Dance-centric Fitness Shoes

I'm still trying to figure out what shoes are best to perform TA dance aerobics in.  There are a variety of opinions on the TA Facebook fan page...air max, shox, etc.  New Balance has a new pair of shoes that are made specifically for dance aerobics.  Even better, Fitceleb is giving away a pair!  My search may soon be over...

Here are the details on the new shoes:

This comfortable lifestyle shoe has an upscale-retro look. With its combination upper, you get the best of both worlds: the durability of leather and the lightweight support of a synthetic upper. This is an ideal shoe for aerobic classes and all dance-centric fitness activities.

New Balance 474 Product Details:

* IMEVA (injection-molded EVA foam) midsole for firm yet flexible cushioning

* Solid rubber outsole provides long-wearing durability

* Leather/Synthetic upper is lightweight and breathable

* Shoe Last: RL-1

Day Nine

Feeling kinda crappy today...a little sore and sluggish.  No workout today.  Not eating clean today either.  Tomorrow will be better.

Day Eight: Happy Monday!

I had a great Monday!  I caved in and started the day with Starbucks though I'm only allowing myself one per week (I figure Monday is bests because it's so hard going back to work after the weekend).  I had Fantastic Foods
Chili, Vegetarian, 6.4 oz.for lunch.  I really believe that I make the best vegetarian chili.  I add diced tomatoes with green chilies, TWO cans of dark red kidney beans, a cup of frozen corn, diced green pepper, diced red onion, and extra chili powder.  It truly tastes Fantastic!  It's perfect because it feels me up and satisfies me.  I also had a piece of GG Scandinavian Bran Crispbread, 3.5 Ounce Bag for an extra fiber boost.

On the exercise front I did a full half hour of TA Method muscle work, then I mastered that dance combination I posted earlier.  I really tried to go full out and it was a great workout!  I'm getting to the point where I really enjoy the sweat.  I know it's because of the dancing, plain aerobic workouts are kind of lame and boring but the dancing is a challenge to learn and it's fun.  Dancing in my mirror I feel like I'm really doing it, totally hot!  Like I'm ready to go on tour with Britney or Madonna!!  LOL!

Now I'm ready for a big mug of CS Sweet Apple Chamomile tea, it reminds me of a warm apple cinnamon dessert (minus the calories!).

Real Life Workout with Tracy!

Check out this awesome first hand account of a TA workout.  I would be way too intimidated to workout at the TA studios, maybe in a few months I will feel stronger and more confident.  Just reading about the experience was motivating for me.

Wishlist: Nike Air Max +2010

Lots of folks on the TA Method Facebook fanpage agree that the Nike Air Max Plus line of shoes provide the best support for the dance cardio.  I currently have an old pair of Nike Shox.  I really want to try the Nike Air Max because I have weak knees so I need all the cushioning and support that I can get.

I did some research and fell in love with these...

The pink and black color is soooo hot!  I really want them but they cost $159.99 and that's not exactly budget friendly.  I think I might consider them as a splurge gift to myself once I reach a weight loss milestone like 10 lbs. or when I can fit into my Rock & Republic jeans (whichever comes first!).  This is a great motivator and would totally give me something to look forward to.  Better start dancing my ass off if I want these shoes!

Dance Cardio

This is the routine I plan on mastering today...wish me luck!

Day Seven: Back on Track

I feel good about today.  I did 30 minutes of muscle work and some cardio too.  I feel bad about my cheating on the diet over the weekend but I'm not giving up completely.

Didn't make it to the farmer's market so I'll be hitting the organic market tomorrow for more veggies.

Confession time, I miss my Starbucks.  I know it's too much sugar but it's like a ritual for me.  I feel incomplete without a Starbucks cup in my hand as I head in to work.  I haven't decided what I'm going to do but I miss my soy chai latte.  :-(

Days Five and Six: No Bueno :-(

So my 'cheat day' turned into 'cheat days'...so bad.  I was doing very good on Friday.  Eating my vegetables and fruits, plus I did all three of TA's Malawi webisodes.  I was doing sooo good!  My sister called me to go shopping and it all went downhill from there.  Crab and shrimp artichoke dip, half a cobb salad topped with crispy (read:  FRIED) shrimp, plus a big bowl of crab soup.  All this was eaten at about 9:00 PM.

I planned to start anew on Saturday but I was so busy Saturday morning that I didn't eat anything.  Actually it was 2:30 PM and I still hadn't eaten anything.  I was totally drained and just wanted to go home but I was starving so I went to Chic-Fil-A...yikes!!!  So not on the TA program.

Sunday is going to be a totally different story, I'll go back to the farmer's market and get some great fruits and veggies to start my week off right.  I'm not giving up.  Even if I don't follow the diet I will continue doing the TA Method videos and webisodes.  I've already seen changes in my body so I know that the exercises work.

