My workout routine

I am sure some are wondering what I am going to do for my workout. A Few years ago I worked out with a personal trainer. In six weeks I went from a size 16 to a size 8. It was amazing, then I decided to get prego and have another baby. I carry a notebook and a pen to write down my workout. There are a ton of free printable workout sheets on the internet. For me I always lose them, so it is nice to just keep my notebook in the car where it is handy when I get to the gym. You should start your workout with stretching (I never do) to prevent injury. I do five to ten mins of warm up to get those muscles going. I like the bike but you can do whatever you want. I then do a routine of weightlifting, about 45 mins worth. I do three reps of 15. If I am able to do all three reps of 15, I put a star by it so that next time I know I go up in weight. If you have never done machines at your local gym, look around, watch how other correctly use the machine and don't be afraid to ask. Many seasoned weightlifters are happy to help a time or two but don't be annoying. There are some great workout plans on bodybuilding.com. I personally like Jamie Easton or Jennifer Nicole Lee. I will probably be switching to one of their programs in a few weeks. I also allow myself to rest between reps for one minute. It helps your muscles recover. I focus on working out all the muscle groups every session. After I am done lifting, I finish out with 20-45 minutes of moderate cardio. I like the elliptical. The key with cardio is to keep your heart rate down in the fat burning zone. I must admit the idea took me a little by surprise, but when I understand that I am not just losing weight but trying to tone my body. The last time I want to do is burn all the muscle that I am trying so hard to gain. I workout every other day between 3-4 days a week. One time about a perfectionist like me is I tend to do all or nothing, but with working out you don't need to do seven days a week. You can over train your body and not make any progress. Water, water and more water. Make sure you have plenty of water, for every half hour of working out you need 8 ounces of water. Making sure you are hydrated throughout the day helps ensure success. Your body needs a certain amount of water just to function but did you know you also need water to burn fat? So hydrate up! On one last note, protein, eat protein within one hour of working out. I never said it would be easy, only worth it.