But only just.
It’s fair to say that Jilian Michael’s 30 Day Shred DVD is kicking my arse, literally.
I’m on Day 5 now, and I’m sore from my neck to my toes, unable to clim stairs without shooting pains in my thighs and my arms feel like I’ve been holding a brick in the air for the last century.
While my body is crying out for a rest it is also reaping the rewards of the program already. I have a lot more energy, I feel perkier, and my fitness is somewhat increased already, only last night I jogged for a minute and for the first time ever didn’t lose my breath at all, or have to stop due to the fear I may fall over and die at any moment.
Definite progress.
I’ve not noticed a difference by sight yet, but then I do have a lot of weight to lose and a large portion of fat covering any muscles that may have started to form during the short time I’ve been doing the program, but I feel tighter and firmer in a few areas so I’m going to presume it’s working.
Whilst I am the first to admit that I dislike exercise, it’s not actually the energetic, out of breath, sore muscle part of exercise that I don’t enjoy. It’s the annoyances during the workout that frustrate me.
Every time I do a jumping jack, or any kind of jump for that matter I need to visit the loo. Doesn’t matter if I’ve just been 30 seconds early, and 30 seconds before that, jumping up and down makes my bladder weak.
Add to that that bouncing of any kind makes my stomach jiggle around and hit me in the face, and my glasses constantly fall off whenever I move my head in a new direction.
I sometimes feel that the real battle during exercise isn’t physical at all, but learning to overcome the mental road blocks that try and distract me from completing the task at hand.
I can hear my thoughts trying to talk my body out of it.
“You can’t do ten more, give now”
“You need to wee. You REALLY need to wee”
“Why don’t you do this later……home and away is on the TV”
My inner monologue is betraying my body and trying to lure me towards the dark side. Maybe today I am more prone to it as I am hormonal, craving chocolate, and a little lethargic, but if I can get over the mental roadblocks associated with exercise I’m pretty sure I could push my body suprisingly far.
Tomorrow is my day of rest, then back to the Shred on Sunday, full of energy, and ready to start another intense week of working out.
