I’ve been torn about what to do about my weight loss. I’ve been doing my barre workouts, but I don’t always have time for a video. When I improvise, it’s usually late at night (okay 8:00…but I’m SO tired by the end of the day! Being a mommy is hard work!) and I’m too tired to count reps, let alone get creative with movement. I lost about 10 pounds, then it just STOPPED. Yesterday, Tracy Anderson’s 30-Day Method arrived in the mail. I’ve heard just about every type of review for this book (and I’m not normally one to enjoy or even follow a fitness program out of a book. I prefer a ‘live’ (read: DVD) demonstration so that I can be sure to get the movement correct. That being said, The book seems to have addressed all of my worries. It comes with a DVD that not only demonstrates ALL of the exercises that she has included in the book, but also outlines the two dance cardio segments (which I have not tried yet…I’m waiting until Tater takes his morning nap). Some reviewers felt that the inclusion of a DVD meant that Tracy would be running each 10-day workout sequence through completion. She doesn’t do that. I don’t really mind, though. For a mom who has limited time on her hands, it was nice to have the DVD as a reference point, and the book for my actual workout (which I split into 3 segments today because of Tater’s nap schedule).

Because my day is never predictable, Tracy’s suggestion to schedule in her workouts for 45 to 90 minutes was just plain unrealistic for me. I realize that by splitting them up I’m not going to sweat as much, but WOW am I sore from just the musculostructure work! I do like that the book provides a new challenge every 10 days-that will keep me entertained and hopefully speed up my progress toward a svelte new me! I haven’t tried the meal plan yet-partially because I need more calories that it provides so that Tater can eat, too, and also because I’m not in a position to run to the grocery right now…. The meal plan does have a vegetarian option, but is NOT vegan. Bummer. I’ll just do what I normally do and modify. The recipes look simple, fresh (YAY!) and mostly raw (DOUBLE YAY!). I do plan on trying a few of them that I happen to have ingredients for, though.

Overall, I’m impressed with the thought that Tracy put into explaining her Method, the composition of the book (it’s a super-easy 2 hour read at the most), and her engaging style. Where this book loses points is the unrealistic (at least for me) expectation that I can just schedule 90 minutes a day uninterrupted. I have a 5 month old. Interruptions are the story of my life (and I love every minute of them). The fact that Tracy was thoughtful enough to include a vegetarian option on her menu was great, too-although I am worried about the EXTREMELY low caloric intake. Her workouts are taxing, and my body needs to recover. I will definitely be modifying them.

Overall, my first impression is a good one. If you have the time (and an extra $25), this book is a nice compliment to other Tracy Anderson DVD workouts (I have all but the dance cardio…this will be my first attempt since I’m not able to run right now). The strength work had me grimacing, which I expected, and I enjoyed the fact that there were only 16 individual movements for this first 10 days. Looking ahead, the movements definitely get FAR more complicated, and I’m sure that my 20 minute per side workout will definitely become longer as the month goes on. I’m excited to see the changes, though!

…58 to go! I have to say that in my very brief experience with Insanity I am absolutely LOVING it. Of course, it’s sports drills, which I’ve always had a good time doing. This morning I played basketball (thankfully without the basket or the ball!!), skied, and did some mountain climbers (not what you’re thinking). And the best part? The 35 minutes literally FLEW by!! According to my HRM, in that short time I burned almost 500 calories!! (489 to be precise) Not too shabby for a relatively short workout. I do have to say that I did modify a majority of the moves, because I just cannot do a ‘real’ pushup yet. But I am working on it. AND I’m actually looking forward to tomorrow!! I can’t remember the last time that I did a cardio circuit and was excited to do more. I wonder what’s wrong with me? Of course it’s not a barre workout…but I am feeling that familiar burn deep in my muscles. My calves are killing me (in a good way). I can’t say that I’m super impressed with the workout, but it really made me sweat, which was a GOOD thing. And it was shorter than any of my barre workouts (which right now, thanks to Tater), unless you look at the individual segments-I prefer to get my whole body rather than focus on just one area. So, that being said…tomorrow is more plyo and cardio. 2 days down, 58 to go!

