Bob Harper is an evil man

I doubt its a big surprise to anyone that, despite good intentions, I never went back to the 30 Day Shred. The thought of Jillian Michaels making me want to die was just too much and I haven't been brave enough to tough it out again. That and I've had way too many flare-ups with my back this year.

A fellow 30 Day Shred dropout (any others of you out there, its ok to admit it, we can form a support group) mentioned that she had done one of Bob's workouts and liked it much better. I searched through my Exercise TV On Demand and found Bob's CardioMax, a level 1 (whatever that means), 20 minute cardio workout. I watched it through and it didn't seem too bad. Bob seemed nice, saying things like 'If you can't do it all don't worry, just keep moving, you'll get there." The people were Biggest Loser contestants and not skinny people who you want to hate. Awesome I thought, something motivating instead of intimidating.

So yesterday I decide to go for it and do the workout. It definitely got my heart rate up and I was sweating. I felt like I had definitely worked, but not so much so that I was begging for my life before it was over. "I'm liking Bob," I was thinking.

Today...not so much. Behind the smiles and words of encouragement lies an instrument of torture. He tries to make you feel good, all the while stabbing a knife in your muscles and twisting it, over and over again. I am SORE. After only 20 minutes and thinking like it wasn't the hardest workout I'd ever done, I HURT. My gluteus has pain to the maximus. The outside of my hips from my waist to the tops of my thighs are tender. Every time I have to sit down I cringe. Climbing the stairs is near agony.

I wonder if all the Biggest Loser contestants leave the show addicted to prescription pain pills, if I hurt this much after 20 minutes, can you imagine doing it for hours, every day?

What happened to Thanksgiving?

I thought it was the holiday that came in between Halloween and Christmas. The time when decorations changed from pumpkins and bats to turkeys and cornucopias. We all think about the things we are thankful for in our lives. You remember Thanksgiving, don't you?

Go into any retail establishment however, and it seems that Christmas is already upon us. Within days, some places hours, the Halloween adornments completely disappeared. And instead of those turkeys and cornucopias...snowflakes and lighted trees. The only vague reminders of T-day are the endcaps with displays of canned pumpkin and pie crusts. I've looked and looked through several places lately, from Target to grocery stores...and hardly any hint of Thanksgiving can be found. I even saw a Starbuck's yesterday, they are no longer advertising their Pumpkin Spice Latte...its all about the Peppermint Mocha's and Gingerbread Latte's.

Thanksgiving was always one of my favorite holidays, still is even though its just our lonely little family. It doesn't get much better than great food and spending time with the people you love, even if they may drive you insane. But the whole buy, buy, buy, more, more, more mindset seems to be edging Thanksgiving out sooner and sooner each year. Its bad enough the stores start stocking Christmas decorations in August and play holiday music the day after Halloween, do they really need to abandon an entire holiday?