Having lost almost eight stone, Wicklow mother-of-two Hannah Nolan knows what it’s like to struggle to get fit – and how to succeed. That’s why she has teamed up with Irish Country Living to share her kick-start six-week plan to look and feel fit and fabulous. Now we have passed the halfway point, let’s see what we can achieve this week.
Toning exercises
Remember:
1. If you do not have small dumbbells, you can use water bottles instead.2. All of the exercises are repeated 15 to 20 times before moving to the next exercise.3. Once you have finished all of the exercises, complete them again in the same manner, two to three times for maximum toning benefit.Why Weight Ireland is an award-winning business offering members a tailor-made fitness plans, online workout videos, food diaries and more, with a studio in Tinahely, Co Wicklow, for personal training and a range of exercise classes. Visit the Why Weight Ireland website or call 087-2908-700.
To find out how our three readers are getting on with the Fit & Fabulous programme, visit our blog at www.farmersjournal.ie/country-living
COUCH TO 5K
Week four: Run for four minutes, followed by a recovery walk at a brisk pace for two minutes. Repeat these intervals for a total of 40 minutes, three times a week. Remember to warm up/cool down with a brisk five-minute walk
Q&A ASK HANNAH
QIs there anything I can do for bladder control when exercising?
ABladder control issues during exercise are extremely common, but seldom discussed.
For long-term improvements, you can incorporate pelvic floor exercises to help improve your control, but for many women stress incontinence will still be an issue during high-intensity exercise.
Don’t let this put you off. When exercising, pre-plan to ensure you are equipped with a pad, or try a great product like the EVB Sports' shorts, which I had the pleasure to review myself. They have been specially designed to prevent leakage altogether by lifting up the bladder and relieving pressure.
They also have a gusset incorporated into the shorts, so if there are any small leaks then you are still covered. Visit EVB Sports' website to check them out.
Side bicep curl
Works the front of the arms
• Start with your elbows out to the side, level with your shoulders, and bent at the elbow to create a 90 degree angle so that your weights are at head height, with your palms facing inwards.• Curl the weights to your shoulders• Straighten your arms back out so that they are almost straight. Then repeat.Squat & shoulder press
Works the shoulders & legs
• Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and your weights at your sides/resting on your outer thigh.• Lower down into the squat position with your arms still straight down.• Slowly push back up to standing position and, at the same time, raise your arms with a bend in the elbows, bringing them up to your shoulders.• When you are in the standing position, push the weights above your head until your arms are straight.• As you lower back down into the squat to repeat the movement, bring your weights back down to level at your thighs and repeat the movements (down-middle-up etc).Tricep extension
Works the back of the arms
• Standing straight, with a slight bend in your knees, hold your weights together (both hands gripping the weights together) and lift them with straight elbows extended above your head.• Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the weights behind your head and keeping the elbows tucked as close to your head as possible.• Bring the weights back up until your arms are extended above your head in the starting position and repeat.Bicycle legs
Works the tummy
• Sitting on an exercise mat on the floor, slowly lean back on to your elbows with your finger tips underneath your lower back to offer support.• Lift your feet off the ground with one leg extended straight and the other bent back towards you.• Make circular cycling motion movements and repeat until each leg has circled around 15 to 20 times.
Having lost almost eight stone, Wicklow mother-of-two Hannah Nolan knows what it’s like to struggle to get fit – and how to succeed. That’s why she has teamed up with Irish Country Living to share her kick-start six-week plan to look and feel fit and fabulous. Now we have passed the halfway point, let’s see what we can achieve this week.
Toning exercises
Remember:
1. If you do not have small dumbbells, you can use water bottles instead.2. All of the exercises are repeated 15 to 20 times before moving to the next exercise.3. Once you have finished all of the exercises, complete them again in the same manner, two to three times for maximum toning benefit.Why Weight Ireland is an award-winning business offering members a tailor-made fitness plans, online workout videos, food diaries and more, with a studio in Tinahely, Co Wicklow, for personal training and a range of exercise classes. Visit the Why Weight Ireland website or call 087-2908-700.
To find out how our three readers are getting on with the Fit & Fabulous programme, visit our blog at www.farmersjournal.ie/country-living
COUCH TO 5K
Week four: Run for four minutes, followed by a recovery walk at a brisk pace for two minutes. Repeat these intervals for a total of 40 minutes, three times a week. Remember to warm up/cool down with a brisk five-minute walk
Q&A ASK HANNAH
QIs there anything I can do for bladder control when exercising?
ABladder control issues during exercise are extremely common, but seldom discussed.
For long-term improvements, you can incorporate pelvic floor exercises to help improve your control, but for many women stress incontinence will still be an issue during high-intensity exercise.
Don’t let this put you off. When exercising, pre-plan to ensure you are equipped with a pad, or try a great product like the EVB Sports' shorts, which I had the pleasure to review myself. They have been specially designed to prevent leakage altogether by lifting up the bladder and relieving pressure.
They also have a gusset incorporated into the shorts, so if there are any small leaks then you are still covered. Visit EVB Sports' website to check them out.
Side bicep curl
Works the front of the arms
• Start with your elbows out to the side, level with your shoulders, and bent at the elbow to create a 90 degree angle so that your weights are at head height, with your palms facing inwards.• Curl the weights to your shoulders• Straighten your arms back out so that they are almost straight. Then repeat.Squat & shoulder press
Works the shoulders & legs
• Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and your weights at your sides/resting on your outer thigh.• Lower down into the squat position with your arms still straight down.• Slowly push back up to standing position and, at the same time, raise your arms with a bend in the elbows, bringing them up to your shoulders.• When you are in the standing position, push the weights above your head until your arms are straight.• As you lower back down into the squat to repeat the movement, bring your weights back down to level at your thighs and repeat the movements (down-middle-up etc).Tricep extension
Works the back of the arms
• Standing straight, with a slight bend in your knees, hold your weights together (both hands gripping the weights together) and lift them with straight elbows extended above your head.• Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the weights behind your head and keeping the elbows tucked as close to your head as possible.• Bring the weights back up until your arms are extended above your head in the starting position and repeat.Bicycle legs
Works the tummy
• Sitting on an exercise mat on the floor, slowly lean back on to your elbows with your finger tips underneath your lower back to offer support.• Lift your feet off the ground with one leg extended straight and the other bent back towards you.• Make circular cycling motion movements and repeat until each leg has circled around 15 to 20 times. 
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