Jillian Michaels, Running, and Weight Loss
Today’s post comes from @sistermaryeris (Sandi), who spent the majority of her life pretty thin, but not very athletic. After her third baby (and making it to her 30s) she noticed she was 50 lbs overweight. Like many of us, she successfully lost the weight but then regained some.
She began to do Jillian Michaels 30-Day Shred, then the Last Chance Workout, Cardio Max, and No More Trouble Zones. Those were a gateway drug into running and a diet reboot. She’s lost 13 lbs (and counting), the inches are falling off, and she’s gone from a size 14 to a size 10 (and counting!) Her goal is run a 5K (nonstop!?) and develop “Jillian Arms.”
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About 10 years ago, I decided I needed to run to lose weight. I was about 50 pounds heavier than I wanted to be and why not run? I remember throwing on whatever “athletic” shoes I had and running around outside for about 10 minutes, thinking I was going to die. That was the last time I ran and I suffered from shin splints for about three months from that one episode. I proclaimed myself “not a runner” and never wanted to try again.
I did manage to lose that 50 pounds through Weight Watchers and an hour of yoga a night. I greatly disliked sweaty exercise and felt it was not necessary. My WW/Yoga training seemed to encourage that thinking and led me to gain about thirty pounds back over four years as I crept into my 30s.
Last October I heard about Jillian Michaels’ 30-Day Shred and gave it a shot. Thank goodness she mentions on the first circuit that after 3-5 days you will start increasing your endurance or I may have quit it right away. My heart was pounding, I was terribly sweaty, and yes Jillian – I DID feel like I was going to DIE.
Once Jillian got inside my head, I worked out with her religiously and almost daily. I noticed my body changing, but the weight did not budge.
In June I thought really hard about what I had done in the past to lose weight and decided that because of following Weight Watchers, I had been really careful to follow their meal plans. So I returned to a different (and free!) program online that offered meal plans and started eating that way.
Right about the same time period, my boyfriend (who I had turned on to Jillian as well) and I had wondered – what would it be like to run? It could be cool, surely we could do it after all these months working out. Our favorite show had become The Biggest Loser and there were people who were 300 lbs running all the time. Why couldn’t WE run?
So we did. I downloaded the Couch to 5K app on my phone and we headed to the track. The first week is walk for five minutes and then run 60 seconds, walk 90 seconds, lather, rinse, repeat – for 20 minutes. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE FOR REAL. Holy cow. There is no translation from DVDs in your living room to running outside. I could do jumping jacks and butt kicks like crazy, but run for 60 seconds? My heart was not prepared.
Again, we worked through the pain and suffering remembering Jillian’s voice in my head as she yelled on the show and her DVDs. I could do it. The next week was a 90 second run and that was terrifying as well, but we were convinced after the first week of running when my weight had dropped almost 5 lbs. Running seemed to be what I was missing.
It turned out through the meal tracker that I was also not eating properly for my activity level, not eating enough protein, and often not eating enough food period. The combination of really tracking my food, ensuring I was eating 1200-1500 calories a day, and running inspired 1-1.5 lb weight loss for the entire summer. At this point, I’m down 13 pounds, I can run about 11+ minutes nonstop, and now I crave running. I also decided that I was overtraining – so now I run three times a week (5k every time, baby!) and strength train with Jillian and Bob twice a week.
And it’s working!
Way to go, Sandi!
I also found Jillian to be a total gateway drug into running. And C25K is an incredible program. It got this total NON-RUNNER to do a 5K, no walking! Woohoo!
Congrats on your success and your progress!
Thanks! You too! Who knew I’d ever love running. It’s some crazy talk.
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You are a rockstar, Sandi!!!
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I did the shred for 60 days and didn’t notice any change in my weight, I could feel the muscles building, but that was it. I too started running, I just surpassed my run for 3 miles straight goal so I could say that I run. I now work in Jillian and the insanity dvds on days I don’t run, and I’ve noticed a huge change. I also notice on the days I do the shred now I really concentrate on the moves I am doing. I might have to look into if I’m eating right since the weight loss hasn’t been as much, but I have lost 2 inches in my waist.
Hopefully you get this posting!! I made the mistake of not taking pics of myself. I made the mistake of not measuring myself correctly. But I did weight myself at 147lbs. All I know is that I’ve been using Jillian tapes, Biggest Loser tapes etc. about 4 different tapes for 17 weeks and all I see is my stomach getting a bit smaller.
I’m 49, quit smoking after a 10yr habit, I’m 5′4 and 145lbs. and very VERY frustrated! I may eat a bit more at dinner time. I also started a small habit of eating a snack at night. For example: only 1 of these, but I’m doing it like 5 times a week! a small cereal bowl (not a bag) of cheetos or a 100 calorie bag of skinny cho chip cookies and small glass of 2% milk. An ice cream cone, homemade 1 scoop of icecream.
I know you probably don’t know… But I am soo looking for some thoughts. My weight is still 146lbs. I just can’t believe that that little amount of food 4/5 times week would stop me from loosing weight. Now I have been faithfully doing those takes for 13 weeks, got soo frustrated that I quit for 3 days the 13th week and 2 days the 14th week. I now do that for 5 times a week… now the 15th, 16th and this week as well.
Wow.. I’m afraid to run! I’m scared of the pain it may cause. sometimes the bottom of my feet hurt when do the tapes!!! and ‘im sorry if this sounds too vulgar, but my breasts are 36D and they hurt and see like in the way to run!!! H E L P!!!
As far as the eating goes, you might want to try keeping a food log of EVERYTHING you eat. I do that with Weight Watchers and it’s really amazing what a difference it makes. Also, I know Kristen likes to stop eating a couple of hours before bedtime.
With the running, I highly recommend you go to a real running store (not a place in the mall) to buy some real running shoes. Expect to spend $100 or $150, but it’s worth it if you really want to run. The shoes have made an enormous difference for me. And a good sports bra is (obviously) required too. This one (click here) comes highly recommended from a lot of the women runners…
Good luck, and congrats on quitting smoking!
Hi Kathy,
I’d been working out eight months religiously without losing any weight. The thing that broke that cycle for me was tracking my food. When I just eat without tracking, I tend to eat around 1800-2000 calories which will maintain your weight apparently!
I highly recommend a free tracking program online, which helps me. But any form of food tracking (and you have to track it ALL) will help you see if you not eating enough, eating too much, or lacking in something important like protein.
As for running, I never considered myself a runner. I’m a 34D. I “strap em down” with two jog bras. I can’t manage without two (or probably a good, expensive bra would do the same, heh). I’m cheap. And then taking it easy with good shoes, slow progressive running with C25K and just seeing how it goes. You’re wearing shoes when you do the DVDs right?
Good luck!
Well… you are the 2nd person to tell me about tracking what goes in my mouth! So perhaps that is it. This is the first time I worked out and not given it a 2nd thought as to what goes in my mouth. I also take Thryoid replacement meds and my doctors tells me that it doesn’t have anything to do with it…I beg to differ there too! You guys are great.. thanks for taking the time to reply to my messages
Kathy
Kathy – from what I read, your calorie intake is likely waaaay over what you might imagine – you mention the cereal, the ice cream, eating a lot at night – I would suggest for one day logging EVERYTHING that passes your lips – even weighing the food if its homemade so you can look online and count the calories. You will do well. Hang in there.
What a great idea… I will do that.. thanks again
Kathy