2013 NEW YEAR JILLIAN MICHAELS FANS!

[threestepsforward]

New thread for the Julian Monkeys!!

Here's to a new year Shedded and Shredded, Ripped, with Killer Buns and Thighs, a 6 Pack, a Revolutionised Body and No More Trouble Zones

Any practitioners of Insanity, Turbofire and all other such insane DVDs come and join us too if you like

Afternoon all!

Fading sorry you've not been well, good to see you back again :) A few BFBMs and 6W6Ps and Killers should get you back on track!

Like you, I gave up with my 1-month Killer project as I kept having to take time off for injury and I couldn't face it any more, it was like groundhog day!

After recommending my Pilates DVD to someone on another thread I decided to do it all the way through today (you can break it into 5 x 10 min sections if you want). Cor it's a good DVD, you feel very worked out by the end, just without all the sweat

I'm out this evening and alcohol may be involved, but hopefully not too much as my tolerance is v low nowadays! I'll have to see how I feel tomorrow before committing to any exercise...

Hope everyone is having a good weekend :)

Hello everyone

Agree with you all about Jillian's look - that is how I'd love to be, lean and toned but not too skinny. And how fab to be so fit that you can talk constantly through the workouts!

After resting my knees all week & just walking / doing some abs circuits I went for Extreme S&S today (both levels). Boy it felt good to be doing something again although I was very careful with any squatting / lunging moves and did alternatives for the jumping squats & lunges in the last circuit. Very pleased to have managed both the Wheel and the Hip Heists today! - great to feel progress. Now I just hope that my knees don't start hurting.

notyummy going by how my clothes feel, I am doing really well; most of the trousers I have been wearing for the past year are now baggy & far too big on the waist! I spent a most entertaining hour this morning going through some old clothes from thinner times & finding that I can now wear them again . Very motivating!

Ditto Ponks, after nearly two weeks of no exercise I did both levels of extreme shed and shred this afternoon for the first time. I totally can't do the crab thing and I dread to think what my hip heists look like but it felt good to be getting back into it again.

I really want to finish Killer though. If I'd not been ill I'd have finished it last week. Groundhog day is exactly how it's starting to feel threesteps, which is a shame as I was really enjoying it.

Ponks hope your kees hold up.

I'm level Three shred session 4 today and it is very hard. Interesting people said that its not as hard as level two i'm not finding that.

It's faster than level two, the rock stars are killing me and that last move is HARD. I think it really works the core, which was weak for me. That must be why i'm still in pain. I can see definition in the top and lower abs now.

I want the fit look also. I had a bad food and wine day yesterday so i'm going to squeeze in an hours swimming today.

Hello all

I had a day off yesterday as had a v busy day. Massively overindulged on the food and wine front though so was up doing day 5 L2 Shred this morn! I'm finding my endurance is much better but my God I can't do the last strength move very well.... My shoulders absolutely kill during it and it seems harder each time rather than easier!

Glad everyone else seems ok , have a good Sunday

Ponks great to hear the knees are holding up :) I did the wheel for the first time recently and loved it! (To be fair, JM does only do a bit of an exercise and then stops to go and terrorise the others She does look great though, lean and strong)

Notnowbernard I think that last strength exercise in L2 is about the hardest in Shred! It's endless and painful Worse is when you know what she's going to say and exactly how much pain you have to go...

to Fading and Khaleese

As I suspected I feel a bit ginger this morning, self-inflicted I'll see how I feel later and will try to do something, even if only short, as next week is busy and I won't be able to exercise every day

Have a good day all

It's been so long since I have been able to shred that I forget the moves! If the last strength circuit in L2 is the v sits/arm raise one then j agree it is a killer. I used to shred with 5kg weight but without fail had to drop down to 3kg for those- and only just finished them! I also hated the first strength circuit in L2 (think it was the squat and pull that used to kill me.)

I have been in bed for 2 days with the worst migraine I have has in years. Utter misery. Ironically, I suspect it was brought on by the concoction of painkillers I have been taking for my back, because apparently long term use of painkillers can bring them on in those susceptible. So even walking and Callanetics have been off the menu. Howver the agony is lifting slightly- hence being able to focus enough on my iPhone to post here! Haven't eaten for 36 hours so at least weight gain not an issue, but feel utterly wiped out.

