It's a Jillian thing. You wouldn't understand.

I once created a design that I meant to put on a shirt that says, “It’s a Jillian thing, you wouldn’t understand.” It's a play on the, "It's a fitness thing, you wouldn't understand," shirt, but since I do mostly Jillian Michaels' workouts, I traded the word Jillian for fitness. I never got around to making it, partly because if I were to make a fitness related shirt, there are a ton of other designs or words I’d like to put on it. Plus, nothing annoys me more than when someone says, “It's a math thing, you wouldn't understand” or “ it's a kitchen thing, you wouldn't understand.” Who's to say that I don't understand that?

In the last few weeks, that design has come to my mind a lot. I frequent a website Guru Gossiper, or GG. For those who don't know what GG is, it’s a forum where members discuss YouTube Gurus and their content. They have a Rave About A Guru subforum and they also have a Trash a Guru subforum. Maybe I’m a closeted mean girl, because I lurk in the Trash a Guru section. I read all the dirt on a guru that I used to be particularly fond of, but then started to not like for various reasons. I’m not going to say what guru, but I will say that there is a reason why I’m posting about it here.

I don’t keep up with this guru, but I do read their GG to keep up with what she's doing, and she’s apparently been really involved in going to the gym. This didn’t surprise me. I can remember years ago she posted a video about fitness with Natalie Jill, who also appeared in Ripped In 30 by Jillian Michaels. (I never actually realized because this video was made in 2012 and I only watched maybe a couple of times soon after it was uploaded, and I started doing Jillian videos in 2015.) “She is also obsessed with her body now, who the hell go to the gym with a broken foot?” Immediately I thought of myself. I've worked out with an injury. I thought a lot of people who've worked out with minor injuries. Look at Christmas Abbott - she broke her foot in the Big Brother house, had to have surgery, and still did workouts as soon as she was able. Search YouTube and you'll find all kinds of seated workouts for people who are injured or disabled. Who the hell goes to the gym or does workouts with a broken foot? Um...a lot of people? I casually mentioned that I have worked out with injuries, and explained that how if you are seeing results, an injury or an illness can be absolutely devastating to a fitness routine. “I guess it’s an American thing,” came the reply. Uh...no. It's not just me, it's almost everyone I know who is committed to a healthy lifestyle - and I’m in some great fitness groups that have women from all over the world. I can't even begin to count how many times I see people saying they’re sick and realizing they’re too sick to work out or asking if they should work out. Lots of members feel devastated over injuries - it’s a real thing. And it’s not an American thing. It’s a dedication thing.

I went back and forth with a couple members on this subject. One said rehabbing a broken foot is one thing, but working out with an injury is creating issues with your body. Again, I respectfully disagree for the most part. If you’re able to do it - do it! I brought up all low impact, seated workouts you can find on youtube, under the weather workouts, and so on. It’s there! So I’m clearly not the only one who thinks this! Then it was brought up about working out with the flu and how that can be life threatening and in general not kind to other gym members. I agree to that, too, but sources say that above the neck symptoms usually mean you’re okay to go to the gym. Trust your own judgment.

In the end, maybe I felt defensive because myself and so many others want to keep working out despite life, illness, and injury trying so damn hard to knock you down. This wasn’t a redeeming factor for this guru (I can’t support a person who lies, scams, and neglects their kids all while painting this facade of sunshine and rainbows for your YouTube content) but I certainly do get where she’s coming from IF she’s experiencing the same thing I am. Don’t take a giant shit on what brings others joy, unless, you know, what brings them joy is being detrimental to someone else’s joy. I have a feeling that they feel like I am defending the Guru, but that’s not it. I am defending myself and others like me. I felt a need to defend others who workout while injured, or others who are dedicated to themselves. They weren’t dissing the Guru, they were dissing the guru's actions as well as anyone who goes to the gym with an injury. As long as you have the okay, then that's okay. Just my feelings, of course.

With that said, my shirt design comes to mind again: “It’s a fitness thing. You wouldn’t understand.”

