ChaLEAN Extreme/INSANITY/P90X Hybrid Workout

So, as I have no problem telling people, I have (self-diagnosed) ADD. I LOVE the workout programs with Beachbody, but as soon as they come out with a new, shiny program, my attention goes right to that one and my attention goes right to that (like, this is pretty cool, I love this, oh wait, what's that over there?). It's a problem, I know, and makes it a challenge to get through a whole program :) So, I decided I'm going to try something different, a hybrid workout. I really want to do INSANITY again (every so often I do an INSANITY workout, and I've started an INSANITY Fit Club on Wednesday nights, so now I'm into INSANITY again ) but I really love ChaLEAN Extreme too. Just for good measure, this throws in some of the amazing P90X too! That's why I've tracked down this hybrid schedule that I'm going to give a whirl:

Month 1 -

Week 1

• Monday - ChaLEAN Extreme Burn Circuit 1 & Ab Burner
• Tuesday - Insanity Plyo Cardio Circuit
• Wednesday - Insanity Upper Body Weight Training
• Thursday - Fountain of Youth Yoga
• Friday - ChaLEAN Extreme Burn Circuit 3 & Insanity Cardio Abs
• Saturday - Insanity Pure Cardio
• Sunday - Off

Week 2

• Monday - ChaLEAN Extreme Burn Circuit 2
• Tuesday - Insanity Pure Cardio
• Wednesday - Insanity Upper Body Weight Training & Ab Burner
• Thursday - P90X Yoga X
• Friday - ChaLEAN Extreme Burn Circuit 1 & Insanity Cardio Abs
• Saturday - Insanity Plyo Cardio Circuit
• Sunday - Off

Week 3

• Monday - ChaLEAN Extreme Burn Circuit 3 & Ab Burner
• Tuesday - Insanity Plyo Cardio Circuit
• Wednesday - Insanity Upper Body Weight Training
• Thursday - Fountain of Youth Yoga
• Friday - ChaLEAN Extreme Burn Circuit 2 & Insanity Cardio Abs
• Saturday - Insanity Pure Cardio
• Sunday - Off

Week 4

• Monday - ChaLEAN Extreme Burn Circuit 1
• Tuesday - Insanity Plyo Cardio
• Wednesday - Insanity Upper Body Weight Training & Insanity Cardio Abs
• Thursday - P90X Yoga X
• Friday - ChaLEAN Extreme Burn Circuit 3 & Ab Burner
• Saturday - Insanity Plyo Cardio Circuit
• Sunday - Off

Week 5 - RECOVERY WEEK

• Monday - ChaLEAN Extreme Recharge
• Tuesday - Insanity Cardio Recovery
• Wednesday - Insanity Pure Cardio
• Thursday - Fountain of Youth Yoga
• Friday - ChaLEAN Extreme Recharge
• Saturday - Fountain of Youth Yoga
• Sunday - Off

Month 2 -

Week 6

• Monday - ChaLEAN Extreme Push Circuit 1 & Ab Burner
• Tuesday - Insanity Max Interval Plyo
• Wednesday - Insanity Upper Body Weight Training
• Thursday - P90X Yoga X
• Friday - ChaLEAN Extreme Push Circuit 3 & Insanity Cardio Abs
• Saturday - InsanityMax Interval Circuit
• Sunday - Off

Week 7

• Monday - ChaLEAN Extreme Push Circuit 2
• Tuesday - Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning
• Wednesday - Insanity Upper Body Weight Training & Insanity Cardio Abs
• Thursday - Fountain of Youth Yoga
• Friday - ChaLEAN Extreme Push Circuit 1 & Ab Burner
• Saturday - Insanity Max Interval Sports Training
• Sunday - Off

Week 8

• Monday - ChaLEAN Extreme Push Circuit 3 & Insanity Cardio Abs
• Tuesday - Insanity Plyo Cardio Circuit
• Wednesday - Insanity Upper Body Weight Training
• Thursday - P90X Yoga X
• Friday - ChaLEAN Extreme Push Circuit 2 & Ab Burner
• Saturday - Insanity Max Interval Circuit
• Sunday - Off

Week 9

• Monday - ChaLEAN Extreme Push Circuit 1 & Ab Burner
• Tuesday - Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning
• Wednesday - Insanity Upper Body Weight Training & Insanity Cardio Abs
• Thursday - Fountain of Youth Yoga
• Friday - ChaLEAN Extreme Push Circuit 3
• Saturday - Insanity Max Interval Sport Training
• Sunday - Off

Week 10 -

RECOVERY WEEK

• Monday - ChaLEAN Extreme Recharge
• Tuesday - Insanity Cardio Recovery
• Wednesday - Insanity Pure Cardio
• Thursday - Fountain of Youth Yoga
• Friday - ChaLEAN Extreme Recharge
• Saturday - Fountain of Youth Yoga
• Sunday - Off

The Fountain of Youth Yoga is a Tony Horton One on One DVD that can be purchased by going HERE.

