Doonya DVD Set for a Fun Dance Workout of Cardio and Toning

**Disclaimer: I was provided a complimentary 3-DVD set of the Doonya workout for the purposes of this review, but the opinions and pictures are my own.**

This month, in addition to the normal food and fun entries, and tidbits of my daily life, I’m focusing on getting back on the health and fitness wagon. It’s not an easy feat when you’re coming off the holiday season, ready to get back in your groove but sweets are still laying around, convenience foods are stowed in your freezer and leftover gifts of candy or high-cal alcohols sit on your shelf. You’re also paying off the holidays and getting back into your normal schedule, including a full work-week. There goes your time and your willpower has to amp itself back up to a productive level. Feeling what I mean?

I love to work out. I love the energy I get after, the way I sleep at night and how much better I feel about my body, even if I have a threatening muffin-top or some backfat that may sneak out around a strap or sleeve, because I know I’m doing something about them. But if I had to admit it, it’s work and I bore easily. I like to run but this January, it’s been in the high 70s and even 80s almost every single day. I’ve had more and more blogger and food events and then there’s my chronic sinusitis facial pain. These are all challenges that I need to overcome in order to succeed, so each day, I work on taking whatever steps I can to achieve that.

One of the steps I take that gets me going in the right direction? Finding workouts that I enjoy, and that’s where Doonya comes in. I like to dance, I like to move and I like a workout that gets my whole body in motion. I’m not a good dancer though, so I’m hesitant to go take classes in public. Where people can see me trip and move like a moose. Add in a busy schedule of working full-time, getting kids back and forth to school and work and then regular house stuff, and it’s even harder to get to a gym so if I can run into my room, throw on a workout outfit and pop a DVD into the laptop or DVD player, I’m much more likely to get a workout in without excuses. And if it’s a fun workout? It whizzes by and I look forward to doing it again.

Doonya’s relatively new on the DVD market. If you enjoy Zumba, you’ll probably find Doonya similar in some regards yet totally different. It gives you a kick in the pants to move while making you feel sexy, and the moves are easy to learn. There are several steps and combos but they’re easy to get down. Confusion is minimal and the DVDs take plenty of time to teach you with just enough repetition. It’s referred to as the Ultimate Bollywood Dance Fitness Workout and has been featured on The Today Show and Dr. Oz.

The set consists of three DVDs. The first is Beginner Breakdown. Like all three DVDs, it includes a warm-up but focuses otherwise on breaking down the moves in preparation for doing the workouts on the other two DVDs and is 56 minutes long.

The second DVD is Cardio Dance and Conditioning and includes 11 routines in addition to the warm-up, to give you a one-hour total body workout.

DVD number three is called Abs, Glutes and Cardio. It consists of three high-intensity, express dance workouts for busy schedules.

Between all three DVDs, you can mix it up easily, doing some or all, and you have the option to mute the directions and just have music. I particularly liked where the instructors dress in more formal Doonya attire and do a performance type of dance. It pulls it all together and makes it entertaining, not just exercise.

The first time I did the Beginner’s Breakdown, I didn’t get sore, but when I started DVD 2 and 3, I began to feel the muscles in various areas. My thighs and calves on day 4 were screaming, but in a good way! Now I’m hooked! My daughter enjoys it and because I can do it on the laptop as well as the wide-open area behind my couch, I sometimes do it on my lunch hour. When I have more time, I do longer combinations.

I even went out and bought a new outfit so I could look better, even if no one ever sees me do Doonya…but I’m not hiding it now, even in the short span of time, I feel less like an oaf. Thanks, Doonya, for bringing out the little bit of grace and balance I have that I normally only see in Yoga. You’ve got a new fan!