Review: P90

This program is for people who don't want the intensity of P90X but want the same results. Month one is easy but it gets you ready for month 2 and 3. It gradually gets harder the more you go. This is for the beginner/intermediate level. It is a mix between cardio and muscle building. Dumbbells, resistance bands, door attachment, yoga mat and power stands ( i call them the perfect push up handles) are recommended.

Here are the workouts:
Month 1:

• Sculpt A- just getting prepared for the rest of the program. 28 min
• Sweat A- burn off all that fat that is not welcome. 25 min
• Ab ripper A- add some definition to that core. It may be short but it has a kick to it. 8 min

Month 2:

• Sculpt B- Builds lean muscle and power. 31 min
• Sweat B- Calorie burner, scorch them off. 32 min
• Ab ripper B- Get some major rock hard abs. 14 min

Month 3:

• Sculpt C- muscles go into overdrive with this workout. 42 min
• Sweat C- Burn more fat and test your endurance. 36 min
• Ab ripper C- adding even more definition to those abs. 15 min

Saturday special- done every saturday this is a high velocity workout that will make you sweat and burn calories. A great way to end the week. 25 min

P90 Deluxe:

• Speed sculpt- burn calories with this quick resistant workout. 25 min
• Speed sweat- melt more fat in less time. 27 min
• Speed abs- use 5 of Tony's favorite ab moves with this quick workout. 6 min
• Horton's greatest hits- learn all of Tony's favorite moves that will fit in your schedule. 37 min

Month one was quite boring to me. I felt like it was way to easy. Before I started this program I finished Insanity max 30 so I was use to high level cardio. Switching to this was nice the first couple of weeks but during the 3rd week I was starting to feel like I wasn't getting anything. I had to add more cardio to it every week. 

Although I really liked the ab ripper A I felt it every time I did the workout. 

Month two is a way different story. Longer workouts and harder ones too. I like it cause its gradually getting harder not just immediate hard. I loved all the workouts in this month. Sculpt B I had to switch between 10 and 5 weights cause there was a lot of moves I couldn't do cause it would hurt my shoulders. I feel this workout every time, and sore every time. 

Sweat B I would sweat a little but not poring out sweat. I enjoyed this one but I really enjoyed the sculpt one better. There is one move on this that gets me everytime. Its mountain climbers!!! that whole minute takes forever. 

Ab ripper B I am in love with. I love having my abs and stomach hurt after every workout. I love how he adds Ab ripper A and adds a couple more moves to it.

Month 3 is a KILLER!!!! I love sweat C. I am dying within 20 minutes. There are a ton of kenpo moves and some burpees. I love the kenpo in it, it makes it more fun and enjoyable. Sculpt C is longer and harder. The dolphin dips get me every time!! those ones are horrible!! I've noticed a little bit of yoga in it too. The dolphin dips are a yoga pose. Also the mountain climbers with sphinx... that one is murder on your core.
Ab ripper C they just repeat A and B but add more time and some new moves. Not to impressed with it.
When I first did Sweat C every muscle of my body was so sore the next day. It was an awesome feeling!!!!

Saturday special I didn't mind. If you don't put your all in than you won't sweat and get your heart rate up. 

Now during this program me and my husband decided to do a Spartan race. So now I'm doing double the cardio and a ton of upper body work.


I was on month 2 week 2 and i started using more heavier weights for the sculpt B. There were moves that killed me and I seriously couldn't even wash my own hair. Even picking up a spoon was hard. The scarecrow, 7/7/7 and thumbs up moves always got me every time.

To sum it up if you are wanting to do the p90x series I highly recommend doing this program first to help build up and get ready for p90x. When I did p90x this program didn't exist. Now that I've done it I can do p90x2. If you are already fit month 1 will not be challenging at all. Month 2 and 3 were more challenging and felt more worth the time.
This program was very enjoyable, tony is very motivational and funny. He does like to talk a lot; in between moves he talks and then you do the move.


Here are my results:
I maintained my weight from 140 to 143. I did not go above or below that for 3 months. I gained more muscle in my back and shoulders.
Before

                                                                                       
                       after

Review: Insanity max 30

This program is more insane than the original Insanity. This is challenging from day one and is for the already fit. There are no weights involved and its only 30 minutes a day or till you "max out"
You do the workout and write down your time and get back to work. You get a mixture of cardio, ab, arms and legs. Although even if your doing abs, legs and arms you still do cardio with it. Each workout has a modifier if you want less extreme.

