Work Out with a Celebrity Trainer - Part 2

New Year's Day is still several days away, but I am heading things off with a little exercise.  I know that it's very easy to stay in my pj's and be lazy when I don't have anything planned.  But then I end up with zero energy, snacking all day out of boredom and wasting my time off.  Since Friday was my last day of work until the first week of January (yay!), I want to make the most of my holiday "break" and maybe reclaim my exercise routine in the process.

Perfect timing... my January issue of SELF magazine arrived last week and featured Jillian Michaels on the cover (love the purple dress!).  Inside is a "jump start diet" and a whole lot of inspiration.  Since the easy meal and snack suggestions would require a grocery store trip, which isn't realistic since I'm heading home to Kansas over Christmas, I tried out the toning routine.

Jillian demonstrates six yoga moves that work multiple muscle groups.  The routine looks easy since you don't need any equipment or even shoes... but that is deceiving!  After I held each pose for 30 seconds (or as long as I could!) and ran through the circuit five times, I realized how weak I was, especially in upper body strength.  As lame as it sounds, I visualized the contestants on "The Biggest Loser" and the trainers encouraging (or yelling?) at them.  I couldn't give up.  By working out more often, I can only get stronger...

*You can find the full Jump Start Diet plan on SELF's website.

I've also gotten my butt to yoga class twice since "break" started.  The results - a slightly sore feeling and a big boost of energy - motivate me to keep moving during my time off.  And it has made me a little more mindful of what I am eating.  Delicious lunch today - I baked a frozen chicken breast at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes and sprinkled Frank's hot sauce and grated parmesan cheese onto the chicken for the last five minutes of baking.  Yum!