Musings of a Fitness Junkie

My favorite individual workouts

2013-02-15T20:42:00.000-06:00

Perusing through my blog history, I noticed that I tend to talk more about systems and programs than I do individual workouts. Well, it's time for me to share the love for exercise DVDs that don't come with tape measures and eating guides.

I think I tend to talk more about systems and programs because a.) they tend to get more attention through online and TV advertising; b.) they are trendy and capitalize on the latest fitness crazes; and c.) they get talked about and searched more often on the Internet...which means tons -- I mean tons! -- of more hits for my blog. Well, it is no longer a secret to my readers what types of blog posts get the most hits for me. While I am little disappointed that my recipes aren't a bigger hit (and I had more to share!), I am sure my fellow fitness bloggers can attest to this.

But in spite of how trendy and hip the latest and greatest 90-day system is, individual workouts definitely stand on their own merit and are the essential backbone of the exercise DVD industry. Do you remember the first exercise DVD or VHS you owned? I certainly do: Richard Simmons' Sweatin' to the Oldies. Sure, Simmons is over-the-top, the sets and outfits are a bit garish and the workout itself is probably to easy for me nowadays, but if it weren't for Richard and other video fitness pioneers, the industry wouldn't be where it is now. Most importantly, it got me interested in exercising. I salute you, Richard!

So here are some my recommendations for individual fitness DVDs to make your at-home collection more interesting and diverse:

Atletica by Ilaria Montagnani

This is a kettlebell inspired workout using dumbbells...and it will make you sweat! It is definitely a full body workout that includes dumbbell swings, push ups, burpees and has a very strong cardiovascular component. Instead of music, Ilaria opts to use a solo percussionist, which can very polarizing for some people. Personally, I enjoy the aggressive, fast-beat nature of the drums, as they match my increasing heart rate and push me to go harder and harder.

Squeeze Stronger by Tracy Effinger

I tend to not reach for this one often due to its length (almost 80 minutes!), but it is a very thorough workout that leaves no body part out of the equation. I would consider this a fusion workout, combining traditional strength training with Yoga, Pilates and even some Barre influence. This one doesn't have as strong of a cardio component as Atletica, but be prepared to feel your buns burn in the lower body section and watch out for those brutal back kicks to whittle away the muffin top towards the end of the upper body section. Plus, I personally love how the workouts switch from two settings: a rooftop and a well-lit studio that features art from Tracy herself!

30 Day Shred and Ripped in 30 by Jillian Michaels

Okay, this is constitutes as two workouts, but I thought I would lump together the very best two standalone workouts from Jillian. Why did I pick these two? Well, they are quite frankly, short, effective and the point. Plus, I like Jillian's 3-2-1 system: 3 minutes strength, 2 minutes cardio and 1 minute of abs. Each DVD comes with a series of workouts that progress and advance as the user gets stronger, with Shred having 3 levels and Ripped adding in a 4th level. I didn't start seeing results until I used these workouts, so I may also be a bit biased. :p

Yogini by Shiva Rea

I have quite a few Yoga DVDs to choose from and while they are all nice and dandy, but when I am not reaching for one of my Namaste workouts, I reach for Shiva. She has a very calm, earthy, ethereal demeanor, she uses gorgeous backdrops and while her workouts vary from beginner to advanced, she does give you the option to ease into the workouts through her menu matrix options. I picked Yogini but it wasn't too hard, wasn't too easy -- just right.

Power Circuit Training by Jackie Warner

In my opinion, Jackie Warner puts out solid workouts that maybe don't get the same kind of love Jillian's workouts do (they use to be business partners, FYI). My favorite of hers is hands down Power Circuit Training because of the option to either do the workout as one 40-minute full body workout, or to work the body parts --abs, arms and legs-- in 3 separate 15-minute routines. Okay, this concept isn't new, but the workouts are solid and the arm section is killer -- I am talking "wanting to throw the weights down like hot potatoes before finishing" killer. It is that good!

Mat Workout by Tracy Anderson

Ah yes, where would this blog be without mentioning the Queen of Teeny Tiny herself, Tracy Anderson. Ever since discovering her, I have been habitual about starting one of her program...only to stop somewhere along the way...then start up again. I guess I go through these phases where I can't wait to do her workouts and then get distracted by something else. But regardless of my Tracy Anderson ~~inconsistencies~~ habits, I have to say that her best workout DVD will always be her Mat Workout. It is a nice introduction to her method and while she will never be world-renown for her cuing, it is easy to follow along and catch on pretty quickly. Plus, it features awesome music and not one, but two arm sections that will make you feel helpless afterwards (you got some competition, Jackie).

Slim & Lean and Get Ripped & Chiseled by Jari Love

Another set of twofers! I remember when I first tried one of Jari Love's workouts and was amused the juxtaposition between her garish outfits and her straight-laced, no nonsense personality. But I am just being nit picky because Jari's workouts are pretty good and well-structured. Jari's workouts entail basic, old school moves (squats, bicep curls) and very high rep in nature, so they can feel monotonous a times; however, once you get use to the routines, you can opt to listen to your own music. Jari Love might not the be the most exciting, over-the-top instructor on the block, but her routines get the job done.

Core Fusion: Body Sculpt lead by Fred DeVito and Elizabeth Halfpapp

For those of us who cannot attend Core Fusion classes, there is a wonderful line of DVDs based on their popular classes. I own a few workouts, but I recommend Body Sculpt because I think it is a nice introduction to anyone interested in Barre and Fusion type workouts. For those wanting to hold off on trying something more advanced like Physique 57, this is challenging, but doable and also really helps with getting the form down. Remember, with Barre-style workouts, form makes or breaks the efficiency and intensity of the workout. Like some of the other workouts I mentioned, this one also gives you the option of working a body part in a separate 10-minute segment, or you can perform the routine as one 50-minute full body workout. Like Jari, Fred and Elizabeth have a more straightforward and instructional approach versus some of their more outgoing (and totally out there) instructors. Some might find them a bit dry, but I find this is preferential for this style of working out. Besides, once you advance up to Physique 57, Tanya Becker will make you miss Fred and Liz's more soothing demeanor.

Well, hope you enjoy these some of these recommendations. Have a good weekend.

Cheers!

Healthy, gluten-free, two-ingredient pancakes...and they actually taste good!

