Still Shredding…

I wanted to give a Shredhead update, since I’m more than halfway through the 30 days. I have lost around 4 (ish) pounds, but visually I think the changes are more prominent.

I did Level 1 for about six days. I have read that most people do each of the three levels for ten days, but I felt ready to move on. I first saw a change in my body at about Day 5. Just a little change, but a change nonetheless!

Today will be Day 17 of the 30 Day Shred, which means it’ll be the 11th time I’ve done Level 2. Level 2 is full of stuff that’s in the plank position. I had forgotten how much I hate the plank position. The great thing (for me) about this level is that is seems to go by faster than Level 1 (though they are the same actual length). You’ve gotta love a workout that flies by. I am finding my inner cattiness (though I don’t like cats), however.

I get very disgusted with Anita, one of Jillian’s workout minions, halfway through Level 2. There is a point in the segment of oblique twists where Jillian says “Let’s do three more”, and the camera focuses on Anita’s petite Abs of Steel while she’s twisting for those three last seconds, and I want to reach through the screen, grab her, shake her, and yell, “You think your abs are so strong, don’t you? Your genetic ab-superiority makes me SICK!” (I actually have tremendous abs, just like Anita. You just can’t, uh, see them right now.)

Natalie is a little more realistic, to me. At least I can see cracks in her tough exterior; she lets Jillian know when something is pretty tough. Anyway, I have made great strides in the cardio portion of Level 2 over the past several days. I know I need to move up to Level 3 in the next day or two, but I’m a little scared of what I’ll be doing.

The craziest thing? Because of these little changes I’m seeing in my body, I’m actually considering repeating the shred after the 30 days with something extra, something that I HATE. Running. I am not a runner. I despise it. I can’t even do it for very long (hey, maybe that’s why I hate it?). I think, however, if I add even about 15 minutes of running after my 20 minute Shred workout (realistically, only about 3 days a week), this might kick some more weight loss into gear. I remembered the other day that I have two workout CDs that I bought about six years ago to use in my classes (but never did, because they were a little goofy) that would be perfect for my running training. They’re called “Intervelocity”; basically it’s three minutes of fast music and one and a half minutes of slower tempo music. That’s how I’m going to do it: three minutes of running, then one and a half of walking.

But let me not get ahead of myself. I’m not adding the running until I start the Shred all over again, in 13 days. By the end of July, I might be able to run into the city for BlogHer instead of taking the train. (Sue, I hope you can run too! You’d better start training!)

It’s been thrilling to hear about a few of you who started to shred after reading my first post about it…leave a comment to let everyone know how you’re doing!

That’s it for now; Jillian awaits…

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17 Comments

  • melissa

    i'm trying to get my act together and do the shred. i own it. i own the wii thing too. so there is no excuse for all the excuses i've been making.
    well…have fun. i'm off to tweet now.
    🙂
    xoxo

  • Liz@thisfullhouse

    Day 8 here and was bummed to have gained 1 lb. Then again, I'm totally feeling a difference in the way my clothes are fitting, already. So, I'm ditching the scale and going to give Level 2 a try, today. Shred it, sistah!

  • suzi

    I did day 1, Level 1 and really liked (hated) it. I am going to give it the full 30 consistent days starting tonight. Hopefully I will live to tell the tale…

  • Bebe

    Oh man, I just did Level 1 Day 4. I'm exhausted. Tell me, do you do the shred every day? Or do you take days off?

  • Andie

    i haven't started yet. *insert embarrassed shuffle here*

    I have just got to make the time to do it.

    I'm glad to hear it's working well for you, though! It is giving me more motivation!

  • surprised mom

    Congratulations on your enthusiasm. If anyone can inspire me to exercise, it will be you!

  • BeautifulWreck

    Day 1. Posted about it on my blog. Hopefully day 2 will be better for me. I can't even do push ups. Its pitiful actually.

    I will follow your shredding because I need some inspiration.

  • Melisa with one S

    Melissa: Well, you've been busy! Just figure that once you make the commitment, STICK with it. You'll figure out the time crunch. But you can't tweet while doing it, sorry…

    Liz: No, YOU shred it! 🙂 Yeah, I keep reminding myself that the scale isn't always the best judge of how my workouts are going, but I wish it would throw me a bone now and then…

    Suzi: You will DEFINITELY live to tell the tale. Good luck!

    Bebe: Yep, I absolutely do it everyday. It's supposed to be a 30-day, everyday program so you can get results. If you don't do it everyday, you will not see results much from it, or if you do, it will be very, very slow. Keep on truckin with it! Good luck!

    Andie: MAKING the time is the key. Just do it, girl! 🙂

    Surprised Mom: Thanks!

    Weaselmomma: I'm doing it over again after I'm done, remember? Wanna come over every day? We can be workout buddies.

  • Melisa with one S

    Beautiful Wreck: You'll be able to do them, don't worry. It's a build-on experience and part of getting fit. Don't be discouraged.

    Sue: Alright, alright. I'll ride the train too. I guess. 🙂

  • Heather

    i started it last monday, and then, i almost died from an allergic reaction from a new medication i started taking.

    so then i re-started it this monday and I HATE IT. JILLIAN MICHAELS IS TRYING TO KILL ME.

    and i think i might have even cursed you, too, yesterday when i could barely move as i was cleaning my kitchen. but i think i will hug you at blogher because i will be more fit by then. AND, since i'm dropping weight like crazy due to all this medication, i at least want to start toning all this weight. i don't want an oprah arm when i walk down the aisle in 8 months. 😉

    so thanks for motivating me, girlie!

  • Melisa with one S

    Heather:

    "i think i might have even cursed you, too"

    Bwahahaha! You are hilarious. Is that why I felt that twitch in my back? ha ha NO OPRAH ARMS! 🙂

  • JonnyTam13

    I was all motivated after reading your first post. I even followed along on your tweets. And I even shredded for 2 days with my wife. Then I found out that I couldn't golf or do really anything if I kept going, so I stopped.

    I plan on picking it up next week though. Gonna make it through! Keep going…I'll catch up soon!

  • mayberry

    I definitely found that too, when doing the Shred — that is made me want to do more. But not more planks. No way. No thanks.

  • Mags

    I'm thinking of trying this. But I'm scared. Very, very scared.

    We interrupt this comment for a very special woo hoo moment:

    YAY!!! SOX TIE IN THE 8TH-JASON BAY ROCKS!

    Sorry…watching the game, surprise, surprise.

    So, yeah. The shred. It looks mean. And I'm not sure I can keep it up. I want to teach myself how to run again but know I can't do it now. I could maybe make it one block, then I'd die. So…maybe the shred would be good to get me started? What do you think?

    PS. My Sox just took the lead. You care little, I know, but man it's exciting!!

  • The Microblogologist

    Haha, I used exercise to GAIN weight when I went under and doc was threatening me with the GI doc and made me see the evil dietitian. Didn't get out of GI doc in the end but it did stall it awhile. The focus now is maintaining my healthy weight and not having to see the evil dietitian again! I think my whining will make him think more that twice about sending me back to her though.

    I think the key with anything of this nature is to be aware of what is happening with your body for what you are doing. If it is a diet then weight loss is generally the appropriate indicator of its effectiveness. In contrast if it is exercise then weight is definitely not a good indicator, measurements and how you look is. But you most likely already know that 😉 Keep up the awesomeness!