Tone it Up! on the Beach

Happy first day of summer!!  I would love to celebrate this most glorious of seasons by heading to the beach for a workout followed by a swim and a few of these.  However, that plan might be totally slightly unrealistic for a Wednesday afternoon.  At least with this COWABUNGA! Total Body Toning workout from the Tone it Up! girls I can pretend I'm at the beach.

The girls perform this workout on surfboards, but my living room floor will have to do for today.  Only ten minutes long, this is a great video when you are pressed for time.  You can also repeat it three times for a full body workout.  Sadly, a follow up swim and cocktails are not included. (sigh)

-♥ J

P.S. If on the off chance you are headed surf side this afternoon (lucky you!), here is a printable version of the workout for you to take with you.  

P.P.S. For more fun (and free) Tone it Up! workouts, check out their YouTube channel.

The 30 Minute Workout Theory (Part 1)

For the past couple of weeks Erin and I have been testing out a little theory that we have aptly dubbed the "30 Minute Workout Theory."  It goes a little something like this:

1. Workout first thing in the morning for 30 minutes.
2. Live your life.

It all started because Erin didn't want to get off the couch. "I was cranky and miserable and sitting on my couch and I had like four papers to write.  I was angry and overwhelmed with stress because I had so much work to do and I hadn't made it to the gym all week which made me even angrier and turned me into a lump with no motivation.  So I called you."  After a good, productive bitch session, we determined that the problem was that Erin needs to workout to feel happy.  However, going to the gym after work, had become this huge burden.  She would spend all day lamenting the fact that after an already packed work day, she would have to venture out into the cold, dark (often wet) night, hunt for parking, workout for an hour, hunt for parking again, make dinner and then start 2 hours of homework.  Because working out had become such a chore, she was skipping it altogether.

Erin: "I wish I could just workout in the morning."
Me: "Why don't you??"
Erin: "Ugh.  I would have to get up at like 5."
Me:  "Well, what if you only worked out for 30 minutes and just did a video at home rather than going to the gym?"
Erin: "You know how I feel about working out at home.  Besides 30 minutes isn't going to be enough."

30 minutes is plenty.  Weight loss (or weight maintenance) is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. However, smart food choices are the direct result of feeling good about yourself.  If you are feeling depressed and don't want to get off of your couch, you are way more likely to inhale a bag of chips while you are there.  By waking up and banging out a solid 30 minutes, Erin would be done working out before she knew she had started.  She could begin her day with a firm dent in her to do list, as well as a sense of victory and accomplishment. 

So how did our little experiment pan out????  "It changed my life," Erin said.  "By working out in the morning, I freed up all this brain space that used to be occupied by me worrying about how I still had to workout.  Also, just changing my routine and trying something different made me feel happier." 

-♥ J :)

Up next: The 30 Minute Workout Theory (Part 2)... My favorite 30 minute workout dvds.

I want these workout videos...

In addition to eating our weight in pasta last weekend, John and I had a visit from Steve and Charli.  While Steve and John were off discussing something of substance, Charli and I drank vodka smoothies and googled exercise videos. (Don't judge my fun…)  We furiously debated the cost of workout videos and plotted our next exercise adventure.  Charli's video spending limit caps off at $30. ( "I am NOT spending more than that!!!  Don't be ridiculous!!!") I, however, will spare no expense when it comes to working out…and have the video collection to prove it.  After my last purchase of Tracy Anderson's Metamorphosis, I banned myself from buying anymore videos.  However, these videos are so enticing that I can feel my resolve weakening.  What do you think??  Which one would you try??  Or are you like Erin who HATES working out in the house??

-♥ J :)

P.S.  Looking for a FREE workout???  In celebration of their opening week, Moksha Yoga LA is offering FREE hot yoga from Sept. 17th- Sept. 23rd!!!  They are also having a huge pre-opening sale on selected yoga packages.  Check them out HERE.


1.  Ballet Beautiful
This video's creator Mary Helen Bowers trained Natalie Portman for Black Swan.  Ballet Beautiful claims to make "the elusive shape of a ballerina'a body..attainable for everyone."  Honestly, they had my money at "ballet." At an affordable $21.99, even Charli is willing to give this one a whirl.

2. Brazil Butt Lift  Workout

The before and afters on this infomercial are pretty impressive.  The Brazil Butt Lift Workout claims to have "secret triangle training" that uses "specific angles of movement to target and sculpt specific areas of your butt, hips and thighs".  Sounds like a fancy way of saying you'll be doing a truck load of butt exercises.  This workout is a little over $60, but you get six different videos as well as a bunch of free gifts.

