Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Day 59 Kick it,Baby!

Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Max Interval Circuit! Day 59

We are on the end of INSANITY. Lots of changes!
This is the last time we had MAX INTERVAL CIRCUIT for this
go round and I actually thought I would be able to finish
it very easily. Not true at all. I still feel like it's day one!
I think that's most likely the way it's supposed to be.
Even if I started the program over again at day one, I feel
like despite my all my gains, I'd still feel like it was
incredibly difficult. I see benefit to this because your
body is never really used to what you are doing.
It doesn't have time to adapt to a specfic workout
and hit plateaus.

This past weekend was pretty busy. I ended up
eating more carbs this weekend than I have for
the last 6 weeks and I felt it today. I haven't cheated
once on this program but I did have buckwheat pancakes
late one night. I know.. but it's a journey AND they were buckwheat!







 

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Thursday, September 24, 2009

Is Kim and Khloe's diet healthy???

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Is Kim and Khloe Kardashian's diet healthy?

The Kardashian girls are never ones to shy away from publicity and in this week's Life & Style they dish on their weight loss secrets.
Khloe says she's lost 25 pounds and gone from a size 10 to a size 6.
Kim has lost a solid 10 pounds and gone from a size 6 to a size 2.

Way to go!!!

My questions are "How did they do it?" and "Is it healthy?"


According to the sisters, they ate a variety of protein packed meals with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. According to the sample menus shown, the program looks very balanced and processed foods are missing from the meals. Both girls say they removed cookies and candy from their purses and their diet while on this program.

Kim starts her day with a protein shake made with bananas and peanut butter- and excellent sourse of protein.

Khloe starts her day off with a protein packed breakfast of oatmeal or eggs, turkey bacon and fruit.

Overall, I think this eating plan is solid and very healthy. It doesn't require ordering special food and the menus look easy to prepare.

How can you do it at home?
What I like about this eating plan is that it is very close to
Michi's ladder.

It involves eating quality foods to fuel the body. A few changes I might make, based on the pictures/menus shown:
Khloe's breakfast shows white toast. I would swap that for
Ezekial whole grain bread. White bread raises insulin while whole grains give you the fiber you need and keep you from being hungry.

For the lunch menu, I would swap the spanish rice for whole grain brown rice, Quinoa, or even legumes like lentils.
Again.. kick that white rice to the curb!!

Kim starts her day with a great shake from Body Factory LA. If you don't live near one..try Shakeology. It comes in Greenberry and Chocolate and actually contains more nutrition than the shake listed on the Body Factory website.

 

The sisters also added suplements to their program to give them energy, detox benefits and flush the body. I love this as well.
Check out Beachbody's supplements here!

Both Kim and Khloe added workouts to their program and it shows!
They both look healthy and toned.
Overall, I give this program 5 stars. I think it hits the mark based on healthy meals, sound nutrition, exercise and realistic results!
I won't deduct for the white bread and white rice since that could have been added by the magazine in the recreation of the meals.

Kim and Khloe, I'll give you an extra High Five if you elminate
the bacon/meat products :)

starstarstarstar star


click here to see the large image with menus






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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

MAX Interval Circuit Day 50

Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Max Interval Circuit!
 

Yep.. this is a snippet of Max Interval Circuit. I'm starting to dream about this one because it feels like we do this one a lot!
The thing about Phase two of Insanity is it is crazy grueling!
In Phase 1, I felt like I was making progress but Phase two, I'm
resting so much more. I am teaching classes also so that might have something to do with it.
The good news is.. I went out for a run with Emma Flunderson and she
tired out before me.
We usually run the hill at the park but she laid down on the last trip up.
I'm thinking that she needs some INSANITY for her cardio!

Emma the Bearded Collie after INSANITY
I outlasted my herding dog!!


BTW.. This is day 50! WOOOOT!
It was Max Interval Circuit...





 

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Saturday, September 19, 2009

INSANITY Fit test video

Saturday, September 19, 2009
Fit Test 2 Video Day 15
Here it is.. ..woot

Starting this fit test was no nearly as hard as Day one. I feel much stronger and I've lost 7 pounds so I'm pretty happy. I wonder how the results of our next test will be.

