Ellen Grace & Gusto

I woke up alittle too early this morning, having gone to bed too early last night so decided to try some of Ellen Barrett's new Grace and Gusto, even though feeling like I may be coming down with a cold and my pink eye flared up during the night. Luckily, already have a doctor's appointment scheduled this morning.

Didn't even feel like standing on the bungee and healthbouncing so Gusto and Grace was a very pleasant surprise and perfect for this morning, offering pretty much everything in one package (cardio, strength, and flexibility) without aggravating my knee. I wound up doing the whole standing routine!
Finished with Jill Miller's Knee Rehab (prehab) ballrolling and first level of strength (Rehab 1).

Pink Eye!

Just spent two nights in AC, even though I woke up with pink eye Weds morning! Have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. The slot machines were a good distraction for me and we got plenty of play at The Borgata plus DH hit a huge 10 cent superfecta at the track so we ended the gambling year on a high note.

While away, new workouts arrived so I will be quite busy trying them. Right knee still iffy after sitting a long time but otherwise, managing walking painlessly.

Hardcore Kickbox Circuit

This morning I did some of Hardcore Kickbox Circuit on the bungee which I decided to trade. It is a nice workout but too much TIFTTing for me and I have so many similar workouts. Then I did some of the Powerfit Express workout and finished with a Classical Stretch with tough lower body barre. Am expecting DOMS tomorrow.

Holiday WO, Strong Knees, Abs Rapido, CS

This morning I finished the rest of the Holiday workout on the bungee with homemade XCO trainers then did Strong Knees and a few minutes of various workouts including Abs Rapido and finished with Classical Stretch.

Didn't have much energy this morning but kept moving and worked the lower body alot. My knee is much better at night but still feels like something isn't quite right. However, I can live with whatever it is indefinitely, just as long as it doesn't get much worse like it was.

How to Wrap a Gift ...Merry Christmas

A must see video on youtube which my sister sent me.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9dqjaTs780&feature=player_embedded

This morning I warmed up on the bungee to Christie Taylor's online dance workouts then did some of Joannie Greggains Holiday workout. Usually am in AC on Christmas so it was nice doing some of the Holiday workout on the holiday. May do the rest as a spark later. Then I did some of the gliding in Cathe's Cardio Supersets which was a mistake because my knee twinged again after really feeling almost normal then some BBL Rio Extreme and finished with Classical Stretch and ball rolling my knee.

Webcam Discovery

OK I feel dumb!
Just discovered the photo on my blog as well as all other media taken on our laptop were with the protective cover over the webcam lens intact. LOL
Oh well, future photos and videos will be much sharper.

ETA: Just changed my previous photo to a newer one

Christie, BBL Sculpt, PF Dynamic Stretch

This morning I warmed up on the bungee to more online dance routines by Christie Taylor. I really like these because like MUVE, they offer good music with no verbal cuing and the moves are simple to follow. Then I did most of the standing from BBL Sculpt using a band and will definitely revisit it. Finished with wonderful standing and floor band routines from Peak Fitness Challenge Dynamic Flexibility which is sadly only available through the whole Peak Fitness Challenge set.

My knee was 95% better last night and so far this morning so it looks like the worse of it is over and it may even heal completely.

I got a great bonus gift yesterday when our Aspie son finally cleaned his room out of the blue, a first in his 26 years. Previously, his OCD was directed towards keeping his room a mess. There is hope for him yet.

Freemake Video Converter and Filemail

I have to give a shout-out for one of the best video converting and editing software programs I have recently tried:
Freemake Video Converter

It is so much easier and faster to use than other free programs and seems to do more than some expensive programs.

Only problem is be careful when downloading and installing to avoid accepting the toolbar and other stuff you probably do not want.
I even skipped the plugin options for Chrome and Firefox which I later included when upgrading.
They have *how to* video tutorials online to demonstrate what to do by clicking on help

Just go directly to www.freemake.com to download the Freemake Video Converter.

