Insanity not working - now what?

alouette
alouette Posts: 14
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi there. First post!

So, I'm part way through the third week of Insanity and I've still not lost any weight. In fact, I've put on a pound! I know this is common in the first week or two but it's coming up to the fourth now for me, and still, nothing. Maybe I've lost inches but if I have, it's very, very little and I personally don't notice any change. I've been eating healthily, between 1300 and 1700 calories a day. I'm 5'8" and 167 lbs. I hadn't done exercise in a couple years before I started Insanity and was pretty shocked that I managed quite well with it, never having to take a break, except, ironically during the Cardio "Recovery". I've followed the plan to the letter, except for one day when I was unwell, so I'm not sure what's going on really. I'm getting frustrated with the program and while I enjoyed it at first, because I felt like I was doing something good for my body, I now dread it because I don't really see the point if it doesn't help and it seems like a lot of pain for next to nothing in return.

I've been thinking about starting the 30DS instead, which would be a lot better with my current schedule but it is a lot less intense than Insanity and makes me wonder - if that didn't work, what will? I'd like to try weights at some point, but I don't have the money for the gym at the moment. I have resistance bands and access to P90x if I want it, but again, I wonder if this will work. I'm just not sure where to go from here, having started with pretty much the hardest thing I could think of! I don't want to give up on Insanity but the thought of it just depresses me and casts a shadow over my evening these days. Should I keep at it? If not, what else is there?

I have PCOS, which I suppose makes all this harder but I'm pretty much on all the medication I can have for it and it's not helping with the weight loss. I'm just very frustrated. This happens every time I try to lose weight. I'm 18 and I've been trying since I was 10 (didn't need to then, really). I don't want to give up but it just feels like an endless struggle. Sorry for the rant!

Thanks for any help.

Replies

  • alouette
    alouette Posts: 14
    Bump...
    I honestly just want to give up eating sometimes. It's the only thing that has ever worked.
  • missikay1970
    missikay1970 Posts: 588 Member
    i am starting insanity today, i am sorry to hear it's not working for you. i hope it works for me. *sigh*
    a friend of mine did it and lost inches but not pounds. i have PCOS too, it's hard to lose with that, but possible. research PCOS diet plans and follow. avoid sugar, caffeine and simple carbs.
  • sarahsxt
    sarahsxt Posts: 66
    Hi,

    I had the same experience with Insanity. I found that the program was too intense to see immediate weight loss on the scale because my body puts on muscle and retains water in order to facilitate recovery. It is a great program and if you stick with it you will see results by the end of the second month and for some people by the end of round 2. But if you want to see immediate weight loss - I recommend doing a milder form of cardio with strength training. Otherwise your scale will be slow to reflect changes because you are putting on muscle at the same time as losing fat - which I know can be discouraging.

    So its up to you :) but just know you're not alone, a lot of people find that with Insanity.
  • alouette
    alouette Posts: 14
    Thanks.:) I know it's worked really well for some people, it's probably just my body being silly!

    Maybe I should just be more patient, but it's hard to keep motivated when you've not seen even one tiny sign of it helping. I honestly had more success when I was doing zero exercise.
  • 2012asv
    2012asv Posts: 702 Member
    First of all, there is no workout program that will yield the same results for EVERYONE. Also, if you are following this program exactly as recommended than perhaps you are blaming the wrong part of the equation. Maybe its not the exercise but the food? What do you eat and how much? If your body is not releasing fat it may be because you're not feeding it enough...? Also, are you drinking enough water? When I'm not good about water i tend to hold on to my weight longer.

    It can take several weeks for your body to adjust. I would not recommend giving up... Esp. if you know you have a condition that makes it harder to lost weight. You have to remind yourself that this is a long process. It takes a lot more work to get the pounds off than it does on. If Insanity is not for you that's one thing, but if you are only quitting because you're not seeing immediate results, than I dont think you should quit. Any program you do will take time.

    Also, take measurements!!! Inches is the name of the game! Ultimately you want smaller clothing sizes right? Hang in there girl.... You've come farther than many ppl already. Keep your head up!! :D
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    You're making the one mistake EVERYONE makes when doing something like this:

    You're weighing yourself, using the scale to track your progress.

