Level 2 Day 13

I admit right off, I did not want to finish my workout today. My shoulders are so sore from these passed couple of days and I know it's working, but it's rough. Don't get me wrong, I like these new workouts. They're definitely a challenge. But, I'll like them more once my body is stronger and I can handle pendulum lunges. It's usually the leg strength moves that get me to want to quit. But the only way I'll get the strength to handle these moves better, is to keep going. If I stop, in the future I'll just have to start from the bottom all over agin. And starting from scratch sucks! Watching my diet is paying off. If I want something I know I shouldn't have or have any more of, I tell myself "no" and move on. I'm not as hungry as I was so that's getting under control. Woo Hoo! I'm so excited.

Level 2 Day 1 and 2

I was trying to log onto here yesterday, but the page just wouldn't load.
with these moves. I'm impressed. My heart rate was definitely kept up. I wanted to quit

So, I started Day 11. I liked it, it was definitely challenging. Jillian is very creative cause it was tough, but I had to clear my mind again and tell myself that I wasn't feeling the pain and I kept at it. I was pouring sweat for the first time during this workout. The last 10 days, it was a minor perspiration. Good luck to all when you get to this point. It definitely kicked my ass!!

Today, I did Level 2, Day 2. I woke up today with sore shoulders and the back of my thighs were sore, which was a nice change. I can handle that better than the front of my thighs and my arms being sore.
Today's workout felt harder. I was breathing harder. We did alot of moves on the ground, it was tough but I prefer it. There were the walking pushups, the plank jumping jacks, another ab workout where you're in a plank position and you lift your knees and twist. It was a good workout. I was sweating worse today. I was working so hard that I smell it. So, push through this one. Remember, it is only 20 minutes and to breathe, now I'm out to go wash this hard working smell off of me.

Day 10, Last day of level 1

I'm really nervous about moving onto the next level tomorrow. I have no idea what I'm in store for. I'm also wondering if I've spiked my metabolism doing this hard core workout. Once I'm done working out, I don't feel like I've ever stopped. Even after a shower, I can't seem to cool off. I feel as if I'm moving all day long. That woul dbe cool.
Of course my butt was kicked again today. However, I took it easy when doing the cardio since my shins have been hurting. All that jumping around while getting back into the groove with the weight I'm carrying, hurts.
I measured my waisttoday. It went down from 42"3/4 to 42".

Day 9: Sorry, forgot to blog yesterday

But I did my workout like I was supposed to, even as tired as I was. I didn't get around to until I was done watching The Biggest Loser/ cleaning my room. I needed space to move around.

So, it's no secret that I hate cardio, always have. My shins hurt. I hope they're sore from getting stronger and having to support all this weight while jumping around. But, I feel like someone kicked me in the shins. I also hate push-ups. I've always had weak arms, so I'm excited to get them toned up and stronger. Then, maybe I'll do them to show my boyfriend up.

I really can't stand that back-to-back cardio. My big boobs make it so hard to breathe, I can't wait til these bad boys shrink up too.
On other people's blogs that I've read about the 30 Day Shred, alot have to say that they didn't notice weight loss. I'm wondering if those people altered their diet. Since doing this for the last week and a day, I've already lost 5 pounds. I've been watching what and how much I consume. Very important to get the results we all want. I do slip up, but not anything major, it's controlled or pushed away out of my mind.
Yoplait has some new yoguurt flavors that are out of this world. My current favorite is Strawberry Shortcake. When I want something sweet, I go for a yogurt. And only 1.

Day 8: Oh yeah! I'm a woman!

Today was no cake walk. The side lunges with the dumb bell raises was alot better. However, I am a woman and with Aunt Flo on her way into town, I'm dreading the workouts in the upcoming days of her visit. I started feeling bloated today and my stomach felt tight and it crept around to my back, but I pushed through. I just kinda free my mind of what's really going on and it really makes me feel alot more powerful than the workout and the pain lessens.

Good news though. The bicycle crunches...... I can actually and finally make it through them now. I can't believe it. And just in time too cause after 2 more workouts, I'll be moving onto Level 2. Oh no! Level 2, which is more intense and Aunt Flo. Man! That sucks! I still hate them back to back jumping jacks and jump ropes. Ugggghhh!

Day 7: What a Great Day!

My scale told me today that I lost a total of 4 pounds just in this last week. I am so excited. That's the greatest news!

My workout felt more tiring today, yet I felt so energized afterward. My big ta-ta's don't help all the jumping around. It makes me breathe harder and that makes it harder to catch my breath. I kept up so much better today. Those forward lunges with the dumbbell curl are still hard. I'll get it though. My tummy is looking different to me. I would notice since I look at it more than anyone. I can't wait to meet my goal and clearly I am well on my way.

Just keep pushing!

Day 6: Feeling Strong

Today hasn't been too bad. I had to wait for my boyfriend to take our son grocery shopping so I could work out. I don't like to shake my big ol boody in front of my man. Well, not yet anyway. ;)
Once again, Jillian kicked my butt, but I stuck with it. I notice that my balance is getting better. I'm feeling much stronger than a week ago. Still the squat and press straight up into the air is tough. My arms wobble a bit, but I have to push through.
It may sound weird if you do it, but cheering yourself on does help. I put myself into another frame of mind, think of something different and the pain seems to go away. I even feel like I'm walking straighter also. Every day, the pain seems to be in a different spot, but usually in my legs.

Day 5: When is this going to get easier?

