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Transformations

Body Makeover Challenge – Week 4

Week 1, 2, 3 & 4 bikini pics of Karen, Body Makeover Challenge Week 4 , by Healthista.com

Karen’s Body makeover Challenge Week 4 has been a tricky week with mood swings, bad skin and a drink or two being sneaked in (hey, she’s human) but exercise is on the rise and determination is still persevering

karen greenfield headshot, Body Makeover Challenge Week 4 , by  Healthista.comWell, I have to say I am a little disappointed with my one pound weight loss this week. I haven’t had the best week and – taking everything into account – I am pleased that the scales are still going in the right direction. I have been feeling very stressed this week and have had lots to do both at home and work.

I have been very ratty this week. Apparently it does pass, thank goodness.

My skin has been driving me crazy; I am never very happy with my skin but this week has been particularly awful. I have the worst spots on my chin, all under the skin so it’s very painful.

I emailed Charlotte and she advised that when we start to bring down stress hormones and take out dietary factors that compromise full detoxification, we can start to feel some effects as clearance of toxins becomes more efficient.

Basically, we’re clearing up a bit of a backlog, so it’s a lot for the body to deal with and as the skin is our second organ of detoxification, we can see things come out that route. Spots on the chin have been long associated with the liver in traditional medicines, she explained, as has irritability. In Chinese Medicine, the liver is associated with anger. I often see people get pretty ratty as they’re going through elimination phases… This is so true, I have been very ratty this week. Apparently it does pass, thank goodness.

Spots on the chin have been long associated with the liver in traditional medicines, as has irritability.

It was my mum’s birthday on Sunday and I decided to spring a surprise visit on her. Unfortunately my mum doesn’t live around the corner, she is a four hour drive away in Norfolk. I had to work all day on Saturday, but managed to get away at 4.30pm and head up to see her. She was absolutely over the moon when we arrived. To celebrate our arrival, my dad brought out a bottle of rum. I know I said I wasn’t going to drink any alcohol for three months but my husband and I both decided to have a drink…or three! I can’t believe I broke my promise to myself and felt really cross for drinking but it has been an incredibly stressful week, and as Charlotte Watts keeps telling me – I am only human.

I can’t believe I broke my promise to myself and felt really cross for drinking but as Charlotte Watts keeps telling me – I am only human.

Needless to say I felt awful the next morning, really tired and lethargic. I didn’t sleep very well either. It really made me realise just how awful alcohol makes me feel. Anyway, I had arranged to take my mum and dad to Congham Hall Hotel in Norfolk for a three course Sunday Lunch to celebrate her birthday. We had a delicious meal, and I made sure I chose the healthiest options on the menu which included crayfish salad to start, roast pork and vegetables, (I gave the crackling away to my husband), and the tiniest pannacotta with raspberry sorbet. The pannacotta was so small that I didn’t feel too guilty. I did however have a small glass of Merlot with my meal which I really enjoyed. Normally, I would have had three large glasses so I was very restrained. Normally when I follow a diet (see images of all the previous diet books I have purchased below) and say I won’t drink alcohol, I follow it for a couple of weeks but usually start drinking after a week or two and then can’t seem to stop. I haven’t had any alcohol since the visit to my mum’s and I don’t have any more plans for the next few weekends, so hopefully no more temptations. I have to say that this is by far the longest I have stuck to a particular diet for. The De-Stress Diet really works for me because it is not a fad diet and I don’t have to count points, drink shakes or make juices so I am so much more inclined to stick with it. By now, I normally would have given up.

Karen's previous diet books, Body Makeover Challenge Week 4 , by  Healthista.com
Karen’s previous diet books

I went to Charlotte Watt’s yoga session on Tuesday night with my daughter. I do not find yoga easy at all – I am incredibly inflexible and almost feel like it’s torture when I’m there but just love the way I feel after her yoga sessions. I am hoping it will get easier the more I practice. On Friday night, Charlotte went through the two morning and evening yoga sequences from her latest book, The De Stress Effect which is due out in March. I have to say that I did find this easier and again felt amazing afterwards.

By now, I normally would have given up.

Apart form the delicious three course meal at the restaurant, this week’s food highlights were root veg soup and seabass with asparagus…

On Tuesday, I had a Skype session with Charlene Hutsebaut, my trainer. We discussed the strength training moves that I should be focusing on to really target my problem areas such as my upper arms. Charlene recommended that I add some tricep dips to really focus on toning that area. We also discussed squats and lunges. I find that lunges are painful on my left knee but seem fine with squats so Charlene recommended that I do wall squats instead of lunges. Charlene and I agreed that I would gradually increase my walking, continuing with my usual 45 minutes to 50 minutes in the morning, but also increase my evening walk by five minutes each week. I agreed that four times a week for the strength training was manageable as each session was only about ten minutes long.

