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A Revision To My New Year Pact

Hello everyone, welcome to another blog post brought to you by the creator of AAE, moi. Remeber my new year resolution this year?

If you don't, that's ok-I don't mind reminding you ⬇️

I would like to make a few small tweeks to this list. I know where almost half way through the year, but if i'm being honest, i'm really struggling to stay true to some of my commitments. I no longer want to do that. I decided to adjust my list. Start off small. If I can build up the discipline required for me to achieve my bigger goals, I feel I would be better off.

I'm not going to lie y'all numbe two from my "Happy New Year Everyone!" post -"Goal #2: Food & The Gym" has been whopping my butt. I want to be better. I want to look and feel better but the gym just seems so impractical for me. I don't know how people get to that stage where they love the gym.

My main struggle is consistency.

I don't trust the process. I want to see my goals like YESTERDAY. I lack the patience needed for the gym. And I don't eat all the right things.

In an effort to change this cycle of mine, I have decided to try a new approach. I started following Robert Ri'chard's (Arnez from One On One) 10 minute workout- HighwayFit. I have been doing his workout for the past couple of weeks and I all I can say is, wish me luck.

For the past week I have been following this video

Robert Ri'chard has two, or more, of these first timer workouts. They are easy to follow and mildly challenging to me. I always have a hard time when it's time to the lunges. Other than that, I don't struggle to keep up with him. And also, you will break a sweat. I know I did.

The next step up is the JetSetter

This considered level 2.

From the beginner level to this feels like a dramatic jump is workout expectation. I have attempted to do this JetSetter workout but I did not last. My arms gave out mid way. It felt like I was planking FOREVER.

For now, I will stay with the JetSetter program because I don't quite have the upper body strength built up yet. When I feel myself slipping in these workouts, I swith to a modified version.

What do I mean by that?

Instead of planking in a push-up postion, i'll put my knees on the ground. Or, If I feel tired, or that my arms are tired, I will switch an exercise out with something from the beginner program, that way I'm still moving.

The next level is JumpSeat

This workout already looks like a daunting one, but I know I can do it.

The final boss of them all is the Frequent Flyers

I think I need Raven Baxter to tell me she saw me doing this Frequent Flyers level in the future for me to have the confidence to do this level. As of right now, i'm thinking to myself, "who is doing this one?"

I know y'all are looking at these workouts like, "10-minutes isn't that bad. You're not doing much of anything in 10 minutes." Listen, talk to me after you make it through JumpSeat. If you make it through that one, send me a video of you doing his Frequent Flyers regimen. No modifications, no cheating. Do the exercises full out, exactly how he's going them. Until then, I don't want to hear a thing.

Many of you may be wondering, what made want to start this?

Well, I watching random videos on youtube and then decided to explore celebrity workouts. I came across this video and I clicked it. To be honest, I don't know what I was expecting, I just saw Arnez and clicked on it.

Robert Ri'chard claimed to have lost weight doing this 10-minute workout daily. Seeing how he looks, I said what's the harm in trying this regimen, nothing else i've tried seems to work for me. What do I stand to lose? So I started his workout right then, and there.

Wrong.

I actually sat on this video for years. I have watched it time and time again. I, like many others, have been skeptical about his workouts. Why? Because it not what everyone else is saying to do. The gym girlies, and the gym heads, says walk on incline for 30 minutes and then go lift weights. However, I found that what the gym boys and girls are doing, may not be the best for me to keep up with.

I watched this video again for the final time, and then I realized this might be a good way for me to keep myself accountable by working out 10-minutes everyday. At least, it's some form of physical activity. If anything, this could be great start on my calisthenics journey.

Also, I love and appreciate that this can indeed be done anywhere, anytime. So, I really have no excuse not to do it.

Do you want to know what really sold me on this regimen?

I started following Ri'chard on Instagram, I noticed that he had been preaching about this 10-minute workout for a years. He's been very consistent about it. Even in interviews, whenever the host(s) ask him about his workout routine, he almsot always refers back to his 10-minute workouts.

So that settles the gym.

Now the food aspect,

I feel i'm doing much better with the food. I am definetly eating more protein and foods from the colors of the rainbow- like Robert Ri-chard said to do- but carbs and sugar are still beast I am yet to tame. Going cold turkey on the sweets is difficult for me because I have such a massive sweet tooth. And then i'm African...rice is a huge part of our culture. I like to pair soups with pounded yam because pounded yam taste the best; but pounded yam is so fattening.

Why are the most delicious things in this world, the things that are not good for you?

Seeing as though, I'm struggling with the food part, I decided to work on rationing instead. Rather than put meals in bigger plates, I decided to get a designated plate for all my meals. The rule are:

The plate must include colors of the rainbow. I must have some type of greenery. Some type of veggie.
Can all the food fit in this plate? All of the food needs to fit neatly and comfortably into this plate. I cannot smush anything down.
Carbohydrate cannot pass the halfway mark on the plate. If I reach the mark, that means it's time to add veggies and protein.

Take a look at this plate:

In here, I have coconut rice, chicken, moi-moi, and broccoli.

PROTEIN = chicken and moi moi

CARBS = coconut rice

VEGGIES = broccoli

Now, is it the best plate? No, not by a long shot. I absolutely need more greens, and perhaps, less rice...but it's a work in progress.

Thanks for Reading!

Thank you so much for showing your support. I really appreacite you for taking the time to read this blog post. I hope all of us can accomplish the goals we set out for ourselves.

If you will also start Robert Ri-chard's workout let me know. Talk to me about it. Share your workout journey with us in the comments below. If you have a story you wish to share privately, you can message me below.

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I will answer messages sent to my inbox as soon as I can.

Thank you my loves! Have a wonderful day and an even better week! ❤️