DVD/Video/At Home Exercisers - week of Jan 2nd 2007!!!!

[cniles]

Happy New Year Everyone!!!:)

We had a wonderful weekend - great family time in New Jersey and then decided to come home on Sunday and not go to the Pocono's. We went up to our neighbor's house to ring in the New Year and had a great time. Then we watched PSU win!!!:D I didn't do too bad on the eating front either.

So today I cleaned and then went into the dungeon - did BSS4 with Pam.

My goal overall this year to is be more consistent with a workout routine and stick with it!!!!! That will lead into weekly goals of 3-4 workouts - realistically that SHOULD work. And of that, at least 1 long (hour long) workout on the weekend!!

We go back to school/work tomorrow - so my goal is Wed and Thurs 2 short workouts!!!

How was everyone's New Year?..... What are you goals for 2007?:)

[engineer]

Happy 2007 everyone. It’s been a long break, and quite frankly I’m happy to be back at work. DH was beginning to make me nuts! How much can one person sleep?:eek: Shesh, get up and do something!!!! But I digress. I worked out 9 times over the last 10 days and I think each time was about 2 hours. I had my first chiro appt and oh my did I feel it the next day. And I was really good diet wise until Saturday. Then I made my first gluten free loaf of bread and a gluten free chocolate cake (both from mixes – gasp!) Then on Monday I made gluten free scones (also from mix) so I have been eating all sorts of stuff I normally don’t. Good thing is the bread is almost gone and the scones are gone so now it’s just the chocolate cake.

Summarizing 2006 – I lost 20 lbs (4.6% body fat), got a personnel trainer, started on some anti-depressants, got the horses bred and adopted a new kitty.

Goals for 2007 – Achieve less than 27% body fat, raise healthy baby horses and generally try and be happy.

Charisse - What a great weekend, and a super way to end 2006 and start 2007!. Good job on the workout and I think your goals are very reasonable.

[JuliN]

Hi Ladies --

Happy, Happy New Year! I can feel a great year coming on!

I tried to post over the weekend, but had trouble logging in. I think the problem was on my end so my husband rebuilt my PC for me. Runs much faster now. It helps to have my own personal administrator. I am in the IT industry (I work for a company that does Contract and Direct IT Staffing), but I'm not an IT person myself. I have a technical degree, but since it's not IT, it doesn't help a bit. So, I do sales and recruiting.

Emily -- Wow, that is so cool that we're practically neighbors. Maybe we could meet sometime if your schedule allows. It seems weird to think we could potentially be shopping at the same grocery, and walking right by each other without even knowing it!

Charisse -- You ask about the Yoga DVD. It's called "Navel Power Yoga" by Ana Brett and Ravi Singh. They have their own web site. I don't think anyone else distributes their Videos & DVD's. I'm been doing Yoga about 2 years now. I started because I noticed I was getting really, really tight and stiff. I love cardio and strength training, but I wasn't doing any thing for flexibility -- that's really bad because I'm not the most flexible person to begin with. At any rate, I started incorporating various kinds of yoga as part of my overall fitness program, and now I'm about as flexible as I was in my 20's.

At any rate, this DVD is Kundalini yoga, which is probably a bit different from what you're familiar with. It has a combo of medidation, breathing exercises, chants, and yoga poses. The tapes are long, so I skip the chants (the "tuning in") and focus on the breathing exercises and poses. This is also a very active yoga form, almost like "aerobic yoga", although that sounds like a contradiction in terms. I always feel very energized after these sessions. I can't figure out how yoga works but it definitely does something. Initially, I'm very energized but about 20 minutes later, I can bearly keep my eyes open. And when I sleep, it's much deeper than an ordinary sleep. Hard to explain.

Oh, I almost forgot to share my resolution. Actually, I focus more on setting goals for the new year and here's my goals:


I just started a new job, so I'm focused on doing the activities that will make me successful

I will listen to my Champs-Elysees CD's on the way home from work at least 4 days a week and do the C-E written exercises weekly. I want to learn some of the advanced French verb forms (I'm good at present, past, future and imparfait. Need to improve conditionnel, subjunctive and anterior forms of these)

I have committed to serve on the Outreach committee at my church.

