30 Day Fitness Challenges

What's this strange yellow thing in the sky? Is my mind playing tricks on me? Is that.....the SUN???!!! The official start of Summer may not be until 21st June (thanks Google) but, if this weekend in London is anything to go by, we may be having an early start. For many of us, this is excellent news. However, for equally as many, the notion of soon having to flash some flesh and strut about in a bikini fills you with dread. 

"No carbs before Marbs" has become a common mantra for the girls (I blame TOWIE) and the manic bikini diet begins. Now, I hate to burst any bubbles here, but it is not possible to drop half your body weight in a couple of weeks, no matter what the internet tells you. Therefore, it is down to that age old combination of good nutrition and exercise to make the changes that you want. Boys, you're included in this also. "Suns out, guns out" anyone??

Unfortunately for most of us, we don't have the time or the money to send ourselves off to intensive boot camps or undergo radical surgery to get results. But fear not! 30 day fitness challenges are a brilliant way to squeeze in exercise and toning techniques. You don't need money, you don't need equipment. All you do need is a little bit of motivation and a bit of a shift about of some furniture to make some space! Two of the challenges which I think are a perfect duo for both boys and girls are the ab challenge and the squat challenge. Girls, don't worry...squats will not give you chunky, muscular legs. What you will get is reduced appearance of any pesky cellulite as well as a firmer bum and thighs. Perfect!







30 Day Squat Challenge
This literally consists of doing an increasing number of squats over 30 days. Simple. Just follow the chart to know how many squats to do and, more importantly, when the rest days are! 

30 Day Ab Challenge
This uses the same idea of gradually increasing the intensity of core exercises. Each day requires you to do a set up sit ups, crunches, leg raises and a timed plank. Click on the videos at the bottom of this post to see how to do each of these exercises properly and avoid injury.









If, like me, you tend to do most of your exercise in the morning then you may find that the increasing number of reps of abs/squats become too time consuming. That's fine. Just divide it up and do half in the morning and half in the evening! As long as you stick to the correct amount per day then you'll be making progress. The first few days will probably leave you feeling rather achy, particularly in the bum region, but that's entirely normal. As they say: no pain, no gain!

Give these challenges a go and see how you get on. If these don't take your fancy then there are plenty other 30 day fitness challenges already available, or you could make up your own. 

Have fun!

                 How to do a sit up:
                 

                  How to do crunches:

                  How to do leg raises:
          

                  How to do a plank:

Nic
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