A Little More Inspiration...Go Tracy!!

The arm exercises are serious!  The music is perfect for this one too.

Day Four

I did the Tracy Anderson Perfect Design Series: Sequence I again today.  I felt a little bit stronger than yesterday so I guess that's progress.  I didn't do any cardio because I was really busy today.  I actually miss my dance routines, they're hard but they are fun.

I made a really great smoothie today...banana, strawberries, blackberries, and a little agave syrup.  I even put a few leaves of kale in because I think I needed some greenery.  I had Indian-style chickpeas with a little brown rice for dinner and a Kashi bar later.

I can honestly say that my legs are starting to re-shape.  It's amazing to see it happen.  If I weren't seeing these results I know I would get discouraged because these workouts are HARD!

A Little Inspiration

This little dance sequence is one of my favorites, so much fun!

Day Three: A little deviation

The day was pretty uneventful, I had fruit for breakfast but I really didn't want spinach for lunch.  I went to a Chinese restaurant for lunch and got shrimp chow mein which is basically shrimp with cabbage, celery and onions in a light sauce.  I threw away the white rice and crispy fried noodles that came with it so I wouldn't be tempted.  It was very satisfying to eat something different.  I really needed to switch it up a little.

As far as exercise, I tried the Tracy Anderson Perfect Design Series: Sequence I for the first time.  It included some of the same toning exercises from the TA Method 30 Day DVD but in a different order.  This video was very challenging to me, the butt/legs section was hard.  I look forward to the day when these exercises become a little easier for me.  The idea of adding ankle weights seem so far off to me its unimaginable.  I didn't do a full 40 minutes of cardio because I was feeling drained of energy.

Day Two: Confessions

Today was a little better than yesterday as far as my hunger.  I took extra fruit and a little more bean salad with me to work so I wouldn't feel like I wanted to eat my keyboard!  Everything was going along great until I was confronted with the enemy...a slice of red velvet cake!  I'm weak, I couldn't help it.  I ate the cake but then I felt totally guilty so I did 45 minutes of muscle design.  I would really like to know when the muscle design part is going to get easier because I feel like I'm dying through all the reps (but I guess I needed to be punished!).  I still have 40 minutes of cardio to do but I really get a kick out of the dancing so it doesn't feel that bad.

Since the cake was my dinner, I've prepared my spinach salad for tomorrow's lunch.  I haven't decided what recipes I'll make next but I'm thinking one of the soups.

I think I'll do an official weigh in at the start of day 6, which would be a full five days of TA Method.  Can't wait to see my progress!!

Day One: TA Method

Those sweet little pictures in Tracy Anderson's book are a little misleading.  Those simple, innocent exercises kicked my butt today!  I could only do 20 reps and I'm not looking forward to the soreness tomorrow.  Honestly, I'm happy about it all because if were easy, it probably wouldn't be so effective.  The cardio was also intense and left me sweating and guzzling water.

On the food side, the strawberry mint salad was tasty but left me hungry.  I ate an apple for a snack and the Tuscan bean salad for lunch.  By the time I got home from work I was STARVING!!  I made the spinach salad for dinner and threw an extra boiled egg in.  I am definitely going to have to prepare more snacks to bring with me to work.  

One day down, 29 more to go!

P.S.  I'm obsessed with reading comments on the Facebook fan page!!  So much helpful and encouraging info.

TA Method Day 0: Prep

Shopping for my veggies went a lot better than expected.  I started at the farmer's market, then went to the organic market for everything else.  The commenters on the TA Method Facebook page mentioned how much they spent but that wasn't the case for me.  Buying the bulk of my produce at the farmer's market could be why I only spent about half of what others did.

Today I'm going to make the strawberry mint salad for Monday's breakfast and I am going the do the spinach salad for lunch.  I know that preparing everything the day before will be crucial for me.  I don't want to be tempted to buy any crap at work.  I'll probably take apple slices and almond butter for a snack.  I'm going to modify the diet because I don't like fish but I'm not a strict vegetarian either.

I'm also planning on running through the exercises today so that I'll be more familiar tomorrow.

I'm glad I found the TA Method Facebook page, reading comments from fellow dieters is encouraging and they've answered a lot of my questions about the program.

UPDATE:  I made strawberry salad for breakfast tomorrow, the Tuscan bean salad for lunch tomorrow and prepped the spinach salad for dinner tomorrow.  I also tried to run through the exercises...yikes!  Those exercises seem simple but they kick boo-tay!!  I guess the saying is right...no pain, no gain.

Plan first, then Prep

So I'm trying to plan my shopping trip so that I get everything I need for day one of the TA Method.  I'll try to pre-make as many recipes as possible on Sunday.  I'm also going to run through the exercises so that I can be comfortable with them when I officially start.

