p90x actually works. my cousin lost a significant amt of weight. i don't think you need anything (except a few cheap dumbbells). you can download all of the dvds if you know torrents (i know it's illegal - bite me) to see if its something you'd enjoy.

The DVD that is in the picture is great, but intense. I like it because it does everything it needs to do in thirty minutes (for people who are crazy busy), but beware, you really get your ass kicked in those thirty minutes. It's pretty intense.

There are three levels, beginner, intermediate, and expert. The only thing you need to have are hand weights and maybe a mat if you don't have carpet in your home.

Good Luck!

@lot223@xanga - @i_heart_tha_80s@xanga - P90X definitely rules!

It'll kick your butt no matter what level you are since you just increase intensity/weights as you get better.

My bro started his back in April and he has lost so much weight and toned up considerably.  He no longer follows it as strict but he still does it to keep it off and toned.  I'm trying to start doing it now too since I have the time for it now.

You should get the Iron Gym though (from BedBath&Beyond since you can use the 20% off ubiquitous coupon) since it's a big part of it.

Good luck!

p.s. One of my friends just made me a copy of one of Jillian Michaels' abs DVDs so I'm going to give that a try too.

@i_heart_tha_80s@xanga - lol i have to say (and i don't like going public with this kind of stuff), i do enjoy hot yoga. i find it very relaxing and a great workout! i also tried the quick workouts from p90x and they are intense.

@tigerdauphin@xanga - it's crazy how much weight you can lose. i honestly didn't give it any thought when my cousin was telling me to join but after only a month, it made such a huge difference - night and day.

I love the Star Trainers Cardio.It has five different Trainers doing five different workouts.You really burn those calories

I just bought the Jillian Michaels CD. I think it would be a workout good for a much smaller person than me.

Anything by Cathe Friedrich is amazing. It may not be exactly what you're looking for because she sometimes uses a lot of equipment depending on the dvd, and they are a little pricey...but her workouts are EXCELLENT.

I really like Debbie Siebers' Slim in 6 :)

try dance videos! they're really fun and even more fun when you get your friends involved. you can burn calories while dancing and laughing at each other lol.

Billy Blank's Tae-Bo and P90x are both awesome, but they are not suitable for anyone just starting out. After 10 minutes of the workouts on those DVDs, a beginner will be utterly discouraged and will not be slipping a disc into the DVD player again.

I suggest for someone who is just starting out trying Wii Fit, Wii Fit 2 and My Personal Fitness Trainer. They get results, aren't overwhelming and add on more exercises, reps and time length as a person's strength and fitness level improve.

There are also some belly dancing, pilates and yoga DVDs out there that will get you moving without making you feel like an utter failure before you get started.

Save the hardcore DVDs for pushing yourself later, once you're already fit and now need a challenge to keep you on track and away from boredom.

I would also suggest making a visit to www.sparkpeople.com. There are thousands of exercises listed there (with instructions and illustrations) that you can print out and use without needing any kind of DVD. There are also calorie counters, weight, measurement and goal trackers, support groups tailored to lifestyles, goals, interests, health issues. There are recipes and blogs and other resources there, too. If you're desperate to go the DVD route, they'll have a ton of reviews and suggestions from the site owners as well as everyday people.

Good luck in acheiving your fitness goals!

I really like the Tae-Bo DVDs, but I agree they're not for beginners. I have a bunch of bellydance DVDs and they're a lot of fun. There's a set by two twins called Veena and Neena that are pretty good for starters.

I swear by the New York Body workout by David Kirsch. I don't really do the full workout, I just tend to do the mini ones or the upper-body workout along with a run.