30 Day Shred - DVD just arrived ... anyone else about to start?!

[Lovethesea]

So, after all I've read, the DVD and the weights have arrived....

Later today I plan to begin.

In 30 days I will be toned, have lost this extra stone, feel awake instead of in need of a nap all the time ... etc etc etc.

Right now just getting through the first one would be a victory! Anyone else desperate and mad enough to be starting this....

Tinwe and Creepy - thanks for the "staring at the ceiling" tip, it really helps!

I'm quite surprised - last night (L1D4) was the first time I managed to get all the way through the video without feeling like I needed to stop, and it was also the first time I kept up with Natalie for all of the exercises (apart from unmodified push-ups, which my joints won't take). I still nearly melt into a heap during the bicycle crunches though - I think it's the effort of staying coordinated rather than the exertion...

Remember me? Fell off my bike and hurt my ankle last week. Hoping to get back into it today or tmrw. Had only done 2 days of L2 so might go back to L1 for a few days, whaddya reckon ladies?

Good to - I think I would go to level 1 to ease you back in but you should do whichever you think will keep you motivated.

Sorry, forgot to say hope you're feeling better now Goodto

Well done Nom on your progress, especially keeping up with Natalie. I'm still with Anita for lots so I'm hoping that my next round I'll progress to Natalie standard with weights... Hoping that is

Last day tomorrow for me. Feeling a bit of an anticlimax though. Not helping me feel very positive that I found it really hard going tonight and seem to have regained the little weight I've lost. Plus I feel "wobbly" on my tummy and hips if that makes sense. Hoping it is water retention

Thanks Tinwe! I changed up from my 0.5kg dumbbells to my (evil, super-painful) 1.5kg dumbbells tonight, which was a bit of a shock to the system, so now I'm back to following Anita for the last set of strength drills... By way of consolation, a) it made the strength drills feel much more worthwhile; and b) the heavier dumbbells are a nice shade of shocking pink, whereas the light ones I was using before are a horribly off-putting bilious green colour...

Congrats on being so close to the end! I wouldn't worry about finding it hard-going today - if you're having similar weather to me, I expect that the humidity has a lot to do with it. I had to keep on spraying myself with water today in order to finish.

L1D10 done! Yay! The strength bits actually felt harder tonight. I have been using 1.5kgs weights which might explain why I have struggled with most of them. No point buying lighter ones now though. I might can be my Ming when I start L2 tomorrow though.

Good nice to see you back, hope its not too painful for you. Tinewe I am in awe of you reaching the end! Well done Nom I am very impressed you follow Natalie, it's team Anita here! I've just realised I have been doing the bicycle crunches wrong as well, just in time for me to move on. . I should probably watch L2 first before I try it to make sure I'm doing it right.

Well done Hairy - good luck for tomorrow! I can't believe you have been using 1.5kg weights all of the way through, I didn't feel brave enough to try them until I hit the halfway point in L1 (for good reason, it turns out).

Strangely, I found that I had to follow Natalie in order to do the lower body exercises properly - when I try to do Anita's modified moves, I end up tilting forwards without even realising it and I really feel it in my knees the next day...

Bicycle crunches are seriously hard to sustain - I don't know about you, but I have to concentrate really hard towards the end of that section (despite being knackered) or I just end up twisting and kicking feebly like a dying head louse...

Just realised I skipped a day, tomorrow is the last one. Feeling bit better about it today. Looking forward to using some tougher weights next time round

Are you going to continue on straight away tinwe or have a break,from it?

That's me just finished level 1 today. And i'm heavier than i was to start off with! Got to be muscle, hasn't it

Def muscle smelma I bet your clothes fit better as well. I've only lost 4lb in 2 weeks and that's with shredding every day, c25k 3 times a week and doing 5.2 diet. But my work uniform fits better already so I'm going to focus on things like that and try not to get hung up on numbers.

L2D1 today. All the horror of planking came flooding back. Ugh! Horrible. Double jump ropes are not my friends either. I haven't made it past day 5 before, but I'm much more motivated this time round.

Good luck to everyone shredding tomorrow.

Good for you hairy potter That's what really counts.

