100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 31: Hustle, Hustle, Hustle!

How many Hustles can you do in one day?  For me?  A bunch!  No, really, only two, but many many times.  I love this pic because Hustle is all about the clothes, man!  Gotta dress the part so you can get funky with it!

I left work early due to the pending snow storm,and I was able to get in an extra workout.  I did 40 minutes of Hip Hop Hustle 11.  My kids were trying to hang with me but ummm...yeah, not so much. 

Then later we...I mean, I did Hip Hop Hustle 9.  The kids once again tried to get in on it, but they were just in my way.  I did about 75 minute straight.  My ankle was getting pretty sore, but I pushed through the pain.  I had to modify some of the moves because of that and I better take it easy for awhile.

But then my kids wanted to learn this Hustle, and so we danced for like another hour.  Yes!  How much time is that total? 40 minutes plus 75 minutes plus 60 minute equals 175 minutes.  Although that last hour was not constant cardio trying to teach them, so maybe 30 minutes of that I will count.

145 minutes, 2 hours and 25 minutes.  I'm done!

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 30: Rewind, repeat, rewind, repeat

I'm still trying to learn Hustle 11 to perfection for my training class in March.  And I have a long way to go, but as Chalene says, "Rewind, repeat, rewind, repeat."  I just keep at it!

Today I did Hustle 11 again and I am getting better, but still stuck in the middle with a couple of the moves.  I fake it out and get to the end, and I am hoping with more practice I get this down.  I did 60 minutes of Hustle 11, took a 20 minute break and then put Hustle 10 in,

I started Hustle 10 before, but did not get as far as the warm up because this workout does not include a Show and I LOVE doing the Show the best, so I just skipped it.  Well, Hustle 10, with 3 Hustles only is still a great workout!  I did Part 1 and 2 and wow, that was a burn.

I did 30 minutes of it. And I was not trying to do it to be perfect, I was trying to get the highest calorie burn I could.  A total of 90 minutes today!!  This  is what I love, doing an exercise that I can do and it not FEEL like exercise.  I'm dancing, and that is right for ME.  Other may like the traditional exercise.  Others may need to hit it hard core with weights and all like P90X (which is a great program, I just cannot stick with it for 90 days). 

Other NEED to go to fitness classes.  I like that too, when I can afford to pay for a gym.  Others can run for miles outside, rain or shone, cold or blistering heat.  if you LOVE doing the workout of choice, you will do it every day and not make it like a chore.

Whatever your workout of choice is, Chalene words still holds true, "rewind, repeat, rewind, repeat!"

Hustle 1
Hustle 2
Hustle 8
Hustle 9

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 28: Get it in!

I'm on a staycation, which means a vacation in my city.  I am at a hotel and trust me, the temptation to do nothing but lounge in bed and read a book or flick some channels was in my head.  BUT, I keep at it!

The hotel has a 24 hour fitness center.  Oh yeah!  But not only that, you don't need any equipment to get a good workout in.  I hit the treadmill for 40 minutes, then walked the hall on my floor (which is in a circle) for another 20 minutes.  Hey, not much, but I continue the streak of working out for 100 days straight!

I have also walked the stairs and walked the neighborhood while on vacation/staycation.  Bring your bands!  Small hand weights! Have some good exercises that you can do without equipment.  Jumping jacks, jogging in place, crunches, dance around the room like crazy!  Oh, and they also have an inside heated pool, so go for  a swim for a workout!

And it's a 24 hour gym!  So early in the A.M., or in the middle of the day, or late, late at night, I can get a workout in!  Free Internet as well, so I did a few minutes of Hustle also. 

NO EXCUSES!  Get your workout in!  How have you got in fitness while on vacation?

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 27: P90X and Turbo Jam

These two together will leave you sweaty and tired and having one of the bestest workouts.  I started with P90X Legs and Back.  Pretty good workout for the legs.  I really have not done this in so long I FORGOT it included back...and I just did not want to work my back for whatever reason.  I went ahead and did the back exercises though.  Ugh!  This workout is insane with the wall squats.  Those KICK MY BOOTAY!

