EmpowerMoms

 

Think of ways you can enjoy this summer for free:

• Hiking
• Visiting parks in your area
• Swimming
• Camping in your backyard
• Visit a public museum or library

Now, add more fun and imagination to your summer through the Odyssey Adventure Club!

The Odyssey Adventure Club will give you streaming access to more than 800 Adventures in Odyssey episodes plus a sneak peek of exclusive audio and video stories, on-line activities and daily devotions you can’t find anywhere else.

Start a free 14-day trial for your family today and make the summer even more fun!

If you have been following my blog, you will know I’m a BIG FAN of Jessica Smith workout dvds and her free YouTube workouts!

I will be following her 6 week Walk Strong 2.0 countdown plan starting Monday July 11, 2016. She had 4 new DVDs that released on June 28, 2016 from Amazon. If you don’t have the DVDs right now, you can still follow along with the challenge by following the suggested schedule below.

Or if you want more than a 30 minute workout, you can do my suggested schedule along with the original 2.0 calendar to get a 60 minute workout.

I went thru the Walk Strong 2.0 calendar week by week to then find alternate free Jessica Smith TV YouTube workouts that were similar in style and time length. Each alternate workout suggestion is either cardio or strength exactly like the calendar suggests, and is within 5 minutes more or less of the suggested time.

These are suggestions for an alternate Walking Strong 2.0 Phase 3 calendar if you don’t have the DVDs listed on the calendar. I made up these suggestions entirely on my own and I hope you will find them useful! If you do, please recommend my blog and these posts to others so they can join the fitness challenge.

WEEK 1:

MONDAY: (need a ball)
“Have a Ball” CARDIO workout from Burn Fat and Have Fun DVD (30 mins)
OR
30 min Cardio Ball Blast

TUESDAY: (need hand weights and mat)
Circuit #3 “Total Body Focus” STRENGTH workout from the Boost Metabolism & Muscle DVD (35 mins)
OR
Total Body Toned (26 mins)

OR
Total Body Sculpting Fat Burning (30 mins)

WEDNESDAY: (need step)
“Stride and Step” CARDIO workout from Burn Fat and Have Fun DVD (30 mins)
OR
Indoor walking workout with a step (36 mins)

THURSDAY: (need hand weights and mat)
Circuit #1 “Upper Focus” STRENGTH workout from the Boost Metabolism and Muscle DVD (35 mins)
OR
1 mile upper body (20 mins) AND 12 min arms upper body (12 mins)

FRIDAY: (barefoot cardio)
“Core Control” CARDIO workout from Build Balance and Inner Strength DVD (30 mins)
OR
Cardio Core Flow (25 mins)

OR
Cardio Mat Fusion (34 mins)

SATURDAY: (need hand weights and mat)
Circuit #2 “Lower Focus” STRENGTH workout from the Boost Metabolism and Muscle DVD (35 mins)
OPTIONAL: Total Body #4 workout from the Gentle Yoga DVD (20 mins)
OR
1 Mile Lower Body Circuit (18 mins) AND 12 Minute Booty Sculpting Exercises (13 mins)

SUNDAY:
Active Rest Day

ADDITIONAL WORKOUT SUGGESTIONS FOR ACTIVE REST OR STRETCHING:

Active cardio flow/Yoga workout (not slow stretching pace) 20 mins:

8 Minute Total Body Stretch with hand towel after a workout (not cold muscles):

30-Minute Stretching, Flexibility Routine: Stretch, Rest and Relax:

10 Minute Flexibility Training Workout:

>>>Be on the look out for Week 2 to be posted here on my blog soon! I will be posting my daily workout pictures and progress on my Instagram page, so make sure you follow me there. I’d love to hear how you are doing with the challenge as well!

EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR THIS WEEK:

*Hand weights (2 sets-light and heavy)

*little ball

*yoga mat

*aerobic step

NEED A STEP??

NEED A BALL??

**3 Creative, 30-Minute Calorie Burning Walks!
**Low Impact [no jumping] Cardio Interval Training
**Cardio Core Standing Abs Exercises – No Floor Work
**Build Balance, Coordination, Agility and Spatial Awareness
**Lose Inches, Build Fitness and Enjoy Exercise

MY REVIEW:

I received this new DVD last night and did all 3 cardio workouts this morning for my daily workout. I used a small ball and stepper with no risers.

