As is the fluid nature of blogs, posts get bumped down when the everyday-ness of life takes over. And, I wouldn’t have it any other way. But, because I don’t want to lose the 30 Day Shred Adventures in the shuffle, I’ve created a new tab!
Check it out by clicking here or using the tab up above!
Problem solved.
Tonight is a new episode of Lost! The last episode, Dead is dead was pretty straight forward but I still took notes. For real. Don’t judge.
Let’s get started:
Can I just interrupt my Lost Notes to say how much I love the new 3G Sprint Network Commercial? We don’t normally watch the commercials, but that one we watched twice. So clever! (I LOVE that the little Twitter Birds are all saying, “Me!”)
…but back to Lost…
Until tonight!
Today I finished Day 29 of the 30 Day Shred, which is Day 9 of Level 3! You can read more about my 30-Day Shred Adventures by clicking here!
I.
Have.
One.
Day.
Left.
You know when you’re working as hard as you can, and you know you’re almost done, and you hear Jillian say something to the effect of, “These are the last 30 seconds,” and you either give it just a little more or you hang on just a little tighter?
Yeah, it feels like that…only better.
So, now that we’re getting to the end of the “official” routine, my personal trainer (Claire, my 3 yr old) has stepped things up a notch herself.
Imagine my surprise when I went downstairs and saw that she had the room all set up for me! She’d moved the ottoman over, which is no easy task! It’s huge! And, she had my blanket all laid out on the floor (to help with the rugburn issues), and my weights were off to the side where I usually put them.
I already have her somewhat trained in that every morning, she brings me my socks and shoes and exercise clothes, but getting the room ready is a new one.
It’s about time she starts earning her keep. 
So, tomorrow is the last day of the 30 Day Shred! But, I have a feeling that it will be the beginning of much more.
Push.
Push your limits.
Push your obstacles out of the way.
Hang in there.
Hang on.
Hang on to the reasons you’re doing this.
Breathe.
Whatever you do, breathe.
“Push. Hang in there. Breathe.” Jillian says this throughout the workout, and it’s something my mind grasps a hold of toward the end.
Today, I completed Day 28 of the 30 Day Shred, and Day 8 of Level 3. You can read more about my 30-Day Shred Adventures by clicking here! When I started this personal challenge, the days loomed before me, so I focused on the one at hand. Now, we’re careening toward the end, and it’s almost here. All I have to do to reach it?
Push. Hang in there. Breathe.
So, I got up this morning and went into my office to check my mail and look at my calendar. I flip it over to the new week. My little personal trainer brought me my shoes and socks. I have her trained well!
I’m looking at the calendar and we’re ready to head downstairs, and there it is. I can see it! The little number 30 I wrote on Thursday. I can see it right there. The end of the Shred! Is this week!
You can read more about my 30-Day Shred Adventures by clicking here!
Just seeing that little number kept me motivated enough today to get through Day 27 of the 30 Day Shred. I’ve been doing Level 3 for a whole week, now…and my abs are screaming at me. Who knew that Level 3 would be the sneaky spicy salsa of the 30 Day Shred?
You know what I’m talking about. It’s like that salsa that seems really tasty and not too spicy. Until you eat gobs of it on a salty tortilla chips. The alarms start to go off in your head. Your tongue starts to sting, and your eyes start to water. Oh, it’s spicy alright…you just didn’t realize it until you were elbow deep. Don’t get me wrong. You like spicy if you’re prepared for it. Or, maybe you prefer savory over spicy. Either way, you’ve got to deal with the spicy, because there is no turning back.
Blindsided or not, I can’t turn back now. I can see the end. It’s right there. I can see it.
And, I know I can do it. Spicy or not, I can do it.
Day 26 of the 30 Day Shred is done, baby! I’ve successfully survived six days of Level 3! You can read more about my 30-Day Shred Adventures by clicking here!
I must have done something a little differently yesterday, because I can really feel it in my abs today! Either that, or the last five days of Level 3 abs moves are finally catching up with me.
