Back at it! A week in my fit life...

I've spoken a lot about hair and healthy eats within the blog thus far but not much about working out which makes up the "barbells" portion of my blog. To put it very bluntly I'm getting back into full swing, let me explain. I caught a nasty cold, the type of cold that should have kept me in bed but I dragged myself to work nevertheless and once I got home it was a wrap. During the course of my fitness journey I've held myself to a minimum of 10 minutes of fitness a day standard that I just couldn't bear to uphold once that cold got hold of me. Other than a few twenty minute walks that may have been forced by my accountability partner I did very little for close to two weeks. That's right after several months of total dedication, even exercising while on vacation, I took a break and I'm glad I did. I'm not sure if I realized how much my body needed that rest. Now I'll pause for a moment of silence while I relish in the fact that I didn't game one pound during my break from fitness...... Ahhh that felt great! I'm happy to report that my weight stayed exactly the same because I tried to stay true to my eating regimen.

Well I'm back to hitting the gym again hard and it feels good to get back on track. Here is a sample of what a typical workout week looks like for me:

Sunday          Steady state cardio (elliptical or a walk/jog), I keep it light on Sunday.
Monday         I like to wake up to fasted cardio (Xbox Zumba or a high interval training DVD).
Tuesday         Meet with my trainer, yesterday was upper body and back. My arms feel like jelly.
Wednesday    Light cardio (fitness DVD/elliptical) in the AM and zumba class in the PM.
Thursday        Lower body with my trainer. Let's just say last weeks session made sitting difficult.
Friday             I'm pooped by now and I get by with some steady state cardio like a fitness machine.
Saturday         Full body strength training. I may go light on my legs if they're still recovering.


If you can't tell I like a good bit of variety. Having multiple workout options in my home keeps me from getting bored, boredom is equivalent to quitting in my world. I must be entertained! I love the Xbox One Zumba Fitness game, it offers a variety of dance workouts and you can choose different places all over the world. From India to Hawaii or Europe the music and intensity levels vary and it really makes working out fun. If I'm lucky my husband will join me, then it's a party!

From my early days of working out at home as a teenager my mom always kept various fitness VHS tapes. Today I also keep a variety of fitness DVD's on hand but my favorite are The Firm which includes cardio and weights in their workouts. My favorite Firm videos are the 500 calorie workout, The Firm Super Sculpting (not pictured) and the Firm Ignite Calorie Burn. These DVD's are not only inexpensive but very effective workouts with a variety of sculpted trainers, we all need a little six pack to give us motivation don't we? In addition to my DVD collection I have an elliptical, stationary bike, free weights and a weight rack and bench in my home gym, having access to a variety keeps me motivated.

My favorite home DVD's

 Another favorite DVD that I must mention is the Abs diet for Women. This is a twenty minute interval training option that has a great deal of jumping and heart pumping moves. It's quick and intense, also interval cardio training is great for weight loss. I also like to add intervals on the elliptical, stationary bike or track, mixing periods of high and low intensity really burns the calories.

I reserve my Wednesdays for zumba as offered by my employer. The camaraderie and music make this a fun workout and it's free to employees- BONUS! My Tuesdays and Thursdays are reserved for Steve, he's a professional body builder and he's pretty hard core. I somewhat dread these meetings with Steve, he pushes me out of my comfort zone. I realize that's exactly what I need but who wants to pay for this kind of punishment....oh yeah that girl who wants to where bikinis well into her sixties that's who. Fitness is better than any purchase I've ever made or food I've ever tasted. I say this because there are thousands of people that lose weight counting calories or points with great success but fitness just feels powerful, strong and sexy. What woman couldn't use a little dose of those three ingredients?

My little home gym

What else can I say? My advice to you is to find a workout you love and do it! I love variety and I've always craved muscle definition, that's where Steve comes into play. Also if I can be honest Steve as well as my Wednesday zumba class offers me a bit of accountability in knowing I will get three high calorie burn workouts a week. An accountability partner or personal trainer can do wonders in the battle to lose weight, coupled with healthy eating options of course. I'd love to hear what kind of workouts you B&B darlings enjoy!