No Results with INSANITY
mfoster1019
Posts: 152 Member
I am finishing my last week of INSANITY. I have not seen any results. I've gained a few pounds (which I understand may be some muscle) but I haven't seen and progress with my inches - they are so minimal that I am chalking it up to mis-measuring on my part. I stuck with the food plan - eating 1900 calories and doing the 40/40/20 as was calculated from the nutrition guide. I did have my moments/days that weren't the best eating wise, but not so bad as to completely give me no results.
Don't get me wrong, I loved the program. I definitely got my butt kicked and felt I was getting a good workout. But at the same time it's been really discouraging to not see results. The ONLY change I've noticed is that I've become stronger and my endurance is better, but I was really hoping it would help me lose a few pounds and some inches (as I have seen happen with so many other people's success stories).
Because of all of this, my worst fear may potentially be true: that the what I am viewing as fat and weight that needs to be lost, is really excess skin and fat deposits that aren't going to be lost through diet/exercise. My biggest problem areas are my stomach and thighs. I'm not just taking this last 9 weeks as my way to gauge this. These are the areas that pretty much haven't changed all that much in the last year and a half. I don't know if I just need to give it more time (I'll be starting the Focus T25 program in a couple of weeks), but it's so disheartening to continually work so hard for no results. If you have any suggestions, let me know...otherwise, thanks for reading and letting me vent.
Don't get me wrong, I loved the program. I definitely got my butt kicked and felt I was getting a good workout. But at the same time it's been really discouraging to not see results. The ONLY change I've noticed is that I've become stronger and my endurance is better, but I was really hoping it would help me lose a few pounds and some inches (as I have seen happen with so many other people's success stories).
Because of all of this, my worst fear may potentially be true: that the what I am viewing as fat and weight that needs to be lost, is really excess skin and fat deposits that aren't going to be lost through diet/exercise. My biggest problem areas are my stomach and thighs. I'm not just taking this last 9 weeks as my way to gauge this. These are the areas that pretty much haven't changed all that much in the last year and a half. I don't know if I just need to give it more time (I'll be starting the Focus T25 program in a couple of weeks), but it's so disheartening to continually work so hard for no results. If you have any suggestions, let me know...otherwise, thanks for reading and letting me vent.
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Replies
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For the diet portion did you weigh solid foods with a scale and measure liquids? If not there is a very good chance you were eating 10-30% more than you thought you did.0
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Strength and endurance ARE results!0
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I think insanity results depend, like any program, where you start and what your goals are. I didn't see any measurement or weight differences, but I used it solely to train for a half marathon, only running one day a week and did well in my race. When you say 40/40/20 - that's 40 carb 40 fat 20 protein? I'm at a 35 carb, 35 protein, 30 fat and have finally been able to see the differences in my body fat percentages decreasing again. IMO, you really need more weight training to see measurement differences if you are already at or near a goal weight. I did P90X and had already lost weight - but ended up losing bunches of inches and clothing sizes from the strength training. Another thought - have you considered looking into kettlebell training?0
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Have you been mixing weight lifting / strength training into your workouts? INSANITY is largely a cardio workout, which will help get rid of fat to a point, but muscle takes a lot of energy to fuel. Building muscle will help you burn fat more easily and give you a "leaner" appearance.0
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For the diet portion did you weigh solid foods with a scale and measure liquids? If not there is a very good chance you were eating 10-30% more than you thought you did.
Yes, I weigh/measure everything.0 -
Strength and endurance ARE results!
Yes, they are...but I was hoping for other results as well.0 -
I think insanity results depend, like any program, where you start and what your goals are. I didn't see any measurement or weight differences, but I used it solely to train for a half marathon, only running one day a week and did well in my race. When you say 40/40/20 - that's 40 carb 40 fat 20 protein? I'm at a 35 carb, 35 protein, 30 fat and have finally been able to see the differences in my body fat percentages decreasing again. IMO, you really need more weight training to see measurement differences if you are already at or near a goal weight. I did P90X and had already lost weight - but ended up losing bunches of inches and clothing sizes from the strength training. Another thought - have you considered looking into kettlebell training?
No, the 40/40/20 was 40 carbs, 40 protein and 20 fat.0 -
It sounds like you followed the routines and diet plans properly. I honestly don't know why you wouldn't be losing the inches that you want to lose - so I don't have much to offer from a medical or physiological point of view. But, I can tell you that I see the most results in my Insanity and P90X workouts when I focus on keeping my core tight during workouts and maintaining focus and intensity throughout the workout. I have gone through both workouts with sweat dripping effort but without keeping my core tight and felt like I didn't even work out an hour after the workout. So for me, the key has been to focus on core tension.
I can also commiserate with you to an extent. I have gone through plateaus and maybe that is what this is for you. I lost about 30 lbs by getting into long distance running. It was really good for me and I felt great after every run. But after about 6 months of running and increasing my mileage and losing weight, my weight loss completely stopped even though I was running longer and farther than I ever had before. I then switched to P90X and lost another 20 lbs over those 90 days. I think the diet and exercise change triggered my metabolism (I finally found balance between aerobic and anaerobic exercises) and the weight fell off even more. By that point, I didn't have much more weight to lose but I still had (and still have) a bit of belly fat (skin?) that hides any sort of definition underneath.
