Bug,  fitness

Doing “The Shred”

doing "the shred"

Obviously, I am a big ol’ lemming. My friends twittered about the Twilight Series books so I had to go borrow the first book and read it in two days. Then these same friends twittered about how amazing Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred work out was so I had to go and see what that was all about too.

In my defense it is free on Cable On Demand so it’s not like I’m throwing money away to satisfy my need to follow others blindly. And of course we had the doughnuts the other day and I had to do something other than sit on the couch and eat bonbons. This is my version of rehab.

Usually, I like to take a run/walk to the beach when I’m feeling in need of some exercise but do you know what it is like trying to get a toddler to go along with that every morning? She is the worst work-out partner ever. I ask her if she wants to go for a stroller ride to the beach and she says no, she’d rather make pancakes and watch tv.

No wonder moms are forever complaining about putting on weight. It’s like you have to put your vanity on the back burner while you cook up yummy delicious things that your kids never eat. And then you feel compelled to eat those yummy delicious things because nobody else is eating them and it would be such a terrible waste to just throw them in the trash can. I cannot win!

The Shred seemed like a good idea. It’s free, it’s on cable, it’s only thirty minutes long. How badly can that go? I can do it quickly in the morning and shut up my conscience for the rest of the day. Easy peasy right?

Heh.

Here’s a window to my morning:

I don’t have any weights right now so I’m using soup cans out of my pantry. I know they don’t weigh enough but they seem to do the trick. My arms say they are working just fine. I use a can of pink tomato soup and a can of peaches. Baby Bug uses two cans of tomato paste. They are just her size. But then she wants my pink can and the next thing I know I’m rummaging through my pantry and Jillian is not waiting for me to catch up. I know I could pause the show but I never think of that.

When the cans are sorted out and we’re moving on to crunches then Baby Bug wants to lay on top of me while I try to lift my chin towards my knees. Extra resistance is good I suppose but her extra resistance is frankly getting a little tiring. As it is I need to do the modified “easy” version of Jillian’s workout and that version does not include a ton of bricks on my abs. I’m gonna be ripped if we keep this up.

Then there is Baby Bug’s running commentary about what I should be eating while I’m working out.

“Do you want some fishy crackers, Mommy?” she says, holding out her bowl to me.

“No, sweetie. I’m exercising right now. I’m not hungry.”

“But Mommy you ARE hungry. Eat a cracker.”

“No. I’m not.”

“Mommy, can you say yes?”

“No, Baby. I can’t say yes right now. I’m exercising.”

“Mommy, do you want some gummy bears? They’re really yummy.”

Silence.

“How about some ice cream, Mommy? Some ice cream would be really good.”

Repeat repeat repeat until I flip out and do something really stupid like throw her bowl of fish crackers across the room and then fall on the floor sobbing because really, I do want a cracker. I would love to have a cracker. There is nothing I would like better than to sit around watching tv and eating crackers and ice cream and gummy bears all morning. Waaaah waaah waaaah!

Don’t worry. I didn’t really flip out or throw anything. I wanted to but I didn’t. I muddled my way through to the end of The Shred with Baby Bug hanging off me half the time. It was far from a perfect work out but it was better than nothing. I know I won’t lose 20 pounds in 30 days but I figure every little bit helps. If nothing else it helps get Baby Bug used to the idea that working out is healthy and there are lots of different ways you can do it.

12 Comments

  • Kuky

    Isabelle loves sitting on me when I try to do exercise. Or laying in the way. Only once in a while will she try to join me for all of 2 seconds to stick her butt and one leg into the air.

    And now this lemming is going to go see if the video is available for rent. :)

  • Angella

    Good for you for doing the shred! Emily likes to “work out” with me too. She actually tries to do the crunches and stuff – it’s hard for me not to laugh :)

  • Gayle

    The photo of you and Bug is so cute! I went through the same thing when my kids were little. My two youngest wanted to exercise with me, but it usually ended up that I would not be able to get any exercise done with my two partners. I would get annoyed and quit early every time. I found that one thing they loved to do was kick boxing! I got a Denise Austin kick boxing video and as long as nobody was too close to each other, it worked out pretty well. Good luck!

  • Sonja

    Noah is not a fan of the Postnatal Rescue Workout DVD. At least he can’t tempt me with his snacks.
    Plus, it’s WAY too hot to excercise. And I’m sick. And I’m totally going to start tomorrow. No, wait. Monday. Monday will be perfect.

  • Jennifer

    I thought I was the only person who used soup cans to work out with! I tried a yoga dvd when Emily was much younger and she was all over me. She also had running commentary and kept trying to manipulate my body into different positions with her hands. That was when she wasn’t nose to nose with me saying, “Mama why are you on the floor?????” I was laughing so hard I couldn’t get through the workout.

    I haven’t attempted a workout in quite a while. Which is VERY obvious. Maybe I should do it again, just for the comedic affect alone.

    I think your workout with BB picture is so cute.

  • BeachMama

    I had heard about this 30 day shred, but really, if I had time each day to work out, I wouldn’t need the 30 day shred! Good for you for doing it and telling it like it is. I have two climbing all over me while I try to work out, which just leads me to a car ride so I feel free once again.

  • Melissa

    Another lemming here to line up! I have the Twilight series on my list and The Shred sounds awesome…definitely have to check my On Demand tomorrow. I remember exercising with mine, we used to do the Jane Fonda workout, now he runs me ragged when we workout together. The sit ups were hilarious but once I was trying to do wall sits and he came and jumped on my lap…the pain was instant and brutal.
    Bug is a little pusher…kids want nothing more than to share their snacks. But, really, the ‘Mommy, can you say yes’ is wonderful! That is just such a great statement! I want to try that on my husband and everyone else…

  • Sam

    OOOoooh, thanks for the tip that the Shred is On Demand! What a perfect way to try it and not have to spend $$$ for yet another workout DVD that I don’t use. I love that you are using soup cans. I know it will kick my butt but Lord knows I have to start doing SOMETHING.

  • Rhi

    I don’t have hand weights, either. Must buy some. Last time I used one can of pineapple (20 ounces!) and one can of enchilada sauce (also 20 ounces). I was really hungry throughtout the entire workout.