The 30 Day Shred

This post is more for me than anyone else. I think I tend to do better at things when I write them down, especially in a public forum.

This week I started the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred, which is a workout program that is very popular with new moms. Here are my thoughts and goals in relation to this undertaking.

Where I am now and where I want to be:
I pretty much have lost all the weight I gained in pregnancy. I think I gained 25 lbs total and about 20 of that fell off within the first month, just by breastfeeding and, well, not having a person inside me. The rest came off by month 4 or 5. I can fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans which is great, but I doubt I could buy those jeans in the size they are in brand new, if you know what I mean. And while they fit, they don't look good because of the "mommy tummy" and thighs I have acquired! As for new-ish clothes, I have probably gone up a size, and NONE of my tops fit me correctly (which again is probably because of breastfeeding.) HOWEVER, while these are all great things and I am blessed, I needed to lose about 10-15 lbs before I got pregnant to begin with! I really want to be back to my "wedding weight," give or take a few pounds, which is actually a very healthy weight for me and not at all my lowest or most obsessive weight. I really think I can get there and still have a healthy "mom body." Even if the weight does not come off, I REALLY need to tone up and build endurance. I mean, I am carrying around a progressively bigger child every day! I need to keep up with her! Also, I know myself and when I get unhappy with myself physically, my self image goes down the tubes and I get to a dangerous place. God made my body and it is His temple, so I need to care for it, respect it and not hate it! I am doing this to inspire a lifestyle in myself that glorifies God through being healthier!

Why I chose Jillian:
Honestly, I chose Jillian because the workout segments are 20 minutes long (so totally do-able with a baby) and because I actually personally know people who have personally tried this workout or have read "real" testimonies of it working. It does not claim to make you perfect or require you to go through a crazy long routine coupled with a crazy diet. The promise is simple: you do the workout every day for 30 days, and you lose up to 20 lbs. The understanding is you are making healthy choices while you do the workout (so no fast food every day or anything,) but again, there is no meal plan.

What are the workouts like:
There are three 20 minute workouts, that get harder by level. It is recommended that you do each level for 10 days and then progress to the next one, though some women skip level 1 (not me!) Each 20 minute workout consists of several cycles. First there is a one minute warm up with active stretching. Then you do three 6 minute cycles which consist of 3 minutes of strength (hand weights,) 2 minutes of cardio, and one minute of abs. Each cycle is different, and often you repeat exercises more than once within a cycle. After the 18 minutes of working out, there is a 1 minute cooldown of static stretching. This 3-2-1 method uses something called muscle confusion to burn fat and build muscle, and if you go on Jillian's website, it is based in a lot of science. It makes sense when you think about it, and if you hate a certain part of excercise (like for me, it is using weights,) it is OK because you only do it for like 2 minutes at a time! Jillian Michaels is a really good trainer too (she is from the t.v. show The Biggest Loser,) and she leads the workout in an encouraging and intense way that makes me want to push through it!

How I am doing it:
I do want to do 30 days of shredding, but I am giving myself six weeks to complete it, exercising 5 days a week in the beginning with a 2 day on, 1 day off approach. Therefore, I understand that my results are going to be a bit slower and probably not as drastic. Why am I doing it this way? Well for one, I have not worked out in a while. In college, I used to be a workout-a-holic and took spinning and pilates classes severael times a week, but even then it was not daily. I can't imagine it is good for my body in general to go from very little to daily workout with no warning. Secondly, I have juvenile rhumetoid arthritis which will surely be impacted by this. When I work out, I have to be aware of my joints and not over-work them, lest they flare up. I have been in remission for a while, but even day 1 yielded some pain in my knees. Finally, even after the 30 days are over, I find it unlikely that I would continue to have time to work out every single day. I want this workout to inspire a healthy lifestyle where exercising becomes a habit, and I realistically can't see myself getting into the habit of doing something like this daily. Not to mention the fact that with a mobile baby, I am getting some activity in whether I have a dvd on or not. So I have until September 30 to complete this shred, and then hopefully I will buy some new clothes!

What about food:
Well, again the workout does not require a dietary plan, though it is with the understanding that you are eating wisely and healthy. I do not always eat wisely and healthy, however I have not re-gained any weight back since I had Lorelei. I am trying to meal plan better, snack less (or at least only snack purposefully,) and not eat more than one helping at dinner unless I am famished. The nice thing with breastfeeding is you have a little grace there. I am burning like 300-500 calories per day (well that is the average at least) and am supposed to consume more than normal. All that said, I have heard that it is common to couple the 30 Day Shred with Weight Watchers.

My impressions so far:
It is HARD! The 20 minutes are intense and Jillian definitely kicks my butt. However, it is totally a workout that I can DO and that feels good. I work up a sweat and I hurt the next day, but I am not dying or anything. I feel good about myself and am excited to see how this goes!

Thanks for the support, encouragement and prayers!