Cynthia_1979’s BodyBlog

As of late, I’ve been getting quite a bit of questions on what my work-outs are like and what they consist of, so I thought I’d share as much detail as I can for all of those curious minds.  

To date, I’m currently working out 5x/week incorporating a combination of cardio and strength training.  Because I’m quite limited in working out of an actual gym, I do everything at home, and when I can, I try to do my exercises outside.  

I usually do 30-45 minutes of cardio 3x/week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and rely mostly on a variety of fitness DVD’s.  Some of my favorite fitness DVD’s include: Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred and Blast Fat, Boost Metabolism; Tae Bo, Kathy Smith’s, Fat Burning Pilates, and P90X’s Plyo DVD.  If I’m feeling up to it, I may go outside and do a run/walk.

My current strength training routine is done 5 days/week and I spend each day working specific body parts.  I should note, that my husband ( a former track athlete) has me working working each exercise to failure, meaning that when doing sets, I do each rep until I possibly can’t do them anymore.  So if I’m doing Bicep curls for example, I could do anywhere from 40-60, or to the point where my arms give way.

Here’s an idea of what I’m doing for strength training:

Monday:
Lugnes
Deadlifts
Calf raises
Squats

Tuesday:
Chest press
Push-ups
Chest Flies

Wednesday:
Bent-over lat raises
Superman/woman
Bent-over row

Thursday:
Shoulder press
Frontal raises
Side raises

Friday:
Bicep curls
Hammer curls
Dumbbell punches (kick-box move)
Tricep kick-back
Skull crushes
Tricep dips

Every 4-6 weeks I try to switch up my exercises, especially when it comes to strength training, so sometimes, you’ll catch me doing DVD’s for strength.  The one’s that I love to death are, Jari Love’s, Ripped series and Jillian Michaels, No More Trouble Zones.

I hope this helps give my readers an idea of what I do for exercise.  If you have any questions or need more details please don’t hesitate to PM me.

With all the hard work that I’ve put into getting in shape over the last 6 months, I’ve had my share of days where I feel down in the dumps because all the work I’m putting into altering my physique isn’t getting anywhere.  But now that I’m busting my a** off more than ever by perfecting my eating and getting that exercise in, people are actually noticing and it’s finally making feel that all my work is FINALLY paying off.  

The other day, I was standing in the kitchen preparing dinner and my husband looks at me and says, "oh my, you’ve lost a bunch of weight hey?"  Boy, let me tell you what kind of high I was on when my husband told me that.  It felt so good, to hear from your loved one, who most likely wouldn’t notice things like that due to seeing you on a daily basis, that you’re making progress with your goals (incredible feeling).  And today, I ran into a family friend that I haven’t seen since the birth of my daughter who was shocked at how much weight I’ve lost since that time.  

I tell you, the compliments I’ve been getting as of late, motivate me more than ever to continue reaching my weight loss goals.  It’s not easy having to watch every morsel that goes into your mouth and having to push yourself through those days you dread working out, but I do it knowing that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, and that’s a slender and healthy body!

So my husband, who’s pretty hardcore when it comes to working out and staying in shape has put me on a new work-out routine which I’ve been doing for the last 4 weeks.  He has me working specific body parts 5 days of the week ( Monday-Legs, Tuesday-Chest, Wednesday-Back, Thursday-Shoulders, and Friday-Arms), doing 3-6 exercises depending on the part that I’m working, and rather than doing specific repetitions for each exercise, I’m working each part till failure.  Prior to being given this routine, I was either lifting to DVD programs on strength training days, or coming up with my own program and doing each exercise to a specific set of repetitions in my mind.  Ever since switching to my husband’s form of training, my body has changed so much in that 4 weeks than I’ve seen in the how ever many months I’ve been working out.  I know people don’t seem to be following this form of training anymore, but I can honestly and truly say that working your body to failure is one of the best things you can do to get in shape and alter your physical appearance.  There’s nothing like feeling the burn as you  work your body beyond it’s limit and knowing that your body is changing right before your eyes.  

This may be an outdated form of exercise in the eyes of many, but it truly works and I highly recommend it for those looking to see quick results!

Here’s a sample of what my program looks like:

Monday-Legs:
Walking lunges using 10 pound free weights- 3 sets/50 reps
Dead lifts using a barbell with 10 pounds in total-3 sets/50 reps
Squats using 10 pound free weights-3 sets/40 reps

I must say, the best thing about embarking on my new lifestyle is the fact that I get to experiment with a wide variety of new recipes and best of all, find alternatives to most of my favorite dishes.  As a result, I feel so much in control of my diet and don’t feel the need to reach for some of the unhealthy foods I was eating before.  For example, I am the ultimate cheesecake lover and would do anything in a heart beat to get my hands on the stuff, but now, I have found a waaaaaay healthier alternative that seems to keep my cravings at bay and keeps me satisfied in the process.  I recently tried a similar recipe for Lemon Peel Ricotta Creme and the stuff is to die for!  It’s to the point where I really don’t miss the REAL thing and am fine settling for something quite similar, but much healthier.  

Another healthier alternative that has served me quite well is spaghetti squash topped with homemade tomato sauce with ground chicken and fresh veggies as opposed to regular spaghetti and pre-made, store-bought sauce.  It’s so much tastier, not to mention healthier, and I can have as much of it as I want without blowing my calories out the window.

I think I can get use to and live comfortably with this Clean Eating thing.  There’s nothing like being exposed to a whole new way of living and improving your health in the process.

So after eating like crap, for reasons I don’t know, over the last 6 days, I’ve come to the realization that eating this way is not for me.  Since I started on my weight loss journey, my body has become so accustomed to CLEAN wholesome foods that anything else won’t suffice.  Anything that I put into it that doesn’t fall along the lines of CLEAN food doesn’t sit well in my system.

After my 6 days of binge eating, eating foods such as burgers, hot dogs, chips, and cake, I honestly don’t think I’ve ever felt as sick as I have eating those foods.  The 4-5 days of bloating, nausea, heart-burn and gas just isn’t worth eating crap and nonsense.  

Either way, today was a new day of jumping on board with my weight loss efforts, and trust me when I say it’s never felt so good eating so clean, or what I call my clean comfort foods (bring on the yogurt, cottage cheese, veggies, protein,l etc. etc.).