First off, thank you for coming out of lurkdom for my last post! I learned a lot from your comments, including I had no idea there were so many readers without children. I hope my blog is proving to be a good form of birth control for you – were I 22 and reading this, I’d be putting my ovaries on ice for several years.
Yesterday I had planned out a post about getting back into shape again, following the New Year’s herd and all, but was interrupted from this task due to the very thing I was going to write about.
You may have noticed a new obsession with several bloggers: 30 Day Shred is the fitness regimen that apparently half of the world has adopted. I don’t know if it’s because we’ve all watched The Biggest Loser and thought, “If these 300 lb contestants can survive a workout designed by Jillian Michaels, I should be fine!” or if Jillian Michaels is a manipulative psychic, mentally projecting her DVD into our heads as the perfect get-fit tool. Either way, I took a flying leap onto that bandwagon and bought the DVD.
I did my research first. Or, rather, I asked others what they thought, with opinions ranging from, “It’s pure hell, but it works,” to “You’ll never feel so good bitching out your TV.” Hmmm…sounds like fun, right?
The last time I tried a new workout DVD, I had less than stellar results. So of course I once again set myself up for failure with another difficult workout by one of the hardest trainers available. This time I dragged Aaron along for the torture fun.
It sounds like a simple system: 3 minutes of strength training, followed by 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of ab work. Repeat x3. Only 20 minutes total. Anyone can hold out for those small amounts of time, right?
Sure, but not when those first 3 minutes are composed of alternating 45 second intervals of push-ups and squats. I had no idea 45 seconds could take so long! And after that going directly into alternating jumping jacks and butt-kicks. There was no time for a breath, no water break, no mercy.
At several points one of us would mutter “This is impossible!” and while we considered turning it off, we kept going until the end, then collapsed on the floor from our jelly legs and arms. (Did I mention that’s just Level 1? There are 3 levels.)
And that’s how I spent the rest of the day – with Gumby arms and legs, unable to even walk up stairs without holding tight to the handrail to prevent me from sliding back down the stairs when my legs gave out.
I knew today was going to hurt. Right now I am a rigid, slow-moving shadow of my usual self. When I sit or stand up, I groan louder than an arthritic 80-year old. Everything hurts.
I keep telling myself that this is a good hurt, though – I have tested my body, and it has given me a full report of its deficiencies, which can be summarized as: if you ever do that again I will slow your metabolism to a crawl, change your digestion to send you running to the bathroom at inopportune times, force debilitating migranes on you, and put your entire immune system on strike to punish you for putting me through that.
Eh, I think my body’s bluffing. It’s been through worse – like the years I did Irish dance regularly. It can protest all it wants, but I’m not quitting. I am taking it easy today, choosing Wii Fit over 30 Day Shred, because the Wii Fit’s insults don’t hurt as much as my thighs do right now. But tomorrow it’ll be time to scream obscenities at Jillian Michaels while doing bicycle crunches.
Is anyone else using a DVD or Wii Fit to help with getting fit? If so, what are you using, and do you like it? I’m wondering if others are finding it as hard to get in shape.
I’m looking forward to seeing the comments on this. We have a wii fit and have yet to turn it on (we’ve been playing guitar hero instead…ummm…). In fact, I think it’s still in the box.
I bought that DVD at least 30 days ago. I can’t seem to get the shrink wrap off. Weird.
I’m taking it easy until we move – health issues over here and such. Ugh.
Well, I just recently found your blog. I’ve been reading Motherhood Uncensored and am convinced she and I lead the same life, so I found your blog referenced on hers. I sometimes do The Firm workout. I am a fan of the Body Sculpting 2 system. I don’t scream quite as many obsenities at the screen with this. Plus, when they say results in 10 workouts, the “ain’t a-kiddin’!” Think I might try 30-Day Shred if you’re still doing it after a few weeks. I am bad about sticking with stuff.
My friends have a WiiFit and I played it over Christmas break. It was fun and I could see why people like it. For me, I like the traditional method of working out. I just haven’t worked out in like a decade.
I have a Wii-Fit and some dvds (none of which I swoon over) but for me, it’s SUPER hard to work out at home.
