My Workout

One of the best thing is having a great workout routine. Five out of the seven days I go to my apartment gym and work out for an hour. During that hour I focus on both cardio and muscle.

I believe that in between different workout positions, you should take (at least) thirty seconds to stretch the muscle you just used. I'm also a huge advocate that stretching before and after every workout is key to feeling even better after the workout.

Another huge thing I believe in is a really good playlist. My current playlist is over five hours long. I do this so I have a song for every kind of workout. I have music for stretching, cardio, muscle building, and even dance. The playlist has almost every genre that you can possibly think of, with the exception of country.

The last major thing that I believe in, is having a good workout buddy, someone that can motivate you while you do your workout. I know that sometimes, even I, enjoy working out by myself. However, I find that when I have at least one other person with me in the gym, it's a better experience for the both of us.

Below I have put detail about what I do within the hour that I work out:

1. 5 minutes (Physical therapy stretches): I have a set of five stretches that focus on my legs and shoulders that I have to do.
2. 30 minutes of cardio (Elliptical or Cycle): My physical therapist had told me that doing cardio workouts on the treadmill are actually harmful to your lower body and that doing the Elliptical or the Cycle machines are better for your body and for calorie burning.
3. 30 second - 1 minute stretch: This stretch would be focusing on my legs, because of the thirty-minute cardio workout.
4. Laying down 8 pound Dumbbells: This is something that I do for my Physical Therapy. I lay down on my back, and lift dumbbells out in front of me, as if I'm reaching out for something in front of me. This exercise brings muscle to my shoulder area.
5. Shoulder stretches: This is another physical therapy move. This helps stretch out all of the muscles that I just used.
6. Jumping jacks: I try to do at least two minutes of jumping jacks. However, sometimes I don't have the power or energy to do two minutes. However, no matter what, I always do at least a minute of jumping jacks. If you don't time by minutes, 50 jumping jacks is about 40 seconds. After jumping jacks, I head straight into lunges.
7. 40 lunges: This is about one-and-a-half minutes of lunges.
8. 30 seconds to 1 minute stretch: This stretch I never cheat out on. I stretch primarily my thighs, because of my last (and always my last) workout.
9. Restraining belt, squats: Hold for 15 seconds (75 pounds), three in each set. Do three sets: I end up doing nine squats in a three to four minute time period. I typically make sure that my final song is the most empowering song of the workout session.
10. 5-minute stretch: End with some stretches and yoga positions. I take the full five minutes to really evaluate my workout and this will also give my muscles time to relax before I walk back to my apartment.

When I get home, I do weigh myself after each workout, just to see if I am maintaining weight or losing weight. I like to be able to see how effective my workouts are, on top of eating healthy (or calorie counting).

My workout is not for everyone, and I totally understand that.