FitSugar

Move It At Home: Billy Blanks Full Throttle Amped

FitSugar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 04:00:00 -0800

Did you know that Billy Blanks is still kicking ol’ school? He just released a new series of DVDs and the other night I checked out Billy Blanks Amped ($17.99). I was impressed that the DVD wasn’t over produced and you could tell that the workout was shot in one take with many cameras, so the folks exercising on the DVD were working with you. Billy Blanks does not slow down. He has, however, lost the ability to count and has hired a young, cute but fierce, fitness professional to count on set for him. Together they make quite a team.

The workout is tough and when using the amplifier sculpting bar, an extendable hand weight, it gets even tougher. The amplifier weighs just a little over three pounds (according to my kitchen scale).The workout is shot with only half the class participants using the amplifiers, so if you don’t have one there is still plenty for you to do. The class goes through many kick boxing motions at different speeds, so you're working both your endurance and your speed, your slow muscle fibers as well as the quick twitch. Bouts of straight up kick boxing moves are thrown into the mix ensuring that your heart rate stays in the upper zone of moderate and the lower zone of intense. I wore my trusty heart rate monitor and burned well over 300 calories for my time investment of just under 60 minutes low impact.

I love that you can see everyone sweating. It inspires you to work hard. Blanks likes to get up close to the camera and tell you to push harder and not to give up. It is part Mr. T, part inspiring coach and oddly effective.

To see what the amplifier looks like, just read more

You can order this DVD from Amazon. Or you could go for the entire Amped package for $39.95, which includes 5 DVDs, the amplifier body sculpting bar, and other health perks!

DVD Review: Billy Banks Tae Bo Amped Series - On Sale!

FitSugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 03:30:00 -0800

Last Winter, I worked out with the Billy Blanks Amped Full Throttle DVD and thoroughly enjoyed myself while burning up some serious calories. The DVD is part of the Amped Tae Bo series. In case you missed it, all four of Blanks's Amped DVDs are available (and on sale for $36) in one set, complete with the expandable accelerator weighted sculpting bar.

If you're not familiar with Tae Bo, it stands for Total Awareness Excellence Body Obedience. It's basically like boxing aerobics. Expect a lot of punching, kicking, heavy breathing, and very little resting.

To find out more about this DVD series read more.

These four cardio DVDs are intense, fast-paced, and high energy. They're the kinds of DVDs you pop in when you need to move, but can't get out for a run or to the gym. The Amped series will make you feel like you're in a real cardio class since Billy and 10 people behind him work it and glisten with sweat. You may find it comforting that everyone counts out loud for the entire video, but I found it a little annoying, so I just turned down the volume and pumped up my own music. You can use the three-pound accelerator bar to make the movements more intense, or just move your arms without it. Billy is one encouraging dude, and his little pep talks throughout the videos make you want to work hard. Get ready to burn some major calories with these four 30- to 55-minute workout DVDs. Order them straight from the Billy Blanks website.

Are Energy Drinks Safe?

FitSugar — Fri, 30 May 2008 03:00:00 -0700

If you're like most people, you reach for a cup of coffee every morning, since the caffeine can give your brain that get-up-and-go you need to wake up from a night of sleep. Recently though, energy drinks like Red Bull and Rockstar are becoming more popular, since they also give people the buzz they're after.

There are so many different kinds now and they all contain caffeine, but do they contain more than a person should consume in a day? To find out read more

Check out this chart to see how these caffeinated beverages compare.

Drink	Amount of Caffeine
8.3 oz Red Bull	80mg
16 oz Monster	150mg
16 oz. Rockstar	160mg
16 oz. Rockstar Punched	240mg
16 oz. Full Throttle	142mg
16 oz. Burn	199mg
12 oz. Coca-Cola	29mg
12 oz Diet Coke	38mg
16oz. Grande cup of Starbucks Coffee	330mg
1 oz. Starbucks Espresso	75mg
8 oz. Organic Black Tea	65mg
16 oz. Starbucks Hot Chocolate	25mg

For the average person, up to 300mg of caffeine a day is considered a safe amount to consume. If you have too much each day, it could affect your sleep patterns, heart rate, blood pressure, cause headaches, or cause a woman to give birth to a smaller baby. As you can see from the chart, energy drinks contain far less caffeine than a Grande cup of Starbucks coffee, which exceeds the recommended daily amount. Most people don't realize how much caffeine they're getting, whether through coffee, soda, or energy drinks, because the amount of caffeine is often not on the container. So if you love caffeine, it's best to limit yourself to one energy drink, or go for a smaller cup of coffee.

