One in 10 gymgoers checks her cell phone while exercising, hindering fitness focus and stress relief according to a survey by Standard Life Healtcare. Leave the Blackberry in your locker or car …out of sight, out of mind.
Fat burning Pilates is my secret weapon in the morning. Pilates makes your body feel so good when you wake up…it’s the ultimate good morning stretch. It also feels great to break a sweat by 6 a.m.! I love the Crunch series workout videos. I’ve also seen them at the library (an excellent source to try before you buy.)
What I’m loving now: Gilad’s Express Workouts. Gilad gives you 15 express workouts that are under 10 minutes each. He gives you fat burning cardio workouts, calorie burning strength workouts, core workouts, and sculpting workouts that target every muscle group in your body. Now you can customize your results by focusing on the body parts you need to work on the most. Complete workout charts are available on Gilad’s website for download. Gilad is the host and producer of the award-winning fitness shows Bodies in Motion and Total Body Sculpt and has been voted FitTV’s fitness instructor of the year 4 years in a row. In 2007, he was inducted into the national Fitness Hall of Fame (a well-deserved title.)
I’ve been working out with Gilad since 1989 and always count on him to wear me out during every workout. He’s tough, but keeps you motivated every step of the way…not to mention, the boy is extremely easy on the eyes. Check your library to see if they carry this DVD and try it for yourself. Your body will look better because of it!
The secret to Madonna’s arms and Gwyneth Paltrow’s slender legs…it’s Tracy Anderson. Take a look at Gwyneth and Tracy in the gym. The resistance band device is pure genius. If you’ve ever worked with resistance bands, you’ll know how beneficial they are to looking long and lean. They are great when you travel, too. (Note to the Irishman: I know you could build this…which would score you serious brownie points. just sayin’.)
What’s been rockin’ my abs lately? Turbo Jam! Chalene Johnson, founder of Turbo Jam, keeps the tempo up and keeps your muscles tight. You are guaranteed to hurt, but in a good way, the next day. Her workouts are fast-paced and high-energy. Check out this clip of Chalene to feel the energy. I love the counter clock on her videos. It lets you know exactly how many minutes you’ve accomplished, and how many more there are to go.
Latest celebrity tweets via Twitter:
Demi Moore: “I have only done the yoga DVD of P90X so far, and that has kicked my ass. The husband is banging it out every day- I need to motivate!”
Brooke Burke: “I’m using the Baboosh Body for cardio. If you want to lose belly inches, check it out.”
Working out does more for you than boost your sex appeal. According to a recent study by the University of Bristol in England, there are serious perks to exercising before or during your workday. They found that 72% of people improved their time management, 74% managed their workload better, and 79% were sharper and more focused. Switch your workouts to early morning or midday to gain the added benefits above.
Elliptical machines are the treadmills of the new millennium. The elliptical machine is essentially a treadmill meets stair stepper. Smooth fluid motions protects your joints, while getting full cardio benefits. This is an excellent piece of equipment for any home gym…and, you can win it! Click here to win this Smooth Fitness Elliptical Trainer.
You may also like this related blog post on home gyms…check out mine: 
According to recent study at the University of Valencia in Spain, resistance bands are about as effective as strength machines. After toning twice a week for 10 weeks, exercisers using the resistance bands achieved the same body benefits as those using machines.
The good news is that you can purchase resistance bands for under $5.00 a piece, for all those Resessionista Diva exercisers out there!
