Are you bored with gym reports yet?

I hope not! I'm still pretty excited about the fact that I haven't skipped a day yet, even though Tuesday morning and this morning, all I really wanted to do was take Xay to school then come home and crawl back into bed.

The scale isn't really moving yet, so I have to take encouragement and pride in other things. First off, I covered a mile on the elliptical this morning for the first time. I do the elliptical for 15 minutes, so I'm pretty proud that, in only my 5th workout, I've increased my stamina and intensity that much. The first day, I barely made it ten minutes and I only covered about .60 miles. I also increased my reps to 15 per set, 3 sets on my weight circuit. I was really feeling the burn this morning! Finally, on the treadmill, I was able to increase my max incline and speed by .5. Sweat, burn, sweat, burn! And, I feel good, so yay. :)

I also wanted to share some great foods I've recently discovered in my "Search for What I Can Eat!" First, GV Brand BeneFIT Yogurt (get it at WalMart). It's a probiotic yogurt, so it's good for your immune and digestive systems. Add to that the sensibly sized portion (70 calories per cup), dose of calcium and it really tastes good. Really. This from a person who doesn't really like yogurt. Next up, Special K's Blueberry cereal. 100 calories per 3/4 cup serving, plus loads of vitamins and a good bit of fiber, just like all of Special K's cereal. And, can I just say YUM?! Because, seriously, it's good. Special K really knows how to make a good, tasty cereal in flavors that make it easier not to eat the bad stuff. I can't recommend the Chocolaty Delight enough and I'm glad to add Blueberry to my list of favorites. PS I love cereal and eat it any time of the day or night, so it's good to have smart choices on hand.

Another thing I've realized about myself is that I am more motivated when I read fitness magazines targeting women. I especially like Shape, so I treated myself to a two-year subscription. They've always got great workouts and advice for routines that get you into shape whether you have a gym membership or not. So, if at the end of my six-month membership I decide not to renew for some reason, I can still keep working hard to get to my goals. Plus, reading about fitness keeps my eyes on the prize and helps me do something everyday that's good for my body.

Finally, the biggest, and most surprising for me, is how much everyone's encouragement here, on Twitter and on Facebook has meant to me. I'm normally not very public about my struggles with my weight and fitness because I don't want to be embarrassed if I fail. But, hearing all the wonderful comments has really given me a boost of initiative I might not have if I weren't able to share this with my friends and hear back how much they are rooting for me. So, thank you to all my wonderful friends! You have really touched my heart and you make me feel like I can do anything!

BB!
~Jeannie

Oh, I'm tired.

But, I'm not sore! Yay! Either the water is working or the treadmill after weights is really helping work the lactic acid out of my system. I have to admit, I'm really surprised that I'm even mobile today after two workouts and class last night. But, I ain't knockin' it! I'm... well, I'm impressed, really. I expected to be a wracked with pain this morning! lol

However, as the title mentions, I'm damned tired. Like alarm-clock-going-off-for-ten-minutes tired. I still made it to the gym after dropping Xay off at school and did a full workout, which lasts about 2 hours. I was hard-pressed to get on the elliptical, but I just kept telling myself, "I can quit whenever I need to... but can I make it another 30 seconds? Yes, I can." I got through my elliptical workout 30 seconds at a time, today. Same with weights, "Can I do one more set? Yes, though it burns!" LOL By the time I hit the treadmill, I was feeling good and breezed through it.

After I lose my first 15 pounds, I'm going to reward myself with a haircut, I think. Or maybe a massage. I'll see which I'm feeling more like having when that time comes, and I'll keep ya posted.

BB!
~Jeannie