If you are still truckin’, here are some tips for Level 3, also known as…..DEATH BY PLANK!

plank up/downs: keep your abs tight; hands under your shoulders.  This one really fooled me….the first set is not too bad….ha…

superman: keep this move slow; squeeze abs in the down position, butt in the up position

Mt Climber:  love this one!….again, keep your abs tight and keep your hands under your shoulders…try putting an ab twist in there to mix it up and work your obliques….

V Crunch: I have to follow Anita here…these kick my tail….I finished being able to do 3 in a row…

Scissor Kick: another flash back from volleyball!….try to keep this one slow and don’t raise your legs too far off the ground…great lower ab work!

Dumbbell clean: this one isn’t too bad on the knees if you don’t squat too much.  Remember to sit back some.

Jump Squat: are you kidding me?!  I have to do the modified version of this one…frustrating, but I know I’ll get there.  If you are able to follow Natalie, make sure you get your balance before the jump and land soft.

Weighted punch, buttkicks, jumping jacks:  I loved how different these felt with weights!  Your arms will feel dead but keep them up as much as possible.  Pay attention to your form!

Sit ups:  I didn’t realize how hard these would be without someone to hold my feet!  Don’t strain your neck!

Walking Pushups:  I try to do the first set with Nat, but I have to do the 2nd round with Anita….keep the hands and feet further apart to take some of the strain off the lower back

Plank row with leg raises:  You really need to try to follow Nat on this one…it’s a whole different move if you are on  your knees….it just doesn’t feel as effective.

Jump Squats & Rockstar Jumps: These are killer at the end…try not to jump so high and if you have to modify, just do butt kicks….

Side Plank raises:  These are almost impossible, but I don’t know if the move itself is hard of if it’s the fact that I am ready to die by then.  Keep your abs tight the whole time.

Again, Level 3 is sooooo hard, but well worth it!

Here are my final results:

Weight: 152 (down 7lbs!!)

Chest: 37.5″ (-1.5″)

Waist: 30.5″ (-3″)

Hips: 40″ (-2.5″)

Legs: 23″ (-2.5″)

Arms: 12.5 (no change here, but they are defined and rock hard!)

…and here’s the photo evidence!

the details….ps…there is no pic because I am too sore to lift the camera….

Weight: 154

Chest: 38

Waist: 31

Hips: 41

Arms: 12.5

Legs: 23

Happy Shredding….???…..

I started to like it…….

What is wrong with me?!?!  Seriously though, it is so fun and I am actually looking forward to doing it…..Whether I am losing weight or not, my mind is changing!  I’ve even decided to spend my birthday money on some good cross trainers……(cue twilight zone music!)

This week, The Husband and I joined ediets.com.  We’ve done it before and both lost weight and it makes it easy.  We chose the low fat plan, made our menu for the week, and it even put together a grocery list for us.  So, beginning tomorrow, he will eat around 1800-2000 calories a day and I will start with about 1500.  I have already changed some things this-diet wise- week, including cutting down on the candy I’ve been eating.

Here’s the thing.  I can’t just completely stop eating something that I know I like.  I am a carb lover, so not eating bread or potatoes just won’t work for me, and anyone who’s know me for a second knows I love my chocolate.  It’s part of my daily life…..and the world is a safer place when I get my fix….so I can’t just rid that either, but I can moderate how much of it I get…..(and on a side note, I tried the “no white diet” before and it send my gall bladder into shock….the surgeon who took it out said that completely eliminating things from your diet is not good for you body)

Anyways-

Here are some tips for Level 2

Walk out pushups:  These are great total body moves!  Keep your abs tight, and I have found that keeping the legs about shoulder width apart makes it easier to get up and down.

Squat with Row: Make sure you are squatting like you are going to sit down.  Keep the shoulders back and try to pinch your shoulder blades together.  Make sure you are pushing the weights out, not down.

High Knees:  Like I mentioned with butt kicks, it’s not running in place.  Tilt your pelvis forward and lift the knees up.

Squat Thrust:  Once I got over the traumatic flash backs of high school volleyball practice, I was able to do these….but they ain’t easy!!!  Make sure that your hands are positioned under your shoulders (not spread out like a push up) and keep your abs tight.