I must admit, I try to work on form more than doing it for so long, which is what Tony says anyway.  When I get sloppy or if it hurts too much, I relax and walk in place an wait for the next exercise.  I have to do better though!  How can I call myself a personal trainer and can't do a bunch of wall squats!  So my priority is to be a BEAST at them.  Uh, yeah, sure.

I did maybe half the workout, only 30 minutes.  For one, I was too tired to go on and two, the CARDIO QUEEN in me just wanted some CARDIO!  So I put in Turbo Jam Kick, Punch and Jam.  Love that workout!  And she does some toning in it too, not much, but my legs were already sore, and I still did it anyway.  My arms are sore from all that punching as well.  LOVE IT!

That workout was 48 minutes, plus the 30 from P90X and that is a total of 78 minutes!

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 26: My Chick Bad!

Okay Chalene, I have a couple of beefs with you.

One, why oh why on some of the later moves of Hip Hop Hustle 11 on The Show, do you not explain it as well as you explain the beginning moves?  I mean, I'd say do the reverse!  We're going to repeat that first half MORE times than the last half, so we don't need as much instruction with it.  But like the last 5-6 moves, I'm like, "Can you go over it again?" NO!  So I'm left just going through the motions and catching on later.  Aw well, I will!

Two, ummm, why oh why do we not get to dance to Ludacris' song "My Chick Bad" like The Show is supposed to be performed (or at least how I see it on youtube)? I know you don't know that I am slightly obsessed with Luda and that THAT song gets heavy rotation in my car, like err'day, but I'm just saying....look, the dance goes soooooo much better to "My Chick Bad" than the one used on the workout.  I had to play a youtube vid to practice with that song. 

I hope we get the "My Chick Bad" music as an Instructor.

All in all, I had a GREAT workout today with Hip Hop Hustle.  I only did Hustle Part 1, then went right to the show.  I am getting that beginning of the routine so much better!  Still can't perform it with the gusto that Chalene does, but I know it will get there.

Total workout time: 60 minutes!  I'm so bad I'm GOOD!

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 25: P90X Shoulders & Arms

P90X! BRING IT! BRING IT! X me! X me!

If nothing else, Tony DOES motivate you.  And he has lots of quotes I love to say.

"Just do your best, and forget about the rest!"

Another late work out, but I got it in1!  Just get it in!  That's all we can do.  So I needed some strength training this week, and I love working arms, and P90X Shoulders and Arms is a beast for arms.  Man!  After this work out, you will feel your bi's and tri's and deltoids.  Yeah baby!

Okay, I'm a little pumped.  I like P90X as a whole....just cannot (or have a desire to) follow it for 90 days!  Geesh!  Now if I throw it in whenever needed, or as I see fit, or just to mix it up then I can do it.  I'm thinking of doing Shoulders & Arms once a week, but I won't set that in stone.

I used light and medium weights because well, I'm a wimp.  I really wanted to Hustle again, but I really needed to give that a break....least for today.  I'll be back at it tomorrow.   Thinking of doubling my workouts!  So that will be 2 workouts daily.  Hmmmm, I need it!

BRING IT!  59 minutes total today.

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 24: Hip Hop Hustle 11

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

This may be my fave!  Okay, okay, I know I said 9 was, but I have a new fave (I actually think I like Hustle 5 but I wanted to wait and get that as an Instructor).  Another great thing about 11 is that I do believe this is the one that I will learn at training.  SWEET!  I don't have to look helpless and can actually look like I know what I am doing.  Front row here I come!

I did both Hustles and then the Show.  The Show is were it's at!  I like EVERY move!  Now, I did have to keep rewinding to get the first 3 down, but I did and moved on to more.  I did not make it to the end though, because I put my hour in and was done!  Busy day!  I also had step practice with my sorority which drains my energy and I also count as cardio (but not the entire 2 hours...we do more talking than actual stepping).

I can't wait till I can do Hustle 11 from memory and with no music and teach others and add more energy to it.  Right now, I am just trying to get it to stick in my head!  Hustle 9 has been in my head all day long!  I have been rehearsing in my head.  I think I need to give Hustle a break though.  I have done it four days in a row!

