Over the years, I've become more and more dedicated to exercising at home. Currently, I own a recumbent bike as well as approximatley 70 exercise videos and various other equipment (eg, weights, stability ball, medicine ball, high step, Pilates ring, yoga blocks, etc.). I generally work out out 6-7 times per week and do a mix of cardio, strength training, yoga, and Pilates. To learn more, keep reading!

2007 News!

During the Summer of 2007, I was asked to be the "official" yoga media reviewer for iHanuman.com, an online community of yoga teachers. Their download store includes both video and audio practices. My contact person at iHanuman is Tilak Pyle, instructor of my absolute favorite yoga DVD, Yoga: Altar of the Heart.

In other reviewing news, I have been a Top 100 Reviewer for Amazon.com since March 2007. Also, as of Fall 2007, I have had reviews appear on another online site, MetaPsychology Online . Too bad I'm not getting paid for any of this! ;)

OLD News!

Back in the summer of 2005, I was selected as part of a national test group for fitness instructor Karen Voight's new Sleek Essentials program. By the end of the 12-week test period, I had lost 6 lbs. and 7 total inches (check out my before and after photos here). In September 2005, I went to LA to provide a testimonial for the Sleek Essentials informercial, which finally began showing in test areas in late February 2007. Watch for me on the infomercial (I'm in the "town hall" scene, a Q&A session) and/or find out more about Sleek Essentials at www.sleekessentials.com.

Cardio and Strength Training

Although I've used exercise videos for years now, I never really liked aerobics videos, so I stuck to my bike to provide me with a cardio workout. However, I discovered kickboxing, and to my surprise, I really liked it! My first kickboxing video was Kathy Smith's Kickboxing Workout, which is very doable for beginners and has fun combinations. I've tried Tae Bo as well, but I've never really clicked with it; I prefer instructors such as Janis Saffell, and I like Turbo Jam Cardio Party. I sometimes enjoy more "dancey" cardio as well, such as MaDonna Grimes's African Heat/Latin Beat and my current favorite, 10 Minute Solution Fat Blasting Dance Mix.

However, I try to keep my cardio to a minimum, as I've found that in general, my body responds better to weight training. I alternate between various types of weight work, including heavy lift, endurance training, and functional fitness. Some of my favorite strength workout videos include Anna Benson's original FitPrime series (now unfortunately out of print, Jari Love's Ripped! workouts (the original Get Ripped! is still my favorite), Tracie Long's videos (both her older Tracie Long Productions and her newer Tracie Long Training), and Denise's Beatty's Fitness Fix series.

Yoga

I first tried yoga in the fall of 2001 (by coincidence, I got my first yoga video just after September 11th). Yoga was much different than I expected: on the one hand, it doesn't require flexibility as a prerequisite, and on the other, it's much more physically demanding than I had realized (you can definitely work up a sweat!). Also, you don't have to get involved in the more meditative aspects of the practice if you don't want to do so. Now, I've become a real yogini--yoga videos make up the majority of my collection, and I've also attended a wide variety of classes and workshops since taking my first one in January 2004. Here I am in a couple of poses (I was using a camera with timer, so my form might not be the best!) from Summer 2007:

Half Moon	Crow or Crane

When I was first starting out, I found Patricia Walden's Yoga Practice for Beginners a great way to learn the poses, although it is a bit dry. My very first yoga video was actual Rodney Yee's Abs Yoga for Beginners; I was able to do this video without any prior exposure to yoga, although it's not really traditional yoga. Suzanne Deason's Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss is also a good starting point for beginners since it offers 4 different levels of modifications (one of the most important mantras in yoga is modify, modify, modify!). Some of my current favorite yoga videos are Rodney Yee's Yoga Conditioning for Athletes (believe me, you don't have to be athletic to do this one!), Ali McGraw's Yoga Mind & Body (and oldie but goodie), and Tilak Pyle's Yoga: Altar of the Heart (Tilak was trained by Erich Schiffmann, who lead the Ali McGraw video). My favorite relaxation practices include Kripalu Yoga Gentle and PM Yoga. If you want to learn more about yoga, an excellent online resource is the web site for Yoga Journal magazine. On the YJ site, you can find beginner's tips, information about different types of yoga, detailed pose instructions, and much more!

Pilates

Pilates (puh-la-tease) is a form of exercise based on the work of Joseph Pilates. It involves a series of exercises which focus on your midsection (aka the Pilates "Powerhouse") and are performed almost entirely on the floor (referred to as matwork). I began Pilates in 2000 after receiving the book The Pilates Body by Brooke Siler as a gift. This is an excellent book for those brand-new to Pilates, and it provides detailed information about how to build your own home Pilates routine. Eventually, however, I wanted to see the exercises being performed on video, and so I purchased Ana Caban's Beginning Mat Workout, which also provides excellent instruction. My current favorite Pilates videos include Ana Caban's PM Pilates and Pilates Abs, Quick Fix Pilates Abs, and MTV Pilates; I also love Jonathan Urla's Yogilates 2, a blend of Pilates and yoga for intermediates.

Running

I tried running for the first time during in 2004. To train for a 5k race, a friend and I loosely followed this Couch-to-5k Running Plan, which coaches you on gradually increasing your running time and/or distance. I ran my first (and possibly only!) 5k race on October 9, 2004. My time was 32:12, which I'm told is pretty good for a first race; I ran most of it but did need a few short walk breaks. During the race, I thought I'd never do another one, but who knows maybe someday...

At the start of the race (I'm on far right in blue shorts)	Crossing the finish line (I'm in the middle)