Pack ’em up, Move ’em out!

Posted in House and Home by teamtradermom

Well we did it. We took a deep breath, closed our eyes and stepped off the cliff.

And thank God our realtors were there to catch us.

I’ve been talking for months about needing to call our real estate agents to begin talks of selling our house. We finally called them and set an appointment for last night. I have never sold a house before and had all kinds of questions about how it would work, what we need to do to get the house prepared and when we should aim to have it ready. I feel very dumb when it comes to this kind of thing.

Our realtors, Michael and Kristin, are the ones who sold us our current house. That was a little over 5 years ago. We were so impressed with how they treated us and handled the process that we knew we wouldn’t want anyone else but them helping this time around.

They came over and walked through each room of the house and told us what needed to be done to get it ready. Mostly it’s just cleaning, decluttering and staging.

It’s a very personal thing to have someone analyze your home and tell you what makes it “unappealing” (which, they totally did NOT say, it’s just how I felt. They were super nice about it and had great suggestions). I understand they were looking at it with a critical eye, and from the perspective of a potential buyer, and that it wasn’t a personal reflection on us. But it’s hard not to feel that way. The knick-knacks I think are cute have to go. The photos that I love to look at every day must be taken down. We have to re-arrange some furniture so that it looks more inviting.

All of that to say that we really don’t have to do too much to the house.

We don’t have to repaint or fix anything broken or redo entire rooms. I guess that means we’ve done a pretty good job of maintaining it over the years. And they said our style is tasteful and will go a long ways. All good things.

You wanna know the best part? They suggested we get cracking and have it ready to go by the end of April.

I’ll give you a minute to look at the calendar. Ready? Ok. Yeah. That gives us 4 weeks to do the following:

Get a storage unit rented
Clean every room from top to bottom with a fine-tooth comb
Clean out all closets, drawers, cabinets to just the essentials
Pack up all knick knacks and “personal” family type items (photos, etc)
Re-arrange furniture in a few of the rooms
Take all boxes and various extra furniture to storage
Replace a sink or 2 and possibly a bathroom countertop
Clean up the yard and plant flowers, lay down mulch, etc
Put away all of Isabella’s toys and only keep out those that can fit in to a rubbermaid container
Paint or restain all baseboards and woodwork
Meet with a mortgage lender to see how much we can afford and how much of a loan we’ll get approved for
Start looking for a new house

4 weeks for all that? Pffftt…no problem!

I tell you this – I’m SO glad CJ painted the outside of the house last fall so we don’t have to worry about any of that now. Phew!

Now the new adventure begins! Op Dream Home just got kicked up to high gear!

Ready, set go!

If you liked this, you might also like:

Op Dream Home Update

Samson’s Room

Master Bedroom

29Mar2011

Pop!

Posted in Health and Weightloss by teamtradermom

I have one annoying habit.

Well, ok, so maybe I have more than one but this is the one that sticks out the most, at least in my mind.

I pop my knuckles a lot. Half the time I don’t even know I’m doing it. It’s definitely habitual and subconscious. I’ve done it for years too. And I mean YEARS! I remember being like 10 or something and my dad yelling at me to stop because it would cause arthritis.

Guess what – it doesn’t!

I realize it’s an annoyance to others and I have tried to stop on several occasions. But I always go back. It actually feels good to me. It’s relaxing. And as weird as this may sound, I get a kick out of hearing the “cracking” noise. What smoking is to some people, knuckle cracking is to me.

I know…I’m crazy and should be immediately committed.

Here’s a fun fact for you – I can actually pop every joint in my body, except for my elbows (but I’m working on those). Some day I’ll join the circus just to show case this talent. The audience could yell out a joint and I’d pop it on demand.

“Knees!” POP!

“Neck!” CRACK!

“Shoulders!” POP! CRACK!

In fact, one of the things that tipped me off to CJ being the perfect match for me is that not only does my knuckle cracking not bother him, he does it too! Seriously, you should see us when we wake up in the mornings. He’s over there adjusting his neck and popping his toes while I’m bending and twisting each of my fingers.

Isabella doesn’t stand a chance.

It is for this reason that the Chiropractor is one of my favorite people to go see. Hearing all the sounds that my back and neck make as he works on them are glorious! Music to my ears! And it feels so good.

