Day 17 June 12th 2013

Today is day 17 of Insanity and I have to say I really worked hard today and felt good about it. Looking at the pics below I am still bummed that I dont have my six pack. lol I know that is silly but feeling a bit deflated. I just want those results to come and I know they have so I shouldnt feel this way but what are you going to do. Just gotta keep working hard. Pure Cardio is a tough workout but as I mentioned in the video I could tell I am progressing since I got farther into it than I normally do. I never have done the frog jumps because I am usually face down sucking wind from the level 2 drills. Today managed some frog jumps! Insanity has really changed my life tho. I was in desperate need of something to motivate me to make a lifestyle change and this was what it was. Everyone out there in the middle of Insanity, just remember that we are doing things that most people only talk about, we are living it. Keep getting your butt kicked and digging deep! Below is an article about one of my favorite things to do at the gym...The Steam Room! Check out the benefits of it. Really helped me kick my childhood asthma as well.

Benefits of steam room

Weight - 232.4 (A bit up from my low point but thats ok)

Body Fat %z somewhere between 28-31% but going down slowly. 

HATE my bathroom scale for that measurement... never is really very accurate. 

Day 16 June 11th 2013

Today was day 16 of My Insanity Journey. Another Plyometric Cardio Circuit day and another one that kicked my butt. I have to say I was not really in the mood to workout today, but I pushed thru it and pushed play and I am glad I did. There was no way that I was not going to do it, just felt good to sit for a bit lol. Honestly tho, the results are speaking for themselves. I have lost 8.6 inches off my body and 10.2 lbs in 16 days! Name any regular gym routine that will do that for you in that time? The thing about it too, is that it is healthy weight loss. I am hitting my calorie goals for the most part, as I am not strictly counting but know where I want to be and I never feel like I am not getting enough. A big part of my success I believe was my decision to drink nothing but water for the program. I cut out a big problem of mine doing that....MILK. I love milk and would get way too many calories from drinking it and I would not factor those into my daily calories...hence getting fat. So now that I have cut that out entirely, I feel like it has made a huge difference. Not only has working out made me feel better, but I am now fitting into clothes that I havent fit into in years. What a great feeling it is to expand the wardrobe. Insanity is the toughest workout I have done, but I think anyone can do it if they can mentally prepare. I believe it is about 99% mental and 1% physical. You can push your body to do amazing things if you can believe in yourself and work hard. Remember keep pushing play and dig deep! Below is an article about mental toughness. Enjoy!

Mental Toughness

Day 15 June 10th 2013 (Fit Test and Measurements)

Today is Day 15 of My Insanity Journey so I am a few days behind on my updates. Life gets busy sometimes but I am going to update you on the 2nd Fit test, my measurements, and my weight. Insanity has definitely made improvements on my health and fitness. My 2nd Fit Test Results are as follows:

Fit Test Results 

Fit Test #2 Switch Kicks -125/62 vs. Fit Test #1 -112/56

Fit Test #2 Power Jacks - 43 vs. Fit Test #1 - 31

Fit Test #2 Power Knees - 68 vs. Fit Test #1 - 41

Fit Test #2 Power Jumps - 25 vs. Fit Test #1 - 20 

Fit Test #2 Globe Jumps - 10 vs. Fit Test #1 - 7

Fit Test #2 Suicide Jumps - 13 vs. Fit Test #1 - 12

Fit Test #2 Push Up Jacks - 26 vs. Fit Test #1 - 21

Fit Test #2 Low Plank Oblique - 43 vs. Fit Test #1 - 32 

New Measurements 

Starting Chest - 46 3/4 Inches

Starting Waist - 48 1/4 Inches

Starting Hips - 47 Inches

After 1st week of Insanity

Chest - 44 3/4 Inches

Waist - 46 1/8 Inches

Hips - 45 5/8 Inches

Total of 5.51 Inches lost

After Week 2nd week of Insanity

Chest 44 3/8 Inches

Waist 44 1/2 Inches

Hips 44 1/2 Inches

Inches from last time 3.1

Total Inches Lost

8.6 off of total body

Weight

Starting Weight - 242

Today's Weight After 2nd Week of Insanity - 231.8

Total Weight Lost 

10.2 Lbs

You can really see the difference in my stomach in the pictures below. The front and side views are not as clear but everything is slimming down. Today I wore a shirt that I was not able to wear 2 weeks ago. I am really enjoying Insanity, it is very tough and challenging but I would have never seen these results doing my usual work out. If you are on the fence and do not think this program works...Look at the results above and below. Keep at it, eat clean, and Dig Deep! Enjoy.

