Typical Meal Plan

Here's the typical meal plan Kate requested. I try to do the five meals a day of about 300 calories each, but it seems I always go over a little and also use my homemade recovery drink, so I end up around 1,600 total calories. I am starting to wonder if that's too high, because unlike my first round, I'm now working a desk job full-time and am fairly sedentary outside Insanity. I am trying to vary my daily calories a little so my body doesn't get used to a certain amount, so some days I go a little lower and some days I eat more of a maintenance level (1,800+) and have a glass of red wine or some dark chocolate.

I'm on my final week of the first month, and the scale hasn't budged since week 2 although my pants are looser. I'm going to drop my calories down during the recovery week (but more on that later, as I have a pretty weird plan for month 2). Here are two example days; note that I usually do 400 calories for dinner (number four) and 200 for number five, and I adjust the ingredient amounts to equal the target calorie amount.

FIRST: Recovery drink, Ezekiel cereal with 1/2 cup skim milk and blueberries, coffee with milk. (7:30 am)

SECOND: Tuna salad with light cheese, lettuce, and tomato on a whole wheat sandwich thin, mandarin orange (10:30 am)

THIRD: Muscle Milk Light blended with a banana and a spoonful of wheat germ (2 pm)

FOURTH: Chipotle black bean, sweet potato, spinach, and sunflower seed burrito with light cheese and salsa on a whole wheat tortilla, small garden salad (5 pm)

FIFTH: Small bowl of oatmeal with a scoop of peanut butter (sweetened with Truvia). (7:30 pm)

Another day:

FIRST: Muscle Milk Light blended with 1 cup of mixed frozen fruit, coffee with skim milk, recovery drink.

SECOND: Amy's frozen meal with cheese enchilada, black beans, and rice/vegetables.

THIRD: Peanut butter and jelly sandwich on light bread with low-sugar jam, baby carrots

FOURTH: One cup whole wheat pasta with homemade meat sauce and parmesan, cucumber slices

FIFTH: Almonds or scoop of almond butter, apple

Insanity Revisited: Day 16

After telling myself I would never, ever do Insanity again... I'm doing it again. I've kept the wall calendar up since April and after the holidays, decided I'd give at least month 1 a go again. Unfortunately, I'm starting out a bit higher weight-wise than I did last time, the product of beginning a full-time desk job and being extra merry over the holidays. The plus side of that is I got so tired of junk food I couldn't wait to eliminate it, and it hasn't been hard at all.

When I began Insanity last year, I was at 118.5 pounds. At the end of month 1, I was at about 115 and at the end of month 2, I finished at 116-117.

This time, I started at 122.5 pounds. On day 16, I'm at 120. I won't post a daily journal this time, just occasional updates. For now, here are some observations from my second round as I begin the third week:

1. NUTRITION: I'm following the nutrition guide much closer this time. I'm eating five 300-calorie meals per day, every three hours, plus a little extra and my homemade recovery formula, to make about 1,600 calories total. Even though I have a lot less time this round than I did the first time, it's been easy because I keep ready-made things around at all times that I can make add up to 300. I've become a big fan of Muscle Milk Light blended with fruit. I wish I'd followed the plan more closely the first time, as this time my energy has been much more stable and my cravings have seemingly subsided. I've eliminated by nighttime snacking urge just by eating these mini-meals (and therefore more calories) early in the day. Through force of habit and continual resistance, I've been able to avoid the cookies and crap at work, and it's to the point I barely notice it anymore.

2. RESULTS: Like in the first round, I've noticed immediate improvements in my skin and my overall outlook. I noticed muscular changes by the end of week one, especially in my shoulders, upper chest, and stomach. I was really tired and cranky that first week but I adjusted quickly, and now I feel great. I get up in the morning at 5:30 to work out before work, and to my surprise, I really love it. There's no way I'd have the energy to do it in the evening.

