10 Budget & Time Friendly Home Workouts

Source:StockSnap

I know a couple of the biggest reasons people don't workout out is because of lack of time and costs of gym memberships, workout dvds & equipment. I was one of those people. As a working mom of two, when was I suppose to find time to go to the gym? Especially as my husband would be working until 8 pm. I went to evenings at work then to overnights and I found myself tired all the time. I was ready to cuddle down right after tucking the kids into bed for the night.

Since I have started my journey I have found numerous fitness people that share some awesome workouts with the world free of charge or very in expensive.  I love that there are also so many great workouts 30 minutes and under. The most popular workouts are HIIT workouts (High Intense Interval Training). These workouts are great to squeeze in either before work, after work, before dinner or where every you can squeeze it into your schedule.

Here are some of my favorite people to check out depending on what kind of workouts you are looking for: (The links will open up into YouTube channels)

Erin Motz - Bad Yogi

Betty Rocker

Fitness Blender

Loinsgate BeFit

Popsugar Fitness

Yoga with Adriene

Casey Ho ~ Blogilates

Tara Stiles

XHIT Daily 

Jessica Smith TV

Disclaimer: Please check with your doctor before starting any workout program, never sacrifice form for reps, only push as far as your body can handle it. 
 

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Soffe Active Wear ~ Review

Since starting on my health & fitness journey I have set goals and rewarded myself with fun activities and fitness wear or equipment. One of my favourite workout brands is Soffe. They offer a wide variety of fitness wear for the whole family.

When I am choosing fitness wear I have a few things I will look for:

• Comfort
• Style
• Moisture Wicking
• Price

Soffe meets all my requirements. They are super comfy and easy to move around in. They are fun and stylish. I can wear them out of the house and feel good in my outfit. They also have fun colours and prints. Soffe makes a Dri line that is the bomb! They are super moisture wicking and leave you feeling great even after sweating buckets during your workout. They fit just right with a nice thick elastic waist band on the Dri capris! I love the feel of the material. I also love the price! They are reasonably priced so that you can have more than one outfit.

I had the opportunity to review the Soffe Dri Capris and Soffe Dri Performance Racer tank. I have to say I love them both! They are offered in a number of colours and available in sizes XS to XL. Both of these items move along with your body nicely and I don't find them constricting at all. I have worn them for HIIT workouts, weights and also yoga. Now that I have lost more weight I don't wear the pants for HIIT as they have gotten too lose. I will need to get a smaller size. 

Check out Soffe's Website or Follow them on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Hoo-rag Headband ~ Review

Hoo-rag are these crazy fun tubes of material that you can wear a in multitude of ways. My favorite uses for Hoo-rags are as a headband for my workouts. They are great! They stay put and keep the sweat from dipping down my face! If you do any type of intense workout like Insanity Max 30 or cardio like Turbo Fire you will know what I am talking about! I have tried other headbands and most of the smaller ones or elastic ones want to pop off my head the minute I start really getting into my workout. 

 

Hoo-rag offers a wide variety of patterns, colors and fun prints. Everything from camo, fish/hunting, flowers, flames and skulls! Available in Womens, Mens and dog bandanas. 

Not a fan of the big thick bandanas? There are even half Hoos available that are half the size. I really enjoy the Hoo-rag but I think for everyday wear I would like the half hoo. I find I have a small head and like a thinner headband so the half hoo would be easier to fit my head. They are a lot of fun to put your hair back and go. I have found them really useful in the mornings when running out the door with the kids to the bus or taking the dog out for a walk. No need to fix my hair just cover and go. 

Hoo-rags are made of 100 percent polyester microfiber that wicks away moisture and protects you from the suns harmful rays! Rated to 30 UPF. This is great as I don't like to wear hats in the summer but this summer I can throw on a Hoo-rag instead. I find they keep you cool when you are heated and I look forward to giving them a try in the fall around my neck to keep the cold breeze off. 

With 10+ ways to rock a Hoo-rag they are great for everyone! Check out this video to learn how to wear a Hoo-rag.



Follow Hoo-rag on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook!


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above products in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Idiot's Guide: Yoga ~ Review & Giveaway!

As you might already know I have fallen in love with the art of Yoga. I am working on including Yoga into my week at least 2-3 times. I just love the feel I get when I am in the middle of a yoga flow and also how I feel afterwards. There is just something about being in the "now" when practicing yoga that I love. I totally let everything go and focus on my breath and my moves. I try to get the best stretch I can with every pose and work on relaxing my whole body.

When I got started into my yoga practice I just popped online and looked up Yoga videos. I founds tons of great beginner videos and such but I didn't stop to think it may be a better idea to grab a beginners guide with pictures to learn each pose and their names.