Am living vicariously through you all. Keep it up- I will be back to join you properly one day!

Fading well done for getting back onto it (the first time back after a break is always the hardest!). notnow, yep, that last strength circuit in Shred L2 is a killer on the shoulders!

3steps, glad you had a good night out, important to let loose and enjoy life now and again! I went out too last night, 3 course Indian meal with DH .

Khaleese congrats on your new-found abs definition, and Ponks, on your clothes! Good to hear about the non-scale victories as well as the weight loss.

This week has been a good exercise week for me: 6 workouts done, including NMTZ and, today, L2 Killer Buns. OMFG that level is HARRRRRRD! Only the 2nd time I have done it - was put off the first time as it was so damned hard, but gave it another go after all the talk of it on here. Did manage to do the non-modified versions of most things, but not a chance of doing the advanced versions of the reverse squats (my body simply does not go into that position! ) or the single-leg burpees (it nearly kills me to do them on both legs let alone one!). Oh and I am also doing a 30 day squat challenge with some friends on FB (starting at 50 then increasing by 5 per day.)

Keep up the good work all!

notyummy x-posted with you, you are having such a crap time.

Hi all!

Hi Jackster :) Your curry sounds lovely! I had a nicoise with a proper tuna steak followed by apple and cinnamon crumble with cream, which was so so tasty! and lots of beer

L2 Killer is soooo hard lol I think its comparable with BFBM in terms of knackeredness at the end. Well done for getting through it!

Notyummy gawd, sounds awful :( Is your appointment tomorrow? I really hope they get the ball rolling with fixing you, take care and let us know how it goes x

I knew I wouldn't manage double S&S today but I did do L2 and enjoyed it. I keep pushing myself a bit further from cheating and this time I added 1.5 kg weights to the triangle pose. I still cheat on the static morning glory, do bicycle crunches instead of the ab twists, and love doing the Wheel now...

Sufficiently hot and sweaty and satisfied at the end. Love the feel good feeling after a good workout :)

Hope everyone has had a good weekend, catch up with you all tomorrow :)

Evening all, quick post before I put the dds to bed.

Sorry your having such a rotten time of it notyummy :(

Khaleese I found level 3 harder than level 2 - I think it was the rock stars and the jumping lunges which did me in.

Jacksterbear I think level 2 killer is probably harder than level 3, especially the last minute of circuit 4 with the starjumps. Even the warm up felt quite hard to me.

Anyway, I bit the bullet and did killer level 3 today. After two weeks off I probably should have gone back to the beginning but I couldn't face it. It wasn't too bad although I hate the single leg mountain climbers, possibly more than jumping lunges! Never though I'd say that

oooo threesteps apple & cinnamon crumble sounds lovely mmmm. Yay for your S&S. Those triangle poses are strangely hard. It looks just like a stretch but suddenly I find it hard to breathe when I'm doing them.

notyummy you are having a dreadful time of it lately - migraines on top of your back pain must be horrible - especially if you are like me and your back gets worse the longer you lie in bed.

I decided against another full S&S today which was the original plan, want to ease myself back into it and not put too much pressure on the knees. So it was another walk / NMTZ day (just the 4 circuits that work core & abs). I find those abs circuits really good & can definitely feel my muscles working.

I'm envious of everyone doing Killer at the mo - I really enjoy that DVD though it is just too hard on my knees for now. Hopefully will be up to it again in a couple of weeks.

notyummy You should get commision Hope you are feeling better.

Khaleese Sorry for not responding sooner, but I took some time off the internet last week (spring cleaning and reading the Game of Thrones - started book 4 today).
In my exercise journal I only put down which exercise I am doing and how many days on a set level have I done e.g. 6W6P L2 III (which is day 3). So I know when to change levels. On a separate page I keep track of my weight, but not every week, just every 2 to 3 weeks.
I do not have the patience to do it in the fitness app whose name I forgot.

Congratulations to all of us who can fit into smaller clothes

Yay another S&S L1 under my belt - really enjoyed it today and felt good. Am now on the lookout for some more weights - mine only go up to 2kg and would be good to have heavier ones for this workout. (Never thought I would be saying that!!)
Any recommendations for weights that are easy to handle? I don't like the metal ones, mine are good as they don't get slippy.