All three workouts include Jessica and her mom Debbie. The background is nice with a bright, home feel. The music is a little low compared to Jessica’s talking, but I think its probably hard to balance the sounds without feeling like shes yelling. Most of the music on all three workouts had a beat, no words. I recognized some of the music, but there was alot of new music as well.

At the start of each workout Jessica gives a daily mantra, which I found really cool and inspirational. All the workouts are standing routines (no floor work) with no jumping.

At the bottom right hand corner, there is a 30 minute countdown clock on every workout.

Workout number 1 is called “Steady, Ready, Go!” (31:15 total mins)

*You do not need any equipment for this workout.

*She did about a 3 minute warm up and about a 3 minute cool down with stretching.

*There are 5 different intervals in this workout. Jessica shows us what the different intervals are during the warm up section.

*Although this workout is low impact, she keeps a steady pace for the “steady” portion, then the music beats speeds up more for the “ready” portion, and then an all out “Go” 60 second interval.

*I enjoyed this workout and I love that her mom Debbie seemed more confident and talkative in these workouts, than she has in any of the other DVDs.

Workout number 2 is called “Stride and Step” (29:55 total mins)

*You need a step (no risers) or small square space if you don’t have a step.

*She did about a 5 minute warm up and about a 4 minute cool down with stretching.

*She keeps a steady pace the entire top since we use the step for the entire workout. She explains that she purposely did not do fast music or interval type music so we could stay safe using the step. I felt like it was fast enough to get a good fat burn and keep my heart rate up, but not so fast that I would twist my knee or get confused with the steps.

*I love step workouts but I don’t feel very coordinated and I don’t like high impact exercises. This workout was neither thank goodness! I used a full step no risers, not a half step like Jessica, and it worked fine.

Workout number 3 is called “Have a ball” (32:40 total mins)

*You need a small (non weighted) ball or a hand towel.

*I didn’t feel there was a warm up to this workout at all. Although she did say after about 5 minutes that the warm up was over, but I didn’t feel there was a music beat difference to it. You start immediately into the workout at a medium pace holding the ball, so I would recommend a quick warm up of your own if you start with this workout.

*You use the ball or towel for the entire workout.

*She does different “coordination series” exercises through out this workout; like a squat/ball chop and jog up/toss the ball in the air/jog back/bounce the ball on the ground.

*This workout was fun and I would highly recommend getting a small ball instead of a towel for this workout. I got a playground ball for $1.00 at my local Dollar Tree store.

Here’s a picture of my FitBit charge HR stats for this morning after doing all 3 workouts in a row. As you can see, because my heart rate was lower, it was a good fat burn. (versus a cardio workout is a higher heart rate)

I really enjoyed these workouts and can’t wait to try her other new “Walk Strong” dvds!! Be on the look out here on my blog for full reviews and pictures of the other new Jessica Smith dvds!

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

Let’s have a little fun by getting creative with walking-based exercise! While we mix up our moves often to avoid muscle imbalances and joint strain, walking is always our base move and something you can always return to at any time.

Mix and match these walks into your weekly workout schedule (we recommend alternating them with your favorite strength + flexibility training routines 2-4 days a week).

Don’t miss our other titles in this series, our “Walk STRONG: Boost Metabolism + Muscle” and “Walk STRONG: Build Balance + Inner Strength” for some great options! You can also use these workouts in conjunction with our “Walk STRONG: Total Transformation 6 Week System!”

Visit walkonwalkstrong.com/phase3 to download our free, printable “Phase III” calendar which includes our suggested 6 week schedule.

WALK #1: STEADY, READY, GO! – The purpose of this low impact, high intensity interval session is to improve your aerobic capacity, fitness level and even boost your metabolism. Our timed intervals are designed to help you challenge yourself without burning out for maximum results and energy.
MILEAGE EQUIVALENT: Approx. 2.5 miles

WALK #2: STRIDE AND STEP – We’ll focus on adding intensity with a bit of an incline to boost your burn while developing agility, coordination and spatial awareness. And, not to worry, you can still get a great workout without the step – watch our modifier Debbie, age 60, for options as she demonstrates the entire walk on the floor.
MILEAGE EQUIVALENT: Approx. 2 miles

WALK #3: HAVE A BALL! – This walk incorporates the use of a small playground ball to increase core muscle recruitment, improve hand-eye coordination add an extra element of fun. Don’t have a ball on hand? Keep an eye on Debbie – she’ll be using a hand towel as an alternative option.
MILEAGE EQUIVALENT: Approx. 2 miles

About Your Instructor:
Jessica Smith has over 15 years of experience as a certified trainer, instructor and wellness coach.