To check out and purchase INSANITY, click HERE.

To check out and purchase ChaLEAN Extreme, click HERE.

To check out and purchase P90X, click HERE.

I will post updates periodically and welcome any questions, comments, or joiners!

Insanity- Day 5 Pure Cardio

This Insanity workout really was pure cardio, but I really had fun doing it. I still am not able to totally keep up with everyone on the DVD, so I just go as hard as I can. I burned over 400 calories by the time I was done too!

One thing I am really liking able the Insanity workouts is the stretching. I have always been pretty tight in the hamstrings (even though I teach yoga) & Shaun T. focuses a lot on stretching. I could tell today that I am getting deeper into the stretches & I feel a lot less tight all over too.

I know that this is working (how could it not?). My face is thinner, my belly flatter, my arms are getting more defined & my energy level is up. I feel lighter too, but I'm not stepping on the scale until Monday.

Meal plans for the day:

• Meal 1- Double Chocolate Shakeology with 1 T. powdered peanut butter 350 calories
  
• Meal 2- Apple & 20 almonds 188 calories
• Meal 3- Chicken, Spinach & Ricotta Quesadillas 304 calories
• Meal 4- Mushroom & Barley Soup & Banana 280 calories
• Meal 5- Turkey Sandwich & Almond Granola Bar 380 calories Total: 1502 calories

Yesterday, I only burned around 1375 calories, by the time I took off the heart monitor. Not too good, but the workout yesterday wasn't a massive calorie burner overall.

Although a good portion of this posts in this blog are going to be about my fitness routines, I have lots of things gurgling around in my head that I want to write about too. So be on the look out for other types of posts too!

Insanity- Day 4 Cardio Recovery

Recovery is right! Although this Insanity workout wasn't nearly as hard as the others so far, it still had it's challenging moments. Shaun T. has us holding squats which really make the quads burn, doing a variety of plank exercises (my favorite!) & holding lunges too. It was basically a power type yoga class. Nice & refreshing & helped work some of the soreness out of the muscles!

My eating was spot on yesterday. Instead of keeping a food journal of what I have eaten, I am making out the menu the night before. That way, I have everything ready to go, calories counted & mind set on what to eat for the day. If I do slip up or skip eating something, I'm adding that in.

Here is the menu for today:

• Meal 1- Double Greenberry Shakeology 320 calories
• Meal 2- Oatmeal, banana, 20 almonds 388 calories
• Meal 3- Homemade veggie soup & turkey sandwich 400 calories
• Meal 4- Apple & almond granola bar 240 calories
• Meal 5- Chicken, Spinach & Ricotta Cheese Quesdillas 306 calories (I'm planning to have 2)

Total: 1624 calories

I took my blood pressure yesterday. It was 100/60, which I am proud to announce. I also burned 1925 calories, according to my heart rate monitor.

I have to say, I really am enjoying this, in a weird, twisted way. It is hard, no doubt about that. But, even after just 4 days, I can tell I have more energy, mental alertness, less pudgy & bloated. It is fun to be challenged in a way that I wouldn't necessarily do just on my own. Although I realize it is going to continue to be tough & challenging, I am looking forward to seeing the results I get from this.

Insanity- Day 3 Cardio Power & Resistance

Insanity, Day 3. What can I say? I'm more sore than I have been in recent memory. I do have more energy too though, afterwards. I ended up feeling a bit queasy in the tummy shortly after finishing this workout. It has pretty much passed now.

So, my favorite part of this one was the V pushups. This exercise you do by being in a downward dog sort of position & then do a pushup movement. Never done one quite like that before. Definitely felt it, that's for sure!

I did start wearing out towards the end again. Hoping as time goes on I can keep going hard, even at the end. I guess I will see the improvement when I do the fit test again.

Food wise, stuck pretty close to the plan. The oatmeal spilled over in the microwave, so only ate about half of that. I didn't end up eating the granola bar. I did eat 2 chocolate chip cookie bars after dinner & had a glass of severly watered down lemonade with dinner, so hopefully it pretty much balanced out. I did burn 2050 calories by the time I took the heart rate monitor off, so still had a calorie deficit by
my calculations.

The meal plan today is similar to yesterday's. This is the plan:

• Meal 1- double chocolate Shakeology 325 calories
• Meal 2- oatmeal with 20 almonds 288 calories
• Meal 3- homemade veggie soup & turkey sandwich 400 calories
• Meal 4- banana & almond granola bar 280 calories
• Meal 5- taco salad 420 calories
  Total: 1713 calories

I burned 250 calories with this mornings workout & am planning on doing some running this evening, so should be creating a pretty good calorie deficit today!

I did decide to order the Results & Recovery Formula that Shaun T. recommends. I really hope that it will work as it says, to help recover faster & see better results. Will keep you posted!

