30 Day Body Transformation – Part 1

Is it possible to change your body in 30 days?

Yes, it is possible to make noticeable changes to your body in 30 days with a dedicated and consistent approach. A 30-day commitment can help establish a routine of regular exercise and mindful eating, setting the foundation for long-term habits. By sticking to the programme, you create a blueprint for a healthier lifestyle that can last much longer than 30 days.

What changes can I expect to see?

Weight loss – you can expect to see a reduction in body weight due to a combination of physical exercise and improved nutrition. You will also see a reduction in inch measurements too such as waist, abs and hips.
Muscle gain – you can expect to see an increase in muscle mass (possibly weight gain if you are building muscle faster than losing fat). While you might not experience dramatic muscle growth in 30 days, you’ll likely notice firmer muscles and increased muscle endurance.
Improved muscle tone – you will see improved muscle tone especially in the areas targeted by your workouts.
Fat reduction – you may see a reduction in body fat percentage, thereby reducing the risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and fatty liver disease.
Enhanced strength and endurance – you will see improved stamina and strength allowing you to perform exercises more easily and with more endurance.
Improved posture and flexibility – your posture will improve due to strengthened core muscles and stretching will improve your flexibility. Better posture can reduce any pain or discomfort (primarily back pain) caused by poor posture.
Increased energy levels – Improved fitness and better nutrition leads to higher energy levels. You might find yourself more motivated and productive in your daily life as your body adapts to a healthier routine.
Better sleep – regular physical activity promotes better sleep.
Improved mood, mental well-being and a more positive outlook – you will experience a reduction in stress and an overall improvement in mood due to the release of endorphins during exercise.
Better focus and cognitive function – You will be able to concentrate and have mental clarity, often linked with physical activity and proper nutrition.

Follow the first 2 weeks of our body transformation workout designed to help you transform your body. This programme combines strength training, cardiovascular exercise and flexibility workouts to promote overall fitness and well-being.

If the exercise requires weights, choose dumbbells which challenge you but allow you to complete the reps. If you don’t have dumbbells to hand, use filled water bottles.

Please consult your doctor before starting any new fitness programme, especially if you have any pre-existing health conditions.

Week 1: Foundation.

Day 1: Full Body Strength Training.

Warm-up: 5 minutes of dynamic stretching. Do 60 seconds of each of the following stretches or 30 seconds per side:

Arm circles (stand with arms out to the side and rotate your arms making large circles)

Hip rotations (stand and lift one leg, rotate round in a circle, place the foot back on the ground and repeat with the other leg)

Waist twists (stand with feet shoulder width apart, keep a soft bend in the knees and twist side to side from the hips and waist (not the knees)).

Squats (stand with feet hip width apart, and lower down as though you are sitting on a chair by pushing the hips back. Push back up through the heels).

Arm swings (stand with arms out to the side, palms facing down and swing arms from side to side).

Workout:

Squats (3 sets of 15 reps) – Stand with feet hip width apart and lower down as though you are sitting on a chair, keeping your back straight and head and chest up. Push back up through the heels.

Push-ups (3 sets of 10-15 reps) – Place your hands on the floor a little more than shoulder width apart and extend your legs back, keeping your back straight. Lower your body until your chest is close to the floor, and then push back up until your arms are straight. These can be performed on your knees if you need.

Bent-over rows (3 sets of 12 reps) – Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Bend over at a 45° angle, keeping your back straight and your neck neutral. Breathe in and then exhale as you pull the dumbbells up towards the sides of your chest. Keep your wrists stable and life as far as your range of motion allows. Lower the weights back down in a controlled manner.

Floor chest press (3 sets of 12 reps) – Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms fully extended towards the ceiling. Lower the weights towards the floor and then push back up.

Bicycle crunches (3 sets of 20 reps) – Lie on the floor with your legs in tabletop position, place your hands behind your head with your elbows wide (do not pull on your head), engage your core and lift your head and chest off the floor. Straighten your right leg to 45° whilst turning your upper torso to the left, bringing your right elbow towards the left knee. Alternate sides to mimic a bicycle motion.

Cool down: 5 minutes of static stretching. Hold each of the following stretches for 60 seconds:

Quad stretch (stand with feet hip-width apart, squeeze your core muscles and relax your shoulders. Bend your right leg bringing your heel towards your bum and grab your foot with your right hand. Hold for 30 seconds and then repeat with the left leg)

Hamstring stretch (stand and stretch your right leg out in front of you, placing your heel on the floor with your toes pointing towards the ceiling. Keeping this leg straight, have a soft bend in your left leg and hinge at the hips to bend forwards slightly. You should feel the stretch in the back of your thigh. Hold for 30 second and repeat with the left leg).