I already have a good marriage, but I know it takes work to keep it that way, so I am committed to find inventive ways to build my relationship with DH

Improve my golf score -- this will take work!



Alot of my goals are ongoing projects, but I aim to get better at them every year. Oh, I almost forgot the organizing. Clutter really zaps my energy, so twice a year I do major organizing efforts so things don't get out of hand. Already did one of my projects, completed cleaned and reorganized my basement. Whew! That was an effort!

Blessings of health and prosperity to all of you and your families throughout 2007!

Juli

[JoanneOR]

Hi everyone. I've been a bit under the weather, but have tried to fit some workouts in. I didn't do anything Sat-Mon, but yesterday I did Cathe's Body Max2. I modified alot - made it mostly low impact. I wanted to get some cardio and weights in since I haven't been doing much. This morning I did some Turbo Jam - Fat Blaster and Kickin' Core. I needed something fun cause I had no energy! I remember not liking the Fat Blaster one too much when I did it before, but this time I loved it!

Engineer, wow, great progress with your fitness goals! Guess what I bought? ;) A Bosu!! Target had them on sale and you got a $20 gift card when you bought it. I just couldn't pass it up! DH was funny. He saw it in the laundry room where I have all my workout stuff, including my stability ball. He says "you already have a whole ball, why do you need a half ball?" He generally goes along with all this stuff, but he was truly baffled by the bosu! I tried to use it on some of Cathe's upper body stuff yesterday, but the ball really worked better. I ordered a few DVDs that use the bosu, so once I get those, I'll try it out. I have one cardio DVD on the bosu that I'm a bit intimidated to try it out on. I'm afraid I'll hurt myself. But, we'll see.

Charisse, 3-4 workouts a week sounds very reasonable! Our New Year's was quiet. We went bowling with the kids (not the quiet part!) and then DH had to go to work, so it was just me and the kids in the basement to ring in the new year. Only two of the four kids made it till midnight.

Hmmm, I don't really have any goals for the new year. I want to at least maintain my fitness level and lose 5-10 pounds. Sounds sappy, but I want to have more patience with the kids and do more fun stuff with them. I find myself sometimes losing it when things get crazy at home and yelling at them when they are just being kids. So, I need to work on that.

Hi Juli! Those are great resolutions. We did some "decluttering" trying to get ready for Christmas, and it felt great. Need to do more of that! Are there any yoga DVDs you'd recommend for a complete beginner? A very inflexible one at that! It's something I'm interested in, but don't really know where to start. Although, I don't know where I'd fit it in.

[engineer]

Happy hump day everyone.:D Well how is everyone doing? I got my new program from Rita yesterday so last night’s workout was the first time through the ‘new’ upper body stuff. Oh my, this is going to take some getting used to. I did those followed by the ‘trunk’ exercises. She renamed the core work as she wants to expand out from there. Then I pulled out Firm Tough Aerobic Mix. That was so the wrong thing to pull out:o . I had forgotten how much hopping and jumping was in that one. I did about half as many hops as I was supposed to, instead I’d run in place or something. I never stopped moving at least. Then I added on my 10 minute solutions kick box boot camp basic training routine. I really want to learn kick box stuff as it is so good at working on that core. I was over 2 hours working out and I sweated up a storm. A great way to start the year. And another good thing that happened yesterday was that we finished off the chocolate cake so at least that’s not there tempting me anymore.

I had my second chiro appt today and the cracks weren’t nearly as loud as they were last week. I just hope that I can walk and am not suffering too badly later today and tomorrow like last week. Rita comes tonight to put me through my paces so I’m looking forward to that 9and a short workout as she’s only there an hour).

Joanne - I know I sound like a broken record but do take it easy coming back after being sick. I tend to do the opposite and make myself sick again, that's why I mention it. Good choices for workouts though. Yeah on the bosu! It's fun because you really can't be to critical when you're working on it just don't have anything too close that you can bang into if you come off.;)

Juli - wow you're own personal IT guy (lucky you!) Clutter zaps me too, I tend to throw out stuff when it gets bad, which is a bad habit. Keep inspiring me please.

See ya all tomorrow

[cniles]

Hi guys! Well we made it through the first day back post vacation. Everyone survived!:p

I really did want to just come home and go through mail etc.. but thank goodness my neighbor happened to be walking the dog and talked me into walking with her. Once I got the kids are situated, we got a 45 mins walk in! One more workout to go this week!