Getting a new laptop has opened a whole world of free workouts online for me. Also I like to edit some of my workout dvds and online clips to make them function better for me, skipping moves I do not do (like burpees) and chaptering what I do like to do into accessible sparks.

Have to give another shout-out to filemail.com which enables friends with similar workout preferences to share our creations.

ETA: Freemake Video Converter is beyond amazing
I just burned 6 large MP4 files to a dvdr in less than one hour, a task that took almost 4 hours on DVDFlick and ended badly. I now know if I want sound when using a Play Station2 as a dvd player to switch the burn sound setting to MP2. The sound setting drop down menu is next to the dvd region drop down menu (PAL OR NTSC choice).

Oatmeal! Christie, BBL, Gliding, CS

This morning I warmed up on the bungee to Christie Taylor's online videos then did some BBL High and Tight then some Cathe Gliding and finished with CS Back Pain. Back/right hip problem kicked in during the routine! But Miranda gave a move near the end that reversed the problem. Seems like most of my hip/back pain is triggered when the front of my hip is tight (hip flexors) so whenever I stretch the back of my hip, I am tightening the front! My knee feels much better this morning even though it was pretty stiff last night. What I am mostly feeling today are Ab DOMS which is rare and some thigh DOMS.

I am losing measurements off my hips, thigh and waist even though my weight is the same so guess I am losing fat while building muscle which is a good thing. One thing that is definitely helping to burn fat is substituting oatmeal in recipes calling for bread crumbs. Oatmeal has become a wonderful substitute for breadcrumbs in meatloaf, oven baked chicken and in what we used to call Italian Matzoh Ball soup.
Last night I made a soup that looked like Italian Wedding soup but substituted small balls made out of oatmeal (about 1 1/2 cups), egg, Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 cup, alittle lemon juice and other seasonings for the traditional meatballs. I add alittle olive oil or more oatmeal till it feels like the right consistency for handrolling into balls. First I boiled some Cottage Inn low fat chicken broth (2 cans) with equal amounts of water then dropped the balls of the oatmeal mix into the broth and boiled it awhile then added alittle canned spinach chopped up and alittle of those tiny pasta beads/balls. Alittle of the spinach and pasta go a long way. Not only was it the best tasting Italian Wedding soup we ever had, it was so much healthier!
We get huge containers of whole oatmeal at Aldis for less than $2. Also the canned spinach.

ETA: just did a nice CS spark :)

Online cardio, Bum Bum Rapido, and Essentrics, etc.

I warmed up this morning on the bungee to a couple of nice dance routines found online: a Tracey Anderson Inspired cardio routine and a Zumba inspired Christi Taylor routine.
Will be uploading the TA Inspired video below and the Christie Taylor routine can be found at http://www.youtube.com/user/ChristiTaylorFIT?feature=watch

Then I did BBL's Bum Bum Rapido which I liked alot and even the Rapido Abs while holding a kettlebell. Then I did a bunch of different Essentrics and PT type moves for my knees and hips including some ball rolling. Still have stiffness in the knee after sitting but am able to move it in many ways painfree once it is warmed up.

