Shredded

Last time I was on here, I believe I was bitching about my recent weight gain, which is both unfair and unwarranted (the weight gain, not the bitching). At the time, I'd been doing Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred for a while, and keeping notes, which follow this intro. I must warn you, if you don't like exercise, or find long exercise-related posts kind of boring, you might as well stop now. If you want my impressions of the workout (and a little more cranky), keep going.

Week 1:
Started with Level 1. It's hard, but doable. I've decided to stick to my regular eating habits because I'm incapable of dieting. I would rather work out hard than attempt to restrict myself. I also stuck to my regular exercise routine for the most part - if I was doing Level 1 I did another workout with it, but the first few times that I did Level 2 I just did it alone. Anyway, so I started out at X weight (I'm not telling) and took my measurements. At the end of Week 1, I'd lost a half inch off of my waist, hips, and booty and lost 2 pounds. I admittedly did not do the workouts on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday I needed a day off since I felt myself getting shin splints, and Sunday I was so grossly hungover I took a two hour nap and mostly ate saltines and drank ginger tea. Ahem.

Week 2: I was somewhat dissatisfied with my results from Week 1, so I did weight training days in addition to the Shred workouts rather than just running. Said workout basically consisted of biking for 15 minutes as a warm-up (no running b/c of shin splints), 20 minutes of either free weights on arm day or One on One Training with Jackie on leg day, plus whatever Level of the Shred I was feeling that day. I also tried Level 3 this week, which was a bit much at the time - too many plyometrics for my spindly little shins. Ow. I literally yelled OUCH a couple times. Plyometrics are so not for me. It felt like my poor little legs were breaking. I also made the mistake this week of doing a workout while hungover. Never. Again. Worst. Idea. Ever. Results, however, were pretty much unchanged.

Week 3: Have started keeping track of my calories and trying to eat more protein and fewer carbs (in a healthy, non-Atkins way). Apparently I am not entirely incapable of dieting, just cranky about it. Mostly, I am frustrated as hell that I am working out like a demon and not seeing results. The universe hates me. I did Level 3 again this morning and remembered that it hates me too. Mostly, my issue comes from the two most vile exercises I can think of - jump lunges and jump squats. I am unable to keep my balance during the former and during the second set of the latter I was in so much pain that I yelled "Shut UP Jillian!" at the TV and then muted it. Because I wasn't being melodramatic at all.

Week 4: Have started eating protein shakes for lunch. I am now a protein shake girl. I sort of hate myself a little for that. And yet, all the calorie counting and the fact that I do Level 3, a cardio warm-up (usually) and 20 minutes of abs has not made for super results. The grand total? I lost 3 pounds (WTF?), 1 inch from my waist, 1 from the booty, and 1 from my hips. Again, WTF? Overall it's a good workout, for sure, if you don't have much time. I think maybe I expected too much, having heard that it could change your body big time. And maybe it would have if I'd started from a different place - not exercising much to begin with or having more to lose - but honestly, it's a routine I'll probably only really stick with on days that I don't have much time. In the meantime, I'll have my protein shakes to keep me warm at night.

Overall:

A great DVD, especially if you don't have a lot of time. I know I did regular workouts with the DVD workouts, but if I didn't have time for a whole big thing I felt like I got a decent workout in 25 minutes, which is pretty sweet.

Level 1 is good. It's definitely hard, but Jillian is hardcore and motivating (although that pain that I feel while doing bicycle crunches? It's not "fear leaving the body," it's lactic acid buildup. Just sayin'). Level 2 is harder, but still doable. The cardio is more heart-pumping, and the weight exercises are static (think holding a lunge for a full minute) so your muscles are working the whole time. However, after a week and a half I felt like I needed another workout on top of both Levels 1 & 2. Level 3 is a beast, at least when you first start. I did really like the fact that she incorporated weights into the cardio (think punches while holding your dumbells) and there is something perversely satisfying about being that sweaty. Gives me a sense of accomplishment. However, at the end I still needed a little something extra (lagniappe, as we would say in NOLA) by my third day at Level 3.

My biggest issue with the DVD? There is this section at the beginning where Jillian talks for about 3 minutes, introducing herself and the workouts. Cool...one time. The problem comes because you CAN'T fast forward, and I only needed to hear it once. It's like those FBI warnings, but way longer. It's kind of hugely annoying when you've heard it 30 times in a row. Other than that, the stretching portion wasn't enough for me, so I just did my own stretches at the end, which made it pretty much a nonissue. Apparently, I also can't really speak to results, but if you're starting from scratch I'd say it's a pretty good place to start from. Mostly, I am lukewarm but still recommending it, and I'm starting to really like protein shakes. Sure, they taste like Yoo-Hoo with some fruit added, but now I find them weirdly satisfying. I'm not sure what that says about me.