30 Day Shred July Challenge - join here

[PessimisticMissPiggy]

I became I follower of The Shred in June. My reasons are below. Share yours and let's shred together! I lost 5lbs my first week combining the DVD with WW.

I'm a size 16-18, 13st5lbs, 5'8", flabby, wobbly, unfit and desperate to shift the back fat that's making my new correctly sized bra lumpy.

I want my toddler to stop burying her face in my fat belly and blowing raspberries that make my boobs jiggle.

I want my DH to comment my nice arse again.

I want my double chin to melt away.

I want to walk up 5 flights of stairs without lactic acid burning my thighs and being out of breath.

I'm not going to stop until I'm size 12, under 11st and feel like I love my body again. I've hated my body for the last 13 years and I want to look in the mirror and feel good.

Shred is phase one. If I have to do all of Jillian's programmes then so be it.

Hi hi hi

Day 19 (L2D9) done this morning, I skipped a day yesterday as I had a long day at work BUT I did run in the morning so not all bad.

STILL not a pound lost on the scales but my legs feel rock hard, and I can tell there are abs there now... just under the flab still

Well done everyone!

Oh wow I just committed my cardinal sin of standing on the scales after food or liquids have passed my lips but ... 3lbs off!

About bloody time sez I

Well done Noel!

Day22, L3 done. Still crap at push-ups but the rest not too bad. I got a new shortie wetsuit yesterday, had to try it on over a swimming costume - not too bad!

L2D4 done (I think) not sure if to count rest days

First day with TV size Jillian, at Natalie -legs YKWIM !!!

Rather than noble, I think I'm stupid to walk pup at 6 am. I have to do it before DH leaves for work, pup is his but it wouldn't occur to him to do it.

Level 2 is tough for me but it feels good to have done it -after pulling sweat soaked clothes off standing under cool shower for 5 mins and drinking a litre of water-

Well done to everyone, like Jillian tells us "you are tough" !!!
Oh and Grimma I slosh too!!

Congrats Noel you played weight roulette with the scales and beat them

Don't count rest days!

Well done everyone!

Day 7 finished for me. I was wondering if everyone gets a sharp ache in their side when doing the punches? Its every time for me!

Do you all eat before your workout or after? I'm not sure what's the better thing to do.

Thanks Grimma

Illustrated I eat before but it's a good hour between eating and Shredding. No punch related side aches here, but my feet hurt

Illustrated, sounds like you might be building up new muscle too quickly on your lats: are you giving yourself rest days? The 'windmill' move in the Level 1 warmup should be stretching your lats before you start exercising, but I know in level 1, there's not a static cooldown stretch targeting the lats.

Maybe look at YouTube for 'stretch for lat muscles' and see if there's a stretch on there which will help?

Rest day for me today, which my knees and ankles are grateful for. My knees and ankles are feeling the effect of the jump rope, planning on a cool bath with some analgesic aromatherapy oils later today.

Well done, Noel and everyone else for sticking at it in this heat.

I hate doing exercise on a full stomach - its one reason I do it first thing before breakfast, just drink beforehand. (if I try anything like running after eating it tends to give me a stitch).

Digestion takes quite a lot of blood supply, I believe - so if you exercise after eating the food will just be sitting there.

And I'd rather be as light as possible doing the jumping!

I find exercising easier on an empty stomach. Even downing water whilst I'm in the middle of a routine or a run (well, trot) gives me a crampy feeling in my stomach sometimes

Thankyou for this thread, i sat down a 9 last night came across this thread and it inspired me to go straight down stairs and SHRED! DP came home to find me manically star jumping whilst sweating a tsunami and with my dress tucked in my knickers but i'm so pleased i've finally started to try and shift the baby weight! only concern is my stomach muscles seperated during prenancy (again) I didn't realise how bad it still was until I did a crunch and had a quick check, not good at all! so i've been having to leave the abs part out... do you think its ok to continue with the rest of it or should i try and see the physio again to make sure...?

