Tag: pilates

Categories
dieting & exercise

Looking Fine 2009: Week 9

IMPORTANT NOTE TO LOYAL DAILY MISH MASH FANS:

Our fearless leader, Jen is switching to a new server and is currently the opposite of up and running and she’s unsure when things will be running, but guesses it won’t be today. She’s asked me to make note of that for any LF2009 participants looking to link up; you can leave a comment HERE with a link to your post (I’d put up a Mr. Linky but I’m not as cool as Jen and I’m not quite sure how yet) and Jen can either read them here, otherwise I’ll email her later tonight with anyone who weighed in today. Kay?

So yeah, on to more bad news. I gained almost five pounds (4.8). To be fair, I totally deserved that and maybe last week was the world’s biggest fluke. I kind of ignored my diet last week. I did exercise three days with the Pilates DVD that I reviewed here, but my water intake was sketchy at best (phrase of the week!) and the snackage? Let’s just say I indulged. Frequently. And did I mention the Game Night in which nobody came and it’s now up to me to eat all those snacks because dh is on a diet and he’s much more dedicated than I am. It’s like in his genes or something. Soon it’ll be in his jeans when he actually loses weight and makes me look like an idiot. Then I’ll have to kick it into high gear before his work hires him a secretary, because we all know how that would end.

So let’s review: Did not try. Did not lose weight. Did discover pretty good Pilates workout, but thanks to Netflix and my decision to return the DVD, I’m not sure when I’ll get another DVD to try (with a 2 at a time plan, holding onto it seemed like a bad idea).

I’m thinking maybe I should buy a DVD but I’m waiting to find one that I really love and hoping we come into posession of a Wii before that (which is about as likely as us coming into posession of a house any time soon).

My goals for this week:

  • Stop being sick (did I mention I’m sick? Leave chicken soup in the comments section below)
  • Drink MORE water.
  • Snack… less…. ish
  • Sabotage dh’s diet so mine will look better. “Look sweetie, I tripped, fell and made you your favorite chocolate chip cookies?” ::innocent smile::
  • Do something active at least once this week.

That’s all for now folks. Don’t forget to leave a link to your post in my comments section so I can forward them to Jen, our fearless leaderette @ Daily Mish Mash.

Categories
reviews

Review: Pick Your Level Weight Loss Pilates Is A Go!

Grade: A+

So my latest DVD workout attempt was Pick Your Level: Weight Loss Pilates. Admittedly, this might be the best disc I’ve done so far and I know you will be so proud of me when I tell you I did the entire 30 minute workout ::coughs::overthecourseofthreedays::coughs:: – that’s right, I actually finished the entire DVD. I think that’s a first.

So let’s review, first the things I liked, which kept me sticking with it:

  • Unlike Just My Size Yoga, this DVD felt like a workout. I am fairly confident a calorie or two has been burned this week and I felt truly challenged. Gasping on the floor, asking, “Does my body do that challenged?” a couple of times, but not so often that I died.
  • Unlike 10 Minute Solutions: Kickboxing Bootcamp this DVD was not made for the Athletically Elite. You do not HAVE to be super skinny with loads of energy to survive 5 minutes (although it certainly wouldn’t hurt).
  • Despite being faster paced than JMS Yoga, it was not so fast paced that I tripped over myself, a la 10 Minute Soltions: Fat Blasting Dance Mix. They walk you through where to put what and do a couple of slow demonstrations before moving into the faster pace and usually that faster pace actually came right in time, you know, when you are thinking, “If you don’t let me move my arm soon, it might fall off.” Before that.
  • They explain in the beginning that there are three people working out in the video at 3 levels. It’s obvious who is who, not only by the varying degrees of agility, but more noticably by the progression of skin to clothing ratio. The first model (level 1 – that would be my level) is wearing skin tight legging style pants and a tank top. Not skimpy, but not a powder blue full body suit. Level 2 wears something more resembling a sports bra with leggings. Level 3 manages to somehow show more skin, in a slightly skimpier different colored sports bra, but just in case you get confused between 2 and 3, Model 3 will usually have one leg over her head in impossible looking positions. Think broken Barbie doll.
  • One cool aspect is you aren’t supposed to limit yourself to one level. If you are feeling like, “I could be doing more,” you can temporarily move from level 1 to level 2 or even 3. If you are thinking, “this level choice was a bad idea, I think I’m dying,” tone it down a level. Easy peasy. I know we’ve all seen the DVDs with the multiple people and it’s all cliched, but it really does work well in this video and it’s interesting to see what people in shape are capable of.
  • I like that the Level 1 chick doesn’t appear to be immortal. She occasionally makes faces as if to say, “oh this one is tough,” or breathes a little more deeply than the anamatron robots in levels 2 and 3 who could probably sing the national anthem throughout the whole workout without breaking a swear, dropping a beat, or batting an eyelash. Okay, maybe they’d bat an eyelash, but that would be intentional.

