Ouch!

I thought that after a month of this insanity I would be prepared for this month's workouts. Not. At. All. Yesterday was hard. Probably more than most days because I had the fit test to do as well. Today I am sore. I haven't been this sore since the first week of Insanity. I thought I had gotten past the soreness stage. I guess not. It makes me smile sometimes because it's that good kind of pain. The kind you really worked for. I have earned this pain. Why do I think that is a good thing? It's not the "I woke up with a kink in my neck" or "I fell down the icy stairs" kind of pain. Those pains aren't fun or exciting. This is tolerable because I am getting stronger and hopefully more fit.
Here goes another month!

Still Going

Today was a fit test day. That would be nice except the other 2 times we have done the fit test that was it for the day. Today we get to do a whole video in addition to the fit test. Nathaniel did the fit test this morning and I did it during his lunch break. We both did pretty darn good if I do say so myself. We improved on every single test except one, I think. We'll do the video together tonight.
I have lost 2 pounds so far in the past 5 weeks, which is nothing to brag about. People lose more than that going to the bathroom. I have not lost inches like I had hoped. Only 1 inch off of my hips and a half and inch off of my waist. The only thing I can see so far is the improvement in my fit test and my endurance. I am not giving up though. Today starts month 2. Everything from here on out is MAX intervals or MAX this or that. I figure if I stick to it I will get results. I want to see this through. I am getting more muscular, which is nice. I just don't want to be bulky. The MAX videos are more intense and longer, so I am nervous and excited at the same time. I love that everything is mapped out for you. All you have to do is push play and follow along. I really like this workout and I will continue to do it after this month is over. I don't want to lose the muscle I am gaining. I'll have to alternate these videos with running. I think I'll see the results I want with that combination.

Changing to Nights

We decided to change our workouts to nights for a little while to see if we like that better. I really like getting up and moving, but when 1 o'clock rolls around I am wiped out. Nathaniel said he is tired as well during the day. I don't know if this will work as well with meetings and naughty kids not going to bed on time, but here's hoping!
Since we decided to workout at night, I decided I would get up this morning and take a little jog on the treadmill. I am missing running and wanted to see how I did. I didn't have a ton of time before Nathaniel left, but I did 2 miles and it was easier than before I started Insanity. That makes me happy. It was nice to jog for a while and take comfort in that familiar motion. I usually don't like treadmill running, but today I did. I also love that jogging doesn't make me sore so I should still be good for the workout tonight. I may not be changing the way I look, but so far it has helped me in other ways. I hear next month is going to kill me, so maybe that's when the weight will come off.

It Doesn't Get Easier

Today was Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs again. It was just as hard as it was last time. I do love that I am able to go through the whole warm-up without stopping. At least in that I am a success. If you don't think that's a big deal, buy the videos and see for yourself. I still am not seeing any decrease on the scale. All this hard work has to pay off. If nothing else, I'll be the big lady that can keep up with her kids. As my sister says, "At least I'm not the fattest mom out there". I take comfort in that.
Nathaniel has been in some pain the last few days. His back and inner thigh are really sore and he thinks he may have pulled a muscle or something. I told him he should take a few days to let it recover, but he says he doesn't have to listen to me ;) . He is still trucking away doing the drills. I just hope it doesn't make it worse. I admire his determination. He is still quick to jump out of bed at 5 and get us going. I couldn't/wouldn't do this without him.

It was the best of times, it was the ...

start of our third week on Insanity. I went to bed with a sore back. My daughter jumped on my back during the day while I was laying on my stomach. She landed with both knees straight to my spine. An excellent disabling move for my little "Karate Princess," but not such a great move for my back. That was compounded by the fact that I really worked my back during the cardio abs workout the day before. (It was supposed to be an ab workout, but I could feel my lower back getting tight through the whole workout. Try sitting in a C position for six minutes while doing ab exercises.)

So, the reality is, I really loved the workout on Saturday, which led to a really tough workout this morning. But, I really wanted to push it on the fitness test today. So, for the first exercise, I bombed it. I miscounted and tried to pace myself, and ended doing less than the first time. What a waste. But I used that as motivation to push myself to new heights on each of the next seven exercises.

