So I’ve been using the elliptical in the mornings for how long now?  I thought for sure I could handle a 20 minute Jillian Michael’s workout video.

Uh.

No.

Her video kicked my butt!

My neighbor actually told me about it, it’s a circuit training video where you spend 3 minutes doing strength training exercises, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of ab work.  You do this 3 times total, plus a short warm-up and cool-down for a total of 20 minutes.  The video is called: 30 Day Shred

Don’t we all wish we could look like her?

OK, side note…when we were at Great Wolf Lodge I was expecting most of the crowd to be very pale (We’re Pacific Northwesterners, right?) and overweight (since the average woman weighs 160 pounds and wears a size 14). Yep, there were no hardbodies or overly fit people.  Most moms looked like moms and I was glad!  There were maybe only 2 women who were thin and fit enough that they should be in bikinis.  It was really sad how many kids and teenagers are overweight already- more were than weren’t. 

On the second day I finally saw a woman who I thought, “Wow, now there’s a fit woman.”  I looked at her closely and realized she had 8-pack abs, not just a 6-pack.  She was super fit, super toned, super muscular, zero body fat.  The body of a 19-year old gymnast.  Thin, muscular, defined.  And get this- she had to be in her 50’s.  And she had 3 little kids with her (I’m thinking maybe she’s Grandma?)  I tell you what- kudos to her- you can tell she works hard.  I want to look like that.  It’s not an impossibility.

I digress. 

Anyway, my neighbor told me that this video kicked her butt, that she was so sore for about 2 days after.  I googled it, found out it was available On Demand through our cable, so I decided to try it out this morning after my elliptical workout.

I could barely make it through the 2nd set.  There’s 3 sets total and I didn’t have the time to finish the 3rd set, and don’t know that I could have either.  I literally felt ill.  I had to kneel on the floor twice because I felt so sick.  And it’s not that it’s hard or anything, it’s just jumping jacks, skipping rope (without a rope), doing arm curls and shoulder presses, push-ups, lunges, squats, sit-ups.  But you just go go go go the entire time and she makes you push yourself and (gak!)….ugh.

So that was last Friday. 

Saturday: boy, my chest and arms were sore, along with my quads and hamstrings.  Ouchie. 

Sunday: they say the pain is the worst 2 days later….it was about the same.  Super sore pects and shoulders and arms.  Quads and hams aren’t as bad though.

Monday:  I did the workout again.  AFTER my elliptical workout just like I did on Friday.  This time it wasn’t so hard but just like on Friday I didn’t have time to do the full 3rd circuit.  I stopped at the point they were doing the cardio piece and I did stretching instead.  BUT, I could feel the burn in my abs this time around.  My chest/pects are still sore, which made push-ups a little difficult.

Tuesday: day of rest.  My body is tired.

Wednesday:  Elliptical for 30 minutes then Jillian.  I still can’t get through the entire 1st or 2nd set without having to stop early or take it easy.  I’m hoping it’s because I just spent 30 minutes on the elliptical, not because I’m a weenie.  I still don’t have time to do the entire workout, I have to stop after the strength training segment of the 3rd circuit, then I do stretching.

Thursday: day of rest

Friday (today):  I was finally able to get through the first 2 segments without having to stop to catch my breath or take a 10 second rest.  Yee haw! 

I’m feeling GOOD though.  Yes, it hurts, but no pain no gain!  Wonder when/if I’ll start seeing results?

I plan to follow this video three times a week….