What I use...and don't use.

The truth is...

I have lost about 10-12 pounds since March 1st and I have not stepped foot in a gym. I don't have time for a gym. You see, I have three small children who are now 4, 2.5 and 9 months. I am a busy momma. Since making the commitment on March 1st I had to find a way to exercise. Take time for me. It's been tough, but I have done it. I knew there would be no way I could commit to driving to and from a gym every time I wanted to exercise, so I vowed to do it on my own. I have succeeded, and I continue to succeed. There are days where I wonder when I am going to exercise and some days I just can't. Some days (actually most) I don't exercise without some sort of interruption from the girls, and that is okay, any exercise is better than none. I've learned that you do not have to join a gym to be successful in losing weight and bettering yourself. With a small investment, you can do it at home, on your own. You just need a few things...

A commitment: You have to be ready. You can't exercise for anyone else but yourself. You have to want it. Bad. If you aren't serious, you won't succeed because it is just too easy to make excuses as to why you can't or don't want to work out. Commit yourself to a period of time, I did 90 days. Set a goal that you know you can reach (like a 5K). Starting a blog was the best thing for me because it made me accountable. If I knew people may be reading, then I had to do it.

Hand weights: When I realized I'd be using DVD's here at home, I went to Dick's Sporting Goods and bought a case filled with sets of 3, 5 and 8 pound weights. Very handy and cost about $50. Honestly, I didn't start using weights until a few weeks into my challenge. I was so out of shape that even using NO weights made me sore!

Cushy Mat: Floor work on a wood floor is NO fun. I went to Target and spent $10 on a cheapo Yoga mat. It sucks. I recommend buying a nice mat - don't be cheap!

Polar HRM FT7: Kevin bought me this for Mother's Day. I have to say it's pretty cool. It's a heart rate monitor and calorie counter. I like to see how good (or bad) my workouts are. It gives me a good idea of what is going on and how hard I am working. Definitely a cool tool, just not a necessary one!

Asics Gel-Nimbus 12: My running shoes. I had been running on old Nikes - but they got uncomfortable so I went off to get my feet assessed at a local running store. I had a neutral gait, so they fitted me with some shoes. I chose Saucony. I ran in them a few times and my God, they hurt. Bad. So, I took them back and have been in my Asics ever since. They're pretty good. I definitely recommend heading to a running store to get your feet measured and assessed if you plan to run! Worth the money.

The videos I use:

Everyone has different opinions on what is good or bad for exercise. Some like kick-boxing, some like Yoga, some like circuit training, so my opinions may not mean too much :). At first, I started off with OnDemand Exercise TV - it's free and it gives you a great glimpse into videos you may want to purchase. Some of them are full length, and most are only a portion of the real video.
$9

The 30 Day Shred: Jillian Michaels - Target, $9 - completely worth it. Three levels, all 20 minutes each. Anyone has 20 minutes. This is my go-to video if I am short on time. It's challenging and burns a decent amount of calories for only 20 minutes! Level one is easy, two is difficult and three is....well twice as difficult! It uses the 3-2-1 technique - 3 minutes of strength training, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of abs.

No More Trouble Zones: Jillian Michaels - $9, Target - Absolutely my favorite. It is a true ass kicker. Seriously, an intense work out. 40 minutes in length of circuit training. The AB circuits are amazing! I love the challenge of this workout. I wish I had time to do this more often. It is my go-to video for when I have a bit more time.

CardioMax: Biggest Loser - $9, Target - A pretty good cardio workout that allows you to pick and choose the intensity as the workout goes on. Very versatile. I like this one for the days I can't get out running, but feel like I need a good cardio workout. I also like the fact you can do short or long workouts. Some times, I will do a 20 minute work out after Trouble Zones. This one is really worth it!

Boost Metabolism/Banish Fat: Jillian Michaels - $9, Target. Not my favorite. If you like kickboxing type exercise, then you will enjoy. It's definitely a good workout. It is 40 minutes in length, so like Trouble Zones, if you are limited on time, you may have a tougher time doing this. I like this workout for when I feel like I need to "mix it up".

Yoga: Meltdown: Jilian Michaels - $15, Target. If you think of yoga as a quiet, serene workout, think again. This is another one of Jillian Michaels ass whoopin. She's got you holdin' poses for 15 seconds in poses you never thought possible! It's a great workout, I really, really like it. Definitely great for the beginner all the way up through the ladder. If you like yoga, try it out. Very cool.

So, for a minimal investment, you can set yourself up pretty nicely at home! You don't need a lot. The biggest thing you need is a commitment to be serious about bettering yourself. What are you waiting for? Set yourself a goal and strive to achieve it. You can do it.

Never give up.

Day 38: Yoga is a lot like labor

Day 38: Jillian Michaels, Yoga: Meltdown

Yes, you read the title right!

