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:

      Facebook

   Twitter



 Website

     YouTube

How Much Should I Exercise?

One of the main questions that people ask when considering fitness is how often should they work out. That answer varies greatly depending on not only who you ask, but also your fitness level and what you're hoping to achieve. Ask Men's website states that you should strive to make working out of your routine 6 days each week. They say to aim high, because if "life happens", you're still likely to get in at least 3 - 4 days each week.

They also claim that working out 6 days a week makes it habit, which makes it a part of who you are and becomes as ordinary as brushing your teeth or showering every day. You eat and sleep each day, and feel better when you do so appropriately, so it makes sense that you feel more energized and healthier when you also workout regularly. In fact, most people notice other areas in their life improving as well, like positive attitude and healthier skin, when they exercise consistently. They say that people that don't workout consistently are less likely to see progress and then are less likely to stick to working out at all.

Of course, you need to take into consideration your fitness level when determining how often to exercise each week and also what you'd like to achieve. If you are a beginner, most experts recommend 20 minutes three times a week, which can be broken up into ten minute sessions throughout the day or all at once. And of course, any exercise is better than no exercise.

Beginners are likely to need more recovery time than seasoned athletes too. Answer Fitness says:

"As a general rule of thumb, a good training frequency for someone who is new to the gym, or returning after a lengthy break, is three resistance workouts a week lasting between 45 and 60 minutes. This will allow you to work each major muscle group with at least one exercise and give yourself 48 hours for recovery between workouts."

As for the US government, when asked the question, they released a report called Dietary Guidelines for Americans which said:

"To help manage body weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy body weight gain in adulthood: Engage in approximately 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week while not exceeding caloric intake requirements."

We Be Fit's website goes on to explain that you should consider cardio workouts four to six times a week between 20 and 60 minutes each session for optimum fat loss. Exceeding an hour of this can be harmful to your body though, as it begins to eat muscle that is used to fuel your body. To maintain muscle mass, they recommend resistance/strength training three days a week for about 30 - 60 minutes.

Those recommendations are similar for people of ages up to even 70 and 80 years old.

The recommendations for how often to exercise each week may vary, but what all the websites have in common is that you should start out slowly, so as not to injure yourself, pace yourself, start with lighter weights, shorter sessions, and gradually work your way up. They all also recommend on day of rest minimum each week. You will burn yourself out if you never give your body a chance to rest, especially when engaging in vigorous workouts. I think my personal rule of thumb is always to listen to your body. Each body is different and you know when you are pushing too hard or when you aren't pushing enough. So listen to your body, lace up your shoes, and get sweaty!!

Sources:
answerfitness.com
webefit.com
askmen.com

Insanity Review

After trying P90x for a bit, I decided to look into the Beachbody website for another workout program. I opted to give Insanity a go. I have to admit that I struggled with P90x, but Insanity was a step above even that; the two workout programs are designed very differently. While I enjoyed working out with Tony Horton and P90x, I really enjoyed the new style and energy that Shaun T brings with Insanity.

Insanity is categorized as a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). They call it Max Interval Training. The main idea behind this program is to push the body as hard as you can for 2 minutes and then take a short, 30 second, break before jumping back in. You repeat this cycle over and over until you've reached the end of the workout. The DVD involves great warm up and cool down instructions as well, although, the warm up workout is very much a workout in itself. It is ten minutes long and is nonstop!

The videos typically consist of several circuits. The circuits involve four different moves, each 30 seconds long, totaling 2 minutes. Then you get a 30 second break. Afterwards, you move on to a new circuit, with four new moves. Occasionally, there is a bonus move or two in between circuits.

There are a few videos that break this routine and instead consist of the warm up, followed by about 16 minutes of pure cardio moves, each 1 minute long, and then the cool down. These DVDs are a bit shorter at about 40 minutes long, but really pack a punch.

This DVD program comes with 10 DVDs:

1: Dig Deeper
& Fit Test
2: Plyometric Cardio Circuit
3: Cardio Power & Resistance
4: Cardio Recovery
5: Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs 
6: Core Cardio & Balance
7: Max Interval Circuit & Fit Test
8: Max Interval Plyo 
9: Max Cardio Conditioning & Cardio Abs
10: Max Recovery

Along with the 10 DVDs, you get:

• Elite Nutrition Plan

• Fitness Guide

• INSANITY Workout Calendar

• FREE Online Support Tools

 

Pros to Insanity:

Shaun T is a fun, high energy trainer
DVDs get to the point, no wasted time at all
Workout program lasts 60 days instead of 90
Workouts are shorter than P90x
Guaranteed to bring results

Cons to Insanity:

May be too extreme for many fitness levels
Some workouts are still a bit long
A little expensive at $120 but you can find it cheaper on other websites
Not recommended for people who have bad knees, as it involves a lot of jump training

This workout is definitely a great workout if you are already at a high level of fitness or athletic ability, but I wouldn't suggest it for a beginner. It's a very high intensity workout, so it may become easy to get burnt out. I always recommend trying everything once (within reason) though, so I would give it a shot. I typically use it now mixed in with a variety of other workout DVDs when I want a high calorie burn workout. So give it a shot!

Zumba Review

"Zumba Fitness^® is the only Latin-inspired dance-fitness program that blends red-hot international music, created by Grammy Award-winning producers, and contagious steps to form a "fitness-party" that is downright addictive. Since its inception in 2001, the Zumba program has grown to become the world's largest – and most successful – dance-fitness program with more than 14 million people of all shapes, sizes and ages taking weekly Zumba classes in over 140,000 locations across more than 150 countries." (Zumba.com/about)


Zumba was created by Alberto "Beto" Perez through what he considers a "happy accident". On his way to teach a fitness class, he forgot to bring his music and ended up using the music tapes that he had in his backpack (salsa and merengue). His students responded to it very positively and he turned it into what is now one of the most popular forms of dance fitness worldwide.

There are two ways to do Zumba. You can either take a class, Zumba Class (click to watch the video), held either in a gym or in their own locations, or you can buy the DVD and do it in your own home. I haven't tried any of the Zumba classes, although I have heard many positive reviews of them, but I received the Zumba DVDs a couple of years ago.

I quickly learned that I have 2 left feet, but even so, this workout is FUN! Fun AND challenging. You can choose between an introductory DVD which shows you how to do the dance moves one step at a time, then there are several different options between a long type of workout or a short type workout. They even have a DVD to dance along to a Zumba concert. Yes, they even hold concerts, where people gather to work out together, with Beto and his dancers on the stage. Pretty exciting huh?

The DVDs, no matter which length you choose, are so much fun that they go by very quickly. It is a great DVD if you love to dance, or even if you just enjoy it slightly. They go through a wide variety of different types of Latin dances, and even a few outside of that genre. They are constantly switching it up, so that you don't do a single version for too long and get bored. It moves along quickly, but if you do the introductory DVD you should have minimal trouble keeping up.

Another interesting note to the Zumba DVDs is that you have the option to work out in English or Spanish.

If you aren't into dancing, then this workout is probably not for you. Also, if you're looking to tone specific areas, then you probably should move towards a HIIT workout or a strength training workout. Zumba will slim you down, and is a great cardio workout, but it won't add much as far as tone to your upper body... or not as much as targeting those areas specifically.

Pros:

• Fun
• Workout goes by quickly
• Cardio workout to improve stamina
• Lots of variety in the workouts
• English or Spanish option
• Can do the workout in a class or on a DVD
• Price of the DVDs falls between the expensive Beach Body products and the more affordable Jillian Michael's or Body Rock workouts

Cons:

• Not going to get you as toned, specifically upper body
• Not great for the uncoordinated person
• Need a bit more space to do the workout than other DVDs

Overall, I say Zumba is a great addition to your other workout DVDs as a fun cardio workout when you want a good burn and/or you don't have a lot of time to get your heart rate up!
Buy Zumba.

Your Body Is Like An Iceberg

When I first started Weight Watchers, I heard a quote that has really stuck with me through the years. I don't remember now if it was a published quote or just something someone said to me once, but I think it's a great reminder of how our bodies work. The quote was more or less, "Your body is like an iceberg. You've got the small part that sticks above the water and the thick part that sinks below the surface. As much as you want to melt that thick part (i.e. hips), the smaller parts will always melt first (i.e. boobs, arms, etc.)."

I think everyone is guilty of wishing that they could lose weight in one particular area and maybe have even tried targeting one area to lose that weight first, for example, doing 100 crunches every day. But, unfortunately, that isn't possible. Our bodies are like the icebergs; the thinnest part of us is always the first to go. And unfortunately, it is often in our boobs!! How unfair is that?

So, how can we get rid of that stubborn belly fat or the jiggly under arms (which I like to call my "bat wings")? We've got to focus on the whole body rather than just that one spot. This goes back to my post on variety. And it includes fitness, but also nutrition. They say abs are built 80% in the kitchen, 20% in the gym... and it's true! In order to get the defined abs you always dreamed of, you've got to get rid of that layer of fat. You do that by watching what you eat, getting rid of the processed foods, the sugar, the hydrogenated ingredients. Instead, fill your body with fresh fruits and veggies, good protein, and yes, even healthy fats! You need them all to get a good balance. You will lose weight, and will be losing fat, not muscle.

Speaking of muscle, you need some of that to help you get rid of that belly or thigh jiggle too. It may seem a bit backwards to lift weights in order to get that toned tummy you're after, but muscle burns fat much more quickly, so the more you have it, the more tools you've got in your tool belt, so to speak, to get the job done. The Mayo Clinic states, "Research shows that 1 lb. of muscle burns seven to 10 calories per day, while 1 lb. of fat burns only 2 to 3 calories, according to the American Council on Exercise."

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/447243-is-it-a-myth-that-muscle-burns-more-calories-than-fat/#ixzz2K53dr2xw

Plus, with eating healthy, you'll be losing that protective layer of fat and you'd prefer to have a nice set of defined abs underneath rather than being thin, but having a squishy set, right? Same goes for thighs or any other area on your body. Building muscle as you lose the fat will give you that slender look you want, but will also create definition, which is much better than soft, squishy bodies. I'm not saying body builder stuff, unless that's what you prefer, but somewhere in the middle is nice!

