Ouch!

Some of you might be aware of my healthy obsession with fitness/workout DVDs. I just got two new ones (late Christmas/early birthday presents); I think they're going to change my life. But then, I think that about all my workout DVDs.

But these are like two sides of the same coin. The first one is Rodney Yee's AM/PM Yoga DVD. Obviously, it has yoga stretches/series for your morning and for your evening. The second is a Jillian Michaels DVD -- 30 Day Shred.

The AM/PM yoga is pretty self-explanatory and easy, although you do get a good stretch on, and I'm not quite as flexible as Rodney or the other yoga instructor, whose name escapes me right now; this will be a good opportunity to work on that, plus get my mind ready for my day (and the end of my day)

Jillian, though ... whoa. Her DVD is broken into three levels. You start at Level 1 (duh), then progress to Levels 2 and 3 as you feel ready.  And I will be the first to tell you, Level 1 might be the "beginner" level, but it's not all fun and games, people. It hurts. And it's only a thirty-minute workout, if that!

She uses circuits of three minutes of strength training, two minutes of cardio and one minute of ab work, and there are three circuits. You'd think that sounds easy ... that's only nine minutes of strength training, six minutes of cardio and three minutes of abs total, right? Right?

No. She moves from one exercise to another quickly, and so your heart rate never gets back to normal after your first circuit. And she is a tough cookie. I can see why her Biggest Loser team does so well year after year.

Anyway, I'm hoping to be done with Level 1 in ten days and ready to move on to Level 2. We'll see, though. Jillian ain't no joke, even in DVD form.