Book Review- "One Plus One" by JoJo Moyes

     

     After reading Me Before You  by JoJo Moyes, and LOVING IT!, I decided to give some of her other works a go. I usually get burned when I do this- so I proceeded with caution!

     In the first chapter, you are introduced to a bevy of characters and it gets a bit muddy with names and details. Some bloke named Ed, along with his friend Ronan, own/developed their own company and Ed is approached by a few gentlemen (the "Suits") who discuss a serious allegation that a women claims to make against Ed. 

      As in Me Before You, this first chapter is something the reader needs to remember, as it will become important a bit later. But the second chapter moves onto a completely different set of characters, Jess (Jessica) and her family (a little girl named Constanza-aka Tanzie, a high school-aged boy named Nicky, and a huge dog that go by the name of Norman.)

     At the start of each chapter, Moyes lists a characters name. The reader quickly grasps the fact that the chapter will be following the actions or thoughts of that particular character. I have found that this can get extremely confusing when I've read other books with this same method, but Moyes only switches from Ed to Jess with a few chapters by Tanzie and Nicky intermittently dispersed in. 

     The basic plot is as follows: Ed (a divorcee) had a short, hot & heavy, "relationship" (really just a few nights of good sex) with a women. When she becomes immensely clingy, he attempts to get rid of her. She mentioned that she wanted to travel but lacked the proper funds.  He gave her some information about his company that would allow her to make some money if she invested in a few stocks, evening giving her a check to allow her to purchase said stocks. The woman and her brother made a fortune off of the information, and the Feds went after Ed for "insider trading." 

      Introduce Jess and her family. Jess is a part-time house cleaner and a part-time bar maid. Money is tight, to be generous. The father of the children (Marty) left two years prior to live with his mother, and he has no job so is unable to pay child support. Nicky, the high-school aged boy, is Marty's son from a previous marriage, but his mother was a drug addict and couldn't take care of him, so Jess welcomed him into her family. Nicky is partial to the "Goth" look and, because of this, he is constantly attacked and hurt by a group of boys (the Fisher family.) He even winds up in the hospital at the start of the tale. Little Tanzie is a math genius!! Her math teacher at school referred her to a private school (St Anne's) that would be able to help her develop her skill and talent as well as provide her with a top notch education. St Anne's offered Tanzie a 90% scholarship to their school, but that still wasn't enough for Jess to be able to afford it. 

     Ed winds up in the bar that Jess works at (she also happens to clean his Beachfront home), and he drinks to the point of intoxication. So drunk that he has to be driven home by another bar patron (while Jess accompanied them.) On their way back, Jess discovers that $500 pounds has fallen out of Ed's wallet. She pockets the money and uses it to reserve Tanzie's spot at St Anne's.

     Faced with the prospect of still not being able to afford the tuition, books, and uniforms for St Anne's, Jess is distraught. She then receives a phone call from Tanzie's math teacher notifying her of a math competition (The Olympiad) that was taking place in Scotland that awarded the winner $5,000 pounds- enough to cover the first 2 years of St Anne's! Unfortunately, they didn't have the money to make it there via train or bus. Fortunately, Marty (the Ex-husband) had left a beat-up Rolls Royce in the garage (along with it's expired tags, and rat-eaten seats.) Jess, determined to give her little girl a chance in life, boards the family (including the dog!) in the car to drive them to Scotland! Unfortunately, Jess hasn't driven a car in years and is not very good at it, AND they get pulled over by the police within a few miles. Fortunately, Ed drives by, recognizes Jess (from both the bar and his house cleanings) and gives the family a lift back to their house. Jess, Tanzie and Nicky explain what they were doing, and Ed offers to drive them across the country to Scotland! 

     Not believing that Ed will actually show up the next day to drive them, embarrassed that they have to depend on a complete stranger, and nervous that he knows she took his money, Jess is a ball of emotions! She is shocked when Ed shows up and Ed, in turn, is shocked when he realizes that Tanzie gets sick if you drive over 40 mph, and their 8 hour trip was going to turn into a 5-day trip. Meanwhile, Ed is caught up in the lawsuit, his ex-wife pestering him for money, and his sister's insistence that he come to visit their dying father.

     The trip is chalk-full of discoveries, disasters, nerves, smiles, and dog farts! As each day passes, Jess and Ed relax more around each other and their fondness for each other blossoms. They reach the Olympiad, more disasters, and then it's time for the return trip. They make a detour to see Marty, who has a new wife and lives in a beautiful home with the woman's two children! The relationship between Ed and Jess finally reach a boiling point and they both decide to let themselves fall! Once they are back to their home, a series of unfortunate events take place and you, the reader, find yourself racing to finish and uncover the ending! 

SPOILER:

     During the course of the story, I (like Jess) had COMPLETELY forgotten about Ed's stolen money. It seemed like two completely different people and a completely different time! When the deceit was uncovered, I covered my mouth in shock! I was fully rooting for the positive and sweet-hearted Jess, who deserved to be loved, to be happy, and to have someone take care of her. And I cared about Ed, who was accused of a crime he didn't intend to commit, who needed to experience the bright side of life, and who DESPERATELY needed someone like Jess! After Ed left, I didn't know where the story would go. Then, when Tanzie is attacked by the Fishers, and Norman, in an attempt to help her, was hit by a car, I cried. I don't know what it is about the death of an animal that causes such a visceral response from me! If a person dies suddenly in a book, I feel sad, but if an animals dies unexpectedly, tears fall! 

     The story does have a happy ending! All of the characters get what they want and most deserve. I finished the book with a smile!

     I highly recommend this book! It was a good read! The plot is easy to follow, language isn't bogged down, characters are relatable & likable, and you get to experience a rainbow of emotions!

RATING:

     I give One Plus One by JoJo Moyes 4.5 stars. 

    I struggled with this rating! I really enjoyed this book, but I LOVED Me Before You (which I give 5 stars to!), and this book seemed to fall just below that one. It took me a moment before I realized the reason for that. In Me Before You I learned something. I received insight into the lifestyle and the psyche of a quadriplegic. I didn't 'learn' anything from One Plus One, but it was a great read. Thus, 4.5 stars! 

NEXT BOOK:

     I decided to continue the JoJo Moyes reading spree and try The Girl You Left Behind. Let's hope it's a good one!

September 11-14 2014- 34-31 days until the wedding!!

September 11, 2014:
     Thursdays are the toughest day of the week!! Cardio Kickboxing with Jesus followed immediately by Butt & Abs Bootcamp with Kristie. Whew! My arms are depleted from kickboxing, and then my thighs and glutes get a thrashing in bootcamp! Phew!!! I love bootcamp because I can feel it's immediate effects on my body, but it is the only class that I constantly think about leaving due to the difficulty! Butt & Abs Bootcamp with Kristie is the hardest class at Vixen Fitness in my opinion!

