30 Day Shred Challenge
May 9, 2008 by Noel Boehm
Filed under Women's Health
On the recommendation of my friend, I tried Jillian Michaels’ (of The Biggest Loser) 30 Day Shred workout. It has three levels that go according to difficulty. Not including the warm up part, the whole thing lasts 20 minutes and is structured in 3-2-1. Three minutes of strength, two minutes of cardio and one minute abs. Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong, wrong, so very wrong. The thing is you can’t stop, you have to move from one segment to the next without stopping. I mean I guess if you are about to pass out or really need to rest you can stop but for optimum results you need to not stop.
After doing the workout just twice, I can say that this is one of the best workouts I have ever tried. It’s simple and straightforward but it gets the job done. She’s not all perky and wearing a hot pink leotard or anything. She’s there to help with a minimum of dialog. My only negative conclusion is that I HATE THIS WOMAN. I mean in a good way, sort of. Like the math teacher in middle school that was really tough but in hindsight really respect and appreciate the fact that she was hard on you. Kinda like that.
So who’s in with me? I’ve decided that I’m going to give this a try for 30 days to really see if it works. There’s even part of the cardio where you are fake jump roping but I actually used my jump rope since I’ve been really into lately. 20 minutes a day for 30 days is not much to ask. I’m going to give myself a break if I miss a day or two but I need other participants. When I asked my husband if he would join me I swear I heard an expletive and a chuckle under his breath. He politely declined. Of course exercise alone won’t fix everything, I will also have to watch my snacking and I am cutting out my wine…sob. All that sugar is not helping my quest either. Do I have takers?
Via Amazon
Kristina, I didn’t measure, though I’m only 4 days into it so maybe I should now. I’m reporting daily on my blog, but will be happy to come back here and report as well.
Sure, I started on the 4th of January. On that day my the measurements I took were:
Weight- 141 pounds
Waist- 30 inches
Hips- 38 inches
Thighs at widest point- 22 inches.
My numbers haven’t really budged yet. I think I’m going to try doing the Shred every other day and in between doing the BL Cardio Max and see if that works better for me.
I mostly want to lose some inches in my waist but I know you can’t spot train. Plus I’d love to have really nice toned arms
Does anyone else use blogtolose.com?
I have lost about 3 lbs. but only after starting her diet in the companion book. But I can see changes in my abs!
Hey Guys,
I’m on day 12, started level 2- 2 days ago. i find it very challenging. I try to push myself so hard now i feel sick and wont be able to workout today. I still havent seen any major changes as yet. For those of you that have the book, is the meal plan realistic for a lifetime or just for a period of time. Let me know. Good lucck working out
Ok…I am measure, weighed, and ready. Just did day 1. It was pretty rough. Did you guys have a hard time with a particular part of the dvd. I think push up’s are the hardest thing for me…oh that and the bicycle crunches. I can’t make it the entire time on either of those.
I had a hard time with the cardio, I guess I am not in good shape. But it is getting better. I now can do the bicycle crunches all the way through, but it is still hard. I have to do modified push ups, but I can actually do 3 pushups, when I started I could not do any. I like the diet, it is not very hard to follow, I think I can live with it. It is similar to the south beach diet.
The push ups are pretty hard for me too but after seven days they are getting easier. The bicycle crunches hurt by like 45 seconds but I can get through them.
I was wondering how old everyone is that is doing this and also how overweight they are ? I am 50. I probably need to loose about 20 pounds.
I am 30 and could stand to lose 50lbs to get to where I want to be.
I’m 25 and trying to lose 20 lbs.
So far i find that the first section of workout 1 has been the toughest for me…the pushups. Also, the bicycle crunches get you! Not a fan of the butt kicks after legs become wobbly! Definitely a good workout! I am 31 and need to lose 30-40 pounds
I am 25 and would like to lose 15-20. I haven’t been able to work out for a few days so i am hoping to get back into it tonight.
I am 40 and need to lose 19 pounds. I lost 16 already. I have never made it to level 2 since I do other exercise. I will have to do the whole DVD one of these day’s. I do like Jillian’s other DVD too. Very challenging.
