Wow! Thank you all so much for entering my Exhale Core Fusion Lean & Toned DVD giveaway. I am beyond amazed by how many people wanted this DVD. The post itself got 119 comments which made me feel very special and like a real blogger, and so many of you shared the love on Twitter, Facebook and your own blogs. I was especially surprised to see how many commentosr aren’t bloggers – I think this really attests to the power of the Twitters as I had some help from the Exhale Twitter accounts!

If you live near any of these areas, consider following the Exhale Core Fusion location near you for special offers and general great information: New York, Santa Monica, Dallas, Florida, Chicago, Boston, Venice.

Before I announce the winner, I want to let you know that Core Fusion Lean & Toned officially went on sale today on Amazon.com. So even if you didn’t win, I recommend trying the DVD yourself. It costs less than an actual class and actually comes with a pass for a free class inside!

I used the Random Integer Generator to select the winner.

The winner is #22 (this includes comments and the other ways to enter) and was a Twitter winner — @alihoffer!

Congratulations Ali!  Please send me your address and I will get the DVD to you!

But here’s an interesting fact — Ali was not the original winner. At first, this was the integer that was chosen:

So I went to my Excel list of entrants to see who won. And then I cracked up.

For those of you not familiar with Rachel’s blog Shedding It and Getting It, you should check it out because she is intelligent, honest, hilarious and real. But a few things made me burst into laughter here:

• Rachel is obsessed with Core Fusion DVDs! She participated in my Core Fusion Challenge in the beginning of the year and took it up a notch by continuing it (after seeing amazing results) with variations of all the Core Fusion DVDs. She just started her Core Fusion Challenge 3.0 by mixing it up even more. She was holding out buying Lean & Toned because she wanted to see if she won this contest.
• The number is significant. Rachel’s blog is about Shedding It (ie, Core Fusion DVD) and also Getting It (hence the significance).
• And the real kicker is that Rachel just secured herself a copy of Lean & Toned yesterday.

As soon as I chose the winner, I BBMd Rachel to tell her the news. I had to tell her, it was too funny. Of all the entrants she would happen to be 69 and that 69 was chosen?? You can’t make this stuff up. After a good laugh, Rachel graciously offered her prize back up for selection. She did win fair and square, and could have used this extra copy as a gift for someone else, but Rachel decided that one of my readers deserves it — although she is honored to have been number 69. So Ali — it’s actually Rachel you have to thank!

Rachel’s also hosting her own Core Fusion giveaway so check it out. Also, do yourself a favor and watch every episode of Shed Theater – be prepared to laugh.

It is no secret that I love everything Core Fusion. In January and February, I embarked on my Core Fusion Challenge – to really amazing results. I’d never had such success with workouts before this. But Core Fusion changed my body, changed my entire outlook on exercise (I now love and crave it) and it changed how I approach situations outside the classroom in my everyday life.

While I did my Core Fusion Challenge at exhale spa taking live classes, many of the people who participated along with me used the Core Fusion DVDs. I actually own them all myself, and I use them when I am traveling or when I feel like doing a short exercise at home. Each DVD is broken up into five 10-minute workouts that you can do all at once, or split up whenever you want.

The stars of the DVDs – Body Sculpt, Pilates Plus, Pure Abs & Arms, Thighs & Glutes – are Fred DeVito and Elisabeth Halfpapp, Core Fusion co-founders, husband and wife, and also my teachers at exhale. They actually got married the same year I was born! They’re on the screen, doing the exercises and the movements are explained with their own voiceovers. Unlike other exercise DVDs, they aren’t irritating or mean or cheesy. Fred and Elisabeth explain each exercise, any variations you might want or need to do, and the benefits of each movement. Very calm, very chill – yet the workouts are VERY tough.

So those DVDs are all awesome. Seriously, I cannot recommend them enough. But now they decided to take a new approach with their next few DVDs and make them more like a live class – like the classes I take multiple times a week at exhale spa.

