GYM = HAPPY

Oh it felt so incredibly good to get into the gym today! After a long stressful half week of work, I finally got in to the gym this evening. I felt like I could have run for miles. For me, the gym really helps me feel better not just about myself but everything else.

Anyway, here was my fabulous workout that I just got back from:

Today was Chest/Shoulders & Cardio

Seated DumbBell Press
2x15 w/ 10 pounds
1x7 w/ 15 pounds and finished w/ 1x8 w/ 10 pounds

Seated Machine Press
3x15 w/ 50 pounds

Machine Flyes
3x15 w/ 30 pounds

Inclined DumbBell Press
3x15 w/ 10 pounds

2 Miles @ 1% incline as follows:
1 mile @ 4.5 mph
1/2 mile @ 5.0 mph
1/4 mile @ 5.5 mph
1/2 lap @ 6.0 mph
1/4 lap @ 6.5 mph
1/4 lap @ 7.0 mph

I was feeling SO good running today... I felt light as a feather running... oh it was wonderful lol

Weekly Schedule

I have been asked recently by different people what my schedule is like for the gym each week. So I decided that I would detail it out for anyone interested. (Note: this is my schedule when I have time to go to the gym and my work isn't crazy):

Monday:
Arms & Cardio
Tuesday:
Back & Cardio
Wednesday:
Legs & Cardio
Thursday:
Chest/Shoulders & Cardio
Friday/Saturday:
All Cardio
Sunday:
Rest Days = light cardio workout

This way I can target one muscle group each day and then I give them a full week before working them again. Some weeks I mix the order around a bit depending on what I feel like working out, but that is pretty much the routine. The different workouts that I post throughout the blog are the different routines that I go through on each of those days.

Hectic Life

I went in today to the gym and I did a short workout as follows:

Seated DumbBell Curls:
1x15 with 10 pounds
2x15 with 15 pounds
Superset with 1 Arm Extensions:
2x15 w/ 5 pounds
1x15 w/ 10 pounds

Preacher Curl Machine:
3x15 w/ 30 pounds

Reverse Preacher Curl Machine:
3x15 w/ 40 pounds

1 mile run @ 1% incline at 4.5 mph

I was running out of time today so this is all I had time for. Tomorrow I don't think that I will be able to make it to the gym either... busy busy schedule...

Update Update

Sorry for no posts... I actually haven't been able to go to the gym since Monday and now it's Friday!! ACK, not so good for my goal day, but I'm going to hit the gym regularly starting tomorrow. Work has just been crazy and I started taking a class so I wasn't able to go this week. So leaving home at 5:30 am and then working until 6-6:30 pm then with class and traffic, I haven't been getting home until 9 pm and I've just come home and crashed. SO, this coming week I've got things figured out and I'm going to get back to the gym, but just to let you know...

Update

Good Evening Everyone,

Well I'm back into the routine of things as Monday rolls around. Today I went through the same bicep workout that I did last week, but I only ran 1 mile. I felt pretty good actually running, but I have noticed that I am not as strong as I would like to be, but I know that as I lose the weight I am also losing strength which I have to continue to build. Due to my work schedule, I won't be able to go to the gym until the evening so I might miss a post here and there this week as it is a busy week for me. Anyway, really nothing new to report other than my October 2nd weigh day is coming right around the corner! 11 more pounds here I come!

Late Evening workout....

I didn't end up going to the gym until about 8 pm tonight which is a bummer, but at least I still went as I was debating whether or not to go. My friend advised me not to run today as my knees were in a bit of pain yesterday (they feel fine today) so I did not run. I need to build up the strength in my legs as I felt that I could keep running the other day, but my legs were so tired. Anyway, here was my leg workout:

10 minutes Elliptical: Level 4 ~ 80 rpm

Leg Press Machine
3x20 @ 100 pounds, 120 pounds last 2 sets

Leg Curl Machine
3x20 @ 35 pounds each set

Leg Extension Machine
3x20 @ 30 pounds each set

Seated Calf Raises
3x15 @ 25 pounds each set

Abs
30 forward crunches
20 medicine ball work
10 V crunches
rest
20 side crunches
20 medicine ball work
10 V crunches
rest
20 side crunches to the other side
20 medicne ball work
10 v crunches

I got this free ab workout DVD in the mail after mailing in so many upc from the Kellog breakfast bar boxes. They show you had to do some crazy ab work. I am hoping soon that I will be able to get through one of their workouts as it is pretty hard to do. I will probably start going through that tomorrow. Until tomorrow, Happy working out to you!