I did not post my numbers from the first fit test, but I did improve in every exercise except the first one. I had some really good improvement in form, and not just in numbers. I love when I get better quality and quantity. Go me.

And, Tennille did a great job. She looked really tired when we got up. I realized it was not a dream of mine when our son came into the room in the middle of the night. Tennille had been up losing sleep during the night, and she still managed to improve or maintain in each of the eight exercises. She really is an inspiration. Go us.

Weights and Measures

Sunday was our third "weigh in." With no ado whatsoever, here are the results.

Weight: 205
(I gained .2 lbs.)

Calves
Right: 15.75
Left: 15.75
(That is a quarter inch gain in both calves.)

Thighs
Right: 24.5
Left: 24.5
(That is no change on the left, and a quarter inch decrease on the right. But, they are even now.)

Hips: 40.5
(no change)

Waist: 40
(no change)

Chest: 40
(Increase of a quarter inch. I am hoping that is a good increase. I really did a lot of different push-ups this week. I deserve the quarter inch increase.)

Forearms
Right: 12
Left: 11.5
(This a half inch increase on the right and a quarter inch increase on the left. They are really uneven. I am not sure how this happened. I will have to watch out this week.)

Upper arms
Right: 13
Left: 12.75
(This is a quarter inch gain on both sides. They are growing evenly. Another positive.)

Neck: 16.25
(This is a loss of a quarter inch. Not really sure what that means.)

Well, another okay week. I really look forward to seeing the overall changes at the end of the program. I think that I will probably see positive growth in all areas, with maybe slightly smaller hips and waist. I would not mind that at all.

About Ready to Quit

As I was waking up this morning, I wondered if I should tell Nathaniel that I was thinking of quitting. I didn't want to let him down. This was something we were supposed to do together. It motivates you so much more when you have a partner. But I don't look any better. I do feel better. I feel stronger and more able. I was thinking I could still get up at 5 to workout with him, but I'd just do the warm-up on the video and then hop on the treadmill to do my running. That way we are still getting up and working out, just each in their own way. I decided to give it one more day to see if I did better on the fit test. If I didn't then I would quit. Fair enough, right? No weight change, no measurement change, no improvement in ability. But, there was an improvement in my ability. Not a huge jump. But definitely improvement. So, I am going to stick with this for a little while longer and hope I see some physical benefits. If not, I will get on that treadmill and run those saddlebags off. They've got to go one way or another.

No Change

Yep, I did weight and measurements today and there was 1/4 inch here or there, but nothing really to report. I am back to my exact starting weight. So for the last 2 weeks of intense exercise all I have to show for it is...nothing. That's not entirely true, I do feel stronger. I just don't look any different, which for a girl is more important.
Hooray for today being a day of rest. I'll enjoy it while it lasts. Tomorrow is the fit test again. I'll be honest, I don't think I'll do much better than last time. We'll see.

Week 2 Down

We just finished the last workout of the week. Two weeks down, 7 more to go. I was thrilled that we both finished the 10 minute "warm-up" without stopping once. I died the first time we did it. So that is an improvement. I am not seeing the same improvement in the measurement department. I have been eating well, except for today. I was in need of no-bake cookies and I had a little too many of them. I will be really mad if I workout like crazy all week and then have it negated by a few cookies. We'll see for sure later when I do the "official" measurements, but as of now, no change. What a bummer. People tell me it is probably just because I am gaining muscle so I haven't lost much yet in inches and weight. I do hope that I will start to thin out or I will have to stop this madness and start running again. At least with running I see results. I really believe I have to lose weight doing this because I literally have sweat dripping off of me after every workout.
Today was Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs. This was our first time with Cardio Abs. It was true to its name- Insane. I could not hold the positions as long as they said to. Nathaniel did so good today. He isn't feeling great and yet he totally rocked both workouts. He amazes me. I would not be as motivated without him. This has been so fun for us to do together. I love working hard together and helping each other become better.