September 12, 2014:
     Butt & Abs Bootcamp with Marissa was first up this evening. I got there and... I was the only one taking the class! This was a first for me! But it felt like I had my own personal trainer! We ran 3 laps around the building, Marissa staying with me the entire time, and then he stayed outside and did lunges, walking kicks, exercises along that line. Then we moved inside and used the glides (which I'm terrible at!!!) and did across the floor exercises utilizing the glides (inchworm, skating, backwards crab walk, etc!) We decided that next time we have class together and I'm the only student, that she would do a ballet core class with me instead of bootcamp! 

September 8, 9, 10 2014- 37, 36, 35 days until the wedding!!

September 8, 2014:
     It's Monday!!! You all know what that means! Zumba and 30/30/30! This was Ariana's first time taking 30/30/30 with the full 30 mins of spin! It's those spinning 30 mins that get you! I don't sweat as much in any other class as I do in that short span of time! My entire upper body leaks fluids and gripping the bike handles becomes difficult! I am still working up to taking the 1 hour spin class, but it makes me extremely nervous! I can barely get though 30 mins, how can I possibly do twice that amount of time?! Ariana wasn't ready for the spin portion! She was on the bike beside me and I kept checking in on her! She'll be more prepared the next time!

September 9, 2014:
      I started the evening with my second dose of Intro To Pole with Staci. I can see my progress and how some of the moves are coming with greater ease. I can also tell that I'm feeling much more confident and comfortable on the pole. There are still people in this class who are NOT beginners though. Those individuals like to show off and it makes the rest of us feel uneasy. I wish they would not take intro classes, because it takes the spot of someone else who could be trying to get into pole fitness.
     Next was Yoga with Jesus and then Hip Hop with Josan. I love the class variety that I get on Tuesdays! It's awesome!

September 10, 2014:
     I had to work a special event that took place in the evening, so I was not able to attend any classes today.

September 3-7, 2014- 42-38 days until the wedding!

     Ok- so now that all of the classes are starting to repeat themselves, and I really have no new information to share, I'm going to be condensing the posts to chunks of days instead of individual days! 

September 3, 2014:
     Tuesdays and Wednesdays are turning into my 3 class days! Today was no exception!
     First was VRX. Jesus likes to switch up VRX each week. One week we'll focus on upper body and the next week will be lower body centric. I much prefer the upper body routines to get some sexy wedding arms!! All brides worry about their arms because most wedding dresses are sleeveless and/or strapless, and the arms are so prominently featured! If you can remember from my first blog post, my arms are desperate for attention. They were flabby and soft. I know that they are slowly changing, I can definitely tell the difference, but it's going to take much more work to get my arms where I want them to be! Luckily today was upper body VRX! And I could feel the burn!!

     Second class was Sexy Pole Dance. Ariana and I were extremely excited to take sexy pole dance because we knew it would be a new routine. The last routine was so much fun, and we were looking forward to this one! The instructor decided to do a lyrical routine. The class was overbooked, so Ariana and I had to share a pole, and when people have to share it slows down the class because the instructor has to allow everyone ample time for the pole tricks. The routine was very pretty and sweet, but we preferred the sexier, high energy, up-beat songs and routines. And the fact that we had to share poles was inconvenient and neither of us felt great with our performances. Hopefully the next sexy pole dance class will be more our pace!

     To round out our evening we took Sexy Chair dance with Jasmine! Tonight's routine was SO fast!! I was sweating trying to keep up. We also did a lot of booty popping! If you read my post about my 'Booty Bouncin' class, you will know that I am no twerker! For some odd reason, I just cannot seem to pop and shake my rump. Hopefully it will come with time. I'll definitely update you when I can finally twerk. It will be a momentous occasion! 

September 4, 2014:
     I got called to come into work today, and I couldn't turn it down. The hours, and pay, are much needed! We are in such a desperate financial situation with the upcoming wedding, and having to pay two mortgages. We had a buyer for our old house, so it was taken off the market for 3 weeks, but the buyer backed out 5 days after the inspection. My Fiance and I were devastated, because it meant that we had to pay another month of double mortgages. But we know everything will work out in the end. Nothing to do but stay positive!!
     So I could not take any classes today.

September 5, 2014:
     Marissa's 'Rockin Hard Beach Bodies' Tuesday class got moved to Friday's and renamed Butt & Abs Bootcamp. It is at the perfect time and there were no other cardio classes offered on Friday evenings, so I, of course, took the course! After my work shift I zipped over to the Vixen Studio and settled in for a 2 class-kinda night! Butt & Abs Bootcamp, Marissa style, was a good workout! It was a great class to take right before the weekend!
     Next up with J'adore Go Go!! This was my first time taking this class, and I loved it!!! I think Go Go is my new favorite class! I was somewhat apprehensive about taking this class because heels are required and I've never really danced in high heels. Character heels- sure, but not regular high heels! The first thing that Jasmine had us do (after the warm-up) was walking. Just simply putting one foot in front of the other in our heels and being sexy with it! Fortunately, I wear character heels all day at work, so walking sexy in heels is almost second nature! The dance routine was fun and sexy and I loved it! I'm going to make a solid effort to try to make this class every time it's offered, which seems to be every other Friday!

September 6 & 7, 2014:
     I worked both weekend days and no evening classes on Saturdays and Sundays are offered, so no classes for me. 

September 1 & 2, 2014- 44 & 43 days until the wedding!!

     Monday, September 1:
          It's Labor Day and I didn't have to work today- so no labor for me! The holiday also means that there were no classes scheduled in order to allow the instructors to spend time with their families.

     Tuesday, September 2:
          Ok- it has been a full week since I've been able to catch a class at Vixen Fitness and thus I decided to go hard hard with 3 classes!!! Why not? The wedding is getting closer and closer! So first up was Body Control w/ VRX with Jesus. Intense as always! We started with running around the building 3 times to get our blood pumping and our heart rates up. It also starts the sweat pouring when you run in the Florida summer sun!

     Next up was Yoga with Jesus! Jesus doesn't do a ton of the traditional yoga poses (Warrior 1, 2, and 3, tree, etc.) but he focuses on toning and strengthening those parts of the body that girls needs the most. My breathing stabilizes during the yoga classes, but the sweating never stops!! It's a nice companion to the body control class!

     The final class was Hip Hop!! I love the dance classes that Vixen offers so much! It's a chance to still get a bit of cardio, and it offers a nice change of pace to the more grueling fitness classes. As a performer, I have been trying to get back into dance classes, but they can get pricey. Having a Vixen membership where I can take unlimited classes if the perfect opportunity for me to become a better dancer!! 

August 26-31, 2014- 50-45 days until the wedding!!

     I said this week would be tough because of my schedule, and it starts now!

