JILLIAN MICHAELS (Shred/Ripped and all the rest) Part 3: Bringing our A-game [cheesy smile]

[threestepsforward]

Here is a new thread for Jillian Michael devotees!

Whatever JM DVD you are doing, come and check in here...
Any Insanity and Turbofire lurkers, come and join too!

Hello to all from the old thread and big welcome to anyone new, come and join us

Hi all,

Thanks threesteps and PeggyO!

Well done PeggyO on doing Insanity. Don't you feel so good for having done it? I did it again today with RI30 and after spending the day sorting out the spare room, I have to say I feel pretty knackered now, but pleasantly 'warm' too.

Maltese - I am interested to hear that about Killer Buns, as that is in my collection and I was thinking of doing it next. If CHST likes it then it must be good! I could definitely do with some more toning on the inner and outer thigh.

Fading - sounds like you had a pretty full on Julian day yesterday, well done you!

Oh and welcome fizzypops!

Off to make up some beds now, oh how boring zzzzzzzz

Welcome to the thread Fizzypops

Big congratulations to all the Insanity people. You are all 'aspirational'!

Fadingblonde i definitely second Killer Buns and Thighs. It's a fantastic DVD and you will absolutely feel and see the difference in your ... buns and thighs funnily enough! It won't make you bulky at all, give it a go and see...It also has quite a lot of cardio so feels like a great all-round workout.

There is great work going on here at the moment, it's fantastic. And it's busy so I'll keep my eye on the posts and remember to start a new thread...

So I did 2 levels of Shed & Shred, hurray! It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. There's enough exercises that work as recovery time to mean that you can make your way the whole way through without too much trouble.

I think the main factor for me willl be time, an hour is quite long. Think I may stick to one level during the week and 2 x double levels at the weekend if I can. Might do this for 3 more weeks and then onwards to my next project.

Have a great evening everyone and keep up the great stuff

It has been the first anniversary for me and Jillian. Been a pleasure.

Anyway, I was about to buy body revolution when I realised you cannot legally get it in UK. How did you all get yours? Just like threesteps I cannot afford an entire hour every day. I might get Turbofire though.

Had a look at Insanity. There was a bit of Mark Wahlberg going on there. Does Shaun not own a t-shirt? He is not my type, and we do not know each other well enough to wear so little in front of each other. I'll try to get used to him on youtube before buying insanity. I hope he is not like JM who can see us through the telly (she said that in KB before you get me sectioned ), I only ever wear shorts and a sports bra.

Hi all, you've convinced me to get killer buns next, if there's a chance I can slim my thighs without bulking them up I'll try it.

CHST I agree there's nothing wrong with big thighs on Natalie but I'm just 5 foot so totally out of her league! I will have a look at bob Harper's dvds - I remember when I first started shred I caught one of his on the fitness channel and it looked seriously hardcore. After six months of Jillian I might be in a better place to try it.

MisTFied it felt like a full on day but when I added all the minutes together it was only just over an hour. I definitely felt it though, in a good way.

Congratulations on your first anniversary gingercat12!

Well I attempted the Insanity Fast and Furious workout this morning. Unfortunately I ended up stopping with about 10 mins left to go (a bit silly really). It was just too fast for me and even though I was doing everything much slower then they were, I still felt like I wasn't doing anything correct and I didn't feel like I or my body was getting anything out of it. I felt like I was wasting time when I could have been doing something else and really feeling it. So I stopped it and did 4 circuits of NMTZ instead.

I don't think it helped that I was trying to follow it while watching on my laptop and when it's so fast-paced I was missing half of it by watching and trying to work out what I was meant to be doing!

So maybe i'll try again at some point when my face is a bit faster in general. .

Respect to you all ladies that have managed to do it though!

I meant pace not face, obviously.

Rollergirl don't be disheartened. Massive well done for doing the 10 minutes, and it is tricky looking back and forth from a laptop screen when you're not sure of the next moves. You were very brave to give it a go! (when I watched it the 20 mins seem to go on for ever!!!)

Felt nice and achey after yesterday's double session but have decided on a rest day today as I've spent a large part of it at the specialist with the dog.

He is officially getting better
His blood count is much improved and as long as nothing goes wrong at this point he should make a full recovery, am so so pleased!

After today's rest I will be doing single levels of S&S for the rest of the week and two double sessions at the weekend, bring it on!!

Hope everyone's doing well and keeping warm...

Good evening all,

Rollergirl - the main thing is that you tried it, and 10 mins of that psycho routine is more than enough. Now you know what it is like, next time it might be easier?

