TA Meta and everything else - Spring / Summer 2021

[Buzzer]

Firm Volume 1... DONE!

I took yesterday off. I had my friend come over at 7 and she left at 9. By that time it was getting hot and I just couldn't motivate myself to workout. PLUS (and I;m Sure this is an excuse I tell myself) I am getting LB tomorrow so I won't workout tomorrow morning. We go pick her up between 7:45 and 9am, so we will probably leave here about 8 so she's not the first, not the last.

Vol 1 was good. I felt dehydrated from yesterday, when I threw all sorts of heavy tree branches and logs into the dumpster. It was hot, I worked for about 1/2 hour or 45 minutes continuously. I didn't drink much. I was thirsty by bedtime, however I dont like to drink a lot late and then I am up all night in the bathroom.

So this morning I was dehydrated and bloated. I paused quite a bit, especially before the leg shoots!!! I have my 3 pound weights on my ankles, and it feels like 40. Yes, I did beat myself up for my teeny tiny weights, but I also vowed that in 6 months, I will be able to make it through the whole workout without pausing, with 12's as my heavy weight, and ankle weights PLUS 3-5 pounds on the leg work. I will persevere!!

I can't believe how in shape I used to be. I did ask myself in the mirror "what happened to you??!" I was alway the one that preached dont stop because you won't get going again, and here I am. I stopped and here I am now.

Anyhow, I lived, I did it, I pushed myself, I sweated, I loved the workout. I love volume 1!!

Today I am reading a book outside, and enjoying my last quiet day.

So since it looks like VF is slowly crumbling, I will send you guys my email via PM and if it dies, we can do an email check in. I am pretty much off Facebook since that guy called threatening to blow up our house, and although I am registered on Tapatalk and something else, I haven't really been there and don't know if I will. I suppose if we start checking in on one of those I will be there, but in the mean time maybe we can organize by email if VF is gone.

makes me sad since I love to do searches for old workouts, read reviews, and read super old threads!! What can I do though.

Eventmom: I went to Santa Fe once in the 90's (probably mid 90's) and LOVED it! We still talk about it. It was so unique and beautiful. I;m sure its changed since then!

Dh has said he will figure out how to change the glass I broke. I am not sure it'll work, however I will leave that one up to him!

It think the glass was just so old it was crumbly and too tired to make sharp edges. It broke, but the glass itself just feels different and there's no super sharp edges, even though it broke to look like shark teeth. Hard to describe, almost like it's old and dried out and has lost it's will to hurt anyone. HA!

Hope you are still having fun, Ebianco!!!

[eventmom]

jacquelyn umoff barre blast continues + Caribbean aerobics for cardio

buzzer - sent you my email as well. We usually visit Santa Fe for day - did I say I visit to great consignment shops and a horse thrift store? Probably I'm repeating myself. The restaurant scene there tends to be quite good - between the tourists and the wealthy (lots of entertainers have homes their). I'll miss VF too, I've been on since before 2000 - not sure exactly when. It a great source for info on workouts and other things as well. The checkins have been great as I no one IRL that works out. On the hydration issue - I got dehydrated in SF - none of those stores has bathrooms! so I drank barely at all. Paid for it but feel better today. I'm sure you'll be happy to see LB. I hope she had a great time.

hi ebianco!

[Buzzer]

Kinda rest day... DONE
Super CArdio Mix (1/2 of it) DONE!
Pilates of the Fit and Famous Total Body (12 minutes)... DONE!''

so we left to pick up LB at 7:45, so I skipped my workout. Reason #1 was because we were getting her and I had to get ready to go instead of work out, and reason #2 was because I was so excited to get her!! I really was. I was ready to see her again.

It was kinda a rest day, because I didn't do a workout, but I also spent a good portion of the day putting tree branches and logs into the excavator scoop, then helping unload some wood at the neighbors house. I spent a lot of time bent over putting things into the scoop so DH could put them in the dumpster. I also walked back and forth, walking to make sure he didn't tip the excavator or have something fall on him when he was putting the stuff into the dumpster, then walk back to where we were working to put more things into the scoop. I worked quite a bit. DH took down two smaller trees (both were at least 20' tall) and chainsawed them up into pieces, so he definitely got more of a workout than I did! My back is a little sore today.

So my rest day was a work day. Today I thought I would stretch since my back aches, but instead I did super cardio. A LOT of bouncing and jumping in that. I started out OK, then started taking the jumping down a notch, and finally ended because the last combo I did was a lot of plyo jumps and hopping. My calves were feeling it, and I just didn't want to anymore. So I took that workout out, and did the pilates one. I noticed my back hurt less when I held my tummy in, so idid the pilates to hopefully stretch out and support my back.

