Body by Marie, Though I Do Most of the Work

New Yay Update

Last December I ordered a Body Gym from QVC, promoted by Marie Osmond, that was intended for Daddy and me to both use.

It was delivered the week Daddy was in the hospital. Unopened, I set it aside. It made it back to Colorado with me, and I took it to my mountain retreat with the intention of opening it up and starting to exercise up there.

I began using using the band system the on second day there. Marie suggests doing upper body three days, lower body three days, and resting on Sunday. During the six weeks I was away, there were only a few of days that I didn’t do the exercises, usually because of my emotional state. Though some days that is exactly why I motivated to put stretchy clothes on and follow the program. Because I know exercise can help get through sadness sometimes. And there was one Sunday I did work out because I had put off the previous day. So all-in-all, I was pretty consistent.

I found the simple piece of equipment fairly easy to use, especially when following the DVD with Marie leading the exercises along with a personal trainer, gym owner, and dancer going to different elevated levels of difficulty.

There was another DVD in the package too, with a different instructor, but the exercises on it are either more complicated, or I just couldn’t understand them very well. Using the Body Gym with the movements they were doing felt awkward.

On the DVD with Marie, you have the choice to use the part with her guiding through the exercises or where you just follow by watching. At first I thought this would make the time longer and tried the latter. And perhaps the one with chatter does go a little longer, but I think it is more helpful because she and Mindy, a personal trainer, are constantly providing important reminders, like tightening your core, putting the weight on the back of your heels, and to get water if you need it.

I knew I wouldn’t lose weight because I wasn’t doing cardio, (there is some cardio in the advanced options, I haven’t worked up to them yet) and I wasn’t dieting.

As far as results I was hoping for, I can definitely feel an increase in my level of body strength. And I can see some toning in my back.

My favorite part of working out though was when my lovely host, and now friend, chose to join me. Not having her own Body Gym, she made great use of her grandfather’s cane and an exercise band her husband had. It was a good motivator for each of us to do the exercises every morning. A fun way to get our blood pumping and our day off to a healthy start.

When I left, I left her the Body Gym I had up there. Though the cane and band she had worked okay for most of the exercises, having the actual apparatus is likely to be easier to use for even better results. Especially as she moves up to the advanced levels.  And I wanted her to have it.  I promised I’d order another one for myself.

Then after returning home, I did just that. My location is more conducive to long walks for some cardio than my friend’s home, so I’m doing that in the meantime until the Body Gym arrives, as well as some exercises with 5-lb. hand weights.

And of course, I’m still doing my 110 crunches every morning.

But in addition to those, I look forward to returning to using the Body Gym when it comes in the mail. Especially knowing I have a friend doing them too, even if she is at a higher elevation, and just about four hours away.