     Tuesday, August 26:
          I was able to hit up Rockin' Hard Beach Bodies class before my 9pm clock-in time at work! Loads of cardio, butt and arms! It really woke me up before I had to work until 3am!

     Wednesday, August 27:
          I had planned on taking Sexy Chair dance today before another 11pm-5am work shift, but the class was canceled an hour before it was scheduled to start. I was bummed, but I knew that this week would be a tough one.

     Thursday, August 28:
          I got off of work at 5am this morning, and had an audition at 9am. Because this audition was going to have a ton of people attending, I needed to be there early, so I actually didn't even go home! I showered at work, and then got in line for the audition at 5:45am! Got done at 9:35am. I had to be back at work at 1pm for a short 4 hour shift, and I knew it would be almost pointless to drive 40 minutes home, just to turn around and drive 30 minutes back to work, so I just got to work extra early and sat around until my shift started. By the time I actually got home and got into bed, I had been awake for 28 hours!! I don't recommend that at all!!!

     Friday, August 29:
          I had to wake up early for a callback that was scheduled at 11am. I had to give away my shift at work because this callback was important to me! By the time my callback was over, and I drove home, I knew that I hadn't caught up fully on my rest so I just relaxed the rest of the day, rather than attempt to take a class at Vixen. 

     Saturday, August 30:
          Again, Vixen doesn't offer evening classes on the weekends, and I had to work, so I was not able to attend any classes today. But after my crazy work week, these few days off was necessary and I promised to hit it hard on Monday!

     Sunday, August 31:
          I worked today, and no evening classes are offered, so I was unable to visit Vixen.

August 25, 2014- 51 days until the wedding

     It's another Monday. This week is going to be a tough week. I have a really crazy work schedule that isn't going to allow me to go to many classes, and I am going to be extremely short on sleep.
     But today was a normal day. A regular 8 hour work day, followed by classes at Vixen Fitness. Mondays are turning into my hardest day of classes, the day that I push myself harder than most. Thus, I had my 3 classes, 3.5 hours in total, of working out. 
     If you told me 25 days ago that I would be taking over 3 hours of fitness classes in a single day, I would probably laugh in your face!! I tried P90X and I would stick to it for a week or two. But then life would happen. I would skip one day here because of my schedule and one day there, and then I felt like a failure because I hadn't stuck to the routine and the plan. It was also so monotonous! The ab DVD, for instance, was the same each time, it never changed because it was a video! I have discovered that I thrive in a classroom setting. I was always really great in school, and my natural competitiveness propelled me to excel in classes and strive to be the best. Taking fitness classes is very similar to that. Being around other people pushes me to do better. To do more reps, to hold a position longer, to run harder and fast, and to just generally be at my best. Sure I sometimes have to stop during an exercise to breathe sometimes, or to shake off my muscles, but those pauses don't last long (not like when I used to work out at home to DVD's!) I am so proud of my progress so far!!
     The first class was Zumba. It was pretty much the same as the last time I took the class. To be completely honest, Zumba isn't one of my favorite classes. Doing the same three steps over and over then 3 new steps over and over is fine for working up a sweat and getting your cardio in, but it doesn't seem to hold my interest for too long. I do like Zumba for thr cardio aspect, and so I will continue to take the class, but I much prefer the dance classes.
     Second class was 30/30/30. This class with Jesus is slowly turning into one of my favorites! The strengthening exercises are just what I need and they are intense. The spin portion is amazing for cardio and I can actually feel my legs and thighs getting stronger each time I take this class!! And the last section of the class, yoga, brings your entire body together. The class is a perfect combo of cardio, strength, and flexibility!
     The last class was my second helping of Cardio Dance. We did our 8 minutes of planking (of which I almost did it all!!) and the extreme warm-up, followed by a short dance routine. I adore  the instructor, Romero. He is so fun and funny, and just his general personality make me forget that what I'm doing (8 freakin' minutes of planking) is hard!

August 21, 22, 23 & 24- 55, 54, 53, & 52 days until the wedding!!

     Thursday, August 21:

              I picked up a shift at work, which was during all possible work out times, so today was a bust!

     Friday, August 22:

             On Friday's Vixen fitness only has like evening classes, and they are pretty much at the same time. So I went with a class I haven't tried before- Power Hoopz!! I though to myself, "Marisa- you can hula hoop decently, let's give this a try!" 

     The initial hula hooping was great- I was golden there! But then when the instructor, Margo, had us do squats while hooping, then you heard the clatter of hoops falling all over the room!! I was so confused about how to do the squat without the hoop hitting my knees, because when I leaned back in my squat, the hoop would hit my boobs! Either way- the room looked like a cemetery of fallen hoops! Margo had us alternating between different types of hooping (traditional, walking left & right as well as front & back, squatting, etc) and then strengthening, which included laying down with our legs in the air, hoop between our legs, and squeezing! My thighs were burning!! At the end of the class I felt a sharp pain in the right side of my abdomen. I think the constant hitting of the hoop on my ribcage bruised me a little. It felt like someone was stabbing me with a needle!! Not a pleasurable experience! But maybe next time I try the class it'll be easier.

     Saturday, August 23:

          I worked today, and there are no evening classes on the weekend at Vixen, so it was a rest day for me.

     Sunday, August 24:

          I happen to have the day off so I hit up Vixen for two classes. First up was Video Vixen. We practiced across the floor movements and worked on turns. And the dance routine was cute, sassy and fun!! I really enjoyed it!

          After Video Vixen was my second dose of Intro to silks!! Ariana joined me for her first silks class at Vixen! I stayed with the beginners so I could review all of the different climbs. I think that I'll continue to stay with the beginners each time I take the class until I can do all of the climbs perfectly!! 

August 20, 2014- 56 days until the wedding

     Today was another 3 class kinda day!! It started out with VRX (which is actually TRX, just Vixen style!) TRX is suspension training that allows you to use your own body weight to develop strength, balance and flexibility. And you can increase or decrease the intensity of an exercise just by shifting your body's position. 

     I was extremely interested in trying this class because I had seen the TRX bands in different gyms, but I've never been equipped with the know-how on what they were exactly or how to use them. Man was I in for a treat! Jesus, the instructor, has us partner up (my friend Ariana joined me that night, so she was my partner!) One person would be on the bands whilst their partner was doing floor work (crunches, sit-ups, work with weights, etc) and then we would switch. I was expecting a good arm workout and I was not disappointed!! My arms were feeling the deep burn! For my wedding, I want to focus on my arms because my dress is sleeveless and the last thing I want to see in pictures is this beautiful dress, a beautiful background, and ugly, flabby arms!! While I know that my arms really aren't as ugly as they appear in my mind, there is no doubt that I could use some toning! 