At the end of the video you can see that we didn't give up and we tried to make it through to the bitter end. My normal mode of operation is to fudge when things get rough, but I promised myself this is my job for the full 60 days. No cheating. :)

One thing about filming these workouts is I can really see where my form needs improvement. I'm super tired at the end when we are in Low Plank obliques so my back doesn't stay down. I've made notes on what to work on. Hopefully, my next video will see improvements in form too Rob is a machine, by the way. His results at 2 weeks rival some of participants on the INSANITY video!

Tell us in the comments below how your program is going!

 


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Friday, September 18, 2009

INSANITY & Turbo Kick benefit the heart!

Friday, September 18, 2009
Cardio workouts are good for you!

INSANITY has proven to be one of the hardest cardio workouts
I've ever done in my entire life. I'm in better physical shape now than when
I was teaching 15 classes a week.
In part,what I'm basing this statement on, is my Recovery Heart Rate.
Recovery heart rate is the rate at which your heart rate returns
to normal after doing cardiovascular exercise.

During the high intensity portion of INSANITY, my heart rate is about 168 and around 146 during the 'recovery' drills. When I'm taking a rest period, my heart rate drops down to 104 in about 1 minute. This is between a 64 and 42 point drop.

These results are much better than with my previous workouts of running, step or eliptical. I attribute this to working above my target heart rate and pushing myself to do more. In both INSANITY and Turbo Kick you have more maximum intensity cardio with less ability to 'fudge'.. if you will.
This is a SLACK FREE ZONE!

Why this is important:
Your heart is a muscle and will respond just like any skeletal muscle in that it will become stronger through conditioning. If your heart muscles are stronger, then your heart rate will decrease. In other words, your heart will be putting out less effort to pump the same amount of blood. The recovery heart rate of an out of shape person will drop slower while the heart works harder to return to normal beats per minute. Pushing the heart makes it better. It makes you better!

How to measure your recovery heart rate and what it means:

1. Accelerate your heart rate through running, biking, or other method to an anerobic level (INSANITY or Turbo Kick) (a pace you can do for only 20-30 seconds... such as a full sprint)
2. Measure the heart rate with a monitor at the end of the sprint.
3. Recover for 60 seconds by walking or biking slowly (do not stop moving!)
4. Measure the heart rate after 60 seconds and subtract that number from the peak.

 

POOR less than 12 Beats Per Minute (BPM) recovery
FAIR 12-20
Good 20-30
Excellent 30-40
Over 40 is outstanding.

The recovery rate is important because this is a measure of the soundness of our cardiovascular system and not just our heart health.

A recovery rate of greater than 35 BPM indicates almost no risk of sudden death from heart disease!


12 or less increases the risk dramatically

People with this issue need to consult with their Doctor before exercising!

While this can be used to monitor changes in a person's aerobic fitness, it is an unreliable indicator for comparing the aerobic fitness of different people because individual factors other than fitness can influence the heart rate recovery period.







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Thursday, September 17, 2009

RockStar Abs: Plank

Thursday, September 17, 2009

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Monday, September 14, 2009

Max Interval Circuit

Monday, September 14, 2009
Max Interval circuit
Max Interval Circuit
Max Interval Circuit is the beginning workout on INSANITY phase two.
This workout feels like starting INSANITY all over again. New warm up moves, new circuit moves and things are much harder.

MIC is almost a full hour!

If I had thought this through, I might have done our Fit Test on the day before we started Phase Two. Doing 30 minutes of Fit Testing then attempting MIC was too much. We both fell out with 20 minutes to go. I'm taking successes because this workout is so new and we do not have the muscle memory to rely on.
It feels like swimming in the deep end while strapped to an elephant!

 
 

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Thursday, September 10, 2009

Plyometrics - Speed and Power

Thursday, September 10, 2009

I never was a sports minded person, as a teen I was more apt to be found wearing headphones than cleets, more likely to found riding around with friends than running with the team.  It's odd that now, in my forties I suddenly have the desire to increase my speed, dexterity and power.

Doing the INSANITY work out, has affected the way I am looking at fitness overall.  Prior to this workout, my goals were asthetic, weightloss and appearence.  Now, having reached (and passed) my target weight, my motivations have become more atheletic.  I want to increase my speed, power and endurance, while at the same time working on my flexibility.

