A Shred Of Evidence

Ahhh… I feel very calm and surprisingly at peace. This is mostly unrelated to my physical well-being as it has basically been derived from the fact that I just had a few necessary moments of centering, but I suppose I can also give minor credit to the fact that I am now done the 30 Day Shred.

Can I just say how very happy I am to have completed this program!

Similar to my final stint with Level 2, as I finished up my last session tonight, I had to pause the DVD for a few seconds a couple of times to quickly catch my breath because I was working so hard. I managed to do almost all of the exercises on the highest intensity level, but I did have to do approximately half of the last two strength training moves (walking push-ups and plank rows with leg raises) in a modified manner to get through them.

Level 3 was definitely the hardest tier on this DVD; there's a reason is was left for the end. I am feeling pretty darned great about how I pushed myself. And, better than that, is the knowledge that I completed the entire thing! I am so enormously happy that I did the whole program, from start to finish, without taking off even a single day!

I’ve been thinking as I worked though the last couple of sessions about whether or not I would do something like this again. I think the answer is yes and no. First, nothing is outside of the realm of possibilities. Basically, though, I believe that this type of strict regimen isn’t quite for me. I liked that I was working towards a very specific goal, but not giving myself a chance to take a break – and thereby not doing more of a variety of activities – really is not something that I care to repeat anytime soon.

A program that only encompasses two or three days a week would be a much nicer fit for me. I need something that allows a bit more flexibility and which doesn’t limit my expectations of what the day will look like quite so much. I know a lot of that was self-imposed because it was my decision to not take a rest from the DVD, but that’s just the way I operate with things like this. I think a more widely spaced out routine would serve me better in the future. But, I am still really happy that I did it!

As far as what I think the whole experience did for my actual physique goes, I would have to say that it’s my arms that show the proof that I have been working so diligently. Pretty much everything else on my body is still covered over in (thinner) layers of fat, so it’s very hard for me to judge what may have changed due to the workouts I have been doing. My pipes though? They are the one thing that is definitely showing signs of improvement. It actually makes me want to incorporate more arm weights into my normal exercise now that I will be returning to my typical workout strategy.

There is one tiny complication as this program draws to a close. The last thing Jillian said before this final session of Level 3 ended was, “see you tomorrow.” I hate to stand her up, but she knew from the beginning that this relationship was only going to last a month. Thirty days later and the woman is getting all clingy? I think it’s time to make a clean break!

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 10 glasses of water throughout the day
- 1 banana
- 1 sandwich on sesame seed white bread with smoked deli ham, cheese, lettuce, fat free Miracle Whip, mustard, and pepper
- 1/2 square from a homemade reduced-calorie chocolate banana bar with low fat Cool Whip
- 2 1/4 cups Caesar salad with croutons, dried cranberries, and light dressing
- 2 miniature Mandarin oranges
- 2 egg wrap on a soft tortilla shell with cheese, orange pepper, yellow pepper, and pepper
- 1/2 cup fat free butterscotch pudding
- 3 goji berry and pistachio crackers

EXERCISE:
- 50 minute walk
- 25 minute workout video
- 15 sets of walking up and down stairs (not all at one time)