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.