How Harrahs (CET) has ruined its brand

In the past, we have always booked Christmas eve and Christmas at Harrahs. Even though we can get both Friday and Saturday night comped at almost all 4 CET casino resorts this year, I cancelled and have decided not to go. Harrahs' Diamond Lounge isn't even opened Friday night and Reflections is gone so the fun Christmas eve dinner we used to get is gone as well.
Our last Saturday night stay at Showboat was horrible. Drunks shouting in the hall and banging on the doors all night. This behavior has been happening at almost all AC hotels on partying nights since they stopped offering comped rooms to their regular moderate gamblers and rather sell a room to a gang of young adults instead. However, The Borgata rooms, both Classic and Water Club seem more sound proofed. Also since Showboat's casino was so empty, the potential criminal element stuck out. Both my husband and I felt like we were being stalked for possible voucher snatching or whatever. The only place I felt safe was the elevator area and elevator because just one was working so always a crowd waiting and a crowded elevator. Safety in numbers. Other disappointments were that the Diamond Lounge was closed on a Saturday night and we really wanted to try Showboat's DL on a Saturday night hearing good things about it online. Also the maid only left decafe coffee packets in our room, making me use an old packet I had brought from home instead. What is the $13 a night for? That extra room assessment charge should include making sure each room has real coffee packets.
DH is already Platinum this year and since the Diamond lounges now charge $10 comp each and it is much harder to earn comp for inferior food compared to The Borgata, I prefer for most of our gambling to be done at The Borgata, earning those delicious meals as we play. I have practically stopped playing my card at any CET casino, not even bothering to go for Platinum, myself, even though I was over halfway there in March. I had every intention of going Diamond this year until I discovered just how much better The Borgata does everything, even before the sudden charge for Diamond Lounges started. I will only play my card if there is a promotion worth playing for like a free buffet. CET's stupidity was really exposed when Diamond players couldn't earn a free buffet at Wild West this spring while Gold and Platinum could. Bad enough they started charging for the Diamond lounges but not allowing Diamonds to earn a free buffet just was a totally ridiculous decision.

The Borgata besides offering so many more bonus downloads even costs just $5 a night in fees compared to Harrahs' inflated $13 a night. However, as much as I love The Borgata, I find I feel like playing slots less than when we went to 4 other casinos for diversity so have been traveling to AC less often. Between not losing as much at CET and saving on traveling expenses and The Borgata's generous bonus downloads, our AC trips have actually become profitable!

Now that The Borgata is renovating its Classic rooms and is still upgrading all Diamond players to Black Label, I think most regular AC slot players will see how much better The Borgata does everything and will stop pursuing CET Diamond status and will earn Black Label instead like we have the past 2 years. I cannot imagine The Revel offering more than The Borgata either. Just hope that The Revel's opening will make the weekend and summer comped rooms more available at The Borgata (and the Amphora Lounge line shorter).

ETA: Found out we may be offered the Harrahs buffet for free since their DL is closed tomorrow night but still not going. Last Saturday night at Showboat left me not wanting to stay and play slots at any of their properties.

P90 Fat Burning Express, SWAT, CS

Yesterday I started doing mini-workouts or sparks with a workout that just mysteriously appeared on my shelves: Power 90 Fat Burning Express. I had absolutely no recollection of trying or acquiring it. It was obviously before I got hooked on using a double handed weight like a Medball or Kettlebell. Most of the kickboxing and athletic cardio worked on the bungee and it was nicely organized into a warmup, 5 rounds, cooldown and stretch. Each round had several moves with 10 reps for each move and each round was done twice. It was totally chaptered if I wanted to skip around, making it perfect for sparks. Tony Horton led a large group of exercisers doing different intensities outdoors in Hawaii. Now how in the world did I already own such a gem and not remember it? After doing rounds 3 through 5 and the cooldown, I did some of SWAT Rapid Tone & Firm which is a solid band workout but includes lots of moves I avoid like overhead presses so I decided I have so many other band workouts that I prefer that I will not be revisiting it again. It really is time for me to start keeping workouts I want to revisit and trading/giving the others away. Finished with some Classical Stretch Essentrics.
Today in spite of being gloomy weather-wise has been a great one. My knee is definitely improving and our son who works in the UK is switching to an internet focused company that sounds absolutely amazing. Guess we will all be applying for passports because it looks like he will be permanently living in the UK.

a Special VF Shoutout

Last evening, a member of VideoFitness offered me a dvd that was on my Wishlist as a *Secret Santa* gesture. I just wanted to give a Shoutout about this generous spirit found on VF. The timing was really perfect because I was becoming upset about my knee problem and its possible effect on my workout routine and life in general. The dvd's focus is flexibility which hopefully will help my knee's mobility.

