Profile: After 12 long years in Database management, fundraising and special events, Joanne was ready to break out on her own and get a virtual party started. As Virtual Princess at MyUntangled Media she waves her wand for small businesses and non-profits that need a little magic to help them manage their day-to-day. On most days, she is also quite accustomed to following the lead of her 4-legged son, Ruby, who encouraged her to start blogging and nurture her love of photography on our official Pinterest boards!
During March I had big plans to focus on outdoor walking workouts. I was sure moving my fitness routine outdoors would clear my innards of winter cobwebs by providing me with some much needed fresh air. The warming temps and earthy scents of late winter and early spring bring the promise of renewal, and I looked forward to taking it all in, step by step. However, Mother Nature had another plan for me as she unleashed her own version of March Madness: snow, sleet, rain, wind storms, all topped off with a blizzard. Oh yes, nothing quite compares to a March blizzard and its two plus feet of snow to let you know that spring is definitively nowhere in sight. Needless to say, my plans to hit the ground walking this month were put on ice and road salt and sand. I took this all in stride and realized that even if I could not take a walk outside, I could still lace up and transport myself outdoors with all the beautiful scenery found in walking-based DVDs.
Walking for Weight Loss, Wellness & Energy is a new DVD by Jessica Smith and is quickly becoming my favorite workout. The pretty outdoor location is very spa-like, featuring sand and palm trees. There are two 30 minute workouts to choose from on the DVD, or combine them both for a fun, festive and longer walking-based workout. The soundtrack is phenomenal.
The Biggest Loser: Power Walk is shot outdoors in the warm sunshine of the Biggest Loser ranch. This DVD has 4 one mile segments, each approximately 16 minutes in length. Trainer Bob Harper leads you for two of the miles while fan favorites and former contestants Sione Fa and Tara Costa each lead one segment. Sione incorporates hand weights while Tara adds a medicine ball for variety. Sione and Tara cool you down with a poolside stretch. The cast is comprised of former contestants and it is nice to work out with folks of all shapes and sizes.
Walk, Sculpt & Tone with Debbie Rocker takes me on a trip to beautiful Sedona. The Arizona red clay and Desert Mountains provide a beautiful backdrop for this walking and toning workout. The DVD has two workouts, one is 30 minutes and the other is 69 minutes. Light hand weights are used for the toning segments.
When I am looking to stretch out and hit the beach after a long walk, I cue Breathe Stretch & Relax. This 21 minute flexibility and relaxation routine was shot waterfront with palm trees gently bending in the breeze. A mat is used in this free, full length Jessica Smith YouTube video.
My new plan is to take my walks outdoors in April. Here’s hoping there aren’t too many April showers to contend with as I am none too good at puddle jumping!
I love the decadent combination of dark chocolate and berries, blueberries in particular. I also enjoy revamping dessert recipes by using unconventional ingredients to make healthier versions of my favorite sweet treats. It’s a huge compliment when my taste testers can’t believe their taste buds. Convincing others that healthy, delicious desserts actually do exist makes my day.
Inspired by an increasing need to accommodate friends and family members who follow gluten-free diets coupled with the growing popularity of using beans in baked goods, like this recipe by Chocolate Covered Katie, I set out to develop my own dark chocolate black bean and wild blueberry brownie recipe.
These black and blue brownies will knock you out but don’t worry they won’t leave your diet bruised! These dark squares of ooey gooey goodness weigh in at just 132 calories so they can be squeezed into any healthy eating plan.
These black and blue brownies will knock you out but don’t worry they won’t leave your diet bruised! These dark squares of ooey gooey goodness weigh in at just 132 calories so they can be squeezed into any healthy eating plan.
Ingredients
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup quick oats
⅓ cup honey
¼ cup blueberry applesauce (I used one snack-size container)
3 tbsp dark cocoa powder
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup dark chocolate chips (additional may be used for presentation)
½ cup frozen wild blueberries (additional may be used for presentation)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease an 8×8 pan; set aside.
Put all ingredients, except chocolate chips and blueberries, into a food processor; process until brownie batter mixture is smooth.
