It is in the Cards: Review of the Sane Fitness QuickStart Card Deck by Beverley Caen

You know me, I'm a girl who loves to run. I didn't write the date of my first run on a calendar, so I can't celebrate the exact date that running found me, but I do know it was March/April-ish of 2003. That means I've been running for 6 years now.

Even though I've read just about ever Runner's World printed since May 2003 and have read countless books about running training (I spy 5 on my bookshelf without even straining to read titles from across the room), it wasn't until Fall 2008 that I added a regular strength training element to my workouts. Yoga, yes, but weights, no. I'm a little slow on the uptake sometimes.

I've been following a balance ball workout since last fall that I have really enjoyed (and have seen amazing results!). I'm sold. Strength training is now an essential part of my life. But now, nearly 5 months later, I realize I am confident with using hand weights and a balance ball and that I'm ready to venture forth and mix up my routine a bit. Sort of like with running, if you do the same route over and over . . . you lose your interest in doing it.

Let me introduce you to my new found routine (designed to be completed in under an hour!):

The sane fitness (tm) QuickStart program

In a nutshell (or in a cute little box, as it is) the program is:
A 36 card deck with three sets of routines: A, B, & C

Each routine includes: 6 full-body weightlifting exercises, 2 abdominal exercises & 3 stretches

Each routine should be done after 20 minutes of cardio (I did 25-35 minutes to keep with my running plan - see the treadmill in the background)

The tag line reads, "Full Body Workouts That Won't Drive You Crazy" but I think it should read, "Full Body Workouts That Remind You of Muscles You've Neglected For Far Too Long".

I've only had the cards for a little over a week, but I can tell you that in the 3 workouts I've done (A, B and A again) I have WORKED! I'm sure that my quads will be better equipped to help me handle hilly runs now that the "Dumbbell Split Squat" exercise is part of my routine. I could still feel the burn 2 days later (climbing stairs about killed me!), but I sure do feel that this workout is making me stronger and look forward to my muscles adjusting to and enjoying this new workload.

The kit comes with a cardholder that allows you to clip the day's routine to you. At first I thought this was a bit silly, but then I realized how helpful it was to have the cards on me. While I workout my kids have their TV or movie time so they don't get into too much trouble while I'm occupied. The TV is in our workout space, so I'm right there with them and we can chat while I exercise, too. This also means that my daughter can come over and "help" me. When I'm using a book, this involves her turning the pages "for me". No so helpful, really. But with the cards secured to me on the cardholder, I won't really lose my place - SMART! The clip on the cardholder also allows me to have only the cards I need on me, so I'm not carrying around anything extra.

This would be a good thing to have with you at the gym. You really only need a few "props", but I found that I don't have all of the equipment at home (I have a few dumbbells, a balance ball and yoga mat and strap, but no body bar or weight bench). The cards do have modifications included for those of us without all of the equipment, though! And, www.sanefit.com does offer a sizable discount on a Gym Source home gym that can get you started. Can't complain about that!

Because I like my readers so much and I am excited about this product, I'm offering my deck to one lucky reader. No, I'm not ditching the deck because I don't like it - I'm downloading the sane fitness (tm) Next Level set directly from www.sanefit.com to keep rolling with the program!

Sane fitness (tm) also offers a Sane FitKit(tm) Complete program and a Sane Preggers FitKit(tm). Worth checking out!

To be entered into the drawing for the sane fitness (tm) QuickStart, simply leave a comment below about how fitness keeps you sane! And be sure to let me know how I can contact you if you are chosen.

The winner will be chosen on April 30th. US residents only for this, please.

*Special thanks to my husband who documented my sane fitness (tm) workout while riding his trainer in the opposite corner of our workout space! And thanks to our daughter who "helped" while decked out in her "'oga" shorts (though she refused to put on a shirt).