Through the Cold and Ice - Day 19

Here's a story to tuck you in at night ...

Once upon a time there was a girl named Fatty who decided she wanted to go for a walk. Fatty took the time to look outside, after all she had been out earlier in the day and it wasn't that bad, and decided to bundle up.

Skip ahead a few minutes and you see Fatty with tights, long johns and jeans to cover the bottom; long johns, t-shirt and warm jacket to cover the top. Fatty also took precautions of wearing a scarf, covered her ears and her fingers and covered her toes with boots. Her buddy Apple McMac was laughing all to himself, for he knew the true nature of the outdoors. He knew that while it said it was 12 outside, it was really one 1 because of the gusty winds. He also knew that the snow was still coming down and was going to start coming down even harder within the next hour. But, Apple McMac knew that Fatty was determined and kept his jest all to himself.

Skip ahead an hour and Fatty comes walking back in the door. Pause for a moment and picture this. Her hair is frozen with snow gleaming off of every visible area. Her scarf is covered with snow. Her face looks like it has just had an encounter with an ice truck. Her pants are frozen from mid-calf down, and as she bends to take off her boots, chunks of snow/ice fall out from under her jeans. Her laces are nearly frozen, but her toes are nice and warm. Fatty manages to get the boots and jeans off and slowly allows the warm air from indoors to melt her haircicles.

Apple McMac had to speak up at this point - so, what was it like out there. Fatty just gave him a look and the look said it all. The winds picked up on the way back, so what was pushing her along on the walk was blasting into her face on the way back. She only made it 4 of her 6 miles because it was just getting too chilly. She checked the temperature while she was out there and it had dropped to -4. Lovely evening for a walk, don't ya think??

What's the moral of this story? Well, while you may be determined as all hell to get the work in, sometimes it is better just to take a short trip down the hill to the gym where you're a member (and have never gone) and save yourself from looking like you stepped out of a snowball. Plus, going to the gym would've been more productive - you could've gotten your heart rate up instead of trying to stay on your feet in the snow and ice. Fair warning, sidewalks can be mighty treacherous when their hidden traps are obscured by several inches of white loveliness.

Ok, so my story-telling ability needs a little bit of work, but I will say this ... I had to jump into Jillian when I got home to defrost my legs and arms. My hands and feet stayed wonderfully warm during my wintery adventure, but my legs and arms cannot say the same. My poor heart was just trying to keep my core from freezing, so the extremities didn't get as much attention as they otherwise would've. Anyway, that is another day done and over with. I think I'm going to have to change some things up again after the New Year -- Jillian is getting a little stale.

Miles and Miles - Day 18

Channeling "The Who" . . .

I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles and miles and miles and miles

So, today more miles are etched into the belt and more Bob and Jillian are putting my limbs through the ultimate tests. I should be feeling pretty darn good about everything that I've accomplished since Janet and I started this, but there is something missing. I am not sure what it is, but I hope to heck I find it before February. After all, the last few miles of the marathon is all heart, and if you don't have that, there is no chance on finishing ... or so I tell myself.

I know the New Year is coming up and I should be stoked --- let's just say, if things turn out in January then I can be stoked. Until then, I'm going to keep plugging away at this, trying not to hate Jillian, soaking up Bob's stretches (getting pretty darn good at the tree pose) and cranking up my "GuitarHero" playlist on my ipod during my walks. Yeah, I did create a playlist totally out of what I play on that game.

Blah - Day 17

Ok, so the blah still stands. I was hoping the endorphins rushing after NMTZ would nip it in the bum, but apparently that was just wishful thinking.

It is starting to get colder this week - will be down into the single digits over the weekend, so I will be bundling up like you wouldn't believe ... I need to get the miles in to keep my endurance level elevated. I'm thinking of increasing my gym membership to a super club that isn't too far away - they have an indoor track (and that may prove very useful over the next month of training). We shall see how everything else goes.

Here's to another day being over and done with ... now back to Stargate.

It's a Monday - Day 16

Well, today I wasn't feeling like doing much of anything (as you can tell I'm posting this Tuesday morning). I got home from work, felt blah, rattled out level two and then just went right back to my SG-1 ... I have two episodes to go, something I'm sure I will finish up tonight.

I don't why I'm feeling this blah, but looking back, I felt like this around the same time the first time around. Perhaps, it is just the day 14-17 blues?

I'm hoping that the mix up tonight of NMTZ will help me snap out of it. Stay tuned for tonight's posting to find out if the "blah" has been destroyed.

Day 15- Dehydration

Yesterday and today I decided to take advantage of the long stretches of clear road in Rockport, Texas and do some road runs. I did 6 miles yesterday and another 6 today. The weather has been good and each 6 mile run felt good, though it's noticeable that I haven't worked on my cardio much because I was huffing and puffing throughout. One mistake I've made with my longer stints of cardio is not hydrating enough. Today was the second time this year that I did not drink enough water before or after running and came home feeling nauseous and crappy. I didn't feel good again until several hours later after chugging water and eating some soup. I will start wearing my belt and maybe bringing some of those electrolyte packets.

Depending on the weather tomorrow, I may do another run or just do the BFBM DVD I brought with me.

I'm looking forward to next week when we finish the move, get settled into the new place, and I can get in a routine again.

Stargate SG-1 Marathon - Day 15

Well, I didn't get in 10 today ... I wanted to give my hip a break. It's feeling much better. Today was the substitute day of BFBM, and its been a week since I got through it, but I felt the moves today. Easier, um, no, but doable. My hip was feeling better today so I didn't have to cut any moves out, but I definitely had to work to get them done.

I've spent most of my day watching season 9 of SG-1 and when I'm done I'll likely move to season 10 ... but hey, I deserve a little break of sci-fi - will get me ready to tackle tomorrow.

Bob was back in the mix today, hard workout, but it was only 20 minutes and I dug in to get through it. His mix today was a "bootcamp" style workout - so it was really like Jillian times two today. The positive thing I can say, at least my body is getting used to this stuff on a daily basis.

Improvement - Day 14

Ok, so yesterday's 10 miles was completed in 2:33 - a full 10 minutes faster than last time. Today I finished it in 2:24. The times are getting better and I'm able to sustain faster paces for longer periods of time. This just may actually be doable come February.

My left hip is a little achy though, and I don't know if it's from the miles or sleeping on a chair last night. We shall see - I'm taking it easy today though because I don't want to aggravate it any more than necessary. Bob took another break today and I did a very modified level 2 ... any movements that had my hips moving to the left or too much into a squat were cut for the sake of keeping me on track. I don't need to get hurt - so I did what I had to do.

Day 13 - Christmas Eve

I'm out of town for a few days and decided to bring the Banish Fat Boost Metabolism workout with me since it doesn't require any equipment. So, that's what I did today. Man oh man those standing mountain climbers will kill you. But I'm hoping that doing this video for a few days will make it easier.

Another Day - Another Plank - Day 13

Well, for today I took a bit of Janet's advice. I practiced plank this morning and then dove in. On the plus side, I am not using my balance ball to get me through like I did the first time around (recall that my balance ball was my savior for this level with all the plank moves).

I am actually doing the walk-outs with no assistance, and I just hold the plank at the end instead of doing the push-up. For the plank jacks, I am holding plank and nearly in a V shape as I do the jumps, but you know what, it works ... I get through the move. The oblique twists at the end, I can also keep up on those - am I really twisting as far as they are, um no, but I'm doing the movement as best as I can, which is also a stark improvement from the first go around.

Overall, I'm improving, but there is still a lot more room for improvement as far as that goes ... but hey, baby steps is my mantra.

On the distance side of things - I am hoping to get in 30 miles over the weekend. I am heading out on my 10 miler in just a few minutes, then I will have to make it back home tomorrow, that is another 10 and then Sunday with the 50 degree weather, I'm going to try and hit another 10. I will post my progress tomorrow and Sunday with my Jillian posts.

Day 12 - Not as Bad the Second Time Around

Last time day 12 rolled around, my title for the post was "Level 2 is nutso." I'm glad to say that I do not feel the same this time around. Challenging, yes, but insane, no. Those double jump ropes I still can't handle, and my push-ups on the walking push-ups are pretty lousy, but some of the moves I've really improved on. For example, the sit-up portion of circuit 3 was completely impossible the first go, and this time, they're completely do-able. The first time, I was literally tipping over. This time, I feel much more in control.

I must say, level 2 is still the one that gets me sweating the most out of all 3 DVDs we're doing and out of all 3 levels on this DVD. By the time I'm done, the sweat is literally pouring off my face.

The biggest challenge for me this week has been the eating. We're in the middle of moving and Josh packed away all the dishes yesterday, so today we ate out at a Greek American joint. It's amazing how after eating healthy for even a few days, your portion expectations change. I looked at the plate and it looked like 4 times what I've been trying to eat lately! And then there is the issue of mystery ingredients. At home, you can cut back on ingredients and know exactly what's in the food. Who the heck knows what went into the 1-pound brick of moussaka?

Legs, Legs - Day 12

So today Bob came back into the mix. I started his "high intensity" workout for week 2 of his program, and man oh man, my inner and outer thighs are screaming right now. I still have to get through Jillian's level two, but I am taking a slight breather right now and letting the "jello" firm up in my legs.

This morning I got in my six miles, and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. I am so glad that I got it in before going to work because it started to rain by the time I was heading home. Talk about good timing.

I found a new app for my iphone today - the Livestrong app. It keeps track of intake, expending and weight. I'm gonna give it a whirl and see how it holds up.

Ok, so I gave my legs a few minutes to rest and then headed back into Jillian hell. First and foremost, the plank moves still suck. Unless you are some pilates or yoga guru, I think you would agree that these moves suck. Sure, they do wonders for making you feel like a plank if you can do them right, but that doesn't make them suck any less. I got through the first few actually in the plank move without modification, but that quickly wore out. Who knows, maybe one day I will actually be able to stay in that damn move ...

