Imagine if you were given a book by one of the most respected health organizations in America, which would guarantee good health and and help you lose weight. Now imagine you never had to read a word. Everything that you can imagine in a diet book has been brought to you in DVD format by the Mayo Clinic in conjunction with Gaiam. Even better, the DVD includes exercise and stress relief through yoga and meditation, so it’s like a book and fitness program in one. You get all this for less than $20!

The Mayo Clinic and Gaiam have teamed up to create a series of DVDs called Wellness Solutions. They are based on integrative medicine that combines conventional and alternative therapy options. The DVD series cover topics such as high blood pressure, insomnia, IBS, and heart health, and you can choose to purchase just the editions that you need. We chose the weight loss DVD and plan to purchase other editions because we liked this one so much.

The Weight Loss DVD includes helpful information by Dr. Donald Hensrud, M.D. and Dr. Amit Sood, M.D., both from the Mayo Clinic. The doctors explain the effects of obesity on our bodies and emotions. They discuss the causes of obesity and how our environment as well as our actions affect our weight. For example, we live in a new society where we’ve engineered physical activity out of our environment. We are surrounded by step saving, efficient transportation, computers, and remote controls. Dr. Hensrud quips “My favorite joke is not only having a remote control, but asking a child to go and get it for you.” Oh boy, can we relate! You’ll find many points in their discussion will hit home. Most of it involves common sense advice, such as eating more natural foods and increasing activity. But it really helps when you watch it all fall together as they have accomplished with this DVD.

After this discussion, Dr. Hensrud takes us to a grocery store and shares advice on shopping for the best foods. Then the Mayo Clinic dietitian, Cailie Fura, R.D. shows us how to eat better with the Mayo Clinic Pyramid. This diet plan is mostly plant based, and concentrates on higher quality foods. It’s a simple plan that is easy to follow.

We are taught that meditation to reduce stress is important for weight loss, because it helps us to control our emotions and become less likely to stress eat. Rodney Yee, a well known yoga instructor, guides us through a 10 minute meditation session that truly is relaxing.

Our favorite part of the DVD is the yoga session. This 20 minute yoga workout by Yee is different from any other yoga workout we’ve tried. It’s designed for any size, unlike most. It was easy to do, yet left us feeling energized and refreshed! We loved this yoga workout because they took great care to make sure anyone of size could follow along. Part of the workout involves using a chair to brace the body, as well as folded towels and yoga blocks. You can see from the image at the left how these props allow you to accomplish what you need to, and it’s just as effective as a conventional yoga routine!

Overall, we were impressed with the Mayo Clinic Wellness Solutions for Weight Loss. The DVD lasts 98 minutes, including the meditation and yoga sessions which you’ll return to regularly. We learned a few things, and felt good after following the routines. We look forward to trying other DVDs in this series.

You can purchase this DVD online at Amazon.

If you make New Years Resolutions, chances are that fat loss is somewhere on the list. If you like exercising at home instead of the gym, or if you just want a good backup workout for home, then you may be interested in our most recent reviews of Fat Burning Videos. We chose two excellent videos to help you get your goals moving forward on the right foot.

First up, we have one of Prevention Magazine’s video lineup, led by Chris Freytag. Chris is a board member of the American Council on Exercise, and an editor at Prevention magazine, so you’ll know you are in good hands. We watched Prevention Fitness: Shortcuts to Big Weight Loss, which has 3 energy packed, 10 minute workouts. Do one or all three, if you can handle it! These videos are fun. Chris will keep you hopping from one move to another so boredom doesn’t settle in.

The first routine in Shortcuts to Big Weight Loss is Cardio Sculpt - a fun routine that even though dumbbells are light, you will feel it! Beginners can skip weights, and intermediate exercisers can use slightly heavier dumbbells. Pilates Sculpt is approximately a half standing - half floor routine, with a beginner modification. The last section is Kickbox Sculpt - a short, but high energy workout. It’s full of fast punches, kicks, squats, working in intervals that get your heart rate up and your muscles working. There is also a beginner modification if you need help. In all three segments, Chris is a pleasant leader - very upbeat and not chatty. This is a very well rounded workout for beginners and intermediates alike.

