Weigh-In Wednesday - Goal achieved!!!

I DID IT!!!

Today I was down exactly another pound which makes me officially 0.1lbs below my goal weight (which was to get back to my pre-Jacob weight)! Maybe I'll post some pics and numbers soon, but right now, I just wanted to get on here and get this post up - woohoo!!!

Through the week my weight has fluctuated another .5lbs less than this, and .5lbs more than this - so I knew my goal was met, but I admit I'm a stickler for the rules sometimes and so I was very glad when I stepped on the scale this morning and could go with the official weigh in Wednesday.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I would have 5 more pounds to lose to get to my pre-Emma weight. That is not a goal of mine, but because my "program" has been getting me results, and I'm finding it easy to stick to, I'm just going to continue with the program and see what happens. If I lose more weight great, and if not, that's great too! If I stop losing, then I'm going to stop fasting though and see if I'm able to maintain that way. Quite frankly, it just shows how easy I've found it to fast, if I'm willing to continue after my goal - I NEVER would've said that about the South Beach diet that's for sure!! I just find this so much easier to work into a regular lifestyle, and not really feel deprived or feel that certain foods are off limits. I'd highly recommend it to anyone. Fasting has certainly not slowed down my metabolism in any weigh, shape or form! (pun intended!!) It was, in fact, the only thing that has worked for me consistently during the last 1 1/2 + years since Jacob's birth. Obviously what works for one doesn't work for everyone, but don't knock till you try it - it sure worked for me!

It is worth it to keep on keeping on. I had been getting so discouraged and frustrated with trying to lose these last 7 pounds. And, perhaps, since it was such a small number, some of you may feel like I had no business being frustrated by that. But those last few pounds are often the hardest to lose and I was determined to do it! But as the months wore on and the scale didn't budge despite shredding like a maniac going for one hundred pushups and other determined efforts - I admit to almost giving up. In fact, the fasting thing was my last resort. If that hadn't worked I was ready to admit that my body was too happy where it was and I was going to have to settle for the way things were. So I added fasting to my shredding regimen, with no cheating, and finally got the results I was looking for.

So, whatever your method, whatever you've found works for you - rock it! Stick to it! You can do it! And if you feel like you've plateaued, shake things up a bit, try something new.

Shred on! Fast on! Turbo Jam on! Weight watchers on!

Just do it!

Original Review of The 30 Day Shred

Originally posted at my "real" blog on February 19th. Reposted for your benefit here..

I've been getting frustrated at my lack of progress with the Push Up Challenge (still can't move past week 4), so I've decided to shake things up a bit. I had heard good things about The 30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels (Biggest Loser fitness guru) so I decided to give it a whirl.

People - I have exercised at least 4 days a week for the past 10 years - and I found this TOUGH! You can tone it down a bit (there are 2 girls showing beginner and advance versions of the exercises) - you're just not allowed to stop! Well, maybe if you pass out you can stop for a few seconds. This is a very short workout - not counting warmup and cool down it is 18 mins of pure torture! She does 3 minutes of strength, then 2 minutes of cardio and then 1 minute of abs - and then does that same circuit over again three times in total, changing up the moves each time. There are 3 different workouts on the dvd (3 different levels). I have tried both level 1 and 2 so far.

I will keep you updated on how things are going, but I have a feeling this is going to get some results. This has got to be one of the most time effective, tough workouts I have ever done.

She is tough, no nonsense and brutally honest. Here are a few of her phrases.....
"I want you to feel like you're gargalling your heart"
"I want you to feel like you are going to die"

And, yes..... you do!

Edited to add: Just thought I should add on a little more info about the types of exercises performed during the workouts.

Strength moves: these usually incorporate lower and upper body moves simultaneously - such as bicep curls while doing lunges, or shoulder presses and squats, or front lateral raise with side squat, etc - and pushups of course!

Cardio: not for those with knee problems as there's a lot of jumping going on. Jumping jacks, butt kicks, high knee runs, "fake" jumping rope, etc - yep, brutal I tell ya.

Abs: pretty traditional moves - crunches, reverse crunches, both together, bicycles, ab moves from the plank position, etc.

There ya have it!