So far, they’ve filmed three of these class-like DVDs – and one of them, Core Fusion Lean & Toned, comes out on Tuesday, May 4! Being the Core Fusion aficionado that I am, I got my hands on an early copy (tip: they are already on sale at exhale spa locations). I’ve seen this DVD twice so far. The first time, I watched it in bed on a Friday night like a movie. Core Fusion really is just that entertaining to me! And the second time, I did as much of the DVD workout as one could do in a tiny Manhattan apartment with no living room.

I was excited about this DVD because it is marketed as being like a live class. Even more exciting is that in the DVD with Fred and Elisabeth are three of my favorite Core Fusion teachers! So if you get this DVD, you’ll be watching the teachers whose classes I take the most.

So what did I think of Core Fusion Lean & Toned?

I liked it! I think that for someone who doesn’t have access to live classes or can’t afford/doesn’t want to pay for them, this DVD will definitely give you a good feel of what class is like. That said, Lean & Toned is not exactly like a live class as I thought it would be. It was like a compressed version of class – as if someone held a full-length class at both ends and squeezed it in.

Lean & Toned goes something like this:

Warm up (leg/arm lifts)
Pushups
Reverse Pushups (tricep dips)
Forearm Plank
Weights (for biceps, triceps, shoulders, back)
Thighs  (ouch)
Abs (flat back/round back against a wall)
Glutes
Abs (pretzel/curl combo)
Stretch

That is a lot to pack in 50 minutes! The movements are fairly nonstop so it does work up a sweat, although the stretching in between creates a nice feeling of balance. That said, some parts did feel rushed, like the plank and arm weights sections, which were much shorter than I expected. I also never saw the pretzel move interspersed with the abs curl position, as was done here. I was confused by the pretzel (imagine sitting with one leg bent in front of you and one straight or bent to the side) being here at all since there was already a glutes section, and this pretzel was intended more for abs. Just something I haven’t seen done in class. One final difference is that in class we do glutes right after thighs. In the DVD some ab work falls in between those sections, although a little birdie told me that was a production error.

All in all, this is an excellent workout DVD and you will get the idea of a Core Fusion class. If you decide to order the DVD, you will need to own a set of light weights. I’ve been doing Core Fusion for months and I use 3 pound weights. You also need a chair to hold on to for the thighs segment, and a wall with space to lean against for flat and round back abs.

Want to try Core Fusion Lean & Toned for free?

I’m giving away one copy of this DVD thanks to the awesome people at Acacia, the company that produces all Core Fusion DVDs along with many other workout DVDs (one of which I will be reviewing next week!).

You will receive one entry for EACH of the following:

1. Leave a comment telling me what body part you want to strengthen with Core Fusion and why
   Ex) I want so strengthen my arms so I can finally open the tightly closed bottles of POM Wonderful the company sent me
   
2. Tweet this contest! Copy and paste the following into your Twitter:
   Win the new #CoreFusion Lean & Toned DVD from @dysterious: http://bit.ly/ajVW5w
   
3. Link back to this contest in your own post and let me know in the comments section. Don’t have a blog? Post it on Facebook and let me know!

I will randomly choose a winner via the Random Integer Generator on Tuesday, May 4 – the day the Core Fusion Lean & Toned DVD officially comes out!

I cannot believe we are almost midway through March. 2010 is really flying by, huh? It’s time for my recap of my Core Fusion Challenge!

What started as a 30 day challenge — and an amazing opportunity made possible by the generosity of Fred DeVito — turned into 2 months of an experience that totally changed my life in so many ways. Back in December, Fred asked me if I’d like to take Core Fusion classes 4-5 times a week and document my experience on my blog and on the exhale website. Of course I said yes. I was struggling with my weight and body image in November and December, having actually gained a bit of weight from October to that time. I felt uncomfortable, I couldn’t fit into my clothing and I was having a hard time making any substantial changes.

Additionally, I was suffering from a chronic gastrointestinal illness that kept me feeling in pain, bloated, uncomfortable and pretty miserable most of the time. I knew things needed to change and this was my opportunity to make these changes.

I had taken Core Fusion a bunch of times, but never with any regularity. The classes are pricey at $35 a class (made less expensive with class/monthly packages and specials on sites like Rue La La) and a monthly membership is more expensive than a regular gym membership. For that reason, I never seriously considered joining. If I had to choose one thing, I figured I’d choose a gym that costs less and offers a great variety (or so I thought).

So in January I began to take Core Fusion classes regularly. But at the same time, a few other changes occurred. My boyfriend and I ended our relationship, which was stressful because I had to move a lot of stuff into a very tiny apartment – but it was like a breath of fresh air at the same time. I had more time to evaluate my goals and priorities. I took better control of my stomach problems by eating smaller portions which really seemed to help my general discomfort.

I was writing more, as per the requirement for this challenge. As a writer, this was the nudge I needed to get back into practice. I was feeling happier and more positive about everything in my life. And, the most important changes from this time:

I was doing Core Fusion almost every day — finding and learning new things about myself, my strength, my capabilities. At the same time, I was networking with a group of amazing women who were participating in the challenge with me — many from home using the Core Fusion DVDs

I know it was a combination of those things that contributed to my feeling so much better, but I do attribute Core Fusion for helping the rest fall into place. Through these classes, I found my real love for treating my body well — for treating mySELF well, really. I never “loved” exercise other than running before. I did it because I felt like I had to. And I never did any strength training. I knew it was important, but I didn’t really know it was important, you know? I knew it because people said it but it never got through to me enough to put it to practice.

So there I was in January, my life drastically different than just a few weeks before. I was pushing myself through Core Fusion classes, struggling with soreness and bad knees. It was hard but I always felt great at the end of class and I was generally enjoying myself. Then I started taking Core Fusion Yoga and found a yoga love there, which I needed in my life. And I continued to attend Core Fusion and each day continued to love it more.

The results started showing quickly. After just two weeks, a friend of mine noticed muscle definition in my glutes and thighs. After a month, I met with Catherine, the health counselor and Core Fusion teacher I’ve been working with, for measurements and photos. We took measurements at the beginning of the challenge, and I was excited to see what the numbers showed.

And oh how the numbers showed! I lost about .5 inch all over and about 4% of my total body fat in just one month. After posting these results, it came to our attention that at least one person was concerned about these numbers. What I failed to explain in my measurements post was the fact that machines like the body fat/BMI machine include a 4% margin of error. I assumed it was understood, but it appears I was wrong. Additionally, food eaten, hydration and other factors can affect this number.

That said, even if the numbers of the body fat percentage were not my specific numbers, the fact that the number decreased after one month is still valid. The margin of error is the same; the only difference is me. However, to address this issue, Catherine and I met again to do all measurements and photos a third time. The numbers were still incredible. It reported a 3% body fat loss from the beginning of the challenge — still an amazing thing for a month and a half! (In the interest of full disclosure, we did these measurements at the end of the day rather than the beginning like the 4% result). My BMI went down by .2, and I lost about 2 pounds from the first day Catherine weighed me.

However, NONE of those numbers mattered at all to me. What mattered to me was the way I felt. Jeans that I could barely get past my thighs in December, much less close the button on, were now comfortable. Beyond comfortable, in fact. I was suddenly able to wear an entire wardrobe I didn’t have access to previously. One pair of jeans, I wore it all day, through breakfast, lunch and dinner — dinner OUT. And I didn’t feel like I was going to suffocate. I felt great!

In addition to how I felt in clothes, there’s also the matter of how I felt health wise. And the answer is that I felt better than I had in two and a half years, since I first got sick. As I said, I started eating smaller portions which of course contributed. But that’s not such a constant, as the amount I eat changes every day. What stayed the same was the fact that I was taking Core Fusion. I don’t believe I would be feeling as good as I am today if not for taking Core Fusion regularly. I was considering having major surgery in April and now I am not. I’m going to ride this whole “feeling good” wave as long as I can, by continuing to do everything I have been doing that seems to be working — and that includes lots of Core Fusion.

I also have mirrors in my home. I look in these mirrors. I can SEE the differences in my body. I can feel the differences as well. I’ve got muscle definition and tone all over. For those of you who are scared of getting bulky, I’ve got none of that. Just tone and definition. I love making a muscle in my arm and seeing my bicep! And I see it when I don’t plan to, like when I’m in the curl position, holding onto my outer thighs, and I look down at my arms and — HELLO MUSCLE!

