Work It Out!

I said that I would let you all know what I've been up to as far as exercise...

I decided to follow Whole Family Strong's example and do a 2 days on/1 day off rotation. I've almost always done 5-6 days straight and then one day off. I've almost always gotten burnt out or really did not look forward to my workouts. I think that the new rotation, with 2 days exercise followed by 1 day of rest and repeat, is so much easier for many reasons. I no longer feel like I have to brace myself for a week's worth of workouts before I get a day off. I have more flexibility during the week to get things done and don't have to wait until the weekend for a day off. I am no longer forcing myself to do hour-long workouts each day for those 6 days. Sometimes I do an hour workout, but sometimes I do a 15 minute workout. It depends on how I'm feeling that day and what I have time for. I am working on just being active and not focusing on max calorie burn to make up for whatever I ate that day. And I can tell that I am much less stressed with this process.

So for the actual programs/workouts that I'm doing... 

I've been rotating between different things. I have got a collection of all different kinds of workouts from many different companies: Zumba, Zuzka Light, Insanity, P90x, Hip Hop Abs... and then I also do workouts online from Zuzka Light, Daily HIIT, and Fitness Blender. I do have to say that Fitness Blender is probably my favorite right now though. They've got a super easy web site where you can actually search for a workout based on what kind of exercise you want to do (cardio, strength, toning, etc.) or where you want to focus (back, legs, biceps, etc.) or how long you want to work out (15 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.) or which level of difficulty you'd prefer (1 - 5) and then finally there is the option for calorie burn where you choose a calorie burn range. So it really is perfect for people with busy lives to go in,find what they want, then do it! You can also save your favorite workouts so you can just hop back on another time and find it easily. I love it! 

The first week on the Whole30 program I did two Zuzka workouts, 2 Fitness Blender workouts, and 1 Jillian Michaels yoga workout. So far this week I've done 2 Fitness Blender workouts and 1 Zuzka workout. I really love the variety and being able to choose what I want to do each day. It makes it seem much less rigid and seems more palatable when I think about doing this as a lifestyle choice.

Eventually I'd like to try the Fitness Blender 8-Week Challenge again ... just to see what I can do with it, but right now I'm working on forming habits instead of trying to make myself do things a certain way. So, I think it's important not to push for too much all at the beginning and gradually work my way up to certain things. I can't comment much on the progress I've made so far since we're only 12 days into the program, we're not allowed to weigh ourselves, and I've been wearing yoga pants and dresses every day so far! But I feel so much better, I have more flexibility, and I know I'm doing good things for my body. And that's good enough for me for now!

BeachBody Favorites and Wish List

I have slowly been acquiring different workout programs and workout equipment over the last 5 years. I have loved most of what I've gotten, but others that were not so great. For example, I bought a home gym band system that attaches to your door. This was kind of cool except that you need a sturdy door for it to work, it sometimes wouldn't fit properly in the door, and there wasn't a wide range of resistance available with the one that I got. Most of the time it was too easy or I'd be clear across the room hoping it wouldn't snap in my face. And then you have to try to get the thing on a door near a TV so you can use it with the DVD that you're doing. It was just not a great option.

Credit: beachbody.com

Credit: teambeachbody.com

Instead, I use regular bands, like THESE, and you can use a door hook or door band to secure it. You still have to use a door (unless you attach a hook in your wall/ceiling, but you can adjust the resistance of the bands easily and you can even leave the door band in place if you want too. It doesn't take up much room and you can use the door perfectly fine with it attached. So I prefer that option better.

Credit: beachbody.com

If you aren't a band person, you can always use dumbbells and modify the moves. I do that sometimes too. And you can set up your dumbbells anywhere and change the resistance very quickly and easily if you need to. I have tried the kind that have one bar and you adjust the weight by taking off the weights or putting more on and screw them back into place. While that can be a space saver, it is really difficult to switch the weights during a set if you realize you are using too much or too little. So I got rid of those and got some like THIS when I got the chance. They do take up a bit more room, but it is much easier to set down the 5 pounders and pick up the 8s if I need a bit more. And if I go from biceps to triceps, I can grab the 3s without having to pause my DVD.

Credit: kellerfitclub.com

In addition to the bands and the dumbbells, there's also the option to get a Pull-Up Bar. One is recommended if you're doing the P90x series. As someone who has never had much arm strength, I started with P90x and the dumbbells with the pull-up bar. I wasn't able to do a full pull-up, but even modifying with a chair or jumping will help build your strength and, if you keep practicing, you'll get better and better over time until you finally are able to do that pull up! So even if you think you can't do pull-ups, I recommend giving it a try, giving your all, and seeing what you get out of it. I think you'll surprise yourself.

