Raiders of the Mayan Adventures -- It Begins...
Since the birth of our daughter 2 years ago, I have been incredibly lax on exercise and, man - who can deny how incredibly easy it is to throw something in the microwave and feed it to a family, especially one with the freaky schedule that my wife and I have. In all I can safely say that I packed on 35 extra pounds - all of which I could and want to do without.
As of this last month, I've been eating much more appropriately and have lost just over 10 pounds and feel much better, but I have realized the inevitable: It's time to get back into an exercise regimine.
Powerwalking has always been a great move for me and really helped me to get fit several years ago prior to my daughter's birth. The hot days of summer here in the St. Louis area are not only hot but sticky and while I'd gladly subject myself to some of the same "pain and agony" I had previously with my 4 mile-day four times a week, I can't put a baby in a stroller and toodle out and about in this sticky hotness. That means an inside option is going to be the way to go.
We have a treadmill that has been an excellent source of exercise and I've been on it on and off over the last few months since we got it. Jade, my daughter however also wants to get on and will continue to plea her case for a solid hour until my workout is done - as many of you know, kids and treadmills do not a happy fit make.
So I turned back to walking in retail establishments recently - late last year I got thrown out of one of the malls for "walking too fast" so it's had to come down several notches in the malls which just feels like I'm not doing anything and it surely doesn't help my waistline. They even told me that I could come back and walk after rush hour at the mall, but hell: Starting a good solid what needs to be an hour straight at 8:30 each nite? It's SOOoooo much easier to get it in right after work and be done with it. So the being patient in-retail malls and stores continued until two weeks ago. We were walking at the largest mall in our area and as I walked past an EB Games store at the mall I saw something in the window for the XBox (that's a game console that you "play" games on btw) called "Yourself!Fitness" that was a "Virtual Personal Trainer". Hmmm, a Virtual Personal Trainer....
After the Sexual Healing soundtrack music and Fast Times at Ridgemont High sparkle and scratching record sound left my imagination, I realized that this really was something that might not only help me get back into swing, but also something that my wife could jump in on. She too has packed on about 20 or so extra pounds that she always asks me about losing when the time comes to try on some old or new clothes that she is sure are "her size." So what is "Yourself!Fitness" you ask?
From the website (http://www.yourselffitness.com/ or http://www.getmaya.com) :
"Yourself!Fitness brings the expertise of a certified personal trainer and nutritionist into your home to guide you through a personalized health and fitness program. Maya, the Yourself!Fitness personal trainer, will help you choose your health and fitness goals and then she will work with you to achieve them."
Sounds pretty cool, doesn't it?
I agree - when you read on the program sounds very cool, engaging and something that (hell, like any other exercise tool) when used can really help to make a difference in your life. Shortly after finishing that walk, I logged on with my Sidekick and checked out Walmart.Com to see if we could take advantage of buying the softare with Gloria's discount and SURE ENOUGH! I also checked Google to see some reviews via a variety of game sites that are located on sites that I participate in (1) (2) (3) (4) and was very satisfied with the reviews I'd seen as well as the options that the program would provide and the potential it has is really something special as well. I was also happy to find that it was available for the PC too! $26 and some patience provided us with the program a short week later. It arrived today and I've just finished my first set with the program and I'm very enthusiastic about it.
The set up with "Maya, your Virtual Personal Trainer" takes a little more than 20 minutes total, asking you questions about your goals, your current physical make up, the current equipment that you own, and something I've never seen before: a real "test" to see what mind of physical shape your in.
After some the set up, and providing a general schedule skeleton, they give you the option of selecting the dates, frequency, and duration of your workouts per day. I've selected 5 days a week, and (of the 5 options provided that can be changed to at any time) I chose "weight loss" as my desired category. Something that they also go over very clearly and to the point is your general weight in relation to the governing standards of fitness today, so be prepared to be told that you are "not in the current category of overall fitness for your body type and weight."
Ahhh, another straight-forward to-the-point-woman just like my wife! Super! :)
It's good to see a little bit of real life inside of a program - I am thankful that they don't coddle you like many of the video/DVDs that I've seen lately.
A short but action-packed 20 minutes later, I had my heart racing, my eyes feeling like a million dollars (I always seem to have clearer vision when I work out and complete - no idea what that is), and the burn that I have is very solid for just 30 minutes of work. According to the program, I burned 189 calories while doing my series of aerobic moves and crunches and weight lifting. It's about half of what I'm used to pushing with a good solid treadmill workout, but (trumpets tout a dandy fanfare) Jade really got a kick out of watching Maya do her thing and me copying her. The program's website also has links to a variety of "Community-based" componants, and has an upgrade that you will need to be sure to get should you decide to get the program. I found it strange to have such a powerhorse computer at the house that was hobbled by this program. The patch helped bring it up to speed though so - just be aware that you'll need it on anything that isn't a stock system that meets the requirements.
So it looks like a very satisfactory Mission:Accomplished so far and providing this detail in a variety of places will also help shovel enough guilt on my shoulders to stick with this program, to stick with Maya, and get back down to my fighting weight of several years ago (a nice yet solid 200 pounds.
I will have some pictures as the time goes on of me - and I have confidence that my "Mayan Adventures" are ones that will clearly leave not only an impression on my life, but also on my future - which is what we're all striving to make better, isn't it?