3. CHANGES THIS ROUND, BESIDES FOOD: In my first round of Insanity, I went a full month with no knee problems. This time, I felt twinginess in my second week. I've already started wearing my knee wraps again. This is one reason I don't plan to do month 2 (at least not as it's written and not without a lengthy break between). At the end of the month, I plan to do a full week of only yoga and rest, and then re-evaluate. I may do some sort of hybrid for month 2, as I do enjoy some of those workouts. I also can't get up any earlier for the longer workouts, as I already feel my sleep is suffering somewhat. And finally, while month 1 was magical for me last time, month 2 was a continual struggle and an exercise in misery and overtraining. While I wanted to finish to prove I could do it (and I did), I have no desire to repeat that experience. I also gained weight in month 2 last time, and while I'm sure it was pure muscle, I'm not looking for that this time. (One thing I'm keeping my eye on is the new Insanity: The Asylum that's due out in March. That might be a good followup for me.)

I'm skipping the fit tests for now, and I've jumped right in with the workouts on those days and adding Cardio Abs to Pure Cardio before the schedule indicates it. I've already done Insanity once, and even after 9 months, I haven't lost much of my fitness level even going back to only practicing yoga. These don't feel any harder than they did before (but they feel very, very hard... although last time I hated Pure Cardio and this time I really like it, and it's Cardio Power and Resistance that I think is the killer.) Finally, on recovery day, I'm going to yoga class or doing Max Recovery, which I like a lot more than Cardio Recovery. I'm going to give myself the option on the sixth day of each week to do the workout as written or to go to yoga if I feel like I've overdone it -- but so far, that hasn't been necessary.

So that's it, folks. More musings and recipes coming your way, and it's great for me to look back at my own experiences each day to gauge my progress, so I'm glad I've kept this blog up. I hope something here helps you as well.

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 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 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.

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 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!

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.

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 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.

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.

Day 18: CARDIO RECOVERY (Recipe: Low-Cal Granola)

I'll keep doing these as written. But I added about 35 minutes of yoga afterward and it was probably the most enjoyable yoga in recent memory. I did Eoin Finn's "Shoulder High" routine from his Power Yoga for Happiness 2 set. I highly recommend Eoin and anything he has done. Specifically, my shoulders, hips, and lower back were in desperate need of some decompression and this was perfect.

"Gym-style" exercise, especially something along the lines of Insanity, creates huge compressive forces in your lower back and joints in general, and it becomes even more important to bring space back in. I have noticed that by the end of each week, I start feeling a little overworked and tight in spots. Also, while Insanity has been great for lengthening hamstrings, some hip angles, and inner thigh; I find that my shoulders, outer hips, and lower back have lost flexibility. I'm going to add in this yoga routine after Cardio Power and Resistance tomorrow, too (since it's only 38 minutes) and see how it affects the way I feel by the end of the week.

I'm trying to clean the diet back up, and I'm having my cousin over for healthy pad thai tonight (Cooking Light has a great vegetarian version) and coconut green beans. Great day so far... pumpkin oatmeal for breakfast. For lunch, I had a green monster as written below but with a full scoop of protein powder and with white peaches and honeydew added, sockeye salmon salad on a Oroweat sandwich thin, and a bowl of low-calorie granola as written below with almond milk. This is an excellent snack or a great part of one of your mini-meals:

BOWL OF AWESOME LOW-CAL GRANOLA
(makes one serving)

1/2 cup whole-grain puffed cereal (like brown rice or kamut)
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped freeze-dried apples*
Dash cinnamon
1 1/2 TBSP light or sugar-free pancake syrup
Almond milk or skim milk (optional)

Preheat oven to 300. Mix the cereal, oats, cinnamon, and syrup together and blend well. Spread the mixture onto a sprayed baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes until crisp. Stir in freeze-dried apples. Eat plain or serve with your favorite milk. Not counting the milk:
165-175 calories, 1.5 g fat, 4 g fiber, 5 g protein
*Freeze-dried fruit and regular dried fruit are very different. Look for the airy, crispy kind.

Recipe: Single Crispy White Pizza

1 large whole-grain tortilla*
1/3 cup lowfat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped or thinly sliced onion
2 TBSP grated parmesan
About 6 fresh basil leaves
3 thinly sliced cherry tomatoes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8+ tsp salt
Black pepper
Optional: Extra lowfat mozzarella or Italian blend cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Place tortilla on a sprayed baking sheet and bake about 5 minutes each side until slightly crisped. In a small bowl, mix ricotta, parmesan, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Saute the onions in a sprayed nonstick skillet until lightly browned and stir into cheese mixture. Spread onto the tortilla and top with the tomato slices, basil leaves, and optional extra cheese. Lightly sprinkle the top with more salt, and return to the oven for about 5 minutes.
Calories: 225 (without extra cheese) Protein: 20-30 grams. (Fat and fiber vary depending on what you use.)
*I like La Tortilla Factory 100-calorie large tortillas. They taste great like a regular tortilla. Some high-fiber/low-carb tortillas are really awful, but I highly recommend these. This is adapted from an original Hungry Girl recipe.

