ThinQ-ing About Fitness

Marie is determined to get back on the fitness treadmill

2010-11-05T06:47:00.000-07:00

Marie is determined to keep on running

Marie has been finding great success with the online fitness videos from ThinQFitness... And then her husband invited her on a short break to America so she decided to give herself a short fitness break. Everyone deserves some time out but here is Marie's latest blog:

Marie says: "I'm back from America now and my goodness am I suffering! I just ate far too much while I was away and only managed one gym visit. All I did was a 20 minute run and a few weight lifts.

"But I am determined not to lose the fitness benefits I've gained over the last couple of months.

"Luckily things are not showing on the scales yet but I do feel a bit sluggish and rubbish. I've a can't be bothered attitude! But that HAS TO GO!

"I managed a few of the ThinqFitness 10 min workouts one evening to get me back into it."

The 10-minute ThinqFitness workouts are a fab way to slot in some exercise while at home. They are not too long but they are really effective. Marie likes Mel's Upper Body workout, Lincoln's Leg and Bum Blast and Anna's Abs Workout.

She adds: "I found doing the three workouts was quite hard work. It's surprising how you lose it so quickly! But I'm back now and on a mission!

"I have an incentive as we are meeting a group of friends for dinner soon and so I need to be looking good." Anna's Body Blitz, here she comes!

Marie is keen to get back on the fitness treadmill

2010-10-22T12:38:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we all have slow weeks on the fitness treadmill

We all have days and weeks when we lose track of our fitness goals. Sometimes it's a lack of energy, or motivation, or because of unforeseen circumstances. The key to getting over this minor obstacle is to make sure you jump back on the fitness treadmill just as soon as you can. Leaving the exercise routine for too long, it can be all too tempting to give up on it completely.

For Marie, this last week or so has been so busy that she has managed only one 5k run. The mum-of-one has had little spare time around caring for her young daughter and jetting off to spend a few days with her husband on holiday in America.

Instead of being despondent, Marie is determined to do even more keep-fit sessions next week. After all, she has done so well with her fitness over the last six weeks. Through a schedule of running and ThinQFitness on-line fitness videos, Marie has been delighted to lose a full inch from each thigh.

She says: "What with life, caring for my daughter and then a spontaneous opportunity to spend some time with my husband in Las Vegas I had to let the fitness training slide a bit. I was a little downhearted at the time but I know that I will be even keener to get back on with it this coming week.

"It's Anna's Body Blitz that has been the great find for me and I think I'll need to do a double session next week to make up for doing less recently! Anna really knows how to put your through your fitness paces."

Marie delighted by weight loss results

2010-10-07T09:13:00.000-07:00

Marie is thrilled to report this week that she has lost an inch from her thighs. This was the area of her body that she was having trouble shifting the weight from but after taking up the ThinqFitness on-line video challenge she is seeing great results.

She said: "I 'd be putting off measuring my thighs just in case I hadn't lost any weight but then curiosity got the better of me. I got out the tape measure and I've lost a whole inch from my thighs. This is brilliant news and has a lot to do with the ThinqFitness on-line videos, especially Anna's Body Blitz."

During this last week Marie, who is mum to a young daughter, has stuck to her fitness programme and is really enjoying the workouts.

* On Wednesday she managed to get to the gym while her mum cared for her daughter.

* On Thursday she did three 10min sessions: Mel's Upper Body, Lincoln's Leg and Bum Blast and Anna's Abs Workout.

* Saturday was Anna's Body Blitz.

* On Sunday Marie went for a 5.2km run.

"I have had a great week," said Marie. She continued: "Surprisingly I really enjoyed Thursday doing the three 10 minute sessions. Lincoln's Leg and Bum workout is getting easier but it has been great for shifting weight in these two difficult areas.

"Mel's upper body workout was a fun one to do and I really enjoyed the workout. It's just hard enough that you could feel it working without being in pain! Mind you I did have lighter weights!

"But what can I say about Anna's Abs Workout? Her workouts are hardcore - but in the best way. They are so worth the effort. I feel the exercises working instantly, so you know you are working the muscles intended!