"I'm about to kill you, but you'll live" 
             -Shaun T

Here are the workouts:

 Month 1

• Cardio challenge- the hardest cardio workout you'll ever do
• Tabata power- 20 seconds on 10 seconds off. Strength training with tabata style.
• Sweat intervals- you'll sweat and burn off the calories in this challenge.
• Tabata strength- no rest tabata style strength workout. Yep NO REST!
• Friday fight: round 1- first break 15 min in non stop fat busting workout. 

Month 2

• Max out cardio- you think month one was hard. Be prepared for a more intense program starting with this fat burning workout. 
• Max out power- intervals are 45 seconds on, 15 seconds off. Tabata and plyo combined. Lots of push ups.
• Max out sweat- the further you go the more calories you'll burn. Dripping in sweat in the end.
• Max out strength- upper body focus. Everything will be screaming in pain by the time your done. 
• Friday fight: round 2- hardest workout ever. Moves are a minute long and harder than ever.

Rest days:

• Pulse- recovery workout. Low impact combo and stretching with a pulse.-20 min
• Ab attack 10- a full blown attack on your abs.

Deluxe edition:

• Max out 15- half the time, but more intense. -15 min
• Max out abs- alternate from seated to standing moves. Max out your abs. -15 min
• 360 abs- 360 degree attack on your abs and core. -15 min

Month one was amazing. I loved cardio challenge and tabata power. Tabata power was a combination of cardio and upper and lower body workout. Cardio challenge was just cardio and it is very hard, but the moves were enjoyable. The first week was very difficult. My muscles were sore and stiff.

"Your gonna max out, you're gonna push, and I'm gonna motivate you all the way through!"
                                             -Shaun T

Here are my max out times for month 1:
* I beat my time from before

Week 1-                                                                                     

• Cardio challenge- @10:00                   
• Tabata power- @ 20:00
• Sweat intervals- @10:00
• Tabata strength- @ 23:33
• Friday fight: round 1- @17:50

Week 2-

• Cardio challenge- @17:35*
• Tabata power- @30:00*
• Sweat intervals- @ 15:00*
• Tabata strenght- @ 30:00*
• Friday fight: round 1- @ 20:00*

Week 3- 

• Cardio challenge- @ 22:00*
• Tabata strength- @ 20:35
• Tabata strength- @ 21:35*
• Sweat intervals- @ 20:21
• Friday fight: round 1- @ 15:00

Week 4-

• Cardio challenge- @ 25:00*
• Tabata strength- @ 22:20*
• Sweat intervals- @ 30:00
• Tabata strength- @ 30:00
• Friday fight: round 1- @ 25:31*

As you can see I did not fully max out on all of them. Some days they were way hard and some days they were fine. On week 4 of cardio challenge we had 5 minutes left till I started getting really dizzy. The room started spinning and my workout partner says that we needed to stop. Turns out I didn't eat enough calories that day and I had already burned all of it off. Luckily nothing serious happened and luckily my workout partner was there.
I didn't keep my max out times written down nearby, I had them in my work planner. What I should have done was print a calendar out and hang it up where I was working out.

"When I lost all of my excuses I found all my results"

Month 2 is a more higher level of difficulty. It is very challenging and you are dripping in sweat withing 7 minutes. My favorite workouts are Max out power and max out sweat. I love on max out sweat how withing 5 minutes I'm covered in sweat and out of breath. Max out strength works your abs, back, legs and arms in this whole workout. While getting your cardio in. 