Revisiting Ripped In 30

I decided to revisit Ripped In 30 in between Level 1 and Level 2 of Six Week Six Pack (6W6P). RI30 has always been a favorite of mine (if not my absolute favorite program), and doing it again was great on so many levels! Six Week Six Pack really hurt my back and let me know that I may have lost some core strength while taking my Jillian break, so I thought, why not go back. Plus, Level 2 of 6W6P was sooo intimidating. I didn’t think I was strong enough to do it, so what a better way to get myself back in the groove than to get ripped?!

The first time I did Ripped In 30, I had been doing Jillian workouts for just a couple months, but it was the second Jillian program I ever did. Now that I’ve done a few different programs and a few different people, it was nice to go back and see how far I’ve come. Definitely a non-scale victory! It was great showing myself how far I’ve come physically! Since I’ve already given the rundown of what each week entails in previous entries, I won’t do that again, but feel free to go back and read those entries.

Week 1, I loved. It was great going back to Jillian and doing the 3-2-1 plan again. And I felt that it was a great way to reboot myself and my system again and get an all around whole body workout. It was all pretty basic and getting the moves down, but even for me, I still felt challenged. This time around I used 8 pound dumbbells and did fine with it. My first time around I used 5lbs.

Week 2 can burn in hell. I only did this one for five days because I’m pretty sure this workout made my back hurt something terrible - I had the same issue with 6W6P, so it makes me wonder if I’m doing something wrong or if I’ve pulled something. Since I’ve never been to a gym and never had anyone tell me that my form is absolutely correct, it very well could be that I’ve been doing all this wrong. But this time, I felt more challenged than I did the first time! 

Last time around, I hated Week 3. This time, I loved it! I can’t believe that I found duckwalks and bear crawls so hard! I mean, yes, they’re difficult, but I feel like I had them down! The whole entire workout was great. Challenging, fun, but I still loved every minute! 

And Week 4 is still my favorite, even with the burpees, which I’ll be honest - are not as scary as they used to be! That’s an amazing feeling! And at the end, the speech Jillian gives about brought me to tears. Again. I’ve been doing two workouts a day; an hour of cardio and then a strength DVD or youtube workout that’s anywhere form 30-45 minutes for over two years. And sometimes I just feel like a zombie. It’s just gotten to be routine now that I forget what I’m doing. Wow. I’m actually doing something! Not a lot of people do this, and her speech was another reminder of that! 

I didn’t take measurements or track my weight this time around, but I feel like I’ve come a long way. I can tell that when I read my old posts about this workout program. It was so nice to revisit and go back to the basics. It was like going through my old closet of bigger sized clothes, just to see how far I’ve come only fitness style. I think I need to do it more often! 

Well, that lasted long.

Well, that lasted long.

My breakup with Jillian, that is. I was shopping at Sam’s Club back in January and I saw Six Week Six Pack for $8. It just sat there taunting and taunting me. Buy me, buy me. You’ve been doing the GymRa youtube videos for six months and you’ve been thinking of switching back, perfect opportunity to buy me, buy me. 

I gave in to the temptation and bought it, and a couple days later I started the program, or at least began Level 1. I’ll go further in depth soon (I promise) but after doing Level 1 for just over three weeks, I switched to Ripped In 30, which I loved the second time around even more! (I will touch base on that also soon!) But then I realized that it was time to buck up, and do Level 2 of 6W6P. I’ll be honest, this one *scared* me. The moves looked SO HARD! And Level 1, I learned that my core wasn’t as strong as I thought and it made my back ache. But once I did it, I loved it. 

