My Top Ten Insanity Tips

Now that I have completed Insanity (Round 1 for me) I'd like to share, in no particular order, some things with you that I learned along the way. (Okay, I know what you're going to do. You're going to skim the post, read the tips, and say yeah, I know all that. Don't do it! Read what I have to say about each one, or I'll come to your house and read them to you out loud.) 

1. Get your mind right. 
If you're used to doing workouts that you can actually do, you're in for a surprise. If you don't understand that on the front end, your mind will work against you. Don't go into this competing with the people doing it with Shaun T on the DVD - let them be inspriring to you, but it's not about them. It's about you. There will be moves you will do well, and others that will kick your tail. You may have to hit pause, take a longer rest, do less reps. Check your ego at the door. Remind yourself of your reason WHY. Every day strive to do better than you did the last time. You're competing with yourself. Do the work and you absolutely will improve.

2. Wear a heart rate monitor. 
This little tool helped me the most. I tend to fire out of the gate at full blast, but it's hard to pace myself, so my heart rate would shoot up and I'd be out of breath too quickly. I decided on a threshold for the upper limit of my heart rate, and set that on my monitor. I didn't watch my heart rate, but if my monitor beeped at me, I backed down on my pace until it stopped breathing. This helped me learn my body's responses, and kept me going. Otherwise I'd push hard and too far at first, and then not be able to recover and push through the next exercise. Pace yourself in a challenging way and don't get into the danger zone with your heart rate and breathing. Just as a sidebar, I like the Polar FT7 (got this from Amazon).

3. Don't jump until you are ready. 
I have a knee that periodically barks at me, so I took it easy on the jumps. If anything felt hinky I would do a modified version (small jump or step-through) until I felt stronger. I figured out I love diamond jumps and greatly improved on my power jumps this way. The jump-rope style jumps annoy my knee for some reason, so sometimes I would just sub a different jump. The key is, build, and never sacrifice form. I mean, never. The other thing that goes with this one is to just work. It may not be pretty, it may not be what you want to look like yet, but just work as they work. You will improve!!

4. Push play every day. 
If you go into this thinking you don't have time, you won't make time. Don't skip workouts. Don't wienie out. Your conditioning doesn't get better while skipping workouts. Schedule them, and stick to it. (See my other post here for a view of my Insanity war board). I will admit there were a couple of days that when I pushed play and heard that music start I'd have a wave of nausea. There is a trainer I like who says that if you don't have some nervousness before your workout, you're probably not challenging yourself. But I can also tell you that when it was over each day there was a part of me that wanted to keep going! Sounds crazy, huh? Well it IS Insanity after all.

5. Invest in a mat. 
Even carpet with padding under it isn't the greatest when it comes to a nice landing while doing plyo. We have some nice large rubber mats in our home gym and they really helped. This isn't to take the place of perfecting your landing form, but it does help to have that extra cushion and non-slip traction under your feet. They now have plyo mats available at Beachbody, or you can go to your local Sporting Goods store. We had purchased ours at a specialty exercise equipment store.

6. Make sure you have the right shoes. 
Now I know some die-hard barefooters. I actually know someone who does Insanity barefoot on her tile floor. That may be for some, but most people need some decent shoes. I figured out very quickly that my running shoes weren't cutting it, and I typically buy a running shoe a little larger. I found with this that my feet slipped around in them, and while they had good heel cushioning I really needed more cushioning at the ball of my foot. There were lots of suggestions for cross-trainers, and I did like the width of the shoe at the toe box, but they felt heavy to me. I already have to get this butt in the air, why do I want heavy shoes? So I ended up with Brooks Pure Flow. They were lightweight, had more cushioning at the ball of the foot, I felt spring-y when I jumped and I went down a half size from my running shoe, which mean my shoe felt secure but not too snug on my foot. I confess I tried mine on at Dick's Sporting Goods but purchased them at Zappos (because I'm a fan). You may have to try a few.  Don't be afraid to put some on in the store and try a few power jumps! Also, your socks matter too. They need to support your feet! My favs right now are Thorlo Experia (got these at Sports Authority). Expensive but they wash very well. Buy some cheap workout clothes, but don't cheat your feet.

7. Figure out your high energy time of day. 
If you are a morning person and can do an intense workout first thing, more power to you!! It sets your body up right for the day, revving your metabolism and giving you the mental edge to make better food choices. I am not a high energy person in the morning, and so I did mine in the late afternoon or early evening. This is my high energy time. A little forewarning for you night owls like me though: pushing this kind of workout too late in the evening has the potential to really jack up your sleep. Try to allow yourself time to recuperate before you have to hit the sack.

8. Get your eating right. 
You will figure out very quickly that you will not perform well during workouts like these if you do not have enough nourishing food and water on board. Space your water out and stay hydrated. Choose food that is going to fuel your body, not drag it down. Insanity comes with a complete nutrition guide - it's very balanced, clean eating; not a diet. Use it to get your best results! You will sabotage yourself if you continue to make poor food choices and drink soda, etc while doing this. You can't out-train a crappy diet. Another tip to getting it right: it helped me to eat about 1.5 hours before I did the workout. Too much time meant I didn't feel as strong, too little time meant I was still digesting food when I started. You don't want that because you want your body concentrating on the muscles that are working.

