Tracy Anderson's 30-Day Method

Today- I tried this:

I did not purchase this product. I borrowed it from the library. When possible, I try to not invest in anything unless I believe I will actually use it. The biggest trap for me is fooling myself into thinking that if I spend the money, I will actually do the exercise. I know myself all too well. Now, I take a new approach. I check to see if whatever fad I am into is available at the library, so I can try it risk free. When I join a gym, I will only do so if I can cancel at anytime. OK, you get the point.

I read the reviews for this on Amazon, which were mixed.

Here are my first impressions.

Pros:

• TA's 30- Day Method is an easy read. Tracy makes a compelling story for wanting to re-build the body, and in reading this book, she's got me into believing it's possible.
• Tracy explains that she works out the smaller accessory muscles, instead of the larger muscle groups. This gives a lean "dancers body" instead of giving us ladies a bulky masculine frame. I never thought of it that way before!
• This book comes with a DVD showing you step-by-step how to do each mat exercise.
• In addition to mat exercise, the DVD also includes cardio. A two for one deal.
• Personally, I like Tracy's style. She doesn't overly sweeten the deal, she's pretty straightforward. She also goes right into the exercise and cardio. Some find this off putting. I liked this. Instead of being a drill Sargent or trying to get me to buy into her personality, it felt like "let's get down to business." OK, I am in.
• I enjoy the mat exercises. 40 reps per move is a lot, but I feel the results and I don't mind them. I prefer her moves to the typical lunges and squats found with every exercise DVD that's out there. I don't miss those at all!
• Looking for motivation? Just YouTube Tracy Anderson and see all the testimonials. Works for Gwenth Paltrow? Can't argue that!

Cons:

• The diet is a bit ridiculous  I assumed in reading other reviews, that perhaps people were looking for an excuse to not eat well and restrict calories. Well . . . in reading her diet plan, I can see why it receives the negative feedback. I won't go under 1200 calories a day. I believe in the research that anything lower than that is not good. And a quick glance at a day on Tracy's diet has me around 700 calories. Tracy says you can double portions if you are still hungry. I may try the diet in the future if I hit a plateau and double my way to 1200 calories a day. I am not sure about the diet part, honestly. To be fair, I will try a few recipes from the book to "test the waters." 
• The reviews I read spoke of bad editing in the video. Nothing specific. Here is what they mean by "bad editing." In the cardio video, it's really noticeable towards the end. The second you start a dance move, it cuts to something completely different and does not flow. It happens quite frequently that it is frustrating indeed. I have heard this has been fixed in future cardio videos (her Metamorphosis project, for example.) My plan around this is to play my own music and not be so focused on her exact moves at the end.
• As I progress along, the workouts will get longer, almost an hour and forty five minutes. I have committed to do this six days a week. I can wrap my head around six days a week, but I am not too thrilled about the hour and forty five. Since this book is written as a boot camp style book, promising results in 30 days, I understand why it is so long. 

Conclusion:

I love it. I am now in day 3 since I started this post, and I am really liking it. Already I feel results, I am sitting up taller and feeling more confident. I am even down on the scale. I count my calories on MyFitnessPal to stay accountable. I am going to keep up the 30-Day Method, and I am almost positive that I will continue on with her other projects after the 30 days. Metamorphosis, I've got my eye on you. I like this workout at home. I am really warming up to the idea. By the time I drive to my gym, do my work out, and drive home, I have lost more time than doing this DVD.

Tracy Anderson- I am a fan. 

New Years Resolutions 2013

I am so not cool

You know what's embarrassing? When you hear a song you instantly love and you hear it *first* from a car commercial. How did this happen?

It's always the opposite. My favorite bands sell out to commercials, and I sit there going, wow, I can't believe they sold out like that. But now, I am on the other side. I don't like it.

However, the song totally rocks, so thank you Honda for choosing a bad ass Music Supervisor who clearly has amazing taste. Kudos to you!  Take a listen:

Honda Commercial

Sit in a shoe! Take Your Clothes Off!

Would I normally sit in a red shoe? No! But, I was in Las Vegas. And guess what? I love the shoe and the shoe loves me.

While in Las Vegas, I finally got to experience the Qua spa at Caesars Palace
I have been wanting to go for years, but it is very pricey and hard to justify when I can get massages at home for a lot less. I noticed the Internet specials online and my husband and I both wanted to go to the fitness center. The fitness center at Caesars comes with a fee, as does the Roman Rituals. We wanted to do both and they are included in a massage so with the Internet Specials, why not?

This spa is unlike anything I have ever experienced. From the moment you walk in, it's pure bliss. Not pretentious like most spas "try" to be. If you are in Las Vegas, do it!

Walking up the stairs to the spa, I realized that I didn't bring my bathing suit. Oh well, if I felt I needed it, I would go back to the room and get it. I knew I wouldn't need it for the massage or the saunas. Upon check in, I was told this was a "clothing optional" spa. How crazy! I have never been told that before. I was gonna go for it.

Ladies! Stop caring what others think and take it off! My husband told me that on the mens side it's a total sausage fest. Not one man was wearing a bathing suit. On the ladies side, most of the young ladies all had their bathing suits on. There were a few nudies. The European women and some older ladies (and myself!) Just let go and stop caring what others think. The guys don't seem to think twice about it. Just do it!

