Berry's bare belly challenge - February 2014

BerryH
BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
in Motivation and Support
Welcome to MFP's simplest challenge! If you sigh longingly at the success stories and wish your belly was smaller, this is the challenge for you.

All you have to do is commit to doing a workout with your belly out - say cropped top for ladies or shirt off for men - at the end of February... and that's it! If you want to, post a photo to prove you've done it. The idea is the thought of exposure will boost our exercise motivation for the month!

Those of us in the northern hemisphere may like to make it an indoor workout as belly frostbite is no fun! I'll probably do mine at home so as not to frighten the horses.

You can optionally post a "before" photo to compare, and tell your MFP friends what you'll do to improve your abs over the course of the month.

Without further ado, here's me. Beware, vast expanse of middle-aged belly ahead!

FrontbeforeFeb2014resized_zps6d01f1e5.jpg

SidebeforeFeb2014resized_zpsd7c0e5a3.jpg

To make this particular tub o' lard smaller, I commit to working out at least five times a week. This will consist of my gym resistance/cardio routine twice, one Zumba class, a long swim, and, when I can't make the gym, alternating HIIT cardio and resistance.

Over to you!
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Replies

  • vitacat
    vitacat Posts: 81 Member
    Ok Berry I'm in. My aim is to fasten my jeans by the end of feb. I'm not going to post my before pic here but I'll add one to the photos on my profile. I'll be dusting off my dance hoop and aim to do 20 minutes a day.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Awesome VC!

    Day 1, workout 1, new gym routine. Dynamic resistance using VIPR, TRX and kettle bell followed by treadmill HIIT and planks on the Power Plate, because it has to be good for something!
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Day 2, workout 2. Did a Tae Bo workout for the first time in ages today. It may be old school, but it's the most ab-tastic cardio I know, and not a single push-up or plank!
  • MrsSWW
    MrsSWW Posts: 1,585 Member
    Here we go, Berry, getting my belly out!

    93ee7712-48e5-461e-997c-df1e61178b7a_zps81b4049e.jpg

    f8bb51a5-5aa2-45c1-a475-913ff5db996a_zpsdf2bddaf.jpg

    Glad you did this again, I'm looking decidedly podgy... ergo, 30 Day Shred Day 1 completed.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Already looking very trim there Missus, nice muscle definition going on!

    Today's a rest day, so as planned I did HIIT resistance before work. Hard work first thing in the morning, but at least it's all over with in 8 minutes! I'll also go for a power-walk at lunchtime.

    As many as you can do in/hold for 30 seconds with 10 seconds between each:

    Jumping jacks
    Press-ups
    Wall-sit
    Abdominal crunches
    Step-ups on a step or chair
    Squats
    Triceps dips
    Plank
    High-knee running
    Lunges
    Press-up with rotation to arm-up side plank
    Side plank (each side)

    Optional extras

    Planks with leg raise
    Side plank with reach-around
    Reverse curl
  • martymum
    martymum Posts: 413 Member
    ok ok I'm here..will get a pic later but I may blind a few people...

    also what is a :-

    tricep dip
    press up rotation thing
    wall sit


    like the idea of 8 min workout..is this like the michael (I am an idiot) mosley workout?

    martyxx
  • sbarella
    sbarella Posts: 713 Member
    Very nice idea! I'll post my before and after pic in my old jeans as soon as I find them.
    I'm not overweight but my belly has always been my weak spot!
    I'm currently doing T25, some walking, planks and standing crunches.
    February will be a hectic month, so I could really need some extra accountability.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Yay! Welcome on board Marty!

    This is the bodyweight routine Michael Mosely uses alongside the better-known cardio HIIT, based on a paper in the American College of Sports Medicine's Health & Fitness Journal.

    Push-up with rotation:
    https://www.fitstudio.com/exercises/rotational-pushups
    Triceps dips:
    http://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Bench-Dip
    Wall sits:
    http://www.wikihow.com/Do-Wall-Sits
  • lwoodroff
    lwoodroff Posts: 1,431 Member
    tagging :)
  • Rianne90
    Rianne90 Posts: 229 Member
    Will take a picture in a little bit, I've never done before/after pictures so this should be good :)
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Welcome to the party sbarella, lwoodroff and Rianne!

    How to upload photos tutorial here (but remember this is entirely optional!):
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1041112-need-help-adding-pictures-look-here-tutorial-with-pics

    Quick précis:
    Resize using Paint or your editing tool of choice
    Upload to Photobucket
    Select the IMG option
    Paste in the thread then edit toand to [/img} before clicking 'Post Reply'.
  • BendySpartan
    BendySpartan Posts: 104 Member
    Why oh why is there not an easier way to post pics?

