I usually roll my eyes because, really?  We’re jumping up and down about razor blades?  No.  Not really.

Not that we don’t need razor blades, mind you – but let’s not pretend that OUR LIVES! THEY ARE CHANGED! BY THIS AWESOME RAZOR BLADE!  THAT I HAVE BEEN COVETING!

This is not, by the way, a post about razor blades.

What this is, in fact, is a post about a marketing campaign that made me laugh so hard that I couldn’t wait to share it with you.

Ladies (and gentleman), I give you the latest craze in workout videos…

Strong As Steel from Strong As Steel on Vimeo.

My witty and insightful commentary – after the jump.

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA

And also?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHA

Ha.

I don’t know who at GE came up with this idea, but I would like to buy them a drink.  Or two.  And then I want to drag them into my kitchen and make them teach me how to WORKOUT!  USING NOTHING BUT MY STOVE! AND REFRIGERATOR!

And then I’ll buy them another drink and convince them to replace my dishwasher.

Do you know the funniest part of this whole promotion – I mean, besides Alison Sweeney doing fridge curls on camera?

I actually considered for a moment buying the DVD.  Oh, yes, you can buy the DVD.  I mean, I do have a kitchen and a desperate need to firm up…

Yeah, OK.  Back to watching the video and laughing hysterically.

While you can buy the DVD, the point of this whole campaign is to promote GE’s stainless steel appliances.  Starting now (OK, probably earlier than now), you can buy GE Stainless Steel Appliance for the same price of their regular appliances until July 6, 2009 at participating retailers.*

I am not (knock on wood) in the market for new appliances – but if I was, I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t be all about making it look like I had spent money on fancy, schmancy stainless steel ones without actually having to spend more money.

If you, on the other hand, happen to be in the market for new appliances, you can find out about GE’s stainless steel promotion here.

Now, on to THE PRIZE!

GE is not, unfortunately, letting me giveaway appliances.  And if they were, I would probably rig the contest so my cat won them.  Because I am ethical.

Instead, GE is letting me giveaway a REALLY FANCY YOGA MAT AND CARRIER.

Which is totally just as awesome as a dishwasher in some circles.

HOW TO WIN THE FANCY GE YOGA MAT AND CARRIER:

>>Leave a comment telling me what at-home exercise you do.

>>You must comment with a valid email address because that’s how I’ll notify the winner.

>>Contest (and comments) will be open from now until midnight EDT on Friday June 22 June 26.

>>Winner will be chosen at random and contacted via the email address they used to enter.

>>GE (or someone who works for them) will be responsible for sending out your prize.  Lucky, you.

Ready, set, go**….

*And no one paid me to say that.  Which is so sad, because look at how awesome that sentence was.

**I love how I am creating all of this drama!  And excitement!  And anticipation!  For a yoga mat!

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Post tags: contest, GE, marketing, marketing campaign, new appliances, stainless steel appliances, strong as steel, workout, yoga

Yes, maternity.

No, I’m not – nor have been in the last four years – pregnant.

But these were the only pants I’d found that were comfortable and flattering, probably in part because of the extra support in the belly.  Unfortunately, while I have no shame in wearing maternity clothes for years after I’ve given birth, I’m not willing to walk into a store and buy maternity clothes when I am obviously not pregnant.

But I’ve been tempted.

I’ve started taking a weekly cycling class and they demand you wear pants to class.  I’ve also taken a pilates class and showed up to the gym to use the elliptical routine – and all of those activities require pants as well.  For months I’ve struggled to find workout pants that I loved as much as my solitary pair of maternity capris.

I’m happy to report, my quest for the perfect workout pants is finally over.

The pants I clung to for years were Old Navy maternity yoga capris.  I should have known that Old Navy would offer something similarly comfortable and flattering for non-pregnant women.

I have fallen in love with Old Navy’s fold-over yoga capris.

I have a hard time finding workout clothes that aren’t embarassingly clingy, but Old Navy’s yoga pants are exactly what I’ve been looking for.  The material is sturdy enough to hold in and conceal everything, but still comfortable and breathable.  I have to admit that this surprises me because I don’t usually think of high quality fabric when I think of Old Navy.

