A couple things:
1. People seem to be stumbling on us by searching for 30 Day Shred info, indicating a decent level of interest out there.
2. I've had a few people ask me what this whole 30 Day Shred thing even is, making me realize I never really explained it.
So taking a few steps back, here you have it people.
30 Day Shred available on Amazon
30 Day Shred is a workout video (for some reason they're still "videos" to me when they're workout related) from Biggest Loser trainer extraordinar Jillian Michaels. It consists of 3 different 20 minute workouts, each one more difficult that the last. That being said, you may have noticed that I progressed to levels 2 and 3 when level 1 kicked my butt. Almost all of the workouts have modifications you can do. In fact, there is one gal on the video who is always doing the modified versions of exercises to guide those of you (and me!) who are not quite up to the task of doing the moves full-out. The only equipment you need are a set of hand weights, a mat if you're on a hard floor, and possibly an oxygen machine. If you have enough room to do a push-up, you have enough room. The workouts follow Jillian's 3-2-1 formula: 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio, 1 minute of abs (repeat). She claims this is the ideal balance for burning fat or gaining muscle or something. I believe the title 30 Day Shred comes from some claim that you can lose up to 20 pounds in 30 days or some such thing. Having really no weight to lose, I will not be able to comment on that aspect of the workout. What I can comment on is the fact that these workouts are HARD - at least for me who has never lifted a weight in her life. Today, not only was I not strong enough to do one of the un-modified ab exercises, but I actually fell to the floor from not having enough strength to even get into position. Luckily, I did not have far to fall to hit the ground. My pride fell much further.
As cheesy as I feel recommending a workout video, I really do love this one. If you're looking for an all-over body workout, this should be on your list. As pointed out above, you can get it at Amazon (currently for the low, low price of $8.49!). I've also heard that Target has it in store for cheap, and it's also on Netflix.
What is this 30 Day Shred, anyway?
Sweet Tooth Ball
Yesterday I happened to be downtown (which I never am), and I saw a banner for the upcoming Sweet Tooth Ball. Tell me that doesn't sound awesome! I was picturing some event where I'd get to dress up fancy and eat assorted cakes and chocolates. And I could totally get fudge all over my dress and not be embarrassed because it'd be in the spirit of the event. Alas, I looked it up, and it turns out to be some silent auction/swing dance event. That doesn't sound nearly so grand.
I also happens to be a fund raiser for our local clinic, which just so happens to have supplied our area with what may be my favorite commercial ever.
At about the 15 second mark, I inevitably start crazy laughing like the fool that I am. I've long held the following 2 theories:
1. Mr. "I just don't know who to ask"'s mom is a nurse at the clinic and drug him to the commercial shoot when they needed a guy actor.
and/or
2. Mr. "I just don't know who to ask"'s "girlfriend" is actually his sister in real life.
I hope to one day run into him around town so I can ask and maybe get my picture taken with him. I'll consider giving you money, Bridger Clinic. Just please please don't use it to film a new commercial.
30 Day Shred: Level 3
If Level 1 is Has it been 20 minutes yet? and Level 2 is You've got to be kidding me, Level 3 is I want to die.
Obesity Virus?
Did anybody else catch this story from Fox News (and others)?
Obesity can be "caught" as easily as a common cold from other people's coughs, sneezes and dirty hands, scientists said Monday.
Huh what?
I'm no scientist, but something about this sounds hard to believe. Maybe I just don't want to believe it. Who knows.
Also disturbing, the picture that accompanied the article:
30 Day Shred: Level 2
I call this level You've Got to be Kidding Me as that is what I thought when I saw each new exercise.
I didn't feel the need to vomit at any point, but during the last exercise I did start to feel lightheaded. I'd hope that Jillian would understand why I did not participate in the last 2 or so plank-cross-thingymajiggers, but something tells me she'd have no sympathy.
The 2000 Push-up Challenge
I don't know about you, but I found the 100 push-up challenge to be entirely too easy.
JOKES!
Actually, I made to about day 3 of the 100 p.c. before finding myself quivering and tired on my living room floor swearing off push-ups for ever. So why would I consider doing this challenge
1. It needed female representation.
2. It's 2000 push-ups total, not at once.
3. Eh. What the hell.
There are a few conditions though.
1. I will do them girl style. I really feel it's my only hope for any sort of success.
2. If I get any sort of muscle definition, that's it!
You up for it? Find it here on DailyMile or here.