Day 11 - Groan

Work Christmas dinner was tonight. Ate too much. There was this cake... it was like a small building. The waiter had to smash it, yes literally smash it, to bring it down past eye-height, and break through the steely layer of chocolate. Came home late. Did JM Level 2. I could feel that rainbow trout I had for dinner swimming in my stomach.

Sidebar

How is the new place? I hope you get a chance to get all settled in relatively quickly so that you don't lose too many days. You've been granted a reprieve so that you can get all moved in :-) So, don't feel bad or end up with JM nightmares if you end up missing a day due to moving circumstances.

Back in the Saddle Again - Day 11

Ok, back at it today. The rest did me a lot of good on the one hand, but the amount of time that I've spent in bed over the past two days has been not so great for my back. Can you say "El Stiffo?" Oh well, it will get over it - I'm being nice and easy on my back until it loosens back up.

So, today I started out with my Wii Cardio - spent 34 minutes sweating it up to Survivor music and getting my butt moving. I gave Bob a rest today since it was moving onto his second week - and that cardio was a bit more intense than I wanted to get into since I was off yesterday. Bob will be back in the mix tomorrow.

After I finished up with that I did my last level one exercise. I was moving slowly on some of the moves to accommodate my back, but I made up for missing yesterday. After all the upper body work during my Wii Cardio, I was really feeling some of the moves here, and was dreading what I was about to attempt.

Then, I moved onto level two. I wanted to make sure I didn't fall behind, and I will just have to make up NMTZ at some point during level two so that I keep up with the program. Janet had the experience of level two being more manageable this time around, unfortunately I did not share in that sentiment today. Perhaps it will change as level two continues for the next ten days, but I was ready to turn it off mid-way through the second circuit. The plank moves are still giving me trouble - it could be because my back is so stiff - or because I just have a weak core. Only time will tell.

Here's to another day down. I will have to get a walk in tomorrow since I didn't get one in yesterday or today. Harsh, I know. But, hey at least over the holiday weekend the weather will be in the 50s and I will be able to get in some nice long walks. Looking forward to it :-)

Day 10 - This Nutty Week

Well, I knew this week would be a challenge for my eating, but it's also turning out to be a challenge in terms of time and keeping my head on straight. We got home quite late today (took possession of the new place today!), and so rather than do the NMTZ today, I decided to do that tomorrow, or Thursday when I have a tad more time, and do the regular 30 Day Shred workout. Somehow I also thought it was the first day of Level 2, popped that video in and did it, then checked my schedule, and realized it's still level 1. So, I might swap out for a different day later in the week.

The good news is that Level 2 is much much more manageable this second time around. The plank moves were not murderous. My shoulders still ached after, but not to the exhaustion point they did before. That last strength circuit (military press/leg raise & V-raise) still gets me totally drenched in sweat.

Punishment Day? Day 10

Well, today is the end of the second round of level one ... and I am not sure, at this time, whether or not I will be able to get through NMTZ today. I had vertigo this morning and it lasted for many more hours than I would've liked. I am going to wait and see how I feel - how balanced - at around 8 tonight. If I feel like I can whip it out, I'll do it; otherwise I will have to extend my level one another day to make up for the missed day. Stress belongs in hell.

Day 9 - The Joys of Guilty Pleasure Music

Songs I rocked out to during my 30-minute stint on the elliptical today:

Heads Carolina, Tails California
Ace of Base - The Sign
Shakira - Waka Waka
Def Leppard - Pour Some Sugar

As you can maybe tell from this list, I was having a great time on the elliptical today. :) Heck, no one was in the gym. I could do as I pleased.

I came back, blasted The Sign a couple more times while dancing around the living room, and then tackled the last day of Level One while watching TMZ in the background. I think I've said this before, but this second go at round one has not been as different as I would have liked. Those rounds of jumping jacks/jump rope still get my calves burning. I don't know if I'll ever be able to do unmodified push-ups. Overall though, there has been an improvement because I'm not dying through the workout.

On the topic of guilt rather than guilty pleasure music, I should be doing more cardio. I really should. It's on my to-do list.

Final Level One - Day 9

Well, since tomorrow is NMTZ, today is the final day of level one.

In retrospect, I found that I was able to concentrate more on the moves and breathing instead of struggling to get through. Perhaps the next time I make it through this level I will be able to keep up with Natalie a little bit more. Baby steps lead the way.

I watched "The Town" before starting Bob and Jillian tonight - it actually turned out to be a good movie. Unexpected - yet good.

With only 11 days to go until the new year, let's hope the remainder bring better news as the new year nears. Another level will be out of the way (the misery-laden level two with insane plank moves), and the marathon will be even closer.

Today's workout felt good. I didn't get a walk in, as it was my "rest" day from walking, but Bob and Jillian did the trick. I will start to change up Bob's routine when level two starts ... you see with Bob his weeks 1 and 3 are the same, but 2 and 4 differ. Looks like this week is going to bring some Bob pain along with the impossible level two for Jillian. Yay me.

Day 8 - "Praying for Death"

Butt Kicking Workout
There's a part in the BFBM video (during the plank exercises I think) that Jillian says, you should be praying for death right now. I certainly was about half way through. Oh my goodness this workout killed me today! I did the mountain climbers unmodified at full pace this time, and after the first set, I was ready to lie down and take a break. But I kept moving... until those stand-up mountain climbers shot up my heart rate and I had to take a 30 second breather after the second set of those to get some water. My heart rate was up so high that it felt like those times when you sprint a mile super fast and then want to fall on the ground and pant while slowing down your hummingbird heart rate.

There is something about this workout that is really fun, but at the same time, totally ass-kicking. I really didn't think I'd ever be able to do the mountain climbers at full pace, but last time I tried it, but with my butt up higher a little, and that showed me that hey, I can do this. It's not easy. And it's not fun. But it IS possible!

This video is my favorite of the three videos because of the karate moves. Back in high school I did kenpo karate and then Olympic tae kwon do in university, so I find these martial arts moves enjoyable (I throw a few kiyah's in there for emphasis and husband-scare factor now and again), and I know for a fact that they whip you into great shape without you even realizing.

Lazy Sunday - Day 8

Well, today I got plenty of rest. I actually got some sleep, and feel pretty good after yesterday.

I was looking forward to BFBM, and after a Stargate Universe marathon (I had to get caught up on my season 2 episodes), I hopped right in - or at least I thought I would just hop right in.

So, was today better than last Sunday when I first tried this workout? Yes and No. I think it helped that I actually ate something today. When I finally got out of bed I had some soup and then some salad later on in the day. I actually fueled myself in preparation for BFBM.

Yesterday, I didn't really fuel myself, but I still felt really good ... but I think I may be pressing my luck (remember that game show with the whammies) and a whammy would be soon to arrive if I didn't start to pay better attention.

So, onto the workout. I wasn't feeling it today at all ... it took every ounce of my willpower to make it through the end today. Janet, just for you I finished. Better in that it was easier to make it through (endurance wise). No, in that it was harder mentally to make it through. I got through Bob before Jillian, and I was kicked out (literally) by the time I got to Jillian.

Ok, something I failed to really pay attention to last time ... the girl in green gives me the creeps. Stepford anyone? Also, what is with the porn music near the end? I opted to blast Ozzy this time to block out the bow, chicka wow wow.

Looking forward to NMTZ on Tuesday.

Here We Come A-Walking ... Among the leaves so green ... Day 7

Instead of wassailing, we will be walking. Thought I'd add a little Xmas flair in there since it is just a week away (dreadful holiday - far too commercialized for my tastes which is why I haven't celebrated it since the mid-90s). This morning when I got up, I got Bob and Jillian out of the way. Today was tough because they were both sculpting, and I gotta tell ya, my abs were screaming at the end of Jillian today. Bob does a very intensive ab workout on the sculpting day, and my oh my were they raising their sincere displeasure as I finished up the 3d circuit with Jillian.

But, I didn't let that stop me from getting in a long walk today. I got in 10 miles. I was planning on doing 20, but the temperature started dropping too quickly and I wasn't able to keep myself warm enough to make it another trip. I was satisfied with 10. I finished the 10 miles in 2:43. Granted, this is not a spectacular time, but with it being 30 degrees outside, I am fairly proud of getting it done in that amount of time. I did a fairly decent job of keeping my pace, and hopefully that will continue as I add on more miles in the coming weekends on the long days.

I am looking forward to BF tomorrow, it will be nice to change things up.

Day 7 - A "Healthy" McDonalds Meal

As mentioned in yesterday's post, today begins a series of healthy eating and exercise related obstacles leading up to Christmas. Today Josh and I were driving all over town, meeting family and doing errands. The result? A McDonald's lunch. Now this one is going to go down in the history books as the first time I have ever attempted to eat healthy at McDonalds. I went with a hamburger Happy Meal replacing the fries with apple caramel dippers, with a diet Coke to drink. Calorie total: approx. 300. Fairly high fat and really high sodium. All things considered though, I thought it was a good compromise. I didn't feel gorged, but I did feel very satisfied. It's nice to know that I don't have to sacrifice the foods I love and substitute them all with salad.

Another average workout today. Neither here nor there really. To be honest, I'm a little bored with the regular 30 Day Shred video lately, especially with level 1, which I did last year for several weeks. I'm looking forward to switching things up with the BFBM video tomorrow.

Day 6 - Pushing Along

Today was an average workout. Nothing spectacular, nothing awful. It felt good when I was done and stretching. Push-ups still don't seem to be getting easier and I'm not sure what that's about. Those side lunges with a raise in circuit 3 are getting easier. I do like that I can actually feel some leg muscle and see definition when I'm doing that move.