Static Lunge w/ Row: Make sure you keep the knee behind the toe, and keep your shoulders back.

Pendelum lunges with hammer curl: Keep your elbows behind you on this move to really feel it.  Take your time so you don’t lose your balance.

Oblique Twist: The 5 year old likes to do these with me…they are fun!  Keep the arms up (elbows level with shoulders) and twist your hips.

Skaters:  This is great for abs and outer thighs.  Keep your abs tight and really push off the outside leg.

Lower ab/oblique twist: OUCH!  These are almost too hard for me to do with the weights!  Make sure you take the toes over the shoulder

Double Crunch:  Make this a controlled movement.  Don’t swing the legs!

Military Press w/ Leg extension:  Love this one!  Find a focal point to concentrate on….it’ll help with your balance, also, lean back.  Keep the abs tight!  Don’t bring your hands lower than ear-level.

Chair Squat w/ V Fly:  Make sure you are “sitting” in your squat.  Keep your legs about shoulder width apart and bring the weights to eye level.

Plank Jacks: One of my faves!  Keep the abs tight and the hands under the shoulders

Plank Twists:  Bring the knee toward the opposite elbow.  Twist your hips and keep your abs tight

Hope those tips help you get the most of your Level 2 workout!

Happy Shredding!!!!

Weight: 157.5 (shocked after the week I’ve had!)

Chest: 38″

Waist: 31.5″

Hips: 42″

Arms: 12.5″

Legs: 22″

Level 1 Graduation day!

compare to:

Not Bad!!!!!……….

Level 2 is anything but fun, but for some reason I enjoyed it more than I did Level 1…..I hate the word plank, and I’ll feel rough tomorrow, but hopefully in a few days it won’t be so bad…..right…???….

UGH!!!!  The party theme was Candy Land so there was so shortage of sweets and such…..not to mention the “real food” of hot dogs, smoked sausages, chips…….

I made sure to Shred and ate a super light supper to try and offset the damage, but all I can do is move on…I followed Natalie on the video tonight so I’ll probably be miserable tomorrow!….I’m starting some major diet modifications this week!……Tomorrow is Level 1 graduation day for me so look for another post  with pics and stats…..I’m eager to know how you’ve been doing so leave a comment or check in with us at the FSC on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=232229382591&ref=ts

The Shred is a 20 minute workout….and some people doubt that any good can be done in that amount of time, however, I have learned that the important thing is quality, not quantity.  In other words, you can lolly-gag around for an hour, barely breaking a sweat, and never really trying and call it exercise, or you can push yourself as hard as you can for twenty minutes and sweat like a hog and be near death at the end and you’ve had a good workout!  It is far more important to make the best of the amount of time you’re giving.  Here are some tips to make it more effective:

Push Ups: Try to pull your abs in and keep them tight during the move.

Squat/Press: Keep the weights out in front a little and try not to let them drop below eye level.  This will keep tension on the bicep and you WILL feel it!  On the squat,  make sure you are not putting your knee in front of your toe.  Think of it as sitting back and really push  your butt down.

Crunch:  On any of you ab work, keep the abs tight and keep your chin up.  Make sure you are not straining your neck.

Row:  Squat when you do your back rows and you will feel it in your quads.  Also, keep the weights out in front and push them away from you, not down.  That will keep tension in your triceps and biceps.

Static lunge w/ bicep curl:  Make this entire move slowly.  Keep tension in the front leg at all times and pull your abs in, and don’t let your arms go all the way down to your sides.   This one is a great example of quality vs. quantity. (anyone else notice Natalie cheating on this one??)

Butt Kicks:  Make sure you are bending your knees and kicking yourself in the butt as opposed to running in place.  Keep your hips still and you will feel it in your quads and hams.

Punch:  Squat into this one to get some leg work and keep the abs tight.  All 3 of the girls do a different form, but the one I like best is doing a slight twist on the punch out.  You will feel it in your obliques!

Chest Fly:  I did these and noticed that I didn’t feel anything.  They were my favorite move because it was almost like getting a break, however, when I corrected my form and slowed the move down, I really started feeling it and now it hurts!….do this one slowly, keep the weights right above your chest, and don’t let your arms fall all the way to the floor.

