Insanity.. causing me to go insane

mabbyann

Okay, so I just ordered Insanity. I've been pretty active ( 60-120 mins biking 3-4 times per week/45-90 min elliptical 6 days a week). My caloric intake in only 1200 as of right now. Will I need to up it when doing Insanity?

As of right now I know I'm not eating enough, but I'm terrified that if I do up my calories I'll gain weight. I know I need to eat to lose, but I can't find a common balance.

Also, I've read some reviews of people around my size only burning like 500 calories per Insanity workout. As of now, even on my "slow days" I still burn over 600. What if I up my calories and don't burn the same amount my body has gotten used to in the past 7 months?

Help! I'm so confused.

BeantownSooner

If you're using a heart rate monitor with chest strap today continue to use it with Insanity. More than likely you will burn that amount of calories as it's pretty demanding. I'm half way through, was not exercising like you are before starting and I'm down 12 lbs and 11 inches total in 1 month. I'm also male, older than you and from your picture much tubbier!!! The past 2 days (my 1st 2 days of the 2nd month) I burned over 900 calories. Everyone is different so take that with a grain of salt. Most of month 1 I was in the 600-800 burn range.

That said, go in with the right expectation and ensure at minimum you're doing the suggested macro nutrient levels. If you don't fuel yourself you will crash and it's a very weird situation when you can't even raise your legs as you have nothing else to give. The nutrition guide will suggest a calorie guideline for you to eat. The decision is yours to follow it but just go into in knowing that if I crash (see explanation above) it is very likely that I'm not eating enough. If you're lethargic the rest of the day it's probably from not eating enough, etc. So, it's really up to you and if you want to start with your current nutrition plan give it a whirl but go in prepared that you may need to increase your calories at some point (especially in month 2). When that time comes do it in 200 calorie increments.

Most people do not really lose much weight in the 1st month unless you have a lot to lose (like me). You will shed a few lbs the 1st week (mostly water) and then most tend to level off for a few weeks. You will be sore most likely as the moves are foreign to most and when that happens muscles retain water. You may notice that you gain weight as well. Don't be concerned as it's pretty normal to due the water retention. After the shock wears off after a couple of weeks you'll eliminate the water retention. Drinks lots of fluids and if you can stand it stay off the scale as you'll bounce around quite a bit. I follow the nutrition plan as closely as possible and use the scale as my guide. I do so with the full understanding that I may weight more and I may weight less...wait a day and it'll be different again.

Take measurements every where and use this as your real guide along with the Fit Test. Don't be discouraged at the results of the first test. These are your results not anyone else. You'll be amazed at the 2nd results in two weeks if you follow the program. Remember you will be swapping lean muscle for fat so even if the scale doesn't move the measurements should.

Lastly, do not try to keep up with the fitness models. They've done this thing probably 10 times so are super fit. Do your best, take breaks as you need to (use your HRM as your guide) and if you can't do a move either modify it (i.e. couple real pushups and rest of them on your knees). Never do anything that causes you pain either...some of the Plyo jumps are intense perhaps start with little jumps or not as many, etc.

You will get there and it's been a very rewarding experience for me thus far.

mabbyann

Thanks for the response! It's all a mental thing for me, and being so scared of gaining the 85lbs back. I'm going to go into this program with an open mind and do what I'm told. Hopefully it will work out in my favor, both on the scale and in inches!

cathymarie75

What have you been logging your insanity workouts in as? I have been putting circuit training but not sure if thats right.

BeantownSooner

I just do Aerobics High Impact but I use a heart rate monitor with chest strap so I just manually change the amount of time. Circuit works just as well.

If you don't have one you could use an online calculator to come up with a better estimate based on your perceived exertion.

First, figure out your Target Heart Rate Zones using Beachbody's link below:

http://www.teambeachbody.com/get-fit/fitness-tools/target-heart-rate


Then use an online Heart Rate Based Calorie Burn Calculator

http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/


The trick is you need to understand your perceived physical exertion. What does that mean? Basically, as you exercise more vigorously your heart rate goes up and as it goes up you burn more calories. It takes a bit of getting used to but since I've had a heart rate monitor for so long I can usually guess within about 10 BPM where I am at any given point.

The perception goes like this:

Healthy Heart Rate Zone (50-60% of your Max HR) This is usually about 2-5x your normal effort. Think casual walk.
Temperate Zone (60-70% of your Max HR) This is usually about 4-5x your normal effort. Think very brisk walk.
Aerobic Zone (70-80% of your Max HR) This is usually about 5-7x your normal effort. This is the Fat burning zone. Slow jog.
Threshold Zone (80-90% of your Max HR) This is usually about 7-9x your normal effort. With Insanity you spend a ton of time in here or at least that's the goal. Good paced jog/run....Insanity!!!
Redline Zone (90-100% of your Max HR) This is usually about 9-10x your normal effort. You will hit this with Insanity and when Shawn T says check your heart rate this is what he means. You don't want to spend a lot of time here. When he says recover take a break until your HR/perceived exertion gets back to the Aerobic Zone. The work again.

