Insanity....Day 1

Well blog followers, here is the low down on why it has been so long since I posted. My last post was on Day 75 of P90X. I actually completed 4 more days after that post, and then things got dicey.

To start, I have been struggling with feeling really down lately. I have not achieved the weight loss I had hoped for with P90X, and though yes, I saw major muscle changes, its this GUT! Add that to some struggles at home, and well, I have just been sad, irritable, tired, and in no mood to take care of me. Horrible, I know. To top it off, the following week my son came down with the Swine Flu, and that added a few days of things being off, and then we round out last week with Thanksgiving, which means I had a crazy schedule trying to fit everything in. And add to that I am just getting downright BORED with the workouts. Which is the problem I always have working out, I get bored with the same workouts, and really need to switch it up. I'm not making excuses, I am totally disappointed and disgusted with myself.

After doing lots of thinking, I have decided to switch to Insanity. As much as I prefer muscle workouts to cardio, I think I need to focus more on cardio at this point to melt the rest of this stubborn flab. I know I will do a round of P90X again at some point, but I really feel this is the right move for me. I am also getting RevAbs and Chalean Xtreme. My thought is between the four systems, I could literally go over a month without doing the same workout twice! I am going to finish one round of Insanity though before I start mixing and matching. We'll see what happens.

For those of you not familiar, here is a blurb about Insanity.

Are You Ready for the ONLY workout that is Guaranteed to get you Ripped in just 60 DAYS?...
Then you might just complete the hardest workout program ever put on DVD. Your personal trainer Shaun T will push you past your limits with 10 workout discs packed with plyometric drills on top of nonstop intervals of strength, power, resistance, and ab/core training moves. No equipment or weights needed—just the will to get the hardest body you've ever had.

The Method Behind The Madness: The secret to these mind-blowing results: MAX Interval Training. Shaun T took traditional interval training and flipped it on its head—you perform long bursts of maximum-intensity exercises with short periods of rest. Each workout keeps you constantly challenged as you alternate between aerobic and anaerobic intervals performed at your MAX. The results: burn up to 1,000 calories an hour and get the most insane body in only 60 days.

I really should change the name of this blog to BeachBodyistryingtokillme.com!

Anyway, so Day 1 of Insanity if the Fit test. About a half hour, including a warm up and cool down. The fit test itself is a series of exercises performed for one minute at a time each. You keep track of your results, and do the test again every 2 weeks. After about 10 days of not working out at all, I wasn't sure how I would do. I'll be honest, I was dying! And the sweat poured, but I completed the full minute of each (though in the last three I did have to take a small break, probably 5 seconds) Here are my results

Switch Kicks: 58
Power Jacks: 50
Power Knees: 89
Power Jumps: 20
Globe Jumps: 8
Suicide Jumps: 14
Push-up Jacks: 12
Low Plank Obliques: 42

I wasn't sure how to feel about these numbers, as I have nothing to compare them to. Honestly, I thought they were pretty crappy. So I went to the BeachBody site Message Boards to see other people's starting day numbers, and was shocked to learn that mine were right up there, and in many cases, more than others. Just another reminder to me that no matter how crappy I feel about myself, no matter how much I hate the mirror, I really have come a long way, and the results are lasting. So I'm in a better frame of mind now. Geared up for Plyometrics Cardio Circuit tomorrow!

Day 75

So, today is makeup Plyo day. My back is killing me, my knees ache, I'm tired, I almost talk myself in to skipping it.I just can't bring myself to press play on the Plyo workout.

Instead of skipping it all together, I end up doing a Kickboxing workout I have been dying to try, which I must say has me rolling in sweat just as much as Plyo. I add to it a 20 minute core workout, and this all totals a bit more than the time of the Plyo workout. So though I didn't do the recommended workout, I don't feel like I strayed THAT much from the program. I modified, like Tony always says!!

I'm SOO ready to start Insanity!

Day 74

Day 74 should be Plyo. A wrench is thrown in the plans though when my 5 year old comes down with the flu. After a trip to the doctor, we are pretty sure its H1N1, luckily its not severe, but between that and work, no time to fit in a workout (not to mention totally exhausted from dealing with a sick child). I will take today as my rest day for the week, and hope that I don't get sick as well!

Day 73

Day 73 is Chest and Back, and the final time I will do this workout in P90X (for this time around anyway!) Also Ab Ripper.

So the workout goes well, all my numbers are up, and I am now using 10 pound weights for all exercises (and some honestly could be moved to 12 pounds. I still can't do a real pull up, but I am SOOO close!!

Day 70 & 72

These two days are Yoga X and rest days. Again, not interesting, trying to get back on the blogging wagon....sorry!

Day 69

Day 69, Legs and Back and Kenpo.