Tomorrow I have another meeting after work so that pushes my workout further back....and I think I need to take it easy, my ankle was getting a little sore doing a couple of the moves in Hustle.  I think i will do some strength training.  Hmmmm, upper body, maybe I'll do P90X.  I think I will!

Total workout time today: 90 minutes!

100-day Exercise Challenge Day 23: It's all about muscle memory!

Muscle memory, also known as motor learning, is a form of procedural memory that involves consolidating a specific motor task into memory through repetition. When a movement is repeated over time, a long-term muscle memory is created for that task, eventually allowing it to be performed without conscious effort. This process decreases the need for attention and creates maximum efficiency within the motor and memory systems. Examples of muscle memory are found in many everyday activities that become automatic and improve with practice, such as riding a bicycle, typing on a keyboard, playing a melody or phrase on a musical instrument, playing video games, or even solving a choreography of a dance routine.

That's what I am doing with learning all these Hustle dances.  Well, at least Hustle 9.  For some reason, that one is sticking to me.  I want to do it over and over and over again.  I want to do it so well, from memory that I can do it without music.  Enough that I can teach others!  Weellll...I have a long way, but I keep going.

And I want to look like Chalene doing it!  Okay, maybe not.  I have my own FLAVA!  I have done it 3 days in a row now.  Yes, I am never tired of it, and I think I am getting better.

First I did Hustle 1 with my daughter (who sucks at it) for about 45 minutes.  I did the Hustle 1 and The Show in that workout.  I like this one a lot too.  Way easier than Hustle 9 but still fun.

Then later I did Hustle 9, but just the Show part for about 30 minutes.  Loving it! 

AND THEN...as if that was not enough, I had to shovel snow AGAIN!  Hey, I count that as a workout.  I did 30 minutes (wasn't as much this time).

That's 105 minutes!  I said I would be doing 60+ minutes and I meant it!

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 22: Hustle again!

Okay, so I am a little obsessed with getting Hustle 9 down.  It was a lot better the second time.  The beginning moves seemed a lot easier, it's the last few of The Show I need a lot of work on.  I am not a dancer by any means, and wonder if I can actually teach others?  I need a LOT of practice.

I know that Turbo Kick will be a lot easier.  I hope!

So today I got in a good solid 60 minute workout that burned lots of calories, and for a Saturday, for me, this is HUGE.  I want to aim for double that on most days, is that possible?  I know when it gets warmer outside, it's real easy because I get a walk in and then do my evening workout.  Well, why wait till it gets warm?  I have a stationary bike I can hop on, or paly the Wii, or do something real simple like Walk Away The Pounds for my easy workout.  I will try and do things like that to add more minutes to my workout.  Stating tomorrow, my goal is to do 60+ minutes every day.

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 21: Hip Hop Hustle 9

I misnamed the previous blog as 9, when it was actually 8!  I did Hustle 9 today (go watch the youtube!)  I LOVE it!  But yet, it does not love me back.  Toward the end I got totally lost.  Ummm, I felt like I had 2 left feet.  And I thought that was the end anyway when I stopped, but then I went to youtube and saw it being performed and saw that I need to learn so much more in the routine!

Aaaaaa!

I think I want to stick with Hustle 9 for awhile till I master it.  It looks so cute when I see others perform it and it is an AWESOME workout.  There are so many moves I like.  I really like the very first move.  I like the Beyonce move.  Okay, I like anything where I am shaking my boo-tay!  Oh, and I did not even get to the "steppin" part.  That should be fun since I am currently on a step team.

I have been working out everyday despite not posting blogs.  I promise!  Today only 58 minutes because I was too tired to do more, but I promise, I really promise that next week I will get in more than 60 minutes every day, if that means splitting it to two workouts, so be it.

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 18: Hip Hop Hustle 8

Oh wow, wow, wowee, wow, wow!

Not only was workout a killer workout, but was difficult to catch on.  Or maybe it's just me.  Maybe after a long day of work and a looong sorority meeting and pushing my workout time back by an hour, I just didn't have it in me.  Well, those are all EXCUSES!!

