Hello from the land of someone who is finally done with the 30 Day Shred - a mere 68 days later! WOO HOO!
But I need your help - what should I do next? I heard that Jackie Warner has a DVD that's a lot like The Shred - weights and cardio in one really rough and sweaty 20 minute per day workout. I really can't do more than that per day because my toddler stopped napping and she might burn down the house if I attempt something like PX-90. Besides, I was thinking a Jackie vs. Jillian battle of the 30 day programs would be kind of cool. But since it was you guys who suggested the Shred to begin with - maybe you can point me in the right direction for what I do next.
Also, any suggestions on healthy snacks would be great. Because I don't think I can eat any more popcorn and the baby keeps stealing and devouring my beloved Laughing Cow 35-calorie cheese wedges.
Oh yeah! The Rants from Mommyland SparkPeople Team just started a new challenge so if you want to participate - all you have to do is exercise ten minutes a day for the next month. My kids have been making me play Just Dance 2 on the Wiii for hours a day and I have to say, my tap dance training has come in handy because I just rocked a very high score just this afternoon.
As I said last week, I have grown to love Jillian and I am really, really happy that I did the Shred, even though it was really hard. This represents a big change from when I first started - when I hated every second of it, couldn't sit on the potty without falling the last six inches and thought Jillian was dirty whore.- I hurt my knee after two weeks. I took 2 days off and bought a knee brace from Target and I was good to go. Injury is a possibility with this, especially if you're pretty out of shape when you get started, as I was.
- I used 5lb hand weights and my biceps actually got a little bit bigger - which I didn't want.
- Thanks to the holidays and the fact that it it took me a month a to progress from the end of Level 2 to the end of Level 3, my weight and measurements haven't changes since the third week of the Shred. Here's the dealio:
- 5 pounds
- 2.5 inches off my waist
- 3 inches off my hips
- 1.5 inches off each thigh
- I feel about a million times better.
And I just really want to thank everyone who is helping and encouraging me and that includes you.
xo, Lydia and her slowly shrinking ass
(c)Herding Turtles, Inc. 2009 - 2010
I really like Christy (Christi?) Taylor DVDs because she actually sweats and looks like she's really working as hard as you. She has a variety - some more dancy and some more toning. It takes a few times to get with the choreography, but she remains my favorite when I work out at home. Great job on sticking with Shred!
ReplyDeletecongratulations! that's quite an accomplishment. we're rooting for you!
ReplyDeletehooray for you! you have inspired me to try the 30 day shred, actually. i ordered it off amazon and it should be here tomorrow. thanks for the boost i needed. you rock!!
ReplyDeleteafter a period of lifting and resistance training, i would go with something to elongate your muscles, like yoga or plyomometrics. It still sucks, but it's a very different variety of suck, and keeping your body guessing will keep your weight on a downward trend.
ReplyDeleteI got nothing on what to do next... I'm just getting to the "feeling 98% better" with this respitory virus. I *think* I can do 15 minutes of walking on my treadmill now without having an asthma attack.
ReplyDeleteAs for the healthy snacks.... I'm a big fan of slicing some cucumbers, tomatoes and red onion... drizzling some light olive oil and balsamic vinegar over it. Sliced apples, those cute little baby carrots, celery sticks....
And on the salad front.... I found some salad dressing the other day.... ZERO fat, carbs, calories, ANYTHING. For freakin' real. The brand is Walden Farms. I got it for the hubster who's doing the whole "low carb" thing and has lost about 20 pounds... in the same amount of time I've managed to eek out a measley 7 pounds. Sigh.
My kids have the Just Dance game too.... looks like fun. I may join them some day.
On the plus side... my jeans are almost too big for me. Can I get a fist bump????????
I've never posted before but I just found a great workout so now seems like an opportune time. Depending on where you live in northern Virginia, you should check out Mommy Boot camp (www.mommybootcamp.com). It's an hour long, but you can take your Cupcake with you and she can hang out in the stroller or even run around. (The trainers who lead class have their kiddos there too). The workouts kick my butt but they're really fun! (p.s. Despite sounding like a sales agent, I really don't work for the company! It's great though! Hard workout, nice mommy support system...hard to argue!)
ReplyDeleteI started Spark People last Tues. and today I had my first I'm-not-even-entering-all-the-food-I-ate-today-b/c-it-will-total-5000-calories day. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has a damn hard time staying on the wagon. Thanks for the encouragement to climb back on.
ReplyDeleteLydia, You are THE.WOMAN!!! I am very proud of you and the work you've done. The most amazing step that you've made is just putting yourself out there - it is one of the hardest things to do!
ReplyDeleteNow, get ready, the Minister of A$$ Reduction and I have some big plans to get us ready for summer!!! We might not be in bikinis by summer, but we won't be confused for ocean mammals!!! W00tWoot!!!
