Gaiam Yoga Mat, Blocks and Jillian Michaels Body Revolution 15 DVD Workout #Spon

Are you looking for a good quality yoga mat? How about workout boredom? Need to get in shape, but don’t know where to start? Gaiam has a solution for many workout and health needs. Gaiam sent me the Jillian Michaels Body Revolution DVD Set, a Sol premium yoga mat and 2 Yoga Essentials Blocks to try.

Gaiam Yoga Mat & Blocks

I have done yoga for many years. I love how I feel after and it makes me feel very limber and it’s very relaxing. Having received many free yoga mats over the years, I’ve never invested in a good one, thinking it wouldn’t make a difference. Boy was I wrong.

Here are the 3 main differences:

1. My feet don’t slide away as I’m trying to keep a pose for a period of time. The mat has a fabric-like texture so it gives you a great grip. It doesn’t feel sticky, but your feet stay where they should.

2. The thicker 8mm mat is definitely much cushier and I can feel the difference when I’m standing on the mat and when I lay down on it. Those moments when you have an elbow or knee pushing down on the mat, you feel the extra 5 or 6mm that the premium mat gives you.

3. The mat stays flat. When I roll up the mat, it unrolls and doesn’t flip-up or under while I’m holding poses. With my earlier mats, I’ve had to put down something heavy on the end each time I do yoga because the mat won’t stay flat. I didn’t have to do that with the Sol premium mat. It stayed flat.

I have never used 2 yoga blocks so many of the poses were easier because I didn’t have to share 1 block with 2 hands. I like the way the Gaiam Essentials Yoga Blocks felt. The one I have has begun to fall apart and when I sweat, it turns my hands purple. The Gaiam Yoga Block didn’t turn my hands blue and it feels sturdier.  While I can’t really say it won’t fall apart with time, it has a sturdier feel in my hand compared to my old one. It feels more compacted down (if that makes sense.)

Jillian Michaels Body Revolution

The Body Revolution is more than a workout, it is a 3-phase weight loss program. It comes with 15 DVDs, 90-Day Journal, Fitness Guide, 7-Day Kickstart Your Metabolism program & a Fat Burning Meal Plan.

Each phase has 5 DVDs with 4 strength workouts using either weights or resistance cables and a cardio DVD. I am in Phase 1 and while I’ve been running and I can easily run a 5k, the phase 1 cardio workout kicked my butt!! It wasn’t so hard that I felt defeated, but it definitely worked my body. I was sore for a few days.

You work through each phase for 4 weeks. Jillian gives you a detailed training calendar. The only thing I wish came with it was a poster with the full 12 weeks shown so I could put it on the wall in my workout area.

I have been on a diet from my doctor so I’m not following Jillian’s plan, but my plan is a very low-fat, high protein plan. I’ll add to my review as I work my way through the different phases. I’m doing these along with my half marathon training.

I recommend the Jillian Michaels Body Revolution if you are looking for a very detailed plan to follow or you need variety. I know that I will continue to use these DVDs long after the 90 days are over.

Disclosure: I received the products from Gaiam in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own. No other compensation was received.

Do you practice yoga? Have you invested in a good mat and blocks? If so, has it made a difference in your yoga workouts? I know working out with Jillian can be scary, but do you think you could survive 3 phases? I know you can!!!