I was discussing these goals with some gym rats, and the HBO show Hard Knocks was mentioned.  Hard Knocks follows the Cinncinatti Bengals football team through their training camp.  Watching that show, it is amazing the speed and footwork some the bigger guys have.  Many of the drills that they go through are mirrored in INSANITY moves, such as Football Sprints, Hurdles, Power Jumps, and the various jacks.

All of these types of drills and exercise fall in the category of Plyometrics, this definition is from WIkipedia

Plyometrics is a type of exercise training designed to produce fast, powerful movements, and improve the functions of the nervous system, generally for the purpose of improving performance in sports. Plyometric movements, in which a muscle is loaded and then contracted in rapid sequence, use the strength, elasticity and innervation of muscle and surrounding tissues to jump higher, run faster, throw farther, or hit harder, depending on the desired training goal. Plyometrics is used to increase the speed or force of muscular contractions, often with the goal of increasing the height of a jump.

As I have been researching this method of exercise, I've found most programs are specifically designed for a your target sport, whether it be volleyball, martial arts, soccer, etc.  Insanity does not focus specifically on any one of these sports, combining Football Sprints, Basketball Jumps, Jabs and Uppercuts along with maximum intensity cardio.

A word of caution, many trainers and sports medicine physicians are hesitant to recommend plyometric because they beleive there is an increased risk of injury.  So do some research, talk with your doctor, and decide for yourself. Here are some links to begin your research:

I'll keep you posted on my progress.


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Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Week 6: Day 36 Fit Test Results

Tuesday, September 8, 2009
INSANITY Power Jumps
Power Jumps!
Day 36

We have completed 4 weeks of Insanity and one full week of recovery workouts. Monday started day 36 and Week 6 on the program. We have 4 more weeks of brand new workouts. The schedule for today was to do the Fit test followed by 1 hour of Max Interval Circuit. That's a lot of work! Both Rob and I had great strides this time

Tracy Results: Fit test
Drill reps/ 60 seconds day 1 day 15 day 36
1. Switch Kicks 56 82 110
2. Power Jacks 50 62 71
3. Power Knees 78 85 93
4. Power Jumps 21 25 41
5. Globe Jumps 6 8 10
6. Suicide Jumps 7 9 14
7.Push Up Jacks 8 13 23
8. Low Plank Oblique 27 28 45

From day one to day 15 I added 49 reps.
Day 15-day 26 I added 95 reps
Total reps added since day one is 144!

Rob Results: Fit test
Drill reps/ 60 seconds day 1 day 15 day 36
1. Switch Kicks 96 131 133
2. Power Jacks 63 65 67
3. Power Knees 87 109 144
4. Power Jumps 44 60 63
5. Globe Jumps 9 11 14
6. Suicide Jumps 9 19 16
7.Push Up Jacks 21 21 27
8. Low Plank Oblique 25 24 41

From day one to day 15,Rob added 86 reps.
Day 15-day 26 I adde Rob added 65 reps
Total reps added since day one is 151!

We wil have video for you shortly!!



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Saturday, September 5, 2009

Day 34 INSANITY recovery week

Saturday, September 5, 2009
shakeology
Update: Day 34

We are still in the recovery week and tomorrow is our off day. We've had the same workout, Core Cardio and Balance all week. I still really like this week's workout and I'm bummed we won't see it again. The balance section is amazing so I know I'll be adding that into my workout arsenal.

This week I think Rob and I both have been a little less energetic. I'm pretty sure that's common because Shuan T mentions it in the CC&B workout. I started back on Shakeology this week for one meal a day. I can't believe how much better I feel on it. I went with Chocolate this month.

If you are not drinking Shakeology, you have to give it a try! I think with any program you need good nutrition but this one is especially. You need fuel!

Here's more info on Shakeology. :)

 





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Wednesday, September 2, 2009

INSANITY and heart rate monitors

Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Garmin heart rate monitor
Our new Garmin Heart Rate monitor

This week is our recovery week. We are doing the DVD Core Cardio and Balance. I did not preview this DVD until the night before we started recovery week. In my mind I was thinking that this week would be easy and restful. It is not.
Core Cardio and Balance is a difficult workout! It starts out with cardio but it's a bit slower. You ramp up your speed with jumps and drills and end the workout with balance drills. The shoulder burners are just the beginning of deep muscle work. You'll feel it! My heart rate skyrocketed during the ISO movements!

NEW MONITORS

Rob and I found the Garmin Forerunner 50 at Target. It was on clearance for $51.00. It had a retail of $113 so we grabbed them up.
This one has the sensors that go around your ribcage and transmit to your watch. I like this one so much better because I don't have to push buttons with my fingers to register a pulse. This device does lots of things but the heart rate portion is so helpful for INSANITY.

I noticed that my heart rate stayed in my official 'target' heart rate zone*** for much of the workout as opposed to my maximum heart rate.+++ I find I workout in the 165 bpm area through most of INSANITY's cardio. During Core Cardio and Balance your movements are slow and controlled to focus in on core. However, just because you are controlled, doesn't mean you don't workout hard. Some of the slower ISO movements were pushing my heart rate into (MHR) range!

Using a heart rate monitor like this one is so helpful because you can really see the peaks and valleys of the intervals as well as know if you are where you need to be working for max results.

If you don't have a sensor monitor like this one, be sure to check them out. Polar also makes one in the 60 dollar range.


***Target heart rate zone is 70-85 percent of your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR). You can figure this out by taking 220-your age and multiplying that number by 70 and by 85 to give you your range.

+++Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) (roughly calculated as 220 minus your age) is the upper limit of what your cardiovascular system can handle during physical activity.





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Sunday, August 30, 2009

INSANITY rocks the core

Sunday, August 30, 2009
plyo
Rob working core

Day 25-28

I've been going through some trainings and Rob has had meetings so we've split our workouts. Day 29 starts our Recovery week and frankly, I'm ready. The full week of Core Cardio and Balance will be welcome because the last few days I haven't had the loads of energy.

I CAN HAS ROCK HARD ABS


Cardio Abs is a 20 minute workout that starts with jogging core work. Who would have though that was necessary. :)

You move into core jump sets. The wide Oblique jumps are killer. I feel so much weaker in the jogging/jumping portion. It's something that is really new to me since starting this series. I fight for height in my jump and as long as you are jumping from the bottom it's a lot easier. There's a guy on the video who looks like he has springs on his feet. He's a machine.
Matwork

We move into matwork which is done in the c-curve position.
I think this portion feels like it is taken from Pilates. Not exactly what you'd see in Pilates but uses the principals. I always remove my shoes for this part of the workout. I do not need the extra bulk of my shoes messing with my balance. I actually toss in a little Pilates matwork with this portion. I'm not showboating, just found a spot here and there that moves like "The Saw" or Leg circles fit nicely.
Shaun T does not show many modification on the C-curve mat work but you can move your arms back a bit to take the stress off your back. I follow the Pilates rule with these abs-

starALWAYS FOCUS ON FORM .star
You'll hear that throughout INSANITY and it rings true.

DO THE PLANK!!

We finish with Plank work. Most people don't do Plank because they hate it. But they hate it because they don't do it.

starDON'T SKIP PLANK.star

Drop right now and hold plank for 1 minute. Make this a priority.
When I'm teaching I hear so many moans from students who don't want to do it. Plank is an incredibly important move for core strength and rock hard abs. I will keep this disc as part of my rotation after I finish INSANITY. It's a winner!


plyo
Working on Teaser


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Thursday, August 27, 2009

INSANITY day 24

Thursday, August 27, 2009
plyo

Day 24: Plyometric Cardio Circuit

Longest 45 minutes of my life. My heart rate got to 162 for most of the workout. I had to take more breaks than usual this time. I actually did a recovery drink and followed INSANITY with an hour of TurboKick.
Today is Cardio Recovery with the Deep muscle work. I like it!




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Wednesday, August 26, 2009

How'd you get so fit?

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Days 22 and 23.

Both yesterday and today were a little crazy so Rob and I worked out separately. Yesterday was
Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs. I rocked it. I finished that and did an hour of Turbo Kick. It felt great.
My kicks are so much better. I used to feel out of breathe during the Turbo(high intensity)
section but now I breeze through it. I keep thinking.. "work harder"!