Day 14: REST DAY (and Green Monster recipe)

I slept 9+ hours last night in preparation for my big day watching the Olympics (again). The diet hasn't been so great the past two days, so I need to clean it up today so I'm ready for the fit test tomorrow.

For today, here is a fantastic smoothie recipe that sounds completely insane, but what better place for that? A green monster is a banana protein shake that is full of fresh spinach. It is bright green. Wait, stick with me on this. You don't taste the spinach, at all. Google it and you'll find tons of variations. This is not only loaded with about 30 grams of protein, but also with three-plus servings of fresh produce. In blender:

GREEN MONSTER
1/2 cup skim milk, or vanilla almond/soy milk*
1 peeled banana (frozen banana also works great)
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
Sweetener to taste (I use about 10 drops liquid stevia**)
splash of vanilla extract
1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
a few ice cubes and extra water if needed
Optional:
1 TBSP flax seeds (optional)
1 TBSP vanilla or banana instant pudding mix (adds extra thickness and flavor)

Notes:
*Soymilk and regular skim milk are high in protein, but almond milk is not -- it has only 1 gram per cup. Still, it's tasty and a good source of vitamin E, and I use it a lot. The choice here depends on your nutritional requirements.

**Stevia is a sub for sugar, but it is not "fake sugar." Stevia is a naturally sweet herb and it is calorie-free. Liquid stevia is great because it takes just a few drops and a bottle lasts forever. It's also great for flavoring things like yogurt. If you use powdered stevia, I recommend the brand Truvia. If you aren't concerned about using sugar, I recommend agave nectar. It is more liquidy than honey and will blend better. It also is low on the glycemic index.

Enjoy! Tomorrow: results so far.
(Image from "Iowa Girl Eats." Great blog with awesome photos.)

Day 13: PURE CARDIO/CARDIO ABS

Today was the first today I was actually scheduled to do Cardio Abs, but I think I've done it three times already. This combo is 55 minutes of working out, but's doable because you get a break in between and because Cardio Abs is mostly seated (although you have to do those two dreaded sets of power jumps and tuck jumps first). It's probably a good sneak peek of month 2, however. Scheduling this on the sixth day was evil. But I motivated myself through it by thinking of it as training for the fit test coming up the day after tomorrow.

On a sour note, one of my knees has felt the slightest bit twingy since yesterday. I mostly feel it when walking up the stairs and it's very subtle, but there. Also, my lower back feels a little "off." I have occasional lower back pain due to an unstable sacroiliac joint. (Ladies, if you have low back pain, this is a very likely cause, especially if you've ever had children and/or have some natural flexibility.) I spent some time last night stretching, in particular sitting in hero (sitting between the heels), internal hip rotation that also gently stretches the inner knee as long as you're open enough to sit safely in the posture. I also spent time opening my hips, as tight hips often pull on the knees and lead to knee pain. In fact, tightness at a specific joint location can lead to dysfunction two joints away!

The other thing I do to pop my sacrum back into place if it's out is to wrap a yoga strap around my ankles so my legs are hip-width, lie on my stomach, and lift my legs and chest while pressing strongly outward against the strap. If your sacrum is misaligned, you'll feel a gentle pop and like magic, the sore lower back disappears. I did that today before the workout, and now, a couple of hours later, both my lower back and my knees feel fine. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that careful application of yoga will keep my joints in working order. I can't practice yoga in the way I usually do as I'll overtrain -- but therapeutic yoga is going to be a must. I hope some of my tips can help some of you as well.

Done with week 2! I'm one-fourth of the way there! Now I can spend the rest of the day relaxing on the couch watching the Winter Olympics (we uber-northerners love our snow sports) and enjoying V-day dinner. Tomorrow, another Epsom Salt bath and some more therapeutic yoga. I feel pretty great right now.

Oh, I don't recommend hemp protein as a supplement. You get only half the protein for the same number of calories as whey, and it also tastes like ground-up rope with a dash of nutty hay mixed in. Feh!