Ok. I'm new here so I hope I'm doing this right. I don't like gyms, especially now that I live in a college/beach town (hello meatmarket). In the past I have always had the best results with workout tapes in the privacy of my own home. I can roll out of bed, pop in a tape and get on with it. So...let me go over my workout tape library.

1. Crunch Fitness: Washboard Abs--One interval of light "warm up" cardio and the rest is broken down into 3 intervals of gut burning floor moves and one interval of cool down.
2. Crunch Fitness: Burn & Firm in 30 minutes-- Broken down into 4 intervals...one 5 minute warm up, 22 minutes of cardio/sculpting with weights,5 minutes of ab work, 3 minute stretch. As far as Cardio goes, this video kicks my butt.
3. Crunch Fitness: Cardio Sculpt-- I just bought this one today but the cardio looks much easier to follow than B&F. The sculpting is a little more intense though.
4. Living Arts:Stress Relief Yoga for Beginners-- I took a yoga class at Gold's when I lived in Charlotte NC and loved it. I feel so alive when I do this video.
5. Living Arts: Abs Yogo for Beginners-- Rodney Yee is "the man". I love this one too. Although it is very slow moving, I feel more burn doing this tape than I do with the Washboard Abs tape.
6. Stott Pilates: 22 Minute Matwork-- When I took the Yogo class in Charlotte our teacher went out of town and the Pilates teacher subed. It was easy to follow and I could tell a big improvement in my legs and abs just after one class. Hopefully I'll get the same out of this one.

Now, let's not forget I live in a Southern Coastal town with beautiful weather most of the time so I do walk on the beach with my husband at least once a week and when the pool in our apt. complex opens I will alternate a tape with swimming laps.

Let me break down my routine for a week:

1. Monday: Laundry day, consists of lugging 4 loads of clothes up and down 6 flights of steps (third floor apt) and all the way to laundry room in the apt. office building. Tape: Abs Yoga.

2. Tuesday: A.M.: Cardio Sculpt; 30 minutes, P.M.: Pilates

3. Wednesday: A.M.: B&F, P.M.: Stress Relief Yoga

4. Thursday: Rest, light walking at the beach with hubby

5. Friday: Cardio Scupt; Yoga Stress Relief

6. Saturday: B&F; Pilates

7. Sunday: Heavy duty housework day; Washboard Abs

Looks like a winner to me. I have a lot of energy from LCing plus I take an ECA stack (half dose) and required supplements. I actually love working out so this is'nt too much for me especially since I have the workouts broken down to a.m./p.m. Aaaahhhh..I feel better already..

Ok, Did my new Cardio Burn tape. Uhh...did I say it was easy? It kicked my butt...but I loved it. I was able to follow most of the steps without too much trouble...I'm a bit of a klutz when it comes to "dance" steps. The sculpting with weights parts were fun. I've always enjoyed weight lifting, pushing my muscles to the max..whatever. But this was very different than pumping away at the gym. Very fluid and rythmic..along with the cardio portions. I'm using 4lb dumbbells right now and I'm paying close attention to my form and the way my muscles move. I may go up in weight in a few weeks but right now I'm concentrating on getting the tape down pat. Very good workout...heart rate was up (need to buy a monitor to keep check) and I feel pretty darn good about my self. Tonight before bed I will do the yoga for stress relief. I'm very familiar with this tape. Ok..so I don't do every asana perfect, I'm not very flexible but by the end when I am in corpse pose I almost always doze off.

Carla

Carla-
Glad you have an exercise routine that works for you. I am happy you started a gym log so everyone can read along and watch your progress.

Best of luck!
Linda

Thanks Linda. This board has really been a great inspiration for me and a means of support. This journal really keeps me on my toes so I want cheat..
OK...so I lied about the cheating part. I didn't do the yoga video last night. Mike wanted to rent some movies and they had a rent 3 for 9.99 deal and that's what we did. We were up till past 3am watching movies. Actually 2 or 3 is our usual bedtime. Tattoo Artists do not believe in going to bed before midnight. Unfortunatly I have to live the same "rock star" lifestyle (my mom's word...not mine).
OK..actually he spends his evenings after work drawing for victims..err i mean...clients. So....this is my workout for today.
I'm trying to get used to my new Cardio Sculpt video so I ended up doing that again this morning. Still fumbling on some of the moves but I can basically keep up with the girl. At least I'm not flipping her off during the arm movements like I do the girl in the burn and firm video. Good thing I don't work out in a gym.

