"Are you intimitated by free weights..dumbells and barbells?"

Absolutely!

I'm thinkin' that while the machines aren't as good, they're better than nothing. So until I move on up to the free weights - machines it tis!

I *AM* pushing myself on them though. I'm not just loading up a 10 pounder and doing my 30 reps at lightning speed. So I think I'm doing them right. And even in only two weeks I've been able to go up in weight, so it's doin' something!

But yeah, the free weight thing.. I know they're better and can work more muscle groups than just ONE, like the machines, but all the personal trainers jump on me when I go in there and I'm sorry, but I just don't have the dough to have one of them coach me through all of them. When my HUSBAND finally gets his GAME FACE ON and JOINS ME at the gym, *he* can show me (for free), but until then, mama dun be doin' the machines.

I'll try the 30 minute "balls out" cardio way tomorrow!

I just feel sometimes that if I'm not sweating like a pig doing cardio for an hour or 90 minutes a day, that I'm not DOING anything.

Thank you Lilli and Gostrydr for your responses.

Julia