NEED HELP WITH INSANITY

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Hi! I have started Insanity 3 weeks ago and I haven't noticed anything come off. In fact, I have actually gained weight and I don't feel any better in my clothes. Also, Insanity has turned me into a black hole! I am ALWAYS hungry. I don't understand how I can work myself SO hard and deny myself food when I am legitimately hungry. I am averaging 1800-2100 calories a day and I know that's why I am not losing anything. Any help? Anyway I can avoid being hungry all the time?

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  • savvystephy
    savvystephy Posts: 4,151 Member
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    Being hungry all the time is a definite side effect of programs like Insanity. Try to eat really healthy foods - like snack on veggies & fruits. Eat protein. Get a lot of fiber. If we could see your food diary, we might be able to give you some better suggestions to help you out.
  • MsHQ
    MsHQ Posts: 8 Member
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    Hi, I understand how you feel, but really I have done Insanity, and im gonna say that you probably won't see results until the end of the program.. and they may not be as drastic as you may like, however, the fact that you are always hungry shows that your metabolism has sped up and you may also need to be eating more often. Try eating 6 times a day and about 400 to 500 cals per meal. breakfast being the biggest meal, and dinner the smallest. Also, try to follow the INSANITY meal plan as closely as possible, because without following that meal plan, your chances of getting the best possible results are gonna fall short.

    I will say also, to stick it out... and even if you have to do more than one round, (which most do) then do that! Just don't give up.. it takes a lot to get to where you wanna be, but it will all be worth it. =)
  • Shizzman
    Shizzman Posts: 527 Member
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    In regards to being hungry all the time fat cells send a signal about when they have enough calories hence part of the reason for feeling hungry all the time. Try to make sure you are eating better quality food even if you end up eating a bit more of a quantity of food.

    The spike could be due to many things such as muscle growing before fat loss, water...it all depends on how much weight and various factors
  • Zelsawaf
    Zelsawaf Posts: 111 Member
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    I actually just started my recovery week yesterday. I was struggling the first few weeks and had the same problem with a slight gain initially. I found that if I drank a lot of water, and tried to eat on a more regular basis, as well as stick to 5-7 smaller meals throughout the day I started seeing much better results. After doing that I went from a .5 pound gain over the first two weeks to a 4.5 pound loss after the second two. I hope that helps.

    Another thing you may want to do is get a heart rate monitor and really make sure you're pushing yourself. I don't have one (I'll be getting one soon) and always purposely underestimate my calorie intake from it. It's possible that you're eating too many/not enough of your calories after the workouts.
  • casie05
    casie05 Posts: 48 Member
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    I've done insanity twice. The first time I didn't lose as much bc I was following the nutrition plan. The second time I lost 20 lbs.
    Also when starting a new workout program u will gain weight bc ur tearing ur muscle fibers and ur body is holding onto fluid so it can repair itself. After the first 2-3 weeks u should start to see the weight fall off. Hope that helps!
  • TranceGirl
    TranceGirl Posts: 121 Member
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    Thanks so much for all your insight! Glad to know I am not alone in this. I find that the hardest time of the day for me to eat healthy is between 2-5pm. It's a few hours before lunch and I have a long commute home from work so that's when I have a lot of problems controlling myself. How do you guys eat healthy when you're not at home and you don't always have time to pack a full day's worth of food?
  • lovecola06
    lovecola06 Posts: 180 Member
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    It looks like we started Insanity around the same time.. I'd love to see your food diary so that I could better judge why you are so hungry. Your snacks should be higher protein to keep you fuller longer. I eat constantly throughout the day, so that I'm almost never really hungry. I upped my calories several times in order to get to that point. Maybe you should consider upping your calories?? I know a lot of people say that the most weight loss results will come during Month 2 of Insanity. I too am not super happy with my weight loss results of the past 3 weeks, but I know that patience is key. Keep pushing yourself as hard as you can during your workouts. I try to keep my HRM reading around 85% of my max during the workouts. Good luck! Feel free to add me as a friend for some extra motivation/support.:flowerforyou:
  • coolcatcan
    coolcatcan Posts: 133 Member
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    I am on my 2nd month of Insanity and it is pretty intense. Everything you are feeling is normal. I went through the same thing (first started with P90X) and I am now 23lbs lighter, at my goal weight and use Insanity to stay fit. Could it be that you are seeing muscle gain? I get pretty hungry after exercising too, so I eat lean protein, lots of fruits and veggies. I do not eat added sugars and I have oat bran every morning (that has really helped me). Do you have a recovery drink after you exercise? I drink chocolate muscle milk, that will help with the hunger as well as help rebuild muscle.

