Round 2, Weeks 5 &6

Halfway through!

Halfway if you don't count the skipped workouts, I'm afraid.  I was hoping to go a week without having to skip a workout but that did not happen during these two weeks.  I skipped cardio abs for both weeks.  I might make those up on my rest days but lately I've been having to use my rest days to make up for a previously skipped day!  Does cardio abs really do anything anyway? Other than that I skipped a running workout on week 5 and two Core Cardio and Balance workouts for week 6.  Those are all workouts that I consider skip-able so I am still on track with all the main Insanity workouts.

I bought a large foam roller today.  I am about to go use it and do not think the experience will be a pleasurable one.

I have now completed all the month one workouts.  Next week we start the Maximum workouts!

Round 2, Week 1

I had forgotten how difficult Insanity was!  While it definitely went better than my very first week, I was a little surprised at how sore I actually was.  I shouldn't be surprised, of course.  I had been focusing on running so most of these moves were using muscles that have been sleeping for a few months.  I was most sore in my chest, abs and back.

I still suck at Plyometric Cardio Circuit and still do best at Pure Cardio.  PCC just has way too much upper body during the second routine.  Maybe by the end of this round I won't suck at in anymore.

One thing I forgot when I started round two is that I am on vacation (more of a staycation) during the second week (which I am halfway through now).  That's a bit of a problem because I am never healthy on my vacations.  I tend to eat out every night and drink more booze since I don't have to be up in the morning.  So far it hasn't been too bad but I do have some events that I'm attending in the next few days that might make it difficult to get my workouts in.

Halfway through week one I was considering dropping the running/Insanity hybrid just to get Insanity over with.  I'm going to stick with the hybrid for now, because what's the rush?  Week two and three are the first weeks with a fair amount of running but I have to be honest, I skipped the running workout at the beginning of the week.  I had a rough (but fun!) weekend and I needed a recovery day.

I think the biggest difference I've noticed so far is that I am in better shape which lets me focus more on my form.  It has improved considerably.  I think doing the workouts barefoot helps a lot too.

Day 56 - Rest Day

I am at work right now so I'm not getting a ton of resting done (or work done for that matter).  I'm also using a work computer that really sucks so I'm hoping this post actually goes up.

Last week I mentioned that I might start using my exercise bike on all my rest days but I decided not to today and make it a true rest day.  Next week is the final week of my first round of Insanity and I plan to give it my all so it would probably be wise to let my body fully recover.  Instead of excercising I will be playing Journey on my Playstation 3.  It is the prettiest and most relaxing video game I've ever played.  Check it out!

I work the swing (shit) shift tomorrow at work so I'm going to have to work out in the morning.  I guess the silver lining is that I'll still be sleeping in for a little bit.

I'm not sure what tomorrow's workout is but I'm guessing Max Plyo.  Unless my memory really sucks, I don't think I've done that one in a while.

Also, the web browser on this computer hasn't been updated for many years so the spell check doesn't work.  Forgive any misspellings, pleese.

Day 49 - Rest Day (kind of)

I have actually never seen an Insanity infomercial before.  I know they exist because whenever I tell someone that I am doing the program they know exactly what I'm talking about because they have watched it.  Apparently it is on constantly.  Well, I was flipping through the channels as I finished my beer late last night and came across the second half of the infomercial.  I was a little disappointed in it.  I know that it was just following all the typical infomercial cliches but Insanity is such a great program that it seems like it could sell itself just from word of mouth.  I doubt I would have been convinced to purchase it based on the silliness I saw last night and the only reason I did get the program is from doing a lot of research on my own.  I should have taken notes while watching it so I could comment on the problems I had with it.  I'll try to go by memory.  First, it said, "Order in the next 10 minutes to receive these free gifts!"  I know that is what all infomercials say but the free gifts were the recovery DVD, the wall calendar, the fitness guide (which is a useless brochure) and the nutrition guide.  Those are all (with the exception of the fitness guide) essential parts of the program are included wherever and whenever you buy it.  Next was when they said you had a 30 day money back guarantee so there is no risk.  That's cool but the announcer said you can decide if it is too intense for you in such a mocking tone that it seemed he was trying to shame you into keeping it even if you can't do it.  I feel they should emphasize that you should be in good shape to begin with before you buy it but you can return it if your fitness isn't at the right level yet.  Besides, there are other reasons  someone might not be able to do the program like illness or injury.  It is very hard on the joints after all.  The finally problem is also my biggest gripe.  The success stories they had have people losing 40+ pounds and being completely ripped after the program.  While these could be true stories, they are very deceptive.  I was thinking: WTF?!  I've only lost like 5 pounds and I'm over 3/4 through the program.  I paid more attention and realized that the infomercial failed to say what time frame the weight loss and muscle growth occurred from. The results shown aren't from day 0 to 63 and one of the people even had "after 3 rounds" listed below the results.  That is half a year of Insanity!  Anyway, bitching complete.

