- My husband took this picture in the park issuing orders on how I should pose while people were watching, that’s all I can say to explain the awkwardness showcased here.
When I first started my weight loss journey I chose Jillian Michaels to come along with me. There were a lot of reasons for that. For one thing she has a reputation for being tough, but I felt like I needed that. I’m altogether someone who needs a kick start to do things, even when I know those things are beneficial to me. I had a feeling that Jillian would provide me with that and I was right. (Yes, Jillian and I are on a first name basis…in my head and especially during tough workout sessions. Luckily she’s forgiven anything else I may have said to her during those workout sessions. Jillian is understanding like that and …yeah okay, moving on.)
So I started the 30 day Shred back in March and made it through all of the levels and then I moved on. Recently I felt curious about how I feel if I tried this workout dvd again now that I’m a veteran working out-er. Would it be a piece of cake or were the workouts I’d been doing since small potatoes compared to the Shred?
What I’ve discovered so far on day 2 of revisiting Level 1 is that this is a solid workout. Parts of it do feel easier then when I first started but parts of it are still enough to leave me sore the next day. My legs and shoulders to be exact. It’s also interesting to me that I’m following along with the advanced example and still able to keep up. That alone makes it feel different this time. The first time around you better believe I was following the modified version.
Now I’m enjoing this workout again I’ve also decided to up my weights. I’m still using my 3 pounds but I think I just may be ready to try a pair of 5 pound dumbbells. Gulp.
This is an achievement for me. I’m just not an upper strength kind of girl. In my younger days and my first time in a gym I astounded the trainer giving the tour by only being able to lift a bar. Not a bar with weights on it, just the bar. And I struggled a little with that. I’ve also had problems with my back in the past that basically had to do with me not having adaquate back muscles. As I’ve been working out and doing back rolls and overhead shoulder presses I’ve noticed that I’m having less problems with my back. It’s been a very welcome side effect.
The 30 day shred is one of the best ways that I know(so far) to ensure an upper and lower body workout so I’m back on it. Its easy for me to focus on my lower body because building muscle there comes very easy for me. The shed forces me to not short change my arms and that’s a good thing.
I’m hoping to tone up more and use measurements rather then the scale to check my progress this time. I remember my first time doing this workout that I’d feel slimmer and my clothes would fit differently but my scale didn’t always reflect that.
I’m curious to see how this goes and if nothing else I’m appreciating feeling strong again. My favorite kind of workouts have always been the ones that make me feel that way. 
