Nadia Sawalha: Fat to Fab [DVD]

A great feature about the DVD is that you can programme the DVD to play only the exact sections that you want to do, but it automatically runs the warm up and cool down at the beginning and end. It means that you don't have to interrupt your flow to fiddle about with buttons although you get the basic little intros for each section from Nadia which gives you time to grab a drink of water, tie a shoe lace or grab a towel etc. (I don't own many work out dvds, perhaps this is the norm? Regardless I was impressed!)I am still overweight but I've been working out 5 days a week for about a year now (although this DVD is a recent addition to my schedule) but I feel the routines are pretty intense, not the best if you've not worked out in a while! I'm not used to them all yet.It's good to have a basic knowledge of aerobics moves and toning moves like squats and lunges as there is virtually no instruction on these. It presumes that people are already familiar with these moves and the pace moves a little fast for those who are new to them or a little out of practise. The good news is that although they are tough at first, you get good at them pretty quickly, just persevere as they are great moves, but even better if you can try them out with a trainer or an online tutorial to get the hang of them.So far I totally love the main 'HI NRG fat burn' section. The warm up itself is pretty intense and long compared to some and it builds up nicely. Although it's mentioned at the start there isn't really a clear build up from the low to high impact run through in the main aerobic/fat burn section. I think Dianne is very pretty and watchable and lovely with Nadia and encouraging, but not the most experienced of fitness instructors as she doesn't give clear instruction throughout the various sections. It doesn't seem to come naturally to her (yet) which is a shame.The music is pretty good, love the first track of the HI NRG workout especially, it's upbeat and trancey, helps you to keep the pace but it's not over powering or too thud thud, also not cheesy chart music like a lot of work out DVDs, which I thoroughly cringe at!However the cool down let's it down. They use music which has lyrics in, which often annoys me when an instructor is trying to talk over it. There is so much good music without lyrics that could be used or created, I don't know why they use stuff that doesn't compliment what is going on. Plus rather than do lovely long stretches (which are more effective) she rushes through them to ensure that it fits in with the chorus/verse and that just doesn't work for me. She also doesn't describe what she is doing accurately or with proper instruction, so until you get used to the routine it is kinda hard to follow when you are bent over, not facing the screen etc. I actually do a cool down from another DVD so I feel like I've actually cooled down properly.Good points: I like most of the music. Nadia is good to watch, she has a nice energy and gives encouragement, plus she looks fantastic! Their rapport is pretty good, which is nice, quite natural and not too forced, which happens such a lot in celeb fitness dvds! The warm up is good, pretty long and gets you set up for a great work out although she doesn't hold the stretches for long enough! Unlike Davina, Nadia really does her best and pushes herself, rather than prance about looking for a cheap laugh.Bad Points: The cool down is lengthy but each individual move is rushed. It would be better to hold each stretch with clearer instruction with more chilled music, rather than try to fit such a variety of moves in, without giving proper instruction and talking over singing. There isn't clear instruction on a lot of the correct form in the strength and toning sections which could easily lead to injury for inexperienced people (like me a year ago) For more seasoned fitness fanatics I'm sure it works out as a great work out!I'm sure as I get better at it I will learn to love it more and more! Perhaps there will even come a time where i get fed up of instructors always explaining correct form and posture? In the meantime though I'd recommend you exercise with caution. (see what I did there? Brilliant)Minor point. They don't really make a fuss of the fact that Dianne is the instructor, even though she is well liked and known from the ministry Pump it Up workouts. This seems a little off. If they used Dianne to appeal to a wider, more youthful audience then why not promote her input more to sell more copies? If not they should have stuck with a more experienced instructor who is used to a slightly less trendy audience, who explains stuff fully and actually wants people to exercise safely rather than thrust and pose their way through a work out? (admittedly Dianne does it 98% less in this one than in MOS!) This bit hasn't affected my rating obviously, it just seems strange to me?!

Brilliant DVD especially, if like me, you are new to exercising. I have tried exercise DVDs in the past but been unable to persevere with them as they tended to be mainly aerobic workouts. This DVD is fantastic as it is split into different sections and each section incorporates some aerobic workouts with some toning/stretching exercises and then back to aerobics again and so on. Great for giving you a chance to catch your breath inbetween the aerobic sections. The DVD is split into 5 sections:Warm Up - 12 minutesGreat for beginners as you could just do the warm up and cool down as one workout to get you started and would make a 20 minute workout. When I first started, I did the warm up twice and then the cool down to finish for the first couple of days, just to get me used to exercising and break me in gently.High Energy Fat Burner - 22 minutesAgain broken down into sections of aerobic exercise and stretch/toning exercises. Starts off with low impact and then builds up to higher impact. I am struggling with this at the moment so tend to go to the next two sections until I have been exercising for a little bit longer and will then give it another go. Deane the trainer is very encouraging and says that if you struggle with the high impact routine, just repeat the low impact routine until you are able to do the whole thing.All Over Body Blast - 15 minutesNot as difficult as the High Energy routine but still works you hard. Sectioned into aerobics and toning exercises as before. Concentrates on the arms but includes tummy exercises. My favorite at the moment, after only 6 days of exercising.All over Body Toner - 15 minutesSimilar to the Body Blast again with aerobics and toning exercises but concentrates more on your core. Good exercises for the waist.Cool Down - 10 minutesA great way to finish off your exercise routine and very calming.I have only had this DVD for a week but have exercised every day for 6 days, missing one day inbetween, and varying which of the sections I have done on - another thing I love about this DVD. I definitely feel like I have more energy since I started with this DVD and, combined with sensible eating (no strict dieting), I have already lost 5lbs.Nadia and Deane, the trainer, have a good rapport and I loved the fact that Nadia actually weighed herself, on camera, before she started exercising and was brave enough to show us what she looked like when she started. Great encouragement for the rest of us, well done Nadia. I agree with previous reviews that Deane should have been mentioned on the box and also feel that Nadia should have introduced her at the beginning. I also loved the white setting which I found very clean and calming.I would definitely recommend this to other people, especially if like me you are new to exercising. A great DVD for getting you into exercising and even when time is short, you can still just do the warm up and cool down and, time permitting, one of the sections, and feel like you have achieved something.Brilliant.