Monday 3 November 2014

HIIT & Pilates - 4 Weeks Later

Fun Rating: ★★☆☆☆    Difficulty Rating: ★★★★☆     Results Rating: ★★★★☆

   I can say with great confidence that this month's workout is the hardest I've done all year. The 30 Day Shred was difficult, but I did that twice with great results both times (albeit one of those times was alongside another workout). This month, however, has been so much harder. It's not that the moves were hard, though, it's well within my skill, but it was keeping the pace that I found hard.

   The workout took 20 minutes a day, and I did it 6 days a week. I did 2 circuits of both workouts, and where the pilates took a little less time, I added in extra reps of moves that weren't as challenging as they had been at the beginning in order to keep the time up. I could not have pushed to three circuits, and I can say that with just as much confidence.
   The sweat was unreal, so it was just as well I've been using nuun this month - I've not felt dehydrated at all, and I usually do, even with less demanding workouts. I could feel every move working the right muscles, too, so I knew I was doing well every day.

   I'm glad that there were two workouts. I actually found pilates a lot harder than HIIT, which I was surprised by, and I dreaded every pilates day. If I'd had to do that one every single day I really do think I'd have given up on this workout, but having alternating days really kept my spirits up!
   Both the pilates and the HIIT moves were alien to me, which made a nice change as I'm usually fairly familiar with moves like these almost to the point of them being less effective because I'm so well-practised, but those two or three I was familiar with were altered to use more of your body and turn them into compound moves, which makes them virtually three times as effective.
   I used a 2kg kettlebell on the first day, as it's important to use a weight which you can control, but isn't too light. After my first circuit that day I already moved onto a 4kg kettlebell, and I found that to be perfect. Comfortable in the first circuit, challenging in the second, but easy to control throughout.

   I'm very comfortable with the work I did this month - I didn't phone it in, I used a weight I'm happy with, and I know I couldn't have managed a third circuit. I did as much as I could, and I stuck quite well to the 1500 calorie diet that was advised alongside it. I was tired each time I finished my workout, but I can say that, this past month, I've not felt exhausted like I usually do. The diet made me replace my snacks and think more about what I ate, resulting in less sugary stuff like chocolate and biscuits, and more healthy stuff like granola and apples. I've had energy all month, and I've not once plonked down next to Seeg and whined about being tired. I've been able to get up and get on with my day.

   And that's all great, truly wonderful, but at the end of all of this, what matters most to me - and if you're reading this wondering if it's worth the time, you as well - are the results.



   Posting that picture is a huge deal for me, because I've never done it before, but I had to share! I'm over the moon! It's easily the most obvious difference I've had from any workout! I've lost a full inch and about 6lbs, and I couldn't be happier with it!

   Given the effectiveness of this workout, I'm taking a risk through November. Instead of moving on to something completely different again, I'm going to give a similar workout a go. The reason for this is obviously the results themselves, but it's also because, despite my searching, I've been unable to find anything that leaps out at me as being interesting. But instead of repeating this workout exactly, I've turned away from FitnessMagazine.com and towards Women's Fitness Magazine instead, and I'm using two routines they put together in two separate magazines. I was a little bit late with writing this post, and I fear I'm a little late writing the intro to the next workout, too, so by the time that one goes up, even if I write and post it today, I'll already have begun.

   But aside from that, this has been the best month so far. I've felt changes, especially around my hips, and the tape measure and scales have been my friend this month. I'm so freaking happy!



4 comments:

  1. I have never been able to stick to a Pilates routine. Your results were great, though!

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    1. Thank you so much, I'm over the moon about it! It was definitely tough, though, and if the HIIT training with kettlebells hadn't been on alternating days and it had been just pilates instead, I know I'd have given up after a week or two.

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  2. Found you through the NaBloPoMo Blogroll.

    I just started HITT workouts last month and I HATE them. But they totally work. I only have an hour to workout during my lunch break (I'm no good in the gym after 5:30pm) and HIIT has totally transformed my workouts. I'm going to check out what you did and see if I can switch mine up a bit. Good job!!! And super brave for posting before and after pictures.

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    1. Thank you, I've NEVER been brave enough to do it and I feel like it discredits workout posts because there's no proof I've done it, but I'm finally finding some confidence!
      And HIIT is really awful. This month I'm doing something similar, but it's the body weight HIIT I'm struggling with now, it's ridiculously intense! But, if it works, it works, and in the end that's why we're doing it! So good on you for sticking with it yourself, even if it sucks!

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