Hello ladies, I’m 24 and I need to lose 15-20lbs, post pregnancy weight so I can fit my clothes and get back to work! I’m on day two and I feel the burn!!! I have tried all sorts of at home workouts in the past and this is the only one that I really felt challenged from the very beginning. Jillian is mean and I like it! I did my measurements so hopefully I won’t get discouraged by the scale!
Tracey how did you lose the 16 pounds?
Mary, I decided it was about being healthy and made a few slight changes. It has been really easy since I made the switch from diet to healthy. Unfortunately, that does mean cooking all your meals. I eat breakfast, Dinner (my biggest meal), light Supper, and 2 snacks, lots of water and tea. I think switching from Lunch to Dinner was the best change. Workouts I cross train such as Hike, pilates, yoga, machines at the gym, videos, walk, and swim. More social events are with friends doing something rather then going out to eat because I have to move more then I eat. My house has gotten a lot cleaner too because I use it as an excuse to move when I don’t feel like working out. That would be this week. LOL. I read books on everything and anything & took tips from it all and incorporated what I thought would really work for me. I.E. I think the French Women Don’t Get Fat was the worst book I ever read but I took the eating fine foods rather than junk and having supper instead of dinner made a lot of sense to me. So, I incorporated that into my lifestyle. I would rather have that rich dessert rather than the Hersey’s candy bar. My calories had to be really worth it.
) Hope that helps.
Hello to all the shredders out there!!! I am on day 35 day shred. Wow what a wonderfully painfully thing. I have lost 17 pounds. I needed to lose around 28 pounds. I owe to jillian!! I love her website. So much information. Good luck to all of you. You can do it. Don’t give up!!
Congratulations Mellissa.
Melissa, You are inspiring me!
Hi all, I’m 26 and want to lose probably 10-15 pounds. I haven’t been sticking to the shred as much as I should be but I’ve been doing it at least 3 days a week. I moved on to level 2 yesterday so I’m really proud about that and can’t wait to keep it up. I lost an inch around my waist too
Hello, Shredders! I’m so glad I found this site! I started the Shred on January 5. I haven’t done it consistantly everyday, but 3-5 times a week. So I’m thinking I’m somewhere around day 15. Today I moved up to Shred 2 (probably could have done it sooner, but I was scared!). I loved it. I can tell I’m going to be sore tomorrow and that’s awesome. I’m really happy I was able to do the whole workout because a month ago, I know that wouldn’t have been possible. I am a little discouraged by the numbers on the scale, though. I haven’t really seen any weight loss. I know I’m probably gaining muscle, etc., but I’m relatively disappointed. I’ve been watching what I eat – usually eating between 600-800 calories a day and try to incorporate a lot of whole grains, veggies, and lean protein. I do slip up on the weekends sometimes so I’m sure that that’s setting me back a little. Does anyone have any advice? I’m 26 and would like to lose 20-30 lbs. I’ll be checking back often! Good luck to everyone!
Hope- 600-800 calories a day is not enough- you should never go below 1200. Your body is probably going into starvation mode and trying to conserve calories. Try upping your caloric intake healthily, add some more fruits, veg, & lean protein.
That said, I haven’t really seen the scale budge either. I feel like I’ve been eating right and everything. I have lost an inch around my waist but that’s it. I think I’ll try to tweak my diet a bit and maybe hop on my exercise bike after doing the shred for 20 minutes or so at a moderate pace & see what that does…
But- I feel great, my body feels tight all over so I’m hoping it’s just a matter of time before I really start to see results.
Hope- You should be eating at least 1200 calories a day. You may have dropped your metabolism.
Hope- I know by now you have heard it over and over again. DO NOT go below 1200 calories. You may think this is helping you. In the end you will shut down your metabolism. Please up the calories and drink a lot of water. It sounds so simple, but trust me water, water and more water.
