PiYo Review

 

 

I am 6 weeks in on the full 8 week PiYo program. I can now fully give my personal review of all of the workouts.

PiYo Review

Align -The fundamentals: workout that takes you through the moves you will need to be prepared for the workouts. A slow tutorial to get you ready to move.

Define: Upper Body:A 20 minute rocking workout that will have you using the moves you just learned in Align. No weights needed because your learning to use your own weight to get in shape.

Define: Lower Body: Another awesome 20 minute workout that will use your own weight to help you sculpt and define your lower half.

Sweat: This title lives up to its name! Be ready to work hard but feel great after this 40 minute workout. I was sweating from the end of the warm up until the end. All muscle groups are used in this workout. I like to wear shoes while doing this workout for some extra calorie burning.

Core: If you want a new favorite workout for your abs this is the one. From standing core, pilates core, and some good old fashioned ab workouts this has it.

Buns:  A 30 minute workout that takes you through standing exercises to some floor work. You'll see some of your favorite moves that were done in other programs such as bowler's, squats, and lunges. 10 minutes are standing and 10 minutes are on the floor. Shoes are recommended on this workout.

Strength Intervals: A 20 minute workout that is fast and quick! You will use your own body weight to sculpt all parts of the body. From lunges, jogging intervals, and push ups. And everyone's favorite again Beast pose. Shoes are recommended on this workout.

Drench: Another workout that lives up to its name! This workout kind of bring everything together throughout the program. More of the pilates and yoga moves return for a full body workout.  This is a 48 minute workout, but the last 20 is called flow and is very relaxing and move through yoga movements. I like to wear shoes while doing this workout for some extra calorie burning.

Sculpt: This is a quick 25 minute workout that will help you build overall muscle endurance. From lower body moves to upper body moves they are all covered. The last five minutes are spent focusing on triceps and legs using a chair for movements. Shoes are recommended on this workout.

Bonus: TurboFire Low Hiit 20: This is a bonus on my set that gives you one of the lower impact Hiit Routines from TurboFire. Hiit stands for High Intensity Interval Training. Chalene takes you through a quick program to burn some extra calories. She shows you the routine slow and then you speed it up for 1 minute of high intensity. If you love kick boxing and quick workouts this is a good example of what you can see in TurboFire. Except, it moves much quicker in the original workouts.

My overall thoughts on all of these workouts is that Chalene does a great job on the calendar of building the intensity and strength. During the first weeks you think wow I don't feel that different. But by week 4 you can see the difference in your core and overall strength. It is amazing how I've gone from no core strength to doing planks with ease. And, for the first time in my life I can do real push ups!

This is a great program on its own or supplement to build flexibility and strength. If you are a beginner just use a chair until you can master the moves. I found myself modifying moves in the beginning the Chalene didn't show modified and it helped me master the moves. Also, wearing shoes makes things easier for me when we moved fast. And lastly make sure not to over extend your knee when doing bowlers lunges or wide step out lunges. Keep your knee lined up over your ankle and don't go as wide if it hurts. Also, make sure your front leg bears all the weight and not your back leg during bowlers lunges. This protects your knee while completing the move.

I'm so happy I started this program and I love talking about it. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Below is the link to my page in case you want to check out the program yourself.

I think that PiYo can work for anyone at any fitness level. If you want to gain your core strength back you need to  add this to your workout schedule! If you are at your top fitness level but need to work on your flexibility, then PiYo can help. I can't wait to share my 60 day results soon. You will be amazed at how PiYo has changed my core after being pregnant. I went from no strength or flexibility to doing Burpees and full pushups in just 6 weeks!! Stay tuned!



Are you looking for someone to help you stay motivated while completing your Piyo workouts? Already have a copy but need extra motivation? Feel free to send me a message.

Interested in purchasing a copy of either program? Let me know if you need further help picking a program.

Piyo workouts

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Piyo Results Day 1 to Day 30

PiYo Before and After Results  at Day 30

It has been a month since I started the PiYo workout and diet and I am very happy with my results. I have 30 more days to go before the official before and after but I wanted to share what I have accomplished so far. I used to shy away from sharing anything personal like this and would be sad about the way I looked. But, I have found new confidence that I am making changes in my health and the way I look so I shouldn't be afraid to show these photos. I hope that they help someone else get started on the road to a healthier lifestyle.