It was a good workout. So they use an "accelerator", which was basically a bar attached to a stretchy band. I used a ball behind my neck/upper back, and skipped any equipment. It was still a good workout! A good 12 minute ab routine. I will have to remember this one. There are 3 other workouts on the disc. I got it at goodwill, and so far I would say it was an excellent find.

So LB is home, lots of new stories and songs you do that hand clapping thing to and exciting things she did. She was so excited when she got home, then about 2 hours later completely crashed and took the rest of the day as a quiet day. She had a great time!

So today we are back. It was the first "vacation" I have had in 9 years, and I loved every minute of it!! So much alone time, no worrying about DH bringing her back after just 3 or 4 hours, no frustration that I had some time to myself then I had to clean up after them, make dinner and get LB to bed... I actually really, truly had alone time!! I still had that "what am I coming home to?" feeling when I was driving home, but always talked myself out of it, because I knew what I was coming home to! Me having more quiet time!!!!

I am a true introvert. HA!

So lots of reading, cleaning, and more reading. I loved it!

Eventmom: We still talk about a restaurant we ate at there. It was amazing! I remember even the cheese tasted lightly smoked. It was a Mexican restaurant, but it was so good!! I dont think I realized it is a home to wealthy people. They just move in all sorts of places! I had a few heart attacks about VF today. I was looking at some of the Linda DVD's reviews on VF, and got the "server is too busy" message. I couldn't finish looking up the threads. So sad. That's how I make a lot of my decisions, both with new DVD's and ones I already own! I looked up Wendy, and found an address for her. I was honestly thinking of writing her a letter. I wish she was more interactive and helped us!!! So sad that everything is dependent on one person who is terminally "been going through a lot". I wish she would just turn it over to someone else.

Anyhow, I don't know what I will do, but I want to make sure to keep in touch with you guys. I realized I need a check in, and I am worried we will lose it!!

Hope you are having fun, Ebianco! I've been thinking about you, and am excited to hear about your fun, food, and relaxation!

[eventmom]

yesterday - jacquelyn umoff cardio barre, rode, hauled hay - that's exercise as we had to get them off the field and into the truck

today - jacquelyn umoff to finish my workout week, youtube cardio, rode, unloaded the rest of the hay.

buzzer - glad you enjoyed your vacation! yeah Santa Fe - Jane Fonda, Carol Brunett, Robert Redford, Marsha Mason, Shirley McClain, George RR Martin, Gene Hackman all have homes in Santa FE - LOL that I know that off the top of my head! Parts of Colorado are dense with celebrities, maybe worse! There have been so many threads on VF about Wendy not dealing with VF and not being willing to pass it on to others. Maybe she's just so burned out she can't deal.

hi ebianco!

[ebianco]

Hi everyone! I am back from my vacation. My DH ended up having to work the whole time, and I didn't sleep great...but it was still great to get away. We went to a couple of wineries, to Montpelier (historic home of James Madison), and shopping in downtown Charlottesville. And of course, some nice restaurants My favorite being in Culpepper on the way up on the first day called First on Main (street), I got a great steak and roasted veggies. The second day we went to a burger place in Charlottesville that was okay and Extreme Pizza at the end of the day which was really good. On the third day we found a German resataurant called Bavarian Chef and I got steak again (LOL) and also got a little drunk at wineries ealirer that day so it was a bit of a blur LOL, and finally on the last day we went to an English pub in Fredericksburg called Park Lane Tavern which was pretty good. I think all in all I liked the first restaurant the best!

My exercise the three days I was on vacation was great, even the morning after I had gotten drunk and didn't feel great, but wasn't horribly hung over!

Wednesday: Cathe Travel Fit. My first time with this workout, I was expecting it to be the hardest of the DVDs I brought with me but it actually wasn't that bad. Still, I got good burnout in my arms and legs. Maybe it seemed easier because it didn't have any cardio.

Thursday: Tonique Femme Fatale Phase 1 and Michelle Dozois' On the Go arm and core chapters, then a walk around the Airbnb property which had small hiking trails. Even the short Tonique really kicked my butt, and that On the Go workout is really tough too! Also I worked out outside on Tuesday because the weather was a little more mild, so I got really sweaty more than inside in the AC.

Friday: Cathe LITE Bodyweight and Bands workout. My note from last time was this one was pretty easy and to try adding the cardio blast bonus next time. So I added the cardio blast bonus which was mostly high impact and all with the loop around your ankles, and it was really tough! The main workout was actually more intense than I remember, but I was also pretty sore from the last couple of days. There were definitely some repeated band moves from the Cathe Travel Fit on Wednesday. I definitely liked this workout better than Travel Fit although I'll still use both on travel in the future. I preordered Cathe's new band/loop DVDs and excited to see how those compare.

