Fitness Thursday #1 Get that bikini bum!

Lets get straight down to it (squat girl, squat)

1. HIP LIFTS 

-Lie on your back with legs bent, feet slightly apart

-Lift hips as high as you can 

-SQUEEZE your gluteus (backside) as hard as you can 

-Release 

DO: 30 reps, 3 sets 

keep shoulders on the floor

2. SQUATS, WITH WEIGHTS (3-6kg)

-Stand in an upright position, weights by your sides

-Squat low so that your thighs are parallel to the floor

-Squeeze

Do: 15 reps, 3 sets 

keep back straight and chest up, don't look down

3. WOOD CHOP 

-Stand with legs wide apart, hold dumbbells down

-Bend at hip, keep back flat 

-Stand and repeat

Do: 15 reps, 3 sets

keep legs straight the whole time 

4. 1 LEG CLOCK SQUAT 

-Stand on one leg, the other bent at the knee

-Squat with one leg to 10 o'clock

-Stand, Squat with the same leg at 11 o'clock

-Repeat for 12, 1 and 2 

Do: One set on one leg and then repeat with the other leg x2

Squat slowly

5. MODIFIED SIDE PLANK LEG LIFT

-Enter a side plank position as shown with the bottom leg bent

-Slowly raise the top leg, hold and lower

Do: 12 reps on each leg x2 

 Repeat these exercises at least 5 times a week for the best results!

Happy Squatting!

RHS x

5:2

5:2? 

5:2? 

5 cookies for every 2 doughnuts?

Butternut squash risotto = 240 calories! 

5 pairs of shoes for every 2 new dresses?
5 nights out for every 2 nights staying in and drinking anyway?

er, not quite, its the 5:2 diet! yes, diet. (when friends read this I will probably get told off - sorry!)

Its this new craze thats everywhere! (apparently) and basically you starve yourself for 2 days of only 500 calories (ahh, 5:2 I hear you say)

Created by Dr. Micheal Mosely (of course, a man - http://thefastdiet.co.uk) the idea is that fasting helps you burn more fat by giving your body time to get rid of the rubbish it doesn't need. yeah. whatever. 

Now, for a runner this sounded a bit mental, seeing as when I train (good joke, Ruth), when I attempt to train (by looking like I know what I'm doing in the gym) I consume around 2300 calories a day. 

So, like the mad head I am, I gave it ago. Well. I have never felt so sh1t, if you will excuse my terrible Russian. 

I decided to do 1 day a week (5:1, far more sensible). I was working the night before and finished work at 3am, and from 12am I made sure I stopped eating, so I went to bed without my usual 2 biscuits after work and woke up at 11am. 

I had porridge with soya milk for breakfast = 144 calories, ok. 

I didn't have lunch, as I was up so late. I was at work at 6pm that evening so I thought between 11am and 6pm I could easily only have 500 calories, 



Around 4pm I had chicken satay skewers with spinach = 290 calories
  (recipe: http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/dieting/recipes/52-bikini-panic-diet-recipes-1967236)

Then I had an Activia yogurt = 68 calories 

Total = 502, oops. 

As you can see, its hard! 

So I got to work and by 10pm I felt like a hairy Neanderthal, who had woken up with severe period pain - nice. I felt awful and got home at 12:30am and weighed myself. 

My friend, tucking into a late night takeaway! -
why not!

I HAD LOST A POUND. not joking, I wouldn't lie to you. 

the idea is that you eat 500 calories for 2 days a week and "normally" for the remaining 5 (i.e. 2000 calories a day) and that you workout for 30 minutes for 3 of the 5 days. 

Its worth it, apparently you lose up to 2lbs a week in the first week then a lb a week after that.

Is starving ourselves the way forward to looking good or losing weight? 
That sounds like a bad case of "Im Dior, I need size -6 models not 0, Chanel has them!" 

know what I mean?

stay healthy and happy!

RHS x