How Breastfeeding Works

OK, first of all, I make no bones about this post not being remotely breastfeeding-related.

However…it is something that has quite literally changed my life in the last fortnight (and don’t worry, I am aware how entirely evangelical and cheese-tastic that sounds, but bear with me…!), so I thought I’d share it and see what you thought.  After all, if someone had told me about this DVD when I’d just had my babies, I would’ve been fitter a lot sooner!

Just after Christmas, I bought a copy of a fitness DVD called the 30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels.  £4.99 on Amazon. Let’s just say that this is rather unlike me.  However, I have just spent the last almost eight years being pregnant, breastfeeding and/or doing a very sedentary job, so I was somewhat sturdier than I wanted to be.  And at not quite a fiver, surely I had nothing to lose (except hopefully some muffin top and a bit of heft from thigh and buttock).

I started doing it on 2nd January, 18 days ago.  I have missed two days since then and haven’t yet done today’s workout, so that’s 16 days of “shredding”.  I haven’t given up, I haven’t got bored, I haven’t wanted to stop (well, I have, mid-workout, but I have carried on!).  That, in itself, is pretty miraculous!  I have a theory as to why that is, but first of all, what is this workout and what has been the result of those 16 days of shredding?

The DVD consists of three different 20-minutes workouts, levels 1, 2 and, unsurprisingly, 3.  Each workout includes a warm-up routine and some cool-down stretches, together with much “good job!” from Jillian Michaels (who you may know from Biggest Loser).  I freely confess that I have stuck, apart from twice, to doing level 1 – but this absolutely doesn’t matter.  You move on when you feel ready.

So, what’s in the workout?

Three minutes of strength, two minutes of cardio, one minute of abs, repeated three times, with different exercises in each section, bookended with a warm-up and a cool-down.  And that is IT.  It really does take 20 minutes.  And you don’t need anything but hand weights of some description.  Jillian introduces each exercise, then you watch Natalie (red shorts) do the full-on, low as you can go version of it and Anita-with-the-glorious-abs does the lite version.  Throughout, Jillian tells us we can do it, talks about sticking your tush out and explains that we are kidding ourselves if we think that just taking the stairs instead of the lift will make us lose weight.  That, apparently, is “a false message of lethargy” (I may have learnt the soundtrack to the level 1 workout…!).

And?  20 minutes a day won’t lose me much weight!

You would be surprised.  I have been!  I haven’t modified my diet at all, I have literally leapt about to Jillian’s instructions for 20 minutes once a day since the start of 2011.  I have lost 8lbs since the 2nd January.  My clothes fit better, I have muscles in my arms where there were none and every bit of me is tighter, more toned.  I have unearthed my collar bones, for heavens sake!  I only really needed to lose a stone and a bit, so I’m well on the way!

You said you had a theory about why you’ve stuck at it – care to share?

Yes!  Towards the end of last year, one of my Facebook friends started talking about “shredding”.  I assumed she was referring to paperwork and thought little more about it.  But as it went on, it was clear she was talking about something exercise-related – and she was rather loving the results.  And since then, there are no fewer than ten other of my Facebook friends who are all shredding away, ALL with rather similar results to me!  And some friends of friends, too, since I’ve mentioned it in comments on the predictable post Christmas bulge statuses that my friends have posted, and Interest Has Been Piqued among their friend lists.

Some comments from those who have also joined in the Facebook Shredding in January phenomenon:

“DEFINITELY fitter, feel really good, lots of energy, feeling happy and positive.”

“DH says bum definitely firmer”

“Right, I noticed, after 6 days of shred MUCH LESS muffin top – really quite a difference in jeans from just the previous week.
Today I really noticed a difference in my shape around middle.

Also deffo getting definition in upper arms, definition on torso, smaller tummy, slight difference in legs.”

The sharing of tips, different ideas for hand weights (bottles of Cobra/wine(!), tins of tomatoes, cannellini or kidney beans, etc!), plus questions about when it gets easier, whether to move to level 2/3 and, frankly, the “hmm, they’ve all shredded today, I ought to get off my admittedly now more trim behind and do the same” element of competition/camaraderie has definitely motivated me to keep it up.

Plus it is 20 minutes a day – JUST 20 minutes.  And you can do it in your underwear, nobody need ever know.  And, before the month is out, that underwear will be fitting better and you will be rather a lot fitter.  Go on, whilst it’s still £4.99. Make your Facebook friends think you’re doing dull ol’ paperwork too – and then wow them with the collar bones you dug out of the lard that is your current upper chest.  You know you want to.

Filed under: Other stuff, Personal stories