Completion of Insanity!

So the end of Insanity has come and gone. Am I sad? Not even a little. This was a very intense program and I am glad that I stuck with it and saw it through. Will I do it again? Probably not. I'll likely pick up Insanity The Asylum and give it a run through but I don't see myself committing to this program again. As I've stated a few times before I'll incorporate some of the workouts into a P90X schedule as a replacement for Kenpo and Plyo X.

Final fit test results: (first-last)

Switch Kicks - 76-126
Power Jumps - 36-53
Power Knees - 63-104
Power Jumps - 22-36
Globe Jumps - 6-10.5
Suicide Jumps - 5-16
Push-up Jacks - 18-36
Low Plank Oblique - 30-56

As you can see the numbers improved by leaps and bounds. I was a bit disappointed on the weight loss side as I dropped 16 pounds, but then again I know my nutrition wasn't perfect. Overall I am very satisfied with the results from Insanity. I am proud to say that I am a graduate of the program. But most of all I'm glad that I can stop "digging deep" and am so ready to "BRING IT!"

Friday, February 25

Max Interval Plyo - skipped! I couldn't bring myself to put this one in today so I went with Burn Circuit I from ChaLEAN Extreme. I'll be completely honest - I'm not going to miss the Max Plyo workout one bit. Will I use it in the future, yes. On another note the Burn Circuit was crazy fun and a nice change of pace. Eventually I'd like to do the entire program, but it will have to wait until probably the summer. I've got a dual workout tomorrow with Insanity and then the final Fit Test. So close, and so glad to be wrapping it up.

Shakeology for the day: 1/2c frozen mango chunks, 1/2c frozen peaches, 8oz organic lemonade with a Greenberry packet. This stuff is money when made with these ingredients. Not necessarily together, but any of these three things really bring out a good flavor in the Greenberry.

March Challenge

Here we go with monthly challenge number two. Each month will have a different theme or goal. Also in the interest of bettering our health, each person should make a commitment to make one healthy change for the entire month. The goals are completely up to you.

The challenge for this month is EXERCISE. Pick an exercise (running, crunches, pull ups, squats, etc.) and set a goal for the month (run 40 miles, do x amount of crunches, etc.). Set a realistic goal and go for it!

Here is my goal and healthy change

Goal - 5000 push ups in the month of March (this will be outside of my P90X round that I will start on 3/13)
Change - drink 100 oz of water every day

I have started a thread on the Team BeachBody Message boards. You do need to register to participate on there, but let me tell you there are tons of resources and it is FREE! To register click here, then click on the join box, then scroll all the way to the bottom and click on try free membership. There is a paid membership option with lots of extra support like meal planning, access to BeachBody TV, a blog, fitness and nutritional articles, recipes, and they even give you a discount on products if you go this route. But the pay option is not necessary so please don't do it unless you see some value in what it offers.

If you want to join in the fun, just leave a comment on here or the facebook group with your goal and change.

Only a couple of days until the challenge starts. Tell your friends and keep checking back for updates.

Here's to a healthier us!

Thursday, February 24

Final time through Core Cardio & Balance and opted to forgo the HRM. I wanted to focus on the exercies and not worry about anything else. This is actually a nice recovery workout. I think I've tried to push way too hard through it every time except for today. The shoulder burners at the end still give me trouble, but other than that this is a very nice compilation of exercises. I think this one will work its way into the rotation like the Recovery for Results disc has.

Had to spice up the Shakeology this morning with almond butter and a banana. This is seriously my addiction right now.

Wednesday, February 23

Last time doing Max Interval Circuit. Am I going to miss this hour long workout? Nope, not one bit :smug:. I will be fine without ever hearing the words "Side Suicide Jumps" or "Full Body Drill" ever again. Seriously though, this is an awesome interval workout that keeps the heart rate high and works every part of the body. My HRM showed a burn of 1054 calories tonight, and I'm pretty sure I sweated every one of those out. I'm positive this workout will find its way into the rotation during my round of P90X, even if it means I have to attempt a side suicide jump.

Tried to lower the calorie count in my morning Shakeology today. Went with a banana, water, and ice with the chocolate mix. The peanut/almond butter really does make this so much better, but this was still tasty and hit the spot.