Cardio Power and Resistance is Futile

A little mash-up for a title. The futile part seems to be my being able to finish a workout. Once again, I met my match in the moving push-ups. They are done at the end of a set, so I am already tired, but I have to keep trying to do them. I really enjoy this particular workout. However, I was not in a good place at the beginning of the workout. I had acid reflux and felt like I was going to vomit. Lucky for me, I had my water and workout partner. Tennille and I did some of the workout side-by-side. This was very motivating.

I think that a partner is a great motivation for working out. It is rare to have an off day the same day as your partner, so you can always motivate each other. My partner is great. We motivate each other and make fun of the super fit workout models on the video together. It makes for a very entertaining workout.

Cardio Recovery - It's Not What You Think

The first time I read Cardio Recovery on the workout calendar, I thought it would be a jogging in place workout for a while to let my muscles recover. Unfortunately, it is the exact opposite. The workout is a recovery from the cardio we have been doing.

So, part way through the workout, We do 16 slow (very slow) squats. Then, on the last one, you hold the position for about 30 seconds, and then you do 16 pulses (mini-squats; kind of a slow, bounce). Then, when your legs are on fire, you turn to the right and do 16 lunges with your right leg in front. Then you do another 16 squats, hold, 16 pulses, and then turn to the left and do 16 lunges with your left leg in front. Then you hold the lunge position and do pulses. I failed to finish, but I found success.

I was going through the workout, and reached a point where I wanted to give up and just kneel down for a rest. Then I pushed myself to keep going. I just pushed through until I collapsed. My legs were burning and I just could not keep my legs from dropping. After the workout, I just had to sit and stop and rest for about 40 minutes so I could recover enough to stand up in the shower.

I was worried about going to bed because I thought I would not be able to walk when I woke up this morning. Surprisingly, I was not even sore this morning. I love the fact that I feel stronger and more fit. I feel like my body is changing for the better.

Success is getting closer.

That Was Harder Than I Remember

We worked out last night instead of in the morning since kids have been up in the night and sleep is hard to come by. Thursday is cardio recovery day. I enjoyed it last week, but it was much harder last night than I remembered it being the first time. Maybe it's because I was so sore last week that I was thrilled to not be jumping and running. I am hoping that by the end of 9 weeks I'll be able to hold some of those squats and lunges as long as they do.
I don't dread the workout like I used to. I don't necessarily look forward to it either. It is just good to be in a workout routine and have a buddy to be accountable to. It makes doing it so much easier. It isn't a question of whether to do it or not, just when to do it. It is also nice to have a buddy because then they can tell you if your form is bad and you can fix it. That way you don't injure yourself by doing it wrong the whole time.

Half Way Through the Week

I did better today. I got more sleep which makes a big difference of course. I could barely breathe through the workout so I know I was pushing myself. I still cannot do some of the drills he does. I sometimes have to do other things to keep moving and burning calories. I should not make excuses, but I am afraid that I will fall on my face by that point of the workout so push-up type drills kill me. I am not losing any inches off of my thighs yet, which is very disappointing. That is one of my hard areas to lose. I hope it will start to come off soon. I don't want to get bulky thighs from gaining more muscle (while still having the fat). I want lean, runners legs. I am noticing I do have more muscle in my stomach (still hidden by some fat). I am not sore like I was last week. I can move without the constant pain. That tells me I am getting stronger or at least my body is tolerating the workout better. Either way I'll take it.

Comeback Stalled

I could not seem to get going today. We did the basketball drills and football drills. We did suicides and mountain climbers. I worked hard. But, I still feel a little sluggish. Lack of sleep and a looming illness are slowing me down. I tried to work through it today, but I was slow getting started. Posting is starting to wear on me. It is hard to blog when I am getting discouraged with the workouts.

One bright spot in my dismal performance was the level 1 drills. You start in a standing position. You put your hands by your feet, then kick both feet back into a plank position. Then you do 4 push-ups. Then you sprint for an 8 count. Then you jump your feet back by your hands and stand up again. Then you repeat. I really focused on these drills and tried to push through and get the most out of these sets.

Another positive is I am improving my core position. Shaun T. keeps saying to keep your core tight while working out, stretching, etc. I am actually doing a better job at keeping my core tight during the workout. As an added benefit, I am keeping my core tight throughout the day in an attempt to extend the workout.

