Rowly had long working weeks but wanted to be more active and lose his tummy ‘tyre’. Find out how he lost 10.2kg and 4 inches off his waistline while improving core strength in just 6 weeks.
- Before Slendertone: 83.4kg (184 pounds), 34.5-inch (87.5cm) waistline and 54 seconds plank endurance.
- After Slendertone: 73.2kg (161.5 pounds), 30.5-inch (77.5cm) waistline and 2 minutes 31 seconds plank endurance.
- Results from 6 weeks: -10.2kg (22.5 pounds) and -4 inches (10cm) with 1 minute 37 seconds improved plank endurance.
Week 1
I started week one pretty keenly with 8 sessions which lasted a total of 4 hours and achieved 32 F.I.T. points. I have been pushing myself on the intensity level too. I started at 50 and gotten as high as 90.
This is because I have too much fat on my tummy, which my wife refers to as the ‘tyre’, but the more I lose, the harder the higher toning intensities will become. I also need to lower the level down to 50 when combining toning sessions with exercise.
After one week I feel firmer, especially around my sides where the outer gel pads sit. I also think that there are some clear improvements on the definition front (these may just be psychological though).
“After one week I feel firmer, especially around my sides”
I have been toning on my morning commute (10 minutes walking and 20 minutes on the tube) and in the evening while doing floor exercises in the living room. This week, I did three 30-minute workouts of planks, mountain climbers, sit-ups, bicycle crunches and stomach crunches.
I have also been eating a lot of meat, fish and vegetables and keeping away from fry-ups and burgers (my job requires me to eat out a lot with clients so it’s harder than you may think). Fortunately, sushi is all the rage these days, so it has been quite easy to avoid the obvious bad stuff.
Week 2
One of the best aspects of the Connect app is the progress tracking. I am reasonably competitive, so you will not be surprised to hear that I beat my week one score of 36 with 52.4 F.I.T. points. I’ve also achieved the maximum toning intensity (100) in a non-active position and around 70 during exercise.
While the advantages of toning on your commute are obvious (you have nothing better to do except check your phone and read the paper), toning during exercise makes workouts more challenging and ensures that you engage your core. I never think about my abdomen when doing press-ups or lunges – Slendertone simply helps you give your abs and core muscles more attention during your workout.
“One of the best aspects of the Connect app is the progress tracking”
This week I went running and did two floor work sessions (one in my flat, one at the gym). Slowly I’m improving my stamina from a low base.
I am also eating very sensibly and have been advised to drink lots of water (over 2 litres per day) and reduce my coffee consumption (from 4 cups every day to a maximum of one) to improve my results.
To blow my own trumpet, I went for coffee with an old colleague who wanted to know how I had transformed myself into an Adonis. While this was a great exaggeration, the fact that a physical change was noticeable in such a short space of time gave me immense encouragement. Assessing your own training progress is almost impossible when you’re making these tiny improvements on a daily basis.
Week 3
My diet and exercise routine has not been as efficient as it was in the first 2 weeks (I blame clients and a cold), however I still scored 58.8 F.I.T. points and remembered to take 2 rest days.
I also completed 3 floor workouts: standing and jumping squats, scissor lunges and press-ups. I enjoy this exercise routine because I can do it at home or in the gym, before my shower and breakfast. The belt helps me focus my core, especially for the press-ups at the end when you start losing your form. Not having to go to the gym massively improves my time efficiency, giving me an extra 30 minutes in bed.
“The belt helps me focus my core, especially for the press-ups”
On the food front, I have mostly eaten porridge or scrambled eggs in the morning and lots of Sashimi or chicken and vegetables for lunches.
The compliments have continued from friends who I see much more regularly. Two of them are now buying the Connect belt and are planning to match my newfound training regime. It appears that the competition is going to start heating up throughout the final weeks of my Slendertone programme!
Week 4
How the mighty have fallen! Monday to Wednesday saw me training hard, eating well and loving the experience, but Thursday to Saturday was spent travelling to Greece for holiday, which meant eating poorly and exercising less.
I still earned a dizzying 76.3 F.I.T. points and have started to notice the high intensities getting harder as the tyre disappears, so the abs are getting closer to the surface.
I also mixed up my weekly workout plan by twice completing a new exercise routine called ‘Everest’: 10 burpees, 20 squat jumps, 30 switch jumps, 40 push-ups, 50 jumping jacks, 60 standing squats, 70 mountain climbers, 80 high knees, 90 mummies, 100-second plank, and all the way back down again (90 mummies, 80 high knees, etc.). That second set of 40 press-ups and 30 switch jumps is not easy!
“My wife was so impressed with the results after 4 weeks that she wants her own abs belt”
This week’s diet was mixed due to the disruptive travel. The week began with a good mixture of fish, omelettes and a breakfast of grilled chicken, eggs whites, spinach and fresh chillies. The second part of the week consisted of canteen, petrol station and airplane food – not ideal!
Now that we have landed, I can say that I am confident in the way I look and am excited about some sun, sailing and maybe windsurfing. My wife was so impressed with the results after 4 weeks that she is now keen to use her own Slendertone abs belt (not to mention the Bottom trainer).
Week 5
This week was a pretty good score of 69.6 F.I.T. points (only slightly below my personal best of 76.3), especially considering I was on holiday.
I was certainly not embarrassed to sunbathe. This was probably the only aspect of our holiday where I did not embarrass myself (unlike my horse riding, windsurfing and general sailing skills).
Because of the wet nature of many of the activities, I did not wear my abs belt during them. Instead, I used the belt as part of my warm-down, where I joined in with my wife’s very relaxing yoga routine. At 30 minutes, these were ideally timed to my Slendertone sessions.
“My general body confidence is as if I am in my 20s again”
I usually started every day with a cup of coffee, an omelette and a handful of almonds, while lunches and suppers were a mixture of fresh salads, fish, chicken and steak. I did falter with the poolside ice creams and the huge amounts of feta and oil that were compulsorily with every bit of green in sight.
Even before I have crossed the finishing line, I can say that I am really happy with the results. My abs are much firmer and my general body confidence is as if I am in my 20s again. To achieve these great results, I did not have to make any life-changing alterations. I simply attached the Slendertone belt 5 times per week along with some exercise and better eating.
Week 6
In my final week, I achieved a personal best of 81.5 F.I.T. points (and streets ahead of my two mates who have also started using Slendertone). In 6 weeks I’ve toned 32.5 hours and achieved 374 F.I.T. points.
This week, I trained three times, attended a yoga class and even joined a Pilates class with clients. As always, the yoga was a good way to stretch out all the muscles after a few weeks of regular exercise.
My wife has helped me on the food front, making grilled chicken, scrambled egg whites and spinach for breakfast and spag bowl for dinner (replacing the pasta with courgetti and the meat with Quorn).
“You can make a huge difference in 6 weeks without any life altering changes”
I’ve learned that you can make a huge difference in 6 weeks without any life altering changes. I lost two belt sizes, after all! I also discovered that exercising for 30 minutes in your flat before work is an amazing way to get your day’s training in, starting fresh and awake without losing time or carrying a kit bag. Finally, track your progress and get competitive with your mates as an additional motivator.
As far as I am concerned, this is just the beginning. I’m so impressed with the results that I’m moving onto the advanced six-week toning programme next. With flights booked for Coachella music festival next year in California, I’ll need a six pack if I want to look good drinking beer out of those red cups!
