Conference rocks::weight_control

           -< EVERY WHICH WAY....BUT NOT LOOSE IN THE CABOOSE>-
    
    I would be very interested in this type of video.  I am a fanatic
    when it comes to my body.  I once weighed in at 160 (I am about
    5'1/2") lost 50 lbs. so needless to say I love to exercise
    but have a nasty case of shinsplints from overdoing.  I also found
    that aerobics builds bulk muscle with some toning.  I am now attending
    a place called Slender You in Framingham.  This is great and I have
    lost 10 inches but does nothing for your heart and lungs.  If it
    is not too much trouble I would like to know where to purchase so
    that I can do this at home as well as continue at Slender You. 
    Thanks in advance for the information.

    I would say that almost any rental video store that sells videos
    also might be able to get it.  I went to National Video, and they
    appear to be a pretty large chain.  But that doesn't do you much
    good since the shop is here in Nashua!
    
    I finished my second go at the video and I am able to do things
    that I was not able to do the first hour.  I can also feel it working
    in muscles that have been a little "dormant" for a few years!  :^>
    
    The reason why I am so psyched about this video is that anyone can
    adapt their living room or den or whatever into their workout room.
    You don't need any weights (and in her books she says DO NOT use
    wieghts with these exercises!), or special clothes, or rubber bands,
    etc!  Everything she does you can adapt to your own home.
    
    When you see her in the video (and, according to her, this the only
    exercise she does, she hates exercise) and look at the shape her
    body is in, it is definitely incentive!
    
    I have bad knees from years of field hockey and lacrosse and hate
    aerobics, personally.  I have found that weightlifting has given
    me some tone, but is also building bulk.  I am really not into looking
    like "She-Woman of the East Coast"!  8^>
    
    i hope you find the video!  Keep me posted on how you do!
    
    -Leigh

    The Callanetics video was on sale at Sam Goody's last week for $21.95.
    Check it out if there is one in your area. 

    Where is Sam Goody's?
    
    I don't think we have any here in New Hampshire.  The price I paid
    for my video was $24.95 and I was happy with that price.  I was
    praying it wouldn't cost $39.95 like Jane Fonda's video.  I guess
    someone was looking out for me that day!
    
    -Leigh

    Sam Goody's is a chain of record stores located on the East Coast
    with the highest concentration of stores in PA, NJ, NY and CN. 
    I think they can be found as far south as VA and as far north as
    MA.  Sorry for the confusion, but their prices are usually very
    good so I thought I'd mention the sale.

    I also use Callanetics as one of my workout regimes.  The reason
    I think it works so well to tone you is that the exercises strengthen
    the muscles you need for good body carriage.  And when you practice
    good body carriage, every movement you make becomes a toning exercise!
    
    Marcia

    Re: .6
    
    Marica,  how often did you use the workout and how much do you feel
    it has helped you in your total weightloss?  I'm not trying to pry,
    so you don't have to answer that one.  Send me mail if you prefer.
    
    I am really looking forward to losing some of this "excess baggage"!
    
    Keep your fingers crossed for me!!  tonight will be lesson #4!
    
    Leigh

So, how are the people who are doing the Callanetics doing?

I just bought the book, and hopefully will get a chance to open it this
weekend!  I also want to try and find the video on Laserdisc (or Beta
videotape), so please pass along any availability information.

thanks,
Jill

    Well, after last weeks schedule (late night OT, house cleaning,
    errands and the usual) I only got to it once.  My goal is to be
    doing it four nights a week.  Right now I am maintaining, but getting
    a little on the bearish side!!!
    
    yesterday on the way back from the Lake I said, "Monday night we
    start anew."  This morning I wake up with my first ever sinus infection
    (besides a "cold" -AHhhhhhCHOOO): my eyes feel like they are going
    to explode my throat is sore, I have lost most of my appetite
    (YAHHHHH!), and I could sleep for a century!  I think I am going
    to die since the noggin' feels like it is going to explode, but
    I may give it shot anyways because my whole body has tensed up just
    because of my sinus'!  It's horrible.
    