Once I’m back from vacation, I think I’m just going to have to make myself go to our little local gym every day. (they have a kid’s room so you can watch them while you ride the bike, etc.).
I figure even if it’s for 30 minutes/day still better than the 0 minutes I’m doing everyday.
I guess I should watch what I’m eating too, but right now, I feel like I’m fly by the seat of my pants, so we’ll see.
I’ve been contemplating getting this DVD. I think I still might. Maybe a little ass whupping is just what I need.
Plus, Wii Fit is too expensive.
I’m on Day Three of the Shred.. it still hurts. Screaming obscenities at Jillian gets me through it. Good luck!
I do nothing. Well, I walk for 20-30 minutes maybe once or twice a week. If I got a gym membership I’d find excuses not to go anyway. I have a handful of devices that I use very occasionally (the big giant fitness ball that’s become more of a kids toy and a little stair-stepper thing that is okay but boring as hell) and truthfully, I was kind of hanging all my hopes on Wii Fit which I currently don’t have but plan to get. Maybe yelling at my TV along with everyone else is the way to go. Or not. Bottom line? I hate exercising. Period.
(I love your new theme! It looks so much like WordPress, I had to do a double-take. That’s a compliment because I think Blogger themes are typically very lame)
I have the Wii Fit, and its fun, but its overrated as far as a real fitness plan goes.
I find that most people that use it use the fun stuff like the balance games (penguin catching fish, bubble that travels down a winding river as you lean), or easy stepping classes rather than using the strength training or yoga.
And even when you use them, they’re not that great of a workout, from what I’ve experienced. I can do most of the excercises without getting warm, let alone breaking a sweat or feeling any of my muscles.
Now this is coming from someone who WANTS screaming muscles and tiredness after a workout, so keep that in mind. I want to FEEL it, so this shredding thing might work for me. Keep us updated, please!
! started the 30-day shred last week. i ached for the first 3 days…but now i don’t hurt as much…i actually LOVE it..because Jillian is EXACTLY what i need. someone to totally kick my ass.
OOOh I feel the same way and all I did was a 25 min. workout from exercisetv on the internet. Today my legs, butt and other body parts are in so much pain I too groan like an 80 year old arthritic. I know they say no pain, no gain but this is ridiculous. I’ll try to see if I can do some yoga tonight to alleviate some of this pain. lol
Does Wii tennis count? It may not get my heart rate up too much but I’m going to have an awesome right bicep from it!
I did just get the Gazelle (Tony Little swingy exercise machine) with a Christmas gift card. I will say that it isn’t the most high quality piece of equipment but for $100, what should I expect, right?
I just started using it last Thursday so I can’t say how effective it is just yet. It does seem to work a lot of different muscles at the same time so I guess that’s pretty good.
Julie W.
This is a dvd right. Maybe you should exercise the pause button. That’s what I use to do when I did a stepper dvd.
I do have the wii fit and we have all gained weight since then. Don’t you just love how it asks how another member of your family is doing, then says you dont pay any attention to them.
Not only might you be convincing 22-year-old women to put their ovaries on ice, you’re totally making this woman never want to work out.
So much for de-lurking last week…
When I have time (ie, not in school) I use Tae-Bo Total Body Fat Blaster. (I also have the Fat Blasting Cardio, but I don’t like it as much.) It’s intense, and you hurt the next day (OMG abs), but Billy’s very encouraging, and nothing seems impossible as you’re doing it.
I don’t use the bands, just 1 pound dumb bells for the arm exercises, which makes life easier, as I am a giant klutz. It really does sculpt your whole body while burning calories with a minimum requirement of grace/coordination.
I got a Wii Fit for Christmas. I was really good about using it everyday for the first week. I had muscles I didn’t even know I possessed hurt. I particularly like the step aerobics. I got all the way through to the 10 min free step. 10 minutes is a lot of time. Once you “unlock” other games & features, it does get harder, and more of a workout.
I have a treadmill (second hand and it makes a burning smell if you go over 4 miles per hour!) and the 30 day shred dvd. That DVD kicks my ass, totally. Especially the push ups. I still haven’t made it past level 1. Then my dvd player broke.
Jennifer