Insanity Update...

Just a quick post to let you know that I'm taking a break from Insanity. I have an appointment with an orthopedist on Monday to see about my knee. I also signed up for a morning bootcamp, but I'll report on all of that on Monday. Talk to you then!!!

Insanity, Week 3 Complete...

I've been doing the Insanity workout for 3 weeks now, and I'm here to report how it's going!  I will start off by saying that I have not dropped any weight.  Normally, that would be discouraging, but I have a feeling I know why I'm not losing any weight.  Right now, due to construction on my kitchen, I am not able to cook.  I'm not a big time cooking person, but once you are deprived of a stove, you realize how much you actually use it & need it.  I miss my stove... I miss my veggies that I steam in chicken broth... I miss making chicken breasts & turkey patties... Starting the Insanity program while I don't have a kitchen probably saved me from gaining weight.  So I'm accepting the "staying the same weight" thing for now.

Okay, the GOOD news is that I'm stronger and my cardio is most definitely improving.  Case in point... I can actually do a few "man" pushups now... it's tough, but I can do them.  Also, when I was watching the Golden Globe awards last week, Halle Berry walked out on the stage looking like one million bucks!  Scratch that, TWO MILLION!  I got up off the couch at that very moment, laced up my sneakers, and jogged on the treadmill for an hour.  Not a hard jog, but I wasn't walking.  For a complete hour.  Got in 5 miles... and I could never jog that long without stopping before I started Insanity.

Right now, I'm dealing with a little knee problem... my left knee is feeling a little tender when I do some moves.  So I adjust when those moves come up, and I wear a knee brace.  I will probably end up going to the doctor as soon as I figure out who I need to go see.  I don't want to knock it out of whack & then be sidelined.  That would be a really awful thing ever for me -- not being able to work out.

Insanity is tough.  Really, really, REALLY tough.  The first month consists of alternating through 4 different workouts.

1.  Plyometric Cardio Circuit:  Blast fat off your body with explosive cardio intervals (40 minutes)
2.  Pure Cardio: Intense and extreme cardio all the way -- no rest! (40 minutes)
3.  Cardio Power & Resistance: Get strong and lean with MAX intensity intervals of strength resistance, sports drills and plyometrics, all without weights (40 minutes)  This one is my favorite so far.
4.  Cardio Recovery:  lots of stretching and yoga... strength moves -- once a week to give your body a "break"... (35 minutes)

Each workout is about 10 minutes of warmup... which really isn't warming up - it feels like a full on workout.  Then 6-7 minutes of stretching, where I'm sweating like a dog already... then the bulk of the workout is usually 15-20 minutes long depending on which one you're doing.  Finally the stretch/cooldown.  It really is out of control.  Here is sweaty me after Insanity Day 19...

I took my fit test again at the beginning of the third week.  I made a little improvement, which is all I'm looking to do.  The first number is the beginning number... the second is the 2 week fit test number:

Switch Kicks: 44 - 46
Power Jacks: 37 - 45
Power Knees: 74 - 81
Power Jumps: 21 - 26
Globe Jumps: 8 - 9
Suicide Jumps: 13 - 16
Push-Up Jacks: 9 - 12
Low Plank Oblique: 39 - 45

I'm still pushing and hanging in there!  By the time I finish the 60 days, my kitchen should be all done.  I will do it again after that!!!

I'm going INSANE....

Happy New Year!!!

I'm always looking for something new to try in the workout game... so my latest test is the Beachbody INSANITY workout.  Insanity is a good name for it, because it is straight up CRAZY!!!  It's super hard, but I made it through the first week.  We'll see how it goes.  Here's a clip from the infomercial...

Insanity Workout Infomercial

I'll be posting my progress throughout the next 60 days.... Wish me luck!