    But enough of that.  Will let you know how I'm doing in a week.
    
    -Leigh

    RE: .8
    
    I ordered my Beta copy of Callanetics from a tape rental place,
    paid $24.95, and had it within a week.
    
    Kak

re .10 (Kak):

I'm very glad to hear there's a Beta version out!  Maybe there's even an
elusive Laserdisc version...Could you please tell me any relevant information
so I can ask my rental store to order it for me?  (who makes it, for starters).

Thanks,
Jill

    The tape is from MCA home video.  However, all you'll probably need to
    know to order it is the title.  American Home Video (my rental store)
    looked the name up in a book, told me how much it was, and took a $5
    deposit.  They called me a few days later and told me I could come pick
    it up.  They said that if Denver hadn't had the tape in stock, that
    it would have taken a week to get the tape.  :-)
    
    Kak

    Well, I have been doing my video at least twice a week.  I can
    definitely feel the difference in my stomach.  i am beginning to
    even SEE the difference.  As far as my legs go, they look the same,
    kinda "blech", but we're (me, myself and I) working on that! ;^>
    
    I stepped on the scale, and I have gained five pounds, but my clothes
    still fit.  I guess the muscles are building, but they don't have
    the "bulge" that I was beginning to get with weightlifting.  This
    is especially evident in the front thighs and my arms.
    
    How is everyone else doing?  Any feedback?
    
    I keep pushing forward, knowing that I don't want to look like I
    did nine months ago.  I have to keep reminding myself to stay patient
    since a slow weightloss is better than NO weightloss.  Keep it up
    everyone!  We'll beat this battle yet!    
    
    -Leigh

Well, I finally got around to trying Callanetics.  I had bought the book,
and decided to see how it went before buying the video.  We only tried it
once, so the decision isn't yet in.

We expected the 1-hour program to take a little longer, since we were doing
it for the first time and trying to read all the instructions.  We didn't
expect it to take 3.5 hours, though!  We finished, exhausted, at 11:30pm
(usually go to bed at 10!)

Neither of us feel as sore as we were expecting to feel today, which is good
since I have aerobics after work!

We found it hard trying to get into the correct position (not physically hard,
just knowing what they meant for you to do) although the pictures were
helpful.  Also, trying to keep the correct position throughout the exercise
was difficult, I had to keep correcting this and that.  We were probably
doing things too fast, too.  Does the video give you a better idea of how fast
to do the exercises?  Do they do the whole exercise, or just demo it and you
stop the video and do it yourself 100 times?  Do you think we'd be better off
with the video?  I'd personally be better off with Callan watching, but that's
probably not easy to arrange!

I'm not looking forward to a possible weight gain, but I know the inches are
more important.  (how do you tell Weight Watchers you have to raise your goal
because now you're in shape?)

Thanks for any pointers.  We'll probably try it again Sunday, earlier in the
day!!!

Jill

    
    I find the video to be a big help.  I know I would rather have Callan
    Pickney in my living room reminding me not to set my posture this
    way, don't tighten your buns, etc.  But, I HAVE found that the video
    is the next best thing.
    
    It starts off with an ontro by her, stating that what she says at
    the beginning of her book.  The warmups #1, the head and neck rolls,
    (which I find feel great), the waist stretches (Auggghhhhhh!), and
    then she goes into her stomach exercises (ooof!).
    
    The video is constant.  There is a counter that goes pretty fast,
    and I find that depending on the exercise and the muscle group that
    I sometimes go faster (I have to tell myself to slow down) and
    soemtimes I go slower.  She speaks quite frequently and reminds
    her students not to this, not to do that (as you say to
    yourself..."oops! I'm positioned wrong again!").  My position has
    gotten somewhat better as I have been doing the video.  
    
