Bikini Guide Version 3

So a year ago in January, I blogged about having bought the LDN Muscle Bikini guide version 2. I'd hit a nasty plateau (both mentally and physically) and needed some new motivation.

I completed the guide but due to my lack of consistency and hectic work schedule my results weren't so great. My strength definitely improved and is still improving but my diet still needs some serious work and my hatred for cardio means I'm not burning much fat. My butt has lifted and my shoulders have a good definition but the troublesome bits in between have made very little change.

Still being an active member of the LDNMLadies and LDNMFamily on Twitter, the next natural step was to move onto the Bikini Guide V3.

I'm three weeks into the Bikini Guide. It's an 18 week plan. It's got a 4 week rotational training programme that keeps things really mixed up and targets all the right types of movements in a contact cycle and, so far, it's not been even a little bit dull. The great thing is that there's a huge emphasis on weightlifting, which I absolutely love. The amount of cardio you do is recommended in the guide but dictated by you. Naturally, your results show which you pick. If you're not looking to cut fat but just to add muscle tone, then you can scale the cardio down, and vice versa.

I've done plenty more research on body types and discovered that of the somatotypes, my body is definitely an endomorph. This means I gain muscle easily but I also retain fat. Endomorphs tend to have long torsos (check), short limbs (check) and gain fat easily (check). Lots of reading (and stressing) has helped me to discover that carbs are not my friend.

I realised that I need to work a lot more on my diet and I need to learn a lot more about macronutrients and what to eat and when. I've reached out to a couple of absolute gems that I've met on Twitter and they're helping me slowly figure this macro business out. My nearest and dearest will all tell you that it's ridiculous how bad I am at maths for a supposed intelligent person; this food maths is going to take me some time to crack but I'm sure it's a big piece in this puzzle so I must be determined and get through.


My learnings over the last few months, mixed with this guide, mixed with common sense has lead me to conclude that I definitely need to incorporate more cardio into my training regimen. Luckily, the guide gives you a ton of options so it doesn't only have to come in the form of an hour bashing away on a treadmill, thankfully!

So, I have my 6 week, 12 week and 18 week alarms set to take progress pictures. I don't expect a huge amount of difference at the 6 week mark due to my diet but I'm hoping to make up for it by week 12.

Wish me luck!

Fashion Fridays...Fabulous finds!

This week I am totally in love with my new leggings from H&M. I bought them a few weeks ago but haven't worn them much somehow! (Sorry for the poor quality pic!) 

 
 
I can't find them on their website to share but I know they're in store still. I love the glittery aspect of them but unfortunately this is fading as time goes on; the glitter doesn't last! Despite that, they're super comfortable thanks to the light, stretchy material and a really good length. They're not the warmest item I've ever own but I wear them with my fabulous thigh high boots from New Look and I'm super toasty!
 
I'm a true believer in glitter making everything a little bit better so these leggings are perfect for brightening up a dull grey winter day in the office! Though the glitter won't last, at only £7.99 and good quality material, I'm really impressed with this pair!
 
My beauty must-have of the moment is this delicious smelling leave-in conditioner from Boots.
 

My hair gets quite dry in winter so I need a little help to stop it looking like burnt straw! I wash & condition my hair normally in the shower, then spray this all over my hair just before blow-drying it.
 
It smells divine and the lovely gentle scent lasts a couple of days too! My hair gets a lot of wear and tear from the gym, swimming, styling etc so this is a lovely little boost to stop it from being totally destroyed. I've only been using it a couple of weeks and noticed a real difference! The fact that it costs less than £2 is just a heavenly bonus, especially at this time of year!
 
 
My lust-have this week is, weirdly, a hat! With the weather getting colder by the day, I'm really struggling to keep my big old head warm when out & about! Only about 1 in a million beanies look vaguely acceptable on my head so I can't go down that route which is really annoying considering how hot they are right now! More traditional hats such as fedoras or bowlers tend to not actually fit on my head so that's not an option really either.

All of which has led me to this fabulous Cossack hat from New Look!

 

I think this hat has everything I'm looking for. Flexibility to fit over my head / hair, a bright but neutral colour to go with everything, a decent price £12.99 and nice and warm and cosy! I'm hoping Santa will bring me one for Christmas. If not, I'm going to scavenge through the January sales until this baby finds it way to it's rightful place, keeping my ears warm!