Tonight's Gym Routine

(See the bottom half of this blog for information on the first steps of your transformation).

I am heading to the gym this evening for a lower body and core workout.  The routine will include:

• 30 minutes on the tredmil - 5 minutes uphill walking and 5 minutes running (3 times for a total of 30 mins).
• 10 minutes on the elliptical - 5 minutes forward and 5 minutes backward (intervals of 1 minute medium speed and 30 seconds fast on resistance levels 12-14)
• 10 minutes on the rower - muscles are a little stiff from the upper body workout last session on the 3rd.
• 5 minutes on the crossramp to warm-up the glutes, calves, and hams w/ resistance level at 10-12.
• 5 minutes on the stairclimber to warm-up for the lower body blast.

With the cardio session over, my strength training will include a circut of (3 rotations of...)the following:

• BOSU squats - squats on top of the flat part of the BOSU ball (3 sets of 12).  Great for helping with balance.
• Walking lunges with 15lbs in each hand (3 sets of 12).
• Ball squats (against the wall with the exercise ball between my back and the wall and holding on to 15 lbs while squating).
• I would like to do step-ups with this as well but the gym here does not have anything to do those with...instead I will do glute kicks for a minute.

Then:

• Hip adduction machines....3 sets of 12 on both machines.  220lb pushing inward and 60lbs pushing outward.
• Sit-ups (3 sets of 15+), the plank (3 sets of 30 seconds+), and my favorite (not sure the name of it - will find it in my book later and let you know...)lying on my back and keeping my arms and legs extended and about 5 inches from the ground, holding this for as long as possible.  Again 3 sets...

Followed by LOTS of stetching.  The most important part of finishing a workout!  Nest to drinking a glass of water over the next 30 minutes.  Will end the session with some tanning in prep. for Cuba :)  and an Activia will fresh strawberries as a light snack.

If you are not near a gym, you can still do squats, lunges, core workouts, and cardio.  You do NOT need a gym, just motivation.  Increasing your steps from 500-2000 at a time or in spurts will ramp up your fat burning but not increase your appitite.   Get up during a commercial and run in place, do some glute kicks, squats or lunges, walk around the house...this will help keep your body in the fat burning zone.
You can easily ruin a good workout by eating an unnessecary amount of food afterward.  When you feel hungry, simply drink a glass of water or tea (with no milk or sugar), wait 30minutes, and if you are hungry have a LIGHT snack not too close to bedtime.  Or brush your teeth, this can sometimes help with the cravings.

However, if you are going to follow me on this journey, and commit to be fit, we need to start off right.
The majority of people when asked, will UNDER-estimate their caloric intake and OVER-estimate their daily exercise amounts.  Therefore, we are starting a food journal.  Get a book, paper, journal...and write down what you eat, when and how much on a daily basis.  This will help you realize what you are missing in your diet, how much "junk" you ACTUALLY eat, and what times you are eating (and giving in to cravings...).

NEXT.....we always find it more difficult to see results since we see ourselves in the mirror everyday.  So...we are going to measure ourselves.  Measure the following areas:

• Chest(men)/Bust(women)
• Waist(I always like to measure just below the bust AND around the belly button)
• Hips
• Butt
• Thighs
• Calves
• Arms (around bicep area is fine)

Just remember whereever you measure, to measure the same place each time.  We will do this every 2 weeks.  And do not squeeze the measuring tape tighter the second time you measure, this will give you an incorrect calculation... ;)

ALSO:
DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT weigh yourself every day.  We all experience daily ups and downs depending on many variables.  You cannot get a correct calculation if you weigh yourself everyday and becoming fixated on weighing yourself on a daily basis is an UNHEALTHY thing to do!  We will also weigh ourselves, evrery 2 weeks.  If you are adventurous, you can also take pictures of yourself to compare to in 30 days or more), this will be a great help to being able to view the transformation!

So, pick a day, tomorrow morning maybe?  In the morning, weigh yourself, measure yourself, record it and begin your food journal...  I leave for Cuba Feb. 12th, I am starting my transformation now, are you with me??

Now, you are set to begin your 2011 transformation and lifestyle change. 
HERE WE GO!

Commit to be fit!