Day 12 June 7th 2013

Hey all, Day 12 of Insanity is in the books! Cardio Power and Resistance was todays work out and it really kicked my butt. I noticed that my heart rate was not climbing as high as normal, I am not sure if that is because I am getting into better shape or because I did not push myself as hard, it feels like the better shape one. I have to stress the importance of eating right while doing this and other workout plans. I slacked off a bit today and had some Chipotle *love that place* and my unit at work got me some cupcakes for my birthday so I had one of those. I definitely could feel a difference in my work out today. It may have been slightly a mental thing but it felt like I was a bit sluggish. So if you are eating clean continue to do that it does wonders for your workout. One really awesome change I have noticed is that I use to get killer heart burn no matter what I ate. For the most part everything gave it to me, since I have started this program it has vanished COMPLETELY. I never thought I would get over that but it is gone and has not come back since about 4 days into the program. I am noticing that my chest and belly are starting to flatten out. As you can see from the pictures, I still have a lot of fat hanging on at the bottom, but it is not as rounded anymore. It is almost straight down. That is a big improvement! So the results are showing up, and they will for you too. Stay strong and stay in the program! Enjoy!

Weight - 233.8

BF %- 30.3%

Day 11 June 6th 2013

Today was day 11 of my Insanity Journey, Cardio Recovery. As I have mentioned before this is a slow paced deep muscle and stretch work routine. It definitely is low impact and much slower paced. After a week of intense workouts though, it is a welcomed break to help let your body recover. The stretching has actually grown to become one of the parts of the workout I enjoy most. I can feel my body getting more flexible as I go. Don't worry if you are not there yet, as you continue with this program you will start to get deeper into the stretches. If you are lacking some motivation or very sore from the weeks workouts, I have to say this is where your body will really thank you! So focus on stretching out those muscles and loosening up that acid that builds up in the muscles. If you are lacking motivation and are very sore just remember that at the end of 60 days it will all be worth it. I stepped on the scale today and found that I was the lowest weight I had been in about a year and a half! I am almost 8 lbs lighter than when I started the program in only 11 days. The results will show, just continue to push to your max and work to your goals and it will all come together. Below is an article about why the body needs protein! So remember to eat some good lean chicken! Enjoy!




Why The Body Needs Protein


Shoes came in today!

Body Weight - 234.6
Body Fat %- 31.9

I am really starting to notice a decrease in my man boobs lol but in all seriousness they are beginning to slim in on the sides. Still a long way to go, but I am determined.

Day 10 June 5th 2013

Today was Day 10 of my Insanity Journey, another Plyometric Cardio Circuit. I have to say I kicked some butt today. Don't get me wrong, I was still on the ground by the end of the work out, but I made it through the entire first circuit/interval without taking a break. By first I mean the first of the three times thru, but nonetheless that is a major improvement. I burned 597 calories and really am feeling good. Working out has given me so much more confidence in myself even if I haven't hit the goal weight or look, I just feel so much better. I want everyone to feel this way, my fiance even gets annoyed with how much I talk about working out. For the first time in many years I am dedicated to something involving fitness with my whole entire focus and energy. I definitely enjoy sharing this with people and I enjoy getting people to talk to me about it. I decided that even if no one ever reads this blog that down the road I will have it for myself to look at and see how I did. Fortunately, I have gotten some readers and I appreciate that! Today I was going to put up an article about the runners high and how science is starting to prove it, but when I sat down to write this, I just did not feel it was a good article to put up. Instead I was reading about the effects of music on the intensity of workouts. Pretty interesting stuff if you ask me. So check out that article below and let me know what you think. Remember guys that even doing half of Insanity a day, or getting up and walking, or even doing some gardening is better than doing nothing at all. Take a step in the right direction and begin your journey. I am here for motivation, support, and anything else you may want to talk about/ask. Enjoy! 

