Shake Weight Challenge: Pieces of Advice

And, we’re off! Guess what? I actually came close to fulfilling my duty this week, as I’ve hauled out that Shake Weight for four days this week. I popped the accompanying DVD in the player, and stood in front of my television ready to spend six whole minutes shaking it with the very smiley lady on the screen.

I’ve discovered some things that I probably should have realized before, but I’ll share them here with you just in case you’re thinking of doing your own Shake Weight Challenge:

• Tip #1: Wear a bra. Yeah, you’d think that wouldn’t need to be reminded, but the first time I picked up the Shake Weight last weekend, I had been lounging a bit in the morning, and hadn’t exactly gotten around to showering and dressing for the day. I figured I was fine in my pajama pants and t-shirt to spend just a few minutes shaking. Well, five seconds in and things were shaking that do not need to build any muscle mass, thank you very much. The next time, I remembered to strap my ladies in before take-off.

• Tip #2: Don’t underestimate the Shake Weight. Six minutes? That’s nothing. Shaking a piece of weighted plastic to the side? Pshaw. That’s what I thought, but now I’m singing a different tune. This isn’t easy, and I’m not just saying that. Yes, I have very little muscle tone in my arms, so that plays a big factor, but my arms aren’t the only place on my body that’s feeling an effect while I shake. I’m trying to hold tight what little core muscles I have, and six minutes actually feels longer than I thought.

• Tip # 3: Tell your husband to leave the room. Plainly put, you may not want an audience when you use your Shake Weight. Especially an audience who may be prone to believing his jokes are funny. Or one that makes suggestive sounds while you’re trying to concentrate. Ahem.

Sure, it’s week two officially, but since I was loser on week one, this week marked the first almost-successfully met challenge for me. Definitely not feeling or seeing a difference just yet, but I’m hoping it will get there. And I’m learning to shake it when hubby is otherwise occupied.