Pebble Penn : Exercise

The Benny Fitness Challenge - Update.

The Benny Fitness Challenge started in May, looking back when I completed the first post I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. I was overly optimistic and probably unrealistic as well.

However now I can bravely and shameless say - I am doing well on this challenge.

I have learnt what works for me, and learnt to enjoy the process without thinking too much about the unrealistic stereotypes and results.

At the start I listened to everything and anything anyone had to say about being fit. But I soon realised that what works for other people, or what other people think works might not necessarily work well with my lifestyle.
I started with doing things I wasn't really comfortable with and I didn't really enjoy. Someone said Les Mills Pump class built muscle which burnt more calories and so I scheduled in Pump class every week - but for me, I don't really enjoy doing weights but I went to the classes anyone.
Someone else said that running on the treadmill didn't burn even burn enough calories to cover one small meal and that it was a waste of time - and so I cut out running all together because I wanted to do things that were more efficient with loosing weight.
And from then my mentality slowly changed from wanting to be more fit to wanting to loose weights not he scale and wanting to be skinning. Of course, because I was doing things that I didn't really enjoy I started to go from 3 sessions a week to 0 sessions a week.

However, I finally realised a fitness challenge was only effective and motivating if you do things that you love. Finding a balance between work, play and fitness. It really is a lifestyle change, not a a temporary fix.

Here is my routine, changed from doing things everyone else said was good, but doing things I enjoy!

MONDAY: Endurance Run + Circuit

TUESDAY: Body Balance

WEDNESDAY: Rest Day

THURSDAY: Body Balance

FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: Rest Day / Endurance Run + Abs Exercises

SUNDAY: Endurance Run + Abs Exercises

It looks hectic, but I never stay more than an hour like I used to. I find that consistent exercising is better then making myself stay in the gym for ages at a time. It was so draining, and I lost so much of my night!

From all of this, I realised the importance to doing things that you love and enjoy, because it is not a gruelling task if you enjoy it! Embracing a lifestyle change and finding a new tempo has never been so fun!

Good Luck Everyone!

The Benny Fitness Challenge Continues!

Girly Abs Here I Come!!

xoxo

Penn

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, by Unknown

Blackburn North

Bounce! Bounce! Bounce!

Some of you may know, that I currently have exams looming over my shoulders and I have just been at home studying with Superman, or at the gym exercising for The Benny Challenge .

But yesterday I took some time out to go to Bounce with my high school friends, thank you Milk for organising such a fun event! It was absolutely amazing fun!! Brought out the kid in everyone!

So… what is bounce?

It is basically a building with lots of trampolines inside. With sections for dodgeball games, freestyle jumping trampolines, Performance Trampolines and The Wall (for those with the skills to bounce and walk horizontally on the wall).

The average age of everyone who walked to was about 10 to 12, but it is for adults and children alike. But to be honest, age shouldn't matter, because it is overall just an amazing experience.

What are the costs?

The costs are listed on their website, however I paid AUD$15 which included a pair of Bounce Socks. Which is basically a part of black socks with grips underneath to enhance your experience on trampolines.

How did you go?

I like to think I did well, but I basically just jumped really high on the trampolines, and scrambled a few times up the vertical trampolines to sit on top. It took more strength and stamina then I had thought it would take to muck around on a trampoline! We were dead tired after about 10 minutes on the trampolines!

Superman and the boys ended up doing cool tricks like flipping and bouncing off walls, but I think their favourite was dodgeball.

Did you know…. Trampoline Benefits.

1) Cardiovascular Fitness

So apparently NASA says 10 mins bouncing is a better cardiovascular workout than 33 minutes of running. Yup, I would trust NASA.

2) Co-ordination and Agility

I agree with this, it took me a couple of falls before i realised I had to concentrate on balance and being overall co-ordinated. Something I don't do well on flat ground already…

3) Low Impact Exercise

The trampolines absorbs alot of the shock from the rebound, the website says about 80%.

4) Muscle Toning

Jumping activates the core muscles as you are constantly engaged in keeping stable and balance. Girly abs anyone? (I wish!)

