Monday, February 23, 2009

Get Fit and Firm At Home

Prevention

There's proof the best workout in town starts by pressing play. A new study found that doing fitness DVDs can burn a whopping 480 calories an hour. We sweated through over 40 new releases to bring you our five faves: workouts that are effective, easy to follow, and fun. Whether you want to drop a size, shrink stubborn belly fat, or just start exercising, we have the plan for you.

Prevention tested: Five new DVDs we love

Pick just one, mix and match, or follow our customized plans designed to help you achieve your fitness goal

1. "10-Minute Solution: Quick Tummy Toners"

Focus: Targeted toning

Why We Love It: The five fast, doable routines—from calorie-torching standing exercises to mat-based whittlers—beat boredom and firm your abs from every angle.

You'll need: Yoga mat

2. "6-Minute Quick Blast: Total Body Calorie Blast"

Focus: Cardio and toning

Why We Love It: Whether you have six minutes or an hour, you'll get a heart-pumping cardio blast plus intense sculpting to reshape trouble zones like the butt, thighs, and abs.

You'll need: Yoga mat, dumbbells

3. "Prevention Kick-Start Your Metabolism"

Focus: Cardio and toning

Why We Love It: Prevention fitness pro Chris Freytag will teach you to punch, jab, and kick your way to a firmer body—no experience needed. You'll melt up to 680 calories an hour while having a blast.

You'll need: Yoga mat, dumbbells

4. "Exhale Core Fusion Pilates Plus"

Focus: All-over toning

Why We Love It: Carefully controlled movements target each muscle group with laserlike precision. Gentle stretches end each segment to ease your body and mind.

You'll need: Yoga mat, stretch belt, or towel

5. "Dance Off the Inches: Dance It Off Ballroom"

Focus: Cardio

Why We Love It: You'll peel off pounds as you gracefully twirl around your living room with these easy-to-follow routines featuring samba, cha-cha, and jive.

Goal No. 1: "I need to start exercising."

If it's been a while since you've worked up a sweat, this is the program for you. Starting with a manageable 18 minutes a day, you'll safely build an exercise habit you can stick with. The short bouts of high-energy toning can be broken up throughout the day to fit into even the busiest schedule. And the anyone-can-do-them dance moves will make working out fun (no partner required).

One week at a glance:

MondayWednesdayFridaySaturday
DVDTotal Body Calorie BlastTotal Body Calorie BlastTotal Body Calorie BlastDance It Off Ballroom
PlayTotal Body A (6 min), Mind Body A (6 min), Quick Abs Blast (6 min)Total Body B (6 min), Mind Body B (6 min), Quick Abs Blast (6 min)Total Body C (6 min), Mind Body C (6 min), Quick Abs Blast (6 min)All (42 min)
DVDDance It Off Ballroom
Play1st week: Step Guide (18 min). Subsequent weeks: Samba and Jive (10 min each)
Total time18 min18 min36-38 min42 min

Goal No. 2: "I want to flatten my belly."

We've enlisted a three-tiered flab-fighting fix: Cardio to melt fat, targeted toning to shrink your waist, and yoga to de-stress.

One week at a glance:

MondayTuesdayWednesdayFridaySaturdaySunday
DVDDance It Off BallroomKick-Start Your MetabolismDance It Off BallroomDance It Off BallroomDance It Off BallroomKick-Start Your Metabolism
Play1st week: Step Guide (18 min). Subsequent weeks: Samba and Jive (10 min each)Fat Blast (15 min), Ab Attack (15 min)Cha-Cha (10 min), Samba (10 min)Samba (10 min), Jive (10 min)Cha-Cha (10 min), Samba (10 min)Fat Blast (15 min), Ab Attack (15 min), Body Sculpt (15 min)
DVDQuick Tummy TonersQuick Tummy TonersQuick Tummy TonersQuick Tummy TonersQuick Tummy Toners
PlayCrunch-Free Abs (10 min)Yoga Abs (10 min)Bikini Belly (10 min)Ab and Waist Definer (10 min)Yoga Abs (10 min), Sporty Abs (10 min)
Total time28-30 min40 min30 min30 min40 min45 min

Goal No. 3: "I need to jump-start my weight loss."

A precise mix of fat-melting cardio and sculpting moves is just the recipe for shedding pounds. This routine obliterates calories with kickboxing and dance, then sculpts metabolism-boosting muscle. Shave 250 calories per day from your diet and you'll be about a size smaller in 30 days.

Weeks One and Two

One week at a glance:

MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdaySaturdaySunday
DVDKick-Start Your MetabolismDance It Off BallroomKick-Start Your MetabolismDance It Off BallroomDance It Off BallroomKick-Start Your Metabolism
PlayFat Blast (15 min), Ab Attack (15 min), Body Sculpt (15 min)All (42 min)Fat Blast (15 min), Ab Attack (15 min)All (42 min)Cha-Cha (10 min), Jive (10 min)Fat Blast (15 min), Ab Attack (15 min), Body Sculpt (15 min)
DVDDance It Off BallroomCore Fusion Pilates PlusCore Fusion Pilates PlusCore Fusion Pilates PlusCore Fusion Pilates Plus
Play1st week: Step Guide (18 min). 2nd week: Samba and Cha-Cha (10 min each)Thigh & Gluteus (10 min), Flat Back/Round Back (10 min)Upper Body (10 min)Thigh & Gluteus (10 min)Upper Body (10 min), Flat Back/Round Back (10 min), Pure Core (10 min)
Total time63-65 min62 min40 min52 min50 min45 min

Weeks Three and Four

One week at a glance:

MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdaySaturdaySunday
DVDDance It Off BallroomKick-Start Your MetabolismDance It Off BallroomDance It Off BallroomKick-Start Your MetabolismKick-Start Your Metabolism
PlayAll (42 min)Fat Blast (15 Min), Express Kick-Start (10 min)All (42 min)All (42 min)Fat Blast (15 min), Body Sculpt (15 min)All (67 min)
DVDKick-Start Your MetabolismCore Fusion Pilates PlusCore Fusion Pilates PlusCore Fusion Pilates PlusCore Fusion Pilates Plus
PlayAb Attack (15 min)Thigh & Gluteus (10 min), Flat Back/Round Back (10 min), Core Flexibility (10 min)Upper Body (10 min)Pure Core (10 min)Thigh & Gluteus (10 min), Flat Back/Round Back (10 min), Upper Body (10 min)
Total time57 min55 min52 min52 min60 min67 min

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