I could not keep up, simple as that.  I did manage to get my 30 minutes, and I do believe those were good quality 30 minutes because I felt the workout in every muscle possible.  Hip Hop Hustle is REALLY a great workout and it's not all about the dance, even though that is the fun part and keeps me going.  I want to master these moves because it looks FUN!

And she did some oldies but goodies like the Cabbage Patch and the Butterfly!  This workout does not have a Show, and I actually liked that part.  Wonder why the format was changed.  It's just 3 Hustles.  The warm-up was pretty high-energy too!

I have no bad words for this workout, I just need to work on it and learn it like a pro!

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 17: Same old same old

I have been doing Wii since Saturday so no real new workouts to report.  I like it because it is fast, fun and not like a workout.  I am not burning as many calories as I would like, BUT I am burning more calories than if I do nothing.

Tomorrow will be another long day and time will be limited.  To do something different, maybe I will get on the bike for 30 minutes. 

Just get it done!

Healthy Recipe: Kale Chips

Raw BBQ Kale Chips

Ingredients:

1 big bunch of kale

1/4 cup tahini

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons tamari

liquid smoke (to taste)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

water (to thin, as needed)

 

Instructions:

Tear kale into bite-sized pieces in a large bowl. In a blender, combine remaining ingredients until smooth. Add the mixture to the kale, and massage with hands until kale is well-coated with the seasoning. Spread kale on lined dehydrator trays, and dehydrate at 115 F for 6-8 hours, or until crisp. This a great snack to dry overnight. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can also pop them in the oven at the lowest temperature, leaving the door open a crack until they’re done.

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 14: When tired....

Play the Wii!

In addition to my 100-Day Exercise Challenge I am also doing a 100-Day Raw Food Challenge.  That seems to be taking up most of my time.  Planning meals, preparing meals, obsessing with finding great raw recipes.  Today I spent most of the evening prepping food for the dehydrator so I can have treats all week. Raw kale chips in the D pictured.

By the time it was workout time, I could not move a muscle.  PLUS, that Hustle 2 from yesterday had me beat all day.

So I plugged in the Wii, even though I just wanted to go to sleep (my workouts are at 9 p.m.).  I don't think I burned many calories, but hey, it still counts as a workout!  I'll make up for it tomorrow with a bigger calories burn.

Just do it!

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 13: Hip Hop Hustle 2

Oh Chelene, Chalene!  GURL!  What the world?

This one is definitely more of a challenge than Hustle 1.  It seems like she kept making it hard on purpose, no really, it was not THAT bad...I guess I just was not picking it up as fast as the first one.  But I plan on doing this one over and over again. 

I discussed the breakdown of the Hustle Fan workout in the previous post about Hustle 1, so I won't bother with the layout of the workout.  I will discuss some of the moves that I really like...or that really hate me!

The Soulja Boy-Come on!  Who didn't like this song/dance when it was out?  I remember the first time I saw it I was around high school seniors and I was like, what is this?  They were getting it in!  Well, the Soulja Boy (and I may not be spelling that right, I'm too old to know) in Hustle is a simple hop, cross the legs and hit the left foot behind the back.  So cool!  You do it maybe two dozen times!  It's in Part 1 of The Hustle, and again in the Show.  In The Show, it's about midways in and is the starting part of the second half so it gets repeated a lot.

The Dorothy-This one was done in Hustle 1.  It basically is like you are clicking your heels.  I like this one, BUT at the combo it's in, it's a little difficult for me to get right into.

The Hammer-This one was in Hustle 1 as well.  It's a simple pump of the fist but I don't know why I like it.

The Matrix-Everyone loves doing the Matrix move that is popular in I don't know how many dance movies.  It's cut to do, a little hard to get your body to round back on cue.  I'll practice!

Elbow Poppin-Pretty easy move at the beginning of The Show.  Hit the elbows to the outside while lifting the opposite knee.  I love it!

Toe Tripping-Fun move, a little tough she say, but i like it.  You have to be really coordinated to do it in The Show.  Looks good, and I love those moves that look fun to do.

There's a couple of other moves with names I don't remember right now.  But I think I really like this one!  I see myself doing this one 2-3 times a week!  Well, whenever I go through all my workouts and design a plan I want to follow.

