When last we spoke of the Shred, I had done twenty workouts on consecutive days. Then, Thanksgiving week, I caught a cold/sinus thing and didn't shred for four days. When I realized that my cold wasn't going away anytime soon and that I might as well get back to exercising, I picked back up with level 2 and had a noticeable loss of stamina. I determined that I would not let it lapse like that again, and since that time I've only missed one day. That was last Sunday, after Matt and I had worked out at midnight on Saturday night (I know), and I decided that counted for both days. Cleverness!
Oh, y'all, and Matt has started shredding with me! One night when I was feeling particularly unmotivated, I asked him if he would, and he took pity on me. I may have batted my eyelashes. Now, on the days I don't shred with Pretty Neighbor, I shred at home with him. I'm such a social animal, I find, that having a shred buddy keeps me going and makes it much more fun. With Pretty Neighbor, we shred then drink a beer, and with Matt, we shred then he cleans the kitchen while I stand around and fiddle with the Christmas tree. This system is working.
So, I've done level 3 twice now. And let me say that, on the whole, I got through it but MAMMA MIA LET ME GO it's really tough. I am doing modifications on a lot of the moves, especially the ones involving push-ups. Really what's standing between me and level 3 is man push-ups. Some of the moves are too easy with knee push-ups. So I need to work on those.
And there is a lot of jumping, or "plio" training as Jillian calls it, with her fancy workout vocabulary and her tight little bod. There are these squat jumps and plié position jumps, where you squat down, then jump up a little and point your toes, then come back down into a squat. Doing those last night was the only time in this whole process where I heard myself shout "No!" while doing the move. It's hard, definitely a real step up from level 2. Matt thinks it works different areas; I'm not sure, but I do think it is an awesome core workout. The ab moves are at a whole 'nother level. My question is, is it better for me to be trying level 3, easing into it and feeling somewhat uncoordinated, or to be doing level 2 with proper form? Level 2 is still a good, hard workout.
Oh, and the glutes. Between the shredding and the Weight Watchers, my two favorite pairs of jeans are now baggy in the seat. I pointed this out to Matt, and he was like, "Good job!" but as jeans-wearing women you all know that this is a bittersweet moment. They looked better back there when they were a bit tighter in the patoot. Soon I'll need to rummage in the closet for smaller jeans and hope those fit without muffin top. More than you wanted to know? I am sorry, you can go back to your soup now!
If you're shredding, speak up in the comments and let us know how it's going. xoxo--B
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14 comments:
Total fail here.
I have two weeks off so I'll be getting back into it. I promise.
I'm not shredding, but I look great. Further updates as events warrant.
Good to know, Hoot. I will always remember that in the 8th grade, you had a 19-inch waist.
Michele, no shame, honey! That's my new motto.
I'm shredding but not every day. Work seems to get in my way. I've managed to do it 3 times in the last 7 days. I'm still on level 1 and think it will be quite a while before i move to level 2. For some reason the hardest move for me is jumping rope. I can barely get my feet off the floor. I going to try and be more consistent when I'm our for Christmas. We'll see what happens.
Is Michele shredding too? You should add her to the little gang.
I am still fat and lazy. I WILL do better. I have bought my weights that will upgrade my bean cans, and just need to get back to it. The whole...eggnog thing is seriously doing a number on my waist. Sigh.
Matt is shredding with you? This is one good man. Do you remember that post I did on Weight Watchers points and I figured out the points for a particular...how should I put this delicately...consumable? Well, I think you should reward him for being the kind of guy who would actually shred with his wife by...consuming that consumable. Just a thought.
Keep embracing the struggle and pain. Soon you'll learn to love it. Good job!
I'm shredding, thanks to you! I call it the 60 day Shred as I'm only doing it every other day, but it feels so good to be doing SOMETHING and I love that it is over in 20 minutes, sold!
I keep falling off the shred wagon. Time to get back on again.
Jane, hop back on, 'cause you are one of my shredding inspirations!
Corinna, the 60 day shred sounds good too. I'm starting to think of it as the 30 Days Plus the Rest of Your Life Shred.
Gretchen. Thank you so much for reminding me of that little factoid. I will pass your recommendation along to Matt, and you will have made a new best friend.
Uh-oh. My beloved, aka the MPM, shredded with me yesterday. I suppose this means I have to let him in on the unmentionable consumable aspect too? Thanks, Gretchen! You're gonna find yourself very popular with the menfolk.
And my manfolk was all about the man pushups (doing several instead of one on the walk-out planks, SHOW-OFF), but I'm pretty sure I heard him whimpering on the ab stuff.
Other than that... my trick knee and my sore knee (currently 1 each) do not like Level 3.
And jeez, I'm not sure I'll ever figure out that last 1-arm-1-leg-plank thing. Because at that point I have so much sweat dripping into (or maybe it's tears flooding out of) my eyes THAT I CAN'T SEE THE TV. So I am going with Level 2 until further notice.
I love being part of the little gang! The Shred Bettys, maybe?
And because my last comment wasn't LONG ENOUGH, I have to stop back to say you are way too clever and witty. I loved the little Queen throwaway... Mama Mia indeed!
(My word verification is "resperus," which I think is probably Latin for "comment no more, give it a rest.")
Good job Becky!! And you could always hide the muffin top with a sweater or something.
This level 3 that you speak of scares me. I like bot the 60-day shred and the 30-days to Fake you out cuz it's really Forever Shred.
I've been in FL for 3 days visiting Grandma. No shred no 'puter, I got nuthin. But looked at old photos and I am motivated to not only shred but consume less calories as well.....
Amy, that arm-leg-plank thing in level 3 is really hard! My problem is that my weights are so tiny that I can't support myself holding them because my fingers get crushed. You see? So I do some weird thing where I pick up the weight each time, it's uncoordinated.
Also, yes, Pretty Neighbor and I have been experiencing this for weeks now: the workout is really hard on knees. It doesn't feel like an injury, but they just seem to be much slower to catch up, in my case anyway. I went through a couple of weeks of modifying and substituting things that didn't hurt my knees.
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