Weight - 236.4 (Lowest since starting the program) 

Body Fat % - 29% (Also Lowest) 

Remember that this BF% is on a home scale so I do tend to see swings, but it is heading in the right direction swings! 

Music Increases Workout Intensity

Day 9 June 4th 2013

Today was day 9 of my Insanity Journey and the work out was Pure Cardio. This again is probably the toughest workout of the group so far. I definitely made large improvements though and could work farther and deeper into the work out. My shoes came today that I had ordered, but I am going to have to send them back as they are a half size too big, which sucks. Still getting that same ankle pain and swelling in my right ankle. I burned 547 calories in the work out today according to my Polar HRM and stayed in the zone of my fat burning heart rate for 36 of the 42 minutes. Stretching was the time outside that zone. I also wanted to talk about my newest commitment. I have decided that from today until the end of the program I will drink nothing but water. I was reading another person's Insanity story and he did the same and saw amazing results. I know that it might not be a necessary step, but I figured it can't hurt. I am excited for this challenge as well as finishing Insanity because they are both something I would have never undertaken a year ago. I made excuses much too often. I also did my monthly massage and it really seems to help! Anyone that can afford it should invest in at least a monthly if not weekly massage to really repair and help muscles. Not only is it a stress reliever, but you get a good way to increase flexibility and relieve joint pain. The article below talks about a study done with a massage after a work out, check it out. Thanks to everyone who checks this blog out! Stay motivated and dig deep, you will get those results in no time. Enjoy.

Body Fat % 31.9 (A bit higher than it was but home scales are really not good indicators of this, as long as it is in a decent range then you know you are making progress.

Weight - 237.6 

Massage and Working Out

Day 8 June 3rd 2013

Today was day 8 of Insanity, Cardio Power and Resistance. I said earlier in one of my posts that I liked this work out...I didn't like it so much today. Maybe it was because I usually have a workout partner and I had to do it by myself today (which I did!) or what but it kicked my butt and I wasn't such a fan. It is hard having that rest day, but it is crucial for muscle repair and recovery. Today's big news was that it was measurement day! Here are my results after 1 week of Insanity:

Starting Chest - 46 3/4 inches
Starting Waist - 48 1/4 inches
Starting Hips - 47 inches

After one week of Insanity

Chest - 44 3/4 inches   (2 Inches Lost)
Waist - 46 1/8 inches   (2.21 Inches Lost)
Hips - 45 5/8 inches    (1.3 Inches Lost)

That is a total of 5.51 inches in week 1!

I also started at 242 lbs and today weighed in at 238.3 pounds. My lowest point in the week was 237 so I averaged about a 4.4 lb weight loss as well. I also dropped my body fat % according to my at home scale, which I know can be inaccurate from a 33% to a 30.7%.

I have to say I am pretty happy with those results. The workout today kicked my butt, but I also noticed that my average heart rate was getting a bit lower from a 164 last week, to a 158 today. That means I am getting in a bit better cardio vascular shape. Insanity is working so far and I am loving every minute of it.

If you are reading this blog then comment! I would love to hear from some of you about your fitness goals and things that I can help with. Enjoy!

Below is a blog entry that Shaun T posted about eating an 85/15 diet. Basically meaning that you eat clean 85% of the time and 15% of the time have a treat. His theory is that he would rather you eat healthy most of the time with a few cheats then to eat super clean for 1 week and then lose the motivation. I think it is a positive approach.

http://shauntfitness.com/clean-eating/

I notice small improvements to my self, I definitely can tell in my chest already that it has gone down a bit. Again not proud of these, but I wanted everyone to see a real take on Insanity.

Day 7 June 2nd 2013 (Rest Day)

Today was day 7 of Insanity, and the first scheduled rest day of the program. It sounds weird but I was actually really wanting to work out today. It is starting to become a habit and I feel like I am getting something of a runners high from it. One thing I have also noticed is that I am craving water much more than I ever have before. In the bottom of this shorter post I will put a link to an article about the importance of water. As I have mentioned before, I have committed to drinking between 100-144 ounces of water daily. One frustrating thing about water intake is that there is no hard line that says we need a certain amount. People have heard about the 8 glasses rule and that is something to definitely adhere too, but lately it seems that scientists are saying that 8 glasses is just not enough. But if you are following this workout, or any workout plan for that matter you NEED to drink water. It is essential to hydrate yourself adequately when working out. Dehydration causes your body to break down much faster and not have the same amount of energy to complete a workout at a high level. Doing Insanity you sweat ALOT so make sure you are putting it back into your body. Fuel the machine. Enjoy!