Our next video is Ultimate Fat Burn! by Women’s Health Magazine, who tout that this workout, led by celeb trainer Amy Dixon, burns up to 500 calories! This is also a high energy, weighted workout. It is slightly more difficult with foot movement, but even those of us with two left feet can keep up. Even an experienced weight trainer will let out a few grunts in this video. Between grunts, though, you’ll get good tips and also some non-weighted cardio. You’re going to alternate weights and cardio throughout the video. Towards the end of the workout, there are a few more advanced move, but modifiers are available until you are able to keep up. This is probably not a good choice for a brand spanking new exerciser, but if you consider yourself slightly above beginner, give it a shot and find a deliciously motivating workout to challenge you! The trainer is only slightly chatty, and you can tell she is working hard - always a good combination in our book. Choose this video, and weight loss is imminent!

Both of these videos are available at Amazon at reduced prices. Check out Prevention Fitness: Shortcuts to Big Weight Loss and Ultimate Fat Burn!

We all know exercise is good for us, that’s a no-brainer. It helps us to lose weight and firm up the jiggly bits, and keep us in shape later on. What if we told you that a quick and easy workout could actually extend your life, lower your blood pressure, and give you energy? Drs. Oz and Roizen, of the YOU book fame, have given us the YOU Staying Young workout. This DVD contains 3 workouts, each lasting between 15 and 20 minutes. Two are geared towards strength training, and the last one is a Chi Gong workout that calms the spirit and the mind and is equally important.

The YOU workout offers both a level 1 and a level 2 of a strength and stretching routine led by Joel Harper, from www.fitpackdvd.com. The workout is designed for any level of fitness, and it seems plus-size friendly. The moves are very simple to do and involve exercises while standing and laying down. If you are new to exercise, this is the perfect DVD to get you started. If you’re already in shape, you’ll love level 2. The benefits of the workout include learning how to properly breathe, stretch, strengthen, and balance your body.

We enjoyed the final workout the most. Chi Gong is similar to Tai Chi, but is easier - so we’re told. The 15 minute routine will reduce stress and improve cardiovascular performance. The workout is led by Karl Romain, Kung Fu World Champion! It was an extremely easy and pleasant workout, which was very calming, but also left us feeling energetic and refreshed in a way that was new to us. We plan to do this on a regular basis!

While these workouts are quick and easy, there’s much more to the YOU: Younger workout. The doctors advise us to walk at least 30 minutes every day, no excuses. Do either level 1 or 2 of the YOU workout two or three times a week, and do Chi Gong three times a week. Meditate for 5 minutes at some point each day. Drink green tea, plenty of water, and sleep 7 or 8 hours every night. That’s just part of it. If you want to really work on extending your life and getting the most out of it, we recommend reading their latest book, YOU Staying Young: The Owner’s Manual for Extending Your Warranty which is available at your local bookseller or online at Amazon.com along with the workout DVD.

With the holidays coming up, we’d probably all rather look less like Santa, and more like a cute elf. Preferably one without a muffin top and with a belly ring. If you’ve got a little more jiggle in the middle than you’d like, try out one of these hot new workouts that focus on the belly. Regardless of your style, you’ll find one that works for you. We were lucky to find two awesome workouts that couldn’t be more different, but give the same ab burning results.

CRUNCH has a scorching hot ‘Belly Butt and Thighs‘ workout from their Boot Camp series. This workout is a high velocity, super effective combo of cardio as well as muscle conditioning. The instructor, Teri Ann Krefting, is a very likable, as well as motivating, instructor. She’s not chatty, and she doesn’t tell cheesy jokes, which are ingredients for our favorite recipe of a repeat performance! This is one you can do over and over without having to dub the dialogue.