So those are my favorite workout equipment items. NOW, here is my wish list!

Credit: extremebodyworkout.com

I have seen these online and have wanted to try one, to help with those dreaded pull ups. I'm talking about P90x's Chin Up Max. It's an assist to your pull ups. It is designed to help you get more pull-ups in or, if you're like me, to help you by supporting some of your weight while you are on the road to building that strength. I think it would be a great middle ground for people who are able to do the pull ups easily with a chair, but aren't quite ready to do it without any support yet.

Credit: beachbody.com

Another item that I would love to have is a foam roller. I have heard these recommended by everyone from Jillian Michaels to BeachBody to friends and family that have them. If you don't know what they are, Men's Health describes it as "ironing out the wrinkles in your rumpled musculature". The article goes on to say that the benefits of foam rolling include smoothing and lengthening muscles, breaking up adhesions and scar tissue, relaxing muscles, and better blood circulation. It can be painful during the process, but it should help with muscle recovery after a hard workout, and most people say that it is absolutely worth it! So that is on my wish list because it would be nice sometimes to work out those sore muscles.

Credit: carldaikeler.com

The second item on my wish list is Shaun T's new DVD program, T25, which hasn't actually come out yet. I heard about it from a friend of mine who is a BeachBody coach.You can't buy it yet, but if you click on the link, you can enter your information so they will email you when it's available. The program looks like it is a 5 day/week schedule with workouts that are only 25 minutes long. That is amazing!! I'm sure most of you out there are busy, productive people who don't have a lot of time each day to set aside to get all sweaty, so this program would be a perfect package. You still get the intense workout that you would get with Insanity, but it's compacted into a shorter routine. Win-win if you ask me! And if any of you have worked out "with" Shaun T before, you know you are guaranteed to have a fun time! : )

Credit: jadefitness.com

And the final item on my wish list, for now, is the Brazil Butt Lift program. It looks like a fun program designed to get you the dream booty you've always wanted. I haven't tried any workout DVDs with Leandro Carvalho before, but it is a BeachBody product and they haven't let me down yet, so I am confident it will be a good program. But I feel this program would be a great way to make me feel more confident in my jeans and maybe not have to pull my shirt down over my rear end all the time to make sure it's covered, lol.

So there you have it, a few of my favorite workout equipment and some that I'd like to try, along with a few programs I'd like to give a go. My birthday and Christmas are only 2 weeks apart, unfortunately, so I may have to wait a bit, but who knows. I've got an anniversary coming up and maybe, just maybe, my wonderful hubby will be reading this and get a hint! ; )

If you have comments or reviews on the products I've listed here, I would love to hear about it! Just leave a comment and tell me all about them!

Product Review: Fitness Blender

I may have been a little MIA on the blog these last few weeks, but I haven't been slacking off! I have gotten a bunch of new workout DVDs (and websites) and have been trying them out. I am so excited to review this one because it has quickly become my favorite source for a good workout!

It's called Fitness Blender and you can find them at fitnessblender.com. Fitness Blender is made up of a married couple, Kelli and Daniel, who create workouts that you do in your own home with little to no equipment. They don't have a fancy studio or a production team or anything, but their videos are very professionally put together in their home studio (garage). Typically, Kelli does the workout and Daniel narrates, but I've seen some videos with Daniel being the model too. I thought I would prefer Kelli describing the workout as she does it (similar to Lisa Marie in BodyRock), but it's much more organized and thorough with Daniel doing it behind the scenes. He's supportive and encourages you to give your all, but doesn't make you feel rushed. He also offers tips on proper form as you go along.

Daniel and Kelli

I like the format more than even some of the BeachBody or Jillian Michaels workouts because it shows a preview of each move that is coming up, so you have time to prepare and can jump right in when the timer starts instead of trying to catch up as you learn the move. It also has a scale on the side of the screen that tracks an average calories burned, for those of you who don't have a heart rate monitor. (I have found that my calories burned rides on the lower end of the scale each time, but I also take more breaks than they do!). On the other side of the screen is an indicator scale from 1 to 5 where they rate the difficulty of the full workout. So that's a good tool to utilize if you're trying to decide which workout you want that day.

Another great aspect of this website is that it has a search tool. So you can refine your search based on exercise type (functional, strength, toning, balance, flexibility, cardiovascular, plyometric, isometric) or by muscle group (you name it, they got it). You also have the ability to type in a keyword to search for something in particular, like their famous "Epic 1,000 calorie burn workout at home".

Did I say 1,000 calorie burn workout? Yes, I believe I did. They have two of these actually. Both are about 85 minutes long and include warm up, cardio/HIIT, strength training, stretch, abs, and cool down. I have to say that my curiosity won out over intimidation and I gave this workout a try and LOVED it! It is challenging, for sure, but I was able to keep up or modify so I still got in a great burn. You can modify to make most moves easier or harder, depending on your fitness level. And at the end, if you followed along, I can guarantee that you will feel completely drained but also amazing at the same time!

Not all of the workouts are over an hour though; some of the videos are even just ten minutes long, like some of the ab videos. It depends on what you are looking for. I really feel like they have taken a creative approach to the workouts too, as they don't incorporate just the same old boring moves that you see in many of the workout DVDs nowadays. Many, if not most, of the moves that they have in their workouts are ones that I've never seen before. They're variations of the old stand-by's, sure, but the little variations make them fun.

Each workout also comes with a description of what equipment you'll need and which exercises will be performed and you can even print this out to take with you or to use another time to record reps or weight or whatever you like. 

In addition to the full workouts, the website also includes videos on how to perform individual exercises properly. Again, it has the search tool so you can find whichever exercise you want easily. Then there are tabs for different articles on exercise, nutrition, health, weight loss, and even recipes. If you're looking to buy equipment, the website has a store tab. You can also learn more about the Fitness Blender duo and support them by making a donation. They even say that they are willing to create custom workouts for donations of certain denominations.

To sum up:

Pros - 

• You choose how long your workout is
• Tons of workouts to choose from
• Search tool to find the workout you want
• Organized and professionally made videos
• Calorie burn bar
• Degree of difficulty scale for choosing workouts
• FREE
• Printable worksheets
• Chart to show what equipment is needed
• Tips on proper form and encouragement throughout videos

Cons - 

• I wish they had a timer to show how much time is left in the total workout 
• Have to play the video on a computer or device with Internet access

It's easy to see why I love Fitness Blender. Since I do all my workouts at home anyway, having to do them on my computer is not a problem for me. It actually might even be easier because of how we have our living room arranged currently.

So those are my thoughts. I highly recommend you go out and try them. I am sure you will find at least one or two workouts that you just can't help but love! And if you like them and want to share the love, go ahead and donate or spread the word about the site so they can keep giving us these awesome workouts! 

Find Fitness Blender:

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Product Review: Jillian Michaels Yoga Meltdown

Today I tried a new workout: Jillian Michaels Yoga Meltdown. I got it for Christmas, but haven't been able to bust it out until now. I am definitely not an expert on Yoga, so I don't know what is the norm. The only other yoga I have done is P90x Yoga. I can say that the two styles are very different. Where P90x Yoga is very centered on power poses (holding strength poses for extended periods of time), Jillian's approach is more dynamic. She created her program to incorporate the same basic poses as the P90x Yoga, but includes reps with it before having you hold the position for 15 seconds. Let me tell you, 15 seconds may not seem like a long time, and isn't when you compare it to P90x, but after doing reps, you will feel the burn.





For example, one move is a Warrior 3 pose. In this position you are balanced on one foot while your other leg is parallel to the ground, creating a right angle. You hold this position, but only briefly, and then come down into a squat ... then back up to Warrior 3. You do the reps, then you hold for 15 seconds. Then move on to the next move.

The work is, as always, modified to be suitable for beginner, moderate, or advanced level participants. It also does not require any equipment, not even shoes, as you do this workout barefoot. The workout lasts about 35 minutes, so it easily fits into your schedule... especially when you compare it to the 1.5 hours involved in P90x Yoga. That being said, it doesn't involve as much stretching as it does strength training, but it packs a punch for a half hour workout. There are two levels too, so once you feel you've mastered the first level, you can move on to the second one for more of a challenge.

I think yoga should be included in weekly, at least, because it is that flexibility and balance that help you with all of your core and strength and even cardio workouts. They also help reduce the chance of injury when working out or just in your daily routine.

I kind of got the feeling that Jillian doesn't do yoga regularly because she admits to not being all that balanced or flexible as I believe she may be if it were a regular routine. On the one hand, it might help you feel more relaxed to know that even Jillian Michaels can't do it perfectly. But on the other hand, it came off to me that she may not really think yoga is a necessary part of her routine either. It was just my first time doing the program though, so my opinion may change. I love Jillian and her attitude throughout this workout is great. I wish there were a bit more stretching involved, but I can always look to another yoga DVD if I want to stretch throughout the workout.

Pros: 

30 minute routine that fits into your schedule
The moves are easily modified to fit your fitness level
No equipment necessary
Not a boring workout at all
$8 online is a very good price
Two different levels to master

Cons:

Not as much stretching for the yoga I am used to

Fighting childhood obesity!