"And by Saturday I was still feeling energetic enough to give Anna's Total Body Blitz a blast. I enjoy this workout as I know it works and although I am glowing like a beacon all the way through, this time I felt I could keep up and do all the moves.

"All the hard work has been worth it because I can see and measure the results. It's amazing."

It could have been easy for Marie to give her Sunday run a miss after doing so well all week but she persuaded herself to get out there. Marie looks after her daughter on her own most of the week while her husband works away so she only has the chance to head out for a longer run on the weekends when he's home.

She said: "The Sunday run was a last-minute decision that I was almost talking myself out of doing. Oh I need to empty the washing machine and dishwasher, Ugly Betty is on TV etc.

"But I said to myself, 'Come on, the inches don't lose themselves.' And what a great run I had. I did my personal best time of 30mins 30 secs. But then just as I was congratulating myself on my time, my husband said, 'Oh I will go for a run now.' He totally trounced me and came in at 25mins.

"But, no matter. What's 5 mins when I have lost an inch?!"

Find out how Marie get on with next week's ThinQFiness on-line video workouts.

Marie's finds extra fitness motivation

2010-10-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

A short legs and bum blast on-line
video session will start to work on
those areas that all women complain about!

Marie has been super-charged this week in the count down to her wedding anniversary. She admitted that she was keen to look her best for the celebrations with her husband so she found herself really motivated to keep to her fitness regime.

Marie has to juggle her fitness workouts with taking care of her young daughter. The ThinqFitness video sessions suit Marie's lifestyle because she can squeeze in a quick fitness session when her daughter goes to sleep at night.

On Monday, Marie opted for a lower body workout, and followed Lincoln's highly effective Leg and Bum blast. This video session only lasts eight minutes but it works on all those flabby area that women love to moan about!

Marie also has some help with childcare from her mum so she managed to get to the gym on Tuesday and out for a 5k run on Wednesday. "I was feeling pretty pleased with myself for having such a great start to the week," said Marie.

Marie had to wait until Saturday for her fourth fitness session of the week. "My husband is home at weekends, he works away a lot during the week, so I usually try to take advantage of the time he is around for our daughter," said Marie.

"I was feeling energised enough to head out for a 11.2k run on the Saturday - just before going out with my husband for a lovely wedding anniversary celebration.

"It does feel really good to know that I'm looking so much fitter and feeling so much healthier than I was a year or so ago."

Introducing Simone, a busy mum who wants to lose weight

2010-09-20T03:29:00.000-07:00

Simone is a busy working mum of one daughter. She has a demanding job as a conveyancer for a large firm of solicitors. Her 12-year-old daughter is sporty and this means that much of Simone’s time is tied up taking her to karate and football sessions.

Simone’s daughter lives with her two weeks out of every three, spending the other week at her dad’s. However this means that Simone’s fitness regime is irregular.

She is worried about the weight she has been putting on and is keen to find a range of exercise sessions that can be fitted around her work life and her daughter’s commitments.

ThinqFitness On-Line Videos appeal to Simone because she can do these at home and at a time that is convenient to her and her daughter.

Simone is hoping to try a few teen-focused
on-line fitness video sessions such
as the ThinqFitness Teen Dance Video

Simone says: “During the two weeks that my daughter lives with me I can only get to a gym when she has her karate class. This is very limiting and it means I am putting on a fair bit of weight.

“The ThinqFitness on-line videos look good because I can do them at home and without the need for a babysitter.

“Also, my daughter might enjoy doing some of the fitness sessions with me. She is very keen on football and some of the teen classes with ThinqFitness look ideal. Being at the start of the football season, fitness is important my daughter.

“I think that if I am doing more exercise then the sensible eating will follow and I will start to lose weight.”

Find out how Simone gets on with the ThinqFitness videos over the coming weeks.

Marie juggles childcare and exercise with ThinqFitness videos

2010-09-16T02:22:00.000-07:00

ThinqFitness offers a wide range of shorter
video workouts that are ideal for busy mums

Marie has been keen to get back to exercising following a week of illness in her house. First it was her young daughter Livi who came down with the bug and then she succumbed, too. But as Marie noted: "I really miss the exercise when I can't do it and I'm beginning to feel guilty about not doing anything."