A final note. Tennille has been killing it lately. She is really pushing through the workout and not taking breaks. She looks motivated, and she looks like she is going to have a great week.

Day...I lost count

Today was a bad day. I woke up exhausted. Several nights of not getting enough sleep left me crawling out of bed and sleep walking into the front room for the workout. I felt lethargic through the entire warm-up. Then I felt lazy for the entire workout. I really felt like my body had more to give, and I was just not pushing through for the best results. I felt lazy.

In high school, I swam, ran track and played tennis. I always wonder how I would have done if I had pushed harder in practice. Could I have done better in regionals? Could I have medaled at city? I will never know. But during the workout today, I felt all of those same feelings. I will not feel the same tomorrow. I am re-committing to the workout. I will "dig deeper" as Shaun T. likes to say. I will not feel lazy tomorrow, and I will not be lazy again.

New me, inside and out.

Disappointed in Myself

I was tired today. I only got 6 hours of sleep. For those of you with small babies, don't laugh at me. I know you are getting less than that. But again, it's hard to get up and still be tired and give it your all. I did okay through the warm-up and the stretches, but when it came to the pure cardio part, I was not my best. I tried to push through, but I had to keep stopping and/or altering the exercise. I was mad at myself when the workout was over because I was telling myself I should have pushed harder and dug deeper. At the time though, that was all the strength I had. I was still sweating like a beast, so I know it was still better than nothing. Tomorrow I hope to do better. I may have to get on the treadmill for a little while today to make up for my slack this morning.

I would still recommend this workout to people. I really like it, especially having a buddy to do it with. Originally when we bought it, Nathaniel was thinking we could sell it after we were through with the 9 weeks. There's no way we are getting rid of it. He doesn't want to either. I figure I'll use it between days that I run. I will especially need it in the future to get back into shape after having more babies. It seems like every time I get my body back into shape, it's time to have another little one. I pack on the weight, the baby is born, the weight doesn't come off, I work hard to eat right and workout, get back into shape, get pregnant, repeat. Seriously, I only lost 12 pounds with Tanner. That is full term, 39 weeks pregnant before delivery to what I weighed for months after. He weighed over 8 of those pounds. It gets harder and harder to lose the weight and I gain more with each baby. With Eliza I gained 19, Kate 17, Nathan 31, and with Tanner I gained 37 pounds. Anyway, it is hard on a woman's body to have children, especially close together. I am happy that I do have a healthy body and that I can exercise the way I want to. I miss running and look forward to warmer weather to be able to do more of that. These videos will help me keep muscle while I enjoy training for the half marathon I hope to do this year. I know that was quite the tangent, but it is something I have been thinking about lately.

Back At It

I was not very excited to get up at 5 this morning to workout. We had a rough night last night (and the night before) with a sick Tanner. I was not mentally or physically prepared to move like they expect you to. I do find that as we are going through the warm-up I always become more able to step up to the plate. No matter how sore or tired I am to begin with, I somehow find the strength and motivation to keep going. I think it's because my husband is behind me and I know how hard he is working and so I push myself to keep up with him. (I am also thinking that if I push myself, I'll lose weight, and his view will then be better.) I couldn't even compare with him in the push-up department. I can't do moving push-ups. I do regular girl push-ups instead. Last week I did 10 real push-ups in a row (yes, that was a success for me), but I am too sore for those right now. I do not want to fall on my face. I never was a star with my upper body muscle strength.
I really do love the simplicity of this workout. You post the calendar and just follow the workout it says to do for the day. The video lays everything out for you. It does the warm-up, the stretching, the intervals, and then the cool down stretching. I really do like it. I am not as sore as last week and that is a bonus as well.

Day 8

Today was a power cardio workout. This means you do power and resistance moves faster and with high repetition. We were back doing V push-ups and moving push-ups. Both of these exercises I would love to hate, but I really do not. I found myself in the middle of the workout saying "I would like to do those moving push-ups again." Then I mentally slapped myself in the face. Then I smiled a little when I did them again. I really enjoyed the workout. I was exhausted and sore after-wards, but I really enjoyed the workout.

