We had a great weekend. The entire Checketts' family together for the first time in five years.

I received an interesting call Saturday. A lady asked me to teach a group of young women about health and fitness. I often go to Relief Society Enrichment meetings, but this is 12-18 year olds, on a Sunday and they are dealing with some obesity in their ward. If you have any helpful insight I would love you more than I already do. I'm going to look up Elder Holland's talk from a few conferences ago. The thing is I want to motivate them to start healthy habits for life, but I don't want to offend any of them. Any help would be great.

My Memphis boy starts kindergarten this week so I'd better give him some quality attention before he leaves me.

Here's tomorrow's workout.

Warm-up - 10 minutes
Step and squat - 3 minutes
Cardio - 5-10 minutes
Walking lunges - 3-5 minutes
Cardio - 5-10 minutes
Plie and side kick - 20-22 on each leg
Cardio - 5-10 minutes
Step-ups - 3 minutes
Cardio - 5-10 minutes
Glute presses - 20 on each leg
Calf raises - 20 straight, 20 with toes out - 20 with toes in
Cool-down and stretch

If you're short on time you can skip or shorten the cardio.
If you want to do more add another interval of lunges.

www.camichecketts.com

Made it three miles this morning! I'm finally recovered from the flu, the baby's sleeping again and my fingers aren't hurting too much.

We're hosting a party with all of my husband's family today. His brother-in-law returned from Afghanistan on Thursday, so that was a blessed day.
I'm excited to see everybody, and it's good to have a reason to clean the house, since I've been slacking for six weeks.
I thought I'd better get your workout to you in case today gets insane.

Warm-up and cardio - 10-40 minutes
Do a circuit with the following exercises - go through them all, then repeat 1-4 more times - 10-14 reps each then cool-down.
Lat Pulldown
Bent-over row
Frontal raise
Upright row
Incline pushups - hands on a step
Outward curl
Incline curl
Tricep dip
Cable pulldown or tricep kickback

www.camichecketts.com

Well, my angelic wild man is officially sick - ear infection. Isn't it horrible how you almost want them to be sick? I mean there has to be a reason they're crying nonstop, it's not that my angel is spoiled. No way.

I just received some great news. The Ensign is going to print an article I wrote about visiting the Elderly. I'm excited, but also a bit nervous. I hope I have an amazing editor so it comes across very well-written, brilliant and spiritual. That's not asking too much is it?

I actually did a bit of upper body work this morning. The funny thing is I can't wrap my fingers around the weight or band so I have to use my right hand for support.

Here's your lower body workout for tomorrow.
Warm-up and cardio - 20-40 minutes
Squat with hand weights - 20-24 reps - very slow - 4 down, 4 up.
Step and squat - move in one direction as far as room allows, then come back - one minute.
Side Lunge - 22 on each leg
Stationary lunge - 3 sets of 10 on each leg
Glute press - 24-26 on each leg
Plie with calf raise - 34-36
Calf raise with toes turned in for 20, then out for 20.
Cool-down and stretch
Sorry, it's not much of a Fun Friday, but whoever said working out was supposed to be fun!

If you're short on time choose your favorite exercises or do less cardio.

www.camichecketts.com

Wasn't it Bugs Bunny who had the Tasmanian Devil? My baby has turned into that guy. He can destroy a room quicker than I can consume Blue Bunny ice cream. the thing is he's adorable so I naturally overlook anything he does wrong. Abbie is probably cackling reading this. A couple of weeks ago (when everyone else took care of my children) I was bragging about how perfect my Stockton is and Abbie laughed and said, "He's only perfect when you aren't cleaning up after him or trying to change his bum." So maybe she was a bit right, but he is perfectly adorable anyway.

Tomorrow we're doing or rather you're doing upper body-plyometrics. I'm hoping by next week I'll actually be exercising again.

Warm-up and cardio - 20-40 minutes
Seated row - 3 sets of 12
Lat pulldown - 3 sets of 12
Squat thrust - squat down - thrust legs out - hold plank for two-count - do two pushups - jump legs back in - jump toward ceiling - 12-16 reps
Overhead press - 3 sets of 10
Chest press - 16-20 reps
Jumping jacks - 30 reps
Bicep curl - 3 sets of 12
Hammer curl - 14-16 reps - heavier weight than first curl
Ski jump across a line - 30 seconds
Overhead tricep extension - 3 sets of 10-12
Tricep dip - 14-16 reps - try it with feet on a chair for as many reps as you can.
Quick lunge off step or bench - 20-30 seconds
Cool-down and stretch

For exercise descriptions, please go to www.camichecketts.com

Hope you're all having a great day. Tomorrow is cardio. If you can do an interval workout - after a warmup, do one-minute sprints followed by three-minutes of easy intensity, repeat the cycle 4-7 times then cool down.

Because I'm still brain-dead from too many painkillers, I don't have any profound exercise advice for you today, but I did get a nice review on my newest book - The Broken Path, which will be released Sept. 7th.

I absolutely adored The Broken Path. I was obsessed with finishing it from the moment I read the first chapter. I was instantly hooked! The characters were extremely well-drawn and I was able to connect with both of them almost instantaneously. And Ethan’s character, oh man. I’ve always had a soft spot for the underdog, but even though Ethan was the underdog, so to speak, with his handicap, Ms. Checketts still managed to make him sexy as hell. Where can I get me one of him? Autumn’s daughter is absolutely adorable and her character completely rounds out the story, as well as the secondary story of Autumn’s mother and her romantic interests. This is with a doubt a Recommended Read!

www.camichecketts.com