Book Synopsis:

For a person who has never attempted yoga before, it can seem downright daunting. Not anymore! Geared toward the absolute beginner, Idiot's Guides: Yoga teaches dozens of basic yoga poses using a series of full-color, step-by-step illustrations that allow you to clearly see how every aspect of a pose is executed. Realizing that most people who are new to yoga won't be the most flexible or coordinated, Idiot's Guides: Yoga eases the beginner into poses with sidebars demonstrating how to modify the poses for the less flexible and warnings to correct improper postures. The poses are also grouped in small sections, with a practice sequence at the end to show how to connect the poses into a routine. Idiot's Guides: Yoga also grows with you: when you've mastered the basic poses and become more flexible, you can move on to more advanced techniques for more challenging modifications to the basic poses. Best of all, you'll also learn how to string together poses into full routines that target particular issues such as stress and flexibility. Features include:

• Clear, comprehensive color step-by-step instructions for dozens of basic yoga poses.
• Handy "Keeping It Easy" sidebars show ways to modify the poses for the less flexible.
• Advanced techniques show you how to go further into poses after you have mastered them.
• Sequences illustrate routines found in yoga classes, each targeting a particular area (stress relief, flexibility, meditation, etc.).

Grab your copy today through the image below! 

Review:  

This is a fabulous guide that will help anyone master the basic and more advanced poses of yoga! This is a step by step book in full color photos. It also includes a section on breathing which is a huge part of yoga and can be tricky to just "pick up" without learning it from somewhere. I love that for each pose it is described in a small paragraph what the name is, what other names it goes by, what it will help with, and also if you have a certain injury etc it will let you know to avoid the pose. I also love the "Keep it easy" key where they give you an alternative to make the pose easier if you are not flexible or have less balance when starting out. After time you will become more flexible and have more balance but it is very nice to have the modifications so yoga learning is enjoyable.

The book isn't cluttered and that helps the photos stand out and make it easier to learn each pose as you go. I find you can easily put this book on the floor or a stand and try each of the poses. They also include a skill level on each pose which is great to know before getting into a pose.

The end of the book has a great section on the Eight Limbs of Yoga, Mindful Eating, Mudras, Chakras and Seated Meditation. All are brief but a great into for beginners not to get overwhelmed with all of it.  Now that you have learned tons of great yoga poses how do you put them together? No worries there as there is a whole section on sequences or yoga flows! I found this super helpful as you get to get comfortable with each pose and moving into the next also you can choose to do one or a couple at a time depending on what you are looking for. A flow for awakening, back pain, anxiety, bedtime, and so many other great ones. This is an all around great guide to Yoga. I have already recommended this book to numerous family members and friends that are interested in yoga.

I give this a 5 out of 5 stars! This is a great go to guide and have practiced some of the flows especially the awakening and bedtime ones. 

Win a copy! Our friends at DK Canada would like to offer one lucky Genuine Jenn reader their very own copy of Idiot's Guide Yoga. All you have to do is fill in the form below, making sure to do the mandatory entry! This giveaway is open to Canadian residents only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above book for review purpose. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein ~ Review

A huge part of my weight loss and fitness journey has been finding the right supplements for my body to do what I need it to do. There are many protein shakes available on the market and they all have many great or not so great qualities. If you are looking for just a protein, you can find that. If you need a meal or snack replacement there are tons out there. I am especially looking for wholesome, clean, vegan protein along with other great supplements like meal replacements and workout proteins. 

I was introduced to Garden of Life a couple years back when I was at a blogging conference but at that moment in time I wasn't super serious about losing the weight and getting myself healthy. Now that I have decided I need to do this for myself and my family I have revisited this great company and I am happy to share some of their products with you on my blog!

Today I want to share their Organic Plant Protein. I know it doesn't sound like human food, sounds like something you would use to give your plants but it isn't. It is a wonderful product! I will be honest I have tried a handful of vegan shakes and well they tasted grassy, gritty or just had an awful taste to them. Garden of Life products are so different. I haven't had one that I haven't liked, even their original flavor is great. I don't have to add in anything to get in my shakes I can have them just with water in my shaker cup.

Organic Plant Protein is a smooth and delicious grain free organic plant protein packed with energy-giving protein and wholesome fiber. It is available in four different flavors - Smooth Chocolate, Smooth Vanilla, Smooth Coffee and Smooth Energy. 

What is Organic Plant Protein?

Organic Plant Protein is a Certified USDA Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified plant protein supplement that is different to any other protein in the Garden of Life line. Organic Plant Protein is uniquely formulated to have superior taste and texture, ideal for anyone looking for a clean protein supplement that is free of common allergens such as gluten, grains, dairy and soy.

Key Benefits:

• Unique Protein Blend - Organic Plant Protein is made with a new different innovative blend of certified organic proteins which gives it an exceptional smooth and creamy texture... with no gritty texture
• Tastes Delicious – Designed for superior taste and texture when mixed just with water. Available in 4 mouth-watering flavors…Smooth Chocolate, Smooth Vanilla, Smooth Coffee (with Marley Coffee) and Smooth Energy (with Guayaki® Yerba Mate and added vitamin B12). All flavors are natural and organic, no artificial ingredients are used. Also tastes incredible with 8oz unsweetened almond milk.
• Grain Free and Gluten Free - all Garden of Life proteins are labelled gluten free, however Organic Plant Protein is unique in that it does not contain any grains or brown rice, and is therefore the only GOL protein that is considered both grain free and gluten free.
• Highly Digestible – Organic Plant Protein delivers highly digestible grain free plant protein with 13 enzymes and 1 billion CFU of probiotics. This is important for those people who have difficulty digesting grains.
• USDA Organic Farms - Garden of Life is working closely with and supporting several family farms in North America and Canada to produce high quality clean proteins. Organic Plant Protein is made with a unique blend of seven nutritious plant proteins, five organic American seed proteins — organic pea seed, organic flax seed, organic cranberry seed, organic chia seed and organic pumpkin seed. We work with our farmers to ensure that these ingredients are top quality and the cleanest available.
• 2 African Super Foods - Moringa and Baobab are rich in protein, minerals and antioxidants. We purchase them through the African Hub to guarantee Fair Trade.
• Excellent Source Protein – 15 grams of quality plant protein per serving with Complete Amino Acid Profile – ideal for growth, building muscles and repairing tissues.†
• Over 3g Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs). Great for athletes, pre- or post-exercise, and anyone who wants to boost protein intake.
• Less than 1g Sugar*, 2g to 4g of Fiber and Only 100 Calories per Serving - ideal macronutrient profile for the health conscious and for weight management.†
• Cleanest protein on the shelf with DUAL Certification - All Garden of Life proteins including Organic Plant Protein are dual certified, Certified USDA Organic, and Non-GMO Project Verified (Independent, third-party verification). This is a gold standard for Garden of Life, yet it is surprisingly rare in our industry at present.
• Vegan Certified, Kosher - No Dairy, No Soy. No Artificial or Chemical Ingredients.