Day 1 to Day 30 Side view

Day 1 to 30 Back view

As you can see their are definitely changes made! How exciting! This is the longest I have stayed with a workout program consistently and not been bored. My core is so much stronger than it was even before I was pregnant. PiYo is definitely the workout to use for building core strength.  My overall changes in measurements are:

Waist 46 1/2" to 39"
Chest 45" to 44"
Arms: no change but more muscle now
Left Thigh: 29" to 24"
Right Thigh 28" to 24"
Weight 228   Total weight loss 6 pounds

I have added a contact me on my page if anyone wants more information on PiYo or fitness. And of course anything on motherhood and new babies. I look forward to getting to know more people through this blog. I will be adding more about the PiYo diet and eventually my Day 60 results. Stay Tuned!


Are you looking for someone to help you stay motivated while completing your Piyo workouts? Already have a copy but need extra motivation? Feel free to send me a message.

Interested in purchasing a copy of either program? Let me know if you need further help picking a program.

Piyo workouts

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Before & after results, Piyo review

I am so excited about the progress I am making with the Piyo workout and diet! I really want to post my before pictures and some of my progress pictures, but I will wait until at least my 30 days are here. It is super exciting to feel proud of myself with how strong I am becoming. Piyo seemed so much harder on day 1 than it does at day 14 of the workouts. So far these are the workouts I have completed:


Align -The fundamentals: workout that takes you through the moves you will need to be prepared for the workouts. A slow tutorial to get you ready to move.

Define: Upper Body:A 20 minute rocking workout that will have you using the moves you just learned in Align. No weights needed because your learning to use your own weight to get in shape.

Define: Lower Body: Another awesome 20 minute workout that will use your own weight to help you sculpt and define your lower half.

Sweat: This title lives up to its name! Be ready to work hard but feel great after this 40 minute workout. I was sweating from the end of the warm up until the end. All muscle groups are used in this workout.

Core: If you want a new favorite workout for your abs this is the one. From standing core, pilates core, and some good old fashioned ab workouts this has it.

So, far just alternating these workouts has remained excited and fun. I must admit sometimes I have trouble staying focused if the same workouts are repeated in a program, but not with Piyo. I have seen a big difference in my strength and my abs are already toning up.

Be ready in two weeks for some awesome before and after photos! See the video below for a peek at what Piyo has to offer. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

For my full review, please visit my later post. PiYo Review and my 30 Day PiYo results

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Seeing results=motivation, motivation!

It has been nine days since I started Piyo and 11 on Shakeology. When doing workouts this week I am already stronger and noticing my clothes are getting bigger. It is pretty exciting to see such a change so quickly. I'm finding with the diet that I am doing well on not wanting bad food. I am really impressed so far with the ease of everything in this system. I'm super excited to see where I am at the halfway point of the first 30 days. This is great motivation to push toward my final goal.

I also discovered a pretty good version of the Vanilla Shakeology. It is a Creamsicle  recipe.

Ingredients

1. 1 serving vanilla shakeology
2. 1 cup water
3. 1/2 cup orange juice
4. 8-10 ice cubes

Instructions

1. Put all ingredients in a blender.
2. Blend to consistency you prefer, add more ice if needed.

I used Almond milk instead of water and it was really tasty and the bitterness was gone.

Weight: 232
1st goal: 190

In other news our son's daycare teacher worried me a little bit this morning. She said he should be standing better supported than he is at this time. She said with his age (she thought he was 6-7 months) that we needed to ask our pediatrician about his development and that some 2-3 month babies in his class are better at it than him. Inside I thought I was doing something wrong and that we were behind on helping him with this. I told her that I have started working more in seeing if he will stand straight and doing this 4-5 times a day or more. I also let her know that he is stronger every week and we were looking into purchasing an exersaucer. She said that was all good but that I needed to make sure that the pediatrician noticed how behind he was on this and to get another opinion. Of course as I drove to work I tried not to panic and remain calm until I research a little on this particular milestone for babies. Our son is 5 months and 1 week so I thought I needed to make sure before I went into full worry mom mode. I am learning quickly why my mother acted the way she did with us and I relate a little more now. I of course googled this milestone (of course google is not replacement for a doctor but its easier than calling the pediatrician since he has an appt in a few weeks). After reading certain reliable sources I am ok with waiting until our next appointment and just working with him even more. I appreciate his teachers concern but its hard being sort of clueless as a new parent and worrying you aren't doing the right things. We will know so much more in the future for the next baby.

