Jillian Michaels' 6 week 6 pack - anyone want to (re)start with me?

[TrucksAndDinosaurs]

I've just done Shred and had great results.
Am now starting 6 week 6 pack - does anyone want to start or restart with me?
:) hopeful smile

[Lavenderhoney]

I don't mind Gillian's chat, she is ok, just wondered if she went all soothing when doing yoga:)

The mum has help from her inlaws, maybe she goes for the calming stuff as well:)

[MrsFlorrick]

Lavender. Ah I see.

Not sure about the yoga one. Can't see it on iTunes. Perhaps look on utube.

[TrucksAndDinosaurs]

Hi all and welcome zing!
I'm cheesed off because it turns out back is two sprained ribs and all the muscles in lockdown. Saw chiropractor today who did stuff and has put me on massive doses of ibruprofen - going again tomorrow and physio as well. Really hoping it clears up because I've exercised 5 days per week minimum since July and had great results and am signed up for barre fitness next week, plus have found pole
fitness class and was really looking forward to exercising with other women and making friends.

:( now I might have to stop it all while it heals. Hope physio can show me how to exercise safely. Just looking after 32lb DS is hard lifting and hard on back so can't really rest much as it is.

Anyway enough moaning.

Jillian yoga meltdown is mellow compared to usual JM but not at all mellow if you're used to yoga. She gets excited and forgets halfway through and shouts WHO IS YOUR DADDY NOW WHO WHO HUH HUH??? at Bashira which is hilarious. And at the end she starts to go on about open your heart and then gets fed up and says 'I'm just gonna speak English!...stretch your chest'. If you're a yoga practitioner it's anathema really :) - trouble is you do need previous yoga experience to follow it.

It's yoga poses including v hard non beginner ones like Crow and balance poses pumped up into cardio and strength circuits. She has you mobbing in and out of the pose then holding it. You do build up a sweat and plank push ups abound.

I do it if I've missed morning exercise.
I always forget that it's actually bloody hard work.
Lavender I think you might find it quite a laugh.

[Lavenderhoney]

Trucks, that's terrible- how did you do it? I hope your pain isn't too bad. Its a shame about meeting people though, could you go along and watch a class though? In the pretext of talking to the teacher and getting tips on his to excerise and hopefully someone might be chatty?

Can you look I'm BIWI lc thread on here as you will lose that way? I have been on it since jan, and have lost 7 kg without exercising without any hunger- plus the thread is very busy and plenty of people might be in the samne situation. Apologies if you are already on it!

Yoga- I'm not experienced at all, or Pilates ( mainly because of the feathery stroky stuff and avoiding classes because of it). Gillian might be ok though, from what you say. ill have a look on iTunes. Its very hot here, I'm not in the UK- so perhaps ill just get to the school gate earlier and sweat a bit:)

I probably would like Gillian's yoga, she sounds like she can't stand the soothing zen stuff either:)

[TrucksAndDinosaurs]

I did it grabbing my DS when he lay on the car park Tarmac having a tantrum. A car was reversing so I bent from waist and picked him up like a surfboard with one arm while he thrashed: I'm strong but he's 32 lb now and I took all the weight without pulling in my core and protecting my back because it was an emergency.

:(

I was dead surprised when the Chiropractor said it was sprained ribs, I thought I'd just pulled my lat muscles.

Anyway hoping it will clear in a few days and yes, good idea - I will go to the class next week and just do what I can...

Where you based? I'm Caribbean so it's 9.20pm here...
Definitely give yoga meltdown a whirl if its free but watch it first and google demo of how to get in to and hold the poses because she doesn't explain it much if at all.

[TrucksAndDinosaurs]

Oh yeah - low carb. I've been on under 60g a day since July. Usually about 30g. Hence dramatic shape change.

Bought two new designer bikinis for terrifying prices today but hey, this is an island of thin rich bitches ;) and all the socials/kid's parties are poolside. Bobbly Peacock ones weren't cutting it no more

[Lavenderhoney]

That's a great weight loss! And when my dm found I was moving to the me, she got quite worried and said I must keep up with other expat wives, as being scruffy (!) wouldn't help make friends, I had to fit in. To some extent she is right, I make an effort to lose the " just mucked out" look.

