The Fitness Situation

I'm finding that some of these workouts are a bit difficult to research. For instance, this video, which had to have been released sometime in the early 90s, is only available through Amazon, which gives no info on its origins and nor does Denise Austin's wikipedia or personal website. I know this was released in the early 90s because a certain scholarship program I participated in (AND WON) used almost the exact same music playlist and many of the same pieces of choreography, as did the program from the next town over from ours and this was in 1993. What a time for country! Out in the sticks, anyway. The songs: Achy, Breaky Heart (Billy Ray Cyrus); Boot Scootin' Boogie (Brooks and Dunn), I'm in a Hurry (Alabama), Down at the Twist and Shout (Mary Chapin Carpenter), Elvira (The Oak Ridge Boys) If you don't have a deep burning passion for country music or at least a nostalgic connection to it for memory's sake, don't bother with this video. However, if you en...

Despite being a bit on edge last week during the prolonged election drama, we did still manage to keep up on the walking commitment, although I did not remember to take any photos (my mind was on other things).  There were two days so warm in the morning we actually decided to get a couple last bike rides in, during which I tried to chill and send out positive vibes through my Election 2020 Playlist .  Here are the photos from the week leading up to the election, starting with a nice snowy October day. Those mums unfortunately never really recovered from the piles of snow that weighed them down, but the squirrels seemed to enjoy eating all the elements of my fall planters as well as playing hide and seek with the smaller pumpkins.  And photoshop attempt: 

 There is not a date or year anywhere associated with this video, judging by the listing on Denise's Wikipedia it would have to be pre-1988, and the musical selections' timing would coincide with this timeframe.  Business woman intro is back!  This workout is quite a bit more inspiring due to the increase in production all around: sky-blue tinted studio with multi-colored 80s geometric shapes on the walls, a crew of aerobics buddies for Denise all in cool-colored leotards, Denise in hot pink, an orchestrated soundtrack (heavy on the synthesizer) of upbeat 80s hits, and a multi-camera setup that allows a few different views of the action. Hair and makeup are pure 80s perfection.   Here are the highlights:  1. Warm up is easy enough, done to instrumental arrangement of "How Will I Know?" by Whitney Houston. This is the only part of the workout that is not challenging, at least the first time through. 2. First floor segment has several stretches and exercises ...

 I spent last week's mornings walking through the slush and doing mostly low-impact aerobics videos (switching between a semi-difficult Denise Austin lower half strength video, which I'll review soon, and a few of her Fit 'N Lite television shows), which all went well, considering the temperature. The little weigh-in on Saturday was slightly disappointing in that I only lost a pound this week, but overall I did take it sort of easy, looking back. I had a couple meals that were pretty high in calories, homemade Mac 'n Cheese and Beef Burgundy, which are special meals that I really enjoy making for the family, but this time no wine and no cheese beforehand. Yay for that. I decided to step up intensity with my walks and workouts next week and to add a yoga video first thing in the morning. It's kind of a lot, enough to have been really overwhelming before quarantines and lockdowns and such, but with the number of COVID cases surging in Minnesota and many surrounding su...

(Also referred to as "Total Workout") This was a bit of an adventure. First, the hair and hot pink cutaway leotard on Denise, which is late-80s perfection, and second, the exercise ball (medicine ball?). Were those ever a thing in aerobics? I don't remember anyone ever having one, although I grew up in a town of cornfields where working out was probably seen as some feminist Democratic waste of time.  The copy on YouTube was much like the big bands copy, pretty muffled audio and blurry video quality, but the overall production on the original was pretty low quality, too. It's filmed in a gym, on a mat, with poor acoustics, there was only so much they could really do in such a place, and the camera just sits, static, and records straight ahead, head-to-toe on Denise for the entire workout, which was normal in 1988. It runs about 35 minutes, and for low impact, the speed and intensity were both pretty manic. We're Businesswomen . Here are the takeaways from the expe...

 The weather in Minneapolis has not really cooperated for what you'd call a traditionally satisfying fall experience, but we have kept up with our morning walks. Knowing full well the intensity and extreme difficulties the upcoming months in Minnesota will hold, weather-wise, it may have been a foolish commitment, but we've decided to stick with this routine, whether it's walking, running (let's be real, it'll be more like light jogging), or riding, for an entire year. We began it all October 5, 2020, so I'll log each walk, run, or ride for an entire year. Yes, I realize this will be a challenge, not only because of the weather but because I have a tendency to begin blog projects and then get busy with other things, but I am going to try.  This looked a little to me like the lamppost in Narnia where Lucy meets Mr. Tumnus but with a lot less snow. Minnehaha Creek is actually quite beautiful through all of the seasons; we are so lucky.  Before the snow started, le...