Okay, I’ll admit that I’m a gadget junkie (they make working out SO much more fun!), but I’m TOTALLY IN LOVE with my newest addition!! As my loyal readers (there are some of you out there, right??) know, I’m a sucker for a good barre/ballet/pilates inspired workout. Especially if it’s quick, fun, and (most importantly) challenging. I was fairly skeptical when I got the chance to try WinsorSlim. Afterall, I have resistance bands and weights, so what makes this so special?? For starters, the workouts are quick (just 10-20 minutes), and as a new mom, that’s SUPER important to me. Tater doesn’t have the patience to sit still while I workout for 45 minutes to an hour. All of the workouts provide safer modifications for those just beginning to workout, or just returning to exercise (a category that I MORE than qualify for right now). and with the accelerator (the bar thingy), you can increase resistance just by winding the resistance band around the bar. Super easy. I have to say that I am IN LOVE with the workouts. I’m not usually a huge fan of Mari Winsor’s style, but something about the new gadget combined with her tried-and-true moves really works for me. It’s challenging and familiar without being too doting. Long story short (too late!!), for around $60, this isn’t a bad system. There are alot of moves that the bar can make SO much easier or harder, depending on how you use it, and how much resistance you provide yourself. The system claims that you can lose up to 10 inches in two weeks…I’m not sure that I buy that, but I do think that you could significantly improve your flexibility and strength. And yeah, you’ll probably lose some inches over the course of the workout. It does provide the potential for a good burn, but it’s not as consistent as the barre workouts, which I miss. On the upside, I have been able to do a WinsorSlim workout each day, whereas I’ve needed a day of recovery for the barre workouts (like I said, I’m out of shape!). Overall, this is a fun system for beginners, and it’s keeping my attention, which is a GOOD THING!

Ummm…yeah. I remember looking forward to that burn that you get from a really intense barre workout…and getting excited when I could maintain for just a ‘few’ more seconds. I think that mommyhood has softened me a bit (and made me crave an insane amount of protein!!), because when I popped in Exhale: Core Fusion Body Sculpt, I was…how should I put this? In EXCRUCIATING pain. I think that I completely forgot how hard some of the workouts really are. Normally, I would tell myself to start with a basic The Bar Method workout, but that’s 45 minutes. And let’s be honest, here: I’m lucky if I have 5 minutes to shower, let alone 45 minutes to workout while Tater is either contented with his playgym or sleeping. So, I chose Core Fusion because of the 10-minute option. While 10-minute workouts are a WONDERFUL invention for those of us who are too busy to fit in an entire 30-45 minutes, those 10 can be painful, and productive. I do want to clarify that when I say ‘painful’ I mean you will get that awesome burn without spending a ton of time. While the Exhale workouts aren’t my favorite, they do serve their purpose, and will come in handy until Tater gets into a semi-regular nap schedule. Normally, by the time I realize that I had time to workout, he’s awake and it’s time to focus on him again (which is blissfully wonderful, and SO worth the extra 30 pounds…okay, I REALLY need to get back into shape!! Want to join me??). In sum, last week I found that 10 minute workouts are a must for me. I can find 10 minutes in my day, right? This coming week, my goal is to try and get 2 (I know!!) workouts (just 10 minutes at a time) in each day. I figure that if I keep slowly increasing the time, by the time Tater naps for more than a few minutes, I’ll have my groove back….

I am SO very glad to be back! I am pleased to say that Tater was born on July 29th at 2:00 am! After an excruciating 8 hours of labor (thanks to him being extremely HUGE!), he was born via c-section. I’ve been recuperating for the last month, and am SO ready to lose this baby weight!! Tater is doing well. He just needs to learn how to sleep at night!! I’ve decided that if I’m going to be up at all hours, I need to have a few quick and fun workouts to help jump-start my journey (since I’m not allowed to run just yet) back into looking FAB. A good friend gave me the Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD Set and I couldn’t wait to try it. Y’all know that I’m a die-hard barre workout/kettlebell/PINK Fitness girl when it comes to strength and flexibility…but without running, my cardio is hurting! SO, I was pleasantly surprised when I found that I actually ENJOYED a ‘dance’ workout DVD. Huh. I’ve always abhorred other dance workouts that I’ve tried (short of Cardio Barre), but this was actually FUN! I can honestly say that I won’t do it in front of Ish…but by myself at 2 in the morning, I had a blast! The music made me want to move, the instruction was good (if you try this set, be careful of the cueing and editing…there are a few moments where they do not match!), and I couldn’t believe that my 20 minute workout was OVER so quickly. I will admit that I was VERY winded when I was finished, but I really felt that I’d accomplished something…now I’m off to do some Bar Method!!

