I am bored with Insanity. This has happened with every other workout that runs on a repeat schedule but I thought it would be different with Insanity because it was always difficult. There was always a new challenge to meet. Can I do more reps? Can I do this round without resting? Can I get through the entire workout without my heart rate exceeding 185? Can I finish the entire workout without extra resting? Can I do all of that with high intensity throughout?!
In the end, those challenges didn't matter after a too-long-break. I don't have the excitement to meet those goals anymore. I took a work trip and brought the DVDs with me but they wouldn't play on the laptop. I hadn't thought to test that out before leaving...oops. So, including the rest day, I had missed 5 days by the time I'd gotten back home. I did the Spartacus workout in the hotel's fitness room so I wasn't completely dormant but it was not an hour-long high-intensity Insanity workout. I mean, I sweat but I wasn't drenched. If you've done an Insanity workout, you feel kind of robbed when you don't emerge from a workout looking like you just jumped into the shower with your clothes on, LOL
On Friday, I kept putting off the workout until I ended up not having time to do it before going to work for the evening. When I skipped out on Saturday as well I decided it was time to admit that I'd moved on.
So (because I hate starting things in the middle of the week) I will begin the "100 push-ups in 6 weeks" program that I had slated to start a week after finishing this round of Insanity. It's also warming up so I'll be walking with Max & Sweetie again!
I've got the Spartacus workout slated for MWF after I finish the 100 Push-ups program and then I found an Insanity/HipHopAbs 30-day hybrid which I slated for October or November (whenever I can't walk the trail with Sweetie anymore due to daylight loss). I think by then I should be ready to jump back in with Insanity - and the hybrid will be a welcome switch-up.
I'll try to remember to keep updating on what I'm doing.
Showing posts with label Insanity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Insanity. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Insanity Update - Final & First Fit Test
Last night was the final Fit Test (I skipped the 3rd & 4th because I didn't want to do a Fit Test AND a workout). Last night was also the first Fit Test starting another round of Insanity (but starting on Day 15 so I'm in sync with the Shaun T Bday Challenge.)
Here are my results:
I'm a little disappointed with some of those numbers. My endurance definitely improved but my strength could use more focus. My heart rate only exceeded 190 once. That was after Power Jumps, which always result in a skyrocketing heart rate.
I recorded myself with our flip cam to watch my form. Here are some things I noticed:
As for other measurements, my weight went up .6 pounds - so an even 145 now. No biggie. My inches reflect a loss around the calves, forearm, and hips. I've been eating kinda crappy lately (fried foods, ice cream, etc) so the surprise was that I hadn't gained more! (hmm, that might also have something to do with my performance on the Fit Test, lol)
A total of 3.75 inches are gone around my body. One measurement that was particularly interesting to me was the 1.5 inch increase around my bust/chest. I don't know if I measured in a different place that last time, or if I gained muscle mass, or what happened.
Here's the breakdown of inches:
In the round I just finished, I did the Recovery workout once - I think maybe it was week 2 - and noticed the pain had returned to my shins the next day. I noticed that pain again this last Sunday - after I had held a minute-long squat on Saturday. So I think it's the squat-holds that are causing my shin pain to flare up. This would make sense since the first couple times I did the Insanity program, I'd start flaking out due to pain on Friday or Saturday then eventually flaking out for good because the shins never had a chance to recover.
I ended up skipping on Thursdays during this round of Insanity (not because I noticed the connection; it just happened to work out that way) and was able to complete the entire 60-days. I am determined to complete all SIX days each week on this new round. I'll see how the pain is next Friday and adjust as necessary the following week.
The schedule has two more Fit Tests before the final, but I probably won't do it again until the end. It's really tough on the body and it seems unnecessary to do it on a day when there's another hour-long workout scheduled. Its purpose is to track progress and I'm okay with waiting until the end to see that. However, if I remember, I'll take my body measurements on May 3rd. It is my birthday weekend, after all ;-)
Here are my results:
I'm a little disappointed with some of those numbers. My endurance definitely improved but my strength could use more focus. My heart rate only exceeded 190 once. That was after Power Jumps, which always result in a skyrocketing heart rate.
I recorded myself with our flip cam to watch my form. Here are some things I noticed:
- Switch Kicks:
- Amazing form, consistency, and speed
- Power Jacks:
- I don't squat as deeply as I think I am. A mirror would be helpful. I don't want to bend too deep and cause injury!
- Power Knees:
- Good form, good speed - just need to work on endurance
- Power Jumps:
- First 10 were pretty good with height and form. I look like I land a lot harder than I feel. The people in the video look so much more graceful. Something to work on.
- Globe Jumps:
- My lower half looks good - butt out, knees bent in squat position. My arms however, holy crap. They were just flailing all over the place! It's funny because I always feel like I'm in control and have steady arm swings. Apparently not, LOL
- Suicide Jumps:
- Great form and speed for the first 10, then my butt starts coming up. I remember being super exhausted at this point.
- Push-Up Jacks:
- I was really looking forward to seeing this one. I always feel like my form is complete crap on push ups. I was surprised. My arms actually do come pretty close to 90 degrees and my back doesn't sag (until about 15 reps).
- Low Plank Oblique:
- No real surprises here except endurance. I've never had an issue with my form or speed on Low Plank Oblique. I had to stop a couple times though and not because my heart rate was high. My arms and legs were just jello. I still increased in reps but my goal is to get through these without stopping next time.
As for other measurements, my weight went up .6 pounds - so an even 145 now. No biggie. My inches reflect a loss around the calves, forearm, and hips. I've been eating kinda crappy lately (fried foods, ice cream, etc) so the surprise was that I hadn't gained more! (hmm, that might also have something to do with my performance on the Fit Test, lol)
A total of 3.75 inches are gone around my body. One measurement that was particularly interesting to me was the 1.5 inch increase around my bust/chest. I don't know if I measured in a different place that last time, or if I gained muscle mass, or what happened.