In 2010, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese. (CDC) It has even gotten to the point that it is affecting infants. It's no wonder because "more than two-thirds (68.8 percent) of adults are considered to be overweight or obese." (WIN).






Overweight and obese children are more likely to have:

• Higher risk for cardiovascular disease
• Prediabetes
• Bone and joint problems
• Sleep apnea
• Social and psychological problems

 It is also shown that children who are overweight or obese will grow up to be overweight or obese as adults. This puts them at risk for:

• Heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Stroke
• Severe types of cancer ( including cancer of the breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix, and prostate, as well as multiple myeloma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma)
• Osteoartheritis

 So what can we do to help the kids? 

There are several ways to help our kids get healthy. The most important thing that you can ever do, as a parent, friend, or family member, for a child is to lead by example! I can't stress this enough. Kids mimic the habits and behaviors that they learn at home. If you are overweight yourself, there is a great chance that your children will be too. As much as you think you can do what you want and tell them to do something else, "Do as I say, not as I do" rarely works. You also don't want to sit down and talk to your child about how they are overweight and you're concerned and they are going to be put on a diet and fitness regime. You never want to single out your child and make them feel bad or guilty about their weight; this only increases the chances of decreased self-esteem and may even push them into eating more and being less active.

Here are a few ways to help your child, without making them feel bad about it:

• Get active WITH THEM. Play outside with them, take them to a park, go for bike rides together. If they are into technology, get them into playing Wii Sports with you or have them show you how to shake your groove thang with one of the many different Wii dance games. It's active, it's fun, and you're not singling them out. It's great for the adults too because they will increase their fitness level by doing this as well. And it's a great way to interact and bond with your child.
• Pack them lunch for school. I cannot emphasize enough how much I do not agree with what has become acceptable to serve to kids at school. I believe they have even tried to pass off french fries as vegetables because they are made from potatoes. So pack your kids a lunch. Make it fun and make it delicious, but leave out all the processed junk that their little, growing bodies do not need. 
• Prepare healthy meals for EVERYONE at home. Creating a meal of pasta for the family, but giving one child a salad and chicken is NOT going to help their self esteem at all, and will only create resentment. If you want your child to be healthy, make sure you focus on the whole family getting healthy together, rather than trying to make little Julie lose weight. 
• Help them find an activity at school that they can be active in whether that is track, softball, football, or even the marching band. Don't force them into it and don't make it seem that they need to join to lose weight. Just get them involved in something physical where they can make friends and have fun. 
• Make sure they are getting enough good quality sleep each night. It's a bad idea for them to have TV's or computers in their room because they often stay up until very late and too much stimulation before bed time makes it hard to fall asleep.
• Try to reduce stress. Stress has been proven over and over to cause weight gain and difficulty losing weight. So talk to your kids, find out what is going on and try to reduce any stress that they may be dealing with. 
• Drink water, lots of water. Juices and pops are loaded with sugar. Instead of setting your kids up for a crash, a blood sugar crash, have them drink lots of water throughout the day. It will give them energy and is exactly what their bodies need. 

If you have talked to your child about how they have a weight problem and they responded poorly, as is expected if it is addressed as their problem,  Jillian Michaels recommends talking to them and being honest. Explain to them that it isn't their fault and you aren't unhappy with them and that you will love them no matter what, but that you are feeling like you have let them down by not showing them healthy behaviors and that the whole family is going to focus on getting healthy together from now on.

I hope my tips have been helpful. Have a happy Wednesday!

Getting Started

I find myself in this stage fairly often. I've been giving excuses as to why I can't do my workout today or why I deserve the piece of chocolate. One day turns into two and soon I find that I am heavier than when I started and I feel horrible. Anyone else go through this cycle?

I'm starting this blog to help keep myself motivated, to help others in their journey (however I can), and to just have fun writing. I plan to research different fitness and nutrition articles, compare workout programs, and share all my findings with you! The more I learn, the more equipped I feel to take on this task of getting myself healthy... more tools in the tool belt to get the job done, as they say.

I've written out the reasons why I want to get healthy, lose weight, and trim up. I plan to post motivating quotes and pictures every day and also hope to have an article on something related to nutrition, fitness, or other general weight loss. I'm open to comments and suggestions as I go.


To start out, I plan on keeping variety in my schedule. I get bored if I have to follow anything for all that long, so I plan to do a variation between jogging (trying to get back up to my half-marathon level), Ripped in 30 by Jillian Michaels, and new to the DVD world of things is Zuzka Light with her ZCut Super Cardio Series. All these things are definitely very different and should provide plenty of options for me to keep me from getting bored. When I get bored, I give up!

I'll try to write a review of the different products I've tried tomorrow too. Good night and keep your chin up! There is a light at the end of this tunnel!