My relationship with exercise has always been bittersweet. It's not that I hate exercising, it's more about what type of exercise it is and how long I'd be doing it for.
I have always been active, I love to dance and occasionally play badminton. However, recently I have been finding that I haven't been keeping myself active enough. With everything going on in the world, your anxiety can certainly increase and make you feel very cautious and apprehensive in taking part in anything new.
However, exercise is really effective in helping you feel more energetic, focused and at ease. Recently I tried Chloe Tings 2 Week Shred Challenge. Ting is a YouTube Personality who has created a niche for herself within the exercise world, as her workouts are well structured, informative and highly engaging.
Week 1:
If I had to describe the first week in one word, it would be tough.
The week involved doing Tings workouts every single day (including one rest day) and repeating sets throughout the day after breakfast and lunch.
The core exercises were really challenging considering I have a very weak core, with the worst one being planks. I am sure I am not the only one who hears "planks" and immediately runs to the nearest exit. But in the spirit of trying I persevered.
By day 3 I was already struggling as my motivation was hindered (mainly because my whole body was aching a lot). However, I carried on and took a little more time warming down (15 minutes exact). This really helped me the next day as my body wasn't aching too much and I felt more relieved of muscle tension.
By the end of the week, after finding my groove and reflecting on the week during my rest day, I found that I was actually looking forward to week 2 (crazy, right!?)
Week 2:
I decided that for week 2, I'd up my intensity.
During this week I found that I could hold the core exercises for longer and felt more able to do those exercises I struggled with before. This gave me an extra boost as I was able to channel all the extra energy into every set and exercise.
What was great too was that Ting's work out plan also included recipe ideas, which helped with picking out snacks and those meals which would aid each exercise set and so forth.
Overall, taking part in Ting's 2 Week Shred Challenge was tough, intense but highly rewarding. It made me not want to exercise, then want to exercise and so forth (but in a good way). I also found that by the end of the week my core was feeling a lot tighter and firmer as well.
The sheer structure and length of Ting's program was also great and the videos included really easy to follow guidance from Ting herself. If you want to challenge yourself and to revisit or even start a fresh your exercise routine, then Ting's work outs are a great place to start.
Chloe Ting's work outs and plans can be found here.
WHAT I LEARNT FROM THIS EXPERIENCE:
It's okay to take your time. Progress is best made at your own pace as every person's body is different in building up muscle.
Having rest days are important for muscle recovery and for building up strength.
Working out at home doesn't have to be expensive, as you don't need any fancy equipment. All you need is yourself, a positive attitude, good trainers and a yoga mat, but that's optional!
If you would like to submit a story, anonymously or under your name, please get in touch! You can fill out the contact form on the website or email youmeandanxiety@outlook.com!