Fab and Frugal Birthday Update & a discussion on lengthy workouts

So I have SEVEN days until my 32nd birthday! SO EXCITED!

I've scored the birthday entertainment, but still undecided about the birthday dinner and attire. I really want a snazzy (Yes, I did say snazzy...lol) dress to wear to the theatre, but I've been to sick and too tired to even go look. Never mind the $$$$ are extremely low, so I definitely need the time it takes for bargain hunting. I should be able to look for something spicy this weekend. This is my first birthday as a wife and my first time going to the "real" theatre, so I want to look HOT!

Now on to the workout discussion. According to the American College of Sports Medicine (www.acsm.org), the basic exercise guidelines for healthy adults under age 65 is do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week or do vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week, or do eight to 10 strength-training exercises, eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise twice a week.

I know people who power walk 30 minutes 5 days a week. I also know folks who work out twice a day for hours at a time. After reading Mark's Daily Apple (www.marksdailyapple.com), Urban Get Diesel (www.byersgetsdiesel.com), and many other online sources, I am leaning toward the notion that doing vigorous intense cardio for 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week is the way to go. I've recently fallen in love with Crossfit, as many of you know, and I can honestly say my body was never as toned and tight as when I was doing that, as opposed to doing the treadmill or elliptical for 60 minutes. I'm also loving circuit training via Jillian Michaels right now. But these kind of workouts do not work for or inspire everyone.

So here's my question: Do you love the elliptical or treadmill and can stay on it for hours on end? Do you love lifting heavy and often? Do you run miles on top of miles every week? Do you love calisthenics so much you just have to do push-ups every day?

Tell me...what's working for you?

First Birthday Freebie Scored!

So, from my last post, you know I'm on a quest to have the ultimate "Fab and Frugal" birthday. Well today, I scored the first free event!

Every year there's this event called "Free Night of Theater" where theaters in lots of cities across the country give away free tickets to plays, musicals, etc. over several weeks. I initially tried to get tickets to 'Black Pearl Sings' at Ford's Theatre in DC, but obviously I wasn't the only one with that idea as the link to reserve tickets kept timing out.

But...I did end up getting tickets for something on the night of my birthday. It's a play called 'Quality of Life' at the Arena Stage in Crystal City. It seems like it will be interesting, and I needed to step out of my box, so I'm hoping its going to be good.

A note about the birthday dinner...I joined a host of restaurant e-mail clubs, and have received lots of e-mails with discount coupons and even some free meals. Still haven't decided where to go yet.

So, the birthday experiment is well under way. STAY TUNED!