The best part of the workout is the way I feel an hour or two later. I feel like I have an extra spring in my step. I love feeling like I have some strength and stamina again.

Favorite exercise for the day was the moving push-ups. I really worked them over and enjoyed doing it. They felt really good. Which means they hurt right now and will hurt me again later. I love this workout.

By the numbers

I woke up this morning expecting (hoping) to see huge changes in my body. Unfortunately, the biggest change was an increase in weight. I feel so much better, so I will forgive the lack of dramatic improvement in measurements. This week.

Calves:
Right: 15.5
Left: 15.5
(My left calf is a quarter inch smaller)
Thighs:
Right: 24.75
Left: 24.5
(My right thigh is a half inch bigger while my left thigh is a half inch smaller. They are now more even. I'll call it a win.)
Hips: 40.5
(Half an inch larger.)
Waist: 40
(1.25" decrease in waist size. That is the best number of the week.)
Chest: 39.75
(This is a .75" decrease this week. I think that is a good number because I am losing fat. I really need to do better with the push up drills and exercises so I can get this number up a little bit.)
Forearm:
Right: 11.5
Left: 11.25
(A quarter inch decrease in both forearms. I really do not know how to read this number.)
Upper arm:
Right: 12.75
Left: 12.5
(No change in the right arm, and an increase of half an inch for my left arm. Another good number.)
Neck: 16.5
(No change. This is actually a good number, because it means I do not have to buy new shirts.)

My numbers are not bad. Some of them are really good. If I can keep up this kind of change, I should see the type of body I want by the end of the 64 days. I am pretty sure I will be able to dunk by the end of the 64 days.

Day 6: A.K.A. The End of Week 1

So much soreness in so little time. I think that aptly describes Week 1. Doing an intense workout six days in a row has renewed my joy in Sunday being a day of rest. My body really needs the rest I get today. I am trying to sit down, drink a lot of water and eat some healthy food. Because I know what is coming tomorrow, and it is more work.

I should have posted this yesterday, but Tennille and I did not work out until the evening. Yesterday was a repeat of Tuesday's workout. I saw major improvement in my ability to complete the warm-up and some of the other exercises. Then, we arrived at the football and basketball drills. These come at the end of the workout. They involve quick feet, turn right, turn front, turn left, turn front, move right, move left, move back, then set into a lunge then sprint in place. Repeat. You do about three sets of those, then you move into the basketball drills. These involve a lot jumping and push-ups. They are really a killer.

But, I really like them. I really try to push through them even when I am exhausted. I can feel a real difference in my body. I can really tell I am improving in my ability to keep moving and do the more of the exercises. It is really motivating last night to be able to feel improvement. I am really liking this workout.

First Week Down

We did our workout last night again so we didn't have to do them back to back. I really hate the basketball drills they do in this video. A lot of pushups and exercises in that general position. The football drills are much better. I am finding that I am better at keeping up with the warm-up. I don't have to stop as much to catch my breath and rest my muscles. I was dying the first day, but it wasn't as bad yesterday. So I am seeing some improvement.
I weighed in today a pound heavier than I was on Monday. That's a little discouraging. I did lose 1/2 an inch off of my waist and 1/2 an inch off of my hips. That made me happy. I hope I can keep losing inches and that the weight will start to shed off.

Day 5

Did a pure cardio workout today. Actually, it was yesterday. I am a day late posting. Tennille is keeping me committed to the posting. I am not doing a real great job remembering to post. I am getting a little bit lazy. But, I have a great workout partner who also happens to be a great blogging partner.

Anyways, the workout is great. I was dying, Tennille was dying, even Shaun T. and his workout team were dying. At the end of the workout, the whole group is just laying on the ground trying to catch their breath. I was dying. I did not even complete the whole workout. Tennille did a great job, and it was very motivating. I am very competitive, but I do not want to discourage Tennille at all. So I workout behind her. As long as she is going, I try to keep going. But, yesterday, Tennille really beat me. She just kept motoring along, and I was dying.

My favorite exercise for the day was...I cannot remember. I think I was blessed to forget the actual workout so I am not too scared to do it again. I am left with the good feeling of having worked hard and done a good job. It was a killer workout consisting of fifteen different exercises done for one minute each with no rest in between. This is preceded by the normal ten minute "warm-up" that I think of as part of the workout. But the workout is hard, varied,and not at all boring.

