Movin Right Along

I saw the scale drop 1/2 pound from yesterday. I sure thought it would be so much more then that with all the cardio I have been doing. Oh well, I'm not gonna let that stop me from trying.

Food wise ... this is where I'm at;

	Cals	Fiber	Fat	Carbs	Prn
Regular Coffee, 4 cup (8 fl oz)	9	0	0	0	1
Cream substitute, Coffee-mate fat free, 2 tbsp	20	0	0	4	0
Post Raisin Bran Cereal, 1 cup (1 serving)	187	8	1	46	5
Milk, nonfat, 0.5 cup	43	0	0	6	4
	259	8	1	56	10
South Beach Diet, Southwestern Chicken Wraps (1 pkg), 1 serving	240	15	10	26	26
	240	15	10	26	26
Chicken Noodle Soup, 4 serving	378	0	13	38	26
	378	0	13	38	26
Banana, fresh, 1 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long)	109	3	1	28	1
Grapes, 1 cup	62	1	0	16	1
Apples, fresh, 1 medium (2-3/4" dia) (approx 3 per lb)	81	4	0	21	0
	252	7	1	64	2
	1,129	30	26	184	64
	1200 - 1500	25 - 35	37 - 65	188 - 271	60 - 146

As for my cardio I'm sticking with my morning Pilates cause it's really making me feel more energized throughout the day. Today's video is;

Ellen has created an energetic, highly creative routine to encourage you to develop long, lean sexy muscles. This workout is also filled with intense leg work and you will burn those calories. In fact, the first time (every time) I did this workout, I broke into a full-body sweat which I guess is a good thing.

Ellen is an excellent instructor who is not only highly creative; she keeps you focused on perfect posture. She has cute names for various moves, like angel arms or elegant arms. She adds a real sexy feminine touch to this workout all while subtly motivating you to a heightened level of determination.

The routine starts with a Dance-based cardio routine. Ellen incorporates Pilates moves into a low-impact, but rather fast-paced (nothing is slow, let me tell you) cardio section. The warm-up is quite effective and by the time you do the stretching, you are warm enough for the stretching to count. If you have knee problems, this might not be for you. I noticed that as you become stronger, you can handle the knee bends in this workout. I could not do these moves as intensly when I first started out. Ellen focuses on the "powerhouse" throughout both sections.

The second mat-based Pilates Floorwork Routine is best done in bare feet and a yoga mat is quite useful. You start flat on your back, which feels good after all the dancing. She starts with the "hundred" with a focus on breathing. Then, you move to scissors, single-leg pull, double-leg stretch, crisscross and back extensions. Now I find this one hard cause my knees like to stay bent ... your supposed to keep them straight!

If you are familiar with Jennifer Kries' workouts or Winsor Pilates, this will all be very familiar to you. A new move is the "arrowhead" which I've never seen in any workout before. This workout also includes the Child's pose from yoga. The hip circles are challenging, but there are modifications. I've been doing it for a while & I'll stick with the modifications. =D

The setting: Lime green/Periodot, purple/Amethyst, orange/Citrine, red/Ruby are the colors you will find in this workout. The stone textured floor and wall in the back give this workout an almost primitive-dance feel. Of course the cute drummer (Rabbi, I'm seeing him a lot more in videos) on the left at the back of the room adds to the appeal. The sapphire yoga mats add to this jewel-toned set.

You will love the music in this workout because it changes in intensity just when you need an extra boost of energy. I love this video & hate that my body attapts so quickly. If it didn't I would do this every day for the rest of my life. The music is highly motivational.

Crunch: Fat-Burning Pilates might just be the Pilates workout you have been craving. It truly will leave you feeling more alive, polished and definitely glowing. After finishing this workout, you might start to feel a sense of tranquility, have more passion for your life and think more clearly throughout your day.

Also look for "Crunch Pick Your Spot Pilates" <--- I'll talk more about this one tomorrow.Winsor Pilates is also perfect for anyone who is just learning the Pilates moves.

ThinChicks move of the Day; (comes from www.sparkpeople.com

Starting Position Stand with feet shoulder width apart, holding dumbbells. Knees should be slightly bent. Action EXHALE: Bend trunk to the left to a comfortable position and hold for 2-3 seconds. INHALE: Return to starting position and repeat to right side. Special Instructions Don't let your weight take you forward or backwards. Muscles Worked: Obliques

Enjoy your day ... remember to stay active & get in your water!