Hi Shaunarae -

A normal weight loss would be 1-2 lbs a week. I'm not sure exactly when you started, but if you're on day 3 of the exercise, I'd wait until day 7 before hopping on the scale.

I have to admit, I am a scale fiend and I weigh myself almost every day. It's actually not a good thing because you get into this mentality like....if I don't see a change, I'm giving up.

One thing to keep in mind if you aren't seeing scale changes, is the "NSVs" or non-scale victories that I've seen posted around here. By that I mean, try to notice when your clothes fit better, try to notice when you are able to go longer in your workouts before feeling tired. Those are all GREAT signs that your body is loving you for what you're doing for it! Another thing I used to watch was my heart rate. I felt really happy when my heart rate took longer to shoot up to the "call an ambulance for this woman" zone than it used to.

Stick with us for the long haul, Shauna! You'll get there!

Shaunarae - listen to the poster formerly known as Phatbutt....she speaks the truth!!

My NSV is that I find it a lot easier to keep my heart rate up without feeling like I'm dying....

I'm waiting for the fabled muscle eating the fat syndrome.....then I can eat whatever I want again, right? Ah well...by that time they will have also invented that magic pill we have all been waiting for....

I do plan on sticking with you guys for the long haul. I just did Week 1 Day 4. It started off easier than Day 1, but I was exhausted by Circuit 5. My HRM was beeping cause I was too high "out of the zone". I do already notice changes. I was just expecting a big whoosh at the beginning like it happens with so many diets when you begin. I'm a long-time exerciser and have done 4BFL challenges, so I know to be patient and stick with it. I'm really liking the way I feel with Jillian's workouts. I already feel thinner too, even if the scales don't reflect that.

I had ordered Jillian's DVDs the same time I ordered her book. I just got the DVDs today. I am off to preview them and see how I can incorporate them into my workouts.

Thanks for your help/support.

Shauna

Shauna - which DVDs did you get? The front/back workouts? It would be nice to know someone else will be going through my DVD misery with me!

I noticed a few big drops in weight when I started different programs, but not this one. It may be because you, like me, have done so many programs before that your body is like - yeah I don't think so. hehe I've been struggling with the slow poundage loss, but I remind myself that hey, at least I won't have weird baggy skin to deal with.

This morning after the BF woke me up at 6:30 a.m. so I could exercise, I layed in bed for a while feeling lazy. All of a sudden I heard my brain thinking "I'm like a kid on Christmas, I just can't WAIT to get up and exercise!" I have no idea where that came from, because its SO not true. I almost laughed out loud at myself. But somehow it got me motivated enough to work out.

I do a very lowscale version of the DVD or else I'd be a pile on the floor after 30 seconds, and right now I can only make it through about 20 of the 30 mins. But I'll get there!

Let me know what you think of the videos!

SmartButt- I got Jillian's 5 DVD set and TBL DVD today. I only previewed the Shape Up the Front and TBL DVD. Jillian's looks intense, but Bob's looks easy. Of course, I haven't done either one of these yet, but after having done Jillian's circuit workouts from the book, I recognized a lot of these moves and know the pain I am going to be in when I do it.

Those video's sound like so much fun...I did about 10 minutes on the elleptical last night and though i was going to fall appart!!! LOL Can't beleive how much out of shape i am now. I used to go to the gym 4 times a week but because of knee surgery i stayed away and gained over 35 pounds. I got Jullian's book and plan on starting monday. Also got myself a heart rate monitor...so that will help figuring out how many calories i burn!!! I am so bad with #'s...i'm so lucky to have angel-eyes checking things out for me!!! You ladies are so cool...I can't beleive I found this website!!!! I wish you all Happy New Year!!!! And Happy new us in the near future!!!!!

I'm going to go preview another one of her DVDs right now. I can't wait to try them. I broke my toe this summer and had to lay off of exercise too. Then I just let myself go and am at my heaviest now. I'm mad at myself, but determined to get back where I was and lose even more! I'm glad I found this group too.

Moonlightstar- You will get back into shape quickly if you are use to working out. That is what I am finding out. My muscles are quickly remembering what I use to do and are adapting well. I was out of breath on the treadmill at first too, but now I was running today when I cooled down. Does that make sense?

Shauna

OK so I can barely walk but day 2 week one has been completed. I'll have to get those DVD Smartbutt, do you like them? I have taken my sis to the gym with me both days and put her through the workout too. I think I'd like to be a personal training so it fun.. she's thankful but in a lot of pain. hee hee

Food intake is crappy but I'll work on that day by day. I'm figuring one day I'll just wake up and figure what on earth am I eating this crap for after working my butt off at the gym. It will happen.

The DVDs kick my butt royally, Oz, but I'm learning to like them. I like the front one better than the back one because you get to hop around on the step more.

The friend I had dinner with the other night - she'd never seen B.L. before. I showed her some of the before/after photos on the website and she was so amazed that she wants to see it, now. She also was eager to take the oxidizing test, and she wants to get the Jillian DVDs after I showed her the workouts. She used to do martial arts (she's a blackbelt actually) and she said Jillian's videos remind her a lot of the types of exercises they did in class. She's doing Weight Watchers but its essentially the same eating plan as WBL.