I didn't do that workout today but moved on to week 4 of RI30, which I'll do now until end of Jan. From Feb I'm looking forward to Killer Buns! Bring them on! I preferred wk 4, so I will enjoy this to the end. I would still like to squeeze in a few more Insanity's though, just for the (literal) hell of it!

Threesteps - good for you for doing the double! I knew you would! I agree though, an hour of one workout is too long and would be hard to maintain on a daily basis. It sounds like a good plan to do the double sessions at the weekend, as a special treat! Pleased too about your dog being out of danger now.

Happy Anniversary gingercat! Do you mind telling us how much your body/fitness has changed from a year of doing Julian?

Wow, you have all been so busy! Lots to catch up on.

Well done Rollergirl on doing half of Insanity Fast & Furious - as Jillian would say, that is no joke! You definitely did the right thing if you were concerned about your form, there's no point injuring yourself just for the sake of speed. I agree that it was probably much tougher on a laptop (I plugged mine into the TV when I did it.) I think that I would have struggled with angling the screen correctly so that I could see what they were doing both from standing and from plank position.

fizzypop, sorry to hear that Jillian let you down with Yoga Meltdown! I have thought about having a go at L1 as it's on YouTube, but have never really got round to it. (I think partly because I like to feel like I have had a proper cardio or strength workout, and I worried it might be a bit nothing-y!)

MissT, I actually felt a bit invincible after doing Insanity! It will definitely be my go-to cardio for days where time / weather do not permit running. I am so impressed that you did it two days in a row.

Woo, threesteps, congratulations on your double S&S! Sounds like you have a good plan sorted for the week ahead, too. And such happy news about your dog.

Happy anniversary ginger and Jillian! Hope you were able to enjoy some time together on your special day It looks like you can get Body Revolution from Amazon UK

I was back on L2 6W6P today, which I am really growing to love. I followed it up with a 15 minute pilates arm workout from YouTube which looked deceptively simple but was actually a bit of a killer!

Thank you for the congrats . We had fun with L2 6W6P.

MissTFied I started at 85 kgs (13 st and 5 lbs) last January, and now I am 70 kgs (11 st). Or probably more, as I seemed to have eaten my bodyweight in biscuits last night. I am not small, still a size 14 in M&S (probably 24 in Topshop), but a whole new wardrobe was needed . Sadly I was too lazy to do body measurements, but even my bra size decreased (and I do not mind). My BMI changed from 28 to 23. Another stone to go.

I am now officially lighter than DH [shocked]. Although he still looks like a lanky teenager, and I am not - to put it mildly.

PeggyO Thanks ever so much . However I searched, Amazon kept coming up as stock unavailable. So annoying! DH buys it for me for Valentine's Day.

threesteps I am so happy about your dog.

Rollergirl I shall try Insanity as well. (Need something to bridge me from 6W6P to Body Revolution) And it will definitely be hilarious. Especially as our laptop screen is so small, I am just going to squint at it and move my limbs totally unccordinatedly and slowly, occasionally falling over (just like L2 6W6P when it is too early in the morning). At least you gave it a good go.

Ooo gingercat I didn't see it was your anniversary - congratulations
Wow, that is fantastic progress over the year. Here's to many more happy years with Julian!!

Thank you re dog too, he's so much better

You are all so brave with Insanity! I am a chicken!

L1 S&S for me this afternoon then alternating with L2 for rest of week, building up to the big double finale at the weekend...

I've definitely lost some weight over the last week, although mainly due to factors other than JM! (dog stress, new meds which have made me feel a bit sick...). Not that I'm complaining, but I have a feeling it will go back on as quick as it came off, but that's okay!

Have a good day everyone x

Just done level 3 ripped, not sure why really as I never enjoyed it and didn't tonight! It's probably my least favourite dvd. Shouty Jillian I can stand but I was really sort of angry while I was doing the workout and not motivated at all.

I'm at work tomorrow so I'll have a day off and then go back to 6w6p. I think I've done about 3 weeks of L1 - although spread over about 6 weeks - so I might cheat and have a go at L2 as I want to 'finish' this and start on killer.

I'm going to join this thread as I am currently doing Ripped in 30. I've done the Shred before but as yet haven't got to Level 4 on the Ripped DVD. First time I did it for two weeks and Level 2, 2nd time I did it for 3 weeks and struggled with Level 3 before Christmas.

I'm now on Day 2 of Level 3 again (did Level 1 for 6 days, day off, Level 2 for 5 days then 2 days off --but did 2.5 hours of hard cycling on one of the days off).

