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

Jacksterbear I fear the dreaded word 'rest' is going to rear its ugly head :(
I'm not that clued up on knee problems - is rest the only option? Poor you. Trying to think of any workouts that are light on the knees, no success yet but if I think of any I'll get back to you :)

MissT!! Was wondering how you were getting on and clearly you are getting on amazingly! I think Julian should bow down to your stamina (I bloody bet she doesn't do many back-to-backers like that!) at having a poke about

Well no JM for me today but I did my 10 min solution pilates stretch + my back exercises and I was actually coming on here to say... my lower back feels tonnes better!! The twisted uncomfortable feeling seems to have eased massively...

I think it's a no brainer now to add the pilates stretch back into the end of my workouts. Will do Killer tomorrow followed by that and the back stretches and see what happens. Trying not to get too excited...

See you guys tomorrow

x-posted with you ponks. Well done with Killer, it gets better and better (cheesy but true) :)

Thanks for the warm welcome and advice.
After doing the 30ds i did 20 mins of 6w6p, had a sneak peek on youtube for that one.

I may give it a go after i have finished the shred, my main issue with my abdo muscles is the gap, which is actually above my navel and gives me a lovely rounded tum, kind of an early pregnancy look.
.
So tomorrow's shred will involve 5 lb weights[screws face up in pain] and i will try all advanced moves, except press-ups( of course).

Good morning everyone! I did L2 ES&S followed by L1 KB&T this morning. I think I'll do L1 KB&T once more and then move on to L2 - I feel like I've got to grips with it now, and am adding in 4kg weights to lots of the moves. Ponks, I am so terrible at the warrior 2 to warrior 3 bit, I wobble all over the place. My favourite bit of that last circuit is the squat combo, I like trying to kick higher than Natalie!

L2 ES&S is still an absolute killer, I love it! My most painful move today was the one where you start on your hands and knees but then lift your knees an inch off the ground, and then jump up into a squat. My quads were burning so badly.

MissT, good to hear you are still keeping it hardcore! In the words of Julian, 'You're aspirational!'

Good luck with your Shred today tracedw! I definitely recommend 6W6P for toning abs, although you may get the best results if you combine it with some exercises that are specifically targeted at the gap - I think there are some pilates-type workouts out there that focus on diastasis recti.

Jackster, so sorry to hear about your ongoing pain. Hmm, sounds like your shoes are probably ok, although maybe the shop would be able to help you rule them out as the problem? My friend took her running shoes to our local Sweatshop when she was having knee pains and they watched her running, took some fancy measurements of her feet, and told her it wasn't due to her shoes - I was pretty impressed as I thought they would try and sell her some new ones (cynic that I am!)

Woo, threesteps, good news that your back is finally improving!

I'm really impressed at those of you that do two (or more !) Jillian circuits in a day. It's all I can do to do one. Once a week I also have an hour and fifteen minute Pilates class - that's about all I can cope with (especially as the studio is up four long flights of stairs.... - or should that be

Wow, prettybird, you star - one and a half stone since January is absolutely amazing! Just think, even if your weight loss slows down a bit you can still be at your target weight in plenty of time for the summer

I am planning to slow it down :) If I could break the 11 stone barrier by my birthday (early April) I'll be really pleased. I'm 11 stone 9lb now.

Once I've got to 10 stone 13lb, I'll try and slow down again, so that when I get to my target weight (which will be between 9 stone 13lb and 10 stone 3lb - I'll see how I feel/look when I get there), I can sustain it at that level.

Wow prettybird you are doing really well! Fantastic!

peggy I am so impressed at your double workouts - am hoping to do work up to that one day. And with 4kg weights! I am going to start with 1.5kg and take it from there. I am ok with the balancey-kicking poses in L1 Killer probably due to my short legs - low centre of gravity & all that.

Anyway, today I did Shred L3 and ......... did all the jumping lunges
You would have thought I had won Olympic gold I was so pleased.

peggyo thanks for the advice re pilates/diastasis recti, i need to do a bit of investigating there i think.
Upping the hand weights from 2.5lb to 5 lb and attempting ALL the advanced moves really did the job today, i actually sweated properly for the first time and was heard to let out a few ladylike grunts
I may ache tomorrow........

Wow prettybird!

ponks I was thinking of you, as I had audience today .
My Mom and best friend plonked themselves down on the sofa and watched me. They kept saying 'a bit higher', 'they double-time now'.

Evening all :)

Lovely and busy on here!!

Prettybird that weight loss if fan-bloody-tastic, seriously well done! Remember that the lean muscle you will have built will weigh more than fat so you will probably have lost more fat than the scales would suggest, if that makes sense? Brilliant stuff :)

Well I managed a Killer L2 today and did my 10 minute stretches afterwards. It is definitely making a positive difference. Back is still grumbling a bit, but nowhere near as much as before, woo yeah!

