let's get started

well it's a lovely friday afternoon (not raining, thank goodness) and the weekend is barely starting..and its about time to go workout..so now i ask, what's your goal/desire/dream? for me personally, i have a few goals in mind:

1) less than 15% body fat (i'm at about 20%)

2) squat 150lbs or greater

3) bench sets of 100lbs

4) and of course, be lean and healthy. and STRONG.

no matter what your goals are, the best way to start is to keep something in mind, have a plan, and place a deadline on it. within the next 4-5 months, i hope to knock all of these out. just to give you an idea where i'm starting, there's a picture of my awesome abs (yeah, right). But that'll be fixed in the next few months, no worries. That pinch I'm holding will be gone by September.

So where do we start?

Going back to the gym is always the hardest. And some people with full time jobs just want to get home and veg out for a bit. But you have to overcome everything and just do it. So let's get to it :)

1) For starters, find the perfect time block. Pick a time that's convenient for you and stick to it. I usually workout after work, but I'm going to try and switch my routines up to the mornings and see how that goes.

2) Ease into your workouts. It's never a good idea to start with hardcore workouts if you've been out of it or trying something new; the last thing we would want is an injury. So go slow. 15 minutes on the treadmill, 20 minutes on the bike, stair stepper, elliptical, 10 pound free weight exercises, something moderate. We don't want you completely immobilized after your workout, but a little soreness never hurt anyone :)

3) Stretch stretch stretch!! I should take my own advice, as I don't stretch enough, but stretching before and after workouts is a surefire way to keep your muscles long and limber and to prevent any muscle injuries that could happen.

4) Gotta clean the fridge. I'll make a separate post on what should be in your fridge, but yes, in order for your body to be lean, the fridge has to be clean. So we're going to cut down on processed food, junk food (notice i didn't say cut out, but it will be moderated) and we're going to focus on meat and veggies and unprocessed foods. It's true, your body is a temple, and the last thing we want to do is trash it.

5) Keep a log or journal. I'll use my blog as my personal workout log to give you guys a hint of what I do. But do take note of what you eat, what exercises you do, and all that jazz. Recording your workouts and consumption will make you more aware of what you eat, what you do, plus it's a great way to keep you on track to your goals.

So what's the plan for today? I'll start my routine with some cardio (30+ minutes), stretch for a couple of minutes, then follow it up with some abwork and weights. I'll add more details once I get back, as at the moment I'm making stuff off the top of my head.

Smile, you're beautiful :)