“A Date with Danger” by Kari Iroz

I really enjoyed this book! It was outstanding! It was very well written and kept my interest (laughing and getting teary!) until the very end.

Clean (free of bad language), romantic and suspenseful! There are religious references and aspects through out the story since the main character is Christian/LDS Mormon, but nothing over the top or confusing to non LDS members.

I read it long into the night because I wanted to finish reading it in one day. I was already laughing by page 4 at Jacklyn’s comments about her single life. She was hysterical and real!

Jack gets recruited by Damon and the FBI to help with finding some missing girls on a college campus. Day after day, date after date-hopefully brings them closer to the kidnapper and finding the lost women before its too late!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Covenant Communications in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own.

Book Description:
She just wanted to shake up her love life. Jacklyn (Jack) Wyatt is the typical twenty-five-year-old living the typical Provo single life with the typical bad luck—at least until the FBI recruits her for a completely different type of dating.
A young woman has gone missing, and all signs point to her online dating profile as the kidnapper’s operating ground. But when suspects who crossed paths with the missing girl begin contacting Jack, the FBI sees its opportunity for an inside man—er, woman.

Now Jack will have to play the field, dating each of the men in an attempt to weed out the kidnapper. But with such an unusual array of characters vying for her attention, pinpointing the culprit may prove even harder than finding Mr. Right. And as more young women disappear, will Jack stay professional and objective, even with the handsome Special Agent Damon Wade just a whisper in her hidden microphone away?

You can purchase a copy of the book from Amazon here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jilted: A Novel (Mended Hearts Series #3)by Varina Denman

“Jilted” is the third and final book in the “Mended Hearts” series by author Varina Denman. All three books took place in the same small Texas town. It is not necessary to read all three books in this series to enjoy it. However, since they all involve the same characters and town, the reader would probably enjoy the story lines more if read in order.

This book mostly follows the story of Lynda who struggles with major depression and her relationships with others, especially men and her family. It “tells of a woman who has lost the joy of living, a man determined to draw her back toward happiness, and a town that must—once and for all—leave the past where it belongs.”

I had a hard time liking this book and following the story line. There were alot of characters mentioned and I had a hard time remembering who was who. The book length was a little long (over 350 pages) and overall I just found it depressing not uplifting. I guess I wasn’t in the mood at the time to read a more serious book.

These books are clean, christian stories that deal with love and forgiveness. There are alot of great reviews online for this series even though I didn’t care for it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own.

About the Book
Lynda Turner has struggled with depression since her husband abandoned her and their young daughter fifteen years ago.
Yet unexpected hope awakens when a local ex-convict shows interest. As long-hidden secrets resurface, Lynda must fight for her emotional stability and for a life where the shadow of shame is replaced by the light of love.
Jilted tells of a woman who has lost the joy of living, a man determined to draw her back toward happiness, and a town that must—once and for all—leave the past where it belongs. It is a gentle reminder that all things can work together for good.

You can purchase a copy of the book from Amazon here:

About the Author
Varina Denman is author of the Mended Hearts series and a native Texan. She spent her high school years in a rural town and now writes stories about the struggles women face in similar small town settings. She and her husband live near Fort Worth, where they enjoy spending time with their five mostly grown children.

Can all things really work together for good, and can the joy of living be found once again? Don’t miss one woman’s story in book three, Jilted, of Varina Denman’s Mended Hearts series. Lynda Turner has struggled with depression since her husband abandoned her and their young daughter fifteen years ago. Yet unexpected hope awakens when a local ex-convict shows interest. As long-hidden secrets resurface, Lynda must fight for her emotional stability and for a life where the shadow of shame is replaced by the light of love.

Celebrate the release of Varina’s Jilted by entering to win a $50 gift card.

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Jilted to kick off a summer of reading
• A $50 Kohl’s gift card to make your summertime sweet

The giveaway ends on July 1st. The winner will be announced July 5th on Varina’s website.