ripped in 30 review & results.

I FINISHED RIPPED IN 30!

four weeks later, and i am finally done! boy, this was hard. so, so hard. am i schwarzenegger's doppleganger now? not particularly. am i ever-so-slightly stronger? yessir.

unfortunately my plans to blog a lot didn't materalise over the past week.  i've been revising for exams, haven't left the house all week, AND have somehow managed to get a throat infection with a cold to boot. suffice to say, glamming up and playing around with make-up really hasn't been on my agenda as of late.

it is for those reasons that i just do not want to share my sick face with the world right now. instead, you can see me when i was very little instead. all i can offer right now is that yes, my thighs and arms have slimmed down since. go me!

but back to the results. what you probably need to know is that i only did this dvd and some walking for the first two weeks. however, during the third and fourth week,  i was doing this dvd, walking, yoga and some bouts at the gym - so any results i did have were not the result of doing this dvd on its own. 

measurements before                        measurements after

waist: 26.8''                                                     waist: 26.3" (-0.5) 

hips: 38''                                                           hips: 37.7" (-0.3) 

thighs: 21.8''                                                   thighs: 21.6" (-0.2)  

calves: 13''                                                       calves: 12.6" (-0.4) 

upper arms: 9.5''                                           upper arms: 9.1" (-0.3)

lower arms: 9.0"                                           lower arms: 8.7" (-0.3)

TOTAL INCHES LOST = 2.0"


for those who are interested, i lost 0.3" in level one, 0.4" in level two, 0.5" in level three, and 0.8" in level four. but despite losing a small amount, there are results when i compare photos side-by-side. my entire middle section looks more compact, and i feel as if my calves and upper arms look somewhat slimmer. my stomach and thighs looks smaller from the side.

for the first time ever, i also made an effort to lose actual weight. i wanted get a lower number on the scales for greater muscle definition. however, i only decided to start this mini mission 3 weeks into this and so it's still ongoing. i initially weighed in at 139.5lbs (63.3kg), and currently weigh 137.5lbs (62.4kg) - meaning that i've lost 2lbs in my first week.


before the workout
i realised that 30-day programmes (where things change after a while) are what i like best, and that short but intense workouts are what suits my personal routine. so, i did this purely because it's the only other jillian michaels dvd that closely resembles the format of the 30 day shred. did i expect to get super ripped? not particularly. i just wanted to lose more inches and get more toned. i also was keen to see what moves would be in this workout as doing things with weights (that makes me sound as if i am about to join the circus) was one of the things i-sort-of-hated-but-secretly-enjoyed in previous dvds.

during the workout
the format remains the same: 3 minutes on strength, 2 minutes on cardio, and 1 minute on abs. however, there are a few differences. firstly, rather than doing two moves in the strength circuits as in 30 day shred, you now do three. i prefer this as doing the same thing for longer obviously hurts more and results in less variety. secondly, the workout is a tad longer due to the extended warm-up and cool-down sections - making the workout last between 25-30 minutes. thirdly, it is recommended that you do each level for 5-6 days with one day of rest (i did 7).


after the workout
this was very hard in parts and my feelings towards it were very up and down. i liked the beginning and the end, but not so much inbetween. if you are debating whether to do this or the shred, i'd recommend doing the shred first. steer clear if you also have any lingering knee/leg injuries.

as stated, my inch loss wasn't that high. but, i blame that on me fooling around and eating more rubbish than usual. i can't and won't use it to dismiss the dvd at all. why? well not only is it the first dvd to make me lose something EVERYWHERE, but it is also the first ever thing (out of all the exercises/dvds/exhausting things i have ever done) that has slimmed down my calves. to put this in context for you, i will explain. i always walk. this has actually been the case for years and years. the result is that i can't pinch my calves at all, which had always remained at 13". and now they've gone down by 0.4"! almost half an inch! trust me when i say that that is momentous you could also perhaps take it as evidence that this dvd is no joke.

what next?
my results from this bring my total inch loss to 8.2". not too shabby, non? as it stands, i'm not sure as to what i'll do next. very tempted to work on my tummy and inner thighs. i also kept a diary as always, so read on if you're interested...