The economy is shaky and people are holding back on their spending for anything that is non-essential. Gym memberships are among the items people are scaling back on to help them get through the tough times. The truth is however, even in a recession, we need a physical outlet to release our stress, excess energy and keep us healthy. At a time when we are looking to stop hitting the gym, we need to look elsewhere for alternative means to fitness. Many are turning to fitness DVDs to help stay in shape.

Top nine Fitness DVDs to Help You Stay in Shape

Fitness DVDs are an excellent choice to keep you motivated and moving at home, on vacation, during business travel or anywhere. So many of us have laptops that play DVDs that now there is no excuse not to workout on a regular basis.  There are DVDs for cardiovascular improvement, DVDs for muscular strengthening, yoga and Pilates DVDs, even DVDs for walking.

    1. Best Calorie Burning DVD:
Fat-Burning Kickboxing Workout for Dummies
Estimated Calories Burned:  700
This is an excellent DVD for anyone who has never tried a kickboxing class. Keli Roberts, renowned fitness presenter shows you how to throw a jab or simulate a side kick for maximum workout benefit. Kickboxing is fantastic for working all the muscles in the body because there is movement in all planes and the body in lunging forward, side to side and up and down.  This DVD is beginner friendly and has very easy to follow segments and at $15, it is easy on the wallet as well.
 
    2. Best at Keeping you Engaged DVD:
1 Minute Workout: Total Body Toning
Estimated Calories Burned: 4 to 10 per minute of exercise time or 670 an hour
This one DVD has more than 115 different exercises that you select from for customized workouts every time. You can do upper body one day, lower the next or mix it up as you wish.
"It's impossible to get bored!" With almost 2 hours of workout time your $20 investment is worth every penny. 

    3. Best for Zen and Strength Combination DVD:
IntenSati Intention and Power: A High Energy Workout for Body, Mind & Soul
Estimated Calories Burned: 600
Patricia Moreno is a talented and creative fitness instructor who for years has been a pioneer in her field. Her unique, challenging workout combines elements from yoga, martial arts, sculpting to help you with your inner chi and physical body simultaneously. This DVD is one hour long for just under $20.

    4. Best for at Conditioning the Core:
10 Minute Solution: Rapid Results Pilates
Estimated Calories Burned: Close to 300, or approximately 50 per routine
Love Pilates but just don't have the time for a full practice? This DVD led by Lara Hudson features five – ten minute routines which focus specifically on different areas of the body so that you can tailor your workout to what you need or want on a particular day. Mix and match what you want any day, any time. This one is a real recession helper at under $15!

   5. Best for Fun DVD:
Dance Off the Inches: Fat Burning Jam
Estimated Calories Burned: 300
This DVD is great because all you need is ten minutes to learn the moves and then you are off and dancing. Michelle Dozois will have you shaking your booty, along with the rest of you to great dance music.  This DVD is all about moving hip hop tunes infused with a jazz feel you will absolutely love. 45 minutes of fun and exercise for $15 is a good deal!

   6.Best for Muscle Confusion:
AthleKinetix 3 DVD Fitness Challenge
Estimated Calories Burned: 650
This DVD series is superb because of the focus on not inly using multiple pieces of fitness equipment, BOSU, Body Bar, Gliding Discs and dumbbells, but also because the modifier in the DVD does all the exercises utilizing only a set of hand weights (dumbbells) and performing each exercise so that beginners or people with injuries can follow along with the advanced athlete. Thirteen challenges and over two hours of exercises for $25 is a recession busting steal.

    7. Best for Advanced Yoga Participants:
Mark Blanchard's Progressive Power Yoga: The Sedona Experience (set of five DVDs)
Estimated Calories Burned: From 350 to around 720
Why we love it: Blanchard can make any yogi break a sweat. Advanced poses such as the flying crow are difficult; your muscles will work like never before.
Our tester says: "This is definitely a challenging workout, but Blanchard keeps you coming back for more." (48 to 98 minutes; $89.99 for the set, $19.99 to $24.99 per DVD, progressivepoweryoga.com)

    8. Best for Learning How to Lift Weights:
Build Up Your Muscles
Estimated Calories Burned: 300 per routine
Professional Fitness Instructor Gin Miller gives you four powerful and easy to follow weight routines for increasing your strength. The focus is on proper form and Gin takes the time to make sure anyone can understand how to execute each move. You select your equipment preference and fitness level for a total-body workout. A 50 minute workout for $30 is not our best deal but it is a great DVD.

    9. Best for Changing Your Body:
P90X
Estimated Calories Burned: 600 per DVD average
The P90X is a fantastic life changing fitness program which not only includes 13 DVDs with everything from free weight training of the arms and legs, yoga, kickboxing, stretch, cardiovascular and core workouts but also includes a food plan, supplement recommendations and a tracking  journal to chart your progress.