Day 63: JOURNEY'S END: Final Results

As I was not home yesterday because of the holiday, I decided to finish on day 63 anyway, and did both my final workout (Max Cardio Conditioning) and the fit test today. A perfectly insane ending. So I started today as I started day 1, with a bowl of pumpkin oatmeal, and went right into the fit test. Oh, and before we get into the final photos, just in case you're thinking this is all well-polished and lip-glossed bliss, here's me at right after the final workout. The REAL Insanity.

I lay on the floor and sobbed after the final fit test this morning. I'm not sure why, whether it was happiness, sadness, relief, or a culmination of all of the health stuff that's happened to me since last fall. This felt like such an enormous physical and mental accomplishment after such a serious illness that I think the fruition of it all was just overwhelming. I was nervous about taking this today after the holiday and all of the eating yesterday. I thought I'd be scrambling to match my day 33 numbers (note that I skipped the fourth fit test), but I killed it -- not only that, but I beat the participants on most of the exercises! Take that, Tonya. You have been served.

Exercise	Day 1	Day 16	Day 33	Day 63	Change (Since Day 33)	TOTAL CHANGE
Switch Kicks	116	121	122	150	23%	29.3%
Power Jacks	48	53	56	67	19.6%	39.6%
Power Knees	91	105	110	116	5.5%	27.5%
Power Jumps	27	33	34	40	17.7%	48.1%
Globe Jumps	7	10	11	13	18.2%	85.7%
Suicide Jumps	17	18	18	19	5.6%	11.8%
Pushup Jacks	20	24	28	32	14.3%	60%
Plank oblique	75	74	89	102	14.6%	36%

Note that this is an average of 14.8% improvement over my prior fit test during the recovery week, and an improvement of 42.25% overall!

I took a short break before taking on the final Max Cardio Conditioning, but even so, my legs just did not want to lift during those switch kicks. But it flew by and I nailed it, knowing I could collapse in torpor for days on end afterward if I so chose.

Here are the final photos (click to enlarge). I didn't weigh or measure today because I have a food hangover from yesterday, but I will try to do so in another day or two. I can tell you that I've checked on and off over the last week and my measurements have not really changed since Day 30. Not only that, but I've apparently gained about 2 pounds back. I assumed I'd just sabotaged myself with eating over the last month, something many of you know I've struggled with. However, my photos surprised me because I am clearly a lot more muscular than I was on Day 30. I wondered if it could be attributed to the lighting change or something, but I don't think so. See what you guys think, and what exactly happened here. I would think my measurements would have gone down with building muscle, even if the scale went up. It's kind of a mystery. Until I saw these photos, I figured my results were better at 30 days. I think I was wrong.

Over the next couple of days I'll post more of my final impressions and results. For now, I need a couple of days to recuperate and then yoga, here I come (back)!

To those of you who are in the middle of this -- KEEP GOING. The end is worth it. You have two choices about where you'll be at the end of 60 days.

Day 61: THE LAST MAX INTERVAL PLYO

This one just flew by, and I'm sorry to see it over. I'm sure I'll return to this one again sometime. I'm feeling better today, because I've been sleeping better. I think a combination of that and the end in sight have given me a second wind. I actually did a few extra balance pushups at the end because it seems like he doesn't do enough for you to get into a groove. I also think I did more of the exercises than I've done before, although not a big change.

Core Cardio and Balance was just what I needed yesterday; my joints felt better today. I wonder if this one was put in as the final recovery day not to make things harder, but actually to make them easier. Had I done Max Recovery yesterday, today my arms and legs would probably be a lot more fatigued. Maybe CC&B is there to help you through the final few days of cardio.

Unfortunately, the Easter candy has come out and yesterday I was entranced by a big chocolate rabbit. But you know, I've been struggling for the last 60 days and right now I am not going to worry about candy. Candy comes and goes.

I will post pictures tomorrow. I kinda cheated in taking them a day early, but it's when I had time (and knew I wanted to get them in before the holiday food rush). I will say this... they are not what I expected. My final Insanity results are a little baffling, so I'll be interested to see what you all think.

Day 60: CORE CARDIO AND BALANCE

No matter how you slice it, I've done 60 days! I know I'm not totally done, but it still feels like I've crested the mountain.

When I woke up this morning, my knees were popping and I am having some pain in my left hip. I felt so creaky I decided to either take today off or do Cardio Recovery, but after being up and around for a couple of hours, I felt fine and went ahead with today's scheduled workout. Despite the impact, this one really is easier than Max Recovery, too. Two more workouts to go and I'm trying to figure out how to work around Easter, which will be a busy day. I may have to delay finishing by a day and end on Tuesday, which would be day 64.

It's spring now even in Alaska, and I really want to be out hiking and riding my bike!

Day 59: MAX INTERVAL CIRCUIT

Dear Max Interval Circuit,
I've been dreading this day for a week now. Before our meeting one hour ago, I had to sit down on the couch and tell myself that no matter what misery was to come, in exactly one hour you'd be gone -- forever, if I wanted. But your final visit was exactly how I would have wanted it to be. We parted ways more than amicably, and dare I say you've taught me a thing or two in the past month. Whereas 29 days ago I collapsed at the mere thought of a full minute of high knee twists, did two repetitions to your every four, and couldn't complete a round of plank punches to save my life, today I did nearly everything.

One hour ago the thought of quitting even passed through my head, though briefly. I thought, what kind of person quits on day 59?! I needed to find something to give me the final push to finish this, and today I found it, so thanks.

Day 58: MAX CARDIO CONDITIONING & CARDIO ABS

I actually had a good workout today and am warming to Max Cardio Conditioning. Cardio Abs was fun as always and I actually got all the way through the double leg lifts for the first time. I had a hard time getting going, though. As I've mentioned ad nauseum for the past week or so, my motivation is really dwindling. I'm having a hard time focusing on the workouts (I think Jenn nailed it -- the "novelty" is gone, and without that bad-ass awe about them, they just are daunting). But that wouldn't stop me; I've never had a problem getting myself to work out. The real problem is... My body is really in need of a break. That's the main thing. If I were going by my own signals right now, I'd take a good three days off in a row and nap every afternoon. But I have to push through just a few more days. My knees are cranky and while my upper-body strength feels like it's still improving, my legs just feel tired.

All of the above makes me wonder if it's just a normal physical response to 60 days of this sort of intensity without more than one day off at a time or if I've been doing something wrong.

I'm nervous about Max Interval Circuit tomorrow. Out of all the Insanity workouts, that's the one that just strikes fear in my heart. I just have it once more... I can do it. I'm also scheduled to finish up (minus the fit test) on Sunday, which is Easter. My mom has a big brunch planned that day and I don't know how all that's going to pan out. I would love for that day to be my first day of "freedom" so I can enjoy the big meal, but I don't want to tackle my final workout and then the fit test and measurements right after that. Suggestions, anyone?

I just received Hungry Girl's brand new cookbook in the mail, and I am so excited. You all know how much I love Hungry Girl, and this time she's put out a cookbook with more fresh food and less processed stuff -- it even has a crockpot section and a whole chapter on things to do with broccoli-slaw, which I love. I'm off to dig in.

Day 57: MAX INTERVAL PLYO (and Sara's Awesome Mushroom Cheeseburgers)

I was glad to see the week starting with this one. It remains my favorite and the most doable. For some reason, unlike many people seem to be, I am not rested up and ready to go on day 1 of each week. I'm more of a momentum person and once I'm in a track, it's hard to change directions (as I'm sure it was obvious with my string of bad eating earlier this month). When I've spent the day before resting, my mind is still in resting mode and that first workout feels like ripping off a Band-Aid. I slept about six hours the last two nights, to boot. But I did well today anyway, even nailing what I think were a few more power jumps than I usually do.

Despite doing really well with the workout today and no longer feeling as wiped out after I'm finished with these than I used to, my overall fatigue level is high and my motivation is low. This is my last week and I have to find some way not only to get through what is the hardest week on this month's schedule, but to put my all into it and maximize what I get out of the program. I have found something odd happening the last couple of weeks... my mind is actually WANDERING during Insanity, especially during the warmup and stretch. Typically it requires every ounce of my attention and concentration, so I have to get back to treating it like yoga... either really be there or don't bother.

I had some incredible veggie burgers with the works last night. I spent months awhile back trying to come up with the perfect veggie burger recipe, because I was tired of weird frozen processed patties made of things like rice and oats. Why stick a starch patty between two pieces of starch? I wanted something juicy and substantial and full of fresh ingredients that's worthy of being called a burger, and I found mushrooms produce by far the best results. So I present you with...

SARA'S AWESOME MUSHROOM CHEESEBURGERS
1 1/2 cups finely chopped cremini mushrooms
3 eggs, beaten
1/4+ cup seasoned bread crumbs
1+ cup shredded lowfat sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup oat bran
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
-------
Serve with: Additional lowfat cheese slice, lettuce/spinach, tomato, onion, ketchup, mayo (or whatever you love) on toasted wheat buns.

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix. Taste and add more salt if needed. You will probably need to add a little more bread crumbs if this is too wet to pick it up -- this should be very wet (don't worry; it'll cook) but you should still be able to form it into a patty on a piece of waxed paper. Shape into 4-5 patties and fry in a greased skillet over medium heat for a few minutes (about 4) until lightly browned and then flip for 1-2 minutes on the other side. It helps to cover the skillet (you'll notice them puff a little).