This is not like a workout when it's fun!  Chalene always brings it.  I would love to take a class with her.  One day.  And this was wa-ay more than 60 minute Mrs. Johnson.  More like 80 minutes!  And I did it all.

Whew!

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 12: Billy Blanks Boot-Camp

I actually did 2 boot camps!  I did Denise Austin's 3-Week Boot Camp workout again and then I did Billy's Boot Camp Elite Mission Spot Training Lower Body.

I had not done this one in awhile.  In fact, I don't remember ever doing it (I'm sure I did) because it was so tough.  Lower body was WORKED OUT!  He really worked the butt muscle and I was like, "Dude, really?"  This workout is not anything like his Tae Bo workouts.  Well, he had a few moves like kicks and just a hand full of punches, but mostly it was all strength training.

And no weights! 

Body weight is enough, trust.  That's why I paired this one with the Denise Austin Boot-Camp, just continuing my ST but not having to lift heavy weights again.  I liked these two together.  In fact, on Friday I may pair it with Billy's Upper Body workout, although I believe he uses weight and/or resistance tubing.

Denise Austin's workout was 20 minutes and Billy's was 30 minutes for a total workout time of 50 minutes!!  And I am just getting it started.  I will be kicking it up a notch after this week.

JUST DO IT MAN! Nike had it right.

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 11: Wii Fit is fun!

And a great workout!

Don't believe me?  Just ask my arms, my legs, my core...all of that!  If you are not putting up a sweat, you're not working it right!  Running in place for 10 minutes, Kung Fu, boxing, hula hoop for 10 minutes (now that's a beast!) and various other games.  Yes, games, but this is a workout for real.

And it can be real easy for the beginner or make it advanced for the die-hard fitness gurus.  I was one of those when I first got the Wii Fit that felt it did not give me a great workout.  Weeeellllll....fast forward nearly two years later and I think I was smokin sumthin sumthin.  WiiFit is totally a workout!  aybeM I had not unlocked all the goodies.  Maybe I was looking at it as a game, not as a workout.  Maybe it was me.

Okay, it was.

I workout like a beast, hardcore, P90X, Insanity, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs, Tae Bo, The Firm, WATP, you name it I have done it.  And I am always willing to try something new.  I think Wii Fit is the perfect way to workout when you REALLY want to have fun with exercise.

AND, if you are competitive like me (yeah, just a little) then you want to keep trying to beat your best record, well, that's how I keep going.  I racked in 65 minutes and burned 258 calories (well, according to Wii, I don't trust their numbers).  And I kept going because I wanted to hit my target calories for the day, and I did!  I also wanted to beat my Kung Fu score (didn't) the obstacle course score (I did) and try a few new games.  I wanted to unlock some stuff and didn't.  Well, i;ll go at it again soon.

If you have been stalling about getting Wii Fit, STOP!  WiiFit and WiiFit Plus are great additions to your workout.

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 10: 3-Week Boot Camp

I know I missed my blog on Day 9, but I did get in a "light" workout.  So today I did one of my new workouts, Denise Austin's 3-Week Boot Camp.  It's a cardio and strength training program and I like that.  I will be doing this for 3 weeks so that I can reap the results the workout claims "Trim inches and lose up to 2 dress sizes."

Now I hardly believe that, but I do believe that it is an effective full body workouts.  It's broke down into 2 workouts, and I was all ready to do them both, but it is recommended that you start with the Cardio and Strength Interval (20 min) for the first week, the second week do Athletic Training (20 min) and the third week do both.  So, I decided, to heck, do 20 minutes and then do another workout for the rest of my time.

Not to compare, but this is an easy version of 30-Day Shred.  The cardio is easier and the ST is easier.  So I recommend this for the newbie of someone who wants to work their way up to Jillian's workout.  But there are lots of push-ups, and jumping jacks, squats and moves where a beginner may need to take it down a notch.  Denise did not have a person doing any of the modified moves, and I think EVERY workout DVD should do that.

