Home Workout Essentials: FREE Online Interval Timer

….so I was about to do my speed rope intervals in the family room on my new foam interlocking floor mats (woohoo!), but I can’t find my damn interval timer. There’s no doubt one of the gremlin-children put their paws on that timer. I predict I won’t find it again until mid-Spring of year 2019.

With every second I bitched/searched for the timer, it was precious minutes I was losing for my workout.

I couldn’t let that happen.

Now because my brain is only partially melty and still shows sporadic signs of quick thinking, I did a Google search for “online interval timer” and found a basic, simple straightforward timer to use in place of my missing Gymboss.

Here’s the link to the online timer: http://www.beach-fitness.com/tabata/

There are fancier timers out there, plus some decent smartphone apps, but this beach-fitness timer is simple, free, and did the job just fine. You can also download this timer for offline use, but I haven’t tested that out yet.

Get your interval timer and other workout tools together. Keep them handy and on standby for frequent use, because you’re about to get extra-sexy and uber-fit. Riiight?

Foam Interlocking Mats and Speed Rope

I’ve got an awesome workout comin’ at ya on Monday. It’s perfect for some last minute fat burning before you indulge in those greedy Christmas goodies.  ((burp))

View the original article here

Home Workout Essentials: Online Streaming Of Fitness Videos From Gaiam TV

No more excuses, everybody. It’s time to workout!

If the gym isn’t your thing, you now have a new go-to option with Gaiam TV. I remember the frustration when I tried searching for quality workout videos on Netflix. Talk about a major letdown.

Gaiam TV has done what Netflix failed to do. They’ve stepped up to provide us health-conscious peeps with access to online streaming of fitness and Yoga videos, with a huge variety to choose from. We no longer have to sink hundreds of dollars into buying workout DVDs or paying for classes. Gaiam TV has over 2,000 titles with unlimited 24/7 streaming access from your computer, smartphone or iPad. 

The service is user friendly, giving you the ability to create playlists, preview videos, and also rate & review. It’s flexible and simple to use, granting you the superpowers to filter your search and customize workouts for weight loss, total body sculpting or increased energy, and narrow down your options based on level, style, instructor and amount of available time.

GAIAM TV ROLLED OUT THE RED CARPET

We’re not talking about some no frills, econo-brand kind of thing. There’s strength & cardio workouts, Pilates, and online Yoga from powerhouse instructors like Rodney Yee (dear gawd, you know I love him), Mari Windsor, Jillian Michaels and Leslie Sansone to name a few.

It’s all very magical. I have my suspicions that Gaiam created their service with sprinklings of unicorn dust to provide us with an extra splenduperful experience. But it’s not just exercise that you’ll get. There’s also a robust library of health & wellness and personal development videos, too.

ARE YOU READY TO TRY OUT GAIAM TV FOR FREE?

It’s pretty dang affordable to get access to Gaiam’s smorgasbord of fitness videos & stuff. You get a 10-day free trial, then it’s only $9.95 a month, and the first 25 people that sign up for Gaiam TV using this link will get a free yoga mat with their subscription. Emm, hellooo! FREE stuff!

You’ll also get zero hassles from Gaiam, because there’s no long term commitments. You can cancel anytime.

This year is coming to a close really fast and 2013 will be here before you know it. How about you kick some booty this fall with the help of Gaiam TV?

This is a sponsored post for Gaiam TV. May thanks to Gaiam for inviting me to try out their service and spread the good news to all the lovely people out there like YOU.

View the original article here

Home Workout Essentials: NOW Foods Organic Whey Protein Powder

Why even use protein powder in the first place? Why not just eat this instead?

Welp, protein powder is an individual decision. I knew dang well my continued body transformation and elevated sexiness ratio would require additional protein, especially since I don’t eat a ton of meat.

So I did my due diligence before my first purchase of NOW Foods Organic 100% Pure Whey Protein Isolate. I sought the opinion of protein users that I know. I read labels and did side-by-side comparisons with my eyeballs. I lurked on forums where people discuss protein powders. I read testimonials on review sites. And I didn’t rush in. I took my time with all of this before deciding on NOW.

Many of the most infamous brands out there I instantly scratched & clawed off my list with my bare fingernails because of the crap they contain. If the protein powder contains Aspartame, Sucralose or Acesulfame-K, it’s not getting near my food trap. If you’re using a powder already and it contains one of these ingredients, please consider running far away from it. Those are artificial sweeteners and they are NOT good for your health.

