Jillian Michaels: Weekly Weight Loss & Maintenance Plan

2009 was a year filled with new fitness adventures.  I did the South Beach Diet in January and lost those last stubborn pounds of baby weight.  By applying the principles in the South Beach Diet, I have been able to maintain my weight, which has been a wonderful feeling.

During the summer of 2009, I wanted to challenge myself again and finally decided to dig that "Shred" DVD out to use it as intended.  I found a great group over at Shredheads;  their tweets keep me motivated!  Thus, I did the 30 Day Shred for the full 30 days!  I have officially declared Jillian as my best friend even if she does not know me - lol!  After a few months of being quite comfortable in my workout routine, I decided to do the 30 Day Slimdown from Exercise TV.  My goal was quite simple...to not gain as much over the holidays. And if I did gain, it would hopefully come off with a bit more ease.

As the 30 Day Slimdown came to an end, I found myself thinking about how great I feel and how I DO NOT want to lose the muscle and toning I can see in my body.  Thus, I came up with my own variations of weekly plans that incorporate Jillian Michael's exercise DVD's that are used in the 30 Day Slimdown.  My hope is that some of you will find this and want to join in with me!


What will you need to join in on the fun?
1.  The Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred DVD
2.  No More Trouble Zones DVD (Quick Trouble Zones workout is circuits 1-4 of No More Trouble Zones)
3.  Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism DVD (Quick Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism is what I call circuits 1-4 of Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism.  Figured why not do the same thing Exercise TV did with No More Trouble Zones.)
4.  exercise mat if on a hard floor
5.  a good pair of shoes
6.  Set of 3-5 pound weights

What will help you succeed?
1.  Determine the time of day that is best for you to exercise.  Is it right away in the morning?  After work?  Mid-day during your lunch break?  Whatever it is, figure it out so you have one less hurdle.  For me, I do better if I exercise before my kids are up.  Our days our busy and my personal style is that my motivation dwindles by day's end.  99% of the time, I do it then.  On weekends, I may do it while the kids are up since my husband is there to help.

2.  Stick to that time and allow 7-14 days for the "change" in your schedule to take effect.  Regular exercise is like any change; the first days may be the hardest.  But consistency will pay off and your body will adjust.Give it the time it needs and do not give up.

Case in point...when I started the 30 Day Slimdown, I was very comfortable with getting up at 5:45 to exercise.  The 30 Day Slimdown showed me how ready my body was to push to the next level by adding more time and more challenge to my workouts.  The third week was harder because I had to get up earlier.  After 4-5 days, everything felt easier.

3.  Determine your goal and your reward!  When shaping behavior, you reward good choices and do not reward bad ones.  The results speak for themselves.  So set your goals. Are you the type that needs a reward when you complete a week?  A month?     Try not to focus on pounds lost because you will be building lean muscle, which weighs more.  Which leads me to...

4.  Take your measurements BEFORE you start!  If you stick with this for a minimum of 30 Days, Jillian will give you results!  While I reached my pre-baby weight before starting her workouts, I lost inches and no weight after doing the 30 Day Shred.  Take them and note them so you can celebrate with the world when you see a change for the better!

So here is the plan:
1.  Each week consists of 6 days of exercise and a day of rest.  If you feel tired, just modify the workout down, but try not to take an additional day off unless you really have to.

2.  If you are just starting out, you may want to do four weeks of easy options before incorporating more of the challenging options.  Choose the weekly plans based on your level...and advance them as you are ready.

3.  My plan is to choose 3 Challenging Options per month and 1 "Easy" Option.

4.  Eat sensibly.  If you do not see a change in your weight or how you feel in your clothes, try logging your food and calories to determine if you are over or under eating.  Try to limit alcohol, but hey, let's be realistic. :)  A glass of red wine will not set you back.  Just keep in mind...the less you drink, the better the results.  When I did Stage 1 of The South Beach Diet, I was not allowed any alcohol...

5.  The ultimate goal?  Find an exercise plan and "diet" that you can live with.  By diet, I do not mean limiting calories extensively.  I simply mean the foods you eat regularly.  Finding a healthy way to live and balancing that with the demands of life is our ultimate goal!


EASY OPTIONS: CHOOSE 1-2 PER MONTH

Option 1: (Week 1 of 30 Day Slimdown)
Day 1: 30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 2: 30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 3: No More Trouble Zones
Day 4: 30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 5: Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Day 6: Quick Trouble Zones
Day 7: REST

Option 2:  (Week 2 of 30 Day Slimdown)
Day 1:  30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 2:  30 Day Shred: Level 2
Day 3:  Quick Trouble Zones
Day 4:  30 Day Shred: Level 2
Day 5:  Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Day 6:  No More Trouble Zones
Day 7:  REST

Option 3:
Day 1:  30 Day Shred: Level 2
Day 2:  30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 3:  Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Day 4:  30 Day Shred: Level 3
Day 5:  Quick Trouble Zones
Day 6:  Quick Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Day 7:  REST

Option 4:
Day 1:  30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 2:  Quick Trouble Zones
Day 3:  30 Day Shred: Level 2
Day 4:  Quick Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Day 5:  No More Trouble Zones
Day 6:  30 Day Shred: Level 3
Day 7:  REST

Option 5:
Day 1:  30 Day Shred: Level 3
Day 2:  No More Trouble Zones
Day 3:  30 Day Shred: Level 2
Day 4:  Quick Trouble Zones
Day 5:  Quick Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Day 6:  30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 7:  REST

Option 6: 
Day 1: Quick Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Day 2: No More Trouble Zones
Day 3: Quick Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Day 4: 30 Day Shred: Level 2
Day 5: Quick Trouble Zones
Day 6: Quick Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Day 7:  REST

CHALLENGING OPTIONS:  CHOOSE 2-3 PER MONTH

Challenging Option 1:  (Week 3 of 30 Day Slimdown)
Day 1:  30 Day Shred: Level 1 AND Quick Trouble Zones
Day 2:  30 Day Shred: Level 2
Day 3:  No More Trouble Zones
Day 4:  30 Day Shred: Level 1 AND 30 Day Shred: Level 2
Day 5:  No More Trouble Zones
Day 6:  Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Day 7:  REST

Challenging Option 2:  (Modified week 4 of 30 Day Slimdown)
Day 1:  30 Day Shred: Level 2 AND 30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 2:  Quick Trouble Zones
Day 3:  Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Day 4:  Quick Trouble Zones AND 30 Day Shred: Level 2
Day 5:  Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism AND Quick Trouble Zones
Day 6:  No More Trouble Zones AND 30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 7:  REST

Challenging Option 3:
Day 1:  30 Day Shred: Level 2 and 30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 2:  No More Trouble Zones
Day 3:  Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Day 4:  30 Day Shred: Level 2
Day 5:  Quick Trouble Zones AND 30 Day Shred: Level 2
Day 6:  Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism AND 30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 7:  REST

Challenging Option 4:
Day 1:  Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism AND Quick Trouble Zones
Day 2:  No More Trouble Zones AND 30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 3:  30 Day Shred: Level 2 and 30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 4:  No More Trouble Zones
Day 5:  Quick Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Day 6:  Quick Trouble Zones
Day 7:  REST

Challenging Option 5:
Day 1:  No More Trouble Zones AND 30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 2:  30 Day Shred: Level 2
Day 3:  No More Trouble Zones
Day 4:  30 Day Shred: Level 1 AND 30 Day Shred: Level 2
Day 5:  Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Day 6:  Quick Trouble Zones AND 30 Day Shred: Level 3
Day 7:  REST

Challenging Option 6:
Day 1:  No More Trouble Zones AND Quick Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Day 2:  30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 3:  30 Day Shred: Level 2 AND 30 Day Shred: Level 3
Day 4:  Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Day 5:  No More Trouble Zones
Day 6:  Quick Trouble Zones AND 30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 7:  REST

Challenging Option 7: 
Day 1: Quick Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism AND 30 Day Shred: Level 1
Day 2: No More Trouble Zones
Day 3: Quick Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism AND 30 Day Shred: Level 3
Day 4: 30 Day Shred: Level 2
Day 5: Quick Trouble Zones
Day 6: Quick Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism AND Quick Trouble Zones
Day 7:  REST


Who wants to join me?  We can post comments here for support, check in daily or however often we can on our daily workouts, motivate each other, and get fit together!

If you have suggestions for a weekly routine, please post a comment and I will add it to the lists above...giving credit where credit is due of course.  What are your fitness and health goals?  Share them and join us!