Case in point – yesterday I paid a visit to Dr. Bill. See, the right side of my neck has been locked up for almost 6 weeks now. Not sure if it’s how I’m sleeping or if it’s the way my computer is set up at work but it’s really tight and painful. Also, a rib on my left side has dislocated again and is super sore. CJ was able to pop it back in for me Saturday and Sunday night but then it slipped back out. So, last night I went to see my chiro.

And it was like a religious experience.

First he did my upper back and got a few pops. I don’t think he got the rib back in but it moved some and is a little better. Then he moved on to my lower back. I swear he literally has me twisted around and then jumps on me with all his weight. POP POP POP!

That’s when he moved on to my neck. Usually he twists it but this time he did something else. He had one hand above my ear and the other on my shoulder and with one quick and forceful movement cranked my head away from my shoulder.

It seriously sounded like someone was standing there with bubble wrap and popped them all at once. Then he went on to do the same thing on the other side. More bubble wrap.

He asked me if I was ok and I couldn’t quite hear him over the angels playing their harps above my head. I wiggled my toes a little to make sure I could. Then I checked my neck. The tightness was gone. IT WAS A MIRACLE!

The adjustment was so good, and released so much stuff, that I felt like I had come out of a 2 hour massage. You know that feeling like you’re in a daze and floating above the ground and all you want to do is nap? Yeah, I drove home in that condition.

My neck is still a little tight. It’ll take probably one more adjustment of that caliber to get it right again. My rib is still out too so I’ll most likely go back tomorrow to get that popped in. It’s like a drug. I need more…just one more time and then I’ll stop I swear. Come on just one more adjustment!! DR. BILL I NEED YOU!

So to all my co-workers, family and friends who get annoyed by my incessant knuckle popping just know this – I apologize that it bothers you but it keeps me sane and from killing people so really, it’s the lesser of 2 evils.

If you liked this, you might also like:

Murphy’s Law

Posted in Health and Weightloss, Uncategorized by teamtradermom

Why is it that every time I need to get some good sleep to prepare for a big day, I get almost no sleep? I think the universe is messing with me.

Today I needed sleep for several reasons:

I started the 30-Day Shred and wanted to have the energy for it.
I’m starting a new eating plan. Giving up some of my favorites will be hard and if I’m tired, I’m more likely to give in.
I have a work meeting that I need to be sharp for.

Last night was not just a case of insomnia. Rather, it was one thing after another causing me to lose sleep.

I started off shooting myself in the foot by popping in a movie (“The Bounty Hunter” – I’d give it 3 out of 5 stars. And maybe a half extra star for the scene of Gerard Butler without his shirt on) at 8:00, that I knew would go past 9 p.m. (my usual bedtime). And instead of stopping it part way, we watched the whole thing. So now it’s about 9:45ish.

During the movie, Samson was being all weird. He kept running to the back door and he’d bark or growl but when I tried to let him out he’d back away. Uh, thanks for freakin’ me out Dude! Is there an ax murderer back there? Is there some rabid raccoon ready to dart in and infect us all? Or perhaps he sensed a raindrop because that would scare him most of all…

I started to get ready for bed and as I brushed my teeth remembered that I needed to talk to CJ about a few things coming up this week (his birthday, St. Patrick’s Day, etc). It was 10:30 by the time I actually made it to bed.

Strike 1.

About 1:30 a.m. I woke up to Isabella crying. I think she had a bad dream because it was that kind of terrifying shrieky cry that stabs me right in the heart. I was prepared to jump out of bed and to her resvue but CJ beat me to it. I was already awake though and my heart was pounding for my little Munchkin. Then my mind started racing to all the things going on this week. So I tossed and I turned.

Strike 2.

I started hearing noises too, like someone in the house. I thought back to Samsons’ spookiness earlier and thought for sure we were about to be robbed/kidnapped/murdered. My mind raced to an image of me and CJ getting shot and then me dragging my body to Samson’s kennel, where I let him out to go attack. As he’s tearing up the intruder limb by limb, and CJ is calling the police, I crawl in to Isabella’s room and manage to pull her out and shield her with my body, if he comes back for us.