Insanity- Day 2 Plyo Cardio Circuit

Started Insanity Day 2 off being a bit sore from the fit test yesterday. Not too bad, but enough to confirm that I did in fact do some work yesterday. Good to know.

Hadn't watched the plyo cardio circuit dvd, so wasn't really sure what I was in for, but I did start off pretty strong, I think. Looked at the heart rate monitor a few times, & each time it was in the 160's, so I know I was working at a pretty good pace.

So, once I got towards the end, I did start to peter out a bit. There is a spot where Shaun T. tells you to look into his eyes & dig deeper, & that seemed to help for a few seconds anyway. Then there is the dramatic music towards the end, like in a movie when the hero is determined to finish what he (or she) is doing, to make it to the end. I found it a bit amusing, thinking like that.

Overall, I did push myself, I did burn 300 calories, according to the heart rate monitor, & I am feeling soreish but energetic. And, I didn't feel ill afterwards like yesterday. That may be due to the fact that I didn't eat before hand. Thought I would try that out to see how I felt, & I felt pretty good.

Next is cardio power & resistance. I think I am going to try to watch some of it today so I can have an idea of what I am in for.

Another aspect of Insanity is the eating plan. Didn't do the greatest yesterday, so last night I went through the Elite Nutrition book & wrote out what I was going to eat today. The plan is based on 5 meals & eating 40% protein, 40% carb & 20% fat. Each meal contains approximately 300 calories, & has instructions about how to scale it up to either 400 or 500 calories depending on your individual caloric needs. Therefore, these five meals a day will provide anywhere from 1500 calories to 2500 calories per day.

I used the Harris Bendedict Equation to determine my caloric needs. This formula determines your basal energy requirements, which is the energy required to maintain your current weight without exercise.

For women: 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years).
This number for me is 1289.1
Then you determine your activity level.

• If you are sedentary, your exercise factor is 1.2
• If you are lightly active, your exercise factor is 1.375
• If you are moderately active, your exercise factor is 1.55
• If you are very active, your exercise factor is 1.7
• If you are extremely active, your exercise factor is 1.9

So you take your total from the equation, & multiply it by your exercise factor. That gives me a number of 2191.47. That is how many calories I can consume a day, if I have exercised & been active, without gaining or losing weight. If I wanted to lose weight, I would knock off 500 to 750 calories from what I eat & if I want to gain weight, add about that much. Females can't go below 1200 calories without suffering & males can't go below 1500.

Here is my food plan for today:

• Meal 1- Double Greenberry Shakeology with unsweetened almond milk & 1/2 OJ= 370 calories
• Meal 2- Oatmeal & 20 almonds= 288 calories
• Meal 3- Homemade veggie soup & turkey sandwich= 390 calories
• Meal 4- Almond granola bar & apple= 280 calories
• Meal 5- Hamburger, corn, baked beans= 454 calories

This puts me at around 1782 calories for the day, 409 below my active metabolic rate.

I also didn't post a few starting measurements. Right now, I'm at 122 lbs & 13% body fat (15.9 lbs); 86.1% lean body mass (106.1 lbs); body water 35.9 L. Not too bad of a starting off point. I will get my "before" pics put up in the next few days too.

That's all I have for now!

Insanity- Day 1 Fit Test

Okay, just finished my Insanity Fit Test a little while ago. Have to say, I feel a bit pukey. I burned nearly 200 calories. I did better on some of the fit test than I thought. Overall, I think it will be an interesting journey.

Here are the fit test results:
Day 1
Switch kicks: 125
Power jacks: 56
Power knees: 98
Power jumps: 66
Globe jumps: 9
Sucide jumps: 16
Pushup Jacks: 20
Low Plank Ob: 36

Be back tomorrow to give you an update & review of plyometric cardio curcuit. In the meantime, you can follow me on facebook at www.facebook.com/iowagirl69 and on twitter at www.twitter.com/iowagirl69. If you want more information on Insanity, check out http://www.extremehealth4life.com/.
Until tomorrow, my friends!
Rebecca

My Journey to Insanity Begins Today!

I finally did it. I got "Insanity", the most recent Beachbody workout program. It is made by Shaun T. of Hip Hop Abs fame, and is touted as "the hardest workout program ever put on DVD". From what I've read & the video blogs I've seen, it really is & I am a bit nervous.

I've used plenty of the Beachbody programs, as well as other forms of exercise. The thing is, I seem to suffer from ADD, & end up wanting to try something new after a few weeks of doing pretty much the same program. I am determined to stick with the 60 days of "Insanity", which is one reason why I am going to blog about it. I hope by doing so, I not only keep myself accountable, but also help motivate others.

That being said, I am off to do my fit test. I will come back later to share the results of the intial test. And check out the "Before" pics. I definitely plan on making an improvement there!