The weight loss is now more gradual but I keep looking for ways to completely shake up my workouts so that I trigger more weight loss. I am constantly working at this. To give you an idea: I have gone through periods where I do 2 workouts a day for about an hour a piece, switching between P90X, Insanity, and distance running. I burned a lot more calories, had to consume a lot more calories to keep myself fueled, and lost a few more centimeters around my waist. From there, I added swimming into the mix and tailored my other workouts around swimming a few times a week. Now, I am focusing again on muscle mass and strength - cutting out carbs for a bit and focusing on proteins and fat (about a 40-20-40 p-c-f balance). My hope is the muscle confusion and diet shift will help me lose more belly fat and some of my core definition will start to show through. We will see.
Keep fighting the good fight. Get creative with your workouts and diet. Be sure to focus on your core and get enough calories to fuel the burning. Don't get discouraged - everyone goes through these plateaus as our bodies get accustomed to the workouts we do. KEEP UP THE HARD WORK!!0 -
Have you been mixing weight lifting / strength training into your workouts? INSANITY is largely a cardio workout, which will help get rid of fat to a point, but muscle takes a lot of energy to fuel. Building muscle will help you burn fat more easily and give you a "leaner" appearance.
Due to time constraints, I was strictly doing the INSANITY workouts. No extra weight lifting/strength training other than the body weight exercises in the program.0 -
Hi! I would focus on the nutrition and keep up with the program. Most results are seen during the second month. The workouts are longer and more intense. Keep following the nutrition guide along with the workouts and if you are focusing on those two things along with focusing on your form to get the results you want you will get there. Keep up the good work, stick with it and don't get discouraged.
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It sounds like you followed the routines and diet plans properly. I honestly don't know why you wouldn't be losing the inches that you want to lose - so I don't have much to offer from a medical or physiological point of view. But, I can tell you that I see the most results in my Insanity and P90X workouts when I focus on keeping my core tight during workouts and maintaining focus and intensity throughout the workout. I have gone through both workouts with sweat dripping effort but without keeping my core tight and felt like I didn't even work out an hour after the workout. So for me, the key has been to focus on core tension.
I can also commiserate with you to an extent. I have gone through plateaus and maybe that is what this is for you. I lost about 30 lbs by getting into long distance running. It was really good for me and I felt great after every run. But after about 6 months of running and increasing my mileage and losing weight, my weight loss completely stopped even though I was running longer and farther than I ever had before. I then switched to P90X and lost another 20 lbs over those 90 days. I think the diet and exercise change triggered my metabolism (I finally found balance between aerobic and anaerobic exercises) and the weight fell off even more. By that point, I didn't have much more weight to lose but I still had (and still have) a bit of belly fat (skin?) that hides any sort of definition underneath.
The weight loss is now more gradual but I keep looking for ways to completely shake up my workouts so that I trigger more weight loss. I am constantly working at this. To give you an idea: I have gone through periods where I do 2 workouts a day for about an hour a piece, switching between P90X, Insanity, and distance running. I burned a lot more calories, had to consume a lot more calories to keep myself fueled, and lost a few more centimeters around my waist. From there, I added swimming into the mix and tailored my other workouts around swimming a few times a week. Now, I am focusing again on muscle mass and strength - cutting out carbs for a bit and focusing on proteins and fat (about a 40-20-40 p-c-f balance). My hope is the muscle confusion and diet shift will help me lose more belly fat and some of my core definition will start to show through. We will see.
Keep fighting the good fight. Get creative with your workouts and diet. Be sure to focus on your core and get enough calories to fuel the burning. Don't get discouraged - everyone goes through these plateaus as our bodies get accustomed to the workouts we do. KEEP UP THE HARD WORK!!
I can't imagine how doing the INSANITY program would cause me to plateau. If anything, it should have been the jumpstart my body needed. That's why I did this program...my routine prior to it wasn't giving me results so I decided to switch it up and do INSANITY.0 -
Hi! Did you take comparison pics? Also to help with thighs have you tried bike riding? It's a great leg workout and you can start to see results in 2 weeks.
Good luck to you :flowerforyou:0 -
For the record, I just started Insanity, but I have know a few people who have gone through the program. I find this video review to be a pretty good summary of what those people tell me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhlN4yB6Kxg
For my personal goals, I'm really only looking to lose about 5 pounds (not a big deal, I know. Just struggling with maintenance). I am more concerned with gaining strength and endurance through the program. Following the advice of others, I'm going to keep eating healthy like normal, but avoid the nutrition program that comes with Insanity. I think, depending on your fitness level, some people may burn significantly less calories than others simply based on the speed they move at.0 -
Hi! I would focus on the nutrition and keep up with the program. Most results are seen during the second month. The workouts are longer and more intense. Keep following the nutrition guide along with the workouts and if you are focusing on those two things along with focusing on your form to get the results you want you will get there. Keep up the good work, stick with it and don't get discouraged.
