Question for Successful 30 Day Shredders

1) What was your workout schedule?
How many rest days? How many days to complete? How many workouts in a row?

No rest days. 30 days. One workout per day, 10 days of each.

2) Is it possible I'm just not at a high enough fitness level for this?

I was SO unfit when I did the 30 Day Shred, I'd not done any exercise in maybe 2-3 years.

3) Did you work through soreness?

Yes, because after 5-6 days into level 1 I wasn't getting anymore soreness and didn't really get any major soreness (that lasted over a day) after I got into doing it every day.

4) Did you do any other workout along with this one?

No, I just started with this one. My advice to you is to do the same and if you want a higher burn, take some long walks. Don't overdo it as you are just starting out.

I completed the shred twice. The first time I hadn't exercised in about 10 years. I was really sore at first but pushed through it. I took no rest days. I would do 30 minutes on an elliptical and then do the shred followed by another 20 minutes on the elliptical. I saw great results with this. I used 5lb weights throughtout.

I revisited the shred about 6 months and 60lbs lighter. I used 8lb weights and was also doing additional core work after the shred. No soreness with this round but I still was getting a good workout.

I did all the advanced moves each time I did the shred. Push yourself and you'll see great results.

1. I did it every day for 30 days straight. I also did between 2-4 miles on the elliptical every day.

2. I've never worked out before in my life and finished the 30 days. (other than the elliptical for the past few months..never did weights, lunges, abs, etc..) I'm not overweight, but am no way in good shape either. I also smoke and drink a lot. So I'd think if I can do it, anyone can!

3. Yes, worked through the soreness. It goes away after a few days.

4. See #1!

1. I did the 30 day shred 5 days a week. Took me a little longer but I didn't want to stress my body.

2. I've never done strength training before minus using some machines with small amount of weights. It may be hard but that means you will get more of a calorie burn.

3. Unless I was extremely sore I worked out. I know what my body can handle and what it can't. If I was too sore, I used one of my rest days that day.

4. I go for walks every day and stuck with that. I tried to start the C25K program while doing 30DS but I wasn't ready for both.

1) I did it 5x a week. I read in other places that Jillian never meant you to do it with no rest.
2) I wasn't very fit when I started so I had to make further modifications like I couldn't even do a girly push-up so I did them on a table edge. It gets easier the more you do it.
3) Usually for the first few days, I just powered through the best I could resting or modifying as needed.
4) I ran 2-3 days a week as well, doubling up some days and doing a long run with no 30DS one day and one day rest.

You can do it straight through, if you absolutely need to take a rest day then take one. Don't take a rest day for the first week at least. Push through and after the 5th day you will find yourself getting better!

After the first few days I did the shred twice a day.
Sometimes I did it along with JM's Ripped in 30 ....one in the morning, one in the evening.

Now I lift weights but I would NEVER knock the shred (it gave me my name) and it showed me that I was capable of doing something I hadn't done before and finishing it. Lots of people don't finish it so there's something to be said for not quitting.

As an aside, I ALWAYS tell people doing the shred not to do it on a hard floor or in bare feet and if possible put on knee supports - especially if you're doing it with weights which I was. Some people give themselves a bad knee jumping up and down on hard floors.

Best of luck!

1) I did it 5x a week. I read in other places that Jillian never meant you to do it with no rest.
2) I wasn't very fit when I started so I had to make further modifications like I couldn't even do a girly push-up so I did them on a table edge. It gets easier the more you do it.
3) Usually for the first few days, I just powered through the best I could resting or modifying as needed.
4) I ran 2-3 days a week as well, doubling up some days and doing a long run with no 30DS one day and one day rest.

^This. Jillian Michaels herself suggests you take rest days. Also, if you're not getting a high calorie burn add a little more cardio but make sure you take measurements while doing this workout because that is where you'll see the results more usually than weight loss.

I'm doing it two days on, one day off, which is how Jillian recommended doing it according to her podcast (the 30 day thing means 2 levels x 10 days, not do it 30 days in a row)

I'm super duper out of shape and have never been physically active in my life (I was a geeky bookworm in school and hated exercise even then) I'm currently on Level 3 of the Shred.


If I'm too sore to do half the exercises correctly, I don't do it that day and adjust when I am taking my rest day.

I tried doing C25K at the same time, but I don't have enough time in the day at home. I'm finding according my hrm, I'm burning 150-250 calories doing the Shred, and that's fine for me. I also try to walk a lot.

1) What was your workout schedule?
How many rest days? How many days to complete? How many workouts in a row?

1 a day. I didn't have scheduled rest days but had to take them when I'd been out at work all day (and evening) and time just didn't allow. I think I had maybe on average 1 a week so not many.

2) Is it possible I'm just not at a high enough fitness level for this?
I can do the same number of reps with the same exercises with heavier weights, the same amount of cardio and abs over a longer period of time and be fine, but somehow throwing it all together in 20 minutes kicks my butt and I keep having to pause between circuits.

It's meant to be a challenge. Make sure you have water, take a sip where you need to. I'm doing ripped in 30 now, and she says it's not about doing it perfect, it's about EFFORT. So do your best

My thoughts are... maybe if I keep going I'll get to where I don't have to pause between circuits and can do it correctly, which brings me to my next question...

3) Did you work through soreness?
I did the workout once (the day after lifting weights which was probably a little dumb but what can I say, I underestimated the 30DS.)
The next day I felt so sore I thought it was a bad idea to try again... so did you workout again despite soreness until your body got tougher (as long as it's soreness and not pain)? Or did you listen to your body and rest.

Yes I was sore after day 3 but I kept at it and the soreness DOES go away. You'll feel fine after day 5 or so.

This last one has been asked before, but I wanted to throw it in there for good measure to get some more responses...

4) Did you do any other workout along with this one? I noticed it doesn't seem to burn many calories and I'd like to burn more in a day. I was thinking of doing something low intensity, though, like a brisk walk or yoga.... maybe jogging at the most.

Nope. Didn't do anything else.

I think I lost about 10lb doing 30 day shred and watching calories

I just started the 30ds. I am starting out slow. I am soooo out of shape! I have a curves member ship for another month so I am doing curves for 30 minutes and fast walking at least 20 minutes three days per week. I started doing the 30ds the other three days and resting on one day. The first day I did the 30ds shred I was huffing and puffing by the time I finished the warm-up and I only made it through about 1/4 of the first level, I thought I was going to be sick and I was so sore! By the third day I made it through the whole thing but I had to rest about three times. Now I am doing the whole thing and keeping up and I am not sore anymore. This seems to be working for me and when my curves membership ends I plan on doing the 30 ds five days per week with walking more for the other two days.