This pandemic has left me with a lot of time on my hands so I decided to get serious about my workouts. As I mentioned in one of the first few blog posts, I started Kayla Itsines 12 Week Bikini Body Guide program back in May. I had tried these workouts numerous times in the past and they just weren’t for me. However, I decided to give this program one last try since it was one of my 2020 goals to complete the full 12 weeks. I am so happy I finally made the commitment because I truly loved this program. Not only did I see results, but I felt them—I was excited to start a new week and get one step closer to my goal.
I would say that I have always been an active person whether it was sports growing up or consistent exercise and workouts as an adult. I found myself board with the same old routines and classes at my gym and had a hard time feeling motivated. When March rolled around and the gyms closed, I realized I needed to find a long-term solution to get my workouts done. I did a lot of different home workout routines then decided in May to commit to BBG. So, here’s to sharing my experience in case anyone else has tried and failed in the past like me, or just needs an extra push to get going on their workout regimen.
The first thing I did was prepare. I bought the eBook and downloaded the PDF of the BBG guide so I could really read it through and not only understand the workouts and schedule but understand the thought process behind the regimen. You can also use her app if that is preferred over the eBook. Once I reviewed what the program was all about, I made myself a schedule. The BBG guide has a certain amount of circuits, LISS, and HIIT workouts that need to be completed within each week. As the weeks go on, the number of workouts increase. For me, it was easier to map out what was required within the week so I knew exactly what I had to get done. I created an excel for all 12 weeks and placed black check marks for all workouts that needed to be completed, in essence, scheduling myself for the upcoming week. Once I did the workout, I would turn the check mark green to indicate it was complete. This really helped me because it was a visual of what I needed to complete, already did, and it prevented me from losing track of what I had left to complete for the week.
In addition to the breakdown by week I also had a stats page where I recorded my weight on Monday morning of each week. I also recorded my measurements on day one, on the first day of week six, and the last day of week 12. The guide outlines the importance of tracking photos and measurements for progress rather than just weight. I can’t stress this enough since my weight fluctuated throughout the 12 weeks but I wasn’t discouraged when I gained since I could see improvements in my progress photos and measurements. I have never been a scale person since I can always tell when I’ve gained a few pounds, the actual number isn’t something I’ve ever been really interested in as long as I felt good. I bought my first ever scale for this, linked here, and do think it’s useful to see progress in the long run. I chose to do photos pre-BBG, halfway through, and post-BBG. I took all photos at the same time of day each time. Same thing for all weight and measurement recordings—first thing in the morning on day one of each week.
As for the workouts themselves, there are two serious of circuits for each session. You do each one twice for seven minutes—a total of 28 minutes of work. I would do seven minutes on and thirty seconds off before I went on to the next series in the circuit. These workouts are no joke, I would definitely recommend starting off with some less intense workouts prior to starting BBG if you aren’t active at all. I am drenched in sweat after 28 minutes of work, every single time. I printed out all of the circuits and keep a folder of each day for all 12 weeks. It was nice to visualize what I was doing as I went so, I would tape the workout on my window so I could reference it as I went along. I preferred this over the app since there was a lot going on with my phone between the timer, my music, etc. In addition to the circuits there are LISS and HIIT sessions. For the Low Intensity Steady State requirements I would power walk for 45 minutes. For the HIIT requirements that start at week nine, I would do sprints (thirty second sprint, 30 second rest) for fifteen minutes at the track in my neighborhood.
Now that I have completed the program it its entirety, I can say that this really worked for me. Not only that, but I really enjoyed it the entire time. I felt really proud of myself for setting goals, sticking with it, and getting results. It is so true that drastic exercise and/or diet programs fail because they aren’t sustainable. BBG is absolutely sustainable, requires minimal equipment, and can be done entirely from home (something we all need nowadays). I have already started the program over again and am in week two—that is a true testament to how much I have enjoyed this! Now that I know this is a program for me, I have bought some equipment to make the workouts smoother. For example, I was using an upholstered storage bench the first twelve weeks as I was forced to improvise. I just purchased this workout stepper and am excited to try it!
Overall, I highly recommend this workout guide. When it was all said and done I lost four pounds from start to finish. However, I will say I dropped weight early on (even more than four pounds from my starting weight) then went back up a little bit and fluctuated over the weeks. I don’t know if I can attribute this to muscle gain over time, but again, the number on the scale is the least of my concern in terms of how I measure my success. From Pre to Post BBG I lost half an inch around my thighs, one inch around my butt, stayed about the same around my hips, and lost one inch around my waist. Aside from the progress made in measurements, I am also very pleased with the improvements on my physical appearance—as seen in my progress pictures here.
All in all I have certainly found something that works for me and I am excited to stick with it. I never thought I’d be the person that looked forward to working out, but here I am!