Tuesday, February 22

Another day of doubles, well at least there were two workouts on the schedule for the day. I managed to squeeze in both Cardio Abs and Max Cardio Conditioning today. I did them at two different times as I wanted to put as much into each workout as I could. The HRM showed a total burn of 1016 calories across the two workouts. I feel really good tonight and definitely know that I gave it my all today. Only four more workouts until the final Fit Test!

Went with a Shakeology staple this morning - 1 banana, 2tbsp Peanut Butter, 1c water, ice with a scoop of chocolate. Can't go wrong starting any day off with this!

Shakeology - You know you wanna try it

So one of the reasons I signed up to be a Beachbody coach was to get a discount on Shakeology. I had been reading and watching videos about the stuff for quite some time, but I had some reservations. After doing a little bit of tracking my expenses (breakfast foods, multivitamin, protein powder, etc.) it looked like I was already spending close to the amount of Shakeology but wasn't getting all of the benefits. I finally made the decision to take the plunge and buy the stuff. What a wonderful decision that was!

Since I got my first order of Shakeology seven or so weeks ago there have only been a couple of days that I haven't started my day off with the stuff (and that was because I ran out!). The benefits are vast, but let me list a few things that I've noticed.

1. I have more energy throughout the day and have kicked my caffeine habit
2. I have struggled with digestive issues for many years and that has completely cleared up
3. Shakeology provides satiety and I can make it for a few hours before feeling hungry
4. I have seen good weight loss results
5. It tastes amazing (seriously, I heard from a not so credible source that they were told there is crack in the stuff)

But I don't want you to take my word for it. I have some sample packs that I would love to give out. If you haven't ever tried the stuff, send me an email at stu_35@yahoo.com or a message on facebook. Let me know if you would prefer the chocolate or the greenberry (both are good, but most people prefer the chocolate) and I'll get in touch with you to get you a sample pack. Now there have to be some stipulations and please respect the following:

1. You have never tried Shakeology
2. You are either a) assigned to me as your coach on Team Beachbody or b) not a current Team Beachbody subscriber. So what I'm saying here is if you have a different coach on Team Beachbody, ask them for a sample.
3. You promise to mix up the stuff and provide me feedback.

If you have questions about Shakeology, check out the right side of the blog and click on the Shakeology link for a bunch of videos that will get you up to speed. You can also contact me and ask questions directly.

Now for the fun part. Until the end of February, anybody that orders Shakeology through my page will be entered to win a $25 gift certificate to the place of their choice. If you order Shakeology on Home Direct (free shipping, automatic billing each month, FREE workout DVDs first month, FREE shaker cup second month) I will put your name in the drawing three times (as opposed to once if you order it regularly). Why would you do this? How about the bottom of the bag guarantee? That's right, if you aren't satisfied with Shakeology you simply contact Beachbody within the first thirty days and you can send them back your bag (even if it is empty) for a full refund (less shipping).

And to take things a step further, the first two people that join my team as a coach before the end of February will have their $40 startup dues covered by me. If this sounds like something you are interested in or have questions about, click the "Be a Coach" page on the right side of the blog for information, but don't sign up without talking to me first. For those in Utah, there are big things headed our way with Beachbody. The opportunity is great, and I will not let this fail! Who is with me?

Monday, February 21

And I'm back with a vengeance after whining last week and a much needed day off. Two weeks straight really gets to ya, especially when you're not loving the workouts. Tonight was Max Interval Plyo. I didn't get the workout in until later in the day and that seems to have a negative impact on my attitude. I really pushed through each exercise and tried to go as fast and as long as I could. Power Push Ups? Yeah right! I hope I'll be able to do those in a year. Felt really good all the way through though and the HRM showed a burn of 953 calories - not a record, but a solid effort.

Only five more workouts until the last Fit Test! I'm not going to miss seeing Shaun every day, but I know that some of the Phase II workouts will be replacing Kenpo X and occasionally Plyo X to keep the intensity going.

Shakeology recipe for the day: 6 oz. Yoplait plain Greek yogurt, 1 banana, water, and ice with the chocolate mix. Not a bad taste, but I did put the ingredients in the blender in an awful order so I didn't get the whole scoop of powder. I think a little honey would have done the trick for this one.