I have tried all four flavors and I can't even tell you which would be my favorite, maybe the chocolate or vanilla. The Smooth Vanilla tastes like a birthday cake! I had it in a smoothie one day with cherries and it was the best smoothie I had in a long time. All of these flavors mix extremely well in a shaker cup, which is perfect for quick shakes on the go or as you are running out the door in the mornings.

The Smooth Coffee does contain 40mg of naturally occurring caffeine per serving so it is a great protein to take in the mornings for breakfast. I love that it gives you that nice little wake up. The Smooth Energy has natural energy from yerba mate and vitamin B12. It is another great protein when you need a quick little pick me up. I find if I am dragging in the afternoons this one is a great snack. 

I will be posting some fabulous recipes (like a chocolate that is made from Smooth Chocolate & PBFit, YUM) in the coming weeks that I hope you will love as much as I do with these Garden of Life proteins!



~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above products in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Top 5 YouTube Yoga Channels

Yoga is one of my favorite workouts and I am working towards a goal of practicing yoga 3 times a week, even if it is just a quick 15 minute yoga flow. I am looking to work towards learning to lengthen, tone and learn to mediate. The body & mind feels so good after a good yoga flow that I have now become a huge fan of Yoga. I have a small DVD collection started but I also have some favorite YouTube Yogis I follow because they offer free online classes and tips on how to do different poses and flows. This gives me a lot of options depending on what I am looking to do that day. There is everything from mediation, restorative, power, detox, etc.

Here are my top 5 YouTube Yogis

Erin Motz aka Bad Yogi - Erin is one of the first YouTube Yogis I started out with and absolutely love Erin to pieces. She is so sweet, quiet and very relaxing. I took part in Erin's 30 day yoga challenge which is great for beginners. Erin teaches you a new flow each day that is geared to a certain part of the body or working towards a pose. I love learning all the different flows to help your lower back or open up your hips or chest etc.

Yoga with Adriene - Adriene is super funny with a light voice. She is a great instructor and I find it really easy to follow along with her flows. There are flows for all kinds - some for runners, beginners, bedtime, morning, healing and even a 30 day yoga practice. I love the foundation of yoga section also as Adriene breaks down each pose and walks you threw them with tons of great instructions. Perfect for beginners.

SarahBethYoga - Sarah Beth offers 5-30 minute Hatha yoga, Power yoga, Vinyasa yoga & Restorative yoga videos. The videos are usually posted as part of a series like "Yoga for Scoliosis" "Yoga for Women" "Power Yoga Workouts" etc. If you are like myself than you will be very excited to try Sarah Beth's Intermediate arm balance series! These are my goals to work on.

Yoga by Candace - Candace has a huge selection of yoga flow videos of all types, power, meditation, stress relief, after work, core etc. 15, 20, 30 minutes and even 45, 50 & a 60 minute flow videos. Candace has a gentle voice which is great for yoga and I find she gives great directions so you don't feel like you have to be watching all the time and you can focus on your breath and pose. Pop over to Candace's blog where she offers challenges, March is Balance Project.

Fightmaster Yoga - I have just recently found Lesley's channel and haven't done many of her flows yet but have watched a bunch and love them. Her voice is nice and soft and her instructions are very descriptive and easy to follow along. I found Lesley when I was looking up arm balance flows for beginners and found tons of great flows. Most classes are around 30 minutes but there are lots closer to an hour if you have the time.

I do subscribe to other channels and I love finding other flows that work for my practice but these ladies have been my go to yogis when I am looking for a yoga flow I know I will love and feel great after. I also love that they update often with new flows and tips. Check them out and let me know which are your favorite!


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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21 Day Fix Extreme Review

I am a bit behind in updating you on my workouts. It has been a busy month and last week we had a lot of internet and home phone problems that kept me off the laptop. I finished up 21 Day Fix Extreme and wanted to let you know how I liked it.