    I was looking forward to doing the video four times this week, but
    the raspberries are in and jamming season is here.  Luckily, this
    jam will be given away at Christmas time!!!  I won't be eating it!!
    But I do eat them plain.  Anyways.....
    
    Most of the exercises follow the book.  She does not include the
    open and close, the hanging from a door warmup, and I think there
    are a couple of other things.  But once you get the movements right
    (the pelvic rotations were VERY hard to interpret in the book),
    the other exercises that aren't in the video seem pretty easy.
    
    Go for it!!  i know I will after I finish 'jamming' tonight!  have
    a good weekend, Fellow Noters!!
    
    -Leigh

    Well, the last reply to this topic was in mid-July!  Have you folks
    stuck with Callanetics, or did it get too boring for words?  What
    sort of long term results did you see?
    

I tried them about 3 times, and then stopped.  It was too boring for words :-),
it took a lot longer than the hour it said it should take, and  I'd rather do
something more interesting for a lot longer to get the same results.

Maybe if I was in a class it would have been more interesting...

Jill

    I'd like to restart this topic as Callanetics has just taken off
    over here in the UK, and I am doing it religiously twice a week.
    I was wondering if anyone is still doing it, or if they have given
    it up - and if so, why?  
    
    And has there been a 'backlash' against it as there was with aerobics?
    
    I'd be interested to hear an update.
    
    Thanks,  
    
    Debs x
    
    

    Well, I wasn't in the initial discussions but I thought I'd answer
    anyway as I am a devoted fan.  My friend and I do aerobics 4 or
    5 times a week and follow up with callanetics 2 or 3 times a week.
    
    We love the exercises but ended up writing a chart of the exercises
    and doing away with the tape as the music is tooo boring and slow.
    We do the routines to our own music and watch each other for position.
    We recently obtained the Super Callanetics tape and alternate programs.
    We still use the Super callanetics tape as it is more involved.
    
    I can feel a tremendous difference.  I know that it would be better
    if I were less heavy, however.  My improvements are not as visible
    as my friend but they are there.  About a month ago we measured
    and after 4 weeks I had lost 1 1/2 inch in the waist, 3/4 inch from
    each thigh and 1 inch off the derierre(sp?). Which is pretty good
    when you consider that my weight didn't go down.
    
    Linda B

    Hi,
    
    I read Note 67 on Callanetics but I thought I would "reintroduce"
    this topic again - has anyone seen a drastic improvement in their
    shape by using this video vs. other exercise videos?  I have the video 
    but I found I was not motivated by it (I thought the music was 
    boring and some of the positions were hard to get into etc.,) but if a REAL 
    person told me that this tape is worth it, maybe I'll give it another 
    try...
    
    Nancy

    Hi Nancy.  I don't know if I am a real person but I also bought the
    Callenetics tape and used it faithfully for weeks.  I agree, the music
    is veeeerrrrrryyyyyy boring but I did try to stick to it.  I saw no
    improvement and have since stopped using it.  I find that personally I
    am only good in a group exercise environment and will once again be
    joining up strictly for the motivation.
    
    Hope this helps
    
    Debbie

    Hi guys!  I use the tape and I did get results.  I think they
    use that boring music to stress the fact of moving slowly and only
    rocking your body about 1/4 of an inch.  If they had decent music
    going, everyone would start pumping!
    
    What I have done is this:  I now know the program by heart so
    I don't bother with the video anymore.  I'll put on my own music
    or watch TV.  I found TV to be better because I keep the slower
    pace.  
    
    I find it very relaxing also.  Some of those stretches just feel good
    after sitting all day in front of a terminal!!
    
    Good luck,
    Renee

    
    I love it too.  It's amazing how fast I've seen results.  I
    used it two years ago for a couple of months and am back at 
    it.  It only takes three or four hours before I feel and
    see the difference!!  
    
    I like that ... it's great for my motivation!!
    
    Sue