Day 56: REST DAY

The very last one.

Day 55: CORE CARDIO AND BALANCE

I tacked on an extra 30 minutes of yoga today, too. Overall, I feel great and feel I've had sort of a mini-break before taking on the final week. I had forgotten entirely what this workout was like. It's short at only 37 minutes, but you get pretty darn sweaty and out of breath before the final balance section at the end (and you keep sweating through that, too). The hip flexor burners really got me.

I am definitely feeling some fatigue this week and I'm not sure why or what to do about it. I'm eating plenty and sleeping a little extra. Late yesterday afternoon I took a nap and slept for almost two hours. I think it's just the cumulative effects of 55 days of Insanity.

The other thing I've noticed is that I'm not apparently losing weight this month -- my measurements are not changing. My performance is improving overall, but all the changes in appearance seemed to come in the first 30 days. I don't think I'm typical in that respect, but my body has always responded better to things like yoga than super-high-intensity exercise, and I'm actually expecting the majority of my leaning-out to come AFTER I'm done with Insanity and back to yoga or a blend (and a lesser appetite). I am nowhere near as lean now as I was two years ago practicing only yoga.

I think in the future if I need a rotation to whip my butt into shape quickly, I'll do one month of mainly month 1 workouts (but replacing Cardio Recovery with Max Recovery) with an occasional month 2 swap or yoga for variety. I suppose it's possible I'll all-of-the-sudden notice big changes in this next week, but I kind of doubt it.

Day 54: MAX INTERVAL CIRCUIT (Actual: Plyo Cardio Circuit)

Today was my first substitution of month 2. Last night was the dinner out, and I had to wake up early this morning to teach an extra yoga class. This pushed me half-rested toward lunchtime for a workout, and I also have my son and his 5-year-old friend this afternoon -- I actually had to work out in front of their fort while they played behind me. I also woke up with a lower backache and my knees are still a little touchy. All of this combined with my awful MIC experience earlier this week meant I knew I could either skip today entirely or do Plyometric Cardio Circuit. I decided on the latter. Better to give 100% to the 42 minutes of Insanity than to give 60% to the 59-minute version. Or 0% to nothing.

Plyo Cardio Circuit was my favorite workout of month 1, and I was excited to return to it for comparison. And Plyo Cardio Circuit as a swap is nothing to sniff at, in fact, the idea of it being easier is pretty laughable. Those of you who are in month 1 and feeling like you're at the "beginner" level: this workout is really hard. Yes, it's 18 minutes shorter than Max Interval Circuit, but it's still 42 minutes of Insanity. I did enjoy it but I found it nearly as challenging as I did in month 1. I enjoyed the different warmup and the longer stretch, but the circuits themselves are in some ways harder than those in month 2 because:

1. There is NO rest outside of the scheduled 30-second water breaks. In all of the month 2 workouts, he takes extra time explaining the next move, but none of the month 1 workouts are like that.

2. The exercises in month 2 are harder in a technical sense, that is, they require more focus to do correctly -- however, the more straightforward month 1 exercises allow you to work a lot harder and faster. I think I sweated way more with Plyo Cardio Circuit today than I have been with the month 2 workouts. I had to rest in all the same spots and the bad news is that the level 3 drills in month 2 don't make the level 1 drills in this one seem any easier.

So, overall this was a good workout for trying to field 5-year-old questions and focus at the same time. I'm also glad I didn't scrap it entirely. I ate too much Thai food last night and then had a decent-sized slice of cheesecake, so I needed to pour it on today. But I felt like this was just the right amount of mini-break and when combined with Core Cardio and Balance (yay!) tomorrow and a rest day, I should be prepared for that last hellacious week of Insanity.

Day 53: MAX RECOVERY

Finally, this routine actually felt like a recovery workout. It was still a good challenge but I was able to do all the exercises (yes, even all the pushups) until the plie squat section came. I thought, "I'll nail this one next week," but then I realized today was my last time with Max Recovery.

When I woke up and walked up the stairs this morning, my knees started protesting. Good thing it was recovery day; I'm keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Day 52: MAX CARDIO CONDITIONING

This week is nuts. My kids are on spring break so they're home, I'm in the middle of a short-deadline contract, and I'm teaching extra yoga classes. Plus, it's sunny. I decided to turn in one of my "Get Out Of Cardio Abs Free" cards today (I "earned" three of them in month 1 by tacking it on where it wasn't scheduled, and haven't used one yet). Nice to have a shorter one today and know the (also shorter) recovery routine is tomorrow.

I did about as well as I usually do with this one; about like I did with Pure Cardio. These awful endurance twins are my weak spot in the program and while I've made a lot of progress, I still am not up to speed with the crew. I put my all into it today, though -- I'm going out to dinner with the H tonight. Wish me a little restraint. I feel like I'm getting over the mid-month-2 ennui and getting a little of my oomph back. I think a lot of that is getting extra sleep all week. I also realized today that I have only one hard routine left this week, and then next week IS MY LAST.

Day 51: MAX INTERVAL PLYO (and Almond Porridge recipe)

I was seriously down in the dark dingey dumps after yesterday. (JENN -- not sure if you've been seeing my comments-to-your-comments so I wanted to post to you here, too. Thank you for your encouragement and it's so cool to have somebody right at the same spot as me dealing with the same issues. I asked a couple of questions on "REST DAY" below. I hope you are having a better day as well. We're almost there!)

I'm fighting a little Insanity burnout, not because my body is giving out as much as that I'm tired of life revolving around Insanity. Sure, it's less than an hour, but it also dictates when I eat, how I eat, when I sleep, etc. I can't have a glass of wine or two after dinner or stay up late without having that sinking feeling I won't be able to handle the next morning's workout. Also, I realized that having the choice at the end of last week between Max Interval Sports Training and Core Cardio and Balance kind of ruined me. I could assess how I felt and work out accordingly. I miss that, a lot. But I have a week and a half left and that's nothing compared to the FIFTY-ONE days I've had so far. Insanity... putting the "hell" back in "health."

So I slept well and had a fantastic breakfast that I think really gave me a big boost this morning (recipe below). Can you tell I'm a breakfast person? Big lesson... working out 45 minutes after a breakfast like that was great, but working out an hour after lunch was a big no.

I did great with Max Interval Plyo. It helps that I love this DVD. The whole routine just resonates with me; the flow and the sequencing are great. I still have to modify the pogo jumps and the power jumps are slow and plodding, but everything else is really coming along. One more check mark on the calendar.

CREAMY ALMOND CORNMEAL PORRIDGE
1/4 cup whole-grain yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup light vanilla soymilk
A few dashes of nutmeg
Tiny pinch of salt
1 TBSP almond butter
Stevia or sugar to taste

Combine everything in a small saucepan and simmer until thick and creamy, adding a little water if needed. Calories (minus the sweetener): 260, and about 14 g protein and 5 g fiber.

Day 50: MAX INTERVAL CIRCUIT

This is the day that my finger finally hovered over the "stop" button. But let me back up... I got so into my work this morning that lunchtime finally rolled around and I hadn't worked out yet. I had lunch -- 1 cup of homemade baked beans from Veganomicon over sauteed garlic spinach, and a mini homemade corn muffin. Not a big lunch. I then gave myself another hour before starting. I figured I was set and that the molasses would even give me an extra energy boost. Through most of the first circuit I was flying, better and faster than ever before. Then, instead of gathering steam as usual, as Dr. Seuss would say, my "borfin went schlump." I pictured myself as a cartoon character, with the little squigglies coming out of my ears and "fffffftttt" written above me.

I have never felt worse during an Insanity workout. I could still sense lunch (it was clearly too soon afterward), and I kept having waves where I felt I might pass out. Things would start to white out and I would see little sparklies in the air. I didn't do much of the second circuit and there were a couple of exercises I skipped entirely. I kept going, though, even though my max was just barely moving. I went to shut it off and then noticed only 12 minutes left on the clock. I decided to just go for it even though there was nothing to dig for. I managed to pull off most of the last circuit, and then I had to lie on the floor for awhile. I guess I'm proud of myself for finishing it, but at the same time, I'm starting to count down the days until I'm done. I'm getting effing tired of Insanity. I only have eight hard workouts left.

My physical reaction brings something to mind that I discussed with my doctor last month. I noticed that sometimes when I was close to my max and I stopped for a water break, my hearing would sort of "dull" for a few moments, like there was pressure in my ears or something cutting off my hearing. Has anybody ever noticed this happen? It didn't last long, but it was worrisome. The doctor told me it was likely just a circulation thing and nothing to worry about (even given my history). I really noticed it today but when it was combined with the faintness, I knew it was time to stop and walk around until I felt normal. It makes sense -- when you're digesting, much of your blood and resources goes to your stomach and isn't available to you... not something that can be overlooked with Insanity.

I know this is just a blip and an unfortunate bit of timing, and I have to keep going. Fifty days is a long time, and there's no way I'm going to quit now.

Day 49: REST DAY

I am pretty creaky this morning. My shoulder sockets feel a little funny, too. Not injured, exactly, but not happy. Perhaps it was the JUMPING ONTO MY HANDS that I did yesterday! That really is insane.

The kids are on spring break, so I'm glad I don't have to plan a workout today. The rest of the week is going to be a challenge, timewise. I see that I have a fit test scheduled tomorrow, but I think I'm going to skip this one and just do the final. It'll be my first modification of month 2.

The other thing I noticed yesterday is that I did the Harris-Benedict equation wrong from the very beginning. I mistook a minus for a plus, which is why my end result was so high! Doing the equation correctly, I get about 1,700 calories for loss, which has been my target all along. My appetite is still raging, though. I'm doing better and back to five meals but I think I'm taking in closer to 2,000. I also think I honestly looked better at Day 30. I made the mistake of weighing myself and I've gained 2.5 pounds, which puts me just barely under where I started. I know the comparison is apples-and-oranges, but it still sucks. I'm trying to remind myself that regardless, I can still run circles around 30-Day Sara.

Day 48: MAX INTERVAL SPORTS TRAINING

I slept great last night and felt good this morning, and I was so inspired by the end of Sean's journey that I decided to go ahead with this one instead of Core Cardio and Balance.

This workout was a lot of fun. It was as hard as the other Max workouts but in a different way... probably much like Max Cardio Conditioning, where you do one exercise for a certain amount of time and then rest before going to the next one. It's grouped into sports-specific exercises: football, basketball, gymnastics, and track and field. I preferred the last two (especially the bronco jumps -- where you jump from a squat almost like jumping into a handstand and bend the knees like you're kicking yourself in the butt -- and the ladders, which were timed sprints. The football exercises killed me, like jumping to a low pushup and staying in it while you "walk."

One big difference is there is NO stretch after the warmup. You pretty much go full-speed with short rests for 51 minutes and then there's a 4-minute stretch. It's definitely a harder workout than Core Cardio and Balance. I previewed this routine when I first got it and thought, "There is no way I'm ever going to be able to use this one." I've far exceeded my own expectations and that's something I didn't think much about when I started Insanity -- how much more functionally fit I would be. We tend to think of aesthetic muscle gain/weight loss when starting, but now I'm excited to finish Insanity and go out and test myself -- climb a mountain, climb a rope, and go running, which is something I've never been able to do well.

I'm now halfway through month 2, and it's going even faster than month 1. Man, do I ever need the rest day tomorrow. I'm glad I finished the week like this.

Day 47: MAX CARDIO CONDITIONING/CARDIO ABS

I slept in -- way in -- this morning and was a little dismayed to wake up and find I would have usually already been through the workout, showered, and out the door on a very unusually sunny day. However, I had almost 70 minutes of Insanity ahead of me. I also had my youngest son to myself today, so I was on the fence about doing Cardio Abs at all. In the end I did just the floor portion of it. Ah, my old friend Cardio Abs, which I haven't done since week 4. It does feel easier now. I think I'm warming up to Max Cardio Conditioning, too. I find it easier than Pure Cardio because there's a short break between each exercise while he explains it, and that makes a world of difference.

My knees are feeling a little sore today and I'm not sure if I'll be able to handle Max Interval Sports Training tomorrow. I may end up doing Core Cardio and Balance after all. Today I'm focusing on not only totally cutting the crap out of my diet but also getting back on the Insanity eating schedule. I have two weeks left!

Day 46: MAX RECOVERY (and Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal)

I really enjoyed this one today. I finally got a decent night's sleep last night (the first since Sunday). I did most of the exercises and enjoyed all the challenge and shakiness without cardio and impact (my knees felt sore this morning going up the stairs). My muscles are in much better shape than last week and not being sore makes a world of difference. It also felt so great to go without the knee wraps and sports bra and do this in comfortable yoga clothes and bare feet. Below, my favorite power breakfast recipe. The Fiber One adds some great chewy texture and toasty flavor, so don't skip it!

PUMPKIN PIE OATMEAL
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup Fiber One original cereal
1/2 cup skim milk or light vanilla soymilk
2 TBSP canned pure pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 TBSP light or sugar-free waffle syrup
Stevia or other sweetener to taste

Mix together and microwave or simmer on stovetop for a couple of minutes until thick and creamy, and enjoy.

No Recovery Drink = Bad Idea

I have cut my recovery drink consumption back down to 8 ounces over the past week as my energy level has adjusted to month 2. It's been fine -- I do 4 ounces during and 4 ounces after. But yesterday I had run out and forgot to make more before Max Interval Plyo, and midway through the workout I ran to the kitchen for a little orange juice. After the workout I had to shower quickly and leave, so I decided to just skip the recovery drink (part of it was an attempt to cut out more calories, but from the wrong place). It was a mistake. I was so tired all day yesterday; I just dragged.

I was reading in the nutrition guide last night that the post-workout calories are used most efficiently to repair muscle damage. So that not only prevents muscle loss and restores energy, but it also says that the quick repair of muscle tissue prevents the body from signaling you to overeat later. I missed that before, but it makes sense. I won't be skipping the recovery drink anymore.

Day 45: MAX INTERVAL PLYO

The workout went really well (except those power jumps ... I don't think I'll ever "master" that sequence) today, but I'd feel a lot better about it if I hadn't ruined two days of decent eating last night when my husband showed up at 9:30 pm with a box of chocolates. FEH! I threw the (meager) rest of them out and I'm going to stay on track now if it kills me. Because I have to be accountable here, I don't want to report back to you tomorrow that I did the same thing today.

So glad tomorrow is recovery day, and the two longest and hardest max workouts only appear once each this week. In fact, only one more "hard" workout this week, as the other two are Max Recovery and Core Cardio and Balance. I'm not sure about the reasoning behind that last one, but I'll take it happily.

Day 44: MAX INTERVAL CIRCUIT

I was on fire today and can't believe how much of this workout I did and with very few extra rests. And it was fun. It's like I was different person today than at the start of last week. I didn't expect that, because for the third night in a row, I couldn't sleep and spent most of the night tossing and turning. This morning I felt like my eyelids were glued to my eyeballs, and I felt like a pig to the slaughter trying to take on MIC.

It was one of those days I didn't feel ready, but I just had to hit "play" without thinking about it. As long as you can hit "play," it's like having a personal trainer show up at your house every morning and force you to roll. Also, my parrot often goes nuts during Insanity (although I think she's scolding me because she doesn't like the noise), so I feel like I'm being yelled at from all directions.

The rate of improvement is really fast in month 2. I finally ate decently yesterday and also had my favorite power breakfast, pumpkin oatmeal (recipe coming soon), and I bet that helped. Still, sometimes when I'm really tired I run on crazy false energy, so I have to find a way to get some rest. Otherwise, they'll soon find me wandering and babbling incoherently in the desert.

Day 43: MAX CARDIO CONDITIONING (and final belly check)

I think I did a little bit better today. I felt like I did more of the exercises, although it took me until almost the end of the warmup to feel like I was really moving. The time change has messed with my head and I've had two lousy nights of sleep in a row where I couldn't fall asleep even after going to bed over an hour late. I'm still struggling with getting my eating back under control, too.

One thing I've noticed is that my calves feel weak during these month 2 warmups, and it takes a few minutes for them to stop protesting and start working. My knees feel good, though. (I notice Mario is wearing one of these open-patella knee wraps during this DVD, too.)

Here is my final belly check before the end of Insanity. To see where I've come from, click on the four-image collage at left. I think I have a two-pack! I didn't start Insanity for abs, but I think it's been the easiest place to see results throughout the program.

Day 42: REST DAY

I feel like being as slothful as possible, but I have a lot of housework, recycling, etc., to do today. I really can't believe I have made it this far. When I started Insanity, I remember doing it partially because the workouts were only 40 minutes long. I didn't realize at the time that the month 2 routines were around 60. I realized something else this week related to my prior yoga practice and Insanity. Yoga prepared me for Insanity in a big way, but Insanity has improved my lower back problems -- it has "tightened me up" to the point that I think it's provided some stability there, whereas my joints were a bit too loose before. If you'd have told me this two months ago, I would never have believed it.

Day 41: MAX INTERVAL PLYO

Well, "hazing week" of month 2 is done. I enjoyed Max Interval Plyo again today, although it's extremely tough and I have to slow down on many of the exercises. I don't see myself doing those pogo jumps at all (my knees really don't like those, although oddly I can jump on the kickstand exercise with no problem), and the other thing is I can't do those ten quick power jumps and then stop like they do. I just have to plod out one after the other, much more slowly. But today I got the hang of the diamond jumps, and I'm getting down lower on the squat push-ups. Still working on those balance pushups, which feel very weird.

Today was full of distractions because my kids were home and instead of plopping them in front of a screen somewhere to ensure peace, I gave them the task of cleaning a room, together. There was a lot of fighting. I still managed to avoid stopping or pausing.

At the end of this week, my soreness has subsided. I have that usual end-of-the-week general overworkedness feeling, although it's subtle and I don't have any injury or joint pain. I should feel like the week has been a major success and athletically speaking it has, but I think my eating habits of the past 3-4 days have been the worst they've been in this entire Insanity experience. Today I worked extra hard, and I need to clean my diet up immediately and drink lots of lemon water. I must say, the big Thai dinner was worth it, but all the Easter candy I stupidly brought into the house was not. I probably didn't do too much damage in just four days, but it feels lousy just the same.

Well, looking ahead, the schedule looks doable. Resting never looked so good!

Day 40: MAX INTERVAL CIRCUIT

Forty days. That looks like a long time. I'm dreading today, so I'm again working on this post before the workout. My diet has been BAD the last few days, everyone. I can't seem to snap out of it. I must have eaten nearly an entire bag of jellybeans last night. It's not going to change today, either, because my mom is making a multi-course Thai dinner for my husband's birthday. Part of it is PMS... I'm one of those people who gets it really bad and whose appetite triples in those few days, so I'm trying to just find a way to indulge intelligently (but failing).