It's so cold at the moment but for the first year ever I have sensible warm boots and a sensible warm jacket (I think it's an age thing ) so am dealing with it well...

See you guys tomorrow...

Hello Jillian experts!

I'm a first time Shredder, today is day 21, level 2 and I'm combining it with MyFitnessPal cal counting, aiming for around 1200 cals per day.

I want to get to 10st from my current 11st 1lbs and as much as I'm enjoying the Shred (yep, am actually enjoying it), I'm remaining exactly the same weight. I am definitely changing shape (for the better) and I know muscle weighs more than fat, but surely I should be losing even just a tiny bit of weight? Any advice?

I was also wondering if anyone could recommend any other workout DVD's, primarily fat burning, so I guess cardio/aerobic? I'm awful with left/right hand/leg co-ordination, so no dance type things, they just make me cry with frustration. But I am very flexible and pretty strong.

Any suggestions and advice would be gratefully received!

Evening everyone,

Welcome Bimblepops. Good to hear you are enjoying Jillian. I'd recommend Banish Fat Boost Metabolism if you want a cardio DVD. If the scales aren't 'adding up', why not measure yourself and see the inches slip away?!

Threesteps - glad the Pilates is helping. Re Jillian not doing double sessions, I'd love to know what she does on a daily basis. She's got such pressure on her to look good. I may try to find out... Also re poking about, have any of you noticed that as you lose the weight on your thighs, if you run your finger up and down you can actually feel the muscle striations (it's definitely not cellulite!)

Gingercat - I wouldn't have liked that 'input' from an audience. I'd have said 'come on, you try it!' It all looks so easy from the sofa...

Ponks - jumping lunges are nasty. She does them in L3 of KB. It does feel good when they are all done!

PeggyO - I am liking you and your double sessions! You go girl! I think I have resigned myself to tackling ES&S at the beginning of March, so it's encouraging to hear L2 is a killer (only tried it once). I LOVE aching. And your weights are so heavy!

Pretty bird - well done with your weight loss. It's great when you keep losing and hitting your targets isn't it? Stick with Jillian and you'll lose shed loads!

Traced - I hope you enjoy 6W6P. One of my favourites. Hmmm. Maybe I'll delay ES&S and return to that.

Did almost another double today - KB L3 and 3 circuits of NMTZ. God I hate the first circuit with the backward lunges with shoulder raises. Ow. I'd like a break before switching legs, but no.

Feeling pleasantly achy tonight, in arms and stomach, so all good.

Look forward to reading all of your posts tomorrow.

Morning All

bimblepops don't worry about weight, just get that tape measure out. If you want a fat busting workout I can recommend Banish Fat Boost Metabolism, it starts easy but then picks up very quickly.

ponks I salute your jumping lunges. I can't do them at all due to dodgy knees so I do military press and leg extensions instead. Even Natalie looks knackered doing them so a bit WELL DONE YOU!!

Measured myself this morning, and even with that week and a bit off in early Feb, I have lost a whopping 2.5 inches off my waist since the beginning of January. I need to lose another 2 inches to get into a "safe" zone on hip/waist ratio.

Morning all.

High-fives to:
prettybird and world for your weight/inch loss
ponks for the jumping lunges
PeggyO and MissT for your hardcore double-Jillianing (MissT, I hate circuit 1 of NMTZ too!)
gingercat, for keeping on going with an audience!
3steps for your improved back and sensible pilates stretching
bimblepops for starting the Shred
tracedw for upping the weights

Hope I haven't missed anyone and have paired the right people with the right achievements (lots of scrolling up and down the thread to check! ).

Knee has eased up so thinking about what to do today that will be relatively easy on it - seems ok to bend but don't want to jarr it, so probably will stick to strength rather than cardio... NMTZ maybe?

Morning all!

Sorry not to name check; I've read through all the thread, it's moving really fast and everyone seems to be doing so well I feel quite lazy in comparison. I only did Jillian once last week

This week I've got back to doing killer L1 and I started L2 S & S which I really enjoyed, but omg the next day the backs of my arms were so painful I couldn't exercise at all. I did it again last night and it seems like Jillian has put a load of press ups in which you do before you realise your doing them (I can normally only do 6 proper push ups). I'm putting the pain down to that but I'll definitely persevere with it.

One move I could not do at all was the 'crab' position, not done that since I was about 10 years old! And fancy putting jumping lunges in the last circuit....

Happy Friday Julian Monkeys!

Brilliant round up Jackster! I think NMTZ would be a sensible choice, it's my go-to for days when my hips / knees are feeling a bit dodgy. Much less jumping about than Jillian's other DVDs.

fading, that last circuit of L2 S&S is hellish isn't it! Those isometric holds, alternated with jumping squats / lunges - urrrgh. I almost dropped my weight during the holds this morning as my arms were shaking so much!

