Study, Study, Study...

Hello everyone!


Yesterday I did not keep detailed track on my calories, nor did I work out.  I actually forgot to log what I ate.  Why?  I have study-brain.

All day long, I have been doing research for my final English paper- which is a 9-11 pager. With note cards. And bibliography cards. And works cited. And more tedious nonsense. Ugh.


Well, I can say that I did not go overboard with food today.  I ate three meals, all sensibly sized, so I am not too worried about it, and no fast food either.


I still have more writing to do today (half length rough draft of this monster due TOMORROW.) so I am not exactly sure IF I will work out. We'll see.

Better Than Expected. Kinda.

Hello everyone!


I am pleased to say that I have successfully made it through one day of my new plan.  I even had fast food today (I was out all morning) but thanks to internet research and the fact that more fast food places actually list the calorie content on their menus now, I was able to make choices for food I both liked and fit into my calorie count.  At least in the daytime.

Breakfast: McDonalds

1 sausage biscuit sandwich - 430 
1 hash brown- 150
Large nonfat, sugar free iced latte- 60

Total for breakfast: 640

Lunch: Taco Bell

3 Crunchy Beef Tacos - 510
Large Diet Coke - 0

Total for Breakfast: 510

Dinner: Home cooked food

2 cups of stir fry vegetables flavored with tamari sauce and a little oil - 100 
1 cup of vegetable soup - 45  
1 scoop of Vanilla Sun Warrior Protein (mixed with water) - 70

Total for dinner: 215

Misc:

1 Tablespoon of Virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil (as a supplement) - 120

Total Calories Consumed: 1485
Calorie goal: 1460

See? Everything went well. Until after my workout and I became the Epic Hunger Monster of Doom.  I partially blame it to my small dinner and evening workout.  I usually become bloody ravenous after I work out, especially as intense as Turbo Jam.

I did my workout about 9 pm, and very soon after, I was starving. Hard. Core. STARVING.  Like I could literally eat the paint off my walls.  So, I headed to Subway.

I got myself a foot long Italian BMT with a ton of veggies on it.  1,180 calories. Holy Shit.  However, due to the intense workout I did and the walking, that just about covered my extra "exercise calories".  According to MyFitnessPal, this means I am still under my calorie limit to lose at least 2 pounds of fat a week. 

Now, on to the subject of exercise:  I did walk for 30 minutes when I was out, and I did Turbo Jam Cardio Party 1. (No abs or sculpt yet)

I have a bunch more Turbo Jams.  I actually have three cardio parties.  The first one, then there's a 2 and 3, and then there's another cardio DVD called Punch, Kick, Jam.

After doing TJ Cardio Party 1, I am going to just stick with the first one for a while, I had to take 2 breaks while doing my best.  There is also an "Ab Jam" which is 20 mins of ab stuff (that they say can be done daily)  that I didn't do yesterday but likely will soon.  There is also a "Turbo Sculpt" workout which is strength training, mostly body weight and with 3-5 lb weights (for women) and 8-10 (for men). 

Since this is all cardio, I am going to be adding in some strength training too.  I am going to use the Turbo Sculpt that came with Turbo Jam on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays. 

Also, since I am PMSing hard core and it's the weekend, I am going to use this weekend as practice so I can really do good next week with my updated weight and stuff.

Also, I am going to try to work out earlier in the day so all my hunger is reserved for when it needs to  be- DAYTIME!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Changes

Hello everyone!


I decided I will be making some changes.


1.  I will be going back to doing Turbo Jam instead of Turbo Fire for now.  I am really starting to have trouble keeping up now that Turbo Fire is starting to get hard, and I want to be able to make the most of my workouts (keep good form, perform the movements full-out, yada yada).

2.  A friend and I were talking last night that we are both having trouble with our weight, eating habits, and what not.  (This week I have STILL been bad. I'm embarrassed!) I am trying to keep the words "fat pig" "cow" and whatever other negative talk out of my vocabulary (which is quite hard in this case.).  So, she and I are going to be on each other's asses with this.

3. I will be making baby steps to eat better.  Apparently I am too slow-brained to jump into a strict eating plan right away.  So, as discussed with my friend mentioned earlier, I will only be counting calories at this time.  Of course, I will be making sensible food choices whenever possible, but I am not going to count carbs/protein/fat and turning myself into more of a psycho than I already am.  Why just calories?  That is the basic, bare-bones way to lose weight.  Remember the Twinkie diet guy?

The Twinkie Diet guy is actually a professor who ate various junk foods every day (also some vegetables and other food) who lost 27 pounds in 10 weeks. Why?  He made sure he stayed at a certain calorie level every day.  Why did he do this?  To perform a little experiment to see if calorie counting is really the way to go.  And, as he showed, that is a proven way to lose weight. Low carb works too, but I'll get to that in a minute.

4. Why am I not counting carbs and stuff?  I actually do not have any kind of medical condition (diabetes, metabolic syndrome, thyroid problems, etc) that would prevent me from losing weight the old fashioned way.  I just never actually TRIED for very long.  Also, they have done several studies on low carb vs low calorie diets.  Guess what they found?  Even though the low carb dieters sometimes saw an initial big weight loss, in the end, both groups lost pretty much the same amount of weight.  Yep! That's right!  If you think about it, a lot of carbohydrate containing food is high in calories too, because the average person eats way too much of it for their needs.  Another friend of mine lost a pant size and 10 pounds in 3 months eating nothing but junk (pizza, etc) and taking walks at night.  Even I lost a lot of weight eating pizza all the time and keeping within my calorie limit (like 5 years ago) and staying active. 

5. MyFitnessPal has a function where it tells you how many calories you need based on many factors, age/weight/ etc.  It also gives you extra calories you can eat if you work out.  My goal is to use as little of those extra calories as possible. 

So, we're going back to basics because I want to see if I can stick to it when it's as "dumbed-down" as possible. 

Sorry for the long post but I thought I'd update all of you~! 

Have a great day!

Turbo Fire Day 9- Good, Bad, Ugly

Hello everyone.


Yesterday has had 3 parts. Good, Bad, and Ugly.


Let's begin.


Good- I did my 8th day of Turbo Fire! HIIT 20! And at first I didn't go too full-out because I had to learn it.  When the drills were repeated, I did better and better! Woohoo!

Bad- I almost didn't do said workout.  I was STARTING to make excuses in my head again. No no no! 

Ugly-....Well, the short story is I overate. AGAIN. A LOT.  3000+ calories.  I know I am PMSing and stuff but this is really fucking ridiculous, and I decided I have to come clean on here for accountability's sake. These workouts (and my hormones) really make me want to eat a small city out of house and home.   This morning it all started with a Larabar (which are very very good tasting considering these were literally just peanuts and dates) then led to me eating... Brace yourselves- a huge bag of potato chips (WHY?!?!! I have no idea!) and then for dinner- a meal from Burger King.  I felt absolutely horrible about it.  I still kinda do.

I then decided that today, I MUST exercise self control.  There is simply no excuse.  So, we'll try again today.

How do you guys handle new-workout-hunger?

Turbo Fire Day 8

Hello everyone!


What. A. Day.


So, yesterday I was called into downtown Chicago on business (Okay, jury duty. :P ) and I got let out a bit earlier and walked around the city for a while to look around.  (Tiring)  Then I realized I had started my period (TMI but also added to the category of Tiring.)

Then I finally got home and what did I do?

Sleep?

Nope!

I got my Turbo Fire in anyway.  Today was Fire 45- which is new to me.  Hoooooo Boy.  I was so exhausted I had to take a break 10 minutes in, (like a 5 min break) then hopped back in and finished the rest (and the stretch 10) like a BOSS!

Yep. Like a Goddamn BOSS.

I actually feel pretty damn proud that I didn't make excuses (where I totally COULD have!)

I completed a whole week of Turbo Fire...

Hello everyone!


I have completed a full week of Turbo Fire!!! (Yaaaaaaaaaay!)  First, let me get to my workout and then I'll dish on my progress.


Workout yesterday was Core 20 and Stretch 40.  Core 20 uses a resistance  band (which I have) and Stretch 40 uses a Theraband.  Core 20 was actually kinda easier than I expected, but that's probably because I did the modified version of everything just so I could get a feel for what the workout was like. 

Stretch 40 is not just stretch.  There is yoga in it as well and you do sweat.  The beginning is several sun salutations and THEN you stretch with the Theraband. (They call it a lower body band but it's basically a Theraband.)


Ok.  Results time.

9/17/12- 275.1 lb
9/24/12- 272.1 lb.

Three. Fucking. Measly. Pounds.  At least that was my initial thought.  How could I have worked so hard and lost so little?

Dramatization: My reaction.

I then took a look at my MyFitnessPal.  I saw very likely WHY I had lost so little.  Even though I ate pretty good, I was still eating a LOT of calories.  I don't care what people say, calories count to an extent.  There is always too much of a good thing.

Here are my total calories eaten PER DAY this past week.

9/17- 2,508
9/18- 1,783
9/19- 2,575 
9/20- 2,188
9/21- 2,325
9/22- 1,971
9/23- 2,279


See what I mean?  That's a LOT.  Especially if I am trying to LOSE weight.  So, we're going to try something different.

Calorie limit per day this week- Cap it off at 1750. That is 3,379 calories less than I ate last week if I keep it up.  THAT IS ALMOST AN ENTIRE POUND OF FAT WORTH OF CALORIES.  Arrggh!!! Ok, this is a learning experience.  I still lost some, but this was a little lesson. 

I will adjust the calorie level every 10 pounds.  I'm 272.1 now so when I hit approx 260-261, I will recalculate. 

I won't get mad if I have slightly more than 1750 calories one day, etc, but I will try to back down the next day a bit.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!!!  Let's have a better week this time!

Food Journals- Do you do it?

Hello everyone!


Before I blog about yesterday's workout, I want to share a bit about my eating habits and such first.

First of all I cannot stress enough how much writing everything down helps me.

Write it down. Everything.  Even if you weren't proud of it.

Writing stuff down makes me realize how much food I really am eating and allows me to back off or eat more if needed.  Also, I have a little goal set for my carb intake.  I am low carbing, but I am giving myself a little leeway with it.  As a rule of thumb, I set my limit for carbs at 100 grams per day.  Mind you, I am not aiming to eat that many, less is better, but that's the cap for how many (if I end up eating them, etc).

I use MyFitnessPal and it is very helpful.  I am not necessarily counting calories but it's still a good idea not to eat too many of those either, even if you are low-carbing.

How about you guys?  Do you write down your food? 

Turbo Fire Day 6

Hello everyone!


Yesterday was day six of Turbo Fire- another Fire 30/Stretch 10 class.  I was beginning to wonder and think hmm... this is not that hard... This is actually EASIER than I thought.  


Then I looked at the schedule.

(My reaction)

I had failed to notice that this week is labeled "Intro".  OF COURSE it's not going to be Hell on Earth.  After  yesterday, no more Fire 30.  From now on, any cardio (unless it's HIIT) is going to be at LEAST 45 minutes, and if it IS Fire 30, there will be strength training after.  So next week (after tomorrow) it will really be time to get down to business, as it were.

Today will be my first Core 20/Stretch 40 class.  I will give it a little sneak preview before I do it.

Also on the right, there's a My Fitness pal badge- I will be updating my weight weekly, so keep an eye out for the most current amount of pounds lost.

Turbo Fire Day 5

Hello everyone!

I did 5 days of Turbo Fire so far as of the end of yesterday!  Today was the "55 EZ" class.

I have no fucking clue why they call it "EZ".  Nothing really "EZ" about it!
However, I kicked its ass!

Challenge accepted!

It was very challenging but I am surprised I made it through.  I am quite pleased.  However I can't complain that today's workout will be shorter, haha!

Also, I want to remind people that just because I am very obese and able to do Turbo Fire doesn't mean someone else in my situation may  be able to.  Always check with your doctor.  I couldn't shake the feeling that someone could happen upon my blog, be totally  not fit enough for Turbo Fire yet and then do it and get injured and discouraged.  Just thought I'd let that off my chest. 

Turbo Fire Day 4

Hello everyone!!!!


I could have easily made an excuse not to work out yesterday.  I had a Madonna concert to go to and I could have easily used that as an excuse not to exercise.  Worry not, it got done.  

The concert was awesome!  Madonna's still definitely got it!  All those pics of her with nasty looking arms, etc.... She did not look like that in the flesh.  She actually looked amazing.  I also bought a T-shirt from the concert (a bit small now so when I lose some more inches I will wear it.) and they also had coupons for the Addicted to Sweat DVDs.

So, if you haven't ordered your DVDs yet, you can get 10% off by entering coupon code MDNA2012.  You're welcome.

But yes, back to my workout!  I got Fire 30/Stretch 10 done before going to the concert! (yay!) It felt easier this time around.  At first, I thought it was an illusion that I had gotten a little stronger.  Then I got to the concert and my fitness was tested yet again.

I was way up in the back, and that meant stairs. LOTS of stairs. Surprisingly, I wasn't halfway out of breath by the time I got up all of them.  (Normally I WOULD have)

And my physical abilities were tested one more time- I had to leave my seat and at the end of the row, were two women who would NOT move to let me out. So, I had to climb down to the next row of empty seats (really high up and pretty steep) while they continued to sit there cramming nachos down their gullets. When I got back, I had to climb UP around them to get back to my seat.  For a fat girl, I would say I have confirmed that I have pretty damn good balance, haha.

Turbo Fire Day 3

Hello everyone!


Yesterday was 3 of Turbo Fire and it also is my first resting day.  I was a little sore after that HIIT 15 workout but not as badly as I feared.

I also kept very low carb still, even though I went out with a friend for my late birthday dinner.  We found a really cute place that has unlimited beef and vegetable fondue on Mondays and Wednesdays.

OM NOM NOM!

We finished with a little bit of carbs, instead of birthday cake we ended up eating fresh raspberries with Cool Whip. SO. FREAKIN. GOOD.  

Tonight, I get to go see Madonna in concert! Going to get my workout done before then. 

Have a great day!

Turbo Fire Day 2

Hello everyone!


Yesterday was my second day of Turbo Fire, and it was the day I feared most- My first HIIT workout!

Today was 15 minutes, with lots of squats and about 7 drills lasting about 35 minutes each.

I honestly thought I was going to keel over and die, based on what I read about HIIT but that was not the case.  Yes, you go hard.  Hard for what YOU can do on that day. And I did.  I admit not QUITE so hard (but hard enough) as I'd have liked but it was my first day and I was learning.

Going to post my weight next Monday. I have also been good keeping my carbohydrates under 100. Just under, today.  I also for kicks took a ketosis test with those pee strips and I am, in fact, in ketosis. A small amount, but it's still ketosis which means I am burning my body fat!

So tomorrow is my rest day (aside from walking), then no more HIIT until next Tuesday.

Turbo Fire Day 1

Hello everyone!


I did my first day of Turbo Fire yesterday!!!

Day 1 was Fire 30, which is 30 minutes of a normal Fire class with 2 small HIIT drills.  I followed the modified girl and during HIIT I really tried the best I could for how I felt while still listening to my body. 

Oh, I didn't take body measurements but I did do a weight check.  Before doing Turbo, I weighed 275.1 pounds on my Nintendo Wii. (125.05 kg).

Looking forward to doing it all again today with my first real HIIT workout- HIIT 15. 

Change of course.

Hello everyone!


I have tried all of the Addicted to Sweat DVDs and I have come to a conclusion:

I am not ready for the DVDs. Either one. Why?  Because I am simply too big at this point to do them safely and with good form.  I can DO the exercises but my body's excess size and weight makes keeping good, safe form very difficult, if not impossible; some moves I have to skip altogether (especially in the towel workout).  The chair workout is more doable but I have high concern for my safety while stepping up on a metal folding chair doing the workout while weighing what I do.

So, the new course of action is this:

I will try doing a round (20 weeks) of Turbo Fire to try to get fitter and burn off this lard so I can get in good enough shape to do ATS. Also, walking on my off day (Wednesdays).  Active rest is still rest.

As much as I love the DVDs, I am going to do something else (while still strengthening and burning fat off) to get better at it, Turbo Fire is much more fatty-friendly.  What I mean by "fatty friendly" is that they have a modification option for those of us who can't jump so much and still get a hell of a workout.

As for diet, low carb it is. 

I will be updating my myfitnesspal and I have a thing on teambeachbody.com.  If you want to add me as a friend, my username is asagi722. 

Taking measurements tonight and weighing in on my Ninendo Wii in the morning.

Some moves from ATS DVD 4

Hello everyone!


I have not tried the chair workout yet (DVD 4) but I did find a video from fitness magazine with some examples of some moves that are actually in the DVD.

I am still aching from the towel work.  I know they say that the chair workout is more "challenging", but from what I've seen by watching the DVDs and doing some, I think I might have to work in reverse and get stronger with the chair first. 

The chair DVD has many more modifications than the towel as well.

Ok so.. I actually TRIED the workouts.

Hello everyone!

Yesterday, I tried DVD 1 just to see how it is actually like.


I tried one dance, just to see how learnable it is and how good of a teacher Nicole is.

I was pleasantly surprised. 


I followed along the tutorial in front the mirror part once.  Then, I went to the breakdown section.  She kept doing little by little parts, building up and repeating yet done to full tempo. I was intimidated. However, here's what happened!

1. I was able to keep up. Her dancing really isn't as "jumpy" as Tracy Anderson.

2. Before I knew it, the 10 minutes was up and I was dripping in sweat. It felt like 5 minutes, max.  This was one incident when they say "You have so much fun you don't realize you're working out."  And I hate exercise and loved it.

So, in short, DVD 1 is a YES!  It's great, even if you're not the best dancer. 

Addicted to Sweat DVD 4 Review!

Hello everyone!


Last but not least, DVD 4~

Warm up- 4:19- Doing various stretches and warm ups using the chair.  Lots of plies.

Tutorial- 12:04- lots of useful information about form, making sure you have a sturdy chair, non-slick surface, and other safety advice as well as plenty of modifications to moves.  The towel wasn't so modification-intensive as this is, which is a good thing.

Workout- 20:57- the actual workout, lots of different things done with the chair to tone up the butt/core/legs but I can see the arms would get a little workout too (moreso in the towel workout)

Cool Down- 7:25- Stretching and loosening up using the chair, pretty self-explanitory.


My opinion- this is a workout that doesn't LOOK too hard but probably kills once you do it.

Tomorrow- My reviews of how the workouts actually went! (I'm trying them all!)

Addicted to Sweat DVD 3 Review!

Hello everyone!

Today is- you guessed it- the breakdown of DVD 3~!

Warm up- 3:34- Looks very similar to the first DVD. In fact, I think it IS the same.  But that's okay. It's a good warmup.

Ride the Horse (Dance 1) 3:39- Nicole teaching the dance piece by piece, slowly and at tempo explaining the movies.

Ride the Horse (Breakdown) 11:16- 11 minutes of full tempo dancing, piece by piece and adding on. Definitely more intense and complex than DVD 1.

Drop Down (Dance 2) 3:02- Same as the tutorial for dance 1.

Drop Down (Breakdown)- 9:37- full tempo- this dance is serious business. Lots of kicking, doing half burpees, Again, not for the faint of heart.

Hop Forward (Dance 3) 4:26- Same as all tutorials.

Hop Forward (Breakdown)- 11:01 Lots of kicks and really fast footwork. 

Bonus Performances- 4:35- Nicole performing all 3 dances again, like disc 1, like a mini music video.

Cool Down- 4:33- Slowing down a bit, again also looks the same as disc 1.  Again, cooldowns really don't need to be different.


My 2 cents- NOT for people who haven't done DVD 1 or danced at all in their life. Nope nope nope. However it does look like a great workout once you master the basics. 

Tomorrow- the fourth and final DVD- the chair workout!

Addicted to Sweat DVD 2 Review!

Hello everyone!

Below is my DVD 2 review!  You'll need 3 hand towels.

1. Warm up- 4:50-  You do use the towels in this warm up. Lots of stretching, plies, squats, etc.

2. Tutorial- 11:23- Nicole goes in more detail about how to do the workouts properly.  Very important to read before starting. She discusses the surface to use, if you have carpet, use paper plates or furniture mover discs but the best results are towels on a slick floor (like tile).  She also discusses form for some of the moves as well as ways to slow it down and modify a bit, making the moves more fluid as you get stronger.

