Today it felt really good to wake up without a sore throat, and somewhat cleared nose. I got a good nights sleep last night, and I am feeling almost completely better. I definitely felt well enough to do all three workouts today. I started out with Lower Body, which is one my favorites to start with. Then I did Total Body, and finished with Cardio. It feels good to be getting back in to the swing. Today I didn’t eat so well because I had to throw out half my groceries that have went bad sitting in the fridge. I am still new at this buying groceries thing. I love being able to cook, because I am learning it requires more planning if I want to get the most out of what I buy. I only buy food that are found on those first two levels of the nutrition guide, but roomates are always bake and I am constantly surrounded by the temptation of cupcakes and brownies.

Tomorrow after class is done at 12:30, I am done for the week! But my weekend is looking to be very busy as well, so it is not so much of a break. I have a lot of errands to do in the city, which always ends up being like a workout for me. I love being able to walk everywhere, you could walk miles just shopping and not even realize it! Tomorrow I’ll have my Week 3 Pics up, I am not expecting to see much change because I feel like this past week was sort of on pause.

I think I thought of everything I possibly could do before starting the workout this morning. Cleaning the kitchen this morning was more appealing than popping in the dvd and immediately jumping into 10 minutes of cardio. But like always, once I did get started, I was into it, and didn’t skimp on anything either. WIth these workouts, being on your own, its easy and tempting to take a break whenever you want, and a few seconds before its over. But I really want to see results so I am doing my best to make sure I get the most out of it. Tony does encourage breaks if needed though, which I do have to take sometimes, especially when it comes to push ups. I’m getting better but I’m still not able to them for 10 minutes straight. Today was also Total Body, and Abs. I did the first two this morning, and I plan on doing Abs tonight, after class.

Today is going to be a long day. Class from 1-6. Three hour classes kill me, especially when the teacher talks to the whole time. Today I have photography for three hours, we’ll see how that goes…

Week 2

Today was an easy day for both my classes, and my work out. I only had one class today, from one-three. I woke up around 10 and did Cardio, Abs, and Yoga. After a week of these 10 minute exercises I have gotten comfortable and familiar enough with the moves that I turned down the narration of Tony, and played my motivational work out music in the background. Compared to other workout videos that I have tried to follow before, Tony’s narration doesn’t get on my nerves and  his crazy high energy is actually entertaining sometimes. But with the workouts starting to get repetitive I think playing my own music helps keep it exciting.

I really enjoy yoga, I wish it went on for longer.  I could sit in that Pigeon stretch for 5 minutes, its such an easy stretch but you feel it so much at the same time. After doing these workouts for a week, I feel like I know what I am doing, but the only downside to doing these workouts at home, following a video, is that I could be doing these moves wrong and have no idea. Sometimes if a roommate is around, I’ll ask if it looks like I’m doing it right, they would be the first to tell me if  I looked ridiculous.

I feel like this weekend was a little bit of set back. Friday morning after working out I was really feeling great, and feeling like I could already see and feel the affects of keeping up with these workouts. Then the weekend came, and I did drink, and slacked a little bit with my nutrition plan, so I just have to get back on track, and have now learned my lesson, that I can’t slack with the work out just because its the weekend.

Hey everyone! My name is Hannah and as of today I have started the 10 Minute Trainer workout program. I am a sophomore in college and today is also my first day of classes. It is great to be back at school. The past two days have been very hectic, moving into my new apartment and getting situated. My arms were actually sore this morning from all the heavy lifting I was not used to doing. 

I waited to start 10 Minute Trainer until I was back at school. I had a great summer, traveling and going on adventures with my friends, but it completley lacked any routine. Now with school and a set schedule I am ready to make these workouts part of my daily routine. In addition to the exercise there is a 10 Minute Trainer Nutritional plan to follow, which I am planning to follow the best I can. Again, as a student my food funds are limited but so far I have only stocked my kitchen with healthy food. Last year, with a meal plan, it was almost impossible to eat healthy at school, and I am afraid I was a victim of the freshman fifteen. 