     The second class that Ariana and I took was Sexy Pole Dance. This was my second time taking sexy pole. The teacher, Michelle, had mentioned that she likes to perform the same routine about 4-5 classes in a row so that we can get comfortable with it, and be able to kill it the second or third time! And I must say that she was right! It was my second time performing this same routine, and I was so much more confortable, and willing to try different things on the pole!! After my Intro to Pole class yesterday, I had a couple more moves in my skill set to add during  the improv section of the routine! Here is the routine that we learned:

                                SEXY POLE DANCE routine  

        The third and final class of the evening was Sexy Chair Dance. Our routine, taught by Josen, was one of my favorites so far!! It was sensual, and I felt sexy performing it!

     Another great day of classes in the books!!

August 19, 2014- 57 days until the wedding!!

     So I decided that I needed to make sure I was taking full advantage of my Vixen membership, which means taking additional pole, lyra, and silks classes! Now, the lyra classes offered are few and far between, but I am determined to find a class that fits in my schedule!

     So today I took my second installment of Intro to Pole. This time, the instructor was Staci. Staci was all about the different holds and tricks, and not so much about being sexy on the pole. It was a different way of teaching. She would show us the move/trick she wanted us to perform then we had to imitate her. It was a lot of tossing my body at the pole and trying to hold on for dear life!! The backs of my knees were feeling the pain! I definitely need to take more pole classes. I've extremely weak and un-confident in the different beginner holds.
     After abusing my body in intro to pole, I took a break from working out to grab some dinner before my final class of the evening: Co-Ed Hip Hop!
     Man I love Hip Hop! It is not a style of dance that I'm comfortable in, but I love doing it! It challenges me and pushes me to get better. Not to mention that I am having a blast, AND getting an amazing cardio workout! 

August 18, 2014- 58 days until the wedding!!

     I worked until 5pm then rushed over to Vixen Fitness for some ZUMBA!!! This was my first Zumba class ever and I was quite excited for it! 

     Zumba is not really a dance class. Yes there is dancing, and it's technically a 'dance fitness' class, but no prior dance experience is required. You just have to watch and listen to the instructor, follow along, and have fun!! Because I DO have some prior dance experience, I was able to track the pattern of the movements (or choreography I guess you could call it in this case) and predict which movement sequences were coming up when. The instructor did a good job of mixing a fast, upbeat number with a slower, calmer number. It made for a better workout because it was almost like interval training. While I didn't feel like I got a huge cardio workout from the Zumba class, I will say that I sweat a little bit, and I drank an entire bottle of water (and I only drink water when I'm sweating!). I would take Zumba again as long as their isn't another class at the same time that I'd rather take.
     Today I decided to take the full 30/30/30 class with Jesus! I know that 2 weeks ago I took just the spin portion of the class, but today I'm doing the whole she-bang! Luckily my two friends (Ariana and Jen) were also taking the class, so we could suffer together! When I walked into class, Jesus told us to run 5 laps around the building. Excuse me? Let me clean out my ears because I thought you said 5 LAPS!!! Nope.. I heard correctly! Ariana, Jen and I were at the front of the pack and we ran/jogged the ENTIRE 5 LAPS!! After the 3rd lap I wanted to walk for a bit, but the girls convinced me not to give up, to power through and to think about my wedding. So every single time that I wanted to walk, I repeated my own personal mantra: "Beautiful, white dress; beach wedding; wedding dress body; sweating for the wedding." We lapped most of the other ladies in the class and we lapped one poor girl twice! When we lapped on particular group of girls, they exclaimed, "What? They MUST be cheating!" I was extremely irritated with that remark!  We had watched 3 girls cut through the center of the building (where there is an outside patio entrance) and only do half of the building and they were calling US cheaters! The nerve!!! After we were finished with our laps, Jesus ushered is all inside (so some people only ran 3-4 laps, which my friends and I did all 5!) AND there were already people inside the classroom who had claimed that they ran all 5 laps! No WAY!!! We were in the front of the group the entire time and you didn't lap us!! I was furious! But I calmed myself down. After all, why should I be concerned with those individuals? They are only cheating themselves! They are paying to attend this class and to get in shape, but they are cheating themselves by not performing what is asked of them. It is these very same individuals who like to claim on various social media sites that they are constantly at the gym and working out, but they never seem to get in better shape. You see those people at the gym as well. They claim to spend "3 hours at the gym," but they do maybe 15 minutes of arms, a couple of squats, a handful of crunches, a push-up or two, and then 2.5 hours on their phones!
     SO, after our 5 laps, we did about 15 mins of TRX training, which got my legs and arms and core burning!!! Up next was our 30 minutes of spin! They overbooked the class, so there were more girls then Vixen had bikes for. Thus, Jesus had to improvise. He had half of us on bikes and the other half did various leg and butt exercises. Then the groups switched after 15 minutes. It was a complete cardio workout! Afterwards, we completed our 30 minutes of calming yoga. Now yoga with Jesus is still incredibly challenging! He makes us sweat but in a more controlled and calmer atmosphere.
     All in all it was a sweat-inducing Monday afternoon/evening at Vixen Fitness!

August 15, 16 & 17- 61, 60, & 59 days until the wedding!!

   I had to go 3 days without working out at Vixen! Yikes!! I felt SO extremely guilty, but it was unavoidable. I worked Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Friday after work I had an audition, which forced me to miss the J'adore Go Go class that I was looking forward to. And, as usual, there are no afternoon/evening classes on the weekends at Vixen, so this weekend was a wash! Thus, I plan to hit it hard come Monday to make up for 3 missed days!

August 14, 2014- 62 day until the wedding!!

     Alas the day has come: the last day that I am using my vacation hours. I will still have days off every week, but not the significant amount of days off that I've had the wonderful pleasure of experiencing as of late. Thus, to celebrate the end of my vacation hours, I took the 2 tough classes!
     Thursday is going to be my "tough" day. All of the classes typically offered on Thursdays are rough, tough, sweaty, muscle straining, and just generally exhausting! First up the agenda was Cardio Kickboxing with Jesus. We started the class in a similar fashion to how we started the class last week- with some jogging around the room, side-stepping, quick kicks, cardio. Once we all were panting and gasping for breath, Jesus asked us to pair up and put gloves and pads on. My friend Kira was at the class, so she was my partner. It was her first time at Cardio Kickboxing, and I was anxious to see what she thought! The partner work today was more intensive (in my opinion) than it was last week. During a rather strenuous punch sequence, my arms were hurting so much that I had to take mini breaks to shake them out before I could continue on! I love all of Jesus' classes because it doesn't take it easy on us and he pushes us because he knows we can handle it!
     After kickboxing, Kira and I went right into Butt & Abs Bootcamp with Kristie. Dang this class!!! I was so physically worn down that I think I actually had an out of body experience! I saw myself doing the exercises, but I don't remember actually doing them! It was so incredibly exhausting! I knew it was going to be tough when the very first thing we had to do was 100 squats! Talk about buns of steel!! Superman has nothing on my booty!!  