    Take your scale and put it away until after you've completed the entire 60 days. Stop weighing yourself right now. I can guarantee you it IS working, just not in ways the scale can track.

    *prepares to get jumped on by female users*

    This is why women are so much more likely to fall off the wagon than men. Women for whatever reason seem to place a higher value on weight alone.

    "oh, my pants fit better and I'm seeing more definition. but because the scale says the same thing I must not be losing anything." WRONG!

    If you're active doing anything that's high intensity and incorporates a form of resistance training (lot of calisthenics/bodyweight training in Insanity) you will see muscle gain and water retention. Of course you'll see better results ACCORDING TO THE SCALE when not doing exercise and just dieting because you're not GAINING anything. You're not gaining muscle and you're not retaining water. You're just losing body mass which is both MUSCLE AND FAT.

    Now, get back to it and don't weigh yourself. At all.
  • alouette
    alouette Posts: 14
    I know it's not all about weight, I just wouldn't have thought I would put on a lb. And it would be okay if my clothes were fitting better, but they really aren't.

    I think I'm eating enough but school makes us have their lunches and though I try and pick the healthier options, obviously I don't know what goes into it.

    Typical day would be:

    Breakfast: Porridge with a tsp honey and some raisins
    Lunch: (If I'm not at school) A 2-egg omelette with mushrooms, cheese and a slice of ham. If I'm at school then a jacket potato with beans or something.
    Dinner: Grilled chicken/fish with veg and a little couscous or similar.
    Snacks: An egg on toast or some hummus. Some strawberries/other fruit and some almonds.

    Just as an example. I've upped my water intake since I started exercising and now drink around 8 glasses a day.
  • MaryinBflo
    MaryinBflo Posts: 437 Member
    I totally know how you feel! I was getitng frustrated too and I FINALLY lost some weight during the recovery week when you are not doing as intense workouts (But still good cardo) I think that goes along the line that these are intense workouts. I am now in week 2 of month 2 and holding what I lost in the recovery week. I have had a couple slip ups with my food but I do find when I'm on track I don't lose unless I eat AT LEAST 1800 calories. You are buring a LOT of calories so you n eed to make sure you are eating enough as well as not eating too much.

    Keep at it I am sure it's improving your fitness level IF NOTHING ELSE!
  • alouette
    alouette Posts: 14
    I totally know how you feel! I was getitng frustrated too and I FINALLY lost some weight during the recovery week when you are not doing as intense workouts (But still good cardo) I think that goes along the line that these are intense workouts. I am now in week 2 of month 2 and holding what I lost in the recovery week. I have had a couple slip ups with my food but I do find when I'm on track I don't lose unless I eat AT LEAST 1800 calories. You are buring a LOT of calories so you n eed to make sure you are eating enough as well as not eating too much.

    Keep at it I am sure it's improving your fitness level IF NOTHING ELSE!

    Thanks :)
    Yes, I'm sure it is improving my fitness a bit, though I didn't do very well on the second fit test :/
    Out of interest, have you lost inches with Insanity?
  • workout_junkee
    workout_junkee Posts: 473 Member
    You need to give it more time. Many do not see weight results until month two. Also, the scale is a horrible measure. You need to try measurements.

    The only way I would suggest 30DS over insanity is if Insanity is too hard. If time is an issue I would look into JM's Body Revolution or Turbo Fire.
  • SGRhapsodos
    SGRhapsodos Posts: 47
    I put on weight (muscle) like crazy when I was doing high intense interval training. I had to stop because it was wreaking havoc on my adrenals. The number on the scale usually means water retained by the muscles.
  • cortezpj
    cortezpj Posts: 129 Member
    You're making the one mistake EVERYONE makes when doing something like this:

    You're weighing yourself, using the scale to track your progress.

    Take your scale and put it away until after you've completed the entire 60 days. Stop weighing yourself right now. I can guarantee you it IS working, just not in ways the scale can track.