I have never been an athlete, but for the most part have always been in good shape. I danced for 12 years, which kept me fit and active, but now that I am at college I have had to stop taking dance classes and have to find other ways to exercise. So far the 10 Minute Trainer has been very convenient. Today I did a total of thirty minutes. Cardio, Lower Body and Abs. Three minutes in to the first set I was sweating and I knew that after thirty minutes I would feel truly worked. Out of the three I liked the Lower Body the best. The Abs work out was really challenging for me and I had to take small breaks through out that one. So one of the first goals I have set for myself is to soon be able to do the Abs set without taking any breaks. 

So now that I have worked out, I am going to make myself an egg white omelette before I go to my first class, where it will reallllly hit me that I am  back to school for another year of working hard and playing hard. And hopefully by the time I go home for Christmas break  I will look and feel in much better shape than when I had left.

10 Minute Trainer Week 4

Today has been a wonderful day. I woke up a bit early. My throat was killing me as well as my head (wait a mintue, that doesn’t sound wonderful……but it gets better). I played some World of Warcraft with my family. Yes I am a total gaming geek. I admit it proudly. It is a great way for all of us to get together though. My family is scattered to the four winds (my father has always called us gypsies), so it nice to be able to get on this game and talk and play together. That took up about 2 hours of time this morning. My son didn’t seem to mind. He was watching cartoons, playing GI Joes, and playing his Wii. Nice relaxing Sunday morning. The kind you probably remember from your own childhoods. After we wrapped that up we went to the store and out to lunch. I still manage to eat healthy when we go out. I had a ceasar salad, with the occasional sneak of the son’s waffle fries. Once home I did my workouts. I must say I didn’t give them my all today, which is kind of sad considering this is my last day on this program. I completely them. I made it through all 30 mins. I just wasn’t as pumped as usual. It was such a beautiful fall day out though, and all I could think about was being outside. So we made up for it by going to the Saratoga National Historical Park. For those of you that don’t know this is a battlefield where part of the Revolutionary War took place. Huge, beautiful open place that has trails running through it. So we killed two birds with one stone. We managed to get some exercise and teach the kids a thing or two about history. We chose to do the Wilkenson Trail which is 4.2 miles through various fields, woods, creeks, and hills. Some of the views were absolutely breathtaking. I was very proud of my kids too. They made it the whole 4.2 miles without whining or asking to be carried. For 7 and 4 that is VERY impressive. We saw 3 deer while there too. My dog nearly lost her head trying to get at them! So now you see why I said today was a great day. Just one of those days you know you’ll rememebr when you’re old.

Well gang, I guess this is where we part paths. Don’t get too sad though. My friend’s sister is picking up right where I left off. I will still be stopping by and checking up to make sure you guys are still sticking with your programs too! But I start the big one tomorrow….P90X. You guys should come visit me over there too. It’s www.90dayreview.com. I hope to still hear from some of you. Keep up all of your hard work!

I started off the day by going checking out the local garage sales and running some errands. The hubby had to work today so I had to keep myself busy. I think I am starting to catch a slight bug or something, or it’s the change of seasons that is affecting me. My throat is sore and I woke up drenched in sweat last night. That’s alright though. I normally get one kick ass cold a year and then I’m fine. Better to get it out of the way now as opposed to when I start work officially. YIKES! The cold weather has definately set in. I find myself wanting to pull out the old cookbook and make stew and chili. I grew up on the coast so this 5 months of winter crap has NEVER settled well with me.

So anyways, today was yoga, cardio, and abs. My flexibility has vastly improved since starting this program. I was already pretty flexible for a 25 yr old, but this has most certainly been improved. My balance is getting along very well too. I really enjoy yoga. It seems to just work the whole body and really give you peace of mind. For lack of better words, it’s like a spring cleaning for your body. Cardio is always a great way to get you going. I find myself wanting to do this workout just because I’m cold. It really gets the blood flowing! I am still making it through 100% Those problems witht he hop squats are a thing of the past. Finished out the day with abs. I hope you guys can see the definition in my abdominals starting to take place. I can definatelt tell the difference! I can’t pinch as much as I used to. Now if I could just get those love handles under control! So far though, I have seen the biggest loss in my chest area. I know this sounds weird but my mother always said the boobs and the butt are the first places a woman loses and gains weight. The woman must know what she’s talking about because none of my bras or shirts fit right anymore. I guess I’ll have to treat myself to a new wardrobe here pretty soon. I think I like the sound of that! Well guys, until tomorrow……..