      After Butt & Abs Bootcamp, Vixen was offering a Lyra class. Now I have been dying to take a Lyra class, but today was not the day! I was WAY too run down to even think about trying to attempt something difficult and strenuous on an apparatus that I've never been on! Just another day in Marisa's Movement!!

August 13, 2014- 63 days until the wedding!

     Yet another day off!! My vacation time is just about all dried up though, so I need to enjoy these days off while I can!

     I am starting to adjust to the significantly increased workouts. I look forward to attending classes and I constantly look at the online schedule to figure out the best classes to take, the best way to maximize my time and the biggest variety of classes!

      Today, my good friend Ariana joined me for my classes, and first up was Insanity!! Yes, this is the same Insanity that includes DVDs with teacher Shawn T! Our teacher (Kristie) is a certified Insanity instructor and she is this tiny but incredibly fit lady! The class is all about intense cardio in short intervals. And the music had built in sound effects that signaled when we were to switch to a different move- so that was extremely helpful!! I was expecting any class of Kristie's to be difficult, and this was- but I really enjoyed it!!! It was constant variety and the song selection was awesome so I found myself singing along while I was sweating and my muscles were shouting! Ariana and I could hardly breath at the end of the class, but we were smiling the entire time!

     We then had an hour break, so Ariana and I went to grab a quick bite before our last class of the night: Sexy Chair Dance with Josen!!

     I fully think that Sexy Chair Dance is my favorite class at Vixen. Sure I may not be sweating, doing hardcore abs or butt, or bootcamp, but I DO get a little bit of a cardio workout and it's another dance class that I use to increase my dance experience! The routine was fun, sexy, sultry and wonderful! The great thing about Vixen, and about classes like this in particular, is that there is no pressure to be amazing! There are girls of all shapes and sizes and of all skill levels, but we are all there to be confident, and to have fun!

     I took my 'Sexy Chair Dance' routine home and showed my Fiance. That is now his favorite class for me too!! It's the gift that keeps on giving!!

August 12, 2014- 64 days until the wedding!!

     It was a glorious morning of sleeping in!!! My arms are still aching from silks two days ago and intro to pole yesterday!!
     First class of the day is Stretch & Flexibility with Marissa. This is my second time taking this class (but it was with Heather the first time) and I have to admit that I was nervous. The first time I took stretch and flexibility, it aggravated my left foot so much that I could barely walk afterwards. I was immensely worried that it would happen again. I have such limited flexibility that this class in particular is difficult for me. But the reason I take it is because I need to increase my flexibility, which is something that is essential for dancing, pole and silks. My ultimate goal is to get pretty splits on both sides!!

     Marissa put us through our stretching paces!! I was sweating- not from exhaustion or cardio, but from the sheer pain of my muscles stretching further than they are use to! While I was in the class, I couldn't wait until it was over because it hurts so badly! But after the class, my muscles felt more relaxed and my body felt stronger. And as an added bonus- my foot didn't hurt! It actually feel better then it has in a long time! I have to make a note to try and do this class more often!

     Next class up was Rockin' Hard Beach Bodies with Marissa. A double dose of double Marisa's!! My lovely friend Kira joined me today! It was her very first class at Vixen! Now, if I was breaking a sweat in 'stretch & flexibility' class, then I can confidently say that sweat was POURING out of my veins in Beach Bodies class! Marissa had us doing a ton of cardio, utilizing weights, step-ups on a chair, etc. We ended the class by running 2 laps around the building, which is torture in the summer Florida heat!! Luckily I brought 2 bottles of water with me to the classes, because I was guzzling water to replenish my system!

     And the third class, yes I did 3 classes today, was Co-Ed Hip Hop!! I love the dance classes that Vixen Fitness has to offer! I am a performer, with my talents being more in acting, but I've always wanted to improve in the dance department. And the only way to do that is to take dance classes!! So I'm going to make it a point to take as many of the dance classes as I possibly can. It will help me in my career! Our routine was a hard hitting one- literally! We had to punch the palm of our own hand twice during the routine! After the first couple of times, it hurt my hand, so I just clapped when we were suppose to punch. I love Josan (the instructor) and hip hop is so completely out of my element, but I love it all the same!!

     Today was the perfect mix of classes. I had cardio, a good, deep stretch, and a dance class! If I can orchestrate every day like this it would be perfection!!

August 11, 2014- 65 days until the wedding!!

     Every morning that I wake up I assess my body and judge the aches and pains. Today, my arms are at an 8!! They are so tight and tense!! But sleeping in this morning felt incredibly glorious and so relaxing! I'm trying to enjoy these days off as much as I can, because at the end of the week, I go back to work for huge chunks. I was lucky in the fact that I had a TON of vacation time to use up. Once my work anniversary hits (which is about the third week of August), I lose all vacation hours that I did not use! That's like free money down the toilet!! No way was I going to let that happen!! So I timed everything out so that my days off and the start of my Movement coincided! I will confide in you, dear reader, that I am immensely worried about doing back to my "normal" shift (which is 10a-5:15p). The worry comes from the fact that I will have to complete an entire work shift and then haul my butt to Vixen Fitness for classes. Currently, I'm getting scheduled evening shifts and I get to do my workouts in the morning and then head into work. This system is perfect for me because mornings are my friend! And I can get my workouts done early and go home after work.
     I love my job. It is the best job that I could have ever hoped for or asked for. With that being said, some days are harder than others. And those hard days are incredibly draining emotionally. It's those days that I cannot wait to clock out and go home. I'm worried that I will have those days with my new Movement. I know that the LAST thing I'll want to do is workout. But I suppose that it'll be those days that will test my devotion and commitment to this Movement.
      Fortunately, today was not one of those days! I rested, played with my pups, did a few chores around the house, and then headed to Vixen for classes. Today I started with Intro To Pole!!

     Knowing that my arms were already sore, but that I would need them for a Pole class, I was scared!! Luckily my good friend Ariana was there to join me and she gave me the encouragement I needed. We were both extremely excited to try a pole class and learn proper techniques! It was a fun class! The instructor, Allison, showed us various moves we can do with the pole (body rolls, the sexy walk, hip rolls, etc. And we also learned two "moves", the 'fireman,' and the 'martini' (which I believe is the move pictured above!) The great thing about classes at Vixen is that everyone is in sweats and tanks or t-shirts. The instructor was the only person in heels, although she encouraged us to try and incorporate heels once we become a bit more proficient with the pole. At times I felt completely inadequate! The instructor made everything look so sexy and sleek and she performed the pole moves with such ease. I, on the other hand, felt like a hippo gyrating obtrusively!! I felt very un-sexy. And while I could do the moves, I was spinning around the pole so quickly that I started to get a headache from the constant dizziness!! I had no idea how to spin slower and how NOT to get so dizzy!! But Ariana did have a blast in the class. When I realized that everyone else were beginners like me, and that we ALL looked like gyrating creatures, I stopped worrying about how I looked and focused on having fun!! I left the class feeling confident! I will have to take Into to Pole 4-5 more times, at least, so I can master the basics and build up my strength before I move on to the next level pole class.