There is also a bonus 6 min Ab Fat-Blaster.  Lots of the moves worked the core and I like that. There were punches and squats with oblique twists and i like working my core like crazy.  I gotta say, not a fan of Denise Austin. n After two years of Beachbody trainers Shaunt T, Chalene and Tony with their high energy, and Jillian Michaels with her take-no-nonsense demeanor, Denise sounds like a little elf telling me what to do.  Her voice is so soft and does not carry much and she doesn't motivate you to keep at it.  That aside, the workout is still a good one.

So after 20 minutes I popped in the Wii determined to put some high score on the bored.  Still trying to perfect my Kung Fu and did not get any better.  I like the adding game and did unlock the Expert portion.  The obstacle course, that my kids like to cal the Wipe-Out game, I actually made it to the third course, but man, they cheat!  Kept saying I was jumping on the board and would start me over at the very beginning.  I got tired of that,

I also did the cycling game which I didn't much like the first time, but it was cool and definitely a workout.  I did about 28 minutes, and now I am pooped.  That's a total of 48 minutes, but I want to try and do 60 every day, so I need to get better.

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 8: It's like riding a bike

I don't know, I don't know how to ride a bike.  But I can ride the heck out of a stationary bike!

Saturdays are typically my rest day, and so during the challenge I will do a low-key workout.  Well, I had that yesterday.  Riding the stationary bike for 30 minutes is no joke. 

I had a busy day today, and my guests are still here, but it is so easy to hop on the bike while watching TV and getting a calorie burn in.  If not that, I like playing some music and dancing a couple of songs as a workout.  In the summer, I take all the kids outside and we do some bootcamp-style workouts.  Make it fun!

Tomorrow I go back to my normal workouts.

No excuses!  Get your workout in!

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 7: Wii Fit Plus AGAIN!!

Have overnight guests tonight and so to not bore them with my workout I put in Wii Fit Plus to get in my quick 30 minutes so the streak would continue.  Even though it is games, it is a workout, trust and believe!  I did the Kung Fu a couple times, and just about every other game game at least once because I was showing my sister and nieces and nephews.  I even did a few of the strength training too.  I like it but it would be a better challenge with small hand weights.

So no  matter what, my goal is to get at least 30 minutes in and that was accomplished today.  That is all!

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 6: Hip Hop Hustle 1

What can I say!  Chalene Johnson knows how to make a workout hard, challenging, and fun!  That girl can dance!

I received my Hustle Fan workouts in the mail today and I was like a little kid on Christmas day! I had to wait to 12:01 to order these for the new year due to my last year's resolution, and I thought they would take forever to show up by regular mail.  But today is the 6th and that was good timing!  Some of you may know that I plan on taking the class to become a certified Hip Hop Hustle and Turbo Kick Instructor.  My classes are in March.  I have taken Turbo Kick classes before and feel pretty comfortable with that format.

But I must say, I NEVER even saw a Hustle class.  Good thing for Youtube!  And then I became OBSESSED with it!  I am a total Hip Hop Abs junkie, love it to pieces, BUT there is something special about Hip Hop Hustle.  The routines are crazy hype.  Chalene's energy makes you want to DO MORE!  And the music...well, she totally has an ear for picking the right music to go with all her moves.

Okay, so I did Hustle 1 today.  And it's mainly a disc for the instructors to learn new routines to teach to classes and I thought,okay, this will be low-key. OH MY GOSH!  WHAAAAT!!  This is a full on workout, don't let it fool you. 

From the super cute warm-up to breaking down each move in the Hustle, I was on it!  SWEATY!  I like that Chalene is all like, "Dress the part, where funky clothes," while I am in my normal workout wear.  And the hats!  Ya gotta wear a hat.  Chalene even stops while one is passed to her so she can have it the rest of the routine.  So what did I do?  Pause, run up and find me a cute hat so I could be all hip (I later took it off because I was so sweaty).

She breaks down the moves so even a beginner can get it.  I'm no beginner, BUT I am no dancer so I worried about this.  No worries.  I would say I have it at about 80% right now, but this was just my first run through.  There are maybe 2 really tricky moves (or as Chalene calls it "twerky") but with practice, I can pick it up.

