Today is half way over for me.. my goal today is to drink at least 64 oz of water, create my new WOE-way of eating, and do an hour of studying. Tomorrow I will set new goals for the rest of the week. I am taking this one day at a time but I have to plan my eating. I won't alwas be consistent - that is one of my overall goals. Right now, my motivation is very high but this weekend when I am stuck on a cold rainy soccer field I will be challenged. Its a tourney so I will be there all Saturday and Sunday. Hoepfully, we will be enjoying a celebratory dinner on Sunday evening!

Did you set your goals? We can do this.

I'm restarting the C25K tonight! I've started it a couple of times and each time would get through week 3 and then stop. This time I'm hoping to complete it even if I have to do some weeks twice to work my way up to completion.

My plan is to simply do 30-60 mins any kind of heart pumping physical activity (whether its a walk, HIIT session, circuit class, elliptical, zumba, bike ride...whatever feel like on any given day) six days a week, to include 2-3 days of weight training.

I really wish I had someone who could show me what I need to do for strength training but I absolutely cannot afford a trainer. Any good sites you can recommend?

If you have an iPhone or iPod touch, Nike has an absolutely spectacular (FREE) training app for women. You can select all sorts of different workouts (cardio intervals or strength training circuits); and there are various levels so you can change things up as you progress. You can also "unlock" celebrity workouts as you log more and more workouts. When you start the workout, it plays your own music in the background, tells you when do to do the next move, and it has a video showing exactly how you're supposed to do each move. You can preview each move before you start the workout or pause your workout to watch the 10 second clip if you need a reminder. I think it's a great tool for people at all levels of fitness. And you don't need a gym membership for many of the routines, just some basic hand-weights, medicine ball, tension bands.

You can also try books like Jillian Michaels' Making the Cut or Bill Phillips' Body for Life (super amazing intro to weight training). They have every workout planned out for you so you know exactly what to do on what day and you don't have to worry about creating your own routine. In addition to providing your workout plan, they have illustrations and instructions of how to do each move. For Body for Life, a few years ago I was able to download worksheets (from their website for free) to bring to the gym to keep track of reps and weight. You have to study your routine before you do it, so you know how to do the move, but they're both good programs (in my opinion). I'm doing Making the Cut now and I've made copies of each routine and before I leave for the gym, I review the various moves I'm going to do so I can remember the right form, etc. I'll also do a quick rep of the move as I'm reviewing the pictures - without any weight - to engrain the right form into my head a bit.

When you're first starting with strength training, you'll need a couple of weeks to work through the routines - figuring out what weight to use for all the various body parts and really perfecting your form. You don't want to start too heavy and hurt yourself. Even if you don't really hurt yourself, you could make yourself so sore that you can't workout for a few days and then you fall off the wagon. Start slow and a little lighter than what you might think - better to get the form down correctly first. If you can't do the move with the correct form, the weight is too heavy.

Whether you use a book or some device that will play video demos for you, don't be afraid to bring that to the gym. For a long time, for some reason, I was embarrassed to carry something around with me. Don't be! Bring notes, bring copies of the pictures with you if you need to, and just keep it on a clipboard. Write down your weights, reps and sets so you know what do to the next time (I also try to write down my effort level on a 1-10 scale for each set).

Lastly, if you can't go to a gym - or just want to try some strength training on your own to get comfortable before making the gym debut - you could follow a video (don't have specific recommendations - sorry!). You could also check out Women's Health, they often have good illustrations of various moves. Websites like Shape.com and WomensHealthMag.com have a lot of good workout recommendations, including strength training, for non-subscribers. Even medical sites like Mayo Clinic will show you some of the basic weight training moves.

I hope this helps, even if just a little! Feel free to add me as a friend, too. I LOVE strength training and firmly believe more women should be doing it. GOOD LUCK!!

Hi! What's the Couch-2-5K?

It's a running plan for beginners (who are on the "couch") and it gives you a plan, with walk/jog intervals, that will eventually get you to the point you can run a 5K/3 miles without stopping. It's really popular because it is a really good, slow-and-steady, introduction to running. There are a variety of C25K programs out there - many of them free. I followed the plan from CoolRunning.com a few years ago and it really worked!

Good luck!!

What heart rate monitor do you use? I want to get one so I have a more accurate method of figuring out how many calories I burn.

I use a simple Polar Heart Rate Monitor that my husband got me. I think it was around $100. I LOVE IT!! I watch my calorie burn all throughout the workout and it motivates me to work harder!

Hi! What's the Couch-2-5K?

It's a running plan for beginners (who are on the "couch") and it gives you a plan, with walk/jog intervals, that will eventually get you to the point you can run a 5K/3 miles without stopping. It's really popular because it is a really good, slow-and-steady, introduction to running. There are a variety of C25K programs out there - many of them free. I followed the plan from CoolRunning.com a few years ago and it really worked!

Good luck!!

I just finished w3d3 on my C25K training last night. I start week 4 tomorrow. I am hoping to get through week 4. I have been told that wk 4 is the week most beginners either redo or just quit. I will not quit, but may have to do it over. We will see in one week! :ohwell:

I really wish I had someone who could show me what I need to do for strength training but I absolutely cannot afford a trainer. Any good sites you can recommend?

I personally do Jillian Michaels DVDs. I have 3 of her DVDs, she's a crazy woman, but she will make you ache. I have her 40 minute "No More Trouble Zones" and her 20 minute "30 Day Shred" which are both good for strength training. Circuit training is really good because it not only strengthens but burns fat efficiently for the time you work out. Her DVDs can be found just about anywhere, for 20 bucks more or less. Much cheaper than a trainer. She's a beast! Go easy at first, your butt will be sore, haha.

My goal is to work out 50 of the 61 days left in 2012. A one hour workout at least, burning 400 calories. I combine cardio and weights and sometimes do P90X. I'll generally go to the gym before work in the morning, and sometimes I do "two-a-days" and workout with my husband or son in the afternoons.

Wow - great work already on the weight loss. I like your workout goals! Good luck for the rest of the year!