Here's the breakdown of inches:
| Bust/Chest | +1.00 |
| Waist | -0.50 |
| Hips | -1.50 |
| Thigh | +0.50 |
| Calf | -1.75 |
| Bicep | -0.50 |
| Forearm | -1.00 |
In the round I just finished, I did the Recovery workout once - I think maybe it was week 2 - and noticed the pain had returned to my shins the next day. I noticed that pain again this last Sunday - after I had held a minute-long squat on Saturday. So I think it's the squat-holds that are causing my shin pain to flare up. This would make sense since the first couple times I did the Insanity program, I'd start flaking out due to pain on Friday or Saturday then eventually flaking out for good because the shins never had a chance to recover.
I ended up skipping on Thursdays during this round of Insanity (not because I noticed the connection; it just happened to work out that way) and was able to complete the entire 60-days. I am determined to complete all SIX days each week on this new round. I'll see how the pain is next Friday and adjust as necessary the following week.
The schedule has two more Fit Tests before the final, but I probably won't do it again until the end. It's really tough on the body and it seems unnecessary to do it on a day when there's another hour-long workout scheduled. Its purpose is to track progress and I'm okay with waiting until the end to see that. However, if I remember, I'll take my body measurements on May 3rd. It is my birthday weekend, after all ;-)
Friday, March 15, 2013
Almost There
There are only 3 days remaining of my most recent attempt of the Insanity program. I've skipped at least once every 7 days, sometimes skipping up to 3 days a week. I missed the entire "Core Cardio & Balance" week because I was sick. I still wanted to finish it though. I didn't try to make up the days I skipped. I didn't get down on myself for it either. Even with the skipped days, I've stuck with this longer than I have with any other attempt. I've also performed better.
Tonight I will do Max Interval Plyo. Saturday I will do Max Cardio Conditioning & Insane Abs. Then Monday is the final Fit Test.
The final Fit Test will also mark the first Fit Test of another round of Insanity for me. I'm starting on Day 15 so that I can be on the same schedule as Shaun T and his "Shaunterage" for the Shaun T Bday Challenge.
Shaun announced on his Facebook page in February that he was going to go through his own Insanity program* starting March 4th so that he would finish on May 5th - just a few days after his 34th birthday. Well, May 5th just happens to be MY 34th birthday and I decided it sounded like a good day to finish what I hope to be a strong and solid push through the program. An intense workout program like this would strongly recommend that I take a week off before going through another round to prevent injury. I don't think this will be an issue for me though, since I had so many skips and breaks throughout this round.
*interesting side note: This will be Shaun T's first time going through the Insanity program from Start to Finish.
This most recent round of Insanity was the round that got me over the heart-monitor hump. My heart is finally strong enough to get me through a workout without exceeding my 185 bpm max rate. I now find myself taking breaks due to muscle fatigue rather than some stupid beeping alarm. Muscle soreness has reduced as well and my overall energy and attitude are excellent.
I will post my Fit Test results next week. It's quite possible that my numbers won't fluctuate much because my form has improved and therefore the moves are more difficult. Form > Speed!
Tonight I will do Max Interval Plyo. Saturday I will do Max Cardio Conditioning & Insane Abs. Then Monday is the final Fit Test.
The final Fit Test will also mark the first Fit Test of another round of Insanity for me. I'm starting on Day 15 so that I can be on the same schedule as Shaun T and his "Shaunterage" for the Shaun T Bday Challenge.
Shaun announced on his Facebook page in February that he was going to go through his own Insanity program* starting March 4th so that he would finish on May 5th - just a few days after his 34th birthday. Well, May 5th just happens to be MY 34th birthday and I decided it sounded like a good day to finish what I hope to be a strong and solid push through the program. An intense workout program like this would strongly recommend that I take a week off before going through another round to prevent injury. I don't think this will be an issue for me though, since I had so many skips and breaks throughout this round.
*interesting side note: This will be Shaun T's first time going through the Insanity program from Start to Finish.
This most recent round of Insanity was the round that got me over the heart-monitor hump. My heart is finally strong enough to get me through a workout without exceeding my 185 bpm max rate. I now find myself taking breaks due to muscle fatigue rather than some stupid beeping alarm. Muscle soreness has reduced as well and my overall energy and attitude are excellent.
I will post my Fit Test results next week. It's quite possible that my numbers won't fluctuate much because my form has improved and therefore the moves are more difficult. Form > Speed!
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Self-Portraits of Plyometric Cardio Circuit
This might be something that I'm alone in finding fascinating. Maybe.
I was doing the Insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit and took a self-portrait during a rest period about 20 minutes into the workout. I didn't like the pic but the rest period was almost over so I decided I'd take another after the next round. When I saw the difference in face flushing & sweat, I thought it would be interesting to see how the changes progressed throughout the rest of the workout. Here is the progression!
I was doing the Insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit and took a self-portrait during a rest period about 20 minutes into the workout. I didn't like the pic but the rest period was almost over so I decided I'd take another after the next round. When I saw the difference in face flushing & sweat, I thought it would be interesting to see how the changes progressed throughout the rest of the workout. Here is the progression!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Insanity Update - Fit Test #2
Last night was the second fit test (2 week mark) for the Insanity workout program. Here are my results:
I'm not entirely sure how I managed to decrease reps in Switch Kicks - or maybe I'm not sure how I managed to do so many on the first test.
Everything else saw a drastic increase. An even bigger accomplishment is that my heart rate monitor didn't alarm at me even once!
