Valerie Bertinelli Losing It And Keeping Fit! DVD Review and Give Away!

My Story:

I never worried about my weight or my size until after I had my children. I had always been a petite girl, usually the smallest and fittest in my classes growing up. As an adult the weight was harder to keep off but manageable with some effort. However, after I had my two children , for some reason I could not seem to get the weight off, in fact, it kept piling on. I didn't even realize how much I had gained until I saw a couple pictures of myself and received some negative comments on my appearance from people in my own family. Then, one day the phone rang and it was my sister asking me to be the Maid of Honor in her upcoming wedding. That was my motivation to lose the weight! I wanted to look my best in her wedding photos and to feel better about myself. I was living in the Arctic at the time and the community I lived in had no gym, no fitness center, nothing even close! My only alternative was to read books, load up on workout equipment, and a few exercise dvds. It took me two years, but I did it! I went from a size 12 to a size 2, all on my own! The wedding photos were beautiful and I felt fantastic!

My point is two fold. First, we all struggle with our weight and body images at some point(s) in our lives but we can do something about it. My second point is that you can do it without a personel trainer, without a gym, without fancy equipment, and without costing a fortune. All you need is motivation! It comes from within you!

Video Content:

Gaiam (a lifestyle company) sent me a Valerie Bertinelli DVD called Losing It And Keeping Fit! to review recently. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised with the content of this video.

This dvd has 2 full body workout options: a 20 minute level 1 (for beginners) and a 40 minute level 2 workout (for those intermediate people). Plus it has 2 ab segments in the bonus section.

The only equipment you need to do this video is a yoga mat (if you like) and a set of 2 dumbbells.

In level one Valerie performs squats and lunges galore, hip raises, ab exercises, push-ups, standing rows, and more. You will not escape the mountain of squats and lunges in level 2 but Valerie does add cardio bursts throughout the routine that jump start your heart rate and add a bit of fun. You will also use the hand weights off and on in this level, performing chest presses, chest fly's, tricep extensions, weighted abs, bicep curls, hammer curls, and more.

The first ab segment (Everyday Abs) consists of 5 reps each of 12 different ab exercises, for a total of 60 crunches all together! The Ab Challenge has all the same exercises but you do 10 reps of each of them for a total of 120 crunches.

My Opinion:

What did I really think about this video? Well, it is not your average, everyday, run off the mill exercise video, that's for sure. I am used to a formal, structural, serious workout tape. Valerie Bertinelli Losing It and Keeping Fit! is not any of these things. Valerie manages to make you feel like you are doing the workout with her and her personal trainer, not just watching. There are no background groupies doing the exercises in unison, only Valerie and Christopher Ross Lane appearing in your living room. Valerie uses a sense of humor that I have never seen in an exercise video before. Valerie and Christopher are seen throughout the video bantering back and forth as he tries to get her to follow his program. I believe Valerie is trying to get us to see that exercise needs to be fun (not always serious) to motivate us and to sustain us on our journey to a healthier lifestyle.

Sometimes Valerie is shown making small mistakes and having to catch up with Christopher or asking him to wait a second. Some people might think she looks unprofessional because of these things. I thought this was a great motivational concept! Why? Because no one can do an exercise video perfectly the first few times they do it! It made me feel more comfortable doing the video, knowing that it's not just me that makes mistakes, even Valerie Bertinelli does. Finally, I compliment Christopher for his way of explaining how you can make the presented exercises easier or harder in case you need to adjust to your own difficulty level.

All that being said, as most of the video is filled with variations of squats and lunges I believe that if you have bad knees or can not do a proper squat or lunge that this video is not for you.

This video, I think, is perfect for beginners, seniors, or those of us that just want a change to our regular exercise routines.

The Give Away:

If you are motivated and have a desire to lose weight and stay fit then Gaiam can help you. One lucky Northern Mama reader will receive a free copy of Valerie Bertinelli Losing It and Staying Fit! dvd.

To Enter:

• Visit Gaiam and check out the Valerie Bertinelli DVD and tell me why you would benefit from or want this exercise DVD {Required}

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Giveaway US and Canada residents. Giveaway closes March 8th, 2010 10:00 pm CT. Read Giveaway Rules for details.

Review By Nikki