30 Day Shred, Day 7

I have now done the 30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels for seven days straight and thought I'd give you a few of my thoughts.

What I Like About the 30 Day Shred:

1. It has relatively little time commitment: 20 minutes is really hardly anything in the course of a day. As a mom of 2 little one, my kids are often demanding and require attention, especially when they know I am busy elsewhere. As long as they are fed and changed and can stay out of trouble, 20 minutes is a relatively short time to leave them for their own entertainment.

2. It is hard work. This short, 20 minute workout is enough to make me want to quit 5 minutes in. By the time I am done, I need a few minutes to catch my breath and recover my jelly legs. I also love that it focuses on strength, cardio, and abs, making it a well-rounded workout.

3. It is effective. Already, by day seven, I can feel myself getting stronger. I am able to get through the first level much easier and am almost ready to move to the second. Plus, one week ago I took my measurements. They were as follows:

Tummy: 50 inches
Waist: 38 inches
Bust: 43 inches
Arms: 14 inches
Thighs: 23 inches

Now, one week later, my measurements are:

Tummy: 48 inches (2 inches in one week!!)
Waist: 38 inches (same)
Bust: 43 inches (same)
Arms: 13.5 inches (slightly smaller)
Thighs: 25 inches (Haha! 2 inches larger. Although, considering the number of squats, I guess that's not surprising.

My tummy measurements were quite surprising. I have started to slim down after only a week and I hope that the workout continues to be as effective.


What I Hate About The 30 Day Shred:

1. It is hard work. Yes, I know this is one of the things I like about it. But it's also one of the things I hate about it. The first few days I was energized and ready to try it, but by now I really kind of dread it every day. Only strong thoughts of strengthening my body and a short time-commitment propel me through each day.

2. I am sore. By now I am just getting over my soreness and starting to feel like a normal person. But that first week was rough. And my back is still sore when I go to lift things or bend down. Part of it may be due to the very small cool-down featured in the video. I would recommend taking more time to stretch and recover from the intense workout.

3. I cannot skip directly to the workout. Okay, this may seem like a small complaint, but after 7 days of doing the same workout, I really just want to skip the intro part. I've heard it, thank you, let's move on. If anybody knows how to pass this one, let me know.

Overall, I like the workout. I think it is a good one. I'm just really glad that there is a day when I can stop doing it and move on to something else. :)