So if you're breathing a little hard but can still talk pretty easily you're probably in the Healthy Heart Rate Zone
If you're breathing heavy and can't talk that well you're probably in the Aerobic Zone.
And, if you can only gasp one word at a time you're probably in the Threshold Zone.

Lastly, be honest with yourself and figure out an estimate of how much time you spend in those areas. Plug in those numbers (or average them) and use the Heart Rate Calculator to figure out your calorie burn estimate.

peachyxoxoxo

You should up your cals. Just so you know - I shoot for 1900 calories a day (just estimate though, I don't log on here), I don't know exactly how much I burn with Insanity, but in the last 8.5 weeks I've been doing this program I'm down 11 lbs. It definitely works

OneFitDude16

several of my friends and even my mom have done insanity. If I were you I'd eat no less than 1500-1750 calories a day. Insanity is a high intensity workout and burns calories even after you've finished your workout.

phatycake

If you're using a heart rate monitor with chest strap today continue to use it with Insanity. More than likely you will burn that amount of calories as it's pretty demanding. I'm half way through, was not exercising like you are before starting and I'm down 12 lbs and 11 inches total in 1 month. I'm also male, older than you and from your picture much tubbier!!! The past 2 days (my 1st 2 days of the 2nd month) I burned over 900 calories. Everyone is different so take that with a grain of salt. Most of month 1 I was in the 600-800 burn range.

That said, go in with the right expectation and ensure at minimum you're doing the suggested macro nutrient levels. If you don't fuel yourself you will crash and it's a very weird situation when you can't even raise your legs as you have nothing else to give. The nutrition guide will suggest a calorie guideline for you to eat. The decision is yours to follow it but just go into in knowing that if I crash (see explanation above) it is very likely that I'm not eating enough. If you're lethargic the rest of the day it's probably from not eating enough, etc. So, it's really up to you and if you want to start with your current nutrition plan give it a whirl but go in prepared that you may need to increase your calories at some point (especially in month 2). When that time comes do it in 200 calorie increments.

Most people do not really lose much weight in the 1st month unless you have a lot to lose (like me). You will shed a few lbs the 1st week (mostly water) and then most tend to level off for a few weeks. You will be sore most likely as the moves are foreign to most and when that happens muscles retain water. You may notice that you gain weight as well. Don't be concerned as it's pretty normal to due the water retention. After the shock wears off after a couple of weeks you'll eliminate the water retention. Drinks lots of fluids and if you can stand it stay off the scale as you'll bounce around quite a bit. I follow the nutrition plan as closely as possible and use the scale as my guide. I do so with the full understanding that I may weight more and I may weight less...wait a day and it'll be different again.

Take measurements every where and use this as your real guide along with the Fit Test. Don't be discouraged at the results of the first test. These are your results not anyone else. You'll be amazed at the 2nd results in two weeks if you follow the program. Remember you will be swapping lean muscle for fat so even if the scale doesn't move the measurements should.

Lastly, do not try to keep up with the fitness models. They've done this thing probably 10 times so are super fit. Do your best, take breaks as you need to (use your HRM as your guide) and if you can't do a move either modify it (i.e. couple real pushups and rest of them on your knees). Never do anything that causes you pain either...some of the Plyo jumps are intense perhaps start with little jumps or not as many, etc.

You will get there and it's been a very rewarding experience for me thus far.

X1000 amazing post and great advice!

I'm on week 3 and completely agree!

trkinsley

@mabbyann: you will need to increase your calories. Sounds like you've been doing a lot of steady state cardio; this is totally different. You will probably go up on the scale the first few days; the moves are crazy eccentric loaded so you will have sore muscles and water retention from the micro trauma. Don't worry about it, it goes away.

Since you've been so low for so long, you might want to increase slowly so that you don't panic over it. Add 200 calories the first week, 100 calories the second; that will get you to 1500. I would also encourage you to use the tape measure and the fit of your clothing over the scale for the first month.

It's a great program. Harder than any cardio I've ever done, including running a marathon, but so, so worth it!

findingme07

Heart rate monitor.....LOVE INSANITY! I'm on round 2.

TyFit08

I did Insanity. It is great for endurance and getting your heart rate up, but I only lost about 5lbs. Which isn't much considering how hard it is. I upped my calories too much. I was hungry a lot while doing Insanity and I think I ate more than I burned. So 1200 may not be enough calories to do it, but be careful about going to high, especially if you don't have a HRM to know your actual burn.

danni_l

Just as everyone is saying you will need to up your calories if you are doing any kind of intense workout.

You may not see the numbers going down on the scales, but you will notice your body improving and thats what its all about! Remember muscle weighs more than fat!

Good luck!

sldratt

What have you been logging your insanity workouts in as? I have been putting circuit training but not sure if thats right.

I have put in the workouts and the minutes and estimating calories - for instance Max Cardio is 47 minutes, and I estimate 500 calories. When you do it, you'll see why!

cathymarie75

Thanks for all the replies it helps !

mabbyann

I'm going to up my calories to 1350 at first. If I start having issues, then I'll up it a little more. I know I'll need to intake more calories in the 2nd month of Insanity. Eat to lose right? Eeek..

trkinsley

Baby steps! 1350 is a good start.