Insanity Max 30 Results!

I’ll throw in my week 8 max outs, but here are the final Insanity Max 30 results!  I am down .8lbs and 2.75″…my weight was up and down with the holidays and some other rough patches, but I’m pretty happy with the results!  I see differences in how my clothes are fitting, have been wearing some of my pre-pregnancy “skinny” clothes and I FEEL different!

I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud to finish a program.  This was such a challenge for me mentally…pushing myself to max out further along each week, dealing with needing to modify, truly difficult workouts each weekday super early in the morning!  I think that putting it all out there for others to see was the ultimate motivation and accountability.  So thank you for that!!  Physically, it was super challenging as well, which was helped by only being 30 minutes a workout.  Also, there is a lot of variety in those 30 minutes…every move changes in 20-60 seconds.  So you try to hold out maxing out during each move!

Something I’m not sure I have done before is not miss a workout on the planned day…but I did it with this! I didn’t push off any of the workouts…I think that’s just me craving routine.  And that’s what happens when you plan for your workouts to be before anything gets in the way.

I am so glad I did this program.  If you asked me a few weeks ago, I would probably have told you that I liked it, but that it wasn’t for me.  I am so glad I stuck with it.  It changed my mind once I gave myself the permission to modify on the moves that were killing my ankle.  I was able to enjoy it and it completely changed my mind.  So, a list of what I loved…

• Quick workouts!
• The tabata workouts!  They were such great, fun, challenging and energizing workouts.  I think I’ll pull them back out often
• Seeing the improvement in times…you know you’re getting fitter as part of the program, which is amazingly motivating
• The food plan!  Okay, it’s the 21 Day Fix plan, so I knew I loved that already!  It was an easy transition and it’s such an effective, easy to follow nutrition program
• Shaun T…he cracks me up even as he kicks my butt
• that the people in the video max out…this is kind of good and bad.  You see them going and think “I could just max out too”, but then at the end they all tell you their max out times.  And sometimes, you beat them!  Others, you think “I can do that!” and let it motivate you more.
• The workouts are exhilarating.  For serious!  I felt amazing at the end of each of them.

So here are my max outs from the final week…read till the end for my final “fit test” – redoing the Cardio Challenge workout that is the first workout of each month 1 week.

Day 50 – First time I didn’t max out!  I made it through the whole 30 minutes!

Day 51 – my daughter woke up before I had the chance to take a picture, so I brought her in.  It probably would have been funnier to have her take the picture!  But then you wouldn’t know when I maxed out.

Day 52 – very sweaty!

Day 53 – I didn’t make it as far as the past two times through.  Some workouts, I would just be thinking “how did I ever make it past this last week?”

Day 54 – The Friday Fights were such a challenge – one minute for most moves and the first planned water break is around 15 minutes in!

Day 55!  Today!  This was that last fit test workout and…I didn’t max out!  30 minutes through, having been between 17:00 and 17:21 for the 4 weeks in month 1.

This was an absolutely amazing journey of a program.  I can’t believe how fast the 8 weeks went and how much I ended up loving it.  This wont be my last time through Insanity Max 30!  Next up for me is 21 Day Fix Extreme!  Mine should be here on Monday, but I have given people until today to order and get in my group starting 2/16…so if you want in, use that link and get on it!

So, what are your questions?  I want to hear them!!

I love Saturdays!

Today was a great day.  I got to play with my awesome daughter for most of the day, which is really the standard for a good day.  Add in a workout, and I’m doing well!

Did much happen today? Nope!  We went to swimming lessons, ran some errands, played at home, and went to a playground mostly.  But we had fun!

Playing at the library

Playground!

Climbing up the slide

 

And heading back down!

 

 

 

 

Now, this is mostly a fitness blog.  So why am I hitting you with my day?  I ran all about, up and down and up and down things meant for children…children with boundless energy and no fear.  The fun we had today completely made me appreciate my level of fitness and that I can play (and keep up with) my daughter!  I don’t think that this version of me could have…

I can’t wait for another fun day tomorrow!

Insanity Results

It took me an extra week, but I finished up Insanity yesterday!  I gained about 4 lbs doing it, and lost just over 2 inches.  Not huge differences, but I see a change in pictures.  I feel a change in how I feel.  And my fit test results make me proud.

The before pictures are from 5/25, when I finished Les Mills Pump.

