Saturday, February 11, 2012

How I feel after 30 days of "Ripped in 30"

Those of you who follow me on twitter may have noticed that for over a month now I've been posting about "day # ripped done". Simply, I decided to make a 30 day commitment to myself in the form of taking 20 minutes six days a week to take care of my physical well being. I decided to follow the Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 dvd workout program to help me achieve this goal.  It has four weeks of an interval system where you do three sets of 3 minutes strength, 2 minutes cardio, and one minute abs. Each week brings new exercises and increases in difficulty. Beginner and advanced modifications are also provided.

Today I finished day 30.

So how do I feel?

I want to start off by saying that yes, I did lose weight and yes, in all honesty, that was my original goal - to lose some weight that had been "weighing" down my self esteem for years. However I do not want to focus on that. A dear friend recently made a blog post that made me re-evaluate what I really should have wanted to achieve by making this commitment: a healthier me. So what I will talk about, what I want to emphasize, is how I feel I've become healthier by doing this 30 day workout program.

First, I am no longer constantly in pain. I have a "bad" sacro-illiac (SI) joint. If I spend too much time sitting around, being inactive, or even if I am too stressed, I can experience a displacement in this joint that causes excruciating pain in my hips, bum, lower back, and legs. For years I have woken up feeling this pain to variable degrees more often than not. About two weeks ago I noticed this changed. I have still had a bad day or two but the pain is far less intense, goes away much quicker, and I even have pain free days. This is worth all the sweat, tears, and other muscle soreness relating to the workout.

Second, I can touch my toes. Because of the pain, I move in ways that "protect" my SI joint and affected areas (again hips, lower back). In doing so I've really decreased my flexibility and haven't been able to touch my toes without significant effort or pain in years. Through the gradual stretching included in the workout, and the strengthening of my core to provide proper support to my SI joint, I have greatly increased my flexibility. I can bend over to tie my shoes and pick up things I drop. I can't wait to get back into a regular yoga class so I can enjoy the movement and new poses that before were unobtainable/unachievable.

Third, my stomach is doing great. Without getting into too many details, and the long backstory, I've had stomach/gastrointestinal problems for over a decade now. I've noticed a significant improvement. The problems haven't disappeared entirely but my documentation shows much fewer bad stomach episodes. The best part of this is, because I don't have to focus as much on how what I am eating will make me feel, I've begun to allow myself to eat what I want. This is really important because I love food!

Finally, I just feel great overall. I have more energy. I'm not sleeping as well (likely because I'm away from home) but don't really feel as tired. I love how I feel after working out (I workout in the early evenings after work, before dinner) because I know I've taken the time for myself.

I am going to continue with commitment but supplement in more yoga and bellydance along with the Ripped in 30 program. I might even be able to start taking spin classes again if my SI joint can tolerate it. Once it gets nicer out I'll start going for walks (I strongly dislike running!), and riding my bike. I am committing myself to 20 minutes of physical activity per day indefinitely. If I continue to focus on these four achievements that really have made, and future changes in my physical and mental health and wellness, then I am hoping that I can walk away from my scale and not focus on the numbers.


Please note: I am not a medical doctor. I was not paid nor reimbursed in any way to promote the Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 program. I bought it on a whim from a major department store chain because it was on sale, I recognized the name, and heard good things about other DVDs in the series from friends and family. Always consult your doctor before starting any exercise program. 

2 comments:

  1. Awesome posting Katie! It's a wonderful lifestyle change isn't it? I just love the benefits you shared that you've seen as a result of your workouts... it shows just how important exercise is to our overall well being. Congratulations Katie... here's to a new and healthier you!

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  2. HAHA I like the disclaimer at the bottom :) Proud of you KT!

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