    Anyway I hope these have uploaded if not will put them in my pics on my profile. Probably need to stop blaming the child for the jelly belly given she is 5 now.....

    photo2_zps2ac420a9.jpg

    photo1_zpsa69c65b4.jpg

    You shall just need to turn me about - can not face any further faffing!!!
  • BendySpartan
    BendySpartan Posts: 104 Member
    Oh and I will be doing my 30 mins min exercise a day and have set alarms for when I am sat at my desk to do 5 mins ab work every hour (I work from home so a tad easier!)
  • MrsSWW
    MrsSWW Posts: 1,585 Member
    Here we go, Berry, getting my belly out!

    93ee7712-48e5-461e-997c-df1e61178b7a_zps81b4049e.jpg

    f8bb51a5-5aa2-45c1-a475-913ff5db996a_zpsdf2bddaf.jpg

    Glad you did this again, I'm looking decidedly podgy... ergo, 30 Day Shred Day 1 completed.
    For reference, this was the ONLY pre MFP belly picture in my possession, and I wasn't even my heaviest then. So a definite improvement, even though I'm feeling podgy at the moment!
    b97be288-d140-4d63-be86-c57ddf2c47af_zpse15496f0.jpg
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    For reference, this was the ONLY pre MFP belly picture in my possession, and I wasn't even my heaviest then. So a definite improvement, even though I'm feeling podgy at the moment!
    b97be288-d140-4d63-be86-c57ddf2c47af_zpse15496f0.jpg
    And here's my original MFP before photo; again I'd already been at it for a while:
    Frontviewsmall.jpg
  • BendySpartan
    BendySpartan Posts: 104 Member
    You've done good girls
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
    OK, I'm in, I'll save the pictures for later :embarassed:
  • Carrot1971
    Carrot1971 Posts: 272 Member
    How fun!!! Ok, I'm in. However, so as not to scare the feint of heart I may refrain from posting any pics :noway:
  • kendrafallon
    kendrafallon Posts: 1,030 Member
    How fun!!! Ok, I'm in. However, so as not to scare the feint of heart I may refrain from posting any pics :noway:
    Ok, I'm in too, but no pics being posted. I'm likely to trash my phone camera if I dare try and take a pic of me with a bare belly!!
  • marieamethyst
    marieamethyst Posts: 869 Member
    I'm in! Still working on my 8 month postpartum belly :laugh:

    progress.png

    My goal is to do at least 180 minutes of cardio every week to help get rid of the jiggly (along with staying under calorie goal), with strength training every other day.

    Good luck everyone!
  • Rianne90
    Rianne90 Posts: 229 Member
    Took a bit longer than I thought it would and my camera didn't work with me, but here we go:
    Buikie_zps3a98170b.jpg

    Edited to remove some unnecessary links that photobucket put in the code :)
  • martymum
    martymum Posts: 413 Member
    I haz the biggest belly...where's my prize????

    WP_20140203_001_zps79074d45.jpg[/URL]

    WP_20140203_003_zpsb1fcfae0.jpg[/URL]

    bleugh!!!
  • penny_eclipse
    penny_eclipse Posts: 524 Member
    image.jpg
  • penny_eclipse
    penny_eclipse Posts: 524 Member
    i've tried, and failed to make the photo work
    if anyone can help it's here:
    http://s71.photobucket.com/user/lbubs/media/Weight Loss Journey/image.jpg.html
  • martymum
    martymum Posts: 413 Member
    image_zps317e7762.jpg[/URL]


    this isn't me its Penny_eclipse : ))
  • MrsSWW
    MrsSWW Posts: 1,585 Member
    Penny, I have to say that's a very trim waist you got going on there!
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Looking good ladies, just think how awesome our bellies will look by the end of the month!

    Slightly disappointed there's no men with their shirts off - let's recruit some :tongue:

    Yesterday was an epic fail. I was at a trade fair with the usual trade fair food, then for various reasons I didn't get home until 10.30pm with no dinner except award ceremony booze and peanuts.

    Needless to say, no formal exercise, but there was a LOT of walking around!

    Zumba tonight. We have Tube strikes in London which will make getting home lengthy and difficult, but I think I've earned the right to leave early to make sure I get there!
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Made it home in time for Zumba. It was hip-wiggling, shoulder-shimmying goodness. I always leave with a big grin on my face! I should probably get some resistance training in tonight, ho hum.
  • MrsSWW
    MrsSWW Posts: 1,585 Member
    My workouts have become non-existent, HELP!!!!!!! :frown:
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    My workouts have become non-existent, HELP!!!!!!! :frown:
    C'mon Missus, just over three weeks to go before bellies are out. Get down and give me a plank!

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