I'm finding it a little bit easier last time: I can only do the balances in the warm up if I have a mantlepiece to steady myself; I have to adapt the table top exercises (I have relatively short arms, so I can't lift my bum off floor with my back straight and my arms by the sides - as my palms can't reach); and there is no way I can do the "jump, back onto your back and then forward to jump again" exercise in Circuit 1.

Hi you Julian Monkeys!

Gingercat - thanks for that. I love hearing how people have changed. You've done brilliantly!

Prettybird and fadingblonde - I'm doing RI30 at the moment, and I know what you mean. It's not a 'great' one, just ok, but I will finish it next week and like you fading, will go on to Killer. And prettybird, my arms also feel too short to get my bum sufficiently off the floor.

PeggyO - that Pilates arm workout sounds good. You are rather adept at sourcing stuff from the old net aren't you?! Was it you who linked to that forum with the Julian slim down plan thing where she mixes up her workouts?

Anyway I am rather tired in bed now, watching Great British Bake Off. I am quite shocked at myself for I was UP AT 6.08 THIS MORNING doing Julian before work, which is unheard of for me. Ooh it was all cold and dark and I was half asleep but I soon warmed up and felt good for doing it.

Goodbye Monkeys!

Hello Prettybird and Fadingblonde I quite like Ripped, as it is quite hard for me, so I assume it must work then... Am quite rubbish at that jumpy thing, too. Just worried that I would damage my back really.

MissTFied We exercised at the same time yesterday , although I was fast asleep by 9pm . Early Jillianing is very good against disturbed nights.

One of my colleagues is doing Insanity. I am so jealous. She is so fit anyway! She is going to be a superwoman in 60 days' time.

DH has ordered my Body Revolution dvds. Can't wait!

Haha, I like being a Julian Monkey!

Workout report for today: I couldn't face going for a run in the sleet and ice, so decided to do L2 6W6P & Insanity F&F instead Spent quite a while debating which way round to do them, and then decided to do Julian first because otherwise I probably wouldn't be able to bear doing anything after Insanity! Am now feeling wiped out but in a very good way.

Fading & prettybird, I have never quite got into Ripped as much as Julian's other DVDs. I think maybe there is too much balance-y stuff in there for me, which I am so rubbish at that I feel like I'm barely managing to work the muscles I'm meant to be working!

Wow, gingercat, what an amazing transformation! You must feel so proud to have lost that weight. How exciting that you are getting Body Revolution - I can't wait to hear how you get on!

MissT, I am shamefully obsessed with researching fitness programmes / videos on the internet Still, as far as addictions go, at least it's a healthy one... Do you think you will be converted to the early morning exercise club? I love exercising at that time of day, it always makes me feel quite smug to get in the shower at 6.30am and know that while most people are still in bed I have already done my workout! (That makes me sound pretty insufferable doesn't it - I promise I don't brag about this kind of thing to people in real life...)

Afternoon all!

Well done to all the Ripped people. It's not one of my favourites either, mainly because she shouts too much I think. Still a good workout though, although the balancing stuff is hard. I also use a piece of furniture some of the time to help keep me upright...

Gingercat can't wait to hear what you think of Body Revolution...

PeggyOMG! You are amazing! Not only doing that combination of workouts, but also being finished by 6.30 am I can barely pour the kettle straight at that time, let alone contemplate exercise!

So L1 S&S yesterday and I think I may do L1 again today and then 2 L2s on thurs and fri.

Waves to everyone - sorry if I haven't mentioned everyone but the thread is so brilliantly busy at the mo, can be hard to keep up!

Evening Julian Monkeys!

Wow PeggyO! 6W6P and Insanity? Good for you. That must have felt great. That's totesamazeballs (). Good choice of order too. I know what you mean about coming across a bit smug on here, I feel the same. And like you, I rarely mention this in real life, only if someone asks.
I am going to get up early again tomorrow, I sort of think that I will feel tired at 6.40 anyway, so what difference is half an hour going to make?

Threesteps - you are going to have to keep an eye on us before we go over 1000 posts! Well done for carrying on with S&S! Are you planning on doing a month of it?

Gingercat - ha ha at us exercising simultaneously in the cold and dark! I have to creep around the house and have Julian on a low volume so I don't wake up all the slumbering children. Another benefit of doing it this early is not being distracted by the little ones! I had planned on going to sleep at a decent hour, but finally went at 11.30. Silly me. That should be a New Year's Resolution, getting a good night's sleep.

Body Revolution sounds great. You'll have to let us know all about it.

Keep it up Julian Monkeys!