Not an interesting post, but just now finding time to catch up the blog.

Day 68

Day 68 is Kenpo day, my favorite.

The workout goes great, I'm feeling good this morning and gearing for a very busy day including an Open House at my business tonight to celebrate our tenth year in business!! Check out our website at Acupuncture and Therapeutic Massage Center.




So to amp up the workout, I remain SUPER low in my horse stance, and double time all the jumping jacks and running. Also, very high on all kicks. I happen to be very irritated with a certain lazy person today, so that helps with the punching and kicking!
Day 68....Done!

Day 67

Day 67 is Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps along with Ab Ripper.

I'm tired this morning, but as usual, once I get started, I'm good.

And, I'm able to up my weights in Scarecrows, Y-presses, Pour Flys, and Lying Tricep Extensions. Man, those weighted circles are a BITCH! I can only use 5 pounders on those, and even then I usually don't hit the last two reps. OUCH!

Day 66

Day 66 is Plyometrics, the mother of all workouts.

My husband promised me last night (knowing he didn't have to work today) that he would do this workout with me today. I was so excited to finally do at least one workout with a buddy. Alas, he did not follow through. :( Chicken!

Day 65

Yes, I have been lax about the last 4 days. Well, not lax about the workouts, just the blog. So the rest of Week 9 workouts went well, and today I start week 10....woohoo!
Finally made it past that week 9 hump.

Day 65 is Back and Biceps. An hour of pullups, flys, and various curls. I realize I really need to go and buy some 12 pound weights. 10's really are not cutting it for some of the exercises, and I especially need them for hammer curls, lawnmowers, and the strip set at the end.

Ab Ripper I will do tonight when I get home from kickball as now I must go get ready for work.

Yay for Week 10!!

Day 60

Day 60 is Kenpo day.

After a disappointing day yesterday (with the results of question 1 here in Maine) I can think of nothing I would rather do than kick and punch for an hour in the name of all those who had their rights taken from them in the name of fear and hatred.

So the workout goes well. Now I have a few tricks I use with Kenpo, they may be silly, but they work. I have this skull decoration we use at Halloween. When I perch it on top of my television, it ends up being directly at eye level. So for all punches and forward kicks I use this. Today, if I were really connecting, that skull would have taken a beating. As for side and back kicks, I use the back door, specifically the lock that is above the doorknob, to aim for. These tricks ensure me that I am keeping my form and kicking nice and high.

Kenpo...DONE!

Day 59

Day 59 is Shoulders and Arms and Ab Ripper.

Shoulders and Arms is the ONE workout that I feel confident doing without the DVD. I know all the moves, I'm comfortable with all of them. I use the DVD for the warmup and the stretch, then turn it off and proceed to watch the Biggest Loser that I DVR'd last night. Perfect combo!! The workout goes well, keep everything at 10 pounds except for the tricep exercises, those I keep at 8. I do move up the lying down tri extensions to 10 though....

So, back to the Biggest Loser. BYE BYE TRACEY!! Don't let the door hit you in the arse!

Day 58

Day 58 again for me is Plyo. The mother of all P90X workouts.

Ugh..off of a bad night with a 5 year old up every few hours, topped off with my own bad dreams that I think are due to a mix of watching Paranormal Activity, and halfway through Dean Koontz's "The Taking" Rough night....

This workout, well, WORKS you! Some things I noticed, I am able to finish hot foot for the first time, both sides. But the second time around I resort to jumping rope. My right knee still flares up from time to time and it just feels like the right thing to do.

I finally get the knees up in tuck and rock star jumps, probably not super high, but up there. Does anyone watch the Biggest Loser. Remember that girl who had an issue jumping up on the stool? Dinah I think? It was like a mental block for her, she would go to jump, and she just couldn't. That's kind of how these knee up jumps are for me. I'm not sure the reason for the mental block, but every few times, my knees just won't go up even though my brain is telling them to. So I guess, for whatever reason, these are my mental block, but I seem to be slowly overcoming this....

Oh Plyo, you fickle fickle friend!!

Phase 3 Take 3!

Starting today off strong with another (and final!) restart of Phase 3, and with it a renewed commitment. I realize that I have been letting other things get in the way in what for two full months was my top priority. If I don't make my health a top priority, everything else won't matter.
So, the last hell week is over, I do manage to fit in some cardio work outs, so not all is lost.
I start today with Chest and Back and Ab Ripper X. Chest and Back goes well, and my reps are all the same as last week. However, for the life of me I still struggle with the decline push ups! I can barely bend my arms at all. So though I manage 10 of them, it is with hardly any downward movement. And for dive bombers, I still have to do the modified way like Marina (sp?)

I'm back baby!