rustypants speaks

or, I Am Jillian Michaels’ Bitch.

after the first month of this weight loss contest with Tim (see Part I), when i had lost only 1lb (due to muscle mass buildup, and my not paying attention to any other area of my life in regards to this), i did my homework and realized, among other things, that i needed to do more than just exercise my legs.

honestly, i had no idea who jillian michaels was when i got the first workout DVD – Banish Fat and Boost Metabolism. she looked tough and there were a LOT of fantastic reviews on amazon.com – what more did i need?

holy. crap.

again, i stress that at this point, besides a month of biking, i had not exercised since high school sports (20+ years ago).

when i attempted the 55 minute workout that jillian michaels puts you through – well, let’s just say that i made it to about the 20 minute point, stopping three times, and thinking my lungs were going to explode and send my lifeless body down the river of sweat coursing through the room.

it was CRAZY!! jillian michaels is CRAZY!! i was talking with lise later in the day and mentioned offhandedly this observation. lise said, “oh, yeah. she’s tough!” i looked at her bug-eyed and said, “how do you know jillian michaels??” and it was her turn to look at me like i was nuts. she said, “she’s the trainer on The Biggest Loser, dumbass! she’s the one who takes the worst of them and wins!” oy vey! no wonder i’m getting my butt kicked!!

it took me 10+ days before i could get through the entire workout in one session (and i still had to stop 2-3 times).

but then something clicked. i don’t know if it was the rhythm, my body adapting, finding my pace – not sure, but i started being able to push it through the whole routine without stopping.

and wow – talk about an endorphin rush! i AM jillian michaels’ bitch!

the cardio, the ab workout, the stretching, the planks – i felt great afterwards and for the entire day! not to mention that it seems to be a natural appetite suppressant (at least it is for me). i started noticing things like my ability to breathe easier, more muscles getting toned, a huge increase in stamina, increased flexibility in my arms and legs, and an overall healthy “high” feeling.

so at this point, i was still biking once a day, plus now working out to jillian.

other things needed to change, too! and other things had to be added. tomorrow i’ll tell you my next step…

Part III Preview: The Addition and The Subtraction