Atkins with Insanity

_Rani_
_Rani_ Posts: 3
in Motivation and Support
Hi all,

I'm starting a diet plan that is a combination of Atkins and Insanity. Now, I understand that both of these tend to be rated at a more extreme level amidst diet & exercise plans, but I am planning to modify Atkins to more reasonably meet my nutrition needs. I've done Atkins before from July 2013 till about October 2013 and lost about 20 lbs. Although it has not been formally diagnosed, my doctor does believe I may have PCOS, which makes it harder to lose weight - which is why I only lost about 20 lbs in 4 months (usually Atkins results are greater from what I've read). This is also why I chose Atkins as my plan because it compliments people with Insulin issues.

Anyway, I want to achieve long term weight loss so I don't want to work with a diet alone and gain back whatever I lost over time (I've gained 10 lbs back since October). I feel like a good combo with an exercise program would bring better results. So this is what my plan is going to majorly look like:

Exercise: 5-6 days a week of Insanity
Diet: Atkins - starting with about 80g carbs a day mostly from veggies and nuts. I plan on keeping my 'Net' Calorie Intake at 1200cals/day.
Breakfast: 2 Eggs (Scrambled or boiled) with cheese. (Breakfast and Lunch menus maybe swapped often enough)
Lunch: Atkins shake w/ vegetables or some healthy salad (Tuna preferably).
Dinner: A nice serving of protein with more veggies.
Dessert: I will have one allowance of a sin dessert (low carb or sugarfree) per week on a weekend day to keep it real :P

Anyway, so this is my plan and I am starting today. I have a goal of losing atleast 20 lbs by end of April, 2014. I will keep this thread updated as I progress and with changes I make. Let me know if you notice something that will guarantee me failure in this plan, other than that... HERE I GO!!! :happy:

Replies

  • Smamfa
    Smamfa Posts: 139 Member
    Personally I'd say 1200 is too low for Insanity. I looked into doing low carb and Insanity and petty much everything I read said it wasnt a good idea as you need the energy from the carbs to get through the workouts. Maybe try for a week and see how you feel. Insanity is truly insane - you'll never work out harder, so you need to fuel your body properly or you won't be able to give it 100%.

    Good luck:)
  • _Rani_
    _Rani_ Posts: 3
    Hmm, does is make a difference if I adjust it so that the net carbs is 1200, so I'd eat a little more to adjust for what I lost in the workout? Speaking of which, would you know how many calories is lost on average in one Insanity workout?
  • _Rani_
    _Rani_ Posts: 3
    Hmm, does is make a difference if I adjust it so that the net carbs is 1200, so I'd eat a little more to adjust for what I lost in the workout? Speaking of which, would you know how many calories is lost on average in one Insanity workout?
  • tmuellenberg
    tmuellenberg Posts: 265 Member
    1200 calories is definitely way too low. How many calories you burn in a workout greatly depends on your gender/weight/how hard you push yourself/etc. so the best way to know is to use a good heart rate monitor. That being said, I'll burn between 600-900 calories in a workout, but I'm probably on the high side. How much do you weigh right now?
  • StephTink76
    StephTink76 Posts: 318 Member
    I'm doing Atkins and Insanity (Month 1 Week 3).

    You need more than 1200 Calories...

    I set mine to Sedentary (I sit at a desk all day), and eat back approx 1/2 of my workout calories (sometimes more), depending on how crazy my day is...

    It's about energy levels... especially on Atkins... if you're too calorie restrictive, you're not going to have the energy for the workout.


    Add me if you like.

    Steph
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
    I've done Insanity twice and 1200 calories, no way. I was eating probably close to 1800-2400 cals a day (the higher end being in phase 2). And I'm a 5'6" female, started Insanity at around 220 lbs or so and got down to 198 by the end. Don't be afraid to eat, you need fuel for those long intense workouts!

    And low carb diets won't do you much good, you will need the carbs to get through these workouts.
  • amd1964
    amd1964 Posts: 2 Member
    I'm not sure how much you currently weigh and how much you need to loose.....that being said, 1200 cal is most likely too low. Remember the higher your BF% the higher you can make your caloric deficit.

    I am 15 lbs away from goal and do 2 sessions of cardio kickboxing/week plus 5 days of 1 hour zumba plus free weights. If I eat anything below 1500 on the days I work out I'm dying!

    I am also doing low carb. 1200 Net Carb is not correct. There are excellent books out there to help you better understand the low carb approach as well as many documentaries. I would suggest at minimum going to Youtube and looking for low carb documentaries. It will help you understand what the low carb lifestyle is and how to achieve it successfully. It is really strongly recommended for people with PCOS.

    By watching these docs on LowCarbHighFat you will start to understand that higher carb amounts are NOT necessary in order to do exercise. Look up the work of Dr Jeff Volek or Dr Stephen Phinney - leading researchers in this area.

    By the way....if you are doing Atkins striclty you will need to do Induction for a minimum of 2 -3 weeks before you start your exercise regime. You need to give your body a chance to switch over from buring carbs for energy to burning fat stores for energy. Once your body is "keto adapted" then start your exercise program. It just makes the transition much easier for you mentally, physically and emotionally.

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