Challenge Time

Let me tell ya, eating healthy is hard when you are married! For one, eating healthy is expensive and as a new married couple, we are are on a tight budget. Secondly, I live with a guy that eats whatever he wants, however much he wants, whenever he wants and doesn't gain a single pound!!! Its only slightly unfair. And by slightly I mean VERY! Thirdly, I love cooking and baking, and for better or worse, most of my food comes out pretty dang good. Therefore, we eat it. Plus, being the only two that live here, we are the only two that eat an entire batch of pumpkin muffins or oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. It is beginning to be a problem. So that I can still fit into my pants, I have decided to crack down on the whole staying fit thing.

I normally work out every morning before I go to class. My exercise routine usually includes one of the many workouts I have on DVD including The Firm, Hip Hop Abs, and Turbo Jam. I love these work outs. Especially all the ones with kickboxing in it. I like to switch it up everyday. Some of the workouts are 50 minutes and I think the shortest one is around 32 minutes. Every once in awhile I make it to the gym and hit the treadmill or run outside. Lots of the workout DVDs have weight sections incorporated with them that I really like much better than simply pumping iron at the gym-Boring!
 

However, I think I need a little change for awhile. Something that is gonna  help me burn a few more cals. So I have decided to take on Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. I have done the workout before a couple of times sporadically, but not on a consistent basis. I am slightly skeptical to do it, because the work outs are only like 25 minutes, which doesn't seem long enough. I am used to exercising closer to 45 minutes a day. But I am going to give it a try. The best part is that all the workouts for it are free on YouTube! Isn't technology amazing. So my plan is to do it at least 5 days a week. If I get 6 days in a week, even better. I plan to do it for 6 weeks, which puts me at the weekend before Thanksgiving. Just in time for our trip to Arizona.

I really am not worried so much about how many pounds I lose or what size I drop to, though I won't complain if both of those things happen. I more just want to be fit and proud of my body. I want to make exercise a lifestyle habit. For me, the hardest part is not getting up and doing the workouts, it is eating right throughout the day! That dang sweet tooth. Gosh! So of course I am going to try and cut back on my sugar intake till Thanksgiving as well. Good luck to me, I am going to need it.

Feel free to join me if you want! It is always easier to exercise with a buddy!

Here are the links to the workouts:
Level 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pc-NizMgg8
Level 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKdJ9jJv594&feature=related
Level 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMN4g3D4ODE&feature=relmfu

Jillian says to do each work out ten times in a row before going to the higher level. But she also says it is perfectly okay to spend a couple extra days on the level if you are not yet ready to move on.

Okay... Ready... Set... GO!!!