I took my body measurements when I finished the Fit Test. I use the Wii balance board with Wii Fit to weigh myself since we don't own a scale. Scales are evil and deceptive - it's best to just keep them out of the house. My weight didn't fluctuate at all. I showed a 0.00 weight change. I was pretty excited about that because I didn't gain! The last few times I've started the Insanity workouts, I gained weight in the first two weeks. I don't follow the meal plan that is provided with Insanity. I don't have a huge food budget and I don't eat horribly to begin with (mostly Tiers 1 - 3 on Michi's Ladder). The struggle is figuring out how much to eat. I started using the FatSecret calorie/exercise tracker app on my phone which has helped a lot.
As for inches - a total of 2.75 inches are gone around my body. The fact that I lost inches and not pounds just goes to verify that muscle really does weigh more than fat!
Here's the breakdown of inches:
My belt is back at the second notch and I'm feeling better both physically and mentally. I don't have any weird leg pains and my feet still feel good. I think I might just make it the entire 60 days this time! I'll update all my measurements again after the next Fit Test (Feb 18th).
I'm not entirely sure how I managed to decrease reps in Switch Kicks - or maybe I'm not sure how I managed to do so many on the first test.
Everything else saw a drastic increase. An even bigger accomplishment is that my heart rate monitor didn't alarm at me even once!
I took my body measurements when I finished the Fit Test. I use the Wii balance board with Wii Fit to weigh myself since we don't own a scale. Scales are evil and deceptive - it's best to just keep them out of the house. My weight didn't fluctuate at all. I showed a 0.00 weight change. I was pretty excited about that because I didn't gain! The last few times I've started the Insanity workouts, I gained weight in the first two weeks. I don't follow the meal plan that is provided with Insanity. I don't have a huge food budget and I don't eat horribly to begin with (mostly Tiers 1 - 3 on Michi's Ladder). The struggle is figuring out how much to eat. I started using the FatSecret calorie/exercise tracker app on my phone which has helped a lot.
As for inches - a total of 2.75 inches are gone around my body. The fact that I lost inches and not pounds just goes to verify that muscle really does weigh more than fat!
Here's the breakdown of inches:
| Bust/Chest | -0.50 |
| Waist | -0.50 |
| Hips | -0.75 |
| Thigh | -0.50 |
| Calf | +0.25 |
| Bicep | -0.50 |
| Forearm | -0.25 |
My belt is back at the second notch and I'm feeling better both physically and mentally. I don't have any weird leg pains and my feet still feel good. I think I might just make it the entire 60 days this time! I'll update all my measurements again after the next Fit Test (Feb 18th).
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Insanity: Take Three!
This is my third (or fourth? I lost count...) attempt at the Insanity workout program with Shaun T.
In previous attempts, I had not gotten further than the 3rd week of this 60-day program. The first two attempts were thwarted by injuries. The third attempt was just good ole' lack of dedication and motivation.
This time around, I'm with a group on Facebook. I am tracking my calories to make sure I'm eating enough - and not too much. I have the heart rate monitor and have recalculated my max heart rate as 186.
This is a huge time drain on my already cramped schedule but I finally came to terms with what I needed - both physically and mentally. The winter months are especially difficult for me. I discovered years ago that complete and utter exhaustion after strenuous exercise usually helps keep me in good spirits.
Last night (Monday) was the first day. I did the Fit Test. I actually completed every move on the Fit Test! This is a first for me, so I was pretty excited. Something to note, however: after 4 Globe Jumps, I literally could not physically attempt another jump. My heart rate monitor hadn't beeped at me yet, and I was waiting on the next move, so I checked to see what I was at. I expected to see somewhere around 180 since it's supposed to beep at 185.
It was 203.
Holy crap! Obviously I did something wrong and didn't have the alarm turned on. In any case, I figured I'd gone this long without adhering to the monitor that I'd go ahead and finish without worrying about exceeding my max heart rate range. This is probably the only reason I was able to complete every move. I do remember on previous attempts at this program, the monitor had me resting throughout entire rounds sometimes.
Anyway, here are my results for Day 1: Fit Test
In previous attempts, I had not gotten further than the 3rd week of this 60-day program. The first two attempts were thwarted by injuries. The third attempt was just good ole' lack of dedication and motivation.
This time around, I'm with a group on Facebook. I am tracking my calories to make sure I'm eating enough - and not too much. I have the heart rate monitor and have recalculated my max heart rate as 186.
This is a huge time drain on my already cramped schedule but I finally came to terms with what I needed - both physically and mentally. The winter months are especially difficult for me. I discovered years ago that complete and utter exhaustion after strenuous exercise usually helps keep me in good spirits.
Last night (Monday) was the first day. I did the Fit Test. I actually completed every move on the Fit Test! This is a first for me, so I was pretty excited. Something to note, however: after 4 Globe Jumps, I literally could not physically attempt another jump. My heart rate monitor hadn't beeped at me yet, and I was waiting on the next move, so I checked to see what I was at. I expected to see somewhere around 180 since it's supposed to beep at 185.
It was 203.
Holy crap! Obviously I did something wrong and didn't have the alarm turned on. In any case, I figured I'd gone this long without adhering to the monitor that I'd go ahead and finish without worrying about exceeding my max heart rate range. This is probably the only reason I was able to complete every move. I do remember on previous attempts at this program, the monitor had me resting throughout entire rounds sometimes.