Engineer - wow. 2 hour workouts! Great job at least moving through the aerobic tape - I have a hard time with the hops as well - even Cathe's Jump section - I love it but can't do all of the high impact stuff!!

Joanne - woo hoo - the bosu... I saw it advertised in the new Collage mag and thought about it:rolleyes: - Engineer is the bosu guru - let us know which DVD's you bought to get you started! And I had to wake up Jack to ring in the new year - I let Sam sleep!

Juli - thanks for the yoga DVD info. I'll have to check into it - although I'd have to really concentrate on it - I need to be moving around and get a nice red face during my workout :D Your goals sound great!! I took 7 years of french in HS but it's all just about lost. How long is your commute?

Tomorrow is Thursday!!!!:)

[Sarah45]

Good morning! I hope you don't mind another addition to your weekly thread. I am a home exerciser who needs to be more consistant in her routine and I am hoping that regularly posting here about my schedule and accomplishments will help me achieve my goals. You are wonderfully motivated ladies and I'm hoping that rubs off on me too :D

Currently my routine varies between treadmill walking and exercise tapes. I have a couple in rotation that I like a lot - Tae Bo 8 minute (2-3 times through) and TKO Abs Buns and Thighs. I do find that I get bored with the tapes and have a hard time finding others that I might like. Maybe another goal for the year should be to find another tape or two...

I do have a weight loss goal but that is not as important as getting regular exercise worked into my schedule and having it be something I look forward to. If I achieve that, the weight will follow.

So far this week I haven't been real great. I walked on the treadmill for 45 minutes last night but did nothing Sun-Tues.

Now that I am thinking about buying a new "tape" does anone have suggestions? I am not a fan of the traditional aerobics (that I was exposed to 10 years ago) but other than that I am clueless.

Thanks for letting me go on and on :)!

[engineer]

It’s Thursday, only one more day left this week. So how is everyone doing getting back to the old grind after the holidays? Well yesterday did not go as planned. Before Rita got there I was stretching out on the stability ball and I’m still not sure how this happened, but the stability ball squirted away and I dropped onto the concrete floor on my lower back:eek: . I really yelped. Anyway Rita and I went over what we could and reviewed the notes from the chiropractor so that we could modify the routine and then I got DH to help me up the stairs and I put an ice pack on my back during dinner. By bedtime I could hardly move:mad: . DH kept telling me that it was an accident and that if I wasn’t active it wouldn’t have happened and was not a reflection of what a loser I am or how poorly I’ve done. That is what happens I immediately figure that an accident is an example of how bad of a person I am:( . Well, by this morning I think I agree, it’s an accident and if I was a total couch potato it would have happened but it just proves that I’m out there giving it the good fight. So this morning we put on one of those Ben Gay patches (so I stink to high heaven) and I’m hoping that work is distracting enough so that I don’t hurt to bad. If it gets too bad I’ll go home but I don’t want to. Not sure if I’m going to be able to do anything tonight, we’ll see. I really hate not working out, ‘cause I figure all my weight will reappear overnight. On a positive note – I lost some weight again! So I’m at a new low – doing a modified happy dance.:)

Sarah45 - Welcome to the thread. Regular exercise will definitely help with the weight, I'm living proof of that. I alternate between treadmill and tapes too, along with some traditional weight work. Perhaps that is an area to consider, wieghts to build up some muscle. Also what does you're walking routine look like? Just trying to spark some ideas.

Charisse - Excellent on the walk yesterday, sometimes the stars just align themselves and it all works out. I'm trying to build-up my 'jumping' but it's slow. Nice to know I'm not the only one who modifies high impact.

Remember everyone tomorrow is Friday.

[JoanneOR]

Engineer, I was going to come on here and tell you I took your advice and am taking it easy on the exercising until I'm feeling better. I did set the alarm this morning, but felt like an extra 1.5 hours of sleep would be better for me than working out, and I must say I feel much better today than I did yesterday. All my coworkers are avoiding me, though, since I sound so horrible! Anyway, sorry to hear about your injury on the ball. And, take it easy till you feel better. You don't want to injure yourself further. I so know what you mean about worrying about the weight reappearing if you don't workout. That's my big fear and I know it's unreasonable if I just watch what I eat. I may do something light tomorrow, but we'll see. I get really nervous using the stability ball sometimes. I'm worried it'll burst or something. In Cathe's BodyMax2, she does a few exercises with 15 pound weights sitting on the ball. That's where I tried to improvise with the Bosu and wound up doing them standing. Just seems like a bad accident waiting to happen! Hope you feel better soon!