Strangely, I'm still wearing what were before my tightest pair of jeans (a size I have not even been able to put on in well over a year) and not only that, but those jeans are now so relaxed that yesterday I noticed I kept having to pull them up. They may have stretched. I haven't weighed/measured since I last posted my stats, but I doubt I've lost that much. But it's quite possible that the total lunacy of month 2 is helping erase the effects of my recent eating habits. But I don't want to fall back on that. But for today, I know if I can just put my shoes on and get out there, I can probably burn off most of those jellybeans. If only it were so easy! The memory of my horrible day 36 is still pretty fresh in my mind. Off I go...

I lived to tell the tale. I actually did far, far better today. I had a decent night of sleep and no longer have a stomachache, so I'm sure that helped. It felt like the early days of Plyo Cardio Circuit, and I had to rest/modify about that much, which means I've improved a lot. I think the body adjusts to the demands of month 2 quickly. The first time with this one, I crapped out on so many of the exercises, and this time I was even able to get through all the plank punches and floor switch kicks. Maybe that bag of jellybeans gave me lots of energy and improved my performance! Well, it was worth a shot.

I had to "stay after" for extra stretching, but I feel fine now, not trashed like day 36. I only drank 10 ounces of recovery drink today (4 during and 6 after), so we'll see if I can get away with that.

It's a bit uncomfortable to work out with those knee wraps, but they have allowed me to continue without pain. It's been pretty amazing, especially considering what sorry shape my knees were in at the end of month 1. Other than just tiny bits of tenderness once in awhile (usually while running up stairs) I have no joint pain. If you're having trouble with your knees, this is worth considering as it's only for a short time.

Looking ahead, aside from that last week, the first week of month 2 is the hardest. I see that the two middle weeks have Core Cardio and Balance as the sixth day, which will make things much easier. I am officially two-thirds of the way through Insanity!

Day 39: MAX RECOVERY

What the hell is this? I was looking forward to "recovery" today. I'm sore and crabby and have absolutely no energy, and was so relieved I didn't have to do one of the "real" Max workouts today. Should have known better. Who'd have predicted I'd enjoy Max Interval Plyo but find Max Recovery to be completely off the chain?

The muscle-building in this one is really insane. I didn't put my all into it. I couldn't. I'm the pushup queen and I barely did a fraction of all of these. The number/variety of pushup/plank work you do is nuts, and so is the plie work, which goes on forever. I'm probably going to dread this workout. I'm sure if I were using this at a non-Insanity time of life, I would push hard and enjoy it, but my muscles have met their match this week. I'm also right on the cusp of "that time," and I feel pretty lousy. My knees did enjoy the break, though. My shoulder also feels fine. I think that was just a minor blip.

I guess this is sort of a yoga-ish routine, although I don't like his variations and especially all the repetitive back rounding when coming to standing. I think for many this could be injurious -- much better to lift with a flat back and lead with the chest as we do in yoga. As far as deep muscle work goes, this was fantastic (in theory). As far as yoga goes, while it's nice to see him introduce side angle and side plank and some other postures, it's not very comprehensive and a lot of the movements felt weird or awkward. I doubt many people will agree with me, however. I do really love the standing ab work. But I felt distracted and all I could think was:

"THERE IS LEFTOVER PIZZA IN THE REFRIGERATOR."

Day 38: MAX CARDIO CONDITIONING

I expected to wake up half-hobbled this morning from Max Interval Plyo, but it was about the same as the day before, just more soreness in the glutes. I'm home with both my kids and I have a lot to do today, so there was no "savoring" this one -- just needed to get it over with and with lots of distractions.

I was lukewarm on it -- not surprising, because Pure Cardio was my least favorite of month 1 and this is just the next step up. It was a lot shorter than the others, thankfully, at 47 minutes. It was basically Pure Cardio but different exercises and longer, and with very brief rests between each exercise, which almost made it easier. I won't go over the individual exercises because Sean has done a great job of that, but some of them are repeats from MIC and MIP, like the diamond jumps, plank punches and lots of variations of jumps with punches and suicides. The good old belt kicks from month 1 return, which is a nice semi-break.

It was hard though, and even the supposedly easier exercises felt really hard after a full minute. I huffed and puffed my way through, and this time I only drank 8 ounces total of my recovery formula -- 4 during the workout and 4 after. I was out at that point and didn't feel like making more, plus it felt more like a month 1 workout with an extra 6 or 7 minutes tacked on, so I figured I would be OK. I feel fine now, energy-wise.

Still using the knee wraps, and my knees feel fine. I did feel a slight tweak in my shoulder during the plank punches, though (those are hard ... much harder than they look), right in the area by the collarbone where I had the clot last fall (which isn't totally gone). It scared the crap out of me, and I hope it was something very minor. I'm sure the blood thinners I'm taking right now will protect me from further clotting, but it still scared me, as did the prospect of a shoulder injury.

Day 37: MAX INTERVAL PLYO

My BICEPS are sore. Wow. This is surprising because biceps are very hard to work without weights or a pull-up bar, so they are the muscle group that I and others have thought go pretty untouched in Insanity. Not so. I think it's probably the hook punches and the floor switch kicks that get them. My triceps are also sore and my butt is a little bit sore, but that's about it. I think the rest of me is pretty adapted now.

Now for the second and bigger shocker. I LOVED this one. I had built up a fear of it and it's true -- it's the meaner big brother of Cardio Power and Resistance. But this one was way easier for me. I had a lot more energy, too, and now that it's over (like, less than 10 minutes over), I still have energy. I do not feel at all tired. One change I made was to drink 4 ounces of recovery drink during the workout, sometime in the middle. I'm sure this had something to do with it and I'm going to continue doing this. I'm still keeping my total intake to 12 ounces, so I'm drinking 8 after the routine. The last couple of days I've also put sugar and fruit into my breakfast, and I never eat sugar in the morning. You need a recovery drink, everybody, and my homemade drink works great -- here is the recipe.

What makes this one different is that aside from a few very nasty plyos, there's a lot of resistance training in this one and a lot of upper body. I'm extremely strong in the upper body and it's probably the easiest thing for me -- endurance is my weakness, and that's probably why Max Interval Circuit nearly had me flatlining yesterday. The exercises are also a lot of fun. I love the side push-ups and the power push-ups, which when I previewed the DVD I couldn't even see how they were physically possible.

Anyway, this one went by so fast, especially right in the middle, that the very first time I looked at the clock I had only 14 minutes left. I wore wraps on both my knees today to be safe. I couldn't do nearly as many power jumps as they did, I did NOT hop on one leg during the pogo jumps, and those diamond jumps are downright scary.

One thing that makes this one even more doable is that you get a ton of rests. The third circuit isn't even really a circuit in the previous style. You do one exercise and then take a rest, and then another. And you do the whole thing only once. This is my favorite Insanity workout so far. No kidding!

Evening 36: Still Kicking

I wasn't sure what to expect today. I was so wiped after Max Interval Circuit that even the thought of taking a shower was too daunting because it involved standing up. I took it very easy for awhile afterward, and I drank 12 oz. of my recovery formula, which seemed about right. I'm happy to say I felt fine all day, including having enough energy to clean my car to sell and to teach class tonight. A cup of coffee around 3 pm might have had something to do with it. I feel good and not particularly sore anywhere. It's 9:15 pm and I still don't feel like going to bed.

One thing I did notice today that's very parallel with the beginning of month 1 -- my appetite is dead, and for me that's really something. Getting enough calories today was a stretch. In month 1, this was the case for a couple of weeks and then my appetite kicked in with a ferocity.

I also previewed Max Intensity Plyo (I don't like surprises) and it looks extremely knee-unfriendly. The individual exercises look way harder than MIC, and I can't see five minutes shorter making a whole lot of difference. Not looking forward to tomorrow. I didn't care for Cardio Recovery during month 1, but I have a feeling Max Recovery is going to be my favorite day this month.

Day 36: MAX INTERVAL CIRCUIT

!!!!!

I went into this with few expectations, and it's a good thing. Remember, you are supposed to suck at this on the first day of month 2, otherwise there's nowhere to go. To back up, I've unfortunately had a bit of a digestive virus the last couple of days, and I went into this with a lot of pain my lower belly. I don't know how much it affected my level of lameness, but I'm sure it did. It hurts a little more now.

For the most part, I enjoyed the circuits, at least in theory. I found I did 2 for every 4 of theirs on things like the oblique pushups, the side suicide drills (careful! These have a lot of potential for injury, and so do the floor switch kicks [knee hyperextension]). I took extra rests, and had to modify the twisting high knees to low impact because I felt like I was going to injure my knees. And I STILL had to take a break during those.

In fact, I modified quite a bit. It's good that he points out repeatedly in this workout that you need to slow down and that you'll still work at your max if you do. It passed quicker than I expected, and I noticed on the counter when I passed the times for Pure Cardio, Cardio Power and Resistance, and Plyo Cardio Circuit. But I was just completely out of life. By the last circuit, my legs just would not cooperate. I added juice to my water bottle and it didn't help. I didn't feel like I was going to puke like I did on Day 3, but there were times I felt faint and had to stop for a breather before I started to "white out."