Wow. Today, I was nearly killed by the scissors…more specifically, the scissor abs move. How can something that looks so incredibly benign be so tough!? Today, I couldn’t do this one without grunting out loud, and my little personal trainer was right there to kiss me on the shoulder.
“I’m so sorry, sweetie,” she said. “I’m so sorry she’s making this hard for you.”
I didn’t have the energy to explain to Claire that it’s okay for Jillian to make things challenging. She’s not hurting me to be mean. I’m a willing participant. Some days are just harder than others, and today was just one of those days.
I got through it, and my abs will thank me for it…maybe not today, but eventually.
So, be careful with the scissors. Don’t run with them. Carry them correctly, and by all means, don’t be afraid to grunt through them when you get to Level 3.
Day 25 of the 30 Day Shred is complete! You can read more about my 30-Day Shred Adventures by clicking here! I’ve done five days at Level 3, and it’s not really getting easier. But, it feels great! In fact, I can’t wait to go back and try Level 1 again, just to see how it feels.
Since this is the weekend, today’s post will be short and sweet. I did have the opportunity to be a guest writer at the BornFit blog, so be sure to go check that out!
Yeah, so I forgot to pace myself at the beginning of Level 3.
And then I died before I got to the third circuit.
The end.
I’m so tempted to just end today’s post there, but I won’t. I didn’t really die. I was hanging on by a thread, and it was just enough energy to summon my Inner Yoda from Level 1 and finish Day 24 of the 30 Day Shred, which is Day 4 of Level 3.
So, will I pace myself tomorrow? I don’t know. I haven’t decided yet. Part of me thinks that I could probably handle the new pace, and the other part of me is blubbering to herself in the corner and too exhausted to argue.
In other news, my own little personal trainer completed Level 3 without breaking a sweat and came up with some additional moves she’d like me to try. She’s only 3-yrs old, but her moves are awe inspiring. If I followed her lead, I’d definitely have to find a new pace.
I certainly hope she doesn’t give Jillian any ideas!
You can read more about my 30-Day Shred Adventures by clicking here!
It’s often been said that 21 is the magical number when it comes to habits forming. Well, today marks Day 23 of the 30 Day Shred and Day 3 of Level 3! You can read more about my 30-Day Shred Adventures by clicking here!
I was going to write about habits on Day 21, but I got all excited about Day 1 of Level 3. Then, I was going to mention it yesterday, but I got all distracted by the rugburn on my elbows. Speaking of which, I used one of Claire’s receiving blankets in the floor portions, and so far, so good!
Anyway, I have a week left! I’ve hit the 21-day habit-forming equation, and then some.
And I dare say, it is a habit.
In fact, we’re planning a trip in May, and I’m already thinking about how to work in a workout routine while I’m gone.
It’s a sickness.
Or, is it a cure?
Either way, it’s officially a habit, and not one I need to break anytime soon.
Last Saturday, the three of us had the opportunity to go check out the Expedition Health exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. We’ve never been to this particular museum, so we couldn’t wait to go exploring. And, we had so much fun that we’ll definitely be back!
Claire loves all kinds of science and medical things, so I knew she’d like this exhibit. To be honest, she’s pretty easily entertained, so I knew we’d have fun.
When you arrive, everyone in your party is given a Peak Pass, which looks like a little blue credit card. You insert your Peak Pass into a computer at the beginning, and you personalize your information: Name, Age, Birthdate. You also choose a “buddy” who will act as your personal tour guide.
My buddy was Trish. Claire chose Alexis, and my hubby went with Brandon.
Then, when you are exploring the exhibit, you put your Peak Pass into the corresponding computer at each station, and your virtual buddy tells you about the exhibit and explains what to do. For example, one of the stations was about heart-rate. Your buddy instructs you to grasp the metal handlebars in front of you, and the computer not only shows your heart rate on the screen with a number and heartbeat line, it records it on your Peak Pass.