Science Daily Article About Water

Day 6 June 1st 2013

Today was day 6 of Insanity and the last day of week 1! I can't believe that I have already made it through a week of this...haha only 7 more to go! Today was a repeat of day 2 as far as the videos go. So this cycle will repeat for the rest of this month, with the occasional Cardio Abs dvd. That is a knock on this program from some people that the repetition gets old and boring because you learn the moves and then lose motivation. I have found however that learning the moves gives me more motivation because I know what I am doing, and then I can have a goal to work towards. For instance, I want to be able to complete the warm up without stopping. So now I have a goal set and have to go achieve it. I think this makes Insanity very motivating. I guess you can't please everyone...Todays workout went very well and I feel as though I challenged myself the most today. I burned 622 calories according to my heart rate monitor. That is a pretty good burn for 45 minutes or so, and I feel like I am getting a lot out of it. Also remembered to take pictures today...doesn't seem to be much of a change but I do notice that my stomach is starting to get a bit more defined. You may not notice it, but I do since I have seen my gut for the last 2 years. I really feel like my cardio endurance is starting to grow. Positive signs that this program is at least increasing my endurance and stamina. Tomorrow is a rest day, a much appreciated one. As I mentioned earlier many gains happen on your recovery day. Monday will be the next time I measure myself and see if any inches have come off. I have hovered right around losing 3lbs this week and am satisfied. So my thoughts after week 1? I love this program. I think a lot of it has to do with my athletic background and competitive spirit. Many of these exercises bring me back to my days conditioning for sports in high school. I strongly recommend people try this workout, yes it is INSANE but it has been a very good tool so far....hopefully we will see results soon! If you are reading this, don't be afraid to comment, I want to hear from people who are going through this program, have graduated, or are on the fence about joining. Enjoy!

Here is also a good article on Rest and Recovery

Weight 239.4
Body Fat 31.1%

Day 5 May 31st 2013

Today was day 5 of Insanity and the work out was Pure Cardio. Let me just say this now...at the end of this workout Shaun T says "This Shit is Bananas" and then falls to the ground. Pretty much sums up how my day was...Pure Cardio was the hardest workout I have done so far. This is 25 minutes straight of exercise after exercise. To make things worse, you have to put in your own water breaks as there is no stopping on this dvd. It was hell to go through, but I came out on the other side and feel much better for it. Pure Cardio will kick your ass no matter how good of shape you are in...be ready to sweat on these days. All those disappointed about yesterdays Cardio Recovery will be kicking themselves for complaining because the workout today really brings it. I purchased a Polar HS 100 heart rate monitor today that also counts the calories that I burn during the workout. One of the things that has been a concern to me recently is that my resting heart rate is pretty high. Since I am being honest with this blog it is around 82. That does not bode well for my heart especially with the history side of things. So I wanted to make sure I was doing everything I could to do the best workout I can. The Pure Cardio workout today had me burning 522 calories. I believe I burned even more but I messed up with the settings and it reset. But I did stay in the "Fat Burning Zone" for 29 of the 32 minutes so that is ideal. I like having the heart rate monitor. It is like a snap shot of what is going on. I know in the workouts Shaun T mentions them and to check your heart rate quite often. Still waiting on these shoes to come...looking forward to week 2 with a new pair of shoes. Sorry for the lack of pictures, just been forgetting to take them, I will get back on that.