Tennille and I talked about how much we love this workout. We are always a little nervous at the start, but the workouts take all the worry out of the equation. I do not have to think about what to do or when to change. The video takes care of everything, and all I have to do is lose weight and get stronger. We talked about how, when we finish with the 64 days, we can continue to use the videos as independent elements in our own workout programs.

Great program, and awesome workouts. I am looking forward to Sunday. That is when I will measure and weigh to see what the results of the first week are.

Warning-Torture Ahead

Today Nathaniel thought we could get up later since Eliza doesn't have school on Fridays, but we only got through the 10 min. warm-up before Tanner needed us. So, now we get to look forward to doing it tonight. We let the DVD keep running as we took care of the kids to see what we had ahead of us. Torture, and tons of it apparently. We are going to have to be sure we get up early so we don't have to dread the upcoming slaughter everyday.

Just on a side note, did anyone else notice that my husband said that even I did better than him yesterday? I know he meant it as a compliment, but that also implies that I don't do better than him in general. What are you trying to say, Honey? That you're better than me??? That you are stronger, better looking, and more capable? Well, if you won't come out directly and say it...I will. I do think you are all of those things. That's why I married you.

Babe, I hope that you are not jealous that I have a date with another man tonight. If it makes you feel any better I am not looking forward to it. I wish I could just stand up Shaun T. But if I do, I'll never get the body that I want. So, I'm doing this for both of us. What a great way to spend a Friday night (I hope all of you can hear the sarcasm in that).

Day 4

Today was called Cardio Recovery. I thought it would be a day of cardio to recover my body from the resistance workouts we had been doing. Instead, it was a heavy resistance workout to allow my body to recover from all of the cardio we had been doing. Either way, it kicked my butt again. That is a theme for this program. It kicks my butt every day.

Today was a mix of resistance and yoga. I do not do yoga. Until today. Tennille even did a better job than I did today. I was doing okay until we did 16 squats, stayed in a squat, held it for 15 seconds, and then did 16 pulses. Pulses are mini-squats. Something like a slow bounce. Either way, it killed. Then we did the same thing in a lunge position. Then we switched legs. Then I fell over because I could no longer maintain my balance.

It was a short workout, coming in at just over 30 minutes. But it was a very intense 30 minutes. Another great workout that left me feeling sore, tired and happy.

Gonna Make It

Today is the first day I can walk without immense pain. My muscles still hurt, but it isn't so bad that I dread getting up and moving. I am very excited about that. I was starting to wonder if I would feel like this for the next 8 1/2 weeks.

Today's workout was cardio recovery and it was so nice to do lots of stretching and less jumping. My husband has great leg muscles, but me not so much. He hasn't been in pain like I have. He has been doing some jump exercises for the past few weeks so he was more conditioned for this. Hopefully my legs muscles will come out of hiding from under the fat and they won't be as sore in the future.

Day 3

This morning found me awake at 4:30 thinking I missed the 5am alarm. When I realized it was 4:30, I could not get back to sleep for fear I would miss the alarm. Needless to say, I am tired. But, I was out of bed, dressed and ready to go at 5:15.

Today's workout was a real kick in the chest. There was a heavy focus on the chest and arms. We did things like tricep pushups. Essentially, you balance on your hands and toes, and then do push ups. Oh yeah, your hands and toes are next to each other and you are rolled up like a ball. In addition to those, I learned a couple of new push up variations. There is the V push-up. This is where walk forward from the normal push-up position until your body forms an upside down V. Then you do push-ups. Or there is the moving push-up. This is where you do push-ups while simultaneously moving back and forth. You move your right hand and foot over, then go down. On the up movement you bring your left hand and foot back into position. Oh the joy.

Needless to say, I was unable to complete every part of the workout. And today's workout friends were extra smiley. There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a workout, feeling your muscles quiver and burn with exhaustion, and then look up into the face of some perky little girl half your size grinning as she does sprinter's hurdles. I wanted to punch her.

But, on a brighter note, I do not dread the workouts like I thought I would. They are hard. Very hard. But I actually look forward to them. If I feel like dying, I stop, breath, and then get back into it. The idea is to improve. Take a few less breaks next week. By the end of the two months, I should still be dying after every workout. This brings me to my favorite aspect of this workout. You should always be pushing harder. There is never a time where you can say I am done with this particular element. You just keep pushing yourself to do the element faster. Get more reps. So far, I am really loving this workout.

Old Lady

Today as I got out of bed I was walking to the bathroom like an old lady. My quads still hurt so much. I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to function today, let allow workout with max intervals. After about 3 minutes of jogging, power squats, jumps, etc. my muscles warmed up enough that I could continue. Today was hard, but not as bad as yesterday. I hope that continues to be true.

I have also been doing very well with eating 5 small meals a day which Insanity says is essential for good results. I find that I am not hungry and I am being quite disciplined. I really want to be in the best shape of my life for our anniversary (April 24th). That also happens to be only 2 days after my sister-in-law gets married so that is also something to look nice for.

It is great to be doing this with Nathaniel because I have a hard time wimping out or stopping if he is still going strong. It would be much easier just to say, "I'll do this video tomorrow and give my muscles time to recover" instead of getting up and powering through the pain.

Barely moving

I can barely move. Two days of this and I am sore all over. I couldn't finish all (read that as any) of the exercises, but I did push myself as much as I could. I figure I may not, okay I'll never look like those chicks on the video, but I will be a better more fit me. That is enough for me. I'm excited about that.

I am not a really competitive person most of the time. But, there are some things that really get my fire burning. If ever anyone says I can't do something I get this I'll show you attitude. I was told I wouldn't be able to train for a half marathon in time for the run, so I trained and ran 10 miles. That is as much as you are supposed to train to before a half marathon. I never got to run the race due to living too far away, but I wasn't going to be found lacking in ability. Last night my husband and I were trying to go to bed early when I said, "See you at 5!" He laughed and said, "Yeah, we'll see." I said, "Honey! Decide. Commit..." (Which is the thing Insanity always says. Decide. Commit. Succeed.) Before I could finish saying it, Nathaniel teasingly said, "I wasn't talking about me. My workout partner isn't known for keeping early hours." I had that surge of "you wait and see, Buster!" So now, I have to be motivated to get up to prove him wrong. Whatever it takes to get me out of bed in the morning. He knows me so well I think he said that on purpose (I couldn't see him smiling because it was dark, but I bet he was) just to get my fire burning. I sure love that man!

Day 2

My wife and I decided the only time we would be able to dedicate to working out together was 5am. With four kids, my work schedule, and various church meetings spread throughout the week, we decided to bite the bullet and get up early. This has its pros and cons. Pros include being done with my workout first thing in the morning and not having to dread the coming pain all day. It also means I get to workout with my wife, which is extra motivating to me. (Insert sexist comment here about how I will not allow my wife to beat me. After two days of this workout, I will use any motivation I can find.)

The cons include getting up at 5am. Who knew the clocks worked that early in the morning? (Actually, I did. I used to play basketball at 5am five days a week.) I think 5 am is a great time to workout. However, doing INSANITY at 5am has the drawback of making me look like an old man all morning. I am hoping the effects of the workout will be less dramatic as we go.

Having said that, let me review my workout. It started with a warm-up. After four minutes of warm-up, I was ready for a shower. Then we "stretched". Take notice of the quotes, because the stretching felt like a workout for me. Then we moved into the workout. At this point I was already tired and still sore from yesterday's workout. Then we went through a series of plyometric and resistance moves done at what appeared to be lightspeed. This workout focuses on intense intervals interspersed with very short rest periods. I could not finish any of the sets. I was thoroughly exhausted the entire time. My favorite exercise for the day was a tie between mountain climbers and level 1 basketball drills. Let me explain.

Mountain Climbers involve running in place while simulating the climbing motion with your arms. Unfortunately, by the time we reached mountain climbers in the workout, I was walking in place. I assume I looked a little like a monkey at the zoo. There's a visual for everyone.

Level 1 basketball drills involve dropping to the plank position, doing four push-ups, then running in plank for eight counts, then standing up and putting your hands in the air. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Throw up. Repeat.

It is a great workout so far. I feel better after getting it done. Two days down and 62 more days to go.

One final note. The backing crew for the workout are great. Half the time I hate them because they show close ups of skinny women blasting through the workout smiling at me as if to say, "What a pleasant day. I may need to workout after this enjoyable stroll." Then, I see them collapse, walk off screen for a drink, come back and go back at it. It makes me smile when I see them have to take a break. It makes the workout feel more real.

The bottom line for me is this workout is awesome. I hate it when it starts and I love it when it ends. See you tomorrow Shaun T. (Hey, I didn't pick his name.)

And thus it begins...

I considered myself to be relatively healthy and not entirely out of shape...until I took the fit test today. I felt like such a wimp. I am hoping that I will be able to improve a lot over to course of these videos and see those numbers on the scale that make you smile. Today was hard and now I am nervous for tomorrow. We are going to try to get up at 5 a.m. and get the workout done first thing so we don't dread it all day. I hope it turns out to be like running. It is something that you get addicted to, especially once you start seeing results.

I chose to not post my pictures or stats now. I may post my pictures at the end if there are visible results to show off. If not, I don't want to be humiliated. Plus, what lady in the world wants a picture of her backside on the internet???

Day 1: Fit Test

I completed the first day of the program. It is called the Fit Test. I will take the Fit Test five times over the course of the program. It involves eight exercises done for one minute each. You record the number of reps. You should see improvement each time you complete the test. I could not even complete the test. The girl on the DVD doing the Fit Test had better starting numbers than I did. Not cool. The test was so hard, I am a little discouraged about tomorrow. Also, my lower back hurts. I can tell my body is very fatigued and sore.

The eight exercises involve combining resistance training with cardio. There is also some plyometric training thrown in for good measure. I was very tired and very sore immediately after the workout. I completed the workout six hours ago. I am still very tired and very sore. I am excited for the changes to take place over the next sixty days. However, I am not excited about the pain I will experience for the next sixty days. Here's to a healthier me and a dunk in a game.

Tale of the Tape

Before starting the workout, the program recommends recording your measurements. So, as part of the blog process, and so my friends and posterity can rejoice with me. And, I do not at all mind that your rejoicing is actually you laughing at my pain. But here are the measurements:

weight: 200.6 lbs
Calves:
Right: 15.5"
Left: 15.75"
Thighs:
Right: 24.25"
Left: 25"
Hips: 40"
Waist: 41.25"
Chest: 40.5"
Forearms:
Right: 11.75"
Left: 11.5"
Upper arms:
Right: 12.75"
Left: 12"
Neck: 16.5"

And now for the pictures:

In the beginning...

In the beginning was the word. And the word was fat. And out-of-shape. Which I am counting as a single word because I used hyphens. (Obviously, I was not an English major.) In an effort to eliminate those words from my life, my wife and I have purchased the INSANITY workout program from Beachbody.com. We will begin today with the measurements, photos, and Fit Test. Then we will begin working out six days a week for the next nine weeks.

Our reasoning for making the purchase was to see if we could burn fat and get in better shape. For the past two years, Tennille and I have been working out and trying to eat better. What tends to happen is Tennille works out and eats well, and I pretend to eat well and workout intermittently. Tennille has begun to really look good, while my numbers have started to slide back up the scale again.

Tennille would like to reach her goal weight. She also wants to get back into running shape after having her fourth baby. I want to see if I can dunk a basketball in a game. I also want to be able to play sports and be active without getting short of breath. In other words, I want to get back into the shape I was in during high school where I played basketball every morning, went to swim and tennis practice, and lifted weights. Back before Little Debbie, college life, and deep fryers ruined me.

Tennille and I are going to attempt to blog after every workout. This means two posts everyday except Sundays for the next nine weeks. We will tell you how we feel and look and whether or not this program is working for us. This will be fun and exhausting, and we hope we can motivate and/or entertain anyone who wants to follow. But mostly, we want to take control of our lives and bodies.

In the beginning was the word(s). In the end, there will be only the results.