Tidbits of Fun and Back to Training Tuesday!

Random post in no order whatsoever… jumping around on the page if you will:

2. Meg and I are starting a book club this year and I couldn’t be more excited… we’ve never done this before so it will definitely be a work-in-progress, but we’re hoping to spend more quality time together with the girls and get our minds away from the TV and focused on more important things! Our first read is going to be Frances Chan’s “Crazy Love”

3. I spoiled myself yesterday at Anthropologie and bought the most adorable ruffled dress… it’s my very first honeymoon purchase I am so excited to start doing some fun shopping for wedding events–woo hoo!

4. Tonight, we’re headed to one of our fav resturants in town to celebrate Mrs. Rachel Gray’s birthday… even though she’s an AU grad, I can’t help but love that girl. And P.S. she kicks butt in any and EVERY game we ever play 😉

5. I–like every other twenty-something woman in America–tuned into ABC last night to see Mr. Brad Womack as the new Bachelor {again!}. Obviously from the 2 hour episode, we know that Deanna is still not over him dumping her though she is engaged to someone else, and ABC selected some weirdos to keep us on our toes this season… vampires, funeral directors, and manscapers–oh my! Front runners in my opinion include Emily, Ashley S {the nanny from NYC with that amazing gold one strap dress}, and Michelle.

6. I am going to reconvene my Training Day Tuesdays… with the new year and everyone on workout/health overload, I thought this would be a great time to start this over in 2011–not to mention, someone is in major wedding workout mode over here and I need to hold myself accountable.

Here’s my tips for making the most out of every workout at the gym:

• Rise and shine early in the morning for your best workout–I promise, once you do something 10 times it becomes a habit, and it’s far easier to get it over with in the AM rather than after work when you’re already tired
• Don’t forget the music!! My iPod is my necessity to run or else I am focused on everything but my workout–high energy music {think pop, rap, etc} is the best to get your adrenaline flowing and get you ready to pump some iron
• Dont be afraid to ask for help. the people who work at the gym are there for a reason. If you’re unsure what muscle groups you should be targeting for specific trouble areas… ASK THEM! Dont be intimidated–it’ll help you in the long run.
• Maintain a positive attitude… the weight won’t melt off overnight, but after lots of time spent fine tuning these muscles and areas, I promise you’ll see a difference in the way your clothes fit and how you feel when you stand in front of a mirror. This is the biggest payoff for me =)
• Grab a buddy! If you just can’t do it alone, then don’t. Grab a friend and head to the gym for a fun cardio or dance class and make it all about time with your friends!
• Dress the part. I find that if I dress the part, I feel better about myself when I workout. Workout clothes can be prciey, yet I find that my favorites are the ones I stocked up on from Target and Old Navy–pick pieces you can wear a lot and what you find comfortable…for me, this includes skorts/tight capris, tanks, a fun colored sportsbra, and a lightweight half zip jacket when it’s chilly.  Here are some newbies from Old Navy: