Here are some NEW Exercise Crazes from Shape Magazine!  Have you tried any of these?  What do you think? Please share your experiences! 

A new style of barre is amping up the traditional ballet-inspired workout by adding a major cardio component. In these barre-cardio fusion classes, you’ll sculpt lean muscle, slim down, and get your heart pumping by moving through high-intensity moves followed by brief moments of active recovery. They’re certainly not your old-fashioned ballet class anymore: As instructor Bergen Wheeler of the new Core Fusion Extremes class says, “You’ll experience a fast-paced, full-body workout designed around simple and functional movements, and take your fitness to a level you never thought possible.”

Shape Magazine

The rowing craze is quickly catching on around the nation, with some even calling it the "new spinning."  And while the rower may not replace your indoor bike completely, there’s good reason people are starting to gravitate toward this full-body workout that hits about 85 percent of your muscles when done correctly. “Rowing is high intensity yet low impact, so it’s safe and smart for your body,” says Helaine Knapp, founder and CEO of New York City’s Citysrow, where intervals on an WaterRower are broken up with strength exercises on a mat. “Plus, anyone can do it—people are surprised at how quickly they get in the groove in their first class.”

Shape Magazine

This futuristic-looking tool seems like something from outer space and, fittingly, promises to deliver an out-of-this-world workout. Using vibration training, the Bodyblade targets specific muscle groups by varying the positions of the body or direction of the flexing blade. The blade rapidly changes directions at a rhythm of 4.5 cycles per second, which means your body has to move 270 times per minute to resist the forces of it moving back and forth. According to the website, it promises to deliver benefits such as enhanced coordination, flexibility, posture, efficiency of muscle function, and muscle definition.

Shape Magazine

I must admit the last couple of days have been a blur....eating, drinking.  Eating.  Drinking.  Yes a calorie nightmare! Definitely too scarey to share...plus I can't remember what I ate now!  Today will be a better (not perfect) day!

I actually got up and went to left weights will my trainer this morning.  Yes, last night included drinks so I'm feeling a bit "tired" but I made it!  Worked off about 400 calories too!

Weight lifting is important for women to do!  And especially for women that are post menopausal due to bone loss in the absence of estrogen!  So lift weights!  And lift a lot of weight!  You won't build huge muscles but you will tone and HOPEFULLY build some.



Eating log so far today
Breakfast:  1 cup of pine apple:  82 calories
2 slices Ezekiel Bread:  160 calories
2/3 oz creme cheese:  47 calories
Total=289

Lunch:  2 shrimp tacos with soft tortilla (I'm completely guessing the calorie content for this item since I picked them up at a local restaurant after my work out. I'm assigning 200 calories each)
400 calories
chips and salsa:  (even more of a guess!) 200 calories ??
Total= 600   YIKES!!   No telling how many carbs but...it's Saturday!


Dinner is ALWAYS my down fall!  UGH!  All I can say is I'll keep trying!  Journaling is a great way to fine tune and pin point where you can make changes and improvements!

Thursday, May 19

Well, today is another day!  I slept like a log so that's great!  However, I'm moving slower than yesterday and I'm not exactly sure why.  Caffeine please!

I think I failed to mention I'm a indoor cycle instructor and I "spin" twice a week.  Tonight I have my class so I'm not really going to push any exercise this morning.  Although a quick little walk/run wouldn't do me any harm! Who knows, perhaps I'lll give it a go before I leave for work...??

So, breakfast.  Wasn't bad.  I again had a 2 egg omelet with onions and a little cheese.  1 slice of Ezekiel whole wheat bread with low fat cream cheese.  I usually use My Fitness Pal to log my food and it states (proudly) that I had 375 total calories.

Okay.  Do we BELIEVE My Fitness Pal?  Or do we BELIEVE the calorie and nutritional information on packaging?  That's a BIG question in my mind.  Let's compare...

The egg carton states each egg contains 70 calories.  I had 2 so that's 140 calories.  (YES I'm a wiz at math!)  I had 1 piece of cheese on/in my eggs. The Cracker Barrel Sharp White Cheddar package states 4 slices are 140 calories.  (To be HONEST I ate another slice while cooking) so let's say that's 70 calories.  I also had onions in my omelet but really I soooo few they really can't be over 5 calories!?

Let's math is up 140 +70+ 5= 215 according to the PACKAGING.  The Ezekiel Bread states 1 slice is 80 calories.  Neufchatel cream cheese 2 Tbsp is 70 calories but I don't THINK I had 2 Tbsps.... I'm GUESSING I had half that so I'm going to say, 35 calories

Math please.... 80 + 35= 115   Total breakfast (I might add I gave a more accurate listing of what I actually ate with the individual package listing because I didn't list the extra piece of cheese on My Fitness Pal!) is drum rollllllll

215 +115 = 330 calories for the packaging total!

Let's look at both. My Fitness Pal states 375 total breakfast calories and the packaging states 330 so that's a difference of 45 calories.  So let's go back to my original question...WHO or WHICH do we believe?  45 calories over 3 meals is 135 per day.  Does that REALLY make a difference in a day? But in a week that's 405 calorie difference.  Does that make a difference?   I don't know??

I think the answer to that is you do that best you can.  You DO try and measure and log your food until you're VERY comfortable being able to "guessestimate" portion size and hence calories consumed.  And you give yourself a bit of break now and then because we're not perfect!  We never will be...even when we (and by we I mean me.)  do lose those 8 pounds I'm TRYING to lose!