The 90 Day Octogon Challenge

Ok, so a lot of you know that I am well into my fitness (or try to be) and I have signed up to Livelikelouise 90 Day Octogan challenge. It consists of 8 sides to the challenge. 

The 90 Day Octogon Challenge

1. Nutrition
2. Training
3. Mindset
4. Reading
5. Heart Health
6. Habits
7. Accountability
8. Community.  

I take pride in my appearance and although I like where I am now I would love to get stronger, leaner and just be the best version of me possible! Signing up to the group was a bit overwhelming as there are about 500 people signed up and there are so many posts in the group that I have not had the time to read as their posts are so long. There is a lot of information in there which is super helpful. I've created this post so I can bring you along my journey and see the end result - also this is great for accountability. Working an office job I have put on 1 stone. Now, this might not seem a lot to others as they may have more to lose but I am the heaviest I have ever been. There has been a lot of investment already into this challenge but I can already see the finish line.

Nutrition

Although I am far from having a degree in nutrition I have certainly advanced my knowledge in the subject as I have been apart of the LivelikeLouise community for almost 2 years now. People usually underestimate their calorie intake by 800 - 1000 calories, it's quite a shock but the easiest way to track what you eat which I have been using for quite a while is My Fitness Pal (MFP). There a lot of myths out there but the only realistic way to lose weight is to be in a calorie deficit. The Nutrition part of the program is to concentrate on eating set macros: Protein, carbs, and fat, the main macronutrients to lose weight which can be altered throughout the 12 week period. I haven't used the macro program before although I have tracked myself so it's quite exciting.

Training

Now, this part of the program involves the main thing; exercise. Two strength workouts, live workouts, and a couch to 10k. This is one of the best bits, I like to be quite active in the mornings as part of my routine, so this will keep me very busy but the good thing is; the workouts are saved in the group so you could work out at any time you wanted during the day. You have the option of doing any of these workouts and there are 3-time tables to work from. It's exciting and a new adventure and I cannot wait to complete it.

Mindset

This is the part that needs to be worked on. Mindset is everything when you are working on yourself. You need to train it, you need prompts to help you on the journey. The ultimate goal if you like is to help all of us to build resilience, confidence, and happiness. This is going to be the most basic but mandatory thing. LivelikeLouise has professional people who are all contributing to certain parts of the program. For example, Dean Leak who is an Olympic coach for team GB is producing weekly videos to helps us with our mindset so we stay on track. 

Reading

They also have a 'book club'. It sounds cringy at first but the whole point of this is to get us all together and share a few points on the book we have all been reading. There are 3 main books possibly a 4th. The purpose of this is to get us reading about habits and how to implement good habits and fight the bad ones. This not only makes you feel apart of something but also holds you accountable for the whole challenge. It's what brings everyone together and motivates each other to go further and to discuss topics in the books they think are really helpful, important and to share ideas. 

Heart health

They have also introduced a section on heart health. The aim is but is totally optional is to do the couch to 10k. I've been told many times that running is a good way 'to lose weight' but it's not everyone's cup of tea. Believe me, I did the couch to 5k, and when training for the 10k I decided this wasn't for me. However, running is structurally a good way to build stamina and cardiovascular health so hopefully, I can introduce this into my routine and I won't feel so deflated at the sound of the word 'running'. It's a big achievement and in the end, there is a slow-paced LLL 10k. 

Habits

So we are if I haven't mentioned already, tracking habits. As part of the program, we are looking at our own habits and how if we change them we will get great results. They have included a special coaching app that keeps us on track. It's a powerful tool that encourages your daily steps, writing down grateful for points and affirmations that I have already spoken about in my previous blog post, little check-ins, and reminders. I'm really excited about this part as I already incorporate this in my daily routine so for it to be part of the challenge is going to be super easy for me.

Accountability

The app also helps with everyone's accountability. There will be a voice note which is delivered through the app to listen to on your daily walk or run. It can almost be described as a motivational app. It also allows us to message the 'coaches' any questions we may have in one location. The app allows us to enter details to track our progress and each week we will need to complete weekly check-ins so we can then review our progress and make changes if necessary. This is something very different then I'm used to but it's very interesting to see what happens.

Community

Being a sense of community is an incredibly important part of the group. The group is limited to 500 people which starts today. With a cap on the number of people to join the challenge, it gives them enough time to get back to everyone in the group to provide feedback. We have access to a private Facebook group both the main one and the one for this challenge, strava run club, and direct messaging through the app. These areas are very positive and there are a lot of lovely people supporting others and lifting people up.

I am going to be completely honest with you and allow you to follow my journey through this challenge so you can see real results. It's way out of my comfort zone but this is only going to benefit me and others. Seeing what is possible with a lot of work and effort put in. 

Talk soon,

T xx