Anyway, here are my results for Day 1: Fit Test
Monday, March 28, 2011
Insanity Hiatus
I really want to have success with the Insanity workout program. I want to do it right. Right now that isn't feasible. For starters, I'm taking 2 rest days instead of one. The way the rest days fall for me, the 'Cardio Recovery' workout is sandwiched between the rest days. It's not that the recovery workout is easy by any means, but it's just too much time off around it. I lack motivation to do the recovery workout because I've already had a rest day. It seems silly to do it after a rest day - especially knowing I have another rest day following. I threw around the idea of skipping the recovery days and replacing them with the other workouts. I decided I was changing it up too much.
I'm going to wait until I finish school - which should be this August.
In the mean time, I'll continue working on eating healthy breakfasts and lunches. My weight is nearing ideal. If I continue on the trend I've had these last few months, I should reach the Wii's suggestion in about 4 weeks.
I have a doctor's visit scheduled for this Wednesday and I'm going to ask if they want to rerun tests on my blood for cholesterol. If they do, I'll post the results. I'm expecting they will be much better. (I'm now remembering I never looked up the paperwork of my last results!)
Summer is on its way which means I'll be spending more time outdoors for what little free time I have, which is exciting! At the very least, I'll be walking daily with Ashley and Max. I'll be mowing the lawn, gardening, washing the car, etc - so there will be some exercising going on.
I'm going to wait until I finish school - which should be this August.
In the mean time, I'll continue working on eating healthy breakfasts and lunches. My weight is nearing ideal. If I continue on the trend I've had these last few months, I should reach the Wii's suggestion in about 4 weeks.
I have a doctor's visit scheduled for this Wednesday and I'm going to ask if they want to rerun tests on my blood for cholesterol. If they do, I'll post the results. I'm expecting they will be much better. (I'm now remembering I never looked up the paperwork of my last results!)
Summer is on its way which means I'll be spending more time outdoors for what little free time I have, which is exciting! At the very least, I'll be walking daily with Ashley and Max. I'll be mowing the lawn, gardening, washing the car, etc - so there will be some exercising going on.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Late night
Well, my schedule was almost a success. At least I was able to get everything done. Dinner had a few snafus so it was 7:30 before we were eating, which means it was closing in on 9:00 by the time I started working out.
The Plyometric Cardio Circuit kicked my ass this time around. On round 3 of the basketball drill set, I was no longer needing breaks due to my heart rate monitor - because I wasn't moving enough for my heart to be reaching those limits! I was exhausted! I would squat to do a basketball drill and almost fall over. I would go down for a Level 2 drill and my arms would threaten to cave under me. I would do one In & Out before my knees buckled and I got rug burn from the unexpected collapse. I could hold plank position pretty well though, so I did that at least. Since I'd had a few minutes worth of 'rest', I went to town on the "bonus" set at the end with football drills, jabs, uppercuts, and attack. My body was a quivering mess during the cool down.
Also, I wore shorts for the first time during a workout. They are not so conducive to the cool down portion. My legs were so sweaty I kept slipping during the hip opener stretches. It just now occurred to me that this is probably why the cast has hand towels everywhere, LOL
The Plyometric Cardio Circuit kicked my ass this time around. On round 3 of the basketball drill set, I was no longer needing breaks due to my heart rate monitor - because I wasn't moving enough for my heart to be reaching those limits! I was exhausted! I would squat to do a basketball drill and almost fall over. I would go down for a Level 2 drill and my arms would threaten to cave under me. I would do one In & Out before my knees buckled and I got rug burn from the unexpected collapse. I could hold plank position pretty well though, so I did that at least. Since I'd had a few minutes worth of 'rest', I went to town on the "bonus" set at the end with football drills, jabs, uppercuts, and attack. My body was a quivering mess during the cool down.
Also, I wore shorts for the first time during a workout. They are not so conducive to the cool down portion. My legs were so sweaty I kept slipping during the hip opener stretches. It just now occurred to me that this is probably why the cast has hand towels everywhere, LOL
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Insanity starts tomorrow!
I'm starting up the Insanity workout for the fourth time (I think? I'm losing track now) tomorrow. I sat down tonight and tried to work up a feasible schedule. This time around I've got school taking my time as well. What I ended up having to do was schedule 2 rest days instead of 1. I couldn't figure out a way to get the workout in on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If I get up earlier on those days to do the workout, it's not just the 40 minutes for the workout - I'd need time to eat breakfast and digest a bit before going cardio crazy. So I'd be looking at about 4 or 4:30 am to start. NO WAY! Plus, I'd have to go to bed that much earlier the night before. How do I go to bed earlier and still do everything else that needs done? I also need to spend time with Ashley. So here's what I came up with for weekdays:
6:30 a leave for Jim’s/work
1:00 p study/homework over lunch
5:00 p leave for home
5:30 p walk with Ashley & Max
5:45 p study/homework until dinner is done
6:30 p eat then study/homework for an hour
7:30 p Mon/Wed/Fri workout (Tues/Thurs @ school till 10)
8:30 p shower/eat fruit/hang with Ashley
10:00 p bed
I think if I stay pretty close to that schedule, I'll be okay. I'm hoping the 15 minute walk will warm up my shins better and prevent any issues I've had before. The hardest thing for me concerning a workout schedule is figuring out when I can do it in relation to eating. If I wait too long after eating, my blood sugar drops and I end up nearly passing out after the workout is over. If I don't wait long enough after eating, I intentionally don't work out as hard in lieu of puking all over the place. There's this happy place about an hour after eating though that seems to work for me.
Starting Insanity and keeping the workouts on both weekend days also means I don't get my freebie weekends anymore. I guess I could still eat the not so great choices but I'd just suffer for it in the end. Those workouts hurt so much more when I don't eat clean foods.
Well, wish me luck in finishing this time around! I'm taking pictures tonight. When I get through the entire 60 days (which will take longer based on my schedule), I'll post the 0/30/60 day picture comparisons!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Thank you Jay!