Rob also rocked his workout.
He was in the other room and I could see him tearing it up!
He's so much more flexible than he used to be.
New striations are showing up every day.

Day 23

Today we had Cardio Power and Resistance, which is becoming my favorite workout. This is the one with weird inversion pushups. I was truly exhausted after that, no Turbo Kick today. I was gone most of the day and just felt tired from staying up all night working on the blog. I need to get more sleep. I'm a geek, my job excites me.

Today I was out and someone asked my how I stay so fit. I thought that was pretty awesome.


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Monday, August 24, 2009

Monday, August 24, 2009

DAY 21 Plyometric Cardio Circuit

Here's a clip of our workout for Day 21. This is at the very end of the workout just before the final stretch. Rob said this was another "Sham-wow day". I'm a big fan of these standing core workouts. The basketball jumps and ski abs, well not so much but we can't have everything now can we?

Check back in tomorrow for more!!

 


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Saturday, August 22, 2009

INSANITY gives me EIT

Saturday, August 22, 2009
tricep dips

DAY 19 Core Cardio and Resistance

Tough workout yesterday, but it was really good. The harder I work, I find myself with Exercise Induced Tourettes. (EIT.. I made that up) Now.. I want to say that I mean no disrespect to those with Tourette Syndrome, which is a horrible, horrible thing. I am just having a hard time describing this INSANITY induced happening.

 

Moving from V-pushups to ball pushups, to plank sprints and then back to more pushups at high speeds and intensity makes me just scream the weirdest nonsense. Yes.. the "I CAN DO THIS" and "Somebody kill me" gets mixed in with expletive anacronyms. (We've got kids here, you know). My new scream is ENFAMIL. It started out as F.M.L. (if you aren't sure.. don't worry about it.. you don't need to know). So now ENFAMIL is part of my EIT blasts.

 

The most logical reason could be that I'm not breathing much and needing oxygen. Shaun T tells you to take deep breaths all the way through but that's a challange when you are working at maximum intensity. I compare the feeling to a pressure cooker blowing. That's what it feels like.

Once in a while I find myself mumbling incoherently while doing this workout. I've seen Shaun T. doing that as well so I'm not too worried.

Today , Day 20, is our off day this week. We are going to film tomorrow's workout so we'll have some more clips this week!

We'll bleep out the EIT. :)

 


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Thursday, August 20, 2009

Top 10 reasons to love INSANITY

Thursday, August 20, 2009
Sham Wow for INSANITY
Necessities: Sham wow,Insanity and a Beardie.
 
10. Menu Plan contains so much food. Not just snacks but 5 meals a day of real food.
 
9. Nutrition plan is easy to follow.
 
8. Workouts average less than 1 hour a day.
 
7. You can't cheat. You want to do it at 100 percent but even if you did this workout on auto pilot, it would still kick your butt.
 
6. Sweat. Detoxifying sweat comes out of every pore. I've never sweat so much in my entire fitness career. It's really that intense. You sweat so much you need a Sham-Wow to keep it together. I have one for the floor too, so I don't break my neck from doing a slip down. By the way, I trained the University football team in college. They worked out hard but not like this,
 

5. The stretching is perfect. Shaun T also focuses on the hip flexor, groin area a lot. Many programs scrimp on that area and we really need to stay flexible there. Men often have flexibility issues in this area so the added focus makes a huge difference in performace of pretty much everything including the day to day stuff.

 

 
4. You can turn the music off and use your own. Great feature.
 
3. It's 60 days not 90! Woot

2. INSANITY shows you exactly where you are strong and where you need work. No second guessing here.

1. Rapid results. It works. You can see and feel changes every day.

Yes.. it's INSANE but you know you are up to the challenge!! Can you even imagine how you'll look in 60 days!

Get more info on getting started by clicking here!


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Tuesday, August 18, 2009

INSANITY CONTINUES: Big changes!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009
INSANITY Power Jumps
Power Jumps!
Day 15: FIT TEST!!

We've completed 2 full weeks of INSANITY and it's time to see the results of our 2nd fitness test! I think I made some strides in my fitness. I added repetitions to every one of the drills.

Here's how the fitness test works.

