Insanity workout times and calorie intake?

Sweetlilsonny

Hi, I'm new here and also new to Insanity. I have two boys and work as a massage therapist full time, going on 6 years now, so my job is very physical. Just finished my first week of Insanity and love it so far. CHALLENGING for me but I'm keeping up as best as I can. I get up at 5AM and do the specified DVD and then three days a week I go to the gym to do weights and more abs. I'm new to lifting so I take it slow. I follow the meal plan almost perfectly except for substituting where I can like ground turkey instead of ground chicken. I'm good at cooking and don't have a problem with the diet and do very well on it. So my initial question is when is the best time to do the workout? Right now the morning between 5 & 6 is the best time because my kids get up at 6 and I wasn't sure if working out a certain time of day would affect results. Of course I didn't looses any weight the first week. I read thru all those posts to kelp ease my frustration on that. It just seems that the calorie intake seemed really high. I'm doing 1600-1700, INSANITY 6 days a week and the gym on top of that 3 days a week. 24yr old female, 205lbs wanting to be around 150-160

MeDoula

Hi there! The calorie intake isn't that high when you think about how many calories you burn during Insanity alone. You need to fuel your body. Do you have a heart rate monitor? I burn between 300 and 800 cal depending on workout. I've been on Insanity for 50 days now and actually gained weight but lost inches. Definitely take before and after pictures of yourself.
I actually switched from Weight Watchers to MFP because I felt like I wasn't eating enough. I joined a group here called: "Eat more to lose weight" (or something similar) so I'll be following that. Check it out. There are lots of ladies who...well....eat more....

Sweetlilsonny

Thanks for the info! I donate ave a heart rate moniter but have been looking to find a good one soi will have one soon!

Marie047

Hi,

Sweetlilsonny, I use Polar FT7 that is a very good HRM.

I am also new to Insanity and starting insanity this week. My cal is currently at 1200 I`m unsure if i need to increase this so looking for some advise on this

demeterlv

I'm new also but am using a Timex Ironman that was recommended to me by a friend that has been doing P90X or Insanity on and off for a few years to get fit and stay fit. Last night was Plyometric Cardio and I burned 550 cals. Its very gratifying to see how much you are burning and if you are improving besides the fit test stuff. I'm not sure about what time is best to workout. I'm a mom of 2 also; my youngest is almost 6 mns; and have trouble finding time too. I'm sooo not a morning person so nights are when I work out. I'm not much help but I thought I'd post anyway :-0

MeDoula

Hi,

Sweetlilsonny, I use Polar FT7 that is a very good HRM.

I am also new to Insanity and starting insanity this week. My cal is currently at 1200 I`m unsure if i need to increase this so looking for some advise on this

I have the same one and love it! As far as calories, I say definitely increase them. I currently take in around 1800 cal and make sure to hit my BMR every day. 1200 cal is way too low for a hard workout.

MeDoula

Check out this group for more info on how to set your calories. https://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

Marie047

But I dont want to gain, I want to lose, and we struggle eating 1200 cals a day at the moment. I average about 900cals a day, not including my workouts!

mariacolumbus

The best time of day to work out is whatever time of day that you will be able to stick with it. That could be different for everyone. I don't think you'll benefit more from one time of day or another.

Figure out your BMR...then add your exercise calories to that...you need to fuel your body and with exercise you are burning more calories...so therefore need to take in more calories.
good luck!

btw...if you want a challenge...Insanity will certainly give it to you and make you feel proud to have done such an intense work out! (not a coach )

MeDoula

But I dont want to gain, I want to lose, and we struggle eating 1200 cals a day at the moment. I average about 900cals a day, not including my workouts!

The group I posted about is a group of people who eat healthy to lose weight without starving their bodies. If you look at my signature, I'm looking to lose 35 lbs and I'm part of that group. 900 cal per day is very unhealthy for your body, especially when combining it with an intense workout like Insanity.

BTW: I JUST started eating around 1800 calories per day. It's very new to me as I come from WW lifestyle. I wasn't losing weight on a low calorie + Insanity and I hope this will change as my body realizes that it's not starving. It's been couple days since I increased calories and now I'm super bloated and don't feel well. I feel like I'm stuffing myself with food and it's doesn't feel well neither. I now have to fix what I messed up with low cal.

degan2011

But I dont want to gain, I want to lose, and we struggle eating 1200 cals a day at the moment. I average about 900cals a day, not including my workouts!

