Ashy Bines

mulcahya

Hey guys,

I am just finishing my 10th week of Ashy Bines Bikini Body Challenge, which is a boot camp in heaps of locations around Australia (expanding to the US and further). I had read all these testimonials and success stories and although it sounded good, I didn't think it would be that great for me. After losing 10kg last year, I regained 6 over exams and on a big holiday to Europe with my partner. Before leaving for my trip I had signed up for the boot camp as I thought it would be a good way to kick start the year! I was pretty obsessed with calorie counting and the number on the scales in my last weight loss journey, and I never thought I'd be any different.

The challenge comes with a clean eating plan which is not at all calorie focussed, it focusses on lots of protein, lots of vegetables, and minimizing unnecessary carbohydrates, particularly at dinner. It has a focus on biggest meal as breakfast, and smallest meal as dinner, with lots of water! I love eating at night and LOVE carbohydrates so I was interested in how I would find this.

The actual boot camp itself comprises of a range of different activities each week - I have signed up for 3/week which usually includes a mix of boxing, running, strength work, pilates, and challenges each week in fitness/cardio/strength which really help to push yourself. It is a 12 week challenge with 4 individual fitness tests that you perform three times during the challenge - seeing the improvements is so awesome!!!

Anyway. Even though I thought I would struggle with the eating plan, it actually was pretty good. It got me into an awesome habit of eating breakfast which (surprise surprise) actually kept me full throughout the day! It stopped me from snacking at night, and I now drink around 4-5L water every day. I know a lot of people don't agree with this but I have maintained a "cheat meal" every Friday night (usually burger/chips) which for me, works. It gets me through hard days and for me that's okay. I'm not as strict as I was initially now I'm at my goal weight and a lot healthier, but the principles are something I will hopefully stick with for the rest of my life. It has really educated me in a different way, and as a medical student I had previously thought I knew enough about nutrition, but this really was different.

Now - results!

So, from week 1 - week 10 I have....

- Lost 7.1kg (11% of my initial body weight)
- Lost 5% body fat
- Gained 4.5kg muscle
- Gained 1.7% body water
- Reduced visceral fat from 6 to 1
- Reduced my metabolic age by 33 years
- Increased my BMR by 268 calories

- Lost 10cm from waist
- Lost 11cm from hips
- Lost 4cm from chest
- Lost 5cm from each leg
- Lost 4cm from each arm

I have increased my strength a HUGE amount and can now run 6.5km in only 30seconds more than in took me to run 4km at the start of the challenge.

I am SO much more toned and so much healthier, I'm loving the way I feel My pic at the moment is me at the beginning - me in Week 6, and I will post a new photo at end of Week 12

I just thought I'd share my success because I am so happy with my results and when I was starting the challenge I couldn't find heaps of info about it, none really on this website. So if anyone is unsure about it, I can tell you it definitely worked for me! The supportive environment was so great, and my body confidence has skyrocketed, such a wonderful feeling

Schann7

Wow! Great results!! I always see the Ashy Bines page on facebook, but I never really knew what it was exactly. Thanks for sharing! I can't believe your stats!! Well done!

Mads1997

wow how many calories were you eating to gain 4.5 kilo of muscle in 2.5 months? How much time did you spend lifting weights?

mulcahya

Thanks heaps everyone I'm so happy and feeling awesome!!!

My diary is public I think, but I probably ate on average 1100 Calories a day. I had quite a few days under 1000, and a few days over 1400, but otherwise I'd say on average 1100 per day. I tried to eat <80g Carbs per day and as much protein as I could. I didn't do a lot of specific weight training to be honest, most was pushups/squats/lunges/etc. through the challenge but also incorporated ~1 - 2 hour long weight sessions per week for 3 - 4 weeks of it

niki87lewis

Thanks heaps everyone I'm so happy and feeling awesome!!!

My diary is public I think, but I probably ate on average 1100 Calories a day. I had quite a few days under 1000, and a few days over 1400, but otherwise I'd say on average 1100 per day. I tried to eat <80g Carbs per day and as much protein as I could. I didn't do a lot of specific weight training to be honest, most was pushups/squats/lunges/etc. through the challenge but also incorporated ~1 - 2 hour long weight sessions per week for 3 - 4 weeks of it

im confused, you gained 4.5kg of muscle like this? without lifting weights and without a calorie surplus? how do you know you gained muscle

Mads1997

Even more impressed. All i could manage lifting heavy 3-4 times a week is 300 gms of muscle over a 6 week period.

mulcahya

Used accurate body composition scales and measurements. I didn't intentionally eat in deficit, it just worked out that way with the foods I was eating sometimes. And the challenge involves intensive body strength training i.e. push-ups, squats, squat jumps, lunges, lunge jumps and other pliometric work. So for someone beginning with ~30% body fat and without a huge deal of strength (particularly in my legs), I was able to lose ~5% body fat and gain 4.5kg muscle based on these exercises - the difference is amazingly noticeable, my legs actually have muscles now!

ThriftyChica12

congrats! i think body weight exercises (squats, push ups, etc etc) are a GREAT way to build muscle...i am starting to strength train for the first time ever, and i am using a program without "weights" beyond my own body to start with.