Ok, so I have a wild imagination.

Then my knee decided to join the party and get in on the action.

Strike 3.

Here’s the back story on my knees. I have had trouble with both my whole life. My patella don’t have the “point” on the bottom that lock them in to the groove between the femur and the tibia. Also, my tendons are slightly misaligned and tend to pull outward more strongly than inward. Consequently, my kneecaps slip out-of-place all the time. When I was younger, it happened a lot. I could be walking, running, standing up, going up/down stairs…it didn’t matter. The kneecap would just slip out and then back in real quick, causing me to fall.

I have dislocated both knees 3 times, the most severe one happening in college on my right side. My kneecap slipped, pulled a piece of bone with it, then got stuck on the outside of my leg. I had to physically push it back in while writhing around on the floor in pain, swearing like a sailor. That one put me in a full leg brace and on crutches for 3 months, during the summer. Yeah, that was fun. I looked really hot too. It’s hard to be a sexy young college gal when you’re hobling around in 100 degree weather with a big thick ugly brace on your leg, covering your kneecap that is swollen to the size of a softball. How I ever got me a boyfriend that summer I’ll never know.

It doesn’t happen as much these days because my muscles are stronger. Still, I always wear braces when playing volleyball, because of the side to side movement.

Back to last night. During the middle of the night, when I was tossing and turning, my right knee decided to go in to its fire dance. That’s what I call it because of how it feels. It starts slow. The first sensation is that of someone taking a hot poker and jamming it in to the middle of my knee cap. Then the heat starts to spread up and down my leg until it reaches my ankle and hip. At that point, the fire starts getting hotter and hotter causing my whole leg to throb and burn. This only happens when I’m really tired. Not sure if it’s arthritis or nerve pain or what. It doesn’t hurt to move it or walk on it and the only thing that will stop the pain is 4 Ibuprofen (and it has to be 4 – it laughs if I just take 2 and 3 takes the edge off but doesn’t stop it altogether. It’s that last 4th soldier that can beat the fire in to submission).

I finally got up and took the meds and then went to lay out in the living room. Sometimes if I have insomnia, it helps to move to a different place. So I grabbed my Steelers blanket and curled up on the couch. The pain finally went away after about 30 min., and I drifted off to sleep.

And woke up again at 2:30…3:30…4:30…and then when my alarm went off at 5:30.

I hit snooze but couldn’t go back to sleep so I dragged myself up to do the Shred. Nothing was going to keep me from a good butt-kicking!

Here’s hoping I can get to bed early tonight and make up for the “zzz’s” I missed out on last night!

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Master Bedroom

Posted in House and Home by teamtradermom

In my commitment to cleaning and organizing one room/closet each weekend, I tackled our master bedroom on Saturday. I thought it would be a piece of cake since I try to keep my closets and drawers pretty well organized to begin with. Well, it wasn’t as breezy as I thought. Turns out I was holding on to more items than I realized.

I started off with my night stand which basically is where I keep the book I am currently reading as well as the next ones to come. I also have some meditation books in the drawer and a journal, along with various other miscellaneous crap (sleep mask, pens, bookmarks, etc). This was an easy place to start as all I really had to do was straighten and dust (I admit to not dusting our room every week…I won’t admit to how long it’s been but let’s just say that the dust cloth was pretty black by the time I finished the room. *hanging head in shame*).

Then it was time for my dresser. I cleared off the top, which tends to be the spot in the room to catch all the junk that I’m too lazy to put away. Then I went through each drawer, pulling out items to toss, donate or keep. The kept pieces got put back in a more orderly fashion. Here is how my shorts drawer looked when I was done –

I think it says something about me that I have more workout shorts (all the colored ones in front) than I do regular shorts. Oddly enough, I rarely wear shorts during the summer. At work I’m in pants and on the weekends we’re usually at the beach so I wear a swimsuit and workout shorts. Oh, and yes, they are arranged in color order. It just makes things easier to find that way! Winking smile

Here is how the dresser looked when all was said and done –

Yes I have a lot of jewelry. I would say 90% of it is lia sophia, which I bought from a good friend. If you’re looking for a rep, let me know and I’ll give you her info!