I pushed through but let me put it this way -- when I reached the stretch, I was so exhausted I literally did not have the strength to hold myself in the stretches. My legs and arms were shaking even trying to stretch my hamstrings. I'm shivering now, too. (?!) My knees feel OK -- I wore the wrap on my left knee -- although I know pain doesn't show up until later... not while the body is so warm and flowing with adrenaline.

Some observations:
1. The warmup is much harder, and the stretch is shorter. It's less than 5 minutes (to the 7+ in month 1).
2. In the first round of each circuit, you get 15 to 20 seconds of extra rest while he demonstrates the next move.
3. Only one of the circuits has the tacked-on "bonus" moves at the end of the third round.
4. This isn't nearly as high-impact as I expected, as it seemed like each circuit had one or two plyo moves and the rest were low impact or down on your hands. That sure didn't make it any easier, though.

I'm going to start out with 12 ounces of my recovery drink this morning and see how I feel. Right now, I can't even think about it -- the thought of eating or drinking makes me sick. I know that I'm likely to be exhausted today no matter what I drink, though, until my body adjusts. And I have to teach class tonight! Do you think they'll notice if I teach from a chair?

Days 34 and 35: REST DAYS

I'm ready for month 2 to start tomorrow. In fact, I'm anxious to start it. The little demon of overachievement started trying to convince me to start today because I rested yesterday, but I'm reminding it how tenuous my knees are and that an extra rest day can only help me all around. I've been soaking in epsom salt baths and yesterday in a hot tub, doing my Strong Knees routine, cooking, and generally taking it easy. I was craving diner food so I'm having a homemade black bean cheeseburger for lunch with carrot sticks and a light cookies-and-cream milkshake. (175 calories!) Ah, rest days. The extra time is nice, too.

Day 33: FIT TEST#3, and CORE CARDIO AND BALANCE

Woo hoo! I surprised myself today and I decided to go ahead with the third fit test. I wore the wrap on my left knee just to be safe, though it's feeling better. I didn't expect much, and if my numbers sucked, I wasn't even going to post them. However, even sore and tired with a bum knee, I kicked February Sara's ass. You'll notice my numbers aren't drastically higher on the plyos as I was definitely favoring the knee but trying to at least beat my Day 16 numbers. I'm amazed I was able to.

Exercise	Day 1	Day 16	Day 33	Change (total)
Switch Kicks	116	121	122	5.2%
Power Jacks	48	53	56	16.7%
Power Knees	91	105	110	20.9%
Power Jumps	27	33	34	25.9%
Globe Jumps	7	10	11	57.14%
Suicide Jumps	17	18	18	5.9%
Pushup Jacks	20	24	28	40%
Plank oblique	75	74	89!!	18.7%

That is an average of 23.8% improvement over Day 1! I then went right into Core Cardio and Balance and used my rebounder (mini-trampoline) on a couple of the exercises. I did drink a recovery drink. Now my plan is to take TWO days off, do my Strong Knees routine and lots of stretching, and hope for the best on Tuesday. I was pretty aware today this fit test could be my last. I hope that isn't the case, so I'm going to take the extra rest. My month 1 review and tips are forthcoming.

Day 32: Sched.: CORE CARDIO AND BALANCE

Actual: power yoga. I'm writing this on day 33 because I was too bummed out yesterday to write, because it was the first day I did not do an Insanity routine when there was one scheduled. The good news is that today my knees are feeling much better. I also got a DVD by Gaiam called Strong Knees and have been doing the short knee strengthening/stretching routine, and researching knee trouble. The jury is still out about continuing with month two, but I still would like to. From what I read, I don't have a specific injury or even a definite injury at all, as my knees are still completely functional and the discomfort was very subtle. I also don't have any tightness or weakness in any of the surrounding muscles. Someone on the forum gave me good advice about possible irritation of the connective tissue, and I do think that's what it is. So, there's hope.

I am really tempted to do Core Cardio and Balance today as scheduled, although the other half of me thinks I should continue to rest the knees in preparation for Monday. I also had originally planned to do the fit test today, but I think I'm better off skipping the fit test this week. When doing the fit test, you're definitely trying to crank out as many as you possibly can to beat your numbers, and I think that would be risky for me right now. I'm also very sore just about everywhere, and I think it's from the yoga. It's kind of funny that my body would have that response to yoga after all of these years, but I guess I have accustomed it to a different type of routine for the past month. I should note that Insanity has made yoga much harder. I don't think one strengthens you more than the other, but I think they strengthen different areas in different ways.

Day 31: CORE CARDIO AND BALANCE

I love this routine. I did this complete workout again today and wore a knee support with an open patella on my left knee for the cardio. I had no problems this way. I took it off for the hip flexor burner and shoulder work, because all of the balancing on one leg and the bending/extending strengthen the knee joint. The hip flexor burners were difficult today but I made it through all the shoulder work without stopping for the first time.

But I'm still very wary. Without the brace, I find my knee feels slightly unstable (maybe I'm hypersensitive?), and occasionally if I'm walking and I hyperextend my knee, I feel a little shooting twinge. I don't know what to think of this, but I'm preparing myself for the worst. I fear I may have a slight ACL strain, and I wonder if I'm being irresponsible by considering continuing. It's workable now, but I wonder if it's been weakened and could end up tearing if I do.

Day 30: RESULTS! Part 2: Stats

Photos are below in part 1. Note that I am 5'2".

Statistic	Day 1	Day 30	Change
Age	33	Still 33	No miracles?
Weight	118	115	-3 pounds
Waist	27.5-28"	25.5"	-2.5"
Hips	36"	35.5"	-0.5"
Upper thigh	20.5"	19.5"	-1.0"
Arm	10"	10.25"	+0.25"
Body fat percentage*	23.8%	21.3%	-2.5%
Resting heart rate	60	54	-6 bpm
Pants size	Loose 6	Loose 4	-1 size

*Using Covert Bailey's test.

Day 30: RESULTS! Part 1: Photos

Here they are. One thing to keep in mind is that in the day 1 photos (like all before/after photos), I had just crawled out of bed and was not trying in any way to get a decent photo, whereas in the 30-day shots I made an effort to get a good angle and wear something other than ugly sweats! But other than color adjustment for crappy lighting, these aren't retouched. I can definitely see improvement and I'm really happy with it! Interesting note... the jeans I'm wearing below and the gray Lululemon yoga pants in the shots at the bottom were too small when I bought them and I've been storing them in hopes I could wear them at some point. Yay!


Click to enlarge the photo below.

Day 30: CORE CARDIO and BALANCE (modified)

Well, I finally had to make a change. My knees felt better this morning but still not 100%. I decided to do the hip flexor burner/shoulder work part of today's routine and then switch to about 50 minutes of power yoga. I was SORE from the first day of CC&B yesterday. Holy cow! My muscles just feel weak. Yoga felt way more difficult than usual, and I just wonder if general muscle weakness is contributing to instability at the knee joint. Maybe what I really need is an extra rest day. I do know that I can't do intense muscle work tomorrow (like power yoga). My hope is that my knees will be ready to return to CC&B.

My current plan is to take day 7 of this week off as scheduled, do a yoga-only day on day 6, and on day 5 take the fit test with Core Cardio and Balance. I think I need two days in a row of nonimpact before beginning the month 2 workouts, and this is assuming my knees repair this week as intended.

My month 1 review is forthcoming soon. Other recent observations:
1. I do not need a recovery drink during recovery week. I also don't need to eat as much.
2. Muscle soreness aside, my energy levels have returned to normal (and without the recovery drink) this week.
3. My sleep cycles seem to have adjusted to the intensity of Insanity in general and I am now sometimes waking up automatically after as little as 7 1/2 hours. For quite awhile I was sleeping like the dead and had to be blasted awake in the morning.

Day 29: CORE CARDIO AND BALANCE

I'm at a loss about what to do. My left knee was pretty twingy during the cardio today. The rest day didn't fix it. It especially didn't like the exercise where you hop on one leg with the opposite knee in. But let me back up.

I liked this workout a lot. The cardio was challenging and I was still dripping in sweat when I was done and felt like I had a great workout, but I don't feel completely trashed. The hip flexor burners and plie shoulder work were also great -- but I finished all the hip flexor burners without modifying and almost made it through the shoulder work but when you switch directions on the arm circles at the end, I had to rest. I love the standing oblique work as well.

That said, I'm wondering if I'm better off cutting out impact entirely this week in hopes that my knee is ready for month 2, possibly going back to power yoga that works on the same areas and maybe even tacking on this last section from Core Cardio and Balance (hip flexors and shoulders). I hate to change the program, but I fear that if I don't, I might find myself having to take even more time off because I'm unable to do month 2. I'm going to sleep on it. Suggestions are also welcome!

Day 28: REST DAY

$%$&*#! My knees are suddenly not happy. I notice it when using the stairs, and when driving my car this morning, one of my knees was popping just a bit. I guess I jinxed myself by writing what I did yesterday, although I'm still amazed it took this long. Tiny bits of twinginess have surfaced throughout the last month, but they've always gone away after a day or so. This is a little bit worse, although I'm still hoping a rest day will improve it. I bought some glucosamine chondroitin for joints, but then found out it would interact with my anticoagulant medication, so that's a no-go. This may all require some modifying of the recovery week (i.e. in favor of yoga for runners and that sort of thing), but I'm still hoping it won't be necessary.

For today, bring on the sloth.

Day 27: PLYO CIRCUIT... month 1 is DONE!!