I went to my new job today. I start Oct 10th, but I had to go in to do paperwork and be fingerprinted. I am so excited. I can’t wait to start!!! I go to school first for 2 months and then take my state exams for CNA. Once I pass it’s all smooth sailing from there.

Once I got back from that I wacked out my workout. On the ticket for today was total body, lower body, and cardio. My dog and cat kept chasing each other around the house during my workout. I don’t know what got into them  but they were running in and out of my feet and everything! I had to pause my workout twice just to yell at them and get them to simmer down. They are almost as bad as a bunch of kids. Speaking of kids, no call from the school nurse today YAY! I took extra notice today to ensure my form was really smooth and I was using the appropriate band weight and all. I want to get the most out of these workouts. In order to do that you have to pay attention to these key areas. It is better to do 8 clean reps or 45 secs of smooth cardio work, than to rush through everything and not get the most out of this program. It really sucked having to do cardio as my wrap up workout. By the end of lower body I was already feeling the heat and definately didn’t feel like running in circles or doing tires. But I sucked it up and pushed that big play button. Which in the end actuualy makes the reward taste better because you know you pushed yourself.

We decided to switch the P90X off days today. Usually, when doing P90X, today would be Core Synergistics of the “Rest Week”. But our son has been feeling the strain of lack of one on one time at night. We devote a lot of time and effort to both of these programs and these blogs. That’s why we’re glad you guys actually read them and respond. We’re not the only ones putting in here, our kids do too. So anyways, our son was upset because we haven’t spent much time with him at night as of late. So instead of working out will use today as our off day and watch a movie with our son. So good night to you all and we’ll see you tomorrow for another fantastic day!

Hello everybody. Almost wrapped up for the first 4 weeks of 10 Minute Trainer. I can’t believe i’ve been doing this now for almost a month. What was it I said in the begining? You do something for 30 days it becomes a habit. Well, I don’t know if it’s quite up to the “breathing status” yet. There are certainly days I have to FORCE myself to push play on the DVD player, but eventually I do. So maybe in time it will actually become something like breathing LOL.

Started off today with a protein shake (mixed berry and banana…mmmmmmmmm). I took it down to the bus stop with me and turned a few heads. These are the ladies who generally have coffee or, believe it or not, soda in tow. I love doing the smoothies for breakfast. It is quick, not a big mess, and it tastes great. I am a busy gal so anything quick and easy does the trick for me. A little while after the kids got off to school I started the morning routine, even colored my hair (shhhhh it’s a secret). About an hour into it though I got a call from the school nurse. My daughter has already started with the faining sickness routine. This isn’t normally like her so I told her to straighten her butt out and get back to class. Once that was resolved I started my workout. I did the 30 mins today. As my daughter would say “Easy peasy lemon squeezy”. Cardio was a blast today for some reason. Just felt good to get up and get pumped, maybe because it was so cold this morning. Afterwards I worked on those abs. It is definately getting easier than it was 2 or 3 weeks ago. I am doing more reps and my form is a lot cleaner! My favorite one is the move where you lay on your back, put your leg/feet in the air, and then open your legs sideways and bring them back up top. I always laugh when I do this when my kids are around. They stand on the other side and go “peekaboo”. As always, nice finisher with yoga. What a beauty! There is nothing better than a good relaxing stretch after exercise. i think they should make it mandatory.

After dinner we went to the Meet the Teacher night at the kids’ school. I always look forward to this time of year because you get to see howl they’ve adjusted and what they’ve been up to. I am happy to report they are both doing well (other than frequenting the nurse a little too often). Once we got back I joined my husband for his Stretch X routine in the P90X program. This is their version of our Yoga X. Basically an hour of really stretching your entire body. Very relaxing and calming. I even started yawning a few times!

