my achey breaky knees

I woke up today and went to the gym. Why? Because Jillian is not for those with old ski injuries. My knees are killing me. Between the workout, the injuries, ans standing on cement at work all day, its becoming a challenge to kneel and get up. So I took inventory and decided that I like being able to sit on the floor, do yoga lunges and play sports in the sun better than Jillian's methods. So I did three times as much cardio in the exact same amount of time the workout usually takes, and I feel good about it. I'm not saying I quit, because, as I always say, quitting is for quitters. I do need to find different modifications for the jumps, however. I now Em is going through the same thing and then some, so I'm not alone!
New drama at work yesterday...I really don't wanna go in today....
Love you ladies!!

confession

Ok, ladies, I have to admit, I have strayed a little. Not totally, but a little, Ive replaced the shred the past three days with cardo yoga. Im sorry!! Ill go back to Jillian tomorrow, but my knees were taking a beating, and all the jumping we do in this level was not helping. But I HAVE been working out!
I havent noticed anything fitting better or any loss of weight, but I have noticed huge changes in how mu muscles feel. My arms, abs and legs feel really tight and great! Now if I could just lose some fat...more cardio. Ive also been looking into a Yoga Diet, which is interesting, albiet expensive, so we'll just have to see.
In other news, Im VERY happy to be starting my lifeguarding job on May 29th (yay!!) and I feel really good about where I am (except for two things: not seeing my friends as often as Id like, and the lack of fat loss so far in this workout), but Im feeling great besides that, and I hope you are too!!!
Im considering adding the 30 mins of cardio yoga to the 20 mins of shred...that should put some stuff into serious motion...now if I could just get my ass outta bed early enough...

up to date

I have cheated. And Im not even sorry. In my defense, I have maybe ONE day a week where I can sleep in. MAYBE. So when I get that chance, I take it. I have also decided that i have to work out in the am, or all hell breaks loose. AND Ive decided that my knees are too bad to constantly stay faithful to Jillian. BUT Ive noticed my arms, abs and legs getting more steel-like, and therefore have become addicted to SOME sort of physical strain during my day. One more thing you should know, I have a cardio yoga workout that is very effective. SO, all those things combined, when I cant do our shred, rest assured I am doing an equivalent with less impact.
But I did get up and do Level Two today, and I still laugh watching Jillian do the jumps in circuit 3. I am still doing the same thing where I either keep doing the last thing or start the new thing right away instead of stopping and waiting for her.
Ive noticed, thanks to yoga, pilates and jillian, that standing lunges are getting really easy! Hooray!!
Ive also noticed that pole dancing is getting easier. Not just perfecting moves, but being able to do it longer!! Another Yay!!!!Keep it up ladies!!! As long as we're doing SOMEthing, it counts!!!

sweet heaven

OH. MY. GOD.
I started Level Two today. This level, I will fondly refer to as the Ballet, or Richard Simmons Level. You will understand when you do the cardio. Jesus. Talk about more challenging. I thank Yoga for me even getting through it this first time. I thank the caramel kisses I had ten minutes before for the mega side cramps midway through. I REALLY need to keep my workout time in the morning. No can do in the afternoon, Ive discovered. SO! Lesson learned. For those of you starting Level Richard Simmons soon, let me know how you do...Stupid Jillian. OH! And I had to stop to laugh during circuit three, on account of her looking TOTALLY retarded during the jump ropes. HA!!!

In other news, I have big plans for my life!! I got a summer job as a lifeguard!! YAY!! Ill be outside!! And not waiting tables!!! And not hating everything!!! AND!!! My plans for the winter are to work at a mountain doing either lifts or instructing!!! YAY!!! What a perfect lifestyle for me!!!

almost there

Im going to start off by saying, I am very ready to start Level 2 on Thursday. Happy Day 9!!! I can say this because its only the ladies who read this (and for any men, I suggest skipping to the next part), but I discovered that exercise regulates your time of month! Im on the pill, so the DAY i start is always the same, but when I do yoga or anything physical, I start on the Tuesday morning. When Ive been a slacker, I might not start till later that evening, or even on Wednesday, and lets face it, extra days=extra worrying. So thats nice :)