And since mid-to-late January, I’ve been doing Jillian workouts again. That breakup lasted long. ;) But it’s been nice to go back to something familiar. Sometime soon I’d like to try some new workouts that I’ve been holding off on trying (such as One Week Shred, particularly the strength workout) and find some new workouts on GymRa’s youtube and maybe make up a schedule of a new routine a day to see what happens. I’m not sure if I’ve hit another plateau or what. I put about 7-10lbs (depending on the day) back on in November and no matter what I do, I can’t seem to get those 10lbs off. It’s only a few pounds, but technically, I’ve never hit my goal weight since starting this journey. I have my “realistic” goal weight, my “unrealistic” goal weight (which is more like a dream weight, who doesn’t want to weigh 120lbs?) My body may just be at the weight it likes to be with, and if so, I’ll have to come to terms with that. I’m still not happy with my body and I’m not sure I ever will be. That’s a scary thought, because I’ve hopefully got another 55+ years in this body! (That puts me at 84+). But I’m willing to try and trick it and see what’s going on. Probably eating the same thing over and over again and running on the treadmill every day for an hour doesn’t help; I know I should mix it up, but that’s where I’m hoping strength comes in because I just love running so much. I never thought I’d be the girl that would get up and go for a run. 

I haven’t forgotten about this blog. I want to inspire others but I also want to make this an accurate account of what goes on when someone loses a lot of weight, and just like any journey, whether it’s a health journey, a weight loss journey, a journey from here to there, there are bumps in the road. Occasionally you have to go in another direction. But even though we all know that, it’s still hard for me to talk about those bumps in the road. 

Until next time! (Which should be very soon!)

I've lost 100lbs but I've gained so much more.

Hi guys! Well, it's official: I've lost one hundred pounds! It took me close to three years but I did it! If you're new to the blog and wondering how I managed this, here's the short version: I did it without setting food inside a gym, playing a video game, doing workout DVD's created by Jillian Michaels, and by tracking what I eat with the website/app called LoseIt. I'm really proud of myself for what I've accomplished. The last three years have definitely not been easy, but it's been incredibly worth it!

So, like the title says, I've lost 100lbs, but I've gained so much more. Gained what? Well, a plethora of emotions and feelings both very positive and negative. I'm going to touch base about these things. Three years ago when I started this journey, I really didn't expect to lose weight. I was at a pretty low place as it was and I specifically remember signing up for LoseIt and thinking that it was something that would probably never work. I had tracked before and look where it got me. I didn't even believe I had lost weight until a few months later shopping for clothes and I had dropped two pants sizes. I was shocked and pleasantly surprised! Once I realized that it actually was working, it wasn't difficult to stick to it. Finding an activity that I enjoyed was key! Dance Dance Revolution is a lot of fun! As the weight continued to come off, I was proud! I felt strong, I felt beautiful. I remember when the, "Post five photos where you feel beautiful!" thing went around on Facebook, I posted a photograph of myself all sweaty after a workout talking about how working out made me feel strong and fierce and those feelings made me feel beautiful.

As time went on and I hit that plateau, I then started to feel really frustrated. Especially when that plateau seemed to last forever. And then feeling frustrated when to feeling defeated and discouraged. I had no idea what to do, what I could do to change things up. It's something I've blogged about before. Every time someone would ask me if I was still losing weight or how much I'd lost recently, I could just feel my stomach start to tie up in knots.

Adding in Jillian Michael's workouts in addition to DDR broke the plateau! I began doing Jillian workouts on January 11, starting with the 30 Day Shred, then Ripped In 30, Killer Body, and now I'm doing Yoga Inferno. I also really started really keeping an eye on what I ate. In the beginning it wasn't too bad, but now I'm pretty restrictive with my calories and very strict about getting my two workouts a day (except for Thursdays where I take a Jillian break). And that I know is pretty unhealthy. And that makes me feel like a slave and trapped. Sometimes it makes me feel unhealthy. I did not work by booty off to get to the point where I deny myself food before I get a workout in, or only allow myself to eat a salad a day. And that's the negatives to my journey with weight loss. I'm proud as heck, don't get me wrong. But I've been heavy before. Like anyone else who's been overweight, I've been teased, I've cried myself to sleep. I've wished like hell that I was anyone other than myself and the idea of taking a night off terrifies me. Will I fall off the bandwagon for one night off? Well. Probably not. It's something that's always in the back of my mind. I'm working on that. I don't think I ever completely believed that losing weight was the answer to all my problems, but I may have had an idea that it would make my life immensely better. And it has, definitely don't get me wrong. I love being able to run for distances, take my dog on long walks without getting tired. I love being able to exercise for an hour. I love shopping for clothes and not having to look in the plus size section. I went shopping for swimsuit bottoms earlier this summer and the first pair I tried on I ended up buying. That wasn't something I was able to experience three years ago. I look in the mirror and I don't just see someone I hate. I see someone who has worked really hard! So there are pros and cons to this. I've lost 100lbs, but I have gained a lot of anxiety. And also a lot of pride. 

