Running, Pilates, and Walking

Did 10 Minutes of Pilates Abs, ran one mile in 10 minutes, and walked long distance on the beach with a friend at night.  Not the best workout. I do feel like I did a sufficient amount today. Most of workouts consist of walking on the beach. I was happy to see that I could still run a mile in ten minutes.

Denise Austin 3 Week Boot Camp

 

Rating: 3 and 1/2 Stars

Calorie Burn: 800 Calories

Time: 50 Minutes

 

Level of Difficulty: Intermediate/Advanced

 

Cardio and Strength Intervals

Athletic Training

Fat Ab Blaster

 

Denise Austin sounds like Peppermint Patty from Peanuts…if she was “attempting” to speak in a sexy breathy voice. She is a good instructor, yet she was kind of like a “perfect date” with no chemistry. I just couldn’t really like this workout, yet it is a GOOD workout. I loved the starfish ab movement and the ab moves in the DVD. Aside from that, this is a workout I will NOT do on a daily basis.

Banish Fat Boost Metabolism

 

Banish Fat Boost Metabolism
7 Circuits Designed By The Devil Herself
High Calorie Burner: 681 Calories
Time: 50 Minutes

Level of Difficulty: Advanced

I hate plyometrics with a passion. I opt for beginner moves or alternative plyometric exercises if my knees start aching. I probably burned away breakfast and lunch doing this exercise routine. Not the type of routine a beginner jumps into right away. I’ve done this exercise before, yet I put it away for a few weeks. Today, I felt like I was doing it for the first time. After the first circuit, I was feeling the burn right away. I still had six more circuits to go.

Kickboxing, Core, Plyometrics, Old School Calisthenics, and Intense Cardio Moves

Yoga Meltdown Level 2

 

Calories Burned:163

Time: 30 Minutes

Level of Difficulty: Intermediate and Advanced

Rating: 4 Stars and a Half

Finished Jillian Michael’s Yoga Meltdown today. It didn’t burn as much calories as Level 1. The moves were a little more complex and required more balance. The most difficult poses I encountered were the Crow and the Leg Extension big toe hold (with repetitions). Both require balance and focus. I managed to do the Crow but I kept falling and losing balance with doing the reps for the Leg Extension Big Toe Hold.

THE CROW

The Leg Extension Big Toe Hold

Source:http://www.itznatzyoga.com/natz-picks

I’m ending my yoga workouts for this week and moving on to the more intense Banish Fat Boost Metabolism (Cardio) and No More Trouble Zones (Cardio and Body Sculpting) of Jillian Michaels this week.  Not looking foward to it, since I’ve been doing powder puff workouts that burn way less calories.

My Exercise Week (In Haiku)

Two days of yoga

Two more days of cardio

To finish this week.

Yoga Meltdown Level 1

 

 

 

  

Yoga Meltdown 

  

 Level 1

  

With Jillian Michaels

  

Calories Burned: 209

  

Hybrid Yoga

  

30 Minutes

  

Rating: 5 Stars

  

Level of Difficulty: Beginner/Intermediate/ Advanced

  

 

  

Highlights:

  

Not your traditional yoga, hybrid yoga is high in intensity and cardio. You’ll be sweating and pushing your body to the extreme in this complex form of yoga. If you are trying to accomplish that state of Zen, stay away from this yoga. If you want to experiment with different types of yoga or if you are looking for a different and unique exercise routine, this might be the perfect type of yoga for you. I love the high calorie burn and trying new things in exercise. In order to get a five star rating from me, the exercise routine has to be fun, intense, challenging, creative, and have a high calorie burn.  

   

Warrior 3 Pose was the most difficult part of Level 1 for me. 

 Balance and focus are my biggest obstacles in exercising. This pose requires a lot of balance and focus. 

 

  

  

Her side plank with arm raises are grueling as well. She goes through them fast with constant reps on both sides. 

 

 The best review I’ve read about Yoga Meltdown was from  Lisa M. Mims on Amazon.com. She writes:

 Good Yoga Video, Even if You’re Not a Jillian Fan

 

I’m starting from the standpoint of years of yoga practice and having taught Pilates professionally for seven years: needless to say, the boot camp style of “Biggest Loser” isn’t exactly what I would go looking for in a yoga tape.

My initial Pilates-teacher bias notwithstanding, this is actually pretty interesting. It takes standard yoga poses and adds repetitions to the movement. What’s really smart about it is three things:

1.) The repetitions are movements that don’t put a lot of pressure on major joints–you’re not moving through the joints in such a way that there is a lot of force, so this isn’t likely to cause injury. Specifically, what you’re not doing, is rolling through shoulder joints repeatedly, with all your weight on your shoulders, as in most Ashtanga yoga–which does tend to cause injuries.

2.) It’s interval training. What that means is that your heart rate goes up and down a lot. Your body, in response, will default to a higher level of calorie burning and oxygen use, so this is a pretty good way to increase metabolism and what we think of as “lung capacity.”