Well, that's it. I'm so sweaty right now I'm thinking I need to clean this keyboard when I'm done. was not feeling so great this morning. In addition to the usual sixth-day-overworkedness, my lower back was sore yesterday and it felt very stiff when I woke up this morning.

I spent some extra time before Plyometric Cardio Circuit stretching my back and it did help. Plyo Cardio Circuit is my favorite, but I still had a hard time getting going with it. Still, I was absolutely determined to put everything into it and do the best I've done yet, and I know I did. I did not take any extra rest until the in-outs in the second round of the last circuit. Then I had to take about 15 seconds and the rest of the floor rounds didn't quite match the participants' speed, but I still stuck with it and in the "bonus" round right at the end I worked so hard I'm surprised I didn't throw up or pass out. I'm going to miss this one! Still can't "conquer it" completely, but I'm close. I know the participants had been through the full two months of Insanity at least once before filming this. I think I'm sufficiently trained to handle month 2. I have seriously considered repeating month 1 after the recovery week, but I'm going to keep going.

I did not think I was going to make it this far. I'm astounded I've finished month 1. I thought when I started that at almost 34 years old with touchy knees and lower back, a hatred of cardio, and a proclivity for doing things my own way at least to some degree, something would derail me. But I've not only finished month 1 exactly as written, but I've far exceeded my own expectations.

Insanity is addictive. In addition to being much smarter now about my body and my joints, I've found pushing through this has done so much for my outlook, my drive, and my confidence. And the great thing is it's all laid out for you. You get the schedule, and you get the motivation. You get the big scary man yelling at you for 40 minutes to try harder. Insanity demands every ounce of your attention and despite how hard it is, time flies.

Time to bask for the rest of the day and through tomorrow.

Day 26: PURE CARDIO and CARDIO ABS

Glad to cross this one off one last time. I ate way, way too much yesterday and slept in this morning, so I was feeling lazy Saturday all over the place. But once again, the warmup was no indicator of anything, as I felt bleh during the first round of it and by the middle of the second, I was loosened up and pouring it on. You just have to get started. I really wanted to nail this one as another personal best because as much as I hate it, I think it's probably the most beneficial to your performance of all the month 1 routines. I was able to get through all of the power jacks but had to skip the first 15 seconds of the level 2 drills. Then, I had to take another 20-second rest toward the end of the frog jumps. There -- now when you do this one, see if you can beat me!

I do the drills a bit slower than they do, too -- consider doing ALL the reps in the drill rather than try to match their speed. What I mean is, do 8 slowly before you move on to the floor sprints; don't bang out 3 to their 8 and move on with them. I've seen better performance increase by doing it this way the last couple of weeks.

That middle section is a bear, and if you can get to the end of the frog jumps, the rest is cake by comparison. In Cardio Abs, I usually need to take a brief rest once during the double leg lifts. I do like Cardio Abs and will miss it.

One more day of month 1, and it's my favorite tomorrow, the Plyo Cardio Circuit.

Day 25: CARDIO RECOVERY (and first vinyasa practice)

And today marks my very last turn with Cardio Recovery. I won't miss it (unlike Cardio Power and Resistance, which I realized yesterday I'm also done with for good) and can't see working it into future rotations, but it's still a good and short routine and a mini-break I've been glad to see each week. It's also short enough to let me tack on yoga afterward. Up until now it's always been very therapeutic and mellow, but today for the first time in nearly a month, I did a shortened version of my regular style of advanced vinyasa (flow/power), as I was already warm and loosened up from Cardio Recovery.

On the plus side ... This also marked my first time upside-down in a month, and I was pleased to see that my headstands and forearm stands, as well as arm balances, were strong and steady; the core work has been very beneficial. My standing postures and balances were also strong, as Insanity has done wonders for my legs. I had forgotten how much a yoga practice can get your heart thumping, and it felt great.

On the downside, my hips have definitely tightened up despite my best efforts. My lower back also feels tighter and not as strong. Insanity doesn't strengthen the lower back as much as yoga does, so I'll need to work on this as my low back is a definite weak point anyway. I also felt a little overworked just going into it. I don't know why, but the fourth week of Insanity is hitting me hard -- last week felt easier. I perform better in the routines and I'm not tired (as in sleepy), but the muscles feel creaky and bits of soreness have returned. I think recovery week is needed, although I'm still on the fence about how to go about it. Despite my temptations I have done Insanity exactly as prescribed, and I hate to depart from that now. However, the idea of doing Core Cardio and Balance six days in a row next week doesn't sound that appealing.

My Butt

Ha! I so wanted to write that. It seems like we give a lot of attention to Insanity results in the abs and upper body... most of the photos you see are from the waist up, probably because that's easier to photograph. But last night I was standing in the kitchen and my 9-year-old son was pretending to drum on my butt and he said, "Mom, your butt doesn't move!"

Insanity and Your Joints: The Big, Long Story

The following comes from not just my experience with teaching yoga and with anatomy but also from many mistakes made over the years. I've been through many sports injuries and helped many students through them, and unfortunately have learned many things the hard way. As I like to say, I know the surefire ways to fail.

If you're starting Insanity, pay close attention to the Digging Deeper section of the DVD. Form should always come first, but to do that, first you have to understand exactly what the form should be and why, and Beach Body only barely touches on that.

Insanity is loaded with plyometrics (jumps). Each time you land, the shock of that landing is ideally absorbed by a) the floor; b) your shoes; c) your feet; d) your ankles; e) your knees; f) your hips; and g) your lower back. In other words, most of the compressive force you generate with the jump goes right back into your body. To avoid damaging yourself, you want to spread the force out as evenly as possible.

SURFACE AND SHOES
I stupidly practiced high-impact aerobics in my early 20s on a concrete floor overlayed with industrial carpet. This type of floor absorbs no shock, and it's no surprise I had terrible knee trouble and quickly. I have witnessed these same injuries in many yoga students over the years. The surface you're practicing on is vital (as is the type of shoes you wear). Even if you have a less-hard floor, it's a good idea to use a plyo-friendly mat too. I use the black mat by Manduka and highly recommend it. It also has a lifetime warranty (of which I'm sure Insanity is a very good test). Your shoes will also lose shock absorbency over time, so make sure your crosstrainers still have good life. Runners are known to replace their shoes every six months.

LANDING and CENTER OF GRAVITY
When you land on the ball of your feet first, you help distribute the shock more effectively throughout your feet and ankles as well as your legs -- there are more joints that can "give" -- if you strike heel first, the shock goes directly into your knees and to a greater degree. It's vital to land ball-first, and to do that you need to have your core engaged to keep your weight more forward. This is what Shaun means when he talks about keeping your core tight and your weight forward. When you let your belly go, you tend to lean backward a little to keep your balance, and you're more likely to land the same way, striking on the heel and sending shockwaves directly up. In the same vein, keep your knee over the ankle when squatting, as Dig Deeper indicates. Jutting the knees out over the toes puts stress on the knees.

KNEES AND ELBOWS UNLOCKED
Shaun notes throughout to keep your knees soft. This allows some give in the joints when you land. You can probably see where I'm going with this... locking a joint prevents soft tissue from absorbing shock and leads to bone-on-bone pressure, and when you apply force to that, you have instant injury. Equally important is to protect your elbows by keeping them very slightly unlocked anytime you're in the plank position.

WOMEN AND HIPS
Men have a very fixed, stable pelvis with femurs (upper thigh) extending straight down to the knee joint with no angle. This means that when men run, the downward force is evenly distributed. Women, however, have a wider pelvis and this means that there is an angle from our hip to knee joint. Right out of the starting gate, we're at a disadvantage with unequal pressure on the knees. Unfortunately, this just means we need to be extra cautious.

BODYWEIGHT
When you walk, you put four times your bodyweight in pressure on your knees. When you run, this becomes tenfold. This is why the supposed ideal weight for runners is 100 pounds for the first 5 feet and 5 pounds for each additional inch. That's really light, but not as far as your knees are concerned. If you're overweight and you're jumping, you're placing a huge burden on knees that are already bearing tremendous force. So if you're only 20 pounds overweight, you're putting 200 EXTRA pounds of pressure on each knee during, say, log jumps. Now consider how many times you strike down over the course of a 40-minute workout.

This is where a little bit of what ails you can be the cure. Plyometrics can help strengthen your knees when done correctly and wisely. Strengthening the muscles and supporting structures in and around the knee joint will allow you to endure more compression over time, but be careful -- if you're completely out of shape, be aware that your joints probably have very little protection around them and injury becomes likely. Knee injuries take a long time to heal, and knees are unfortunately a weak point in human anatomy in the first place, even without other strikes against them.

JOINT HEALTH and FLEXIBILITY TRAINING
Finally, with all the compression on your joints, it's vital to lengthen everything back out to bring everything back into alignment and allow healthy fluid exchange. Never skip the stretching, and ideally, stretch more. When you bend forward to stretch your hamstrings, make the back as long as possible (most people round the back to allow them to reach farther, but they put a lot of stress on their spinal discs). Just soften your knees to the point that you can make your back long. With straight legs, tight hamstrings will pull on your low back and force it to round. Also know that tightness in one area will be felt two joints away. If your hips are tight, they will pull on your knees. An imbalance in flexibility between the quads and hamstrings will pull your back out of alignment. This topic is complicated, but can be summed up this way: stretch. A lot. Do it while your muscles are warm, and never skip it or consider it wasted workout time.