This is an approximately 41 minute workout that includes a warm up with refreshingly original moves, a post workout stretch, plus 4 boot camp workouts that last around 7 1/2 minutes each. Thighs and glutes are a major focus of the first three workouts. Ooooooh yeah, THIGHS. This is definitely a guarantee for spaghetti legs for newbies. a challenge for WATP lovers, and a solid workout for rainy day gym rats. If you are very overweight, have joint problems, or are just plain new at exercising, you can adapt to this workout with the low impact modifiers throughout the video.

CRUNCH Belly, Butt and Thighs Boot Camp has simple choreography, yet it is very fresh and fun. We weren’t blessed with rhythm, but we don’t need it for this workout. What we do need is a little floor space, and a towel to soak up all that sweat! This is definitely staying in the 3FC library.

For a complete 180, try Prevention Fitness Systems Better Belly Yoga. Instead of camouflage and techno music, we have Namaste, deep breathing and peaceful tunes. What a great way to sculpt the stomach area after a stressful day at work!

The instructor, Desiree Bartlett, is a natural in front of the camera. She leads us through 3 - 10 minute workouts, each one focused on a different part of the belly. This is also a multi dimensional DVD, with a beginner as well as an advanced modifier. The workout may be difficult for those with a very large belly or heavy legs, but with a little practice, strength will increase quickly.

We felt very trendy doing poses we were familiar with, such as Planks, Downward Facing Dog, Boat pose and Warrior pose, so we had to giggle when we got ‘windshield wipers’. Giggles turned to grunts, though, when we felt our abs getting the brunt of it! With the modifiers, this is also a great workout that will take each of us through our own quest for a Better Belly.

The national guidelines call for 60 to 90 minutes of moderate exercise most days of week to lose weight and keep it off, and maintain good health. You work full time, have a family to care for, and dogs to feed. Who has time to exercise? The good news is that you don’t have to exercise for an hour at a time. It’s ok to break it up into smaller segments, as long as you get it done. Short, 10 minute workouts can be easy to slip in here and there, and a few new DVDs make it even easier. We looked at the 10 Minute Solution and Women’s Health Total Workout in TEN.

We tried the 10 Minute Solution Slim and Sculpt Pilates DVD, which came with a resistance band. Each workout on this DVD is designed to target specific parts of your body. 10 Minute Solution workouts are just that - 10 minute workouts, and there are usually 5 workouts on each DVD. Don’t get too excited, you can’t get in shape by exercising just 10 minutes a day. You’ll need to do a few of them, either all at once or spread out over the course of the day. They are equally effective either way. You can choose the workouts that target your specific needs, and do them in any order. We took the easy route and spread the workouts apart throughout the day.

The first thing we noticed with the 10 Minute Solution Slim and Sculpt Pilates DVD was that the workouts were easy to follow. The moves were fluid and gentle, and almost every move could be accomplished regardless of body size. Not many fitness DVDs can say that! The second thing we noticed was that each workout was over in the blink of an eye! It was fast, but it was effective and we could feel the burn. Using the resistance bands ensured that we could continue to use the DVD as our strength increased. Workouts included upper body pilates, lower body pilates, pilates for abs, total body pilates, and pilates for flexibility.

Next, we tried the 10 Minute Solution Dance it Off DVD, which also came with a resistance band. The workouts are a step up in intensity from the pilates workout above. However, they are still suitable for larger ladies as well as more fit chicks. Workouts include a sexy slim down, high energy fat burner, dancer’s abs, upper body tone up, and buns and thighs sculpt.

Find all 10 Minute Solution videos at Amazon.com

We also tried Women’s Health Total Workout in 10. This was definitely a higher intensity total body workout. It might not be the best workout for someone very overweight or out of shape. But if you crave something that challenges your body and still want to take advantage of a 10 minute workout, this DVD is for you. You’ll need a set of 3 pound weights to use for some of the movements, and a floor mat would also be handy. The DVD includes four 10 minute workouts including cardio blasts to burn fat, upper body training, lower body training, and flexibility and balance moves to firm abs. The instructor, Amy Dixon, is very enthusiastic and explains each step well. You can also follow along with Beth, who shows us lower impact versions of the same moves. Overall, we liked this DVD but did find it more challenging for our fitness level. Still, it’s just 10 minutes and will get you on your way to a fit body! You can view sample clips from this DVD on the Women’s Health website. Scroll down on that page and you’ll find a link to enter to win a copy of this DVD!