I’ve tried on most of Old Navy’s workout pants and the fold-over capri style is by far my favorite.

The wide, fold-over waistband offers me the same comfort and support for my tummy that the maternity version does.  I prefer the styles that have patterns or striping on the fold-over waistband because it really helps to break up my bottom half – which is my lumpiest area.

The capri length is perfect for me because a) I’m short and b) I get hot when I workout.

The best part of these pants is the price.  They’re only $16.50 online or in Old Navy stores.  (I did find a wider selection of colors in my local store than I did online.)

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Post tags: maternity clothes, old navy, old navy maternity, workout, workout clothes, yoga, yoga pants

I’m convinced that God made me that way.  That’s why I am not one of those people who glistens when they workout.  I sweat.  And get red faced.  And swell.  And my legs itch when I run.

I’m practically allergic to strenuous exercise.

Which makes yoga perfect for me.

What is not perfect for me is a yoga class.  That you take with other people.  In front of mirrors.  In a room that discourages swearing.

If I’m going to fall over trying to stand on one leg, I’d like to be able to do it in the privacy of my own home where only my children can mock me and be scarred by my inevitable cursing.

If you’re trying to ease back into fitness and you’re not quite yoga studio ready, I highly recommend getting into a yoga routine at home.  It won’t feel like you’re doing anything hard and you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see results within a couple weeks.

Everything You Need To Do Yoga At Home:

A.M./P.M. Yoga DVD with Rodney Yee

Rodney Yee is a favorite with beginners and experienced yoga.. uh… doers.  Yoga Doers.  Yes, that’s the word.

He’s all talented and stuff.  And he’s not bad to look at.

The AM and PM routines give you a little variety.  And it’s nice to have the option of getting perked up to start your day or unwinding to end it.

But the best part is, even if you have a dart board with Denise Austin’s face on it, I assure you that you can complete these workouts.  Without crying.

Premium Skidless Yoga Mat – (in Purple even)

Yes, you really do need a yoga mat.

This is the one I use and the few times I’ve tried to do yoga without it – well, let’s just say there is a reason it is “skidless”.

I do yoga in my living room on carpet, so I don’t need a super thick mat.  I have the thinnest version in the smallest size.

If you have hardwood floors or tile (or actually plan to go to a class because you are obviously more secure than I am), then you’ll really want to get one of the thicker sizes.  You’ll also want to look at length if you’re a little taller.

Yoga Pants

I am the last person to advocate buying something just because if you can make do with something you already have.

But it is really helpful to have the right clothing when you’re trying to do yoga.

Baggy shorts?  Not helpful.  Baggy sweatpants?  Not good.

You need something that fits close to the body and isn’t going to get in the way when you’re trying to contort your body.  Yoga requires a lot of concentration and ill fitting clothes really will make a big difference in your concentration level.

That being said, my favorite pair of yoga pants is a maternity pair I got from Old Navy 5 years ago.  They’re form fitting without being too tight and they aren’t too long (which is an issue for me) because they’re capri length.

Yoga (or some kind of) Tank Top

I’m assuming most people already own a tank top that will work for yoga.

What you’re looking for is:

• A tank top – or something with fitted arms, which would make me, personally, want to strangle someone.  A t-shirt would bug the crap out of me though.  There’s no way.
• Fitted – even if you’re home alone, if you’re doing down face dog and suddenly your shirt is up around your neck and your boobs are swinging out, that’s distracting.
• Not tooo fitted – you obviously want to be comfortable.  Duh.

If for some bizarre reason you don’t already have a tank top that fits the bill, this one is on sale for $11.99 and is actually flattering enough to wear in public if you do lose your damn mind.

And that’s it!

One of the best things about yoga is that it doesn’t take a lot of fancy equipment to get started.  And once you have the basics, you can reuse them over and over again (I’ve had my yoga mat for about 7 years now).

If you’re looking to lose weight or just get in better shape, I cannot recommend yoga enough.  It is by far the least intimidating form of exercise I’ve found that actually works.

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Post tags: exercise DVD, fitness, health products, rodney yee, women's workout clothes, workout clothing, yoga, yoga DVD