Signed,
Headmistress Yca
I posted this on Facebook too but I really love Tracy Anderson. She is Gweneth Paltrows trainer. Anyways, she has a bunch of AMAZING DVD's and a new book called the 30 day method with a dvd in it. Im starting wednesday so I dont know how it is but I love her post pregnancy DVD and her Perfect Design series. She does a lot of ballet arms and her program is designed to get you teeny tiny and not bulked up!
ReplyDeleteI second Kate's recommendation of a boot camp. I do Baby Boot Camp which is a similar style (kid in stroller while you get your butt kicked). There is also Stroller Strides that has the added component of a weekly playgroup (or something similar...I don't really know how it works). Anyway...I really like working out with other people and find that it is extra motivating when the other moms expect you to be there. :)
ReplyDeleteSo I've had a crazy life change in the past 4 months and managed to drop 15 off my svelte 200+ figure without much clue as to how, but I'm still losing!!! Biggest thing for me is I've never been a breakfast eater, I tend to spend the 1st 5 hours of my day slightly nauseated. I make myself eat a 90 calorie b-fast bar at about 7:30 and again at 10:30 (I'm at work at 7 am...) then I tend to eat a lighter lunch and can have a solid dinner. By the time I'm ready for bed I'm still "full" from dinner and don't snack. I seriously think its the breakfast bars!!! Now I need to start burning the calories!!!
ReplyDeleteTry Chalean Extreme. The dvds are awesome. They are also all under an hour.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you're back in the swing of things! =)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Heather. Try Yoga or plyometrics or pilates. I did pilates with a friend once and I almost died. So, I'm starting to go to a pilates class this week (in addition to Shredding, I think I've lost my mind). But there are great DVD's too. Mix it in with a little cardio and it could be a nice change of pace.
Favorite healthy snack ideas: carrots, almonds, tuna fish salad on wasa bread, cucumbers, grapes, applesauce, citrus fruit, hard boiled egg, pretzel sticks
Do you have cable? My cable company has a feature called "On Demand" with movies and tv shows. It also has Sports/Fitness with a variety of FREE workouts. Something worth checking into before you decide to buy a DVD.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely snack on fruits and veggies. Buy a big ass bag of frozen berries from Costco and eat them frozen. They are sweet, you can't eat them fast and they are perfect!
ReplyDeleteIf I'm having a sweet craving, I really like the Kashi granola bars. They are a bit expensive, but if you can grab them when they are sale, they are much more reasonable. The cherry dark chocolate and the mocha almond are my favourite.
Beware snacking on nuts; even though they are very healthy, they are high in calories. A handful of almonds are about the same as a 3 oz serving of chicken!
And start your day with PROTEIN!!! On the days I don't, I snack on carbs like I'm getting ready to hibernate. =P
I just wanted to say that I started the Shred today and I'm really hoping all you say is true (except the part about injury), cuz right now I loathe Jillian. I think I developed asthma from doing this friggin-fraggin workout.
ReplyDeleteJust found the blog recently, really funny stuff here ladies! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOn a snack note, I like apples with almond butter, celery and cream cheese, make "chips" out of cheddar cheese by cutting a peice of parchment paper in the shape of the microwave glass. Cut 1/2 inch square by 1/4 inch thick. Nuke them for almost 2 mins, they will melt and brown a little. Yum, use to dip salsa, taco meat etc. I just started cooking with almond flour, yum and so healthy for you! Made the bomb brownies from elanaspantry.com check it out!
I'm on hold with exercising until we get moved (have a verbal 30 day notice to be out, but nothing in writing). I'm back attempting to track what I ate. Which reminds me, I need to go track today's food.... :( I need to stop this uphill trend in my weight, when it was going down nicely. *sad face*
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge fan of Turbo Jam and Zumba. I bet your kids would do Zumba with you if they like Just Dance.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, it's probably fair to mention that Mommy Bootcamp is a "Jillian-style" workout in that it's circuit training with light weights and then cardio "intervals." BUT (big caveat) the music is way better and the trainers' nostrils aren't flare-y. Oh, and you can try 3 classes for free before you have to commit. Okay, seriously, I really don't work for them! Good luck finding something you like!
ReplyDeletego to Amazon and order some funky monkey snacks (apple are my fav, banana are pretty good too) or some popchips (bbq are my fav).
ReplyDeleteThe funky monkey ones sound odd but they are so tasty and they cover like 3 servings of fruit in a nice chip-like consistency.
Some Targets also carry the popchips. Avoid the plain ones....they are like the evil cousin of rice cakes.
For a sweet, low cal, fat free treat, make these cookies: Mix one box spice cake mix with one 14 oz. can of pumpkin. Drop by tsp onto an ungreased baking sheet & bake at 375 for 10-15 mins (depending on your oven). Be sure to keep the baked cookies refrigerated.
ReplyDeleteThese things are a godsend for me due to gall bladder issues, but the bonus is that they also help keep my weight in check when the cravings hit!
