WHAT A WORKOUT!

You may or may not have read my post about me joining a gym specifically to hire a personal trainer.  Well, my trainer - Ira - certainly unleashed on me tonight.  I have 2 sessions with him per week and last week I struggled but I wasn't feeling like "I can't."  Today, I mean I seriously wanted to give him the finger at one point!!!  LOL.  Which is actually a good thing.  I know for a fact that I would never push myself that hard and so I definitely feel it is worth it to get me to work beyond what I would do on my own.  But compared to last week's workouts (which weren't easy either BTW) it was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with him today.  One minute we were chatting it up and I was stretching, the next he was like "DON'T STOP OR I WILL JUST ADD MORE TIME!!!!"  I can't wait til I get to the point where I'm telling him, "is that all you got?!?!"  Now....that will probably take like 6 months, but hey when it happens, don't think I am not gonna talk that ISH!

Now...I cannot wait to weigh in on Wednesday!  As Bob Harper on the NBC's The Biggest Loser says, "That scale owes me this week!"

Met my Gym Goal!!!

I DID IT!  I FINALLY DID IT!!!! WORKED OUT 5 DAYS THIS WEEK!!!  Monday, Wednesday (with the trainer) Thursday, Friday and today (Saturday)!  I cannot remember the last time I worked out 5 days in 1 week!  I definitely never have done it consistently (beyond playing sports in high school) and definitely never at the top of my weight loss, only when I was already at my goal weight.  I am so proud of myself.   You just don't know!!!

Okay some new things I have been trying - tracking.  Yes, I am returning to my Weight Watchers' roots and tracking everything that I eat.  I tell you - this works for me!!!  I am so conscious of popping something in my mouth if I know it will be in black & white later.  Instead of using a paper tracker, I have been logging everything online at LiveStrong.com.  This is an awesome website!  All you have to do is begin typing in the name of the food and the nutritional information is already in the site!  Less work on me and I so appreciate it!

I am looking really forward to seeing great results with this.  The Fat Smash Diet is not one where you have to count calories and such, but I like knowing exactly what I have eaten.  As I said, I make better choices while tracking, plus with everything right in front of me I can see what is working and what doesn't work.  One thing I think I did in the beginning was to not eat ENOUGH food. Also, you can build recipes there with specific brands of food and it will add up the caloric information.  Very awesome site.  I just began following this WONDERFUL blog Getting Healthy with Melissa and she recently began tracking and lost a whopping 2.7 lbs this week!  I only hope to have the same success!  Melissa is also in the "Cute as a Bunny" Challenge.


Wish me luck this week - my miniature goal is to drink 64 oz. of water per day. 

Working it Out!!!

I have a home gym.  Not one of those bowflex types of machines, but enough equipment that I literally have a home gym.  I will be posting pictures of my fitness space soon.  I have a NordicTrack elliptical machine, on of the steps from The Firm workout system, a 9 lb body bar, dumbells (2, 5 and 10 lbs), resistance bands (both handled and non), a body bar, and thigh master.  Not to mention the couple of workout DVD's I own & Exercise TV On Demand.  WHEW!  Now, there is absolutely no reason I cannot workout regularly, right?!  Oh and I forgot to mention that my apartment complex has a workout room.

With all of that, what I am about to say may make absolutely NO SENSE to you...but I will share nonetheless.  I joined a gym.  Wait wait wait, before you gasp and wonder why I would waste my money, let me explain!  I am trying to figure out all of my shortcomings and roadblocks and what I can do to overcome them.  And to be honest, working out regularly is a challenge for me.  And beyond that, working out with intensity is difficult for me.  So, when I kept seeing a special for a local gym for $14.95 per month with a month-to-month contract, I absolutely HAD to learn more.  Once I went in, I saw some machines that of course would help me tone certain areas that I may not be able to do on my own, but does that justify me joining, even if it is only $15?!  The answer is no.  I joined specifically to hire a personal trainer.  My mother hired one a few months ago and got fantastic results.  I wanted to hire a trainer for a number of reasons, please allow me to share:

• To be pushed beyond my comfort zone and my own limitations.  This will really accelerate my weight lose, help me to burn more calories, and get my trouble zones toned more quickly.
• To force me to exercise regularly.  If I make an appointment, I am going to keep it.  That is really simple enough.
• Its the "accountability" factor.  If I have to weigh in & have my measurements taken in front of someone I'm going to do what I have to do to get those results.  I think that is why Weight Watchers worked for me also.
• I want to get my money's worth.  I won't slack off when working with the trainer because I am paying my good money for it!

So I begin tomorrow - I chose to work with a man.  Am I setting the feminist movement back by admitting that I prefer a man to work me out?  For whatever reason I feel they will be able to push me harder and get better results.  If it was Jillian Michaels (of NBC's The Biggest Loser) I wouldn't feel that way, but the woman I witnessed in action today had such a soft-spoken, quiet demeanor....and that is NOT what I want.  I want someone who is going to MAKE me work hard!!!!  My body fat percentage is 34.6%...I will let you know my measurements tomorrow.  They will be taking a before picture because they "felt" I would be a good advertisement person (I will be posting a pic of my body only).  Another point of accountability - they had full confidence that I would be an awesome client and I will be damned if I prove them wrong!