So I will see you all tomorrow for more updates. I hope to keep hearing from you guys. You seem to have become quieter recently. Come on! Let me hear ya!

So after much thought and deliberation I have decided to move up to the P90X program. I am finishing up this week of 10 Minute Trainer and also intergrating myself in the X Program. My friend’s sister wil be taking this blog over so you guys won’t be left hanging. I just need more of a challlenge. I used to be a gymnist and still am a very active person. This workout has been grat for building my endurance and stamina. I highly recommend it for anyone. I am just ready to take it to the next level. I have had my eye on the X for a while and I think I might be ready to take it on. So for this next week I will be doing my workouts as well as joining my husband at night to do his workouts.

I did my cardio, lower body, and abs today. I really brought it and tried to push myself to the limit. I want to go out with a bang and make sure I am fully prepared for the next step. I have been able to do those damned hops squats for a week now and I am very proud of myself. I said it would be my 4 week goal and here I am on week 3 and rockin it. I am really noticing changes in myself continuously. I eat healthy, follow the nutrition guide (though not always to a T), and try my hardest during my workouts. I have notice a change in my posture, my sleep patterns, my endurance, even my poop! Strange as that may sound it is true. Because of this diet I have noticed my stools being a little more “firm” shall we say? I highly recommend an increase in fiber, just to be on the safe side. Who knows, maybe that’s just how my body is reacting. But it is just a change I noticed that I can attribute to the program.

Tonight I started my first workout with my husband on the P90X program. We did Yoga X. For those of you that don’t know much about it…….it is the mother of all workouts as far as I’m concerned. It was and hour and a half of yoga! I like to pride myself in being a good little yogi. I must be mistaken. After 30 minutes I was dying! Sore as hell and sweating like a pig. Sweating…..during yoga! It was great though. It wasn’t as killer thoughout, just the beginning. The last half was just a wonderful stretch. It ended great with some relaxation poses and breathing/chanting. I think tomorrow is something called Core Synergytics. I will continue to keep you guys posted. Hope you all are having as much success in your endevors! I wish you much health and happiness!

So I am a little over 1/2 way to being 1/3 of the way done! LOL! I have resumed exercise again, no pain what so ever witht the foot thanks to proper support and stretching. I have fallen into a nice comfy routine now that the kids are in school. I work out generaly in the AM, unless errands and housework say otherwise. It’s a great way to kick start your day!

I wanted to touch on the food things again. I went grocery shopping today. I only go every other week. I sit down with the nutrition guides for both my husband and myself and plan out the meals for the week. Then I make the grocery list. So I spent $210 today at WalMart buying all the healthy stuff I am supposed to be eating. I know some of you may be having sticker shock at the moment but hear me out. $210 every 2 weeks. That’s only $105 a week when you break it down. I am feeding a family of 4 healthy and nutritious food for $105 a week (that includes household items as well). I noticed today that my cart doesn’t get as full these days. Not because we’re starving ourselves, but because the in between crap snacks and everything else along those lines has been cut from our diets. Like I’ve mentioned, we still get snack in the AM and PM. They aren’t dounuts and cookies, but they are tasty just the same. Who doesn’t love smoothies? So if you are thinking you can’t make this part of the program work for you…..think again. I am doing it for 4 people (why shouldn’t my kids join in right?) for about $100 a week!

On to the workout. Today was lower and total body. I am still getting back into the swing of things after taking those rest days. But I didn’t regress much at all. I can still do a good amount of reps and keep up. I am really feeling the burn in my buttcheeks during all the squats in the lower body workout. This is great for me because my lower body is what needs the work. I know I’m not overweight (I cannot stress this enough). But I am out of shape. Just like any of mom, my upper body rocks! I could pull a Dodge Hemi a block if I wanted to……thanks to all the lifting, carrying, and pulling that goes along with the “Mom” title. My lower body isn’t so great. So I am really pushing myself on these lower body days. Total body isn’t too hard anymore. That must be a sign! Time to increase the resistance band level. I can’t wait to move on the advanced DVD in a week and a half. New workouts and everything! If you guys want more info on the program check out this link The Tony Horton 10 Minute Trainer See you guys later!