(Notice my perpetual journal at the end. I put it there as I reminder to jot something down every night. So far I’ve been keeping up and only forgot on 2 occasions!)

Next it was time for my main closet. I have it organized as such:

top shelf = maternity clothes I am saving for the next baby (no this is not an announcement)
second shelf = sweater and p.j.s
rods = left side is winter, middle is belts and right side is summer
floor = left side is casual shoes, middle is tall boots and right is dress shoes

I started on the left, at the top, and worked my way down, then over. The shelves pretty much just needed straightening. When it came time to work on the hanging clothes, I pulled out the shirts I wanted to give away and implemented the backward hanger system for the rest of them.

Here’s how it works: you turn all the hangers backward, so that the hook faces out (instead of in like normal). As you take out clothes to wear, you turn that hanger the right way. In 6 months to a year, look at any hangers that are still backwards and chances are, those can be donated because you didn’t wear them during that time!

Such a pretty rainbow of colors!

Next came the shoes. This is an area I definitely get lazy with. It’s soooo much easier to just kick them off into the closet (or around the room) then put them back in their proper place. But, I do have to admit they’re easier to find when they are in their spot. I’ll be the first to admit that the floor of the closet won’t stay this neat. It’s a work in progress.

I then tackled the chest of drawers, which is mostly CJ’s stuff. I have only the bottom 2 drawers so that was easy peasy. Finally I knocked out my secondary closet. It’s just a half size and is home to long stuff like dresses and pants. We also keep extra blankets and pillows in there.

The last area of the bedroom is the master bath, which is all mine (CJ gets the other main bathroom as his own). I just did a quick cleaning job of that (I was low on energy by this point) and called it good.

And there you have it – another room done! By the end I had 2 big bags of stuff to take for donations. Like I said at the beginning, it wasn’t as easy as I had originally thought it would be and by the end of the day, my back and feet were aching from standing, bending, reaching, lifting, etc. I could literally feel my back muscles throbbing through dinner. Ugh. But it was worth it (and I know Jillian will get my back stronger and ready for the real back-breaking work to come when we move)!

My other project this weekend was to shoot pics of the artwork I’m going to sell. I was sort of dreading this because I knew it would be a lot of work and that I didn’t have the proper set up needed to really take good pics. But I got through it and they turned out pretty well. Then on top of that, I got all the pics downloaded on the computer and edited. I also cataloged each item, noting it’s title, medium, size and any other important info (like framed or unframed). Now all I have to do is get it put up on TTM and I’ll be in business. Hurray!! I’m really excited for you all to see my work and I hope you like it (maybe even enough to buy a piece or two!).

Next weekend: Isabella’s room!

P.S. We took all the CDs we don’t want anymore to Half Price Books yesterday and got $20 for them! Suh-weet!

If you liked this, you might also like:

Samson’s Room

Op Dream Home Update

Obligatory Resolutions Post

13Mar2011

Shred

Posted in Health and Weightloss by teamtradermom

Originally posted 3/13/11

Starting tomorrow I’m going to be doing Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred. I read on Healthy Tipping Point how good of a program it was for toning up, and that’s what I want. Since I don’t have a gym membership, I rely on workout videos and magazines to give me ideas and keep me motivated. Well, no one can do that better that Jillian. I freakin’ love this woman, what she stands for and how she helps people. Plus she’s got a killer bod so she must know something!

Here is my before picture.

(check out those guns!)

Not too shabby, but could be better. Hopefully my after picture will really show some definition!

Let the games begin!

Update:

I decided to track how I move through the workouts each day so I will provide a quick update here after I complete each one.

Here’s how the program works: there are 3 levels to the Shred. You are supposed to do each level for 10 days, working from 1 to 3. Each level is made up of 3 min. of strength moves, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 min. of abs. Combine that with a warm up and cool down and you have a 20 min. workout. I plan to combine this with additional cardio on most days, if time. I also took my measurements on day 1 and will take them again at the end.

CLICK HERE TO JUMP TO MY END RESULTS!