Saturday: Back at home! Cathe Fit Tower Total Body plus abs. The last time I did this workout I was kind of lukewarm, but I liked it a lot better this time. I was able to go much heavier on weights than the last time I did this workout a few months ago. The music was more fun than I remembered, and I really liked the abs add on which I didn't do the last time.

Sunday: The same youtube dance HIIT workout as last time (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HvdCW7bxlo&t=1452s) and like last week, it totally kicked my butt and I wasn't able to finish it! By the time I got to barre, Pure Barre Resistance 2, which I think is the hardest of the four, I was sweating BULLETS. And callanetics stretch.

I definitely feel like my exercise this week was totally up to speed and challenging, after being pretty light and sluggish last week. Hopefully I can keep up the positive momentum!

I let myself indulge on vacation (and I rarely drink but just enjoyed it) but before vacation, and since coming home, have been REALLY making an effort to stop snacking, stop eating junk food, and to stop eating when I'm full. And I'm starting to see changes in my eating behavior without fighting myself so much, which I'm really thrilled about. So positive momentum for both working out and diet right now...fingers crossed it continues!

Eventmom and Buzzer great to see you and great to be back! I gave Buzzer my email in case VF goes down...I haven't had any error messages lately, but have definitely had a lot of them over the past few months. I don't think there's many Linda DVDs that are in the review section, but would highly recommend searching Amazon for reviews, there are a few there! Even total fitness has a few of them. I may purchase a few DVDs at Mary's sale this week...still deciding LOL.

[eventmom]

lastics one hour stretch which is posted on youtube.

I've had several youtube workouts deleted or made private including the shorter lastics so I am keeping my dvds!

ebianco - you really kept up the workouts! sorry your DH had to work, but at least you got away. that's the problem with remote work, no boundaries.

hi buzzer!

[Buzzer]

Firm Volume 2.. DONE!

This was my favorite Firm!! Volume 1 was my first, and the one I did for years over and over with results. However I got volume 2, and since I am more of a weight lifter than a cardio person, I fell in LOVE with this one! I still love how much it fries your upper body, and just when you are thinking "my upper body is done, what about the lower body?" you realize your lower body is about fried too because.. surprise! She was working it all along and I didn't realize it. I just love this workout. I think I know it by heart just like volume 1.

So I did volume 2, used 10's as my heavy weight. I really focused, and today my abs are definitely sore! My whole body, in some way shape or form, is feeling it. I love that!!

Right way afterwards, we went to the water park with friends. There was a lazy river, and while LB was playing with friends and the Mom's were watching the kids, I floated around the lazy river over and over and over. I was seriously in the lazy river floating in circles for an hour and a half or more. I just know it was at least 1 1/2 hours. I think the lifeguards started knowing me. I finally got out because I was thirsty!! We got there at about 10:15am, and didn't leave until closing at 6pm. The kids were worn out, WE were worn out! it was a blast!

I slept like I haven't slept in forever last night. I woke up with DH's alarm at 5am.

It's a nice, quiet morning, so I am sitting outside on the deck, drinking my coffee. The sun is just starting to come up, and Otis is hanging out on the deck with me. It's like a perfect morning.

Today is more low key, I have hand therapy, then we have time off until Karate this afternoon.

Eventmom: I had no idea the lastics was on YouTube! I'll have to go find it. that was one I wanted to get! I need good stretches.

Ebianco: your trip sounds like fun! Sorry DH had to work, that part stinks. I get it though, my DH usually works on trips too and it kinda is a buzzkill to the relaxation. It's like having reality creep in. I laughed that the steak dinner was a blur, I have totally done that one! HA! I was watching for which workout you would have done after that day, but seriously, you still worked hard even after that. I totally would have taken an easy day!

I was on vacation once in the mountains, and worked out outside on the patio. that is amazing! I loved it so much I thought about doing it here, but I am not interested in working out in front of my neighbors when they walk by. I loved the feeling of the morning air though. You working out outside brought back that memory! So nice that you got to do that!

Glad to have you back!!

So I had 11 workouts in my cart at total fitness, and have been working every morning to pare that down. I think I am down to 5 now. I am paring them down by finding them cheaper on amazon or eBay (not buying them, just finding peace with the knowledge they are cheaper), or watching the clip and realizing they aren't anything I will reach for. I have a tendency to love the clips for Linda, but then I get the workouts, and look at them and can't remember why I wanted them so I don't reach for them. So I am trying to think of the workouts from that perspective. Right now too, I am so totally into my Firms that the workouts I had picked out before just don't appeal to me like they did at the time. At the time, they would have slid right into my rotation. Now, nope.

