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30 Day Shred Challenge – COMPLETE!
Health & Fitness

30 Day Shred Challenge – COMPLETE!

After 30 days of listening to Jillian Michael’s tell me not to quit, I have successfully completed the 30 Day Shred Challenge! Whew – that was a hard month! I’m proud of myself that I didn’t miss a day – even with 4 days out of town over Thanksgiving break. My fiancé’s family might think I’m loony because I lugged home hand weights and a DVD, but that’s okay! So, how did I fare? Pretty good I think. I did Level 1 for 10 days and the Level 2 the rest of the way. On day 30 I just had to see what Level 3 was about – and it was HARD! My plan is to complete this workout again in February (in time for my wedding dress fitting) June (hello summer/bachelorette party) and August (prepping for my wedding). I didn’t change my diet or do anything like that this time around, and in February I am going to try to cut out soda for the 30 days. I will say that doing the workout helped me eat better. Who wants to eat a big greasy burger and fries after all that hard work? My final measurements: I lost 2 1/2 inches off both my waist and hips, and 1 inch on each thigh. I did gain 3 pounds, but I believe that is muscle, and I was more concerned about the inches than weight! I really recommend this DVD for those looking for a challenge and a great workout. I am so happy with my results and – dare I say – actually looking forward to this again!
[Rating: 5]

December 4, 2012
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30 Day Shred Challenge: One Week Left
Health & Fitness

30 Day Shred Challenge: One Week Left

I am just about finished with Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred Challenge! Friday will mark Day 30, as I have yet to miss a day since November 1. As I write this, I am sitting at my fiancé’s parent’s house, where we have been staying the past three days for the Thanksgiving holiday. I was worried that I would have to miss a day (or two or three) because of our schedule, but I lugged home the DVD and weights with me and have completed the workout in the mornings. It makes me proud to say that I am so dedicated to something, and my body really is seeing changes. I have lost another half inch on my hips, and my abs have some serious definition. I have also noticed stronger-looking arms and shoulders. I don’t think I will make it to Level 3 in this 30 days, but hopefully the second time I give this challenge a go I will be able to. I’m looking forward to seeing my measurements at Day 30, and can definitely appreciate the sculpted body that has come from all the hard work. I am so super happy I purchased this DVD!

November 25, 2012
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30 Day Shred Challenge: Halfway Through
Health & Fitness

30 Day Shred Challenge: Halfway Through

I am just over the halfway point in the Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred Challenge. I moved up to Level 2 on Day 11, and my thought plan was to move to Level 3 after another 10 days. I do not think that will happen. Level 2 is hard. And I mean hard. It makes Level 1 look like I was napping during the workout. I’m afraid of Level 3. I was trying to explain to my fiancé why I thought it was so much harder, and I believe I figured it out. With Level 1, cardio was cardio – jumping jacks, jump rope, etc. Abs were abs – crunches. With Level 2, cardio is a mixture of cardio and abs or cardio and strength. Abs are also a mixture of the two. There are also a lot of plank moves, which are killers! There are plenty of exercises where I need to follow the beginner moves. When I would finish Level 1, I felt good and worked out, but when I finish Level 2 I feel like death. I don’t want to move on until I am able to complete the more challenging moves, and be able to finish the level strong. Looks like probably in this 30 days I will stay with Level 2, but hopefully when I try this again (I’m thinking maybe February) I can move up!

November 18, 2012
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Thirty Day Shred Challenge: Level Two
Health & Fitness

Thirty Day Shred Challenge: Level Two

I am typing this on Sunday, so I am on Day 11 of the 30 Day Shred Challenge. How am I doing so far? I would say not too bad! I actually have not completed today’s workout ( I just got home from traveling out of town) but I plan on doing that once the Eagles/Cowboys game is over. I will moving up to Level 2 starting today, as I did 10 days at Level 1 and I feel okay to move on. I’m nervous; I won’t lie. A few of the moves were difficult for me in level 1 – I hate pushups, and the side lunge with a shoulder raise really did me in. So I’m curious what will be in store for me next! I will be taking my measurements again tomorrow, but in the first five days I had lost a half inch on my waist and an inch on my hips, so I think that is pretty good! It hasn’t been too hard for me yet to complete the workout every day, I think it goes by really fast with the 3-2-1 system…and I work from home Monday-Thursday 😉 Today is the first day where I feel it is a bit difficult to get it done, simply because we got home late and I’m exhausted from all that driving (in rain and sleet!) the past two days. But maybe it’s a good thing I’m starting Level 2, because I am actually excited to see what the moves are and that is helping motivate me – much needed today!

November 11, 2012
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My Challenge: Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred
Health & Fitness

My Challenge: Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred

I have decided that the month of November will be the month where I finally partake in Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred Challenge. I bought the DVD well over six months ago, and while I’ve done the workout a handful of times, I had yet to challenge myself to complete the DVD once a day every day for thirty days. I started on Thursday, November 1, and I am excited to see how I do. The DVD has three levels on it, each one with a thirty minute workout. I’m starting with level one, of course, and hope to move to level two after 10 days and then level 3 after another ten days. Each workout has three circuits to it and each circuit has the same layout–– 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio, and 1 minute of abs. How am I doing so far? Day 1 I felt great – strong and fit and ready to do this. I woke up on Day 2 with my arms screaming at me. I rarely do a lot of upper body workouts because I have skinny arms that tone very easily, so my workouts mostly focus on lower body and cardio. Because of this, my arms were not used to the workout I gave it – pushups and chest flies being the two that really got me. Day 3 my arms hurt so bad I couldn’t lift them long enough to put mascara on.
I’ll be blogging hopefully every week about my 30 Day Challenge. I took my weight and measurements the morning of Day 1 and plan on retaking them each Monday, and hopefully I will notice a difference at the end!

November 4, 2012
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