I’ve been kind of avoiding the whole yoga/pilates thing for awhile, even though I hear all sorts of great stuff about how it can actually help flatten the tummy and lengthen the muscles, etc. I did a couple of videos this past week (thanks to streaming Netflix) and I think I’m hooked. Who knows, maybe, at the very least, my posture will start to improve (I slouch at work all the time). Whatever the outcome – it felt great, and I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of muscle toning incorporated into the routines I was doing. The second was a combination yoga/pilates routine – and when you get a good flow going between moves, it’s surprising to me how much of a workout you feel you’re getting. What’s even more surprising to me is how great it feels afterwards – relaxed and stretched while having worked the muscles. I’m thinking of doing some sort of yoga and/or pilates 3 times a week for the next month and seeing what kind of difference it makes in my regular cardio routine.

The other thing I’ve been getting hooked on is Jillian Michaels’ workouts. I bought the 30-Day Shred DVD and have to admit – it’s pretty amazing. I really enjoy the weights + cardio element which she also does in her Maximize workouts, except those use a step, the 30-Day Shred just uses hand weights. I have another DVD of hers to pick up – one of the two new ones that were just released. I’m excited to try it out.

So, there’s my updated workout routine – Jillian Michaels, yoga/pilates, and spin at the gym. It’s making me happy.