Ama and I shall keep you posted on our progress with it.
Tales from the Random
Today, I took a brief break from work to checkout people.com (please don't judge). Thank goodness I did or else I would have never seen this headline: 
Uh, come again, people.com?
France’s former president, Jacques Chirac, ... was attacked by his clinically depressed maltipoo named Sumo.
“The dog went for him for no apparent reason,” Mrs. Chirac told the Daily Mail. “We were already aware the animal was unpredictable and is actually being treated with pills for depression."
Maltipoo kind of gives it away, but just for kicks and giggles, lets see what Sumo the dog looks like.
God, I would have LOVED to be a fly on the wall the day the dog was diagnosed with depression and prescribed drugs for it. LOVED.
Wanted: one gal pal. Chelsea Handler prefered.
My favorite part of any given workout? Watching Chelsea Lately. I laugh, laugh, laugh at her while admiring her shoes. Imagine my absolute HORROR when I started it up today only to see Carrot Top on the round table. Carrot Top, people! He's who the round table should be making fun of. UGH. Then, to make matters worse, the guest was Diablo Cody. Miss Cody annoys the living hell out of me. And no, I don't really have a reason for that. I'm not entirely convinced that she doesn't need therapy (in all fairness, I'm also not entirely convinced I don't need therapy), I hate her name (as I've blogged about before), her outfits are terrible, I'm bitter about Juno, etc. etc. etc. That being said, I found her quite likable and semi-funny (if I weren't biased against her, that "semi" probably wouldn't be there). Don't think I won't hold that against her too. Damn you, Diablo! Why can't you just be horrible like I like to think you are?!
That being said, Chelsea had delectable shoes, like always. And I really like Natasha Leggero. And the Chuy swearing in was all I hoped it to be.
Oh yeah, my workout wasn't bad either.
Thank God
Girl Scout cookies are safe from this peanut butter recall fiasco. Good thing considering I just had the husband put in a nice order for both Tagalongs and Do-si-dos (among others).
Sadly, a bunch of Clif and Luna bars are not. Check your wrapper before gobbling up any of those!
30 Day Shred Update
It's now been 4 days since my workout. While I'm still sore, today is the first day I've been able to walk without limping. At this rate, I should be back in full force just in time to do it again on Friday.
Next Day Update
Does anybody else come up with what they think are totally awesome ideas when they're half asleep only to regain full consciousness and think "WTF"? Anybody? Anybody? Well, this was mine:
The red areas are where I am so sore today as a result of yesterday's 30 Day Shred workout (aka the areas that are so sore that every time I rolled over last night I woke up - thus the reason I was half asleep). So really, I could be doing a lot worse. Also in my grogginess, I named her Lady Fugly.
Far Gone Greetings
What's this, a whole line of super-cute greeting cards for runners (and swimmers, cyclists, etc. too)?! I will definitely have to keep these in mind for my athletic friends.
Need Motivation?
Runner's World has a list of 101 reasons to run. The most convincing for me so far?
49. RACE RESULTS STAY ON GOOGLE FOREVER.
Funny how I love that when I'm (shall we say) researching someone (stalking is such an ugly word), but not so much when I think about my own race result longevity.
1/30 Shredded
After Carly said that 30 Day Shred was dry heave inducing, I simply knew I must get it. Today was my first attempt. Here's roughly how it went:
12:30 - Why can't I just go to the menu? Does my menu button on this remote not work? I didn't include time for this never-ending intro in my schedule today!
12:33 - Another intro?! Nooooooo.
12:35 - Level 1. Click!
12:36 - Funny how they're sorta acting like the cameras just happened to catch them coming into the gym. Sorry to interrupt your conversation, ladies. These ladies are HUGE. Nothing against strong ladies, but I don't really want to be one. I trust I will have to do way more than this video to look like that, so I should be safe.
12:37 - Jillian: "If you want to look like *insert super ripped lady's name*, follow what she does!" Me: "Thanks, but I most certainly do not! Where's your tiny-armed demonstrator?"
12:38 - Hey, Jill, what's up with the sports bra cleavage?
12:39 - And we're off!
12:45 - ITS ONLY BEEN 6 F***ING MINUTES?!
(Repeat that last statement with incremented minutes about every 3 minutes for the rest of the workout.)
3:00 - "Ama, I'm a little sore already."
