Pick the perfect fitness DVD for you
Using a fitness DVD to get in shape seems like such a good idea—you work out on your own schedule, in the privacy of your own home, with all the amenities you could possibly want (water, a towel, a personal cheering section if you have pets or small children). But it’s hard to find a DVD that’ll draw you in day after day—and we hate wasting money on a DVD doomed to become a drink coaster. Luckily, our friend Tracey Mallett knows a thing or two about fitness DVDs (she’s starred in dozens of them), and she told us how to pick ’em:
- Try before you buy. You can watch clips on YouTube or at CollageVideo.com to get a feel for the instructor and workout. If there’s no clip from a DVD you’re considering, read reviews at videofitness.com.
- Rent. If you’re a Netflix member, you can rotate through scores of fitness DVDs. In many cases, you can play your pick instantly, instead of waiting for the mail.
- Keep your budget trim. “Plenty of challenging DVDs don’t require dumbbells or other equipment,” Tracey says.
- Fit your DVD to your space. “High-impact exercise on a concrete basement floor will do a number on your joints,” Tracey says, “and thick carpet may interfere with flowing yoga or fast-paced choreography.”
Guess it’s time to get new coasters.
—Tracey Mallett’s latest DVDs are Get Your Body Back and Fit for Pregnancy.
You forgot to mention the library…many have workout DVDs that are loaned out just like books…and a library card is free!
I have done this before when my son was young and lost 70 lbs. I stayed at it for 4 years and I was on top of the world. I had all the energy. I could eat everything. I was around 25. Now that I am older and walk on a treadmill I don’t have to worry. I am very health for my age.