exercise cartoon

Day One of the 30 Day Shred is over, and I KNOW I can do this (repeat this five times fast). I just can’t tell you how much I dreaded this day, but I finally got it over.
Not only can I do this, but you can to! Jillian breaks down each task into really short intervals, so if you feel those muscles getting rubbery (which you will), just keep pushing through because it will only be two more minutes and then she moves you onto something else. There were times when my legs, stomach and arms were SO shaky I almost stopped a little shaky but with the kids all watching, this momma was NOT going to give up. Now when my 13 year old started giving us his advice from the kitchen table while eating his chips and salsa…I had a few choice words. 😉 Literally, there may be times within the first five minutes that you tell yourself you can’t do it. My bootie was even hurting and I don’t even think she worked out that muscle, but this ladies is where we take control back of our exercise life. We CAN do anything for 20 minutes, so don’t let that mental head whisper tell you differently. If you need to modify what she is demonstrating, then go for it, but just keep moving. Do not stop!
Our two daughters started the Shred with me and within five minutes, my seven year old said, “I HATE this DVD,” and proceeded to sit on the coach and twirl her hair. My 11 year old made it all the way through and I am so proud of her. This is not about being skinny or looking good (although I’d be fibbing if this isn’t a fantastic benefit that I desire). This is about healthy living not only for myself, but also for my daughters. (Our boys are so physically fit, they put me to shame.) I want to model balance to them in multiple areas – physically, mentally, emotionally etc and it begins in the home, with me encouraging wise choices in eating and exercise.
A few tips from my first day.

  1. Wear good shoes. There’s going to be impact and even because I was working on the carpet I thought I would be fine with bare feet. NO! Make sure you wear some solid support.
  2. Keep water and a towel (for sweat) close by. Keep those fluids going. One of my goals this month is to drink one gallon of water a day. I know drinking water is KEY, yet I never quite get there. I am going to keep a cold pitcher in the fridge and make sure I drink it by the end of the day.
  3. For hand weights, I used two jars of salsa. Just go with what you have. They were nearly 3 pounds a piece, and I will be working my way up with the amount of weights that I use, but I know I can’t conquer the 5 lb weights we own. Check out Play it Again Sports for second hand weights, if you’d like to invest in some.
  4. Take pictures and measurements. (UGH, I know) I actually had my boys LAUGHING out loud at my muffin top. You can bet I am not posting those pics until after I lose it, but you really do want to be able to measure the difference. For me, it’s not so much about weight loss as it is feeling better and losing the flab that I have gained.
  5. Just say “NO” to your inner self when it says to take a little rest. Just say “Yes” to the jello feeling legs that will barely get you up the stairs to the shower, knowing that the pain and soreness just gets you one step closer to our goal.

Ok, ladies – here is our time to hold each other accountable. Chime in below with a comment. (For those of you new to leaving comments scroll right below and click where it says comments. You do not have to put in your full name or a website. The email is only visible by me.)
Did you make it through? How was it? Just 29 more days to go.
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Here are the posts that led to this 30 Day Shred.