It really is wonderful how the universe has everything in alignment - all I had to do was be open and what I wanted fell right in my lap!
My friend Jay called the other day asking what I thought of the Insanity program by Beachbody. A few days later (or maybe that same day?) I found out he had ordered it. I messaged him and suggested we be long-distance workout buddies. Today he blogged and I saw that we are in fact doing this together. He's going to follow the entire plan - nutritional and workout - and I'm excited to see how it works for him. He'll be the first person I know in real life to do this. Of course I've seen the transformation videos that people post, but you never really know whether that person slipped on the nutrition plan or skipped a workout day or added more workouts even.
On Sunday, I will take a picture of myself facing forward and another turned sideways to use for my 30 and 60 day comparison photo. On Monday, I'm back on the Insanity wagon!
My friend Jay called the other day asking what I thought of the Insanity program by Beachbody. A few days later (or maybe that same day?) I found out he had ordered it. I messaged him and suggested we be long-distance workout buddies. Today he blogged and I saw that we are in fact doing this together. He's going to follow the entire plan - nutritional and workout - and I'm excited to see how it works for him. He'll be the first person I know in real life to do this. Of course I've seen the transformation videos that people post, but you never really know whether that person slipped on the nutrition plan or skipped a workout day or added more workouts even.
On Sunday, I will take a picture of myself facing forward and another turned sideways to use for my 30 and 60 day comparison photo. On Monday, I'm back on the Insanity wagon!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Oh d-d-d-dear!
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| Serious cheese, serious coordination |
One month ago, I was sick of sitting on my ass and decided to start the Insanity workout again with traumatic results. Then I realized what was going on with my body and decided to start tapping instead. That lasted two days.
Fast forward a month and I'm back to "sick of sitting on my ass" and wanting to start Insanity again. Except I know better this time. Because of course, since it's exactly a month later, what do you think is going on with my body? Yeah - not my idea of fun. I'm really hoping that I'll still have this drive to get moving next week when this is all done with.
In the meantime though - it's snowing outside again so I'm not working in the yard, not walking with Ashley and our dog, not doing much of anything. I *could* start tapping again but I'm quite disappointed in my lack of coordination and don't feel like being discouraged right now. I *could* also start doing this wall printout of circuit workouts that a friend gave me.
Okay, so maybe I'm back to "sick of sitting on my ass" but not quite at the "start moving" phase...
Something to attest to the power of the mind: I've been consistently losing 2 pounds every 2 weeks without exercise. First, my brain thinks, "Just imagine how much faster you'd be losing if you were working out! OR How much better shape you'd be in with exercise!" Then the lazy brain kicks in and says, "Isn't it nice that you can lose weight by just eating healthier and less? Who needs exercise?!"
Someone please, kick me in the butt on March 21st and remind me that I really do feel better when I'm working out and that I need to really focus on trying to finish Insanity at least once!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Bad Idea or just bad timing?
I got home and changed into workout clothes. (warning - female discussion coming) I noticed a certain sign that a particular curse had arrived. Still very light and I wasn't feeling any physical effects except for the heavy boobage. So I strapped on the heavy-duty bra and got started with the warm-up for Plyometric Cardio Circuit. About halfway through the workout, I felt cramps - not muscle cramps either. Ugh. About halfway through the cool down from the warm-up, I got nauseous. VERY nauseous. I actually stopped before finishing the cool down and hurried to the bathroom. After frantically removing the bra and heart rate monitor, which in effect reduced the nausea, I got VERY dizzy and clammy. Well dandy. I was crashing. I was sweating so profusely that I was slipping around on the toilet seat and drops were falling from my shoulders onto my knees while I tucked my head between my knees in an attempt to not pass out. I succeeded.
SO! I got the warm up done! The only factor I can come up with that was different than previous workouts is that I had started menstruating. Stupid gonads anyway.
I think I'm going to work on tap dancing this week instead of Insanity - and start up after this whole female thing has run its course.
How do you top off a workout flop such as that? With Cinnamon Caramel French Toast and bacon of course! This was a dinner I had planned for Ashley in celebration of Valentine's Day. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I sunk clear to the bottom of Tier 5 with that dinner but it was SOOOO yummy! A huge thanks is in order to the author of the Crepes of Wrath blog for that delectable recipe!
SO! I got the warm up done! The only factor I can come up with that was different than previous workouts is that I had started menstruating. Stupid gonads anyway.
I think I'm going to work on tap dancing this week instead of Insanity - and start up after this whole female thing has run its course.
How do you top off a workout flop such as that? With Cinnamon Caramel French Toast and bacon of course! This was a dinner I had planned for Ashley in celebration of Valentine's Day. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I sunk clear to the bottom of Tier 5 with that dinner but it was SOOOO yummy! A huge thanks is in order to the author of the Crepes of Wrath blog for that delectable recipe!
Starting over...again
I've been off the exercise wagon for almost a month now. I'm ready to start up again but I'm pretty sure if I jump into month 2 of Insanity without building up to it, I'll be ready to quit in no time - or my shin will flare up at it - either way it's no good. So I've decided to start over for the 4th time. My night classes are making the scheduling difficult. I think I'm going to take 2 rest days instead of 1 (the class days). This might benefit both my shin and my mental setbacks from when I previously would miss days. When I actually FINISH the 60-day Insanity program, I will be SO excited! First things first though - I gotta start.
I've been falling behind on working ahead for school work, so I don't feel as though I have enough time to exercise. Here's where my pro/con list comes in.
Pros:
Exercising increases my memory retention and focus.
Exercising increases my endorphins, and I'm certainly ready for some happy time!
I'll continue losing inches and looking good as well as feeling good.
Cons:
I'll return to a tight schedule with little free time during the week.
