START the Insanity

By now I think I should just be buying stock in the Beach Body programs. I've already purchased (and completed at least one round of) Slim in 6, TurboFire, and Chalean Extreme.

Slim in 6 really kick started my whole fitness regime way back in May 2010 and since I started working out I really haven't been able to stop. I workout 5-7 days per week (perhaps a little less when I'm away on holidays) and it feels fantastic. I have to push myself some (okay lots of) days to get myself off the couch but I'm always happy when I'm finished.

Am I healthier than I was before? It's hard to say whether fitness has had a great impact on my health because I also changed my diet to approximately 60/40 plant-based diet (60% veg) back in the summer. I'm still tired lots but I work crazy amount of shifts every month as a nurse. But I do think I am not nearly as tired as I would be had I not decided to start exercising. And I'm not sick very often, though I've never really gotten many colds or flus.

I really love all these programs and recommend them to my friends who complain about not having time to work out. What's great about them is that they can be done at home with very little equipment aside from the free weights (or resistance bands). And they travel with me. I just shove the DVDs, my runners, and a couple of resistance bands into my suitcase and I've got an instant workout, should the inclination hit when I'm away.

I think the only downside to working out with DVDs is that they can get boring and repetitive after a while. As much as I love Chalean Johnson's TurboFire & Extreme programs, I get tired of the same old workouts. And I suppose it's good to switch things up a bit.

I purchase the Insanity Workout yesterday and started it today. I'm a bit nervous because some of the reviews talk about people puking part way through some of the workouts, but I'll just do what I can right? Plus I'm still going to down my strength workouts at least three times a week and a little yoga for some flexibility. (And I wonder where all my time goes.)

On your first day you do a Fit Test to establish a baseline to see your improvement in the following weeks. You repeat the Fit Test every two weeks thereafter.

Here are my results. Just to keep myself honest.

Switch Kicks - 30

Power Jacks - 56

Power Knees - 80

Power Jumps - 25

Globe Jumps - 6

Suicide Jumps - 7

Push-Up Jacks - 11

Low Plank Oblique - 40

I completely suck at push-ups and suicide jumps (which are basically burpees), so I definitely want to see some improvement there. I attribute my reps with the first 4 moves to working with TurboFire.

Tomorrow the real work starts.

Just a small disclaimer. I am not selling these products, nor do I get any commission for recommending them. I've paid for all the programs myself.