First lets talk nutrition, I don't like the word "diet" as it is always thought of as a bad thing or something one does to get "skinny" by starving themselves. If you think you need to starve to lose weight then the 21 Day Fix programs are not for you. With these programs you will eat all the time and be satisfied each time you eat. Yes, it may be difficult at first because it may not be foods you are used to eating but hopefully you will give it a try and see what can happen. If you eat a lot of starchy carbs or eat out at fast food places regularly I would highly suggest starting off with the original 21 Day Fix (more on this soon as I am now doing this program). The 21 Day Fix Extreme is extreme in the fitness programs but also in the eating. It is clean eating with no cheats or treats.

A lot of planning does go into the eating plan but in the long run I am sure you will be very happy you did it. I started off with the Countdown to Competition to see just what my body could do and handle. I also didn't want to lose weight so I did the maintenance plan for eating. This had me in a calorie bracket of 1800-2099. That is a lot of food especially on carb depletion days where I was aiming to eat 9 proteins in the day! Yes, that is right 9!! For the most part I got in 7-8 as I was finding it really hard to hit 9 on most days especially work days. Eating every two hours had my hubby laughing and making comments likes "wow! you are eating again?!?" "Nice diet, you eat all the time". It is true I ate all the time sometimes even thinking oh no I don't want to eat again.

The workouts are fabulous. They are 30 minutes, so it is really easy to squeeze them into your day. For the first time since I started working out I was able to squeeze in workouts on my work days and it felt great! The are intense workouts with weights, think Insanity and 21 day Fix original. Seven different workouts, a different one each day with a yoga being an active recovery day. The first week I found myself struggling, I wondered what I got myself into. I felt weak and lost in the workout especially the pilates with the resistance band. I really didn't enjoy that workout. I felt like I was playing with the band more than getting a workout in. The second week I was getting everything down much better and starting loving all the workouts, I changed my band to a pilates band and had the best workout that day. Week 3 I was on top of my game. It really does take a couple times to do each workout to learn it and feel more comfortable doing it. Don't give up! Keep pushing through even if you need to modify or go slower you will still get an awesome workout in! 

I was really pleased with my results. I didn't get a 6 pack abs but I did improve in my strength, I toned my arms and legs more. I can see the tops of my abs coming through and I did make it through all the workouts without missing one for 3 whole weeks! My food was on par 90% of the time. I didn't cheat with treats, yes at the end I may have had some extra peanut butter. I ended up losing 4 lbs and an 1 1/4 inches from my whole body. I didn't except to lose mush as I was eating a maintenance plan and my goal was more to cut the abs and bulk the muscle.  I wanted to gain more  strength overall and I feel that I succeeded in doing just that.

I am now working my way through the 21 Day Fix original program and loving it also. I have switched out the yoga though for the extreme yoga this week as I love that yoga. I am now able to do the crow arm balance and also the wheel for almost the whole time. This is something I want to continue improving and work my way up to a handstand and also work on learning bird of paradise and the other arm balance that is in the extreme. The thing I love most about this workout is there are usually 3 different poses (modified, intermediate and advanced). Something for everyone so you can start at the beginning and work to advanced moves if you would like to.


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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P90 Level B Results

I feel I have finally formed a habit of working out. I aim for 5 workouts a week since with my schedule it can be hard to get them in on certain days. I started level B of P90 on December 3,2014 and decided I would make sure I didn't do any when hubby wasn't home so we would be on the same day. On those days I would do something else usually a yoga or another workout video I have. This was taking too long to complete level B so I went back to working out at my pace. I found there were a few days after coming off my overnights that I just didn't have the energy to do a workout so instead I found myself in bed early catching up on my rest. Rest is super important and I try to listen to my body when it needs the rest.

B was definitely a step up from A and I found it faster paced. Tony knows we know what we are suppose to do and just has at it with us. I love the Mixed Martial Arts, they are fast paced whole body workout moves. If you keep your core engaged while doing each move you will get a great core workout by the end of the workout. When I first learned sprawls I wasn't sure I was a big fan of them but by the end of A I am loving them and find them a lot of fun. They do really make you work but in the end it is a great feeling being able to do a minute of them. Jumping jacks are not my favorite and likely never will be. I haven't found a day that I have jumped for joy over jumping jacks. Tony loves his jumping jacks in many forms I am slowly learning.

The results!

Left Arm = 0
Right Arm = 0
Chest = 2.75
Waist = 1
Middle (across the belly button) = 1.5
Hips = .75
Left Thigh = .75
Right Thigh = .75

Total inches for Level B = 7.5 inches
Total weight lost for Level B = 7.8 lbs 

I know this isn't huge but for my body it is big as I had about 25-30 lbs to lose when I started my journey. I am happy to say I have reached my weight goal and now I am working on toning and gaining for strength and endurance. I have noticed a huge upper body strength gain and I couldn't be happier. I have never had this kind of strength in my upper body. I am excited to move into Level C (just started it on January 20!) and finish up P90. The results have been amazing and if I can do this you can also! If you have any questions feel free to send me a message or comment below. I am hoping my journey will help others get on their own.


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Home vs Gym Workouts

When I first started working out I was talking with a few people about my progress and theirs and one person brought up the question "why don't you go to the gym and workout?". This question was directed at two of us that workout at home from the person who is a gym goer.

Now don't get me wrong there isn't anything wrong with going to the gym but I am not a gym goer. I like to go out for walks on a local trail or walk on my treadmill. I am now in love with workout dvds that are super easy for me to squeeze into my day and get a really great workout in. If you have been following my journey so far I have been getting great results at home.