One improvement I've noticed in Round 2 is flexibility. That sitting stretch that Jillian does has always been a challenge for me. But I'm proud to say I'm well past a 90 degree angle now!

About to enter danger zone week where I'll be thrown off from my regular routine. I am going to try to do my best with keeping up with exercise and healthy eating like I have since starting Round 2. There are several Christmas parties, as well as a move, and Christmas itself. I think I can do it.

A little mixer - Day 6

Well, today I got home from work super early because I had nothing to do ... so after a little Guitar Hero (yeah, I know, but I really want to try and hit all the notes on Dragonforce), I decided to do my Wii cardio boxing. I was thinking it would only be for about 20 minutes ... well 80 minutes later, I finished and decided it was enough for the day. I couldn't help it, I was having fun and I needed to release some stress - and there is no better way in my world at this particular moment in time.

Um, I am not sure how this is going to affect my Bob and Jillian mojo, but we shall see how it goes.

Bob - Cardio mix again today. Ok, so today I really felt Bob's lunges and squats. He does about 5 minutes straight of nothing but lunges, and today I was feeling it. I do hope this doesn't weigh too heavily on completing Jillian and her loonie lunges, but we shall see. I'm about to do that one ... just need a few minutes to rest before diving in.

Overall, I feel pretty good after finishing up with Bob. Will the feeling last?

Jillian - did we make it? Well, after about 20 minutes of resting in between "sets," I dove into Jillian. Given the large number of jumping jacks in Bob's routine, and the 5 minutes of jumping rope I did during my Wii blast, I was a little apprehensive about getting through Jillian.

Moving at a glacial pace - you know how much I love that. Well, that movie line resonated with me during JM tonight. I got through it, but I felt like I was moving with a ton of concrete strapped to my shoes. I think it had more to do with the fact that I only had a yogurt today before delving into all of this, and my body just didn't have the energy to deal with everything I was putting it through. Note to self, on days when you do this much, you need to consume more than a simple yogurt at 8 in the morning. Note taken.

Day 5 - Grateful

I've said this before, but I need to say it again, I am so thankful for Traci and this blog, otherwise, I'd be on my butt all day long. Since I moved to Houston, I've found it so hard to get off my butt and workout. And I've found it so easy to go out and eat. If it weren't for this kind of motivation, I might be the size of Texas right now.

Today's workout went well. I really had to peel myself off the couch today, but once I got working out, it felt great. I focused on each move to really push it. Push-ups were not monstrous today. Those lunges burned a bit. Jumping jacks... I hated them during the warmup, but loved them during the final round.

PS I met a guy today that just completed his first Ironman. He did it in 15 hours. After training for only 3 months. Mind you, he was already very fit. But dang. Inspiration!

Total Sidebar

Ok, so I just finished my posting, but when I got onto another site, I saw the ad for this.

Um, can I just say that I totally want to get one of those. Good thing I don't cook, otherwise I think I would've just ordered it off of amazon.

Whoa Nelly - Day 5

Ok, so today was my second day pairing Bob against Jillian - but today Bob was about sculpting and not cardio. This was a rather interesting feat considering Jillian's level one movements.

Yesterday Janet said her shoulders felt like they were exploding from the moves. I was totally expecting this to happen today because of the double-dipping on the upper and lower body sans cardio; but, you know what? I felt great today while taking on JM.

Granted, the moves that really focused on the shoulders and quads were burning a little bit today, but I had Dragonforce's "Through the Fire and Flames" and OMG that song on Guitar Hero - brutal. But, if you watch the official video online, watching the guitar and bass player is freaking amazing. Little sidebar there, but I really enjoy that song and it kept me busting through JM along with Charlie Daniels Band - "Devil Went Down to Georgia" - the fiddling is awesome. Wish I knew how to do that ...

Ok, enough of the tunes and onto the actual work that was done. One thing that I'm noticing with all the jumping ... my shins are literally on fire. I've added in additional stretching and my dose of icy hot to help them get through this. One thing I can't afford is to have them start to act up. If you've never had shin splints, consider yourself lucky ... when it happens, you literally cannot flex your foot ... this means when you're walking, your foot doesn't move, it just trails. When you jump ... you get the picture. Shins are getting pampering right now.

As far as the workout went, I am actually noticing that I am paying more attention to my breathing because the circuits aren't taking as much out of me as they did the first time around. Focusing on my breathing really helps - and I'm also noticing that my ab movements are becoming more defined ... higher lifts. Woohoo, it means there is actually muscle underneath all that and it is actually working :-)

Competition Between Trainers - Day 4

Well, today I decided to mix it up again. I was feeling really good, so instead of just doing JM, I decided to throw some "Bob" into the mix. I have the Biggest Loser Workout, and decided that I was going to do that as well today. I focused on cardio with Bob and then everything else with JM.

I forgot how much I liked working with Bob. He keeps things light-hearted and after dealing with Jillian for 30+ days straight, he was a welcome sight. Don't get me wrong, I was sweating up a storm when I was done with him, but his cool-down stretches ... ah, they are absolutely wonderful. I think I am going to add his cool-down to the tail end of the other two JM workouts on Sunday and Tuesday so that I really get a good stretch going for my entire body.

I think it was these stretches that actually really helped me out with Jillian. For starters, Bob really holds the stretches, and gets the entire leg in various different moves. Given how much my legs have been killed by JM, the stretches felt wonderful (especially the ones that get the inner thigh).

So, how did JM do on this day?

Well, after about a 20 minute rest from Bob I dove into JM.

Today was much easier on me than Monday was ... don't know if it's the changing up or the stretching from Bob that made today smooth. I didn't trip up over any of the moves, although the end of the lunges really had me burning and I had to grit my teeth to finish the moves. My legs are definitely trying to go on strike (between JM and my walking, my legs never get a break) but I am adamant about not letting them take control. Just like the guy who did the 100M free dive, this is all mind over body ... and damn it, my mind is gonna win this race.

Overall, I think I am going to keep Bob as part of my routine on JM3DS days ... he is only 25 minutes and gets the ticker going. I am going to keep Bob and drop my Active (that one, after going through the 30 days is more of a mirror to JM, and I don't need a JM mirror, so Bob is going to take the Active place).

Day 4 - Pushup Hell

As I mentioned previously, I was really hoping that round two of JM30 would be easier. But this is certainly not the case. This second round is challenging in completely different ways. Things that were easy the first time around, are tough the second round and vice versa.

Push-ups - Maybe yesterday "broke me off bad"* but my arms were aching on the push-ups today. I already do modified, and I swear, round one, I had no issues with the modified push-ups. Today, the push-ups were murderous. My arms and shoulders were burning up.

*[Sidebar, I asked Josh if he wanted to do a workout with me, and he said "naw, that workout broke me off bad last time." hahah]

Visualize and Attack - Day 3

Ok, I felt like I was watching Water Boy as I was cranking out with Jillian. But holy crap, what was with all the lunges.

I rather enjoyed the ab routine in this one - but the one that really hit me the hardest was the one where you move from side-to-side and grab around your ankles. I wasn't expecting that one to have that much of an impact ... boy, was I wrong. Awesome ab routine there.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this workout - not as much cardio, but JM still kicks your ass by the time the video is over and done with.

On the other hand, those plank moves, are you kidding. The side-step, you kind of hand to be in plank position to make it through and that was rough. I did however, like the windshield wiper that came immediately after that nutso plank move.

The one thing that I will say about JM, she is consistent with her moves - and I think that has definitely helped. My lovely scissor kicks were in here again :-) But then again, so was my mortal enemy - those oblique moves and I just don't move. Balance ball to the rescue.

Day 3 - No More Trouble Zones

Today was the second modification to our Round 2 of JM30. Instead of doing the regular workout, we did Jillian's other video, No More Trouble Zones. I'm so glad we're switching things up because I'm loving the variety of workouts we're getting.

NMTZ
This video should just be titled No More Trouble, because it doesn't really target particular zones, it works the whole body. You can choose certain segments to do, or do the entire workout through which takes about 40 minutes. I don't think this video is as intense cardiovascularly as BFBM. There certainly isn't as much plyo (thank goodness). I was loving the mat routines here that gave me fond memories of Jane Fonda :)

My favorite moves of all were the ab routines. They KILLED, but felt awesome. Ahem, what was up with that killer plank routine??

Day 2 - Doing with Intention

I was hoping that after one round of JM30, that the second round would be easy peezy. Unfortunately, I can't report that my hope was reality. The level 1 workout certainly wasn't easy still. It was still very challenging. There were some big differences though:

1. Intention - I could actually workout with intention as Jillian likes to say. Instead of focusing on merely doing the moves and not falling on the floor, I was able to work on form, and make each move count.

2. Lunges - The lunatic lunges must have made a difference, because man, this set of lunges in level 1 felt like heaven in comparison.

3. Abs - The first round of level 1, I barely felt anything in the abs. This time, my abs are fully in motion and really really working.

I also did a 3 mile run on the treadmill today. I'm a bit sore all over from the workout yesterday, but the run felt good. I rediscovered the joys of guilty pleasure music. My song to get my through the last part of the run was Hanging Tough by the New Kids on the Block. My song of the day was Pour Some Sugar on Me. :)

Holy Sausages Batman!!! - Day 2

Ok, so today was a fabulous day out. It was in the 60s and my walk tonight was fabulous - it was 54 when I started and 50 when I finished. Awesome for December weather. Oh, but there was a drawback ... since I wasn't wearing my gloves, my fingers look like sausages. That's right my friends, when the weather is warm outside and I go for long walks, and don't keep my arms elevated (which can look rather awkward), my fingers tend to swell up just a tish. It can be painful if I don't take the time to flex my fingers and keep them elevated while I'm walking. I noticed this around mile 4 tonight and started flexing and keeping my arms at 90 degrees so that it wouldn't get any worse. Oh the joys of not quite being hydrated enough (this never happens when I have enough fluids in me).