    I'm not a professional, just speaking through experience.....my advice is to hang in there, keep tracking calories, add more lean protein to your diet. You'll see results, be patient. I couldn't believe how much of an emotional roller coaster this process would be. I started in January at 131lbs and I now weigh 108 lbs. You can do it...stay determined, committed, and focused and you'll get there!

    Good luck!
  • TranceGirl
    TranceGirl Posts: 121 Member
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    BTW, this is definitely the hardest thing I have ever done in my life! :) It is a lot of fun though!
  • TranceGirl
    TranceGirl Posts: 121 Member
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    I am on my 2nd month of Insanity and it is pretty intense. Everything you are feeling is normal. I went through the same thing (first started with P90X) and I am now 23lbs lighter, at my goal weight and use Insanity to stay fit. Could it be that you are seeing muscle gain? I get pretty hungry after exercising too, so I eat lean protein, lots of fruits and veggies. I do not eat added sugars and I have oat bran every morning (that has really helped me). Do you have a recovery drink after you exercise? I drink chocolate muscle milk, that will help with the hunger as well as help rebuild muscle.

    I'm not a professional, just speaking through experience.....my advice is to hang in there, keep tracking calories, add more lean protein to your diet. You'll see results, be patient. I couldn't believe how much of an emotional roller coaster this process would be. I started in January at 131lbs and I now weigh 108 lbs. You can do it...stay determined, committed, and focused and you'll get there!

    Good luck!

    Thank you! I will definitely be sticking this out. Does Muscle Milk make you bulky? I am already pretty muscular so I am not trying to add on much more muscle but rather trying to tighten everything up and loose the last 10-15 pounds I've been dying to loose since HS years. I don't have a proper recovery drink right now but if you like Muscle Milk I will try it. I really love Luna Bars though and I eat at least 1 of those every day.
  • coolcatcan
    coolcatcan Posts: 133 Member
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    No, muscle milk does not make you bulky. I am pretty lean. I have muscle definition on my legs which I love because I haven't seen muscle since my dancing days (jazz not pole :~) ) I also love it because it's so effective and so yummy and loaded with the protein my body needs after a workout. I look at as my chocolate fix with benefits. I also do a pre-workout drink called No Extreme N Zero The Lean Machine that is terrific for doing Insanity. Not only does it energize me with vitamins (has some caffeine), but it helps burn fat cells, strengthens and defines and has muscle protection and it's Creatine free. I love it, but I do have to warn that it is expensive ($50-$60 at GNC). I think this was a wonderful find for me because it helps me stay focused throughout my workout and all the added benefits was a bonanza for me. Maybe we can motivate each other through our Insanity workouts. I'll send you a friend request and then you can see what I do and eat and vice versa. We can help each other out!

    Also, if you want to keep your calories low, they make a muscle milk light which is 100 calories and 15g of protein (this is what I drink). Chocolate, in my opinion, is the best tasting.
  • eericson51
    eericson51 Posts: 57 Member
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    I'm in the same boat...I am just finishing up week 4, and no weight loss or inches. Hopefully next month will bring on the weight loss!
  • swtjen01
    swtjen01 Posts: 1
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    Wow! I can't believe some have gained weight while doing Isanity. My question is how fit are you to begin with? People who are in pretty good shape won't lose weight a fast as someone who is 30 pounds overweight. For me I like to weigh around 140. I'm 5'8. To get me down to 135 I have to just about break my neck and diet like a feind.

    I had gained about ten pounds and in my first week of Insanity I lost 8 pounds and I didn't change my diet a bit. To be honest I've never been one to stick to diets. I never did finish the second part of Insanity due to a pain above my left knee that drove me crazy.

    This time I am trying again and making sure to wear a brace and make sure I don't over extend. I have noticed this time that I am STARVING after I work out..which is weird. Usually I'm not hungry after a workout. I am exceptionally sore this time as well where I was the first time. I am using Secretagogue-One for my recovery drink. It is awesome