First of all, yesterday was awesome. My trainer's name is Maren and she's completely psycho but also totally supportive and understanding. Put it this way ... she'd make a fabulous drill instructor. When I showed up she already had stuff all plotted out for me, which was actually really cool. Her main focus is core, which is awesome of course, so we spent the majority of yesterday's hour session working on core stuff. Here's what we did:

- plank pose, held for 15 seconds, 25 seconds, and 35 seconds

- a cool back exercise on top of a ball, sort of like doing cobra pose or a strange-looking breaststroke, 3 sets of 10

- opposite arm and leg reaches from tabletop position, 3 sets of 10

- crunches, 3 sets of 10

- hold a big ball between your legs while lying supine on the ground, bend legs at 90 degrees, slowly lower ball down till touching the ground, 3 sets of 10 (targets lower abs)

- stomach on the ball rowing motion with 5-lb weights, 3 sets of 12

- back on the ball chest press with 5-lb weights, 3 sets of 12

- sitting on the ball shoulder press with 3-lb weights, 3 sets of 12

- back against the ball which is against the wall squats, 3 sets of 12

So yeah, needless to say I'm sore as shit. But I went back to the gym again today and did it all again. Not smoking really helps because I'm trying SO hard to distract myself from the wanting to smoke that going to the gym is the perfect thing to do.

And I feel great, better than I've felt in a really long time. It's ... well ... it's awesome.