Disfigured: A Movie Review

A couple of weekends ago I watched an independent film called "Disfigured." I had rented it from Netflix and after watching it twice in one day I knew this one belonged in my permanent collection. So I ordered it from Amazon and am anxious for it to arrive so I can watch it again. So much in this movie resonates with me.

The story is about the friendship that blossoms between a young fat woman named Lydia and a recovering anorexic named Darcy. They meet, of all places, at the Fat Acceptance group that Lydia belongs to. Being anorexic, Darcy sees herself as fat and tries to join the FA group in order to accept her own "fat" and be happier.

I don't want to give too much away about them movie in case some of you want to watch it yourself (and I really hope you do!). While the acting in the movie is a bit amateurish, the way they look at compulsive overeating/obesity and anorexia as opposite sides of the same coin is fascinating.

If you have ever struggled with disordered eating at either end of the spectrum, I think you will be interested in this movie. If you decide to check it out be sure to let me know. I'd love to have a discussion about it.

DVD review - Jillian Michaels: Cardio Kickbox

I love Jillian Michaels on the Biggest Loser and on her weekly radio podcasts. I wanted to try one of her exercise DVD's so I queued up Jillian Michaels: Cardio Kickbox on my Netflix list. As always, my review is from the perspective of a very obese person.

PROS

• The workout was short, about 25 minutes plus a cooldown. This is good because when you are very overweight an hour-long workout can seem daunting and so you just never do it.
  
  
• The movements were mostly simple and straight-forward so it was easy to follow, which is good because there is not alot of instruction on this DVD.
  
  
• It's Jillian and I love her!
  

CONS

• There was a definite lack of modification for the moves. For example, the jumping rope move (note: you don't actually need a jump rope for this) is just too much on my knees so I modified by doing very quick marching in place. Also, the jumping jacks are too much for me right now and I modified those as well. I have alot of exercise experience over the years so I already knew that I should modify and how to modify, but if you are a newbie exerciser you might not know these things.

OVERALL

I will buy this DVD. I liked the short, but intense workout that will be easy to fit into my day. My only word of caution is to be aware of your own needs for modification because this DVD doesn't help you with that at all.

DVD review - Crunch: Cardio Salsa

• In my quest to increase my exercise and to add lots of variety to keep from getting bored, I have been renting exercise DVD’s from Netflix. Since I am not buying them, I am feeling pretty free to try all sorts of things I might not have tried if I were buying them. For the past couple of weeks I have been giving “Crunch: Cardio Salsa” a whirl. This DVD features 3 routines within the 30 minute workout, one salsa, one meringue, and one samba. The pros and cons to this workout, from my perspective as a very overweight person are:
  
  PROS:
• The instructor broke down the workout into several sections and taught them bit by bit, eventually putting them all together in one routine.
• Got my heart rate up.
• Relatively low-impact.
• The women on the video were not scary-skinny or uber-buff. They were just regular-looking fit gals and some even had a small bit of belly jiggle. It’s nice to workout with normal people.
  
  CONS:
• As a 300+ pound woman, I found it difficult to keep up with the steps. Moving a 300 pound body that quickly is very difficult to do.
• The quick movements caused lots of calf burn. I think if my calves hadn’t been burning so much I could have worked at a higher intensity.
• Music was manic and distracting. It’s likely that salsa workouts just aren’t for me because I am not crazy about the music.
  
  
  In the final analysis, this one is not for me right now. I may be tempted to try it again after I lose 50 pounds or so. I do think that if you aren’t quite so heavy and like a latin beat, this would be a fun workout for you. So I guess I would recommend this to others but it's not for me.

DVD review - Yoga: Just My Size with Megan Garcia

I want to start incorporating consistent exercise into my life but at this point feel a little uncomfortable at the gym. I don’t mind going there to walk on the treadmill but that gets boring. I’d like mix it up by participating in some of the classes they offer but don’t feel ready physically…or mentally! That is why I have decided to start trying some different workout DVD’s at home.


This past week I have been working with the “Yoga: Just My Size with Megan Garcia”. Megan Garcia is a plus-sized model and has made this DVD for those of us who are bigger and aren’t able (yet!) to twist ourselves into all sorts of advanced poses. I like to watch new exercise DVD’s first before I actually do them. (I like to know what I am getting myself into!) When I first watched this DVD I thought it looked too slow and simple to be much of a workout. But then I tried it. The poses are basic but very effective. The instructor gave easy-to-follow instructions and was pleasant to listen to. When I really followed her guidance on breathing and body movement I was amazed at the workout I got with such simple movements. My heart rate was slightly elevated and I felt like I was getting some good strength work in as well.

The 30 minute workout started with a warm up of seated breathing and twisting exercises, followed by a workout including various warrior poses, goddess pose, child’s pose, downward facing dog, and others. (My favorite pose was Warrior 2. When in this pose I felt strong and ready to take on the world. Looking out over my extended arm in the pose, I felt like I was challenging my fat. “Fat, I am a warrior and I am coming to kick your ass!!!”) She ends the routine with some stretching and relaxation. By the end of the 30 minutes I felt refreshed, relaxed, and downright healthy in mind and body. There were also some “Special Tips” in the DVD extras that give good ideas on how to modify some of the poses if they are too difficult.


I enjoyed this DVD and felt like I got a good work out. I will definitely keep this one in my repertoire!