2013-02-11T13:05:00.001-06:00

After having a moment of relapse in the midst of my "no refined carbohydrate" challenge for the month of February, I have rebounded with these fantastic pancake recipe I found online...and I am addicted!

Late night over this past weekend, I came across the Youtube channel for online fitness personality and blogger, Cassey Ho. She runs a website titled Blogilates and she is quite the cute, upbeat and quirky one. While watching one of her workouts, she mentioned a 2 ingredient pancake recipe, consisting of eggs and a banana. Yup, just two ingredients! It definitely got me to run over to her website.

Courtesy of Cassey Ho and Blogilates, here is this fabulous two-ingredient, gluten-free recipe:

Ingredient list:

1.) One ripe banana

2.) Two eggs

Instructions:

Mix ingredients into a bowl and make sure the banana is fully mashed into the mixture, creating the consistency of a wet pancake batter (I use my Vitamix to make this an easier process). Turn the stove on to medium to low heat, spraying your griddle or skillet with coconut oil or butter (or whatever tickles your fancy). Ladle the batter onto the skillet(I personally measure 1/4 cup for each of my pancakes), flipping after 20-30 seconds on each side. Serve and enjoy. Recipe yields 4-6 pancakes medium to small-sized pancakes.

Courtesy of Blogilates.

At about 250 calories and 13.6 grams of protein, it makes for a damn good breakfast. The bananas add a natural sweetness to the pancakes that I often don't add anything to them, but when I do, I add a little drizzle of honey or a spread some peanut butter on the pancakes. If you read the comment section in the original post from the Blogilates site, many readers have shared many ways to alter or add to the recipe.

As I close this post, I am off to making these mouth-watering babies for lunch. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Cheers!

Somtimes I just want a piece of bread...with cheese...and a latte

2013-02-07T18:34:00.000-06:00

So I am already 2.5 lbs down while in the middle of carb-free challenge for the month February...but the cravings are relentless!

When it comes to discipline, I have a mental rebelliousness within me, or you could chalk it up to good old fashion reverse psychology. I told myself no refined carbohydrates for one month and now I want them more than ever. The moment I decided to get serious about weight loss, losing the weight was actually quite easy once I found a regiment I could click with -- in this case, I balanced 30 minutes of intense exercise with the basic concept of calories in, calories out. Now that I am starting to concentrate on micro nutrition, however, the little devil on my shoulder keeps luring me back to decadent foods. Where is my little shoulder angel when you need her?!

As of right now, all I can think about are baguettes with aged cheese; chocolate au pain, scones, biscuits and basically all baked shop goods; lattes, mochas, cappuccinos and everything at my local coffee shop; tempura, crab rangoons, cheese fries and everything that can fit in the deep fryer....I could go for one of everything right now. You probably wondering why I am torturing myself like this? Short answer: because I can.

Even better way to torture myself? Food porn! I guess this is how I will have to fix for now. Just 22 days left!

Cheers! P.S. Enjoy the food porn!

(Refined) Carb-free February

2013-02-01T19:29:00.000-06:00

Blogger note: this is part 1 in a series where I participate in a monthly diet and/or exercise challenge as part of a journey to improve my health.

I know what you are thinking: are you going on the Atkins diet or some sort of similar ketogenic diet? Well, not quite -- I am not that extreme! What I am doing, however, is pledging to go refined carb-free for the next 28 days (I am so glad this is the shortest month of the year!).

So what are refined carbohydrates again? At this point, I would like to assume most of you know this (and are in denial about it -- hey, I am), but in layman's terms they are the"bad" carbs. They are the carbs that make us fat. Here is a list of the most delicious, yet unfriendly-to-your-waistline carbohydrates that I am cutting out for this month:

Sweeteners: sugars, artificial sweeteners, high frutose corn syrup, etc.
Bottled and canned beverages: soda, fruit juices, those funky-ass kid drinks, etc.
White flour products:freaking bread!
Processed fruits and vegetables with additives.

None of this for the month of February. I weep for my poor soul!

The list could go on forever, but you get the idea of what constitutes a "bad" carb.

At the height of low-carb diet mania, people lost focus of the reality that carbohydrates are a very broad food group, which also includes many nutritionally dense ones, aka the complex carbs. While I understand that some people cut out all carbohydrates for quicker results, I do believe in eating complex carbs (the "good" carbs) and will be keeping these in my diet. Complex carbs mainly entail fruits, veggies, legumes whole wheat foods, etc, and while I personally am very picky with commercial food items claiming to be whole wheat, many "super" foods like sweet potatoes and lentils are things I never leave out of my diet.

So basically, I am spending the next 28 days pretending baguettes don't exist and that I actually like my coffee black. God have mercy on us all.

Have a good weekend! Cheers!

I need a little Namaste in my life

2013-01-31T18:02:00.001-06:00

Namaste: a common spoken greeting or salutation originating from India and Nepal.

But I am specifically referring to the yoga show on the now defunct Fit TV. Curse you, Oprah!

If are not familiar with the syndicated show that use to run on Fit Tv, Namaste Yoga was designed by yoga instructor Kate Potter and consisted of 22-minute episodes of various yoga practices, but was particularly centered around Hatha yoga. The show's production values were extremely well done, with the show being noted for gorgeous cinematography and its scenic views of Vancouver. In fact, the beautiful cinematography, ambient music and soothing voice overs from Kate herself were the main reasons I became attracted to the show in the first place. I have always been hot and cold with yoga, but this show made me a believer that I could be a quasi yogini.

Well, it is unfortunate that FitTV folded -- I heard many of the same programs were in syndication under the Discovery Channel's Health outlet -- but I was lucky enough to convert some taped episodes of Namaste Yoga into DVDs, as well as obtaining some downloads from a now defunct streaming site where I purchased a few episodes as well. I recently just discovered a Namaste website where you can purchase full seasons, learn about workshops, catch previews of the show and more...but those shipping prices from Canada are a bit steep, eh? Okay, I'm sorry Canada!

Here are some episode clips:

As you can see, the production is seductive, stunning and so soothing, it would be hard not to be intrigued -- I know I have caught myself just staring instead of actually doing the yoga. Some people have outright accused this show of being yoga or exercise porn. But I say there is nothing wrong with adding a little sensuality into your yoga practice. I mean, isn't boredom the number one complaint by people who don't like yoga?