I am also in the market for new swimmers, not sure about a bikini though:)

Have had my hair done and I don't want to exercise as my hair will be wrecked and I am hopeless at doing it. Its nice to have great hair once in while ( shallow)

[ZingWantsCake]

trucks

bloody hell, that's horrible. poor you.
Although we all would have done the same!

did you tell him no Christmas presents for causing mummy to hurt herself?

I hope you heel quickly.

[Lavenderhoney]

I finding the l2 much easier - I have to say I am following mrs f advice to pull in my tummy all the time, easier now I know the routine.

I wore a wrap dress today and my tummy isn't so, well, protruding:)

[MrsFlorrick]

Evening all. You sound like you live in lovely climates. Although wearing a bikini in public is non longer an option for me. My tummy will never look that normal again. Even a tummy tuck couldn't help that mess

Been at Jillian again and digging in and digging deep over the last few
Days.

Results are good. Cannot fault the Jillian Michaels workouts at all. It will certainly help make the best out of the mess that pregnancy, gestational diabetes and birth (cs's) have left me with.

In fairness it's pretty good compared to how it looked the only crappy area is my tummy for just over the belly button to just over pubic hair/bone/cs overhang. The rest of me looks good.

I do need a fricking miracle for the tummy though. Any of you know of any??

Oh well. It is what it is. And I'll just have to learn to live with it and disguise it best I can.

Problem isn't just saggy skin and overhang, it's that around my belly button my tummy sticks out in a pregnant sort of looking way. I know it's the muscle separation. I thought exercise and weightloss would make it better but it doesn't. I just look more pregnant as the rest of me shrinks. It's the only area not to lose any inches.

Can you tell it's pissing me off??!!!

I've been bad and had wine so am laying it all out there.

I know you can get some sort of mesh inserted through belly button to pull it all together to look normal but I need to get BMI to 21 first otherwise I am worried doctor/surgeon will tell me I'm just a fatty and to go lose weight.

12lbs to go.... Ho hum. Pls help me find the motivation to pull myself up by bootstraps and fend off the "when Are your due" comments without either eating every biscuit Waitrose w
Sells or committing murder!

Anyway back to . Not a fast day here clearly. Tomorrow is thought. My thrird this week. Polishes halo.

Must dig deep, bring it and stay with it. Listen to my inner Jillian Michaels....

[ZingWantsCake]

MrsF

a friend of my is a fitness instructor and health fanatic.
after her DC4 was born she couldn't wait for the muscle separation to return to normal and started exercising way too early - this damaged and set the muscles 4 inches apart!
no-one needs an extra 4 inches around the waist and she is tiny so looked quite out of proportion (as the rest of her body is incredibly fit and toned) - but it was a huge problem from the core strength POV!
(both personally and professionally)

she had an op done to bring the muscles back to pre-kids position.
her abs look great now!

so do investigate what's available!

I have an overhang above C-Section scar . It's lopsided. my belly looks like a crooked smile.
I don't know if it will ever look reasonable.
and I have so many stretch marks from 6 pgs that I worry that if I ever loose weight my skin will look very wrinkly, like deflated balloon.
in fact that is part of the reason part of me prefers to stay fat

it's shit, isn't it?

[ZingWantsCake]

and someone a vaguely know came up to me in Tesco on Monday and patted my belly "oh, how lovely that you are having another one"

I happened to met her a few weeks ago too. she did the same thing. I told her both times that I'm not pg just fat.
she was very apologetic and embarrassed.
I just laughed.

I actually don't care anymore. I don't even get upset.
at least I have a good excuse and 6 beautiful children to show for it.

[Lavenderhoney]

Mrs F, will the muscle separation change, or do you have weight to lose to have an op, if that's what you want? I have had 2 cs, and have an overhang which is slowly - very slowly- getting better but I have quite a lot of loose skin at the side- sounds lovely, eh?! I am on the LC bootcamp with BIWI on here and that has worked wonders and I strongly recommend it.

I think Pilates and/ or callentics have been the best thing, done every day, inconjuction with other activity or not, for the tummy, plus drinking enough water, low carbing. I also self massage my body and use lots of body oil and lotion, manicures, pedicures, clothes that suit me, and hair done. I look nice- obviously I might be a surprise when naked! But seeing as I am married my dh has seen it all. So I keep up the illusion, sometimes with the aid of spanx.