3/14 – Day 1: Took measurements

5’7” tall (I only include this to provide some context)
138lbs
biceps: 12”
waist: 30.5”
hips: 36.5”
thighs: 19”
calves: 13”

Level 1: silly me, I thought level 1 would be easy. HAHAHAHA! I should have known. It’s Jillian after all. It’s definitely intense but also doable. I’m sure I will be super sore tomorrow, when I have to come back and do it again. At least they provide an easy and advanced version. Today I did all advanced moves but tomorrow may need to lay off a little…

3/15 – Day 2: Level 1. I was sore today, no doubt about it. My shoulders, chest, hamstrings and quads mostly. I used a lighter weight (3# instead of 5#) to give my body a little bit of a break while still working out. It was a little harder today just because my muscles were tired. Jillian says you start to notice a difference by day 5 so I’m looking forward to that. I also added 20 min. of cardio on the elliptical just to polish off a few more calories. Fav quote of the day: “Stress is what brings about change. Push through the stress to get to the body you want.”

3/16 – Day 3: Level 1. Still sore, and in new spots. Bumped it back up to 5# today. There were a couple spots where I wanted to quit and throw my weights down…but I didn’t. As Jillian says, you don’t get results by taking it easy. Had planned to do an additional 20 min. cardio DVD afterwards but only made it through about 10 min. of that before stopping. My knees were starting to hurt and I wasn’t “feeling it”. Hey, at least I got an extra 10!

3/17 – Day 4: Level 1. For some reason I had a thought this morning that I could probably move on to level 2 after today. HA! After finishing level 1 this morning I know I need more days with it. However, I do see myself getting stronger and my endurance increasing. It does get old to do the same workout day after day. I kind of wish the program had several workouts for each level. Good news – today was my weigh in and I lost 3 lbs this week! Go me!

3/18 – Day 5: Level 1. I couldn’t pull myself out of bed this morning to Shred. Not after volleyball last night and a late bedtime. But since I had the afternoon off, I used Isabella’s naptime to do it. Definitely felt good to sweat and know that I got a good workout in even if it wasn’t at my usual time.

3/19 – Day 6: Level 1. I don’t usually do formal exercise on the weekends so it was tough to pull myself out of bed at 6:30 a.m., but I did it. Got through the Shred and then took Samson for a walk/run. Shred is getting easier but I still feel the burn and sweat each time. The walk/run was nice. It was a bit chilly but I always love getting out in the fresh, crisp morning air and working my body. Plus, Samson got to pee on a lot of stuff so he was happy!

3/20 – Day 7: Level 1. Today I upped my weights to 8# . Figured I needed to do something to challenge myself a bit more. That did the trick! It was tough and I’m a sweaty beast now. For my additional cardio today, I’m going to walk over to Walgreens to pick up a prescription. Saves me gas and gives me that extra cardio! Only downside is that I can’t take Samson with me. Sad smile

3/21 – Day 8: Level 2. Even though it hasn’t been 10 days, I decided to move ahead to level 2 because I wanted more of a challenge. Boy did I get one! Holy cow was it tough. By the end I thought my lungs were going to burst from breathing so hard. But like Jillian says, if you want to get a good workout in only 20 minutes, you have to work hard. I added another 20 min. of cardio on to the end too, just to polish it off.

3/22 – Day 9: Level 1. I decided to go back to level 1 today to mix things up and give my body some variety. I did it with 8# weights though to keep the intensity up. Tomorrow it will be back to level 2. No time for extra cardio today because I have to take Samson to the vets for his yearly round of shots and whatnot. That’s ok though – I don’t have to push it to the max every day. Since this is a workout done every single day, I figure I can give myself a break in other ways.

3/23 – Day 10: Level 2. It was time to hit level 2 again but this time I used 3# weights to ease myself in to it. I learned with level 1 that I don’t have to start heavy right away. I have 10 days to work in to more weight so might as well use that time wisely. I also realize why this is called the Shred. My muscles (esp. arms and shoulders) feel like piles of ground meat. That’s good though – means that it’s working and my muscles are changing and getting stronger! Added 10 extra minutes of cardio to the end today as well.

3/24 – Day 11: Level 2. Good golly Jillian is crazy! That is hard – especially the last cardio circuit. I was huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf by the end! No extra cardio this morning b/c I have volleyball tonight. I have noticed my right knee starting to bother me so I’ve modified the moves to not go so deep in to the lunges. I still get a great workout but without killing my knees.

