Insanity Max 30 Review: Week 4

Whew!  I had a difficult 4^th week, friends.  Unmotivated, I worked my butt off until I maxed out, but then I really struggled to get my mind back in the game and finish strong.  Lazy and exhausted, I merely went through the motions to make it to the end.  To top it off, I became sick on Monday night, so I didn’t work out on Tuesday, which is okay, but I had good intentions of making up that workout on Saturday, and that did NOT happen.  (Sigh). 

That being said, I do feel more motivated to kick off the first workout of month 2!  After the Super Bowl feasting that took place, I am eager and excited to burn some calories and get back on track.  I hope my motivation will last not just through this week, but through the rest of the month!  

Here is a chart of my first month's progress! 

Insanity Max 30: Weeks 2 & 3 Review

Wow, the 2^nd and 3^rd weeks of January were very busy for me because in the 2^nd week of January, I was preparing to leave for vacation (no small task when you are from Florida, trying to pack a toddler for a ski vacation, PLUS make sure everything is set for the babysitter who is staying with your 1 year old twins for an entire week).  That being said, I did miss ONE workout on our first travel day.  I missed my 2^nd week of Friday Fight and considering that is the workout I hate the most, it is probably the workout I should NOT miss.  Oops.

And in the 3^rd week of January, I was actually on vacation, but managed to NOT miss a workout!  I must say, I had to pat myself on the back for that.  It was not motivating to go downstairs and do my workouts when everyone else was enjoying their coffee and breakfast.  And did I mention the fact that I was at least 7000 feet above sea level?!  Let me tell you, my below-sea level lungs took a HIT this past week.  Pretty much I wanted to max out everyday at 2 minutes, but managed to keep pushing past that.  Nevertheless, I did have some of my lowest max out times, this week. 

Week 3 also introduced a new workout, Tabata Strength, in place of Tabata Power.  In Tabata Strength, you will do more push-ups than you ever thought possible, and don’t’ get your hopes up for a water break because that doesn’t happen.  Instead of water breaks, you get to do “cardio recovery”, like high-knees, etc.  It’s a real blast!

So my high of the week(s) is that I only gained two pounds after being gone for 8 days!  I attribute that to my Insanity Max workouts AND I brought my  Shakeology packets and drank my shakes for breakfast every morning. 

My lows of the week were my decreased max out times, but luckily the month isn’t over, and I have one more week to improve on my times before we switch it up again in Month 2 of Insanity Max 30!

To see my video review, click here!

Digital Calendar or Paper Planner?

Here’s the thing, I have TRIED for years to adjust to using the digital calendar on my phone and I just can’t do it.  I am not technologically behind or “dumb”.  I am your average girl in the 21^st century when it comes to my technology smarts.  But I just don’t like planning my life on a tiny little mobile device where I don’t feel like I can see anything. 

With the growth of my Beachbody business, I was looking for a planner that would give me the space I needed to write down notes, schedules, to-dos, etc., and still be really pretty.  Because that’s obviously super important.  ;)  I finally decided on the Erin Condren Life Planner.  It is as pretty as I could hope for and even has my name in it.  So far, there has been ample room to make my notes, lists, and contain my scattered thoughts.  The only thing I would want is an hour by hour page.  Instead, her planner is divided up in to “Morning”, “Day”, and “Night”.  So far this set-up IS working, but if I had my absolute preference, I would still have a space for a numerical schedule. 

I will say that a digital calendar has become VERY helpful when it comes to planning the MONTH.  My husband and I use google calendar and our calendars are synced, so that I can see his stuff and he can see my stuff.  This has helped with numerous scheduling and communication problems between us!  So I can appreciate a monthly digital calendar, but I can’t get behind it for my weekly/daily needs!

Fun Stickers!

Monthly Spread

Folder and Zipper Pouch

What about you?  What is your preference?  What are you favorite digital calendars/schedulers?  What are your favorite paper planners? 

Insanity Max 30 Week 1 Review

Insanity Max 30 is Beachbody's newest at-home fitness program by Shaun T, the creator of Insanity and Focus T25.  The program is 30 minutes/day, 5 days/week for 8 weeks.  It is cardio based with a few workouts focused on strength and resistance training, but no equipment is required.  The concept is you go as hard as you can for as long as you can, but as soon as you break form, slow down, or simply can't go on, you have "maxed out".  You record your max out time, take a breather, and jump back in to the workout as soon as you can, finishing the 30 minutes to the best of your abilities.  

I did NOT want to do this program, and I dreaded the start.  I am at my goal weight and size, so truthfully I don't like pushing myself harder than I need to anymore.  But a friend wanted me to do it with her, and I have to admit I was craving a new challenge, so on January 5, I started.