Saturday, February 19

Okay it is time for a confession. I cheated yesterday. I put in the Max Interval Circuit and before I even started I decided I didn't have it in me. I felt like there was no way that my body could go through 60 minutes of intervals. So I pressed the eject button and instead poppen in Recovery For Results from Tony Horton's One on One V1. The workout is about 35 minutes and is meant for those days when you just can't do it. My body needed another day of recovery and as my lost post mentioned I needed a fix of Tony. I think this was a wonderful idea and after it was all said and done I felt a thousand times better!

Fast forward to today - Core Cardio & Balance. Another short, not over the top strenuous workout. I believe I completed all of the moves and in the desired quantities with one exception: the final three minutes of shoulders (did my best but couldn't lift my arms any more). Now I have a real day off tomorrow and six more workouts next week with the final Fit Test next Sunday. It has been a great journey so far, and I can't wait to be able to say that I completed Insanity!

Thursday, February 17

So I'm not going to sugar coat this anymore. I hate the recovery workout. It's not like Yoga X where I feel like I'm getting somewhere with flexibility and I think that is my problem - Insanity is not P90X! I came into this thing fully committed to completing Insanity by the book. I didn't follow the diet guide, but have changed some habits for the better. I felt like I saw good results in Phase I, but Phase II has been a disaster. There are a bunch of things I could blame it on, however I think it comes down to one thing - I need my Tony Horton. Sure I burn more calories in these workouts than I do in the P90X cardio routines. I need the strength training. I need the push ups. I need the pull ups. I need a change! End of temper tantrum.

Max Recovery was the workout today. Burned 563 calories according to the HRM. Some of the moves were way too much tonight. Could have something to do with the 12 straight days of workouts, but I'm not sure. The countdown to completion is on: only eight more workouts until the final Fit Test! Results will show on the Fit Test, and hopefully the pictures will tell a better story than my negativity has tonight.

Wednesday, February 16

Today was a double dip - Max Cardio Conditioning followed by Cardio Abs. That's quite an intense way to spend an hour, and I'm so glad I put in the videos and went for it. HRM showed a burn of 1058 calories across the two workouts. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned it in the past, but I don't care for the Cardio Abs routine. I'd much rather do an Ab Ripper workout. I'll give Insane Abs a shot after Insanity - perhaps it is more of what I'm looking for. The conditioning workout went well, no surprises just 45 minutes of non-stop action.

I attended a Beachbody meeting tonight and am very excited with what I learned. It seems like there are a great bunch of coaches in the surrounding area and I can't wait for things to come! I've got a feeling that this is going to be a great year!

Tuesday, February 15

What I would have given to take a day off today! Started the morning out with a chocolate Shakeology with a little bit of peppermint extract (which was delicious) and then it got crazy. Next thing I knew it was seven hours later and time to workout. I hadn't eaten antyhing but the shake and decided to put in Max Interval Plyo and give it a go anyway. Wow - nothing in the tank to start with left me straining to get through each interval. I've been getting stronger with pretty much every workout and I felt like today was a step backwards. That being said, I still completed the workout with a burn of 876 calories according to the HRM. I definitely didn't up any quantities from the last time I did this routine, but I tried to stay true to the form and push with what I did have.

The lack of energy I had through the workout was quite disappointing and I'm going to ensure this doesn't happen again. Only ten workouts left before the final Fit Test and the end of Insanity round 1.

Monday, February 14

Max Interval Circuit. Feels like day one all over again. I found time in the middle of the day to get this one done and I think that makes a huge difference. I downed a Gatorade pre-workout drink before I started and felt really good all the way through the workout. Still struggling with the Side Suicide but other than that I really pushed through the workout today. HRM showed a burn of 1026 calories. On a side note I'm now down a total of 14.8 pounds since starting Insanity. My goal is to be under 247 which was where I was when I finished P90X. I'm dialing in on what I need to do to get there and am seeing great gains in endurance and strength.

Shakeology update. No recipes this week! Due to my stagnant weight I'm cutting out all of the additives from my shakes for the week. So here's the recipe: 1c water, Shakeology packet and ice. Yummy!