I think I need to do something else as well as Gillian 6p6w, and keep forgetting to do Pilates in the evening. I am very boring at the moment as I am off alcohol for a bit to loose weight, so go to bed early.

[MrsFlorrick]

Zing and Lavender. Thanks

Sorry. Last night was a bit ranty and drunk.

Zing wow 6 DC!!! How do you find time for a Jillian workout??!! Amazing.

And your fitness instructor friend. My tummy is like that. Out of proportion to the rest of me. I want to have the OP but I think I need my BMI to be 21 or they won't find the muscles for fat. I'd have to pay for it obviously but am prepared to do so.

Lavender. I low carbed for the first 7 months of this year. I did it hardcore at under 20g of carb per day. I lost a measely 7lbs. Fatty foods do not make me feel particularly full so I was eating v low carb and burning fat as fuel. Unfortunately it wasn't body fat I was burning but the fat I ate. I tracked on mFP and I could easily notch up 3000 cals a day on low carb in order not to feel hungry. I gave it a good go but it wasn't overly effective for me. I feel less deprived on 5:2 than low carb.

[MrsFlorrick]

Lavender. I've had two CS as well. Overhang isn't too bad considering and is hidden even in fairly small knickers.

It's the middle of tummy around the central area (belly button height). That sticks out.

I've had extensive physio after first DC and again after 2nd. My seperation was 8 fingers both times.

Now when I test it laying down my muscles come together completely when I raise my head.

Problem is that the muscles don't function properly and sort of bow forward when I am upright. A mesh holding them together would help enormously I have been told. But I need to get back to pre pregnacy weight before they will recommend doing it. And I am 12lbs away from that.

I may need to wait even longer because my 2 yo still wants carried and I won't be able to lift for a couple of months afterwards. So may be next year

I'm just sort of desperate to look normal again.

Spanx don't hold my tummy in as it isn't just fat but muscle which is sticking out. I have tried a sort of corset thing which the physio gave me but that makes it look fm worse because it bulky and shows.

Argh.

From pregnancy I did expect weight gain (not 6 stone of it fromGD though!) and stretch marks and saggy boob and a wrinkly looser tummy. I did however not expect to look pregnant so much after the event without being able to hide it under clothes like you can with the rest of it.

I wonder what Jillian would say?? Dig deep? Fight for it?

[TrucksAndDinosaurs]

It sounds very disheartening.

I have the crepey saggy skin but didn't have CS. Am apple shaped so carried all the weight on middle and always looked pg even before DC, afterwards it just got worse.
Also the wrecked boobs; they were lovely before pregnancy, perky and a great shape. Now they are awful : I have to stuff loose wrinkly flapping skin into an underwire bra. They just feel empty.

This thread has fab Pilates/waist exercises described on it
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/exercise/1834709-how-do-i-get-my-prekids-waist-back

I'm going to do them while my back heals.
Still so fed up about that.

[TrucksAndDinosaurs]

This was the key post on that thread; will paste whole thing

^WallaceWindsock Sat 24-Aug-13 09:09:47
I have found after huge amounts of trial and error, a set of exercises which are slowly but surely pulling everything flat. This is exciting as I had diastasis recti (separated tummy muscles) after birth and I have now closed the gap to one small finger space, so they really work.

To pull my ribs back in I just did loads of hula hooping and danced about like I was giving a lap dance!! The waist circling movements pull the muscles together.

For tummy I eased in with ten of each of the below exercises twice a day. I'm now up to 80 of each twice a day.

Lie on your back with knees bent. Pull your pelvic floor in and your pubic bone up as if trying to curl it towards you. This is a pelvic tilt. Hold each one for as close to ten secs as you can. Once you have the hang of it you can make it more advanced by extending a leg and stretching it along the floor at the same time.

Next lie on your back with knees bent, feet on floor. Using JUST stomach muscles pull one leg up so that its at 90degrees, hold for ten secs and lower. Do the same with the other one. Once you've got this down, do both together and you can do short quick stretches where you don't allow your feet to return to the floor.

Lastly, and this is the real one for closing the separation gap, lie in the same position. Put your hands onto your tummy and push the two halves of your tummy together, as if manually closing any separation you may have. Then keeping hands pushed together raise your head off the floor. You want to raise it just enough that you aren't yet doing a sit up, but can feel it working your muscles. Do this as many times as you can and slowly. Once the muscles have knitted you can put hands behind your head and lift your head further and do the exercises quicker and for longer.

