REVIEW: MARISA TOMEI CORE & CURVES DVD

As promised here is my DVD review. There are 3 workouts on 1 DVD, plus a toning band, which is used quite often through out the workout, either looping it around the ankle or wrist.   Marisa Tomei is “lead” through the workout by her fitness trainer Key Son, who is known as a “secret weapon” for celebrities needing to prepare their bodies for the big screen, according to the DVD.

The DVD is divided into 3 sections:

Body Definition (20 minutes) which is designed to work the entire body.  Lots of glute and hip work in this section, mixed in with some balance training and an abdominal section which really worked my abs.   Yes, I am feeling it today. 🙂

Best Legs Workout (15minutes) 

Ten Moves in Ten (10 minutes) this section has a little balance work. Cons: There is no cardio on this DVD, although the trainer and description says there is and there is  not much interaction between Marisa and her trainer. He was not very encouraging, maybe he was nervous. Cons: Marisa leads you through a warm up and cool down section, which I would recommend you do your own, it is not enough of warm up for all the hip and glute work in the. She also bounced quite a lot when stretching which we all know is not supposed to be done. I actually did all the workouts as one session, but you can always split them up. I liked the exercises in this workout and the band was a bonus, so many other exercises I can do with this band. I also liked balance “challenge” with a few of the exercises.  I will keep this DVD in my library and use after my runs or use it on an easy, mellow workout day. But if you are expecting a super upbeat training session, this DVD does not have it, nor will you sweat buckets.

Who is your favorite celebrity trainer and celebrity fitness star?

If you try the DVD and like it, I would love to hear comments.

SHORT AND SWEET CARDIO ROUTINE

Just as the title states this routine is short, but intense and inexpensive, it can be done anywhere, and at anytime  all you need is a Jump rope. Jumping rope is a great overall body toner/sculpter and a fantastic calorie burner. Just remember to keep your elbows close to your sides this will ensure you use your wrists and forearms. I will perform this routine typically, on my weight training days .  If I am really short on time I will do it only once, but I typically I allot 20 minutes, the first 10 minutes before the weight routine and 10 minutes after. (Sometimes I will  jump after my run, gotta love the calorie burn).

0-2:00 Basic jump
2:00-3:00 Figure 8 jump ( Jump in the shape of the number eight)
3:00-4:00 Scissor jumps
4:00-5:00 Jumping jacks
5:00-6:00 Basic Jump
6:00-7:00 Side to side jumps ( legs together)
7:00-7:30 Single leg hop jumps ( Right)
7:30-8:00 Single leg hop jumps ( Left)
8:00-8:30 Double scissor jumps ( right foot infront)
8:30-9:00 Double scissor jumps ( left foot infront)
9:00-10:00 Basic Jump Repeat twice if time permits.

 

FYI: When purchasing a jump rope, step in the center of the rope, lift the handles, they should not go past your armpits.

 

Have fun with this routine and let me know what you think.

HEALTH NUMBERS, VEGAN BREAD AND A FUTURE REVIEW

I came across an article in Better Homes and Garden magazine, January 2010 issue informing us (women) some health numbers we should know because they are good indicators of our health.

Fasting blood sugar: Ideal is less than 100 milligrams per deciliter of blood. The article also states between 100-125 indicates prediabetes.

Waist to hip ratio: We have all heard about this and know that the size of our waists is a great predictor of our health. The ideal number is 0.8 or lower. This is calculated by dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement. You can use this calculator.

Bone density: A healthy T-score is above -1. According to the article the T –score compares your current bone density to a healthy 30 year old that has peak bone mass.

Vitamin D:  We all know the importance of Vitamin D in our diet to prevent many diseases, but do you know the amount we should have in our blood?  The article states that our vitamin D levels should be higher than 35ng/ml (nanograms per milliliter).

Thyroid: You want your number to be 0.4-4.0 mIU/L ( milli-international units per liter).  According to the article “some labs report the numbers differently and we should ask our doctors to explain the results”.  I had no idea this happened, I thought they all had the the same reporting guidelines.

Depression:  The article stated that depression can manifest in ways other than feeling hopeless or sad. But many times women will have low energy, difficulty concentrating, having odd aches and pains as well as weight loss or gain.

On to a different subject , a few weeks ago I came across this recipe Multi Grain Bread (Vegan or Not) from Itzy’s Kitchen that I just had to try. This bread was absolutely delicious. You should give it a try.

I will be reviewing Marisa Tomei Core & Curves DVD later this week.