Day 51: I'm Gonna Pump.....You Up!

I'm starting to feel the need to "pump up" my workouts a little. I think my body has gotten adjusted to walking, so it's really not challenging me as much as it should.

I'm trying to map out what I want to do fitness-wise for next month, so I'm open to suggestions if anybody has any.

I think I'm going to set a goal of working out 5 times per week, and only allowing myself to use 2 of those workout times for walking. The others will need to be something a little more high-impact.

I have a Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred workout that has absolutely kicked my butt when I've tried it before. The DVD has three different levels of intensity, depending on your personal fitness. I've only ever been able to do level 1, so I think one goal I want to set for myself is to get to the point where I am able to do level 2. You can check out this DVD HERE.

In addition to that, I also have a few Biggest Loser workout DVDs. The Power Sculpt is a really good weights workout, and it, too, is divided into 3 segments according to your fitness level. The Biggest Loser Cardio Max is a little more challenging. I honestly haven't done it that many times because in the past I've felt like it was too difficult for me. I'll be interested to see how well I can keep up with it now that I've been working out consistently for awhile. I also have a Biggest Loser Boot Camp video that has, sadly, never been taken out of the shrink wrap! Wow. I suck. I bought that video at Target probably 8 or 9 months ago and never got around to giving it a try.

I have two So You Think You Can Dance DVDs as well, but they're not really as difficult.

I have some Wii workout video games, as well. My sister got me EA Sports Active for Christmas. It has some pretty good workouts, and even a program to build up your endurance and strength in 6 weeks. And I have a Gold's Gym Cardio Kickboxing game that is pretty fun. It's made cheaply, and there may be something better on the market now, but I really enjoy kickboxing so I bought the game.

I have Wii Fit Plus and Wii Fit, but to be honest, I really don't feel like they're a great workout. I think if I played Wii Fit Plus for a good 2 hours, I still wouldn't get the same calorie burn as doing the Jillian Michaels DVD for half an hour. The Wii Fit Plus is a good way to stay active and, obviously, it's better than sitting on the couch eating bon bons. But for someone with lofty fitness goals, the Wii Fit Plus probably isn't going to do much for me in terms of helping me to get where I'm wanting to go.

I own a rickety old elliptical machine that I bought about 6 years ago. It's squeaky and cheap, though, and I feel like it's going to break when I use it. Maybe I should dust the old thing off and give it another shot. That's a great way to get some exercise while I'm watching TV at night.

I'm doing one of my absolute favorite exercise things tonight, though. My sister and I are going to Zumba!! I've done Zumba a few times, and whew! It's exhausting, but it is SO much fun. For anyone who's not familiar with Zumba, it's a workout class that's infused with Latin and Hip Hop dance. The class is led by a certified instructor who leads you in the dances and makes it fun. Actually, I have the opportunity to attend these classes twice a week, but the only problem is that they're about 45 minutes away. I'm not sure if I want to drive all that way each time, but I'd love to incorporate more Zumba into my life. I've looked for classes around here, but it seems like most of them meet at times when I'm not able to go, like during the day when I'm working.

Does anyone else have suggestions of thins I can incorporate into my fitness routine that would have more of an impact than walking?