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I can't avoid them. There they are, screaming at me in unison with their garishly colored covers and vapid, recycled headlines. "Shrink your butt now!" they exclaim, because apparently, I'm supposed to want a figure like the 90 pound model on the front cover (yes, the one whose hips have been airbrushed off). "Sex secrets that will titillate your man," they scream, because without Cosmo's expert advice, my partners will run off, sex-starved and unfulfilled, into the seductive arms of a savvy Cosmolite. "The must-have trend in handbags," they shout, because if I want my left shoulder to have the permanent, grand societal standing that it deserves, all that is required is that I part with my measly graduate student paycheck- that is, until Glamour recommends next month's bag. "Must-know beauty tips," they offer, because beauty is only as deep as the inches of foundation you pour on your face. Of course, there's always the "Does he really love you?" quiz, because relationship success is a mystery that has been unraveled solely by the astute and gifted staff at Allure, and has nothing to do with self-awareness or communication with my partner.
I watch other shoppers' eyes catch on the magazines when I'm standing in line, and I am ashamed. I am ashamed because those magazines are the voice of the women in my generation, and what they're saying- no, screaming in bright, bold, knowing letters- is that we are self-doubting, insecure, shallow and flighty. We are capable of delving no deeper into our relationships than is required to lure our boyfriends into buying us the requisite Valentine's Day gifts, capable of planning nothing more complex than a bridal shower with creative pink origami decorations, and capable of feeling nothing more sensual than a bachelorette party complete with plastic penises. Our collective self esteem could fit into one of those cute little advertised tampon cases; our intelligence is best put to use by marrying the man of our dreams- the college degree is just enough so he doesn't feel too superior. (We're all about gender equality, as long as the man continues to pay.)
Where are the rest of us? Over half of bachelor's degrees are now granted to women- where are their representatives? Half of medical students are now female- what magazines are they reading? But then again, it's just a proven business model, and women have not yet wised up to it. A magazine that did not chide you for being needy, unfulfilled, imperfect and unattractive wouldn't be able to advertise and sell an endless parade of miraculous products to save you, would it?
I'll admit it. I've been completely spoiled by my Insanity routines. In fact, I'm afraid to review new cardio workouts because I think I'll be biased against them; nothing seems intense after Insanity (and I'm still only on Month 1…). This raised the following question: exactly which workouts am I going to do when I'm done with Insanity? How are any cardio workouts going to satisfy me? 
Luckily, I've done enough to be able to identify some of the hardest, non-Insanity workout DVDs out there. Based on my current collection, here are the intensity winners. If you're an intensity fiend or looking for an occasional sweaty, horrifying challenge, these are must haves.
Kickboxing: Kickbox Surge, which never fails to destroy me with its high-intensity intervals and long series of jump kicks. Its challenging choreography also kept it fresh for a while, although it's not a workout I do often anymore.
Interval step routine: Imax 3, which is by far one of the hardest workouts I've ever done, combines 10 fast-paced choreographed step routines with 10 heart-pumping intervals, including a myriad of plyometric exercises that will take your breath away and possibly leave you floundering on the floor. There's little to no down time, so the intensity never stops. Bonus: it's only 41 minutes long (excluding warmup and cool down).
Interval floor routine: Cardio Core Circuit, which is currently one of my all-time favorite workouts. It has 5 intervals, each of which include a circuit of 3 intense exercises that is repeated twice, followed by a core exercise. It has more down time than Insanity, but whew, those intervals are intense.
Choreographed step aerobics: Cardio Fusion, which integrates challenging sections from several of Cathe's other workouts, is a particularly long, strenuous workout. There are several different styles of workouts in it, but each one (except for the second set, which is from Low Max), is difficult in its own way. Trust me when I say that a stability ball has never felt so heavy.
Choreographed floor aerobics: All Cardio Hi-Lo Knockout, which is yet another choreographically mind-boggling routine from Amy, has tough intervals that rival some of the sections of Insanity. In between, there are high-impact and complex step routines that keep the heart rate up.
And because an entry about intense workouts would not be complete without them, here are two of my least favorite workouts. Everyone has a different style, so intensity fans might want to read my thoughts on Tonique and Bikini Boot Camp and try them if they seem interesting.
Above photo (c) Darwin Bell and obtained via Creative Commons License, http://www.flickr.com/photos/darwinbell/2535102153/sizes/s/.
One of the great advantages of being a vidiot (slang for those of us who are workout video addicts) over a gym rat is great independence and flexibility to workout while traveling. As an advanced exerciser, I have pretty stringent criteria for what constitutes an acceptable travel workout, though. Read on for recommendations!
I've always loved traveling, but I used to dread it at the same time. How was I going to get my workout fix? What if I lost conditioning? The idea of heading home a week or two later and having to work my way back up to my current workouts was horrifying. Well, I've relaxed to some extent now, and I don't work out as often when I'm traveling as I do when I'm at home, but I definitely work out as hard. And, I do so all in the comfort of my room, needing only a laptop and occasionally resistance bands.
I'll be heading on a weeklong trip soon, and here's what I'll be taking with me:
Lalofit 2: ingenious circuit training workout with yoga-esque strength exercises and short cardio intervals. Be ready to do some pushups- that's the crowning feature of this DVD. When traveling, I use two 2 liter bottles of soda as my weights (2 liters of fluid = about 4.5 lbs). I could go heavier than that, but the pushup variations make this workout quite challenging anyway. It's about 45 minutes long and builds steadily in intensity. I am almost always sore the day after I do this.
Cathe Friedrich- Cardio Core Circuit: this little gem is one of my best discoveries of the year. I love high-intensity interval training because it's so efficient and not boring, and this one is one of the best HiiT workouts I've ever done. It's not classic HiiT in the 40/20 or 30/30 sense, but you do circuits of 3 very challenging, athletic moves, followed by a good core exercise. There's very little repetition in this workout, and it's ultra time-compact, coming in at 33 minutes plus warmup and cooldown. And no equipment needed other than a towel or two for the floorwork!
Insanity: if you've been keeping up with my Insanity blog, you know I'm a devout follower at the moment. With the exception of one workout, they're all equipment-free, very time compact, and incredibly intense. One of my favorite features is the music-free option, so while on the road and away from my living room (where I can blast my music without fear), I'll be bringing an MP3 player with me so I can listen to pounding music via headphones while doing the workout. That nifty little timer + exercise ticker on the bottom of the screen will definitely help.
Physique 57: a comprehensive barre workout that has pacing and exercises very similar to a live class. It is challenging and brings me to the point of shouting curses at the instructor, but it still gives me that wonderful sense of well being afterwards that I find I get from a good barre workout.
The Bar Method- Change Your Body: slightly slower paced than Physique 57, but the excellent cuing and stretching more than make up for it, and it still produces an agonizing burn as you work deep into your muscles. On vacation, all you need is a dining room chair.
Advanced Travel Rotation 1, for a weeklong trip:
Above image (c) Kossy and obtained via a Creative Commons License: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kossy/354401232/sizes/s/#cc_license.