I really don't like looking at old photos of myself because like I said, I used to hate looking in the mirror. I was just so unhappy, so ashamed of my size. I actively avoid looking at vacation photos and my heart skips a beat when I'm tagged in a Facebook photo on Thursdays (haha). But last night, I was looking at old photos to do a before and after since I've been wanting to make this post and I realized something. I've got to love that girl. Give her a lot of credit. Show her some respect. Give her a round of applause. Do not be ashamed of her. It was her, after all, who put her foot down and made the decision to change her life.

And that I think is the best thing I've gained throughout this entire journey.

I can't say that tomorrow I'll be 100% happy with myself, but I think we all have those days. But I can say that when I realized that last night, it helped me a lot.

The left photo is me exactly a month ago, trying on an old pair of overalls. The right is a picture of me at a friends house before junior prom. I was 17 years old.

Ripped In 30: Week 4 review (RI30 IS NOW COMPLETE!)

Week 4 of Ripped In 30 is in the books! I truly enjoyed Week 4 much more than Week 3, but not because it was necessarily easier, it’s just that I enjoyed the exercises more. After the warm up, the strength moves in the first circuit were alternating crescent pose, and then down in a squat position for what felt like an hour doing static rows and presses. Strength was plié hops and then jumping jacks, but with a front kick rather than your feet going to the side. I LOVED THOSE!! They felt very Zumba-y and dancey to me, which I loved. Even Jillian mentioned to Basheerah (the girl doing the advanced version) to show off a little Broadway, which was totally cool being the Broadway nerd that I am! Abs was doing down dog with raising your knee to your chest, and then plank walk. 

Circuit 2 was doing superman with a shoulder press, renegade rows with a pushup, and then crossover lunges. I really am starting to like lunges more and more. I used to hate them! I really liked doing the curtsy lunge! The cardio for this circuit was tough. Burpees! Ack! And scissor hops. I’ve never done burpees much but I did enjoy them as weird as that sounds. Although, I had to be careful because at times I felt dizzy because I kept looking down at the floor rather than straight ahead. Haha. The ab moves for this circuit was one where you lay on your back and stick your feet straight up in the air, and then bring them side to side. I’m not sure the right term for it. And then you do hollow man into a sit up. 

Circuit three was a chest fly on the floor in bridge, chaturanga pushups, forearm pushups. I was familiar with the forearm pushups as they were in the 30 Day Shred, and I’ve always liked chest flies but the chaturanga pushups killed me at first! Cardio was in plank, jumping from the side to the center and then back to the side. I actually really liked those. And then double jump rope. Finishing up with abs, she had you do a sit up, and then after the sit up, raise your legs into a crunch. And you’re DONE! 