    *prepares to get jumped on by female users*

    This is why women are so much more likely to fall off the wagon than men. Women for whatever reason seem to place a higher value on weight alone.

    "oh, my pants fit better and I'm seeing more definition. but because the scale says the same thing I must not be losing anything." WRONG!

    If you're active doing anything that's high intensity and incorporates a form of resistance training (lot of calisthenics/bodyweight training in Insanity) you will see muscle gain and water retention. Of course you'll see better results ACCORDING TO THE SCALE when not doing exercise and just dieting because you're not GAINING anything. You're not gaining muscle and you're not retaining water. You're just losing body mass which is both MUSCLE AND FAT.

    Now, get back to it and don't weigh yourself. At all.

    Well said. I agree with what you mentioned about weighing yourself too often. I followed the advice that I saw here on MFP and limit my stepping on the scale to just once a week, what I've designated as Weigh-In-Wednesdays. I've noticed that I don't put as much emphasis on my number but more on how I feel overall. Thanks for the post.
  • lpbm5
    lpbm5 Posts: 63 Member
    Are you eating the calories you get from exercising?? It seems to me like you're not eating enough.
  • crazy8ts
    crazy8ts Posts: 360
    Are you eating the calories you get from exercising?? It seems to me like you're not eating enough.

    Same question I had... at 1300 to 1700 a day, while working out six days a week, you might be peaking at anywhere between 800 and 1200 calories a day... you might be unwittingly driving your body into starvation and slowing your metabolism... just a thought...
  • lpbm5
    lpbm5 Posts: 63 Member
    Completely agree with Crazy9ts.
  • alouette
    alouette Posts: 14
    I guess that is possible. :(

    I find it difficult to eat a lot of calories eating only healthy food to be honest. Any suggestions for healthy but calorie-dense food? Apart from nuts, which I've recently started eating.

    Unfortunately I don't have and can't afford a HRM at the moment, so I'm not sure how many calories I'm burning. I wasn't (and I'm still not) at any great fitness level. Was always awful at school sports and it's put me off exercise for years, so maybe I'm burning more than I think since I doubt my endurance levels are very high at all. It's all so confusing.

    By the way, thanks so much for the help and advice everyone. You've persuaded me to see the rest of the programme out, if only out of stubbornness :p
  • lpbm5
    lpbm5 Posts: 63 Member
    Have you considered healthy/healthier desserts? Like sorbet, fruit bars, pudding, frozen yogurt/light churned ice cream? I'm a sucker for dessert. ;)
  • BigRich822
    BigRich822 Posts: 681
    Wow It is extremely hard for med to believe you never needed a break, I am in great shape and still needed breaks and I was 12% bodyfat before I started and in 6 weeks I lost 15lbs and Im down to 9% bodyfat. Either you are not eating right or not working out hard enough. Insanity is no joke it works!!!!!!!!!
  • Josie_lifting_cats
    Josie_lifting_cats Posts: 949 Member
    I did 30DS for a month, and didn't lose a pound.

    Then I started Ripped after I finished 30DS, and I still didn't lose any weight.

    Take measurements now. Do it every two weeks. I guarantee you will notice a different, whether it's Insanity or 30DS. I highly recommend it!
  • mmmyotwnz
    mmmyotwnz Posts: 119 Member
    *prepares to get jumped on by female users*

    This is why women are so much more likely to fall off the wagon than men. Women for whatever reason seem to place a higher value on weight alone.

    "oh, my pants fit better and I'm seeing more definition. but because the scale says the same thing I must not be losing anything." WRONG!

    If you're active doing anything that's high intensity and incorporates a form of resistance training (lot of calisthenics/bodyweight training in Insanity) you will see muscle gain and water retention. Of course you'll see better results ACCORDING TO THE SCALE when not doing exercise and just dieting because you're not GAINING anything. You're not gaining muscle and you're not retaining water. You're just losing body mass which is both MUSCLE AND FAT.

    Now, get back to it and don't weigh yourself. At all.