Cheers!
As of this last month, I've been eating much more appropriately and have lost just over 10 pounds and feel much better, but I have realized the inevitable: It's time to get back into an exercise regimine.
Powerwalking has always been a great move for me and really helped me to get fit several years ago prior to my daughter's birth. The hot days of summer here in the St. Louis area are not only hot but sticky and while I'd gladly subject myself to some of the same "pain and agony" I had previously with my 4 mile-day four times a week, I can't put a baby in a stroller and toodle out and about in this sticky hotness. That means an inside option is going to be the way to go.
We have a treadmill that has been an excellent source of exercise and I've been on it on and off over the last few months since we got it. Jade, my daughter however also wants to get on and will continue to plea her case for a solid hour until my workout is done - as many of you know, kids and treadmills do not a happy fit make.
So I turned back to walking in retail establishments recently - late last year I got thrown out of one of the malls for "walking too fast" so it's had to come down several notches in the malls which just feels like I'm not doing anything and it surely doesn't help my waistline. They even told me that I could come back and walk after rush hour at the mall, but hell: Starting a good solid what needs to be an hour straight at 8:30 each nite? It's SOOoooo much easier to get it in right after work and be done with it. So the being patient in-retail malls and stores continued until two weeks ago. We were walking at the largest mall in our area and as I walked past an EB Games store at the mall I saw something in the window for the XBox (that's a game console that you "play" games on btw) called "Yourself!Fitness" that was a "Virtual Personal Trainer". Hmmm, a Virtual Personal Trainer....
After the Sexual Healing soundtrack music and Fast Times at Ridgemont High sparkle and scratching record sound left my imagination, I realized that this really was something that might not only help me get back into swing, but also something that my wife could jump in on. She too has packed on about 20 or so extra pounds that she always asks me about losing when the time comes to try on some old or new clothes that she is sure are "her size." So what is "Yourself!Fitness" you ask?
From the website (http://www.yourselffitness.com/ or http://www.getmaya.com) :
"Yourself!Fitness brings the expertise of a certified personal trainer and nutritionist into your home to guide you through a personalized health and fitness program. Maya, the Yourself!Fitness personal trainer, will help you choose your health and fitness goals and then she will work with you to achieve them."
Sounds pretty cool, doesn't it?
I agree - when you read on the program sounds very cool, engaging and something that (hell, like any other exercise tool) when used can really help to make a difference in your life. Shortly after finishing that walk, I logged on with my Sidekick and checked out Walmart.Com to see if we could take advantage of buying the softare with Gloria's discount and SURE ENOUGH! I also checked Google to see some reviews via a variety of game sites that are located on sites that I participate in (1) (2) (3) (4) and was very satisfied with the reviews I'd seen as well as the options that the program would provide and the potential it has is really something special as well. I was also happy to find that it was available for the PC too! $26 and some patience provided us with the program a short week later. It arrived today and I've just finished my first set with the program and I'm very enthusiastic about it.
The set up with "Maya, your Virtual Personal Trainer" takes a little more than 20 minutes total, asking you questions about your goals, your current physical make up, the current equipment that you own, and something I've never seen before: a real "test" to see what mind of physical shape your in.
After some the set up, and providing a general schedule skeleton, they give you the option of selecting the dates, frequency, and duration of your workouts per day. I've selected 5 days a week, and (of the 5 options provided that can be changed to at any time) I chose "weight loss" as my desired category. Something that they also go over very clearly and to the point is your general weight in relation to the governing standards of fitness today, so be prepared to be told that you are "not in the current category of overall fitness for your body type and weight."
Ahhh, another straight-forward to-the-point-woman just like my wife! Super! :)
It's good to see a little bit of real life inside of a program - I am thankful that they don't coddle you like many of the video/DVDs that I've seen lately.
A short but action-packed 20 minutes later, I had my heart racing, my eyes feeling like a million dollars (I always seem to have clearer vision when I work out and complete - no idea what that is), and the burn that I have is very solid for just 30 minutes of work. According to the program, I burned 189 calories while doing my series of aerobic moves and crunches and weight lifting. It's about half of what I'm used to pushing with a good solid treadmill workout, but (trumpets tout a dandy fanfare) Jade really got a kick out of watching Maya do her thing and me copying her. The program's website also has links to a variety of "Community-based" componants, and has an upgrade that you will need to be sure to get should you decide to get the program. I found it strange to have such a powerhorse computer at the house that was hobbled by this program. The patch helped bring it up to speed though so - just be aware that you'll need it on anything that isn't a stock system that meets the requirements.
So it looks like a very satisfactory Mission:Accomplished so far and providing this detail in a variety of places will also help shovel enough guilt on my shoulders to stick with this program, to stick with Maya, and get back down to my fighting weight of several years ago (a nice yet solid 200 pounds.
I will have some pictures as the time goes on of me - and I have confidence that my "Mayan Adventures" are ones that will clearly leave not only an impression on my life, but also on my future - which is what we're all striving to make better, isn't it?
Cheers!
posted by Mike Wilkerson - 2GuysTalking at 12:06 AM
1 Comments:
Thanks for the review of Maya - we're diligently working on the sequel and look forward to making you sweat again soon.
best regards,
Yourself!Fitness Team
http://www.GetMaya.com
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