Good luck!
Congrats on the results for your hard work! I totally know the awful feeling that comes from falling off the wagon. I thought I was going to be sick on Christmas, from a single meal that included mostly fat, meat, fat, sugar, and fat.Just don't feel guilty about it. Acknowledge the experience as just that: an experience. You learned from it. Move on. No sense in beating yourself up about it. I used to do that all the time, and all it did was make me feel like repeating the experience again to simultaneously comfort and torture myself.
ReplyDeleteI'm all about the yoga. It's a good burn, if you do it long enough, increases balance and flexibility. The added benefit is that it's something you can do at the end of the day, if you pick the right DVD, since the good ones (Rodney Yee is a favorite. Even if you can't get into the position, you still have an awesome body to look at while you're laughing at yourself!) have a great relaxation/cool down.
Salty treats: I still go with raw veggies with something good to dip. Try greek yogurt or low fat cottage cheese (Fiber One makes a good one) with dill or other herbs, salsa of any kind, fat free refried beans. Salpica makes a great salsa con queso with nutrition facts not to be believed!
Meringue cookies are an awesome sweet treat with little to no guilt. There are even recipes out there that use Splenda to partially or completely replace the sugar. Haven't tried one of those yet, but I'm going to this weekend!
Do the whole thing again! But combine levels 1 & 2 into one workout...with a 40 minute workout you *will* see changes in 30 days!
ReplyDeleteI love Jackie Warner but I know nothing of her videos, just the show on Bravo.
ReplyDeleteMy recommendation is the Wii Active Personal Trainer series. Most of the workouts are like 20 mins long and you can work out "with a friend" meaning you could have the kiddos do it with you to keep them entertained. I have the original Wii Active and the More Workouts, I don't have the newest one yet but a friend does and loves it.
When I combined the Wii Active with my Zumba videos (which I ALSO highly recommend, double for doing it with the kiddos), I was in the best shape of my life within 6 weeks.
I've gotten several friends hooked on Wii Active because it's just challenging enough to make you think "Oh, damn, can I finish?" And right when you think you can't, the workout is over and you feel great.
Congrats on completing the Shred! If you have a Wii, try EA Sports Active 2. It is kicking my ass! On my days off, I do yoga on the Wii fit. You can track calories burned and your heartrate (on EA Sports Active). With EA Sports Acive, you can join an online workout group, keep a journal regarding all your workouts, foods you eat, etc. Good luck! You are doing great!
ReplyDeleteI fell off the wagon...*sniff* *sniff*, granted I am getting to be a little too pregnant (8 wks left) to do any of my usual work outs and napping seems like such a better idea.
ReplyDeleteBut before that I really liked this website...
www.bodyrock.tv
It's kind of like the soft core porn of the fitness world but the exercises are great.
-work-out in less than 20min
-you may just want to drop dead after you <20 min work out
-you don't have to buy anything, a lot of the exercises use no equipment
have fun:)
Try the site http://www.collagevideo.com I am Madame von Home Workout and this is the only site I go to. Collage is the mecca of fitness tapes and DVDs. The people who work there have actually done the workouts and not only provide good descriptions, but also video clips so you can get a sense of what the instructor and the workout are like. Great reviewer feedback, too. No-hassle return policy: open it, try it and if don't like it, send it back.
ReplyDeleteI'm finding the "10 Minute Solution" series to be very good. As a working mother, I'm primarily interested in 30-minute or less workouts.
I've got a whole bunch of Jillian DVDs and rotate through them so that I can hurt every day of the week in a myriad of ways.
ReplyDeleteMy fav snack are 1/4c almonds and 1/4c dried plums (okay, prunes) together. This isn't a particularly low cal snack but it will really hold you and the combo gives you protein, fat, carbs, fiber and a lower gi. And, um, being regular really helps you look a little slimmer.
I do a 20 minute workout at home that includes the following:
ReplyDeletejumping rope
hitting a punching bag (not sure if you have a space for something like this, but the added bonus is it's a great way to work out your frustration as well as your upper body :)
ab crunches and (girl)push-ups
I put on on my favorite music, which my toddler is happy to dance to, and do varying amounts of each of those for 20 minutes.
As for snacks, high-protein snacks always fill me up for longer. Since you already love beef jerky, go with that or a slightly healthier version like turkey or buffalo jerky. If you go to Whole Foods or a similar store you can get a more natural version of jerky without all the yucky additives. Or order some online. Then you can look forward to getting something in the mail that isn't a bill--yay!
Congrats on the weight and inches lost!
You have inspired me to do the Shred. I just got done doing my first night doing it and half an hour later my legs are still shaking. I'm going to Florida next month and want to feel and look good so I thought I'd give it a try. Thanks so much and congratulations on getting through it! :)
ReplyDeleteJillian Micheals Yoga Meltdown & 100 cal. snacks...that come pre-packaged!
ReplyDelete