While I am still very much involved and dedicated with my current circuit training rotation, I decided I need some form of stretching and rehabilitating for my achy body, especially my back. Training hard is fun and effective, but even the strongest, most endured bodies need to rejuvenate. I never got much into foam rolling and other forms of yoga can be zzz-inducing, but I love me some Namaste. And I still hate Oprah.

Cheers!

Sample the JNL style workouts

2013-01-24T15:22:00.000-06:00

Lately, I have been gushing about how great the 30/30 format of circuit training is, based on the format of the JNL Fusion program. Well, I thought I would share some clips of Jennifer Nicole Lee's workouts for those not familiar with her style of workouts.
If you visit Youtube and subscribe to the channel of fitness model and creator of JNL Fusion, Jennifer Nicole Lee, you can get a nice directory of sample workouts, diet tips, clips from her conferences and appearances, etc. I admit, Jennifer has a big personality and has no shame hocking her numerous products --Jennifer, you can send my cut of the proceeds later -- so those who prefer straight personality types should probably exit now. For those looking for some excitement and a change of pace in their workouts, check out my favorite clips below!

Full Length Shoulder Shredder Workout:

Lower Body Workout:

Skip to 1:52 to get to the heart of the workout

Glutes That Salute!

Note: these moves can be modified on the ground if you do not have a bench

I Love Muscle Full Body Workout

Skip to 0:57 to get straight to the workout

Enjoy the blood, sweat and tears! Cheers!

30/30 and 60/30: my new favorite way to exercise

2013-01-15T14:29:00.002-06:00

As promised, I will share with you how I am managing to exercise without fitness DVDs and creating my own circuit workouts.

It is no secret that I adore the format of JNL Fusion: 30 seconds of strength training, followed by 30 seconds of cardio, completed for a total of 3 rounds per circuit. While I do love the program as well, I think I prefer making my own workouts based on that format just a little more. Hey, imitation is the sincerest form of flatter, right?

But then again, sometimes I crave a little challenge....so I up the strength portion to 60 seconds. And the best part? I thought of that on my own! Granted, it is not that creative, but I digress.

Here is an example of a circuit I completed this past week:

Circuit 1:
Strength (60 seconds) - Walk out pushups
Cardio (30 seconds) - Jump rope
*entire circuit performed a total of 3x

Circuit 2:
Strength (60) - Side lateral raises w/5lb dumbbells -- f*ck my shoulders!
Cardio (30) - Weighted punches with 2lb dumbbells
x3

Circuit 3:
Strength (60) - Deadlift to bicep curl w/10lb dumbbells
Cardio (30) - Spiderman touch -- get your dirty mind outta the gutter!
x3

Circuit 4:
Strength (60) - Tricep dips
Cardio (30) - Sumo squat jumps
x3

Circuit 5:
Strength (60) - Seated cable row w/resistance band
Cardio (30) - Plank jacks
x3

Circuit 6:
Strength (30) - Plank hold
Cardio (30) Prisoner jacks

Notes on warm ups and cool downs:
I do a dynamic warm up for about 3.5-5 minutes. Yes, my warm ups do include high impact moves, like jumping jacks and even a little dancing. I tend to mix up these high impact moves with dynamic stretching. The idea is to warm up my muscles. I save the static stretching for cool down time (4-6 minutes) and often employ moves from various yoga practices.

Time:
This circuit comes to a total of 28 minutes, not calculating the water breaks I take in between each circuit, nor does that include warm up and cool down. As I previously mentioned, I include 5-second breaks in between each strength and cardio interval, giving me enough time to change positions. One circuit in the 60/30 format comes in at 4:55, while one circuit in the 30/30 format comes in at 3:25--again, that includes the 5-second breaks in between the intervals. If I had to estimate how long this workout took me, including the water breaks in between circuits--I prefer 15-30 seconds max, though occasionally take up to one minute)--the warm up and the cool down, I would say between 40-42 minutes. To simplify that in a formula, it goes something like this:

4 min warm up + 28 min workout + 2 min worth of h20 breaks + 6 min cool down=40 minutes

Overall Thoughts:
Well, I can't gush enough over how much I love training this way, but I will admit that it has its cons. For one, because of the simplicity of the circuit--going back and forth between one strength move and one cardio interval--and the length of the circuits, it does make it hard to get a full body workout in. Of course, when I mean full body workout, I mean completing individual strength moves that work each body part and muscle group; however, the real beauty in this style of training is that the cardio interval can most certainly make up for what the strength interval cannot, i.e. jump squats to accompanying chest presses in a circuit, hence getting both your lower and upper body worked. The other con to note is that this style of training can get exhausting and cause a beginner to overexert themselves too quickly...but I do recommend easing into this type of training by either using strength and cardio exercises more at your level--no tuck jumps for beginners!--or doing a few circuits at first, slowly incorporate more as you progress.

Okay, I had to share some cons to show that I remain impartial (I really am not), but for me this is the most perfect way to train. I got the cardio intervals to make me sweat. I can go heavy or light with the weights, and go high or low with the rep count. I can use my body weight and use no equipment. I can also use all my equipment: weights, resistance bands, my Ugi, gliders, my Lebert Equalizer, kettlebells--it's freaking Crossfit class in my small studio apartment! I can take this style of training on the road with me. To sum it up, it's diverse, effective and I can never get bored.. Hey, we all know what happens when I get bored...I mean really bored...I mean so bored, I my wallet take a hit...okay, this is getting embarrassing now...

So, uh, have a good week...I guess? Cheers!

Sayanora, video fitness!

2013-01-11T11:27:00.002-06:00

After embarrassingly admitting earlier this week that I cannot stay committed to a rotation, I have another one to confess: I am not interested in doing exercise videos. Blasphemous, I know!

Before I lose credibility, I do want to say that while I have had a fun time in the past collecting exercise DVDs, equipment, 90-day systems, etc, I'm just going through a phase where I want to workout at my own pace. This feels like a life altering moment, but let me further explain.

Yesterday, I mentioned wanting to concentrate solely on circuit training. When I mean circuit training, I meant creating my own circuits. I mentioned doing this during my break over the holidays. Well, I have been enjoying this haphazardly, do-it-my-self, go-at-my-own-pace freedom just a little too much. I'm not giving up video fitness forever--more like a hiatus--but this seems to be the beginning of a new stage in the fitness aspect of my everyday life: fitness independence. No classes, no trainer, no instructional videos--just me!