I am having a hard time regulating my cals as i am a breastfeeding mom, any suggestions? I am on day 11 of the shred and today was my first day on level 2, wow what a kick in the butt!!!! I haven’t missed a day yet and don’t intend to, i’ve lost 3lbs so far but would like to see better results, and i feel its something to do with my calorie intake, so yeah any help would be appreciated!
It is true that if you go too low in calories you stop losing weight. I have had that experience. I also had trouble losing any weight for the first 2 weeks I did the shred. I actually gained weight the first week! But I don’t think it was “real” weight. My body was fighting the change, it was comfortable the way it was and did not want me to change it, so it held on to the the weight in the beginning. Has anyone else noticed this? I am now down about 6 pounds.
Ok so i just started the dvd 2 days ago (a little sore and did not make it to the end ) lol and i am doing the strip the fat diet which WORKS ….last time i didnt excercise and so when i lost weight i was all flabby …just workin off my old weight and the holiday weight now too…..if you want a sample of the diet i would love to share it is very doable
What is that diet KrisB?
It’s ” strip that fat ” you buy it online it works but I will share email me @ noway2be1@gmail.com my daughter and I tried it before the holidays and she lost about 13 lbs and I lost nine in two weeks I saw results in three days.
Hi everyone! I’m joining in the challenge, yesterday was my first day and I’m actually not too sore today, but I must admit I didn’t work as hard as I should have and just stopped when the pain became too much. Today, though, I’m really going to bust my butt and do the best job I can do on Level 1.
I don’t really need to lose much weight, I just want to get more toned. I have a small build but even though I’m small I’m just all fat. Recently I have been doing Leslie Sansone’s Walk Away the Pounds workouts which I love; their great for fat burning. I recommend you guys check her out if you desperately need a break from the Shred
I’m hoping to burn off the fat with Leslie’s walking workouts and then improve my muscle tone with 30 Day Shred.
Anyways, I’m off to workout now
So day 14 of my shred, on level two for the last four days, finally can make it through the final ab session, which is so hard core if you ask me! I haven’t lost any real weight, thought I went down 3lbs but went right back up with all the muslce I’m building, however the inches are more promising, I told myself I would wait till day 15 but I was feeling discouraged so I did my measurements today and lost 2 inches off the bust, two off the hips and one off the waist, so far so good! Hopefully the scale will start to respond soon too! Good luck and hang in there fellow shredders!
Great work everyone! I just did day one, level one and am very excited to get this started. However, gosh am I sore! I recently learned that I am gluten intolerant so had to change my diet to exclude wheat, oats and barley. Apparently, it can be difficult to lose or gain weight with this problem. I’ve already lost 5lbs since cutting out gluten and am hoping to get fit and eventually lose 30lbs…I’m 35 years old.
Thanks for all of the blog postings…I’m new to this community but am hoping to stay motivated on the 30 day shred program. Your posts have already inspired me to feel good about starting. Oh yeah, I also quit smoking today and am on the patch. So far so good, exercise definitely is helping, but I don’t want to gain weight from quitting this deadly/nasty 14 year habit so will hope it’s alright if I use this blog as a motivator! I’ll keep you all posted on my progress as well:)
Hi guys! I just finish day 3. I’m going to try to do the 30 days straight through. After the first day, I was so sore I could barely walk up and down the stairs to my apartment. But now I feel much better and stronger.
I’m hoping this will actually help me lose weight. I have always been a pretty healthy eater. I eat mostly vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, beans, nuts, and seeds. I stay away from processed foods, meat, and anything with too much salt/sugar. So I don’t really think I need to change my diet. I just need to find a way to get rid of the extra 10-15lbs I get from sitting on my ass all day (law school will do this to you). So I think I’m going to try to avoid looking at the scale for a week or two so I don’t get freaked out by the “weight gain” everyone is talking about.
Good luck to everyone and keep up the good work!
Melissa G-I am also a breastfeeding mom and I just did Day 10 of the shred. I have lost around 4 lbs., but I have definitely noticed more in inches. I try to eat around 2000 calories a day +/- 100. I am doing the shred 4 times a week, along with 25-30 minutes on the elliptical. This workout has really been the only thing that has worked for me. Keep up the great work!
