Thursday, November 19, 2009

The 30 Day Shred, Day Twenty: Join the Shredding Army

People, yesterday I did my twentieth 30 Day Shred workout, in an exclusive local fitness club known as the basement of Pretty Neighbor. Then we each drank a single light beer, as is our custom. When I got to her house, I said, "Let's just get, as quickly as possible, to the part where we drink beer." It really should be my twenty-first workout, because I started 21 days ago, but I skipped the night that dude got his car stuck in our front yard and I ate a bunch of Wendy's. You know, progress in this life is sometimes uneven.

One thing that has really motivated me to keep it up is that some of y'all are doing it too. In addition to the folks I know about--Michele, Gretchen, Barbara--I think there are others. If you're shredding, comment and tell us how it's going.

So, visible and tangible results as of Day 20: My shoulders have muscles, y'all . Or like, there is this muscle that connects my shoulder to my neck. I bet there is even a name for it. I never saw that muscle before, not on my body.

I have two-pack abs. Two is good, right? I am pretty happy because I don't know if I'll ever get the other four. But right under my boobs, there is this twin pack of more-defined muscle.

My legs are just harder and firmer all over.

Now, invisible and intangible results: I feel great. I'm in a good mood most all the time. Not that I was like, on a downward spiral before, but this is a really distinct feeling of well-being. I can't really tell if it's physical or mental or both.

The struggle and sweat of the workout has become kind of. . .fun. Okay, fun might be too strong a word. Maybe the level right before fun. Satisfying, I guess. I definitely want to keep going.

It makes dieting easier. This workout goes really well with Weight Watchers. I didn't start back on WW right when I started shredding, but it's been a couple of weeks. There have been days when I didn't eat all of my points, even counting my nightly cosmo and my occasional post-workout beer with Pretty Neighbor.

We were talking about this today: this workout is just so short. You can do it, and keep it up, because it's so short. Twenty-two minutes, that works for me. My friend Brenda was talking about how she prefers a workout to dieting, and said, "The exercise is so easy in comparison--once you do your 20 minutes you're done for the day, but with eating you have all day to screw it up." How true that is. But the thing is, if you're trying to also lose some weight, like I am, the Shred is not going to get you there alone. It needs some kind of food management to go with it, but like I said, they work really well together.

The other day at Costco we bought a bathroom scale. We hadn't had one before. So we brought it home and turned it on, and I used it the first week I did Weight Watchers. I lost the expected two pounds, and all was well. Then we moved the scale to a different part of the tile floor, and that two pounds was gone, gone with the wind. Overnight I went back up to my starting weight. I thought that I'd just screwed up my eating somehow, but then Matt said, "We shouldn't move the scale because the floor is uneven, and it will give a different reading." So I just sucked it up and endured the chiding message that Weight Watchers Online gave me when I entered my weight. Like, "Honey, what happened? Did you expect this result? If you didn't, let's talk about how you can do better. Don't cry, you'll get puffy."

So this is the continuing adventure of my sensibilities as I shred. I do recommend it. And I will let you know if I get a lot hotter.

19 comments:

The Dental Maven said...

Okay. You got me thinking about doing it. Hot yoga does take up a large chunk of time so it could be a good alternative.

Michele said...

Yea for keeping it up. You are my inspiration.

Mine came out of the package this weekend and into the player. Just not played. Baby steps people. I did start counting points and lost 2 pounds. If you can switch from Cosmos to red wine. I think it has less points.

Kelly said...

I refuse to move my scale. I know exactly what tile it goes on in the bathroom! So proud of you for shredding it up, come April(ish) I will be doing it with you!

Bren said...

I am so proud of you. I'm so happy you feel the feel-good-ness! Let's arm wrestle.

I'm not shredding, but doing something that's probably very similar. Women's Health magazine, the real paper version you can hold, sucks. But their online resources are fantastic, and my workouts come from there. Plus, I LOVE reading the success stories they have online. Those are super motivating. I highly recommend those when you're feeling tempted to quit.

Ooh, and I realized yesterday that I've lost 18 pounds and the weights I use in my workout are 18 pounds. It was awesome to pick up that dumbbell and think I used to carry that around on my booty all day (no wonder the squats used to be so hard!)

Cassie said...

I'm sold. This is now on my "must do as soon as I can walk again after the baby is born" list.

It's great to hear your updates, and I'm glad it's going so well!

gretchen said...

Damn, you just reminded me...

Amy said...

Dang it. When I get there at Christmas you will TOTALLY be the hotter sister. Oh well. With all that shredding, you deserve it. Well done!

Keely said...

"You know, progress in this life is sometimes uneven". I love you more with every post. Sheer brilliance.

(My word verification is 'waxing'. Like, waxing poetic? Somehow it makes me think more of buff bodybuilders.)

Veronica said...

I'm with Cassie--I will put this on my list of things to do when I can walk again without the feeling that my pelvis is going to split right apart! Right now I am aquacizing with the old ladies at the gym. I gotta admit that I really like it.

Lawyer Mom said...

You have shamed me into compliance. I shall order it now.

kathy said...

I ordered "the shred" but haven't started yet. I'm trying to figure out the best time. If I do it in the morning-it would be about 5:30(too early). So I'm trying to do it in the evenings after I get home. I may wait and start after Thanksgiving because I'm going out of town. I'm also adding WW (sort of) with the workouts.

(Becky email gift suggestions for Laura and Hank)

Meg said...

What is this shred you speak of? Is it only for thinner peeps who wish to shed a few pounds or is it good for heffers like moi?

I'm doing Weight Watchers (again) too. First week back after more than a year of being a blob. Going well..but need a workout to go with.

Becky said...

Mad Woman, I think it's great workout no matter where you're starting. And I think it really goes well with WW--good on ya.

Kathy, you're shredding? Yay! Matt's mom is doing it too.

You pregnant ladies and your excuses: "Oh, I have to give BIRTH! Wah!" :)

Keely, FUNNY YOU SHOULD MENTION WAXING. Today I took Hank to get a haircut at this family-run place where they do basically everything. I asked the proprietress if she could do my eyebrows while I was waiting. When she had me in her chair, she convinced me to let her wax my lip and chin too. She seemed to feel that I had a lot of hair on my face, but I really don't. Well, now I have less. And I feel like just went three rounds with an electric sander. Fun times!

Erika W said...

Don't forget that muscle weighs more than fat, so as you shred you might actually gain weight. Go by how your clothes fit.

I wish I were shredding and drinking cosmos with you.

Coffee with Cathy said...

Which Shred level do you do? I've never gotten past the first one! If you have doing level 3, I am incredibly impressed.

Anonymous said...

I'm a full convert of the 30 day shred. I may even offer to marry Jillian one day (even if she can't spell her name properly). I have, so far, only managed it for 5 consecutive days (although I've probably done 10 days in total). My shred has been broken by a full day's course (leaving at 7am, got back after beer at 10 - couldn't have shredded even if I'd wanted to), a two day visit to Bath to see a new baby (mmm, new baby) and a two day stay in hospital (hence my lack of presence lately) with my son. But, did I mention that I wanted to marry Jillian? I. Have. Muscles. In. My. Arms. Proper, shapely ones - in 5 days. Can you imagine how excited I am by that?

Thank you Sub Mat for showing me the way.

Michele R said...

I did level 2 last night, ummm, what a difference from level 1! This will take some adjusting! My eyes are all on Anita--I don't even dare look at Natalie and her buffness on the dvd.

Amy said...

Yeah, okay already. Like I told Gretchen earlier, all the cool kids are doing it. Yeah, I'm in.

I'll order it and it will be here by the time I'm back from TG travel and by then I'll be SO READY to get shreddy with y'all.

Beth said...

Becky, you convinced me, too. I'm going to be all over the Shred, especially since I'm already doing the WW online. I will be join your buff army. I'm wondering if I can get the book at Costco...