 

I am happy with the results.  I finished, and almost stopped because of milk supply.  But I have kept just ahead of what I needed and added slightly to my stash.  I think that if I was not breastfeeding, I would have seen more results, but I’m not giving that up!

 

My final fit test results impressed me!  I could not have been happier with my progress.  All in all, a good experience though i am happy to be moving on.  I started Focus T25 today and am excited to check it out…plus the shorter workouts wont hurt!

 

Les Mills Pump results

I posted my review of Les Mills Pump here but see the results for yourself!

I lost over 7lbs and almost 15 inches! Plus I really see the difference in the side view. I also fit into a pair of pre-pregnancy jeans and can now fit in my belt…on the third hole! I feel stronger and more like myself.

I still have about 15lbs to my pre pregnancy weight, but I’m getting there! I have said it before, but food is still my biggest obstacle. I’m so hungry between exercise and breastfeeding and have little time to cook. I made eggs the other day and was hugely proud of myself. I would love to see my results with a better diet but am proud of my progress anyway.

Good Measure

I took my measurements last night. I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed, but everything but my forearms increased. That’s okay though. I’m glad I have them as a starting off point…they’ll go down from here!

For me, taking measurements has been the best way to see results. The scale is so wonky sometimes…water, salt, time of day, etc all cause drastic changes. And your body composition can change with the scale being the same. I’d rather be smaller than lighter any day!

I also joined a diet bet with some friends for even more motivation yesterday.  You each bet a certain amount, and whoever reaches the group goal splits the pot (minus their fees) when the bet finishes. I can’t wait to see if I’ll win some money at the end.

Workout yesterday – ChaLEAN Extreme Burn Circuit 1
Workout today – TurboFire Fire45 and Stretch10

Putting it out there…

This is what I look like as of 12/31/2012, between 6 and 7 weeks postpartum. I am 30 lbs above my pre-pregnancy weight and hoping to lose it slowly. I need to take measurements but I usually only have time when Zoe is sleeping. And I forget to get my measuring tape out of the depths of my closet before then. I don’t want to wake her! I promise to do them today! Maybe in the next few minutes…if I go now!

Workout to be done later!

 

My story

At least part of it, and my story hasn’t ended yet.  I am a work in progress, and hope to never reach an end!

I was overweight/obese for a good portion of my life.  My highest weight was before I had a scale, but no matter the number I was also unhappy with just about everything.  I started to workout consistently in December of 2000, joining a gym near my work.  I started going in the mornings when it was slow and would workout on some cardio equipment and hit the same weight machines (the ones I could figure out how to use on my own)  a few times a week.  It was alright, but not exciting or a very good plan.

Before:

Soon, I started taking classes.  Kickboxing, yoga, sculpting…I’d try almost anything.  I started seeing results, made some friends, and was having a blast!  Kickboxing and yoga were my favorites then.  I’d start lifting more weights in a few years.  I gained confidence through my workouts and was able to make some other changes to increase my happiness!

Eventually in 2004, the gym and I had to go our separate ways.  I was studying for actuarial exams and it was tough to go to the gym near work.  Bring on the Beachbody!  A friend of mine had been doing Turbo Jam and loved it.  I bought it quickly and was also hooked!  I soon had both the base package and the Fat Burning Elite package.  It was around this time that I also started eating healthier.  What a difference!  I had lost about 30lbs in a bit over 3 years but was now losing around 5 lbs a month until I got to a much healthier weight, but about 15 lbs above goal.  I was also around the same weight when I found out I was pregnant…work in progress always!

I was my lowest weight in 2008 for our wedding.  By then I was lifting weights several times a week, having seen a personal trainer and using New Rules of Lifting for Women.  Weights are great!!  I maintained about 5lbs above that until we moved into our house in 2009.  We had a few weeks without a place to live, which meant without a place to prepare food and without a schedule.  When we moved in, it was still tough to prepare food as our kitchen was in shambles.  Within about 3 months, I put on about 20 lbs!  Back to getting it off again!  I went back to Beachbody, working on TurboFire and then ChaLEAN Extreme (love those weights).  I also started doing hot yoga more often, another love. Now, in 2012, I start a new weight chapter!

October, 2011, a few months pre-pregnancy:

In case you think I’m Chalene Johnson obsessed (well, I may be), I’ve also tried Hip Hop Abs, Yoga Booty Ballet and P90X but I haven’t done those programs fully.  I’m looking forward to new challenges and adding to my story!  Here’s to what comes next!