They've passed the half-way mark, but is it all getting a bit much for Tina and Tessa? Photos / Supplied, Instagram
They've passed the half-way mark, but is it all getting a bit much for Tina and Tessa? Photos / Supplied, Instagram
It looks like the novelty of The Kayla Movement's Bikini Body Guide might have worn off. As Tina becomes bored with the exercises and Tessa worries about the impact of taking a week off, will our challengers make it to Week 12?
Tina
I'm losing my motivation to attain any sort of bikini body. Photo / Suppiled
Over the weekend, my husband and I went to a barbeque, because that's what you do when you have sunny weather and an unplanned Saturday afternoon. I happily helped myself to a couple of ciders, a few chunks of cheese (you don't just have a little bit of cheese) and a sausage.
In jest, a friend asked if what I was eating was bikini body friendly. My response? A bit of a scoff. Who goes to a barbecue to enjoy water and maybe some unbuttered corn?
Admittedly, I'm losing my motivation to attain any sort of bikini body. Maybe it's because I've plateaued: I see my abs getting flatter but the layer of jiggle over it hasn't come down. Blame that jiggle on being 31, blame it on not cutting a cider or a glass of wine out of my diet (Kayla doesn't drink), blame it on the chunks of cheese.
Maybe it is because I find the workouts repetitive (read: getting boring). Oh great: more burpees, more things-that-are-like-burpees-but-not-burpees, more jumpy exercises that I wobble in and out of - just MORE of them.
After a few reps of an exercise, I find that I have to talk myself into finishing the set.
"It's only seven minutes, you can do anything for seven minutes..." I reason with myself.
"Seven minutes is at least 10 BuzzFeed lists, or a couple of good movie trailers," the "gives-no-effs" side of me reasons back. "Why even bother? Your clothes fit. You're fine."
After this mental back-and-forth, I resign to completing the sets with much lower enthusiasm than I had when I first started BBG. I don't want to be a quitter. Plus you don't really regret working out. Those BuzzFeed lists will still be accessible after the session.
What do I have great enthusiasm about? Cheese. In my mind, what good is any body - bikini or not - if you are not happy and able to enjoy life's pleasures? Who wants to see a grumpy girl with an amazing body? No one, cause they're probably lining up to hang out with Molly Goodtimes, whose bikini might be pinching a bit but she's got mojito ice blocks, a gorgeous spread of cheese and crackers and a killer laugh.
Does this mean I'm going to stop the workouts? Naw. But my motivations have changed. Now, I'm more focused on maintains a reasonable body weight and look so I can eat those chunks of cheese. The workouts may be boring, but they are effective. And if I happen to look better in a bikini, that's a nice side benefit.
My results:
How I'm feeling: Over. It. There's how many more weeks of this? What I'm listening to: Pop and Hip Hop Power Workout Radio on Pandora. Meh. Not even Pitbull can get me into "Swole" mode. Favourite exercise: If I had to find one, some sort of squat. Squats are probably one of the only exercises I can do well. Least favourite exercise: Abs. Or really, all of it. #peakrut?
At least I walked to the dumpling shop, right? Photo / Supplied
The whole no-exercise-for-a-week thing certainly served me well. Although I cannot walk after Week Five legs and cardio this morning (and probably for a few more days), I feel better on the whole. It goes to show how much a little rest and recovery can benefit those who often forget to stop and rest.
Lucky for you though, we're back to "listening about what Tessa's complaining about this week".
This week it's all about how much my legs die during the legs and cardio workout. And how after being a nice daughter and visiting your mother, she makes you do a six kilometre walk at 9am the next day. And your legs die. You die. Everyone dies around you because you're complaining about how much your legs hurt and that even your tiny puppy can walk faster than you.
I am pretty sure no one will ever want to walk with me again. Except my friend who I am making go on a hike with me this weekend, sorry Em.
On a more positive note, my sister tells me I've lost weight. This is actually one of the biggest compliments I could receive because my sister doesn't mess around. If I've lost weight then it's a decent amount for her to notice. I also had to roll the top of my jeans over so they didn't slip down. They might have been boyfriend jeans (which were already baggy) but I'm going to claim it as a Kayla-results triumph.
One thing I have been thinking about is whether or not my fitness has been affected by my R&R. Will the results I am trying to achieve be hindered by the week off I've had? At the moment I feel like it was just what I needed. I feel much better and can do a jump lunge properly now (well, kind of).
But come Week 12 will it mean that I won't be at the level I could have been if I had kept up with the programme? Regardless, I'll finish the 12 weeks, by starting Week Five this morning - although I can't help but feel a little regret about being behind. Let me know your thoughts - good or bad.
My results:
How I'm feeling: Still tired but not as tired as last week. Legs hurt and I walk like I'm an 83 year old with a hip problem What I'm listening to:Sweet Disguise by Jupiter Project - the perfect beat to skip and lunge to for HIIT Sessions and Pillowtalk By Zayn Malik for LISS Sessions Favourite exercise: Skipping - the easiest part of legs and cardio Least favourite exercise: Jump lunges. (You know why).
