Oct 2014 Shred Thread - because Christmas is still coming...

lambzig - WTF, that's appalling. Perhaps your DD and the child who won't be going can have a playdate or something?

Imogen - I'm a shortarse too. I'm lucky in that working from home I can customise - I've got a stool under my desk as well as a footrest. Maybe you can find something more than a standard-issue footrest.

I need something to put my weights in - currently they're on the living room floor (except DHs 10kg pair which are in the garage, I have to go out there if I'm doing extra deadlifts) - we've liberated a space which had an old baskety trunk thing which contained a lot of DD's old toys so the plan is to get some sort of very solid chest to put the weights and my mat and indoor trainers in.

Body Rev, Phase 2, week 5, workout 6 done. Week 5 finished.

Yadah you are scaring me about 7 and 8.

I know you advised me to step away from playground politics, but dear lord I had the worst this morning. DD was standing with three of her friends with me there in the playground and another little girl and her mother came up and the mother hands sparkly party invitations to DDs 3 friends making a big song and dance of it telling them it's a frozen party and a bouncy castle etc. she looks at my DD who is looking expectantly and says "oh sorry mini lamb, you are not invited as DD doesn't really like you". Cue DD in tears and refusing to go in class for ten mins.

Honestly, obviously, I don't have an issue with DD not being invited as it was obviously a small party at home, but she could have been more subtle with the invitations and who the fuck says that to a four year old?

One of DD's friends mothers said that after seeing that, her invited DD will not be going.

Annoyingly, my workout this morning didn't have any punches as I think I would have been rather good.

Well when I woke up today I didn't feel like I'd been run over by a steamroller so that's good. Went for a 4k run and will shred later on :)

30DS L1D3 done. Still not back to managing to shred most days, but a smaller gap between sessions is progress!

30DS L2D9 done. Better today: shoulders are less sore. Thanks for the tips on things to do about the sore shoulders. I think part of the trouble is that I can't adjust my chair perfectly because I'm such a short-arse (with short legs even for someone my height): even with a footstool the choice is between having my feet dangling and having the desk too high for me. And I'm also doing too much on the Blackberry and spending too many hours working generally, which is the real problem.

I previewed L3 of Killer Abs and it is crazy - clapping mountain climbers, anyone? I can see I'm going to be spending a lot of time falling on my nose while I get to grips with this one.

I ought to get a wider range of weights really - I could go up to 3kg or possibly higher for the bicep curls and one or two other moves- but that depends on finding somewhere downstairs to keep them. At the moment they live in the bottom of my wardrobe and I carry them and my mat downstairs every morning, but I can't do that with more than two sets. Some decluttering beckons. Good luck with your spring-cleaning, Errol.

ShowMe, glad your DH is off next week and you have a plan to tackle the sleep horrors!

Well, my plan to do a week at each level of Ri30 hit a roadblock last week - we decided to spring clean the house, working through getting carpets cleaned which meant I did 2 days L1 last week (was still a bit poorly on the monday), then the living room was full of stuff from the dining room for the rest of the week (TV inaccessible and no floor space), then this week I did another day of L1 on monday and then TV etc moved out of the living room.... just got it reassembled, just a couple of bedrooms to go now. So I should be able to do 2 more days this week and then on to L2 next week.

I've accumulated quite a few weights now - and used just about all of them on Monday! 1.5 kg for the chair squat/fly thing, 5lb for anterior raises (yay! up from 1.5!), 3kg for the halo, 10lb bicep curls, 6kgs deadlift/upright row, and a single 8kg for the swing thing and 'good morning'!

Imogen - way upthread you asked 'Anyone have any tips for easing a really sore neck and shoulders from working at a keyboard all day?' -Yes...I don't know a cure so recommend prevention. I write software and occasionally get this, but really only if I'm not sitting properly relative to my computers (I've got 2 keyboards and 3 screens at the moment) - if you're getting sore then spend some time looking at your position, adjusting the height of your monitor/chair etc, and in particular make sure that you're not twisting at all - if you need to turn to look at a screen swivel your chair don't just turn your head. HTH!