This is my first week back on the 5:2 wagon. Must resist weighing myself every week. does me no good!

Maybe in next week I'll try to add in a few extra half hours with Davina.

Had enough of level 3, so thought I'd try levels 1 & 2 on the head this morning.

Got the baby to sleep but then DH pissed around for about an hour and by the time I started shredding, the baby woke up. We're gonna have a walk today instead and try again tomorrow.

Good luck today everyone

Selma - just saw a pic on Facebook of a kilo (or pound I forget which) of fat next to the same of muscle. The difference in size was huge!!! See if you can google it maybe for inspiration? Also, I was v fed up a few days ago as everything I'd lost over the past few weeks went back on over a couple of days but before i gave up faith altogether I checked my rings. They were all very tight and I felt more wobble and bounce when I was doing Shred Weighed myself today and I've lost it nearly all again... A mix of hormones and this weather I think lead to water retention

Well done Hairy! I think my clothes for a bit better too now

Definitely last day today actually looking forward to going back to level one to see if I find it easier but also using weights to see if I get more definition. Think I'll keep straight on so I don't lose motivation. Can I stay on here then as a new/old Shredder?

Fit not for

Done it!!!!

Well done Tinwe that's fantastic! If I ever manage to get to the end, I might go back and start again but follow Natalie . I really wish I had started with lighter weights, it's still difficult to keep going on some on the longer reps. My arms burn!

L2D2 done before work yesterday, still awful. So many planky bits. I went for a run yesterday with DD1 and I have to say, it is getting slightly easier. My fitness level must be slowly creeping up.

Can't face shredding before work today so will boot everyone out later and and get on with it.

Have fun shreddies!

Thanks Hairy!

For those of you not on level 3 yet, I actually found level 2 harder for some reason, so don't worry too much about moving up.

Really glad I've achieved it and thinking of my next challenge now! I'm very tempted by couch to 5k but a bit worried about my knees. Think I'll still try to do the 30 days over with bigger weights tho. Hoping the next time round I'll remember the moves so I won't need the commentary:

1. the "just a couple more..." Then a bit of chat and then she starts counting down from 5 or whatever - I always took her at her word and did 2 more then stopped and realised they were still going and had to gear up again. Got me every time!
2. All the "you're gonna need a big warm up for this workout baby, oh yeah, level 3 now!" Started the workout with me already dreading it!

tinwe googled the fat v muscle images. Thanks for that, defiantly feel better about the weight gain. Just gonna ignore the scales for a while . Maybe visit the scales of doom at Boots at the end of level 2.

First day of level 2 today. Was really difficult. I'll need to concentrate on my posture during the planks. Don't think i was doing them right at all.

And congratulations tinwe oh wise shredder

L2D3 done. Still awful. Roll on D4, that's when it starts to get easier doesn't it?

I'm thinking of missing shred tomorrow and just doing C25K. I gave myself a day off last Sunday and it felt like playing truant.

Did I mention how horrible planks are?

Hi not checked in for awhile, just done level 2 day 8, almost at level 3 and dreading it on my knees.

How did you find it twinwe?

Hi all! Well done on your continued Shredding!

Well I'm now C(ycle)2L1D2... I think! I must (re-)admit that my first round of Shredding was only with huge bean tins as my weights were lost and I wanted to get started. I decided to stick with the same weights for the whole cycle even when my proper weights turned up. Cycle 2 I'm using 1.5kg weights so by what I've read from you other Shredding stars I practically cheated first time round. As penance, I'm using the weights when doing the cardio of level 1 (as she does that in level 3), I'm also trying my hardest to be Natalie like in every respect this time round. I still can't do push ups though!

Nacho - level 3 had some tricky bits for my knees, she calls it pyro or pylo-something training, basically meaning lots of hard jumping. I adapted it a bit for my knees by doing the Anita squats rather than jump squats (allowed) and did butt kicks rather than rock star jumps as they really hammered my knees (not technically suggested/allowed). Otherwise the rest of the workout was ok, just the same as level 2 with squats gipping my knees a bit but pushing through the crunching

Done it - is amazing! I'm now on ripped in 30 - you will love it! X