3. The workout - 19:17- The actual workout! Everything you learned in tutorial and more, goes at a decent pace.

4. Cool down- 8:23- Longer than Disc 1's warm up, but a lot of stretching. 

My opinion- Yes, it is a short workout. Spoiler- DVD 4 (chair work) is also 20 minutes, just long enough to do both every day.  I think that was their intention- to do one after the next with the toning. I'll go more into what the chair involves soon. 

Have a great day everyone and remember- No sweat, no candy!

Addicted to Sweat DVD 1 Review!

Hello everyone~!

I finally got my DVDs so as promised, here is my breakdown of the first DVD- Get Wet.

1. Warm Up- 3:34- Nicole takes you through some basic movements, like shoulder rolls, some plies, walking, jumping jacks, etc and it is done at a decent tempo, so it does get the heart rate up.

2. Dance 1 Tutorial- 3:18- Nicole teaches in detail each step of the first dance.  During the tutorial she is not jumping so much, so I think that it can be done at tempo without much jumping if done as she shows in the tutorial. It IS actual choreography so it may take time to learn. 

3. Dance 1 Breakdown- 10:41- This is all done at full tempo.  You start out with a little of the dance, and repeat and build up until you eventually learn the whole dance.  Despite being a learning part, it still can be a great workout since you are still moving constantly at tempo.

(4-7) Dance 2 and 3 have the same tutorials and breakdowns.  Total up-tempo dancing around is 30 minutes.

8- Bonus Performance- 4:33- Looks more like a music video but Nicole does a run through of all three dances learned. 

9- Cool down- 4:35- You do some light dancing and slowly cool down and decrease intensity/stretch.


My opinion- this looks like it would really help.  It's not Tracy's random bouncing around at all.  There is no "dance all 3 dances straight through" part but once you learn the combinations, I do not see why you can't do them to your own music. 

And lastly, Madonna does NOT appear in the DVDs nor does this contain any Madonna music, but the music is not bad. 

Annoyance..

Hello everyone!

As the title suggests, I am a bit annoyed...



This isn't fitness related (well kinda), but I am really hating the US Postal Service right now.

The Hard Candy place sent me a tracking number to track my DVDs as they were shipped.  The USPS has no record of it.  SO ANNOYING.

Artist's rendition of my expression every time I check the damn package,

I am big on tracking all packages so I know when to expect them.

I ordered the day after the DVDs became available, friends of mine who ordered the first day as far as Florida received theirs today.

Will it come tomorrow? The next day? God only knows... 

For Aussie Fans- Don't want to order the DVDs? Go get the real thing!

Hello everyone!


I found an article  with more Madonna info- from Australia.  I have heard the shipping fees are pretty high to send them out of the country, but they actually just opened a gym in Sydney.

"Madonna leading an "Addicted to Sweat" class at her Hard Candy Fitness centre in Mexico. Photo: madonnamexico.com

There are many tough regimes in the world – the Russian military, The Situation's famed "GTL" (gym, tan, laundry) but none are as frightening as Madonna and her quest for peak physical condition.

While the Material Girl will not be bringing her latest tour down under she has instead chosen to expand her luxury gym empire, Hard Candy Fitness and share her love of sweat with Sydney.

The Druitt Street energy emporium opened its doors on Monday and introduced the Harbour City to Madonna's "harder is better" motto.

Want to get Madonna's body? Now you can thanks to the "Addicted to Sweat" DVD. Photo: Hard Candy Fitness

"She's very involved. This isn't just her name on a gym. She is personally involved, she knows what she wants, she knows the experience that she wants people to have and for them to be really motivated," Hard Candy Fitness Sydney CEO Selena Short told Fairfax.

"She has an incredible work ethic and I think that's what she wants this gym to stand for. Somewhere where you are motivated to work hard and enjoy the benefits of working as hard as she does because it's the only way she lives her life.

"When you do the Addicted to Sweat class you experience it exactly how she does it and she has all her little rules and she's very particular, very, very particular," she added possibly referring to how Madonna introduced the world to Hard Candy Fitness back in 2010 when the first doors opened in Mexico.

"No sweat, no candy!" the singer-songwriter, author, movie director and long time yoga, running and cycling enthusiast yelled as she instructed a dance class.

