I have some great news – I have successfully completed my Now Move It Challenge. Phewww.
For those of you joined me on this journey, I thank you dearly and hope you are feeling as fab as I do. For those of you reading this who have absolutely no idea what I am talking about, then read up on my Now Move It challenge, a pledge to myself to move my body every day for 2 weeks to form some healthy habits throughout winter, inspire my fellow sporty sisters to exercise with me, and to clock up the hours for the MNB movement.
I believe MOVEMENT is so important, and it is something that can be deemed such a choir. But the reality of it is, it really doesn’t have to be. The more I got into my mini challenge the more I craved that rush of endorphins, and the more I looked forward to greeting my sporty sisters at bootcamp, plus the physical changes didn’t hurt either.
This is my Now Move It diary, and my official accountability contract. I used my LJ APP to track my walk, run & cycle’s and snapped pictures of my other moves (so no cheating here). Although I didn’t stick to my original plan 100% it was still a success and I couldn’t be happier that I accomplished my mission successfully. I recommend this to anyone who has hit a bit of an exercise hump and for those sporty sisters who want to fall in love with moving again.
-MY NOW MOVE IT DIARY-
Day 1: Powerwalking at lunch
To kick-start #becnowmovesit, my fellow work pals and I went for a lunchtime walk over the gateway bridge. Thinking it would be a quick and relatively easy stint to begin the next 14 days of movement, we we were in for a bit of a shock! The bridge was a lot further than we first anticipated. The journey was quite eventful though, with Ash (MNB Digi Marketing Specialist) almost rolling her ankle, Shaelah (photographer) trying her hardest to powerwalk with eyes channel visioned to avoid getting vertigo, and Davina (graphic designer) melting away under the beating sun in her LJ jeggings. The cherry on top was me walking into a pole while playing on my LJ app. We all made it back in one pieces, and I successfully got 3 sporty sisters to move for the movement with me. A great start I say :D!
Day 2: A lunchtime treadmill date
I got up at the crack of dawn to meet a friend for a walk along the river. But to my dismay, it was bucketing down with rain – just my luck, and being in the thick of winter it was far too cold to brave the storm (excuse the pun). Determined not to let it rain on my challenge, I hopped on the trusty treadmill on my lunch break and worked up a sweat. Unfortunautely the App doesn’t track your movement when you stationary but it was roughly 5km… and I guess the proof is in the pudding, sweaty Bec!
Day 3: Tabata & PT
Do DOODALOO DO DOODALOO – you know that noise? It’s what drags you out of the comfort of your own bed, and off to your morning workout. Oh alarm, why do you have to do this to me? Waking up tired and irritated I dragged myself out of bed, to head off to my 6am Tabata class. Just to be clear, not everyone pops out of bed in the AM, trust me! So no need to feel guilty if you don’t, especially if you own a cloud bed like I do. The thing that makes this whole process easier is PREPARATION. I always ensure I do everything I can to avoid any excuses that next day. I prepare my meals the night before, I lay out my workout wear before I go to bed, and have my water bottle filled up so I can grab it and go in the morning!
I am loving Tabata, and the guys at Bootcamps Australia make it so much fun. The class goes for 30mins where we do a series of difficult exercises with 30 seconds on and 10 seconds rest the whole time. Jerome at BCA knows how to get your blood pumping and body quivering with pain!
I followed the class with a 30 minute PT session with Boyd, and he wasn’t any kinder. Enduring a tough session of bar and squats, weighted lunges, leg curls and abdominals. I was HURTING! Nothing like the feeling of knowing you have trained your butt off all by the time of 7am! After I enjoyed a brew of honey lemon and ginger tea, delicious! Loving this challenge!
Day 4: Morning Walk
Frosty morning walks for day 4 of “Bec Now Moves It” and finally, it wasn’t raining! It was so lovely to be up walking as the sun was rising. I felt such happiness as I watched the sunlight splash itself out upon nature and absorb onto my face as the rest of my body was wrapped up in my LJ tights and jumper. The shades and hues were radiating as the crispy colours of autumn were on full display, glistening from the dew. There is no way that I would trade this in for the extra hour sleep in that’s for sure. So, so beautiful and a great way to start the day!
Day 5: Gateway Bridge Run
Soooo, I decided to trade in my morning gym session for a relaxing soak in the bath… oh and it was amazing! It was so lovely to wake up early and have some TLC before work. It’s important to take time out to recover, especially with all this moving. To fulfill my “Now Move It” duties I set out for a run on my lunch break. Destination? The gateway bridge. Yes we meet again, and this time I was wary not to run into any poles. Today was an absolute scorcher and it was a much harder gradual incline than it looked. The end result = burnt and very, very sweaty. Luckily working at Lorna Jane Head Quarters means I didn’t stick out like a sore thumb when I got back to the office like a sweaty mess.
Day 6: Peddling with my pals
YAAAY for SATURDAY!!! Today was the most enjoyable and spontaneous “Bec Now Moves It” ‘yet. This afternoon I was one of the boys! Dusk riding with my boyfriend Paul, and friends Alistair and Sammy, we made our way around the city and into the night. We accomplished about 20km in total and it was just so much fun! Bike riding doesn’t even feel like an exercise, especially when you’re riding with friends. Oh, and something to claim… I can still ride with no hands! Yippee.
