Shredheads

Life after the 30 Day Shred

I can't tell you how incredibly flattered I was that so many people came up to me at BlogHer to tell me how great I looked.

I'm sorry if I'm repeating myself but IT REALLY FELT GREAT.

And while I probably should be a spokesperson for the 30 Day Shred (and I am - a completely unpaid one that's not at all affiliated with Jillian Michaels), I want to be clear that my weight loss is not entirely due to her workout.

While I did do the 30 Day Shred for the entire month of March, I've since changed up my routine. And even though my diet hasn't changed (I still don't eat after 8pm and I only drink water), I've definitely changed my workouts.

So, if you're looking for a change, here are some suggestions on how to continue your weight loss past the 30 Day Shred:

1. The Other Jillian Michaels DVDs: I've not personal done them, but I've heard great things about Jillian Michaels' other workouts, like Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism. Keep in mind, none of them are just 20 minutes long like the 30 Day Shred, but if you alternate every other day, my guess is you'll get a pretty great all around workout.

2. The Bob Harper DVDs: For the month of April, I did Weight Loss Yoga and Cardio Max - sometimes alternating days, sometimes combining them, still doing no longer than a 25 minute workout and I lost 8lbs. And I ordered them via my Netflix account so they were sort of free.

3. Exercisetv.tv Plans: Danielle for Foodmomiac introduced these Workout plans to me and I love them. You purchase a series of five downloads (sometimes less, sometimes more), and alternate them every day. They've got something for everyone, even grandpas.

4. Couch to 5K program: As scary as that might sound, the Couch to 5K program is a great way to ease into running.

5. Mix it up: You can certainly still rotate the 30 Day Shred into your workout routine, but mixing it up with different dvds and running can give you a great, well rounded workout.

What are some things you've done to stay in shape after completing the 30 Day Shred? And we've had 72 people sign up for August buddies! WOO! Most likely, we'll (er, Bill) will have you set up on Monday with your partners. We'll do our best to match you up with someone else, but since we both have day jobs, bear with us. If you haven't filled out the poll yet, you'll find it in the left sidebar.

Things I Learned On My "Long Run"

Note: If you're here for the 30 Day Shred, don't worry, this isn't turning into a running site...I'm just still excited about actually running 6.6 miles.  In a row!  Head over here to find out how to get Shred and to sign up for a Shred Buddy.

In my last post I told you about my long run over the weekend.  Okay, 6.6 miles might not be a "long run" to some people, but it was 1.5 miles past my previous longest run, and about 6.5 miles past anything I'd run before May, so I say it counts!

What did I learn from doing it?

1. Double Check Your Plan
My original plan was to head into DC by running through Fort Myer - a completely new route for me.  On Saturday I checked the gate hours, discovering that the gate near me is closed on weekends.  As there's no good way around Fort Myer, I would have been pissed stuck running a different route.

I also double checked the Metro hours, and found out they don't open until 7 on weekends.  I'd assumed 6, so that could have been a long hour of waiting around needing to use the bathroom!  That's another thing - scout out bathrooms.  I'm only good for about 3 miles, at which point all the bouncing results in, well, knowing where the bathrooms are is a good thing.  :)

2. Fuel Up
My walk/run intervals were what I expected until about 5 miles, at which point I had to walk a lot more frequently (I love being able to see it via my GPS watch data).  I recall feeling "out of gas" at around that point, and I realized I should have eaten.  If I'm running more than 4.5 miles, I need to eat before, or take something with me and eat during.

3. Prepare to Entertain Yourself
I don't listen to music while I run, so I suppose I think about things while I run.  I tried to tell Sharon what I thought about, but I don't actually remember - I just zone out.  But an hour is a LONG time, so if you don't have the talent of turning your brain off (sometimes I wonder if I ever turn it back on), you might want to take some music.  Frankly, I consider quiet time away from arguing children to be bliss and I enjoy the silence.

4. Don't Show Off
You may think that you're going to look bitchin' (how great is that word?) as you skip part of your walk break and haul ass by the out-of-towners gawking at the Lincoln Memorial...and you might.  But when you pass out 1/4 mile later, you'll regret it.

5. Stretch and Recover
This seems like a dumb one to mention, but if you do something different - such as a long one-way run where you take public transportation back - your routine may get messed up.  I did a little stretching while waiting for the train, but I was self conscious and didn't do enough.  It may have been the lack of stretching, or may have been because I pushed hard, but Monday's Shred and Tuesday's run were REALLY difficult.  Wednesday's workout was a little better, but still not 100%.  When "they" say not to train hard for a few days before a race, I guess now I understand they mean it!

All this talk about long running is getting me excited about signing up for longer races!  A 10K is high on my list, with the tiarathon (Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon) something I'm pushing for!

- Bill