Knees and Blockbuster store closing

Since my knee stiffness improves with movement, I am assuming it is Arthritis with maybe alittle Bursitis and not a real injury. So I am determined to move more frequently throughout the day.

This morning, I warmed up with the last two songs of Andrea's Keeping Fit then did the bonus Violet's Cardio, both of which became a nice combination on and off the bungee, using homemade XCO trainers for weights. Then I did some standing Essentrics with music only and Strong Knees, both the full routine and the massage (tennis ball against a wall). After Strong Knees I did alittle more ball rolling on a Miracle ball around both knees.

We had ended our Blockbuster store Combo Pass and found out the store was closing soon after Christmas anyways which was sad to hear because we really liked the store Combo Pass which was only recently offered and may have increased their business substantially as customers tried it. Only reason we ended it was because the store stopped getting newer games and we had caught up on the dvds we wanted to see. We definitely would have tried it again in a couple of months. Right now I am still using Amazon's instant watch during a Free Prime trial which is ok but still prefer access to newer releases. Guess we'll next try the library and Redbox since Blockbusters will no longer be convenient. If we really fall far behind, will join Netflix for one month for 2 or 3 dvds at a time to catch up.

Home Sweet Home

So we just got back from a couple of nights in AC. I was able to do all of my usual walking in AC but my right knee was very stiff after sitting down just for a few minutes. Guess it was good that I was away from home and not pushing it too hard during home workouts. Back to my morning workouts tomorrow morning but may squeeze in a spark this afternoon.

AC CET hotels were a bit depressing with so many restaurants closed and empty casinos but The Borgata was still hopping. They did recently close the buffet for a couple of weeks so we didn't go then even though the Amphora Lounge was opened. Now that the buffet reopened, the Amphora Lounge is closed till Friday afternoon. Showboat's Diamond Lounge and buffet are completely closed and Harrahs DL has only been opened Saturdays and Sundays. We had reservations there this Friday but canceled since the club is closed and no point pumping their machines cuz DH is already Platinum and neither of us ever plan to be Diamond again.

Showboat offered us LFB (Limited Food and Beverage) status this trip but only for their coffee shop and snack bar. To get the food comped, all of the reward credits (earned comp) in the customer's account get used first so it was not an enticing offer. Maybe if offered LFB when our earned credits are low, we will try it in the future.

Metcalf,chair aerobics, thigh rolling and CS

This morning I warmed up on the bungee to Andrea Metcalf's cardio then did the chair aerobics from the Catskills resort then some rolling on a Miracle ball and finished with Classical Stretch. Right knee is still stiff on and off but definitely has more range of motion since rolling.

Andrea, Mindy, BBL, and foam roller

This morning I warmed up on the bungee to Andrea Metcalf's cardio then did Mindy Total Body Gliding chapter then the rest of BBL Cardio Axe while holding Fitstix and finished with rolling on a foam roller. My knee is much improved today!

Cardio AXE, Strong Knees and Chair aerobics

I warmed up on the bungee to Andrea Metcalf's Keeping Fit Cardio warmup and first song which I lurve. Then did the first 2 combos in BBL Cardio Axe, some with Fitstix then did more chair aerobics from a vhs I bought at a Catskill Resort and finished with Strong Knees, including its bonus. Knee is much better today but still sending a weaker signal that it needs help.

Strong Knees Cardio Axe

Yesterday I did *Strong Knees* for the first time and woke up with intense DOMS in the quads, even though I used Weleda Arnica Massage oil before bed. I think if I do strengthen and stretch these supporting muscles as well as massage my knees with Arnica oil before bed, my knee problems will be less eventful. At least, I hope so. My right knee is alittle better today. Obviously less swollen.

This morning I warmed up with Richard Simmons on the bungee then added Fitstix without the bungee. Next I did Brazilian Butt Lift Rapido Abs and alittle Uppercuts with Fitstix and the warmup from Cardio Axe which also worked well with Fitstix. Finished with Classical Stretch.