Stir chocolate chips and blueberries into brownie mixture using a spoon.
Pour brownie mixture into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25-28 minutes.
Let brownies cool completely, then cut into 12 squares.
With a recent cold snap gripping the nation and temps hovering in the low single digits in my neck of the woods I guess it’s no wonder I sorely miss basking in the warmth and glow of the sun. This may explain why my current at-home workouts revolve around that other yellow orb in my life: my stability ball. It’s big, yellow, round, and much like the sun, leaves me sufficiently warm and sweaty after we spend some time together. Since we have a lot more winter to go, it is likely that my stability ball will remain the sunshine of my life until spring has officially sprung. Oh vitamin D, how I miss thee!
The stability ball, also commonly referred to as an exercise or Pilates ball, is a fun and inexpensive addition to any at-home fitness plan. It can be used to work your abdominals, arms, legs, backside, you name it, and because you constantly have to maintain the stability of the ball, you work your core the entire time. Sometimes I even use it as a desk chair because it forces me to keep my core engaged and to sit up straight. I hope you join me in some of my favorite at-home stability ball workouts. And because I am a sucker for bad puns…I promise you will have a ball doing these workouts…I hope you are on a roll with your healthy living efforts…I hope you’re ready to go because it’s time we bounce. Okay, okay, I promise I am done with the puns now.
Bombastic Booty Pilates Workout on the Ball
First, a little disclaimer: I would probably love anything–animal, vegetable or mineral–called “bombastic booty”. I love the name, and all it implies, so much. That being said, I can honestly report this bombastic booty ball workout is the bomb! Cassey Ho leads us through 8 minutes of leg bounces, mini sideways scissors, side leg lifts, hamstring rolls and reverse plank pulses to tighten and tone our booties. Check out Cassey’s blog, Blogilates, for additional workouts, meal plans, recipes, and that other bombastic word we all love to hear–giveaways!
SparkPeople 8-Minute Lower Body Workout with Ball
Coach Nicole Nichols takes us through a great 8 minute standing stability ball workout. We start by placing the ball against the wall and leaning into it with our lower back. As we squat, lunge, and perform calf raises, the ball moves up and down the wall and against our back. I found using the ball during these familiar exercises encouraged me to keep better form. I couldn’t lean forward and make the exercises easier because I had to keep perfect posture to hold the ball against the wall. For Coach Nicole’s tips on health and fitness, take a gander at Nicole Nichols’ blog.
Pilates Ball Whole Body Challenge #15 Five Foot Fitness
Whitney Dayberry gives us a full body workout in this 9 minute video. We start seated on the ball and perform roll outs, hip lifts, single leg lifts, and abdominal curls and twists. We then turn over onto our stomachs to work our backs with back extensions, and arms and abs with walkouts and knee pulls. Next, we hit the floor for bridges and hamstring rolls. Can’t get enough of Whitney? I don’t blame you. Pop on over to her website, fivefootfitness.com, to learn how you can take a live online class with Whitney through powhow. How cool is that?
Denise Austin: Core & Upper Body Strength Workout
Denise warms us up with seated twists and stretches to get us ready for this 15 minute core and upper body workout. Then she takes us through arm roll outs to work the abs followed by push-ups. Next, Denise highlights the versatility of the stability ball by incorporating hand weights into the routine. We work the entire upper body and abs with weights in moves like one arm rows, rear flies, bicep curls and overhead presses. Now it’s time to put the weights down and take it to the floor to perform crunches accompanied by leg curls on the ball. We finish off with reverse crunches while holding the ball between our feet. I really liked how some of these traditional exercises took on a new feel with the use of the ball. Denise Austin’s blog is where this fitness veteran shares her wealth of knowledge and expertise.
I hope you enjoyed our New Year, New You Workout Wednesdays.
A common question I get from people is, “Please tell me how you stay motivated to work out at home?” when they find out I have been working out at home for 20 years. While I may not be a motivational speaker the likes of Tony Robbins I can tell you a thing or two about staying motivated to work out at home.
