Honest Review of Les Mills On-Demand Home Workouts

My home screen in Les Mills

First off, I want to say that I am not affiliated with nor sponsored by Les Mills. I'm writing this post simply because it needs to be said: purchasing Les Mills On-Demand is hands down one of the best things that has happened to me during the COVID-19 lockdown.

How I Even Heard of Les Mills

I belonged to a gym that had Les Mills-trained instructors teaching BodyPump classes a few times a week. I'm a middle-aged woman who isn't crazy about weight training, but I learned through trial and error that nothing, no other workout including Zumba, yoga, kickboxing, Pilates, or getting on the machines in the main area toned my body and burned calories like two BodyPump classes per week. I also did Zumba, yoga, and the occasional kickboxing class at the gym, between 4-6 classes total per week, but if I left out (substituted something else for) BodyPump, I'd immediately start losing tone and gaining weight.

When my gym shut down, I tried just making up my own BP class at home, but it wasn't the same. The music, energy of the instructor, and honestly just having someone telling and showing you what to do so you can just be in the moment all make BP class magical, even for an old woman who doesn't like lifting weights. And isn't frankly that good at it. :)

After gaining a few pounds of pure flab and feeling like a low-energy lump, a desperate internet search turned up Les Mills' On-Demand service. It's currently $14.99 per month if you want to pay month-to-month, or $119 for 12 months up front ($9.99 per month.) They offered a 14-day trial, so I signed up.

Holy Smokes

Les Mills' site was like walking into a Workout Candy Store. There are so many different types of workouts, so many talented instructors, so many different lengths of workouts, I just didn't even know which piece of candy to eat first.

I didn't know they had yoga.

I didn't know they had dance.

I didn't know I was going to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this service so much that I'm literally praying to God they never go out of business because that would be a huge loss in my life.

I canceled my gym membership. Screw getting dressed, getting in my car, and driving somewhere. I can just log in and get what I consider to be the world's best workouts right here in my apartment. If it sounds like I'm exaggerating, all I can say is, try it for yourself and tell me I'm wrong.

BodyPump (Weight training)

I guess there are 112 different BodyPump workouts, since they are numbered. I'm quite stuck on BodyPump #98, so I'll never live long enough to eat all the BodyPump candy. A team of fantastic instructors with New Zealand accents, great music, moves I can't do yet because it's challenging, and I am in heaven. You can do hour-long workouts or various other shortened versions. I've stuck to the hour-long twice-per-week thing I was doing at the gym so far, but I might try some other options soon to vary it up. I do the entire workout with a couple of 5 lb dumbbells, and when they get too heavy, I use canned olives. :)

Sh'Bam (Dance)

Choreographer "Rach" is from the UK. If I ever get in good enough shape to dance like her, I will die a happy woman. Her attitude is so fun and engaging, the dance moves vary from easy to No Way, and the whole workout is just beautiful to stare at and attempt to imitate. I'm mostly doing Sh'Bam #30, a 45-minute workout at the moment. It's hard but I can't get the songs out of my head so I gotta get my fix.

BodyFlow (Yoga with Tai Chi here and there)

I don't know if all the BodyFlow workouts use a team of instructors from all over the world, but Flexibility #87 does, and these people are all amazing. I had been putting off trying Les Mills' BodyFlow classes because I felt like I needed to "get back in shape," but the pace and the techniques they use in #87 is such that I am breathing hard within a few minutes. Awesome, and you feel soooooo good afterwards from head to toe, mind and heart included. :)

All of the workouts I've tried (the list above) are challenging but not impossible, especially since they offer modifications and you are free to work as hard or as gently as you like.

The Bottom Line

For anyone looking to shape up, gain strength, tone, and feel better overall, I highly recommend Les Mills On-Demand. It's a tremendous value, and it keeps me motivated and coming back for more. It's not drudgery like a lot of other workout programs, it's science-based, and it delivers results. (Again, I'm not sponsored by them nor do I benefit if you click those links. I don't think they even do affiliate marketing...I am purely a user of their service and a Les Mills fan who wants to give credit where credit is due.)

Hope this helps whomever needed to see this! :)

My new daily planner - just released on Amazon! 6 by 9 size for $12.99, 8.5 by 11 for $14.99

Arugula Pesto with Brown Rice Penne

Two words: easy and delicious. Four more: leafy greens and gluten free.

