Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Jillian Michaels Kicked My Booty

Whew! Seriously....

Last week I ordered the DVD workout video 30 Day Shred from Amazon. My plan was to start February with a workout and weight loss routine....because, well...January came up on me too fast! :) I've been working out semi-regularly since last January, but I really needed to kick it up a few notches...I want to tone everything up and loose about 10 pounds before the wedding. Yep, I'm jumping on the bridal weight loss bandwagon! I never really thought I'd be one of those brides that would stress over the way they look on their wedding day and want to change things about myself before the wedding in order to look my best....but hey, if I'm putting this much work and this much money into 1 day then I better look good! Right?!? 



So, the adventure to a healthier, more toned version of me is beginning now (well, yesterday actually...I went to the gym)! And even though I've been eating pretty healthy for a while now, I'm going to kick that up a notch as well. I'm cutting out beer completely until the wedding, drinking less coffee (and more green tea! which i love as well), eating more fruit and veggies, and cutting back some on red meat. I'm going to try to add more fish into my diet as well. I've been eating whole grains for a while now so I'll continue that as well. Oh, and I tried a Boca Burger (the vegetarian burger substitute) the other day and it was really good. For real!

Back to the Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred DVD. WOW. It finally came in the mail today and I couldn't wait to try it. If you plan to do this DVD you'll need a mat, some hand weights and a high threshold for pain! :) This DVD kicked my butt! The workout is only 20 minutes long, but damn that was a LONG 20 minutes!! Her workouts are based on a 3-2-1 pattern...3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of abs. Then you repeat that progression several times. NO REST in between. Seriously...one move to the next. The strength was hard...lots of squats/lunges with arm work at the same time...it made me wish my weights were 3 pound instead of 5! The cardio was mostly jumping jacks, jump rope (simulated...no rope) and a running in place sort of move. It was definitely enough to get you out of breath...especially when it comes immediately after those strength moves! The abs weren't so bad...in my opinion. But that's probably because I do ab work quite regularly. On the other hand, I do NOT do squats regularly...which I should, obviously. Now, all of that I did today, all that was described....was Level 1. That's right...there's multiple levels - 3 in fact. Once you get comfortable in one level you're suppose to move on to the next.  Oh my. 

My legs were BURNING by the time I was done and I could already feel the soreness setting it. I hope I can sit tomorrow without wincing! :) If I can do this video everyday for 30 days while progressing through the levels then I just might look like Jillian Michaels by the end! Speaking of which...I'll have to see how it goes tomorrow with my soreness to see if I can do the DVD again. If not then I'll just be going to the gym. I figure that I need to at least do the DVD 4/5 times a week until I build up my endurance and then I can begin to do it daily. Thank God I still have 4 months till the wedding!! (oh my god, I only have 4 months till the wedding!!! AHH!!!)

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Haha! I bought this video before christmas and have done it once (partly b/c it was so hard and partly b/c I feel stupid doing it while Homer is here). Just to warn you, I was VERY sore the next day after level 1. Good luck! If you stick to it, you'll definitely get good results, that's for sure! (But I don't think you even have 10 lbs to lose)

Anonymous said...

OMG, I tried Jillian Michaels once using a book that she wrote out workout plans in "circuits"...KILLER!!! But I'm ordering this DVD anyways, because I'm all about doing a great workout in 20 minutes! :)

Becky said...

I LOVE HER!! Can we please do this this weekend?? :^)

Anonymous said...

Definitely just went and ordered your Jillian DVD off Amazon...Geez....

Liz said...

ha! yeah, it's awesome! but don't be surprised by how hard it is! and how sore you are the next day!!

and yes, Becky...we can do it this weekend!! :)

Anonymous said...

I do weight watchers....just to let you know in terms of alcoholic drinks: If you drink beer, Beck's lite has the least points: only 1. Wine has 2 points. Mixed drinks between 4 and 6. Just for your info.....

Liz said...

awesome, thanks! that's good to know.

Unknown said...

i don't like this new diet plan. i'm always hungry now and it takes too long to cook everything because the fast food isn't "healthy".

Unknown said...

LOL poor mark! Bocas are good-- so are boca chicken . Use the Arnold Sandwich thins http://arnold.gwbakeries.com/subcat.cfm/subcatId/131 for bread. Be careful with too many of them though--- they are pretty high in sodium. Another thing I do for a quick lunch are Amy's burritos http://www.amys.com/products/category_view.php?prod_category=10 Again you have to be careful of salt, but all of the ones I have had are under 300 calories. Roasting vegetables is also a big favorite of mine-- throw those into a high fiber low carb la tortilla factory wrap. Fiber is super important from the stuff I have read lately. Anyway, exercise is the part I have a hard time fitting in-- I am not a DVD kind of girl usually though.

Unknown said...

fiber is definitely the important part..