Thing one is set a routine
Working out in the morning tends to be best for me because then no matter where the day leads me I have already fit my fitness in. My motivation tends to wane as the day goes on. I know it’s unlikely I will want to work out after a long day of work washed down by a glass of wine and dinner. I have also realized that I make better food choices throughout the day if I work out in the morning. There is something about taking an early step toward the preservation of my body that makes me want to keep up my good habits throughout the day. You can go ahead and file that in your folder of “things that make you go hmmm”. What about that evil girl inside my head telling me it’s okay to hit snooze and skip my morning workout? She’s a total liar! She’s the same girl who told me it was a good idea to purchase that hot pink t-shirt emblazoned with “Sexy And I Know It”. As it turns out, that is not such a cute look for this forty-something-year-old. I recommend you set yourself up for success by planning your at-home workout at a time best suited for your life. Know that there will be a million and one reasons not to stick with your routine, but the most important reason to stick with it is your health! Plus, all those sessions will help keep you sexy and you know it.
Thing two is try something new
When I feel myself getting bored because my workout routine has become, well, routine, I whine, “Whaaa whaaa whaaa…I’m so bored!” Then I notice nobody is listening, so I get over myself, and try something different. Right now I am spicing things up by learning Indian dance steps thanks to Bollywood inspired workouts. This is not a new fitness craze, but it is new to me so it’s just what I need to shake things up a bit. I love the music, the interesting dance moves, and the playful attitude. Join me on a no passport required trip to Bombay and beyond with these energizing and enjoyable workouts.
While flipping channels one day I discovered Reshmi Chetram’s workout program, BollyFIT, on the Veria Living TV network. I scheduled my DVR to record an episode and I was immediately hooked! I then checked out the Veria website and found five full length BollyFIT classes. Each one of these workouts offered incorporates Indian classical, folk and Bollywood dance steps. They are all 23 minutes long, performed barefoot, have great music, and adhere to the following sequence: instructional, cardio, muscle conditioning with flexibility, and BollyFIT dance session. The set is bright white with flowing colorful fabric draped from the ceiling.
Let’s take a peek at one of my faves. In Bollywood Dance Workout: Full Class – 23 Min: BollyFIT #19 Reshmi warms us up with an instructional dance segment where she teaches us 90° jumps followed by a livelier cardio portion. Then we move on to muscle conditioning with a flexibility component where we perform lunges and abdominal twists. The final segment, BollyFIT dance session, is my favorite. We build on the dances we learned in the instructional and cardio portions of the program by incorporating new choreography. This is one quick, festive and fun routine.
I discovered The Bollywood Dance Workout by Hemalayaa when I signed up for a free two week trial of My Yoga Online. I highly recommend you take advantage of this free trial offer as the site is awesome. I originally signed up to explore Hemalayaa’s yoga offerings, and I was pleasantly surprised to also find meditation, Pilates and dance workouts by a host of great instructors. What a find!
The Bollywood Dance Workout is 50 minutes of carefree fun. Hemalayaa leads us through dance moves like shimmies, African arms, hip scoops, feed the chickens, the guerrilla walk, and my favorite, the butt bounce. There is a short toning segment where we perform “Bhangra Bounce” squats and fun abdominal toning exercises. The set is lush with deep colors, a pretty carpet, fabric draped on the ceiling, and Bollywood movie posters adorning the walls. The music is upbeat and stimulating. Hemalayaa’s emphasis is on being playful and just having fun, which is exactly what I did during this workout. A shortened edition of Hemalayaa’s Bollywood Dance workout is available on the Video-On-Demand channel, MagRack. By cutting out a portion of the dance routine and the entire toning segment the MagRack version was reduced to 35 minutes.
Before a workout I inevitably find myself asking, “What am I in the mood for today?” If I permitted you a peek at a list of the workouts I’ve done over the past several weeks you surely would come to the following conclusion: I am one moody lady! Most days selecting my workout is like picking a cup of yogurt out of the fridge. It’s quick and easy for me since I enjoy every flavor. Sometimes it’s a little more complicated though, and the answer to “What am I in the mood for?”, lies deeper, relating to how I am truly feeling about a situation going on in my life. Sensitive, exuberant and doubtful are feelings which act as predictors in my workout choices. Luckily, I have three go-to trainers who help me deal with those emotions perfectly. I should note that no matter what my mood is going into a workout, I always end up feeling energized and grateful afterward.
