re: #chloetingchallenge
First of all, it works.
Abs in two weeks sounds about as plausible as a get rich quick scheme until you take this Two Week Shred Challenge. Created by fitness YouTuber Chloe Ting, her routines gained popularity after participants showed off their rapid transformations on social media using the hashtag #chloetingchallenge. Her programs focus on an array of different areas- core, waist, arms, glutes, and more. All of the programs are free, and all of them provide 2-4 videos daily to complete over the allocated time period (usually around 20 days). I decided to try her Two Week Shred challenge and share my personal experience.
Before You Start
Generally, trying to exercise only makes me understand why people get plastic surgery. I had to mentally prepare before I could push myself physically, and that may be the case for anyone else who doesn’t already follow an exercise routine. To get motivated, I recommend finding a workout buddy/buddies. You can either exercise simultaneously via FaceTime or Zoom or create a group chat for motivation and post-sweat selfies. Set aside time in the morning or evening specifically for exercise so that poor time management cannot interfere with your plans. I would also recommend crossing off each day on a physical calendar as you go so that you can visually acknowledge progress. Stretch after workouts. And make sure you have a positive mindset! Note that while physical results may vary, nothing will take away the stamina, strength, and satisfaction that you will gain.
Day 1
Kicked my ass, in a good way. I really had to take my time. If a particular exercise felt too hard, I replaced it with the less strenuous alternative she demonstrated on the left side of the video. When I felt the urge to stop completely, I slowed down my movements instead. That isn’t to say that my body wasn’t screaming for a break, but I held out before I listened. By the end of the final video, I felt so drained and so proud.
Day 3
If it wasn’t for me being inspired by my partners I might have just quit here but I’m so relieved that I didn’t. Four challenge videos in one go looked very daunting and felt even worse, but it was rewarding to cross off the calendar we had put on the fridge. Soreness made me feel like I was on the right track.
Day 5- Active Rest
By now, I felt like I had done too much work to stop. My body became slightly more comfortable with her routines and with daily exercise. I did one of her videos in the evening and pat myself on the back for consistency even though there were no videos posted for the day.
Day 10
Although the workouts don’t exactly get easier to complete, by day 10 I was stronger. I took less breaks. I did all of her exercises with her, not the modified lighter versions anymore. Her videos began to go by faster and this is when I started to notice results. My fangirl behavior started around here too. I felt so positive and healthy that I raved about Chloe Ting to anyone who would listen. I even started singing along to her background music as we exercised along. As much as I complained aloud, I felt lighter. Now it was less like the exercises were kicking my ass and more like a fair fight.
Results
I lost 3cm from my waist and gained 2cm around my butt with no change to my diet. I did not weigh myself before, during, or after. Listening to the measurements my progress sounds average, but when I look in the mirror the change is obvious. Chloe Ting deserves all her accolades.
Day 15 and Beyond
Maintenance is hard. I took a couple days of rest after the challenge to let my body recuperate and now I’m about to start yet another one of her challenges. I feel so confident and healthy that I would encourage everyone reading to join me.
A silver lining of being at home all day is that we have more time and less excuses to achieve our personal goals. To anyone who wants to feel more fit and tone their body, give Chloe Ting a try. Let me know how it goes in the comments!