If you don't know if you have a separation type "checking for diastasis recti" into YouTube and there are videos showing how to do it. A lot of exercises can make the separation worse and as I said up thread these seem to be something which isn't a quick fix but which has actually really helped recondition my muscles. I've gone from a 3 finger gap to a very small one finger in 5 months and the muscles feel much stronger. I also make an effort to pull the muscles together, like doing a zip up from the bottom to just above rib cage whenever I'm walking around, literally all the time. This has helped me feel better about my figure and again helped strengthen them.

Sorry for length, I get very cross when I see people advising crunches etc as for a lot of women this can make the muscles bulge once you've had kids and doesn't actually help knit everything together tightly. Hope this helps!^

[Lavenderhoney]

Thanks trucks:) mrs F I hope it helps you.

I have a tummy really, my waist is very defined. Its when I am side on its a bulgy thing. I think I need to up callenetics and go running. As well as the 6p6w.

Just swam today, for about 40 mins bs, punctuated with telling the dc to calm down:)

[wrigglebum]

Hi there, hope it's ok to jump in here- Trucks sent me over.

Finished 30DS yesterday, took a couple of months as I didn't do it every day. Started 6w6p today, again I'm only planning to do it 2-3 times a week, plus another Jillian DVD 1-2 times a week to mix it up a bit. I also walk a lot with school run and various playgroups. Plus I have a weighted hula hoop I like using in the evening if I'm not doing a workout.

I've been doing 5:2 since early July and lost just over a stone on it, plus half a stone before that from cutting out fizzy drinks. I'm now 9 1/2 st (bmi just over 21) and happy with the weight but want to tone up.

[TrucksAndDinosaurs]

Hello wriggle!
Hello everyone!
I am restarting it again after over a week of no exercise. Did a alley class yesterday which was killer for the core and legs/arse and back held up so back to l1 again.
Chiropractor aghast at side lunges with a bang and said no way: that exercise would hurt anyone's back if done with weight so am going to put weight down for that. Also he said go very easy on any exercises where weights are waved about above neck level - also not good for backs.

But he was very positive about planks, lunges and push ups so off I go!
Might mash it up with some days of Shred as well to get cardio back in there.

[wrigglebum]

Yippee, glad you can get back on it Trucks. Yes, that side lunge doesn't feel good with weights.

Well, I did L1D2 today, manage the middle difficulty on most moves so feeling quite proud of myself. Afterwards had a fast walk up to collect DS from school so s bit of extra cardio there!

Had a protein shake after- only 120 cals a portion. Used them before and had really good weightloss results and it did seem to help muscle recovery. Does anyone else use protein powder at all?

[threestepsforward]

Hiya Trucks!

I lurk here sometimes as I'm an avid reader of anything JM related!
What your Chiropractor said is really interesting. Would you mind very much if I posted that info on the other JM thread? (with due credit to you of course ) I think it would be useful for some of us on the other thread who sometimes have back trouble...

You guys are fantastic doing 6W6P - I reckon it's one of her hardest!

[TrucksAndDinosaurs]

Three steps*No do go ahead and post it; I think he was spot on because even if you have locked abs of steel it's very hard to maintain core position without arching back or forward or dropping shoulders or hunching ribs and the potential for damage is pretty horrendous...

He was adamant that any dynamic exercises using weights should never be done like that and slow was better with ribs pulled in, belly button pulled to spine, shoulders straight and back released like angel wings, spine neutral. Impossible with weights above neck level especially at high speed when moving or jumping.

So that was me told :)

Wriggle well done. I do low carb but don't use powders as not keen on taste so usually eat nuts or ham after a heavy session as protein snack if faint!

Ps: should read ballet class not alley class!

[threestepsforward]

Brilliant, thanks Trucks!
I have lower back problems and see a chiro once a month, who is amazing and has pretty much sorted me out, but I never thought to ask him specifically what to avoid! I'll post on the other thread now... thanks again and good luck with the return to 6W6P :)

[wrigglebum]

Did Blast Fat Boost Metabolism this evening, gosh I was sweaty after! Started off ok but was struggling at the end, don't think I would have had a chance if I hadn't done shred first!
Think I'll wait until the weekend for another 6w6p session now- fancy a rest day tomorrow.