NOW Foods is family owned and been around since 1968. They take a clean, organic approach to their products. Here’s what they say about the protein powder:

“NOW® Certified Organic Whey Protein is an all-natural whey protein that is concentrated from organic milk, which was produced without the use of synthetic growth hormones (rBGH), antibiotics, or pesticides.  It is processed by low temperature ultrafiltration to limit denaturation of the proteins, and is both bioavailable and easily digested.”

Complete supplement/nutrition facts

But How’s The Taste and Other Benefits?

Now contains NO sugar and has 24 grams of protein per scoop. It dissolves well in liquids and is virtually flavorless. It’s proven to be a wonderful protein-boost in my morning Shakeology feeding. Check it out:

15 grams in Shakeology + 24 grams in NOW = 39 grams of protein

I’ve been using the Whey powder for over a month now. I haven’t had any stomach issues, including no bellyaching, bloating or farting symptoms that protein bars used to give me. Because the last thing I wanna do is fart in my office and then a co-worker walks in. Yes, that’s happened to me before.

One of other key benefits has been the powder’s ability to aid in my muscle recovery after a badass workout. I’m experiencing less soreness and faster recovery time in general, which means I can resume further badass-ness with minimal delays. NOW Foods Protein Powder is definitely a new, permanent fixture among my Home Workout Essentials. Go on and read more NOW testimonials for yourself and decide if it’s right for YOU.

Booyah!

View the original article here

Home Workout Essentials: Rodney Yee is My Top Yoga Pick

…and let me tell you why.

I’ve tried a lot of Yoga DVDs. Too many to count. I have a useless stack of ‘em buried in the basement where I make the husband sleep. Some of the DVDs were a let down. Others left me wanting. And then there’s the Yoga flicks that put me in contorted, uncomfortable poses and made me feel like a Yoga loser.

But I am not a loser, dammit.

I was about to abandon Yoga until I discovered that cool Asian dude, Rodney Yee. He brought out the best in me with Yoga benefits that are truly priceless. You can’t buy this stuff:

Mental clarity and lower stress levels.The feeling of a weight off my shouldersFaster “rest day” recovery.Restorative ability to aid in injury.

My top Yoga DVD pick is Rodney’s Ultimate Power Yoga. This DVD comes with 5 workouts, ranging from 15-20 minutes long. Do one, or combine a few for a longer Yoga experience.

Greedy Kid #2's Ultimate Power Experience:

My kid used Workout 1 (Power Foundation) to recover from a painful hip injury during his first season of Cross Country in his 9th grade year. As a new distance runner, the season was pretty rough on his body. Greedy Kid’s hip would howl and not even the fancy Orthopaedic doctor’s advice made it any better. The dang kid was still in pain under medical care and could barely walk normally at times, so I forced asked him to try the DVD (he was brand new to Yoga).

When his running was manageable, he would come home after practice and jump right into Power Foundation. The DVD’s restorative magic went to work and Kid #2 made a complete recovery over the course of a few weeks. Go figure.

My Own Ultimate Power Experience:

In 2002 I was hit by a car while crossing the street and came out with a back injury. Physical therapy was a bitch. I was repeatedly cold-packed, heat-packed, back-cracked, electrical muscle stimulated, and way more. The infliction of treatment was so bad one day that I almost passed out. They had to pull out the smelling salt to bring me back to full consciousness.

In addition to my doctor (a rehab specialist), I was treated for nearly 9 months by two different Chiropractors and two different physical therapists before medical benefits ran out. I was definitely doing better than on day one of the accident, yet still in a level of pain that caused daily discomfort and sadness…for 9 long years. Remember, that accident happened in 2002, but I didn’t find Rodney’s Yoga, and Workout 5 (Ultimate Power Restoration), until early 2011.

Workout 5 focuses on a series of forward bends and elongated stretches that restored my back and prevents the pain from returning. If I stay away from Yoga far too long, I sometimes start whining when I feel small inklings of pain and tightness return, but one session of Workout 5 is enough to get me into maintenance mode so I can enjoy a pain-free back.

I also made big time progress with general flexibility of my entire body that “athletic-type stretching” never delivered.

Here are some quick sample clips from the DVD to get a feel for Rodney Yee’s awesome style and instruction.

If you haven’t tried Yoga yet, go get on the bandwagon. And if Rodney’s Ultimate Power Yoga isn’t part of your own Home Workout Essentials, it’s time to seriously consider it.

Have a fabulous week, you guys. And don’t forget to Yogaaaaa !!!

View the original article here