Today was my Rest day but I decided to do a non-Insanity workout because I felt I needed it.  I pulled out the good ol' stationary bike and spent 35 minutes on that.  I'm glad I did.  It was a no impact workout and I feel much better having done it.  Maybe I'll do that again for my next (and final!) rest day.

Tomorrow is another Fit Test and Max Interval Circuit.  I'm not going to try to pull of doing them back to back again so I'll get up early and do the Fit Test before work and the main workout after.  Doing the Fit Test in the morning might hurt my results but I don't care enough about them to let it stop me.

Day 42 - Rest Day

I don't think I've ever been more happy for a day off from working out.  This week has been very punishing and my muscles ache and I'm exhausted.  I did have to work today but now that I'm home, I am going to plop my butt on the couch and chilllllllll

Back to it tomorrow with Max Cardio Conditioning!

PS  Seahawks lost.  It was a heart breaker.

Day 35 - Rest

I get one rest day before month two starts.  I'm an IDIOT and agreed to work part of my coworkers shift today so I'll be at work for 4 hours.  If I had remembered that the Seahawk's first playoff game was today I definitely would have come up with an excuse as to why I wasn't able to work.  I guess I'll record the game.

I'm a little disappointed in myself in the diet department this past week.  More than once I was over my calorie limit, usually do to booze.  I guess starting Insanity in December isn't the best idea with Christmas and New Years in there.  I do feel I need to double down on my efforts to eat right.  I read somewhere that you can't outrun a shitty diet.  Same is true for Insanity.  There is no reason to put myself through this torture if I am sabotaging my results.

I guess I should comment on how I've been handling the diet portion of the program.  Insanity does come with a nutrition guide that gives you certain "food blocks" that are recipes for meals you are to eat 5 times a day in order to meet a broad caloric limit that is based on the Harris-Benedict equation.  That seemed too inaccurate and wasn't really realistic for me to do with the career I'm in so I'm handling it different.  I do eat 5 times a day but they are meals or snacks of my own creation.  I log everything I eat in the free app Myfitnesspal as well as my calories burned during exercise.  I have Myfitnesspal set to have my calorie limits equal to losing about one pound per week.  I'm not sure if that's been happening since the muscle recovery and growth from the first month of Insanity has kind of thrown off my weight.  I think it will be more telling if my strategy has been working with how my weight changes during month 2.  We'll see how much I've lost so far tomorrow with my weigh in for the fit test.

Speaking of tomorrow, I'm scared!  Fit Test AND Max Interval Circuit.

Day 28 - Rest

Day 21 -Rest (plus Cardio Abs)

Oh man, those rug burns I got during the last fit test are itching like crazy!  I wore a short sleeve shirt to work today and I wouldn't be surprised if my coworkers thought I had some skin disease on my elbows.

Today is supposed to be a rest day but as I mentioned in my last post, I decided to do Cardio abs today instead of doing them tomorrow with Pure Cardio.  I think it was the right choice.  I was able to do a majority of the workout which is a huge improvement over the last time I did it.  I am thinking it's because my muscles aren't already shot from doing Pure Cardio before it.  In the future I would like to do Cardio Abs in the morning and the other workout after work but that depends on my schedule.  If it doesn't work out then I'll continue to do Cardio Abs on Sundays.

Now that I'm done with work and my workout I will start my resting.  I could watch the Seahawks game.  I don't really want to spend the whole evening in front of the TV but Shaun T. tweeted today that he is going to watch it so I might just have to!  (I probably won't)

PURE CARDIO TOMORROW

Day 14 - Rest

Well, dudes, I've made it two weeks!  Only seven more to go...

I am going to take advantage of my rest day by doing very little.  I will probably watch the Seahawks game and then some TV.  I will be one with the couch!

It's nice that I'm starting to notice some changes because I was starting to feel a little discouraged and overwhelmed with the program over that past week.  The most noticeable change has been with my lower abs and chest.  I'm starting to get some definition and I think my boobs are shrinking.  I've also been sleeping much better and I've had more energy during the day.  It's hard to describe but my body movements are also different.  They are smoother, I guess.  Perhaps that is due to some core strengthening.  My weight is also dropping, slowly but surely.

Tomorrow is the second fit test.  I'm hoping it goes well.  It will be nice to have some actual numbers that show my improvement.  For now, the couch beckons!