Her first Australian gym follows similar ventures in Russia and Chile and boasts four floors of exercise equipment, locker rooms complete with communal curling irons and seven studios made for gruelling group fitness classes.

According to Ms Short there are over 150 different types of dance, Pilates, hot yoga, barre, pole dancing and cycling classes on offer every week and during peak hours a new class starts every 15 minutes.

A word of warning if you seek a gentle and genteel work out – Madge's high-intensity dance cardio program Addicted to Sweat, which has also just been released on DVD, won't be for you.

The hour-long routine developed by the 54-year-old and her personal trainer Nicole Winhoffer is better suited to your inner Navy Seal or Tough Mudder alter ego.

It offers a small insight into how hard the Like A Virgin star works out every day and involves a lot of dancing, offers minimal recovery time and focuses on fast-paced functional exercises. All that is required is your body weight, a towel, a sturdy chair and serious stamina.

At the core of these dance inspired sessions is Winhoffer who replaced Madonna's former trainer Tracey Anderson in 2009. She is also responsible for morphing the Papa Don't Preach singer's highly scrutinised sinewy and skeletal physique into a more Michelle Obama-esque naturally toned look.

She is a trained classical, modern, jazz and musical theatre dancer who has starred in three Broadway shows (including Wicked), has danced in Maybelline and Mattel commercials and performed with Shakira.

"I was brought on to assist on her last tour [the 2008 Sticky & Sweet shows]. When the tour ended, I immersed myself in understand anatomy, physiology and the latest fitness trends while continuing my dance training," Winhoffer told Shape magazine.

It is not known when or if Madonna and her trainer will visit Hard Candy's Australian bureau of beauty and brawn but "it's definitely our hope," Ms Short said.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/hard-candy-mixed-with-sweat-madonnas-tips-to-become-eye-candy-20120907-25hy1.html#ixzz261uFcecR"

More Addicted to Sweat Questions Answered!

Hello everyone!


I found yet another article on Addicted to Sweat and it actually answered a few questions I had.  This is an interview on fitperez with Nicole Winhoffer.

"Madonna's Hard Candy Fitness has finally launched their fitness DVD — Addicted to Sweat!

It features exclusive programs created by Madonna and taught by her personal trainer, Nicole Winhoffer!

Luckily, we were able to land an exclusive interview about the DVD, and were able to ask the questions we know you're ALL wondering about!

Here's what we asked:

Do you have to be a girl to fully benefit from this style of exercise, or can men join in as well?

This workout is effective for all levels of fitness, male or female, because it challenges the mind and the body using unconventional- toning, conditioning, speed & agility, strengthening, flexibility, endurance exercises. In all of Hard Candy Fitness Gym Chains both male and female members participate and see startling results.

How does age factor in to the progressive intensity of the DVD's — we know Madge isn't the youngest, but she's kept up with herself for a long time already.

In each program, you gradually build up to a certain level. How quickly you get there is entirely up to you dependent on how hard you work, your persistence, and dedication.

Is this a program that would be better considered for maintaining, or would you recommend this for people looking to lose a substantial amount of weight?

The DVD's can be used as both weight loss and maintenance. The DVDs include informative tutorials and move modifications for each routine, which are designed to be used for all levels of fitness.

The degree of difficulty is challenging and guarantees results.

How much space is required to perform these exercises?

All the routines were designed so that they could be done in your living room without much equipment required. For example, no equipment is required for the cardio-dance

DVDs and for the Jawbreaker DVDs, all you need is a chair and a towel.

Does Madge make any appearances?

She does not other than her image on the DVD cover, although her influence and spirit can be felt throughout the DVD series.

Does this come on bluray?

As of now, there is no plan to manufacture these into bluray format.

Would you recommend any other training to work in conjunction with this? Weights?

Because the DVDs have a dance foundation, all muscles are utilized. We are getting a full body workout - toning, strengthening, and improving flexibility in every muscle of the body. We are working on our endurance, speed, and agility within the low-intensity and high-intensity cardio positions of the DVD. The body is being conditioned from every angle, every speed, every angle. We touch on every possible muscle throughout the workout, and the routines were created with this goal in mind.

How long have you been working with Madonna?