I've been using the format of JNL Fusion to set up most of my circuits: a 30-second strength interval, followed by a 30-second cardio interval, with a total of 3 rounds per circuit. I've also dabbled a little bit with the format of the Weider X-Factor ST program: 30-second interval, followed by a 45-second interval and then completed with a 90-second interval. I did, however, make some adjustments with this one, opting to split the 90-second interval into a 60-second interval and a 30-second cardio interval. To make sense of this, here is what a circuit from each format would look like:

JNL-style circuit:

Strength - Tricep dips (30 seconds)
Cardio - Butt kicks (30 seconds)
repeat for a total of 3 rounds

Weider-style Circuit:

Strength - Crunches (30 seconds)
Strength - Bicep curls (45 seconds)
Strength - Alternating forward lunges (60 seconds)
Cardio - Tuck jumps (30 seconds)
repeat rounds as many times as desired (I usually perform this circuit from anywhere to 2-3 rounds)

I allow for 5-second rest periods in between intervals and rounds to give me enough time to get ready for the next move, but the short break period allows me to keep my heart rate up and my muscles to fatigue faster. For the JNL-style circuit, if I want to up the challenge, I increase the strength portion to 60 seconds per interval. For my interval timer, I use to the Seconds Pro Interval Timer on my iPad. Side note: I generally hate paying for apps, but this one has so many great features and modes, I say it is worth it the $5.

I plan to break down both of these formats in another post, but I'll sum up why I have opted to go this route. First off, it's fun; routines change all the time and there is no dread factor from repeating the same routine. I often peruse youtube and body rock (and similar sites) for ideas and for innovative moves I haven't tried before. Second, my heart rate is through the roof and I am burning calories like crazy! Third, it is challenging, constantly leaving my muscles guessing and with so many variations of strength moves (weighted and body weight) and cardio blasts at varying levels of intensity, I can never truly outgrow the workouts.

I think my other reasoning for doing this is that I am underwhelmed with the video fitness market as of late. There are no new workouts that have caught my eye--well, I am eying those new Toniques and the new Atleticas don't look shabby either, but I think I can hold off on not purchasing those for awhile. This is odd coming from a person use to buy new workouts faster than she would change her underwear--I'm hygienic, before you get any funny ideas!--but now I just want to take the minimalist approach. Of course, how long will this minimalist approach last...?

Enjoy the upcoming weekend! Cheers!

Well I guess I won't be completing a 90-day system anytime soon

2013-01-07T16:39:00.002-06:00

I didn't last a week and I got bored with Metamorphosis.

So while last week was certainly a victory for me in terms of keeping up with a decent diet and being consistent with exercise, I just couldn't bring myself to do Tracy Anderson's Metamorphosis. In a record 3 days, I copped out of a rotation and went all haphazard rogue. I'm just too rebellious for my own good!

In all seriousness, I think my problem was that I jumped the gun on picking a program that wasn't consistent with my current exercise needs. But more importantly, I just don't find her type of exercise stimulating, motivating or exciting at the moment. Shocking, I know, considering I toot Tracy's horn a lot on this blog, but my current exercise state of mind gravitates me towards circuit training, metabolic training, ballistic training, aerobic weight training--oh whatever the hell marketing calls it these days! Basically, I like rotating resistance training (free weights or body weight exercises) with cardio intervals in my workouts.

I'm just so in love with circuit training right now, it is all I want to do. I am aiming to lose weight, but I am also aiming to regain strength and endurance levels I lost from a year-and-a-half of lost exercise time. For me, training in circuits and in intervals gives me the most bang for my buck. Lots of calories burned? Check. Does it get my heart rate up? Check. Does it improve my cardio capacity? Check. Does my strength improve? Check. Is there enough variety to keep me motivated and keep my muscles guessing? Check and check. Do I get DOMS like nobody's business? Yes, please!

This is how I roll these days. Source: Wikipedia

Of course, this doesn't mean I am going to shelf Tracy forever. As a true fitness junkie, I have never pledged my allegiance to one form of exercise and dismissed the rest. I am no cult follower of one method and my wandering eye and lack of fitness fidelity will stray me to another form of exercise soon enough. Just for this moment, I am content with alternating squats with box jumps in a circuit until my ass falls off.

Cheers!

That old feeling and prepping myself for the holiday season

2012-12-19T16:34:00.002-06:00

I'm suddenly in the haphazard type of mood. Again.

So in the middle of resuming Phase 2 of Body Revolution, two things happened to me: 1.) I realized that an impending travel to my parent's house for the holidays was going to make it hard to move a lot of much needed equipment for me to complete weeks 7&8 and 2.) My week 8 DVD stopped working...damn! That is okay, I can learn how to improvise. While I dealt with customer service and put off Body Revolution for another day, I got in that haphazard type of mood where I just wanted to do whatever workout I was in the mood for. It is a good, impulsive feeling.

Oddly enough, I actually decided to make my own workout routine...who would have thought? I took page from the JNL Fusion playbook and make my own circuits using the 30 seconds for strength/30 seconds for cardio model. It was a helluva lot of fun and it was nice to go heavier with my weights again. Love your workouts, Jillian, but those compound moves make it tricky to go too heavy. Plus, the next-day DOMS was a nice touch.

I also decided that I would take the time while at my parent's house--I got the whole basement to myself!--to evaluate some of the workouts and systems I want to incorporate into my regiment for 2013, including TapouT XT, Tonique and The Weider system (never tried the levels past 3). Besides the fact that these programs require little to no equipment, I thought taking the haphazard approach would be fun and get me in the mood to exercise during the holiday break.

I know many people choose to fall off the wagon during the holidays and resume in time for the New Year, but I see it a little differently. Instead of waiting until New Year's to commit to fitness resolutions that I likely won't keep, I want to swing into 2013 already in the right mindset. Since finally having my "aha!" moment recently, I've lost 11 lbs and lost inches all over my body, including 1.5" off my waist...why throw that away for a few days of lousy parties and lousy food? Yes, I think 80% of the food at Christmas parties sucks donkey mierda anyways, so no point in ruining my journey so far for a cheese dip made with prepackaged, processed ingredients. Yuck!

As I wrap this blog post up, I am getting ready to do another JNL-type workout I made--wohoo! Just got get the playlist set to go and all systems a go.

Cheers!

Tried Turbo Fire after a long hiatus...