Day 7: Walk, run, walk with my girl
Sunday morning I woke up at 5:30 and was at the Organic Northey Street Markets by 6am. It was still relatively dark but it was worth it; getting the first pick of all the fresh produce. I met my friend Megan at the markets because she hadn’t been and from there we went and had an hour walk around Teneriffe. Although, we did plan on running the whole time but due to our chin wags and story telling, my beautiful friend and I had to stop and start the Lorna Jane App several times to try and precisely reflect our walk-run-walk ha-ha. Such a fantastic Sunday though and time really does fly when you have a friend to move your body with too. I am blessed to have friends who love interweaving hang time and fitness.
Day 8: Power walking at lunch
One week down and another week to go! This Monday we ventured out again on our lunchbreak but another sporty sister join us, Rhi – our Lorna Jane Active Chef and Nutritionist. We moved and grooved our tushies over the gateway bridge. Skipping, hopping, and laughing made for a delightful and active lunch break. This mid-day dash really got me thinking how blessed I am to have seriously rad work mates, who not just support the “Now Move It” cause and embrace the MNB lifestyle but who are so kind, caring and funny. Our chats are always encouraging and helpful. Love my girls!
Day 9: Late afternoon walk
I had the loveliest walk along Teneriffe with me, myself and I. It was such a blissful way to end a busy day. It really is such a pretty time to be out moving your body before the next 8 hours of sleep. I love putting this time aside to listen to my favorite podcasts by Steven Furtick. I get so much thinking time done along these walks and feel so relaxed by the time I finish.
Day 10: Tabata & PT
I was feeling a bit dehydrated which made this session the hardest yet. (Note to self: keep up the h2o!). Jerome, one of the Trainers at Bootcamps Australia was not kind to me this morning in Tabata, but I appreciate his sessions because he is such an awesome trainer!
Continuing after that tough Tabata session, I went straight into a PT session with Boyd. We covered bar and squats, lunges, sit-ups, Romanian deadlifts and ended the session with this painful exercise (below). The resistance from the rubber band causes the oblique’s to fire up something crazy! My head should be up and my right leg in more of a lunge but I was losing focus as my legs were fatiguing from so much leg-based cardio. Very tired here! Good session though, and I certainly walked out hurting that’s for sure!
Day 11: Bootcamp / Circus
An hour of Bootcamp at New Farm Park but didn’t manage to grab a photo because we were all too busy working ourselves into the ground to take one. That, and it was pitch black. So I thought I would include the 3.5 hours of circus training that I did the night before because I had a picture to prove it. In fact, we took plenty of pictures, as this was an activity I did for my next “My Active Life” post, so keep your eyes peeled for this adventure, I am simply cannot wait to share the rest of the experience with you soon!
Day 12: Twilight walk by the seaside
The Friday night of the 3-day long weekend was spent on the Sunshine Coast. After making the dash for the coast straight after work, my man and I shared a lovely meal with my parents (nothing like a home cooked meal) then headed out for a twilight stroll from Mooloolaba to Alexandra Headlands. It wasn’t far but it was nice to be together again and be able to chat about our week, reminisce about fond memories, giggle and play on the stationary workout stations along the way. We couldn’t help but let out inner kid out and hang upside down on the monkey bars. So thankful for a fun boyfriend and to be home with my family! This weekend is going to be great. I can just feel it!
Day 13: Bikram Yoga
Hello Bikram Yoga, it has sure been a while but I am glad to be back. My mother and I joined our fitness and health foodie fiend of a neighbour, Alex, in a 90 minute session of Bikram. That’s my lovely Mummy on the left laying out her towel and I am oh so very proud of her for not leaving the room in her first session of Bikram. It looks like a new hobby has been ignited for my mum, which is so cool because I have been trying to get her to come along and do yoga for years. This was the first session of Bikram that I participated in without even taking notice of the heat. Usually it is all that I can think about. Now I am sitting back hydrating on water and sipping on a glass of water Kefir with a face mask watching “suits” as I wait for dinner which is being prepared by my dad and boyfriend. Blissful and blessed, no doubt about it!
P.S The app doesn’t track Yoga yet, I certainly don’t condone you bringing your phone into the steamy room ;)
Day 14: Exercycle
It is Sunday Funday and 14 days of “Bec Now Moves It” is completed! While visiting my folks, I had to finish off the challenge on the stationary bike due to the dreary weather outside. I would prefer to be out for a beach run, bike ride or mountain climb but the rain really set in! Thank goodness Dad has his own gym is all I can say. You really don’t want to be leaving home on a day like this!
I now moved it!!
SO far I completed: 17 Hours for the MNB Movement!
It was such a great 2 weeks of moving my body every day, and I’ll be honest, there were days where I really wanted to sleep in and ignore the responsibility of my challenge, but I persevered, got over myself and did it anyway!
I am so thankful that I did because I got to the point where exercising became the most exciting part of my day, and still is! It’s something that I look forward to and utilised as nourishing time for myself. I no longer saw it as a chore but as a “happy” booster in my day. All in all, I feel so much better since assigning myself to this challenge. It has made me realise that it IS possible to move your body every day, rain, hail or shine. If it is important to you, you can make it happen.
Please write below and let us know what you do to stay motivated to move!
Much Love,
Bec xx
If you want to get into the habit of moving your body every day, join in for our current #Rungirlrun challenge. Encouraging you to clock up the km’s throughout run season & download our trusty LJ APP. How fun!