     After pole class, Ariana and I had a bit of a wait before our next class, Cardio Dance, started. Unfortunately, the teacher was a little late due to traffic, and then he couldn't get the audio to work correctly and that took a few minutes to fix, so we started class about 10 minutes late total. I adored our teacher Romero!! He was so funny, and just the person that I'm used to at work! But the first thing he had us do was a rotation of 20 sit ups and then a 2 minute plank. We had to do that 4 times! That's 8 freakin' minutes of planking!!! Whew! It was exhausting! Romero put us through an extensive ab workout, and a deep stretch. And then we only had about 10 minutes to actually dance. He started that he usually taught 1.5 hour classes (this class was only an hour), so he apologized to us! He asked us to come to the next class that he taught and he would use the same routine! Ariana and I loved him and we both agreed that we needed to catch his next class!!

     All in all it was a good day! I've been fortunate enough to be able to sample a plethora of classes at Vixen Fitness and I'm ready to commit to a full membership once my two weeks are up!!

August 10, 2014- 66 days until the wedding!

     Today's "Word of the Day" is: NERVOUS!!! I'm taking 2 classes this morning, but one of them is going to be scary!! I'll leave you with that cliff hanger while I talk about my first class!

     First up was Video Vixen. The 1.5 hour class is described as thus: "A hit, sweaty, fast-paced, high cardio, non-stop dance party that is like no other! Combine heart thumping music, cool choreography, and a sound/light system together and get fitness with an attitude! By the time this class is over, you are going to look and feel like you are in a professional dance troupe performing in a music video...even if you have never had a dance class or consider yourself 'coordination-ally challenged!' You're going to LOVE this class!" From the description I thought we would be doing cute choreography to a hit pop song. I was ready to get my dance on! Man, my body was mad at me!! For the first 45 minutes of the class we did ballet stretches and strengthening exercises. Basically everything a ballerina would do on a barre, but we did it laying down on a yoga mat. Wow-wee!!! My legs, abs, arms, hip, and butt were on fire!! Guess that's what I get for thinking I was doing an easy class!! After the stretches and strengthening exercises, we spent about 30 minutes doing across the floor sequences. And the last 15 minutes we did a short routine and then a cool down. It was a great class for your core and taught by the wonderful Josan! If I ever get a Sunday morning off again, Video Vixen will be on my to-do list!

     And my second class of the day, and the class that I am most excited/nervous about is...drum roll please... Aerial Silks!!!! 

   

     Doesn't this silks artist look beautiful?! One day I might be able to do something like that!

     The biggest reason for my nervousness is that I'm scared of heights. Sure you can go up pretty high on a pole as well, but a pole is a solid piece of metal that is screwed into the floor and attached to the ceiling. Silks is 2 pieces of fabric attached to a single point in the ceiling. It's freakin' scary!!! But I was desperate to try it. Silks are making a huge coming out party lately and it's everywhere! People are turning more and more to silks as an art form and it's so beautiful!! I wanted to make that movement part of MY Movement!!

     The first thing that we learned in Intro To Aerial Silks was how to climb the silk. Sounds easy right?! WRONG!!! You have to let the fabric drape on one foot then use your arms to pull yourself up. All 5 of us "newbies" gave it a try and I got about 1.5 pumps up before I dropped down. One the second time around I just gave in, took a deep breath, and I climbed all the way to the top! The first person in my class to make it to the top!! Yay!! I felt so proud! Once at the top, the instructor Heather applauded and cheered! At that moment I started freakin out! "Ummmm.... I guess I should mention that I'm scared of heights AND I forgot how you told us to get down!" Heather came over and instructed me how to slowly lower my body back down. Once I let go of the silks, I realized that my arms felt like I had been stabbed!! My biceps were screaming! It was almost as if I had done 500 push-ups! I had only climbed for 2 minutes! It was crazy! Silks is ALL upper body. We learned a few other things and I enjoyed the class so much! I am so eager to go to another silks class and continue to learn and grow. And once my flexibility increases, I will be able to look really pretty up there! Here is an actual pic of me in a silks hold:

     Next time I'll try this higher up!!

     Well, day off work tomorrow, so if my arms are sore, I can rest it off!!

  

August 8, 2014- 68 days until the wedding!!

     GOD BLESS IT!!!! My back feels like it's been cut open with a knife!!! Every movement sends searing pain up and down sections of my back. And my arms feel heavy- like they weigh 70lbs each!
     Seeing as how I had to be at work at 2p, the only class I could have taken was Power Yoga at 12:15p. Also, today is the first day of Miami Dolphins preseason football!!! I am a huge football fan, but the game was during my work shift, so I had to record it on my DVR and I'm currently watching it while I'm typing this!
     I glanced ahead at the Vixen schedule and saw that there were a ton of classes coming up that I wanted to take and try. Thus, I deemed today to be a rest day. I need one day of rest a week, and I think Fridays might be that day of rest!! But today the the one week anniversary of the start of Marisa's Movement and I love this new me!!

August 9, 2014- 67 days until the wedding!

     A day off was necessary for my body to rest, but I felt so guilty! I understand that I will need to give my body at least one day of rest a week, and yesterday was that day. And now I'm going to go hard this next week. I have 6 days left of my 2 week trial at Vixen and my plan is to try a bunch of new classes this week so I can experience everything!
     I had a later work shift again today (in at 3p), and luckily Vixen offers a ton of classes on Saturday mornings, so I had a lot to chose from!! I picked 2 new classes, and the first was one I was really excited to try: Sexy Pole Dance!!
     Ok, so I had to ask if I was even able to take the Sexy Pole Dance class because I hadn't taken Intro to Pole, but I was assured that I would be ok. I remember reading on the website that you had to wear shorts "as short as you felt comfortable wearing" to the class, because skin on the metal was the best for gripping. I'm not very comfortable in my own skin right now, ESPECIALLY around other ladies who have taken pole classes for years!! Now, Vixen has members of all shapes and sizes, and I have not heard anyone being judged or talked about or teased. In fact, quite the opposite is true! Everyone is completely supportive of each other, we cheer each other on (even if they are complete strangers), and all of the ladies are very open and friendly! That's probably one of the biggest reasons I love this studio!
     The pole room has 8 poles in it, so each class can really only have 7 students in it (with one pole for the teacher.) We started out with an awesome and sexy warm-up, and then the routine started. Picking up cheoro is a little easier for me, but the teacher threw in a few lifts, and pole swings that I couldn't do. There was another girl in the class who hadn't taken a pole class before so she was in the same boat as I was! The teacher was very understanding and just told us to try what we could, or we could just dance around the pole. At one point in the routine, everyone had to climb their pole for 2-8 counts and then slide down into a split. I couldn't climb the pole, so I just danced and then dropped into my half split (I'm not flexible yet to do a split, so I keep one leg bent.) It was a fun class and I did end up doing one pole hold/spin!! The teacher said that she was going to be back in a week and she was going to do the same routine, so I plan on doing that class and hopefully I'll be a bit more advanced!!
     The second class I took was 30 minute Power spin with 30 minute butt & abs with Jesus. Guys, Jesus is a beast!! Spin hurts my pelvis bone so much!! But the initial pain wears off after about 8 mins, so I stick with it. We did about 10-12 minutes on the bike, then did floor work- which included about 1000 push up and crunches! Lol!! My limbs were pushed to their maximum capacity. My arms were shaking and my abs were straining!! We did another 10-12 minutes on the bike and then more floor work. It was intense. But I made it through without dying, and that's all that matters!!
     After today, I know that I definitely want to invest the time in more pole classes. It takes a lot of upper body strength and I need to focus on my arms! My wedding dress is sleeveless, so toned and fit arms are a MUST!!

August 7, 2014- 69 days until the wedding!

     Waking up, and I felt great!!! No intense soreness at all. I still feel a dull pain in my legs but that's about it. Because I was feeling so great, I decided to be brave- one of the qualities of a Gryffindor!- and tackle 2 classes that look like they would be a bit more difficult.
     

     First up was Cardio Kickboxing. Yep... not just regular, good-ole kickboxing, but CARDIO kickboxing!! The class was with Jesus so I had a feeling it was going to be intense and my intuitions proved correct!! We started the class with about 15 minutes of different cardio/kickboxing movements. This included various punch sequences and kick sequences. Then we did partner work with one person wearing gloves and the other person wearing mitts. Jesus taught us an awesome punch combination, and then we switched gloves/mitts and repeated. It was an excellent arm work-out and definitely something I was looking for. Toned arms are a MUST whilst wearing a wedding dress!! The rest of my body is fairly hidden (I mean, the dress hugs my waist a bit, so I can work on my abs) but ARMS is what I need the most of. 

     After both partners had completed their combinations, Jesus taught us another combo, this one included jabs and a duck and a kick. We do that and switched and our partners completed it and he taught us the final routine. The final combo included jabs, a knee, a push and a duck! Both my partner and I were exhausted at the end of our turns. She kept encouraging me and I encouraged her- it was all very helpful!! Afterwards, we put the equipment away and did about 7 additional minutes of cardio and leg activities. I was exhausted and I drank one entire bottle of water and then a third of another bottle!!

     Instantly regretting my decision to do the next class, I took a deep breath. What the hell possessed me to sign up for Butt & Abs Bootcamp after doing cardio kickboxing?! Just the word 'Bootcamp' scared me!! But my friend was in the kickboxing class with me and she was staying for Bootcamp, and she reminded me what I was working for!

    Butt & Abs Bootcamp was rough. My thighs were already burning from kickboxing, so I had a rough time. There were 5 girls in the class, 3 of us were first-timers to Bootcamp. Kristie was the instructor and she began the class with 50 squats. I was ok with that because I'd recently done a 30 day Squat Challenge (which I quit after 20 days...) but squats aren't too bad for me. The girl in front of me, on the other hand, whispered to me: "50 squats?! Oh my god!" I started to worry about her right then and there! We then we given weighted bars and had to do different squats with the bar held behind our head on our shoulders. It got harder with each position. Next up was pushups with our feet on this workout discs that allow you to glide your feet. We did a tons of different glides- butt completely up, legs at 90 degree angle to rest of body and back, etc. I didn't complete a single exercise in its entirety! I couldn't perform each movement as quickly as Kristie wanted, my feet kept coming off of the discs, so I was constantly readjusting, AND I had to keep taking breaks because it was so difficult! About 20 minutes into the class, the girl in front of me (who had left the room a couple of times to, I can only assume, use the restroom) started packing up her things. She put everything away and left the class and just sat on a couch outside the room. She freakin' quit! I wanted to quit too! I REALLY did!! But I couldn't. I couldn't do that to myself. I toughed it out and I swore to come back to the class so I could master those dang discs!!!

      I finished my second bottle of water during the duration of the Bootcamp class. I was working hard today!! We finished the class with 8 minute abs and a light stretch. Whew!! I have a sneaky suspicion that I'm going to feel this tomorrow!!

Food journal:

     Breakfast: I woke up too late for an actual breakfast!

     Lunch: Olive Garden!!! I ate 3-4 breadsticks (so yummy!!), half a bowl of chicken and gnocci soup, and half of my fettuccine alfredo! 

     Dinner: After Bootcamp, I knew that I was extremely hungry, but I didn't want to cook when I got home, so I stopped at Chick-fil-a. I ordered a chocolate milkshake, chickn sandwich (sans pickle) and fries. On the way home I drank the milkshake. Towards the end of the shake my stomach started to rumble. Maybe dairy after 2 intense workouts wasn't a great idea!! I then ate the sandwich, which was very good. Then I attempted the fries. I ate one fry and my stomach wasn't happy! I'm fairly certain that my stomach is shrinking and I don't need as much food intake. This is an excellent thing!!

August 6, 2014- 70 days until the wedding!!

     Another glorious day off and another opportunity to sleep in so my body can rest and recover!! But there were 2 classes at Vixen that grabbed my attention for today. Well, to be honest, 3 classes REALLY stood out (Insanity, Booty Bouncin', and SEXY chair dance) but I was worried about doing too much too fast. I know that I desperately wanted to do the chair dance class, and Insanity sounded extremely difficult. I would love to tackle Insanity, but I might need to save that class for a day when I don't have another class. So, Booty Bouncin' it was!!
    

    
 Booty Bouncin' is exactly what it sounds like! It was an hour long class on how to use your hips, legs, waist and tushie to create different booty movements. Ok, so I've tried to 'twerk' before. I've even had my best friend teach me how to twerk, all to no avail. I can't explain it, but I cannot get my cheeks (or "Booty meat" as our instructor Staci called it!) to bounce up and down. We were also instructed on the best way to learn how to 'booty clap,' and various other movements. I have never felt so uncoordinated or dumb!! I felt like I was an old women gyrating to some unknown beat that only she can hear!! The class was fun, and I would love to take it again just to see if I've improved!! I didn't sweat or every start breathing hard, but my legs and thighs burned at times, and I'm certain that all that action worked my badonkadonk!! All I want is a nice, firm bubble butt, toned legs and a tiny waist- is that too much to ask?!
     Second up was SEXY chair dance with Jasmine. This was a fairly full class- 7 girls total. We learned an adorable routine that utilized the chair and it was choreographed to a Justin Timberlake song. I LOVED this class! It was so enjoyable and, like in Hip Hop, the hour went by so quickly, and the routine was so fun that I forgot that I was working out!! Jasmine did say, towards the end of class, that this was the slowest, easiest routine she's ever taught and for us not to get used to it!! I loved hearing that! This class is on my list of MUST's for each week!!