This. is. not. a. game.

So excited!

Her body is sick!!

My pre-ordered copy of Tracy Anderson's 30-Day Method: The Weight-Loss Kick-Start that Makes Perfection Possible came in the mail yesterday.  I didn't realize it came with a companion DVD.  Considering how much her exercise DVDs cost, this book is an excellent deal.  I also got her Tracy Anderson Perfect Design Series Set in the mail last weekend (thinking I might be a little obsessed with Tracy).  I'm reading through it now and can't wait to get started.  I plan to post each of my 30 days through her method.  I will probably start on Monday and the next 30 days will be all about the Tracy Anderson Method.  I'm expecting fabulous things!!!

Stay tuned.

Weekends are so hard!

I usually don't have any willpower on the weekend and this one was no exception. Lots of Chinese food, wine, and a theater-sized box of candy while watching Gossip Girl: The Complete Third Season (lovin' it!!) equals PMS.  I always allow myself to indulge some PMSing for a day or so but then I shut it down before I lose control completely.

On the plus side, I went to the market and got lots of fresh fruits for the week.  Having fresh fruit to snack on is an absolute necessity for me...trying to prepare myself for a good week.

I also plan to try out my new AeroSpace NYC: AeroBarre (DVD) today, so I'll post the review tomorrow.

Still Trying: Not too bad...

So yesterday was pretty good.  I'm really making an effort to count calories (especially the snacks and drinks which can really add up!).  I actually enjoyed the Jillian Michaels: Shred-It With Weights DVD but I'm feeling a little pain today.  The soreness lets me know I worked some muscles that haven't been used in a while, yay me!

Food wise I was not perfect, I worked from home most of the day which is usually bad because I find myself snacking constantly.  I had will power and didn't snack today but I had a serious Taco Bell craving and gave in.  Also, I'm addicted to Starbucks (probably all the sugar) so that's something else I'm going to work on but my total calories wasn't too bad...not very nutritious, but I'll work on that.

I definitely need to visit the organic market this weekend because I need way more fruits and vegetables in my life!

Today's Food Intake
2 chicken burritos with beans (no cheese) about - 800 calories
Grande iced soy chai latte - 230 calories
Marshmallow dream bar - 210 calories
Raspberry lemonade about - 150 calories
Total = 1390 calories

*No exercise because I worked late but my caloric intake was under 1500 so I feel it balances out.  I'll definitely do something tomorrow.

DVD Review: Jillian Michaels: Shred It With Weights

I bought a 10-lb GoFit Kettlebell from Target because I wanted a new toy to encourage me to workout.  The free DVD that came with the kettlebell was boring and low-budget and my new toy was sitting on the floor gathering dust.  So I was really excited when I heard that Jillian Michaels: Shred-It With Weights actually used kettlebells.

Last night I scanned ExerciseTV OnDemand and found the new selection from Jillian.  ExerciseTV is a great resource for testing out all the latest exercise videos.  You can totally try it before you buy it or just check out a video if you want a change of pace (think bellydancing, celebrity videos, etc).

Back to the video, you can read a full description on Amazon but I have to say I really enjoyed this video.  Don't get me wrong, it was NOT easy!  I had a pretty good sweat going after about 12 minutes but I enjoyed the challenge.  This isn't a video you can master in a few days, which I also consider a plus.  I did Level 1 but the DVD includes 2 workouts so once you've mastered the first, there is another one to conquer.  Jillian is definitely a pro at these videos so she provides good cues and great motivation throughout the video.

Since exercise is crucial to weight loss and I'm trying to do it the right way, I'm committing to at least 30 minutes a day.  Some days will be walking/jogging with my sister, but on the days I can't get outdoors I will be relying on my exercise DVD collection.  I think I'll dust off some of the older videos, try them out again (its been awhile) and maybe post a review.

After completing my workout last night I immediately ordered Shred-It with Weights, I also ordered Marisa Tomei: Core & Curves, I can't wait until they arrive!

P.S.  I'm an admitted shopaholic which is not limited to clothes, shoes, and bags...exercise DVDs and diet books are another weakness.

I've got to do this!

This scale can't be right...180 lbs.?!?!?  That can't be right...but it is.  One or two days at 180 could have been explained away (PMS, etc.) but after over a montth I have to claim it.  I weigh one hundred and eighty pounds.  This cannot be ignored another minute.  I know what I need to do, now I just have to muster the discipline to actually do it.

Help me!!!

Today's Food Intake
Blueberry bagel - 300 calories (plus whipped cream cheese 65 calories) + 365 calories
Grilled chicken salad - 650 calories (plus dressing 70 calories) = 720 calories
Grande soy chai latte - 230 calories
Marshmallow dream bar - 210 (hey, I'm a work in progress!)
Total = 1525 calories