There are many different stations throughout the exhibit. When we were the there, the lines at some of the stations were pretty long, so we needed to pick and choose which stations to try.
An interesting one was the station that recorded your stride. You inserted your Peak Pass into the computer at the beginning and then walked along a wall in front of a camera. The computer calculated your stride length, speed and energy and also projected a shadow image of you on the screen! On the wall, you could see everyone who had gone in front of you! Claire went before me, and I was right after her. So, in one monitor, you could see a little computerized version of Claire skipping down the path, and behind her was Momma. My image was funny because I was carrying my purse on my shoulder, but you get the idea. As more people went through the line, the images moved from monitor to monitor.
When we were done with that, we noticed that the BodyTrek Theater was letting out and another show was just about to start. We headed into the dark theater and found some empty seats.
On the screen, when the movie started, was a woman who was going to be hiking up Mount Evans, and we were going with her! Each chair had a device in front of it that when you placed your finger in it, the computer calculated your heart-rate and blood oxygen level.
On either side of the huge screen in front of us were different things to aid in the presentation: on one side was a replica of weather monitoring equipment, and on the other was a huge replica of the human body.
The graphics were amazing. The movie was informative and funny. As we hiked with her, the temperature and wind speed changed, not only on the movie, but in the theater! At the top, it was snowing, and real snow fell on us! At one point in the presentation, they talked about body heat, and then, on the screen was a picture of us! The audience was being filmed with a heat-sensing camera! Most everyone showed up in hues of orange or yellow or green, but there in the second row, on the left, was a red blob: Momma with Claire on her lap! I always knew she was a little space heater!
This was the coolest thing ever! The BodyTrek Theater was the most amazing part of the whole exhibit, and we almost sat through the show a second time.
Throughout the exhibit, there is a wide variety of things to see. The interactiveness of it is really cool. Of course, Claire is excited about everything, whether it be a really cool computerized exhibit, or a mirror hanging on the wall at her level.
Mirror, Mirror, on the wall...
And, because Claire is three, we weren’t able to do every station. Three Year Olds come with their own time-constraints and attention spans. Some of the lines were pretty long, and one of the areas, the Biology Base Camp was for explorers 5 years old and older. So, instead of doing that, we headed over to Tykes Peak, and she had a great time climbing and sliding and playing with the exhibits designed for the littler kids.
Even I had fun playing with the exhibits designed for the littler kids:
How can you resist something like this?
The simplest things are so cool!
After playing there, we took off our shoes and stood in front of another computerized camera that measured our height and arm span.
Then, while Daddy and Claire ventured off into another area, I waited in line to see myself age. (For real! The computer takes a photo of your face and then “ages” it!) But, alas, the line was barely moving, and I was aging all on my own, so I bailed. If we go again, I’m going straight to that one to wait it out. Maybe. I mean, do I really want to see what I look like as an old lady, or should I wait and be surprised?
When we’d had as much fun as we could handle, we headed over to the end of the exhibit where you insert your Peak Pass and sign out. It prints a Personal Profile for you:
Personal Profile
Imagine our surprise at how detailed it is! On the Personal Profile is a digital image of me standing in front of the height/arm span camera. You can see my walking shadow. You can see my heart-rate.
But! That’s not all! It also gives you a website and log-in, and when we got home, I logged on, and it’s awesome! The little shadow of my stride looks a little goofy on the paper, but online, it shows the whole walking sequence! You can click on the different parts of your profile for even more detailed information.
(My hubby is always the funny guy when his true identity is at stake…so imagine my surprise when his Peak Pass spit out a profile for Merlin. One of our kitties. Merlin is in pretty good shape…for a human.)
Using your real name or not, I’m tellin’ ya, this is the coolest thing.
If you’re in the Denver area, you need to check out this exhibit! Be sure to call for reservations; give yourselves plenty of time, and explore!
This is not a paid review, however, we did receive free tickets to this exhibit.
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