I’m nearly two weeks into the SSS Plan by Joe Wicks, The Body Coach.  As I write this I am on Cycle 1 Day 11, it feels good to be in double figures.  So here I am with a little update and some things I have learnt so far (you can see my original post here):

Activity Tracker

Firstly, I have been wearing my Jawbone UP2 for nearly three weeks now and I have to say I love it!  There is no doubt about it; it is definitely getting me more active.  So for optimal health and weight we are advised to walk/be active for 10,000 steps per day and I soon realised how difficult this actually was, taking into account my lifestyle (I am at home full-time) and that we do lead much more sedentary lives than I first thought (read about the benefits of walking here).

So I am not quite regularly hitting 10,000 steps a day yet.  But I am averaging around 7,000 to 8,000 steps and that is certainly more than I was doing.  I have learnt that to reach anywhere near the target I do need to exercise, go for a dog walk and maybe even add in a walk around the shops!

Exercise

As part of the SSS Plan I have to do 4 or 5 HIIT sessions per week.  I chose to do 4 as realistically I knew 5 might be pushing it a bit timewise.  But I have done them and that is a huge achievement.  Two are done with my friend/PT and two are done at home – via YouTube fitness videos.  They only last 20-30 minutes but they are hard work and I have incorporated them into my routine.  I have NEVER managed to exercise at home – it was always one of those things that I’d do ‘next week’ but always found an excuse now to. 

​Eating

I have never spent so much time in the kitchen!  If you are considering doing this, do think carefully.  If you (a) love cooking or (b) are at home a lot then it is easier.  Huge well done to those who follow the plan and work full time – I salute you!  However, that said, the meals in the plan are not complicated and there are very clear recipes to follow (in Cycle 1 anyway).  And prepping is key – Joe calls in ‘prepping like a boss’ and a weekly ‘cook-up’ is recommended.  I am not doing this as I am at home in the afternoon’s and can cook as I go along but I do make extra so that I have one portion for the freezer.  The portions are enormous!  But it is all good clean food, I have given up sugar and tea and snacking on chocolate. And I've not been tempted either!

The idea behind the plan is to gain muscle which burns fat more effectively.  So you are fuelling your body with high protein, low carb.  Except after exercise when you have a refuel carb meal.  And then you get LEAN!  And lose inches!

How am I doing?  Well I am not supposed to weigh/go on the sad step or measure until the end of Cycle 1 – it is encouraged to look for the NSV (Non Scale Victory) but come on we all need a little peek to motivate us to keep going.  I am about 2” down and I have lost a few pounds.  That’s pretty good at Day 10!  And today my belt has gone onto a tighter hole! I am keeping to the food … 95% probably and exercise 100%.  

There is a fabulous Facebook group – an unofficial one that is just so helpful and motivational, there are regular before and after photos from those ‘graduating’ after completing the 90 days and these really are impressive and do keep you going.  Plus it is a place to ask questions and get ideas that maybe the official Body Coach coaches can’t help with.

I’m off to the kitchen now to make RCO Muffins!  Reduce Carb Oatmeal which apparently as a cereal is pretty disgusting but as Muffins much much better.

Michelle x

I have had a bit of a de-clutter in my wardrobe over the last week or so.  Up until now I have stored my clothes by type (i.e. all jeans together, all t-shirts together, all blouses, all bretons etc).  But I found that I was struggling to pull an outfit together and I decided I would try hanging outfits together, obviously with some flexibility as several tops go with several bottoms. 

Time will tell how this goes, of course it does mean after an item is washed and ironed, I need to make sure I put it back in the right place and that might confuse me!

I don’t know about you but I am not keen on these ‘transitional’ seasons.  I am too hot in my winter jumpers and boots but we are not yet ready for summer clothes.  So I have my t-shirts with cardigans, lighter sweatshirts and breton tops along with jeans worn with either my adidas superstars or my Pretty Ballerina’s.  Take a look at my Instagram page for regular outfit inspiration.

Since I started writing this post though it has got considerably colder again, and so much rain!  Today I am back in a thicker jumper which I guess is proof of the old saying 'Never cast a clout till May is out'.

​Anyway, since my de-clutter, I can now see a bit clearer what I need to purchase to add to my spring wardrobe.  I would definitely like to try some of the lace-up flat shoes currently everywhere.  And I fancy a bomber jacket too.  So in my 'virtual basket' this week I have:
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I am 5 days into my The Body Coach SSS Plan and I have been wearing my activity tracker for a little over a week.  I am doing okay and I am ‘on plan’ and I have been slowly increasing my step count,  I reached over the optimum 10,000 steps yesterday!!  It is certainly making me more aware of what I am doing and encouraging me to be more active, like parking at far end of the car park, not next to do the door.

I saw this lovely summary on Livestrong which tells us all about the benefits of walking that I thought I'd share with my readers:

​Walking:

• Improves mood
• Improves sleep quality
• Lowers blood pressure by 5 points
• Decreases knee pain
• Engages and tones ab muscles
• Decreases the odds of catching a cold by 30-50%
• Reduces significantly the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes
• Decreases body weight, body fat percentage and waist circumference
• Increases the size of the brain, improves memory and cuts Alzheimer’s disease risk by 50% over 5 years
• Helps prevent arthritis, builds bone mass and reduces risk of osteoporosis

 
Source: Livestrong

What do you think?  Will these benefits encourage you to get outside and be more active?

Michelle x

One of the things that I am trying to achieve with my blog is sharing normal fashion for normal women as well as health and lifestyle tips.  What I have noticed whilst researching other blogs though is how many of them are written by women who work or have worked in the fashion industry and whilst they are absolutely gorgeous with some wonderful content and photography, I am not sure we can realistically relate to them. 

What got me started with following blogs myself was the ‘School Run Mums’, like me, running about every day whilst also trying to look stylish and enjoy fashion and generally on a budget.  My favourites are School Gate Style, Style Guile and What Lizzie Loves but I am also getting to know some 40 and 50+ ladies via Instagram who I can really relate to.

I realised at the beginning of this blogging journey that I don’t have many occasions to dress up for, that most of my days are spent at home doing housework, exercise, lifts for my daughter etc and that actually being able to write about what I am wearing and take some photos gives me a bit of motivation to dress up and experiment with what I have in my wardrobe, rather than it just hanging there for a special occasion.