Ponks (my KB&T buddy!) I am sure you will be able to double-session it before too long! The first time I pulled a double I think I was just feeling a bit crazy and didn't expect to complete the whole thing - but my body surprised me by managing.

Bimblepops I third MissT and worldgonecrazy's recommendations for Jillian's Banish Fat Boost Metabolism. It's all cardio which is the best for reducing fat. It is longer than the Shred (about 50 minutes altogether if I remember rightly) but you can pick individual circuits from the DVD menu so you could just do 3 or 4 in a session if that's all you have time for.

MissT, I would love to know what Jillian does on a daily basis exercise-wise. I reckon she probably does hardcore weights / bodyweight stuff as she is so muscular

Hi everyone, I have finishes level 1 of the shred today. Have decided to invest in some weights as I seem to be sticking to it.
I have been using tinned beans as weights.

Any recommendations? Thanks

Hi hoping :) If you can get a set of say 3 different weights I'd really recommend it as you can chop and change for different exercises. I'd say anywhere between 1 or 1.5 kg and 3 or 4 kg would be a good range. Not sure exactly where to go, but have you looked at Argos, they have a lot I think? Or even TKMax sometimes has them... Happy Shredding!

Fading, exactly!! Her stealth push-ups in S&S are very clever! Since doing S&S I'm now attempting full push-ups so I'm very happy she tricked me

Well I spoke too soon sadly. Back v bad again today so I took some ibuprofen and did my stretches. Will see how I feel tomorrow. I'm thinking I'll try and book an appointment with a back person next week.

hope all those with injuries and ailments are doing okay.

Good work everyone, this thread is a delight to read at the moment. Have a good weekend all :)

Thanks PeggyO . Well, I wimped out of decided against NMTZ yesterday because I wasn't sure if my knee would be up to the lunges, so instead did 20 mins on exercise bike (lowish resistance but HIGH speed!) plus the belly and arms sections of 10 Mins Solution: Pilates Perfect Body. Ouch on the arms!

3steps that sucks. Take care. x

hopingtodrive, congrats on sticking with the Shred! I have these weights which are good as you get 2x1kg, 2x1.5kg and 2x2.5kg. I was using bean tins at first too but I soon got used to the 1kg, and it was nice to have the heavier weights to build up to.

Boo threesteps - take it easy this weekend. x

Jackster, that's not wimping out at all! Wimping out would have been not doing anything, fast cycling and Pilates is no joke!

No Julian for me today - although I did get a new PB at Parkrun this morning so am feeling very happy!

Hi all,

I attempted level 2 of killer today, I say attempted as one dd was trying to join in and the other was putting toys in my path! I don't think I did it with good form but left nicely wobbly by the end of it so I think I worked some muscles despite the distraction.

It was a nice change to see Anita doing the 'bad ass' version. I was beginning to think that Jillian only ever used the blondes to do the beginner version which seemed sort of stereotypical. I wish she wouldn't distract them doing the balance exercises though, ever time they wobble I do to. Must remember to look away from the TV.

Hope everyone has a good weekend :)

Evening all :)

Rock and roll this weekend, at home with a big work deadline for Monday!

My friend thinks my back trouble is a trapped nerve because of where the discomfort is. On the left one of those two bones either side of the coccyx, I don't know what they're called! (does anyone know?)

Trapped nerve sounds okay and free-able so I'm okay with that! It's worse when I'm sitting down so I did my L2 Killer today followed by stretches. It always feels better straight after so I don't think I'm doing the wrong thing by exercising.

Fading well done you doing L2 with audience participation! Jackster hope your knee is improving - and I would never call those pilates arm exercises wimping out! Peggy brilliant news on your PB :)

I also had a PB today - 20 full push ups I say full because I'm in plank, however I don't get that far down. But it's a definite improvement on my previous efforts on my knees...

Will do my last Killer L2 tomorrow depending on how I feel.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone x

Well done on 20 push-ups threesteps!

Like prettybird I have a bad cough. I sleep the last few hours of the nights in the armchair, and I had enough of it. Obviously I am not ill enough not to exercise.

Finished week 3 of BR. My best friend really liked the BR dvd as well.

Sorry to hear about your back playing up again threesteps, sounds miserable. Its so annoying to get problems & pains when you are trying to keep yourself fit and healthy!

Well things have now got competitive with DH - he has graduated from audience to Shred / Killer participant and has even done sessions by himself. Which has made me exercise some days when I could easily have wimped out. Today was Killer buns L1 but with some light weights. If the weekend didn't go so quickly I would have liked to do a double so maybe will have a go next weekend!

Good for you gingercat exercising when poorly! though sometimes your body really does need a rest!