I’m going through a Fitness-Revival. And oh, it hurts so good......

Long time no see, long time no say!! There are couples of changes, which I would like to share with you: 

First, I would like to say THANK YOU to ALL OF YOU for still following my blog! Only with your help and motivation, I´ve turned from a lazy and flabby couch potatoe to a girl, who loves running and fitness!!

Second, herewith I promise to continue blogging now more constantly and regularly - and MORE PERSONAL! (In the past, I´ve dodged myself behind some standard pictures of the internet. But not anymore!)

So, what´s new!?

Following up with my last blog post, it was really a great experience to work with my personal coach Manuel. (for remembering:I hired a trainer to put me on the proper path to fitness, because I have been training for a while and I´m really not satisfied with the results I have achieved.).
He gave me a customized training- and nutrition plan, with good results within just a few weeks. 

But, take a look: This is the transformation of just 4 weeks!

For extraordinary results you must give extraordinary efforts!!

For me, that means in detail: 

ENDURANCE and CONTINUITY: Even after a long working-day, I did my 1h-workout (4-split) at the gym on 4 days a week and did afterwards 30 minutes of cardio on the treadmill.

MEAL  PREPARATION every second day at the latest - mostly directly after gym. So my dinner was pretty late and right before going to bed. This also means, that going out with friends for dinner wasn´t possible as I had a fixed meal plan.

SETTING PRIORITIES: For a couple of weeks I gave fitness and nutrition a higher priority than contintuing my study. (I do a long-distance diploma study on a private universty, therefore I´m more flexible than some other students). But that´s not a permanently solution for finishing my study :-)

It´s definitively not a lifestyle for every day....

But life isn´t perfect and not always trouble-free. In Autuum last year, my fiancé got sick. We consult one doctor after another for finding the probable cause of it and this needed a lot of my time and attention. As I´m naturally not an egoist - and as a good fiancée - I´ve changed my priorities from focusing on my body to focusing on my beloved person. (Don´t worry, now he´s fully recovered!)

And this is the reason why I fell again off the wagon.... unfortunately!

My hard-earned body shape turned slowly and gradually back into my original shape and my body weight gains steadily one pound to another. So now I´m back in my old shape with nearly my old weight of 2013 (before starting my first half marathon training). I don´t call it yoyo-effect - I still lose focusing on clean eating and regular workouts!!

But after dark there comes sunshine!!!

Call it fate or coincidence..... a few weeks ago -while browsing in my favorite groups at facebook - I´ve found a nice group of girls from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, who do actual the Bikini Body Guide from Kayla Itsines. By the way, who is Kayla Itsines???

Kayla Itsines, 23, from Adelaide, South Australia, works with clients near her home but has gained worldwide notoriety through her social media accounts where she shows off the enviable results of her regime. (click here)

With a body that would not look out of place on a catwalk, Kayla seems to have mastered the equation needed for an ultra slim and lean physique, coupled with a high level of fitness and strength without bulk. Demand from followers to know how she achieved her body was so high that Kayla released an ebook so fans could follow her high intensity workouts at home with minimal equipment.

She is the founder of the Bikini Body Guide (available here) and the HELP Guide (Healthy Eating Lifestyle Plan) for achieving a well-toned and shaped body within 12 or 24 weeks.

Often I felt off the track in the past - maybe it´s easier to work together on goals.

Also in this group, I´ve found my fitness buddy - Sarina, living in the neighboring city -, who gives me regularly the fitness motivation I needed (like giving me a kick at the behind !!).

A further push for turning the tide are the plans of Sarina and me to participate one more time at a half marathon - 2016 at the West Coast, USA! (Hello America!!). My first participation at a half marathon was 2013 at the East Coast in Boston, MA, USA. (see here).

I think, I´m on the right way to get back in shape! Slowly, but steadily....

 

Kayla Itsines´ Bikini Body Guide and the HELP Guide

After some initial difficulties, yesterday I´ve started also the Bikini Body Guide and the HELP Guide.

 

The Bikini Body Guide consists of 2-4 resistance training, coupled with 2-3 cardio sessions, HIIT- and stretching sessions a week. Each training takes no longer than 30-45 minutes.