I am stronger. Much stronger! I can now do long form pushups (!!!!!!!). I can use a heavier weight for upper body than when I started. I can hold planks for a really long time!! My knees don’t hurt when I run anymore — and I just ran 11 miles on Saturday! My legs don’t shake as much when we do thigh work at the bar. I can get much deeper into the curl position during abs and feel my abs burning more. And of course, there is the issue of my flexibility — being that now, I HAVE SOME! My new favorite part of class is round back against the wall, just because it means I get to show off my newfound flexibility to everyone in the room. Yes, my legs shake the entire time. No, I can’t let go of my calves and put my hands under the bar if that is what the rest of the class is doing. But I CAN DO IT. I can get my legs straight up and stretch them in a new way and look in the mirror and admire how straight they are and feel like I made amazing progress. And I have no doubt in my mind that after a couple months of stretching like this (maybe less?) I will be able to lift my hands off my calves and keep my legs straight up without holding on. It will happen.

In the second month of this challenge, I reaped even many more benefits than the first. This is when I noticed my body begin to reshape, which is something exhale boasts but I needed to see for myself. My body truly is a different shape. For the first time in a long time, I don’t hate my body. I hate to sound so negative, but I have struggled with body image issues for a very long time. Now, I look in the mirror and see all the hard work over the last 2 months. Am I as “thin” as I was a few years ago? No. Do I feel even more confident and happy in how I look and feel than I did a few years ago? YES. I don’t go on the scale because I don’t want it to ever be about the scale again. It is about how I look and feel. I look and feel strong. I look and feel great. My confidence has improved greatly.

And, another friend noticed that my arms are muscular and complimented me a couple weeks ago. Validation is always nice.

One more thing I wanted to cover in this very long recap (sorry!) is the social network support I’ve received throughout this time. When I started the Core Fusion Challenge, I opened it up to anyone who wanted to take part, at class or with the DVDs. I expected some people to follow along but I didn’t expect anything like what I got. I met so many amazing women, all striving to be their best, to work hard, to achieve results. They gave me so much support, encouragement and motivation throughout this time. And they still do now, as I remain in touch with most of them! I even made friends through this! I’ve taken Core Fusion classes with some new people as a result of my challenge who I now hang out with and talk to regularly. How amazing! And I know that every time I write a post or need an opinion, I have a support group ready to hear about my Core Fusion experiences and willing to offer their advice and guidance.

And of course, there is Fred, Catherine and the wonderful teachers at exhale spa who I got to work with this entire time. I was so lucky to have Fred to offer support and answer any questions I had. If something hurt, he gave me expert advice and within a couple days I was as good as new. Catherine has been a rock for me throughout this time as well. I went through some very tough times during the last 2 months — a close friend passed away, I had to adjust to moving back to my tiny apartment after a breakup, another friend betrayed me in a horrible way — and Catherine has been there for me every step of the way, doing all she could to make sure I was okay. If anyone ever needs a health counselor (or to take a great Core Fusion class), I cannot recommend Catherine enough.

The other teachers at exhale have also been incredible. I tried taking as many different teachers as possible during this tim. Every one was fantastic and they all have something special to offer. Exhale does a spectacular job at training these teachers (16 week training program!) and as a result, we get teachers who know how to teach well, correct our form, push us harder and make us want to be better with each class.

I tried taking as many different types of classes as possible. Core Fusion was the main goal here, to be supplemented with the other class offerings at exhale.  As a result, I tried Core Fusion Yoga, Music Yoga Flow, Yoga – Level 1 and Core Fusion Cardio. I continue to take Core Fusion Yoga and Core Fusion Cardio about once a week each, as well as Core Fusion a few times a week, and I just love every class. I crave them. As soon as one class ends, I want to go back for more. It is addicting but not in an unhealthy way. It is simply fun. I’m not trying to lose weight, I am trying to be the best version of me I can be. This challenge helped me realize how I can go about this and gave me an amazing starting point.