First there is a warm-up, then there are two "hustles" were it's like a line-dance routine.  The hustles are the first half of the class, about 30 minutes.  The second half, another 30 minutes, is "the show" were you perform a full-on routine as if you are auditioning for So You Think You Can Dance.  The first several moves will be repeated oodles of times because you keep taking it from the top, so I can do that like crazy good.  the later part, with the "twerky" moves, I better work on before I show off my moves. 

All in all, I definitely recommend this to anyone who likes to dance and wants a good workout.  Hey, even if you have two left feet, give this a try!

Get your hustle on!

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 5: Mel B's Murdering Arms

Another go at Mel B's Totally Fit last night.  She was brutal or in her words "bloody murder!"  Along with some of her other favorite words...

"This kills!"

"I'm sweaty!"

"Halfway here."

"This burns."

"Oh wow!"

And my fave, "Wow, wow, willy wonkers!"

I wanted to do the complete workout, but realized that is one lo-oong workout, so I settled for the same workout as Monday but added arms.  I wanted to stress the importance of weight lifting to your workout.  It is a must!  No if, ands or buts about it!  Strength train or weight lift at least 3 days a week!  Why?  Because muscles burn more than fat!  And isn't that a nice bonus.

Typically, you want to work the complete body in a session, but for some, breaking it down by muscle groups works for a more concentrated strength training workout.  Like arms one day, legs another, chest and back on another.  Abs can be worked with either group you like, but it is a muscle group like the others, so don't neglect nor over work it.

Now for arms, make sure you work biceps as well as triceps AND shoulders (deltoids).  Most don't think to work something like shoulders, but nice sculpted shoulders look awesome in a tank top!  Mel B's workout hit all those 3 and she doesn't even use heavy weights.  She uses 2-pound water bottles.  I had my smallest hand weights, 1-pounders.  Trust me, you FEEL it, no need to get macho with it.  I have used 5-pounds, but I need to work my way up with that.

You're not doing the typical 12-14 rep set.  You are basically fatiguing that muscle by going for a minute with each exercise.  I did not count the reps, but say for like bicep curls, you do at least 30 of them in a minute, and likely up to 45.  I have to go at my one speed because it really burns!

With just adding the arms and doing the warm up, cardio, advanced cardio and cool down, that was a 55 minute workout!  Friday I will attempt to do legs, bums and tums!

I'll do whatever I can to get a body like Mel B!

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 4: Hip Hop Abs

Shaun T is just a cutie, what can I say.  Love all my Hip Hop Abs workouts.  He does not disappoint.  The one I did was the first Fat Burning Cardio.  It's only about 30 minutes, and I wanted to do another workout after it, but geesh, I'm good!

Hip Hop Abs is an aerobic workout that uses dance, hip hop dance that is, to work the core.  I like how he breaks down the moves.  Very simple.  I remember when I first got HHA about 3 years ago, I looked at a lot of the moves like he was crazy.  But they really are not tough, and if you are doing it at home, alone, stop worrying about looking like a video dance queen.  If it's fun and you are sweaty, the workout is doing its job.

I had to share when I first got it.  I thought the family would get a kick out of it, and do all the dances.  So I brought it over my sister's house, and she tried a few moves, but the kids loved it even more.  We all kind of were shaking our bootal\y and having fun.  I think even those with two left feet, and the rhythm-less nation folks can enjoy this.

The core is worked by Shaun's "tilt, tuck, tighten" way you engage your core.  I mean, you can do the whole workout and not do the 3 Ts, but you won't work your core.  When you really do the 3 Ts, you feel it!  The workout is so fun, you won't even believe how fast the times goes by.

My fave moves are the "up-rock," the "get busy" and I like the "throwdown."

30 minutes total workout AND I did 30 minutes of the Wii Fit Plus beforehand, hence why I was too tired to do anything else.  Another successful day!

Love to dance like me?  Try Hip Hop Hustle!

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 3: Mel B Totally Fit

Scary Spice tried to kill me today!!

This workout is "bloody murder" as she likes to say.  Don't think this is a wimpy workout, because Mel B aka Scary Spice delivers big on this workout.  It's supposed to be a mix of cardio and strength training, but it felt like more strength training and less cardio to me.