Marie has to squeeze her fitness sessions in around Livi's care. She relies on some help from her mum and also from her husband when he returns home at weekends from working away during the week.

She says: "It can be a real struggle to find time for myself. I used to be able to pop Livi in the creche at the gym but this closed recently so I have to rely on the help of other people, or else wait until Livi is in bed asleep at night."

Marie tried doing her ThinqFitness on-line video fitness sessions during the daytime when Livi was having a nap but she has found that the "bouncier" workouts simply wake up her daughter! Instead Marie has been doing the "quieter", shorter video sessions such as the abs workout.

She says: "The bouncing around on wooden floors with my trainers on to the funky music was keeping Livi awake! So the shorter and less noisy sessions work best for me when Livi is having a quick nap in the daytime. When Livi is sound asleep at night-time I can do the more full-on sessions such as Anna's Summer Body Blitz."

On Monday, after putting Livi to bed in the evening and doing the ironing Marie did Lincoln's Leg and Bum Blast workout. Marie says: "I love this video and if I do it on a Monday it sets me up for the week. It makes me feel like I want to keep going on track all week."

Thanks to her mum's help Marie was able to nip out to the gym to do a short run on the treadmill. She also managed to fit in Mel Pennicott's 10 mins Upper body ThinqFitness workout.

She says: "And I did start Anna's 10mins Abs workout but then Livi began to demand a bit of attention so I had to give up!"

Maire plans to do the ThinqFitness Anna's Body Blitz on Friday but she says she does worry about how she'll fit this into her busy life with Livi. She says: "So far the 10-minute workouts have been working best for me. They fit in with me and my lifestyle the best."

Marie is finding that the shorter workouts are becoming easier physically so she plans to try a few other fitness videos next week.

As for Anna's Total Body Blitz, Marie says: "This workout does exactly what it says it will. It's a tough workout though! However, I'm really enjoying it and I am determined to do this session more than I have been. I think it will make a real difference to my weight and fitness."

Find out how Marie does over the coming week in her next blog.

Illness hits Marie's keep-fit schedule

2010-09-14T07:22:00.000-07:00

As traditional as the turning of the leaves, so comes the annual autumnal bouts of illness. All health experts advise that we should listen to our bodies and if we're not feeling well then we should avoid exercise or limit ourselves to some easy sessions.

Of course, this doesn't mean you should excuse yourself from keeping fit when you feel a bit lethargic, or you simply can't be bothered. We're talking here about colds, chesty coughs and flu-like symptoms.

Illness has hampered Marie's keep-fit programme. At the start of the week her young daughter Livi was unwell. As a mum you don't like to leave your children for too long - or at all - when they are under the weather. Then Marie herself came down with the bug. So the total exercise for Marie this week has been a couple of easy 5k runs - which she managed before becoming ill.

For now she's giving herself some rest and recovery time and hopes to be back following the ThinqFitness on-line exercise videos as soon as she feels better. We'll be keeping you posted.

Marie's busy week brings great rewards

2010-09-06T07:50:00.000-07:00


Marie is delighted by her weight loss

It's been a busy week for Marie, especially since her daughter Livia's creche at the local gym has closed for the time being. This means that Marie has to fit her keep-fit sessions around Livi's life - and sleep times! Marie's husband works away from home a lot so it is always difficult for the mum to find time for herself. The end of the week reaped big rewards for her in terms of some great compliments.

She says: "I've been really pleased with my dedication to the exercise and ThinqFitness workouts this week. It's not easy fitting everything in around my daughter and with my husband away so much but I have been determined to find the time.

"I know that exercise is great for me mentally because it gives me some time to myself. And the physical benefits are really starting to show. When I saw some friends on Saturday that I hadn't seen for ages they were really impressed with the weight I have lost. All the hard work is really starting to pay off.

