weight loss workout: 6.30.10: Another Year Older!

The Other Day: We went to some friends house this weekend for homemade Thai food YUM! It was SO good. I brought this cake: mocha cake with coconut macaroon filling, buttercream frosting and fondant "funky flowers"...I will def alter the cake and filling recipe if I make this again as they were just "ok"...Sat and Sun ended up being rest days again this week! Ugh.

Yesterday: Was my birthday! Woohoo. It was fairly uneventful as DH & I are celebrating this weekend. He has something planned for me but hasnt told me what yet. I think I figured it out though LOL, but now he says it has fallen through-but Im not sure if hes just trying to throw me off....hehe see how we are! ( Custom cakes by Lindsey Lu. Phoenix custom cakes. Specialty Cakes Phoenix. Arizona custom specialty cakes. Specialty cupcakes phoenix. Custom cupcakes Phoenix wedding cakes. )

Monday's Workout:
-The Firm 500 Calorie Workout
*total w/o time 60 min + stretch

Tuesday's Workout:
-10 MS Tummy Toners (yoga abs & wasit/core)
-SWAT Extreme Weight Loss & Fat Burning
*total w/o time 60 min + stretch

Today's Bargains:
-Extra Entries for this weeks giveaway -The Firm 500 Calorie Workout:
----follow the Firm on Twitter (1 entry)
----follow me on Twitter (1 entry)
----tweet the following, can be done daily "win @FirmFitness 500 Calorie Workout from @fitnessforus: http://lindseylu8.blogspot.com/2010/06/dvd-giveaway-courtesy-of-gaiam-firm-500.html" (1 entry per day/tweet)

Today's Workout:
-Denise Austin Hit The Spot Pilates (total body & power abs)
-The Firm: Slim & Trim Powerball

Today's Review: The Firm Slim & Trim Powerball Kit
Tina Smalley, 2008

This is a 40 minute functional fitness workout led by Tina with 4 background exercisers, Emily provides the beginner modifications. The set is the darker marble-esque floor w/ a grayish blue background. You will only need the ball for this workout. The dvd comes with a 4 lb pink med ball. The dvd also has a 20 minute express w/o on it.

I like this workout used as a functional fitness type workout. I was still a bit sore from my last strength w/o so I did it this today and it was a perfect fit. There is some lower body body-weight work (+ the 4 lb ball) and some UB "work" w/ the ball (4 lbs is just not heavy enough to really do much IMO). You will do a lot of multi muscle moves that will get your heart rate up -lunges and dips while chopping the ball and raising it overhead, full form squats, squats w/ an upright row, side lunges with a bicep curl, a bowling type squat, fencing lunges, etc.

The w/o really has a functional feel IMO-like i said a lot of multi muscle moves with light weight. A lot of core focused moves: twisting, chopping, etc. There are also some touching the floor moves, pushups w/ one hand on the ball, "gorilla walks" while in plank, and other "functional" type moves.

The cardio is good in this one. More challenging and heart pumping than a lot of the "pink" Firms. Some toe taps on the ball, plyos, jumping squats, side steps, and a lot of the lower body work also gets the heart rate up.

I would rate this a solid intermediate workout with the option to up or down the intensity pretty easily. I wouldnt consider it a strength w/o though. I like Tina as a lead-her cueing is lacking a bit but its all pretty straight forward and athletic so not too hard to follow. She does "whoo" a lot in this and there is a few bad camera angles and you can hear their shoes clicking, but I still like the w/o and should use it more