2012-12-08T17:39:00.002-06:00

...and I am glad to know I still got it! Was definitely a bit tough on my calves, but thankfully no plantar fasciitis.

Towards the end of the workout, I have to admit that I was running on fumes. My form got a little sloppy too. Regardless, it is nice to know I can ease my body back into the high impact aerobics I use to love so much; however, knowing now that high impact aerobics are not the end all, be all of cardio, I will probably start to incoporate it back into my routine maybe 1-2x/week. Today was a cardio day for me in the Body Revolution rotation, so I used the Fire 60 workout as a substitute. I think Turbo Fire will make a nice compliment to my current Body Revolution rotation.

Nothing says you love your body more than a good ol' fashion star jump.

I'm back!

2012-12-07T18:59:00.001-06:00

Per usual, an absence on my end of things usually indicates that I have fallen off the wagon--not so fast! I'm happy to report that I have been consistent this past month and I am starting to see results.

When I last blogged, I talked about taking a hiatus from Jillian Michael's Body Revolution to do a rotation that combined her 30 Day Shred and Ripped in 30 workouts. My reasoning was that Phase 1 of Body Revolution seemed too easy for me and was simply not enough to increase my fitness level. I felt the transitioning between levels in both Shred and Ripped was more equipped to help someone go from A to B to C, etc, whereas the transitioning in Body Revolution felt like going from A to D to Z...I just didn't find it very tangible.

My schedule for the past 4 weeks looked something like this:

Week 1-30 Day Shred (level 1) x5, plus maybe a workout from Killer Buns & Thighs, Tonique Premier or some type of add on

Week 2- Ripped in 30 (level 1) x5, plus the occasional add-on workout

Week 3- Shred (level 2) x5, plus the occasional add-on workout

Week 4- Shred (level 3) x5, plus add-on

I am happy to report a loss of an inch on my waist, 5-7 lbs dropped (it fluctuates) and I am back to fitting in size 8 clothes again (down from a 10/12). I am also happy to report that to all the Jillian naysayers out there: her workouts work, plain and simple. Mind you, I have also kept my diet in check (counted calories, which I plan to talk about more later) and really upped my H2o intake (I have an addiction to sparkling water...again, more about that in another blog post). All these ingredients lead to the results I have been craving for a long time.

The really awesome part about being consistent with that rotation was seeing my fitness capacity increase. A lot. I have documented my downfalls from this past year, both from a fitness and personal perspective, and one thing I unfortunately lost was my body weight strength and the ability to do lots of push ups. As a woman, I am proud to boast that I can do toe push ups and have been able to do them since childhood. At my peak, I could pump out 50 consecutively and over 100 in rep sets...but at my lowest I could maybe do 10 before collapsing, completely out of breathe. Thanks to Jillian, I am on way to getting back to peak strength. Yay!

Because of these great strength gains, instead of continuing on with the next levels in Ripped in 30, I decided to start Phase 2 of Body Revolution...and man, what fun! So I am halfway through the first week of Phase 2 and it amazes me how much stronger, faster and more athletic I have become; however, that doesn't mean it isn't challenging for me. Thanks to my increase in strength gains, I was able to complete a reverse plank hold for 30 seconds, twice...but thanks to that cruel, insidious b*tch, Jillian Michaels, my triceps are f*cking sore as hell!


Just because we CAN do a reverse plank doesn't mean we SHOULD, Jillian!

But jokes aside, it is nice to have the best of both worlds (again): the ability to be challenged, but also have the strength, stamina and endurance to push yourself through the challenge. Upon previewing the once-evil-and-impossibly-challenging Phase 3, it not longer seems as hard to me. In fact, I welcome it. Until then, however, I will enjoy the challenge Phase 2 presents to me for the month of December.

I am hoping before the year ends (or before that dreaded apocalypse), I will have enough time to blog about my diet and other things that have worked for me. It seems I found my "Aha!" moment and would love to share. I also want to segway into my fitness goals for 2013, as the beginning of next year seems more promising for me then the beginning of this year did. I'm all about the positivity, people!

Enjoy your weekend! Cheers!

Quickie Reviews

2012-11-10T22:02:00.002-06:00

*UPDATE: I have added two reviews in the Reviews section and am organizing all reviews based on instructor profile.

I have noticed that when I write reviews for workout systems or DVDs, those blog posts get the most views and bring the most hits to my blog. Unfortunately, I cannot take the time to review every workout I come across.

I have, however, been searching sites like Collage Video and Amazon for past reviews I have written and will start sharing them on my newly added Reviews page. As I incorporate certain DVDs or workout systems into my daily regiment, you can periodically check this page to see a summary of my thoughts. I will also try my best to note on this blog when a review has been added.

As a general rule of thumb, I would never use a workout consistently if I didn't give it at least 4 out of 5 stars. Three-star reviewed workouts are used sparingly, while 1 or 2 stars get traded away. Here is a breakdown of my rating system out of 5 stars:

1=horrible product
2=below average or mediocre
3=good, but has flaws
4=a very good, solid product
5=something I would deem as a classic

Check back for my reviews as they will be posted accordingly. I am still unsure how I will organize them--by date or instructor--but I hope to have them running soon.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Cheers!

My favorite Samhain recipes

2012-10-31T15:05:00.001-05:00

In honor of that time of the year where the fall harvest ends and we are at the mercy of evil spirits, I thought I would lighten the mood by sharing some of my favorite seasonal recipes.
Alas, the harvest season is coming to an end, but thankfully we have another month to enjoy seasonal goods. So while in the midst of the halfway point between the fall equinox and the winter solstice, I bring you some my favorite comfort foods that won't wreck havoc on your waistline:

1. Butternut squash soup: I use to abhor the idea of eating squash as a kid...but now I get enough of this stuff. I own a Vitamix, so making this one is a cinch if you have one or a very good blender.

You'll need:

1 (2 to 3 pound) butternut squash, peeled and seeded
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cups chicken stock
Nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot melt butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in a blender and puree. Return blended squash to pot. Stir and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve.

Nutrition:
Calories: 125
Total Fat: 5 grams
Saturated Fat: 2.5 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Total carbohydrates: 19 grams
Sugar: 4 grams
Fiber: 3.5 grams
Cholesterol: 10 milligrams
Sodium: 1044 milligrams

2. Pumpkin Chili: I know it sounds odd, but it is actually quite good. Mind you, I am a big fan of pumpkin-flavored anything, so being a fan of this big orange gourd-like squash is a plus. You can always add ground beef, pork or turkey to this recipe, but I am bigger fan of the vegetarian version.

You'll need:

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp of olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 cups frozen corn

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt, plus more to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onions and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes.

Add all other ingredients, plus 4 cups water, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

3. Honey Crisp Apples: Well, I actually don't have a specific recipe in mind, but I have to say that Honey Crisps are the *beep*! They are sweet, a little tart and incredibly juicy and are basically my favorite kind of apple. It is like eating apple cider!

Ideas on what to do with them or any other apple in season:

Pair them with a very tart cheese (i.e. aged cheddar, asiago or romano)
Place them on baguette slices, put some chunks of brie, walnuts and honey on top and bake at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes. Yum!
Bake, fry or slow cook them with brown sugar and cinnamon. You can add a graham cracker topping, but they taste pretty good as is. Serve with ice cream.
Dice them up and add them to your favorite chicken salad recipe. Add a little curry powder for some extra kick.

Happy Samhain (Halloween to some of you) and stay safe! Cheers!

Okay, I take back what I said...

2012-10-24T16:43:00.004-05:00

So on Monday, I lamented that Phase 1 of Jillian Michaels Body Revolution wasn't very challenging. I even had the audacity to call it boring!

Well, I was partially wrong. Only the first two weeks, or first two workouts, are a bit boring for an intermediate exerciser+. I have started workouts 3&4 this week and find them sufficiently challenging. Tons of plank workout, including the plank pushup, which I despise with acidic vitriol. I f-cking hate them! And workout 3 in particular fries your triceps with no mercy.

So I am admitting there is a foot currently in my month and will kindly remove it. That is all.

Cheers!

I like Body Revolution...but I love 30 Day Shred more!

2012-10-22T09:06:00.001-05:00

So I just finished the first two weeks of Jillian Michaels Body Revolution and while I do have to commend it for being a solid program, it is making me long for her individual workouts, like 30 Day Shred and Ripped in 30.

Even though I am not in peak shape like I was in 2010 and had to rebuild my fitness foundation from scratch, the first phase of Body Revolution is too easy. Oh who am I kidding--it's boring!

I think the problem--in no part do I blame the efficiency and effectiveness of the actual system--is that Jillian takes time building your fitness foundation in Phase 1. That entails isolating body parts (though I do generally prefer this), low impact cardio and tons of balance/coordination exercises. In other words, my heart rate isn't getting very high and I am barely breaking a sweat.

In order to break up this monotony, I may have pulled out 30 Day Shred and Ripped in 30 to substitute a workout or two, last week. Let me tell you, it was a real treat! In the past, I use to write off Jillian's personality as too harsh, her exercise programs as too generic and overall she just wasn't my style. Funny how things change since I probably consider her my favorite instructor at the moment. As I was doing level 1&2 workouts from both DVDS, I managed to get my heart rate up, was breaking a good sweat (my basement apartment is pretty chilly too), found the exercises both challenging but doable and enjoyed myself as the time flew by.

Something I noticed about the first levels on 30 Day Shred and Ripped in 30 is that they are a bit more challenging than all of Phase 1 in Body Revolution. Based on previewing the ensuing phases, Phase 2 might be more comparable to the mid levels of the aforementioned workouts. Now Phase 3 might be a different story in itself. Based on what I have seen, it makes the upper levels of her 30 day workout DVDs look like kindergarten. I mean, @%$#! I am sooo not looking forward to doing a reverse pushup.

So I am not exactly sure how I am going to deal with the rest of Phase 1, but I may substitute the occasional workout with Shred or Ripped. We will just see how this goes.

Enjoy your week. Cheers!

The last 12 weeks of the year

2012-10-10T22:16:00.002-05:00

I apologize for my absence and if this blog post seems a little...rusty.

Where did we last leave off? Ah, yes--I was infatuated with JNL Fusion. I believe I followed the rotation for close to 4 weeks before allowing life to get in the way...again. Regardless, I hadn't entirely given up on exercise, it just became a more sporadic activity throughout my busy weeks.

So I went out of town with a friend over the weekend--the lovely city of Madison, WI in fact--and my friend pointed out that this week marks the last full 12 weeks of the year. Most (normal) people would think about how fast this year went by, start thinking about the upcoming holiday season or thinking forward to 2013, but me? I realized it was my last chance to do a full 90-day rotation for the year. Yup, I was thinking about 90-day rotations and exercise systems.

When I got back from my trip, I immediately spent time trying to evaluate which system I should be ~~forcing myself~~ ~~to do~~ try. P90x? Chalean Extreme? Supreme 90? TapouT XT? Tracy Anderson's Metamorphosis? Then I remembered the one person who got me through the beginning of this year: Jillian Michaels.

Yup. I decided to finish out the year with Jillian Michaels Body Revolution. I came to this conclusion for two reasons: 1.) Jillian's format is really quick and efficient and 2.) it compliments JNL enough to where I can tack on the workouts and still say I finished the JNL rotation. JNL and Jillian together? I know it sounds like overkill, but it surprisingly works. JNL workouts tend to focus on certain body parts and so does Body Revolution. For instance, Jillian's system tends to split between two strength workouts throughout a 2-week cycle, with one day focusing on shoulders, triceps, chest, quads...and the other day might focus on back, biceps, hamstrings and glutes. If I went a little extra focus on my biceps, I can pop in JNL's Bicep Builder workout on the day my Body Revolution workout is doing biceps and voila!

I am already in the middle of week 1 and even with the sporodic weeks of minimal amounts of exercise, Body Revolution was surprisingly not that hard...so far. I have previewed phase 3, which entails the last 4 weeks (workouts 9-12) and they look crazy ridiculous---I am talking acrobatically out of my league! How the hell I am going to manage?! Well, I will make sure to blog when the time rolls around. For now, though, the first phase or 2 seems pretty manageable and adding on JNL workouts to up the anti makes sense.

So now let's hope I stay on the wagon....

Cheers!

Workout schedule for week of 9/17/2012

2012-09-16T17:32:00.001-05:00

This is a first for me: I am about to embark on week 3 of an exercise program...and still madly in love with the program!

As you might have guessed, I am still digging JNL Fusion and can't wait to start week 3.