Ellen Barrett
I head straight for a session with Ellen Barrett when I am sore from life kicking me around. Ellen’s workouts tend to be low impact and incorporate softer styles of exercise like Pilates, yoga, ballet and t’ai chi. I find Ellen’s use of natural imagery to be warm and comforting. Why Ellen? I had my “aha moment” when I read a review of one of Ellen’s DVDs on Fit Bottomed Girls where she says, “Workouts can be nurturing or they can be abuse. Choose nurturing.” I turn to the following workouts from Ellen when I feel sensitive and am in need of nurturing.
Fit TV’s Zen Sculpt is a 43 minute toning and conditioning workout done “peacefully and zenfully”. Lifting weights has a unique quality when paired with a yoga mountain pose or while creating the yin-yang symbol with your arms. The floor work includes Pilates toners like boat pose and frog legs. During the cool down we “return our energy” to ourselves in a hug-like stretch. Light pair of dumbbells and an exercise mat are required.
I found both Power Fusion and Grace and Gusto on the VOD channel, Sportskool. Each is 46 minutes, shot live, done barefoot, and requires an exercise mat.
Power Fusion is a blend of yoga, dance and calisthenics. Ellen takes us through fun moves like angel arms, warrior pulse, goddess, and bow and arrow. The natural imagery abounds in moves like the earth and sky and the waterfall stretch. It’s okay to go chasing this waterfall.
Grace and Gusto is a fusion of Pilates, ballet and yoga. Ellen offers us a fresh look at yoga moves like the cat and cow, moving tree, and prayer twist. She takes the Pilates off the floor with standing leg beats and the saw. But it was unique exercises like the giddy-up and the lasso that had this cowgirl saying, “yee haw!”
Jennifer Galardi
I love to dance! I can always count on Jennifer Galardi to meet me on the dance floor with original and innovative choreography. Dancing comes straight from my heart, and it is a vehicle I use to share my feelings. Jennifer and I seem to have that in common as she told Two Belles Fitness, “I express myself best through physical movement and my body and yoga and dance allow me that outlet.” When I have great news and I want to express my joy to the world I get my hip-hop, salsa, and retro groove on. (I also happen to have some stellar jazz hands.) Jennifer’s teaching style makes me feel like I am right there in the studio with her…dancing, dancing, dancing, I’m a dancing machine!
In 10 Minute Solution Fat Blasting Dance Mix we get three dance and two toning sections in one fun workout. Jennifer teaches the choreography add-on style then we put it together and take it from the top. Roll those hips, throw it down, figure eights, and swing it sisters are a few of my favorite dance moves in this varied video. The butt and thigh blaster and ab attack both offer standing choreographed toning at a faster than usual pace. No equipment required.
I also discovered Sweating Sexy on the VOD channel, Sportskool. This 48 minute routine starts with a technique Jennifer calls “using the floor” in which we learn the moves at a slower pace. Then we pick up the speed and incorporate all of those moves in a creative dance routine in the second section. Sweating Sexy Sneak Peek! offers a glimpse into how you will dance yourself sexy with inverted plies, hip pushes and rolls. The cool down is a standing stretch sequence. No equipment required.
Jillian Michaels
Sometimes I don’t know what to do about a situation or I feel doubtful about my ability to solve a problem. What does this girl do when she is feeling stuck? She does a session with Jillian Michaels. I know, I know, we’ve all watched Jillian make overweight people puke and cry on TV. But there’s so much more to her! She recently told the Huffington Post, “For years, I always thought it was hilarious that I was this fitness guru, because fitness was just a tool I utilized to help people improve their confidence. For me, it’s never been about fitness. It’s always been about helping to empower people.” While Jillian may be tough, her message is exactly what I need to remind me of my strength. While I don’t normally do burpees, Jillian gets me to do them well and do them like they are my J-O-B. I own you, Mr. Burpee. Challenging myself with an unfamiliar physical exercise leaves my mind feeling empowered to move through the impasse I am facing in life. Here are a couple of my favorite workouts by Jillian.