I've got manuka weights from tk max, they have a lovely rubberised, none sweaty coating. They are 2 kg each but you might find heavier. I also need heavier for some of the moves. ( amazing as cans of toms were hard to begin with)

Gingercyour diary sound like my planner, i have measurments :-)

I've had two days off so back to level three shred today.

Thanks Khaleese will be worth a look. I started off with baked bean tins at the beginning of the year !

Hi all!

Ponks I got my most recent weights from tkmax too - they are 3 kg and like Khaleese said they're nice and rubbery so don't slip. I think it's a bit hit and miss at tkmax in terms of what they have at any one time, but well worth checking if you have one nearby...

Had a lovely day off today! Met a friend for lunch and shopping and had a blast :) Needless to say no JM'ing today!

I did do Killer L2 yesterday though and it went really well - tough but satisfying! Exercising recently has made me realise how much I was struggling with low back pain over the last months. It's shocked me actually - how much pain I was actually exercising through, now that a lot of it has been alleviated. I'm by no means 'fixed', but I'm on the way :)

Speaking of backs, notyummy how was the appointment? Hope the news was positive...

Ginger I have my notebook at the ready and I'm going to devise a proper plan from next week and onwards. I actually have too much choice now(!), which makes the decision each day really hard unless I write down a plan...

Hope everyone's doing well, Spring has most definitely sprung down here

Hi threesteps- thanks for asking. Appt went well. I definitely need an operation- apparently I have a 'massive' prolapse so the surgeon thought it was a clear cut case. They have me booked in for the op on 16th May so that's not too long to wait!

The rubberised weights generally cost slightly more but I like them too. Unfortunately we only have one set of 3kg ones that DH got me and I don't know where they came from. All our other ones are metal or plastic covered ones.

Notyummy that sounds like good news! Not about the prolapse of course, but that he thinks it's a clear cut case and they can get you in soon. I imagine you must feel relieved to finally get the process moving? (Don't think about the actual op for at least 3 1/2 weeks!)

Wow, I had two rest days over the weekend and everything tightened up and the water retention vanished. I'm retaining water again today though.

It's strange to see biceps and a lack of bingo wings. Abs are beginning to show and my bum is also lifting. 8 weeks ago, I could have help a pencil under my cheeks. Jillian is awesome!

Hello all

Rest day today as working double shift, but did do L2 day 7 Shred and a yoga class yesterday so don't feel too bad! Am trying to do something every day but it's not always possible

Betty - so good when you start to notice a physical change! I'm definitely getting defined tone and shape (muscles?!) in my arms, and my backside is a bit firmer

Can I ask - does the low-level aching ever stop?!

notnowbernard I've been doing JM stuff for years a long time and I still ache after workouts!! Enjoy the rest day :)

betty, yay at the improvements! That for me is the best motivator of all.

I have a very flat bum if left to its own devices so am delighted that JM has given it some perkiness (or BLLAAT as she calls it in Killer)

No exercise for me today. I must have slept badly on my arm as it was very sore this morning, tricep area - hurts to raise it, and it hasn't improved through the day so I'm not going to risk making it worse.

Hope everyone is doing well :)

notnowbernard, I've been doing level 1 of 6W6P for probably over 6 weeks. At first, it was a struggle to do the beginner versions of the exercises. I think I am ready for level 2 now. Level 1 is tough and it will have you dripping with sweat.

Sorry to hear about your arm threestepsforward, but yay for your new perky bum.

Morning everyone!

Betty good luck with L2 6W6P :)

!!SELF-PITY ALERT!!

My arm really hurts :(
It jars when I walk and was throbbing last night. I'm having to use the other arm to do everything.

It was absolutely fine when I went to bed on Tuesday (a non-exercise day) - god only knows what I was up to in my sleep

So another rest day for me today. Tentatively tried out a jumping jack arm movement just to test it and OUCH!

!!Whinge Over!!

Have a good day everyone...

threesteps, is it a joint pain or a muscular pain? Also, is it a sharp searing pain, or more of a constant throbbing pain?

You could try alternating hot and cold compresses. I used to do jujitsu and I tore a ligament. The instructor told me to alternate between ice and a hot water bottle. He also said that sharp, searing sudden pain = bad and you must rest. Throbbing muscular pain = train through it! However, you must always keep the affected area mobile if you are injured.

Sorry if that bored the pants off you and you know that already.