The past few days Ive been modifying my workouts. For one, I cant stop fr those three seconds that Jillian stops between cardio, so I just jump right into the next set, instead of waiting around. If i stopped, even for that short time, it gets hard to start again. So i don't. Another thing Ive done is replace those weird squat punch things in cardio 2 with more jacks or some high knees, to keep my heart rate up. Jason used the weights to do the punches, which is a good idea also. I also do my own cool down (usually involving yoga). This way I'm getting more cardio (which I think i need, see below) and I can get stretched the way I need.
As for cardio, due to my uncontrollable addiction to chocolate and pizza, I don't lose weight very fast. I can definitely see and feel a muscular difference. Ive got the lines back on my thighs, and my arms look really nice, and my abs are getting rock hard. Unfortunately, nobody can see the abs part....so, since I know dieting is just too much to ask :) I'm upping the ante with cardio. We'll see if that helps...I think a diet is doable, but for me, the later in the day, the tougher it is...here's a sample menu for a typical Chelsea Day:
Breakfast: 1/2 a bowl of Kashi Go Lean cereal, toast with peanut butter
I drink water all day at work, with the occasional bite or two (really, that's it) of food in the back, when its available.
I come home, and the trouble starts. Lunch could be anything from more cereal to 1/2 a pizza, or Chinese.
Later in the night maybe ice cream, maybe more peanut butter toast.
The inconsistency I think is what kills me. on a good day I'm very very good, but when it rains.... cant lose weight.

Food for thought :)

ONE WEEK!!

Congratulations, everyone!!! One week today :)
I woke up today at 8:30, which is when I set my alarm. I promptly fell back asleep. Its easy to do. So I went to work without a workout. The promise of an evening shred hung in the air. I completely felt the difference!! I knew I felt better during the day with the workout in the morning, but I didnt know how much. Blech!! Not only does my day feel better when I do this in the am, but I decided that I dont like working out in the afternoons. I already have 1/2 a day under my belt, and, unless Ive had a bad day, I dont feel like I NEED the exercise and its more effort when I do. Needless to say, today's workout was
an eye opener...but I did it!! and I'm feeling good about starting Level 2 in three days!! Jason and I put in Rodrigo Y Gabriella instead of the audio options on the DVD, and it make a HUGE difference!!
Today was good. I did my workout, I went to work and tried to make money, I was informed of what a LOA was, and I just might take one, and im doing math later...well, maybe "good" was not the word I wanted...lets go with "productive"
Happy week!! Stay strong!!!

day 6, oh yeah!

happy day 6!!
today I woke up and did my yoga first, as I was still pretty stiff from my zzz time :) The cats and I very much enjoy our yoga time together!
I bought hand weights last night...and my thoughts on these 2 lb additions are two-fold: One: they make quite a difference!! I feel like I got a complete workout this time and I bet Ill be sore tomorrow for the first time since day 2!! And Two: they make circuit one a big pain in the ass. BUT!!! BUT!! BUT!!!! I did not quit ONCE today!!!! And it feels great! Even with the added weights, I didnt feel the life-threatening need to stop!!! Hooray!!! Now if I could just work on doing push ups the non-girly way...

uh oh

today I woke up late...too late to do all of the circuts. So I decided, to compensate, Id do some intense pilates and circuit one of level two....ladies, you better start appreciating those jumping jacks...the cardio was killer. BUT I think I effectively did a nice workout for the time i had...so if youre like and and thinking :oh, this is easy, im almost ready for level 2!!" Think again...do a few more days of the first one....trust me :) Happy day 5!!!

day four, and learning more (i made a rhyme!)