The sections are broken down like this:
Warm up
Cardio
Advanced Cardio
Arms
Legs
Bums
Tums
Cool Down

Yes, she's so cute with her "bums" and tums."  Her accent is totally wicked man!  She's my favorite (and the only one I ever and still care for) Spice Girl.  Her body is frikkin amazing!

The warm up is about five minutes and is a typical warm up, nothing fancy.  Then the cardio part is one minute intervals of doing each side of the body, say like, punches.  It's not cardio in the typical sense of constant moving, but it does keep the heart rate up. It helps that Mel B has such a cute personality and she always has these little sayings.

"I sweatin' like a you know what?"

"I'm no crying, that's sweat, I promise."

I find myself talking to her a lot, or yelling at her.  But hey, that makes me feel like she is personally training me. And yes, I know, she is NOT a personal trainer, but she might as well be.  The only problem I would have with the workout is that there is no beginner moves.  So I would say this is for the intermediate to advance exerciser.

The advanced cardio is NOT cardio!!  It's a total body strength training routine and I like it....buuuuut, it's bloody murder!  Mel B even wimps out and puts down one of her weights (she actually uses 2 filled water bottles, and others have soup cans).  It makes me want to wimp out, then they show a shot of her glistening abs and I'm like "Heck no, I can do this!"

You want results man, they don't come by doing one crunch or two...try like total body workout and healthy eating!  Oh yeah, she also has a section on nutrition and talks about things to eat.  She also prepares a meal with her husband.

I did not do the individual body parts, THIS TIME, I gotta work my way  up to that.  I did about 40 minutes total.  I plan on doing this again Wednesday and Friday for my ST days.  My cardio I like to mix it up.  The plan was to rotate all my workouts this month and come up with a workable plan for February, so we shall see.  I get bored real fast when my workouts are the same thing over and over, I like variety on like a WEEKLY basis.  Still have not done any of my new workouts, but I will soon!

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 2: P90X Kenpo X

This is my favorite workout of all the P90X workouts so I just had to do it today!  It was brutal on my arms, but the fun brutal...I mean, the I know it's the burning something brutal.

The workout is 58 minutes, and about halfway through I am thinking I cannot make it, but I always finish up.  Tony saying, "There ain't no tired!" kinda helped me along.  I felt rusty, like I have not been working out for awhile...and it's true, I have missed a few workouts around the holiday season.  I want to get back to my fit self and murder this workout like I'm standing next to Tony and he's yelling at me.  Though he's not Jillian, he's not that kind of trainer. 

I like them both!

Between Tony, Shaun T, Chalene Johnson, Jillian Michaels...I can't pick!  Okay, maybe Jillian is my number one to workout with and yell at me.  Chalene would be second, but she doesn't yell, but her energy level and her enthusiasm about her workouts just keep you going.  Shaun T would be third.  He just cracks me up! I'm still mad at him about Insanity, sheesh!  Tony Horton, you're good too, buuuut, he's to nice, he's to gentile, he doesn't have the fire like Chalene has, BUT he works you out like nobody's business!

I love the punches at the end of Kenpo!  Can I just do that for 58 minutes?  Sure, my arms may fall off afterwards, but they would be tone and strong.  Okay, maybe not.  I like the block series as well.  This is just my go-to workout, well one of, when I really don't want to workout or if I have not worked out in awhile and need to be pumped back up. Does the trick every time!

Can't wait for tomorrow!

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 1: Wii Fit Plus

Today I bought WiiFit Plus (as well as a few other workouts) and could not wait to try it.  For 2010 my resolution was to not buy any new workouts, and I succeeded! Now it's 2011 and it's on!  So I started a 100 day exercise challenge.  I must work out at least 30 minutes EVERY day and that is tough for me.

Day 1
WiiFit Plus is awesome!  I knew it would be one of the firs things I would buy for the new year, but it helped a lot that my sister got it for Christmas and I played over there.  I was even more anxious to get it.  My favorite game so far and probably will stay so is the Kung Fu game.  I love it!  Just have to get really good at it.  And I played it enough to unlock the advanced and that was even better.

I did a whole 60 minutes.  Okay, maybe this challenge will be kind of easy.  Saturday is typically my rest day, but doing the Wii is like playing a game, but still burning some calories while I am at it. 

I can do this!