3/25: skipped it today. Needed some rest!

3/26 – Day 12: Level 2. Back at it early this morning! Got to get it in before the day gets away from me. I actually felt stronger today, after having the day off yesterday. Workout still kicked my butt but not as badly. My knees are feeling it though which means I have to do modified versions of the moves.

3/27 – Day 13: Level 2. I did not feel like getting up and doing this today, after a late night last night (and a few drinks), but I did. Partially because I pigged out yesterday and needed to work it off. Still using 3# weights. Didn’t get to finish b/c the DVD hit a scratch or something and skipped over the last half. Then Isabella woke up and started crying. Oh well, at least I did part of it. Think I’ll bump it up to 5# tomorrow.

3/28 – Day 14: level 2. Upped my weights to 5# and I definitely felt it. Also, I fixed the DVD (it has some fingerprints on it) and discovered a whole extra ab move in there I hadn’t known about since I started level 2! By the end I wanted to scream at Jillian that she was a mean crazy woman but I didn’t have enough breath for that. I sure thought it though!!

3/29 – Day 15: Level 2. Halfway done with the Shred! Woo hoo! I actually do see a small difference in my body. I think my stomach is flatter and my arms are taking more shape. I’ve also noticed a difference in my endurance and flexibility. One downside – my knees are a little more sore and I sweat more. Yes, that’s right, I sweat more. I never used to be one to get soaked during a workout, no matter how hard it was. But today I was dripping by the time I was done! I suppose it’s a good thing b/c sweating is healthy. Here’s to the last half of this journey!

3/30 – Day 16: Level 2: I.am.a.sweaty.beast. ‘Nuf said.

3/31 – Day 17: Level 2. Decided to mix it up today and added in 8# weights. Used those on some of the bigger muscles like back and chest. I also did one set of the biceps and shoulders with them, then switched back down to 5#. It really did make it that much harder. I added in 20 min. on the elliptical afterwards too. Even though this workout is killer, diet is really important too. This week I have slacked and gone back to eating a lot of junk. Consequently I gained 2 lbs. Some of it could be increased muscle mass so I’m not going to freak out. But it is a good reminder to get back on track with eating right.

4/1 – Day 18: I give up. This is too hard and I’m done. I made it 18 days right?
Ha! April Fool’s! Smile I didn’t want to get up and do it today but I did. I had to really push myself mentally too. It was hard but I got through it. 2 more days of level 2 and then it’s on to level 3!

4/2 – Day 19: Level 2. Man I feel like this should be getting easier but every day I’m still sucking wind my the end. The strength part is getting easier, it’s just the cardio that’s still so tough. But, I guess that means I’m pushing my body which should lead to results!

4/3 – Day 20: Level 2. This was my last day of level 2 and it still kicked my butt. Lordie! Now I’m going to take Samson for a walk/run around the neighborhood!

4/4 – Day 21: Level 3. Jillian ain’t messing around in this level! It’s the last one and definitely the toughest. There is more focus on plyometrics and using the abs in every single move, not just during the ab portion. Jillian says that you should have the beginnings of a 6-pack by now if you’re following the program. Well, I don’t, but not because of the workouts but due to my eating habits. I can feel myself getting stronger though!

4/5 – Day 22: Level 3. Good golly that was tough. She really does a lot of plank moves in level 3, adding them in to the strength, cardio and ab segments. After the Shred I did a 30 min. boot camp DVD that had more plyometrics in it. Through out both workouts I could feel my “Gelatinous Muffin Top” and “noodle”shaking. It grossed me out. But I had to keep telling myself that the only way to get rid of it is to keep pushing! Go go go!

4/6 – Day 23: level 3. The last cardio circuit almost did me in today. I just about quit and then remembered that quitting will not get me results. So I pushed through. I added in 30 min of cardio afterwards by doing the elliptical. Yesterday I went on a 30 min walk over lunch too. I’m going to try and do that again today!

4/7: Day 24: Level 3. I really had to talk myself in to getting up and doing this today. And it was hard. But I did it! Go me! Afterwards, instead of more cardio or weights, I did 25 min. of yoga stretching. It felt SO good to really get in and open up my sore muscles. My whole body hurts from doing this workout and from all the packing and lifting of getting our house ready. So the yoga was perfect!