5) Improve Bone Density

This is completely off the bounce website, I don't know how this works. But it says, by placing the musculoskeletal system under repeated slight stress while you jump allows your bones to become stronger to cope for the pressures of rebound.

6) Relieve Stress

I completely agree with this one, I was so stressed about my exams before I went. And afterwards I was just so high on the fun, and it made me so energetic and ready to face the rest of the day! Similar to a good workout at the gym, only with an extra fun element to it!

Overall, spending an hour on the trampolines with my high school friends was an amazing experience. Mostly because these were people I generally don't get a chance to catch up with, and two because it was a new experience for everyone involved.

It didn't matter whether you were fit (ahem Superman and Milk) or you were just ok with sports and stuff (Me). It was fun for everyone. We have all been on trampolines when we were kids, and it was massive fun, for there to be a platform where adults, adolescents and kids can just freestyle and jump around and giggle - I think it is a fantastic business idea!

Left: Superman aka le bf.
Right: Milk (thanks for organising the event!)
Both turned up looking like twins!

I would definitely return to Bounce, I heard they have something called BounceFit, where it is like a class, and you do your planks and your cardio on a trampoline each! It is unavailable at the moment in the Bounce that is near my house, so I will wait and see. Also consult with my exercise partner B.

Also Shout Outs to an amazing guy who worked at Bounce who was doing crazy flips and walking vertically up walls and encouraging everyone he saw to just give it a go!

It is not about how well you do, it is just about how much you try!

Everybody should get Bouncing!

Yup. The is how happy you will be after bounce. Oh. So Elegant. of me. (note the sarcasim)

xoxo

Penny

Have you been to Bounce before?

Or Do you want to try out Bounce?

p.s Check our their website here.

http://bounceinc.com.au/

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, by Unknown

Achievable

The Benny Fitness Challenge

The Benny Fitness Challenge

This is the first time I have spoken about Fitness on my blog, and this is a actually a Challenge that I started nearly a month ago. I have waited a month because I wanted to test my resistance, commitment and motivation prior to speaking about it - because half of it is a mental battle inside.

So before everyone rolls their eyes and say "Another girl, on another weight loss challenge…" please hear me out.

So Bec is my best friend, and her significant other recently popped the question and she is now proudly engaged and preparing for her wedding. We decided that the wedding was the biggest motivation for anyone to get up off he couch and exercise - so we created Benny vs World. Benny is basically the nickname we use to have when we were in high school becuase we accidentally finish off each others sentences and think pretty much the same. The wedding is nearly two years away, but we are starting now - because we don't believe starving yourself to get into your wedding dress 6 months prior is as good as initiating a lifestyle change 2 years in advance.

Here is us from her engagement party…

Left to Right: Me and Bec

Left to Right: Me, Bec, Ironman (her fiance), Superman (le bf) --> yes… we are lame with the nicknames

As you can see we aren't what society would call obese or skinny or toned. We are just the average person, and we wanted to get fit. We don't want to loose weight, or starve ourselves or have unrealistic expectations of the female body. No, no, no.

We want to replace our flabby parts with toned muscles. And we want to have a healthier lifestyle, opting for a fruit rather than the second scoop of ice cream every night. Simple thing like that.

So here is the challenge:

Goal 01 - Exercise Minimum of Three Times a Week

Goal 02 - Eat Healthy, but sometimes junk is ok

Goal 03 - Stay Motivated

Some of you may be surprised that none of those goals involve how many kgs we want to be, or what size dress we ultimately want to be.

We conducted some basic research online, and found that achievable small goals worked better than say if the number 1 goal was to be in a size 6 dress comfortably. Goals are meant to be actions that can be taken to achieve, exercising three times a week will eventually lead you to that size 6 dress anyway - why focus on the superficial goals.

For the past month, with the encouragement of Bec (aka Benny) we have stuck to our goals and achieved even when we were tired after work or it was too cold in the morning to go and exercise.

We started off by creating a shared drive to match our busy schedules together, we coupled exercise goals along with lifestyle goals which were achievable and simple to do.

Here is the before pictures… I will keep you guys updated.