I had some extra energy (yay for getting 5 straight hours of blissful sleep!) and was jonesing for a barre workout when I got home from work today. SO…I have been wanting to do the beginner version of Cardio Barre: Four Workouts on One DVD, and as I was dragging out my barre (if you’ve never tried to maneuver a Fluidity barre at 6 months pregnant, you should be VERY proud of me!! That thing is AWKWARD and heavy!!) thought that I might share my thoughts (and a giveaway) with you, my loyal readers (you’re still out there, right??) I know that I have been VERY baby-obsessed the last six months, but I can’t really help that. I promise that after Tater gets here, you’ll hear all about me getting back into shape. Scout’s honor. Okay, moving on. So I finally got the barre set up (YAY!) and the DVD put in (note to self: move the DVD player to a higher location!!), and the Intro workout started. I have done the third and forth workouts before, and KNEW that I could not keep up…ummmm…yeah. I did okay. The workout is 144 bpm, which definitely got my heart pumping, and the moves were clearly explained. Some of the twisting I was unable to do for obvious reasons (and nothing on the floor…that heavens for my exercise ball!!), but I thought that it was a nice, short and to-the-point workout.

Now for the giveaway….I have a BRAND-SPANKIN-NEW Cardio Barre: Four Workouts on One DVD to giveaway! How do you enter, you may ask? Well, I’ll tell you. Leave a comment here telling me WHY you want this workout. It doesn’t have to be long, just tell me why you want it. The contest will run until Midnight EST on Sunday, April 11, 2010 (contest now ended).

I haven’t done this before, but I thought that I’d give it a try: EXTRA ENTRIES!!

-Follow me on Twitter, then post here (separate post, please) to tell me you are a follower.

-Fan me on Facebook, then post here (separate post, please) to tell me that you are now a fan.

-TWEET about this contest (one tweet per person, please), and post your tweet.

Good luck all!!

**Thank you for all the entries and follows!! We (Ish and I) drew the winner tonight…and…it’s DANIELLE! Congratulations!! Please email me your mailing address and I’ll get the DVD right out to you!**

Have you ever heard of iTRAIN? It’s a training program for your iPod. NO, not for the iPod to get in shape…for YOU to get in shape. The workouts are based in anything from cycling to weights…to running…and…(drumroll, please!) BARRE WORKOUTS! You cannot BELIEVE how excited I was to find these! I can take my barre workouts ANYWHERE!! AND the workouts are innovative, well executed and…dare I say this: fun?! Yup. FUN. I like that the workouts vary in length from 20 to 60 minutes, and are rated by difficulty. While most of the iBallet workouts are rated “beginner”, don’t let that fool you. I was BURNING. I know that I’m doing my P57/The Tracy Anderson Method Presents Mat Workout DVD rotation this month, accented by Essentrics (LOVING IT!), but I like to plan ahead. Interestingly, I’m thinking that iBallet will be good on my off days. I currently have the Barre None (no barre), Nip Tuck (accessory muscles), and Workout 1. They’re each broken down into 15-20 minute sections (except for the warm-up and cool-down, which are approximately 3-5 minutes each), which makes it easy to work toward the results that I want. Even better? iTRAIN has different purchase options for their workouts: ala carte, monthy motivator (my personal choice!) and yearly. So you can try a workout, and if you like it, then you can get more! With my plan, I get to download 3 workouts a month (about $10.00/month), and I can choose from any of their programs. Download, workout at iTRAIN.com! Save 10% off select workout packages! Use code TRAIN10. I am thinking about trying ARTM DVD next, which is a fusion of yoga/pilates and dance…but we’ll see. I’m so excited about iBallet that I think I may spend my next 20 downloads getting the complete collection! AND I’m thinking of making these workouts and Cardio Barre my October rotation…loooong ways off, I know…but it’s almost the middle of September! Time to start thinking ahead.

Get that lean dancer’s body! Save 10% on All The Right Moves workout videos from iTRAIN.com! Use code TRAIN10.

When I got home last night, I couldn’t wait to pop in (one of) my new favorite workouts, Essentrics Workout: Arms, Abs&Waist Toner / Legs, Butt&Thigh Thinner intermidiate-advanced level. I’ve been alternating between the upper and lower body workouts (each is 30 minutes long), and yesterday was a lower body day. First, let me say that I am absolutely in love with Sahra’s workouts! That being said…I should probably explain why I love them. The upper body stretch makes me feel SO much taller, and I look forward to the relaxed feeling that comes over me while I’m doing the sequences. Sahra’s cuing is good for both workouts, but I was slightly disappointed to discover that the leg work is not balanced. This is easy to compensate for, just by alternating which leg I start with for the sequences. The lower body workout allowed me to stretch further into my hamstrings and glutes than I’ve been able to do in a LONG time (pun intended). Even with the off-sequencing, I really look forward to the stretches after work. I think that if I had all the time in the world, I would probably do this video (both workouts) every day, just because I feel so great afterwards. I really hope that Essentrics comes out with some additional workouts soon!!

