AlohaSAV

Yes! I'm taking you up on this! I would love some personalized recommendations!! I consider myself nerdy because I love love love to read.. to the point where I've memorized all the library card numbers I've ever held.. Oh, I never buy new books.. so I guess there's a stipulation. MUST BE AVAILABLE AT THE LIBRARY. Books/series you've enjoyed in the past: Honestly, I like fluffy crap. I don't read to get smarter.. I read to be entertained. Series I've enjoyed: Twilight, Hunger Games, Ender's Game series, Sookie Stackhouse, The Millenium Trilogy, Pillars of the Earth/World Without End. I think Jonathan Tropper's This Is Where I Leave You is the funniest book I've ever read. Movies/TV shows you enjoy Favorite movie of all time: The Professional. Others include: Sherlock Holmes, Immortal Beloved, The Ring and The Mummy. TV shows: House and Grey's Anatomy Books/series/authors you dislike: Used to love James Patterson's crime fictions, but can't stand it anymore. Cannot get through "classic" books (Moby Dick, etc) or period pieces. Any recommendations for me?

[drool] What's better than cheese + beer? We have the annual SPAM JAM in Hawaii that day.. cool but still not as cool.

Dang, I just finished C25K a couple weeks ago (did the program on a treadmill) and ran 5K in <35 minutes and felt pretty proud of myself. Haha. Haven't tried it outdoors yet but now I can expect to be really disappointed, LOL.

Um, if I had a body like yours (well, the girl version) I would DEFINITELY use my real name.. WELCOME!

Oooh just googled elbow-out row! Never heard of it, but it looks like a good one to mix up into the routine.

Haha! I don't know if I'm that hardcore.. have you had it done? But.. now I'm intrigued... I did research and there's one shop by my house that does hand tapping... hmmm...

I have the letter G with a halo over it on my left arm, for my brother who passed away. He's my lil angel now. Hoping to get another one in about a year.. thinking of something with a Polynesian/Hawaiian touch since I'm in Hawaii after all and I don't know if I'll be here forever.

I've had 2 kids and never had urgency issues (is that what it's called now?). I always kinda scoffed at kegels... but more powerful orgasms?!?! Off to kegel! So.. um, how many "reps and sets" do you do? LOL.

Congrats!! I love pleasant surprises.

Hahaahhaha!! Awesome.. thanks for the laugh. (Loved "the coach")

I'm with you here. I "graduated" from C25K on Monday actually--- I put that in quotes because I can run 30 minutes straight, but it's only 2.5 miles. Gonna try to push out the entire 5K tomorrow (for the first time ever).. which will probably be around 36 minutes. Sub-30 is a dream at this point.. but I'll get there.. eventually.

My ultimate PUSH song is David Guetta's "Little Bad Girl." The video is crap, but that song pushes me like no other! ETA: Black Eyed Peas "Pump It"

Yay, I'm in!! I'm doing the 100 pushups program, just finished up W3D1.. so it's perfect for this week!!

LOL.. totes. LOVE IT... love hearing about chicks doing pull-ups! Looking forward to doing my 1st one sometime this year! (The one I did in 5th grade doesn't count, LOL)

Totally jealous!! Hoping to join you in a few months!

Standard: GUNS AND TOILET PAPER. But if I had *more* time ... food/water (and important related crap like can openers!) and first aid kit

Yup, we never wanted to be outnumbered, so my hubby got snipped when our 2nd kid was 3 months old, LOL. Ours are 16 months apart, now ages 4 and 5.5. No real advice to spew since everyone else pretty much covered it. But having two kids is SO much fun.. I love it. Just count down the days to when they can entertain each other.. THEN it's the best.

Soccer shorts, sports bra and cotton shirt. Don't need much more than that. I always sorta smirk at the chicks that look all decked out with their cutesy workout clothes and makeup (usually also the ones that wear their lifting gloves while on the elliptical). I'm a minimalist myself and would rather spend my money on other stuff-- rather than clothes I'd get all gross and sweaty. But whatever floats your boat! If having awesome workout clothes would motivate you, go for it!

Thanks heatseeker! I too am training with a weight vest on the Stairmaster (so far, I'm up to 30 lbs for 4 mins without gripping anything for support). I'm thinking I have at least 7-8 months before taking the CPAT, so as long as I make actual gains and push my, I'll be good to go. I don't think Honolulu FD puts on any official CPAT practice sessions (I've seen online that other states do), so I think I'm on my own for actual task-specific training. I figure I can just make stations at my gym that simulate the CPAT events. But I may have to make an investment on that sledgehammer! Whacking a tire sounds like a great workout.. and fun, too.

Training for the CPAT and could use some pointers.

This is me just wanting to whine... I'm 5'0 and 116 lbs, and according to the trainer at the gym, my BF is 26%. I feel like I'm decently toned everywhere else, but I've had 2 kids and the lower belly fat is the absolute freakin' HARDEST to get rid of.. And of COURSE the lower belly fat is one of the places on the body where they pinch and measure for body fat.. Okay, I'm not Gabrielle Reece or anything and didn't expect 10% BF.. but 26% was tough to hear, especially since I don't have a lot of body to throw around (5'0!!!). Okay, me whining is over... Anyone else struggling with the post-kid lower belly pudge? My upper abs seem to be fine! It's the lower... yechhhhh... Ideas on how to get rid of it (other than plastic surgery, LOL)? Or... feel free to ignore me... just had to get this off my chest...

Okay, thanks for all the input! Alrighty... now AFTER a workout... should I do a protein shake or protein bar or eat some hardboiled eggs or...?!?!? Definitely not into Paleo just yet.. but I did load up on some fruits and veggies (and almonds) at Costco...

Thanks for the welcomes Frog and Corey! Frog, haha, I don't think poke exists outside of Hawaii.. and I wouldn't even TRY to make poke by myself!! Good thing I live down the street from Tamura's! YES, 10 years is pretty huge for us. Since we were married so young (okay, well, *I* was young, 20, he was 27) people thought that we wouldn't last. Our 10yr-shindig is going to be a huge "BOOYAH!" to all those people! I'll need all the luck I can get on the CPAT.. I have a lot of time to train, so I should be good to go by then. Corey, Hawaii's a great place to live (especially with kids if you have any). There's the double-edged sword of lower pay and higher cost of living.. but you live in paradise, so it's about a wash...

Haha, thanks for the advice! [off to read everyone's signature now]

Okay, can I get experienced opinions here? I'm looking to gain muscle (a LOT of it) and lose fat. By Sept/October, I should be about 10 lbs more than what I am now (more muscle, less fat, hopefully). Embarking on SL 5x5 next week. What the heck do I eat??? I've been doing some research, and some people say to stay away from carbs, other people say that carbs are essential. Do I need to eat like crazy (and do protein shakes/powder) only on the days I work out? Or on off-days too? What are your "go-to" snacks and meals?? Any input welcome or if there's already a thread or even NF page that I missed, please feel free to send the link. Thanks!