While my Core Fusion Challenge has officially ended, my Core Fusion experience is far from over as I continue to take class just as much as I have been. The results, the positivity I feel, the calmness and peace at the end of each class — I am not willing to give any of this up. I can tell you with certainty that Core Fusion simply works. It is worth the price because a gym membership won’t get you these results – especially if you are like me and don’t bother with strength training. I brought a few friends to try Core Fusion and they are all hooked. The experience is much more enjoyable than what a gym could give you. It is hard to motivate yourself but the teachers at Core Fusion do the job quite well!

I hope you try it out if you haven’t yet. If you are a brand new student, you can try a week of unlimited classes for just $40. The DVDs are all affordably priced as well on Amazon as well. The brand new DVD which is more like a real Core Fusion class is called Lean & Toned and comes out in May. I will be reviewing it here closer to then and I am very excited about it.

Thanks for keeping up my entire challenge! The Core Fusion Challenge came into my life at the perfect time. I am so happy you got to share it with me.

At the last minute, my evening opened up and I decided to take Fred’s Core Fusion class on Wednesday night.

I knew it was different from the beginning.

I knew it was different when I decided to stretch before class while sitting on the floor with my legs extended in front of me. I reached forward and for the very first time in my life — including the 12 years I spent taking dance class — I was able to touch my toes. Yes, I had to severely flex my feet to do this, but that’s neither here nor there. For the first time in my life, I could touch my toes.

I knew it was different when I was able to put my yoga blocks on the level closest to the floor instead of the middle or highest (there are 3 levels) during the stretches of our right leg, when we go into splits (or in my case, tiny attempts at splits). I knew it was different when I was able to abandon the yoga blocks completely during the stretch and split of my left leg, which has always been my more flexible side. But not that flexible.

I knew it was different when the class sat in rounded backs against the wall to put their legs straight up in front of them. I took my strap like always around my right foot, my tighter leg, my foot with tendinitis. I was able to stretch the leg higher than it had been recently.

I knew it was different when I moved the strap to my left leg and my leg stretched up so far towards my face that I couldn’t believe how naturally it happened.

Fred noticed.

He came up to me and told me to put the strap aside. For a second I thought he was going to show me a new stretch but when he told me to lift my right leg too and put my hands on my calves I understood what was happening.

“This is your graduation day,” Fred told me.

I was with the rest of the class. My legs were straight up in front of me. Shaking uncontrollably, yes. But they there. Straight. Up. I was in shock. I was smiling. No, it wasn’t easy. But I did it. Two months of hard work and I accomplished one of my initial goals. A goal, I might add, that I never really thought was remotely possible.

When I started this challenge in the beginning of January, I outlined my objectives to Fred, and one objective was to be able to join the class during this portion. I’ve often been frustrated when I feel like the only person in the room who can’t follow along. I sometimes feel jipped, like I am missing an essential ab workout. Of course, I was not jipped. I am getting there in my own time. Getting my body ready to go there — because everyone’s capabilities are different. Certain things will always be easier for someone else than they are for you. Certain things will always be easier for you than it will be for someone else.

But really, I never expected this to happen. I even told Catherine, the exhale health counselor & core fusion teacher, in our last meeting that I know my body and I know I will never be able to join the class in this exercise.

Ha! What do I know?

But Fred knew.

And it was in his class that I was pushed past any thoughts of “I can’t.” And, instead, I did. I accomplished a major goal. After almost 27 years of living with terrible flexibility and 12 years of dance where I just couldn’t do the stretches; after accepting that I am just not a flexible person, using the excuse that “I have a tight lower back” and being sure I could never significantly improve in this area, I was proved wrong.

There is no question about it. I knew Core Fusion helped me so far with building muscle, gaining strength, improving my core/glutes/abs/arms, transforming my body, helping me fit back into my clothes. But I wasn’t sure if it was helping my flexibility. Until Wednesday night, when all the small improvements I didn’t notice finally added up and became one big – and very noticeable – improvement.

After just two months of taking Core Fusion classes regularly, I can say with 100% certainty that I greatly improved my flexibility.

I will never again say “I can’t.”

I usually have an early morning meeting on Tuesdays, but it was canceled this week. I was thrilled because that meant I was finally able to try Core Fusion Yoga with Kayleigh. I love any opportunity to get Core Fusion Yoga into my life, and it has been hard for me to get there on Sundays lately.