Body Weight - 239
Body Fat - 33%

Day 4 May 30th 2013

Today was Day 4 of Insanity, Cardio recovery and boy did I need it. Today mixed in a lot of yoga stretching and deep muscle work with slow paced squats and stretching. I want to emphasize that this workout is a recovery day and does not pack the same punch as the other days, BUT it is by no means easy. If you were to do all the stretches and slow squats that Shaun T does you will feel a deep muscle burn...trust me I am still feeling it. I have read a lot of disappointed people talking about this workout and how it was lame or useless. To those people, there needs to be a recovery day in the week somewhere aside from Sunday to help encourage growth and repair. Secondly, being more flexible and able to push your body in all aspects, nutrition, cardio, strength and flexibility is a goal of this program. The recovery day is used to help get you to be more flexible by incorporating a slower paced work out. Like I said before I needed it. My legs have been very sore and this was a good time for this. At the bottom of this page I will include an article link about the importance of stretching. Shaun T does a really good job in this program of stressing to never skip the stretching and to focus on trying to become more flexible. So anyone on the fence out there about the safety of Insanity can be reassured that Shaun T offers good advice for stretching, and also says to do your best but if you need a break take it. This program is all about going to YOUR max not Shaun T's or the people on the video who are working out with him. A lot of people miss that point, even I have struggled with it since I am competitive and want to stay at the pace set by Shaun T. So if you are someone who is doing Insanity right now or are thinking about it, please focus on getting the best body for you and doing your best, you won't regret it. On a side note to safety: I have read a lot of reviews saying this program is hard on the knees and joints. While that maybe true, I want to reassure anyone who has knee problems out there that this can be done. I had an ACL repair 6 and 1/2 months ago and am doing this work out. The key is to be smart about it and listen to your body. I do modify some things slightly to accommodate my knee but 99% of the workout is unchanged. So YES this can be done on bad knees. I also ordered a new pair of cross trainers today. If you have watched my videos I mentioned ankle pain. I am hoping this goes away with these new shoes... Enjoy!

Weight - 239.6
Body Fat - 33%

Day 3 May 29th 2013

Today was day 3 of my Insanity Journey. I have to say that it is not getting easier. Today came with significant soreness in my calves and lower leg muscles. As I said yesterday in my post, the workout seemed to really target the legs and I am paying for it. I am going to include a link to an article that talks about soreness in muscles at the bottom. Being sore is one of the biggest hurdles that we face when taking on a new fitness or exercise program. It is especially hard because it is 99% of the time in the first week or two that we start a program. This makes it soooo much easier to quit and has made me quit working out on several occasions. The soreness though is a sign that my muscles are getting stronger and trying to figure out what the hell I just put them through. The article I am going to provide gives some tips for combatting muscle soreness and offers suggestions to help overcome it. Unfortunately, there is no way to get rid of muscle soreness. One of those crappy things in life. So back to the program itself. Today was Cardio Power and Resistance. I actually liked this workout alot more than the plyo work out of yesterday. The moves just seemed more fun..IDK call me insane but they did. It also seemed "easier" but I am not sure if that is because my fitness level is increasing a bit or I didn't push as hard or what. Either way, I did feel like I made some gains today. I also am usually a pretty sluggish person... *eating like hell for years can do that to ya* and I have found that I already have much more energy than before. I think a lot of it is the mindset aspect of it. I know I am working hard so I feel better, but I think there is a physical side as well. I enjoy writing this blog, even if a small number of people ever read it, I enjoy getting it out there. So if you are looking for a good workout and are on the fence about Insanity, try it! You can see from my pictures that I am no where near skinny or fit and can handle it. Believe in yourself and do they best you can, and you will see results.

Mens Health Article About Muscle Soreness

I mentioned that I had made my own calendar and measurements chart and downloaded a Fit Test from a website...here they are, hanging on my bedroom wall for motivation.

 (My Fit Test)                                                                     (Insanity Measurements)

(My Calendars)