Ya know, I'm a bit upset right now. All throughout high school and before I got pregnant at 21, I cared about my body. I never overate. I worked out every chance I got. You can ask my parents, as a 16 year old teenager, there wasn't a night that I watched TV in my jammies even, without doing crunches of some form. As much as I know about working out and as much I cared at the time in my life that most people don't care, look at me now. I live with my kids dad, we're not married (which is fine), I'm staying at home and caring for the kids. I have a 6, 2 1/2 year old and a 5 month old baby. My boyfriend and I are also caring for his 15 year old brother. I'm still not done with college, I just turned 28 and I don't feel like I've accomplished anything and here I am. 5'5, now 182.4 pounds. At 18 years old, I weighed 118 pounds and that was not overeating me and that was working out me. What happened to that girl? I miss her.

So, I'm done with the Shred, maybe I'll try and do it again tonight to get 2 workouts in, and I am pooped! My arms feel like Jell-o. I guess my upset attitude came from the fact that I am so out of shape that it's such a struggle to make it though these workouts. But, dammitt! I push my way through. I wish I would care like I did and being a member of sparkpeople, really helps. I need to feel accountable to someone. Why isn't it good enough for me though. I care about my weight and health, but why isn't it enough sometimes to put the cookies out of my mind? Last night, I just grabbed for them. I ate a total of 2000 calories yesterday and that's 400 over what I should've eaten. UGGGGGgggg! I deserve to do another round with Jillian.

Day 4: Keep workin it!

I got to do my workout earlier than normal. My son traded in his cartoons to watch his mom workout.

Today, I was feelin it a bit in my calves. Once I started working out it went away. I hate them jumping jacks. I never liked jumping around, it hurts my big ol ta ta's. This workout is still kicking my butt, there are still times when I want to fall to the ground from either exhaustion or exhaustion, but I've never worked harder an meant it so much. I've even joined Sparkspeople.com. It's such an awesome website. It tells you how much of what your body needs and needs to burn to reach your goal and by what date. It'll even keep track of how much more protein, calories, fat, carbs, etc., that your specific body is supposed to have for the rest of the day for your requirements.

So, 6 more days of this Level 1 and I'm scared about Level 2. The static lunges are feeling not so hard, man do they burn! I can't wait for results.

Day #3: When will it get easier??

So, today I worked out much later than I like. I prefer to be dressed and ready for my day by now.

I feel exhausted and pooped!! But my mind feels awake and energized.
Everyday is a butt-kicker. Wait, I'm only on day 3?

I was able to do butt-kicks no problem and by the last round of Jump-roping, I was jumping higher than normal. I can't wait to do bicycle crunches without an issue like I used to when I was doing pilates.

The side lunges are still tough. I can definitely feel my arms getting worked on when I do the arm raises with the movement. My arms are too tired to keep typing, but I am going to stick to this. I admit that I just did not want to do this today. The speech therapist came over and I had to remind myself that I'm not going to start this hard work and take a break. I have been literally beating my own ass for 3 days now, completely out-of-shape, but I've been working so hard. I am not going to throw it away for a break. I'm 28 years old. The last time I was in shape was when I was 21, before I had my first kid. I want to be in my 20's and feel like it instead of like a fat old hag. This really means something to me.

Day 2 Shreddin it up!

I need to point out that I actually started the Shred yesterday, April 27th, 2009. I entered the post late on my side of the country, but the system entered it as today, April 28th.

Moving on. I woke up soooo sore in my upper body and tush. It makes me wish I'd never stopped working out just to avoid the severity of soreness. There's good news though.

As sore as I was, it didn't last. Once I started working out, it started to feel like a nice stretch. I couldn't tell that I'd ever been sore to begin with. The Butt Kicks felt alot easier today than yesterday. I still don't like them though. I've always preferred strength training over cardio. I hate cardio. I think I have a hard time with Butt Kicks cause of my thighs, that should change soon enough. The side lunges with the dumbbell raise kinda sucks. I had to use soup cans until my arms can build up the strength. That or maybe I'll go out and buy some lighter dumbbells. I have 5 lb. weights.

After my workout, I didn't feel as sluggish and exhausted as yesterday. I generally began tired because I was kept up by the wind blowing everything around last night. That and my 5 month old wanted to eat a few times.

I began this blog to use as a motivation and inspiration tool. I need so accountability and why not it be to people who are going to read this. I also began it because when I was browsing the web, I saw that people who were blogging weren't doing the program as instructed but took more days off so that it should've been called the 3 week challenge. It did get irritating to follow their blog and see that their results were that of the same workouts but not the correct instructions. Somwe took time off just cause they weren't motivated enough to do it right, they just didn't want to some days. So here I am, pushing myself through this and I'm going to do it right!!

Day 1: Shredder this cheddar

Well, I've been staring at this workout for almost a week now and finally popped it in. I weighed in at 184 pounds this morning. I must say I was not very happy with my scale.

Starting seemed not too bad, then all the sudden I was having trouble keeping up. Thank God for the seemingly cool down moments (less intense) it helped me catch my breath again.

Though I had trouble with the static lunges, even with the girl doing the modified version, I pushed and pushed. Jillian's point is to get us out of our comfort zone right? And honestly, I was picturing the contestants from Biggest Loser pushing themselves, much bigger than I and still doing it. If it's this hard for me, they must be dying. Tonight, I'm definitely feeling the soreness creeping up. Right after the workout ended, I was dead-tired. I mean: Exhausted!