Winter Shape Up 2014 Intro Post + Week 1 Workout
**This is your landing page for everything Winter Shape Up-related! Put it in a safe place 😉
It’s the most wonderful tiiiiime of the year….
Welcome to Winter Shape Up 2014!
I’m even more stoked about this year’s Shape Up because it’s the first year that we’re having full meal plans, provided to you by a Registered Dietitian. I asked my friend Anne to help out with the Shape Up this year, and she’s using her extensive nutrition knowledge to create efficient meal plans (for high energy and fitness gains) for the 4-week challenge.
We’re also really excited to welcome this year’s official Winter Shape Up sponsors:
Huge thanks to:
and Fitfluential!
They’ll be providing tons of amazing giveaways for the next 4 weeks, so stay tuned for your chance to win sweet prizes for participating!
So how does the Shape Up work?
I started doing the Winter Shape Up because it’s the perfect amount of time before spring to start making some visible results from your hard work. As the saying goes, “Summer bodies are made in the winter” so when the sun starts to come out, I already feel and notice the results from my efforts. This isn’t an extreme plan in any means, but rather a lifestyle to easily be able to follow until we change it up in a couple of months. (To avoid plateaus and keep things fresh and exciting, you should change your fitness routine every 4-6 weeks. For the Shape Ups, the plan changes EVERY week so you’ll never feel bored!) You’ll have a plan to follow if you’d like each week, and you can complete the weekly workout 1-3 times on non-consecutive days.
Anne will be posting the full nutrition plans on her blog and I’ll have the weekly workouts here on my blog. On my sidebar, I’ll also have a Winter Shape Up widget that will take you to this page. We’ll have all of the workouts and meal plans easily linked:
(Bookmark this page, pin it, or put it in an easy-to-find spot so you can easily get to the pages below)
Each week, you’ll have a workout plan and a nutrition plan to follow, if you’d like. The beauty of Winter Shape Up is that you can participate as much as your unique preferences and schedule allow, and you’ll be rewarded for participating and checking in along the way! Winners for each giveaway will be announced on Mondays throughout the challenge.
All of the workouts will have a video that you can follow along, as well as a text version. The videos include modifications for each exercise, but keep in mind that they were designed for the average gym-going Jane, who is injury-free and comfortable lifting weights. If you’re just getting started with fitness or strength training, I highly recommend talking with a local certified personal trainer for form guidance. You should be able to easily complete 30 minutes of steady state cardio, 5 days a week, before attempting any type of interval training, As always, check with a doc before making any fitness or nutrition changes.
How to check in and enter the giveaways:
The above pages will be your sources for all of that particular week’s info, and your chance to comment and check in with that week’s progress. When you check in by leaving a comment, you are automatically entered for that week’s giveaway. Check in each day on Anne’s site for your clean eats and here for your fitness progress. (Yes, you can enter up to 14 times each week; 7 on my site for fitness and 7 on Anne’s for food!) For example, for week 1, you will check in below each day with what you did for your fitness routine, how it went, how you felt, etc. On Anne’s Week 1 landing page, you’ll comment to check in with your eats! (I hope I’m not making this more confusing than it should be, haha. Let me know if you have any questions! The simple version: Check in EVERY day! On my page for fitness, on Anne’s for nutrition. Obviously, the more you check in, the higher your chances of winning).
Let’s get this party started, shall we??
Here’s the Week 1 workout schedule:
-For the steady state, do anything you enjoy for moderate intensity. A run, dance class, Soli Beat, row or Stairmill session work nicely
Your official Week 1 Workout, video and form cues will be up Monday, January 27, along with our first giveaways!
Here’s how to prepare for the official launch on Monday:
-Check out the fitness plan above for the first week and see what/if you need to shuffle. If you are beginning or changing your fitness plan, now is a great time to get the “Ok” from your doc, too
-Check out Anne’s intro post for your Week 1 meal plan and grocery list
-Join our Facebook group for discussion, links to the posts, and to connect with your Shape Up teammates
-Take some “before” pics! I don’t recommend going by weight -as muscle is more dense than fat and you could essentially lose fat, gain muscle, look leaner, and weigh the same- but you could have your body fat percentage checked this weekend, and take some before pics to see your chances over the 4 weeks
-Add to your inspiration board, or make one if you haven’t yet. Visualize your goals and success for this Shape Up. What are you planning to accomplish? Having your goals in an easily visible spot will encourage you to take steps towards achieving them
-Here’s a handy badge to add to your blog, too, if you’d like 🙂
Remember to tweet your sweaty workout pics and clean eats so we can all cheer for each other! @fitnessista @fannetasticfood #wintershapeup
This is going to be the best one yet.
xo
Gina (and Anne!)