Open Letter to House of Blues

Dear House of Blues,

I used to really like you, but now I feel it’s time to reevaluate our relationship. And yes, possibly break up. You’ve done me wrong, and you’ve done me wrong twice. I was excited for Flogging Molly, even did early entry by eating at your restaurant. I was hoping to score a bench to sit on, as I know you are very selective about these seats. No such luck, I had to lean up against the wall for general admission. I stood there for hours waiting for the show to start. I sacrificed the necessities in life, such as drink and bathroom, in order to not lose my semiprecious spot. When the show started, Flogging Molly did not fail me, but House of Blues, you sure did. Even though moshing is contractually “not allowed”, you still allowed it to happen. A girl stood in front of me and threatened that she was going to “elbow in” my face, and then ran into the mosh pit that slowly made its way to me. I did not enjoy feel scared of being smooched, punched or trampled, and I didn’t think my Dad who was with me, would appreciate it either. I went to see Flogging Molly, not to feel unsafe in my concert environment. Will I be back? What do you think? I should mention that since the show was sold out, there was nowhere to move to escape.

I did have to go back though, because I already had tickets to see Modest Mouse two days later. I chose to arrive a little later, so I could have a little drink in me, and get the bathroom out of the way, since this was also a sold out show. Although still getting there well before Modest Mouse took stage (an hour before), there was no place to see them. We looked everywhere. We stood by the stairs, but with cross traffic that was impossible. We stood in a corner that quickly filled up. There was a TV above us that would have been a good alternative, however the TV was either off or broken. Many TV’s were not on that night. We had to move to the less crowded upstairs. I would think for the amount of money I paid for my ticket, the least you could do is provide me a location in which I could see the show. The back of heads and the occasional peak at the stage when someone moves their head does not count.

-Rachel

New Kids On The Block Cruise!!!

How crazy is this? If this is a sign of what 2009 is going to look like, then bring it on! I get an email on Tuesday at 1830 that informs me that New Kids on the Block are going on a cruise in May. The tickets go on sale the NEXT DAY! WHAT?!?! Very limited details were available. Nothing important like the price! I knew that it was sailing out of Florida, which is good for me, because I live in Florida. Before you know it, I am on the phone with my NKTOB partner in crime, discussing if we can go, and what is our price limit. Not only were the details of the cruise not available, but the web site link that was provided in the announcement email, was not working. It was either deactivated, or all of the fans crashed the site with high traffic. Panic started to arise. The email said tickets were on sale the next day, yet the web site was down, what were we to do? I contacted my travel agent, who only books cruises, and she did not have access to it. The next day, when I was in despair and was expecting an email to announce the delay of the sale due to technical difficulties, the web site was up and running. At the same time, I received a text on my phone that said tickets were on sale. So I am going! AHHH. Time to diet! Time to tan! Wow! Stay tuned for more crazy details.

Shazam! I have an iPhone!

Shazam! I have an iPhone!

It’s hard to admit it, but all the hype about the iPhone is not only hype, it’s all true! This little gadget is amazing! I have never been one for technology or feel that I need to be the first to own something, or have the best of everything. So when the iPhone was announced, I figured I would wait it out and see how it works out for others. One of my coworkers was quick to jump on the bandwagon. He dropped his current cell phone service, to get AT&T and be on board. He came to work with all his music and photos, showing off his new phone. That was cool; however it didn’t impress me much. I have an iPod, and I store all my photos online, so big deal. What sealed the deal for me was a little program called Shazam. It’s an application for the iPhone that allows the user to hold the phone up to any song, and within a few seconds, the application recognizes the song, and not only tells the user the artist and name, it also allows you to purchase the song immediately through iTunes. Wow. I am a music person, so for me this is huge. I went home and told my husband, who was NOT impressed. He was making comments like, “Is that really going to change your life, knowing what song is playing in the background” To which I answered “YES!” He still didn’t understand. He kept asking me “Are you going to be in an elevator and need to know a song and hold your little phone up?” I still insisted “YES.” Although I couldn’t help but to think how funny this was, as if they ever play good music in the elevator. (I think that is what he was getting at). So while with my co-worker, there were many times I needed to know what the name of the song was, and he would impress me with his iPhone skills. The application Shazam got it every time!

One night, I was going through my old VHS tapes’, looking to what was worth transferring over to DVD. A really old Walt Disney World 4th of July special from 1989 was on there. I love to watch this special, for a variety of reasons. While watching the special, a song came on as the background music for one of the segments. I had wanted to know what that song was since 1989!! Once, at the mall, I heard it playing in a store, and asked the clerk was song it was. She did not know, and pulled out the CD just to discover is was a mix of songs burned just to play in the store, with no artists or titles attached. I had quite the challenge for my friend and his iPhone. My husband thought that no way no how that phone would be able to identify the song. I had no doubt. I brought the tape to work, found an empty conference room, and started the challenge. Shazam knew the song! Of course it did! I had no doubt!! I went home, bought the song on iTunes, and told my husband all about it. Guess what? Shazam! Just like that, I had an iPhone the next day. Early Christmas present from my husband! ;)