Part IV: The Last Chance Workout

“Your body can stand almost anything. It’s your mind that you have to convince.” For years I was having trouble finding my comfort zone and motivation to start a workout regimen. I am a big fan of reality television especially “The Biggest Loser” on NBC. After I found out that the trainers on the show came out with a series of workout DVD’s, I knew I had to have them. This was going to be my motivational start.

 I bought two separate films each concentrating on different workout moves. One focused on cardio and the other film focused on the entire body. I started with the entire body DVD because it seemed like a better option to start off with than a maximum cardio routine. It is a five step, six-week program that alternates between upper body, lower body, and fat burning exercises. The longest segment of the DVD was a twenty-five minute ‘Last Chance Workout’ designed to burn fat quickly by using cardio and strength intervals. I sweated like no ones business the first week I used this workout program. I knew it was working because I felt so sore the rest of the day after the workout. I only did the workout five days a week; I would leave the other two days of the week to resting and stretching. There were some days when just sitting down hurt because some muscles were being used that weren’t ever used before. The first couple of weeks are very painful but it is essential to complete them or else you may not get the results you were hoping for.

Although I really enjoyed the workouts on the first DVD, I felt like it was time to step up my game and begin the cardio disc. The cardio workout was also set up into five segments but was much more intense and challenging. These workouts included kickboxing, yoga, and fast moving routines that each ranged from twenty to ten minutes. When you are working out with the DVD, time flies. Even though an hour may seem like an eternity, it really moves along fast. The trainers Bob, Jillian, Kim, and Dolvett each have a different style of working out. I prefer Jillian’s workouts because I always seemed to be sweating more afterwards.

After just a couple weeks of working out for one hour a day I was starting to see a change in my body. The first change you will notice is the slimming of your face. If you don’t notice the change in the mirror try putting two photos next to each other and compare. Everyone’s body is different so results will vary differently among each person.

The moment of truth had finally arrived when I would step on the scale and see how well I had done halfway through the program. I stepped onto the scale and to my surprise I had lost fifteen pounds. I was thrilled because I knew losing fifteen pounds was a great start. I was excited to see what new workouts I could try to change up my daily routine.

Staying hydrated is so important when working out. In my next post I will explain the many good effects water has on the body along with how much water you should drink a day.