Right you people - stop all this worry about coming across as smug!! You aren't, in any way, and reading about everyone's exploits motivates me to keep going and on my toes! And I'm sure it does the same for others too... I love reading about what everyone has been doing

So I have done 2 L1s of S&S over 2 days, and today and tomorrow will be 2 L2s. I am really enjoying it still. I wouldn't say either level individually would leave you puffed out and knackered (especially the Insanity practitioners!) - BUT, you can definitely feel that you've worked muscles the next day, which is a great feeling!

Hope everyone's doing well - it's been a beautiful day here, bright and sunny, and dog and I are back up to speed with his normal length walks - he is a wonder dog

Will check in tomorrow but I'll keep an eye on the thread in case it fills up x

oops, forgot to answer your question MissT, re doing S&S for a month. I honestly don't know! I think so though. I may try and up the double sessions for the last 2 weeks to end on a bang rather than a whimper, but will depend on how much time I can spare...

Can't wait to hear your feedback on Killer Buns and Thighs - I think it's one of her best...

Hi all,

Cheers for the talking to threesteps! Good to hear you are enjoying your S&S and getting that all important muscle ache.

Still on me RI30 wk4, which I did again at the crack of dawn, so v tired again now. Something in wk4 is def giving me an after-ache in my glutes, which is great because I'm not finding it hurts too much at all actually during it.

Feeling a lot like I want to stuff my face with choc in the evenings at the moment. What can I do?! Trying quite hard to resist. When I started Julian I ate what I liked and still lost weight/inches, but the more I get into the whole exercise thing, the more I don't want to fill my body full of rubbish.

How about everyone else? Do you eat healthily?

Think I'll go and make nice cup of decaf tea and try to avoid the treat tub.

Hi monkeys,

threesteps, the benefit of early morning exercise is that I am barely awake either, so no time to persuade myself out of it I love that next-day muscle ache, it sounds like S&S is working well for you!

Hmm, maybe I should branch out into KB&T. I've never really looked at it as they aren't really 'trouble zones' for me but it actually sounds like a good all-round workout.

Well done on another early start MissT! You are doing brilliantly. Re. food, I am a big believer in moderation. I know exactly what you mean about wanting to eat good stuff to fuel you to workout. But I always figure that if I generally eat fairly clean and healthily, a slice of cake / few pieces of chocolate won't do any harm. I just make sure it is a good, worthwhile treat (i.e. nice homemade cake or Green & Blacks chocolate) and I try to eat them in a mindful way and really savour them. Another thing to bear in mind is that if you aren't eating enough to fuel your workouts, that could be making you more hungry by the evenings. Be gentle with yourself!

Thanks PeggyO. It's true, I am probably eating less than I should, but I'm not so much hungry, just craving sugar. I will just have to try to either break the habit, or eat a tiny bit of it. I did have one tiny square of fudge with my tea, and have stopped (so far). Spent ages before eating it in the kitchen washing up the contents of the dishwasher (blocked) while trying not to think about chocolate and sweets!

I know moderation is key, but I have always been an all or nothing person!

I will be starting KB&T on 1st Feb if you want to do it for a month alongside me?

Also hoping to do some more Insanity F&F now and again. I know one shouldn't worry about the scales, but I am very close to a magic number for me (only 3lbs to go), so I would be over the mooooooooon to get there soooooooon! BF% is also steadily decreasing.

Hi there, hope I can join in though am at the very early stages of Jillian addiction - only started Shred less than 3 weeks ago, and not doing it every day (injured my achilles last year so am taking it slowly), but am already planning which DVD to get next to mix things up a bit (RI30? like the idea of a short workout like Shred).

Can already feel the benefits & DH has commented on my muscle tone improving so I want to keep going .. reading this thread has been great, I am so impressed by all of you with your double sessions / Insanity workouts! [watched the Youtube link of the 20 min workout and can't see me ever getting fit enough to do that!]

Hello Ponks! Welcome to the thread, and well done on your shredding! RI30 is a very similar format to the Shred, although Jillian is much more shouty. Also if you have completed the Shred you may find the first level of Ripped a bit easy - although levels 2, 3 & 4 are definitely a challenge! Banish Fat Boost Metabolism (cardio) and No More Trouble Zones (strength) are very good 'next step' DVDs, and although the full workouts are about 45-50 minutes you can select which circuits you want to do from the menu so it's easy to just do 20 mins worth if that is all you can fit in.

MissT, woohoo on getting close to the magic number! I shall definitely think about doing KB&T with you- my 6 weeks of 6-packing are up in mid Feb, but I'm not sure it will still be challenging me enough by then. It seems like there aren't so many advanced modifications in L2 or opportunities to add extra weights, and I'm already using my heaviest weight.

What weights do other people use? My heaviest is 2.5kg so I was thinking maybe I should get 3kg and 4kg next.