Insanity starter

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  • gsop22
    gsop22 Posts: 84 Member
    I just completed Insanity this past Sunday. I lost about 16 lbs and feel great. I found it a bit daunting at first too. I was exhausted after the warm up on day one and sore fore the about a week and a half. Once you get past that first week the hard part is over and you improve every week. If you do the program you will lose weight and gain muscle. Just make sure you eat enough and have extra protein(you are building muscle). Also, I always worked out 2 hours after I ate. Some of the workouts are intense and if you ate to soon you may have a bad workout.

    Good luck everyone. Anyone can add me for their insanity journey.
  • NomadicFlame
    NomadicFlame Posts: 74
    On Day 27 and has been said, the advice is:

    1. Press play. You wont want to (I never ever do), but press play and ignore the "I can't do this" voice in your head and just get through that first warm up cycle. Second time through the warm up I'm usually "in it".

    2. Make sure you have water and you drink it.

    3. Get a cheap *kitten* HRM for the early days. I was getting chest pain in the early days and that turned out to be because my HR was at 100%. Now, if I hear the beeps I slack off a bit and equally if I don't I put on the pressure a bit. He says "check your heart rate for a reason".

    4. Eat. Before, during (I have fruit like grapes and satsumas by my water ready) and after (but not within an hour of it or you will feel a bit sick).

    5. Take a hot bath once a week (salts is a good idea).

    6. Make sure you do the warm up and stretches as properly as possible. I am VERY inflexible and I do my best and "so far" I've not hurt myself.

    7. Have a towel in reach... the sweat is dripping into my eyes by the end of the warm up.

    8. Keep the correct form and go at your own pace. I'm older than the people in that video and have a sedentary job. No way could I keep up with them in the early days. My goal was to keep going as much as I could and do it properly. Now I "own" quite a few of them.

    9. Get to know the names of your fellow sufferers and when you see them wimp out, call them on it. "Akil!! You taking ANOTHER break???", "Chris right with you... I'm dying too!", "Rachel that's slow!" (no matter how fast she is doing something! :) ", "Shanita, why the hell are you there?" all help me get through.

    10. Take a protein bar (get them in the supermarkets) afterwards. Much cheaper than his shake and more edible (for me) than those powdered protein shakes.

    11. Open the windows... I feel like I am dying part way through (I AM!) and that little breeze at just the right moment is a god send.

    12. Take "before" pictures, weight and measurements. You WILL change a lot... I didn't know what an oblique was before this, now I have two very well defined ones.

    13. Look in the mirror after a couple of weeks... it will make the hard work worth it... trust me. 27 days in and I have abs, obliques, muscles in my shoulders and arms I've never seen before.... my whole body is toned. Also if you go for a run or anything, you will find you're able to do it now as this is a full body workout.

    14. That said, do NOT be tempted to do any other exercise alongside this. Your body will be taking a pounding with Insanity and I know that even going for a couple of mile walk makes the workouts that little bit harder.

    15. Don't drink alcohol. I would hate to think what it would be like doing this stuff with a hangover.

    16. I think good supportive shoes is a must.. however, I'm doing it bare foot myself as I am finding it more comfortable (and its less weight!!!)

    17. Wear as little as possible.. you WILL sweat! I need to wash my shorts after every workout as they are soaked.

    18. Just press play...
  • jacklyntatge
    jacklyntatge Posts: 5 Member
    The fit test was VERY difficult for me. I have scheduled time each day this week to complete the program. Excited and nervous about moving forward. Loved reading about others journey!
  • Ivey05131980
    Ivey05131980 Posts: 1,118 Member
    I am SO excited...I start the boot camp for Insanity tomorrow night at my gym....it's a love/hate thing for me! PUMPED!
  • fitmom07
    fitmom07 Posts: 215 Member
    I just did the fit test last night too. Don't be ashamed of your score. Just push through it and do your best. Like others have said, if you need to take a short break, get some water and do what you can. The only regret you could have from this workout is giving up on it!
  • madness33
    madness33 Posts: 46
    Just finished pygmetric cardio circuit, I forgot how hard it was! I felt like a slow dying turtle compared to people in the video, but I wanted to keep my form, because I don't want to risk getting hurt.