Pesto is one of life's little delights, but getting fresh basil at its peak of flavor year-round is not an option for most of us. Fortunately, arugula makes a nutritious, delicious stand-in and you can buy it almost year-round. It keeps in the fridge longer than basil, and it's loaded with calcium, potassium, folate (a B vitamin,) and vitamins C, K, and A. It's anti-inflammatory, cancer-fighting, muscle, nerve, and tissue-healing, and makes you rich and famous.

Rich in health and famous for eating your leafy greens, that is. :)

ARUGULA PESTO WITH BROWN RICE PENNE

Serves 1-2

Pesto:

¼ cup toasted pine nuts (brown in a dry skillet over medium heat)

½ clove garlic

½ tsp sea salt

4-6 cups baby arugula

¼ cup olive oil

Black pepper, to taste

1 cup brown rice penne per serving, or more if you want a big bowl of it (Feel free to use any pasta you like, gluten free or not)

 

Method:

Start water boiling for pasta. Sprinkle in salt and a dash of olive oil, if desired.

Pulse pine nuts, garlic, and salt in a small food processor or blender until finely ground. Add arugula, pulse a few times to chop it down. (Stop and push the leaves down onto the blades with a spatula if needed.) Add olive oil in a thin stream with the processor running, until you have a bright green paste. Don’t over-blend or the arugula will get dark and weird (but probably still taste good. :))

Cook pasta according to package directions. (I recommend dipping out a half cup of the pasta water toward the end in case the pesto seems too thick to coat the pasta evenly, but you can always just use tap water if you forget.) Drain the pasta, and toss with the pesto. Splash on a little water if needed to “loosen” the pesto and make it coat your noodles. Taste and adjust the salt if need be.

Sprinkle on black pepper to finish, and enjoy!

 

How To Survive Tough Times in Life

I was going through some old journals recently and came across a page I had titled "How To Survive May 2018."

May 2018 I was going through a series of major life stressors. I made the decision to end my 19-year career, something I had put off far too long out of fear. My health was poor (mostly due to job stress) and I was in a lot of pain. I had gone through a divorce the year prior, and was planning an out-of-state move.

It was a lot.

I needed a plan, and this is what I decided to do:

> Relax.

1. Sleep more.
2. Don't pressure or push myself.
3. Do what I enjoy.

> Be creative.

1. Write.
2. Dream/plan remodel and decor of my new place.
3. Dream/plan business ideas.

> Purge and organize, little by little.

1. Start in one room.
2. OK to do a little at a time.
3. Be in the moment and let it be a soothing, healing activity.

> Exercise and take care of my health.

1. Five minutes of gentle yoga or living room dancing.
2. Relaxing, mindful cooking and eating.
3. Sip filtered water, keep a glass nearby.

> Let go of stress and annoyance.

1. My weight.
2. My job/doing everything perfectly up to the end.
3. My pay getting docked.
4. Worrying about what others think of me quitting.
5. My colleagues' dramas.

> Trust my instincts and talk to God.

Enough said.


Your lists might be different from mine, but if you are going through a tough, high-stress period in your life, I encourage you to sit down with a journal and make a plan.

1. What things can you do to relax and go into self-nurture mode?
2. What creative activities help you escape and put your mind on something you enjoy?
3. What tiny areas in your living space can you work on cleaning, clearing out, and/or organizing (this doesn't sound appealing, but the calm and good feeling it produces is unmatched, trust me! It can be one drawer. One tabletop. One square foot of a tabletop.)
4. What easy, relaxing, self-nurturing things can you do to move your body and take care of your health?
5. What higher power or source of comfort can you turn to? Journaling, prayer, affirmations, a gratitude list...even if it feels stilted at first, with daily practice and diligence all these things do make a difference.

I hope that whoever needs to hear this today is helped. :)

My new planner is available on Amazon! $14 for the 6 x 9 size, $15 for 8.5 by 11" notebook size.

Mixed Greens with Lentils, Cucumbers, and Dill

Cool and refreshing for summer.

Easy, filling, and delicious, this salad is packed with nutrition and earthy Middle Eastern flavor!

 

Serves 1

 

Salad:

2 cups mixed greens – spinach, kale, chard, etc.