Find this and other Women’s Health fitness videos at Amazon.com

There’s been a buzz about Yoga Booty Ballet on our forum for a long time. Most of the members that have tried it say they found it addictive and own every DVD in the collection. We noticed that the members ranged in all sizes, so it sounded like a good option all around. The Yoga Booty Ballet program is led by two fitness experts, Gillian Marloth and Teigh McDonough. These two chicks are peppy, energetic, and look fantastic! They look like they are barely 30 years old, so we were surprised to learn they are over 40! We tried their latest DVD set, Goddess Abs and AM Latte.

A.M. Latte is designed to jump start your day. I’m not sure why I expected a soothing, stretching yoga routine - maybe because I’m used to lazy mornings, gently waking up over a real latte while my masseur begins to - OK, strike that. I usually start my day with coffee and email, and don’t have the energy to exercise until at least 11am. A.M. Latte turned out to be a very energetic workout that was fun way to start the day, whether at 7am or 11am! Everything about this workout was unexpected. The workout started out slow, and you can do it from your bed if you want. But don’t be fooled, you WILL get a workout. Some of it was downright silly at times, but in a fun way. I made faces and slapped myself all over! That part was easy, but then I was instructed to hop out of bed. It progressed into a fast dance routine that was a little tricky for my two left feet to follow at first, but I believe that with practice, even I can get the hang of it. Gillian and Teigh move through the entire routine fluidly, without stopping to instruct us along the way. I’d suggest watching the DVD first, then give it a shot and follow along.

Goddess Abs is a 20 minute workout that is challenging, but guaranteed to deliver! If you are very large or out of shape, you may have problems following along at first. Hang in there and do what you can, and you’ll eventually get those Goddess Abs! Once again, the Booty Gurus are full of happy energy and make the routine fun enough to encourage you to come back and try it again.

If you aren’t ready for this level of energy and endurance, you might try the Yoga Booty Ballet Light and Easy DVD which is great for beginners. Either way, it will be easy to see why this program is so popular! If you are interested in trying it, you can buy most of the DVDs from Amazon at a great price

I never thought tripping over my own feet could be so much fun! I recently started using Zumba, a fitness DVD guaranteed to get you up and moving, and loving every step you take. If you’ve never heard of Zumba, imagine Latin style dance aerobics. Now imagine the fast, pumping music, the handsome men, the hips of Shakira - it’s all there! You’ll burn calories while sculpting your body. It’s fun and addictive!

The Zumba set includes 4 DVDs and an audio CD. The first DVD teaches you the steps to a variety of dances used throughout the Zumba series. You’ll learn to do the mambo, rumba, salsa, flamenco, and more! You don’t have to be a good dancer to get a workout from Zumba, but you’ll probably be a better dancer before you know it. It’s so much fun! The other DVDs include Power, Advanced, and one designed for Abs, Buns, and Thighs. The Power DVD includes a bonus section for kids. They do move pretty quickly, so novices may not be able to keep up at first. If I can get the hang of it then anyone can, so don’t give up!

This fitness DVD set is for everyone that hates traditional aerobic DVDs. It’s for everyone that loves to dance, or thinks they can’t dance. It’s for adults and kids. Zumba is fairly easy on the joints, unlike some other types of aerobics. Did I mention that it’s also fun?

You can also visit Zumba studios all over the country and take classes. We’ve heard that some classes stay so busy that people are routinely turned away. If you don’t have a class in your area, try the DVD set. You can purchase directly from Zumba for $49.95, or check eBay for good deals on new sets. When you visit the Zumba website, click to view the Zumba DVD preview and you can get a hint of what’s in store for you.

Have fun!