Oh, I forgot to tell you guys. So I had a friend yesterday at the pool that was totally interested in my fitness. She saw my workout room before, and was asking about it, then asked how I got started working out. I am not comfortable talking about myself, especially my fitnesss since I have gained so much, so I kinda talked and was happy with the interruptions that happened to derail the conversation. So before the end of the day, she brought it up again and asked what I do to workout. I told her sometimes I do things on my own, like my body beast rotation I just finished on my own, but I wasn't happy with the results and went back to videos. I was surprised when she asked me what videos I liked the most, and then surprised myself even more when I started glowing and mouth diarrhea-ing about the Firm. I was all excited telling her about which firms to get (if they are wearing a leotard, it's a good workout) and what kind of workout they are.

I will see if she follows up, but it was pretty cool! She told me that I am very toned, which (and I told her) surprised me since I don't feel toned since I've gained a lot of weight. She said nope, you are very visibly toned. That made me feel really, really good! I just feel fat and clunky so much. So that was a highlight in all the down I feel anymore about my body. I always feel like the pudge hides the tone, and she made me feel like it's still there. That was nice.

So on that positive note, I am going to go workout! HA! Probably just a nice aerobics today after my volume 2 yesterday. have a good day you guys!

[eventmom]

back to TA - level 2.1.2 level 2 of that dvd + kathy smith 30 min
rode horse, worked on clearing the fence line. (We just have electric fence to keep the horses away from the house and stuff but it tears and the sage grows up which will short it out. So every trip with horses we have to repair the fence and trim sage.) Fortunately they sort of pretend the fence line is hot (electrified) but eventually they will run it so we're getting it done slowly.

Buzzer - that's great that someone commented on how toned you are! I'm sure you are, but it's nice to have someone say so OUTLOUD, awesome. Youtube is such a treasure trove but of course stuff gets pulled down all the time so I haven't given up my dvds!
here's lastics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRQSHBgjg3E

this looks good:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLy2rYHwUqY

hi ebianco!

[ebianco]

Hi all!

I started my workout week today with Cathe Strong and Sweaty Bootcamp (this one: https://www.totalfitnessdvds.com/Str...rich-p/774.htm). The main workout was 44 minutes and I was sweating bullets. Six rounds of cardio, lower, upper/lower combo, and upper then repeat with new exercises. The cardio was mostly high intensity and mostly using the step (I used the blue 8" bottom of the TransFIRMer step and definitely did a lot of it modified), and the strength was very metabolic and kept my heart rate high. It was a great start to my week!

Eventmom Thank you for the Lastics links, I will check them out!! I am always on the lookout for good stretch routines.

Buzzer I'm glad someone noticed you were toned too!! Sometimes those out of the blue compliments from strangers really makes a big difference, because you know they are objective. Maybe you've inspired a new vidiot! I haven't had that experience but yours is awesome!! Over the years I have become very guarded if someone asks if I work out. Because there are one of two responses I get. I'd get either a straight up judgement of "working out at home isn't really exercise", or else "oh, P90X?" and when I say no not P90X specifically, it was a disapproving "oh" like if it wasn't P90X then it isn't really exercise. Either way I've experienced a huge stigma that what I do isn't really working out. I'd like to see them do Tonique, Barlates, Cathe, or Firm workouts but whatever

Like you I am actively working to get my cart at Mary's down (I am at 10 right now, half of which are Linda's). Also like you, I tend to buy Linda's workouts and then wonder why I needed them so badly Now I ask myself, if I had this workout in my hand today, would I really be doing it? And if I can't give myself a convincing yes, then that is a real answer. The DVDs aren't going OOP anytime soon so there's no excuse if I'm not even doing the kind of workout right now. So I am hoping to pare it down to 5 or so DVDs.

Exercising outside is lovely, I would love to do it more often but like you it's not really private with neighbors around!!

[eventmom]

TA 2.1.2 level 2 + DC 1.2

figured out I have a copy of this DC here that I also brought. I really have to get the dvds I've got here written down. Of course, TA changed the numbering scheme

and we have a snake hanging around our property - DH wants to go run errands but it slid up to the dually wheel well. I'm not good with snakes.

ebianco - hope you like it. It left me sore which I don't like from stretching - I think overall I do better with essentrics.

here's the link for yoga in the garden of serenity - my fav yoga stretch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5KUevUJfE8

hi buzzer!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5KUevUJfE8