Here are my max out times for month 2
* I beat my time from before

Week 1-

• Max out power- @ 25:51
• Max out Cardio- @ 23:33
• Max out sweat- @ 18:00
• Max out strength- @ 23:35
• Friday fight: round 2- @ 11:00

Week 2- 

• Max out cardio- @ 20:00
• Max out power- @ 30:00*
• Max out sweat- @ 18:00
• Max out strength- @ 30:00
• Friday fight: round 2- @ 18:00 *

Week 3-

• Max out cardio- @ 18:24- I had to stop because my son was sick and wanted me to hold him:(
• Max out power- @ 30:00
• Max out sweat- @ 22:00 *
• Max out strength-@30:00
• Friday fight: round 2- @20:00 *

Week 4-

• Max out cardio- @30:00 *
• Max out power-@ 30:00
• Max out sweat-@ 30:00 *
• Max out strength- @ 30:00
• Friday fight: round 2-@ 30:00*

Max out sweat was the hardest of them all. I had such a hard time getting past 18 minutes... let alone 8. On week 3 I was at 18 min and told myself I can go till 22 min. Oh man I don't think I have ever pushed myself that hard.. EVER! 

It felt so good to finally beat that time. Especially when I maxed out at 30:)

This was after I pushed myself as
hard as I could

Friday fight took me a long time to get over that 18 min mark too. The water break is not till 15 min in the workout. There is a reason why he doesn't have a lot of water breaks in this one. Your doing so much jumping and burpees that if you take to many water breaks and drink to much water the water in your stomach will start to swish around. It'll make you sick and wanna puke. Trust me, my workout partner realized it and needed to warn people.
On the last week I got a really bad sore throat and chest congestion. I should have rested but I did the workouts anyway. I had one more week!! Come on! I had to get sick on the last day. I don't know what I had but I think it was strep... but I don't know. I had to take my rest days early I had shallow breathing, chest pains and major congestion in my sinuses. I had 2 more workouts left till I was done. I finally got enough energy to do max out strength, I mainly modified throughout the workout.  

Matching with Shaun T. 

Funny story on week 3, max out power I was doing all the push-ups that Shaun has you do and my toddler decided to add his whole 42 pound body on my back. I did 8 or 9 different push-ups for about 9 minutes with my toddler on my back. He was having fun and so was I.  I woke up to sore shoulders, butt, back and legs. It felt awesome!!! That means that I worked a new muscle. Also you do one armed burpees! its hard but you feel like a freaking rock star. 

"Burpees. Love them. Hate them. Do them."



Here are my results.
If you look at the bottom one. You see a huge difference in my back and arms. They are way more toned. Mainly toned in this workout.

Benefits of drinking Barley tea むぎちや

I have been drinking Barley tea for months now ( well technically years but I just started drinking it again.) and I have noticed a lot. Its actually called Mugichya　むぎちゃ in Japan. That's where I get mine; my neighbor is Japanese and she gets me a huge bag whenever she goes to japan. One day I googled on what the benefits were and I could not believe it. I drink about a whole pitcher in 2-3 days. It takes a while to get use to it. But once you get use to it you can't stop.

Here are some benefits of drinking Mugichya:

• It helps regulate and enhance blood regularity. Also helps maintain healthy blood circulation.
• It is very rich in antioxidants. High in vitamin C and A
• Helps prevent tooth decay. Leaves nice healthy teeth.
• Can help prevent cancer. The high levels of antioxidants can assist in averting cell damage.
• Works as a blood cleanser. Blood sugar can be reduced and regulated when drinking barley tea. Also can lower cholesterol level.
• Barley tea helps in alleviating the symptoms of cold. Barley tea is said to be an effective treatment for fever too. It contributes in cleansing the system. It breaks up the phlegm and congestion's and assists in treating asthma and bronchitis. Drinking 2 cups of barley tea can give respite from a sore throat too.
• Can help treat nausea and and can act as a natural antacid.
• Beneficial to male fertility and can help keep a healthy prostate and can help prevent prostate cancer.
• Loaded with fiber, barley tea can help with easy and regular bowel movements.
• Barley tea contains melatonin and amino acid, which facilitate healthy and good sleep patterns by working in combination. Barley tea is caffeine-free and does not interfere with the sleep routine.
• Helps detox and cleanse the body from harmful toxins.
• May help cope with stress and physical problems, such as gaining weight and over eating during stressful periods. 
• Gives you a sense of fullness. Helps maintain and lose weight. 

To sum it all up, Barley tea is a great source of phytonutrients and antioxidants that protect the body from the damage caused by free radicals. This tea is also a delicious and nutritious alternative to green, black and herbal teas with and between meals.

