First of all, I would like to put out a Thank you to all that responded to my previous post requesting Mom’s to be and Babies, I had a wonderful response and am set for building my portfolio.  Thank you so much.

Second.  And this is very, very important to read.  I am in no way a Doctor or Physical Trainer.  I am going to share with you my thoughts and ideas about how to get into shape again.  I strongly advise consulting a medical professional prior to starting any workout routine as well as a professional trainer.  I am in no way responsible for any injury you may sustain from trying any of my suggestions.  Ok, now that the legalities are out of the way, I shall start.

Workout Wednesday.

I have been working on working out for sometime now and I will admit, I am not motivated to keep going.  Ack! there I admitted it.  I go good for a couple of weeks then I get tired, go off it and get back on again.  This is no way to workout.  After chatting with Kami (go and check out her abs in her last post, can you say hot Mama?  If that doesn’t inspire you, then, well I don’t know) last week about how to stay motivated, she offered for me to report back to her every week on my progress.  Great idea!  Then I had this other idea, why don’t I do a segment once a week where I tell you what I did this past week and give you some of the tips I have learned over the years.

Welcome to my gym.  Ok, now you are all thinking I am crazy.  I have a gym in my house and I don’t workout every single day of my life?!  Yes.  It is crazy.  Hubby has always been a weights kind of guy and I have always been an aerobics kind of gal.  When we were doing our basement reno we made sure we could incorporate both of our workouts in one space.  The only thing missing is a tv, and that is in the other room where the treadmill is.

Two summers ago, I couldn’t stand my flabby abs anymore and although I could run like the wind, my belly was driving me crazy.  That and I was dealing with miscarriage after miscarriage and I needed something to make me feel better. So I hired a personal trainer to come to my house and develop a plan for me to do here at home.  She was wonderful.  A little pricey, which is why I don’t keep her on staff (just kidding, I don’t have any staff) but, I had her check in on my progress every six months.  I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to get a program going whether it’s at home or at a gym.

My trainer developed three programs for me. One long one that takes about forty minutes, a shorter twenty minute higher intensity workout and a circuit where you just go go go until you drop for thirty minutes.  Her programs are great.  Almost every move she picked for me I can get from a magazine, but it is the combination that made the biggest difference.  The papers hanging on the wall in the above photo are the programs she developed.

My programs do not use any machines at all.  I use free weights, resistance bands, my big pink ball, the bench (but a chair or stair would do) and my own body weight.  Once I get going and maintain my routine, we will add a few medicine balls and a bosu ball (which is half a big ball on a board).

 I do use the treadmill, and alternate one day of aerobic exercise and one day of weights, with the seventh day to rest.

 We also have a bike, that I used to use a lot, but haven’t lately, mostly because I have to move it out into the room and then back but, that is sheer laziness talking so I guess I should try to incorporate it more into my routines.

And last of all, measurements.  Everything in working out is measured.  Start off my measuring your arms, legs, waist, bust, hips.  Write it down with the date and tuck it away.  After working out for a couple of weeks we will measure again to see our improvements.  While working out measurements come in when you are counting reps, steps and choosing weights.

And this my friends is an introduction to Workout Wednesday.  Since I have not workout out at all this past week, except for my twice daily walks to school for J, due to a disaster of a cold that  just won’t leave my head I am simply giving you and intro to the room.  Next, week I will report back the workouts I did and how incredibly sore I am .  And maybe if you are really lucky a before picture.