SUMMARY
In summary, pay close attention to proper form at all times. Don't try to match the participants' speed and never take your mind off what you're doing, even for a second. All it takes is one tiny misstep. Pay attention to your choice of shoes and flooring, and seriously reconsider taking on Insanity if you're very out of shape. However, if you understand the mechanics of your joints before starting, you can head off a lot of problems. Even though I'm 10+ years older now than I was when I first abused my knees, I am now practicing Insanity pain-free. If you have any questions, please post and I'll do my best to answer. Good luck with this program and thanks for following me!

Recipes: Smoothies That Actually Taste Great

I find Beach Body's recipes, including the smoothies, to be rather unpalatable. A little flavor goes a long way to being satisifed with your meals, and a lot of spices have health benefits as well for few-to-no calories. If you're one of the Insane who is trying to gain weight (my recipes are definitely slanted for those trying to cut calories a bit), just add the full scoop of protein powder, more peanut butter, 2% milk, honey, etc. It's really easy to make my recipes more caloric.

KEY-LIME PIE PROTEIN SMOOTHIE
1 cup light vanilla soymilk or skim milk
1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
2 TBSP crushed pineapple in juice
1 TBSP lime juice
1/2 cup frozen tropical fruit (suggestions: mango, peaches, papaya, pineapple, melon)
Dash of vanilla extract
Stevia drops to taste (I use about 10, as I like it sweet) or other sweetener
A few ice cubes
Optional but highly recommended: 1/2 TBSP instant vanilla pudding mix, regular or sugar-free. It makes them thicker and more flavorful.

Blend and enjoy! This has about 225 calories and 20 grams protein.

"THE ELVIS" PROTEIN SMOOTHIE
1 cup light vanilla soymilk or skim milk
1 1/2 to 2 TBSP peanut butter
1/2 large banana
1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
Dash of vanilla
Stevia or other sweetener to taste
5-8 ice cubes
1/2 TBSP instant vanilla or banana pudding mix, regular or s/f

Blend. By the way, for another 5 calories, you can top these with fat-free Reddi Wip, which is made from skim milk. This one has 275-325 calories and 22-25 grams protein.

Day 24: PLYO CARDIO CIRCUIT

I'm actually starting today's entry before the workout, because I am having that much trouble getting myself started. I felt tired and crabby last night, and I've been sleeping fitfully the last couple of nights. Last night I had nightmares about month 2! I also woke up sore this morning from Cardio Power and Resistance, which surprised me. I think finally being able to do most of the resistance exercises was like another shock to the body. My chest and shoulders are sore today, and so are my quads. I think a person could just keep repeating month 1 and still improve continually. I can't do any of these month 1 cardio routines without resting, slowing down, or in some other way not matching the participants. And that's good; I think it would be pointless to do something you can already do perfectly (something I tell my yoga students a lot and now have to take to heart even more). OK, back soon.

Gack. I think that like everything else in this magically sequenced program, the recovery week probably comes at just the right time. True to form, the warmup was hard and I kept thinking, "Maybe this will be the day I have to just stop and turn it off." But I still was able to push by the end of the second round of the warmup, and I think I even hit a personal best for this routine in general. I often take an extra 10-15 seconds of rest before the last round of each circuit, and on this one I forced myself not to take it at the end of round 2, last circuit. Still had to slow down some of the floor exercises a bit, but overall, I'm really happy I was able to overcome my munge. I know I have to be able to do that now to survive next month.

I'm looking forward to recovery day tomorrow even though I don't care for the routine, and I know that my joints need the yoga I'm going to tack on afterward. My knees and hips felt just the slightest bit grouchy today, so I was especially careful to land ball-of-foot first, keep the knees soft, core in, and not lean back. I'm going to write a whole post soon on joint health and form above and beyond what they tell you in this program, so stay tuned!

Recipes: Insanely Fast Huevos Rancheros, Berry Oatmeal Sundae

Here are two delicious Insanity-friendly recipes I've made in the last couple of days.

INSANELY FAST HUEVOS (EGGS) RANCHEROS
This is so fast, high in protein and fiber, vegetarian, and delicious. It's perfect for one of your Insanity meal blocks. We had this for dinner last night and the kids gave it four big thumbs up. If you need more calories, jazz it up with some fresh guacamole, more eggs, sliced avocado, or roasted sunflower seeds.

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
2+ TBSP fresh chopped cilantro (I usually double it, because I love cilantro)
1 4.5-oz. can of mild chopped green chiles
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
2+ TBSP chopped green onions
6 small corn tortillas
6 eggs
3/4 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

In a 350-degree oven, toast tortillas on a sprayed baking pan for about 5 minutes per side until crisp. Set aside. Combine first eight ingredients in a large nonstick skillet, stir well, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Carefully break each egg on top of the mixture, evenly spaced. Cover and simmer until eggs are nearly set. Sprinkle with green onions and cheese and turn the heat off.

Top each crisped tortilla with one egg and bean/veggie mixture and eat like a pizza! As written, this has about 300 calories and 22 g protein per serving (makes 6).

BERRY OATMEAL SUNDAE with ALMONDS
This is so tasty, and makes a great healthy snack. It's also a good way to satisfy a sweet craving without blowing it. For more calories, just double it as this makes a fairly small bowl.

1/4 cup rolled oats
1 TBSP berry fruit preserves (any flavor)
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 packet stevia
Dash of salt
1/2 cup fresh berries or frozen and thawed
1/4 cup vanilla frozen yogurt or light ice cream
1 TBSP honey-roasted or glazed sliced almonds

Mix oats with 1/2 cup water and microwave about 90 seconds until done. Stir in preserves, cinnamon, salt, and stevia. Place the scoop of frozen yogurt in the center, and it will start melting down into the oatmeal. Distribute the berries around the ice cream, and sprinkle the top with sliced almonds. Makes 1 bowl. About 200 calories. (This is adapted from a Hungry Girl recipe.)

Coming up tomorrow... protein smoothie recipes that actually taste good!

Day 23: CARDIO POWER AND RESISTANCE

I notice an interesting pattern. First, I always feel kind of heavy and lethargic during the warmup, but by the third cycle, my energy kicks in. The second thing is, I found myself wondering today, "I'm almost done with month 1... isn't this supposed to get easier by now?" And then I realized, it never gets easier, and if it does, you're not working hard enough. You just push harder. It's just as hard four weeks in as it was the first week, but I'm amazed at how much more I can do/how fast/how high. I did ALL the moving pushups today. I did almost all of the globe jumps, and while I used to just touch my knees on the way down, I now touch the floor. Globe jumps used to be one of the toughest for me and now I'd say they're in the middle. Maybe I'll survive month 2 after all.

I also have continued to watch my heart rate, and get this -- at the end of the warmup today, it was at 200! The end of the stretch found me at 144, and the very end of the last circuit clocked in at 188. So there you go, guys. The warmup is not just a warmup. It's not only a full-on circuit, but it's without breaks.

I can tell I've made even more progress with measurements and my scale weight is also down since I posted my third week progress photo. Can't wait to give a full month-end report later this week. Also, I have more Insanity-friendly recipes to post later today.

Oh, one last thing. I've mentioned stevia several times as my sweetener of choice, a natural sugar substitute. I noticed in the Insanity nutrition guide today that it actually advocates using stevia as a sweetener! I missed this before and I'm pleased to read it, as using it was one way in which I thought I was departing from the nutrition guide. I much prefer it to Splenda and use Splenda as seldom as I possibly can. I'm actually following the nutrition guide more than I expected. Other than not using their uber-bland recipes, I'm following all of their suggestions, including eating five times a day -- and I'm gradually making the calories more equal at each mini-meal. I can see that's about to become even more important.

Recipes: "This Bread is Bananas, Yo" and Mashed Cauliflower

A couple of recipes from dinner last night. I had grilled teriyaki king salmon with mashed cauliflower and healthy banana bread. Enjoy!

This is so delicious, whole-grain, and only about 160 calories for a big, thick slice. You get plenty of fiber and 5 grams of protein to boot. My husband was totally fooled by this. He said, "This is really fantastic banana bread!" Then he was really surprised to hear how healthified it was (and how awful the usual stuff is for you).

"THIS BREAD IS BANANAS, YO"
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup organic sugar
1/2 cup Splenda
1/2 tsp salt
3 medium or 2 large bananas, mashed
1/2 cup applesauce (or sub part of this with baby food bananas... no joke!)
1/2 cup Egg Beaters, or 2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla (if you have banana extract, throw in some of that, too)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients in separate bowls. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and gently fold in, just until combined. Spoon batter into a lightly sprayed bread loaf pan (medium) and bake for about 50 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center of loaf comes out clean. Let cool before slicing into eight thick pieces.
Calories: 160 Fat: 0.5 g Fiber: 6 g Protein: 5 g

MASHED "POTATOES"
Doesn't sound appealing? My kids actually prefer this to mashed potatoes, and they beg me to make it. It tastes almost identical and is a great way to get a big dose of cruciferous veggies without a load of starch. It has about 50 calories per cup. Trust me. Give it a try!

4 cups cauliflower florets
1/8 cup to 1/4 cup milk or fat-free half-and-half
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
A few dashes of black pepper
Fresh or dried chives
1 tsp butter

Steam the cauliflower until tender and then puree with the milk, butter, and spices. Start with just a little milk and see how much you need to get mashed potato consistency. Dig in!