Oh, and the mistake food from yesterday, yeah, let's just say I felt like I was moving like a snail. In reality I was keeping my normal pace, but it felt like it was taking twice the effort. Lesson learned. I was going to do 9 miles tonight, but with it taking 3 miles to warm up my shins and my hands feeling like they were going to explode, I figured less was better - and I stopped at 7. I will have to make up the missing two miles during my other walks this week.

On to Jillian and level one of the 30 day shred.

Differences the second time around?

The most obvious difference to me was that I could keep up. I did all the push-ups (albeit following Anita, but I kept up with repetitions), squats, raises, lunges and didn't have to stop and talk myself into not keeling over.

On the other hand - my hamis feel like a worn out HEMI. Yesterday's workout was definitely very intensive on the hamis, something that the 30 day shred did not really push. Yesterday made a dent, and I am paying for it today. The butt kicks were HARD because lifting my heels using that particular muscle felt like pulling my leg out of a vat of drying concrete.

I do hope that this mixing things up helps increase the endurance of my hamis, because if today told me anything - it is that my hamis need the work.

And So It Begins ... Day 1

Well, today is the first day of our second round of Jillian Michaels. As Janet said, we are changing it up a bit this time around - actually looking forward to this 30 day run.

Today --

Well, today wasn't such a great day for me. I got up this morning and after a few songs on Guitar Hero I had to head into work. I was at work until 9pm this evening working on a brief that has to be filed on Tuesday, so needless to say today was definitely not ideal. For the first time in a very LONG time I ate fast food today ... I got a sandwich from Chik-fil-et (or however the name goes). I was starving, hadn't eaten all day and wanted to have something in my stomach before starting Jillian, but not something that just went down the gullet before starting. I have a feeling this is going to be a mistake ... my body is no longer used to eating that kind of food, so I don't think tonight/tomorrow will be very pleasant. Oh well, it gave me the boost I needed to get through day one.

The Workout --

Holy Shit. I miss Anita. This workout was like looking at Natalie and Natalie 2.0. What happened to the nice modifications?

I do have to say, I loved circuit one. I was breathing hard at the end of circuit two. By circuit three through the end of the workout I was running on fumes. BUT, I made it through the entire thing. I am very proud of myself for hanging in there. There was even a nice little tribute to one of Denise Austin's famed moves in there - the knee raise, ab crunch in the last circuit. Ah, the days when it was Denise Austin kicking my ass ... but I don't remember her kicking quite this hard.

On a positive note, I think I am going to try and work this one in more than once a week. I felt great after finishing it and knowing that I made it through. Tomorrow will be level one of the 30 day shred and then it will be an alternate Jillian Michaels. Perhaps I will try and work this one in again on Thursday. We will have to see how my body is adjusting.

I really do miss Anita.

Day 1 - Banish Fat Boost Metabolism

Today is the first day of round 2 of the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. This time, we're switching things up a bit. On Sunday's, we'll be doing Banish Fat Boost Metabolism, and on Tuesday's, it'll be No More Trouble Zones.

BFBM
Let's just say this workout ain't no joke. A full 40 minutes instead of our usual 25 minute workouts. This video consists of 7 circuits, with each circuit having a theme, such as core, or cardio. I left the sound on this time, since this is a new video I've never done before, and I'm glad I did. Jillian was very motivational and kind of hilarious (umm... what's this about getting jumped in the parking lot?) I have a bit of a martial arts background myself, so I found this workout to be quite fun. (Tip: if you make "tsuuu" noises for the punches and "kiyaaahh/kiyup" noises for the kicks, it makes them more forceful and reminds you to breath.) I tried to kick it up a notch today by making myself try at least one of each move unmodified. Amazingly, I did the mountain climbers on the second round fully unmodified, and IT FELT AWESOME. I mean, it was tough, and I was grunting through it. But I did it!!!

Here we go round two!

PS I almost forgot to mention, this would be a great DVD to take along for travel since it doesn't require any weights or equipment.

Round 1: Weight Graph Ta daaaa!

Well, the results from this are not so impressive. In fact, there is a little peak in weight at day 31, which is a little terrifying actually, but can be completely explained by a massive 4 course dinner at Morton's.

Better luck next time to me, huh?

Also, I will weigh in weekly next time rather than try for daily.

And That's The Game

Well, the first round of shreddage is officially over with. I have to admit, I didn't think I would make it here when we started out. Janet, thank you for keeping me on my toes and pushing through to make it here.

Pros:

I do have to say, I've noticed a considerable change in my endurance level. Doing Jillian has not only helped me survive Jillian, but it has also helped me on my walk days. I've noticed that my walks are getting faster, the rough patch is over by the first mile and then I'm gliding for the remainder. I really hope this trend continues as my "long" walks get longer and longer.

On the other hand, I've definitely noticed a change in upper body strength with Jillian's help. The seals, as Janet called them, have migrated to actual feet on some (very few) and knees for the rest. The shoulder moves have gotten easier as time has gone on ... and I'm even starting to see the remnant of my clavicle (hello, stranger, I haven't seen you in years).

My back has gotten more comfortable with the movements and the stiffness that I was experiencing in the beginning has faded almost completely.

Weight changes - for me, having ample layers of extra that can disappear, Jillian certainly lived up to her word. From the time I started the program through today, I dropped in excess of 20 pounds. I do hope the trend continues through round two, as it will make pounding the sand for 26.2 miles a whole lot easier.

Cons:

I really don't have anything bad to say about the program. The beginning sucked and I would've given up in a heartbeat Janet wasn't there pushing me along. It was definitely hard, but I am hoping round two has a noticeable difference in terms of difficulty.

Ending thoughts on the 31 days ... hard, rewarding, hard, motivating.

OFFICIALLY DONE THE 30 (31) DAY SHRED

Today marks the last day of our 30/31 day shred. Let me start off by saying, I am really really proud of us. It is hard to stick to anything daily and to start good new habits, especially ones that make you sweat and ache. There were plenty of times during this past 31 days where I just wanted to stop, quit and write off these months with the excuse of the holiday season. I'm so glad we kept going, and kept blogging about the literal ups (rockstar jumps!) and downs (plank position), and the emotional ones.

Highlights
I'd say that out of this entire experience, today is probably the best highlight. I don't know if I'm riding off of finish line high or what, but today felt awesome. I felt super strong. I was sweating, but happy, and the moves felt do-able. Another highlight was being able to move up from sealion push-ups to push-ups on my knees. And last, but not least, improvements in the ab workouts generally were quite noticeable.

Effects
To be honest, I have had little to no weight change. I will post a graph later to illustrate, but I'm basically where I started. No doubt this has to do with the fact that any weight loss is being counterbalanced by lots of holiday eating, and some muscle gain. Speaking of muscle gain, I did notice today that my quads, calves and abs are significantly tighter, especially my quads.

Traci - thank you for being there through all of this! Great work! And let's keep it up in round 2! :-)

One To GO!!

Well, normally today would be the final hoorah, but that would actually be tomorrow.

I got my workout done very early this morning, aka 6am. I had a friend stay with me last night and she had to leave for the airport at 5:45, and I figured, heck, I'm already up I might as well get this over and done with.

This was after a night of not so great sleep. My stupid CO monitor went off at 2:30 this morning, and it's the second time since I've lived here that it's gone off. The heck of it is, there is NOTHING in my apartment that emits CO, so ha, the joke's on me. I seriously have a faulty monitor - last time it also went off at 2:30 am. I actually went to Home Depot and got another monitor after this happened the first time just to quell my paranoia, and wouldn't ya know it, everything was A-ok. This time, I'm not paranoid, my monitor is just a piece of shit and a PITA. Anyway, I'm still around and feeling great, so CO - ha, tell me another one.

Ok, so after my friend left to head back to the airport, I turned up Jillian ready to conquer. Um, well, I kind of did. With not much sleep under my belt, this morning's workout was harder than I anticipated (between the late night, the CO bit and the 5 am wake I got less than 3 hours of sleep) ... and I don't think I pushed as much as I could have. So, I went and did something a bit nuts, I repeated the torture after getting home from work. I needed a way to relieve my stress from the crap today, and Jillian was my proverbial punching bag.

How do I feel after double-dipping today, um, I'll let you know in the morning. For now, it's another day over and done with and I'm looking forward to my weekend (er should I say I would be looking forward to it if I didn't have to work all weekend).

Day 30 - Sigh. Spectators

I just did my workout while everyone else sat on the couch playing a Family Guy drinking game. I'm glad I got it in before dinner today and before a crazy hour when I feel exhausted.

I really pushed the glute moves today. And tried to push it on the abs. I'm pretty sweaty, and better go get ready to go out for dinner.

One more day left!!!!

Day 29 - A Spectator Sport

Today I had not two, but three spectators. Another of Josh's friends came to town. Don't get me wrong, the company is great. We played Cranium and had a blast. BUT trying to tear away from the group (ahem, and food and drinks) was really hard to do. I finally did it, but ended up having some spectators for the workout. At least they agreed it looked difficult!

I'm really feeling that arm raise and leg raise move in my glutes. It's great because it makes me want to push harder on that move. Rockstars are still incredibly hard.

I'm not sure why working out in the morning is so tough for me. It would make more sense to do, because then I could just shower and head to work, but I always seem to be running late in the morning. Probably because I'm up late doing the exercises. What a vicious cycle. It will be something I need to think about for the next round. I really need to ensure a way that I can get a workout in at a godly hour.

One, Er, No That Would Be TWO To Go

Well, I was all excited thinking that tomorrow would be the last day, but I forgot that we extended this for another day.

