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!

Hi from 5:41 am. I had to work Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) today, which is the time they use in London. They call it that because it is MEAN when someone in New York has to work on their 5 hour later schedule. That means I have been awake since 2:45 am, working since 3:00 am. I am tired.

Time Warner decided three days ago that I don’t need internet connection to be a whole person. True, but I do need internet connection to be an employed person. And that is why I am working from my very gracious friend’s apartment right now. The idea of walking through an empty mall to an empty escalator and into an empty office building scared me, although some told me my fear is irrational others confirmed that I am, in fact, rational.

I really want to write my 13.1 Marathon recap, but I am just too tired now to put any energy into it. I didn’t exactly go to sleep very early and I believe I earned myself a McGriddle. Or, you know, a healthier version. Like, a green juice.

Work is pretty stressful even when it’s not stressful at 5:48 am when all you want to do is sleep. The good news is that tomorrow I get to see my little brother! We are both flying to the Floridas from NY and the Seattles, respectively, to see our cute grandma. Our grandma is SO CUTE. Here’s a little transcript of our phone call the other day:

Grandma: What food should I buy for your lunches while you’re here? Turkey breast?

Me: No turkey, I’m a vegetarian actually.

Grandma: Oh, ok. Do you eat chicken? Let’s go to a chicken restaurant!

Too funny. I don’t even know what a chicken restaurant is. My grandma used to sign her AIM instant messages to me with “Love, Me” at the bottom of each IM. Yes, she had AIM and I don’t know how she figured out how to use it.

Even better is this email I received from her in August 2008:

Hi Dori

I  am trying to send a message.  HOPE YOU GET THIS  I CANNOT GET OUT OF THE CAPS.

DONOT KNOW WHY.  I JUST DECIDED TO TRY TO TRY YOU.

LOVE

YOUR NOT SO SMART GRANDMA.

Needless to say, I am looking forward to this Florida trip. I’m also looking forward to running in the morning in nice weather! Hopefully I can get my brother to go on a run with me. That is, if the f-ing weather cooperates.

I will be bringing my computer and I really hope to get my race recap posted within the next couple of days! But I will tell you all that I finished my second half marathon and I am so proud of myself for doing it.

And now that it is 6:38 am ET, more of you are awakening on the Twitters. Socialization!

Sorry, but that is all you’re getting today. A quick rundown:

I received notice of the final date of my current job. I knew this day was coming but until I had a definite date it didn’t feel very real. This means I have to spend more time job searching. I have been conducting a half assed job search for over a year — even turning down one health & fitness writing job that didn’t pay enough and in retrospect would have been perfect — but now I really have to amp it up. If you or someone you know wants to hire me, I have a Master’s degree in Corporate Communication; I specialize in internal communication; I am open to other possibilities given the current climate; I am a writer. Please read my professional website for more information.

My Humor Writing class is going well, but there is lots of work! My assignment for this week is to read an entire humorous book. Not a huge deal since there is never a moment I am not reading a book, but the pressure to both start and finish one in a week’s time while juggling work, job search, family, the boy, TV, working out, rest and the rest of my writing assignments is a little much. I will get you that Seattle recap post (I started it!) once I finish the book (Waiter Rant, by the way. Thanks Phoebe!) And did you know there are rules to writing funny? I have a hard time following these rules and need to practice being funny so I can continue to be funny.

Additionally, I have had one of my worst gastrointestinal weeks ever. So much that I have scheduled my next appointment with the surgeon. So much that I begged and pleaded with the boy to please just sit on my stomach, hoping the pressure of his body weight would help me to feel better. It didn’t. I am seeing the surgeon on December 10.

I have been consumed with lengthy phone conversations with the doctor I saw 2 weeks ago with both his office and my insurance company trying to get approval for an expensive antibiotic. Apparently, the doctor approved it but the insurance denied it because although I am sick, I am not sick enough to actually receive treatment. It makes lots of sense and I love this situation very much.

I HAVE BEEN TAKING PICTURES OF FOOD! I don’t know why I shouted that, but it felt right. I have not, however, uploaded said pictures. I will. And I will post. And I owe you a kidney.

The food I have been taking photographs of has mostly been vegetables, hence my bad gastrointestinal week. In this week I also ordered from Peacefood Cafe and ate at the incredible Pure Food & Wine twice. YUM. Seriously, that place is so great. I can’t wait to tell you all about what I ate. Love the food. Don’t love the effects on my tummy. My problem is (and I will get much more into this in a future post) that I have absolutely no idea what to eat. I know the foods that won’t cause me as much pain, but they are not healthy enough nor are they what I WANT. I want vegetables and whole grains. So I don’t know how I can eat what I want and what is healthy while avoiding extreme pain and discomfort.

Working out. I had some spin shoes mishaps I will tell you about soon. Let’s just say there was a spin class with me repeatedly and angrily banging my foot against the bike and saying “F*CK.”

ALSO I was at the gym and Days of Our Lives was on and I was surprised to see Luis from Passions. And even more surprised to see Theresa and Ethan kissing in the next scene. What show is this?!

And I tried yoga again and didn’t hate it! More on that to come as well.

Lastly, I ran 6.24 miles yesterday. I decided to run to the George Washington Bridge because it didn’t look that far away but really, the more I run and run, the distance between me and the bridge never seems to close. After 3.12 miles I decided I better turn around so I don’t cause massive damage to my already sensitive knees before my race coming up this weekend.

I will run to the bridge another time. It might not be until the Spring due to unfortunate temperatures in the northeasten region, but it will happen. Oh and I saw a unicylclist during my run. He was wearing a backpack. All I could think was how strong his core must be.

OK work to be done. Bye, sorry.

I am alive. Been so busy and I haven’t had any time to blog. I don’t know how some of these other girls do it.

Things I need to catch up on:

• The Seattles
• Blue Hill belated anniversary dinner
• 6 mile run – YES!
• Gym update
• Lots of photos
• A great foodie book I am reading
• An important foodie book I bought in the Seattles and the boy is devouring

Ummm.. I know there is more but I am experiencing an extreme case of the itis right now from my amazing dinner at Blue Hill. For those of you not familiar with Chris Rock, either look it up or recognize by its other monikers: food coma or a food baby.

Be back this week. Don’t leave me!

I bring you this additional Thursday post to show you something adorable. This brightened my day and in turn my entire work week.

This bear got trapped in a skate park. Someone threw down a ladder to help it get out and you can see it climbing up the ladder.

http://www.9news.com/9slideshows/gallery.aspx?slideshowname=08-25-09-Skate-park-bear 

Click the Next button to see each picture. I LOVE this!