One of my friends has been absolutely RAVING about the BRAND NEW workout from Physique 57…so when I (finally) got my copy of the full body workout, I could not wait to try it…of course, it sat next to the DVD player and taunted me…until this morning. I finally got up the guts to try this workout, and I must say that I’m officially addicted. I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to stick with a rotation for the month…and next month I can change it up. This month’s morning rotation is P57 and The Tracy Anderson Method Presents Mat Workout DVD. After work, I’ll be doing Essentrics Workout: Arms, Abs&Waist Toner / Legs, Butt&Thigh Thinner intermidiate-advanced level, alternating between the two workouts. I am SO excited! I posted a list of things that I wanted to accomplish this year, and I’m already well on my way! Okay…back to my fantastic workout this morning. I have done just about every barre workout there is, and I have to say that I really love the style of P57. Tanya Becker, the creator of P57, was a Lotte Berk instructor for 10 years, and it SHOWS. The “warm up” includes a full sequence of upper-body strength sequence, which targets your biceps, shoulders and back with weights, and then moves to push-ups and tricep dips. I really appreciated that even during the warm up, there was an “advanced” example, as well as a modifyer. After you warm up, and stretch your upper body, it’s on to thighs. One word: OUCH. Tanya has you doing pulses, squeezes and elevators (you actually drop your rear down to your heels and get back up…sounds easy enough, but try doing this when your thighs won’t stop shaking) that make you want to throw the playground ball that the workout uses at the screen. I had to remind myself that I would have to replace the TV…not something i want to do right this moment. The thigh work is broken into two segments, which allows you a short break and then you get right back to that burn. And believe me, this workout will make your muscles SCREAM. But that’s a good thing…it’s what causes those changes that we’re all looking for. I will admit that I had to take a quick break during the second thigh sequence…but I did 99% of it! After thighs, you get to put your rear in gear. This workout has a great standing seat sequence, followed by (my favorite!) pretzel. I like Tanya’s take on pretzel, and my glutes were on FIRE when I was done. The abs segment in the full body workout actually made my abs…SORE. Yup. You read that right. I was SORE. BUT, I think that it was worth it! Most of the abs work is nothing new, but she did utlize a cusion for a large majority of it, which was rather innovative, and definitely takes any pressure off the lower back. After abs, there is a lower back sequence, which is often ignored in other barre workouts. Did I mention the thigh and back dancing? Talk about TOTAL BODY BURN!! The workout does need equipment: you need 2 sets of weights (light and medium), a playground ball (not really optional, but you can find them pretty cheap), a mat (unless you have carpet) and a cushion or thick towel…OH! AND you’ll need a barre or high-backed chair. I know that it sounds like alot, but it is SO very worth it. Currently, you can only purchase the workout directly from the Physique 57 webpage. It’s definitely worth it. I haven’t had this much fun being in pain in awhile!

Want a preview?

In Tanya’s words: “Physique 57 isthe ultimate transformative physical fitness experience. It’s the only exercise program I’ve seen that changes bodies so efficiently. It targets all the major muscle groups so clients see rapid, obvious results. Plus it’s fun, invigorating, and incredibly intense. It makes people feel good.” I defintely agree.

One more thing…over the weekend I posted a contest for the Pershing Square 2 DVD…and had some wonderful entries. I decided to let an outside party pick the winner (Ish), and he picked Patty, who gave a great explaination as to why she wants the workout. See her winning entry here.

It’s finally here!! I wanted to be sure that I could give an honest review of Pershing Square 2, so here it is. I like this workout, but I don’t love it. Here’s the breakdown: the warm up is okay…it’s tough: full-out push-ups, planks and abs. Then it’s on to thigh work: my honest opinion…if you want to really feel the burn, do the thigh work from 1 & 2, or do this sequence twice. I’m normally shaking from Carrie’s workouts, but this time…not so much. Okay…on to the important part: TOOSH. The glutes sequence is AMAZING. You start with standing pretzel, and move on to some floor work. There’s also a decent abs section and good stretches after each body part. Now, the negatives…I would have liked to see more focus on upper body, in addition to a more developed thigh stretching after the workouts. I will admit that I enjoy this workout…it’s one of those that never seems to get old. For the parts that are “easy” there is enough challenge to be interested. I’d actually like for y’all to make your own decision, so I’m (thanks to Carrie) giving away a copy of Pershing Square 2 this weekend. To enter, just tell me why you want to try it by midnight on Sunday (Aug. 30th). One entry per person, please! Here’s a little preview: