Day 23 of JM30DS

I am now officially on day 3 of level 3.  Jillian is kicking my ass!  Level 3 is so hard.  But I CAN DO IT!!!!!  Could I have done these exercises on day 1?  No way.  I would have been in the ER.  I have this love/hate thing going on with Jillian.  While in the middle of the workout and my muscles are screaming I hate her.  But she does produce results which I love.  I think I will always stick with Jillian and her workouts.

I took pictures on day 20.  Disappointed that I couldn't see that much of a change.  Then I talked to my sis who told me about a lady she knew that could see a huge difference it just didn't reflect as much in pictures.  That is what I am choosing to go with. Feeling so much stronger.  Seeing results in person. That is what is getting me to continue.  I can't wait to see day 30.

I can tell my legs, thighs, arms, waist, hips all shrinking.  My belly not as much.  So I added a 10 minute Abs of Steel video to the already killer  workout.  I must be crazy.

I am considering signing up for the Muddy Patriot on Sept. 29.  Its a mud obstacle course.  There is a 1.5 mile and a 3.5 mile.  I'm not sure about the running part but I have one month to figure it out.

Day 15 of JM30DS

HALF WAY!!!!!!!!

I was up late last night googling before and after pictures.  I found a website that had an 8 page thread discussion about it.  I read the whole thing.  Saw many inspiring pictures and testimonials.  I didn't want to join the message board so could not comment there but I think I will bookmark it to keep me going.  I am disappointed that my day 10 picture was not as dramatic as some of the ladies there but we shall see about day 20.  I should have taken my measurements.  Too late now.  I do have measurements that I took from all the other times I started a workout program and failed.  I could use those.  Except I am starting out heavier than with any of those.  So I suppose if my numbers are lower after the 30 days I should be even happier because they probably started higher.  Yeah, that's the ticket!

I have come to the discovery of why stretching is easier than when I was younger (you would think it would be harder).  In high school (just a few years ago ;] haha) when I stretched I could not put my head on my knee.  Nor could I easily touch my toes.  I was a runner.  I was maybe 100 lbs and what was there was muscle.  No lady curves.  Face it I looked like a 12 year old boy.  Now most of those muscles are not as tight (to say the least) and have been replaced by curves and then some.  Hello, Boobies!  Without the tight muscles in the way I can now place my head on my knee and reach past my toes.  Makes the back stretching sooooo nice.

Since I am half way through level 2 I am now trying the "more advanced" version of the exercises as opposed to the beginner.  Ouch!  But to my amazement I can actually do it.  She-Ra Princess of Power!  Maybe not the pushup at the end of the walkout plank as much but I am getting there.  And I am not noticing as much jiggling while jumping around.  Yes, there is a mirror.  Not pretty.  I almost never hear the butt cheering section anymore either.

Overall, pleased with this workout.  I'm even planning what I'm going to do when the 30 days are over (note the overachiever of title).  I want to make working out a daily thing.  I want to try to get back into running.  WMU has a 5k coming up in Oct.  I want to try for that.  And since its Oct. I hopefully won't have any of the bounce at the run (sports bras are a runners friend, no black eyes please).

Wish me luck!

Day 14 of JM3DS

Almost half way through!  I started workout 2 5 days ago.  Wow, Jillian kicks my ass!  There are so many plank variations. Planks suck!

I am noticing that I am feeling stronger.  I am feeling slimmer but I don't think it would reflect in photos but will still take another picture at 20 days.  I found all these fabulous before and after pictures on the internet.  Hoping that will be me in 16 days.

I was told it takes 21 days to form a habit.  Trying to form the workout habit.

Day 8 of JM30DS

Ok, so I haven't actually done today's workout, but I fully intend to as soon as I am done blogging.

Looks like Tuesdays are my lame days.  I skipped yesterday again.  But I have managed to fit in the workout every other day.  To give me a little credit I took the kids to the fair yesterday.  I did walk alot with a 13 lb baby strapped to me and pushing a stoller with 2 kids in it.

And I resisted purchasing a scrumptious looking churro at the concessions booth while I was getting the kids sno-cones.  I wish I could claim it was because of my tremendous will power.  Or because I am now eating completely healthy (typed with a snicker as I sip my can of Coke).  But the truth is that it was so hot that my skin was partly melting off my body and there was no urge to eat anything.  And because I am too cheap to spend $4 on a pastry no matter how delicious it appeared.

As for the work out results, my shoulders and arms are feeling and looking quite a bit more toned.  I can feel my tummy slimming a little.  My cheering section is still there.  I do have a bit more energy.  Which is strange because I have been called the Energizer Bunny by some people.  I really do sit down, its just easier to get in the middle of WWE in the living room if I am standing

If I could convince the kids to go to bed at a decent hour, I would sit down for a while as my sister is trying to convince me that I need to start watching Gossip Girl on Netflix.  We shall see.  Its up to the kids.

Day 5 of JM30DS

So I skipped Wednesday.  Oops.  But then I did workout the past 3 days.  Its actually getting easier.  I increased the weights on a couple of the exercises.  And the push ups weren't that bad.  I might try some real ones and not just the girly kind.  I feel stronger.  Still have the cheering section but I have a feeling they won't go away till the end.

Day 2 of JM30DS

Day 2 complete!!!  I almost wussed out on day 2.  I didn't feel like waking early (it was hot last night and the a/c broke so I couldn't sleep.... and other lame excuses).  Then we had errands to run.  Then some friends came over to work on a resume........more lame excuses.

Finally at 7pm I did the work out.  Now I am not a second day quitter.  hahaha

I didn't realize how sore I was.  I felt fine all day.  Once I started the work out I realized my butt, thighs and abs hurt!  I moved alot slower than yesterday but I moved.  Go me!

While doing the jumps I kept hearing a clapping noise.  To my horror I realized that it was my butt cheeks smacking against my legs.  Sigh.  This is why I am doing this, right?  Then I started to crack up.  I realized that my butt brought its own cheering section.  Go butt cheer, go butt cheer.

So here starts the journey.  I will once again be the hot me that still lives in my head.

Ok, so I'm a slacker.....

Talk about lazy, I haven't posted in 2 years.  I just discovered that I even have a blog that started in 2007 that I forgot about.  Ha!   I have some excuses.

I got pregnant in Dec. of 2009.  Lost that baby Mar. 2010  Got pregnant in Dec. 2010.  Lost that baby in Feb. of 2011.  Really didn't feel like blogging.  Appearently, I couldn't finish a pregnancy. :(

But then in May 2011 I was pregnant again.  This time baby Lucy was born in Feb. 2012!  Yay!!!!!!!!!!!

Now I am trying the exercise thing again.  Today I started day 1 of the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred.  I had done it in the past and made it to day 15 but then we went on vacation and there went the exercise.  So now not only am I going to try to work out every day for 30 days (that should form the habit) but I am also going to try to blog about it.  Ok, maybe not blog everyday.  If I make it do day 10 I might even post the beginning picture I took today on day 1.  That is if there is an improvement ;)

So off we go again.  Wish me luck!