Jillian takes us through seven aerobic and toning interval circuits in Banish Fat Boost Metabolism Complete Workout for a sweaty 55 minute session. We get lots of variety with kickboxing, mountain climbers, 180 degree jumps and single leg hops, oh my! Our core works double duty as there are both standing and floor abdominal exercises. Throughout this workout Jillian is super motivating and encouraging. She really does want us to succeed.
In Yoga Meltdown Level 1 Jillian leads us through an athletic-style 35 minute yoga workout. The emphasis is on utilizing yoga poses to increase muscle endurance in this session. She offers an original take on traditional yoga poses and “reps” them out. Jillian is like no other Yogi I have encountered! She pushes me to quite literally stretch out of my comfort zone which is exactly what I am looking for sometimes. Exercise mat required.
See you next week for another New Year, New You Workout Wednesday.
Are You Workin’ it Out With Me?
Let us know how you’re doing in the comments or on social media!
Have you ever thought about joining a band? During a workout, that is. If you have been resistant to investing in exercise equipment, hesitate no longer because resistance bands and tubes are well worth the money. These economical space savers travel well and add muscle to your workout routine. It’s like having a portable gym in the palm of your hand, briefcase or overnight bag.
In my experience, flat resistance bands are best for Pilates-style workouts. The flat shape wraps easily around my feet, hips and ribcage for all those fun Pilates moves. I find that resistance tubes equipped with handles are more suitable for more athletic-type workouts. I appreciate the handles during lunging bicep curl and squatting triceps curl combos and feel they wear well under my sneakers. This may not be scientific, but the choice all comes down to my feet: I reach for the bands during barefoot sessions and the tubes when my workout requires sneakers.
Bands and tubes are inexpensive purchases on their own. However, you get a better value when you purchase a DVD which includes a band or tube. After years of service, my last band was in need of replacing. I recently purchased the newly released 10 Minute Solution: Tighten and Tone Pilates from Collage Video. I paid a total of $12.98 which included shipping. A resistance band is included along with an awesome 54 minute DVD, and I can honestly say it is tightening and toning this girl’s bottom line. I have also seen 10 Minute Solution DVD’s for purchase at my local Target and Wal-Mart.
I was lucky enough to snag The Firm Light Resistance Cord, which comes with a 30 minute workout DVD, at TJ Maxx for $5.99! The DVD may be purchased with a light, medium or heavy tube from Amazon, while The Firm and drugstore.com offer it with the light tube only. I love this total body toning and cardio workout, and feel like I work every muscle in just 30 minutes.
You can try a portion of The Firm workout along with a selection of my other favorite band and tube workouts below.
Whitney Dayberry takes us through a 10 minute resistance band arm workout. Whitney promises, “no planks” in this session but that doesn’t mean she lets us off easy. I find Whitney’s upbeat attitude infectious. Resistance band and exercise mat required.
Jessica Smith welcomes us into her home for this 14 minute resistance band workout. During a recent trip I threw my band in my suitcase and this workout was perfect for my hotel room. Jessica’s adorable dog, Peanut, joins us during this cardio and toning session. Resistance band required.
Audrey Hayashi leads us through a 22 minute Pilates resistance band workout focused on the abdominals. The workout is filmed in a Pilates studio and is accompanied by a pleasant instrumental soundtrack. But don’t let the soft music and the instructor’s gentle cueing deceive you, as this is one tough core workout. Resistance band and exercise mat required.
Jessica Smith again gets us sweating in this 10 minute resistance tube workout. I first discovered this workout on the VOD channel, Sportskool. Hearts are pumping during this time-efficient total-body toning workout. The only drawback to this fitness studio workout is that Jessica’s dog, Peanut, does not join us. Resistance tube and exercise mat required.
Tina Smalley leads us through a 12 minute segment of the 30 minute resistance tube workout mentioned above. The cast is comprised of The Firm instructors so the demonstrations are flawless and the physiques are inspirational. You could take a break during the 30 second ad on this Hulu video, but I say just keep going. Resistance tube and exercise mat required.
