The blog lives!!! After much ignoring of it, while writing for peanuts elsewhere, it is now time to return here and write what I know.
Returning to my own blog is a consequence of returning to a real fitness routine. You see, I’m in the midst of a Challenge. A Jillian Michaels Challenge, actually, for all the marbles… or maybe just bragging rights and an awesome wedding-ready body.
Many years ago when I was dedicated and self-motivated, I bought Jillian’s 30 Day Shred and recommended it on to my best friend, who lives across the ocean, in delightful but damp Scotland. In the intervening years, the friend has gone on to conquer both ballet and the scary heights of several other Jillian workout dvds. I have done some running and some desultory attempts at Jillian whenever I tell myself I’m going to workout before work.
Enter the Challenge. Said friend has challenged a number of us to a Jillian Challenge comprising four weeks of killer workouts five times a week. There are measurements and blog requirements, as well as a point system and a spreadsheet. This is serious stuff here. My imminent wedding and general fed-upness with being out of shape compelled me forward, and now I’m typing this post a week and a day in… and boy am I sore.
There has been some 30 Day Shred and Ripped in 30, as well as 20 minutes of Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism (not “easier” FRR, not easier at all!) and some Yoga Meltdown. But then, there was a race. A 5K. Once something I crushed routinely…injury and illness have curtailed my running in recent years. You may therefore imagine my surprise when my fiancé told me we were under 10 minutes at the one mile marker. “Wait, what!?! How is that happening? Whaddya know, a week of Jillian makes you faster.” Mile 2 was highly motivated by thoughts of looking amazing in my wedding dress, and mile 3 was all about “Let this dang-frabbling race BE OVER,” but we finished it. And, in a faster time than our last race.
So, here is to the happy return to the blog, regular workouts, and -since I will be doing Jillian on my birthday this week- me too!
