30 day shred 2nd thread. Keep shredding!

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New thread before old one is full.

I'm hopeless at press-ups too

All have to be done with bent legs or a very nominal bend of the elbow (ie getting nowhere near the floor which sort of defeats the purpose ).

I'm hoping that by the time I get to the end of the Shred (on day 24: day 4 of level 3) and then go back to Level 1, that I might be able to do at least one full press-up

I've even taken to doing the odd set of bent leg press-ups when I have a spare minute and no-one around to witness it

But well done for practising!

Prettybird, it is so hard to go from doing press ups on your knees to full press ups because it is such a sudden huge increase in the amount of weight you are expecting your upper body to push. If you seriously want to be able to do full push ups then stop doing them on your knees and instead do them on an incline for example with your hands on the back of the sofa and your body in a straight line to your feet on the floor. Concentrate on good form and getting your chest down to about one inch away from where your hands are. Once you can do 15 reps in that position then move on to something lower, say a coffee table etc and so one. This way you are gradually building up the amount of weight on your arms. You'll be doing full push ups within a month.

Well, I am trying to raise a lot of weight .... currently 13 stone (put on 3 stone last year after I got made redundant :(), but am trying to get that down.

I'll maybe try that technique for my secret extra press-ups initially. I am very strict on good technique, as I've been going to Pialtes classes for 11 years with a very precise strict good instructor.

Actually, it's the only thing I don't like about the Shred: she doesn't give enough explanation about the importance of good positioning(for example, the "neutral" position, to use the Pialtes term, on your back). I know she can't easily do it during the 20 minute circuit - but she could do it as one of the "extras" on the DVD.

prettybird - good point on the positioning

What is this "Pialtes"??

Pilates of course

Anyway, have completed day 25 today :)

Have also done a few of Lostgirl's "sloping press-ups" . Struggld to find something that wouldn't just shift when I put pressure on it - but at the moment, I am using the end of this solid bed - which is not going to move anywhere! :)

Please can I join in? My dvd arrived this morning and I plan on having a go this evening when dd goes to bed. Will I need to cancel all plans for tomorrow due to inability to move? Am also doing the toddler diet, ie only eating healthy stuff I would feed to DD so hoping to lose a ton of weight (although there is probably a bit more than a ton to lose ). Wish me luck!

OOh just seen this. I have just done day 26 (level 3, day 6)and loving it.One of the best workouts i've ever done.

Serendippy - hope you're feeling OK after starting the Shred. I found the first day the worst - but it was my arm and chest muscles that suffered, so I could still "move"!

I have now completed Day 27 - only 3 days to go before starting again

Maybe next time around, I'll manage one FULL press-up!

I am still supplementing with a few "sloping" press-ups as recommended by Lostgirl, against the solid oak bed that isn't moving anywhere (there's a lot of weight bearing down on it )

Afternoon everyone. I think I popped my head in a few weeks back after doing level 1 day 1 (2nd time around), but then I got knocked out with a cold and had a string of visitors, so have started again this week. Level 1 day 3 today. Finding it easier than 1st time round, but still far from easy. Press-ups especially.

I think it might be more like a 26 Day Shred for me, as I'm going away on Nov 19th so will have to finish then. I'm hoping to lose about 3lbs by then.

prettybird well done on reaching day 25! Serendippy how did you find it? I also found my chest muscles hurt most afterwards.

My legs were suffering! Chest and arm muscles were fine as used to lugging around DD but squatting whilst doing all the upper body stuff was a killer. Hoping it gets easier... Am not doing it every day though as I can only do it when DD has gone to bed and if I do that and then have a shower it really eats into my evening. Am aiming for 5x a week. Have lost 6lb so far as am eating really healthily too so with combination am hoping to do well. Do you just start at the beginning again when finished or is it a quick blitz thing you only have to return to doing every so often? Can't imagine keeping it up forever.

Have just moved up to level 2 (only did 7 days of level 1 though, as I have less than 30 days to do the whole lot). Those V raises still kill me. I find the walking pressups easier than the 'normal' ones in level 1 though; am I doing it wrong?

How are you getting on Serendippy? 6lb loss so far is great! To answer your question, I had a couple of weeks' break after finishing the first time (partly due to a cold and a run of visitors), then started again. I still have some weight to lose, once it's gone I'll save the Shred for quick blitzes, but probably keep up running and other workout DVDs about twice a week.

Have you started again prettybird? How are the pressups?

I did Day 30 yesterday! :)

I'm going to start Day 1 again today and then alternate it with starting to run again (followed by some Pilates exercises as warm down). I'll see if I get on any better with the press-ups this time round (although I've not been very assiduous in recent days at doing Lostgirl's "sloping" press-ups )

My triceps(? - those difficult tog et ot muscles at the back of your upper arm) are aching at the moment anyway.... my Pilates teacher had us doing horrible but simple exercises on Monday night: lying on your front and going into "dart" position (head and shoulders lifted but still looking down at the ground) and then lifting your arms (palms facing upward) with small weights. The weights ("sand" balls) were only 0.5kg but boy was it effective

I never did get round to measuring myself but I have managed to lose 2lb since 6 October (I think about 4lb since I started the Shred in Septmber) which is a combination of calories watching (on the "Wannabe Winter Waifs" support thread) and increasing my exercise.

I also know my trousers are getting loser which is :)

Any correlation between ordering the Shred and the MN Xmas party being less than 3 weeks away? :)

Well done on finishing prettybird, and excellent results too.

Newbie here. Hoping my dvd will arrive tmw. Can anyone suggest a sensible breakfast for me? I have 1 dd, 2yo, so I need to eat well in the morning to stop me snacking later on.

I normally have buttered toast with jam, or with baked beans or with scrambled eggs (scrambled iwth butter). And a cup of tea.

Had a bowl of Red Special K this morning but it's not as nice as toast. I sometimes have porridge but get a bit fed up with faffing about with it first thing, I just need to eat quickly in the morning to stop me biting the world's head off.

Have you tried doing porridge in the microwave? I now longer measure the amounts, but it is about 40-50g of rolled porridge oats in a ceral bowl, cover with water (just so the oats are just starting to float) then microwave on high for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. I then serve it with a small amount of milk, a little bit of cinnamon and then either a sliced banana or blueberries (my preference) or strwaberries or if I've got none of them, half a teaspoon of sugar.

The other filling breakfast is simply boiled eggs. SOme mornings I soft boil 4 (from cold, 2minutes and 45 seconds once it reaches the boil - large eggs), and have two (no "soldiers" to accompany) and leave the other 2 in the water as it cools down. The've then been nicely "softly" hard boiled, to eat for lunch say the next day. They keep you full for a long time :)

what do you put on yr boiled eggs? I don't know if I could face them just as they are.

I used to put pepper and maybe salt on them (I was never into salting things, except chips)- but now I don't put anything on - I've learnt to like them as they are.

I do get good free range eggs though - don't know if that makes a difference!

Omelette is really quick to make, if you don't fancy boiled eggs.

ok. will try eggs with dry toast maybe.

To be clear, does the shred lady advise a low carb or low fat diet? or any other eating advice?

Don't know - haven't bought the associtated book or looked at the support boards directly assocaited woith it. From what I've picked up, she does advocate a high protein diet - but that might just be directly after doing the Shred.