My Recap: Week 3 of Body Revolution

I have just completed Week 3 of Body Revolution. Well, sorta... I missed one session of cardio middle of the week and didn't replace it. So, I achieve 5/6 Completion?

*pat on my back*

My current stat:

Week 3 Weight: 57 kg
Week 3 Fat Content: 25.6 %
Week 3 Muscle Content: 36.6%
Thigh Measurement: 21.1 inch
Arm Measurement: 10.6 inch

To be honest, there doesn't seem to be much improvement since the end of Week 1, which is kind of disappointing.

But to be fair, I did cheat fairly often during Week 3. I was clearly slacking because it is so hard to actually filter my food one by one off soy bean, peanut, MSG, and raw cruciferous vegetables. Last count, I had 2 days of ramen with spicy miso soup in a single week. Bam! Bam! One time, I had instant noodle for dinner, I thought simply by adding more vegetables and eating less noodles would compensate, I didn't realise MSG was added into the stock. Silly me! In my defence, I thought MSG would have been phased out by now. Because, come on, everyone knows that MSG is bad for health right?

I tried counting calorie too, not easy! I was using My Fitness Pal App to track my calorie, but only went as far as week 1 because it can get so hard (even though the app is fairly helpful, what with the barcode reader and the huge food databases) to manually think about portioning and calorie. I can only hope that I can live by the motto of 'Moderation goes a long way' and pray to God that my perception of 'moderation' is actually MODERATE and not SUPER-SIZE-ME in reality. If there is still no improvement, then I will definitely need to pull out the food scale and start to weigh what my normal portioning is causing me.

But I am super optimistic! Let's do this!!

My recap: Week 1 of Body Revolution

Week 1 of Body Revolution : Complete~!

Starting fat content: 25.5%
Starting muscle content: 36.6%
Fitness level: Beginner
Thigh measurement: 21.5 inch
Arm measurement: 11 inch

I was so hesitant to reveal my weight because I have gained so much weight after I started work that it is not funny anymore. But I really wanted to put myself to this challenge and I hope people would actually appreciate it. So... here goes...

Starting weight: 57 kg

The complete Body Revolution program consists of 12 sets of workout and 3 cardio that spans over three months. And it is meant to be complemented by a clean and lean eating plan. Doesn't sound too bad, right?

So... Jillian Michael's Body Revolution started off with an optional 7 days of kickstart metabolism series, which is basically a morning strength workout and evening cardio for 2 days and then morning and evening cardio on the 3rd day. Complete and repeat and have a rest on Sunday.

I won't say the cardio was too kick ass, but by the third day of cardio for kickstart metabolism series, I gave up, ate chocolate cookie dough cupcakes and fried chicken. Not a very good start but I probably didn't feed my body right during that first 7 days either.

Week 1 was better, because once you get through the first 7 days of kickstart metabolism series (and IF you get through it... unlike me), 30 minutes of workout per day just doesn't seem that much. And by then, I have gained more stamina to actually complete the entire cardio session without giving up halfway through. And if you know how much I hated cardio, you would give me 4 star for my effort (deduct one star for my occassional fuck-this-I-am-going-to-eat-cake attitude ). There is just one particular move that gave me stitches down my sides but as JM says, 'you can do anything for one minute' because if you don't you are going to regret it later! So, 'GO! GO! GO!'

For workout 1 and 2, I needed yoga mat, resistance band, and weights. I am currently using 1.5 kg and 2.5 kg weights. The heavier weight will be used to train smaller and specific muscle. Nothing too taxing but I plan to increase the weights in the second week for more difficulty.

Diet wise, so hard to stick to!! Although the diet plan made it look like there isn't a lot of 'No-no food', some of those on the list are my favourite. Like, one of the hardest thing to give up is soybean in an asian diet, especially soy sauce and miso!! Even if it is for 3 months only. One of my favourite thing is Miso soup and it is the easiest soup (with low calorie) to prepare during the winter!! Drives me crazy that one. In contrast, one of the easiest thing to give up is dairy product but only because I always felt sluggish and bloated after taking dairy product.

Funny how the more you exercise, the more you feel like you are more energetic?!?

Looking forward to complete week 2!!

Top 5 workouts to try out this February!

Happy Lunar New Year 2014!

This lunar new year is the first time in 3 years... THREE YEARS that I finally went back to Malaysia to celebrate!! So forgive me while I binge nonstop on family attention and FOOD!! *Nom nom nom*

So now I am so regretting all those YOLO meals I had because my tummy is so big that I wish I could pass it off as a baby bump (sounds less selfish that way). :( But I can't... O well... it would be a good time to continue where I left off of my new year resolution!! No more excuses! This baby ain't gonna be gone by itself!!

So these are some of the workouts to start off the lunar new year!

(1) Cardio Barre

The front cover of the video looks really attractive, right? Except that the main instructor isn't an attractive slim lady, but it isn't an ugly fat lady too.

This video is relaxing, easy and doesn't take too much time. So, if you don't have much motivation to start with, this video would definitely make you feel great because even when the instructor said it will hurt, it doesn't hurt (at least for me, then again, I could be doing this all wrong... like watching this while seated right in front of my comfy chair... lol.... just kidding... I am very hardworking one, ok? )



(2) Song Challenge by Blogilates

I personally love the Gangnam Style song challenge by Blogilates.

This workout is a mix of dance moves and cardio. More from light to intermediate workout.

Have you ever workout with your BFF? A special person that inspires and motivates you to be the better person he/she knows you really are inside. That is exactly how working out with Cassie Ho, the brain and muscle behind Blogilates, feels like! And what better way to work out than with catchy tunes and forgetting for a moment that you are actually working out? And that is what I call the Ultimate *Workout-ception*!!



(3) Pump It Up



If you haven't tried this out, you are t.o.t.a.l.l.y. missing out!! ROFTL. When bubzbeauty first mentioned about this workout video, I was more intrigued by the guy working out in the video. So when I feel intimidated by all the sexy and fit ladies in the video, I can continue only because he made me feel less awkward and sorry for myself. Don't watch too closely though, you might end up in stitches. (In truth, he has my full respect for his workout, ok? Awesome work!)

But the intensity of the workout is not to be taken lightly. Exhausting!!

(4) BUTI Yoga

This workout combines flexibility (yoga) with strength training. The moves are taught by a sexy and confident lady who moves through the workout swiftly, so this is definitely not the average yoga session. The way she flexes her rib cage and chest takes my breath away, literally... I tried doing it and I can't really catch my breath. But it is definitely something I am working up to. :)



(5) Jillian Michael's 6 week six pack workout

And lastly, who can forget Jillian Michael?!? When I first tried out her workout, I was e.x.h.a.u.s.t.e.d. but feeling good and strong!! I really love her workout series, especially her 6 week six pack abs workout!! I definitely saw some ab definition by the fourth week!! *Yeay~!* (and then I went home to Malaysia and binge on everything!! *sob* but at least I still have the ghost of the ab hidden there!)



With the money I spend on food and any pows this lunar new year, I am definitely going to skimp on expensive gym membership and opt for home based workouts this year!! If you are also working out this year, all the best to you too!!

May the year of the horse give you the strength to workout like a horse? :P O.. come on... Let's get moving!!