I haven't done enough Yoga in my life to know the different types. I do know it's a great work out that does a good job in toning your body, etc. The only yoga I've done consistently is the Jillian Michaels Yoga: Meltdown. She does these crazy-to-me poses and has you hold them for 15 seconds. I swear, you have to breath through these for 15 seconds to get through them. Today, I had flashbacks of being in labor with the girls having to breath just like that to get through a contraction........except, I wasn't in labor, I was doing a damn yoga video! Having all three of my girls without drugs, definitely forces you to concentrate, not get too ahead of myself, and to relax. Yoga forces you to do the same in many instances.

So, if you're looking for a challenging Yoga work out - try it! and let me know if it gives you flashbacks of childbirth! :)

I had been doing a lot of weights lately, so I thought I'd give my body a break and just do a yoga. I really enjoy it. It's so relaxing, but at the same time, it gets my heart pumping. Level 1 is getting easier, though I am not quite ready to tackle level 2 on this DVD yet. I still struggle with the Chataronga push ups, and holding the T pose for 15 seconds. Not fun!

Day 33: The wall.

Day 33: Yoga: Meltdown with Jillian Michaels

Today, I've hit the wall. I thought I was all motivated to work out....until I started. My whole body was just sore. My groin especially. I felt so weak, and didn't even want to finish, but I made myself.

I haven't taken a break in almost two weeks, so I just did Yoga, took it easy, and finished.

I can't complain! I've felt so good lately...

Day 31: Camel

Day 31: Yoga: Meltdown & Shred, level 1

I really can't express how much I enjoy Jillian Michaels, Yoga: Meltdown. It is so good and so challenging! Each time I do it, I see progress. Since I started, the Camel pose always got me. This is when you stand on your knees, and reach backwards with your hands to hold your heels (like a back bend). In the beginning, I could barely touch my heels with one hand, now today, I could reach back with both hands and hold the pose. I couldn't hold it for the full 15 seconds, but I could do it for about 10 seconds. The last time I did it, I could barely hold it for 5.

Seeing progress like that, only makes me want to continue!

Mairead also has taken an interest in exercising with me! It's so important to teach our kids what healthy eating and exercise does to our bodies.

I've decided to work out for an hour as much as I can find time for - even if that means two 30 minute periods. I may not be able to do it every day, but I my goal is 2-3 days per week.

Tomorrow I will be running!

Day 23: Shredded Yoga

Day 23: Yoga: Meltdown & 30 day Shred

I was feeling a little lazy today and needed some motivation! It was a rainy, miserable day today, and there was no way in hell I was going outside to run! It was a monsoon! This morning I motivated and did Yoga: Meltdown with Jillian Michaels. It felt good! It's amazing how much easier the poses are getting! I can actually start to hold the poses for 15 seconds, or close to it for the hard ones. It feels good to see the progress, it actually drives me to want to exercise more. 

Then... 

Me and the girls made homemade cookies. I can't stay away from eating the batter. Then, of course, I can't stay away from having a few warm, gooey cookies! OK, so I just cancelled out my yoga workout!

This afternoon, we were just hanging and I had some energy and guilt from eating all that batter and all those cookies. I put on Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred, and got to it. I still haven't gotten around to buying hand weights, so I did it without. It was okay though, I did my workout this morning, too. I just felt like I needed to get that heartrate up a bit, and work on those flabby abbys (abs).

Ah, I am finally feeling like I am getting into the swing of things a bit.

Day 16: Felt Better!

Day 16: Yoga: Meltdown with Jillian Michaels

I was torn this morning when I awoke......run or yoga. run or yoga. I ran on Sunday, and I was trying to "plan" my week as far as when I was going to run. I just didn't feel like running, and I felt like my body needed a little break, so yoga it was.

Now, if you know Jillian Michaels, you know she doesn't do anything "easy", and this Yoga is NOT easy. It is a true ass kicker, but it feels good in the end.

I hadn't done this yoga since my first week and I have to say I felt better. I didn't feel so wimpy. I could actually do things I couldn't do the first time. Now, there were times I had to stop, and start over, but it was better than before.

We traveled back to Maine this afternoon, so the rest of the weeks exercise will be done back home!

I hope everyone is doing great!?

Day 3 - Just got my ass kicked

Since I've done two days of working out, I figured today would be a "down" day. I didn't want to do nothing, so I thought a nice, relaxing yoga work out would suit me well.

HA! 

I obviously don't know a lot about yoga because what I just did whooped my ass. I went back onto our Time Warner On Demand and looked to see what Jillian Michaels Yoga exercises they had. Well, there was one called "Jillian Michaels: yoga Meltdown" - I thought I was going to meltdown. Holy crap.

It was NOT easy! It was 30 minutes in length, and I really enjoyed it. I thought I got a great workout. I don't think it was too hard, it just made me realize again how much my body needs this.

Tomorrow I will be back at running for day 2 of 3 for the week.

Hope everyone is doing great! Just think how great we'll look for swimsuit season :)