Ballet Beautiful Total Body Tone

I talked about how excited I was to try the Ballet Beautiful Workout DVD in a blog posted about two weeks ago. Well, since then I have tried it and wanted to share my review of the workout with you! Yep, we are really going to get some writting mileage out of this workout.

After reading a lot of the reviews on Amazon, I had a feeling that I was going to enjoy this workout. All the reviews that talked about Mary Helen Bowers' soft voice that was kindly encouraging were not lying. She is a great instructor who does not bully or yell at all. Pretty much the opposite of your P90X and Jillian Michaels workouts while still giving similar results.

The workout has four 15-minute segments that, if needed, could be done separately to pin-point an area or save some time. The segments are legs, abs, outer thighs, and arms. Almost the entire workout is comprised of mat exercises that do not require ballet shoes at all. Most of the exercises are things ballet dancers would do to condition, in fact, you may even see a few familiar exercises in the bridge and outer thigh series. Anyone remember the 10-Minute Bum Routine?

Bowers recommends completing the entire workout at once 2-3 times per week. The entire workout burned just over 200 calories. What it did not burn in calories, it made up for in massive muscle toning with exercises that will encourage long, lean muscle growth.

If you have a spare $14.99 laying around your house and want to spend it in one fowl swoop, this would not be a bad purchase or something you will soon regret; especially when we consider that the average workout class runs between $15-$30 per one workout. Almost every woman and quite a few men will simply love this workout and all of our wallets will be proud!

3 Great Article by Summer Tomato

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Darya Rose, the author of Foodist and writer at Summer Tomato has been writing some articles lately that simply must be shared. Each time I read one of her posts I think, " This is something that everyone could learn from". Darya's articles are simple, but filled with more knowledge than you can shake a stick at, if you are into that sort of thing. Her writing is witty and her research can be backed up with years of education (a PhD to be exact) and education in the food field. Here are three quick articles that have made me re-think the relationship that I have with food or given more knowledge to help make better healthstyle choices.

The Heartbreaking Story of the Joyless Splurge

If you are diet addicted or have ever dieted in your life, this article is one that should not be over-looked. In this article, Darya talks about her struggles with diets, food restrictions, and what broke her out of that downward spiral. I whole heartily agree with Darya that there is no room or need for a diet in a healthy lifestyle. This post is open and frank about how Darya changed her health and, hopefully, will help everyone who reads it see how they can change theirs.

Experience Stretching

Experience Stretching is one of Darya's most recent articles and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. This article is not quite as raw or deep as The Heartbreaking Story but it is fun and gives all those fast food addicts hope. We all live super busy lives and I know, first hand, how attractive that take-out and fast food can look. Too bad most of it has the nutritional content of the bag it came in. If you have ever felt like the hardest part of being healthy is the food prep and time that goes along with it, this article will give you hope that eating healthy is just a learning curve that we all must move along.

Food Labels

Yes, I will take the advice of a neuroscientist when it comes to deciphering the healthy from unhealthy on every food label. Considering that it, pretty much, takes a Doctor to understand those chemical names that seem to use every letter in the alphabet twice, it is not so bad to have a doctor here to help read between the fine lines. If you are one of those who enjoys the facts without much fluff, go ahead and skim down to the second half of the article. This is where Darya puts all of her scientific sleuthing to work and helps us know how to read those ridiculous food labels that promise health and riches beyond our wildest dreams.

4 Ways to Recycle Summer Clothes for Fall

Fall is finally here and I am so excited for it! Our house is currently getting decked out for the Halloween season and my wardrobe is seeing some changes as well. Even though sunny old Florida is not blessed with multiple seasons like most the world, we Floridians still like to pretend. That's right, lookout 70 degree weather, my blazers, cardigans, scarfs and booties are on their way! Sure, I can pretend my way through fall, but for the rest of those who are seeing the colors change and feeling the cooler weather will be changing out their wardrobe for real. Don't be too hasty to put all those summer shorts and maxi dresses in storage, there are a great many summer pieces that can be styled for fall as well!