3. Insanity
I think the name sums it up.  A 60-day total body conditioning program, Insanity touts itself as an "extreme home workout dvd."  No weights or equipment needed for these 45 minute videos.  Insanity uses your own body weight to get you "the hardest body you've ever had."   This system comes with ten videos (plus four free gifts) and will cost you $120.  Well…it will cost me $120, because I know eventually I will wind up ordering it.  That's right.  I am just that insane. :)

The Skinny on Tracy Anderson

Do you want the good news or the bad news?

What's that, Veggies???
"Good news," you say??
So optimistic of you Veggies.  I love it.

Ok, here's the good news...
The Tracy Anderson Workout works.  
It work-ity, work, works.

Everything that Gwyn-ie says is true.  After this workout, you feel like a lean, mean fitness machine. Parts that were once jiggly are jiggly no more, your skin pulls tighter to the muscle and your posture is improved.  Remember the jumping test??  After doing the Tracy Anderson workout for about 2 weeks, I am happy to report that the butt is coming to a full stop.  
It is by far one of the best workouts I've ever done.  

Hmmm…What's that now???
"What is the bad news?" you ask.
Nothing.  Never mind.  Just focus on the good news.
Oh, ok.
It's…kinda…well…boring.
It's lots of repetition, an hour long (an hour and a half if you add in the cardio) and the music is just ok.  I should also warn you that, the first couple of times you do the workout, the moves seem so bizarre that you feel as if your body is a completely foreign entity over which you have very little control.  Or maybe that was just me...

But…to reiterate…IT WORKS.  
So what if you're a little bored?  
You know what is boring??  
Not fitting into your pants is boring.
A butt jumping without you is boring.
Spending time and money on yet another exercise regime that doesn't deliver results is boring.

Since I enjoy company in my madness, I enlisted my resident guinea pigs Charli and Erin to try Tracy Anderson with me.  When asked for their thoughts, Charli said, "My thoughts = OW." and Erin said, "My arms hurt." and "Tell her to stop making those faces at me."

Want to judge for yourself??
Here's a Tracy video to get you started:

I would love to know what you think! Comment below or tweet me @hhbelly.
For all things Tracy click here and for other exercise reviews by Charli click here.

-♥ J :)

P.S. Don't forget to check in Monday for my interview with Erin about her recent journey on the road to wellness or, as she calls it, "The Revolution."

Workin' It

Welcome to Monday, Veggies!
I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and is well rested for the week ahead because….
This week at Happy Healthy Belly we will be talking all things fitness!!!
Woo-hoo!!!
Give it up for the fit-to-the-ness!!!
Yaaaay, fitness!!!
(Yep…a little too much coffee this morning…)



Coming up:
-She got booted in the first round of her school's "Biggest Loser" competition, but that didn't stop Erin from turning that loss into a big honkin' win.  We'll find out how Erin lost more than 15lbs. while working two jobs, getting her master's degree and keeping a (very) active social schedule.

-Tracy Anderson's workout.  Will it get your butt tight or is it nothing but hype???  Charli and I weigh in.  (Metaphorically speaking.  We are not weighing ourselves.  That would be silly.)

and…

-The story of the four minute mile.  Are limits only in your mind? (That's right.  I'm getting all Zen on your be-hinds…)

Stay tuned!!!
-♥ J :)

It's June 1st…Do you know where your butt is?

Kirsch working out with Heidi Klum. 

I do.  I know this because on Regis and Kelly this morning "trainer to the stars" David Kirsch had everyone do a little experiment.  The experiment was supposed to show you what parts of your body needed to be toned up.  It went as follows:

Jump up and down.  When you stop jumping, notice which parts of your body keep on "jumping" without you.

"Well, this is just ridiculous," I thought. "I am not an anorexic middle schooler or being hazed in a sorority.  Why would any self respecting person do such a thing???"  Oh, yes…I thought that the whole time I was jumping away with Mr. Kirsch and continued to think that when I stopped jumping…and my butt didn't.

So, that was new information.

Fortunately, Charli has asked me if I want to start working out with her in the mornings.  Next week the two of us are going to start this workout.  I ordered it a month ago, but have only done it a handful of times.  It's a 90 day program that comes with a big 'ole imposing chart to track your progress.  Even though I LOVE charts and lists and all things organization, the idea of doing something for 90 days in a row kinda makes me want to take a nap.  (I bought P90x and lasted a week…) I'll let you know how it goes.  My goal is to stick it out for the next 21 days.  I owe my butt at least that much…

-♥ J :)