Today I used my magic gear again, yes, it is magical and I felt great after today. On another note, I actually did the workout this morning in an effort to change things up, and it certainly woke me up faster than anything else. I think I'm going to try for the am again tomorrow. I actually felt better today having done this in the morning ... we shall see if I can drag my ass out of bed to get through this tomorrow before leaving for work.

With work literally being a pain in the ass, I am hopeful that a change is in the air ... for both Janet and I. If this last 29 days has proven anything, change is certainly possible.

Here's to another day being done and gone.

Oh, I have an idea for the next 30 ... I think on Thursdays we should change it up with another workout - and potentially another day of the week as well. Thoughts?

Day 28 - Family Guy Marathon Interrupted

Got caught up in a Family Guy marathon and had to peel my butt of the couch tonight to do the workout. Compromise: watch Family Guy while doing my workout. I had the workout on my computer while glancing over at the TV now and again. I must say, laughing to the episode where Brian dates Lauren Conrad was an extra-great ab workout. Everything was a little sore yesterday from the combo yin yoga and workout, but overall the workout went well.

Ephiphany - D'Oh Moment

Well, as day 8 of level 3 comes to a close, I had an epiphany tonight, er should I say a Homer D'Oh moment. I was walking with my head tilted up, as I like to look at the sky, and tonight it looked like a smoked out version of Jupiter's atmosphere ... rather cool looking as the moon, with its little quarter slit looked like it was in Jupiter's eye. While I was looking at the sky and wishing that at least some of the stars would pop out, I realized how good I was feeling about my walk. I tried to pinpoint what that reason was, and I think I nailed it. Compression Tights.

While I was looking up, wishing for the stars and trying not to fall flat on my face, which I've done when not paying attention to where I'm walking ... I wondered why I never tried keeping my compression tights on during my Jillian workout. After all, with the help they provide on the walks - these things are a lifesaver - I don't know why I didn't think of it before. So, here is the breakdown.

Just for the record, these things make you feel like you're getting a massage while you walk. Frigging amazing. I now understand why they cost so much - ecstasy for your lower body.

The compression tights helped with the following: all lower body moves. You think I'm kidding? On the butt kicks, sumo plyos, jumping jacks, lunges, jump squats, and the infamous rock stars, these things keep everything in their place. There is no more resistance from the warbling of various body parts - and I gotta tell ya, it makes the moves flow and I am able to sink lower and jump higher with that additional resistance in check. Furthermore, when it comes to the plank moves, it also helps there, because the (as Janet calls it) turkey gobbler is kept in check. This means, that resistance that was pulling at my back making the plank moves harder on my back is now in check, and I can focus on the moves instead of trying not to hurt my back.

In other words, THESE THINGS ARE AWESOME!!!

In further news, doing the sumo plyos today, I had images of Street Fighter bouncing in my head. You know, E. Honda, and his hundred hand slap. Awesome old-school game, and that move always won you the match. Don't know why I thought of that, but at least it wasn't another Robot Chicken moment.

Day 27 - Duck Duck Goose

Today was not the ideal workout, but I did it and feel good now. I came home from work, and we headed straight out for sushi happy hour. Then I went to this new yin yoga class I posted about the other day. We did some lying twists, and they felt totally awesome.

When I came home, I did some errands, and then at last: workout time. The guys were watching Inglorious Bastards facing one direction, so I set up my computer on the other side of the room and did my workout. Plank felt quite tough today, since we did a lot of plank in yoga class. But that last set of leg raises and arm raises in circuit 3 felt quite good, since I was already feeling pretty limber. For the moving pushups in circuit 3, I discovered that I could get a nice rhythm going by saying "duck duck goose" in my head, "duck" being the hand placements, and "goose" being the actual pushup.

Cheers (tap water lol) to another day!

Whatcha Know - Wishes DO Come True

Yesterday, at the end of my post, I hoped that I would be more energetic today ... what do you know, I was very energetic today. I don't know what did it - perhaps it was the mound of soy nuts I munched on while reading more hearing transcripts, or perhaps it was the fact that I got some real sleep last night; but, whatever the reason was, when I got home I was rip, roaring and ready to go.

I went out for my normal six miles, and I made it through at a pace about two minutes a mile faster than I normally get through it. I was impressed. Although, I was not impressed by the fact that the temperature dropped 10 degrees while I was out there. Left, it was 33. Got home, it was 23. Not exactly my dream date for weather - but hey, the cold kept me moving because I didn't want to freeze my ass off like I did coming home on Saturday.

So, after the walk we (yes, that's me, myself and I) tackled yet another day of Jillian. With so few left to go, I have to say I am feeling better about this. Granted the rockstars in circuit three still totally kick my ass, but I'm still hanging in there.

Went Well
The good old-fashioned situps. I'm really liking those. I feel like I'm actually accomplishing something.

The scissor kicks - keeping up with Natalie makes me feel quite awesome. I simply ignore the fact that I'm stretching to keep up with Anita for the remainder of the moves. Keeping pace with Wonder Woman for just two exercises is enough to keep me in high spirits.

The modification on the squat raises - I'm loving the use of my kettle bell.

Could've Been Better
I don't know what it was today, but the butt-kicks turned into knee-lifts. The balls of my feet couldn't take the pounding, so I switched it over. Bit of an anomaly if you ask me as these have never been a problem before.

The sumo plyo moves, um these just hurt today. I don't think my legs are as stretched as they could be, and let's just say my inner thighs need a bit more time on the stretching to get back into the groove on this particular move.

--------------

Well, another day is done and gone, and I'm feeling pretty darn good at this point. Hang in there Janet, we are almost done (just ignore the fact that we're starting all over again)!!!

I feel like an episode of Robot Chicken

You know, I thought last night that I would actually get to bed before midnight. I really wanted to, but it was 2am before I fell asleep.

Needless to say today I was exhausted all day, it would seem that it is going to take longer than a day for me to recover from Saturday's escapade.

I made it to work today, and was dragging all day long. I couldn't concentrate and was just plain tired.

I left work a little early and went for a brief walk tonight before Jillian - and I do mean brief ... it was only 2 miles. I needed to get my bod moving to try and attack this complete lethargy that has taken over. I have to say, I felt better after getting in that walk. Maybe it was just the fact that I was sitting at a desk slumped over reading through hearing transcripts that my brain started to ooze out of my ear and put me to sleep.

After getting back from the walk and watching four episodes of Robot Chicken (they are only 11 minutes a piece), I decided to attack Jillian so that I could just try and go to bed early tonight. I mean really early - it was 7 when I was done with my workout, and I was ready to completely crash. You know in Robot Chicken they beat the crap out of the poor dudes, well that is how I felt when I was done today. I felt just worn down . . . Saturday totally kicked my ass.

I hope that I'm feeling more energetic tomorrow. I want to end this 31 days on a high note.

Day 26 - Rocking the Rockstars

Workout
I squeezed in today's workout just now while no one was home. Josh's friend Al is in town, and I thought, I better get this workout in before they get back from the pizza place, otherwise, I'll have spectators. So I actually jumped up, threw on some workout clothes and got to work. Today was much harder than yesterday, but much more doable than Level 2. I managed to get through the rockstars today without getting a headache. I just tried to land softer, and made that my focus. I think it also helped that I drank some water before, so I didn't have a mild headache half way through the workout.

Bad Eating Habits
In other news, I've realized my eating habits are utter crap. Not what I eat, that's not the problem. It's how much. In the words of Louis CK, the comedian, "I don't eat until I feel full, I eat until I hate myself." This concept of feeling full... what does that mean? Full means like, tight pants, aching stomach right? Basically all my life, I've had an efficient metabolism, so I could get away with all this. I have a distinct memory of going to cross country practice in high school, and eating a Wendy's combo #1 for snack... before having dinner. Err, not so much anymore. Now, the metabolism has slowed down, and there seems to be this layer of flab that sticks and will not go away. Change is needed.

And Rocky ... Has Left the Building

Well, I didn't have a lot of high hopes for today given what I put my body through yesterday, and in reality it went better than expected. Hence, Rocky has left the building - the ass-kicking attitude was not present today. Rocky, I need you back for tomorrow!!!

I spent nearly the entire day today just resting every part of my body I could ... aka I spent the day in bed watching movies on Netflix. This was of course after finally being comfortable to fall asleep at 6am this morning (I was a bit sore after getting home early this morning). After getting a full 8 hours of sleep (yay me, that never happens), I was afraid that I wasn't going to be able to move. It turns out the icy hot and stretching after getting home helped, I felt pretty good.

My right hip was still a bit sore, it has a mind of its own and hated the 18 degree weather it had to haul my ass home in this morning. It was this hip angst that had me worried about day 5 of level 3.

I was doing great until the lunges hit, well it wasn't really that bad. When my right foot was forward, I could feel my hip arguing with the movement. Left foot forward, no problem. So, it was really only half of the time that it gave me grief, but I showed it who was boss and we made it all the way through.

Today was a lot harder than any other day on level three though, and I think that was due to what I put my body through yesterday and the fact that I was just exhausted.

After only being away for 8 hours, I am ready for bed again ... the good news is for the first time in a long while, I will voluntarily go to bed before midnight. Hooray!!!

On another note, I'm looking forward to going through this again. It will nice to see if there is an actual change in my ability to complete the movements, or if it's all in my head.

Yin Yoga

I forgot to mention that last Tuesday, I took a class at CuraYoga called Yin Yang yoga. It's a very different style of yoga from my usual hatha and hot yoga. Yin Yang yoga changes the pace of your practice. Essentially you slow it down... way down. Some of the poses we held for as long as 5 minutes. At first, the poses felt very easy, but as we held them for longer and longer, I noticed my breathing changing, and my body being challenged in different ways. Our classroom also had soothing music, candles and the gorgeous scent of lavender oil, so the experience was very relaxing. I highly recommend giving this style of yoga a try.