Gliding! and POP Pilates/blogilates

This morning my right knee and hip were terribly out of alignment and felt uncomfortable during all cardio on the floor or UR till I tried GLIDING??? Didn't try the bungee because too early in the morning to workout in our living room. So I did the gliding parts of Mindy's Gliding Fatburning Cardio.

Then I did a chair workout I had bought from a social director of a Catskills resort but sat on my Barry's Bootcamp oblong ball then a strange standing Pilates routine from youtube where the feet stay still and finished with alittle Classical Stretch.

Will be searching for that youtube workout (POP standing abs and legs) to see if the instructor has more clips to offer.

We are stuck home this morning waiting for a company scheduled to clean our gutters but may have to get another company to come this week or next if a *No Show*.

ETA: Here's the link to that video clip on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoZIcmmxZjY&feature=related

ETA: Just as I had expected, the gutter company was a *no show* so will try another this Friday

RS PF TA CS

This morning I warmed up on the bungee to Richard Simmons and think I may actually prefer the skirtmat. Then I did the rest of PeakFit Cardio Interval Burn and found it to be a good Fitstix workout! Next did some Tracey Anderson Inspired Arms from youtube and finished with a Classical Stretch.

Fitstix Fusion

This morning after not clicking with Sticks.1, I decided to revisit Fitstix Fusion. What a difference!! The moves and combos are so much more engaging. I sweated like crazy and continued to sweat during the following Classical Stretch. Most Fusion moves really use the upper body and core. Footwork is simple and can even be adapted to the rebounder with minimum tweaking. The only reason why Fusion wasn't a big seller is because it was dvdr instead of silver-backed press. Well I decided to add some information to this post to get more people to see how great Fusion is.

You can see a clip of Fusion at

http://thefitstix.com/ProductCode-FUSDVD.html

There are endless ways to use Fusion. You can play the whole workout with breakdowns for an interval effect. You can play the whole workout without breakdowns to get continuous higher intensity. Individual chapters can be played either way too. You get more bang for the buck with this dvd/dvdr than any other workout out there. Zumba toning sticks or light weights up to one pound can be used instead of Fitstix or you can make homemade XCOs like I did with Pringle/Lays chip cans and rocksalt. However, the best effect is of course given with a pair of the specially designed Joy Fitstix Pro.

http://thefitstix.com/products.html

If you are interested in the other Fitstix workouts, www.Totalfitnessdvds.com has clips and sells them at a cheaper price and sometimes has a sale price for them.

http://www.totalfitnessdvds.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=fitstix

Sticks.1

Since wearing my Walkfit Platinum inserts, I haven't had any pain in my left foot/ankle till this morning when barefooted so am again wearing them 24/7 except when sleeping.

I warmed up on the bungee to some Richard Simmons. Last night I switched to the skirtmat so I would remember to wear shoes and wanted to give the skirtmat another try because my improved petal mat arrived shortly after the skirtmat. The skirtmat feels a bit more bouyant and I can feel the plastic connectors even when wearing shoes more than I can barefooted on the petal mat but want to see which I actually prefer so will be trying various rebounding workouts after my foot is fully healed. Right now, our son is very into jogging and doing jumping jacks on the bungee with the cooler weather making walking outside less comfortable.

Next I tried the first few chapters of Sticks.1 which I tolerated but didn't love. The combos are presented with some TIFTTing and have more complicated footwork than I prefer though I can modify them into movements I prefer but the stick moves aren't as interesting as I had hoped. There is some sort of a twirl she does that doesn't seem worth the bother to learn. Overall, the Fitstix workouts have much better moves and the only advantage to Sticks.1 is a more pleasant and softer voice. Actually, I can get a much better workout using the Fitstix with other workouts not designed for sticks. Will try chapter 4 and the mini workout versions before making the final decision of whether it is a keeper.

Next I did some biceps with a band following Cathe's Slide & Glide chapter.

Next I did some of the lower body from a Mindy Mylrea Gliding workout which I liked alot and finished with JB's second foot and ankle rehab routine.

