The Finish Line

Mar 9 - Took a rest day, since my hips and inner thighs were really sore from C25K yesterday. Did a lot of stretching.

Mar 10 - D6 L3 - Today was a little lighter for me. I didn't do the jumping moves. The sumos, especially, were really pulling on my inner thighs, which is good, but I don't want to feel like the muscles are tearing, so I did non-impact sumo squats. Added C25K W1 D2, and 10 minutes of light dancing.

Mar 11 - D7 L3 - Today I put more effort into the Shred than ever before. I did it in the evening and had so much more energy! I'm not used to this! I did jumping sumos and jumping squats! My arms felt awesome during the walking push ups! I think it was partly from having a day off, and partly from taking it easier yesterday, but also consider that I only got 5.5 hours of sleep!

Mar 12 - D8 L3 - Somehow when I got in from the C25K, I managed to Shred... Yesterday was probably my best day with the Shred; I think I peaked. Today was much harder, but I still felt really strong. Jillian made me feel a little guilty when she said "no excuses" because that was my whole morning. I'm so proud now for getting both out of the way before 1pm!

Mar 13 - D9 L3 - ONE DAY LEFT and I'll have finished the 30 Day Shred!! For my final complaints: I wish the ab work was a) not on the ground, or b) all at the end of the DVD, because once I'm down I don't want to get back up! Have I mentioned that I like doing punches with weights? I do, but I don't do the jumping jacks with weights. Perhaps I'll do them in round two. One thing that's been running through my head the last few sessions is Billy Blanks saying "You gotta lose yourself in the workout!" That's been the logline for L3, for me. Added 30 mins weighted Hooping (hula, that is!).

Mar 14 - D10 L3 - 30/30!!! I did it! I completed the 30 Day Shred in 37 days!!! Last night night my sides were aching, and I was thinking, what is this from? but then I remembered that I was hooping yesterday morning. Haha! I felt like I should take the day off today and just finish up the Shred tomorrow, but I'm like, It's my LAST DAY! I can't take a break NOW!! So I put the Shred in the DVD player and did better than I thought I could! Added 30 mins of hooping.

Measurement	D1	D10	D20	D30
Weight	182.5	183.5	182.5	179.5
Waist	37	36.5	36	36
Hips	50	49.75	48.75	48.5
Thigh	28.5	28.25	28.25	28
Chest	41.5	41.5	41.5	41.5
Arms	14.25	14	14	14
Calves	17	17	16.75	16.75

Total inches lost: 3.75 (4.5" if I assume both legs and arms are the same). That's decent. I miss the jump from my hips between days 10 and 20. I kind of want to continue with just L2. Haha!

My thoughts during the last Shred were elsewhere - mainly on what I'm going to do now. I think I gave L1 about 85%. L2 was more like 70-75%, and L3 has been 60% max if I look at how much of the moves I can do without modification. I have a lot more to give to each level, but I'm considering getting another Jillian Michaels DVD... And I've been reading a lot of great stuff about the ChaLEAN Extreme program, so when some of my online fitness friends were praising it, I got to thinking that THAT might be a bigger step up in my journey, than doing the Shred again (over 70 days), or another JM DVD. It's a big investment, but for various reasons, I think I can convince myself that I can afford it. I'd also have to invest in this awesome set of dumbbells (up to 40 lbs). I've always wanted heavier weights! Oh choices, choices...