#12weekswithkayla

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Week 4 Day 3 - Arms and Abs

Can you believe it, I am almost 1/3 through the Guide!

I cannot believe that I persisted, because I am known to abandon things that I’ve started. So, kudos to me.

As the week progress, the workouts are becoming more challenging. Sit-ups are still a bit of a chore for me sometimes...especially on days when I am feeling weak. It’s strange that how I felt so strong last week, but today I felt weak - especially when it comes to the 4 situps and 1 mountain bike combo. 

Frankly I have been under immense stress lately, but working out has helped me out a lot. I’ve written in the past about how I sometimes felt like I am staring down a never-ending black hole and it usually gets worse as during winter (short days, not enough sunshine, freezing cold..) But working out is helping to distract and make me focus on the present. Overall it’s a great stress reliever. Moreover, I think it is slowly changing my outlook towards life. I am taking more initiative to try new things and I have been pondering about ways to live the life I want to live.

Can’t wait to see where this journey takes me next!

[12weekswithkaylabbg-blog]

Week 4 Day 1 - Legs and Cardio

OMG it is already Week 4!!

Is it just me or am I finding some of the exercises easier? That being said, cardio still kills me though. It’s truly amazing to find out that I am stronger than I was merely 4 weeks ago. 

You know how people usually slack off working out during winter? It is the complete opposite for me. I love how working out instantly warms you up. Rather than hiding under the blanket right after work, getting up and moving around helps to fight the chill. Hopefully I can show off a leaner, fitter, stronger body by summertime!

Despite that, there’s still a lot of work to do - I need better diet and more discipline. I struggled through my second set of circuit workouts, but I am proud that I persisted.

For that, I rewarded myself with this:

Yum yum in my tum!

[12weekswithkaylabbg-blog]

Week 3 Day 3 - Arms & Abs

8:30am - F@^& I ran out of bananas for breakfast! Oh, here’s a carrot and walnut slice, that will do. (Sure, it probably contains sugar, but it beats being hungry?)

9:20am - I’m feeling strangely lethargic today.. not feeling motivated already :(

11:10am - *sniff sniff* Am I falling sick???

4:54pm - Where did the day go??!! So I forgot to do something that the boss said I should’ve done... but it’s not too late to get it done. But yea... #busted. I’m pumped about tonight’s workout though. Oh, Kayla...we have a love-hate relationship.

6:30pm - YES!! Despite the ups and downs, I persisted and completed my workout. It’s a wonderful feeling to not struggle through the first three circuits. This means I can push myself harder. Super happy at the moment.

As a person who has lived a sedentary lifestyle for far too long, all you need is that little push to take the first step and change your lifestyle. You will not regret it :)

[12weekswithkaylabbg-blog]

Week 3 Day 1 - Cardio & Legs

So after my parents left Melbourne on Sunday night, I was exhausted. Completely. utterly. exhausted. In fact, I was trying my hardest not to fall asleep throughout Monday. So I made the decision to push back my Week 3 Day 1 routine to Tuesday, which was yesterday.

Did I dread it? Of course. The days are getting shorter and colder. I’d much rather wrap myself up like a sushi roll and tuck under the blanket with a cup of hot tea than change into my sports bra and tights to move around. 

There’s a reason why animals hibernate during winter. 

But a little voice in my head nagged me to go forth and conquer the cold anyway. So I did the workouts anyway... and boy did I feel good after!

Burpees are becoming more manageable for me...and I can now finish 1.5 to two rounds of a circuit in 7 minutes! I was super skeptical about becoming “stronger and fitter” before I started using the guide... but it is true! I rarely have any resting time in between the exercise moves any more.

All that made me feel good about myself, despite a lousy day, so #win

[12weekswithkaylabbg-blog]

Week 2 - Recap (Backdated)

So, Week 2 was a bit of a failure...

My parents visited from Malaysia for most of the week. As a good daughter, I weighed my priorities and put the BBG on the backseat for a while. 

