Lemondrop

Need to catch-up on our 9-to-Fine action? Click here.

It's week four, and Rowdy reminded us that next week, we have another exciting weigh in.

This is usually around the time that most diets start going off the rails, and so we're giving ourselves a quick refresher course on the basics of de-cankling ourselves.

The Five Components of Fitness:

During our first date, Rowdy told us that there are fitness comes down to five basic components:

1) Nutrition -- Eating well is 90 percent of the battle.

2) Supplementation -- Whatever you're not getting in your diet, make sure you're getting elsewhere.

3) Resistance Training -- You want to look toned and lean, right? Then get to it. Also, resistance training raises your basal metabolism, which helps you burn calories when you're sitting on your ass.

4) Cardio -- Duh.

5) A Personal Training -- At first, we thought this was self-promotion. But the more we've worked with Rowdy, the more we're started to learn that a trainer is really important. Not only do they make you do stuff you don't want to do (MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS), but they teach you the right way to do everything. And believe us, learning how to tilt your hips or hold your shoulder blades during an exercise necessitates a patient third party.

Nutrition Breakdown: The cool thing about working out is that you can eat more. Seriously -- Julieanne told you how her homework was to ingest more calories. But now we're working on how to get the right balance of calories because sadly, they can't all be from Ben & Jerry's Half Baked. We should ideally be aiming for a mix of 45-65% of our caloric intake being carbs (70% is okay ... for endurance athletes), 10-35% in protein and 20-35% in fat. But since that's a lot of numbers to remember, we're going for a 40/30/30 ration of carbs/protein/fat.

If you haven't signed up for DotFit yet (you don't have to be a Crunch member -- anyone can sign up!), we have to tell you: It's seriously helpful. Not only does it let you track your calories and all that jazz, but in case you forgot, it's also an awesome workout coach. Just click a few buttons and answer a few questions and BAM! you have a totally customized workout plan you can print out and take to the gym.

See, we've found it that if we go workout with no plan in mind, we just run aimlessly on the treadmill until "16 & Pregnant" is over, then go half-assedly do some chest presses and sit-ups. BUT, if we print out a dotFit workout first, we have a pretty little outline to follow and we blast through that circuit like Hulk Hogan. Click here to download a workout to try at your gym. And remember: Crunch is offering Lemondrop readers a 1-week free trial and a bonus personal training session (click here to go straight to the Crunch page to redeem the offer).

Our Progress: Some of us had some set backs recently, but hey, that's life, right? Erin, for example, spent five days back in the Midwest, where her diet consisted of hot dogs, cheese fries, Italian beef and lots of frozen custard while her exercise was walking to and from the car. Julieanne went through a breakup and was forced to eat and drink her pain (thank God for the the new, Eminem album, right?). Carrie went on vacation. All in all? Not ideal for losing weight.

But rather than beating ourselves up, we're setting goals for the next few weeks....

ERIN
I'm going to better watch how I take in my calories. I have a sweet tooth that would put Willy Wonka to shame. So while it's easy for me to make a "meal" of mint chocolate chip ice cream, a chicken breast and some veggies is a better choice. Also, per Rowdy's advice, I need to make sure I'm getting my pre- and post-workout snacks. His words: "You need to replenish all of the lost nutrients to help repair muscle tissue. Liquid form is best and most needed immediately after workout."

JULIEANNE
I'm going to stop saying "screw it" completely when I mess up. I'm normally really good, but, like Tha Carter, I am no half-ass rapper. When I slip, I slip hard: If on Saturday I miss the gym and have a burrito, I tend to not exercise and have wine and a million hors d'oeuvres for the whole weekend -- I blow off everything I'm supposed to do and let my goals go by the wayside. This leaves me feeling puffy and resentful by Monday. Instead, I should just resolve to do better, use a little self-control, and hit the gym and get back into my routine when I screw up.

CARRIE
I'm actually the photo-negative of the two above. What 9-to-Fine has helped with the most is my previously 3rd-grade-ish ("I like it, I eat it!") noshing habits. When I learned that my bagel-and-egg breakfast was 500 calories (320 just for that doughy ring), I nearly passed out. And no, I hadn't just worked out. So I've adopted a yogurt-and-banana breakfast habit, and am even eating steamed sh*t when I get home from work at 10 pm and order in Chinese. Where I fail: Cardio. My Native American name is now officially: She Who Carries Her Yoga Mat Everywhere But Never Goes To Class. See also: Poser. My 9 to Fine resolutions: Hit yoga with my friend Genevieve on Monday and run, girl, run.

Have a Crunch near you? They're gearing up for a free Happy Hour TONIGHT at all of our locations nationwide from 6pm – 9pm. It's free and open to the public to celebrate our 21st Birthday. Check it!

- Awesome Happy Hour membership specials
- Take shots at winning cool prizes, like at www.crunch21.com
- Get down like it's 1989 in a special group fitness class
- Enjoy delicious mocktails and snacks
- Party to the sounds of a live DJ with one hour of retro remixes