I'm a classically trained professional dancer. On her Sticky and Sweet Tour her previous trainer was recruiting professional dancers for the cardio portion of her workout. After the tour finished, I immersed myself in physiology, anatomy, and kinetics and now I'm her primary trainer. It's been 3 years.

Is it hard to learn the dance routines of this exercise?

There is a very thorough tutorial included in the series and modifications for each move. We wanted the routines to be challenging, but also design them so that people at various fitness levels can see great results. To accomplish anything you always have to be one step ahead and striving toward something. We are very excited to have everyone doing the dances that we do in our workouts!

How long did it take you to create all these routines?

Madonna opened up her first Hard Candy Fitness location in Mexico City October 2010. I traveled ahead to teach the instructors and members our workout. On opening night, Madonna led the class and we all had an amazing workout. The entire gym was so inspired by the class that Hard Candy Fitness decided to make it an official Madonna signature class. From there, the routines have expanded, pulling inspiration from art, dance, and music.

What if you're not a very good dancer?

It’s about moving in your body. Making a relationship with it and being aware. No matter what level you are at, persistence and dedication can get anyone the results they desire with this workout, no matter if you are a great dancer or not.

Is this considered low-impact cardio?

Yes, because no extra weights are used, it utilizes your own body weight.

Is this supposed to burn fat? Tone muscles? Both?

Both! There are 4 DVD's in the set: 2 toning + 2 cardio. We touch upon every muscle and it's challenging, fun, and sexy. You really feel like a completely different person when you finish the DVD.

How often should someone be doing this workout?

To get results, no matter what workout program you are doing, I recommend at least 30 minutes of cardio, 30 minutes of toning including arms, abs, legs, and back, 5-6 days /week. With Addicted to Sweat, that is all built in!

What kind of diet do you recommend along with a workout like this? Anything particular like high-protein, or lowcarb
or something crazier?

My rule of thumb is to be aware of what you are putting in your body. Food is fuel. Make sure what you are giving your body is just what your body needs. Focus on super-foods rich with fiber, minerals, iron, and vitamins. Give your body the right amount of protein, carbs, and fat as the furnace for energy.

SO FAB!

These programs were previously only available for those who joined the Hard Candy Fitness Club locations… so we're glad to see the secrets revealed!"

So there you have it~ For more info about this interview, click here. 

More Sneak Peeks from Addicted to Sweat!

Hello everyone!

I have confirmation that my DVDs have shipped today! (WOOT!)  And I found an article with a little sneak preview of the second DVD which is the towel toning workout, Slippery When Wet.

Tricep Lateral Shave
Tones triceps and the back inner and outer sides of arm
With feet hip-width apart, bend your knees and lower to a flat back with stomach engaged. Grip towel lengthwise behind the back. With palms down, raise the towel away from your butt about four inches. Your triceps should be fired, shoulders rolled back, neck long. This is starting position. Your arms will be moving laterally, continually keeping tension between the towel. Reach the towel to the left while transferring weight to the right leg (top). Then reach the towel to the right, transferring the weight to the right leg (bottom). Reach the towel to the left again, and pulse in this position two times. This equals one rep. Repeat on the other side. Repeat 16 times.

Single Leg Knee Pull In
Works hips and butt
On a slippery hard-wood or tile floor, place the ball of your left foot on top of a neatly folded towel. Crouch down and place hands firmly on floor. Cross the right leg behind the left and transfer weight evenly between upper body and left leg. Shoot the left leg back so it's extended straight and body is in a plank position (top). Draw the knee back in to beginning position (bottom). This is one rep. Your glutes, thighs, and abs should be tightened and engaged the entire time. Do 24 reps with one leg and then repeat with the other. 

Kick Out With Towel Between Feet
Works lower abs
Sit on ground and place your towel between the inner soles of your feet, keeping knees bent. Lift feet off ground and place hands behind you for support (top). Extend your feet straight out in front of you, squeezing your inner thighs to keep the towel from falling. As you extend, you will slightly bend arms behind you (bottom). Draw feet back in to starting position. This is one rep. Repeat 32 times.

I will be watching each DVD and reviewing it in detail when I get them. 4-6 business days, so next week sometime. I'll still be stalkin' the mailman!