Shred Day 5

We have a crazy-busy weekend coming up, so if we're going to do this workout at all on Saturday and Sunday, we need to do it very early. So Miss P and I moved our 5th workout up several hours and did it at 5pm today. It was good. Not great, but good. I was able to follow the 'advanced' demo girl for quite a few exercises, and I moved up to using 3-lb hand weights, instead of 2-lb. And I made it through without stopping.

Something I've noticed several times in the last two or three days is an inexplicable desire to jump on the treadmill and RUN, as though my body is craving more exercise. Which is kind of unheard of, in my universe.  So far, I've resisted (ha ha), partly because I really want to see what the Shred DVDs alone will do for me, in terms of stamina, fat loss etc. I love that the workouts are only 20 min. (though you have to allow a bit more time overall, for warmup, cooldown stretching, and of course, a SHOWER.) For most of us busy moms, 20+ minutes is doable, and (according to Jillian) more effective than "hours of phoning it in at the gym." Or not going to the gym at all. Or getting off the sofa.

Another great side effect of these gruelling workouts is the impact on what I'm eating. I have been making much wiser food choices all week, because I know how darn hard it's going to be to get rid of the extra calories if I make poor choices. For example, if I really need dessert, I'll have an apple instead of two (or six) cookies. If I plunk myself down to watch a bit of TV of an evening, and I'm feeling hungry, I'll have a small bowl of partially cooked ('slow' oats) porridge with vanilla yogurt (I drain the oats before they've absorbed all the water--so chewy and yummy!), instead of an entire--yes entire, I kid you not, shame on me--bag of buttery microwave popcorn (about 500 calories, egads!).

But since it's Friday (and family movie night), I'm indulging a teeny bit (ate a few potato chips and two little squares of dark chocolate). And for the first time in probably two weeks (also unheard of in my universe), I've treated myself to a drink. It's a Bacardi "Real Jus" rum and grapefruit juice cooler. Very tart; you've gotta love grapefruit to drink this. I just may start buying Bacardi coolers again. I quit a while back because the real-sugar Breezers were just too sickeningly sweet, and I won't buy the "lite" artificially sweetened coolers either. Or maybe just mix my own GF juice and rum! (That way, I know exactly what's in it.)

Pucker up!

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