This Love Hate Relationship is Insane!

Have you ever loved something you hated?  Or hated something you loved? I have, and it’s called INSANITY. Throughout the holidays and the usual winter blues, I realized my clothes had become just a tad too tight for comfort. I asked Santa for Insanity and on January 7th embarked on this insane 2 month journey.

You need a little bit of insanity to do great things
~ Henry Rollins

Day 1 is a Fit Test, designed to serve as a base so you can measure your progress every 2 weeks over the next 60 days. You count how many times you can do an exercise in a minute. And there are 8 exercises. Tania nearly tripled my every exercise and I quickly learned how much room I had for improvement.

In the beginning, it was a struggle. The nutrition plan was difficult to stick to and the workouts felt nearly impossible. It was cold and dark and all I really wanted at the end of each day were my pajamas and a glass of wine. Instead, I bought a scale, tape measure and even took that horrid winter bikini picture.

I stuck with it.  After about a week, every day got the slightest bit easier. Before I knew it, I was doing Insanity 6 days a week and actually liking it, loving it even. I gained a sense of motivation that I’ve only experienced while marathon training. Similarly, Insanity is as much of an emotional challenge as it is physical. Most importantly, I had re-prioritized working out. Insanity kept me on track for eating healthy and leaving work on time – 2 things I struggle with.

Control your life through insanity.
~ Cliff Burton

End of Month 1 – I weighed in, took my measurements and was disappointed. Although I knew I felt better (I could actually do push-ups! And had more energy!) I didn’t think I looked any different. Us females know that this is a huge de-motivator. I thought a month was enough time to see a difference and so I did some research. I learned that Month 2 is where most people see a difference. The problem is, it’s nearly impossible to do the Month 2 workouts until you’ve completed Month 1. I powered through my temptation of giving up.

Month 2 – Let’s just say, Month 2 felt like Day 1 all over again. It was an entirely new challenge. Every workout was harder and longer. There were nights that I wanted to skip, but I was committed. I was starting to see results. Now, I am happy to announce it’s been 71 days and I have officially finished the Insanity Workout plan. I will still continue on my journey with Insanity, but will be incorporating running and classes at my gym in between to keep my sanity.

The Results – 

Weight                         Chest                        Waist                         Arm (bicep)
Start: 134.2 lbs        Start: 35″                Start: 29″                 Start: 11  1/4″
End: 126 lbs              End: 32  1/2″         End: 27  1/2″         End: 11″
Loss: 8.2 lbs       Loss: 2  1/2″     Loss: 1  1/2″      Loss: 1/4″

Hips                            Butt                           Thigh
Start: 35  1/2″        Start: 39  1/2″      Start: 22″
End: 33  1/2″          End: 37  1/2″        End: 21  1/2″
Loss: 2″              Loss: 2″            Loss: 1/2″

Overall, I’m extremely happy I stuck with it. Through the ups and downs (no pun intended), I finished a goal of mine and am walking away happier, healthier and with a little bit of muscle. I have grown to love Shaun T. and more importantly, the results. Bikini season prep came early this year!

I’ve already influenced 3 people I know to get started and while I know it’s not for everyone, it’s worth a try!
Interested in other opinions on Insanity? Click here and here. Good luck!