Sorry no daily pictures today...*or maybe you are happy!* 

Day 2 May 28th 2013

Today was my second day of Insanity. It was hard...even harder than the Fit Test was. The warmup's alone are killer but then when you actually dive into the work out you really push it. Today's video was Plyometric Cardio Circuit, and it involved a lot of plyo work. For anyone who doesn't know what plyometric is, here is a definition: Plyometrics, also known as "jump training" or "plyos", are exercises based around having muscles exert maximum force in as short a time as possible, with the goal of increasing both speed and power. This training focuses on learning to move from a muscle extension to a contraction in a rapid or "explosive" way, for example with specialized repeated jumping. These are never very fun but they are really effective. The focus of these work outs is always the core strength but it seemed like this was one was really targeting the legs. It seems to me, and from reading other peoples reviews and blogs that Insanity really targets the legs and builds them as a foundation. Strong legs will do wonders for building core strength because it is your base. So far I am loving Insanity. My nutrition plan has been spot on and I eat about every two hours. With my work schedule it is usually a breakfast meal at 6:30 AM then a snack at 9:30 a lunch at 11:30 then a snack at 1:30-2:00 then typically a dinner at 5:30. I usually do my workout at 6 or 6:30 at night and then drink a protein shake after that to replenish my body. It is very very important that while doing these workouts you are feeding your body. A lot of people seem to think that just slashing calories to the bare bones will lose weight. This actually has the opposite reaction of what is intended. Your body thinks it is starving at this point and starts to eat your lean muscle *THIS IS VERY BAD* You will actually not lose weight at this point, and lose significant muscle mass. I do think that the nutrition plan that comes with Insanity is a bit bloated on the calories that it has you test for. It says for me that I should be eating 3433 calories to maintain my daily weight. A healthy weight loss is about 2 lbs a week. To achieve this you need a caloric deficit of around 500 calories. So the Insanity Meal Guide says I should be eating a net total of 2,933 calories a day to lose weight. To me this is really high and I try to shoot for the 2000 mark. I still feel healthy and have energy and am able to push through the work outs. Another thing that goes hand and hand with nutrition is the amount of water that you need to be drinking. I committed to drinking 100-144 ounces of water daily. I know this seems like a lot! But remember that your body needs water and will be experiencing a great deal of stress and sweat. Water is good for it. So DRINK WATER! I hope this is informative and helps people who are looking for answers to what Insanity is and what it can do for you....as will be a trend here is my daily pictures and weight totals. Enjoy!

Weight - 242
Body Fat % - 33%

Day 1 May 27th 2013

(Insanity Infomercial) 

Today I started my Insanity Journey to a new and better body.  If you don't know what that is, there is the infomercial at the top of the page! I am really excited to try this and I think that it will not only be a body change, but give me the motivation for a lifestyle change. I am tired of being overweight and unhealthy. I have always been athletic but in recent years have stopped working out and eating healthy. I basically enjoyed eating whatever I wanted for years and now I am paying the price for it. But that ends today as I am going to commit to 60 days of Insanity, a complete and healthy nutrition plan, and getting a full 7-8 hours of sleep. I want people to find this blog that are really looking for an honest take on the Insanity program. I am not a Beachbody coach or trainer, you won't find any links to them on here or anything like that.  If you want the DVDS you know where to go to find them. I recommend that you get them from the actual site just because I have read a lot of reviews of pirated copies from Amazon that do not work properly. All that aside, I am just a guy who decided it was time to get in shape. I didn't even buy the DVDS, my aunt has them and lent them to me. I made my own Insanity Calendar because I didn't have the one that came with the program, and I printed the Fit Test work sheet off of a website. I am going to be monitoring my daily weight and body fat % as well as taking weekly measurements of my chest, waist, and hips. I know that the program says to measure biceps, calves, and glutes but I honestly don't care about those measurements. So if you are looking for an honest take on Insanity...this is the place.


I am not proud of these in the least but I wanted people to get a real take on this.

Starting Weight - 242lbs
Starting Body Fat % - 33%
Starting Chest Measurement - 46 3/4 inches
Starting Waist Measurement - 48 1/4 inches
Starting Hip Measurement - 47 inches

I took the Fit Test today and let me tell you the warmup kicked my ass. The Fit Test just iced the cake.

Here are my numbers from the Fit Test

Switch Kicks (2 Kicks = 1 rep) - 112/56

Power Jacks - 31

Power Knees - 41

Power Jumps - 20

Globe Jumps (4 Jumps = 1 rep) - 7

Suicide Jumps/Burpees - 12

Push-Up Jacks - 21

Low Plank Oblique - 32

Let's just say the Fit Test is pretty difficult and my body was in shock. 

I promise tomorrow less videos :)

Also check this guy out, he has been super motivating to me

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