When we were asked this question we had a good defense. Here was the our list:

* gym involves others seeing you in your workout clothes and your trouble areas bouncing around for all to see
* being all sweaty and having to shower somewhere that isn't home or having to driving home all sweaty sucks
* the commute to get to the gym especially for some as it could be a 20 minute drive just to get there and another 20 to get home
* membership costs
* time away from the family or just hard to find the time that the gym is open since we don't live close to any 24 hour gyms plus add the commute time on there

Now we both were all for our workouts at home. Our reasons:

* no commuting!
* no monthly membership, costs for dvds but they can be used over and over again. There are also lots of free workouts online (another blog posts in the works)
* once finished you can shower and relax without having to go anywhere
* no one is watching you
* no waiting on equipment to become free to use
* don't need a babysitter if you have children
* no wasting time looking at foreign equipment and wondering what the heck you do with it

There are lots of pros to going to the gym also, like bigger/more complex workout equipment and weights that you may not be able to have at home due to cost and space. Some people find that they can only get the motivation if they go to the gym. There are also the trainers and classes where you can learn what you are suppose to be doing. 

I would love to try a few classes at a gym but I know it will be hard to match my schedule with the gym class times. Until I can work that out and find a buddy I will stick with my at home workouts. 

Do you workout at home, gym or both? 


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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No New Years Resolutions Here

I have never really been one to make New Years resolutions as I always felt horrible for not sticking to them. I also felt like I was setting myself up to fail with things that were hard to keep. I instead make goals and this year is no different. I am making the goal of to get my eating habits in even better shape. If you have been following me on Instagram or even seeing the fitness posts here you will know I have started a healthy journey at the end of August last year. This included relearning a healthy portion size and what is best to jump start and keep my metabolism working in fat burning mode. I started off with The Food Lovers Fat Loss system (I promise the review is coming!) and then I proceeded to move my way into cleaner eating. I have lost 23lbs and more than 20 inches total with this nutrition. I don't like to call it a "diet" as I find people think of that word as yucky food or starving yourself. I have done the opposite. I eat every 2 to 3 hours and I love everything I put in my mouth. I do have cheat meals or treats here and there. The holiday season was harder but I am happy to say I only gained .5 of a lb and that I know is from my baked good. Mainly banana bread and some shortbread cookies. Oh and a few haystacks!

I don't want to say I will never ever eat anything that comes in a box again because lets be realistic sometimes it is faster and easier when working overnights but I am working towards getting back into my meal prepping and having foods already prepared a head of time in the fridge or freezer. I think I may actually get back into posting my Meal Plans on here again to hold myself accountable. Let me know if this is something you would be interested in seeing on here. I am also going to be slowly adding my clean eating recipes.

Next week I will be posting more about what my goals are in my clean eating challenge. As for workouts, I will be finishing up level B of P90 very soon. I have 5 more workouts left and then I move on to level C, 25 workouts. Once level C is done, I have officially completed P90! I am super excited and I am sure I will miss Tony Horton's MMA and his humour. I will not miss the jumping jacks! As for what is in store after P90 I am not 100% sure. I would love to do the 21 Day Fix Extreme, Insanity Max 30, Piyo or Les Mills Combat & Pump (which I have sitting in my livingroom waiting for me to give it a go). I am still going to push myself to workout 5 times a week and continue to improve my strength and health with fitness.

What are your goals or resolutions for 2015? Are you looking to improve your health and fitness? 


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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P90 Level A Results Are In!

It has been very busy so far this month but I haven't forgotten that I promised you a quick P90 update when I completed the first part, Level A. The results are in and I am excited to share with you that I have officially lost 8lbs and 2 inches in the month of November.

Here is the break down
Left Arm = -1/2 inch
Right Arm = -1/8 inch
Chest = -3/4 inch
Middle (gut) = -1/2 inch
Waist = 0
Hips = - 1/2 inch
Left Thigh = +1/8 inch

Right Thigh = + 1/4 inch


I have actually gained a little on the thighs from all the squats and lunges. They really do burn hard core after doing the Sculpt workout. I am excited to see the definition on the legs.

I have started Level B on December 4th with Sweat & Ab ripper B. It is a step up that is for sure. Tony has us adding to exercises we started in level A and moving a whole lot quicker with less recovery time in between exercises. My favorites in the Sweat B I would say is the mixed martial arts. I am getting a lot more power behind the jabs and strikes and we are now adding kicks and jumps to it. At first I wasn't too sure about the jumps but I have been doing well with my knees and back. I took it slow the first time through just too see how my body would react to the new program and I am doing very well. I love the new found strength I have since I started this journey. Tony make working out a lot of fun with his sense of humor throughout Sweat B. I do think Maddy should be the advance person as she really hits it!

Sculpt B is not easy that is for sure! Again Tony has been adding to the exercises we started with in A. It is a nice jump in the levels where you really have to push yourself but it isn't a huge jump where you feel you can't complete the workout. I find Tony a bit more serious in this workout but it is a fabulous workout and you can really feel all the muscles worked by the end.

I am a couple days into work 2 and hope to be finishing up Level B the first week of January. I will keep you up to date on my workouts and how I am doing. I will be measuring again at the end of Level B and then we will move on to C. The last month of P90! 