Nevertheless, I still managed to do half of the full-body circuits on Friday, where the view on the 31st floor of my parents’ new apartment block was spectacular.

Not a bad view for a workout hey...

But this week wasn’t all great sunsets and mum’s home-cooked food though. Being in the middle of Melbourne CBD means lots of walking. The purpose of my parent’s trip was to outfit their new apartment, which means lots of walking around from one end of the city to another, not to mention...IKEA. 

So, when it was time for my LISS workout, I ended up clocking up 15,000 steps anyway. Not a shabby effort for an unintentional workout.

I broke my no-sugar rule though.. My uncle made these amazing taro swiss roll cakes that were so fluffy and delicious I couldn’t resist myself. Mum and dad wanted Movenpick ice-cream and I didn’t want to be a party pooper either. 

Despite my lousy efforts, I have started noticing some changes. Mum said that my face has looked smaller, and I feel my legs are slightly leaner now.

Next week: crunch time!

[12weekswithkaylabbg-blog]

Week 2 Day 1 - Cardio and Legs (Backdated)

OH. MY. GOD. 

This is so much more challenging that I had expected. 

Today’s workout involved lots of jumping around. I didn’t have a skipping rope so I just pretended I had one. The jumping lunges were the worst, perhaps because I don’t have a good foundation yet. 

I’m not sure if it’s because of the weather (cold, rainy and dark..like Castle Black) or the fact that it was my first day quitting sugar, I was physically tired. I had to stop multiple times during the 7-minute circuit to catch my breath. Other times I felt like my legs were giving away. 

Not sure if anyone who is using the guide for the first time experienced similar things too?

Anyway, I persevered and did my best to complete today’s workout.

Planning to be in bed at 10:30pm, and will probably be knocked out by 11:00pm.

[12weekswithkaylabbg-blog]

Rest Day - Recap and Kayla’s BBG Effects (Backdated)

Ah, some well-deserved rest I reckon! 

Sundays are made for brunches, and a sumptuous brunch we had:

It’s probably not the healthiest option on the menu, but I loved it: Spiced Tiffin Egg with Bombay Hash, Kasundi, pickled cauliflower on top of a slice of sour dough. That, and a cup of latte was enough for me to brave the rain and travel 40 minutes from home. 

Although it has only been a week since I started the guide, I had been using the free trial workouts for two weeks now, plus two additional weeks of pole-dancing/conditioning workout. So it has been about five weeks since I made the decision to get my lazy arse off the bed/couch and sweat it out.

Guess what? I am starting to notice some slight changes in my body. My thighs looked slightly leaner, my arms more toned, and my waist is ever-so-slightly curvier. The only thing that remains unchanged is my belly. Oh well, baby steps I suppose.

What I did not expect from the workout was the positive changes it has brought to my state of mind. I feel calmer,  stronger and more focused. I feel less lethargic during the day and also sleep better at night. Oh, another thing: I also crave intimacy more (*wink wink at Steven), which is a great thing for our relationship. 

In short, all the good thing people say about exercising....It’s true. So I will continue to use Kayla’s BBG, even though I am anticipating a whole new week of pain ahead of me. Uh oh..

[12weekswithkaylabbg-blog]

Week 1 Day 6 - Rehabilitation (Backdated)

So I woke up nice and early (10am) to a gloomy Melbourne Saturday: Best time to stay in bed, not too bad for a workout. The only thing that was slightly annoying was that my muscles were cold and stiff. So I had to do some extra stretching.

Today is supposed to be rehabilitation day - but since I didn’t complete yesterday’s workout, I decided to backtrack and complete the workout. Plus, the guide says the Full Body workout is optional, so I guess it won’t hurt if I delay for a day?

Anyway, the full body workout is like a recap of the week, which I thought would be very challenging. But I was so surprised that they were manageable! In fact, I finally did some proper sit-ups (and felt the burn on my tummy).

What a good week! I could not imagine myself to be jogging a month ago, let alone doing such a vigorous workout. So yea, happy days :)