The group I posted about is a group of people who eat healthy to lose weight without starving their bodies. If you look at my signature, I'm looking to lose 35 lbs and I'm part of that group. 900 cal per day is very unhealthy for your body, especially when combining it with an intense workout like Insanity.

BTW: I JUST started eating around 1800 calories per day. It's very new to me as I come from WW lifestyle. I wasn't losing weight on a low calorie + Insanity and I hope this will change as my body realizes that it's not starving. It's been couple days since I increased calories and now I'm super bloated and don't feel well. I feel like I'm stuffing myself with food and it's doesn't feel well neither. I now have to fix what I messed up with low cal.

I actually started losing faster when I made sure I ate back my exercise calories. when I go low, my loss slows down.

trkinsley

ABSOLUTELY you need to eat more. If you work out hard and you're starving yourself (1200 calories is very low for most women, even sedentary ones!), your basal metabolic rate will go into the toilet.

@Marie047: If you're only eating 900 calories a day, even worse. How is it you're struggling to eat 900 calories/day? What are you eating?

Anecdotal evidence: I'm a very experienced weightlifter, and I've never had a problem maintaining my weight until the last few years. The times when it started to creep up, I was training 6-7 days/week and only eating about 1200-1400 calories on average. I actually GAINED at that level, and I weigh and measure everything. It was only when I increased my calories that I actually saw a loss. I've dropped 9 lbs in the last couple of months, and prior to that, I was struggling to lose a pound a month at a very significant caloric deficit. One thing of note, though.... it took about 3-4 wks for the scale to really start to move.

amoeni1

I will agree with the above posters, your not eating enough. I'm 27/ 5'3" and I am to be eating 1900 calories a day according to the insanity nutrition guide. Coming from weight watchers, it's been a struggle to eat that much (getting 1600-1800 never all the way to 1900 yet but I am working my way there) and I will say my first week of insanity (day 5) and I have lost a pound and half already and before this doing just weight watchers and working out tons I wasn't losing any, sometimes gaining. If you dont eat enough your body wil start to think you are starving and then want to keep all the calories you are eating on you. I know it sounds silly but you need to remember with insanity you are working yourself like crazy and if you dotn get the calories back in your body will not react the way you want it to. If you need more advice or someone to talk to, feel free to add me as a friend!

chchchristi7

Hi there! The calorie intake isn't that high when you think about how many calories you burn during Insanity alone. You need to fuel your body. Do you have a heart rate monitor? I burn between 300 and 800 cal depending on workout. I've been on Insanity for 50 days now and actually gained weight but lost inches. Definitely take before and after pictures of yourself.
I actually switched from Weight Watchers to MFP because I felt like I wasn't eating enough. I joined a group here called: "Eat more to lose weight" (or something similar) so I'll be following that. Check it out. There are lots of ladies who...well....eat more....

what type of heart rate monitor do you have?

amoeni1

I have a polar ft7

Zitawins216

There is a guy who is a beach body coach who created a spreadsheet where you he calculated based on the formula given with your Insanity program to let you know how many calories you should be consuming a day. I'm 201, 5'7 33 yr old female and the counter said I should be consuming around 2386 calories on Insanity. I was floored. I was actually really surprised. Also I was told that the weight MELTS off in month 2. Keep doing what you are doing and try not to be a slave to the scale(not saying that you are but its hard) esp on this program..you work your butt off. I definitely recommend measurements and pics.

Zitawins216

I can send you a copy of the spreadsheet i saved on my computer. email me at : empowerfin@yahoo.com if you want it. I cant find his link

LuxHappens

@sweetlilsonny
@zeyonce216 is right - Insanity is not just about weight loss (though, from my research, I've found that any weight loss typically occurs in month 2), it is about building muscle (which adds to your metabolic rate and consequently results in your burning more calories even while sedentary!)
I haven't lost a pound and am on Week 3. But I see muscle definition all over my body. I feel more confident, and I know that if I don't achieve the results I desire in one round, I can do the program a second, third time... you see what I mean?

Take photos. Dub an old pair of jeans your "goal jeans". Take before & after photos in them. And then take more in a month.
Keep going. You will see/feel results!

Dig deep!