I'm slipping ahead of Ilene to start May's thread because I have a goal for May. It's going to be busy with the wedding in the middle but I see no reason why I shouldn't be able to (using my handy new hrm) get my heart rate over 100 for 20 minutes, 6 days a week. Everybody has 20 minutes don't they?

I fully expect to have most of my plans rearranged by life and it's circumstances most days up until the wedding. Dinners, shopping, running errands ... you name it. So while my diet and weights may take a back seat, surely I can do this other little thing almost every day, right?

Susan- I am right there with you! 20 min daily sounds like a great plan! I have a busy month ahead of me myself, but i will do the workout and the days that i dont i will make up for it the next day!

That means that we have 620min for the month! Lets see how fast we can reach out goal!!!!

I will keep you posted tomorrow! I am planning to do my 20min tonight on my gazelle!!!

My goal for the month - do my standard hour and fifteen minute long cardio/stability workout at least 25 days of this month - and add on at least 10 arm and 5 leg workouts onto that. And if I still have time, 100 crunches a day.

I'm on track for today - cardio and stability/resistance are done. Lunch will be an arm workout and crunches...I also committed myself to the 200 jumping jacks a day challenge...so will do those before bed.

whew.

mandalinn- Wow...thats a lot of work out!!! Are you dieting to??? If you are which plan are you using?

I am an avid calorie counter, and usually end up at about 1500 per day, and I try to aim for a good balance of carb to protein (around 35% of cals from protein, 45% from carb, and 20% from fat) and try to hit vitamin and mineral targets when possible. Its mostly - eat the best foods i can, while also keeping calories low enough to lose weight in a healthy way.

As for it being a lot of exercise, its really not so bad. I work from home, so it takes me less time to fit in a workout and I don't have a commute so I have extra morning time for the morning hour 15 min workout. I take 20 minutes of my hour lunch to do a quick arm or leg workout about every other day - leaving 40 minutes to eat, run errands, etc - and I usually do the crunches while I watch TV at night, so it all fits in. The jumping jacks are the only addition - but I can't resist a challenge.

Mandalinn_ I must say...You are GREAT! I am such an lazy a$$ and I am really proud of you fitting all of those workouts in your schedule!!! You GO GIRL!

Aww, thanks! My default is definitely being lazy, so I understand - its really hard to overcome that. I'd be MUCH worse if I had no time in the morning for the workout - once I am done with work I'd much rather be all done and be able to relax for the evening, so I'm horrible at working out in the PM - if I miss my morning, I tend to have a lazy, lazy day.

There's my 20 for today. I hoofed it up and down the road and then hefted some weights around to finish off my time. My big victory is that I worked today too. I'm a bit of a slouch about that. That's a good way to start the month.

Done - 35 min cardio, 45 min stability and resistance and 100 jumping jacks.
To follow - Leg workout, 100 crunches, 100 more jumping jacks.

Done - 35 min cardio, 45 min stability and resistance, 50 crunches, and 100 jumping jacks.
On my lunch - the remaining 100 jumping jacks, 50 more crunches, arm workout.

Joining up to be accountable! My May goal is to hit the spinning class AT LEAST 5 times a week. And to do 3 bodyPUMP classes, no more and no less.

So far May is shaping up great. Monday it was spin then bodyPUMP, and then last night it was 2 spinning class in a row (woo!).

I am done for the day (except, of course, any dancing that may occur at the farmers market tonight to the live bands that play on Wednesdays - picnic with the girls, should be fun). My tracking calendar is full of the little symbols I use to mark my workouts - today I have 5 - cardio, arms, stability, crunches, and jumping jacks!

In addition, I'm a little ahead of schedule on my "1800 minutes in May" - we're only 10% of the way into the month and I've done 15% of my minutes.

Mandalin- as always you are doing GREATTTTT!!!!
Harry- You go girl! Great work out!

I am not being very good this week. Its not easy to work full time, go to school full time, being in the middle of my finals..deal with a DH and workout...

There were actually two girls in the spin room before the class started with their books all spread out on the floor. The made it through the class but they both had that glazed "students in finals" look.

I am going to give this a try for this month. It is going to be tuff! It was easy to do my exercise last month because my boyfriend worked evenings. But now he will be home at nights and it will be easier for me to skip out!

So here is my plan:

*at least 30 min on my treadmill at least 5 days a week. At least 20 of those min jogging.
*do my pilates or ball work out dvd at least 3 days a week (takes 30-50 min)
*I also signed up for 200 jumping jacks, after that is over I will do 200 crunches or something else for a week and mix it up, do that 6 days a week
*allow myself one break day every week