Gaiam: Shape 400-Calorie Blast Review

This Week: I started my 24 Day Challenge with 2 friends this week. I am doing great! I even took before photos & measured everything. I havent been hungry at all so thats even better. Typically I am hungry 24-7 regardless of my meal plan. Excited to potentially drop the last few lbs that have been clinging to me for dear life....

Today's Review: Shape: 400 Calorie Blast
Keri Crockett & Summer Sanders, 2011

Keri & Summer co-lead this fun cardio & strength workout in a nice open gray gym with fitness accessories around the perimeter. This dvd is broken up into three 15 minute workouts + a warmup and cooldown. You can easily mix and match workouts from the main menu and the w/u & c/d are automatically added on (easy to skip past if you dont want to do them). You wil only need dumbbells for this workout. Also included is a bonus 10 minute core workout. Both instructors offer varying intensities for most exercises. This is a Gaiam release.

Jump Start Cardio: This is fun strength routine with great 1 min cardio intervals to keep your heart pumping. Exercises include: plank- pushup- Mt. climber combo, squat & bi curls, burpees, plank hold- pushups, overhead press, front & side raise combo, back fly, pliet frog hops, & pendulums,

Calorie Burning Inferno: 3 min cardio blocks interspersed in progressive strength work make this a great C+S routine! Exercises include: high knees, jump lunge, plyos, bi curls to clean & press, squat hops & punches, squat floor touch hops, plie & hammer curl, side lunge- lat raise, curtsy -front raise, 180 jumps, and squat hop- side floor touches.

Core Power Boost: This section focuses on the core and adds in plenty of good balance moves & strength work. Exercises include: torso twist knee pulls, single leg squat, row, deadlift, plank side knee pull, plank twist, side plank variations, and squats w/ front & side kicks.

I would rate this a pretty high intermediate but many modifications are offered making it super easy to adjust to fit the needs of just about all exercisers. Great sequencing & plenty of new twists make this a keeper. Great calorie burner & really hits all the muscle groups. Both are good leads but I really like Summers energy in this one! I received this dvd to review.

Todays Tip: Healthy Vegi- Celery

Before the 1500s, celery was used as a medicine to treat a laundry list of ailments. Its devotees were on to something--the crunchy veggie has a unique combination of disease-preventing vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. It also: 

Keeps your blood pressure down, 

Lowers cancer risk, and 

helps you stay slim. 

Celery sticks can satisfy an urge to munch with virtually no calories--one large rib has just 10 calories and 1 gram of filling fiber! Read more on Prevention.

Today's LOLz: