Jillian is TOUGH

Last night was cross-training. I am kind of actually regretting that today though, because tonight I have a 4 mile run. The temps are supposed to go down to single digits and the windchill is in the negatives. Yesterday it was 40. Hmmmm. I really should have switched those two nights.

In addition to watching the Biggest Loser last night (so sad! I almost for real cried.), I also did a Jillian Michaels workout.

I always feel a little bit like a loser doing her dvd because I only use my 5 pound hand weights AND the workout is only 20 minutes long. I feel that way until about 2 minutes into the workout. NO WONDER all of those people on Jillian's team lose so much weight. Like Bill said "Can you imagine doing this 8 hours a day?"

Her whole workout is based on circuits. You do 3 minutes strength, 2 minutes cardio and 1 minute of abs, repeating that for 20 minutes. There are two reasons (I think) that this is so hard.

First of all, you have NO REST in between. Not even 5 seconds. She just moves from one section to the next. She says in the video, that this is because if you want a good workout and you're only going to work out for 20 minutes you can't waste any of those minutes.

The second reason is that the strength exercises combine weight lifting with dumbells with strength exercises that use your body. So, instead of doing just overhead presses, you do overhead presses combined with squats. She says that this is because the weight lifting alone does not burn enough calories.
It is also good because she is really into calistenics, which Runner's World is always touting the benefits of.

Now I am using this as primarily a strength training program (not to lose weight) and it is working. I have done this video twice and I can already feel the difference (I KNOW, that is crazy). It reminds me of Ramon's crazy cross-training runs. But that is also why I love this workout. And I am only on level 1. I hate to see what is on level 2 or 3.

That is why, if I was on the Biggest Loser, I would need Jillian as a trainer...not Bob. I think I work best when someone is pushing pushing pushing me.

Yeah, and I am REALLY contemplating running on the treadmill or elliptical tonight. It is so cold.