I will do the pilates video tonight before bed. I previewed it and it's very similar to the one class I took at Gold's in Charlotte. Should be fun.

Signed,
Carla

I had a great day Sunday. I wasn't able to post Sunday because I didn't make it to the computer all day.

Mike had the day off so we slept in. I woke up. Took my supplements..including my Xenadrine. I did the Cardio Sculpt tape. Drank a 20oz bottle of water and waited for our friends to arrive. We were going out for lunch. Of course they were late. I was so hungry. The funny thing was...yes I was hungry..yes my tummy was rumbling...but I did not feel sick or dizzy. They finally made it around 2pm. I had been up since 10am, did a 40 minute workout, cleaned the apt. a bit, showered, fixed hair and makeup...etc. I think they had just rolled out of bed. That's what I get for having punks as friends I guess. So eventually we ate. Afterwards, Nat and I changed into shorts and the 4 of us to a brisk 30 minute walk on the beach. We walked from one fishing pier to the old fishing pier (which is nothing but stumps sticking out of the ocean) and back. I estimate about a mile total. My hamstrings are burning a little but I think that muscle burn/tightness feels pretty good. It means I'm working them. I believe physically, Sunday was a pretty good day.
Signed,
Carla

OK..so what happened to Monday? I took a little rest day. My legs were a little sore but I did my yoga before I went to bed.

Woke up today and did my Cardio Sculpt. I had a pretty busy day today, running here and there getting Mike ready for the Columbus Convention this weekend. i"m keeping this short...I'm a little pooped from the running around. I'm going to take a nice long bath and use my homemade spearmint bath salts...I need to make some more lavender...*sigh*

Signed,
Carla

So I redid my personal journal,now it's time to start up my gym log again! Where am I at now, 2 years later?

I'm doing The Firm 3 days a week and Crunch Cardio Pilates 1 day a week. I want to work up to 5 days a week total. My main goal is to start going to the Bohdi Tree once a week for Hatha Yoga again. I've taken Kundalini Yoga twice and enjoyed it but the Hatha Classes are only 5 bucks and are mostly stretching. So that's it, when I'm done posting I'm checking out their website and reserving time to go to a yoga class once a week.

Here's my schedule starting tommorow. I'll bend the rules and start my weeks on Saturday. How ya like that RULES!!

Saturday: The Firm 2: Complete Aerobics & Weight Training w/ Emily
Sunday: Rest day
Monday: The Firm 1: Super Body Sculpt w/Stephanie (my favorite)
Tuesday:Cardio Pilates
Wednesday:The Firm 2: Total Sculpt plus Abs w/Jen
Thursday: Rest day
Friday: The Firm 1: Super Cardio Sculpt w/Nancy (very light weight training)
I'll see how that schedule goes.

Love,
Carla

I did the Emily DVD this afternoon. I will be taking Moose out for a stroll and a game of fetch here in a bit. That's a workout all on it's on...whew!

Love,
Carla

Walked Moose for about 1/2 mile, he tugged and pulled the whole way... . It was kind of funny, when he pulls too much we have this thing that we do where we give his leash 2 quick tugs and say "Moose chill". It works fine for Mike but I usually can't pop the leash hard enough to get his attention. (he is a pit bull so not much fazes him and we refuse to use inhumane collars) This time I popped his leash and he turned around w/ his big ol happy face like..."dang momma, your getting strong. I better straighten up." I love my doggy. On our walk today I was thinking about all us LC folks and how people misunderstand our woe and assume we're going to kill ourselves. Funny thing is, people think the same way about my dog. I guess I'm just a controversial rebel who takes the "mainstream" thinking w/ a grain of salt. Hey, it works for me, I'm healthy, the ol bod is sculpted and I have the sweetest, most kid loving, loyal, happiest dog on the planet. Here I go again....TAKE THAT STUPID RULES...

My back was hurting this morning so I skipped my workout. I'm going to do Pilates tonight before bed, besides Mike like's watching me workout...

Did Fat Burning Pilates this morning. Cool, Mike started showing me some sweeeet fight moves tonight. He's teaching me to kick butt if the need ever shows itself. OH YEAH!

Did the upper body segment of my Stephanie DVD. I'm expecting it to be busy today at work so I don't won't to over do it. Time to get ready for work...

Took a rest day yesterday. We got slammed at the shop. Did the Jen DVD this morning.

Took rest day yesterday, did fat burning Pilates this morning. I worked out 4 times this week. Not too shabby. I really want to get it up to 5 days a week.

Monday-rest
Tuesday-Emily DVD