Day 25 - Getting Back on Track

Siesta Lead to Snoring
What was supposed to be a little siesta last night pre-workout, turned into a full night rest. Alas, there was no workout for me yesterday. When I woke up in the morning, I was pretty mad at myself. What about commitment? How did this happen? I realized after a little while that I can't be so hard on myself. Fumbling a few steps in a marathon is nothing in the long run, quite literally. And furthermore, all you can do is take that next step. (Thanks to my dad for that last part. He likes to say: all you can do is the very next thing.)

Back on Track
So my next step was to get back on track. I did today's workout, and after a day's rest, it felt great. I was really able to focus on all the moves and push myself on a couple. I did the arm and leg raise moves from circuit 3 from plank position again. I did not take a break during the scissor ab move. I don't have a kettle ball to do Traci's mod on the dips and raises in circuit 3, so I tried an 8-lb weight and that worked well.

31 Day Shred
It looks like the 30 Day Shred has now turned into the 31 Day Shred. (Thank you for your kindness and support, Traci, when I fell off the wagon.) And some more news about another "next step": we've decided that when we're done the 31 days, we'll do another 30! Yeah us!

Today was a little nuts

I have to say today was a little nuts. I went for a walk this morning, 6 miles, and then made it back home. So far, so good. Well, in the afternoon I decided I was going to go for another walk, so I made it another 6 miles. After a short twenty minute rest, I went for yet another walk ... this one ended up being 20 miles round-trip. That makes a total of 32 miles for the day. Call me crazy, but rest assured I will never do that again.

I did Jillian's day 4 in between the morning and afternoon walk, and I am very glad that I did. If I'd waited until after I got back from my craziness, I never would've been able to do it ... the later walk was supposed to be only 16 miles, guess I misjudged the distance. By the time I got back home, my hips were killing me, my back was getting stiff and the miles were taking more time to get through.

If I am going to make it through the marathon, I have some work to do with getting my lower body to be able to withstand that distance within a straight period of time.

Argh.

I think it's funny

When Jillian mentions that you should start to see a six-pack right about now ... um, yeah maybe after six years of doing this, but certainly not in the condition I started with.

Today was another rock-on day. I kept up with Wonder Woman for yet another exercise - again dealing with the abs. The scissor kicks that Janet hates, I absolutely love. Why, because I can actually do them and keep up with Natalie!! I only wish my obliques were gaining as much ground. I swear they are a missing muscle group.

Over all I have to say that I am absolutely amazed at what the body can take and bounce back from stronger than ever. Over the past four years I have not been kind to my body at all, and yet, here we are 23 days into this workout and I am able to complete the sessions, feel good about them and smile. Amazing creature.

Oh, tonight I went to see "Faster" with Dwayne Johnson. Good movie, but the introduction to the Killer was him doing this absolutely amazing yoga poses. Holy shit - absolutely amazing. If nothing else, watch the movie for that short bit - knock your socks off.

Day 23 - Only A Week TO GO!

I can't believe we only have a week left. I really want to bust my butt this week to get some results. Um yeah, healthy eating needs to start tomorrow. (I'm just so bad at that part.)

Today's exercise actually felt pretty good. I thought it was going to be tough, since today was my hot yoga in the AM, but the hot yoga must have primed me, because I did not feel totally lazy and was able to really focus on the exercises today. Challenges were definitely those scissor ab things at the end of circuit one, and those plyo jumps in the cardio part of circuit 3. I think I'm landing too hard on those rockstar jumps because a) I can feel it in my teeth, and b) the floor rattles. (Our poor downstairs neighbors!) High points were the ab workouts generally, where I'm actually feeling my abs working hard, as opposed to levels 1 and 2. Also, I figured out my own little mod instead of the doggy kicks in circuit 3. I did the move from plank today, with no weights, and felt more in my glutes.

OMG - Hell Just Froze Over

Ok, so hell just froze over. I could actually keep up with Natalie!!! Oh, before I forget I suppose I should throw in the disclaimer that it was only for one exercise, but man oh man did it feel awesome to keep up with Wonder Woman. You wonder what this fabled exercise might be ... well, the mighty, mighty sit-up. Yup, you got that right, the old timer's favorite ... the plain and simple sit-up.

Sure, you may think this isn't a big deal, but to me, and struggling to keep up with Anita through the first half of level one, all of level two and nearly all of level three, today felt AWESOME.

I do have to say though, today I also did another modification on the squat shoulder raises, and the modification was a harder one. I used my kettle bell as the weight instead of my little two-pounder, and I made it all the way through with no problems. I think that modification is in to stay through the end of level three.

Woohoo - feeling good about today.

Day 22 - Feelin Lazy

I don't know what it was today, but I really did not want to get off the couch and go do a workout. I was perfectly content lying around cuddling with the dogs and feeling guilty about not working out. BUT because of this blog, and with Traci and Jillian watching, I knew I couldn't phone this one in. Heck, Jillian would probably come haunt my dreams if I did that.

I got off my butt. Did the workout. Level 3 is officially easier than level 2, and way more fun. The supermans in circuit 1 would be much more pleasant if my dogs didn't shed so much hair. I still hate the lunges from circuit 2 because they're a sore reminder of Level 2.

Day 21- Level 3, A Welcome Change

Yup yup, like Traci said, so it begins... Traci gave me a heads up that Level 3 would be enjoyable compared to Level 2 and it certainly was. Something about level 3 just seemed more fun. The moves were tough, and some so much so that I had to laugh. Is Jillian kidding? Am I really supposed to do 30 of those when I can do maybe 2? I ended up modifying by going along with Anita for everything, but I've learned that that is just par for my course. There was still a considerable amount of plank, but more floor work (yea!) and less shoulders (thank goodness).

Level Three ... so it begins

Alright, so I was expecting the absolute worst possible outcome for this first day of level three, but you know what ... I was pleasantly surprised.

Level three was actually easier for me than level two, what is up with that? The only move in level three that I had a difficult time with was the ab move in circuit three. This is strictly a core move, and as we learned in level two, my core is not up to par.

I actually enjoyed the plyometrics, even though I had to do the modified version. It was a positive change from the plank-dominated level two.

I stuck with Anita through all the moves, save the very last (I did a modification with my balance ball that I learned from Suzanne Deason, and it seems to work quite well, even though I am not getting the full benefit of Jillian's hard core move).

I have to admit, I actually liked circuit one, and then my upper body began to dislike the second circuit, but this level actually felt good.

I don't know if I got my mental prose back in line, or if level three is just kinder to my body, but one thing is for certain ... I am looking forward to the next ten days.

Janet, how did your first day of this level go??

Day 20 - That Was NOT Easy

We have this Easy Button at home that Ella hits to get treats. *That was easy.* *That was easy.* This past 10 days has been the opposite. It has not been easy. I haven't been motivated, goals went out the window. My only goal became to make it through each workout once a day. Even through the workout I wasn't particularly focused or motivated. I'm with Traci, what the heck happened to us?

Difficulties in Level Two
This level really works your shoulders and your core muscles throughout all three circuits and really pushes you to work both in circuit 3. Plank got a bit easier, but shoulder exercises for me actually got harder! What's up with that? Furthermore, through level 2, I saw no positive weight change.

Improvements in Level Two
The only improvement I noticed in this level was my balance. I guess the strength training may be paying off, and the kick out with military press helps to practice balance. The first couple times I did that move, I'd lose my balance, but by today, I was more balanced. This has also helped my yoga practice.

I certainly hope level 3 is kinder to us!!

Level Two - Terminated

I am sitting here watching the latest episode of "Lie to Me" and trying to reflect back on level two. What the heck happened in this level. For level one, things got easier as the days ticked on by, but it seems that just the opposite happened with level two. I wonder, onder, who be do do do, whether or not level three will be like level two or more like level one. I really do hope that level three resonates more like level one . . . I don't know if I can deal with another ten days that kick my ass as much as level two did. My willpower may be strong, but I don't know if it can stand another ten days like level two.

One thing that I found of interest while I was perusing the web tonight (ie, finding a way to put off doing the final day of level two), I found this article to be of interest. If the data from that article is actually taken further and tested properly, it will be rather interesting to see the reaction given what they have been touting in recent years.

Ok, done with the blabbering and onto the final day of level two. Still completely modified, still kicking my ass, but hey, I made it through. One thing that I will make a point in saying, the plank moves never did get easier or faster for me. On the final day I was still using my balance ball to help me with the walk-out push-ups, and I love the fact that I thought to use it to help with that particular move.

The ab routine in level two was harsh, and I felt it more at the end of this level than I did at the end of level one; and this included my modification into the V-sit for the third circuit.

What fun joys will level three bring? We shall find out tomorrow.

On another note, had the lean cuisine sweet and spicy chicken - absolutely delish. I am totally hooked on the steam bags. Talk about convenience, lovely.

One Day of Level Two TO GO

You know, when I got to this point in level one I was actually looking forward to what level two was going to bring. Now, I am kicking myself for ever having such thoughts. What in the heck was I thinking?

Ok, so today I got myself some new hand weights, and I was eager to try them out. Sad, isn't it? So, as I was making it through circuit one and feeling pretty good, it came to circuit two. Um, ok, so the weights are heavier than I have been using, but I was feeling confident about making it through. Put it this way, I had to wait to be able to type this posting out because every part of my arms and shoulders were hurting today after finishing (but I did finish).

I want to finish out level two strong, but I think that I may have to extend it for another day or two ... just until I am confident that level three isn't going to knock me squarely on my rear.

Just another thought - it was freezing tonight, literally. There was ice all over the ground and let's just say I was not having a great time on my walk tonight. One thing is for certain, I had better keep that up, otherwise I am going to really be hurting come February. Cold and snow be damned!!!