4/8 – Day 25: Level 3. Today was tough. The workout was the same it’s been for the last 5 days but it felt twice as hard. I really struggled to get through it. I think part of it is that it’s Friday and I’m tired from a long week. Another part is that I’ve been eating crap all week so my body is not fueled properly. I need to change that ASAP. Time to flip the switch in my mind and make better choices!

4/9 – day off

4/10 – day off

4/11 – Day 26: Level 3. As you can see, I took the weekend off from the Shred. I figured my body needed a couple days of rest. Plus, I was packing and working on the house all weekend so I was definitely getting exercise in. Back at it today and I added an extra 15 min. to the end by doing part of Jillian’s The Biggest Winner DVD. This is my last week of the Shred so I’m committed to pushing and getting as much out of it as I can!

4/12 – Day 27: Level 3. Phew! As always, this was tough. I tried to really focus on each move and the muscles being worked. I also made sure to do each move fully and not cheat (i.e. do a full squat instead of a half squat). It made it just a little tougher and hopefully pushed my muscles that extra bit. Now off to the shower!

4/13 – Day 28: Level 3. Hot sweaty beast again! I only got 6 hours of sleep last night so some of the cardio felt harder than usual. I did increase my weights to 8# today though. Only 2 days left!! Check out this post to see what I looked like after shredding today!

4/14 – Day 29: Level 3. It’s “the end of the 30 day Shred Eve” and I’m ready to be done! Another good workout today. I’ll get some extra cardio in tonight at sand volleyball!

4/15 – Day 30! Level 3. Done and done! Today was my last day on the program and it feels good to be finished. I was tempted to just phone it in but I didn’t. Well, not all of it. I took it easy on some of the cardio because my knee was bugging me. But I made up for it by doing the strength moves the extra hard way (i.e. full out man push-ups rather than the girl ones on the knees). Stay tuned for my full wrap-up and the “after” results!!

The Results

(Hurray for being done! I took this one right after I finished my last workout! That’s why I look so pretty…but I did feel strong and touch – like I could take on the world! )

I’m sure you’re all dying to know if the program worked, and if so, how well. Overall, I would say yes it did work. Before we get in to numbers and measurements, I want to talk about changes in how I feel. After completing the 30-day Shred I do feel like I have more endurance, which says a lot considering I worked out quite a bit before starting the program. I already had pretty good endurance and Jillian helped me kick it up a notch. I also feel stronger. I advanced from 3# weights to 8# by the end and from doing push ups on the knees to full out ones. I also improved my sit ups. At the start of level 3 I was doing the beginners and by the end I was performing the advanced moves. One benefit that I wasn’t expecting was increased flexibility. Today I was reaching further in my cool down stretches than on day 1.

Physically I can see a difference in my body. My arms and legs have more definition and my abs are flatter. Do I have a 6-pack? No. Did I expect to? Well maybe a little. But in my heart I knew that wasn’t realistic. Especially since I wasn’t doing any dieting during this. I tried to eat well but I definitely had a couple weeks of total binging. Had I followed her diet plan I might have seen more dramatic results.

Some things I didn’t like about the program – there wasn’t much variety. I am someone that needs to change things up a lot, which is why I try all these different programs. So doing the same moves over and over for 10 days (before moving to the next level) was boring for me. I would have liked maybe 3 versions of each level so I could pick different ones each day. There was a lot of plyometrics too so this program would not work for anyone wanting low impact or easy on the joints exercise. There were times I had to modify it because of my knees. Another big annoyance was that you couldn’t skip the intro. So every day I had to listen to Jillian explain the program. That got old by day 3.

All in all, I’d recommend it if you’re looking for a quick way to get intense workouts in your routine. The levels are hard but it’s only 20 minutes and it goes by fast.

Now for the “after” results and pics!

BEFORE	AFTER
138lbs biceps: 12” waist: 30.5” hips: 36.5” thighs: 19” calves: 13”	135lbs (-3) biceps: 12.5” (+1 – which is good!) waist: 29” (-.5) hips: 36” (-.5) thighs: 19” (no change) calves: 12.5” (-.5)
Front:
Side
Biceps