I am age 51 with MS and find them to be very "doable". I already have a long standing exercise regime so maybe that's why.

I wear a HRM for all of my workouts and KNEW that a 30 minute workout could only burn a certain amount of calories (for me) so there was no surprise there. (ex: today was Cardio 1~ 136 cals. burned- weigh 205 sooooo)

I also had great success with JM's 30 Day Shred which I also thought was only a little challenging so I'm gonna go with it. I also go to the gym daily and take classes like Yoga, Pilates and Swing in addition to JM.

The program is created for ALL fitness levels so going in a progressive pattern from easier to harder makes sense.

To the OP~ I would just adjust to YOUR own level. Let's chat again when we get to the third month and see what we think then, OK?

I also felt like they weren't as challenging for me and I noticed my calorie burn wasn't very high. So I increased my weights and do the more advanced moves and noticed a big difference in my calorie burn on WK 2 yesterday.

Phase 1 is suppose to be "easy". I am on last week of phase 1, I found that heavier weights (i'm using 8 & 10 pound dumbells) and "double-timing" the cardio minutes really help give me the challenge I need. I think that you should stick with the program the way its designed, and like people before me said.... "Push the up button" :drinker:

Phase 2 really steps it up a notch. I thought phase 1 was not as tough. If you find it boring or easy, use heavier weights and do all the advanced moves. Phase 1 is important because it conditions your body for phase 2/3. I know it seems easy, but do not move ahead, do phase 1. You'll see how doing phase 1 really pays off once you hit phase 2. Jillian has us do it for a reason, and I finally realized it when I began phase 2.

Like Jillian says, "You can always push the UP button". If it seems too easy do the advanced version of the moves, add more weight. Instead of the "modified push ups" do the "military style". It's your workout now, make it as challenging as you can handle.

I'm on my second week of Phase 2 and I love it.

I totally agree...I am in the middle of week 4 and if I realize that it is too easy I will pick up my heavier weights. I am using 8 and 10 pounders this week where last week I only used 5s.

Weeks 1 & 2 I did all the advanced moves and used 5s and 8s because I had not gotten my 10s yet. Just keep hitting that "up" button.

Hmmm okay that sounds like a good plan, but will I bulk up if I use weights that are too heavy??

Absolutely not! Jillian actually says it in one of the workouts in phase 1. She says, "ladies, don't be scared you are going to get big like the Hulk. That's not going to happen. It will only happen if you eat more calories than you burn. And on this diet plan, that's not going to happen." Don't worry, women aren't built like men to get big. Don't be afraid to go heavy, if you can go heavy with good form and reps, go for it.

Hmmm okay that sounds like a good plan, but will I bulk up if I use weights that are too heavy??

Absolutely not! Jillian actually says it in one of the workouts in phase 1. She says, "ladies, don't be scared you are going to get big like the Hulk. That's not going to happen. It will only happen if you eat more calories than you burn. And on this diet plan, that's not going to happen." Don't worry, women aren't built like men to get big. Don't be afraid to go heavy, if you can go heavy with good form and reps, go for it.

This :flowerforyou:

I think what I've settled on is combining this workout with my previous workouts and using it as an "bonus add on." One more question - what's the recommendations for the cardio? Are you really supposed to do it every day? Is there a minimum? I tried finding info in the book on it and there is nothing! In the dvds she keeps saying "only 30 minutes a day!" but with the cardio every day it is an hour? Color me confused.

if you do the week long kickstart, you do workout 1 in the am, cardio 1 in the pm, next day is workout 2 and cardio 1, third day is cardio 1 two times then repeat for 3 more days, rest on the 7th day. after that, you go to the regular schedule of only one workout per day which is just like the kickstart minus the extra cardio workout. the minimum would be to follow the workout schedule as described in the book where you do each workout twice a week and rest one day. i read that jillian says not to add more than 5 extra 30 minute sessions of any type of cardio per week while doing body revolution to avoid overtraining.

I also felt like they weren't as challenging for me and I noticed my calorie burn wasn't very high. So I increased my weights and do the more advanced moves and noticed a big difference in my calorie burn on WK 2 yesterday.

^^This. I went through Workouts 1 & 2 + Cardio 1 the first time, then for the next scheduled day of each, I just increased weights - used weights when "optional" (like when she's punishing Omar!) and tried to do the more advanced moves where I could (except when she moves from push-ups into planks... HATE that).