Fit Test #4

Fit Test number four is supposed to be tomorrow. I decided that because I push so hard during test days I don't want to double up and do a workout the same day. That being said, I did the Fit Test today. Here are the results of all four tests with the most recent on the right:

Switch Kicks - 76-104-124-126
Power Jumps - 36-45-51-53
Power Knees - 63-85-96-102
Power Jumps - 22-30-33-36
Globe Jumps - 6-9-10-10
Suicide Jumps - 5-8-14-15
Push-up Jacks - 18-24-30-32
Low Plank Oblique - 30-44-50-56

Am I happy with the results? Sure. I didn't see the increase over the last test like I was hoping, but if you look at how far I've come since the beginning it is absolutely crazy!

Two more weeks of this craziness.

Saturday, February 12

Two workouts to update. Last night was Max Cardio Conditioning. HRM showed a burn of 858 calories. I felt like I pushed harder than that, but the numbers are what they are. Today was Max Interval Sports Training and HRM showed a burn of 953 calories. I'm afraid I enjoy this workout a bit too much. There's something about throwing punches for six straight minutes that feels so great. I still modify some of the exercises due to the fact that I have a downstairs neighbor, but I try and stay moving the entire time. If you don't have this workout I highly recommend it.

Shakeology recipe for yesterday (that I will be making here shortly once again): 1/2 banana, 2tbsp almond butter, 1c light silk, 1 scoop chocolate protein powder, and a packet of chocolate Shakeology mix. This is quite a bit higher in calories than what I've been having, but I feel that the extra protein is necessary.

I also want to note that I haven't been losing much weight the last few weeks. During my workout this morning I had an epiphany. I've been eating cleaner and pushing harder during the workouts. What's changed? I started using a scoop of Results and Recovery formula during every Insanity workout. A lot of the days I don't start my workout until about 10PM and I think the extra carbs (sugar) is stalling. I'm going off the stuff for the next two weeks to see if I can hit my goal of losing 12 pounds in February. That means 10 pounds in two weeks.

Thursday, February 10

I feel much better this week than I did last week after the Max Recovery workout. HRM showed a burn of 596 calories but my shoulders were on fire. It seems as though my body is adapting to these exercises after a couple rotations. I am definitely getting stronger and continuing to focus on the form. I held the one armed balance for much longer this week and was able to do more military style push ups too. You would think that I'd be uber-flexible especially through the hip flexor after all of these stretches but I still struggle in that area. Really looking forward to the next couple of workouts as they mix it up from what I've done for the last 11 days.

Shakeology recips for the day: 1c water, 1/2 banana, frozen mango chunks with the Greenberry mixture. This was perhaps the best Greenberry recipe yet. It was the perfect consistency and I guzzled the whole thing down quickly. Great taste and always filling.

February Challenge Update

To date I've got 18 people that are in on the February Challenge. Most of the action is going on at the Team BeachBody Message boards. You can follow the thread here, to post you need to be a member. If you're following here on the blog leave a comment with your update or feel free to join in for the last half of the month.

I'm working on the challenge for next month. I want the goal to be centered around an exercise of some type (run, push ups, crunches etc). If you've got any ideas shoot em over, I'd love to hear them!

Wednesday, February 9

Another shot at Max Interval Plyo today. Have I mentioned how frustrating those side suicide jumps are? What about Power Push Ups? Some of these moves are crazy! HRM showed a burn of 961 calories today but I felt like I took longer breaks than I have been. The crazy thing is I know that I am pushing harder on every move and have been working on keeping my form as good as it can be. Gonna finish the week strong as the workouts on the radar should be exciting!

Shakeology recipe for the day: 8 oz white grape juice, frozen raspberries, frozen blackberries with the Greenberry mix. Again, not a recipe from the calendar and this time it was a miss. The flavor wasn't quite right which was disappointing as I thought the high sugar in the juice would bring out a pleasant taste. Oh well, tomorrow I'll try something different.

Tuesday, February 8

Third go at Max Interval Circuit today. Knees have been bothering me so I needed to do some modifications a bit. Still can't do those stupid Side Suicide things. I kept going for as long as I could during each interval today, definitely an improvement from last time. Burned 1020 calories in the workout. What a good feeling that was!

