Hello everyone,
Just another update…..
If you remember from my previous blogs I had a goal to lose 5kg by July for a friends wedding. I also had a friends wedding in May and wanted to feel more comfortable and confident in my chosen outfit.
Well….I smashed my goal, I travelled back to the UK for the wedding and the feedback I had from friends and family was great. One family member actually said I look the best I have ever looked and friends couldn’t wait too find out exactly what I had been doing to achieve these body changes.
The wedding itself was great and the compliments I received made me feel amazing. I felt comfortable and confident in my chosen outfit and thoroughly enjoyed the day. As I was so busy unfortunately I did not get to work out, I actually really missed it and couldn’t wait to get back in the studio!
The weeks leading up to going home I was mentally listing all of my favorite foods I would like to eat whilst I was back in the UK. I was looking forward to traditional English grub like Sunday roast and proper fish and chips, but found that when I had the choice I didn’t actually want them. I was definitely aware that I didn’t want to throw away all the hard work I had put in over the last 3 months. This is just one of the lifestyle changes I have made during my fitness journey. I am definitely more aware about what I eat and whether it will fit my macros for the day. I generally try to be more active, I walk a lot more and add the occasional 30 minute cardio session if I haven’t moved as much I should, don’t get me wrong I do still have the odd treat- I am human after all!.
My first week back in the studio was a little tough and felt quite sore after my training, however I really enjoyed being back and was in my usual routine in no time.
My programme has been tweaked by Phil (my trainer) so I have a higher rep range, more sets of certain exercises and a few different movements. It is important to change your programme every so often as your body gets used to the same repeated stimulus and adapts to the exercises, loads and rep ranges. It also keeps your workout fresh and interesting whilst keeping you motivated with new challenges. In order to progress, changing the stimulus on a regular basis is the way to go.
I did struggle to be consistent with my diet during the month of May. I think this was a combination of work hours changing during Ramadan and my body getting used to eating at different times when I was away. But after a catch up with Phil I am back on track counting my macros and he put my calories up by 200, which means my total daily allowance is now 1800 calories. This may sound a lot and was difficult for me to get my head around at first, but as part of the process it is important to spend some time in a calorie surplus so you are able to build more muscle, improving your physique. Phil told me that it isn’t healthy to just keep cutting calories and dieting for too long. Having a diet break or actually reverse dieting where you deliberately eat a little more can really help to set you up for the next fat loss phase.
The wedding in July is just around the corner and I have hit my target of losing 5kg, I am so happy! I have worked hard to get to this stage and now realise there are no quick fixes, it takes a lot of determination but with the help of my trainer I stayed motivated and consistent with my work outs. Now I have reached this milestone of course I want to carry on improving my physique by continuing with my training. I recently got engaged so this is definitely a great incentive for long term goals.
My tip to people that are currently training would be you are only human, you may have bad days but keep in mind your long term goals and focus on your training programme and macros. Having the support and guidance from an expert trainer has been invaluable, If you are serious about making changes then I would highly recommend finding your own ‘Phil’. Obviously nothing comes for free and I have learnt to be more disciplined, It is 100% worth all the hard work when you hit your target!
Training has now become part of my weekly routine and a part of my life. I find it therapeutic, it gives me more energy, I feel healthier and so much more confident. It feels great and I would recommend it to everybody, it is the best investment you will ever make.
Good luck with your fitness journey.
Charlotte