Cannot keep me down

While warming up to Richard Simmons on the bungee, my left foot and ankle developed a new pain. So I put Arnica gel on it and did JB's ankle and foot rehab then Richard Simmons chair workout. Pain was still there when standing so I next put Arnica massage oil on it and it greatly helped. Now have an ankle bandage on it with a large magnet.

Hope I can try the new Sticks.1 workout when it arrives today.

If not, may do another chair workout or even some mat lower body which I usually avoid like the plague.

ETA: pain returned but Walkfit Platinum inserts worked!

RS then mostly downhill

I started out well this morning warming up with Richard Simmons on the bungee but lost my momentum trying Cathe's Cardio Supersets, mostly for the gliding disks stuff since I didn't mind Slide & Glide. Most of Supersets were nothing special or plank moves. At first, I was jogging on the rebounder during uninspiring moves and planks but eventually started fast forwarding alot. Then I did the rest of the Essentrics from vimeo.com and for the heck of it, alittle Butt Bible from Exercise TV which reminded me that I wanted to revisit Brazilian Butt Lift. I spent the past 3 hours looking for my Brazilian Butt Lift workouts without success which is the first time I have failed to find something pretty quickly since reorganizing my collection. It'll probably turn up when I am not looking for it! Meanwhile, I did find a few other workouts I want to revisit which I had forgotten.

and tomorrow Sticks.1 may arrive :)

Richard Simmons and Eyes

This morning I squeezed in 4 Richard Simmons' songs on the bungee before going to the eye doctor.

The follow-up eye doctor appointment went much smoother in his old office and took less than an hour including dilating. Last time, it took over 2 hours with lots of waiting and then driving home in the dark with terrible traffic from his new office. Lots of good news: my eye pressure is fine, floaters are being absorbed and he put temporary plugs in my eyes to see if it will prevent that nasty dry eye feeling. Also the vision in my new glasses seems fine but I already knew that. Another thing I love about my new glasses besides seeing the puter screen so much better is that the frame hides the bags under my eyes LOL

Unfortunately, the old office was near a bakery we used to like and DH got himself some goodies which I couldn't resist tasting. Now I really need to go do another spark before watching a rental dvd with the family! Will try to do some more RS then some CS. Oh and the Amazon Prime free trial mentioned in my previous post includes some instant watch videos for free!

Karma and Sticks.1

I really believe in karma.

After a frustrating morning because of an online confusion, a thoughtful VFer sent me information about a new workout she tried and thought I would love with Fitstix called Sticks.1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZsAiRedLy8

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004JGB14U/ref=wms_ohs_product

She had even offered to lend it to me but between the $4.11 cents the Amazon credit card owed me plus free 2 day shipping with the Amazon Prime free trial, it came out to the same price as shipping the dvd back and forth. I really think this workout will click for me and even if not, it makes me feel good that somebody online thought of me and that I have this new workout to look forward to trying.

Cathe Slide & Glide Vimeo CS and Essentrics

This morning I did most of the standing parts of Cathe's Slide & Glide using plastic sliding disks. I liked how it made my lower body work differently without aggravating my knees. Also did the triceps pushups but skipped all other plank stuff.

Then I visited some of Classical Stretch and Essentrics on Vimeo.com

RS PF Barre3 CS

I warmed up on the bungee to a couple of songs from Sweatin to the Oldies 5 then did some of PeakFit Cardio Interval Burn. Its first block was a turnoff for me cuz too similar to TaeBo and I am finding myself not liking the kicking parts of Kickboxing anymore. I did like the second block though. Then I did some Barre3 from the internet and liked it because it was similar to Ellen Barrett and Classical Stretch. Finished with Classical Stretch 804 which was outstanding. My problematic right shoulder, hip and knee stopped twinging. I am thinking that the only way I am going to do much of the cardio workouts I have been accumulating is to do more sparks because Classical Stretch is becoming a morning necessity.