"On Tuesday I managed a 5k run, then on Wednesday I did two ThinqFitness workouts:
Lincoln's Legs and Bum Blast and Anna's 30 minute abs workout.

"Thursday I had recovered enough to do Anna's Summer Body Blitz and then on Saturday I really went for it. My husband was there to look after Livi so I took advantage and went for a 10k run followed by another of Anna's Summer Body Blitz workouts. I felt like my whole body was aching!

"I admit I was exhausted by the time I was due to go to my sister-in-law's birthday meal out but all the compliments from friends have made me realise how good it is to have worked off the excess weight that I put on while pregnant. I am looking forward to next week's fitness sessions, although, as ever, it'll be a bit of a juggle.

"I am finding that it is great to be able to do the ThinqFitness workouts at home and whenever it suits me to do them. So long as I get myself motivated to do the workouts I find that they have a lot of great benefits. Week four, here I come!"

Marie's week of running and home workouts

2010-08-31T05:44:00.000-07:00

Running and ThinqFitness video
workouts offer a great all-round fitness mix

Marie decided to write herself a fitness plan for her second week of our Thinqing About Fitness diary. She wanted to challenge herself to keep to her programme of cardio and toning workouts. This week her ThinqFitness workouts included Lincoln's Legs and Bum Blast on Monday and Friday and Anna's Summer Body Blitz on Thursday.

She says: "This was my last week before my gym's creche closes for a while and so I wanted to make the most of the time that my daughter Livi is being cared for. With my husband away with work quite a lot I have to grab the opportunities I can for exercise.

"While Livi is in the creche I can go to the gym or go out for a run. So this week I had a good week with my running and managed a 5k run on Tuesday and an 11.2k run on Saturday.

"Around this I did three ThinqFitness video sessions. I had hoped to manage two Body Blitz sessions but I didn't quite fit all that in. Next week I promise myself I'll do the two Body Blitz workouts.

"I did do two of Lincoln's 10-minute Legs and Bums Blast workouts this week though. I think these are great workouts and they offer great toning potential for such a short session.

"I'm really enjoying the videos and I can see me using them a great deal more in the coming weeks as I will be more tied to my home with Livi."

Tips to learn from Marie's week:

* Having a weekly programme to stick to is helpful because you then know the sessions you should be doing and if it's written down you are less likely to find excuses.

* Pin the fitness programme up in a prominent place, such as on your fridge door.

* Mixing cardio and toning workouts over a week is a great way to lose weight and improve muscle definition.

* Exercising both indoors and outdoors is ideal for motivation (the different workouts prevent you from becoming bored with routine) and also for boosting mental health. Research shows that just five minutes of exercise outdoors each day can reap big benefits for self-esteem and improved mental health.

* If you have children then home video workouts are a great way to keep-fit while children sleep, play or join in.

Find out in her next blog how Marie did in week 3 of her Thinqing About Fitness diary.

Zoe goes for the Body Blitz Workout

2010-08-24T09:34:00.000-07:00

Anna Lovelock's Summer Body Blitz

fitness workout from ThinqFitness

Zoe's first week on her Thinqing About Fitness programme included Anna's Summer Body Blitz.

Zoe says: "I started later in the week than I hoped but the Summer Body Blitz workout more than made up for what I didn't do earlier! This is one great, all-round workout and I definitely felt that it did some work on my tummy and legs. I could still feel my muscles aching two days later!

"I really liked the mixture of exercises in the video class - and the variety really kept my interest and kept me going. I find it is easier to be motivated by good music and the music tracks in this video were great.

"My only down point for this fitness class was that I wished I'd put on a fan before I started. My goodness was I hot once I got going with this workout!

"Anna the fitness instructor is really good at keeping participants motivated and reminding you to hold in your tummy muscles as you work out. This is a good point as I normally forget to hold in my tummy and so a mention from Anna made me remember.

"I'm looking forward to trying out the other ThinqFitness videos in the coming weeks."

