21 Day Fix - Progress Photos

Aloha readers! 

So I slept in this morning, and woke up knowing that I had a couple errands to do and that a steamy hot latte was in need :P 

I got to the Starbucks here and there wasn't even a single seat open :'( So now I'm stuck tapping away on my tiny iPhone screen instead of my giant iPad keyboard. 

Anywho, this post is for the progess photos of my 21 Day Fix. These were taken on Day 1 and Day 7. 

So these 7 days were more like 10 days, because I had some "off" / rest days. And my eating was by no means on track for hald of those 10 days :( That is the reason why there are only very small changes in these photos 

Hands on the side 

In this photo, my stomach appears to be a bit smaller - you see a little more definition in the upper part of my stomach 

With my arms up above my head 

Stomach looks a little less round, noticeably closer to the top 

Side view, hands above my head 

Upper portion of stomach looks slimmer, lower portion of stomach not much change, thighs and glutes look more toned

Side view of lower body, hands above my head 

This angle makes my lower stomach look more round that before. The glutes and thighs appear to be more toned though. 

It's taken a lot of time for me to come up with the courage to post revealing, progress photos like these. So if you don't have anything nice to say, please keep it to yourself. 

I'm using different tatics when it comes to eating and meal planning this week, so hopefully this will help with me staying on track, and I'll continue to work hard on my workouts! 

I'll be sure to post some more progress photos in the upcoming weeks. 

Cheers! 

xoxo

Workout of the Day: 01/14 + What's in my Gym Bag

What feels even better/ just as great than stepping back into the gym on the first day, is going back the day right after. It marks the beginning of a new stretch, and it shows that I am fully committed.

Today's workout was a chest, tricep, and shoulder circuit - again, inspired by Fitness Barbie Lauren Gleisberg.

Shoulder press - 10 pounds/db 

Bench press - 15 pounds/db

Tricep extension - 20 lbs/arm 

Incline flyes - 10 lbs/db 

Side lateral punches - 8 lbs/db

I've never been a big fan of circuits, mostly because every gym is designed differently and it's so hard to do some of them. ie. One of today's circuit required jump rope, which I cannot do INSIDE my school gym (I must step outside to ensure I don't whip anyone in the face). So when I see circuits on the training plan, the first that comes to mind is - improvise.

Today's workout was great, except for a few things.

1. Someone has apparently stolen the ONLY set of 12 pound hexagonal dumbbells available in the facility - I am forced to either up my sets to 15 or dumb it down to 10 :\

2. I find that I have trouble getting my heart rate up during certain exercises - it never really goes over 140. When I hit the 150's and 160's occasionally, I know that I've been pushing myself.

3. On the very last rep of my last set of shoulder punches, I turned my neck at the wrong angle and I strained my neck - it still hurt's a bit to turn my head! Due to that, I wasn't able to finish the last part of the circuit.

What's In my Gym Bag? 

1. Nike Running Shoes
2. Polar FT4 Heart Rate monitor watch and heart rate monitor strap
3. Headband and bobby pins
4. Headphones
5. Lock
6. Student ID (required for entrance to facility)
7. My phone for some beats!!!!

All of those items you see there (+ my workout clothes) all fit into the tiny little bag underneath it, and it surprisingly all fits into my new lululemon bag, which I also use as a school bag! So really, there's a whooooole lot more of junk that's in my "gym bag/school bag".

Here's a little progress on my arms:

My left arm always looks more toned than the right! 

Wednesdays are always busy busy school days, so I'm going to give myself a rest day and focus on my studies for the evening!

Cheers!
xoxo

Weekly Article: Which Should I do First: Cardio or Weights?

Which Should I do First: Cardio or Weights? 

When it comes to exercise, females tend to be under the illusion that lifting weights will make them grow bulky muscles, and that cardio is the only way to lose weight. However, that is not the case. 

Females naturally do not have the same testosterone levels as men do, so it’s almost near impossible to build huge muscles like the ones you see on male bodybuilders. That means when you consistently lift weights and eat a clean and balanced diet, you will build lean muscle on your body and work your way towards getting those curves that almost all ladies desire.  