    Love the advice I'm getting from this thread btw.
  • htherrien0406
    htherrien0406 Posts: 47
    I have started Insanity at least 4 times in the last year and a half and never make it past the 2nd workout. Hearing everything in this post is motivating me to get back to it!
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    i got to think if you just approach it with the attitude that you'll just do what you can (and even stop early if necessary ) it wont be long before your doing the whole workout and then motivated to go hard.

    i injured myself once and rehabed by just doing the warm up for a few weeks.
  • emmadrama
    emmadrama Posts: 53 Member
    Thanks so much for all the advice people!!

    Can I ask about calories people, I want to lose weight with this and according to insanity I should be eating 1900 calories a day. Am I going to lose enough weight, I want to have enough energy to do the workouts and be able to live! I always thought to lose weight I needed to be at 1200 calories and only occasionally eat back my workout calories.

    Thanks
  • NomadicFlame
    NomadicFlame Posts: 74
    Thanks so much for all the advice people!!

    Can I ask about calories people, I want to lose weight with this and according to insanity I should be eating 1900 calories a day. Am I going to lose enough weight, I want to have enough energy to do the workouts and be able to live! I always thought to lose weight I needed to be at 1200 calories and only occasionally eat back my workout calories.

    Thanks

    With Insanity you need to eat back your calories... its not like a normal workout... I would not worry about putting on weight if you are doing it and eating sensibly. I burn between 400 and 600 calories doing Insanity according to my HRM.
  • kelvincornish1
    kelvincornish1 Posts: 40
    Emma, today was day 44 of Insanity for me and there is definitely a difference in my body shape. I have lost 3% body fat and certainly fitter too. Now I remember day one and doing THAT fitness test. I was quite fit and thought I would sail through it. I didn't! The 2nd time I did it 13 days later was easier and the last time I did it was better still. DIG DEEPER and keep going. If I can do it at my age (52) then so can you!

    By the way, how fit were you beforehand?

    Regarding calories, you have to remember that you need to eat to get the energy to get through the intensive workouts. You will burn about 400-600 calories per workout and of course your body needs calories for everything it does. There is no point in starving yourself because you will not have the energy to do the workouts. Just eat the 'right' kind of calories. Remember that 1 gram of carbs = 4 calories; 1 gram of protein = 4 calories and 1 gram of fat = 9 calories. Follow the nutrition plan as much as you can or at least use it as a good guide as to what you can eat. Being fit and healthy is about 80% nutrition and 20% exercise.

    Good luck!
  • sueclare38
    sueclare38 Posts: 125
    I was wondering about calories. definitely gonna get some protein bars, as I find it hard reaching my protein macro. I've been eating at tdee-20%, so not eating back my exercising calories. Does that remain the same now, or should I be eating them back with insanity.
  • perk325
    perk325 Posts: 9
    Hi All,
    I am on day 3 first time insanity user. You can all add me. The fit test was sad. But I will get better. I can't keep up very well, but I give 110%. I am so sore, couldn't hardly get out of bed. But now I am up, taken my alive and going to do day 3. I don't like all the jumping, with my jiggle. I felt things jiggle yesterday that I did not know were loose! :-)
    I will finish this and then go to p90x. I have lost a total of 22lbs. Anyway, add me!
  • madness33
    madness33 Posts: 46
    Today was a good day! Just finished day 3, it was tough, but I feel pretty energized afterward. May be the vitamin water helped abit during the workout, but who knows.

    Anyway can't wait for tomorrow :D
  • Ashly744
    Ashly744 Posts: 60 Member
    I just started too. Tonight will be my fourth night - not including the fit test. I can only imagine we will all do better the next fit test...lol.
  • hb728
    hb728 Posts: 4
    Just did the fitness test and can barely walk! Haha
  • hb728
    hb728 Posts: 4
    So im just about to finish week 2 of insanity and I think I'm getting shin splints. :/ anyone else have this problem? Any suggestions on ways to treat them without having to stop the program?
  • nic632
    nic632 Posts: 295 Member
    Hi. I'm hoping to receive Insanity in the post next week and can't wait to start after reading all your posts, just got a couple of questions though:

    1. Am I expected to wear a HRM, or do you just advise that I get one?

    2. Does the guide say which dvd to use and when to change, or do you choose which one you want to do and do that until you fancy a change?

    3. What protein foods do you recommend to take if can't get shakes or bars?

    4. When you have done the fit test, do you start the workout the next day or leave it a couple of days - oh and could you class the fit test as day one if you're keeping track on the calender?

    Thanks in advance for your advice.

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