30 Day Health Challenge: Done!

On the 10th August I decided to start a 30 day health challenge. I didn’t expect to fail but I new I would need to focus on it if I was going to succeed. The original post, if you fancy having a read is here. I completed this on Monday (day 30) but I was still being oh so healthy so didn’t write my update due to being out at yoga after work. Yes I am clearly a changed woman. Yes it was a bloody good idea. Yes I am an achiever. Yes I will shut up…soon. But before I do here is what I did and how it all worked out.

The Aims…The Goals

When I decided to do this I had just got back to regular yoga after a few weeks break. That few weeks included lots of going out (festival time in Edinburgh) with food and wine. I knew I had to get back on it and knew I also wanted to lose a bit of weight.

So my goals were to:

Exercise every day for 30 days involving Yoga (3 per week), HITT (3 per week), Weights (1 or 2 per week) and a Yin Yoga session for the rest day.

Track my eating and stick within a calorie / macro budget.

Give up red wine (but have the occasional beer).

The Start

Being impulsive I started this on the Sunday (11th). I am not sure why I didn’t wait till the Monday as it would have made more sense, given my exercise goals were based on weekly targets. Which also makes no sense given I plucked for 30 days (28 would have been more sensible). Never mind. My mind was made up.

So Sunday it was. Which meant my exercise week ran Sunday to Saturday as did my weekly weigh in’s. I also finished on a Monday (yes I know this doesn’t fit neatly in either); this Monday past to be exact. The funny thing is that the start and finish didn’t really matter. The goals were the most important thing. Why wait for the ‘right’ day? Waiting just increases the potential of talking yourself out of something. Or is that just me?

The Output

Week 1

Yin on the Sunday

3 HITT Sessions from YOUTUBE (15 mins each)

1 weights session focusing on shoulders, chest and upper back

3 Vinyassa classes (hard enough to be a bit sweaty)

No WINE (it weirdly wasn’t that hard)

Calories all within my set limit (for a deficit)

Week 2

Yin on the Monday3 HITT Sessions from YOUTUBE (15 mins x2 and 20 mins x1)1 weights session again focusing on shoulders, chest and upper back (my legs were killing me from all the yoga and HIIT)3 Vinyassa classes (harder this week due to the DOMS)No WINE (seriously…how? I don’t know!)Calories all within my set limit (for a deficit)

Week 3

You get the idea…same as above!

Week 4

Same again – go me! This week was the week where my muscles started to not be sooooo sore.

Days 29 and 30 🙂

A Yin class (bliss)

A HITT session

Still no wine (it was a Sunday and Monday after all)

Calories still within my limit.

I did have some beers and at most (festival comedy show night out) I had 4 bottles. But that was the exception. I managed to find a really low calorie (but normal) beer which only had 74 calories per bottle – Michelob Ultra Light. Just as nice as a Corona and half the calories of a good glass of Red. So the was my occasional tipple.

The HIIT sessions I did were mainly YouTUBE ones by the Body Coach (Joe Wicks). I also did some of his recipes which are freely available online and so generally followed his principles of the carby ones only after completing a HITT session (his steak and creamy mushroom sauce is my absolute favourite!).

I did aim originally to do one of my exercise sessions every day but I did have a couple of full rest days during the 30. However to make up for this I had a couple of double up days with, for example, a HITT session first thing and my weights session after work.

The Outcome

The headline one for most is probably the weight loss. In 30 days I lost 14lbs (just over 6k). So I am pretty happy with this!!! It followed the expected pattern with a big loss in the first week (6lbs) and then an average of 2-3 for each of the other ones. There was a week when the scales showed no change but I know this was just that cycle of bloating that most women will understand.

I do feel fitter. My muscles are not aching (as much) and I can feel the definition coming back. This is probably the more substantial outcome for me. I did need to lose some weight but definitely prefer to feel like I am looking better rather than focusing on a number on the scales. That dress that was starting to feel a bit too tight around my derrière has now returned to being a ‘well fitted’ work dress.

The wine thing….it was only ever about the amount of calories and reducing after that holiday type wine pattern. I am writing this with a nice glass of white wine in hand. Just the one though…I can’t fit the calories in without now feeling guilty!

Where to go from here

It wasn’t the hardest challenge but it wasn’t the easiest either. I am pleased with the results but I know that its a pattern I can continue with. So on day 32 I am still within my calories. I had spaghetti tonight but only after doing a HITT session and I will just manage the wine within my calories and macro budget. I might try this until the 90 day mark in the hope that I achieve the muscle tone I want.