Food journal:
     I'm so sorry, but I completely forgot to write down what I ate today!! I tried to rake my brain to try and remember, but I have no idea!!!

August 5, 2014- 71 days until the wedding

     This is the adorable topper that John and I chose to put on top of our "cake." We are doing a cupcake tower, and our baker is going to make a jumbo cupcake for the top so we can put our topper on!! I think it's so adorable! It's a little artistic and different, and it suits our relationship perfectly!
    
     I have the next 3 days off in a row! I have a TON of vacation time that I need to use to I will lose it on my work anniversary, so it's perfect timing with my new workout Movement!
     First workout of the day was Yoga with Jesus at 5:30p. This class was not as intense as Power Yoga was on the first day of my Movement, but it was still a strain on my muscles. It was a great class and the front desk girls had even brought in candles to add to the ambiance of the class!
     Then it was onto co-ed Hip Hop at 8pm with Josan! I've taken plenty of jazz and broadway classes, but NEVER a Hip Hop class! I was extremely excited for Hip Hop and I had heard great things about Josan. Everything was true! I broke a nice sweat dancing, and it was such a FUN cardio workout. Dance classes are so much fun that you forget that you're working out and you forget to check the clock!! It was an awesome time and I even got a compliment from Josan at the end of the class! I loved it!!
     As a side note: my body, while still incredibly sore, is slowing adjusting to the constant movement and lack of sweets and junk food. I did have a craving when I was driving home, but I ignored it. That, my lovely readers, is willpower!

Food Journal:
     Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs and 5 pieces of bacon (the remained of the bacon went to my Fiance who took his real estate license today. He passed and he is now officially a realtor!!!)
     Lunch/dinner: 2 grilled cheese before I left my house to go to Yoga.
     Snack: a large banana once I got home from Hip Hop!

August 4, 2014- 72 days until the wedding!

   

     Woke up at 9:30a and, yep- still sore from my chest to my toes! But I had a co-ed Body Control class at 12:15p with Jesus. I walked my pups, made a late lunch/early breakfast, and left for the class.

     I get to Vixen Fitness and put my bag down, and Jesus instructed us to run 5 times around the building. Ummm...excuse me? 5 times?! I'm a newbie to all this cardio! And it's summer in Flroida- so it's about 97 degrees once humidity is factored in! 97 degrees!!! I thanked heaven that I had brought extra clothes to change into for work!

     So 5 laps around the building. Now Vixen is not in a free standing building. It is in a section of a huge multi-layered office complex! I actually was able to control my breathing enough to jog the first 3 laps completely. For the last 2 laps I walked halfway then jogged the remained of the lap. I got a later start then the other girls in the class (no boys showed up) so I was the last to get back into the studio. I stumbled in, drenched, and Jesus asked me how I was feeling. Besides being sweaty, I felt fine, so I told him so. I looked around the room and each girl was performing a different exercise. Jesus had me to 3o crunches followed by 15 push-ups, and I had to repeat the sequence for a total of 5 times. Next was 30 lunges followed by 20 (I believe) reverse crunches, and I had to repeat the sequence for a total of 4 times. The class continued on with Jesus giving me different sequences and the number of times each was to be performed. About 45 minutes into the class I felt like I wanted to puke!! I just kept drinking water and keeping my breath under control and calming myself down. This was definitely the hard class I've done so far! But it felt good! I ended the class feeling incredibly exhausted, but glad that I made it through.

     I worked from 3p-6:30p, so a short shift- 3 little shows! My foot felt great so no Hunchback of Notre Dame here! My only plans for after work was a meeting at 8pm with my Fantasy Football league to discuss roosters and scoring changes. I live too far from work to go home so I checked the Vixen schedule. Jesus had a 90 minute class that ran from 6:30p-8p and was divided into 3 parts. I called the studio and they said I was more than welcome to pop in for the 7p-7:30p section- so I did just that! I had no idea what to expect! When I signed in at the front desk I was told that they would be in the spin room in a few minutes! Spin room?! Oh no!! I had been so nervous about taking a spin class because I have such short legs that bikes always felt uncomfortable. But, no turning back now! And it was going to be under 30 minutes- I could make it through 30 minutes. And if I hated it then I knew for next time!

     

 (not me in the pic)

     The minute I sat on the bike (which Jesus had help me adjust) it hurt my...ahem...pelvis area. Most specifically my pelvis bone. I found myself standing up every once in awhile for a little release! My legs started burning about 7 minutes into the class, but Jesus made the class fun and 30 minutes passed by rather quickly. I made note to definitely try one of his one hour classes- to the dismay of my pelvis bone!!

     All in all, I'm starting to get in a groove of working out! They say that it takes 3 weeks of doing something before it becomes routine, but it might be earlier for me!

P.S.- I got weighed at my job today for the "30 day weight loss challenge"!! So now I have two goals to works towards!!

Food journal: 

     Breakfast/lunch: 2 grilled cheese sandwiches (they are so delicious and take almost no time to make!)

     Dinner: I made yet another stop at Pei Wei this week! Got the same ol' large shrimp fried rice meal and a soda and I ate half of it during our FF meeting!

August 3, 2014- 73 days until the wedding!

                                            BRIDAL SHOWER!!

     I woke up in even MORE pain than yesterday!! Not only were my sides still sore, but now a dull throbbing pain was pulsing in my legs and butt! I postponed getting out of bed as long as possible because of my foot, but I couldn't postpone it forever- my dogs needed to be walked and my Fiance was still out cold!! So I stood up and walked to the bathroom and my foot was fine!! I still feel a tiny pain, but nothing that would prevent me from not going to another fitness class!!

     Today, my 4 beautiful and sweet bridesmaids got together and threw me a lovely bridal shower!! Due to this, I took a break from my new workout Movement. The girls spent a lot of time and energy planning and putting this party together so the last thing I wanted to do was rush it so I could work out. I also put aside my diet because everyone baked and cooked for the party and it seemed rude not to partake when it was all for me!

Food journal:

     Breakfast: none. I woke up with just enough time to walk my dogs and get ready for the party.

     Lunch: a mini ham and cheese sandwich/sub that my mom had purchased for the party from Publix.

     Dinner: 2 grilled cheese sandwiches

     Cheats: 3 vanilla cupcakes with white frosting that a bridesmaids had baked, a cup of homemade butterbeer made by my sister, and a piece of cake that my mother had baked. 

Here are some pics from the party: