Tales from the Scales WK 4

Whew! I managed to lose the pesky pound I gained last week. WooHoo! Now it's time to try and get back on track for real. I've missed WW meetings the last two weeks. Last week I was unable due to having something more important to do. The week before I just skipped! I was getting a little aggravated w/paying 12 bucks and not seeing the results I wanted to see. Ummm, it could be that I wasn't seeing the results 'cause I wasn't following the program...I'm just saying. This week, I will track. I promise. And I'll drink more water, which should be quite easy to do considering I've had a whopping none this week. I think if I can focus on those two things along with keeping the exercise going, I'll do OK!

This week the exercise of choice is the second Leslie Sansone Walk at Home/Walk Slim DVD from the set I mentioned last week. This is the Fast Start walk/jog. The length is shorter but the workout is just as good. I think I might like it a little bit better. I like having the option of doing those intervals of jogging rather than just walking, and Leslie's jog is completely doable. Again, Leslie scores a 10 of 10 with me. I may break out the Dancing with the Stars DVD this week. I've tried this one once before(right after I bought it) and I seem to remember bouncing around like an idiot for half an hour. After that one time, I put it away and it hasn't seen the light of day since. I'll give it another go and pay more attention this time so that I can share it with ya'll!

Tales from the Scales Wk. 3

I think this is week 3 anyway...someone correct me if I'm wrong!

I know that so many of you who are doing the challenge are doing great! Let me congratulate you right here and now! I will be reading you're stories this week and hopefully I'll find some inspiration to get myself in gear! I'm not doing so hot. Last week I was whining because I stayed the same. Vowed to refocus. This week I actually gained a pound...that'll teach me to whine for maintaining, huh? Now I know ya'll don't wanna hear me whine more or cry over gaining a pound, so I won't do it. I've said this before ...I'm fat 'cause I eat too much and I exercise too little. Bottom line. No mystery, no deep psychological stuff with me. OK, yeah I DO tend to overeat and overeat and overeat some more when I'm feeling stressed, so maybe there is a little psychological stuff there but basically... I loves me some ice cream, pop, and cup cakes...a lot. Heck, I didn't even try last week. It was a stressful week. Still I know enough to know that had I decided to choose exercise over junk food, I'd have managed that stress just as well, probably better! But, you know, with every new day comes a clean slated and who's to say that today won't be the day that I get on board and do what I know I need to do?

This morning, after I weighted in, I thought about my plan to revisit all my exercise DVDs and how I did it for a week and just stopped. SO this morning, even though I was feeling a little pitiful over gaining, I popped in a DVD and decided to at least get back on the exercise track! Feel better for it, too! Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home. I can't say enough good things about these workouts. These are the workouts I was using faithfully when I was losing weight weekly and actually trying. You'd think I'd learn from my past success... Anyhow, compared to the others I've blogged to date, it is my favorite, hands down. This is a set of two. A 2 mile walk/jog and a 3 mile fast walk. This morning I did the 3 mile fast walk workout. There's a five minute warm up followed by a 35min. walk and a 5 min. cool down/stretch segment. The moves are very simple and straightforward. Walk in place, walk forward/back, kicks, side step, with some arm movements ...that's about it. Sounds boring, but it's not at all! I was enjoying it, despite my pitiful self, this morning. Leslie is very motivating and she's fun to watch. And 45 min/three miles, 'cmon...that's a good workout!! I was sweaty and a tad winded, but not falling on the floor begging for mercy when it was over. My rating...10!

Biggest Loser The Workout v.1

In the midst of my sewing machine crapping out on me and cooking an overly seasoned pot of chicken noodle soup, I have managed to get in two workouts this weekend. Go Me! The Biggest Loser Workout is another of my DVDs that has been gathering dust for WAY too long. I don't think I've used it in a year or at least since BL2 workout came out last season...and I haven't used that one in a while either!.

Friday's Workout
Biggest Loser: The Workout Warm up + Bootcamp segments. The BL Workout DVD is customizable. There are six routines, including the warm-up and cool down. You can set up your workout any way you choose. I chose the Bootcamp segment last night because it was one of the quickest of the workouts---20 min. w/ 5 min. warm up. I forgot how HARD this one was and how FAST it goes. Wore me out!

Tonight's Workout
Bigest Loser: The Workout Warm up + Low Intensity Cardio + Cool Down (approx. 50min.) After refreshing my memory last night on what a good workout this is, I decided to give it another go tonight. I went the sensible route and did the low intensity segment. Much better. Don't get me wrong, I still got a good workout, just not quite so exhausting. The movements are fairly easy to follow and similar to some of the Turbo Jam movements, only at a pace that I can keep up with. Afterwards, I definitely felt like I'd had a great workout, but I could still breathe. And then there's Bob. He tickles me. Yeah, he seems pretty touchy-feely, but not in an annoying way...and he's a little goofy at the same time. Best line on the dvd is when Bob says "I'm just up here stretching on a rock! Just stretching on a rock!" Bob's fun to work out with. And I love that the people in the workout are huffing, puffing, grunting and groaning just like me! Easy warm up and cool down segments(though the cooldown seems to drag on a bit). There's a sculpt & strength and high intensity cardio segment on this DVD but I think I'll hold off on doing those for a while yet.

I'll rate this one 9 out of 10 for the low intensity segment, the fact that I can customize it, and because Bob and the Losers are fun to watch.

It's Like Tae Bo on Crack!

Dear LORD! I did Turbo Jam tonight. I have done this workout before, many times as a matter of fact, but it's been a year or more! Even thought I have exercised since then, I've skipped out on exercise the last few weeks as you know and evidently the exercise I'd been doing didn't amount to much. Cause, Man! I'm draggin'! I did not realize how out of shape I had become. Oncce, I was able to get through the whole thing and feel good at the end. Tonight, I'm tired!

Turbo Jam: Cardio Party is one of those DVDs you see on Sunday afternoon and late night infomercials. I don't even know if they still show it but I'd bet you can buy it from Amazon.

SO the DVD starts out innocently enough with five min. or so of warm up. There's a cool "wheel" move that I enjoy and the music in this dvd keeps you involved and if you can keep your breath you can even sing along. Them comes the cardio. Lots of kicks and punches and speedbags and such. I did Tae Bo at the local YMCA for a while and I bought the videotapes when they came out years ago. This reminds me a lot of Tae Bo, but on crack. SO fast and furious! It's doable, for sure, but beware if you are out of shape like I am! It is going to take a while to build up the stamina again to be able to get through it! I found myself doing the "ZHEE! SNURFF!" breathing from YBB just to keep from passing out! And what is it with loud breathers??? This instructor also breathes LOUDLY! At approximately 25min. into the torture, I mean workout, a buzzer sounds and it goes TURBO! Everything speeds up and goes non-stop. Whew! I'm tired all over thinking about it!

There's funky, upbeat music(remember "Mama said Knock You Out"?) and a low impact person you can follow. There are a few dance breaks built in. The movements cover all areas nicely...abs(standing), arms, booty and legs are all worked, trust me. The last 15 min. are much more laid back and the cool down is nice and easy with another cool move called Jenga.

Despite being completely and utterly worn out, I'm giving this workout 8 out of 10. It IS a very good workout it just will take a while to get the steps and movements down(again) and my stamina up! Regular rotation? Not sure. Still don't know how I want to do that. Montly, Weekly, Daily??? Any suggestions?

Must. Sleep. NOW!

Yoga Booty Hoodie-Doodie

Tonight I began my first in a series of workouts to try and weed my ever growing collection of dust-gathering workout DVDs. I've decided to do a different workout daily, blog my thoughts on each and at the end of my little experiment, put myself on some sort of workout rotation. You know, the omnipotent "they" say that it is best to switch up your workout routine, not to get stuck in an exercise rut. And since I haven't exercised regularly in months, I SURE don't want to run the risk of getting myself in a rut now do I?

My workout tonight was Yoga Booty Ballet Live! Light & Easy. This makes the third time it's been in the DVD since I bought it months ago. It was a 15 dollar impulse buy that came with two DVDs. A Latin workout and this one. I HATED it the first time around, hated it. But I've decided to go into all of these workouts with an open mind and really think about the exercise that I'm doing and if it would be helpful in my weight loss efforts.

Now I realize that some folks really get into the whole new age thing and I also realize yoga is an age old, respectable practice and if that's your thing I do not mean to offend. So if you take it in that way, don't fuss at me! :)

The warm up segment is, in my opinion, waaay too new age-y and silly. Personally, I get the giggles when "polishing my aura". Which amounted to flapping my arms so fast I could take off in flight, all the while listening to the instructors heavy breathing(it has a Yoga name, I've already forgotten it) which sounds something like this: "ZHeee! Snuff! ZHee! Snuff!" One was ZHeeing! while the other was Snuffing! Yeah, I know getting the oxygen in is a GOOD thing, silly sounding or not! Still, there IS a lot of talk about auras and the like in the beginning so if you are completely turned off by that sort of thing, this is not the workout for you.

After the third time around, I realized that I don't hate this workout! Once I finally got past all the new age gobbledy-gook, I realized it is actually fun(well funny, anyway). The instructors are cute and bouncy (but not scary/Denise Austin bouncy) and they do a good job of calling the moves. They don't seem to take themselves completely serious, which is a good thing. The folks working out with them come in all shapes and sizes. That always makes me feel better! The dance moves are fun and easy to follow and stay at a decent pace (not too fast, not too slow) It seems to go by quickly. It doesn't wear me completely out, yet I feel like I've done some work.

After the cardio segment, we get to the Yoga and floor work segment of the workout. AAARGH! It is hard. And I've a feeling this is Yoga Lite! You should know that I despise floor work in any and all workouts and I have been known to completely skip that portion! Get ready to hear me complain about it with each and every DVD ;) Still, my upper and lower abs are now tingly and that's good. I survived it! My guess would be that comparatively, this one is relatively moderate as far as abs, crunches and the like go.

So. looks like this one is a keeper. It may not go into my regular rotation, but it'll be good for those days when I don't really want to work out, but know that I should. I did forget to mention the cheesy music, but don't all workout DVDs have cheesy music? I also forgot to mention...no shoes required...woo hoo!

On a scale of 1-10, I'd give it a 6. Haven't decided what I'll be doing tomorrow. Maybe one of my many Walk Away the Pounds DVDs.