While most people were celebrating the Irish or lack of Irish in them, I was at the  gym celebrating….um….well, not really celebrating, just enjoying another workout!

Today was an Upper Body day.  The last few weeks I’ve changed up my workout a bit – so I can do weights a few more times per week – by splitting upper and lower body I’m able to work my legs a little harder than I would if I was doing a full body workout – same concept goes for the upper body as well. I’m going to stick with this routine for a few more weeks and then change it up again – there are SO many

exercises to try in the gym – I can’t stick with the same ones for TOO long!!

(FYI – In case you don’t know – cuz I didn’t – the letters denote which exercises are superset – with minimal rest inbetween each set of exercises.  Its easier to write out the workout with the letters so you know which exercises go together.)

3 sets/10-12 reps

A1 Incline DB Chest Press

A2 Supine Lat Pull Down

4 sets/10 reps

B1 Barbell Skull Crushers

B2 Barbell Close Grip Chest Press

3 sets/Decline Weight 15 reps

C1 Hammer Curls w/Rope  (15/50, 15/45, 15/40)

4 Sets/10-12 reps

D1 SIngle Arm Standing Row

D2 Push-ups with Medicine Ball Roll

After this I couldn’t move my arms and my legs were still dead from last night’s lower body workout, but it was time to hit the treadmill.

I tried something new today to keep myself on the treadmill longer:

I started with 20 mins of high intensity intervals – I did 1 min walking/3 mins fast run – to challenge myself I’d play with the speed I was running (i.e. Run 1 min @ 7.0/1 min @ 7.5/1 min 8.0) or go back up and down  this kept the running interesting and kept me moving. I also did this workout while listening to some fast techno/rap/rock mix of music.

After 20 mins I changed it up – increased the incline on my treadmill to something pretty high – 7.0 to 9.0 – and lowered the speed so I was walking at a moderate pace, focusing on walking heels first (it works more of your hamstring). While doing this I listened to some podcasts I’ve downloaded the last few weeks but haven’t had time to sit and listen to them, and now I’ve found the time.

Next thing you know – its been 40 mins of cardio and I could’ve gone for more! This helped to keep it interesting and kept me buring fat longer!  So, if you need a quick change in the gym – try changing up your routine or even changing pieces of equipment!

How was your St. Patrick’s day? Hope it was a good one!!!

Sometimes people bug me.

Today’s particular ‘bugging’ came this afternoon while I was at the gym.  I was doing my Supine Lat Pull-downs (FYI – My new FAVORITE exercise because it’s helping me do more pull-ups than I ever imagined possible – article coming soon I promise), and I look over at the guy next to me.

My attention was first drawn in his direction because of a slight odor that was not pleasant to my nose and of course I had to find the culprit.  He was sitting on some machine, in between sets, looking at his cellphone. [singlepic=11,275,200,,center]  Now, it bugs me when people are on their cell phone while they are walking around the floor of the gym (Come on! You can be unreachable for a 1/2 hour – you did it at some point in your life – make the commitment to your workout!)

No, this guy wasn’t talking on his phone, instead he found it of UTTER importance to look through all the pictures on his phone. Yes, he has probably never seen these pictures before, but it was at that moment, while in between sets, at the gym on a Monday afternoon, that he decided he MUST look at the pictures on his cell phone.

Okay, so I’m definitely overreacting as to how much this bugged me, but what does bother me are the people who don’t make the commitment to themselves while they are at the gym. You came to the gym to change something in yourself. To change your look, to lose weight, to build muscle, to get stronger – there was some reason WHY you decided to step foot in the gym. Whether you are walking on the treadmill for a 1/2 hour or lifting weights – there is a purpose for your trip to the gym.

If you want your goals to be successful, if you want to see weight loss results, then make sure you don’t lose your focus when you get into the gym. Don’t get distracted by your cell phone, don’t spend so much time trying to find the ‘perfect’ song on your iPod for your next set (do this before you get to the gym), don’t let everyone you know get you into a 15 minute conversation about who knows what.

Make your workouts successful and productive and you will see your weight loss goals achieved sooner than you think.