    You are right! We do!
  • kittycraft
    kittycraft Posts: 17
    I did Insanity quite a while ago and I didn't lose any weight during the first half or so (it began to pick up toward the end), but I definitely noticed a change in my legs and butt immediately. They just looked tighter. I wish I had taken measurements before beginning, but I'm pretty sure I lost some thigh inches. I think my waist and arms stayed pretty constant. I also noticed that I was way more flexible after having done Insanity. I was really surprised that I didn't lose more weight when starting because I was very overweight, but eh, I looked better and felt better so who cares. Even if you're not doing it for 100% weight loss anymore, do it just to prove to yourself that you can.
  • daterminedfatburnerX
    daterminedfatburnerX Posts: 346 Member
    You probably gained weight but lost inches thats why measuring before insanity is very important
  • beachdiva2010
    beachdiva2010 Posts: 180 Member
    Personally, I don't think you are eating nearly enough. I'm 5'4, 139 and am eating TDEE -15% at 1769 cal. I do not eat back unless I'm under my BMR.
  • gr8pillock
    gr8pillock Posts: 374 Member
    You're making the one mistake EVERYONE makes when doing something like this:

    You're weighing yourself, using the scale to track your progress.

    Take your scale and put it away until after you've completed the entire 60 days. Stop weighing yourself right now. I can guarantee you it IS working, just not in ways the scale can track.

    *prepares to get jumped on by female users*

    This is why women are so much more likely to fall off the wagon than men. Women for whatever reason seem to place a higher value on weight alone.

    "oh, my pants fit better and I'm seeing more definition. but because the scale says the same thing I must not be losing anything." WRONG!

    If you're active doing anything that's high intensity and incorporates a form of resistance training (lot of calisthenics/bodyweight training in Insanity) you will see muscle gain and water retention. Of course you'll see better results ACCORDING TO THE SCALE when not doing exercise and just dieting because you're not GAINING anything. You're not gaining muscle and you're not retaining water. You're just losing body mass which is both MUSCLE AND FAT.

    Now, get back to it and don't weigh yourself. At all.

    I actually JUST Started trying to break myself of the weight obsessed habit. I went a month and a half only losing approximately five pounds and was going nuts, then tried on a pair of size 11 jeans and they fit... I was a 14 at the beginning of that month and a half. I decided to start taking measurements and measure my body fat % every few weeks instead.

    It's so freakin true. guru. :P
  • alkencka
    alkencka Posts: 10
    I use insanity (third week in), only lost 1 pound, but I have lost inches. I think I am not eating enuf. But what is interesting, when you go onto beachbody.com and look at the comparison of products, Insanity is not listing under Weight Loss.

    http://www.beachbody.com/category/fitness_programs/compare_fitness_programs.do#2

    It is listed under Cardio/Fat Burning, but not Weight Loss workouts.
  • RumbleGear1
    RumbleGear1 Posts: 1
    Yeah I have the same problem. Except for me I'm already in the 2nd month and still no results... Iv'e been eating healthy like eggs, oatmeal, tuna salads and what not. But I'm not really happy with my weight. The difference between you and me though is that I'm 205 and I feel very uncomfortable with my weight. And I've been uncomfortable for years. This is about the 5th attempt at insanity and this is the farthest I've gotten and I'm committed to finish, but I thought I would at least got some sort if results by now...

    I can see more definition in my arms though. My biceps are harder and I can sometimes see veins in my hands and forearms, my back seems pretty defined from all those push ups, and my calves are definitely popping up more,so that's a plus. But no matter what i do I can't seem to get rid of my belly fat, or my.. Excuse me.. "Man breasts" that are very unnatural and uncomfortable for me being a guy...

    All that aside though I'm gonna keep going and you should too, I know this post is a couple years old, so i don't know if you reached your goal or not, but don't stop whatever you do :)
  • rishro29
    rishro29 Posts: 1
    I did insanity for a month (plan on starting over next week) and I'm not gonna lie. I didn't lose ANY weight until over a month or two after I had stopped insanity. You gain a LOT of muscle with insanity (and remember muscle weighs more than fat). Don't only pay attention to what you weigh on the scale but get into the habit of measuring yourself. I lost about 8 inches over my whole body just doing insanity for a month. Don't get discouraged.

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