Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition: The Workout [DVD]

Get up, get moving and start losing with three easy-to-follow workouts created by transformation specialist Chris Powell from ABC's hit show, “Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition." You too can shed unwanted weight using the same exercises that helped people on the show lose hundreds of pounds.

Designed for any fitness level, begin with the Level 1 workout then progress to Level 2 and Level 3 to up the challenge and calorie burn. Chris and favorite show participants will be there every step of the way with modifications, encouragement and the inspiration needed to achieve your own total-body transformation!

Workout Descriptions:
Level 1 (10 min): Put your body in motion with gentle moves that work every major muscle group to ignite your metabolism, start losing pounds and inches, and begin your transformation.
Level 2 (20 min): Kick it up a notch with a calorie-burning workout that includes a cardio-infused Shredder Circuit, an ab-sculpting Core Circuit, and the “Dirty 30" that blasts fat in 30-second bursts.
Level 3 (30 min): Take your makeover to the max with calorie-crunching cardio, a Sprint Circuit of quick total-body moves to build muscle, and an Endurance Circuit that turns your body into a fat-burning furnace one rep at a time. The numbers are impressive: the three folks pictured on the cover of Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition: The Workout lost a combined total of 579 pounds in the course of a year on that TV show. Of course, similar results are hardly guaranteed for everyone using this three-part video. But the motivation and inspiration are undeniable; these three and the others who participate under the guidance of trainer Chris Powell are not the svelte, perfect bodies seen in so many other videos, but they are clearly reveling in the thoroughly liberating process of dropping weight and getting in shape. The first of the three levels is the shortest (15 minutes) and easiest, featuring fairly slow, low-impact routines, a few positions derived from yoga (child's pose, bridge pose, cobra, spinal twists), half pushups, sit-ups, and other relatively gentle movements--all of which will be very challenging for some beginners, especially obese people who struggle merely to stand up straight from an all-fours position (yes, that's one of the moves). Powell ups the ante for the remaining two levels, each about 30 minutes and featuring exercises like the "speedskater," running in place, and various repeated sequences called "dirty thirties" (Level 3 has several dynamic "circuits" designed specifically to raise the heart rate and burn calories). Easier variations of most routines are also demonstrated, and Powell issues frequent reminders that users should work at their own pace and take breaks as needed. The shallow end of the pool? Sure, if you're an experienced exerciser. But if you're not, this is a good place to start. --Sam Graham