Jillian Michaels: The 30-Day Shred

Every morning, girls in Spandex tights bound past me on the sidewalk as I slug through the slush in my parka and snow boots. I used to just roll my eyes and wonder why anyone would get up early and willingly go through such torture, but I recently found a way to get some exercise on my own terms. Luckily, I can do that without braving the winter chill or wearing those workout leggings in public.

I picked up Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred workout DVD after hearing good things about it from my gym-rat friends. It cost less than $8, so why not?

Michaels is a fitness trainer known for appearing on the T.V. show The Biggest Loser. Her 3-2-1 method is based on three minutes of strength training, two minutes of cardio, and one minute of abdominal exercises. Each of the three workout levels uses this formula while steadily increasing in difficulty.

Each workout level clocks in at around 20 minutes, which is another big selling point for me. The entire video lasts an hour, but it is not necessary to do the entire thing each time. Viewers can work through the entire DVD or squeeze quick 20 minute workouts into their day whenever they can. When I'm exercising, I want to get through it as fast as possible, so I liked the quick pace.

Despite her intimidating words, "I want you to feel like you are going to die," Michaels is remarkably likable. Her tough-love approach comes across more tongue-in-cheek than mean.

The simplicity of the routine might bore intermediate or advanced exercisers, but that's just what I needed. Both my roommate and I were able to handle the weight lifting exercises, even though the only other thing we usually lift is the T.V. remote.

We were also able to perform the exercises in our tiny living room without bumping into each other or the furniture. The DVD was great for us apartment-dwellers, although we worried about the clomp factor annoying our downstairs neighbors. As long as we exercise during the day, that shouldn't be a problem.

Level One wasn't as challenging as I expected. I'm used to walking around campus, but I'm a novice exerciser. During the workout, I was sweating lightly and breathing heavily - it wasn't a killer workout but I could feel it the next morning. Levels Two and Three step up the difficulty. I never felt that the routines were impossible, but I had to stop and catch my breath a few times.

The 30 Day Shred costs considerably less than a gym membership and you can work out in your home without any expensive equipment. It is a great option for people on a tight budget or those who are new to exercising.