I’ve heard it said that you should never start a new diet or exercise regime on a week day. It’s best to wait for the weekend or a time when you are less busy in order to ease your body into something new. Well these past two weeks have made me thank my stars that I listened to that advice and started before school started back up.
From the beginning these workouts have been mentally and physically challenging to say the very least. I have hurt in places I didn’t even remember existed. But, the biggest challenge has been incorporating this regime into my hectic schedule upon returning to school these past two weeks. It took a lot of planning, patience, and will power to not slack off and quit.
The biggest challenge for me has most definitely been the mental one. Continuing this regime has meant getting up at 5 each morning, working out before I have a full day of classes, teaching, and work until 8 at night. Plus I’ve tried to shoot more episodes for the website, not to mention editing time. It has been tempting a few days to say… oh I can miss just this one. But, that’s how the slippery slope of last year’s weight gain began… I can miss just one, then two, then…no working out. I promised myself that I would complete the challenge so even when I was tired or grumpy I did my daily Insanity.
The response from my friends and family has been so encouraging. I have FB friends cheering me on. My sister decided to try the challenge herself after reading the first week’s recap. All these things have kept me going even when I’ve considered taking a break. So thank you all for helping me to “dig deeper”!
WEEK THREE
NEW THIS WEEK: In the previous two weeks I’ve heard Shaun T telling people to check their heart rates with their monitors for safety. I didn’t own one so I purchased the Mio Triumph SE. This awesome little watch not only allows me to check my heart rate, I can also personalize it with my age, weight, height, activity level, takes my resting heart rate, plus has a stop watch feature that also shows me how many calories I’ve burned. I’m sure there are other products out there that do the same. But, personally I prefer having my monitor as a watch instead of those weird body strap things. The added bonus for incorporating my monitor has been a more accurate calorie count. I have also been trying out the myfitnesspal.com website and it doesn’t have accurate calories burned for Insanity.
FIT TEST: I felt just as tired, sweaty and out of breathe this time as I did in week one. But, I managed to do better in almost every category with the exception of suicide jumps and power squats. I really detest these floor drills…and must admit I often substitute them with another exercise from the video. My knees have officially cried NO MORE and I listen. But, everywhere else I saw jump in numbers. I also made it through without pausing so that’s a HUGE improvement.
Fit Test 1 vs Fit Test 2
Switch Kicks: 42/73
Power Jacks: 44 /50
Power Knees: 55/70
Power Squats: 25/25
Globe Jumps: 10/11
Floor Drills: 10/8
Push up Jacks: 20/25
Oblique: 40/46?
PLYO CARDIO CIRCUIT: There is a typo on the wall calendar that came with my DVDs. It says Cardio Circuit for this day but, it really means Plyo Cardio Circuit. So don’t be fooled. I am finally getting a hang of most of these moves. I have continued the rule of no pausing of the video and just pushing through. I still end up a sweaty puddle by the end but, I can tell that I am so much stronger and I think pushing through has made the difference.
PURE CARDIO AND CARDIO ABS: I love and hate these videos sooooo much! My heart rate stayed between 65-96% during the Pure Cardio Video. And stayed between 55-65% during the cardio abs since I did them back to back no breaks. I again thought I might actually keel over into a melted puddle of nothingness by the end but, I was able for the first time to do those jump tuck abdominal exercises! Also huge plus…I can see a four pack of abs consistently now. Soon I will make it into a six pack again…I just know it!!!
CARDIO RECOVERY: I am really feeling like this is a true recovery day. I have done so many squats, lunges, and quad exercises with the other videos that even though the “slow burn” effect hurts like hell…I can totally see the difference. This isn’t a strong calorie burning day however. I have started adding light weights and extra ab work on these days.
CARDIO POWER AND RESISTANCE: By day four every week I start to really become aware of my knees. I felt like an old lady by the end of this video. It wasn’t pain so much as just fatigue. I made sure to stretch extra good today with my legs because tomorrow is another PLYO day and that is gonna kill me for sure!
PLYO CARDIO CIRCUIT: One more day…One more day…is all I could say before I started this one. I am exhausted by the end of week three. I have shifted the work outs around to make Monday my off days…because I have class from 10-9PM straight and frankly I need the day off!! But, that means doing Insanity after I return from Church… I prayed to get through this one. My trapezius muscles in my back started spazzing this am. I think from all the push ups or I slept wrong. I stretched A LOT before doing this video. I didn’t go full out but, I was determined to make it through. It meant again NOT doing the floor drills…but I just did power squats, high knees, and power jacks instead. Amen Amen Week Three is DONE!!!
WEEK FOUR
PURE CARDIO AND CARDIO ABS: Before: The thing that sucks about video tapes is you start getting annoyed by the jokes they say again and again. Like “is anybody nervous about what’s to come” Shaun T says before this video. And I want to scream..not nervous… just already in pain thinking about it…thanks for reminding me. If you can’t tell…I am in the midst of a stressful week…so this video is gonna have to relieve so stress. After: I push harder on this video then I think I have ever before. I might be sweating into my eyes making my contacts sting to all heaven but, I feel a million times better. I just needed to blow off some serious steam! Now off to class.
CARDIO POWER AND RESISTANCE: The repetition of the same moves again and again…video to video…makes it in one way easier for me to follow and push through better…but, also has an effect on me where I start wondering if I am doing the right video. But, my handy little calendar proves I am not. But I will say as the lower part of my body gets more and more svelte…I have come to LOVE the power jump squats. This might just be an exercise I repeat forever!
PLYO CARDIO CIRCUIT: Push push push myself forward. This week is my week to produce a show, and I have so little energy. However, I am amazed that even when I don’t feel like I am giving my all in all…my MIO has shown me I am still 1) burning roughly the same calories and 2) my heart is getting stronger. So I went a little light today but, I feel good. Half way there!!!
CARDIO RECOVERY: I skipped today. I know. Terrible. But, several things happened and I just couldn’t get it done. I will make it up however. I will.
TRIPLE DAY OF HELL: CARDIO RECOVERY, PURE CARDIO, AND CARDIO ABS: I will never do this again but, WOW! So it’s Saturday and since I don’t have class. I got up early and did Cardio Recovery and then Cardio Abs. I did some work and in the afternoon did the Pure Cardio. The muscles in my legs are twitching right now. This is probably the most insane thing I have done. But, I was determined not to skip any workouts. I am off to soak in a nice hot tub and then stretch. Crazy Bianca…Crazy Bianca.
PLYO CARDIO CIRCUIT: After my crazy yesterday my knees were tender. They didn’t hurt or feel like I pulled anything. My knees just weren’t all that happy during this work out. I trudged through it but, I didn’t push too hard. I took a lot more breaks then I have been the past two weeks as well. But, all in all I kept my promise to myself… YAY!! Week Four DONE DONE and DONE AGAIN!
Results so far: I have lost a few inches for sure. I can wear pants and shorts far more comfortably. My abs are looking fabulous already! The scale however has been kinda stubborn. It shot up by four pounds the first week and a half. Then it came back down to the starting weight and remained there for another week and a half. I weighed myself today on my off day…and the scale is down by 2 lbs. So I guess technically I’ve lost 2 lbs? But, the body fat percentage is down by 1.5%…so progress…progress. I have five more weeks to go. Next week starts a brand new set of DVDs and then ratchets up there after to longer more intense videos…I am slightly afraid of what is to come.