Here is the rotation:

Monday: Shoulder Shredder

Tuesday: Fusion Lower Body

Wednesday: Crazy Circuit Cardio

Thursday: Bicep Builder

Friday: Ballistic Back

Saturday: TKO Fat Blast

Sunday: Rest

Have a good week, everyone!

Today is my birthday...

2012-09-13T16:16:00.001-05:00

...and since I am stuffing my face with treats, validating my free drink at Starbucks and am just overall being chill and lazy, I have no right to lecture anyone about fitness and health right now. Enjoy your day!

When I'm consist with exercise...

2012-09-11T18:51:00.001-05:00

...I notice that things around me just fall into place.

It's no coincidence that ever since I resumed consistent exercising in the past few months, my life has seen some much needed improvements. For one, I am eating better. I am also more productive. My sense of self and evaluating who I am and what I want out of life has become more clearer. I'm sleeping...well...I am still the quintessential night owl who suffers from FOMO. I don't think that is changing anytime soon.

Not to confuse causation vs. correlation, but I think exercise is a great indicator of my current life situation. When I am not exercising consistently, I am stressed, overworked, depressed or just flat out have lost hope. When I am exercising, I am productive, busy-- but not too busy, happy, upbeat, positive and am well-balanced overall.

In the coming weeks, I will be going through some mostly positive changes and am looking forward to where it takes me. In the meantime, I happy to say I am officially back on track.

Cheers!

Workout schedule for week of 9/10/2012

2012-09-09T02:47:00.001-05:00

As you may have noticed from Thursday's post, I have fallen out of love with the Weider X-Factor ST program after 3 weeks and am cheating on it with JNL Fusion. I know...I am a horrible girlfriend when it comes to building relationships with my workout systems.

Meet my new love: Jennifer Nicole Lee

So continuing my steamy and torrid affair with JNL Fusion, here is my workout schedule for the week:

Monday: JNL Upper Body Transformer

Tuesday: JNL Lean Legs

Wednesday: JNL Speed & Agility + yoga

Thursday: JNL Total Body + 3-mile jog

Friday: JNL Total Body Transformer (formerly known as Crack-a-Lackin Cardio)

Saturday: JNL Fusion Stretch + 3-mile jog

Sunday: REST

Here is to starting the week off on the right foot. Cheers!

JNL Fusion Review

2012-09-06T16:24:00.001-05:00

Okay, this is starting to get obscene, but I recently traded for a new workout system to cure the reappearance of my exercise ADD. What did I end up getting? The mother of all systems meant for the exercise ADD crowd: JNL Fusion.

Believe me, that's actually a compliment.

If you are like me, you have exercise ADD and in comes in two forms: 1.) getting bored in the middle of a workout and 2.) getting bored with your entire workout collection. Is there a workout system to finally ease my poor attention span?

Yes, there is!

What is JNL Fusion, you ask? It's an 8-week workout program created by fitness model Jennifer Nicole Lee--hey guys, she's Google-worthy! *wink, wink* The program itself includes 12 workouts that alternate strength and cardio intervals, known as "Super Spiking." According to the marketing tactics of this program (I'm in marketing, so color me cynical if you will), Super Spiking entails splitting the cardio and strength portions into 30-second intervals each, which revs up your metabolism and is more effective than traditional workouts. While I cannot verify the science behind this, the actual structure of the workouts is what intrigues me.

Here is a breakdown of the Shoulder Shredder workout to give you an idea of how it is structured:

Circuit 1:
Strength: overhead shoulder press (30 sec)
Cardio: speed rope/jump rope (30 sec)
*Alternate between both exercises for a total of 3x each

Circuit 2:
Strength: side laterals(30 sec)
Cardio: snatch and grabs (30 sec)
*3x each

Circuit 3:
Strength: front laterals (30 sec)
Cardio: plyo plies (30 sec)
*3x

Circuit 4:
Strength: bent over rear delts (30 sec)
Cardio: power jacks (30 sec)
*3x

Circuit 5:
Strength: French press (30 sec)
Cardio: Fusion hot coals (30 sec)
*3x

Circuit 6:
Strength: tricep kickbacks (30 sec)
Cardio: Titanium tucks (30 sec)
*3x

Circuit 7:
Strength: tricep dips on the floor (30 sec)
Cardio: Fusion glides (30 sec)
*3x

If you think structured exercise is boring or mentally exhausting, this is the program for you. Time really flies when you switch back and forth between a cardio and strength interval for 30 seconds each. On top of that, the workouts average 30 minutes each, so this is extremely doable for someone short on time.

Courtesy of JNL Fusion

The other thing to note about this program is that even though workouts are structured similarly to split sessions (working only one or two body parts), your entire body is still getting a good workout. The strength moves themselves tend to be very concentrated on individual body parts (triceps/shoulders, biceps/chest, legs, etc), but the cardio moves are very lower body and core-focused, leaving no body part out of the equation. Although the cardio moves are very familiar--burpees, mountain climbers, high knees, etc--JNL Fusion does put a lot of new twists on these moves, so the cardio intervals are never monotonous.

So what is the verdict? Well, if you couldn't already tell, I am pretty much in love with this system! The structure and amount of time are perfect, but I also love how I can actually work on my strength while increasing my cardio, simultaneously.

See the thing is, I struggle back forth between choosing heavy weight training and circuit training with lighter weights. I like the efficiency of combining cardio and cutting my exercise time down by doing circuit training, but yet I love the strength, endurance and stamina gains with heavy lifting...so which to choose? With JNL Fusion, I don't have to. And while the exercisers in JNL Fusion tend to go faster with higher reps and lower weights, Jennifer does mention in the guide book that you can go at a slower pace with heavy weights/less reps if you want to. Thirty seconds is plenty of time to crank out 6-10 reps with heavy weights, or 15-20 reps with lower weights.

One thing I have always preferred about heavy lifting over circuit training is the concentration or isolation of one muscle group, which makes it easier for me to work on form and use my strength, versus using momentum. I understand the argument that compound moves are more efficient and burn more calories...but I just find them flat out awkward. When squatting and lifting weights in an overhead movement, not only does my form suffer, but so does my strength since I have to decrease the weights to be able execute the move. JNL addresses this perfectly for me, isolating body parts for the strength intervals, but doing my total body exercises in the cardio intervals.

The instructor herself, Ms. Jennifer Nicole Lee, has a great personality. She's a sexy and confident woman, but she is also very engaging and sweet. I love the fact that she opted to choose background exercisers with all body types. There are the buff jocks, sure, but there are also the artsy kids, the theatre geeks, the math team...well, you get my drift. She makes it clear that this program can be for anyone and everyone.

