Eclipse

Posted on: Sunday, December 1, 2013 @ 2:02 PM | 0 comment(s)

Move it to lose it

Since the new school year started, I noticed that I gained back all of the weight I lost during summer.

So this blog post is about the beginning of my weight loss journey and how I strive to lose some weight and become more active! Since I don't feel comfortable about posting a before picture or my current weight, I'll just list my goal weights. Hopefully when I get the results I want i'll post a before and after picture. I'll also review the workout DVDs I use and their effectiveness.

UGW: 100 LBS/45 KG

It's been over 10 years since I've worn a bikini and honestly, that's kind of sad. That means that the first and last time I wore one was when I was 6 years old and we were having fun in the sprinklers at my prep school. This summer I'm planning to be able to wear a bikini again and feel better about myself. I was a really chubby kid and since I've hit puberty not all the fat I had has left.

I'm not only working out to lose weight though, I'm working out to become more active and fit. Recently at a charity event our JROTC class had, we were delivering baskets filled with goods for thanksgiving and I notice that I could barely lift them up while other girls could easily walk up the stairs with baskets filled to the brim. The next day after the event I was super sore and my whole body was in pain. So as I lose weight I'll try to tone my muscles and gain some strength.

Workout DVD Reviews

Since I only own two workout DVD's I won't spend much time reviewing them.

During the summer of 2013 I started working out using Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. If you don't know who Jillian Michael's is, shes one of the trainers on the TV show "Biggest Loser". She has many workout DVD's but I did some research and decided that I'd try her 30DS first. I never got to finish the 30DS due to laziness and the fact that I started it a little later in the summer but I did see results!

Jillian Michael's 30DS consists of 3 20 minute workouts. Level 1 being the easiest and Level 3 being the hardest/most intense. When I first saw videos of this DVD on youtube I thought it would be a breeze! When I recieved the dvd in the mail and tried it for the first time I couldn't even finish the 20 minute session, it was A LOT harder than I thought. This DVD also has 2 guides you can follow, one girl who demonstrates the beginner/easier forms of the workouts, and another girl who demonstrates the more challenging/harder forms of the workouts. During the period of time that used this DVD (not for the 30 day requirement) I did see results. Within my 10-12th day of working out I had lost over 8lbs/3.6kg. I really do recommend this DVD to anyone who's looking to lose a good amount of weight in a small time frame.

Overall I loved Jillian Michael's 30DS and would definitely recommend it to a friend.

After I eventually got tired of doing the 30DS i decided to try a new workout DVD, Jackie Warner's Power Circuit Training. Although I only started using it recently I have a good feeling that it'll work just as good or maybe even better than the 30DS.

Jackie Warner's PCT has 5 different workouts you can choose from. There's the 40 minute total body workout where you workout your: Hamstrings, Quads, Biceps & Triceps, Upper Abs, Lower Abs, Glutes, and Back. If you feel like targeting a certain part of your body she has 3 15 minute workouts for: Upper Body, Lower Body, and Abs.

Whenever I get a workout DVD i always test it out before I start exercising. After trying out Jackie's video for the first time I felt like I really did workout but I didn't feel any pain. About two days later my whole body was in pain to the point where I could barely walk down the steps. During her workouts she doesn't really give you a break, the only time you get to breathe and recollect is when you work on your upper and lower abs on the mat. Even though the after workout pain is horrible I really do like this DVD but I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner or someone who has a low pain tolerance.

Overall I loved Jackie Warner's PCT as well and hope for good results in the future from this DVD.

Tips to know and remember:

Not everyone loses weight the same way
If you plan on becoming active or just want to lose weight always drink water and stay hydrated
Don't push your body if you're not ready, pushing yourself can harm your body and won't always accelerate results.
Don't EVER think that starving yourself will help you lose weight, if anything it can do more harm than good.
Believe in yourself! If you don't believe in yourself how are you ever going to find the motivation to reach your goal?

Thanks for reading and hope you stay tuned for my next blog post!