

I really love my new training pants from Better Bodies

Busy days

in my My Revolution's t-shirt :)

It was a really busy beginning of the year!
After we came back to Norway from our winter break in Poland, I jump into work duties so much that I didn't even have a chance to write about my recent workouts and meals. 

no time for fancy cooking these days, only quick meals like this one - spelt tortillas (lomper) with smoked norwegian salmon

In the matter of training, I had a good start:

Wednesday - 15 min of spinn and 30 min of circuit trainig at the gym
Thursday - 30 minutes of spinn

back in Sport og Mosjon Training Center :)

And today, on Friday, there is a grueling challenge for me - 3 workouts!
First 40 minutes of strength/toning class (10:00), then - in the other part of the day - 60 minutes of spinn and 60 minutes of aerobic.

Summing up - 60 min of spin, 60 minutes of aerobic and 40 minutes of weight training. Wow! 
I do not recommend training so much, though. The fact I am doing like that today is only because my instructor's duties.

Training for today - indoor cycling

It has been a working weekend for me. Both in the studio and as an instructor.

much much better training than yesterday! :)

It wasn't easy to get up at 7 both on Saturday and Sunday.. but, from time to time it is good to work on weekend and earn extra ;) 

 After my morning work I had a spinn class. Great 60 minutes of cycling with dedicated ladies who came to the class :) High energy and 550 kcal burned! But.. what is spinn exactly?

spinning room at my work place - Sport og Mosjon

Spinning is simple an indoor cycling. It is a form of group training where group is cycling to the music's tempo. It is definitely and cardiovascular training, where you mostly train on your endurance. It depends on type of class and instructor if it is interval training or more steady tempo cycling. 

You can adjust intensity by: 
*standing up on your pedals (standing climb), 
*doing
 short and intensive sessions of standing and seating (jumps), cycling with serious resistance (climbing),
*cycling with high tempo (sprints)

equipment: for amateur cycling training shoes and shorts will be enough, no need to buy fancy stuff if you are not spinning professionally/very often

Unquestionable benefits of indoor cycling is that you are burning many calories, strengthening your hearth and lunges as well as harmstrings, glutes and quadriceps. What is more, spinning is less harmful for joints as any other kind of aerobic activity and.. it's easy! You don't have to remembering choreography and any steps, just look what instructor is doing and copy it!

another benefit of indoor cycling is the fact that trainings are normally taken in a dark room with loud music - nobody will watch you while you are sweating and you can totally concentrate on your moves and music

Spinning is the great way of doing interval training (best cardio training for fat burning). By standing on pedals and cycling in high tempo you are doing high intervals and by doing cycling in normal tempo you are doing low intervals :)

Is it suitable for you? You will never now, until you check :) I recommend taking part in a class, even if you are not a cycling fan - try, maybe the atmosphere, music and passion will encourage you? :)