Insanity Max 30 results

Today was Day 1 of my second go through Insanity Max 30. First off I maxed out at 7:01 - which is so much better than my first run through it, where I didnt even make it out of the warm up. Around 19 minutes I was pretty much toast. I had trouble finishing, and just did the best that I could. A few thoughts that I know went through my head - I forgot how hard this is. I wonder if I am going to be able to make it to 30 minutes. FUCK THIS IS HARD. Day one is in the books - post workout I blended up a quick mix of chocolate flavored protein poweder, and vanilla Shakeology, wiht a half glass of water. Takes about 15 seconds and it tastes good. YOU WANT TO EAT SOMETHING HEALTHY WiTHIN 30 MINUTES OF EXERCISE!

Insanity Max 30 - Week One Complete

So I am one week into Insanity Max 30. I've been doing my best to eat right. what does eating right mean? Well lots of protein, mostly chicken with lots of vegetables, and some rice, very few potatoes, and lots of salad. I have been drinking the Shakeology, protein drinks, and blending them up at times with peanut butter and an apple. It is pretty good. Some of the recipes that I have had are chicken kabobs on the grill. With tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, red and green pepper. That topped with rice was amazing. Little to no fat. Then I had bbq chicken, with a salad, with avocado, tomato, corn, and it was delicious. Dressing was squeezed lime, and olive oil. Today we had burgers, grilled corn, and pork n beans. I dont think that is the healthiest, but I only had one burger, no mayo, lots of veggies on it, onions, tomatoes, avocado, and lettuce. Through the whole week I've only drank the protein shake, shakeology, water adn coffee. I havent had a soda, and only two desserts all week. The reason I am typing up so much about the food part of it, because that is what most of this thing is about. 70% or more is nutrition - so we'll see. As for the workouts - one word TOUGH! I am busting my ass, and evey workout I am absolutely burn out. Of course it is only one week in, and each workout has kicked my ass. I am maxing out around 5-7 minutes, and then able to fight my way though the remainder of the workouts, doing the modified stuff when I need to. I am starting to feel strong though, and beginning to feel everything starting to tighten up. My muscle memory seems to be starting to kick in, and that is a good thing. There is this one incentive where you can win a contest through your transformation, and/ or completion of the program which I think is great. Going through the workouts though, when Sean T is pushing you and you are dying, you wish the incentive for finishing was being able to kick him in the nuts. Not literally, obviously but man he is all positive, and talking, and still breathing easily the whole time, and I am fricken struggling to even stand up, and thikning to myself, fuuuuuuccckkkkkkk. That is the way the program is designed though, and that is what I like. It is meant to drive you to your breaking point, meant to test your mental fortitude, and for you to push your body past the limits you thought were there. So, thats what I tell myself when I go to push through. Me doing three more, five more, finishing the set is my way of kicking sean t in the nuts. So I did the pulse workout today, and that was fairly easy, but probably the best thing to do after five days of that insanity shit. Really good to just stretch out the muscles, get them to burn just a bit, get your heart rate going, and then it is done. It is only 20 minutes, and it goes quick. The best part of starting the program so far, easily, is the increase in energy level. It is INTENSE! I am so shocked at how much energy I have now, and it has only been 5 days. I feel so recharged it is crazy. The mental game continues now, gotta push through for 7 more weeks. I am really curious to see if I can get the same type of results as the people on the tv commercials, or hte promo videos. It seems pretty unrealistic that you can shed that kind of weight, and shred your body, get all cut up and ripped in just 60 days. We'll see if it is bullshit, but in order to do that, I have actually got to do the work. Make no mistake either, this shit is work. HARD, SWEATY, EXHAUSTING WORK - all so very worthwhile.

Insanity Max 30 workout - Day 1

I started the Insanity max 30 workout today, wiht my first max out time of4:25. I didnt even make it out of the "warm up" part of the workout before my legs were giving, my lungs were burning, and i was maxed. I kept on going after that, doing the best that I could, but only made it somewhere to the 10-11 minute mark before really falling off and then only doing a fraction of the workouts, a small fraction. With all that being said, I am feeling proud of myself for starting. I had a bit of fear creeping in before the start, because it has been so long since I've done anything near exercise on a consistent basis. I had spent the last few days in mammoth snowboarding and skiing, was exhausted, and still got up early to do the workout - to START! Why? Well, a few reasons. I need to start somewhere, and no better place and time than today. The holidays are over, I have the week off to help my body adjust to hte new routine, and I am going to need that adjustment period. I also am tired of looking in the mirror, and thinking about when I had muscles, and didnt have my gut. I want that back, and I need to start putting in the work. Nothing worthwhile in life comes without dedication, commitment, and work. Sounds cliche? Perhaps, but that shit is true! I am going to take my photos today, and measurements. I didnt do them before because I was out of town, etc. and didnt want to delay the start of the program because of that. So I started anyway.