 
~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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P90/Fitness Update and a little Insanity

I am super excited as this week is coming to an end and I will be doing workout number 20 out of 25 for P90 level A tonight. I will be moving on to level B at the end of the first week of December and I will be posting my first month results! I know that they are going to be insane as so far my results have been on a steady drop.

I haven't just been working out five days a week, I have also really cracked down on my eating. I am amazed when I think back to my nutrition over the last few years. I am almost sick when I think about what I have done to myself. I haven't been eating total garbage because I can't. Over the years I have had problems when eating out at fast food restaurants so much so that I have been avoiding them for the most part for about four years now. I have been to the doctors and he doesn't know what it could be except something preservatives wise. I have had my gallbladder check and all came back good. I have to even be super careful when eating prepackaged food. We eat a lot of food that is from scratch and whole. If it doesn't have a label on it I am good to eat it. It has been a blessing in disguise. I have been eating about 85% clean foods and it has been helping big time. I have more energy, I feel great inside and out. Mentally and physically my body is thanking me.

On Monday I was so busy after working an overnight that I didn't get to go to bed for more than 30 minutes. I had a killer migraine and I know that was a combination of fighting off a cold, lack of water as I was horrible in the am on keeping hydrated and lack of food because I wasn't that hungry when my head hurts. I still picked my butt off the couch and pressed play on my P90 Sculpt A dvd and gave it all I had which was way more than I thought. I am also part of a Facebook group that is doing a 14 day challenge leading up to a new Shaun T workout program. Each day the coach is having us try a exercise and see when we max out. We are aiming for a minute. Last night was a plank. I did it! Just over a minute and then I did another challenge I saw on a Facebook page that I follow. Do push ups with your kid on your back. I did 4! My daughter is 46 lbs and my arms were already dead from upping my weight in my workout to 10 lb total on all exercises! 

So in the title I added "and a little insanity" well I did it! I completed an Insanity workout last week. Just one and to be honest it is one of the workouts that is to be done during the "recovery" week in the middle of the 60 day program it is still an insane workout and I finished it! I did not think I was going to and I will be 100% honest with you, I thought I was going to die at about 15 minutes into this 35 (I actually think it is 33 minutes but not sure) workout. I took a few more breaks then was given and at the 15 minute mark I actually laid down on my living room floor with the workout on pause debating if I would get back up and skip it to the cool down or just die right there. Instead I pulled myself off the floor and pressed play and continued! 

My next workout update should be my month 1 results, keep an eye out for it! 


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Fitness Update ~ P90

Last Sunday I have made it officially to the half way mark in level A of P90 workout program. I told you last week that in my weigh in I have lost 4 lbs, this week when I weighed in I didn't lose anything but I also didn't gain. I am not really worried about the scale as I only have another 5lbs I would like to lose. If it takes me a couple months I am okay with that. I did do my measurements and was super pleased with those. I have lost a total of 8.5 inches total since starting this program. That is almost the same amount I lost doing Jillian Michaels Beginner Shred. I am going to try not to weigh in or measure now until I am at the end of level A which should be the end of the first week of December if all goes well.

Since I started my fitness journey I have lost a total of 16lbs and 19 inches total. I have noticed it all over. What I love the most is the extra energy I have and the ease of bending and getting back up. I love the extra endurance and strength too. I keep thinking about what I was like in the summer and compare it to how I feel and move now. I am really pleased with my progress so far!

Over the weekend we went out to do some shopping and I found Shaun T's Insanity workout program for $20 so of course who could pass that up right? Am I insane?!? I bought the program and watched the fit test. Now that is INSANE! What am I thinking?!? I am thinking about trying out the fit test and maybe a couple of the workouts in the next month or two just to see what I can do. I don't think I will do the full program on this one for awhile until I can build up more strength and make sure my knees can handle the jumps.There are a lot of jumps and running on the spot.

Have you done Insanity? I would love to hear your thoughts on it. Send me an email or comment below.



~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Tony Horton's P90 Workout

After finishing up Jillian Michaels Beginner Shred I decided I would really kick it up a notch and get even more serious about my weight loss journey. Tony Horton is known for his P90X workout program and I have heard wonderful results from it. I wasn't sure I was ready for that or Shaun T's Insanity but I did think I could handle Tony Horton's newest program P90. I ordered through my Beachbody coach Stephanie and stalked the UPS tracking until it arrived at my house about a week after ordering.

I officially started the P90 program on November 1st and made my own schedule to work with my work schedule. The program comes with two different schedules that you can use depending on if you are looking to build muscle or burn fat. With each program you will use all of the workouts that are for that level but depending on the type of schedule you do you will end up with either more sculpting or cardio workouts in the week. I decided to do an even amount of both with one extra cardio (Saturday Special) at the end of each week. I have also set up five weeks for each level instead of four but in the end I have one extra workout day in my schedule. 

My husband decided to do the workout program along with me and we are just finishing up week two! It has been a fabulous workout so far and I just wonder what our next level (B) will be like. We have not watched the workouts yet but will take some time in week five to preview them.