Tiffany- Thanks I think I am too low on my cals, I was trying to stick to a 1500-1700 diet and was hungry alot, so maybe a few snacks would help lol! My inches have been great, and if thats all I get then at least I’ll fit into my work clothes again. I also do cardio training on the side every three days or so, but I do the shred every day. Thanks for your help!
Melissa G- If you would like to chat about the shred, exercising, or just losing weight as a breastfeeding mom, feel free to email me at tif1999@hotmail.com. I don’t know many breastfeeding moms, let alone those trying to lose weight and doing the same program as me, so it would be great to keep in contact and maybe we could help each other figure out the best way to keep breastfeeding and get in shape at the same time.
I’m hoping the weight loss will kick in soon for me, but as long as I can wear smaller clothes again, I will be happy. 
woot woot I’ve lost 3 lbs
yay !
Hey Guys
Have you heard about jillians 2 new DVDs? Is anyone planning on getting them?
Maybe when I’m done killing myself with the first ones .
What are they called? I have been thinking of getting a new DVD
I am planning on getting them since I have all of her other ones.
http://www.jillianmichaels.com/
For anyone interested I have started my blog i posted the diet i am using and have lost nearly four pounds with on it alon with doing the shred every other day ,i will be posting my pics every two weeks which means i will but up new ones probably next thursday since i will be in phoenix on the saturday the 21st
healthy shredding to everyone
I’ve been doing the shred 5-6 days a week for one and half months now and love it. I had done them previously as a supplement, but committed to doing it continuously in January. I love them! And have gotten through all 3 levels and noticed a huge difference in strength. I love how I feel at the end, and usually end up going for a run afterwards. Congrats to everyone who does it! I preordered her other videos and can’t wait for them to get here!
Hi Fellow Shredders!
My name is Vanessa, and I’m a Brand New Shredder. I just started the 30 Day Shred 2 days ago. I’m super psyched about this workout. I had my son 4 months ago, and I really would like to get in shape, and be healthy for him and myself. My best friend has been “shredding”, and she looks amazing!!!! My younger sister has been shredding the past 7 days, and we already notice muscle increase in her arms, and her pants are tighter in the butt area, and wider on the hips!!!
I did not take measurements when I began, but I will take some now and post them up as soon as possible. I’m also going to record what I eat, because although I am not dieting, I am trying to restrict myself to healthier choices.
Good luck, and I’ll post up soon! I can’t wait for day 3!
Hi fellow shredders. I just got through my 3rd day of level 1, and I have to say this is the best workout I’ve tried. And I’ve tried them all. Hip hop abs, and other beachbody workouts. But this one keeps me burning calories all night, it’s so intense. I’ve got about 20 lbs to lose. I’ve lost 2 lbs in 3 days. And I’m not discouraged in this work out, but look forward to it. My arms tremble after the workout. I can deal with this as my legs and stomach are really strong. I can’t wait to see how much I lose by day 30.
A little note: an epsom salt bath after this workout works to stop the soreness and the muscle trembling.
I am with you also, i have had this dvd for some time now, so i will give it another try. It is hard to continue something without that motivation you need. I know i will get it here and i will give it too. whatever it takes, i want to be in shape for the summer. I want to be able to wear certain clothes without looking pregnant. Good Luck to everyone!!!
This is Hands down the best workout DVD I have ever tried. I have also sampled her cardio kickboxing and Maximize full frontal and back in action and this is my favorite!
I have just started doing the 30 day shred I think I am day 6 or 7 I have been trying every other day this way I won’t burn myself out.. I do also go to the gym.. I like the workout it is fast and kind of easy.. I just want changes in my body though and nothing really yet.. We will see!
Hello everyone. Last night was my first workout. Needless to say, my ars are pretty sore. I’ve heard that it’s not good to do “weight training” back to back days. Since there are weights involved in this program, I was wondering if anybody can tell me if it’s safe to do this workout back to back days. Thanks and good luck to everyone.