Shorts

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Who knew that our summer shorts can last all the way through the fall? No, I do not suggest strutting around in those short shorts alone when the weather cools, but pair those duds with some tights and booties, and you have yourself a recycled wardrobe! Shorts can easily transition into a preppy, fun fall outfit with the simple addition of some opaque tights and booties. Take it a step farther and make it a bit warmer with a slouchy sweater. This look can also become sleek by pairing your shorts combo with a preppy blouse and fitted blazer. Viva la shorts!

Wendy from Wendy's Look Book has a great example on how to pay jean shorts, booties, tights, and a blazer here.  

Maxi Skirts

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Oh the maxi skirt, pretty much every girl has at least one of these tied to her summer wardrobe. Maxis were everywhere this summer and, thankfully, can be worn straight on through fall. Another bonus is that this look can be completed with a maxi dress or skirt; the recycling abounds!  

To pull off a super cute, bohemian fall look, pair your favorite maxi with your new favorite slouchy sweater. The best way to pull off this look is with a slouchy, boyfriend sweater. Make it even more bohemian chic with a large hay or beanie and pair of fall booties. Careful, you may be confused for Sienna Miller or an Olson twin if you're not careful. 

If chic is more your style, go for a somewhat fitted sweater that can be tucked into your maxi skirt. Finish it off with a statement belt and you have an inexpensive and trendy day-to-night outfit.  Here is a great example!

Mini's

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Mini skirts and dresses pretty much work the same as your favorite pair of shorts. Add a pair of opaque, colorful tights and some heels and you have a completed outfit. When it comes to tops, the sky is the limit for this look. Pair it with a blouse and blazer, tank top and cardigan, or any type of sweater that you see fit. This is one of the most interchangeable looks for fall. I like to keep the tights colorful but in the fall color spectrum. Tights that fall into the deep greens, blues, burgundies, and mustard yellows tend to look the best.

T-Shirts

T-shirts should never be put away for any season of the year; they are far too comfy and interchangeable for that nonsense. This look is one that both girls and guys can use year-round. Pair your favorite tees with long wrapped scarves and a super fitted blazer for a fun look that will also keep you warm. Tees can be paired with anything from boyfriend jeans to leather pants. Any way you mix it, the tee is something that can transfer between any outfit.

Combine multiple looks and pair your t-shirt/blazer combo with the shorts and tights for a seriously recycled and super trendy outfit. Blazer from Asos.

How to Make Healthy Ramen Burgers

The Ramen Burger, created by NY based Keizo Shimamoto, has become a food truck foodie's dream. This new form of burger takes away that boring ol' bun and replaces it with a yummy ramen cake instead. With ramen noddles rising in popularity and burgers being an American standar, it is no wonder that this little morsel has become as popular as the cronut. And, it is also no surprise that, in it's original state, the ramen burger is not a super healthy treat. The average serving of ramen noodles are high in calories and salt, add in the meat and condiments and we have a bonafide guilty pleasure.

Thankfully, there are a few healthy[er] options for making ramen burgers at home. The first is quite simple and is what most have already figured... Instead of using a beef patty that is high in artery clogging fats, opt for a low-fat turkey patty instead. By doing this quick switch, you will be reducing the calorie content by over 100 calories and the fat content by about 13 grams! Now that we are on a role, let's reduce that unneeded sodium found in most ramen noodles by using the Hakubaku Organic Ramen Noodles instead. This will lower the sodium and carbohydrate content while increase the amount of protein found in each serving.

These simple changes will bring down the calorie content, fat content, and sodium content of this popular guilty pleasure, but we can take it a step farther with the condiments we choose. Condiments are one of the easiest ways to take a healthy meal and bring it to the unhealthy zone. If you wish to keep those burgers on the side of healthy, opt out of the teriyaki sauces, ketchups, aioli's, and barbecue sauces and go for the yellow or spicy mustards instead. This simple swap will save as much as 100 calories and 35 grams carbohydrates. Now that is what I call a healthy ramen burger!