4/20 Workout

-30 Minutes of Cardio on the bike. Level 20 on random.

Today I was majorly slacking. Chris' (my fiance) PS3 (aka our DVD player) broke so I have yet to try Jillian Michaels' No More Trouble Zones. I'm going to go out and buy a cheap DVD player in the meantime because I'm itching to try it and really lacking on strength exercise. I'm thisclose to hiring a personal trainer for this reason. I can't get myself to do weights/strength at the gym for some reason. Anyone have tips?

4/18 Workout

-20 Minutes of cardio on the elliptical. Level 18 incline, level 15 resistance.
-25 Minutes of cardio on the bike. Level 20 on random.

I'm considering putting up some "before" and "after" photos this week, although I'm honestly disgusted by how I looked 9 months ago and HATE looking at pictures. But I think I'm going to do it to give myself (and all of you) more motivation to continue (I'm nowhere near done yet, and never will be "done"), I will have to maintain my final goal. I applaud those of you who have the guts to post near naked "before" and "after" photos of yourselves. I wish I had that "don't give a damn" gene. Sometimes I think I do but ultimately I do care.

4/16 Workout

-30 Minutes of cardio on the elliptical. Level 20 incline, level 15 resistance.
-30 Minutes of cardio on the bike. Level 20 set on random.

I ordered Jillian Michaels' "No More Trouble Zones" DVD and it came in the mail today, so I'm really excited to try it out. Hopefully tomorrow I will get a chance to do it and I'll give a full review!

4/15 Workout

1 Hour of Spinning class.
I'm SO glad I went to spinning, I hadn't been in months and I felt fantastic afterwards. I usually work out at night because I don't like working out in the morning (too tired), and working out mid-day just puts a big block in my day-I don't like having to re-fresh and do my hair, makeup etc. twice in one day. Anyway, I went to spinning at 12 which I loved because it gave me enough time to wake up, and I didn't have any plans the rest of the day. I think I'm sounding really high-maintenance right now...but...Thursdays are my days off and I take full advantage!

Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe

I've always bought Annie's salad dressing, which is very good, but I finally (after many, many trials) discovered how to make the perfect, light vinaigrette dressing. Onto the recipe...

-1 tablespoon Garlic Olive oil (from Costco), or Extra Virgin olive oil + minced garlic
-1 teaspoon vinegar
-few shakes of freshly ground pepper
-pinch of Truffle Salt

Combine all ingredients and stir, then pour over your salad.
I keep a container full of this dressing in my fridge so I don't have to make it every day.

4/11 Workout and Food Diary

Workout:
-40 Minutes of cardio on the bike, level 20, hills.
-20 reps of bicep curls 3x
-20 reps of tricep "pushes" with 8 lb weights 3x

Food:
-9 AM: Coffee w/ Fat Free Hazelnut coffeemate and 1/2 of a "bagel thin" with "light" butter. If you shop at Costco and love bagels, you have to try bagel thins. They're 100 calories, 50 for half a bagel.
-3 PM: Went out for Thai food and had Pad Grapow (chicken w/ basil, veggies and spicy-ish sauce).
-9 PM: Mixed greens salad w/ an avocado, tuna, dried cranberries and home-made vinaigrette dressing. I will be posting a recipe for this very simple dressing tomorrow!
-9:45 PM: Granny Smith apple with low fat peanut butter--I eat this combo almost every night as dessert.

4/8 Workout

-20 minutes of cardio on the elliptical. Level 20 incline, level 15 resistance
-20 minutes of cardio on the bike. Level 20 on random.
-20 reps x3 thigh abductor: 90 lbs
-20 reps x3 hip abductor: 100 lbs

4/6 Workout

Upon checking in at the gym yesterday, the guy at the counter outed me and said "are you going to do your usual 40-60 minutes on one of the bikes or are you going to do something different?" It kind of pissed me off because I'm really sensitive and made me hyper sensitive that I shouldn't go on the bike because of his comment. I vacillated between "why should I care what he thinks?" and "I should just do something else because it'll be good for me"...onto what I did...

-40 Minutes of cardio on the bike, intervals, level 20
-25 Minutes of cardio on the elliptical, level 20 incline, level 15 resistance

4/4 Workout

Since my gym was closed on Easter, I did some Exercise TV workouts on demand on Comcast.

-20 Minutes of "Quick Trouble Zones" by Jillian Michaels
-I love Jillian Michaels' workouts, but she doesn't let you do enough reps to really feel anything. I had to pause the TV about 5 times to extend the reps. I think the Trouble Zones dvd is better (never done it, though) because she adds more reps.

-45 Minutes of Total body workout by Jackie
-This is my new favorite on demand workout! I am going to buy it. Jackie isn't annoying like lots of other trainers. She breaks up her workout by body part and does enough reps to feel it!

4/1 Workout

-40 Minutes Cardio on the bike, hills, level 20

3/31 Workout

45 Minutes of Cardio on the Stationary bike.
-Level 20
-Hills