This program is a beginner workout for people who are just getting into working out, back into working out after gaining weight, surgery, having baby etc. Don't think this is an easy workout though. It is a intense training for sure! Tony has really kicked my behind in the last two weeks more than Jillian did in the Beginner Shred. I really love the Sweat A workout and not a huge fan of Sculpt A because Tony kills me with lunges and squats until my legs burn so bad I think I will fall to the floor and never get up again. I know it is a good thing because I am burning fat but I am not a fan on it while I am doing it. The cardio is a mix of side lunges, marital arts, and so much more. I find it a lot of fun that I almost forget I am working out until we hit the ab ripper workout at the end.

I took my measurements and before pictures before starting and was planning on not checking my weight until the end of level A but I will admit to caving and jumping on the scale after being on the program for 9 days. I am super excited to say I am down 4lbs. I wont be measuring myself until Sunday and then I will do it again at the end of level A. I will also take photos as I find they are really helpful to see what you have accomplished in that time.

I have also really focused on eating clean and eating frequently to fuel my body. I am drinking 70-90oz a day of water. I really do believe to get the really good results improving eating habits is a must.  Workouts and diet really do go hand in hand.


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Jillian Michaels Beginner Shred Workout DVD Review

I have officially finished my first workout program at home! I am super excited to say that as I have really never been a workout person. I have done the odd yoga or kickboxing workout but nothing on a continual basis and this I started and completed! It took me a couple weeks longer than it should have as I wasn't able to work out 5 days a week with 2 rest days on the weekends. My work schedule is shift work overnights so I have had to make a workout schedule around my nights on.

Jillian Michaels Beginner Shred is a new at home workout DVD that was release the beginning of September 2014. I got it on release day and started right away. I will be honest that the first couple times through level one I was really worked to my max. I struggled to get through it and felt the workout throughout my body. I also found that I had a lot of pain in my left knee and quadriceps while doing the lunges and squats. Usually I would throw in the towel at the first signs of pain but I didn't do it. Instead I went to Google and looked up knee pain while doing squats and found a great video on avoiding this pain. I wasn't doing my squats right and so I ended up with the pain. Once I watched how to do them correctly the pain went away and I continued on with the workouts. Remember form is SUPER important! If you need to pause the DVD and check your form or start the dvd again take the time to do it so you don't end up injuring yourself.

Level 1 was tough as I was just starting out and had some extra weight on my lower half that really slowed me down. I also started with very little upper body strength and Jillian makes you do push ups! I am happy that this workout program is low impact. It is great when you have lower back or knee issues. I did find one of the stretches at the end of level 1 was really hard for me to do as I found my belly was in the way and I had a hard time reaching back for my leg. Jillian has you doing two moves combined for most exercises to work more than one muscle group at a time.

Level 2 steps it up a notch, it is still low impact but you are adding more advanced moves. Jillian introduces super sets which is where you will hold a move lower body and do two different upper body workouts. In all the levels there is a modifier and an advance girl that you can follow along with. Jillian does more talking and pointing out what to do or not do then doing the workout with you. I didn't mind this but I know some people would rather her workout the whole time.

Level 3 will push you even harder but will get you ready for other Jillian workouts that are more advanced. When I started level 3 I was finding it really fast and hard to keep up but once I got doing it more I was keeping good pace with Jillian and the girls.

I really enjoyed working out with Jillian Michaels Beginner Shred. I did find it hard to do 10 days of each level without a variety. I did do a few other workouts in here and then when I wasn't feeling well or was too tired. I did find I have more energy and can make it through the 20 minute workouts much easier than I did when I first started the program.

One thing I did find annoying was that you have to watch the intro each time you start up the dvd. I couldn't figure out how to skip to the menu. I would normally start up the dvd and then go get ready for my workout, getting dressed or shoes, mat etc. I love that you don't need much for these workouts just a mat and some dumbbells. Jillian gives you a softer side of herself but she is still hard on you to keep you motivated.

I know you are likely dying to know my results so here they are.......... I am down 12 lbs and 10.5 inches in total! I started out with about 20lbs to lose and I really wanted to tightened up all the flabby spots especially my stomach, legs and arms. I lost 1/2 inch on each thigh and nothing on my arms but I did gain muscle and toned both places. I took before and after photos but I am not comfortable posting them on my blog just yet. I will try and posts some soon as I can bring my self to sharing them.

If you are looking for a workout that will ease you into it this is a great program to start with. If you are new to working out, just had a baby or surgery or just out of shape it is going to push you to your max but it would kill you either. I found it very helpful and really set me up for my next program which is the new P90 by Tony Horton. Keep an eye out for my post about getting started on P90!  

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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A Little Challenge Never Hurt Anyone, Right? ~ Fitness

Source: ClipartPanda.com

It has been a crazy busy month or so with getting back into the swing of things with school, my new fitness journey and getting prepared for Blissdom Canada conference. I wrote a post to update you on my workouts during level 2 of Jillian Michaels Beginner Shred and also to challenge myself to some personal goals. Guess what? I forgot to post it. I decided I would rewrite my post so that it is more up to date.

My husband has jumped into the workouts with me and has been really enjoying himself with the level 2 workouts. He didn't realize the other day after I came home from the conference that we were starting level 3! Were we both surprised on the difference between level 2&3!