My measurements are still going down while my weight has stabilized so I believe I am not losing muscle but am losing fat so my current workout and food choices seem to be good ones for me.

OMG Meatloaf!

I usually barely tolerate meatloaf but DH brought home chopped meat today and I was determined to make it as healthy as possible so checked a few recipes online and combine a few of them.

Earlier in the day I sauteed chopped celery, carrots, onion, garlic, green pepper and red pepper till tender in Canola oil. Then I splashed the concoction with some crushed red pepper, black ground pepper, Worcestershire sauce, Balsamic vineagar and ketchup and let the concoction cool.

90 minutes before dinner, I combine the veggie concoction, 2 eggs, chopped meat, alittle more Worcestershire sauce, Balsamic vineagar and ketchup, reserving some for the outer glaze and my new secret meatloaf ingredient...... OATMEAL! I usually used bread crumbs and was thinking of using high fiber bread instead till I read that oatmeal was an option. I was a bit skeptical because it didn't seen as wet as my previous meatloafs and I feared the oatmeal would dry out all of its moisture. Smeared the glaze on and popped it in the 325 degree oven for 90 minutes till the center read medium well and ends read well done on my meat thermometer. The final result was incredible. Moist and delicious. Best meatloaf any of us ever ate and probably the healthiest.

ETA: another healthy find for us has been frozen hashed brown potatoes at Aldi's which is just grated potatoes and went very well with the meatloaf. I dump them into a pan sprayed with a nonstick spray and sprinkle with alittle seasoning (Soul Seasoning found at Shop-rite which includes salt, onion, garlic, paprika, red pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric, celery, fennel, black pepper and other spices) and bake covered with foil, flip it as its bottom browns every 20 minutes till steaming hot. No fats or oils and minimal salt.

For Thanksgiving I made my potato stuffing using these hash browns and adding grated carrots and grated onions. Unfortunately, Aldi's has them in their weekly special freezer section so may eventually run out of them but probably can find something similar at another supermarket for more $$ or be ambitious and grate potatoes the old fashioned way again.

RS Kettleworx CS

This morning, I got my motor revving with 4 songs from Richard Simmons' Sweatin to the Oldies 5 on the bungee then did week 5 of Kettleworx Cardio but just one set of each move. Finished with the same CS I did yesterday 803 because my knee felt so much better the rest of the day afterwards. I am going to try to alternate PeakFit Cardio Interval Burn with lighter cardio the next few days.

The Esmonde Technique

This site has Classical Stretch pdf book excerpts:

http://www.classicalstretch.com/CSBookex.pdf

Just discovered this link thanks to VF and think it clearly explains the Esmonde Technique, otherwise known as Classical Stretch which was created by Miranda Esmonde-White. I know after trying it on and off for years that it is finally clicking for me and truly helping. At first, it was the music and TaiChi-like movements that attracted me. Now it is seeing my joints getting more range of motion and feeling less pain. My main focus when workingout has been feel good cardio. Now I am finally balancing it with feel good strength and stretching. Yoga never clicked for me so Classical Stretch is a wonderful addition to my workout routines.

Miranda's routines are expensive on dvd but readily available on many PBS stations. Her most recent season #8 is definitely my favorite because of some new moves that have clicked for me but I will be revisiting previous seasons, applying what I have learned thanks to season 8.

Some of her routines are available online too.

There are many Classical Stretch clips on vimeo.com

http://vimeo.com/24238741

PeakFit and CS

I did the rest of PeakFit Pure Cardio on the bungee but wearing shoes so felt more stable while being able to use more of its petal mat. There is a discount code to save 25% off the Fitnest Trampoline 370 model this weekend:

SAVE25JFT370

Then I did the rest of Fitstix Adapative PE and finished with CS 803 which seemed to help my bum knee!

PeakFit and Classical Stretch

Squeezed in some more Peak Fit cardio on the bungee and some Classical Stretch 802 which may actually help my knees!?! Expecting the electricians any minute.