Ive started waking up before my alarm...i guess that's what a consistent wake up time does. Woke up today, woke Jason up, and did day four of my 30 Day Shred. Still using the music audio option to drown that crazy lady out. I also started doing my own stretches and cool-downs, because I find hers to be...insufficient. Besides, I'm used to yoga, where the stretching actually MEANS something. SO...thats what I do instead. Sometimes I dont do the yoga in the mornings anymore...it depends on how much time i have. but on the days I don't do it in the morning, I HAVE been doing it after larger meals in the evening. I find that this makes me feel GREAT! I am really loving this. I can feel the difference already...even if I cant see it just yet. I only had to stop during the push ups today...damn those things. But everything else is getting MUCH easier...I might be moving on to level 2 before I thought :) We'll see.
I looked up some youtube videos of Jillian, and all i have to say is that I'm very glad we are doing this at home, and not with her, in person!
Pole dancing tonight. I'm anxious to see any changes in strength....

day three....are those changes i feel??

I did day three alone today...and by alone I mean being the only one in my home to get up and do it. It makes it easier for me to get my happy butt out of bed when I know that, when I miss a day, I'm not just letting myself down, but Ive got 3+ other girls that I'm letting down too. And if I'M not getting up, who else is having those same feelings?? So I do it.
During todays workout, I noticed that everything, especially the cardio, was less challenging for me. The pushups are by far my biggest challenge, but as far as every other set and level, I took maybe 3 four-second breaks the entire time :) Hooray me!!! I hope everyone else is feeling a difference...even after just three days!!
I thought of a new motivation for myself to stay with the workout today on the ride home from work. That new motivation is Vegas. Not only do i want to look and feel good (and still feel good-or less guilty-when I binge drink for four days out there), I want to be comfortable on the 12 hour road trip there in July too!!! I can just imagine what a difference that will make, and its enough to keep me from buying some M&Ms today :)
Keep it up!!!

for real, now. day two

OK!!!! sorry about the lame blog earlier. Day two....here are my thoughts:
It is WAY better to have someone doing this with you, whether its people in other towns doing it on faith that the other are, too, or a trusty boyfriend that you can physically get out of bed with and do this thing.
I turned the music audio option on today. Thank God for that. I don't wanna listen to Jillian talk anymore, and its day two!!! The music is better, because you can let your mind go while your body does the work :)
I don't have weights, but quite frankly, not including the chest flies, you don't really need them in level one....because doing this shit without them is Shredding enough for me, thank you...I must go get them at some point, however...preferably before level two.
My downstairs neighbors might be planning our deaths, because I know for a fact that, if it were me, and MY upstairs neighbors were up at 8am doing jumping jacks and jump ropes, Id be Hulking up....quickly.
I think I need to start some sort of a diet...nothing big, but maybe a little more control over the oreos and the ice cream and the snacking....maybe.
I want to know how everyone else is doing!!! Only 28 more days to go!!! Stay strong!! We're in this thing together!!

Day Two!!! A Success!!

Jason and I just finished Day Two of our Shred. Its starting to feel better and better. Circuit one I think is the hardest, and once you finish that, you start to feel fantastic!! Mst go get ready for work...more late. Good luck!!

tomorrow, it begins

OK, so tomorrow we begin our 30 Day Shred. This is me as of two minutes ago. I have no idea how much I weigh or what kinds of measurements I have. MY personal goal is to just feel better, and tone up. And, of course, lose some of my hip width. Totally attainable, I'd say, in 30 days. Especially if I can keep my mitts outta those Oreos :)
Ive also decided to add either Pilates OR Yoga into my daily routine, but that's not to say everyone else will or should. That's just me because i already do yoga daily and I wont just stop.
So, starting tomorrow at 8am, and hopefully consistently each day after, ill be a shredding machine!! The biggest battle? Not hitting snooze.

OTHER SHREDDING GIRLS!!!!!
Please dont feel like you have to post pics, but I really want to hear about your daily routines and how you are doing...after all, we're in this together and that's what this blog is here for!!! Also any motivating stories would, I'm sure, be welcome!!
GOOD LUCK, EVERYONE!!!!!!

Afraid of commitment

This is my very first blog ever. Hooray for me!! I made this compulsively after watching Julie & Julia and deciding to start Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred...to keep me motivated?? I have no idea...we'll just have to see. Chances are, Ill never touch this thing again...wish me luck!