Programs

[annieviolent]

I can't decide if I want to start using Your Shape for the Wii or ChaLEAN Extreme. Does anyone have any experience or suggestions on either of these two exercise programs?

[Dale K.]

ChaLean's a new one on me. Anything that includes resistance training is going to be beneficial. Beachbody products are very popular. I don't know what's included in the 15 DVDs outside of 15 different workouts. It does seem like you'd get everything you need - cardio, flexibility & resitance training - definite plus there.

Seems to me a minus would be that equipment can get expensive if you don't have it already. Bands aren't cheap. Dumbells either! You can't go 90 days using the same weight or resistance. To gain benefits you'll have up the resistance (pounds) as you get stronger.

I will say that I take issue with their lose 60% of body fat in 90 days. That might happen for some people but not everyone will get those kinds of results.

I know people who've used Wii Personal Trainer and liked it a lot. Your Shape seems to be a love it or hate it thing. Apparently some people had problems with the camera.

Here's a link to Amazon Reviews

[annieviolent]

Thanks Dale! I already have both programs and Turbo Jam. I just need to settle on one! I'm also looking into Zumba which I've heard is a lot of fun. I have around 50 pounds to lose so it seems to me that cardio would be more beneficial than resistance training. Is that right? Also is there a way to see unread messages on the board? I've having trouble figuring out what I've read or haven't read yet.

[Dale K.]

Zumba classes were always jam packed at the gym I worked in! I've never tried it. I have 4 left feet!

Cardio + resistance training!!! I won't bore you with my long story but basically I did nothing but cardio - sometimes up to 90 minutes a day and low calorie dieting - under 1350 calories per day. It took me 1.5 years to lose 45lbs that way. Once I added resistance training and 500 extra calories per day I lost the last 40lbs in 5 months. The secret with resistance training is to consistently "progress" your workouts - adding more weight as you get stronger. Early on you'll get fairly fast strength increases if you're doing it 2-3 times per week. Start out with even just 20-30 minutes. That's all you need. And do it before your cardio if you're doing everything at the same time.

There are a couple of ways to see new messages. At the top of the page there's a "What's New Button". That will show you everything you haven't read - trouble with that is some of those things you may not be interested in.

If you want to know when someone replies to something you've said you can click on the "thread tools" option near the top of the page and "subscribe to this thread". You'll then be sent an email whenever someone replies. That email will contain a link. I made a video showing you how to do that ...somewhere....hmm which I can't find. eesh. Here ya go:

[Dale K.]

actually upon further thought - I'm probably not being clear. You don't have to separate cardio and resistance training. The ChaLean stuff incorporates both at the same time (it seems like anyway).

Just don't want to give you the impression that you have to do body building type stuff with barbells and weight machines. Resistance training doesn't even require weights. You can do a full body resistance workout without touching a dumb bell simply by using your own body weight as resistance.

For example - things like lunges qualify as resistance training, push ups, anything done with resistance bands. Anything that requires you to move a weight you wouldn't ordinarily move against the force of gravity would qualify.