Fitness Challenge | Girl Meets Life | a lifestyle blog by Gracie Gordon

#LEAN14: “nothin’ fancy” HIIT workout.

21 March, 2014 by Gracie 4 Comments

Back in December I shared my go-to HIIT treadmill workout. It’s a great one that I still do often!

Sometimes, though, I need my workouts to be as basic as possible in order for me to actual exercise at all. While my last HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout varied throughout 3 speeds, this super simple one keeps it at just 2.

No thinking, no pushing lots of buttons, just some good old fashioned intervals.

This can be easily adjusted to your fitness level by speed (give or take 0.5) and/or add incline!

Please note that I am *not* a trainer or fitness expert, this is just a workout based on my own knowledge and experience that has personally worked for me. Please consult a doctor before starting any fitness routine.

**********

Are you a fan of HIIT? What’s your favorite form of cardio?

#LEAN14 january jumpstart: a month in review.

31 January, 2014 by Gracie 20 Comments

I can’t believe January is already over! It was definitely an interesting month – taking on January Jumpstart while also planning a move, launching a new company, and keeping up with other life stuff.

Overall I would say that January Jumpstart was a success for me. Even though I didn’t stick to all of the goals 100%, it really held me accountable to keep up with healthy choices instead of letting them fall by the wayside a week in. I’m excited to keep up with LEAN14 for the rest of the year.

But for now, here’s a recap of how I did with my January Jumpstart goals.

1. Drink at least 64 ounces of water each day – YES

2. Eat at least 5 servings of vegetables each day – YES

3. Exercise 3 days a week (30-60 min combo of strength & cardio) – Eh, not so much. Some weeks I did great, others I did 1-2 workouts, or none at all. With the move and Speakable launch, life has been crazy!

4. Squats, squats, and more squats – see above

5. Eat more clean, whole foods – YES

6. Eat balanced meals and less snacking – Yes and no, I definitely cut down on the snacking, but not entirely.

7. Get 7-8 hours of sleep each night – YES

8. Limit soda/energy drinks to 3 per week (an improvement for me) – YES! I actually did way better with this than I thought. I haven’t had a single soda or energy drink all month.

9. Allow more time to walk/take the subway instead of cabs – Nope. I blame the Polar Vortex.

10. Track more of my meals/workouts here on GML – Not as much as I wanted to. At least I still have all year 😉

**********

And to wrap things up, here are some of my favorite #LEAN14 posts from January:

(Click the image to go to the post)

**********

Did you do a January Jumpstart of sorts?
How is LEAN in 2014 going for you so far?

lean ‘14.

27 December, 2013 by Gracie 60 Comments

It’s that time again - everyone is deciding what their New Year’s resolutions are going to be. Although I’m not really big on resolutions, I guess you could call this one of mine for the new year. And if I’m going to have a resolution, I might as well make it the most cliché one of all, right?

So starting soon, I’m going to do something I’ve never done here on GML. I’m giving myself a challenge.

…and not just any challenge – a health & fitness challenge. I’m calling it LEAN in 2014.

LEAN in 2014 is not a specific diet or fitness plan. I never do well with those.

LEAN14 is an ACCOUNTABILITY CHALLENGE to myself to embrace a healthier LONG-TERM lifestyle.

You see, I’m that person who is guilty of getting on a health/fitness kick for a week or month at a time, but then I get lazy and stop caring about it altogether. I’ve been that way for years, and especially over the past few months it’s caused me to get in quite the fitness rut, with some extra pounds to show for it.

As typical as it is to start this sort of thing at the beginning of the new year, this challenge is coming at the perfect time for me. I have a big year ahead with lots of things in the works, so I’m going to feed on that momentum as much as possible.

I’m going to implement smaller challenges and surprises within LEAN14 – probably starting something specific in January (more on that to come!), working with my nutritionist and trainer friends, etc. But for the most part, I’ll be focusing on SMALL changes that can make a big difference. For example:

eat more vegetables on a daily basis
share more meals and workouts on GML
cook at home more
eat less sweets and processed foods
consume less artificial sweeteners
try to lessen snacking and mindless eating
aim for exercise at least 2-3 times a week
do activities that lessen stress/anxiety
gain strength and flexibility
try more NEW workouts
…etc!

You might be wondering why I chose the word LEAN as opposed to a word like “healthy.” And, the reason is simple – that’s what I want this challenge to make me! As much as I want to be healthy and fit, I want to look my absolute best too. Honestly, I’m kind of sick of people/bloggers pretending they just want to be fit because “it makes them feel good.” I want to have a rockin’ bod. Sorry I’m not sorry.

For me, that doesn’t mean aiming to be a fitness competitor or Victoria’s Secret model (but for some, it might!). I’m all about personal goals and reaching my personal best, and that might look different for everyone.

If you’re interested, I’d love to have you join me in LEAN14! Like I said, it’s NOT specific to any sort of nutrition or fitness plan. So whether you’re Paleo or vegan, a yogi or a runner, looking to lose 50 pounds or 5 pounds – I’d love to do this alongside you and share our journeys with each other.