Are you joining in the fun?? Leave a comment below to let us know! It will count as your first giveaway entry, too 🙂
Also it will be so good to have the nutrition side too!
Yay I’m in. I’ve lost 7 pounds this month already; so, this will be great motivation. Will turn 50 this summer. I’m headed over to Anne’s blog to check it out.
I’ve been a reader for years but have never joined in the shape-up fun! I am so excited to get started!
Yay! I’ve been waiting for this! Super excited!
I’m ready!! Thanks as always, Gina 🙂
First Shape Up!! So excited 🙂 Thank you for putting this together and for always being so motivational!!
Can’t wait for this to start!!
I’m excited. I’ve recently lost some weight on my own and I’m hoping this will add to it.
I’ll be joining. Love these shape ups. Thanks for hosting.
Can’t wait for Monday!
I got my friend Aimee to agree to doing winter shape up! I hope she loves it as much as I loved the summer shape up!
So excited!! Will get me ready for a beach vaca in mid-February :).
I’m so excited for this! I love the WSU. <3
Yay! I’ve been trying to figure out something to do to get my booty in gear so this came at the perfect time! Can’t wait!
Can’t wait!!! So fun.
I am so excited for this! I’ve been wanting to switch up my routine for a while and have just booked a holiday so have something to aim for!
I’m so excited! I’m going to spend Sunday preparing for the clean eating!
Can’t wait to start 🙂
I’ve seriously been slacking off since my wedding last month. So excited to get back to the gym!
I’m 33 weeks pregnant, and wish I could do this full-out! 🙁 I’ll have to come back to this after I have baby in a couple months. I’ll *try to do some of the workouts with modifications for now. 🙂
I’m joining in! I’m always looking for fun new workouts and meals! Thanks, Ladies!
Ive been looking forward to this! It will be great to refocus on a balance of nutrition and fitness! Thanks for hosting it!
I cannot wait for this!! So excited to see the meal plans too!
I am so excited to participate! This is my first Shape Up and I can’t wait!
So, so , so incredibly excited for this WSU!! Make 2014 your year ladies!! Goodluck to you all!! Let’s do this!!
I am SOOOOO in! Thanks for putting this together for us!
I am ending the advocare 24 day challenge and I was so excited to see this on both you and Anne’s blogs. It will be the perfect transition and motivation to continue my new lifestyle! Thanks girls!!
I think I’m actually going to try this — I’m kind of desperate for routine at the moment, and I think the meal plans will be super helpful since my husband is TDY and will then be deployed, and I hate meal planning. Truly hate it. Even though I’ll be in school again full time, I hope I can stop making excuses for myself and lose some travel/holiday weight I’ve gained.
Can’t wait to start!
Thank you Gina for all your hard work! Xxx
I’m in! Looking forward to seeing and doing everything you guys put together!
I’m just about to finish my 21 days of yoga challenge so it will be great to have another challenge to focus on. Plus I’m going abroad next week and the workouts will keep me motivated to hit the gym!
I have been reading your blog for years but never joined the Shape-up. This is my first Shape-Up and I am beyond excited to be a part of this. Thanks Gina and Anne for putting this together.
Can’t wait for it to start! I need to shake things up a bit. Thanks so much for providing such an awesome program :]
I’m so excited to start the Winter Shape Up! I had a foot injury in December and am just now getting back to exercising normally. Perfect timing for the WSU!
I’m in. I’m about to wrap up Ripped in 30 (January goal), so I need a new plan/goal to follow (along with 1/2 marathon training)!
Very excited for this one! Thanks, Gina!
I’m so excited! This is my second year participating and I’m pumped!
I am BEYOND EXCITED for this one! I first started following your blog right before your Summer Shape Up, and didn’t really have a chance to jump in. Now I am so excited to play!!!! I got my fit book ready to plan my week! Whoopwhoop!!
I really appreciate you and Anne putting together a program like this. Having tangible plans to follow along really help me to stay on track and not get lost in my full-time work and mommy duties! So, thank you….
Ready to get this started! I could use the motivation and change in my workout and eating habits. I am currently 16 weeks pregnant so I am following along keeping my heart rate and cravings in mind as I go. 😉
I’m ready! Thanks so much for this!
I’m joining! Can’t wait!
excited to start on Monday!
I’m in!
I can’t wait to start!
So excited to participate for the first time!
YAY! I’m so excited to get started!
I’m joining! Excited about the addition of the meal plans by Anne too. Thanks!!
I can’t wait!!!!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!
I’m in. I think it’s about time to change my routine a bit. I am totally a sucker for a gym routine…I end up doing the same types of exercises on the same day of the week every. Single. Week. This will force me to change things up a bit more!
I’m so excited to get started on WSU! Planning my workout schedule for next week right now!