The thing that kills me is 5 years ago we weighed nearly exactly the same weight (what I still weigh), and now she's 45 lbs less. ARRR! hehe.... her magic secret? Watching what she ate, and exercising. That deserves another

Shauna - It's very hard raising a family and working. My husband went to school while I worked and then I went to school. We both worked during the day and took classes in the evening. We also have two children, so we've had a rough start to adulthood. Now that we are both working and not in school it is much easier than before. I always try to grade as much as possible at school. I spend my plan time grading and making copies. I still have a ton of stuff that I bring home, but it can't be helped.

I try to watch a movie while I grade with my kids. Sometimes my daughter reads me her AR book while I'm grading. I always try to find some time before they go to bed to do some one on one time. I teach 4th grade so I have so much planning and grading that has to be done at home. I can't really do those things while I'm teaching.

A lot of people think teaching is so easy, but they don't realize how much we have to bring home with us. Our job doesn't end at 5 and then we get to leave. I'll get off my soapbox. I hope some of these suggestions will help you out.

I haven't looked at Jillian's stuff yet. You all seem like huge supporters of her system though. I am currently doing the biggest loser dvd workout with Bob. It is wonderful. I have lost 10 pounds since I started around the first week of December. When you watch it it doesn't look that hard. However, once you get started you are dead. My husband runs on the treadmill everyday for about an hour so he has a lot of stamina. Well, I talked him in to doing the workout with me and he was exhausted. Sweat was pouring off him. We love it.

I've been so sick that I haven't worked out since Christmas Eve morning. In fact I haven't even been on here to read updates for two days. I had a lot to catch up on. I'm feeling better now though, at least I have my voice back. Hopefully I'll be able to get up tomorrow and do my workout.

Talk to you all later.

On behalf of all students - I say THANK YOU, Dawn!!!!

I'm glad you are on the road to recovery (and down 10 pounds, you go, girl!)- Bob's DVD sounds pretty good! It reminds me of Season 2 when the teams got switched up and the guys thought they were going to get an easy workout with Bob...until they tried it.

Oz...I won't tell you it gets easier...but after a while I'm to the point where I don't have to look half the exercises up in the book anymore... What can I say...Jillian is out to kick all our (!)'s

There is a new "People" out - the Jan. 9 issue and the frontpage story is Half Their Size. It is FULL of before and after pics and stories and a great 3 or 4 page spread of the top 3 biggest losers from season 2. I just got it a while ago but after looking through it quickly I can tell that this is the kind of stuff us BL junkies live for.

I have a question about the workouts. No I didnt start today, cause I slept in and woke up not wanting to even go to the gym, but I went and did just over an hour of cardio and treated myself to a massage in the massage chair at the gym.

I'm a bit confused about the exercise lists. you know eg Week 1, Monday, there are 5 circuits plus on the far left side of the page Chest Shoulder Triceps Quads rectus Abs. Are these just telling us what areas we will be working? Sorry, but i dont have the entire book yet, just a copy of the lists and exercises.

Help please!!!

Hi everyone....just popping in before everyone gets up and starts the day......Is it rude to be on the computer 5 times a day checking in here?...hahaha

Well my visit with the in-laws is going well....onto Day 2 today. And we haven't had any food issues yet. Yesterday we went to Whole Foods, a smancy fancy organic food store and she bought all sorts, then last night we ate out. Tonight for dinner is going to be rack of lamb. Of course, I'll have to do hers in a seperate pan and start it much earlier as she likes it ultra cooked well done but thats okay. I went to the gym yesterday for a 3.5 mile run.... hehe...still can't believe I can do that. When they arrived, my FIL (I was shocked) noticed my weight loss almost immediately (and he went on and on)....to which my MIL only said, 'good job dear'. hmmp, apparently its not as a 'big deal' as when her daughter lost 30 lbs and she couldn't shut up about it ......okay angel.....DEEP CLEANSING BREATHS!!!!

Kathy- Yes, on the far left, Jillian is just telling what body parts you will be focusing on that day and under circuits are the actual exercises.

Gina- I can't wait until the day when I don't have to keep referring back to the individual pictures in the book to know what exercises I should be doing. That will be an accomplishment.

Dawn- Thank you for your help and advice. I teach Kindergarten and try to get as much prep work and copying done during my planning time, but I end up taking so much home. There is just so little that the kinders can do for themselves, so I end up cutting and tracing a lot of stuff at home. I also make take-home books for them too. Then picking my own 2 daughters up from practices (playing taxi) about kills me. DH has a job that he ususally doesn't get home until 7-8PM, so he is of no help to me with DDs. I got Bob's DVD yesterday. I only previewed it, but it looks easy compared to Jillian's DVD. I will have to try it out and see. I'm glad you like it.

Angel- You are doing great! Don't let MIL get you down! Keep at it and make them all jealous. I'm sorry that didn't give you more compliments.

ledmom- I will have to check out that People. It sounds right up my alley.

SmartButt- I have only seen the last 4 episodes of TBL2 and I got hooked. Now I want to see them all. I wish I would have watched them sooner. I know they are rerunning them on Bravo on New Year's, but I don't get that channel.

Oz- I'm with you. I am walking around like a granny because I'm so sore, but I can't wait to workout today. Working out this hard has helped me to stay on track with my eating. I decided I'm not going to blow my whole workout on food. I want to get ripped and I know that food is 90% of my battle. Ease into it and make some healthy choices and substitutions. It was much easier than I thought it would be. And this comes from someone who was eating sugar for about half of their caloric intake prior to this.