½ cup cooked lentils

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup diced cucumber

1 green onion, sliced

½ TBS fresh dill, chopped (or ¼ tsp dried)

 

Dressing:

1 TBS tahini

1 TBS flaxseed oil (or olive oil)

½ TBS fresh squeezed lemon juice

Sea salt + pepper to taste

 

Method:

Toss all salad ingredients in a large bowl.

 

Whisk dressing ingredients by hand or in a mini food processor, then drizzle over the salad. Toss well to coat the vegetables.

Foods and Supplements for Better Thyroid Function

Feeling sluggish and fatigued all the time? Achy muscles and joints, dry skin, unexplained weight gain, gut issues and even depression are all symptoms of low thyroid function.

Last year when I was having all these symptoms, I did some research on how to heal my thyroid naturally. (I am not a medical professional--just a person who does whatever I can to improve my own health. This list is just my personal list, and reflects my own experience.)

Below are the six "big ones" I wrote in my own notes and implemented to stimulate better thyroid function. (And incidentally, from my research I found that everyone's thyroid tends to produce at gradually lower levels as they age, especially in women. It doesn't mean you have hypothyroidism necessarily, but if you're starting to notice a grouping of the symptoms to a bothersome degree, it might be time to try some small changes.)

1. Reduce caffeine.

I love me some coffee, but when I need to reduce caffeine, I drink decaf versions of my favorite drinks with relative peace and happiness. For a little spot of caffeine just to wake up a bit, I tend to feel pretty good with cups of steaming mate sweetened with 1/8 teaspoon powdered stevia. (The NuNaturals huge cannister of stevia lasts me several months and I use it constantly.)

2. Increase (healthy) protein in your diet.

My favorite vegan protein options include edamame, this hemp protein powder, tempeh, and tofu.

3. Exercise more regularly.

Walking, yoga, jumping on a rebounder (you can get these for under $100 on Amazon,) and exercising on treadmills and elliptical machines are good exercises for anyone dealing with muscle and joint pain, fatigue and weight gain.

4. Try some supplements that assist thyroid function.

Iodine, L-tyrosine, and Ashwagandha all helped me overcome low thyroid symptoms quickly and noticeably. I found them in doing thyroid research online and man was I glad I did.

5. Eat foods that are good for low thyroid function.

Best vegan foods for thyroid:

• Brazil nuts
• Coconut oil
• Seaweed (my fave is nori)
• Kombucha
• Sauerkraut
• Asparagus
• Garlic
• Avocado
• Walnuts
• Flaxseed
• Squash
• Broccoli
• Spinach

All I can say is...YUM. No problem.

6. Diffuse or rub on some essential oils for thyroid.

I rubbed myrrh, clove, peppermint, and lemongrass on my throat, in the location that was my best guess for where the thyroid glands are, every morning for about a month. (I got that list of oil ideas from an essential oils "pocket reference" guide that I've owned and used for years.) The clove eventually started to blister my skin a little, so I switched to diffusing the oils instead, but the morning rub session really felt good and smelled good too, and I would definitely do it again for at least a few days if the low thyroid symptoms ever return. You should probably dilute the oils with a neutral carrier oil like almond before rubbing them on your skin, but I'm just too lazy to do that. :)

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5 Fun YouTube Workouts You Can Do at Home

There's no excuse not to move when the workouts are fun, free, and delivered right to your living room. These are my current favorite YouTube videos for working out at home:

1. 30-Minute Hip-Hop Tabata to Torch Calories with Keaira LaShae

Keaira is so real and fun you feel like you've been friends with her for years when you do this workout.

2. 30-Minute Hip-Hop Fit Workout with Mike Peele

I love Mike's encouragement and energy throughout this workout. You dance with him for about 20 minutes of it, and then the rest is toning and bodywork.

3. Kukuwa African Dance Workout "Let's Shine" (15 minutes)

Honestly how can you resist these sweet ladies' enthusiasm? Working out with them is a blast and a lesson in African dance to boot. :)

4. 10-Minute HIIT Workout with Astrid Swan

I can't do all the moves quite as elegantly as these three girls, but I love their camaraderie and Astrid's motivating encouragement.

5. Tabata Workout to Tone Everything in 10 Minutes

This is just another great PopSugar workout that definitely gets me sweating and has some fun yet challenging exercises. Dana McCaw is a great instructor who's not "in your face."