3.) It’s difficult enough that you don’t feel like you’re wasting your time. Each workout is only 30 minutes, but it’s difficult enough that, if your goal that day is fitness, you’re definitely getting your money’s worth.

Some negatives: it’s filmed on a really bright gym set, which is a little difficult to watch; Jillian doesn’t actually do all the poses; sometimes it’s hard to see the beginner model when you need to.

Who this is for: experienced yoga folks who want a different kind of more athletic short practice; anyone wanting to add gym-based yoga to their workouts.

Who this is not for: if you have bad wrists, this might be undoable. Your knees also should be good enough to get up and down from the floor without difficulty.

However, this is a fairly safe, more difficult yoga dvd.

Yogi Eric Schiffman has been quoted as saying, “The point with yoga, is to do it a lot.” If having another instructor in your dvd rotation, one who isn’t airy-fairy, and overly emotional, for days when you just can’t go there, then this is worth adding to the mix.

 

Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred Level 3 – Advanced Level

Finished Level 3 of Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred.

Calorie Burn: 200 Calories

Body Sculpting, Cardio, Core, Strength Training, and Plyometrics

Level: Advanced

Recession Wine and Food

Due to past hard times, I’m always trying to find a way to use leftovers or find good deals. I’ll use leftovers for salads or hodge podge stews. One time, I lived on pantry food for six weeks with my husband. It helped save  us a lot of money.

Rating: 3 out of 4 stars

 A couple of days ago, a fellow Yelper taught me about Lucky Duck wine or “recession wine” as she calls it. She loathes Walmart, but she goes there to get her favorite Lucky Duck Malbec or Cabernet wine for $3.97.  Yesterday I sampled the Lucky Duck Malbec wine with some leftover Indian food: curried potatoes, fresh diced tomatoes, leftover stewed onions, and diced chicken meatballs mixed with some Archer Farm Indian spicy  Vindaloo Sauce over white jasmine rice (my biggest weakness). It went well with the food, and the meal and wine cost almost nothing. My husband caught a glimpse of what I was eating and took a few bites. He loved it and accused me of holding out on him. A good sign. He is such a picky eater.

The copy on the back of the wine reads:

Lucky you! We searched the globe to create a collection of authentic, great tasting international wines, with layers of flavor.

Deep aromas of blueberries and chocolate. Enjoy Lucky Duck alone or paired with grilled meats, vegetables, or sharp cheeses.”

Imported & Bottled by Lucky Duck Winery Ripon, CA.

 

The Lucky Duck Chardonnay wine was ok. It has a sharp citrus taste to it, and I prefer a creamy butter taste like the one found in Glen Ellen Chardonnay ( just as cheap as the Lucky Duck wine). Today, I’m making an onion and cabbage stew today with a radish, beef broth, parsley, and balsamic vinegar – another hodge podge crock pot stew after swiping large 3 pound bags of onions for $1.50 each. I’m going to eat it with the Lucky Duck bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, another red wine.

30 Day Shred Level 2 With Jillian Michaels

Calories Burned: 167

Level of Difficulty: Intermediate

Body Sculpting, Cardio, Core, and Strength Training

Preview of 30 Day Shred Level 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WSPkxYX2Xc&feature=fvw

Walked on the beach: 40 Calories

Total Calorie Burn: 207

30 Day Shred Level 1 With Jillian Michaels

 

Calorie Burn: 172

Time: 5 Minute Warm Up/20 Minutes Cardio,Strength Training, and Core/5 Minute Cooldown

Rating: 5 Stars

Level of Difficulty: Intermediate/Advanced – Beginner Friendly yet challenging

I’m planning to add some walking on the beach for today’s exercise in the afternoon with my friend, Leslie. Usually Level 1 of the 30 Day Shred is a walk in the park, but I’m very tired after this workout.

(Edited Later) Walking on the beach – 212 calories

TOTAL CALORIE BURN: 384 CALORIES

SELF: Bikini Ready Fast With Ellen Barrett

Calorie Burn: 150 Calories

Level: Beginner/ Intermediate

Description: Toning, Pilates, Ballet, and Plyometric Workout

Rating: 4 Stars (Great for beginners) / 3 Stars (Not challenging enough for my fitness level/low calorie burn)

Great workout for beginners, who are trying to get toned for bikini season. If you want faster results or more intensity/challenge, this might not be a fulfilling workout. It is a good stepping stone if you are a beginner and don’t want a very intense workout. If the 30 Day Shred -Level 1 is too much for you, this might be a good workout to do to build up your strength and endurance.

Amazon Review: http://www.amazon.com/Self-Bikini-Ready-Ellen-Barrett/dp/B0007TV63O

Toss out that one-piece bathing suit with the old-lady cover-up skirt and get bikini-fit with this exercise program from Self magazine, the experts on women’s health and well-being. This complete workout filled with fun, easy-to-follow moves will help you burn calories and trim and tone your entire body. The program is appropriate for all fitness levels, and in as little as four weeks, you’ll be ready to hit the beach in your new bikini!(Source: Netflix)

Genres:

Sports & Fitness, Workouts, General Strength & Flexibility