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 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.

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.