My Exercise Program

-Part II of Exercise Videos-

How I got started:

This is the first exercise video I ever bought--and I found it at a yard sale for cheap. For at least a year, pilates was all I did, besides walks around town and house and yard work, but it was a great move in the right direction. These pilates workouts don't get the heart rate up, but they definitely build endurance and flexibility. However, the most life-changing thing for me was that my back problems almost completely disappeared, giving me wonderful relief from the pain and discomfort I had dealt with since becoming pregnant with my first child. That, in itself, motivated me to stick to my program, in addition to my added flexibility and strength.

Walk Your Way Slim was my favorite cardio workout for a long time and I still like it. I purchased it, brand new, for $1 at a sale. It is the longest of my videos, so I generally only do half of it at a time. It gets my heart rate up quickly and keeps it up. Unlike many of the exercise videos I've tried, the music on this one doesn't annoy me, and I would compare the choreography more to dancing than aerobics. It's enjoyable and has 3 levels, which you can mix and match depending on how you feel that day and what you're physically capable of (for example, things like low squats aren't good for my bad knees, so I do level 1 on those, and higher levels for most everything else).

This last video is another yard sale special. On the cover it claims to work better and faster for toning buttocks and thighs than anything else, so I figured it was worth a try. Well, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that claim true! I have tried many other things over many years, and the exercises in this video worked faster and better on cellulite and general girth than anything else I have ever tried. Feel the burn...

I have many other exercise videos/DVDs I've picked up over the years that target different areas and focus on different aspects of exercise, so I can choose whatever I feel like I need any given day. But my current favorite is Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds with weight balls (yet another fabulous yard sale special!). I love walking and though I love to do so outside, that isn't always possible for me, so this is a good alternative.

So, if you have that guilt complex that I had for years and years about not carving out that personal daily exercise time, just focus on 20 minutes to start with. Everyone can spare 20 minutes a day. It's all about developing the habit. And it's an investment that will bless your life (and your family's) in many ways.