Whole Lot of Shaking Going On

That should be the theme song playing while I work out these days.

I’m trying to get over the fact that no one commented on my blog and told me happy birthday.  I have site stats, people.  I know you’re out there reading.  Come on.  Didn’t that cake wreck inspire anyone to write?

I’m not pregnant, but if I were I would want this to celebrate:

creepy baby in cake?

Day three of the 21 day challenge and I’m 3 for 3- booyah.  Have dusted off the Jillian Michael’s 30-day shred (see also: February’s goal).  Also ran one day, which hasn’t happened since…well… gosh I can’t even remember.   It has been great.  I would not have exercised two of those three days if not for this challenge.  So- really happy I signed up for this gig.  My neighbor Kam also signed up, so now I can take credit for inspiring at least one person.

Anyone else want to join in?  It is not too late!

I’ll leave you with one more:

Zing!

>Taking It To the Next Level

>This is what I had to picture in order to get out of bed early this morning:

I started level two of the 30-day Shred yesterday. Not easy, my friends, not easy. Truly, it was the fact that it’s only 20 minutes long that got me through it. There’s a lot of exercises in the plank or push-up position and those really threaten to do me in. Maybe it’s that I only did level one with soup cans as weights, and now my lack of upper-body strength is catching up with me. Darn you, cut corners!

Even given that, I think I feel some results from shredding for half of a month now. For example, when I exhale and really let my stomach hang out in all it’s glory, now I only look slightly pregnant. Before shredding, I would say I looked like I was in the second trimester of pregnancy. That is really cute and sweet when you are pregnant, but not so much when you are not. I am not. (Let’s just make that clear). So: pre-shred I had a second trimester-looking belly; mid-shred I have a baby bump of a belly. Not bad.

>8 Days Down

>20 to go.

I just shredded my heart out. I’m still on level one, though now I am alternating between following Natalie (advanced) and Anita (beginner, j.v., wow-you-are-out-of-shape). Anita will periodically give a little head-shake or extra exhale as if to say “woah- this is tough”. She’s really trying to encourage those flabby home exercisers; trying to show that we’re all working hard here to reach our goals and gosh aren’t these jumping jacks taxing? COME ON ANITA WE KNOW THIS IS NOTHING FOR YOU. I prefer Natalie, who does not patronize me like that.

Just so you know, these are the arms I am aiming for:

Do you think that using soup cans as arms weights will get me there? I am using the “Rich & Hearty” soup from Progresso…

I don’t think I look significantly different yet. We don’t have a scale here, so I can’t really weigh myself to track if I’m losing any pounds. Sure, a couple of people here and there have mentioned that I look a little smaller, a little more toned (What’s that? You just mistook me for Heidi Klum? Oh stop. Really.) Like I said a few days ago, I am not changing much in my diet- I am just adding in the workouts with J-Mike. The most significant difference between now and a few weeks ago is that I feel better physically. It feels good to exercise and move, even if it’s only for 20 minutes a day. And my body is feeling better too- today I only stopped to rest one time during the push-up phase. One time! The first day I did this I am sure I stopped several times. Also, my calves are not screaming in pain anymore. Another sign that I am, as Jillian says, on my way to being “shredded”.