Insanity Max 30 - getting prepared

I'd like to say welcome back, but in the back of my head it says "its about flippin time" I have done very little in the way of exercise for the better part of the last year or year and a half. I bike ride here, a soccer game there but nothing consistent. I dont know that I have been this out of shape since I was in my early 20s either in college, or just out when I was drinking and partying a ton, and just not giving a shit about doing any exercise. Times were different then though, I could eat whatever I wanted, and never seemed to put on any weight. I've noticed a significant difference in my metabolism since I have stopped exercising, and I have finally hit that point in my life where I am putting on those inches around the waist/ love handle area. I have tried to start exercising again, and have contineud to tell myself I was going to start but just haven't. I went to the gym about 3 or 4 weeks ago, and I did HALF of the first day of the P90X workout, and I almost collapsed. HALF OF THE WORKOUT, and I took it easy and I still almost collapsed. Add to that the fact that I was extremely sore for the better part of a week, and I am actually SCARED to start doing this workout. I am so out of shape, that for the first time in my life, I am dreading the start of the workout because it is going to be painful. With all of that being said, I am prepping for the beginning of the new Beachbody workout, Insanity MAX 30. I signed up to be part of a test group, and have committed myself to 60 days of consistently following a eating regimen and the workout program calendar. I am going to take my measurements, and "before" photos today with the plan of starting the workout program on Monday 12/29. I have a group leader who I can reach out to for tips, and I have my close friend Nick Riley in the group with me as well so I can lean on him to help wiht motivation and to stay on task. From everything I am reading the workouts are challenging, but the eating regiment is the most difficult to stay consistent with. So the week of 12/29, here I come! I am off work that entire week, and think that would be a great week to start making the adjustment to get back into shape. I am nervous, which makes me feel silly because I consider myself an athlete. I just haven't ever felt so out of shape, I dont really know how my body is going to respond. Wish me luck Michael T. Ward

Day 19 P90X Legs and Back - Feb 8 2012

Day 19 P90X Legs and Back - Feb 8 2012
Today was legs and back and I worked my ass off. I, once again, did not want to get out of bed. I was tired, my body is tired, and I have only been getting between 6.5-7 hours of sleep a night. I can feel my body needing more rest, but I will have to wait for the weekend to (hopefully) get a little caught up on some rest. As for the exercise, it was tough. I think I sweat more than I have in any of the previous days. I was able to increase my weight and reps on all of the pull up exercises, which I was excited about. I also was able to do all of the leg exercises, even though my legs were absolutely burning. At a few different points they were at failure, and I needed to wait a second and get them back under me.

I didnt do Ab Ripper yet, I was running out of time. I had to be at a meeting early this morning, so I was cut short of my normal block of time. That being said, I am going to (not plan on it, not maybe) do the ab ripper dvd when I get home tonight. I will do all 25 reps of all 11 exercises, and I will do the best that I can.

Mentally, i have been struggling a bit with staying focused, and staying excited. It could have to do with me being tired, it could be that I am just mind fucking myself because I am only 19 days in, and there is still so long to go. Either way, I am still pushing through the negative "you cant/dont have to do it" thoughts. I havent stopped, even though those have been in my head pretty much every day, especially in the mornings when I dont want to get up. the cool thing that has happened over the last 3-4 days, is that my son has noticed that I have been going to the gym every morning. He is now counting the days with me, and rooting me on in a round about way. I mean, he hasnt cheered me on, but the fact that he has noticed, and has been keeping track, makes me want to keep going, to show him that when you start smethign you finish. Another thing, is that my friend josh has started too, and both of us have started and never finished any of these 3 month/ 90 day programs a number of times. We both have agreed to keep each other accountable, and motivate one anotehr to keep going, and not stop.

So 19 days done. Or they will be when I do Ab Ripper tonight. 20 is Kenpo X which I am excited bout, to burn some calories, and keep working to shed this little belly I have, and get it six pack like.

Day 18 P90X Yoga X 2/7/12

Day 18 P90X Yoga X 2/7/12
Today is tuesday morning, and I am feeling tired. I snoozed the alarm a bit before dragging myself up out of bed to get to the workout area. I got up, drank my bullnox pre-workout and got my lap top and water and away I went. Today isnt as bad as yesterday, as far as not wanting to get up and go, but I am still not feeling that level of excitement and energy that I was feeling the first week or two. It seem that i have hit a bit of a lull in the workout, and seem to be running into a bit of a mental wall. I am starting to get to that place of "ahhh man, I still have soooo long to go, its only day 18, and ugh, I dont want to go work out" Its the poor me syndrome, I suffer from it sometimes. I want all the results with little to none of the work hahaha. I have done this program enough times, or should I say, i have started this program enough times, to know this when it is happening. I am not going to succumb to it again. I start hearing those thoughts, and I say to myself out loud, "fuck that, I'm going" and it seems to arrest the thoughts, take away there power, and refocus my thougts on just getting to the gym and doing the best that I can. It worked for me today, and it worked for me yesterday, and both times, I feel better having gone, than I would have if I took a day off.

Yoga X - today was the yoga X DVD. Now I have mentioned before that I am not a huge fan of this Yoga DVD. The biggest reason was that it is an hour and a half, and it just takes sooo long. Well, now doing it for the third time that love hate relationship is actually turning more into a love relationship. I really enjoyed doing it today. I could tell I am getting stronger in some of the strength postures, and was able to hold out, through most. During some of the balance/ stretch exercises, I had a really tough time, but did my best. The worst one was the one leg table balanace. Where you bend down, one leg in the air, one on the floor, and then one hand on the floor and twisting up looking at my other hand in teh air. IT KILLED ME. It was stretching out my upper glue, top of my leg and it was burning. A couple of times i had to bring it down, and give it a second and get back to it. that was the hardest part. The Yoga Belly 7 exercises are pretty brutal too, but I did those alright, but definitely have room to improve. Overall I did good, and was happy to have went. now, it being a few hours afterward, I know I got a killer workout because my legs are still wobbly, and I can feel them all stretched and strained, and that is a good feeling.

Another thing to note, is my left shoulder is feeling very tight and sore. This is probably because I went so hard on my arms adn shoulders yesterday, and i am feeling the reprecussions of that. I have mentioned before in the videos, I have bit of a problem when it comes to my shoulders. I have to be much more careful when I am working out my arms and shoulders, so I dont injusre myself. Today, I am happy to know that I wont have any arm or shoulder exercises for several days and will give it time to heal.

So this is it. Day 18 is done. I am fighting to get through that lull, and to just keep at it. Rome was not built in a day. I cannot expect to get in great shape in a day (or 18) either. Especially at 35 years old.