Welcome Sarah! It's good to have some new faces! What types of workouts are you interested in? Do you have a step? What level? Do you want kickboxing? Weights? I have umm, a few :rolleyes: workout DVDs so I could probably recommend something.

Charisse, glad you survived your first post-vacation day! Good job on the walk. Bosu DVDs - I ordered one from Mindy Myrlea and one by Gay Gasper. I have one all cardio at home that I'm afraid to try! I usually do it on the step.

[EmilyK]

Just a quick post for me... I'm sick... again. :mad: I'm trying to get to bed by 9:30 every night this week to get healthy quicker. <sigh> So darn sick of this. Anyway, I'm not into my routine again, because I would cough myself right back off the machine! Maybe next week.

JuliN - even funnier that I'm also in IT! :) I work in Mason, but it would definitely be cool to meet sometime!

Hopefully I'll be back in better spirits next week ...

[Sarah45]

Happy Friday and THANKS for all of the welcome's :)

For those that asked - a little more on my exercise habits and preferences...When I treadmill I usually walk at least a 15-minute mile for about 45 minutes. I usually pop in a DVD of a 1-hour show and walk my way through that, I find it works really well.

The tapes that I have currently are the four original Tae-Bo, a set of TKO Kickboxing tapes, a Fat-Blasting Yoga (or something like that) and The Firm Resistance Cords workout. I hate the yoga one but maybe that's because I haven't done it enough. I do have a normal beginner's yoga DVD and love it for relaxing/stretching.

Equipment-wise I have the resistance cord, ankle and wrist weights, and 3 & 5 pound dumbells. My husband has a weight bench in the basement and I do use that occasionally to get some really good, tageted workouts on my legs.

I did the resistance cords last night since it's a quick workout and I was on limited time. Tonight I am planning on walking and maybe yoga and then I am taking tomorrow off and just doing yoga.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

[JoanneOR]

Got up this morning and did Cathe's Butts and Guts. I used the Bosu for a couple exercises where she used the high step and it worked really well. Particularly for lunges. My back foot always cramps up and this felt much better. I'm going to try to do some cardio tomorrow.

Sarah, I know you said you didn't care for aerobics, but a hi/lo tape you might enjoy is Amy Bento's Hi/Lo Extreme. It's really fun. And, she breaks it into sections so you can do as much as you want. Christi Taylor also has some fun hi/lo tapes. You might like Cathe Friedrich's Kick Punch and Crunch if you like kickboxing. Or Turbo Jam is fun. For cardio and weights together, Kelly Coffey-Meyer's the Shape of Things to Come and a New You Coming are both good. I think the highest weight she uses is 8 pound dumbbells.

Emily, so sorry you are sick again :( . Just take it easy till you're better.

[engineer]

Yeah it’s Friday, we made it!:D OK I didn’t do a darn thing yesterday. I hate not working out.:mad: It’s like I heard a guy on an obesity show on discovery say, ‘I replaced a bad addition with a good addition…exercise in place of food’. That’s me for sure;) . But I was in no shape to do anything. I thought this morning that I was about 90% back but right now I think it’s more like 50%. One more day and then I have to do something.

Joanne - Rita has me doing stationary lunges on the Bosu and watching both the ankle on the Bosu and the one on the ground to make sure I'm tracking straight. Let me tell you that back ankle flops around like a fish on land:eek: But I'm really glad to hear that you are enjoying your new toy!

Sarah - One thing I might suggest is just changing up the treadmill, I mean vary speed and incline over the course of the workout, kind of give the body a bit of a shock and see what happens. If you like kickboxing Ilaria has some called Powerstrike that are pretty serious. I got them for DH as he loves martial arts. Just a thought.

Emily - take care of yourself. You'll get back into the swing of things once you're healthy.

Have a wonderfull weekend everyone.