And if you're like me, having lost a large amount of weight, you may have some excess skin once you're done losing weight. Building muscle helps fill in that gap between where the fat used to take up so much space, and makes your arms look nice instead of the bat wings. I haven't done as well in this respect as I could, but I'm working on it now. Those pushups will help get your chest back looking more full and even perkier too. That's always a plus! : )

So instead of torturing yourself with 100 squats every morning or 200 crunches before bed in hopes of trimming down the booty or tummy fat, stick to a healthy, balanced diet, get in a variety of workouts (cardio, strength training, stretching, and HIIT [high intensity interval training]) and you will lose it where you may feel you don't exactly need to first, but keep it up and your trouble areas will disappear too! Not only that, but you'll feel so much better for having eaten healthy and will be much stronger and fit too! Win/win, I'd say!

P90x Review

When I first started losing weight, I focused on what I was eating first. I didn't actually start any kind of working out until after I had lost about 50 pounds. After that I started walking, then tried jogging briefly, and then I was introduced to P90x.

P90x is a 90 day fitness program sold by Beach Body, a large company that sells both nutritional products and workout programs. They've made quite a name for themselves and many, many people have lost weight using their products. I would say that P90x is not a program that I would recommend for a very beginner. I think I could have done well to start with something a bit less extreme, but I wasn't really all that aware of what was out there, so I jumped right in.

When you buy P90x, you pay $140 and you get 12 DVDs, a nutritional guide, a workout calendar, and access to an online community for support and guidance. The  DVDs include:

*Chest & Back                                          * X Stretch
* Plyometrics                                              * Core Synergistics
* Shoulders & Arms                                   * Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps
* Yoga X                                                   * Back & Biceps
* Legs & Back                                           * Cardio X
* Kenpo X                                                 * Ab Ripper X

You can CLICK HERE for a sample view of each of the discs.

The program follows a concept of muscle confusion, meaning you won't be working the same muscle areas two days in a row. You work one area enough and then let it rest and move on to another area. In this theory, the body never gets accustomed to what is thrown at it, and therefore you won't plateau. It also gives your sore muscles a chance to recover before hitting them hard again. The program lasts a total of 13 weeks. I can definitely guarantee that you will get results if you follow this program. Of course, you need to follow the nutritional side of things too, but the workouts are enough to get major results.

With the discs, you have to watch to make sure that you perform the moves with good form though, or you may end up hurting yourself. The Plyometric DVD can also be hard on your knees if you have bad knees, as it involves jump training. I've never typically had bad knees, but did notice a bit of tenderness when doing the jumping and twisting motions, so you will want to watch that. I think that if I were to try it now, I would have better success though, since I'm at a lighter weight than when I first tried P90x. The jump training does not require any equipment, but many of the DVDs do. In most cases you can get away with most of them with a good set of workout bands. However, if you don't want to do the band version, the program calls for free weights and a pull-up bar.

A great thing about the program is that there is a lot of variety. You will be doing 12 discs over the course of 13 weeks, so it's much favorable to doing the same workout every day, back to back. I can also say that it is fun. I know you don't typically think of working out as fun, and it may not be quite the same as a dance workout or sports, but Tony Horton, the instructor in the DVDs keeps things lively and if you're not grunting from the workout, you'll be giggling. He's a hoot! He can get a bit chatty though, which leads me to another negative for the program. The workouts are typically an hour long, which can be a bit more than most people can fit into their daily schedules. I have found though, that once you get a handle on the workouts, you can fast forward a bit through the instructional part of the DVDs and chop off quite a bit of time. You should never rush a workout, and always should strive for good form, but there's nothing wrong with skipping the "how-to" part of a DVD when you've done it five times.

To sum it up:

Postives

• Full of variety
• Guaranteed to get you results
• You get a lot in the package
• The online community is a great resource
• Tony is an entertaining instructor
• Comes with a 90 Day - Money Back Guarantee

 Negatives

•  A bit expensive
• Workouts run a little long (one hour)
• You will need equipment (free weights or bands, pull up bar or bands)
• Tony can get a bit chatty
• It will make you hurt (but that's a good thing, so should probably be in my positives list!)

Beach Body offers a wide variety of workout programs for people of all fitness levels. In addition to P90x, there is also  P90X2 (more difficult), P90X Plus (more difficult), Power 90 (less difficult). If you're looking for something with dance, they've got Hip Hop Abs. If you want High Intensity Interval Training, they've got Insanity. If you want something to boost your booty, they've got Brazil Butt Lift. I can almost guarantee they have a product for you if you look. I think the programs are a bit expensive, but I've seen the results. They are going to get you where you want to go, if you follow the program. So I give them, and specifically P90x, a thumbs up!

I hope you enjoyed my first product review. I hope to share more as I get into writing more in the blog. Have a great week!