Class was at 7 am in SoHo, and I had no idea how long it would take me to get there. Me being me, I got there very early. So early, in fact, that exhale wasn’t even open yet. Oops!

I wasn’t waiting for long though, and I had the luxury of being the only person in the studio for awhile. I got ready, spread out my mat, got my props and stretched. Kayleigh arrived and I introduced myself to her and then three other students arrived as well.

When a Dave Matthews Band song came on a few minutes into the class, I smiled; I was so happy! Any teacher who plays DMB during an exercise class is a great teacher. This only happened to me once before, in a spin class. The song (Stolen Away on 55th and 3rd) was peaceful and relaxing and great for the beginning of class. (I’m going to see DMB for the 12th time in July!)

While it might have started slow, the rest of class was a major workout. The room was heated and the flow was nonstop. Every stretch felt so great after my long run over the weekend. We did a very long and intense set of planks mixed with side planks, without stopping. I was so proud of how well I did during this! I felt strong.

Core Fusion Yoga is seriously an amazing cardio session. I was literally dripping with sweat and my heart was beating fast. While I could get away with wearing cotton during Core Fusion, I wouldn’t do that in Core Fusion Yoga because there is just so much sweat! If anyone is considering joining exhale but concerned that they won’t get enough cardio in, trust me: between Core Fusion Yoga, Core Fusion Sport and the new Core Fusion Cardio, there are more than enough cardio options. And for me, Core Fusion Yoga is such an incredible way to get cardio in because you’re also getting deep stretching and strength training at the same time.

Kayleigh is a fantastic teacher and I felt so comfortable doing all the yoga moves, even though I am not much of a yoga person. We did many sets of 4 pushups throughout the class and I did all of them long form, not on my knees. I felt so strong! Kayleigh even complimented me on my pushups. She also corrected my form throughout the class which helped me experience each pose in the best way possible.

The class moved so quickly. It was all nonstop, and having just four of us there helped ensure we got a lot of special attention. I rarely felt limited by my inflexibility. I was able to do almost everything with no issue, and had the yoga blocks there for when I did need some extra help.

The most challenging part of class was these planks we did where we twisted to the side (working our obliques/waist) and bent one leg inward while keeping the other on the floor. We did a bunch of these on each side and it was so hard to hold this position. We held the last one on each side longer than the others, and during the last one Kayleigh noticed I was struggling. Her words of encouragement pushed me through and I finished the exercise strong.

We did something I hadn’t done in other Core Fusion Yoga classes that was really interesting. Kayleigh had us sit on the floor and hold on to the yoga blocks and we did a sequence of lifting ourselves up by pushing down on the blocks and stretching our legs forward and back in this way as well. It was so hard and I really felt it in my abs.

Speaking of abs, sigh. The curl. We held the yoga block between our thighs which I prefer to holding with our hands above our bodies, so that was good. The movements were so hard and toward the end I was really struggling. By the last 10 seconds I was doing my best with my arms off my legs, but right before we were about to be done I lost it and had to hold onto my legs with my hands. I quickly took my hands off to finish abs strong. Sometimes I feel guilty when I don’t finish something full out when I know I could have worked harder, but this morning I know I did the best I could so I felt great about it.

Towards the end of class, another great song that I love called Winding Road came on. Such a perfect song for unwinding (pun not intended!).

As we relaxed at the end of class, Kayleigh came around the room and fixed us. For me, she pushed my legs down further against my mat and pressed down next to my shoulders to make sure I was as relaxed as possible. I really needed that! I carry so much tension in my shoulders and have a hard time relaxing them myself. Kayleigh explained to me after that she is also a yoga teacher so she is able to get more into the yoga aspects of class. Core Fusion Yoga is a great class to take with any teacher, but I did like the variation here.

Wonderful music and an incredible class. Core Fusion Yoga first thing in the morning is the perfect way to wake up and start the day. I felt so rejuvenated after and in a great mood for the rest of the day! I’m sad I can’t go every week because of my early meeting, but luckily next week my meeting is canceled again. I will be back then – and I’ll be bringing friends!