Charlene also recommended that I consciously check my posture when standing, something she referred to as the ‘stacked position’. She said to stand quietly for a minute, have your head and neck sitting gently and neutrally above your shoulder girdle, which floats above your rib cage, which sits above your core unit (soft tissue area between pelvis and rib cage, which all floats above your pelvis). Remember to gently engage your abdominal muscles and lower your back like you have a corset to hold you. To practice this, tie a string around your belly (do not engage yet), and once the string is tied around you, gently try tightening your abs and lower back. The string should fall somewhat loose because the muscles are wrapping in to support you. Your shoulder blades are sitting down and back slightly. Charlene said to try standing in the stacked position for a minute, bringing your attention to each segment of the five and if they are feeling neutral. Once finished feel free to move to your walk or your weight training session.

I have now invested in the Garmin Vivofit which records the number of steps I take. The other very useful thing it does is remind me when I have been inactive for more than an hour. When the red bar appears it reminds me to get up and move. This backs up what Charlotte said that moving every hour is so important to keep all the fluids circulating throughout your body. Charlotte had recommended I aim to do 12,500 steps a day but on Monday I managed to do 15,903! I did not stop all day though.

Charlotte had recommended I aim to do 12,500 steps a day but on Monday I managed to do 15,903!

Exercise this week:

Tuesday: Morning 45 minute walk, evening 15 minute walk. Yoga with Charlotte 1.5 hours.

Wednesday: Morning 45 minute walk, evening 15 minute walk. ten minute strength training routine.

Thursday: Morning 45 minute walk, evening 15 minute walk.

Friday: Morning 45 minute walk, walked to and from work: total of 30 minutes, evening 15 minute walk. De Stress Effect Group with 1 hour of yoga included.

Saturday: No exercise apart as I worked all day and drove to Norfolk in the evening. Sunday: No exercise as with my mum and dad, drove home in the evening.

Monday: Morning 45 minute walk, evening 15 minute walk…Made up for the lack of exercise at the weekend by managing to do 15,903 steps!! Totally exhausted by the end of the day.

The table below shows Karen’s progression from Week Three to Week Four:

Week 3 & 4

 

Week 1 & 4 bikini shot side by side, Body makeover challenge Week4, by Healthista.com

Charlotte Watts headshot, Body Makeover Challenge Week 4 , by  Healthista.comCharlotte Watts is a nutritionist and yoga teacher whose work has focused on how nutrition and yoga can meet to help people cope with the demands we face in the 21st century. Her practice and teaching of mindfulness weaves these together and has culminated in her new book The De-Stress Effect: Rebalance Your Body’s Systems for Vibrant Health and Happiness. She has also authored The De-Stress Diet (with Anna Magee) and 100 Best Foods for Pregnancy and 100 Foods to Stay Young. Find out more at charlottewattshealth.com. Charlotte is also Healthista’s Calmista blogger. Follow Charlotte @cwnutritionyoga.

Charlene headshot, Body Makeover Challenge Week 4 , by  Healthista.comCharlene Hutsebaut B.P.E, B.Ed, CSCS is a personal trainer, pilates instructor, brand ambassador, speaker and writer with over 15,000 client hours and 22 years of experience in the fitness industry.  Charlene runs her Personal Training Consultancy in London at the exclusive St. Pancras Hotel Spa and  is a sought after inspirational corporate wellness speaker. She has a regular fitness column in Total Sports Performancemagazine as well as for Passport – the inflight magazine for Monarch Airlines and has written for Bodyfit, Prima, FitPro, Fitness Life New Zealand and has been featured in London, Fabric, Grove, Woman, Natural Healthmagazines, as well as The Daily Mail and Express. To find out more about Charlene, please visit her website. Follow charlene @positivelyslim.

Check out our previous Body Makeover Challenges…

BODY MAKEOVER CHALLENGE 1: Charmian Walker Smith

Chairman Walker Smith slider, Body Makeover Challenge - Week Two, by Healthista.com

BODY MAKEOVER CHALLENGE 2: Caroline Williams

Caroline Williams slider, Body Makeover Challenge - Week Two, by Healthista.com

BODY MAKEOVER CHALLENGE 3: Thelma Mensah

Thelma Mensah slider, Body Makeover Challenge - Week Two, by Healthista.com

 

BODY MAKEOVER CHALLENGE 4: Anastasia

Anastasia final slider, Body Makeover Challenge - Week Two, by Healthista.com

 

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