Day 19 - Spent

Since there is only one more day, I think it's safe to say that this level has whooped me. Today was basically the same way I felt on day 2. GIANT GROAN. I ask again, will this ever get easy?

Circuit 1 - For the walking push-ups, I'm still doing a modified version with a little half push-up. I'm also still doing the modified version of the cardio plank jump thingy.

Circuit 2 - Lunatic lunges are still killing my thighs. I was having a lot of trouble keeping up with the pace of the skaters in cardio today. Those leg dip ab things are brutal.

Circuit 3 - My shoulders are killing at the end of the strength section, even though I'm doing the modified V-raise. For cardio, it's a modified plank jack as well.

Another huge groan. Ok.... only one day left!

Day 18 - Jillian Michaels Burnout

It occurred to me today that the way that me and Traci are feeling is probably a result of Jillian Michaels burnout. Normally, when you are training for an event, you do not exercise every day, let alone, do the exact same exercises everyday. Yet here we are doing the 30 Day Shred, and we've been doing the same workout every day for 8 days now. While it's only 25 minutes a day, it still wears out the same muscle groups and they don't get time to have a full recovery.

The reason I was thinking about my burnout theory was because today, my workout felt a lot better than yesterday. Still not easy, don't get me wrong, but not the horrible "going through the motions" barely able to get back up after the plank moves feeling from yesterday. I think the reason for this is that I worked out yesterday morning, and then today late in the evening. This gave my body a long time to recover, and I did not feel like I was dragging my butt through the exercises.

Otherwise, not much has changed. Plank moves are tough as ever (though my turkey gobble tum seems to be diminishing slightly). Shoulder workouts are kiiiillling meeeeeee....

Almost through with level 2

Well, tonight I finished up day 8 of level 2 ... that leaves only 2 to go before I am supposed to move on to level 3. I am not sure if I am going to be able to move on to level 3 on the auto-date, it will all depend on how I am feeling after getting through day 10. If I am having a hard time making it through all the moves, then I think I may stick with level 2 a bit longer, and make the 30 days a bit longer. I don't want to end up cheating myself, and if I move on too quickly, that is precisely what I will end up doing.

Well, today was very much a lazy day. Since I got my long run/walk in earlier in the week, today was just a simple stroll. I don't think I am going to do that again, my weekends are far too boring without having the longer run/walks taking place on Saturday and Sunday.

As far as how I'm feeling after today, well, I am still a bit ho hum about it all. I hope this wears off soon, it is dragging me down and making it harder to get through the sessions. I'm just glad it isn't affecting my walk/runs. Janet, I hope your day went better than mine :-)

Blame it on Comcast ...

Well, this is the post for last night's day 17. When I finished with the grueling day 7, and yes, I am not feeling level two like I did level 1, I went to post only to find that Comcast was doing maintenance (granted it was 3am) and I couldn't get my posting up. So, now here it is. Today will have two posts from me, both day 7 and day 8 (when I finish it a little later today).

So, why was the workout at 3am? Well, you see I got caught up in beating Kingdom Hearts and then starting Kingdom Hearts II, and when I decided that I'd been playing long enough I looked at the clock only to discover that it was 2:30. At first, I thought it was a mistake, there was no way I lost the entire afternoon and evening playing KH2, but oh yeah, I certainly did.

On the positive side, the Garlic Chicken from the Lean Cuisine steam bags was awesome. Everything was flavored wonderfully, and the veggies were not overcooked at all. Delish.

Day 17 - Keeping Warm on a Cold Texas Day

I managed to get my workout in this morning, before family came to visit and we headed off to the Renaissance Festival. I'm glad I did the workout in the morning, because by the time I came home, I was a little tired from walking around the RenFest all day (it was really fun btw!) I don't have too much to say about today's workout. I did it. It hurt. It's hard. That's about all there is to it. The shoulder exercises in the last circuit killed me once again. I had to put my arms down to rest during the V-raises. Will day 20 be much different from today? I hope so!

Recipe for Sweet Potato-Lentil Stew

On a cold day like today, there is nothing better than a warm bowl of stew. I cooked up a batch of sweet potato-lentil stew just now, and thought I'd share because it's just so darn good. It's cheap and very delicious. This recipe is one of my favorites from Alicia Silverstone's cookbook, The Kind Diet, which has been a nice addition to my cookbook library as I try to find more ways to add healthy meals to my diet. One thing you should know before I drop the recipe for you, is that I am a notorious non-recipe follower. If I don't like a step, I skip it. Sometimes, disastrous results ensue. Other times, delightful dinners, such as this one. I'm including my modifications in brackets.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup safflower oil (I used about 4 table spoons of sunflower oil because we didn't have safflower, and a quarter cup seemed excessive)
1 medium onion, diced
2 small tomatoes, diced (no tomatoes so substituted with a couple scoops of organic salsa from Whole Foods)
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander (um what? Is this dried seeds or leaves? I didn't have any of this)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayanne
sea salt to taste (I added pepper too. And I had some lovely parsley so I threw that in as well.)
2-3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (Used 2 large because that's what I had.)
7 cups vegetable broth (Well, I only had 4 cups, so I just added more water, and a touch more salt.)
1 cup brown lentils

Heat oil in a deep pot (I used a big spaghetti pot). Cook the onion until soft, then stir in tomatoes (ahem, salsa) and ginger and cook for 3 min. Stir in all the seasonings and cook for 2 min. Add sweet potatoes, broth and lentils. Cook over high heat until boiling, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils and sweet potatoes are soft. This makes 4-6 servings. Josh and I each ate a bowl of this, then I packed the rest away in single-serving containers for lunch through the week.

Day 16 - Black Out Friday

Black (Out) Friday
In what will be considered one of the more questionable decisions of my life, I braved crowds last night to hit the malls for some deals. Josh and I were basically out all night hopping from store opening to store opening, bewildered by the sheers amounts of bargain hunters out there. We thought we were hardcore for fighting off turkey coma and leaving the house, but there were some intense people out there. Best Buy had a huge crowd in tents at 2 AM and Target had a line wrapped around the entire store. In some ways, our Black Friday story is a happy one: we got what we came for a left without bodily injury. (Was it worth it? I got this Cuisinart food processor for $70.) But leaving the mall bleary eyed at 9 AM not having slept took its ugly toll. We looked, smelled and felt awful. I literally felt hung over all day as if I had been boozing all night. I made it through the day with two naps, jolting up at 11 PM going "I gotta workout!"

Day 16
Godawful is a perfect word to describe today's workout. After that 11 PM awakening, I was shaking off sleep and panting my way through some bad breath to fumble my way through this workout. Everything was difficult. I felt floppy and sloppy. Those V-raises nearly killed me, but I'm glad I made it through and managed not to bail on today's workout.

Your Other Workout Buddy: Your Sports Bra!
I went on a hunt recently for some good workout gear, in particular, some affordable and attractive sports bras. I mean, they didn't have to be something smoking hot, but just something that a) supports well and b) you're not mortified to pull a Mia Hamm in. The results of my hunt are pictured above and reviewed below:

Danskin Now High Impact Active Sport Bra - Ringing in at $10, this bra was by far the most affordable. In terms of support, the name states "high impact" but I don't think this would be the absolute best bra for running a marathon for me. It is padded and molded and supports surprisingly well, but the sizes are limited, so it doesn't fit me spot on and there is some room for jiggle. Danskin is available at Walmart, and they actually have an entire line of very nice workout gear including yoga pants and tops, all at incredibly affordable prices. I will certainly purchase this bra again.

UnderArmour Endure - At $44.99 this bra was the most expensive, but also the most effective. It has a ton of padding, cross straps in the back, and a zip-front closure that truly locks everything into place. It feels like a bulletproof vest version of a bra. This would be my top choice for the marathon. I'm not sure how UA's sizing works, but for me, everything of theirs tends to run small or is meant to fit very snug, so be sure to try on their different sports bras for the best fit for you. Also, I paid full price for this item, but searched later and found that you can get it on eBay, or even at the UA outlet for at least 25% less.

C9 by Champion Seamless Fashion Cami - This bra is available for $16.99 at Target. I think this is the sports bra that Anita is wearing in the Level 2 workout! I discovered these bras a while back and have been a fan for quite some time. I own several in different colors and they're great just for daily wear as well as working out. They keep their elasticity and color through washes very well. Out of the 3 bras reviewed, this one is the least supportive, but still offers some support. I ran the half marathon in one of these no problem, but think that for longer distances, more support would be helpful. This sports bra is ideal for low to medium impact workouts, such as yoga, elliptical, and jogging. I usually wear these to do the shred workout. FYI, these go on sale at Target now and again for about $12, and also, there are a lot more colors available in store besides what's online.

Other sports bras tried that did not make the cut: VSX sports bra (like the C9, but more expensive and has a hook and eye closure, which is useless and annoying), Fruit of the Loom tank style, front-closure and shirred front (all useless in terms of support), various bras from Academy sports (no support, didn't last through washes). other UA bras (teensy sizes).

Ho Hum, Ho Hum

As day 6 of level 2 comes to a close, I am feeling a bit ho hum. Today, I went out for 7 miles, had to clear my head, and did my cardio boxing on top of that - and then finally got around to day 6. I wasn't tired when I got to JM, but I just wasn't feeling it today at all.

Each movement took concentration and the desire to actually complete the movement. This is not something I have experience over the last 15 days, so I am not sure what to make of it. I think today was just an off day for me. I need to get my head back into the game, and out of my own head.

On the plus side, I am noticing a considerable difference in my body and weight since starting this program ... looks like her promises to deliver can actually deliver results.

Half Way Through Level Two ...

My, oh my, I do believe that rhymes:-)

Ok, so I got in a long run this morning, and it wasn't too terribly cold outside (around 40), so it wasn't bad after about the first hour. I was nice and toasty after that ... but I would like to have finished my run/walk in a little less time than I did. Oh well, I still have time to improve on that (it took me four hours today to get in 12 miles, not exactly the timeframe I want to be working in).

