The Second Attempt

Okay so today was the big 2nd attempt at the 30 Day Shred and i was all raring to go this morning after posting about it last night. I wolfed down a good breakfast for fuel and stood ready with my makeshift soup can weights, praying to god it wouldn't be too hard.. unfortunately and inevitably.. it was.

 I probably got about half way into the session before i collapsed in a heap on my living room floor, shouting obscenities at Jillian as she bounced around on my laptop screen with all the energy of a jumping bean. She is literally a frigging machine.

I've come to the realisation that i am just not a workout dvd kind of gal. I hate exercise, and so if i'm going to do it there has to be some element of fun involved otherwise my motivation just fizzles away. This dvd is not fun, it's gruelling, non stop and full of stupid "motivational" comments that just leave me feeling irritated and ridiculous for not being able to achieve what she's telling me to. And i've decided that i'd much rather spend a little longer doing something i will get more enjoyment out of, than cram it all into these horrible 20 minutes.

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 I headed straight down to the pool after my failed attempt at the dvd, and 45 minutes of laps later i felt a lot better about the whole situation. Swimming is such good exercise as well as being something that i actually enjoy doing.. it doesn't feel like a complete chore, gets me out of the house and gives me the satisfaction that i'm working some muscles and burning calories. This kind of exercise might not be as effective as the shred, but it's definately the way forward for me. 

I've been looking into other things similar to swimming, that i might enjoy doing and I've decided i'd love to try the aqua aerobics and zumba classes that they hold at my leisure centre. I think these are down a similar kind of path, and would hold my interest enough to make me want to keep doing them like i do with my swimming. I was also wondering if any of you ladies have tried to Zumba games you can buy for the wii/kinnect? Are they any good?

I whole heartedly praise anyone who has reached day 30 on the shred, because i have no idea how you had the strength to do it at all! I'm glad i gave it a second shot though, because it's got me back down the pool putting in the hours there instead. Quick fixes aren't always the best!

xxx

Back On The Wagon

I was looking through some of my old blog posts yesterday and i came across one i'd written way back in June of last year. I was having one of my random monthly bursts of enthusiasm towards weightloss and exercise and i'd decided to give the 30 Day Shred workout dvd a go. (read original post here)

I was so geared up for doing it that i genuinely thought this would be the first time i'd see something like this through. I'd researched a ton of people who had gone the whole hog and the results they had acheived really did seem astonishing, and i thought hey i can do that. I mean how hard could it be? It's only 20 minutes after all.. it's only 1 month of your life.. it's only a bit of exercise.

I only lasted 3 days. Infact i think i might have given up half way through workout number 3 meaning i only really lasted 2. 

My efforts were laughable, and i quickly dusted the whole thing off and forgot all about it. Until now..

It's really irritating me that i didn't try harder with the whole thing.

 Don't get me wrong it wasn't a piece of cake by any means.. it was extremely hard to the point where you feel it's impossible, but deep down i know it's not. I know that hundreds of people much more out of shape than me have completed it, so what's my excuse?

I really want to give it another go, and i've decided i'm going to attempt it again tomorrow morning. This probably isn't the best time to start it up again, as i go on holiday in 10 days, essentially cutting everything off for a whole week. But i feel like if i put it off for my holiday then i'll put it off again when i get home and i'd rather just have a stab at it now whilst the urge is strong!

I've also heard that the first 10 day section is what gives you the most dramatic results, so should i see a slightly leaner looking self just in time for Egypt that'll be a bonus. I'm not entirely sure if i will fair any better this time (my confidence is zilch) but we'll soon see.. and i'm determined to blog about the end result this time, regardless of how early it may be!

Stay tuned for a report tomorrow. Eeeek.

xx

30 Day Shred - Day 1 Update

Yesterday i posted about how i was going to start the 30 Day Shred workout by Jillian Michael's and today was my proper day giving it a go!

And Oh. My. God. Do i ache.

I imagined it would be hard but i did not expect to instantly feel like i'd been hit by a bus! - however, i feel really good in myself for having done it.

 It was pretty tough going, a full on 20 minutes of exercise with no stopping inbetween. I had to improvise on the weights with two bottle of Ribena ;) haha. but i managed to complete it fully. The sweat was literally dripping off me when i'd finished, i guess thats a good sign! I then had to go about my daily business rather tentatively.. Climbing stairs and reaching out for things provoked the aching even more. Even driving set the mucles in my legs off!

To be honest i'm slightly dreading doing it again tomorrow, cause i know this time i'll have the existing pains of today added on top but i'm determined to keep going and see what results i can get!

1 down, 29 to go.

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JessLoren x

30 Day Shred

So yesterday i had one of those days that we all have every now and again where you stand staring into the mirror, having a deep inner conversation with yourself and eventually come to an obvious conclusion. I want to lose weight.

 I literally thought RIGHT, enough is enough! This is not cutting it for Mexico whatsoever - I want to be skinner, healthier, happier, more toned, more active, more flexible, slim, prim, muscle laden and generally overall bangin' in the bod department. I know these are quite high expectations but let's face it, we'd all have a Kim K phisique on order if it was humanly possible.

Now i'd already decided in my head that i was going to do my usual thing and blow about £30 in Sainsbury's stocking up on healthy shiz (when i say healthy, i really mean Weightwatchers alternatives as i'm really not a salad kind of gal) .. when as if like magic two of my friends tweeted me about the 30 Day Shred. It's a workout DVD by an american lady called Jillian Michaels who i believe was a trainer on the biggest loser USA. It's supposed to be an amaaazing way to loose weight and i've spent most of the evening on YouTube watching the workout itself and also lots of other video's of women on their 30-D-S journey. There are 3 levels to this which gradually get harder as you move on every 10 days. I have had a little go at level 1, however eventually had to give up because my room is nowhere near big enough for exercise! So my plan tomorrow is to set up downstairs and give this thing a good go!

I'm one of these people who tend to start stuff like this, all guns blazing and then cave in at about week 3 and have a Nandos (mmm nandos) .. But i think the fact that i now have this blog might be a little bit of an aid to myself. I want to post about how i'm getting on and hopefully encourage myself to continue and complete the full 30 days. I would absolutely love to loose a stone however half of that would suffice.  

Has anybody else tried this DVD and had good results?

And also, on the subject of Mexico who watched Geordie Shore Chaos in Cancun?! I totally missed it with my fish memory.. Please be advised i am not normally a Geordie Shore fan, i just fancied a nosy at Cancun ;)

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Toodles

JessLoren x