あなた　が　のむ　さいこ　の　お茶

よんでくれてありがとう

Review: 3 week yoga retreat

This program is for anyone. For beginners and there is no need for experience in yoga. Help build strength and flexibility and feel relaxed. In just 21 days; 30 minutes or less you learn the basics of yoga.
There are 3 different levels

• Foundation
• Expansion
• Progression
• Take 10

The calander below is the schedule. Im not gonna explain all of them because that would take a very long time. Its pretty simple.

Mondays core days- this will activate, engage, and helps build awareness in your muscles.
Tuesdays Stretch- stretch, extend and lengthen all your muscles.
Wednesdays balance- challenges your body to learn to balance and engage your core.
Thursday flow- everything put together that you learned from the past 3 days. Practice breathing and learn to "Flow" through each move.
Fridays flow on the go- shorter more advanced version of flow.
Saturday relax- unwind and relax from the long week
Sunday take 10- short 10 min classes. AM to help wake up. PM help wind down from a long day. Abs wake up those abs and get them active. Do all in one day or just a few or one.

Each one can be longer or shorter than the other, or have different trainers and moves. Anyway you do it your still gonna feel great and so relaxed.

It took me a while to finish this program. The only time I would do it was on my rest days. I did a hybrid with BBL master series and now Insanity max:30. I absolutely loved doing this on my rest days. Especially when my muscles were so stiff and sore from my workout. It stretched and helped me relax from a long, hard week.
I can say that I have been one with my self and you know what... its nice. I have a toddler and I'm a

working mom so life gets pretty crazy and this yoga program helped me a lot.
I have noticed a huge difference in my balance, flexibility and being able to relax. Now I have done yoga before; from P90X and P90X3. Those yoga workouts were nothing like this. This isn't your average yoga routine.
Iv'e noticed that I am able to do a lot of moves I wasn't able to do. I have bad knees and wrists and this has helped me so much with the pain. All of the following above is true. This is a big reason why I love practicing yoga.
I am prone to seizures so when I would have a bad day I would continue with this program on my rest days. Believe it or not it has helped me with that too. I have seizures from stress and other things so this program has helped me so much with that subject.

After every workout I would feel so refreshed and amazing. I admit some of the workouts did give me some sore muscles, but that's because I haven't used those muscles in a long time. You should see my toddler do some of this program with me. He is getting very good at it. He loves to do yoga with mommy. I love that hes so active with me during this workout.
Now for the workouts.
 Personally I have really enjoyed progression (week 3). I really liked the moves and the stretches that were on it. I felt more relaxed and got a better stretch with this one. Don't get me wrong the other ones are amazing too, but for me I loved progression.
Expansion (week 2) was a little on the hard side... to me. I activated a lot of muscles that haven't been used in a very long time so when I was finished I had sore muscles. You know what though... it felt amazing. Because I know I'm using and working those muscles and getting them stretched and worked.
Foundation (week 1) was on the easy side. I liked it because it helps you get ready for the other weeks and what's to come. It prepared your muscles, body and mind for the next 2 weeks.

I think I really enjoyed balance and stretch. I really like working on my balance and stretching all my muscles. Especially after a hard days work and a long busy week.
This program is a perfect match to do with Insanity max 30. You get all your cardio, push ups and burpees in than on your 2 rest days you do this. It feels amazing!!

Now that I have finished this program Iv'e noticed some changes. My balance, breathing, learning to relax, flexibility and meditation. All of these have enhanced. It has also helped with my hips. After having my son I have had hip and even back problems. I would get really bad shoots of pain up my back and down my hips. They would hurt so bad that I couldn't breath or move. Guess what this program has helped with this. My hips feel more open and comfortable, my back is more stretched and flexible. I feel less stiff and I loved using every single muscle in my body.

I was doing this program during Christmas. My toddler was in bed and I was gonna get my yoga on. On Nextflix they have this fireplace movie. You can choose from 3 of them. They have one with music and without music and one with that does a close up and other things. I chose the one without music and played it while I did yoga. Wow did it enhance my relaxation. I spoiled myself that night. Right after I had my warm cup of tea and it was bedtime. I slept so good that night.

For finishing this program you get a really cool bracelet.


I don't really have a before and after because it took me so long to finish. So here are some poses that I practiced while doing the program. These are poses that I wasn't able to do at the beginning of the program. ( the bottom picture)