Jillian's 30-Day Shred Workout DVD

Soon I will be trying out this new workout DVD with my sister-in-law Kara. I will keep you posted on how good of a workout it is and if I really can get "shredded" in 30 days. This will be fun! I like doing workout DVDs because I can really look like a fool in the comfort of my own home, I can workout even if it is 95 degrees outside, and I can get a good variety of exercises with minimal equipment.

Muscle on girls is a good thing!

I tried to convince a 10 year old girl in one of my gymnastics classes that muscles on girls is okay. She thought it was "weird" when you could see muscles on girls. They were climbing the rock wall and getting tired so I told them they were getting strong and building muscles. To which they complained that they didn't want to be buff "like boys". WHAT?!?! I am seriously offended. Who is teaching these girls that only boys can be buff? What the hell? Please, please, please if you know a girl between the age of 1 and 18 teach them that it is SO much better to be strong than weak. That muscles are hot and waif-like skinny is not. And that it is so okay to be a girl and be able to climb a rock wall or two (and do a couple push ups, and bench press, and carry a heavy box, and attempt pull ups....etc.)

UUHGG!

Intense Cardio Interval Workout

5 min. Warm Up at 4.0 mph on treadmill

10 min. Run at 6.0 mph (or faster)

5 min. Jump Rope

10 min. Elliptical Trainer

10 min. Run at 6.0 mph (or faster)

5 min. Jump Rope

10 min. Incline walk at 4.0 mph on 10% incline

5 min. Cool Down at 4.0 mph

This is a fantastic workout that takes 60 minutes but seems like 20. Do this when it is either too hot, too cold, or too dark outside. Expect to breath hard (gasp for air is a better term) and feel great afterward.

Gymnastics

I love gymnastics! For kids it teaches discipline, coordination, and fun. If you live in the Salt Lake area and are looking for a fun activity for your kids, you should check out Bailies Gymnastics. Yes, I work there and No, I am not getting paid for this advertisement. I just love the way my kids (my own and my classes) look while learning fun tricks. Summer can be HOT and sometimes boring unless you have something planned. Why not introduce your boys and girls alike into the world of cartwheels, flips, foam pits, rock walls, spring boards, cheese mats, and tumbling trampolines?

Arm and AB workout

3 minute warm up

pull up (or modified pull up): 10-15 reps

back extensions on ball or machine: 30 reps

cardio: 1 minute

REPEAT 2-3 more times

DB chest press: 15 reps

plank: hold 1 min.

cardio: 1 min.

REPEAT 2-3 more times

concentration bicep curl: 15 reps

incline reverse curl: 20-30 reps (lay on an decline bench with head higher than legs, holding onto the bench near your head lift hips off bench pressing feet to the ceiling)

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cardio: 1 min.

REPEAT 2-3 more times

bench dips: 20 reps

pendulum: 10 each side (on your back with feet in air and legs straight, drop both feet to one side without lifting back off ground; return to top and drop to other side)

cardio: 1 min.

REPEAT 2-3 more times

4th set

Anyone else getting tired of the same old exercise routine? 3 sets of 12-15 reps for the same old exercises 1 minute cardio in between...blah blah blah. Me too. On a whim I decided to change things up. So I cut down the number of exercises from 6 (for legs) to only 3. I changed the repetitions from 15-20 to about 10-12 and added significant weight. And I decided to do 3 minutes of cardio at the end of each set instead of 1 minute between each exercise. That's a lot of numbers. What does it add up to? Soreness! Pretty simple tweaks, less to think about and less total time and you've got yourself a great new workout. Here is what one of my Leg days looks like:

• Smith Machine Quarter Squat 12 reps with 85 pounds
• Single Leg Curl with Stability Ball 10 reps each leg
• Single Leg Smith Machine Squat 10 reps each leg with 65 pounds
• 3 minute elliptical on Level 10

Repeat 3 more times for a total of 4 sets

• Hanging Crunch 15 reps
• Weighted Back Extension 30 reps with 25 pound dumbbell
• Incline Reverse Curl 25 reps
• Weighted Standing Side Bends 15 reps with 20 pound dumbbell
• Plank 2 minutes

Repeat AB section once more for a total of 2 sets

I like to supplement this with another leg workout that same week of only body weight exercises and one arm and ab circuit boot camp style.

Fine!

I guess I'll come clean. After 10 days and one mental breakdown I've decided to not follow through with the original plan. I guess there are more important things out there than worrying about getting fat. Yep, fat. I said it. Probably my biggest fear in life and it's really no big deal. So this is the end of my blog about my body image issues. I guess I will bury them and eventually they will go away. Here on out, if you choose to read this blog, you'll get fitness tips and occasional nutrition facts. Let's be professional here.