30 Day Shred: Days 22-25 Level 3

Checking in to let you know how Days 22-25 went on my 30 Day Shred workout video journey.  I can’t believe I only have 5 more days until I complete the whole workout.  It’s been fun and a total challenge but I am ready to do a variety of different in-home workouts that is for sure.  Level 3 is going by fast.

Day 22-

Another good workout and this day I started in the early morning with the 30 Day Shred workout video and then in the evening went to Aqua Fit class at the gym.  Phew!

July 22nd

28 minutes
163 calories burned
Max Heart Rate: 81%/149
Average Heart Rate: 66%/120

Day 23-

OK, I had to modify the side plank raises because they are just way too hard for me right now.  I keep trying but it’s a bit too much pressure on my knee on the left side so I have been doing other moves in place so it’s all good.

July 23rd

28 minutes
188 calories burned
Max Heart Rate: 86%/157
Average Heart Rate: 72%/131

Day 24-

I’m telling ya my heart rate monitor is going to drive me crazy.  I’m not sure why it works off and on but I’m almost at the point of wanting a new one ha ha.  The one I have right now is for men anyway so a girlie one would be nice.  I have this men’s Polar heart rate monitor but would love this pretty green women’s polar heart rate monitor.

Today’s workout went by really fast.  I like when it does that!

July 24th

28 minutes
193 calories burned
Max Heart Rate: 116%/213 (I don’t think so!)
Average Heart Rate: 69%/127

Day 25-

Ahh today’s workout was tough.  I came home after an hour long spin/cycling class at the gym to do the workout.  It was not easy but I feel great.  This will happen again tomorrow so I’m not looking forward to it.  I’m totally exhausted right now.

28 minutes
189 calories burned
Max Heart Rate: 81%/149
Average Heart Rate: 69%/126

Only 5 days to go on the 30 Day Shred! How is the shred going for you?  For those of you who haven’t done it are you ready to challenge yourself?

You are strong,

 

Fun facts about blueberries

Happy Friday! It’s time for your fit and healthy lifestyle tip.

This week I ran across a great post by Zesty Cook about blueberries.  I really enjoy blueberries but my favorite way to eat them is on top of oatmeal.  Either frozen or fresh blueberries are fine by me!

Today’s Tip:  Learn some fun facts about blueberries

facts about blueberries

In addition to learning about how to choose a good blueberry and other blueberry tips on Zesty Cook’s blog, I found some fun facts about blueberries too.  Did you know blueberries are also called “star berries”?  Each blossom end forms a 5 point star (thanks to Blueberrylane Farm for the fun fact)

According to my Superfoods for Dummies book Blueberries are a powerful antioxidant and help you body in several ways.

1) Help keep your heart healthy
2) Help prevent cancer
3) Help with vision
4) Keeps your mind sharp
5) Helps to prevent urinary tract infections

Not only are they low in calories but also a significant source of Vitamin C.  Yum!

Do you like blueberries?  What is your favorite way to eat them?

*photo courtesy of foodista

 

Are your belongings safe at the gym?

We just recently joined LA Fitness and have to use traditional locks on the lockers rather than key cards like our old gym.  This past Monday when we went to Aqua Fit class, I realized that the luggage lock I was using had either broken or somehow I reset the code.  I have to do some research on that to see if I can make it work again BUT Master Locks company has come to the rescue! They have these awesome new speed dial, set your own combination locks that I think would be great for anyone to use at their gym.  I need one!

red-master-lock

It’s cool because they aren’t your usual rotary dial but rather opens on up and down, left and right movements.  So simple and easy for kids to use at school too.  I’m hoping to get a chance to try one out here soon!  The Master Locks company has a new regular style rotary dial lock (product 159OD) that has a neat reset feature and of course they offer more locks to fit anyone’s budget and style.

I wonder if these locks are TSA approved!  If so that would make life grand because we could use them not only on the gym locker but as luggage locks when we travel to Jamaica in just a few months.  I’ll be sure to check on that.

How do you keep your goods locked up at the gym?

PS.  Here’s a little about the Master Lock company

Master Lock is the world’s largest manufacturer of padlocks and related security products providing innovative security solutions for home, automotive, campus, power sports, bike and storage security needs for consumers and contractors alike. Master Lock Company L.L.C. is an operating unit of Fortune Brands, Inc., a leading consumer brands company. Headquartered in Deerfield, Ill., Fortune Brands (NYSE: FO) is included in the S&P 500 Index. (www.masterlock.com)

Very cool that they are located in my neck of the woods!  Not too far at all.

 

Weekly Weigh In: July 22

Stayed the same this week as far as weight but I feel really good.  As you all know, I have been doing the 30 Day Shred for 22 days straight and this week we got back to the gym.  Monday night was Aqua Fit class and tonight we did cardio both treadmill and elliptical.  Phew!