As for the rest of the day, Thanksgiving when you are alone with no family near kind of sucks - really. I am very thankful for Janet and working on this together, like her, if she wasn't there pushing me along, I would have given up on Jillian back during day two. Thank you for pushing me to get this done and be able to finish in February :-)

I did Jillian tonight and I have to say, my balance ball is doing wonders for the walk-out push-ups. I am keeping the ball right under my shin so that it helps on the way down, and then once I am down I am able to do the full push-up and then use the ball to keep the pressure off my back on the way back up. Sure, it isn't what JM intended, but it is keeping my back in one piece, and that is music to my ears.

I was able to get all the way through the oblique twists today without any problems, so I think my knee is finally getting used to the twisty jumps. The plank jacks, well, I am still following Miss Anita, but hey, at least I am down in that dreaded plank pose while working them know (as opposed to day 1 of this level when I modified with regular jumping jacks).

The plank oblique abs in circuit three, those are still giving me trouble - so the modifications of the V-Sit still stand. I do hope I will be able to make it through those before moving on to level three in five short days.

Let's see, now that I am half of the way through level two, I have to say the move that I am enjoying the most is a tie between the static lunge (before the nutso pendulum lunge), and the military press-kick out. Those two moves keep the entire body engaged, yet they don't kill you. I am finding them quite enjoyable.

Here's to another day being done and gone.

Day 15 - The Turkey Gobble Wobble

Happy Thanksgiving! First of all, I'd like to say that I am so thankful for Traci and this blog. I would cheat and quit if it weren't for you Traci. Thank you for being encouraging and wonderful.

Here in Houston it's a balmy 80 degrees with a lovely 80% humidity to match. I put in some cardio today - about 3 miles of running, which was excruciating - and some walking with Slater-boy which was much more manageable, but my clothes were already drenched at that point. It didn't help that the clouds above Hermann Park simply couldn't decide whether to rain or not, so they drizzled on and off the whole time.

The Gobble
I mentioned previously that my firm was having a Thanksgiving lunch on Tuesday. Josh and I made mac and cheese and mashed potatoes for it. It was a big feast, and we had lots of leftovers plus some other leftovers that were donated to us. Of course I couldn't let perfectly good carbs like that go to waste. (Captain of the Clean Plate Club right here.) So, breakfast lunch and dinner, plus various snacks since Tuesday have consisted of pasta, potatoes, and stuffing.

The Wobble
All those carbs were great to scarf down, but BOY AM I PAYING FOR IT NOW. Holy friggin cow was the JM workout today tough. I did my cardio before the workout, so I was already sweaty and tired. The shoulder exercises were killing me today (probably because I was holding up an extra 5 lbs in mashed potato belly) and I had to take a couple breaks. Gaaaahhh.

Lesson: Taking it easy on Thanksgiving dinner tonight. And eating better in the week to come. I picked up some of those Lean Cuisine steamers Traci mentioned. They do look delish.

Tardy Posting

Well, I realize this is a little later than my normal posting time, but I have a valid reason. After finishing up day 4 last night, I laid back on the floor and thinking I would just need a few minutes to rest, I ended up falling asleep. I got up around 2 am and have been up since then, but yeah, Jillian is kicking my ass.

Today is Thanksgiving, and I knew doing yesterday's routine that today would hurt on a whole different level. The good news is that I don't have to go anywhere to fill up on those lovely gobblers and can just take today as a normal, relaxing day. Does that mean tonight will be any easier for me? Um, no. Today I am getting in a 12 miler so that I don't have to do it over the weekend, so tonight is going to kill.

On another note, last night I had Lean Cuisine steam bag of Shrimp Scampi ... um, can you say yummy. The portion sizes are perfect, the steam cooks everything just perfectly and the flavor is wonderful. I have been living off the steam bags for a while, and they are just wonderful. Highly recommend them.

Day 14 - Lunatic Lunges

Well, I thought that the first day of level 2 was tough, but day 14 was tougher, but in completely different ways. With day 11, I was coping with major amounts of sweat, and pushing through the cardio sections. Today, my quads and shoulders were so burning up and I thought they were just going to fail. One of the toughest things about this level is that you do moves back to back sometimes that work the same muscle groups, meaning that muscle group is on fire when you're done. Examples:

Lunatic Lunges - Circuit 2's strength section is composed of a static lunge with bicep curl, followed by pendulum lunges. Gaaaaahhh.... my quads feel ripped, as in torn apart!

Plank Moves that Kill - Traci mentioned these previous, but it's the ones in Circuit 3 that really murder me. Circuit 3 has plank jacks for cardio, and then plank twists for abs. The part that really feels like it's going to die is my shoulders. The strength moves of Circuit 3 are two moves that work your shoulders... and then guess what part of your body is also worked in plank? Uhh, shoulders! Am I gonna end up with Michele Obama arms after this?

New Modifications

Well, this level two is kicking my ass. I've created my own modification to save my back in the plank poses . . . my balance ball. Yep, that's right. When doing the walk-down push-ups, today I used my balance ball. Yep, my balance ball. When that move comes along, I put it at my feet and when I have to walk out with my hands, it rolls with me and helps keep my core stable. Then by the time I am all walked out, I have it just behind my hips and do the push-up and then use the ball to help me stand back up. You want to know something, my ability to make it through this move changed from the three that I was doing yesterday to keeping time with Anita. I think this will stay in the move as long as my core has a hard time supporting my bod.

As for the rest of the routine, let's just say I'm not feeling the Jillian love that Janet is feeling. It's more like a hate-hate relationship. I hate having to go through these moves, but I know that I'll hate myself for not making it through the full program. So, what's a gal to do other than quit bitching and push through.

So, here's to another day hitting the shelf.

Day 13 - JM Rocks My World

Day 13... and I'm still here. I wasn't able to work out this morning, so I did my workout this evening when I got home from work. Despite a big Thanksgiving lunch, I was able to complete the workout without feeling like I was going to throw up. Planks omg planks are still killing me. My shoulders have been sore every day since starting level 2. The double jump ropes just don't happen. I do a couple doubles, then go back to singles. Overall though, I'm feeling good. Let's see how I feel tomorrow after all this mac and cheese settles into my body.

As for my Jillian love, I gotta say, I love her in this level 2 video. She's funny and very motivating. No messing around and straight to business. I was watching Biggest Loser today too, and it just amplified how much I think JM rocks. She is inspiring and positive, but very very tough. Don't get me wrong, I love Bob too... but I've spent the past 13 days with Jillian, so I'm really feeling the Jillian love lately. Also, did you know Jillian was overweight as a teenager and that's why she's a personal trainer? Shucks, I just think she's great.

Um, Hanging in There

Well, as day 2 of level 2 comes to a close I find myself wondering why I am putting myself through this torture. There is no other way to describe it. Like Janet, these plank poses are KILLING ME. My core simply isn't strong enough to be able to do it properly, so with my rear up in the air I try to keep up with Anita as much as I possibly can ... needless to say, at this point my keeping up means getting at least one or two full movements in before the cycle is up.

My goal for getting through level 2 is simply to get through level 2 and keep up on the modified revolutions. I know there is no way I am going to be doing the plank poses consistent with Natalie - forget about it; but, I am hopeful that by my day 10 I will be able to keep up with Anita. (So much for keeping up with the Joneses).

With 8 days to go I am terrified of what level three has to offer. If level two is doing me in like this, what is level three gonna have in store?!?

On another note - today I got in my walk/run this morning and then another cardio boxing session in this evening before shredding myself. I am liking adding the alternate exercises in with my wii -- keeps things interesting and then I am all warmed up by the time Jillian chops me down.

Here's to another day gone!!!

Day 12- Level 2 is Nutso

No doubt about it. Level 2 is INTENSE. I finished my workout this morning glistening with sweat, jumped in the shower, and was still sweating afterward. Gross! It didn't help that it was 80 degrees out this morning. Hey, I'm not complaining - it's November and I'm not wearing a jacket. But I'm not appreciating the post-workout sweatiness.

What makes level 2 so tough is all the darn plank pose, which turns every move into a strength and cario and ab workout in one. For that final set of oblique twists, I was literally grunting trying to grind out the last few. Oh, and my arms and shoulders are really really feeling it now.

In terms of seeing physical results for me, I don't think this is going to be the week. Tomorrow is a work Thanksgiving potluck, followed by Thanksgiving, and then a family event this weekend. This can all be summed up with one word: butter. I'm going to try to keep things in check, but I think all the eating this week is going to make level 2 that much tougher.

Cheers to gargling your heart!

Day 11 - How Do You Like Me Now?

The answer to Jillian's question (and I'm confident I'm answering on behalf of Traci as well) is, we don't!! Level 2 is NO JOKE. As Jillian says, she is NOT playing around. The moves in this level are more compounded to work several muscle groups, and cardio is an element of the strength and ab moves now too. I am so sweaty right now that all of my workout clothes have changed colors. Near the end, I was dripping so badly I couldn't even see the tv. Anita was my best friend today. Forget this Natalie girl with all her plyo and smiles.

Thoughest Part - ahem.... all of it! Though if I'm pressed to pick one thing, it'd be the plank jacks. I tried two unmodified, and oh boy. Like I said, Anita all the way! Traci's right, there are a ton of plank-based moves in Level 2, and they no bueno.

Easiest Part - ab work. Anything that involves lying on the ground is my style. The ab routines in this section are much harder than level 1 though.

Goals for Level 2:

1. Do my workouts in the AM.
2. Do one move that I'm modifying right now as unmodified in the end.
3. Cardio 5 out of 10 days of Level 2.

I'm gonna go put my sorry body in a bath now.