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I finally made the commitment to be a coach

Well I have finally made a new commitment to myself and I'm so excited about it! I have looked at being a beachbody coach since turbo fire came out and I purchased it. But, I was always too busy or working other part time jobs and didn't feel I had the time to commit and succeed. I also wondered if it was truly worth it to be a coach. Was it worth the money and time? But, last week I decided that with ordering the challenge pack for PiYo I wanted to take the next level and become an independent coach. I feel so far that it was a very good decision for motivating myself to reach my fitness goals. I didn't know that when you purchased the challenge pack that if in a certain amount of time you want to be a coach the sign up fee is waived. My coach that I signed up with has been a contact of mine on Facebook for awhile and always very motivating with her posts. I'm excited to learn from her and her team and become more fit in the process. It will also be exciting to share my story as I reach my fitness goals.

I must also say that so far PiYo is everything I hoped it would be. I am so sore just in the first two days!!  Also, this is my first time to experience shakeology as a constant source for my daily diet. I am highly impressed with the recipes that are now available. I can't wait to post my results at the end of the 60 days for PiYo.

I look forward to helping others with this coaching. I'm still setting up my pages but I want to see where it takes me in teaching others to be healthier and a part of my team. Feel free to visit my pages and check them out!

Coach site

Shakeology site




Weight today: 234

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Success in commitment to workout and be healthy

So far things are going really well in my endeavors to be more healthy. Using T25 and 21 day fix paid off for me getting back on track with a set workout schedule. I was still not eating the best I could be but I have started a new program with a great diet plan included. It is PiYO by Chalene Johnson. She is awesome! She also has other great workouts I have done Turbo Jam, Chalene Extreme, and Turbo Fire. But, this workout is great because it is low impact but with great results. I'm only starting my third day and I am so sore! It is a combination of pilates and yoga moves with some new moves mixed in. I can highly recommend it to anyone on any fitness level.

The other thing is the diet plan. It helps you calculate your calories and also provide ideas for what to eat and stay on track. I also decided to try Shakeology which is Beachbody's nutrient rich diet shake. I am highly impressed by the energy it has given me and made me feel a few pounds lighter too! The recipes they have for it are awesome. So far my favorite is the Vegan Chocolate with peanut butter and banana. I'm feeling like this workout and diet are going to get me so close to my goals of becoming healthier.

On another note our son is now 5 months old. It is so amazing to see him grow and change. He is a sweet boy and is always happy still unless he is hungry or tired. I'm always energized by his growth and wonder at the things around him. He has a strong grip and is able to grab things and hold on tightly. He has rolled stomach to back quite often and is so close to rolling the other way too. He is not ready to sit yet but we are working on it.

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Being a mom

Being a mom has been the greatest joy I have found in a long time. I have tried to make goals in the past and usually been unsuccessful in completing them. I can say a few weeks ago I finally realized I had a lot to get done in a short amount of time. Being a new mom and working full time too, I knew needed to get my act together. I was playing in the floor with our son Brennan and I realized I couldn't get up easily from the floor without hurting somehow. Then the next morning I was sitting down to feed him and I pulled a muscle in my back. After that I knew things had to change! I had become ok with just being overweight and uncomfortable which was not a place I need to stay. I set goals for myself and I knew I was going to maintain them. I got out my ipad and made a workout schedule for the month of June. I am currently doing T25 and 21 day fix for my workouts. I try to get one workout done mid day at work and then another in the evening. If I am home I try to split them up also and have downtime in between the two workouts. I'm just starting week 3 of both workouts and I am feeling great and very motivated. When I'm tired or sore I just think of those moments a few weeks ago and I don't want to feel that way again. I want to be strong for our son and be able to play with him as he gets older. He is the best motivation I've had in a long time!

This blog is a place for me to share these thoughts and hopefully motivate other women whether you are a mom or not. I have been their as you have in the past. Afraid to take that first step in making a change and getting healthy. I would worry about what people think about me whether overweight or skinny, but its time to stop that! Find a goal you want to achieve whether big or small and set your mind to it. Make a list or a calendar or even a reminder on your phone and tell yourself this is what I'm going to complete for that day. Having the calendar on my ipad feels like I have committed to something and I must stick to it. I work 8-10 hours days but I make sure I take time to get myself healthy.

This blog will be about fitness, losing weight, eating healthy, and of course being a mom and balancing life and a full time job. I welcome any comments and your stories.

Starting weight 240. Weight 14 days later, 237.
1st goal weight 190

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