I really am a fan of workout DVDs. I think they’re great, especially for moms. Purchasing a DVD (especially online) is a heck of a lot cheaper than buying a membership to a gym, but you still get to reap the benefits of working out under the guidance of a fitness professional. Most DVDs on the market have proven results. Otherwise, why would anyone buy them? Best of all, DVD workouts can be accomplished any time of day, in the comfort of your own home, in your underwear, if that’s what floats your boat!

For me the only real drawback to workout DVDs is the boredom factor. There are only so many times I can do the same exact workout without getting very bored. That’s why it’s nice to own several workout DVDs, so I take one out of rotation when I grow tired of it, and substitute a DVD I haven’t used for a while.

As the mother of two young children, it’s important to me to get the best possible workout in the least amount of time. If a DVD features only one workout that is an hour long, the odds of me actually being able to finish the workout are slim to none. That’s why I love DVDs that offer a bunch of short, customizable workouts. I can pick and choose, creating a different workout each time (which helps with the boredom factor), and fitting a great workout into the small amount of free time I have each day. Two DVDs that offer short, customizable workouts are Denise Austin Hit the Spot Pilates and The Biggest Loser Workout Cardio Max (Lionsgate, 2007).

I love Denise Austin!  She is one of my personal heroes. She’s so upbeat and perky, not to mention gorgeous and totally ripped! It’s easy to stay motivated when Denise Austin is your guide! I began my commitment to a healthy lifestyle with her daily workouts on Lifetime. I really miss those. Denise Austin Hit the Spot Pilates is a fabulous DVD for anyone, from the Pilates novice to those more experienced with Pilates. This DVD offers six 10-minute workouts, six of which target specific areas of the body. There is also a 15-minute Pilates Challenge, which I found really interesting. For this workout, Denise alters Pilates moves so that they can be accomplished standing up. It was a nice workout, but I didn’t find it as challenging as the other, 10-minute workouts. Those targeted segments will really tone your body quickly! My legs were sore within hours after I finished the thigh workout! I’m sure that with regular use of Hit the Spot Pilates, I’ll see a visible change in my body very quickly!

I don’t watch NBC’s The Biggest Loser, but after reading reviews of Cardio Max on Amazon, I had to get my hands on this DVD! I love the fact that, like Hit the Spot Pilates, you can customize your workouts. There are five-minute cool warm up and cool down workouts, a 20-minute Level 1 workout, and 10-minute Level 2 and Level 3 workouts. If I only have 10 minutes to spare, I can call up Jillian Michaels’ Level 2 and get a fantastic workout in that short amount of time! I was a little disappointed with the Level 3 workout. For me, it wasn’t as challenging as Level 2, which makes me a bit confused. Overall though, I am so glad I purchased this DVD! I can see this becoming one of my favorite workout DVDs of all time!

Now that fall is here, the weather will be getting colder any day now, making outdoor workouts more difficult. I plan on reviewing several more workout DVDs this winter. If you have a fave, let me know. I’ll try to get ahold of it and work it into my reviews!

Andrea McMann tries valiantly, and sometimes fails miserably, to keep herself and her family active and healthy, despite her insanely busy schedule as a wife, mother of two, freelance writer, and blogger. In addition to writing for Peekaboo Picks, Andrea writes for Inhabitots, and blogs at Chocolate Fingerprints.