After the week 4 workout, Jillian gives a little speech about what a bad ass you are for finishing her Ripped In 30 DVD. For the last six days I did RI30, it still got to me every time, in a good way. Man. A year ago I couldn’t have done this workout! I didn’t even finished the 30 Day Shred, let alone RI30! But when I did manage to finish the 30DS this year, I knew that I could continue on and was determined to finish RI30, and told myself I would get a pedicure when I finished it! (I’m still planning on doing that, but just working out a date. But I’m going to see The Longest Ride, too! I might do the pedicure a little closer to Memorial Day and do The Longest Ride as my RI30 finished treat). I remember being cautiously excited when I started it. I remember the days where I didn’t want to but pushed on. I almost cried on my very last day of doing RI30! And also, I’ve seen massive results! I lost around 7 pounds, two and a half inches from my waist, an inch around my hips and bust and half inch from my arms. Finally broke through this plateau that’s plagued me for so long! I highly recommend this DVD. I did not follow the meal plan that comes with the DVD purchase but I track what I eat anyway. But I will say that during this program, one day my family and I went to the chinese buffet, and I baked a cake one day and had a piece for a couple days there. So there were days where I definitely didn’t eat super healthy, but mostly I stayed on track, and worked out consistently. Thank you, Jillian Michaels, for creating a workout that helped me get my life back. :)

I am trying to decide what Jillian DVD I want to get next. I’m going between Six Week Six Pack, Killer Abs, or Killer Buns and Thighs. I like the ones that are right around 30 minutes because that gives me enough time to get lunch cooked for my dad, get a 30 minute workout in, and then be able to come down and tell him goodbye before he leaves for work. 

Ripped in 30: Week 3 review

Jillian Michaels, you are a mean, mean woman, but I love it. Most days, that is. And you own’t believe the love I have for you when I’m cooling down and finished with you for the day!

So, I finished Week 3 of Ripped In 30, and I got to admit, this one was TOUGH. I read some other blogs and reviews about Ripped In 30 before I bought it, and I watch the actual workout before I actually do them so I’m not wasting workout time having to think, “Okay, what did she say again?” so I knew that this week was going to be pretty challenging. But man, I didn’t think it was going to be this tough!

Circuit one had bear crawl and duckwalk, both of which burned so bad the first few days. When I was on day three, I remember realizing that I was getting deeper with my duckwalk, which was exciting to me. I started with the modified and by the end, I wouldn’t say I was duckwalking like a pro, but I was doing decently! Doing wide and low rows after the duckwalk and the bear crawls killed my legs. As if that wasn’t enough, she makes you do jumping backs in a squat position. Oh my goodness. My poor legs. She gives your legs a bit of a breather with skiers. And then in plank for twisting plank, and then this one move where you do squat thrusts for your ab moves.

Circuit two was my favorite, because you do stork stance with a fly, and then, single leg squats, and then my favorite, a rock and roll squat with a reverse crunch. The only problem with that was I kind of have limited space and I nearly banged my head on my bed - phew. THAT’S another way to get your heart rate up. I could just imagine. In circuit three (coming up) Jillian makes a joke about how she doesn’t need any broken ankles or trips to the hospital and every time I heard that one, I kept thinking about how ridiculous I’d look with a big mark on my forehead. “How did this happen?” “Jillian Michaels. She did this to me.” (Unrelated, but my biggest fear is getting an injury. Luckily I’ve not been seriously injured in the near three years since I started this journey.) Cardio was squat jumps and then she has you get in a running stance and pump your arms. She made a joke about how one might feel silly doing that move. Phew. By that time, I had so much sweat running down my face was was ready to flip her off that I didn’t care how silly I looked, I just wanted it over! Haha. But next was abs. One where you hold your weights (if you do the advanced) and it’s crunching across, right arm to left leg, and then legs vertical and crunching up to touch your toes. The ab moves were so welcome after those squat jumps.

In circuit three, your shoulders, triceps and arms totally take a beating. The first circuit killed my legs, and this one killed my arms! Pike pushups (or down dog pushups), single arm pushups on each side while laying on your side, and then tricep dips in table. I didn’t mind the down dog pushups to be honest, but single arm pushups were tough. And I was always forgetting what arm/side I did before. Cardio was jumping lunges. In the 30 Day Shred, I could not do these for the life of me when they came up on Level 3, but this time, I could do them no problem! Woot!! And then the next one was single leg hops, basically jumping on one foot. She has the advanced jump in special directions, but I didn’t because there is a good chance that I actually would break an ankle, which is what I mentioned above. I have decent balance and I usually continue strong throughout my workout, but I just jumped on one leg here without jumping side to side, which is what the modifier did. The last ab move was an ab hold (which I did with my hands on weights because of my short arms, and that helped!) and then pike crunches.