Day 23 done. Blimey I'm hot!

Hello, notany , well done - but would be wise to check with a physio, s/he might be able to suggest alternatives. Apart from the actual abs exercises, the push up/plank moves (which figure more in L2/3) are supposed to engage the abs so they might not be the best thing for you yet. Meanwhile why not just do the parts you feel ok with and do extra JJs or something in bits you can't?

hello

can I join in? I started a couple of days ago (now D3L1) and am suffering!

I really need to tone up my wobbly post baby tummy and thighs!

pre-pregnancy I had been running (stopped at 14wks) and horse riding (which I continued with until 38wks). I have been riding once a week for the last 8 weeks but have only managed to get out running a couple of times as DD screamed the house down both times.

I thought the shred may be a good alternative but I am starting to regret it! Somebody please tell me it gets better!

Welcome notany I 2nd what Grimma wrote, great advice do take care and mrst it does get better -and worse when you begin L2 and then better again

L2D5 done. Not so hot today, phew!!!
Finding myself giving up a bit on the plank jacks and can anyone do the crunch leg lower thing? I am hopeless at that, not even close to Anita moves

I did notice today on my way back from taking DCs to school, I felt more energetic and stronger within myself IYKWIM. Not sure if its from walking the pup earlier or this, maybe it's both, it felt great.

MrsT - I found it got better after day 4 so hang in there - and TBH I didn't find myself suffering again when I went to L2 and L3.

IWill - the leg lowering thing, no, I can't get very low but its one of those things you just do it as far as you can and should gradually improve. I couldn't do the full sit-up on the first day of L3 but could today!!!

Yes, I'm feeling generally fitter and stronger and tighter - not so much wobble! Being a shortarse I often have to get on a chair to reach my top cupboards and its no strain now! I find myself wondering why the heck I didn't do something like this years ago - 20 mins a day is worth it if it makes the rest of life easier.

thank you for your lies encouragement!

I still have to do today as was out early, going to have to wait until later coz its far too hot for that malarkey now!

Welcome mrst and notany, and anyone else giving it a go!

Day 20 done this morning, so I guess it's L3D1 tomorrow-eek!

Good luck Noel

I took a sneak peak at L3 today - eek indeed !!!

Oh dear! Day 3 done, at least now I know which exercises have broken me as I really struggled with them tonight.

Anyone have any tips for tight calf muscles? I used deep heat pre pregnancy but am still bf and it advises against using it. Problem is, I've spent the last 2 days walking like a chicken!

Oh how I am looking forwards to tomorrow ;-)

Thanks IWill

Get a rolling pin on those calves mrst, employ a small child to roll it up and down on them for a bit.

Well L3D1 completed. It's a bit jumpy innit??

Thanks Noel

Unfortunately the only small child I have is 14wk old dd. May have to rope in dh for that one!

Well D4L1 done, not as bad as I was expecting although should have at least a banana before hand I think!

So, I had promises that tomorrow would be getting better.............

Hello fellow shredders. Just checking in. Day 9. My last day on level one tomorrow.

I've converted 2 people to the 30 day shred as they said they could already see a difference (although I'm not sure if they are just saying that) I feel a bit firmer but maybe I'm imagining it.

What is everyone planning on doing after 30 days? Carry on every now and again?

I'm having a 'rest' day today (lots of carting around of sailing and winsurfing kit - was going to sail but DH didn't feel well so we just walked round the reservoir). Not sure I'll fit it in tomorrow either as we're planning a repeat trip to Coniston with the canoe but this time try to get there earlier to choose a parking place we're less likely to be blocked into!)

What is everyone planning on doing after 30 days? Carry on every now and again?

It'll pretty much take me up to my holiday, which should be active enough but I want to carry on doing something when I get back now I've got into a bit of a habit. Not sure whether to try something different.

I'm toying with the idea of buying one of Jillian's (first name terms now me and Jill) other DVDs to start when I'm done shredding.

Hmm dunno though, might just shred again. I definitely want to continue doing something