New Routine

First of all let me say this...LADIES...don't be scared to lift weights.  You don't need to worry about getting huge and bulky...it's not gonna happen unless you start taking supplements to do exactly that.  Weight training helps you burn calories more effectively.  If you've hit a rut in your routine and you aren't doing weights...you need to start.

Last Monday I started a new workout routine...

Monday/Thursday - Upper Body

• 10 min warm-up elliptical (using more arms than legs...it is upper body day after all!)
• Assisted pull ups (palms facing away from you) - 3 sets of 10.  Weight assist 100 lbs. (Gonna work on getting it down to pull more of my weight up on my own, but I have puny arms...gotta start somewhere!)
• Assisted chin ups (palms facing towards you) - 3 sets of 10.  Weight assist 100lbs. (Again...puny...but I'm working on it, lol)
• Assisted Dips - 3 sets of 10.  Weight assist 100 lbs.
• Chest Press - 3 sets of 12, 50 lbs
• Lateral Pull Downs - 3 sets of 12, can't fill in the weight at this moment because I don't have my notebook on hand.  Don't want to put in the wrong amount.
• Bicep Curls - 3 sets of 12, 30 lbs
• Tricep Extension - 3 sets of 12, 35 lbs
• Low Back Extension - 3 sets of 20, 55 lbs
• Pectoral Fly/Rear Deltoid -  3 sets of 12, 15 lbs (This one is really hard for me.)
• Shoulder Press - 3 sets of 12, can't remember weight
• Seated Row - 3 sets of 12, 50 lbs
• Row Machine - 5 minutes using as much shoulder and back as I can muster up

* Please remember* I don't do every single one of these exercises on upper body days.  If I choose to do the Assisted Pull up/Dip/Chin up machine, I skip tricep extensions and do a lighter bicep curl or skip it altogether as well.  I also don't do the seated row and the row machine on the same days.  If I decide to do the row machine I skip the shoulder press.  Don't need to over extend myself.  It's really not as hard to remember as I'm probably making it sound.  I just try to do one exercise for each muscle group.

Tuesday/Friday - Lower Body

•  10 min bike warm-up
• Inner Thigh Machine - 3 sets of 12, 60 lbs
• Outer Thigh Machine - 3 sets of 12, 70 lbs
• Leg Curls - 3 sets of 12, 50 lbs
• Leg Extensions - 3 sets of 12, 60 lbs
• Leg Press - 3 sets of 15, 85 lbs
• Calf Raises - 3 sets of 12, 40 lbs (20 in each hand)
• Stairs - 75 stairs per minute ( I think that's how it's measured), 5 minutes

Lower Body is my favorite.  Anything that's gonna help get my butt in shape (quite literally) is gonna make me happy.  I'm stronger with my lower body, but I've also been doing a lot more with it than my arms over the years along the lines of running, biking, incline walking...that sort of thing.

Abs - 3 days a week

• Ab Machine - 3 sets of 20, 50 lbs
• Oblique Machine - 3 sets of 15 (each side), 35 lbs
• Bicycle Crunches - 3 sets of 25
• Leg/Butt Raises - 3 sets of 15 (LEAST favorite exercise...this one just about kills me, lol)
• Plank - for as long as I can hold it with good form...so far that's 45 secs
• Side Plank - for as long as I can hold it with good form on both sides...about 30 secs

I don't mind doing ab work really.  All except the leg/butt raises...I HATE this exercise.  HATE HATE HATE it...and YES...that was necessary, lol.  I do it because I want the overall workout, but I don't have to like it.  No pain, No gain is definitely put into action here...

Cardio - Whenever I feel like it.  I have the treadmill at home to use as I please.  I do about 30 minutes of incline walking on it whenever I have free time during the week.  Since I started doing weights, I've done less of it.

Diet wise, I've added more lean protein and complex carbs.  That's pretty much it.  It's not as hard as it seems.  Once you've sorted it all out and get it settled into your schedule, you're good to go. 

*Let me also add that my workout doesn't put me at the gym for hours at a time either.  With minimal downtime between exercises, Bryan and I are in and out of the gym in a little over an hour.  If you can find someone to watch your children for an hour a day, it's well worth it.  All parents need a little bit of adult time.  It's good for you.  I'm thankful for my mother being here during the week to watch my girls for that hour at night and for my sister when she's available.