And then the cool down, hallelujah! Week three was tough. It was the most challenging workout out of the two Jillian DVD’s I have. I have started Week four (actually almost finished with it) and will share my opinions of it.

But in all, I’m still loving Ripped In 30! I’ve finally broken through the plateau that plagued me for about a year. I just don’t want to jinx myself, but I’m at my lowest weight in years; we’re talking elementary school here. I went to try on clothes at a few different stores, and I am finally seeing some very noticeable changes. I can totally see difference from the photos I took of myself on January 11, when I first started the 30 Day Shred, and the photos I took at the end of Week 2 of Ripped in 30. The pants I bought just last September are starting to get baggy. I took measurements this time (still trying to be brave enough to put my measurements online!) and last time I measured, I had lost inches! So I’m really pleased, and will continue to test out more Jillian Michaels’ DVD’s to do in the mornings. I still play DDR at night because I love it so much!

Thanks for reading! 

Ripped In 30, Week 2 review

Week two of Ripped In 30 is finished! I’m a couple days into Week 3 now, but here’s my thoughts on week two!

Phew. It was tough and definitely more challenging than Week 1. The first circuit had static lunges with rows, a pendulum lunge, and then on the floor with pelvic thrusts and chest presses. Those I enjoyed, especially the pendulum lunge. The cardio was a total killer! Ahhh! Plank Jacks, into mountain climbers, back to plank jacks and then finish out with mountain climbers. Two minutes in plank. Oh my gosh. The first day, I thought it’d never end! By the end though, it was still challenging, but I didn’t feel like I was totally going to die! I forget the abs moves for the first circuit though. 

In circuit two, you did side lunges with a leg raise, ahold into a table top, and then crow pushups for strength. I have really short arms, and they weren’t long enough to really do an ab hold at all. I ended up towards the end of day three realizing that I could raise myself on on weights that would give my arms a little bit more length, but I had to be careful not to twist my wrist when I would transition into table. That was challenging in itself trying to figure out how to actually do the move with my super short arms! Ack. (Random fact: in high school, I used to have classmates tell me they wished they had my arms, because they were short. You should wear shorts at fingertip length, and technically, I could get by wearing a pair of panties if I were to go by fingertip length!) And those crow pushups? Damn. Those things were tough. I could hike my knee to my shoulder if I was in the advanced position, BUT I couldn’t get my arms to move in a pushup, so I did it on my knees, but then I couldn’t get my leg high enough, I didn’t think at least. Other times if felt like I did. I am really thinking of getting a mirror to watch myself to make sure I have all my form down completely. I need to work on my flexibility and my shoulders in general though. I loved the jump rope kick outs! I know Jillian mentioned they were like a Pollyanna move - I love Pollyanna. It was my favorite growing up, and the second she mentioned them, I was like, “Heck yeah. I’m the new Hayley Mills!” but then it was short lived because plank thrusts were the next move (before doing jumprope quickest again) and my poor arms were still screaming from the two minutes of plank before. The ab moves circuit two made me so happy though! Reason being, in Week 1, there was this move called hollow man, and I felt like it would never end. There is a move that goes from hollow man to where you crush up into a sitting up position. Hollow man’s killed me before, but I was able to go from that to a crushing position using the advanced version and I was so happy, I wanted to cry tears of joy. It was that move that reminded me how far I’ve come. The next move was crawling up your leg, with it extended up in the air. 