Moving off the treadmill and towards the dumbbell rack can actually do you more benefit that you may have realized. Weight lifting bears many benefits. Building lean muscle to achieve those sexy looking curves, increasing bone strength and density, and increasing your metabolism are just a few of the many benefits. Lean muscle helps raise your metabolism and burns more calories than fat while resting.

For the female audience who’s main goal is weight loss, the treadmill is a good option to start with. Unfortunately, simply sticking to the treadmill may not allow you to achieve weight loss in the long run. When your body becomes familiar and comfortable with your workout routine, your body and the numbers on the scale start to a plateau.

On the other hand, for the female audience who are trying to achieve the sexy curves look, the answer is obvious - lift those weights! Consistently lifting weights will help your body strengthen it’s muscles while slowly burning fat stores for energy.  

So the answer is both! Do both! When you combine a mixture of weight lifting and cardio, you can maximize the results of your workouts! Utilize the treadmill or elliptical to burn calories, but also use the dumbbells and barbells to strengthen your muscles.

When you’ve got less body fat to keep your muscles from hiding, you will then appear more toned with the right curves at the right places! Combine that with a motivation, dedication, and a healthy balanced diet, and you will be on your way to the new, sexier you in a matter of months! 

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My Ebook has also been released! 

Download your copy here today! 

Buy my Ebook here!

Don't forget to follow me on instagram for daily updates! @sellychan93 

Slow Progress is Better than No Progress

Aloha everyone!
I have a couple exciting exciting news to share with you! 
But first, I shall recap my workout from today. 

I was super excited to get back into the gym today - literally. I had my music going, all pumped up. I literally ran to the gym the moment I was finished my lab! I did 4 back exercises, a couple bicep ones, and some cable glute kickback - because I finally found that piece of equipment to wrap around your ankle!

I'm excited to do day 2 tomorrow - chest and triceps. Got a lot of studying to do too because there are more exams coming up!

Now! As for those exciting news I have.... 

Number 1: Today is Day 1 of Week 1 to the restart of my 4 week challenge. If you're not sure what that is, you can find more information by clicking here. To sum it up, I designed this 4 week challenge program for myself to challenge and push myself to achieve greater results. This challenge includes about 2 rest days per week, lots of lifting, and cardio and conditioning days too. It will definitely push you if you aren't used to including weight training as your workout routines. And if you already do include weight training, hopefully these exercises will be a useful resource for you to use in your workouts to help you further achieve great results.

If you too are interested in doing something similar to the 4 week challenge, stay tuned because my eBook will be released very soon and it will get you prepared for this 4 week challenge. Along with that you can also get the 4 week challenge workout program separately too if you decide to commit to it. More details will be posted on that later on.

Number 2: The eBook is slowly but surely coming along too. I am so excited for you guys to see what I've been working on! 

You can expect to see things such as the very basic information of health and fitness concepts, the background and benefits of different forms of exercises, how to set goals and achieve your goals, sample exercises, and so much more! 

This will also be a great gift for your friends and family who are trying to be healthier, be more fit, or in general wanting to learn more about health, fitness, and benefits and 101's to working out. There are two links on my blog where you can purchase the eBook - at the very top of the page and on the side panel.

Number 3: I am starting some personal training with my very first client!! Now before we jump to conclusions here, I am using the term "personal training" very broadly here.

This client that I am working with, I have known her for many years on a personal level. She knows what I do, and she trusts me. She knows I know my stuff, and that I can help teach her about health and fitness. She first approached me a week ago with strong determination of taking control over her health and body. She has been doing yoga lessons with another close friend of mine, along with plenty of running. I am so excited, and so proud of her for stepping up and reaching out to me for help. Remember, the first step to getting somewhere is deciding you aren't going to stay where you are. 

And yes - I don't have my personal training certification. That is something I am working on and working towards. I do plenty of research online and I do my readings to ensure that I am teaching myself and my friends/clients the right things. I may not have the certification on paper, but I most definitely have some extent of knowledge and passion in my brain and heart. That you cannot doubt.

So on top of being busy with classes, studying, doing my own workout challenges, I am also doing research, planning routines, looking up techniques, and so much more for this new anticipated change!

Be sure to follow me on instagram if you don't already for more daily updates, and be sure to check back on my blog often for more updates on the book, my workouts, and my daily life.

Cheers!

xoxo

Selina :)