to Jackie and Jillian.
I've said it 1,000 times in the past (I am shocked you guys don't call me out on this stuff because I honestly only do about 50% of what I say I'm going to do when it comes to food and fitness) that I am going to commit to strength training. It's been even harder to commit to it since switching gyms and not having access to my beloved BodyPump classes anymore. Plus my new gym is smaller and cramped and I just don't enjoy working out there.
In comes Jackie Warner (Power Circuit) and Jillian Michaels (30 Day Shred), my two go-tos for strength.
Last Friday morning, I did Jillian Michaels Level 1 Shred. And as of last night, I could still feel the DOMs in my quads and hamstrings from the lunges and squats. I also couldn't even finish the push up set. Damn I am weak.
But last Friday was the start. Every Tuesday I will be doing Jackie's Power Circuit and every Thursday/Friday I will be doing Jillian's Shred, with another day of just ab work thrown in somewhere when I have the time.
As I've said in the past, cardio is my first fitness love. I have no problem motivating myself to break a sweat. But when it comes to lifting weights, I am lazy, unmotivated, whiny, and I just plain don't want to do it. But I know it is the key to boosting my metabolism (you know, so I can eat lots of cookies) and gaining the strength and definition I so desperately want.
I decided to alternate between Jackie and Jillian because I love them both for different reasons (as I stated here) and a little variety is good for your body.
I did Jackie's Power Circuit this morning and I expect to be sore for the next few days. I did miss that sore, got-run-over-by-a-bus feeling that lets me know that I worked hard. Pain like this is the sign of progress, right?
This morning also marked the return of the green smoothie.
It's hard for me to drink these in the cold winter months whilst I'm buried under 100 feet of snow here in Boston. But once the whether starts to warm up, I crave smoothies. In the mix after my Power Circuit with Jackie this morning: a ton of spinach, one frozen banana, a handful each of frozen pineapple and mango, a scoop of protein powder, one scoop of Amazing Grass.
Oh my yum!
Are you good about strength training? Or are you a cardio queen?