Marie's three times a week fitness video workouts

2010-08-24T09:18:00.000-07:00

Anna's Abs workout is only 10 minutes long

Marie got off to a great start with her ThinqFitness workouts. In the first week, she managed to fit in Lincoln's Legs and Bum Blast on Monday, Anna's 10-minutes Abs workout on Wednesday and Anna's Summer Body Blitz on Thursday.

Marie says: "None of the videos were too easy. I'd say they were about right for my level of fitness and gave me a really good work out.

"Lincoln's Legs and Bum Blast is only eight minutes and while it gets to all the right places, that is my legs and bum where I am keen to tone up, the workout was also a lot of fun. I am pleased I started the week with this one because it gave me the incentive and motivation to continue with the other workouts.

"Anna Lovelock's Abs workout was quite a hard workout but I felt it had an instant effect. I liked the way she gives instructions as they are simple to follow and she also shows you what not to do. Anna's timely reminders to breathe come just at the right time for me! Again this workout was short at 10-minutes but it was more than enough for my first go.

"Then came Anna's Summer Body Blitz. This is much longer and more of a cardio-style workout. I found it quite hard going but I still made it to the end. The way my whole body ached the next day I knew I had had a total body blitz! I think two of these sessions each week will be really beneficial so that's my aim for next week.

"Having the workouts to do in the privacy of your own home is great and I could fit them in around all my other commitments. I can really see the advantage of this type of fitness training. Week two here I come!"

Introducing Zoe, 33, who works very long hours

2010-08-20T06:48:00.000-07:00

Zoe needs an exercise regime that
she can fit into her busy working life

I'm a marketer and hardly have time for anything much other than working. But I know I need to lose a bit of weight and my aim is to shed a stone while also toning up all those "female problem areas", the thighs, bum and tum.

One other thing I'd like to improve is my fitness in relation to my breathing. I find I get out of breath and hot and bothered, as well as suffering with rosy cheeks, all too easily. I think I'm one of those people who holds my breath without realising when I'm concentrating. So I'm keen to improve my breathing techniques.

I can find it hard to get motivated for exercise after work – and also it's difficult to attend classes when I'm working long hours. So the idea of being able to do fitness sessions at home with ThinqFitness is very appealing.

So little time for keeping fit

I'm hoping that the ThinQ videos at home will help me to fit in some exercise before or after work without the need to buy expensive equipment. And rather than just buy one exercise DVD I will have a choice of lots of classes to do each week. I will be able to pop on the Playstation3 and stream the videos on the Internet and play them full screen on my main TV.

Additionally to ThinQ classes I'm going to continue doing a 7am spin class at my local gym on Wednesdays.

I'll keep you up-dated as to how I go.

Introducing mum-of-one Marie, who is 34

2010-08-20T06:33:00.000-07:00

Marie and daughter Livia

Any kind of fitness activity has to fit around my daughter Livia because my husband David works away from home most of the week (Monday to Thursday). I manage to run and get to the gym a couple of times a week because they have a creche facility but this is due to close at the end of this month so I confess I'd become a little anxious about what I'd do instead. It is really hard being a mum and trying to squeeze in a few keep-fit sessions a week.

So the chance to test-drive ThinqFitness could not have come at a better time for me. I really need a fitness regime that I can fit around Livia - and one that I can do from home is perfect.

Over the last year I have been on something of a mission to lose weight. I felt out of shape, especially after being pregnant, and slowly but surely I have been shedding the pounds these last 12 months. The gym has helped, as has a better diet and the running. So far I've lost 2st 9lb.

ThinqFitness
starter blocks

Running is an ideal way to get fit if you have someone else to look after your child. It's flexible and time sensitive but I usually have to wait until David is at home to go out for a run. So far I have completed one 10k event and I plan to do two more this year and then a half-marathon.

But I do like to have a bit of variety in my fitness schedule and I'm still keen to shift a couple of inches off my thighs and bum, which are refusing to budge! I bet loads of women say this!

I am a nice size 12 but would LOVE to be a size 10. If i get there I will treat myself to some Victoria Beckham jeans ! The husband has been warned!

I have had a quick look at the ThinQfitness site and a couple of the videos look fun and I can't wait to get started. I'll be keeping you all posted as to how I get on.