GYM: Getting Back in the Gym

So for two weeks I didn't go to the gym a single day. I realise how bad that is, especially when I finally got back in the gym I was knackered after about ten minutes. With Scott being away in Birmingham for a few days I didn't go and then when he was back I was so busy trying to have content to upload when I was away that I simply forgot to go and then I had my birthday. There was that much going off around my birthday, that again, I ended up missing another week.

Last week, we decided we needed to get back in the gym. We were both feeling a little on the stuffed side from probably eating too much whilst we were away and to be honest I did kind of miss it (I know, I must be crazy for missing the gym). Anyway, coming back to the gym hasn't been easy. Whilst I had hoped I'd be able to pick off right where I had left that wasn't the case. Any signs of my abs felt like they had disappeared so trying to do sit ups, crunches and leg raises left me feeling completely drained. Cardio left me feeling sick and I felt a little depressed when I couldn't lift weights on the same setting as what I had previously.

Despite this little downfall of getting out of going to the gym and feeling my confidence knocked a little bit by having to take it a little easier, I also feel incredibly motivated. I know that I can have abs and lift heavier weights so I feel motivated to get back and exceed what I was at. Whilst my cardio  and general fitness has never been perfect I also feel motivated to make sure that I do become fitter, especially as I've been given the all clear from my doctor that my heart is working properly (long story) and I am safe to do more exercise - though I will still take it easy anyway.

What do you do to get/keep you motivated for the gym?

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GYM: My Pre-Workout Snacks

I've noticed that I always feel better at the gym if I've had a little pre-workout snack. I'm not one to have pre-workout shakes or protein shakes, but after you've been at work all day I need a little pick me up before heading off to the gym. I normally try and have something about half an hour before going to the gym just so I don't feel sick when I am there. So today I thought I'd share with you my three go to snacks before I workout.

First, I tend to reach for the Walkers Sunbites Wholegrain Popcorn. I gravitate towards the sweet & salty flavour the most. These contain a lot carbs which just helps give me a little boost, its not too sweet either that I'll feel incredibly sick whilst working out. They're also not too filling that I feel bloated they just have a nice balance to make me feel a bit more motivated.

My naughty snack - which is definitely not the best for you - is a Mars Bar. I know you probably shouldn't have that much sugar before you workout but sometimes I need a kick of sugar to get me going and these are perfect with the glucose that they contain in them. I feel sometimes at the gym I can't start to feel a bit faint and I feel like a need a bit of sugar so having a Mars Bar helps to avoid that situation.

Finally, I tend to take a Lucazade Sport with me to the gym. I just find this helps to waken me up if I feel really tired before the gym but also helps to give me a little bit of a boost at the gym also. I tend to have lucazade when I'm doing weights rather than doing cardio however.

What do you tend to reach for before going to the gym?

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GYM: Women's Health Big Book of Exercises

Sometimes it's hard to get motivated to go to the gym, trust me I know. Sometimes you're hungry after work and so that comes before going to the gym, there is nothing worse than being hungry and working out, I always feel so faint and sick. It's also hard to find motivation to hit the gym if you're constantly doing the same things. For me, I've been looking through the Women's Health Big Book of Exercises to find new and things to do in my workouts. I tend to use it more when I'm at home doing a home work out if I'm honest.

What I like about the book is that it's in clear sections for you to find exercises to train different parts of your body. I look at the abs section the most. I find it boring doing sit ups and crunches all the time so this helps me find new ideas for different circuits for me to do and helps me keep things a bit more interesting. It's also good if you're bored at the gym and creating routines before you actually go.

I've also got a couple of kettlebells at home that weighed a tonne carrying them home from my supermarket but I haven't really used them since I bought them, so I've been wanting to get into more at home workouts including these in my routine so it wasn't a waste of money. I know that Scott has looked through the book for ideas too, so it's definitely not just for women despite its name. I just need to invest in a good mat so that I'm not hurting my back on my wood floors.

Where do you find workout inspirations from? Also any recommendations for good gym mats for at home?

♥

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GYM: The at Home Ab Workout

Before I got into going to the gym, I started working on my abs by following YouTube videos. There's loads out there and it's just trying to find one that suits you and that you enjoy doing. So I thought I'd share with you my favourite ab workout that I tend to do at home (though you can also do at the gym too).

So I started following a routine called the 10 Minute Ab Workout: How to Get a Six Pack off of the XHit Daily. I liked this routine because it's easy to follow as she goes through all the steps with you plus it reminds you of what's next in the routine throughout the video with a notification. I find the video is really encouraging and it's more about doing what your capable of in that time limit than doing a certain amount of leg raises etc. I also noticed a difference after a couple of weeks following this routine with my abs. They were definitely more defined. The channel also has a five minute ab workout along with workouts for beginners so be sure to check their channel out.

Check out 10 Minute Ab Workout: How to Get a Six Pack below:

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GYM: Adidas Gym Leggings

I've found it difficult to find a pair of gym leggings I really like. Some are see through which means you always have to wear a longer top - which I don't mind but some days I want to wear something a little tighter that isn't swishing around me. Some just go rubbish when you wash them. The struggle has been real for me. That's until I spotted these Adidas Response Tights.

I saw a girl wearing them at my gym and I thought they looked really cool. I've been after some plain black gym leggings for a while and I liked the Adidas stripes going horizontally across the knee and thought it looked different. I was then on the hunt for these leggings, I wanted to try them on see how they fit and ultimately see if they were see through. I found them about 2-3 weeks after my search at my gym on promotion for £29.99 instead of £40. After trying them on I knew I had to have them.

I bought a size small, and they fit perfectly. They have a drawstring tie inside to make them tighter around the waist if need be too. They're super stretchy so great for squatting and stretching in. They're also really lightweight in feel too, so you don't get too hot in them. My bum also looks amazing in them which is always a bonus. Though they're slightly more pricey that I would've intially thought about paying for some gym leggings I love them to bits and already have had my money's worth out of them. Definitely check them out if you're in the market for some new gym leggings.

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