All-in-all, I found it quite enjoyable. If I had more time, I would have done an extra core workout at the end, but alas, it was back to work for me.
But it's made from corn!
Does anybody else get a kick of the pro high-fructose corn syrup commercials? Instead of thinking, "Maybe it's not so bad." I think, "HA! This is the stupidest campaign EVER." I eat plenty of crap, but at least I admit that it's crap.
1.14.09
I've heard from people that once you stop drinking soda for a month or so, you don't even want to drink it anymore. Well, I'm here to tell you that those people are liars - big, fat, soda-hating liars! That was harsh. It's possible that they just never had the type of evolved relationship with their 2 liter that I do. The truth is, I think my soda break only made me appreciate it more. Today, I wanted some so much I left the house without makeup to go get some. The horror! And really, I'm not sure what the big deal is. My doctors through the year have always found major grievances with crap that I consume, but none of them have ever cared about my soda love. It can't be that bad, right? Maybe that's just the Coke talking...
Sadly, I think we have the same hair style.
I somehow found myself on Time Out New York checking out this article.
Forget the big, chubby overall situation for a sec. Instead, focus on the parts you dislike most and work the hell out of them with these spot-specific fixes.
It sounded a bit like something you'd find in one of those women's magazines I hate so much, but the thought that they might have a solution for my little side stomach poochie area was too much for me to pass up. Instead of finding a solution, I just found myself concerned/amused with the illustration.
Forget the cankles, how do you fix that face?
The Friday Blahs
I have decided to not cross-train today on account of me not feeling so great. So far I've formed the following theories about what might be wrong with me:
1. I'm just tired.
2. I'm getting a slight cold.
3. Artificial sweetener poisoning from the gallons of Crystal Light fruit punch I've consumed this week.
My course of treatment includes a lot of couch time and a heavy dose of Chelsea Lately.
Have a great weekend everybody!
To Goal or Not to Goal
I've read that, at least for your first marathon, your goal should just be to finish. Period. Don't worry about the time. That way, no matter what, you can feel good about yourself at the end of the race. Makes sense, right? On the other hand, it's damn hard to not think about your pace and what time you might hope to come in at. No matter how much I try not to think of it, I know that, come race day, there's going to be some number in the back of my mind. Plus, every time I tell my husband (who will also be running his first marathon with us in Vancouver) that my goal is to just finish, he gives me the look. You know, that same one he gave me when I said my goal for my first 10K was to not be dead last.
So I don't know. Blah. That's right, BLAH!
After the Marathon
I know it's old, but I was just reading this article from Runners World.
Immediately following her first marathon, in Chicago in 2003, Lisa Golaszewski did what she thought you're supposed to do: not a whole hell of a lot. Having devoted the prior several months to 25-mile weeks and plenty of long runs, Golaszewski, 33, thought it was time to kick back and relax. "I had no plan, not even mileage goals," she says. "I hadn't given life after the marathon a single thought."
Problem was, the St. Louis resident hadn't counted on running's equivalent of postpartum depression. By the end of October, without the marathon as motivation, Golaszewski's running went adrift. Instead of capitalizing on the fitness she had gained during her training, she felt drained of energy and inspiration.
Yikes. That sounds familiar. And from the looks of other running bloggers out there, I'd say this isn't a rare occurrence. I'm currently in the process of coming up with some post-marathon plans to keep me from turning into a lump as soon as the race is over. So far, I've got nothing. Ideas and suggestions are welcome.
Who am I missing, people?
I've been meaning to do this for months (MONTHS!!), but I just finally got around to some blogroll updates. I feel like I'm missing people, though. If you aren't on my list and feel you should be (you lurk around here, we lurk around your blog, you're just plain f*cking awesome, etc.) let me know. I'm all about showing the blogroll love.
Despite what you may have thought, Ama and I are not dead. What's more, we are both back to running. Amazing, right? In fact, we are officially registered for the Vancouver Marathon on May 3. Just 118 short days away! Other marathon hardly newsworthy items that I'll mention anyway:
1. We've recruited a nice little group of people to join us. It has to be more fun to do this with friends and family, right?
2. I've also paid for airfare and lodging for the trip. Serious financial commitment here.
3. After an unfortunate undergarment decision during a run this week, I definitely know what pair of underwear I will NOT be wearing come race day.
I'm looking forward to having something to actually post about now that official training is about to kick in.
Posts