Shakeology recipe for the day: 6oz Chobani Fat Free Pomegranate Greek Yogurt, 3/4c water, 1/2 banana with the Greenberry. This was delicious! This wasn't a recipe that was provided, but an improvisation with what I had mixed with what sounded good. The result was wonderful and I'm glad to know that the yogurts mix well with the Greenberry. I love options!

Monday, February 7

Tonight I had the pleasure of tackling Max Cardio Conditioning. I had some issues with my HRM as it said I only burned through 500ish calories. My sweat-soaked shirt tells me otherwise. I modified a couple of moves (Diamond Jumps, Suicides) to appease the downstairs neighbor but managed to stay moving throughout the entire workout. Honestly I don't like this one as much as the Pure Cardio workout and don't see this being in the rotation unless I decide to do Insanity by the book again.

Went with an old standby for the morning Shakeology - 1c water, banana, 1tbsp peanut butter, honey with the chocolate mix. Still one of the favorites. Gonna go with the Greenberry for the rest of the week as I'm afraid that I will soon be addicted to the chocolate.

Friday, February 4

Another round of Max Interval Circuit. I had a crazy busy day and so I didn't push play until 11:30 PM. I was so pumped to start tonight and wanted to push it as hard as I could. Wound up with 999 calories burned according to the HRM. I did more reps on every exercise than the first go at this workout and really focused on form. What an awesome way to end a wonderful day!

Shakeology recipe for the day: 1c light Silk, strawberries, peaches with Greenberry mix. I put a little more than the 1/2c of the fruit that the recipe calls for and wound up with a huge amount. This was a very good recipe though and definitely one that will make it into the rotation. I think this would have been just fine with water or organic lemonade which would decrease the calories. So happy to be back on the shakes and I'm not going to run out again!

Thursday, February 3

Max Recovery? Why don't I feel recovered? Seriously though, I am more sore and tired this week than I was during any time of Phase I. Despite being sore and tired I popped the DVD in an hit the play button. Burned 598 calories, which is way more than if I would have just gone to sleep like I really wanted. Two more days of week six and then three more weeks after that. I am going to recommit to pushing harder and bringing it more every workout. Gotta hit this thing strong to see the results that I want.

Didn't have Shakeology this morning as it didn't arrive until the afternoon. But that is great news! Starting tomorrow off with a shake should bring back some of that energy and give my body the nutrients it needs to push through.

Wednesday, February 2

Max Cardio Conditioning for the first time tonight. Similar to the Pure Cardio workout in that you don't have any planned breaks, but with more focused and difficult exercises. It seems that the routines in Phase II contain exercises that focus on multiple parts of the body where Phase I was full of isolation exercises. I could be wrong, but something makes these more difficult than Phase I. I burned 861 calories in just over 47 minutes - not a bad way to wind down a long day.

No Shakeology this morning, instead I made a shake with a Chobani Greek yogurt (strawberry), a banana, 3/4c light Silk and some flax seeds. Was very tasty, but I certainly missed the extra boost that Shakeology gives me. I listened to a BeachBody coach talk today who claimed there is crack in Shakeology and that's why we miss it so bad when we're out of it. I don't think that is true, but it sure does make sense!

I also want to check up on anybody participating in the challenge. What are you doing to hit your weight goal? Diet change? Exercise program? I'm interested in how you plan on achieving your goals.

Tuesday, February 1

Max Interval Plyo is the second workout of Phase II. I didn't watch this before doing the workout which is a mistake. I was a bit lost on some of the exercises but gave it all I had, which didn't feel like much tonight. I did manage to burn 954 calories during the workout so I must have been doing something right. The crazy thing is I don't feel like Phase I prepared me for this at all. Going to be a challenging couple of weeks to push through these crazy workouts.

Shakeology recipe for the day: banana, 1c soy milk, 1tbsp honey, 1tbsp natural peanut butter with the chocolate mix. One of my staples and favorite recipes. Today was a sad day as I ran out of my packets. Anxiously awaiting my order(s)! Gonna be a mix of greek yogurt, oatmeal, and proten shakes to start the next few days off.