Circuit 3 was not my favorite strength by any means, but I loved it because that meant it was almost over. Haha! You went with a sumo squat with tricep extension, stork stance with a low row, and then into plank for a renegade row. The first day I rotated my hips until I heard Jillian say not to on the DVD. So I worked my butt off to never rotate my hips again! In the 30 Day Shred, she had renegade rows with a leg extension, and I wasn’t able to do the advanced, but I was able to do the advanced in this one! So that made me excited. Another way for me to realize how far I’ve come, not only from the beginning, but since starting to do Jillian DVD’s in January. Cardio was jab cross high lows, and then high knees. I was pretty familiar with these. Jillian doesn’t switch legs for the jab cross, but after the third day I did, because I noticed my left knee was a bit sore. Maybe because I was using it a bit more with this move, so I actually did switch legs. That helped a lot with my knee (although this one I hurt a couple years ago and since then, it’ll hurt on and off). Abs were sit-ups with a leg extension and then a crunch with a leg raise. 

AND THEN IT WAS OVER! WOOO! Week two was much more challenging than week one. And besides the jump rope kickouts, there really weren’t any moves that I can say that I enjoyed. Like, I’ve always been a fan of skaters, I like running man, jump rope, single leg hops. Rockstar Jumps are fun (I’m a total cardio girl). Even some strength like squat and press. But I did it and enjoyed it. I know Jillian says to take a break and do this 5-6 times a week and always make sure to take a break, but I went six days and then I moved on to Week 3, which I’m two days into. No breaks yet. I’m just worried that I’ll fall out of the routine. I’ll review week three when I finish, which should be in a few days! 

After I finish the Ripped In 30 DVD, I’m going to reward myself with a deluxe pedicure! I’ve never had a pedicure before (or a manicure) so I’m really excited about it. I thought of the idea when I first started this with my new shoes and my feet killed me afterwards. I was soaking them every night, and that’s where I got the idea of a pedicure! 

So this week, I realized how far I’ve come thanks to two different ab moves. Have you ever had that epiphany? 

How do you reward yourself after a week well done? 

Thanks for reading! 

Ripped In 30, Week 1 review!

I started Jillian Michaels’s Ripped In 30 last week! I’m actually already into the second week, but I thought that I would talk about how the first week went. 

So, Ripped In 30 is a Jillian Michaels workout DVD and it’s kind of similar to her 30 Day Shred DVD. It uses the same 3-2-1 system that the 30DS uses and it’s approximately the same amount of time, which is right around 30 minutes from warm up to cool down. RI30 is a bit more challenging though. You do three strength moves in each strength circuit rather than two that you did in the 30DS, but it’s still three minutes long. There were pushups, squat and press, and tricep kick backs in crescent pose in the first strength circuit. Stiff leg deadlifts, a squat swing holding one weight (like a kettle bell), and good mornings for the second. Chest fly’s in chair pose, side lunge with a shoulder raise, and lunges and bicep curls in the third circuit. I mentioned on my 30 Day Shred review that I sucked at lunges, but I thought it was because I worked out barefoot. I started RI30 the day I got my new shoes (oh, Lord, do these things hurt my feet. I think I need to go up a size) and that does make lunges much better. I feel like I’m much better at them. It could be that the 30DS prepared me for them. Maybe a bit of both. In all, I loved the strength moves for this one!

Cardio is always my favorite and this was no exception. There was fast feet, skaters, punches, running man, butt kicks, and single leg hops. I LOVED the single leg hops! And skaters has always been a favorite of mine, too. Really, I loved all the cardio. I always got so excited when the strength part of the circuit had ended, because that meant cardio was next and I loved the cardio moves in week 1!

Abs were pretty basic, but there was this one called hollow man, and oh my gosh. That was very difficult. It did get easier though!

But all in all, I really loved the Ripped In 30, Week 1! Jillian recommends you do RI30 5-6 days a week, and I went, I think five days straight, took a break, and did the week one again for one more time because I hadn’t watched Week 2 yet. I like to watch the next level before I actually do the workout so I can get an idea on form and know what to expect. Otherwise, I’m stopping to watch the TV screen when I should be working out!

I’ve done Week 2 three days in a row now, and unless something crazy happens, tomorrow will be day 4. When I’m finished with it, I’ll be sure to give my opinion. So far, it’s going good! It’s much tougher than week one though ;). Phew!

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