The Biggest Loser - Cardio Max

Yesterday, I mentioned that I had recently started the Biggest Loser Cardio Max workout and I am in LOVE with it so far. This is the first at home workout that I have found in a long time that actually challenges me and pushes me to new levels.

The workout, a 6-week program for maximum weight loss, features Bob, Jillian and Kim. Bob takes on cardio level 1 and leads the warm-up (5 minutes), cardio level (20 minutes) and cool down (5 minutes). Level one is as far as I have gotten since I started on Friday because it is recommend that you complete level one for weeks 1-2. Jillian comes next with cardio level 2 which adds on another 10 minutes and Kim comes in with cardio level 3 which is a kickboxing routine for another 10 minutes.

By week 6, the workout will run around 50 minutes but at the beginning it will run you around 30 depending on if you take breaks or not. For a 30 minute workout you do get a good calorie burn in.

Here are results from days 1 - 3. Day 1 is normally my day to follow along while taking note of everything that occurs in the workout which means I do not always catch every move but I do try. As the days go on, I try to add in a move that I may have missed on the first day or add more reps of moves that I may have stopped earlier than those in the workout.

Day 1 (Introduction)

              Day 2 (gave more than the previous day)

Day 3 (Completed some additional reps)
















I do enjoy burning more calories than I did the day before, but I focus more on getting in all the moves and digging deeper than I did the day before even if I have to do a few reps more than once to get the hang of it.

One of the biggest things that I like about this workout is that it actually features real people. By real, I mean people who are not flaunting around their bodies in sports bras and short shorts (but I do suppose the whole "if you got it flaunt it" phrase appeals to most). The participants in this workout are actually from the Biggest Loser. There are times when they get off sync, when they don't dig as deep, when sweat is pouring off of them and they are breathing hard. These are the things that I want to see in a workout which is targeted at helping you lose weight. I can't follow someone (in other workouts) who does a modified version of something which is on the same level with the non-modification.

Yes, this workout does have modifications but they are modifications that I can follow. Each day I cannot wait to do this workout because seeing contestants from the Biggest Loser inspires me to push myself because I know that I can dig deep for something I want.

Not Enough Time

This movie seems to be the story of my life recently. Since the time change, it seems that there just aren't enough hours in the day to get things accomplished. I wake up, go to school, sit through (what seems like endless) classes, come home, eat, do homework and go to sleep. Not once did I mention exercising because I can't seem to find anywhere to fit that into my schedule.

Lately the exercise that I have been getting on days when I do have class, is from walking to and from class and walking up and down the stairs in the parking deck. Still, it's a form of exercise.

This week, tomorrow actually, I have an exam in what is shaping up to be one of the worst classes in my college career. Everyone I talk to feels the same way about the class, they don't know what is going on either or some say it is hard and you'll have to repeat it in another semester. I don't want to do that, I feel as if I have already handed my school money that didn't benefit me.

This has been my biggest source of stress this week, thinking about that exam. Since Monday, I have been studying until I have almost fallen asleep while looking at the material. I know that this is just a hiccup in my week. Come tomorrow at 9:30, I will be smooth sailing for the weekend because my exam will be over and a heavy (and unbearable) weight will have been lifted off of me. But it doesn't end there, I still have more exams in that class to take so I know the cycle will begin once again.

Today, I was so happy to tackle this machine today. When I got on, it seemed like all of my cares and concerns (also known as stressful situations) left my body in the form of sweat and I left the gym feeling renewed. Exercise really is the best way to beat stress.

For the rest of the day I am going to try and take it easy, a little studying followed by a break and then repeating the same process (studying then break, etc.). I will never understand how anyone can get so much work done in a day and still be renewed and refreshed when they wake up, but I can understand that my body is giving me signals that if I didn't over-analyze and get stressed over everything, I could get a lot more accomplished during the day than I am now.