Company, March! We work out with fit service members as instructor MSgt Mike Skaggs teaches us how to increase our strength with resistance tubes in this 25 minute workout. I used a lally column in the basement for the final “partner” abdominal exercise and kept crunching through the break. This workout helped me answer the question, “Joanne, are you fit for duty?” “Sir, yes, Sir!” Resistance tube required. Confession: these tough guys don’t use an exercise mat for the floor work but I did.
See you next week for another New Year, New You Workout Wednesday.
Are You Workin’ it Out With Me?
Let us know how you’re doing in the comments or on social media!
You were going to start your 2013 workout plan yesterday but decided to wait until tomorrow. Thing is, today is that tomorrow you were talking about. What now? Perhaps you are feeling a little overwhelmed about where to begin. There are so many types of workouts available that designing your own fitness plan can be a daunting task. Money may be a factor as well since your wallet is most likely feeling a little lighter after the holidays. Who wants to spend money they don’t have on fitness equipment they may not use? Or the fear of failure and the seduction of the couch may be the problem.
I know a lot of people start out strong every January, transforming from a couch potato to a fitness fanatic overnight. But they overdo it and change right back into a spud. Let’s face it, the couch can be persuasive when wooing…I love and miss you. Baby, please come back to me. My world is empty without you. And just like that the couch is holding you in its arms all night long again. Breaking up is hard to do.
To help get you motivated to work it out for good in 2013, I’m sharing my secrets throughout the month of January (and maybe beyond) in a series we’re calling New Year, New You Workout Wednesdays. Don’t go it alone, go ahead and kick off your shoes and join me for your first workout of 2013!
I was delighted when I recently discovered I could work out with YouTube videos. I was doing a little research on ballet workouts when I came across a YouTube video for the New York City Ballet Workout. I spent the next hour thrilled to be performing pliés, tondus and relevés with real NYC Ballet dancers. This little ballerina wannabe was having tutu much fun. I have since done some poking around and tried other YouTube video workouts, and I am hooked on this as one fantastic at-home fitness solution.
Maybe YouTube is exactly what you are looking for too. It’s a free and simple way to ease on down, ease on down the fitness road. I have selected a few videos to share with you that I really like. All of them are done barefoot, can be done in a small space, require little to no equipment, and range in time between 15 and 62 minutes.
Denise Austin: Total Body Pilates Challenge is a standing Pilates workout 15 minutes in length. Denise has a friendly and motivating style to her training. The set is pretty and has an outdoor tropical resort feel. No equipment is required.
Trainer Jessica Smith invites you into her own living room with Cardio Barefoot Flow. This 36 minute video mixes ballet, yoga and modern dance for one fun routine. Jessica is sweating right along with you since it is shot live. No equipment is required.
Yoga Weight Loss & Balance Workout with Tara Stiles is a 50 minute workout filmed outdoors in a beautiful desert setting. The yoga poses move from one to the next at a good pace. I felt limber and relaxed after this workout. Plus, the desert sunshine put this New Englander in a warm and happy mood. Exercise mat required.
DVD Ballet Body Workout starring Jennifer Galardi is 62 minutes long and starts with three standing segments – legs, core and balance. Then you hit the floor for Pilates and floor barre followed by a long stretch. This video is well-rounded and makes me feel more graceful. A pair of 1-5 lb. dumbbells and an exercise mat are used.
See you next week for another New Year, New You Workout Wednesday. Get ready, because I’ll be running off with a bang!
Are You Workin’ it Out With Me?
Let us know how you’re doing in the comments or on social media!
You were going to start your 2013 workout plan yesterday but decided to wait until tomorrow. Thing is, today is that tomorrow you were talking about. What now? Perhaps you are feeling a little overwhelmed about where to begin. There are so many types of workouts available that designing your own fitness plan can be a daunting task. Money may be a factor as well since your wallet is most likely feeling a little lighter after the holidays. Who wants to spend money they don’t have on fitness equipment they may not use? Or the fear of failure and the seduction of the couch may be the problem.