That's one more hour I can't use for studying.
I can't really think of any other cons, so I guess that means it's time to start!
It's Valentine's Day (and YES, apostrophe - s! It's not the day of all valentines. It is the day of St. Valentine. The fact that we've turned it into a greeting card day does not change the original meaning of why this 14th of February gets celebrated with love. /end rant ) so I'm cooking a special dinner for Ashley. I'll use my lunch hour today to study for my Psychology test, eat a snack just before leaving work, head home and work out, shower and start dinner by 7. It's do-able. I just dislike being rushed.
In other health related news - I've continued losing weight at about 2 pounds every 2 weeks. I'm at 147 now. I'm still trying to stick with eating in the top 2 tiers for breakfast and lunch. Weekends have been especially off the rocker on food choices (small portions but pretty consistently in tiers 3-5) but it doesn't seem to be affecting me weight-wise. So apparently, I can still get away with eating crap once a week. Ashley's dinners are usually within the top 3 tiers at least. I'm going to have to re-learn how to eat when I start working out tonight. I do recall having to eat more when I'm doing the Insanity program.
I've been falling behind on working ahead for school work, so I don't feel as though I have enough time to exercise. Here's where my pro/con list comes in.
Pros:
Exercising increases my memory retention and focus.
Exercising increases my endorphins, and I'm certainly ready for some happy time!
I'll continue losing inches and looking good as well as feeling good.
Cons:
I'll return to a tight schedule with little free time during the week.
That's one more hour I can't use for studying.
I can't really think of any other cons, so I guess that means it's time to start!
It's Valentine's Day (and YES, apostrophe - s! It's not the day of all valentines. It is the day of St. Valentine. The fact that we've turned it into a greeting card day does not change the original meaning of why this 14th of February gets celebrated with love. /end rant ) so I'm cooking a special dinner for Ashley. I'll use my lunch hour today to study for my Psychology test, eat a snack just before leaving work, head home and work out, shower and start dinner by 7. It's do-able. I just dislike being rushed.
In other health related news - I've continued losing weight at about 2 pounds every 2 weeks. I'm at 147 now. I'm still trying to stick with eating in the top 2 tiers for breakfast and lunch. Weekends have been especially off the rocker on food choices (small portions but pretty consistently in tiers 3-5) but it doesn't seem to be affecting me weight-wise. So apparently, I can still get away with eating crap once a week. Ashley's dinners are usually within the top 3 tiers at least. I'm going to have to re-learn how to eat when I start working out tonight. I do recall having to eat more when I'm doing the Insanity program.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Back in the groove!
Yesterday, after work, I went directly home and started preparing for the Plyometric Cardio Circuit workout. I may need to work on creating a new routine for my evening workouts. I use up so much time preparing and that time will soon be needed for studying.
Typically, I come home and eat something small to get me through the workout. Last night it was 1/2 cup of Kashi GoLean. I've found my stomach gets less upset when I wait about 30 minutes after that small meal before starting the workout. So assuming I don't dilly dally, I'm already looking at 30 minutes passing, then another hour for the workout, and then showering and eating before I start studying. If I were to eat my light meal before leaving work, I'd have the 30 minute drive home and could start as soon as I changed clothes. So that's what I'll try tonight.
I had fun with the Plyometric workout last night. I had adjusted the heart rate monitor up since I'd been working through the beeps anyway. Basically, because this is anaerobic (30sec - 1min intervals) training, my range just needs to be okay before starting the next interval. What occurred to me last night (during the workout) was that while each interval is 30-60 seconds, there isn't a rest between each interval unless I take it myself. There was one time during basketball drills that I got a little dizzy and I was like, whoa - that's not supposed to happen. I checked my watch and I was at 175, which is within my okay range. My guess is that it was higher prior to that. So tonight I'll set it back to 180 and at least then I'll know if I'm working past my range and should rest.
Back to the 'fun' part.
Warm-Up
Jogging, jumping jacks, Heisman, 1-2-3 Heisman, butt kicks, high knees, mummy kicks
I made it through most of the warm-up without stopping AND actually going faster each time! My shins still get a little irritated when I do the high knees as a run, so I'm still doing those as more a speed walking pace. Keep in mind my goal by the end of this 60 days is to be able to complete a warm-up without my heart rate necessitating me to stop. It looks like I'm getting close to that goal!
Main Part 1
Suicide drills, power squats, mountain climbers, ski downs
I freaking rocked the drills and the ski downs, even when they hurt. The climbers were irritating my shins so I slowed those down, which seems to hurt MORE by the way (in a good way of course). I was pretty consistent in getting about 10 Power squats in before puttering out.
I could only do a few scissor runs - more due to lack of muscle power than cardio though. Football sprints are always fun for me. I feel so silly and I think that goofiness gives my brain a break from the intensity going on through the other drills.
Main Part 2
Basketball drills, level 1 drills (4 pushups, 8 plank runs, jump up, repeat), ski abs, in & out abs
Rocked the basketball drills. I really got in the groove of jumping from the bottom which made it easier than ever. Consistently pushed out 2 reps of level 1 drills before losing muscle power. Ski abs and in & outs always make me want to scream. My arms, legs, and core are just quivering at the end of every set.
"Bonus" at end
Jabs, cross jacks, uppercuts, attack
Oh jeez. You know when you've gone full out for so long that your muscles are actually shaking? That was me at the end of this. But I did it. All of it.
Cool down
During the hamstring stretches, I actually had to put a hand on my leg because it was shaking so bad. Wow. As always, felt EXCELLENT when the cool down was over. Drenched in sweat, body quivering and shaking, still a little winded even, but oh so wonderful.