The DVD is divided into three-ish sections – standing, side lying and lying lying. I personally prefer the standing workout, but that’s probably because if there was a level 0, I’d be all over it. But I kept up fairly well with level 1, and occasionally I did a level 2 move. I was pretty proud. I’d consider keeping the DVD for awhile but since I switched to a 2 at a time plan on Netflix, I’m planning to send it back by the end of the weekend so something new can come in cause I don’t see MM parting with Cinderelmo anytime soon. But I do plan to try another Pilates DVD soon and I’m pretty proud that I finally finished a disc. So let’s hear it for Pilates:

YAY PILATES!!! A+ For Not Sucking!!

Have you tried any new workouts recently?

Categories
family fun

More Random Rambling

  • My grandmother and aunt came to visit me today! I feel like I haven’t seen them in ages – I hope it hasn’t really been that long. MM was so excited, I let him stay up late before “napping” so he could spend time with them. He showed them all his best toys and modeled part of his Halloween costume for them. I might be able to borrow a lab coat from my grandma so I can be Dr. Wiseman for Halloween – she has to see if she still has any, she’s gotten rid of a lot of those things but it’s a maybe!!
  • And we’re trying to work out a day to see them more regularly but for lunch instead of dinner like we used to. This seems more practical to me so I hope it works. My grandma kind of raised me for many years while my dad was working those long single parent days and my aunt? She’s some kind of awesome. I could go on and gush but I’ll spare you. I think you get the idea.
  • I still really want to leave the state but sometimes it’s days like today that make me remember all the things I’ll miss. I’ll miss having family nearby to spend time with and share the many phases of MM with. But I won’t miss the outrageous cost of living. Not one little bit.
  • Oh and I got off my arse and worked out today! More on that when I’ve done a bit more of the DVD but for once I think I’ll have a positive review! Woohoo! MM liked it, too, but I think he liked Cinderelmo better! But really, can you blame him? That was one cute movie!
Categories
contests & giveaways dieting & exercise

Dear Diet, I'm Just Not That Into You

I know I should be working out right now to the pilates DVD that just came in the mail, but I’m so excited because I just found out that I won the anti-diet from Carol @ Siswick Construction Zone! We’re talking 2,855 yummy delicious calories in the form of new ultra healthy-ish Cadbury Chocolate Bars. Perhaps the cranberries and apricots thrown into that yummy chocolatey mix will make up for the aforementioned yummy chocolate? Still, how can I think about trivial things like waist lines and my health when I know this will be coming in the mail for me soon:

In an effort to not go completely crazy, I am now drinking my second glass of water for the day. I know that isn’t remotely impressive but it’s better than having the  glass of Egg Nog that I really want or the peanut butter cookies we made yesterday which came out sooooooo good! No, instead, I’m only having a glass of water. But when that prize comes in the mail, I can’t promise to continue in my good behavior. Sorry.

And THANKS Carol!

Categories
dieting & exercise

Looking Fine 2009: Week 8

Sorry I bailed on you guys last week and totally neglected posting. If you must know I lost .5 pounds last week – which is absurd because like 4 or 5 of those days prior involved me walking, for various reasons, for so long and so far that I should have lost 50 pounds just as a thank you to my legs.

LAST week I decided diets were for losers and that exercise was for skinny people. Last week I broke every rule in the book. I baked and ate like a ton of cookies. I had dh buy my favorite potato chips. There was ice cream and soda and FUN times basically. I don’t know how much water I drank because I didn’t care. And I didn’t exercise once. It was awesome.

Now, to be fair, last week I got my period. Which means last week I found out I still wasn’t pregnant. And last week my hamster died. Last week I had to babysit SB 4 days in a row, 3 of those days from noonish until 9ish. And I couldn’t exercise any of those days because naptime (when I normally work out now to avoid being laughed at by a two year old – it’s not really an incentive so much as a way of making you want to hide under the covers that aren’t there because it’s not bedtime) now involved a three year old kid “sleeping” in the living room who I could wake up with my antics of jiggling. Not that they napped, because apparently they’ve both decided naptime is for lame-os. I know, it’s a cop out – but, did I mention my hamster dying or the period?

Are you ready for the best part? I lost three pounds. Not dieting rocks. The potato chips were delicious. The cookies? I might make some more. Now before you go yelling at me, I’m back to my water rations and the potato chips are gone (and I won’t be buying more) and as soon as Netflix recieves the movies I returned they should be sending out a Pilates DVD and any day I don’t have a second kid around I’ll be working out. Just as soon as my period is gone. Because I’m pretty sure lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same place. Or something.

Anybody else lose any weight for no apparent reason? Or did way better than lame-o me? Or worse? Can we play the game of whose life sucks more, cause that’s always fun! I’m all ears…..