Just finished L1D5! I think I'm sort of getting used to the crunches & other ab work, but I don't think I'll EVER get used to the strength exercises.

L1D2 complete! I popped my ankle on the warmup jumping jacks (ow!) so instead of jumping jacks and jump ropes, I marched in place briskly. My cat probably thinks I have issues! Also still having trouble with the crunches, so I've been substituting reverse crunches for the weird ones

I can tell a difference already. I'm able to do more pushups, so yay progress!!

Thanks, ImImportant! Good job, penmage!

I am watching from the sidelines still. I hoped today I would be back at it but my hives still break out quite a bit when I get too warm. Maybe tomorrow. I'm kind of sad this happened when I was on a good roll, so I'm just really focussing on my eating right now. I recalculated my calories based on sedentry instead of working out every day and it's not a huge difference.

Hope you feel better StephanieM!

Today, I feel like taking a break. My legs are still sore from the gym yesterday from the hard workout. I might do a Leslie Sansone vid though to burn some calories. I might designate today as a down day, although I might have to save it up for Saturday when I am traveling.

L2D2 done (just about!) Thought I was going to puke on the last circuit, but just about finished it!

Later on this evening I'm going to practise my form for the plank jacks, the walking press ups and the final abs move, as I really don't think I hold my bum right. Hoping once I've sorted that I'll be ready to really beast it tomorrow afternoon!

Today the jumping oblique things and the military presses were much better, so I do have hope!

StephanieM Really hope you're able to jump back in soon, it's really annoying you got the reaction when you did, but the 30DS will be waiting when you're better

Tiawyn Listen to your body, if it really needs a rest take one, if not power on through and feel virtuous when you've got another day under your belt!

Penmage good work!

Littlegreen well done! Before starting I'd have put money on myself being more of a strength than a cardio person, but I couldn't have been more wrong! I really struggle with the strength and quite enjoy the cardio!!!!

Each day is getting easier! I think I'm onto day 4 or 5 now.

Does anyone find that their body aches in a different way to what Jillian sometimes expects?
For example, on L1, during the final abs segment, you are supposed to feel a "knot in your stomach" but my abs feel fine... it's my legs that are crying out nooo!

There are a few other parts, too. I'm fairly sure I'm doing the moves right, just wondering if anyone else has these moments?

I took yesterday off due to TOM. I will be back at it this evening. I noticed this morning that my size 10 pants are HUGE. They used to fit perfectly on my waist but now there is a huge gap. Unfortunately they don't have belt loops so I will need to sew them a bit to fit properly. But I put it down to the 30 Day Shred. I should have taken before pictures so I could see the difference.

PinkWaterfall I had the same experience. The breathing helped. Breathing in when going down and out during the crunch. Once I started breathing that way I was able to maximize the movement.

L1D6 done! It's definitely getting easier - I'm even managing a few of the pushups (the modified version, of course!)

penmage - I'm still not sure whether I'm doing ANY of the crunches right! With the bicycle ones at the end, I just guess wildly. Well done on the pushups!

StephanieM - good luck!

Tiawyn - apparently Jillian suggests taking down days every so often anyway, so don't feel bad about it! I took the weekend off & I don't think that hurt me at all.

takingcontrol - yep, the cardio is almost a breeze in comparison! Apparently level 3 has exercises that mix cardio and strength (like jumping jacks with handweights) which I am NOT looking forward to.

Pinkwaterfall - that has definitely happened to me a few times. I normally take it as a sign to push harder - like when she says I should feel a burn in my legs during the punches, I try to squat as low as possible.

ImImportant - congrats! I wish I had 'before' photos too - I keep thinking my body is changing, but I can never be certain. Clothes being too big is a great sign, though!

L2D7 done!

Well done, everyone! Hope you get feeling better soon StephanieM!

L1D3 complete! I didn't even have to pause anywhere! Swapping the jumping jacks and jump rope for marching in place really seems to help. I decided to see how doing ALL reverse crunches, instead of regular/bicycle/etc would feel, since I read an article today that indicated regular sit ups can be detrimental to those with back problems. I already have enough of those! We'll see how my back feels tomorrow.

Mom did the workout with me today (she's about 140, and a couple inches taller than me) and I have to admit, it felt good that she was tired and wanted to pause it, and I felt fine! Plus I can do more push ups than she can

Onward to day 4!

L2 D3 done!

Once again my faith in the programme is restored! So much easier today, I feel like I actually gave all of it a damn good go!!! It really is amazing how quickly it becomes more doable!

I'm still wit Anita a lot of the time, but hoping that by the end I'll be fully up to speed......

Although, today I did make a mistake as on the last circuit when it got to the plank jumping jacks I realised I'd already done them earlier and remembered I should have done the in and out jumps then instead. Hoping to get it perfectly correct tomorrow, on my two week everyday exercise day, yippeeee!

Penmage you're doing great, well done! Is your mum going to keep on doing it with you now?!

ImImportant You're on the verge of level three, how scary!!! Are you going to do ripped in 30 afterwards?

LittleGreen sounds scary, but I'm starting to believe that anything is possible!

Pinkwaterfall I pretty much find all of me hurting throughout lol

Hello! I know I may be a little late but can I join in?
I confess I've been lurking a bit for the last week, but reading all your posts convinced me to buy 30DS and I'm planning on trying it out for the first time tonight!

Hi purplekitten7 I think many of us are going at our own pace so jumping in now is as good a time as any.

takingcontrol I started getting nervous about L3. I'm looking forward to moving on because I like the results so far but I'm not sure what to expect on the next level. I'm trying to decide if I will go for another 30 days of the Shred or move on to Ripped. I'm not sure yet. I will start C25K soon too.

I will say that I am impressed with everyones progress and I don't really want to leave this thread when I do move on. There have been days when I didn't want to exercise but I knew I needed to post my progress and see what all of you were doing. The support and accountability has helped me immensely.

L1D7 done! I'm almost getting to the point where I can recite Jillian's speeches off by heart...

purplekitten7 - definitely join in! The first couple of days are SUPER hard, but after that, it really does get so much more bearable.

ImImportant - the level of community here is really fantastic; I appreciate it so much.

By the way, is anyone doing other exercise on top of the 30DS? I've just been doing the Shred so far, but I'm thinking about incorporating something else in - ideally something that doesn't take much time. I might start the Hundred Pushups Challenge (I can't post links but you can google if interested) since the pushups are the part of 30DS I have the most trouble with - anyone else interested?

L2D8 done.