In level 3 we have seen an increase in cardio, core and upper body workout. Who am I kidding my legs are burning after it also. It is just a huge increase in every part of our body. I am glad I decided to try this video workout before Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. There isn't much time to think during this workout. It is a get in there and get it done. I really like the 30 minutes or under workouts as I find it hard to make more time to workout. As it is I work out in the evenings even though I have been told it is better to workout in the am. I just can't squeeze it in. I am going to try to aim to squeeze in Yoga in the am or 10 minute HIIT workouts.  

This month I decided to also add a push up challenge to my regular workouts. This challenge is from Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans. Check it out they even have a Facebook event to check in with each day to stay motivated. I am a couple days behind but I am taking at my own pace and working through the challenge even if it takes me a few extra days. The Jillian workout has push ups, burpees and side planks that make my arms jello at the end of the workout so on those days I try to work in the push up challenge in the am.

Next month I am thinking about working on burpees as they are a great total body workout and I would love to have the strength from them. Right now I curse them in the workout with Jillian but I know with time and practice I will get stronger and better at them.

What is your biggest workout challenge or goal?


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Fitness Journey ~ Workouts

Source Clip Art Panda

Now that I have been working on breaking my bad eating habits I have decided that I need to get on a workout schedule of some sort. I did the walking thing last year and I can tell you that walking alone doesn't get the results that you really want without a change in eating habits. It is the same if you do workouts all the time but eat really crummy. You may lose some weight or notice a few inches gone but with the combination on healthy eating habits and workouts you will be amazed at the results you can get!

Like most of you I pop onto Facebook a lot throughout the day and have been seeing one of my friends shedding some extreme pounds. I am super proud of her and know that it can't be easy as neither of us were really one to "workout" in the past. I then saw she was doing some of those workouts you see on tv infomercials from Beachbody and I was very interested. So I sent her a private message on Facebook asking her about the workouts, shakes and how she is liking it. Next thing I know I am part of this great group of ladies on the same journey!  I hope to one day be able to share my before and after photos and results but right now I will share with you what I am doing and what kind of results are happening right now. 

I decided to get right to work while I still had the motivation and grabbed a couple free HIIT workouts on YouTube. By the way there are TONS of amazing workouts online! I was finding the videos I started with hard on my knees and decided to grab the new Jillian Michaels Beginner Shred from Walmart when I was out grocery shopping.

I took some pictures and a week later some measurements and have been doing my workouts religiously every night/day I can with a few rest days here and there. With my work schedule I have had to really push myself to do workouts on the day I come off of an overnight and remember to do one in the daytime on the day going into my work night.

I started this journey at the end of August and it is finally getting easier to be motivated to workout each day that I can. I completed the first level of the Beginner Shred and am well on my way into level 2. Level 1 was tough for the squats, lunges and push ups. Now that I am on level 2 Jillian doesn't give us much of a break and we are working hard at blasting away that extra fat while working those muscles in every part of our body. I was just dripping with sweat the last night. I am enjoying it a lot.

Do you have a favorite workout or what workout are you currently doing?


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Get Fit Weeks 8 & 9

The last couple weeks have been super busy but I have trying to stay on my workouts even if they are short walks at high intensity. Last Wednesday I bought a new to me treadmill! The lady said she hardly used it and when they came to drop it off you could tell it wasn't used much if it was even used.

Of course it didn't take me long to plug it in and hop on. I have pretty much been on it everyday since except for two days but those were days I was super tired and working overnights. I am giving myself credit for Monday, I did try to go for a walk on the treadmill after coming home from work but I was way to tired and only lasted about 5 minutes.

I will confess Halloween has been horrible for my sweet tooth! As I eat a candy or small bag of chips all I can think about is I really shouldn't be eating this but I go ahead and it it. I know that isn't the way to get into shape but I also don't want to restrict myself of a candy here or there. For the most part I watch what I eat and portion control. I drink lots of water.

I have been using an app on my phone to track my outdoor walking but I need to see if I can add my treadmill walking into it to keep track daily.

My new treadmill is in miles per hour and miles. This threw me off the first time on as I was 30 minutes in and only at 1.6. I thought this has been a super long walk until I thought maybe it was in miles and sure enough that is what it is in. For each 1.6 miles it is about 2.5km. I love that the treadmill has incline and I have been using it to give myself a high intensity walk. Usually I walk at 2.8-3.5 miles per hour for about 30 to 45 minutes with inclines either set at a steady 2 or I up it to 5 to take on some big hills. I wish I could set my own program but changing it manually hasn't been hard. Do you have a program that you use on your treadmill?

Here are my kilometers for the last couple weeks. 

Oct 29 - 6.10km outside
Oct 30 - 3.55km outside. Inside 2.57km at 3.5mph
Oct 31 - Halloween walking.. Not sure how many km but I am sure we did about 5km. Inside 2.57
Nov 1 - 1.97km outside. Inside 3.41 in 45 minutes at 3mph
Nov 2 - 2.57km inside at 2.8mph
Nov 3 -  2.29km inside at 3mph
Nov 4 - 4.68km outside. I also walked another 2.5km without tracking it. oops.
Nov 6 - I tried and failed because I was too tired. I did 1.09km at a pace of 2.3mph
Nov 7 - I have decided to use my incline to up my walks. 2.66km in 30 minutes at 3.5mph
Nov 8 - 4.82km outside

Not too bad for the last couple of weeks. I haven't noticed much weight drop but I do notice that I am firming my legs and toning my butt and middle! Yay! My clothes are fitting much nicer.


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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