Current weight: 230
Goal weight: 140
Pounds left to go: 90

How did your week go?

Happy Wednesday,

 

30 Day Shred: Level 3 Day 1

Today was Day 1 of Level 3 for the 30 Day Shred workout video!  I love Level 3 although I had to modify quite a few of the moves.  Doesn’t matter, I still sweated like crazy and it felt great.  Only 9 days left.  So crazy!

Level 3 has a more challenging warm up.  I still modified the double jump rope with regular and the butt kick  was modified with leg lifts/kicks.  As long as I keep moving it’s all good.

Circuit 1 was tough, I ain’t gonna lie!

Strength:

The walking plank move had to be modified and done on my knees and the superman about did me in ha ha.  It was a tough move for me and I’m sure once you see what move it is, you might laugh at me.  For those doing the 30 Day Shred workout video, you know exactly what move I’m talking about.  Definitely my least favorite move out of the whole video.

Cardio:

Resistance training is incorporated in some of the moves.  The mountain climbers are a lot of fun and I actually find the regular easier than the modified version.  The sumo squat hops weren’t something I could really do with my bad knees so I modifid and just did other moves.

Abs:

LOVE the pike and scissor crunches.  Great moves!

Circuit 2 was tiring phew but I love the music in this one.

Strength:

For the strength and cardio portions  you’re using weights.  The dumbell and squat combo move is fun and then there are jumping lunges which I also had to change up into alternating lunges.  And no, I can’t do an actual lunge but I just go as far as I can which isn’t very far.

Cardio:

The cardio in Circuit 2 was awesome.  I enjoyed using weights while shadowboxing and jump rope but again with butt kicks I had to modify.  No problem!

Abs:

Sit ups.  I haven’t done sit ups in forever and I really enjoyed them.  Yep, modified again but I could really feel it working.  I want to add these to my daily routine.

Lastly Circuit 3…it was good but not one of my favorites.  The strength moves were traveling pushups (WOW!) and row/leg raise planks. Modified both of those moves along with the jumping moves in the cardio and side plank raises in the ab sections.

Cool down was the same as all other levels.

So, I have 9 more days left and I think I’m definitely going to incorporate quite a few of the moves from Level 3 into my regular workout routine.  Keep following my journey through this video. Once I’m done, I will compile my notes and write a full review that will be found on my main website.

Have you done Level 3 of the 30 Day Shred workout video? I want to hear your thoughts on it.

 

30 Day Shred: Days 19-20 Level 2

Have you been following my 30 Day Shred journey?  I have completed Days 19 & 20 and look forward to moving on to Level 3 tomorrow.  I only have 10 days left, I still can’t believe it!  This workout video has been a lot of fun but I’m not sure that I will do it again.  Just not sure…I’ll probably incorporate some of it into my weekly workouts but I got bored quickly doing the same thing over and over.  Anyway here are the stats for the past two days.

Day 19-

Got up really early today to do the workout before we began our busy day.  Kev had mentioned doing it when we got back home but I just knew I would be way too tired to do it so I pushed myself to make it happen before we left.  I was up and shredding at 7 AM on a Sunday OH MY!  Hey gotta get used to getting up early on Sunday again because we start back to spinning/cycling class this weekend.

The workout was pretty good and sweaty as usual.

July 19th

28 minutes
190 calories burned
Max Heart Rate: 90%/165
Average Heart Rate: 70%/129

Day 20-

Today didn’t turn out as sweaty as the other days.  I am exhausted from a busy weekend and really didn’t feel like doing the workout this morning BUT I did it anyway.  I love the military press and leg extension move.  My arms burn and it feels great.  And if you haven’t figured it out already I absolutely love the plank jacks.  I don’t do the modified version on this.  Jillian says that resistance and cardio together makes it so effective.  Burn baby burn!

Haven’t been able to do the double jump ropes and even the regular kind of bother my knees, the constant jumping up and down (It’s not the workout that gives me knee issues, I have had knee issues for a while so I have to modify.  Just wanted to clarify that it’s not the workout).  Sometimes I modify and do leg kicks or knee lifts instead.  As for the last set of ab work in circuit 3, I haven’t been able to accomplish that one yet.  The plank twists are difficult and I just can’t twist my legs/knees under by body to the opposite side.  One day!

July 20th

28 minutes
180 calories burned
Max Heart Rate: 85%/156
Average Heart Rate: 67%/123

So there you have it, an overview of my last two days on Level 2.

Have a great week,

P.S. You can purchase the 30 Day Shred workout video at Amazon for under $7.  I think it’s totally worth it to at least try it once.  Like I said above, I’ll incorporate it into my weekly workouts.  I notice there are two other workouts by Jillian Michaels and they look interesting too.  Do you have the No More Trouble Zones or the Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism workout videos? If so, please share what you think about them.