At this point, my gushing over this program makes me sound like a paid shrill, so what are the negatives, you ask? Well, for starters, some of the background exercisers mug the camera a little too much for my liking. The feel of these workouts remind me a lot of Turbo Fire: bright, garish outfits, hair and makeup done up perfectly, whooping and mugging for the camera and just overall ridiculously smiley, happy people. If you are absolutely against "party in a box" type of workouts, learn to use the mute button or maybe just avoid these altogether. Personally, I enjoy Jennifer's upbeat attitude and her kitschy catchphrases like "kiss my abs" and "kick your trash"--though "glutes that salute" takes the cake here--but she might not be for everyone.

If I really had to be harsh, there were a few background exercisers who reeked of bad form. I find this is a common problem when dealing with the class format: too many background exercisers=increasing the likelihood of someone having bad form. The other issue I had was the lack of warm-up and cool down. All the workouts do come with an issued warning that remind you to warm up ahead of time and many of the workouts do end with a brief cool down, but it just felt incomplete. I have been exercising long enough to take charge on my own, but inexperienced exercisers might not know better.

But that doesn't stop me from loving this program. Not since Turbo Fire have I been in love with an exercise program and looked forward to my next workout. I have mentioned my struggles for the past year and a half and at it felt tedious at times to get back into the game. But thanks to JNL Fusion, it doesn't anymore.

Cheers!

Clicking with yoga

2012-09-04T17:12:00.002-05:00

If you are not a yogi or yogini, you probably wonder what it is that makes them so infatuated with that prehistoric form of exercise? We all have our excuses for why we don't like: boring, too long, too hard, lacking coordination, clashes with our spiritual beliefs, etc.

I spent many years trying to "get" yoga by purchasing DVDs, trying online tutorials, even signing up for classes (I never attended)... but it never clicked with me until recently.

You probably had a girlfriend gush about how yoga changed her life and gave her the body of her dreams. She probably tried to convince you to attend a class with her, even against your hesitations. You may or may not have attended one, but like me, you probably had a lot of the same worries and preconceived notions going in: not being advanced enough to try, dealing with a pushy instructor, too many hot bodies to make you feel down on your physique, too many hot, sweaty bodies in close proximity to push your space boundaries, etc.

But when we are not dealing with our preconceived (negative) notions of what a yoga class entails, I think many of us are just not sure how to define it and why to use it.

While I don't claim myself to be an expert of yoga, I have come to the conclusion that yoga can be many things for many different people. The most generic definition of yoga defines it as a spiritual, mental and physical discipline, originating from India. For me personally, yoga is both for exercise and both boosting my physical health. Heaven knows I got a wonky back in need of some alignment.

But even after deciding how to define yoga and what to use for, which one do you choose? Well, considering I am reading numbers anywhere from 5 to 20 different kinds, it sure makes my head ache.

Here is an article breaking down the different branches of yoga. I've always been drawn to a more fast-paced form of yoga, so for me, Ashtanga and Power yoga would be the most appealing.

According to the matsmatsmats.com article, Ashtanga yoga is defined as:

the name given to the system of yoga taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. This style of yoga is physically demanding as it involves synchronizing breathing with progressive and continuous series of postures-a process producing intense internal heat and a profuse, purifying sweat that detoxifies muscles and organs. The result is improved circulation, flexibility, stamina, a light and strong body, and a calm mind. Ashtanga is an athletic yoga practice and is not for beginners.

That "not for beginners" warning is actually what attracts me to Ashtanga. When combining the synchronicity of the moves and the faster, more athletic pace, the challenge is both physically daunting, yet rewarding at the same time.

There is also Power Yoga, the American offshoot of Ashtanga, which is defined as:

essentially yoga with brawn. It's the American interpretation of ashtanga yoga, a discipline that combines stretching, strength training, and meditative breathing. But power yoga takes ashtanga one step further. Many of the poses (also called postures or their Sanskrit name, asanas) resemble basic calisthenics -- push-ups and handstands, toe touches and side bends -- but the key to power yoga's sweat-producing, muscle-building power is the pace. Instead of pausing between poses as you would in traditional yoga, each move flows into the next, making it an intense aerobic workout.

Oh, I think we have a winner here! Body weight exercises with a cardio kick...what's not to love?!

My feigned. surprised excitement aside, I have to say that when I do find a yoga workout I like, it is almost always Ashtanga and/or Power yoga. I won't be turning into a hardcore yogini anytime soon, but it feels right to my body to add one athletic yoga workout to my routine about 1-2x/week.

Besides the whole strength, core, flexibility thing, I find that when I do yoga consistently, I sleep much better. Can't explain, but I just do. Maybe those purists have a right to brag after all...

Cheers!

I've got nothing interesting to write about

2012-08-31T00:44:00.003-05:00

In the spirit of keeping up with my tri-weekly posts, I am here to report that I have nothing interesting to talk about today, nor do I have a concrete workout schedule for the week (notice how I didn't post on Sunday?). Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Bought myself a running belt....does that mean I will take up running?

2012-08-28T17:49:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite new sites for shopping is OpenSky, which I love perusing mainly for fitness gear and other healthy living products that pique my attention and take a hit to my wallet. I recently came across a running belt for a reasonable price....but does that mean I now have to take up running?

Well, before I pledge myself to any marathons, let me first start off and say that this little SPIbelt is a very nifty product. It's like a mini version of a fanny pack, minus the tackiness and clunky appearance. It allows you to carry all your essentials while out for a run: cellphone, keys, ID, extra cash...whatever tickles your fancy.

I got the one with the blue zipper.

I originally bought it becuase I was tired of carrying my ginormous purse with me to my lakefront and neighborhood walks. Believe me, nothing screams "mug me" in the city of Chicago like carrying around a big ol' purse--especially in certain areas. I thought one of these belts would consolidate my necessities and make my overall walking experience much easier.

While I won't be running the entire 18 mile lakefront trail anytime soon, I suppose as the weather starts cooling down in the coming weeks, I'll start off with some power walking. Maybe then it will turn into a brisk jog. If it turns into a full out run...well....let's not think too far ahead of ourselves, Baby steps, people, baby steps.

In the meantime, let's all enjoy the final days of summer, shall we. Cheers!