Weird Guys @ the Gym

So I was at the gym this evening, and I was only doing weights today to give my knees a break from yesterday's ridiculously hard run. At the gym here by my house, there seems to be a large majority of really big buff guys who workout there. I could care less about any of that sort of thing except for when they are giving me funny looks for being the only female in the free weight area. Can anyone explain this to me? I wanted to tell them a thing or two, but I just kept doing my thing. Anyway, enough with my rant... Here was my workout today:

Seated Dumbbell Press
1x12 w/ 10 pounds
1x10 w/ 15 pounds
1x8 w/ 20 pounds

Seated Machine Press
1x12 w/ 50 pounds
1x10 w/ 50 pounds
1x8 w/ 65 pounds

Seated Inclined Dumbbell Press
1x12 w/ 10 pounds
1x10 w/ 10 pounds
1x8 w/ 15 pounds

Machine Flyes
1x12 w/ 30 pounds
1x10 w/ 30 pounds
1x5 w/ 45 pounds and I finished the last 3 with 30 pounds

Abs
30 crunches forward
20 Medicine Ball work
10 "V" crunches (I'm not sure what these are called, but you balance on your rear, keep your feet from touching the ground and bring your knees to your chest)
20 crunches side
20 Medicine Ball Work
14 "V" Crunches
20 Crunches to the other side
20 Medicine Ball
10 "V" Crunches

42 Minutes later...

So today's running out of that magazine ended up being a total of a 42 minute run at 1% incline for 3.25 miles. Aye!! That is not easy! So this is how they had me break it up (all of this was run at 1% incline):

10 minutes @ 4.5 mph
1/2 mile @ 5.0 mph
1/4 mile @ 4.5 mph
1/2 mile @ 5.0 mph
1/4 mile @ 4.2 mph
1 lap @ 4.5 mph
1 lap @ 5.0 mph
and then I finished at 4.2 mph for the last 1/2 mile (I walked for about 1 minute at 3.8 mph at the beginning of this 1/2 mile)

Thankfully I have a rest day from running tomorrow!

Triceps & 5k Training

Today, I only worked triceps as follows:

1 Arm dumbbell Extensions
1x12 w/ 5 pounds
1x10 w/ 5 pounds
1x8 w/ 10 pounds

Cable Pushdowns
1x12 w/ 40 pounds
1x10 w/ 40 pounds
1x8 w/ 50 pounds

Seated Dip Machine
1x12 w/ 50 pounds
1x10 w/ 50 pounds
1x8 w/ 65 pounds

Skull Crushers
1x12 w/ 20 pounds
1x10 w/ 20 pounds
1x8 w/ 20 pounds

2 miles @ 1% incline at 4.6 mph

I am a bit weaker in my triceps, but I just have to work on strengthening them. One thing is for certain though, that 2 miles kills! Tomorrow I plan on just cardio and no weights to recuperate on this whole training for the 5k. (I am going to be super sore!!)

Photo Collage

Here is a photo collage that I put together that shows the different stages in my life in the past couple of years to give you more of an idea of where I have come from. I hope you can see a difference! I'm going to work on getting this to look better, but here it is for now :)

Monday - 1st day of 5k Training

So today I started the 5k training program out of that magazine that I got the last Friday. I will have to say that running at a 1% incline is killer, but I did make it through. Since I was running 2 miles today, and I wasn't able to go to the gym until later this evening, I only did biceps. Here is my workout as follows:

Seated D-Bell Curls:
1x12 w/ 15 pound
1x10 w/ 15 pounds
1x4 w/ 20 pounds, 1x4 w/ 15 pounds (I tried to do as many as I could with the 20 and then I immediately switched to 15 pounds when I couldn't do anymore of the 20's)

Preacher Curl:
1x12 w/ 20 pounds
1x10 w/ 25 pounds
1x8 w/ 30 pounds

Seated Hammer Curls
1x12 w/ 15 pounds
1x10 w/ 10 pounds
1x8 w/ 15 pounds

21's w/ Barbell
1 set w/ 20 pounds
1 set w/ 30 pounds

2 Mile run at 1% incline:
1st mile at 5.0 mph
2nd mile at 4.5 mph

I actually took my 14 year old niece through the biceps workout today too! She has decided that she also wants to get into shape and lose weight. I hope that you continue to do so!! She's doing a great job already. But I just want to reiterate to everyone out there, that you have to make changes to your diet or you won't see much change to your body. 75% of weight loss is diet while 25% is exercising. So to be successful, remember to watch what you eat!

Sickness...

I started not feeling well yesterday. The typical: sore throat and sniffles so I came home from work yesterday and went straight to bed which is why I did not post anything yesterday. I'm sorry! Well today, I am still getting over my cold so I did not go to the gym (so sad). If I feel better tomorrow, I plan on just doing a whole cardio day tomorrow, but if I am still not well, I will just skip it again:( I have to say the gym is quite addicting after awhile.

Anyway, since I was not able to make it to the gym, I stopped by Barnes and Noble this evening and picked up a fitness magazine. This one was incredibly helpful with tons of tips AND a 5k training program. The program is spaced out over a 6 week period so I plan to start this tomorrow if I am feeling better. I found the article in the "For Women, Fitness Rx" Dated August 2006. I will keep you posted on how I do getting through it and if it really helps.

Oh, and I have only 3 weeks left before my October 2nd to be down 11 more pounds. I have found that my current jeans that were tight on me when I bought a couple weeks ago, are getting to be pretty lose on me now. I keep having to buy new jeans every couple of months lol. Sometimes I still wonder if this is all worth the effort and discipline, but everytime I look at myself or try on a smaller pair of jeans it is such motivation when I think of how far I have come. And I just want to thank everyone who has been very supportive and helpful to me through all of this. I could not be on this course without you!

Running Competition

A couple of months back, a good friend of mine and I decided to have a 1.5 mile race scheduled for May 2007. There has been quite a lot of smack talk between the two of us as to who is going to win. According to my friend, he always wins and has always won since he was young. Well, my plan is to prove him wrong this time. So today, I really am starting to train to build up my speed and CRUSH him next year! lol... So in order to increase my speed, I ran a mile today at 5.0 mph at a 2% incline on the treadmill. Tomorrow, I plan to run 1.5 miles flat, and I will continue to alternate like this while increasing my speed. This way I can build up my strength and endurance in running.

So far, the fastest mile I have run was 9 minutes and 54 seconds. That was running 3 1/4 laps at 6.0 mph, 1/4 at 6.5 mph, 1/4 at 7 mph, and then the last 1/4 at 6.5 mph. Let me tell you that I was dieing on that last lap! Now, I just have to work on my running. I've got 8 months to get to the speed that I want to be at, and by then, I will be at least 50 pounds lighter than I am right now so that will definately help. After this competition, I am going to start looking into running a 5k or 10k run. I will keep you posted on everything that happens from now until then!

Meal Planning

Let me first go over what I ate today, and this is what I typically eat each day:

5:30 am - Jay Robb's Protein in a glass of Non-Fat Milk
8:00 am - Kellog's Blueberry Breakfast Bar
10:00-10:30 am - Turkey Sandwich on whole wheat with mustard
12:30 pm - Apple
2:00 pm - Banana (If I have grapes instead of a banana, I eat it about 9:30 am)
4:30 pm - Luna Protein Bar
6:30 pm - Jay Robb's Protein in a glass of Non-Fat Milk
7:30 pm - Small serving of spaghetti (or a small meal of whatever)
And I drink only water thoughout the day

The key in eating healthy, is to eat small meals and frequently throughout the day in order to keep your metabolism always working. By eating frequently, it keeps the urge from binging on food in the evening away because you never go through the day hungry. I used to not eat breakfast and I would maybe pack a sandwich for lunch, and by the time I got home I would be starving and eat way to much. It took me quite a long time to get used to the schedule I have listed above.

I am also an extremely picky eater, and therefore, if you are not like me, you can add things like veggies or non-fat yogurt also to your diet. I hope this has been helpful. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding anything I have written!

My Encouragement to you...

As I read and hear about all these "quick" weightloss surgery fixes, I can't help but feel very sorry for the person who thinks that they need those in order to lose weight and get healthy. I know that it is hard and tough to lose weight, but YOU CAN DO IT THE HEALTHY WAY. I can understand how it feels to want to lose weight instantly, but the real world does not work that way. I've wished thousands of times that I could lose weight with a blink of the eye, but that never happens.

The only way to healthy living and a healthy weight is to exercise and eat right. By working out and eating healthily you will not only feel better about yourself for losing the weight, but you will feel a sense of accomplishment because you earned it and worked hard for it. Believe me, I understand that it is an extremely difficult thing to do, but like I said, if you put your mind to you, you can do it.

My whole goal in writing this blog is to encourage and inspire others to get on a healthy program and lose the weight right. There are no quick fixes in this world when it comes to anything else. Everything that you have and own, you had to earn them. So why is losing weight any different than that? I want to encourage you today not to give up, but keep up the fight and do yourself a huge favor and work for that body you have always dreamed about.

Labor Day Back Workout

Here is my Labor Day Back workout :)

1 arm rows:
1x12 w/ 15 pounds
1x10 w/ 20 pounds
1x15 w/ 15 pounds

T-Bar Rows:
1x12 w/ 20 pounds
1x10 w/ 20 pounds
1x15 w/ 15 pounds

Seated Cable Rows:
1x10 w/ 45 pounds
1x8 w/ 60 pounds
1x15 w/ 45 pounds

Reverse Flyes:
1x12 w/ 20 pounds
1x15 w/ 20 pounds
1x20 w/ 20 pounds

Lap Pull Downs:
2x25 w/ 40 pounds

Lap Pull Downs to Rear:
2x25 w/ 30 pounds

1 mile run on treadmill in 10 mins 30 seconds

Ab Work:
30 crunches to the front
2x20 crunches to the side
2x30 medicine ball work
2x10 crunches

This workout gets your blood pumping and your back burning that will have you sweating through the entire workout. Let me know if you have any questions :)

New Picture

Well I promised I would post a new picture of myself so that you could really tell the difference so here it is as of today!