Ab stretch (lie on the floor, place your hands underneath your shoulders and push your upper body off the floor).

Low back stretch (lie on the floor and hug your knees in towards your chest).

Arm and shoulder stretch (stretch your right arm out and across your body. Use your left arm to tuck around the right and pull i towards your body. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat with the left arm).

Day 2: Cardio and Core

Warm up: 5 –10 minutes of light jogging or brisk walking.

Workout:

Sprint/walk (20 minutes) – Alternate between 30 seconds sprinting and 30 seconds walking.

Russian twists (3 sets of 20 reps) – Sit on the floor and lean backwards to a 45° angle. You can either keep your feet on the floor or raise them slightly (if you raise them off the floor, make sure that you keep your hips still). Rotate your body as far as is comfortable to one side and then to the other. Keep your back neutral and at a 450176 angle throughout the movement.

Mountain climbers (3 sets of 30 seconds) – Start in a plank position on your hands and toes with your core engaged and your arms shoulder-width apart and your body straight. Bring one knee towards your chest and then return it to the plank position. Repeat with the other leg and alternate quickly as though you are running against the floor, keeping your back straight throughout the exercise.

Leg raises (3 sets of 15 reps) – Lie on the floor with your legs straight and your arms by your side. Engage your core and lift your legs a few inches off the floor. Raise your legs higher until your feet are pointing towards the ceiling and you have made a 90° angle with your body. Slowly lower them back down without touching the floor. If you have any lower back problems, don’t take your legs as far down – keep them a little higher.

Cool down: 5 – 10 minutes of walking or light stretching

Day 3: Lower Body Strength Training

Warm up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic lower body stretches. Do 60 seconds of each of the following or 30 seconds per side:

Squat jumps – Start in a squat position and push through the heels to propel yourself into a jump, land and lower back into the squat position.

Lateral lunges – Stand with feet hip-width apart, and take a big step to the right. Bend your right knee and push your hips back until your knee is at 90°. Push back up through your right foot until back at the starting position and repeat with the other leg.

Inchworm – Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart. Fold forwards, keeping your legs straight, until your hands touch the floor. Keep your head in line with your back. Walk your hands forwards in front of you until your body is in a high plank position. Hold for a second or two, then walk your hands back towards your feet. Repeat.

Butt kicks – Stand straight and start by taking one leg back, trying to get as close to your glutes as you can. Return that leg and repeat with the other. Pick up the pace so that you are jogging touching each glute in turn.

Hip rotations – Start by standing straight. Lift one knee up to hip level and slowly rotate the leg towards the outside of the body. When you have gone as far as you can, begin to lower the leg to the floor. Repeat with the other leg.

Workout:

Lunges – (3 sets of 8 per leg) Stand with your feet hip-width apart, keeping your chest up and your shoulders back. Take a big step forward and lower your body towards the floor, bending both knees to 90°. Keep your front knee over your toes and your back knee a few inches from the floor. Push through your front leg to return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg.

Deadlifts – (3 sets of 10) Stand with your toes slightly underneath the barbell. Bend forwards to grab the bar with a shoulder-width grip and bend your knees until your shins touch the bar. Take a deep breath, lift your chest, straighten your lower back and exhale as you stand up with the weight, pushing upwards through the legs. Lower the bar towards the floor in a reverse motion, keeping your back straight.

Calf raises – (sets of 15) Stand straight on a flat surface with your toes pointed straight ahead. Lift your heels off the floor to flex your calf muscle. Hold for a second or two and then slowly lower back to the floor. Hold onto the wall if you need to for balance.

Glute bridges – (3 sets of 10) Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your arms by your side with palms down. Lift your hips off the floor until your knees, hips and shoulders form a straight line. Squeeze your glutes and hold for a few seconds and lower back down to the floor. (Roll down through the vertebrae).

Plank hip dips – (3 sets of 16) – Start in plank position, on your forearms and toes. Dip one hip towards the floor, come back to plank position and then dip the other hip.

Cool down: 5 minutes of static stretching. Hold each of the following stretches for 30 seconds per leg (60 seconds for the low back stretch):

Hip and thigh stretch (stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and take a large step back with one leg. Bend your front knee and lower your body until your back knee touches the ground. Place your hands on your front knee and push your hips forwards.

Seated glute stretch (sit upright on a chair. Place your right ankle on top of your left knee and place your hands on the shin of that leg. Keep your back straight and lean forwards until you feel a stretch. Repeat with the other leg.

Low back stretch (lie on the floor and hug your knees in towards your chest). Rock from side to side.