Anterior raises w/ squat:  I HATE THIS ONE!!  I can’t get through this one yet without taking a break.  Make sure you are pushing your butt back like you are sitting down and (try to) raise the weights to eye level.

Bicycle Crunch:  This move needs to be slow.  You will feel it in every part of your abs!

I hope those tips help!  We want to get the most out of what we are doing, so if you have any advice, please share!!

Happy Shredding!

That’s my girl!  Now, I don’t recommend exercising in your pajama top, panties and rain boots, but she can pull it off.

I have yet to make any major diet changes, but it’s in the plan.  I am doing great about drinking only water, and next week, I intend on cutting out some of the sweets and candy I’ve been indulging in.  I may have to toss the basket full of chocolate that is currently on the table, but drastic times call for drastic measures, right?!?

Okay, that’s it for now…..my fingers hurt…..Happy Shredding!

I’ve heard a lot of folks mention how glad they were to see 2009 go.  I know it was a hard year for a lot of folks.  Overall, it will go down as a positive year for us and I am excited for 2010.  I think starting this year by reading God’s word and taking care of myself will only increase the good for me!

So, now the hard part…..I can’t find my tape measure so I’ll have to post my measurements later and the “before” pic will go up soon, but the scale was scary enough….

Day 1 Level 1

Weight: 159.0

Chest: 39

Waist: 33.5

Hips: 42.5 (junk in the trunk!!)

Legs: 25.5

Arms: 12.5

01/02/10

Happy Shredding and Happy New You!

The same goes for exercising and eating right.  I feel like if the motivation doesn’t have some sort of “selfish” reasoning then it won’t be successful.  If I am wanting to lose weight because my friend is skinny or the husband makes a comment, the motivation won’t be there for long and the disappointment that will come if (when) I fail will be even worse.  I have to want to feel and look better for me.  I want to be happy when I look in the mirror or get dressed in the morning and I want to feel good about the choices I make.  Right now, I’m not at a place where I can say that, so, for my sake, I am going to do what it takes to get happy with me!  I think if the drive to succeed is personal, then it will be easier to stay on track.  I just have to keep reminding myself that it’s all for me.  I will be the one to benefit the most from the healthier choices I make.

I am looking at exercising as “me time”.  It may not seem like much now, but I think about how good I will feel after …. So, yeah, it’s all about me!

One more thing…..along with the 30 Day Shred in January, I am also participating in the 31 Proverbs “challenge”…..it’s pretty simple (I put challenge in “” because it should not be a challenge for me to read a chapter a day from the Bible….however):

There are 31 days in January and 31 chapters in the book of Proverbs…..so you read one each day.  I have added the link to my sidebar so if you’d like to, you can check it out.  How great would it be to start (or end) the day with some good exercise and some great reading from God’s Word??!

I decided to start with the Shred because I’ve tried it before and liked it.  The husband and I started it a while back and after 11  days, I was already starting to see definition in my abs and I had managed to lose 4 lbs!  I can’t remember why we stopped, but I’m sure it had something to do with life getting in the way…..that always seems to be the case.  This time, I’m am trying a different approach by exercising in the morning instead of evening.  Come to think of it, that may have been why I wasn’t able to keep it up.  I tend to me more of a morning person.  The husband likes to say I go down with the sun!

I have found, from past experiences with weight loss, that’s it’s good to set small, weekly goals.  I will be focusing on that during this process.  My goal for the week has been to drink more water.  I know it seems trivial, but I have been drinking more and more sweet tea, coffee, and “coke” on a daily basis.  I want to get back to drinking water exclusively……so that’s what I’m shooting for….tomorrow….I drank a cup of warm tea last night and had a cup of coffee this morning, but I’ll do good the rest of the day and get back on track tomorrow!

I hope, if you are reading this, that you have decided to join me on this journey.  It will be fun….I promise.  Starting Friday, January 1 I will post my starting weight (ugh!), measurements(ugh!), and goal for the week.  You are invited to post yours as well in the comments section….but don’t feel like you have to….I’m just trying to be as open as I can so that I can get the best results….so Good Luck to us all!