Fit's Tips: If you find that you're often tired all day and need a boost, drinking a caffeinated drink is only a temporary fix. In order to have energy all day, make sure you're getting enough sleep each night, getting enough protein, and exercising regularly.

Top Five Fitness DVDs

FitSugar — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 08:45:00 -0800

Looking for a new DVD to add a little something different to your current routine?
Fitness Magazine recently outlined their top five picks for fitness DVDs that you may want to consider adding to your collection.

10 Minute Solution: Tone Trouble Zones! Perfect for someone who doesn't have a lot of time for strength training. You don't need dumbbells, just the resistance band that comes with the program. The 10-minute workouts target different areas, from shoulders to bum. (anchorbayentertainment.com, $16.98)
Bell Express 15 Cardio Fitness Kit. This DVD comes with a stability ball and jump rope. The video stars athlete/model Gabby Reece and shows her exercising alongside a trainer. You can do the workout in 15 minutes or add a warm-up to make it a little longer. (gotogabby.com, $29.99)

There are three more DVDs and one is a fave of mine, so read more.

Billy Blanks Tae Bo Amped. The new set of five workout DVDs comes with a weighted bar that you can use if you want to make the moves even more challenging. You'll get a great cardio workout while incorporating strength moves. Blanks' energy is contagious. (billyblanks.com, $39.95). I love the Full Throttle workout!.
Get Ripped & Chiseled With Jari Love. She does tons of repetitions, so you really exhaust your muscles. This is for those who have had experience lifting weights and want to take it to the next level. Love hits every major muscle in a big way, and you will definitely be sore the next morning. (razorfitness.com, $14.99).
Jeanette Jenkins: The Hollywood Trainer 21 Day Total Body Circuit Workout. Great for beginners. The moves are all ones you've seen before - crunches, push-ups, lunges - but have modifications to keep them from being boring. There are tips for making the exercises harder. The playlist is awesome. This DVD keeps your energy level high. (amazon.com, $9.99)

High Blood Pressure? Stay Away From Energy Drinks

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 13:30:00 -0800

When I'm on a road trip and I stop in the gas station to grab some water, it amazes me how many energy drinks I see on the shelves. Many people opt for them when they're feeling sluggish. Plus they're easy to find and don't stain your teeth like coffee, but they still contain caffeine, and many in higher doses than a regular cup of joe.

Beverages like Red Bull, Full Throttle, Amp, and Rush will sure give you an energy buzz, but a recent study found that these high-caffeine drinks may also be raising people's heart rates and blood-pressure levels.

These types of drinks not only contain caffeine, but they also have high levels of taurine, an amino acid found in protein-rich foods such as fish and meat. It can affect the heart function and blood pressure, even if a person is not exercising but simply sitting still.

This study showed that the effects are not dangerous to healthy individuals,but if you have high-blood pressure, are taking medications to lower your blood pressure, or have heart issues, you should steer clear of these types of drinks.

Fit's Tip: Caffeine is a quick fix when you need some energy, but eating a high-protein snack like yogurt, cheese, or nuts will give your body lasting energy.

Source

Join PinkTogether.com

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:45:00 -0700

There is a lot going on to bring the awareness of breast cancer to full throttle this month and so far, none have touched me as much as PinkTogether.com.

Pink Together relies on the belief that one person’s story is another person’s hope. It's a place where survivors, patients, family members and supporters can connect to each other. It’s a place where those who need support and those who have support can come together to share guidance, inspiration and maybe, one day, a cure.

Reading everyone's stories is quite a moving experience – meaning, you're going to want some tissues offhand. You can join too, along with Ellen Degeneres (her mom had breast cancer), and share your own stories or just to show your support in finding a cure for breast cancer by making Pink Together your friend on MySpace.