A run, a plank and some more healthy baking...

I started today again with another run - 7.4km. My manky toe nail is still a bit red and sore and infected but today is a public holiday so I made the most of having the hubby at home and got out for a run senza buggy again. Maybe a bad move but my toe doesn't seem to have gotten any worse (yet). And I loved it (the run)! It made me remember how much I love starting my day with a run, then I can enjoy the rest of the day knowing I have done my dash. It still feels quite hard running, which in itself can be really demotivating, however I know it'll only get easier by getting out there and actually running. So I will!

Today's challenge for the 30 Day Abs Challenge was this:

Day 3. Plank Test #1
This is the first of five plank tests. Hold a plank for as long as you can with proper form. Your goal is to build up to 90 seconds. How long can you hold it? Write down your time so you can track your progress. This is what proper form looks like, thanks to el husbandio....

How to do a plank: Starting at the top of a pushup position, bend your elbows and lower yourself down until you can shift your weight from your hands to your forearms. Your body should form a straight line. Brace your abs (imagine someone is about to punch you in the gut) and hold. Focus on form: Don't drop your hips or raise your butt.

I did my plank and managed to last 70 seconds, which is actually terrible but it can only get better right? The challenge says to aim for 90seconds but I think I would like to aim more for 3 mins or something. I am sure I can get there!

I also found this recipe for some protein cookies. They are quite different from your standard but waaaay better for you and actually taste not too bad. They are 100 calories per cookie and a good guilt-free afternoon snack with a bit of protein to keep you going.

How are you going with the abs challenge?

What is your favourite healthy baking? 

Healthy food guide have a delicious healthy brownie recipe that I enjoy, will have to post it sometime. 

What's the longest you've ever held a plank for? 

I think mine is about 3ish minutes - I would love to do 5 mins but I find planks so hard!

Here is tomorrow's challenge, make sure to visit the website for all the extra links and exercises:

Day 4. Training Tip: Move Your Butt
Your booty and your belly are unlikely partners in crime. Here's why: Over time, sitting around too much renders your glutes practically useless and causes your hip flexors—the muscles that connect your hipbones to your legs—to become stiff. This couch-potato combo tilts your pelvis forward, which increases the arch in your back and puts stress on your spine. From a cosmetic standpoint, it pushes your abdomen out, making even a relatively flat stomach bulge. That means that to lose your gut, you've got to work your butt. The glute bridge march and hip-thigh raise will help you get a stronger behind.

Combat tight hip flexors with this stretch: In a lunge position, lower yourself so your back knee is resting on the floor. Push your hips forward, keeping your back upright, until you feel a stretch in the front of your back hip. Hold for 10 seconds, relax, and repeat. Switch legs. You can increase the stretch by reaching your arms over your head.