Day 4: Rest or Active Recovery

Have a complete rest day.
Complete 30 minutes of light activity such as yoga or walking.

Day 5: Upper Body Strength Training

Warm up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic upper body stretches. Do 60 seconds of each of the following stretches or 30 seconds per side:

Arm circles (stand with arms out to the side and rotate your arms making large circles)

Waist twists (stand with feet shoulder width apart, keep a soft bend in the knees and twist side to side from the hips and waist (not the knees)).

Arm swings (stand with arms out to the side, palms facing down and swing arms from side to side).

Supermans (Start by lying face down on the floor, with your legs extended and your arms by your side. Lift legs and extend your arms overhead at the same tie, engaging your back, lats, glutes and shoulders. Pause for a couple of seconds and then lower back down, bending your arms to return to the starting position.

Shoulder rolls (Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart and your arms by your sides. Breathe in and lift your shoulders up towards your ears. Move your shoulders back in a circular motion, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Breathe out and drop your shoulders back to the start.

Workout:

Push-ups (3 sets of 10 reps) – Place your hands on the floor a little more than shoulder width apart and extend your legs back, keeping your back straight. Lower your body until your chest is close to the floor, and then push back up until your arms are straight. These can be performed on your knees if you need.

Shoulder press: (3 sets of 10 reps) Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing away from you. Squeeze your core and shoulder blades and push the weights up towards the ceiling until your arms are almost straight and the weights are above your shoulders. Lower the weights back to the starting position slowly and with control.

Bicep Curls: (3 sets of 10 reps) Stand straight with a dumbbell in each hand and your hands by your sides with your palms facing forwards. Squeeze the biceps and lift the dumbbells, keeping your elbows close to your body and your upper arms stationary (only the forearms should move). Once the dumbbells are at shoulder level, lower slowly and with control back to the starting position.

Overhead triceps extension: (3 sets of 10 reps) Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding one dumbbell in both hands. Lift the weight overhead, extending your arms fully and keeping your elbows close to your head. Keep your upper arms stationary and slowly bend your elbows to lower the weight behind your head. Lower until the weight is just below a 90° angle with your upper arms. Lift the weight back up until your arms are fully extended.

Cool down: (5 – 10 minutes of upper body static stretching)

Shoulder stretch (Stand tall and hold one arm above the elbow with the opposite hand. Pull your arm slowly across your body towards your chest, keeping the elbow below shoulder height, until you feel a stretch in your shoulder.

Overhead triceps and shoulder stretch (Stand tall and bring one arm overhead and drop your forearm behind you, resting it on your back between your shoulder blades. Place your other hand just above your elbow and gently push down until you feel a stretch in your shoulder and triceps. Try to keep your arm close to your head.

Spinal twist (Lie on your back on the floor with your arms out to the side. Bring your knees up towards your chest and drop them both to one side as you twist your upper body in the opposite direction. Try to keep your knees and hips in line with each other, your shoulders on the floor and your chest should stay facing the ceiling.

Biceps stretch (Sit on the floor with your legs bent. Place the palms of your hands behind you with your fingers pointing away from your body. Keep your hands still and slowly slide your bum away from your hands until you feel a stretch in your biceps.

Day 6: Cardio

Warm up: 5–10 minutes of brisk walking

Workout:

30–45 minutes of jogging, cycling or swimming at a moderate pace

Cool down:

5–10 minutes of walking or light stretching

Day 7: Flexibility & Mobility

30-45 minutes of yoga or a guided stretching routine to enhance flexibility and mobility – you can use this real-time follow along Yoga video from our Facebook Page!

Week 2: Building strength and endurance

Day 8: Full body strength training

Repeat Day 1’s warm up, workout and cool down. Increase the weights or up the reps by 2.

Day 9: Cardio and Core

Repeat Day 2’s workout

Day 10: Lower Body strength Training

Repeat Day 3’s warm up, workout and cool down. Increase the weights or up the reps by 2

Day 11: Rest or Active Recovery

Repeat day 4

Day 12: Upper Body Training

Repeat Day 5’s workout. Increase the weights or up the reps by 2

Day 13: Cardio

Repeat Day 6’s workout. Try to maintain or slightly increase the intensity

Day 14: Flexibility & Mobility

Repeat Day 7 – you can use the same video as day 7 or opt for this one! We also have lots more if you head to our Facebook page and search under our ‘live’ videos!

How are you feeling? You should be feeling stronger, sleeping better and have noticeably more energy 😊

Look out for the last two weeks of this 30-day body transformation in the next blog!

Much Love

Caroline & Hannah xx