Typically, I come home and eat something small to get me through the workout. Last night it was 1/2 cup of Kashi GoLean. I've found my stomach gets less upset when I wait about 30 minutes after that small meal before starting the workout. So assuming I don't dilly dally, I'm already looking at 30 minutes passing, then another hour for the workout, and then showering and eating before I start studying. If I were to eat my light meal before leaving work, I'd have the 30 minute drive home and could start as soon as I changed clothes. So that's what I'll try tonight.
I had fun with the Plyometric workout last night. I had adjusted the heart rate monitor up since I'd been working through the beeps anyway. Basically, because this is anaerobic (30sec - 1min intervals) training, my range just needs to be okay before starting the next interval. What occurred to me last night (during the workout) was that while each interval is 30-60 seconds, there isn't a rest between each interval unless I take it myself. There was one time during basketball drills that I got a little dizzy and I was like, whoa - that's not supposed to happen. I checked my watch and I was at 175, which is within my okay range. My guess is that it was higher prior to that. So tonight I'll set it back to 180 and at least then I'll know if I'm working past my range and should rest.
Back to the 'fun' part.
Warm-Up
Jogging, jumping jacks, Heisman, 1-2-3 Heisman, butt kicks, high knees, mummy kicks
I made it through most of the warm-up without stopping AND actually going faster each time! My shins still get a little irritated when I do the high knees as a run, so I'm still doing those as more a speed walking pace. Keep in mind my goal by the end of this 60 days is to be able to complete a warm-up without my heart rate necessitating me to stop. It looks like I'm getting close to that goal!
Main Part 1
Suicide drills, power squats, mountain climbers, ski downs
I freaking rocked the drills and the ski downs, even when they hurt. The climbers were irritating my shins so I slowed those down, which seems to hurt MORE by the way (in a good way of course). I was pretty consistent in getting about 10 Power squats in before puttering out.
I could only do a few scissor runs - more due to lack of muscle power than cardio though. Football sprints are always fun for me. I feel so silly and I think that goofiness gives my brain a break from the intensity going on through the other drills.
Main Part 2
Basketball drills, level 1 drills (4 pushups, 8 plank runs, jump up, repeat), ski abs, in & out abs
Rocked the basketball drills. I really got in the groove of jumping from the bottom which made it easier than ever. Consistently pushed out 2 reps of level 1 drills before losing muscle power. Ski abs and in & outs always make me want to scream. My arms, legs, and core are just quivering at the end of every set.
"Bonus" at end
Jabs, cross jacks, uppercuts, attack
Oh jeez. You know when you've gone full out for so long that your muscles are actually shaking? That was me at the end of this. But I did it. All of it.
Cool down
During the hamstring stretches, I actually had to put a hand on my leg because it was shaking so bad. Wow. As always, felt EXCELLENT when the cool down was over. Drenched in sweat, body quivering and shaking, still a little winded even, but oh so wonderful.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Thank you REST day!
Friday's Insanity workout was the Pure Cardio + Cardio Abs. Pure Cardio kicked my butt, as usual. It seemed to be kicking harder than usual though. Or maybe I'm just plowing through harder and therefore getting maxed out faster? I dunno, but my beeper was going off pretty consistently throughout. I wish I'd have sprung for the kind that tracks my average heart rate so I could plug that in on some fancy online calculator and see how many calories I'm burning. I get so focused on how many breaks I'm having to take, and get really down about how crappy my cardio must be, that I think it would be helpful to see that number - and know then how hard I am (or am not) working! The 'meat' of Pure Cardio is 15 moves, each move for 1 minute. Suffice to say, I would do one minute, then spend the next minute waiting for the beeping to stop. Repeating over and over. Maybe next time I should try to slow it down a bit and see if I can do every move. I'll have that opportunity on Monday!
So I finished the cool down on Pure Cardio and was like "Whew! Glad that's over!", and then I was like, "AAAGH! It's NOT over! I still have Cardio Abs!" And I'm pretty sure I even said that all out loud.
Cardio Abs hurts. Alot. You KNOW it's working. My mid section is a quivering mess when I'm done and it's just a shade over 10 minutes of actual exercising. Not a single sit up in the enter workout, which is excellent and TORTURE at the same time, LOL
But my belly is gonna look goooood. So that keeps me going :-)
Saturday was a rest day. And I spent it as such. I slept till noon, then laid in bed for about 3 or 4 hours just absorbing the sounds of the house. I mostly listened to Ashley talk on the phone, and I'm pretty sure I took a few naps here and there. I had a ginormous headache since I hadn't had any coffee yet and too much sleep. So around 4 I got up and showered, then headed to eat at a local chili diner with some friends. We got Orange Leaf froyo for dessert and then I stopped and got some vanilla cream stout to take home. Pretty sure I stepped off the health train today! Woowoo! I did at least eat my pound of veggies still. And controlled my portions pretty well at both the diner and the froyo.
Sunday's workout is Plyometric Cardio Circuit. I'll need to eat very clean to keep up with that one so I'm back on track first thing tomorrow (or when I wake up, since it's technically tomorrow right now).
So I finished the cool down on Pure Cardio and was like "Whew! Glad that's over!", and then I was like, "AAAGH! It's NOT over! I still have Cardio Abs!" And I'm pretty sure I even said that all out loud.
Cardio Abs hurts. Alot. You KNOW it's working. My mid section is a quivering mess when I'm done and it's just a shade over 10 minutes of actual exercising. Not a single sit up in the enter workout, which is excellent and TORTURE at the same time, LOL
But my belly is gonna look goooood. So that keeps me going :-)
Saturday was a rest day. And I spent it as such. I slept till noon, then laid in bed for about 3 or 4 hours just absorbing the sounds of the house. I mostly listened to Ashley talk on the phone, and I'm pretty sure I took a few naps here and there. I had a ginormous headache since I hadn't had any coffee yet and too much sleep. So around 4 I got up and showered, then headed to eat at a local chili diner with some friends. We got Orange Leaf froyo for dessert and then I stopped and got some vanilla cream stout to take home. Pretty sure I stepped off the health train today! Woowoo! I did at least eat my pound of veggies still. And controlled my portions pretty well at both the diner and the froyo.
Sunday's workout is Plyometric Cardio Circuit. I'll need to eat very clean to keep up with that one so I'm back on track first thing tomorrow (or when I wake up, since it's technically tomorrow right now).
Friday, January 14, 2011
Insanity!
Last night I did Cardio Power & Resistance (Robert Harden has already done pretty thorough review on all of these workouts so I'm just going to link to his write-ups.)
Warm-up
I got through 2 of the 3 rounds in the warm-up without stopping. This is an accomplishment! This is progress! The third round had my heart rate monitor beeping anytime I did anything with momentum to it.
Cool Down & Stretch
In previous weeks, the cool down and stretch brings my heart rate to around 150-160. Last night it got low enough to beep at me, around 140. This made me very happy.
Main part 1
Again, I was pretty impressed with my progress so far. When I started out in October, I couldn't do more than 3 power jumps. I'm up to ten or so on each round now. I don't worry so much about the beeping toward the last 5 seconds or so because it regulates back to 170's during the Belt Kicks. Back to beeping toward the end of Hit the Floor, then regulating again during V Push Ups.
"Bonus" Tricep Dips saw an increase from 2-5 to around 10 AND I was able to do the leg lifts!
Same as with the warm-up, I was able to do 2 of the 3 rounds for part 1, then my beeper kept shouting at me during the 3rd round.
Main part 2
I've never had a problem with Hurdle Jumps in the past but last night these were hard! I'm thinking it's because I've always been resting from the beeper and wasn't able to push hard enough to have muscle exhaustion by this point. Well last night, there was definitely muscle exhaustion.
You would think then, that Globe Jumps would have been equally exhausting. Quite the opposite was happening though. I was attacking these! I got 4 reps in Round 1, 3 in Round 2, and 2 reps in Round 3.
By the time my beeper calmed itself, I had missed about half of the time alloted for Moving Pushups, so I'm still only getting about 5 or so of those in each round.
Seriously thought I was going to puke a few times on the Floor Sprints though. Pushed through them if my beeper wasn't going, but my tummy was getting pretty pissed about my determination!
Final Round
8 hop squats, 8 push ups. I've never been able to do a full rep of these. NEVER. Last night - I somehow pulled 2 reps out. Then I rested on the floor while the screen prompt flashed "Never Stop Moving", LOL
By the time I had recovered, it was time for the 30-second water break. Since Cool Down was next, I went ahead and plowed out one more rep. So that's THREE total reps! I was pretty stoked.
Cool Down & Stretch
There's a part during this when Shawn T asks, "How's everyone feeling?" at which point my girlfriend (cooking dinner in the next room over) replies "Horrible!", LOL. I must say though, by this point in the workout I'm usually feeling the best I've felt all day. It's like all tension in my body is released, every muscle is fatigued and my mind is clear. "How am I feeling?" I'm feeling AMAZING!
Warm-up
I got through 2 of the 3 rounds in the warm-up without stopping. This is an accomplishment! This is progress! The third round had my heart rate monitor beeping anytime I did anything with momentum to it.
Cool Down & Stretch
In previous weeks, the cool down and stretch brings my heart rate to around 150-160. Last night it got low enough to beep at me, around 140. This made me very happy.
Main part 1
Again, I was pretty impressed with my progress so far. When I started out in October, I couldn't do more than 3 power jumps. I'm up to ten or so on each round now. I don't worry so much about the beeping toward the last 5 seconds or so because it regulates back to 170's during the Belt Kicks. Back to beeping toward the end of Hit the Floor, then regulating again during V Push Ups.
"Bonus" Tricep Dips saw an increase from 2-5 to around 10 AND I was able to do the leg lifts!
Same as with the warm-up, I was able to do 2 of the 3 rounds for part 1, then my beeper kept shouting at me during the 3rd round.
Main part 2
I've never had a problem with Hurdle Jumps in the past but last night these were hard! I'm thinking it's because I've always been resting from the beeper and wasn't able to push hard enough to have muscle exhaustion by this point. Well last night, there was definitely muscle exhaustion.
You would think then, that Globe Jumps would have been equally exhausting. Quite the opposite was happening though. I was attacking these! I got 4 reps in Round 1, 3 in Round 2, and 2 reps in Round 3.
By the time my beeper calmed itself, I had missed about half of the time alloted for Moving Pushups, so I'm still only getting about 5 or so of those in each round.
Seriously thought I was going to puke a few times on the Floor Sprints though. Pushed through them if my beeper wasn't going, but my tummy was getting pretty pissed about my determination!
Final Round
8 hop squats, 8 push ups. I've never been able to do a full rep of these. NEVER. Last night - I somehow pulled 2 reps out. Then I rested on the floor while the screen prompt flashed "Never Stop Moving", LOL
By the time I had recovered, it was time for the 30-second water break. Since Cool Down was next, I went ahead and plowed out one more rep. So that's THREE total reps! I was pretty stoked.
Cool Down & Stretch
There's a part during this when Shawn T asks, "How's everyone feeling?" at which point my girlfriend (cooking dinner in the next room over) replies "Horrible!", LOL. I must say though, by this point in the workout I'm usually feeling the best I've felt all day. It's like all tension in my body is released, every muscle is fatigued and my mind is clear. "How am I feeling?" I'm feeling AMAZING!
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