Day 22: PURE CARDIO and CARDIO ABS

I was so happy to cross this one off the list. I really don't like Pure Cardio in so many ways, but grudgingly acknowledge it's vital to performing better on the next fit test, because some of the fit test exercises only appear in this routine. I do enjoy Cardio Abs and went right into it with no break, but those tuck jumps and wide tuck jumps are so hard after Pure Cardio. Cardio Abs is definitely getting easier, too, and the only exercise I still crap out on is the double leg lifts. Yoga gave me a huge head start on all the core exercises and everything that starts in plank, though. I'm actually much stronger in my upper body than my lower body because I'm used to arm balances and inversions, so Insanity has produced the biggest change in the strength of my legs and in my cardio endurance. The latter has always been my biggest hurdle. So to speak.

I'm starting to really look forward to my recovery drink, like a sugary reward. I put a skull and crossbones on the bottle so the kids won't drink it! A couple of recipes are coming later today.

Maximum Heart Rate

The comment about my high heart rate made me begin to wonder about it, too. I'm not using a heart rate monitor and never have; I've always used the talk test and have figured that when my body gives out, I can't breathe, or I want to puke, then that's the limit. But I've been taking my heart rate for the last couple of workouts during the water breaks out of curiosity, and was surprised to find myself reaching nearly 190. Even during the stretch yesterday in the cardio circuit, I was still at 157 bpm at the end of seven minutes.

My resting heart rate has gone from 60 to about 56 in the last three weeks. Because my resting heart rate is low, I assume I am not overtraining. (One of the signs of overtraining is an elevated resting heart rate.) I still wanted to look into what's safe, though, especially considering my medical history.

If you use the typical maximum heart rate equation you always hear about (220 minus age), my absolute maximum would be 187. Therefore, for me, 85% of maximum that denotes the anaerobic threshold would be 159. There is a lot of conflicting information out there about all of this, and it's hard to know whom to believe. Although there are lots of sources that would support the above (that I should stay below 159), there are just as many that say that equation is not applicable to everyone and that it's not even physically possible to reach your maximum heart rate, so there's nothing to worry about.

I e-mailed my boss, the owner of the fitness center where I teach. He's a chiropractic physician and a professional bodybuilder (and a yogi), and I have always considered him the final word on fitness matters. I then walked around with phantom heart pains until I got his response! Good news:

"... HIIT (high-intensity interval training) is cutting-edge aerobic technology. The program you are on is only one of a multitude of ways to do it, but it's obviously working well for you. The formula you mention for estimating maximum heart rate is just that. Your real maximum heart rate is really what you can bring it up to. Therefore, it's impossible for you to have exceeded it. For a healthy person, the higher you can raise your heart rate, the better -- and that's why HIIT improves our aerobic conditioning so well. Keep up the good work and don't listen to any well-meaning critics."

I haven't had any critics, but I guess that means to avoid the same sorts of "experts" who told me not to lift more than 25 pounds while I was pregnant. It seems logical that our bodies would have their own built-in "stoppers," and I'm sure cavemen weren't running around worried about their heart rates while hunting. So, bring on Pure Cardio tomorrow! It's a good thing today is a rest day. I was up most of the night with a child with a screaming, thrashing ear infection whose ear drum ruptured overnight. He and I are both pretty physically worthless today, poor kid.

Day 21: REST DAY

For the record, I rested. I have lots of say about heart rate, though, in the upcoming post. Side note, though... I am STARVING. Insanity decreased my appetite for quite awhile but it seems to be back with a vengeance. And strangely enough, I've been eating more lately, anyway. I think I've probably been eating about 1,900 calories. And, I think it's too much. My formerly loosening pants have tightened back up a bit over the last couple of days. Not sure what to make of it all.

Recipe: Chai Oatmeal

A few days ago I posted about the fitness benefits of Indian spices according to none other than Beach Body. Some people don't like Indian food but almost everybody loves chai, so here's a great anti-inflammatory, thermogenic breakfast idea for you!

CHAI OATMEAL
1/3 cup oats (adjust depending on your needs... oatmeal-to-liquid ratio is 1:2)*
1/3 cup skim milk or vanilla almond/soy milk
1/3 cup water
1/4 tsp of each of these: cinnamon, coriander, cardamom, allspice
Generous pinch of each of these: turmeric, nutmeg, black pepper
1-2 TBSP sliced almonds (honey-roasted or glazed are great)
Stevia or agave to taste

Microwave everything for a couple of minutes until done and sprinkle with almonds.
*Sometimes I like to use 1/4 cup oats and 1/4 cup regular Fiber One cereal.

Day 20: PLYO CARDIO CIRCUIT

I FEEL LIKE A MILLION BUCKS!! My joints and muscles feel great. Week three is done. One more week of the month 1 rotation! I'm going to miss them. I have really gotten to like these (well, at least the cardio circuit and power/resistance). I love the length, the sequencing, everything. When I'm done with Insanity, I can't wait to come up with my own Insanity and yoga rotation, including the extra routines (Upper Body Weights, et al.).

I can see keeping up with this style of intense workout, even though I've been strictly a yogi for years. I'm smarter about it now than in my fateful early 20s as far as my joint health goes, and I'm so enjoying the sheer athletic performance and sense of accomplishment from doing something so tough. If nothing else, my standards of what constitutes an intense workout have definitely changed.

Day six of each week is always tough, although I felt less worn out today than usual. Still, this one was extremely hard and I found myself wondering why I have always considered it the easiest of the month one routines (besides Cardio Recovery). It most certainly is not, and in looking around the Web a bit I've seen that people with calorimeters report burning a lot more calories with this one than with Cardio Power and Resistance. I still seem to be taking breaks at the same spots and of the same length, but I did notice my speed is much faster and my knees much higher. I would love to be able to compare my form and power now to what it was three weeks ago. So I'm trying not to get hung up on the necessary breaks and modifications. I ordered a nice heart rate monitor for myself, as well. Another observation on the cardio circuit: my heart rate stays in the high aerobic zone even through the stretching. It was about 157 at the end of the stretch today. I took my pulse rate a few times during the water breaks, too, and it seems to hover in the 170s. At one point today, it was 188!

Scale weight is the other thing I'm trying not to get hung up on. While I dropped a few pounds quickly the first couple of weeks, I'm now only about a pound or two below where I started. However, the clothes are telling a different story. I would imagine all that lower-body muscle you have to put on to get through the plyos is heavy indeed.

No crazy cooking today, although I did create a great breakfast granola using the low-cal granola recipe I posted the other day but adding an extra 1/4 cup of high-protein, high-fiber cereal to it (Kashi) and an extra 1/2 TBSP of Cary's syrup. With the milk this gives you about 13 grams of protein and 250 calories. For lunch I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a light cheese stick, and baby carrots.

Ah, rest day, here I come. I love the week's end because I polish off my recovery drink, wash all the bottles, wash my mat, wash all my clothes, and put them away. It makes it feel like even more of a success.

Day 19: CARDIO POWER AND RESISTANCE

Day 19! One more day and I'll be on to week four. It's passed really quickly and dare I say I'm really enjoying it? I was actually looking forward to this one today, and despite feeling lethargic during the warmup, I ended up doing better than I have in the past with this one, completing more repetitions and resting much less. Typically I feel near death midway through the last circuit, and this time I was still going strong. I think the yoga I added yesterday probably helped my performance today, too. So that's my encouragement for the day for you -- just because you're feeling tired during the warmup doesn't mean you're not going to rise to the occasion once you're warm and stretched. Keep going! Here's another motivating idea. Go to YouTube before your workout and enter, say, "Insanity Day 19," and you'll get video diaries by people at your exact spot.

I should add that while having company last night, the bottle of red wine broke out. I am not a drinker and haven't had a sip since I began Insanity -- I'm also supposed to keep it to a very occasional glass because of the medication I'm taking. But last night I had a very generous glass-and-a-half of red wine with dinner. I was careful to drink several glasses of water before I went to bed and was concerned about how it would affect the workout today, but it was fine. I'm certainly not recommending it, but am relieved it wasn't a big deal.

Indian Food Burns Fat, And Does Other Things Too

Team BeachBody says so. So bring on the curries. I found this on their site:

"Curry powder: This complex spice mixture, which contains such ingredients as turmeric, ginger, cumin, and coriander, was created as a shortcut for preparing Indian food. While each of the spices can provide a small metabolic boost on its own, they may burn fat even better when used together. Turmeric itself has a variety of healthful properties, and shows promise as a potent anti-inflammatory agent that can help relieve joint pain and post-exercise muscle soreness.

Hot sauce/red pepper: The active ingredient in hot peppers, capsaicin, creates thermogenesis; that is, it temporarily turns up your body's thermostat. Studies have shown that people who eat pepper-laced food get a small metabolic boost, and burn more fat, for up to half an hour afterward. Hot food also makes you feel full more quickly, so you're likely to eat less.

Cinnamon: This common spice has been found in several studies to help improve insulin sensitivity and regulate blood sugar, so it helps prevent the spikes and dips that can cause food cravings. This effect may be due to healthful antioxidant chemicals known as polyphenols."

This supports what I know through study of ayurveda, or Indian holistic medicine. Spicy food is rajasic, or excites the nervous system (not great for meditation, but good for revving yourself up physically). Vinegar is also in that category. Also, I have used turmeric before for its anti-inflammatory properties but never made the connection between that and recovery from intense sport drills.