HI Girl!  First, I am so glad to see someone else who likes exercise! I started out after surgery with some easy gym time and now I am up to running 5.5 miles (which I didnt do before surgery), tae bo (which I did presurgery), weights (which I did post surgery) and body pump (which I did pre and post surgery).

I dont conciously "eat back" the calories burned. And days like yesterday (in which I had back to back body pump and tae bo) I burn 1,263 calories.

I mainly use my HRM (i.e heart rate monitor) to tell me when I am in the fat burning zone and to help me figure out which classes burn the most per unit time. For example, my body pump class burns about 50 more calories than my step class. I find this bizarre and annoying, but the numbers over a month have indicated that. So, maybe I should raise my platform in step or take a different class all together.

SEe you at the finish line!

L

Thanks - you have had great success I see!  I do love to exercise, I MISSED the gym being so heavy, but it hurt to do it, and I had just "given up."  I went mon and tues and did 20 min of weights and 20 min on the elliptical.  Arms Mon and Legs Tues.  I am SO sore today, and took today off.  I think I will do 3 times a week for now and ease up to 4.

Exercise is so therapeutic :)  I haven't started any classes yet, but I will soon!  Do you do spin at all?  I used to love that.