How to work out in the circuit room

OK people. After today's workout, I had to write this post. Now, I'm no expert at working out--in any way, shape, or form. I'm just a girl who's struggled with her weight the majority of her life, has never been athletic, and is trying to get her ish together.

But, I am a damn good direction-follower!!! 

I first heard of circuit workouts when Curves became a huge hit many years ago (which feels crazy to say. I'm so old.), but back then I wasn't motivated at all to put any effort whatsoever into changing myself for the better and getting healthy. Fast-forward to 2013 when I joined Chuze Fitness here in San Diego, I discovered the circuit room, which you can read about here. I thought it was an awesome concept and really feel like I'm truly getting in a good workout every time I do it. 

However, I am getting really sick and tired of being cut in the circuit (see below), and seeing people wasting 30 minutes of their time in the gym because they're not doing it right. Again, I struggle with gym etiquette a lot and tend to just keep my mouth shut about everyyyyything. But this is my blog so I'm going to write about it. Here's how to get a workout in, in the circuit room. 

-Read the instructions. They should be posted on the wall. Or ask someone who works at the gym!!!

-It's designed to be a 30 minute, full-body workout. Therefore, if you're all done and look at your watch and see you've only workout out for 10, 15, or 20 minutes, you didn't do it right. 

-When you're starting on the circuit, you are supposed to pick any machine or cardio step to start on. To avoid cutting someone in line, which is extremely rude and inconvenient and disruptive to their circuit, wait for the current minute to go, then watch where everyone goes during the 30-second changing period. Then, pick a machine or cardio step that is open. This seems like common freaking sense to me, so I'm continuously baffled as to how this is so difficult for people to do. 

-PUSH. YOUR. SELF. The alternating minutes to the ones where you're doing a weight machine are designed...for cardio!!!! What a concept!!! Don't stand there and lift your legs up and down. Step up and down at a quick pace and get your heart rate up. Doesn't anyone remember good ole-fashioned 90's aerobics? Do something you remember your momma doing in front of the TV. She was getting her heart rate up big time. The time to let your heart rate drop is meant to be when you get to the weight machine, not when you get to the cardio steps. 

OK, that last tip is a bit personal. And I'm sorry. I understand everyone's version of pushing themselves is going to be different. But just think about the overall purpose of the circuit workout and ask yourself "am I doing this the right way?" If you don't feel like you're getting in a full-body workout, you're either doing something wrong in general, or you're not pushing yourself hard enough. It's not meant to be some easy-peasy copout to a real workout. It IS a real workout!!

Also, for me personally, I don't feel like the amount of actual cardio I get in a circuit is enough, so I start with at least 15 minutes on the treadmill, elliptical, bike, anything to break a sweat for an extended period of time. 

OK, off my soapbox I go. 

On a completely different note, this weekend consisted of a fun-filled, exhausting day of wine tasting with my mom, her friend, and my friend. Does anyone else think wine tasting is extremely tiring??? Anyway. It was a blast. And an absolutely gorgeous day. 

Here's the view from one winery: 

And the same view at sunset: 

Doesn't that just take your breath away? California really is beautiful. 

Here's a pic of my momma and me: 

My friend and me: 

We were super excited about wearing our hats,
courtesy of her boutique. I mean closet. 

And our little fabulous group:

Yes, my mom's shirt does say "drink up bitches." God, I love her. 

Here's also a pic of our little spread at the first winery. They had a fish-taco food truck, and we got some cheese and crackers from inside. And a bottle of their rose. 

It was a fun, fabulous, sassy weekend to say the least. I also go to lay out on our little patio area on Saturday with my sweet Winnie Pooh. She loves the sun just as much as her momma: 

That face!!!!

Ahhhh. Life is good. 

In all honesty, life is hard. Really, really hard. And I have some major struggles going on in my head and my heart right now. But I'm so thankful for the blessings in my life. And I'm thankful that I keep up on this blog and remind myself of those blessings on a pretty regular basis. Because going your entire life without recognizing the amazing things God has placed in it is just miserable in so many ways. 

Anyhoo. I'm currently obsessed with Carrie Underwood's Blown Away CD. I'm obsessed with her in general, but this CD is just amazing. One of my favorite songs on it is called "Nobody Ever Told You." Part of the song goes

Mirror mirror on the wallActing like it knows it allTells you lies of vanityIt doesn't care what's underneath
All hung up on the negativeDoesn’t have to be the way it isWish you could see yourself the way I do

I know, I know. I'm getting real deep this post. But I can't help it. Carrie Underwood does that to me. I'll leave you with a video of the song: 

That's all for now, loves. Happy Taco Tuesday!!!

WILW 2

I'm writing this from my bed, mainly because I feel like a total slacker for not having posted a damn thing this whole week.

It's been a doozy of a week, that's for sure. 

I digress. I decided to do a WILW post again since, 1, it's Wednesday, and 2, I need some way to organize my thoughts in a logical manner. 

Soooooo here we goooo!

First, I'm loving that I'm starting to finally get comments on my weight loss! Between a manager at work who's only known me for the last month saying she thought I just liked wearing really baggy clothes (because my work clothes are all too big on me now) and literally every person I see for the first time in the last few weeks/months telling me I look great (I even got called a skinny minnie the other day), I feel amazing about this whole thing!

I'm also loving that I finally switched gyms. I chose CHUZE, people! I love it. 

Everything is new. It's all open and they actually turn their AC on, they have a special classroom just for spin classes, it's 20 bucks a month to be able to go to all locations and use the tanning and hydromassage beds, and it's my favorite color :) 

Tomorrow will be the first day of going to the gym then straight to work, so we shall see how THAT goes...

Last night was an Incahoots night, which I'm also loving. I got to see my best friend in the whole world, listen to country music, drink beer, and play free pool. 

I'm currently obsessed with the butt-part. 

Lastly, I'm loving CND Shellac. But that's nothing new. First, let me show you what my nails look like after two weeks of my crazy life (which involves a lot of shit with my hands. Not to sound dirty or anything. I type all day at work, I cook pretty much every day, and I work with cars. Not very conducive to maintaining a manicure)...but....CND holds up.

Now for the new color, Cocoa. It's the closest thing to a nude CND makes, and I do wish it were a little less orangey and a little more nudey, but oh well. I like it. I also decided to keep the length of my nails for the first time ever, so we'll also see how THAT works out for two weeks...as you can tell from the above photo, my nails grow pretty fast. 

Whatcha think? 

OH MY GOD I ALMOST FORGOT one final thing I'm completely and utterly OBSESSED with this week is DANI FROM THE BIGGEST LOSER!!!! AKA my new hero. She looked aaaaaahhhhhhhhmaaaaazinnnnng!!!!! I was so stoked she won. She's an inspiration. She's gorgeous. She fought hard and was all alone without a team for a big portion of the show, and she freaking won that shit. Ugh. Obsessed. 

Oh and here she is with another hero of mine. 

What are YOU loving this Wednesday?