Each movement is done for a full minute at your fastest speed.
As you do the INSANITY workout each day, you are incorporating these drills for speed,strength and cardiovascular fitness.

Here's my results compared with 2 weeks ago.

Results: Fit test
Drill reps/ 60 seconds day 1 day 15
1. Switch Kicks 56 82
2. Power Jacks 50 62
3. Power Knees 78 85
4. Power Jumps 21 25
5. Globe Jumps 6 8
6. Suicide Jumps 7 9
7.Push Up Jacks 8 13
8. Low Plank Oblique 27 28

We wil have video for you shortly!!



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Saturday, August 15, 2009

Killer Ab workout Day 13

Saturday, August 15, 2009
Insanity Abs
First time for TWO workouts in one day!
Day 13: Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs

Did you ever have one of those days that did not go the way you planned? Well.. that was today. We had blocked off today as a working day but ended up having to run several errands. That pushed our INSANITY workout to later in the day so I was in the middle of my mid-afternoon drowsies.

WARM UP/WAKE UP!
No yawning allowed here. Once we got moving it was on!
Pure Cardio's warm up has 3 circuits and each time they get faster. Then comes the stretch followed by ALL CARDIO. No water breaks are given during the cardio. By the end of the DVD, Shaun T is mumbling and the people on the DVD are falling out. After the final stretch, we moved directly into disc 2 for the day, CARDIO ABS.

CARDIO ABS is about 20 minutes long and starts with jogging, moutain climbers, jumps and everything is core-centric. That is followed by the seated ab mat workout. Shaun T. tells you with great pride that there are
NO CRUNCHES in this workout, but I almost think most people would rather have crunches than do Plank work!

I loved the Cardio AB disc. I felt really good doing it. I do a lot of Pilates, Turbo Kick and core workouts so abs are one of my stronger assets. I will tell you that by the time I got to the Low Plank series, I once again landed in a pool of my own sweat so don't think I'm showboating. Hard day, but good!

Tomorrow is our official rest day and we film our 2 week fit test again on Monday!

What is your favorite ab routine?

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Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Day 12: Cardio power and resistance

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Today's warm up was much better. Although there is that drama at about the 3 minute mark where my legs feel like lead. Starting with the jogging right off the bat into Log Jumps is where I want to start grousing. Once I get past the first circuit, I'm feeling pretty good. My pulse was at 153 after only 3 minutes into the warm up.

This disc is about 40 minutes and includes some very interesting resistance moves. I'm actually happy when it's time for V-Pushups. That's a rest for me. The leaps.. not so much!

Everything in this disc requires you work from the core.

If you aren't.. UR DOIN IT WRONG!

 

Things that helped me today.

1. Using my Yoga focus. I guess that's what Shaun T. means by "Dig deeper". I had to really glaze over and stop thinking about anything else while I was in the moment. This is a bit of a struggle and something I try work on in my Yoga practice. I have some exercise A.D.D. I probably attribute that more to teaching than anything else. I am thinking about my next moves or what's going on around me. During this workout.. I have to regroup. It helped a lot today.

2. Sips of water, not gulps. I got nauseous when I drank too much water at once.

3. Great playlist. We turn off the music on the DVD (thank you, Beach Body, for that feature) and it helps so much. This weekend we are going to put together some playlists for our workouts that don't slow down. Music really motivates me. I need it and I need it kind of loud.

Heart Rate

My heart rate peaked at 168 BPM.

Isn't that like "You are dead" ? We call it "sucking air".

My Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) is 176.

To figure it MHR, take

220-YOUR AGE= MHR.****



I peaked at 95 % of my MHR. I wanted to note that I'm doing this program without MONSTER drinks or Sugar Free Redbull. Not because it's part of the program but because I'm trying to limit my caffeine. I'm not saying I never use it, but today I did not. Even though I was at 95% of my MHR, I did not stay there the entire time. I fluctuated between 155 and 168. I'm hopeful that as I continue to get in better cardiovascular shape, I'll lower my resting pulse. I feel good today!
I'm definately improving.

Tomorrow is Pure Cardio AND Cardio Abs. DOUBLE WORKOUT!

 

*****This formula is the easy US version. If you want to get some other formulas just Google" Maximum heart rate". There are calculators to help. ;)

     

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Monday, August 10, 2009

Stressed out

Monday, August 10, 2009
heap
Today was HARD!

Day 8/60

Today was horrible. I hated it. I'm not trying to be negative but my stress level is through the roof! It's back to school time, we have a sick kid, a few other stressors.. I feel like everything just piled up and I could feel my blood pressure go up. Right before we started
Cardio Power and Resistance,
I had words with one of the kids over something totally inconsequential. I had to spend some quality time in Downward dog before I started in on this workout!

Sidebar: Sometimes its the day to day parenting that just gets to ya!

Working out :
The warm- up was extra grueling. My legs felt like lead. We had already walked for over an hour, rested up, ate meal number one but I still felt like I was 100 years old.

The warm-up starts out with some of the hardest cardio I've ever done in all the years I've taught classes. It got better after the stretch but I was seriously having trouble getting through this one. I actually like this one because it has resistance training. The V pushups, Plank/sprints and tricep dips are my favs. I had to sit out a few times but I did finish. I did not finish with the attitude I wish I did. We need a better play list! I think that will help.

I'm going to run choreography for Turbo Kick later today so I'm going to make sure to replenish. On a brighter note. I got a lovely birthday package from one of my besties. That made me feel better.

     

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Tuesday, August 4, 2009

INSANITY - Day 2 - Plyometric Cardio Circuit

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Plyometric Cardio Circuit 

Since Day 1 was a fitness test, it would be tempting to consider Day 2 the first day of Insanity.  But since the fit test was such a butt kicker, it definately qualified as a MAX Intensity workout. 

Day 2 is the Plyometric Cardio Circuit, and it has you hitting the ground running.  Tons of killer Plyometric moves and intense cardio.  Most of my workout history has been spent avoiding cardio, in the past few years, I have been doing some Turbo Kick Classes, but for the most part, cardio and lower body have been marginalized, asI focused on upper body and weights.

With that in mind, I was really happy with my ability to keep up.  I did take a few seconds to catch my breath from time to time, but  maintained my intensity throughtout.  As I am sure will be a recurring theme of the workouts and my posts, one thing I really like about Insanity is the fact that the moves are simple, any reasonably fit person can accomplish every move.  It is the sheer number, duration and intensity that create the burn, and effectiveness of this workout.

 NO PAUSING - NO STOPPING - JUST PURE INSANITY!!!


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Monday, August 3, 2009

Day one: fit test

Monday, August 3, 2009

WOW... If you have any doubts as to whether this program is serious, you will lose those doubts, straight out of the gate.

The Fit Test is intense, tons of plyometrics and cardio... I am starting to understand that when this program is over, I will have elevated my fitness nearly to the level of a true athelete.  The drills which you run in the fit test resemble drills you see in Professional Sports training programs, and they just don't stop.

The key to the fittest is speed and perseverence, you are trying to knock out as many of each drill in the allotted time, so you are pushing for your Peak performance every minute of the test... the breaks are short, the sweat is abundant, and when you are done, you feel it.

Now I have read in forums and beta boards, that many do not make it through even the fit test, and it is important that you hide the remote when you start the test or any of the INSANITY workouts.  NO PAUSE, if you want the results, you have to do it straight up... and what is the point of pausing the fit test, that's cheating and in this case you are only cheating yourself.

The fit test consists of (in parenthesis are the number I did):

  • Switch Kicks (96)
  • Power Jacks (68)
  • Power Knees (86)
  • Power Jumps (44)
  • Globe Jumps (9)
  • Suicide Jumps (9)
  • Push-up Jacks (21)
  • Low Plank Obliques (25)

I was pleased with my numbers, compared to the people in the video, and I'm excited to increase these numbers and decrease my body fat.

Ready for DAY 2, more work, more sweat....bring on the results.

 

 


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INSANE birthday

INSANITY

It's my birthday today and also day one of INSANITY. The past few weeks have been full of whirlwind eating and delicousness. Rob and I spent 5 days in Las Vegas celebrating our 15th anniversary. Needless to say there is no point to going to Vegas and not eating all the amazing foods. I guess we took a little vacation from ourselves because if it didn't move I ate it. I knew we were going to be hitting it hardcore when we got home and it was worth every single bit of gelato! I'm not going to lie..I was feeling pretty flabtastic after we got home.

Starting INSANITY on my birthday was perfect for me. Turning 44 was not nearly as bad as turning 40. I feel good about my fitness right now, but I am nervous because this program is an huge challenge. I haven't EVER had very many reasons to do plyometric jumps. In fact.. in all my years of teaching, that was something I definately avoided in my workouts.

Here are my reasons for starting INSANITY and seeing it through.

1. I want to prove to myself that I can accomplish this.
2. I know it will make me a better instructor.
3. If you submit your before and after pics, Beachbody will award you with a cool Tee.

I WANT THAT SHIRT!
 
8/3/09
Results: Fit test day 1
1. Switch Kicks 56
2. Power Jacks 50
3. Power Knees 78
4. Power Jumps 21
5. Globe Jumps 06
6. Suicide Jumps 07
7.Push Up Jacks 08
8. Low Plank Oblique 27

 

We'll be doing this fit test every two weeks. Looking forward to the progress!


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Saturday, August 1, 2009

Insanity is 100 percent mental

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Rebounding can be dificult, but I'm learning that it's 100% mental. 

I would not say I was a yo-yo dieter, but I tend to flucuate in my weight depending on my workload and stress.  I've had high points, like turning 40 years old weighing 185 lbs, which is less than I weighed when I was 26 years old.  But that high point was preceeded by my lowest point, October 2002, age 35, when I woke up one day and discovered I had balooned up to 247 lbs.

After losing the weight, I've kept a good diet, been active, and have not seen the dark side of 200 lbs again.  But I have floated up to the high 190's, As recently as 6 months ago there was a little voice in my head that was saying... "you're older now, just accept it, you're not going to get down there ever again."   Now I'm back down to 183lbs!!!  It is all mental!!!  It's about finding a way to silence the voice of defeat and replacing it with a more positive voice.  Age is nuthin' but a number!! My goal is to prove that the calendar is lying.  I want to be able to say "I'm healthier, more fit, and can do more with my body at age 43, than I could when I was 25, in the Air Force, boxing, scuba diving, and lifting weights nearly every day. 

To acheive this, I'm dedicating myself to a 60 day, hard-core fitness program, Shaun T's Insanity.  This program uses no equipment, no weights, not even a chin-up bar.  It's MAX Interval cardio and resistance training.  The way I see it however is this workout too is 100% mental.  Its about not stopping when you are tired, not giving up, always pushing through, and doing your maximum each and every time.

Monday is Day 1, fit test, measurements, before photos, etc.  I am determined to follow this program like a religion, word for word, meal by meal, no missed workouts... my goals is set, it's not a specific weight or measurement, it's a feeling, an attitude, its the journey not the destination.

It's 100% Mental.


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Monday, July 20, 2009

INSANITY is here

Monday, July 20, 2009
PACKAGING
Insanity packaging
I'm a Coach with BeachBody and got the super secret email announcing the brand new workout program from Shaun T called INSANITY. We were able to order it before the public so as soon as they pulled the trigger, it was on it's way.

We got it in less than 5 days from the day I ordered it. The packaging was a huge surprise!
It was so much nicer than P90X. INSANITY is the size of an encyclopedia and houses all 10 discs and manuals inside. Beachbody really went the extra mile on this program. The packaging and photography is intense. Rob and I have done both P90X , P90X+, Chalene Extreme and several other of the Beachbody programs. This one however was pretty fascinating and scary.
Most of the infomercials gently stroke the head of the potential customer but this one pointed out the whiners and threw them out of the gym. So this is a come with your A game or don't even show up. The program promises to get you into the best shape of your life in 60 days WITHOUT the use of equipment Workouts are about 40 minutes a day (which is much less than P90X). The schedule is 6 days on and 1 day off. The program also includes a nutritional guide. It includes 5 meals a day. Yes.. 5 meals, not 3 and 2 snacks. Rob and I had decided to start INSANITY after we came home from our vacation so that's the plan!
awesome packaging
 

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Friday, July 10, 2009

INSANITY

Friday, July 10, 2009

Insanity is coming...


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