2kg weights were quite hard work The DC watched and have suggestions too...

Weights safely arrived. Am now wondering whether 2kg was sensible but will find out later when I try them. They definitely weigh more than a can of tinned tomatoes anyway..

Some 2kg weights are winging their way to me (thank you amazon prime). Went for a 3k run this morning - felt a little stiff but not too bad. Will do the shred later on (when the weights have arrived)

Killer Abs L2 D10 done. Eek - no hiding from L3 now.

I am a total weed with no upper body strength, so I started with 1kg and switched to 2 on my second run through the Shred - even now I'm struggling with the 2s on some of the moves. But I am pathetic and most people can do better than that.

ShowMe, just wanted to give and sympathy. It's utterly grim, isn't it? Could you run to a night nanny to give you a break and try to get the baby into good habits? We did it for 5 nights when DS was 9 months, and I was back at work and on my knees with exhaustion from breastfeeding every two hours all night every night. She cracked the night feeding habit for us, and also gave me a solid run of uninterrupted nights which probably saved my sanity. I won't lie, it was expensive - our holiday that year was 3 nights in a UK holiday park- but it was so, so worth it. DS was still a bad sleeper after that but at least DH and I could share the load.

Thank you - I am definitely feeling muscles in my inner thighs have been working which is a good thing :) will have a look for either 1.5kg or 2kg weights I think.

Miranda, I started with 2, worked my way up to 3 and now use 5 in Body Rev when it calls for heavy weights. I think it would be fine to start with 1kg if you wanted. I was/am used to lugging a 15kg baby about. It's fine to use two different weights depending on the exercise too.

Body Rev is good. It mixes it up so much that I think it's less boring than shred or ripped. I am on week 5 (which is taking me longer than 5 weeks as I never manage 6 times a week) and it has had a more drastic effect on my stomach and CS overhang had than doing shred and ripped consecutively.

It takes around 35 mins so needs a bit more time commitment. I find it quite motivating. Annoyingly, despite a 50 minute a day school run and Body Rev, I am not losing any weight at all, but I am in my thin jeans and my muffin top is going fast.

Miranda, I started with 1.5kg and have just jumped up to my 3kg ones. That's as heavy as I've gone in the past but it's plenty for me and I got some reasonable definition last time I did it. I've no idea what others use so I might be being a complete lightweight! I think it depends a bit on how your fitness is to start with but just start light and work your way up.

30DS L1 D5 done. Things are starting to feel a bit easier . I'm kind of looking forward to L2, I can remember enjoying the jump up a notch last time and felt like my fitness was really changing.
ShowMe hang in there and don't be tough on yourself. I understand how you're feeling. The only reason I've managed to carry on is DS did 3 reasonable nights in a row where I must have got about 5 hours sleep with only a couple of wake ups. I felt almost human but it was only a minor blip and we were back to hourly waking last night . Just give yourself time to rest and you'll be back on it in no time.
Lambzig and Yadah, what is body rev like? Is it loads tougher than all her other dvds? I've got a friend that's done insanity and fancy something longer and more involved. If the sleep deprivation doesn't brake me I might consider getting it for Christmas and starting in the new year

Hello have finally got my 30DS dvd out of its box and did day 1 today. I run about 2 or 3 times a week so am not totally unfit but could do with being better toned.

What size weights do people use? I used two tins of tomatoes but see there is a wide variety available on amazon.

Come and join us when you start.

Thanks Lambzig. I shall order it :)

Balls I would recommend just doing it. I had done no exercise for 9 months when i started. It is hard, really hard, but four or five days in its suddenly easier and by day 20 you can feel your fitness is there and how much stronger you are. It's 20 mins a day and you can do anything for 20 mins.

Body Rev Phase 2 week 5 cardio second time. Actually managed to do a few Burpees today.

Show me, seriously, it takes three weeks to lose all your fitness of doing nothing, so five days won't hurt. Get some sleep, don't weigh yourself and get back to it tomorrow.

Would you recommend 30DS for someone who's really unfit? Or should I start on something gentler, like Davina?