So what do I think?  It.is.tough.  The LONGEST I lasted without stopping in week 1 was 11:09 doing Sweat Intervals.  The earliest I maxed out was at 8:30 doing Cardio Challenge.  I am a believer in at-home workouts and I definitely push myself whether it's P90X3 or T25, but Insanity Max 30 pushes you and challenges you more than any other program I have ever done.  You are competing against yourself, and it works.  The concept of "maxing out" works.  Admittedly, I am enjoying the program more than I thought I would.  It feels good to know I am pushing myself to the absolute limits.  After week 1, I lost all 5 pounds of holiday weight I had gained, and feel extremely fit.  I have included a progress picture from week 1, and am extremely happy.  I definitely do not want to lose any more weight.  From here on out, my goal is to increase my max out times, and attain peak physical condition.  You can also check out my youtube video Week 1 Review here.

When I Grow Up, I Want To Be Like My Children

I lose my cool, I yell, I get frustrated over silly things, I get tired of the ceaseless questions and hearing, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy" over and over and over.  I sometimes waste teachable moments, and just do what's easiest at the time.  I fail as a mom every single day in some way or another.  I chastise when it's not always deserved.  I shoo away when I should embrace.  I say, "Just one more minute" and then let forty-five minutes go by without fulfilling my promise.  I could keep going, but I'll get to the point.  The point is, my children forgive and forgive quickly.  Every.single.time.  I am incredibly underserving of the unconditional grace and love they show me.  No matter what I've done or said or how "ugly" I've behaved, they are always happy to see me, hug me, and forgive me.  I am always amazed and surprised by the tenderness of their hearts.  In their young innocence and purity, they are more like Jesus than I am.  What an example to follow!  What a showcase of God's love, forgiveness, and mercy I have on display right in front of me every single day.  Sienna, Price, and Maddox make me want to be a better mom, and to be a better mom, I need to become more like Sienna, Price, and Maddox.  

To Scale Or Not to Scale

To Scale:

Here’s the thing, many people (women especially), have an incredibly unhealthy relationship with the scale.  I get that.  What I am about to say is NOT for those people.  As a matter of fact, I used to be one of those people.  When I was interning at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs in their Strength and Conditioning Department, I would step on the scale up to five times per day.  WHAT?!  I know, right!  That is not normal.  That is obsessive and incredibly unhealthy.  But since then, through having my children and becoming a Beachbody coach, I have learned to have a healthy relationship with the scale.  As a matter of fact, I consider the scale, my BEST and most RELIABLE accountability partner! 

So how does it work?  What do I do?  I think its very important to have a healthy weight RANGE.  Not one number, but a few numbers you are comfortable at.  For me, I have a five pound range I like to be at (anywhere from 113-118).  If I step on the scale and I am within that range, I step off, and go about my business as normal.  If I am creeping above that 118 number, I know it’s time to get disciplined, be more conscious of what I am eating, and amp up my workouts a notch.  I rarely dip BELOW, but if I do, I know I need to consume more healthy calories, and build up more muscle.  This is HOW I have a healthy, beautiful relationship with my bathroom scale. 

To Not Scale:

There are a lot of reasons to not worry about the number on the scale.  One of which is your weight (especially as a woman) can fluctuate on a day-to-day basis for reasons outside your calorie consumption or burn!

But I think the number one reason you can not ONLY use the scale as a reference for your progress is that as you build lean muscle, you actually gain weight. So the best way to determine how you’re doing is by how your clothes fit, how you look, and how you feel, not by how much you weigh. 

A great example of this is after I had my twins, I started the P90X3 program.  The first picture was when I was three months post-partum and weighed 122 pounds.  3 months later, I had only lost THREE POUNDS, but the difference in my physique was tremendous.  I would have never guessed that a difference of only three pounds could LOOK so drastic and create such a different physique.  

Tis The Season Challenge

Tis the season to be jolly...eat Christmas cookies, watch "It's A Wonderful Life", indulge in delicious egg-nog, eat to your heart's content, rock that gorgeous cocktail dress, go see Santa, wait in long lines, and shop all day to find the perfect gift.

Can it also be a season of healthy change?  Is it even possible to capture any semblance of health and wellness during this celebratory and often chaotic time?  I believe so and hope so!  

My mission for this challenge is not to ask my challengers to forego their favorite Christmas goodies, or avoid their holiday parties, but to strive towards finding balance in the midst of it all.  I want to encourage staying on track, making time for YOU, and investing in your health for the first three weeks in December.  

Will you join me?  

Find me on Facebook or leave a comment below if you are interested in hearing more!