Beginner’s Circuit Workout

July 3, 2014

What a treat I have in store for all of my readers who are new to, or at a beginner’s exercise level…a beginners circuit workout! My lovely friend Ben Coffin, who is a personal trainer, kindly shared a workout that is perfect for beginner’s. This workout will not only strengthen and tone your muscles, but because you will be performing them in a circuit style, you will get in cardio as well since your heart rate will be kept high. Ben is currently based in Newcastle in the UK so if you are looking for a personal trainer then do not hesistate to contact him at ben.g.coffin@hotmail.com 🙂

Beginners circuit workout

Circuit workouts are an extremely effective way of getting toned and fit fast because of their incorporation of fat burning cardio and muscle toning strength. Kayla Itsines workouts are all circuit based, and you can see how effective her workouts are (and her body shows it)! This beginner’s circuit workout works a whole range of muscles as opposed to just one or two. I am sure you will be feeling sore the day after you give this a go!

Always remember to do a 5 minute warm-up before you workout. This could be a brisk walk, some jump rope or even jumping jacks – something to get your heart rate up and to prepare your body for some hard work. For the workout, you will complete the full repetitions of each exercise, with no rest until you complete the circuit (if you must rest please limit it to a few seconds). Try and complete the exercises as quickly as you can with the CORRECT FORM. If you are unfamiliar with the exercises, do yourself a favor and youtube how to do them. Correct form is vital in ensuring you are engaging and working the correct muscles.

Once you complete the circuit, repeat it 2-3 times with a 1-2 minute rest between each set. Once you complete the circuit workout, please take 5-15 minutes to fully stretch out your muscles. If you fail to stretch properly after your workouts, you run the risk of injuring yourself during your next workout. Stretching helps promote flexibility and lengthens muscles that may have become very tight during your workout. You don’t want to end up with tight muscles that make you look stumpier or hunched do you?!

With all of that said and done (I hope you read it THOROUGHLY!), here is the workout! I realize that in the photo’s I am not using a weight, but that is purely because I did not have one to use during these photos. Please use a 5-10 pound weight if the exercise requires it 🙂

1. Shoulder presses with the resistance bands – 10 reps

honestly fitness beginner's circuit workout

2. Bicep curls with the resistance bands – 10 reps

3. Tricep dips off a chair/bench/bed – 10 reps

4. Regular sit ups – 20 reps

5. Knee to shoulder while in plank – 15 each leg

6. High plank to low plank – 10 reps

7. Weighted lunges – 10 reps each leg

8. Goblet squat (regular squat while holding a dumbbell to your chest) – 1o reps

Hope you all enjoyed this post! Tell me how the workout goes, and don’t forget to do this circuit 2-3 times 🙂

Honestly yours,

Alice xxx

Fitness

Girls, please lift weights

April 9, 2014

I feel as if most girls are allergic just to the idea of lifting weights.

“No, I just stick to cardio.” “Are you kidding, the weight room is full of guys!” “Mmm, but my legs will get bulky, right?”

I am sure many of you have heard this before (or have said this), and honestly the only one I kind of get is the second comment. Because yeah, most weight rooms are full of guys, but don’t let this put you off. Sure they may stare at you, but that’s just because it is a rarity to see a girl lifting weights. If anything, take a friend with you so it won’t be as intimidating or ask one of the personal trainers at your gym to teach you a few exercises.

Lifting weights will not make you bulky, UNLESS you are eating a diet which will not aid in fat loss. I used to think I was getting bulky from lifting weights but in reality, it was because I still had some extra fat. So because I was not losing any fat, I looked bigger because there was muscle AND fat. Although I still have some excess fat I currently want to lose (it is a long process ..) when I first starting lifting weights and following an eating plan that aided in fat loss, I saw a big change in my body. Cardio will only take you so far. Cardio can help you lose fat but lifting weights (or just resistance exercises in general such as using resistance bands or TRX) will help shape and firm your ‘problem area’s.’

There are also certain area’s of the body that you just will not be able to tone up unless you use weights. Case in point: the back. My body has this lovely (sarcasm people) tendency to store fat in my back (it’s disgusting) and I only started to see improvement in this area when I started using weights to strengthen and tone my back. It’s pretty exhilarating actually to see my progress, and how I am able to use heavier and heavier weights .. and a more defined back!

So please ladies, rethink your approach to weight and fat loss. Cardio is an important factor but not the ONLY factor. What you eat also plays a role, and using weights will help shape your body. Plus food for thought – a lot of yogi’s will train using weights to help them do advanced balancing exercises which require a great deal of upper body, core and lower body strength. And I do not know about you, but I have never seen a ‘bulky’ yogi.

What are some of your favorite exercises? Mine are currently cable back rows and doing sit ups on a bench with a 10 pound weight 🙂

Honestly yours,
Alice xxx

P.S. The gorgeous lady in the features image is Juennifer, and she lifts weights 😉

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Sunday Summary

February 9, 2014

Well, this weekend was incredibly slooooow which was in direct contrast to my very busy and hectic week. I really should’ve expected this (I am a grad student after all) but after having that month long holiday it was just a big reality check for me.

To deal with the weekday hectic-ness that is now my life, I have had to start making meal preps at the very start of the week. During the holidays I was kinda lazy and was like, eh I don’t need to meal prep because I have all the time in the world. Hah, that was nice while it lasted … last Monday morning I made a huge pot of beef chili with chickpeas and plenty of fresh veggie which was basically lunch for the entire week which was awesome. This week I am planning on making a huge pot of Thai chicken curry 🙂

My yoga program has been going well and I am so happy to say that I am getting much more flexible. And my arm strength has improved too!!!! I two sets of 6 negative chin ups now, which is a huge accomplishment for me. I incorporated a variety of resistance band and cable machine moves this week to challenge my upper body from the usual weights and machines. I haven’t been able to go to the gym at the same time as any of my friends, so sorry I cannot show you photos of any of the moves I did.

Okay onto a more serious topic now .. have any of you heard of the 80:10:10 diet? I heard about it a while ago, but I recently came across an article on www.fiterazzi.com that talked about the dangers of it. Fiterazzi is fast becoming a favorite new health and fitness website of mine because unlike other websites that just talk about ‘losing 10 pounds fast’, they talk about issues tend not to get talked about, or which are hard to talk about. I recommend you check them out and the specific article I am talking about. I would love to know your thoughts about the diet, and whether you know anyone who is attempting it.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Honestly yours,
Alice

resistance bands