I am already in month 2. I am on my last week of the program...I have 4 days left. That is why it is so discouraging and frustrating. I had seen a lot of people say that month 2 is when the results happen, which is why I remained optimisitc after month 1 and didn't see results. Now that I am about to complete the program, and still haven't seen results, I am completly clueless as to why I didn't see results and wondering what I did wrong :frown:0 -
Calories in vs Calories out.
Maybe you didn't burn as man calories as they predicted, so your calories out was lower.
Wearing a HRM to work out calories out and using MFP for the calories in is probably worth it.0 -
OP: how much do you weigh? I ask this as 1900 is quite high if you don't weigh a lot. the 1700 cal plan may be more suited to you than the 1900, as the estimated calories burned on that program are typically lower than what it says.0
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Calories in vs Calories out.
Maybe you didn't burn as man calories as they predicted, so your calories out was lower.
Wearing a HRM to work out calories out and using MFP for the calories in is probably worth it.
I did use a HRM throughout every workout so I know exactly what I was burning.0 -
I really think more info is needed to help you ...an open diary perhaps a few before pictures and some pictures of you now...and your stats..and the date you started...and the HRm question did you wear one for every workout and were you eating back cals etc which would be answered through your diary0
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OP: how much do you weigh? I ask this as 1900 is quite high if you don't weigh a lot. the 1700 cal plan may be more suited to you than the 1900, as the estimated calories burned on that program are typically lower than what it says.
I got the 1900 number from the nutrition guide based on my starting weight and daily activity level. That' 1900 is close to my TDEE as well.0 -
most probably an overestimate of daily food intake vs. burning in this program.0
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calorie calculators are useful but metabolism is highly individualistic. My wife for example has superb metabolism and has a difficult time gaining weight and eats carbs like there is no tomorrow. Me on the other hand.....average/slightly above average metabolism.0
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Has to be the calorie intake. I did Insanity and ate 1750 worth of food (well that was my goal, usually came in around 1600) and although I only lost 1 pound, I lost 11 inches and 5% BF. I think 1900 is too much if you are still aiming to lose.
Do you notice a difference in how your clothes fit?
I should note, then when imputed into the beach body website, it recommended I ate 2100 calories.....Which I knew was too high for me...0 -
I would try 1700 like the other poster said. its worth trying just to lower your calories slightly.0
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You are not alone. I do all the tricks, vitamins, no sodas, only water, calorie restriction, no bread, no dairy, increased protein, mix up the routine, (p90x, insanity, and running) hybrid and my weight does not move. I went to the doctor for my first physical since high school and was told I was doing everything right, but drop the breads and pastas. About 30 days ago, I dropped the breads and pastas and it has not helped.
I had my blood work checked and the doctor said everything looks great. My wife also has the same problem.
I get so frustrated when I watch shows and they show someone losing 200lbs in 270 days. However, you have the sense of accomplishment of completing the program. Your hearts health has improved.
If you figure it out send me a message, please 0 -
Has to be the calorie intake. I did Insanity and ate 1750 worth of food (well that was my goal, usually came in around 1600) and although I only lost 1 pound, I lost 11 inches and 5% BF. I think 1900 is too much if you are still aiming to lose.
Do you notice a difference in how your clothes fit?
I should note, then when imputed into the beach body website, it recommended I ate 2100 calories.....Which I knew was too high for me...
No, no change in how my clothes fit. Same as before. I will be reducing my calorie intake to 1600 when I do the T25 program, so maybe that will help. I also thought 1900 was a little high, but I figured I would follow what the guide said.0 -
No workout alone is enough you gotta clean up eating I always feel it is 70 percent or more diet!!! Congrats on finishing that almost its a great workout!!!0
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OP: how much do you weigh? I ask this as 1900 is quite high if you don't weigh a lot. the 1700 cal plan may be more suited to you than the 1900, as the estimated calories burned on that program are typically lower than what it says.
I got the 1900 number from the nutrition guide based on my starting weight and daily activity level. That' 1900 is close to my TDEE as well.
Did you subtract 15-20 % off your TDEE? I know you can do this!0 -
You're probably already in good shape. What people see as a difference after completing an exercise program is going from being out of shape to being in shape. If you're already in shape -- no big difference. Sorry. Keep with it though, because there will be a difference if you give up, stop working out, and get out of shape.0
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Yeah, it's a science for sure. I am doing T-25 / Chalean Extreme hybrid and my goal is 1700.
Add me as a friend if you like.
Try the lower calories and see if after 30 days, you notice a change, but if you find you are hungry all the time, up it to 1700. And try to not eat back those exercise calories
Good luck and congrats on finishing Insanity!0 -
OP: how much do you weigh? I ask this as 1900 is quite high if you don't weigh a lot. the 1700 cal plan may be more suited to you than the 1900, as the estimated calories burned on that program are typically lower than what it says.
I got the 1900 number from the nutrition guide based on my starting weight and daily activity level. That' 1900 is close to my TDEE as well.
You need to eat less than TDEE to lose weight though, try lowering the cals by 10-15%.0
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