So, yesterday was DAY 1 - LEGS & CARDIO. And what should I say? Within the first 5 minutes, I´ve started sweating a lot... yes, I would almost say: I´ve never transpiring so much in the last time - not even while running!! I´ve sparkled over the entire body!!! But the night I´ve slept as a baby! It was so worth it!

For those of you, who would like to follow my journey every day, please follow me on instagram (click here) - but als already mentioned (and promised): I´ll do a weekly summary! 

Stay healthy and tuned!

Hiring a fitness coach

If you’ve been doing the same workout for months or years and haven’t dropped a pound on the scale or gained the muscle you’re working so hard for, you’re not alone. The reason weight-loss and strength-gains are so damn challenging is because they’re not as simple as we’d like to think they are.

When a bodybuilder is preparing for an athletic competition, it is natural to hire a coach to get him or her in that perfect "shape" to show off on stage when the event finally comes along.  But professional competition is not the only reason to use the services of a bodybuilding coach.  Many people who simply want to employ the techniques of bodybuilding to shape their bodies to look good.  Physical fitness has endless categories and trying out a trainer offers you the opportunity of doing something new for your body. This will bring also a fresh perspective to their daily workout routine and make exercise enjoyable and interesting once more.

I´m hiring a trainer to put me on the proper path to fitness, because I have been training for a while and I´m really not satisfied with the results I have achieved. This happens as you reach a fitness plateau, performing the same exercises day in day out. What your body needs is some kind of stimulation in the form of a different approach and different sets of workouts. 

A trainer can dissect my training routine like an investigator at a crime scene and make the appropriate changes to put me back on track to faster results.

Don’t get me wrong, it is ok to go it alone if you know your body well and you have already seen results. But I want more. So I decided to hire Manuel as my personal trainer and coach. Some of my facebook follower might already know Manuel, as I introduced him a few weeks ago on my facebook page.

Manuel is an IFBB Germany Athlethe and currently in his off-season until Spring 2015. He competed this year for his very first time at DBFV Hessen-Rheinland Pfalz Championship 2014 (6th place), DBFV Int. German Newcomer Championship 2014 (6th place) and finally at DBFV German Championship 2014 (7th place). We´ll use his off-season time to bring me back on the right track – starting by today :-).

It wasn´t quite easy to win Manuel to do this coaching, unless I have known him more than 5 years. Several months I grizzled about asking for coaching, because I´m not satisfied with my body. So much the more I´m absolutely happy to start this exciting time with him. We settled on a lapse of six months to come closer to the body shape I always want to achieve. Last Friday he gave me the customized training- and nutrition plan.

Yesterday I had a number of last meals, as I know what´s coming up to me in the next few weeks and months. But in the evening I did my healthy and clean meal prep for today, because a good preparation is one of the key to success. 

I know, that the upcoming time won´t be easy for me, but I´m really anxious to what Manuel get out of my body. We did an agreement to a 101% commitment to the things we do. 

So let´s keep excited for the next status report and I promise to post some before-after-pics after the coaching session.

Stay healthy and tuned!

Magnificence of the Dolomites/Italy: Summary of a two-day mountain hiking tour

Wild alpine meadows, deciduous and evergreen woods, lunar landscapes, high altitude terrain, alpine lakes, soaring peaks, dramatic walls, and towering heights… sound like your kind of place? 

The Dolomite Mountains feature an infinite number of trails winding their way through these incredible landscapes, with breathtaking vistas adding to the drama.

The Dolomites, a scenic part of the Alps located in Italy, are an absolute mecca for outdoor enthusiasts like us. With plenty of activities to choose from, one of the most popular things to do here is hiking. From short, flat walks to challenging hikes with significant elevation changes, day hikes to multi-day excursions, the Dolomites offer a wide variety of options for hikers of all skill levels.

From June 8-9, a buddy, my bf and I visited one of the most incredible areas in the Dolomites – on foot. In a sum this two-days hike was a truly unforgettable experience in the Dolomites.

I would like to share you some pics of my trip for immersing you in the magnificence of these mountain area: