Insanity Day 1

For those of you who have never used this workout series the basic format is 43 minutes total workout with 5 minutes of stretching followed by 35 minutes of intense exercise and ending with 3 minutes of cool down stretching.

The particular dvd that I did was called Plyometric Cardio Circuit exercise.  Plyometrics is a method of training elastic muscles using explosive moves, like jumping.  The workout included mountain climbers, squat jumps, burpee type push-ups, high knees and more.  This workout was grouped into series of 3-4 exercises.  The first set in the series starts off at a moderate pace.  Once that set is completed, the pace increases and then the final set is done at a very rapid pace.

One thing that I really appreciated about this workout is that they give you 30 second rest breaks between series.  I'm used to having no rest interval when I do a similar workout.

So was it intense?  Well, yeah I suppose it was.  By the time I finished I was dripping in sweat- as in actually dripping. There were moments when I had to stop to take a quick breath but I finished the whole dvd and was able to complete all of the exercises in good form.  At the end of the workout I felt good.  It felt like I had done 30minutes of heavy cardio and I recovered pretty quickly.

Overall, I thought it was a good workout.  The Insanity series is a great addition to any workout routine.  If you've never exercised before it's going to be challenging for you.  If you exercise regularly it's a great way to mix up your routine although it may not be enough on it's own.  The regimen is to do the dvds 6 days a week and rest on Sundays.  I imagine that 6 days of this in a row would be pretty exhausting!  At this point though I can't say for sure if I believe it to be a well rounded routine that could be followed to achieve the ultimate physique.

So that's my first thoughts.  Since I already have an established routine I won't be doing the Insanity as my sole source of exercise but I intend to do 3 or 4 more videos this week.  Plus, tomorrow I start the 30 day Ab Challenge by Strong Like Susan that I mentioned in my last post.  Is anyone joining me?

Product Reviews

Lately, people have been asking me to check out some of the products that interest them.  A friend recently gave me some information about a Whey Protein supplement that her health club promotes.  Another friend has asked me to review the Insanity Workout videos.  Um, yes!

In the next couple of days I'll post my thoughts on these products.  I'm so excited about being able to review these, especially the Insanity videos.  I told my friend that I may not want to return the dvd set to her because I may like it too much!  lol  Well, I'll let you know if she'll be getting them back or not.

Another area that I'm really excited about is the 30 Day Ab Challenge that I've committed to doing starting August 1st.  I've recently become aware of a real inspiration, Strong Link Susan.  This woman is fit! Basically, for 30 days I will be doing the ab workouts that she has posted on her site.  My plan is to continue with my usual workout routine of 3-4 days weightlifting and 1-2 days cardio.  Here's the link to her website containing all her fitness videos, including the 30 Day Ab Challenge: Strong Like Susan.

I'd love for you to join me!  My friend Jenn has already agreed to start the Ab Challenge with me on August 1st.  It's crazy to think that 30 days from now you could have a nice toned abs, maybe even a six pack!  It's going to be tough but think of the satisfaction of having a nice flat belly when you wear that bikini.  Let me know if you're up for the challenge!

Summertime!

It has been a while.  Sorry about that.  Now that it's summertime it seems there is always something occupying my time.  We are working on painting our house- now that's a chore!  And I'm applying to graduate school.  Plus, the usual work family life etc.  And in between I try to make time to get outside especially for camping and backpacking.

Despite the being busy I'm working hard at working out.  The sunshine can make it difficult to want to go inside for a workout but I'm committed to lifting weights.  There are so many benefits that I've noticed since I started lifting.  I feel great!  Higher muscle to fat ratio has stabilized my blood sugars so I'm less sleepy, my thoughts are clearer and my sugar cravings are gone.  Not to mention I love the way my body has defined muscle tone.

Next month marks the one year anniversary since I started lifting.  I'm going to do a whole blog post on it.  I'll keep you posted.  For now, get outside and get some activity while the sun is out!  Soak up some Vitamin D!  It boosts energy and metabolism while promoting bone growth.

Simply Amazing.

Ever heard of Chrissie Wellington?  This lady is amazing!  She has won 4 Ironman World Championships and holds all three world records at the Ironman distance (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run).  The crazy part is, she never competed athletically until she was 27 when she did her first triathlon shortly after riding a road bike for the first time.

For some serious inspiration and woman power read her story: http://fitbie.msn.com/triathlete-chrissie-wellington-reveals-her-kryptonite  Some people might think she's crazy.  Even I wonder sometimes.  But honestly, she is an example of the unending capabilities of the human body.

Feel the BURN!

Today was supposed to be my rest day.  And it was... until I got kind of bored and started researching my favorite subject: fitness.  Nothing gets me motivated more than seeing pictures of fit people and reading inspiring words like.

I had designated today as rest because Tuesday is my hard workout day and yesterday I pushed myself in my weightlifting.  And I'm super excited about it too!  Yesterday, I increased my weights and lifting heavier weights always feels like improvement.  Celebrate the small victories.  Also, recommended weight increase should be no more than 10% increase at a time and not more often than once a week.

So I was feeling a little more tired this morning and was taking it easy.  But then boredom crept in and I started my research.  One thing lead to the next and before I knew it I found a new great resource: Share It Fitness  I spent quite some time looking over this blog and their advice is solid.  Great stuff.

It's from this blog that I designed the workout that I ended up doing today.  But my motivation came from something I saw the other day.  Ever heard of Dana Lynn Balley?  Yeah, well she's crazy.  After watching one of her videos I realized that I probably could push myself harder.  Here's where my direct motivation came from in case you're interested: Dana Lynn Bailey  Disclaimer: She is a pro and has been training for years.

That's when I decided that I can push myself more.  I didn't want to lift because I did that yesterday and will be lifting tomorrow so I thought it would be a good day for cardio.  From my new blogsource Share it Fitness I was reminded about HIIT exercises.  HIIT: High Intensity Interval Training is a great way to torch serious calories.  Basically, you do you cardio at a steady pace and alternate periods of high intensity.

Today I incorporated HIIT into running.  I ran a 9.5 minute mile for 3 minutes and then ran a 7 minute mile for 2 minutes.  My non-HIIT running pace is usually about 8.5 minute miles.  So 9.5 min/mile was slower for me and 7 min/mile was a big push.  I alternated the two for 30 minutes.  By the time the 30 minutes was up I was really tired but I wasn't finished.

To complete my rest day workout I decided to swim.  I wanted to a get a full hour in today so I spent the rest of the time in the pool swimming laps.  Lately, I've been tempted with the idea of doing a triathlon so in a way this was a small test to see how it would feel to do two together.

By the time I got home I was exhausted.  Swimming in particular is a great whole body workout.  And do I feel it in my whole body!

Despite the soreness, nothing beats the satisfaction of knowing that I pushed myself beyond my limits.  It feels good.  You should try it sometime!

Post Workout Nutrition

To accelerate your fat loss results these post workout nutrition suggestions are a must.

Whey Protein-  Whey protein is important after a workout because it prevents breakdown of muscle tissue which increases fat burning and elevates thyroid function.

Glutamine- What is this?  Well, it is an amino acid that our body naturally produces.  Under normal conditions our body produces enough of this amino acid but after placing your body under stress such as that of heavy exercise, our body needs help to produce enough for repair.  Glutamine boosts immune system function which accelerates recovery after a workout.  Glutamine also improves in digestive health.

BCAAs- Branched Chain Amino Acids are considered the essential amino acids and are not produced by the body.  We get them through the food we eat- mostly high protein sources.  They are essential for decreasing muscle soreness and encouraging burning of visceral (stored) body fat as an energy source.

One great source of all three of these essential post workout nutrients is in the whey protein that I drink.  Since my last post about whey protein (you can read it here: Whey Protein) I've tried a few different brands.  Maybe it's time for you to buy another container.  I highly recommend Super Advanced Whey Protein by Body Fortress.  Not only does it contain all three of the post workout nutrients that I described but it tastes great- which says a lot for supplements.  It's like drinking chocolate milk made with rich dark chocolate.  I look forward to drinking it down after a heavy workout.  Side note- I tried the strawberry flavor and it had a very sweet, artificial flavor that I didn't like too much.  But the chocolate flavor is delish! Here's a pic:

 

 

I need this!