As mentioned, I decided to take a break from the 101 things in 1,001 days list. My clone started a 30 before thirty list, so like a good clone I’m copying her — let the listomania begin…

30 Before Thirty List

1. Buy a house – this was on my list before I bought a house!
2. Visit Iceland
3. Run a half-marathon (ie. start running again)
4. Attend a cooking class (@Sur La Table perhaps)
5. Carve out a stellar mini-office for work [at home]
6. Go raw for 1 week or do a cleanse ( hi mom, I know you’re going to leave me an inspirational comment)
7. Start strength training
8. Learn to ride my bike outside with my cycling shoes [without falling over]
9. Go to 1 new restaurant (or coffee shop) per week 52 in total
10. Do yoga six days a week for one month
11. Learn the Tittibhasana (Firefly) Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm stand) pose – (hijacked this one, sorry pal)
12. Get an iPhone (did Steve tell you that perchance?)
13. Go actual backpacking (as-in: carrying a backpack in the forest, not schlepping around the globe)
14. Take a silver jewelry class – crafter-alert!
15. Road trip Hwy 101 south & stay in that lighthouse hostel near SF
16. Try a new class that isn’t ‘my style’: belly dancing or zumba (cringe)
17. Ask 20 12 people their favorite book and read it
18. Try kiteboarding
19. Volunteer again
20. Get a car, scooter or new bicycle
21. Visit a spa for a whole day or do a yoga/spa vacay with H
22. Eat [hyper] local for one week
23. Cook a 5-course meal, have a dinner party
24. Buy awesome matching lingerie
25. Start a grown-up alcohol collection and declare a signature drink (mojitos…)
26. Buy a little black dress (note: not navy, grey, or a sundress… this one is going to be a challenge)
27. Visit all 30 breweries in Portland
28. Ask a guy out (I seriously have never done this, what is my problem!)
29. — (I’ll add this before my 29th birthday)
30. — (I’ll add this before my 29th birthday)

Well, well?

photo by 96dpi

Traveling for a year wasn’t the best for staying in shape… being forced to eat amazing food, with no gyms in site, and conveniently leaving my running shoes at home. I know, I know, poor me. All fun things, but these are certainly not the ingredients for rockin’ abs. I did spend my days exploring on foot though, so it wasn’t the worst thing to ever happen to my fitness. Although, by the time March rolled around I was ready to focus on getting more toned. I decided to check out the much-raved Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred — you know I’m a sucker for challenges!  Note: The object of this challenge was not to lose weight, but to tone up. I also didn’t do the Shred everyday because it’s important to have a rest day and I already had a workout program that I was enjoying twice a week.

Benchmark:
Before I started The Shred, I was going to the gym twice a week, one day to a 15 min abs class followed by a 45 min kickboxing class, and a second day to abs class again, followed by a 45 min spin class.

New Weekly Workouts

• 30 Day Shred – 2-3x a week
• abs/kickboxing – once a week
• abs/spin class – once a week

Results:
The first week that I tried Level One, my shoulders were so sore afterward that I waited a week to try again! The second week, I did it twice, and then from there I just added it in two to three days per week, for the last two months.

• Weight Loss: 5 pounds (quite a shocker — I wasn’t anticipating any!)
• Waist: -1 inch
• Butt: oh please, it’s not going anywhere!
• Thighs: -1/4 inch
• Arms: -1/8 inch
• Calves: +1/8 inch

Before & After Pics: Not a huge difference, but I do look more toned!

Bottom-line: The 30 Day Shred is perfect for a quick workout. 25 minutes of “circuit training” in your living room is convenient and easy to fit into your daily routine. My main complaint was the soundtrack. It was so unmotivating that I created my own playlist on iTunes and then just muted the DVD. I’m usually more of an indie/alternative music fan, but alas, the gym is rubbing off on me, and I’m starting to like hip-hop and pop to work out to! Jillian Michaels is all kinds of crazy — she’s like a machine or a drill sergeant — but it works!

30 Day Shred Workout Mix: M.I.A. – Paper Planes, Kanye West – Stronger, Lady GaGa – Poker Face, Britney Spears – Womanizer, Kanye West – Heartless, Lady GaGa – Just Dance, Beyonce – Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)

**Update: I forgot to mention that she says the phrase “phoning it in at the gym” about 20 times per level. ;) Another reason to hit the mute button**

Have you tried the 30 Day Shred? Do share your experience!

Next up, finishing #94.  I just need to update my summer mix.  :)

Damn the person who created this challenge.  Don’t they know I just can’t help myself from participating in challenges?  I’m on Week 3 of the 100 Push Up Challenge. When I did the initial test, I could only do about 3 push ups.  I blame elementary school PE teachers for having us only do “girl push ups”!  While I had to repeat Week 2, I’m now moving on to Week 3!

Who’s up for the challenge? I DARE YOU!