9. Put some post-workout drink in your water. 
Water, water and more water. But after you've done the workouts you'll know which ones are the hardest for you. On some of them I would add a little of my P90X Results and Recovery drink to my water DURING my workout, which really helped! Another product I tried is Beachbody's E&E pre-workout formula. I really liked it. It calls for 2 scoops, but I only had to use one.

10. Tell people you're going to do it. 
Remember my Insanity war board? Well I took a picture of it and posted it on Facebook and Twitter. It made me more determined to reach that goal because I had let people who are important to me know about it. Accountability will drive you a very long way. Workout partners are great. My husband stepped in and did some with me, which was so much help and support. But wrongly chosen workout partners can drag you down. Give it a lot of thought. Either way, some smart person said: "If you're tired of starting over, stop quitting." Truth!! Decide what you're going to do. Tell everyone else. Hold yourself accountable and do it.

What I post about here is my own journey of fitness. I'm also a Beachbody Coach. So the live links in this post will take you to these areas on my Beachbody Coaching site. Here's the thing - I love to help people. If you decide you want to purchase a product from Beachbody, and you do it through my website, you'll pay Beachbody, they ship your product, they give me a commission and then all the coaching you receive from me is free. That's how it rolls. Take advantage of it! 


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www.getfitwithkelley.com. You may not even realize all that Beachbody offers right now.
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Warp Speed Fat Loss Week 1 Review

This past week I went through Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0, week 1. I'm trying to think of one word to describe it, but I can't. Words that come to mind are whoa, killer, awesome, ouch, wow, love it, and Alwyn Cosgrove is crazy. If you're looking for a jump start on your fat loss or a finisher that will help you dial it in, I think it's one of the best out there.

The Eating Plan

I really like the eating plan, mainly because it's brainless. The meal plans are based on weight and all you have to do is go to the grocery, prep the food and eat it. You really can't get more simple than that. There are a lot of food combinations but not really what I would call recipes. There are some one-bowl style options that have taught me some new concoctions I wouldn't have come up with on my own. It tells you exactly what to eat and in what portions at each time of the day. You will even know exactly which meal to eat after you workout and can adjust that based on whether or not you workout in the morning or the evening.

You should know that this plan is low calorie and what I would consider to be very low carb. Consequently you will lose water weight the first week. This means you can expect the scales not to move as much on week 2; important to remember if you struggle with the scales mentally. The fat intake is moderate and the protein intake is generous which helps keep you feeling satisfied. This meal plan does include diary such as cottage cheese, Greek yogurt and cheese. The days are broken up into high carb, normal carb and low carb days. The only difference is your intake immediately following your workout. You can expect to only be able to sneak in a starchy carb at two meals a week. For some people that would be complete shock. Although I found that to be a relief after the high carb holiday season because it felt like a detox, it's hard to go from high carb to carbs this low without being mentally prepared.

A couple of negatives: you may feel a decrease in your energy level if you have been really high carb and then start this. That will level out and you can get through your workouts, but just be aware. It's harder to resist temptation when your guard is down. Secondly, drink plenty of water on this eating plan. It's very likely you will experience some constipation. You may have to add some fiber.

Mike Roussell is a fantastic resource and he offers very helpful information with this program. He explains things very well and offers solutions for beyond the 4 weeks, which I think is crucial. Mike tries to make himself accessible. I've learned a lot from his work this past year.

The Training Plan

Those who know me know I'm an Alwyn Cosgrove fan. He doesn't disappoint with his classic, no-nonsense style. It's hard to beat a Cosgrove workout and I find I turn to his work when I need to get grounded. This is no exception.

The workouts are just flat brutal. On paper they are always deceiving. Leg work, pushes, pulls, a little jumping around, yeah, yeah, I can do this! After a thorough warm-up you jump right into heavy lower body work and get busy. The general flow is strength (low reps, heavy weight), then a transition zone, (less weight, higher reps), then a burn zone (higher reps, less weight but cursing by now) and finally a metabolic workout that will leave you asking for a piggyback ride to your car. Those are the strength training days!

The days in between are metabolic days. Interval training, but there is no slacking on a cardio machine. This is jumping-around-I-look-like-a-fool-no-one-else-in-here-is-doing-this kind of stuff.

Side bar: Do you ever stop to wonder why some of the people in your gym are there faithfully but their bodies are not changing? Maybe it's because they're not doing this type of stuff.

A couple of negatives: the workouts seem long, and I'm not new to this style, so for someone who is new to it or less conditioned it might be easy to get discouraged. Secondly, while you don't have to go to the gym to do this (there is a home version available, and even in the regular version you can do the metabolic work at home) it does require working out 6 days a week, which might be difficult for some people.

That said, it's a 4 week commitment and it will allow you to lift heavy, it's a balanced full body workout, and you will see an increase in your conditioning as well as feeling energetic and revved up.

My experience this week

I loved the detox with the eating plan but found that I also struggled with the sudden drop in carbs after the holidays. This is not unusual for me however. When I go through a phase where my starch intake is higher or I eat junk carbs it's like weaning myself. Just shows the powerful effect of sugar, fat and salt. I also found at first I didn't feel like eating all the food. That also shows my eating choices were less than healthy for a phase. My body has to adjust. Once I tighten up on my eating and give my body clean fuel to use, it uses it more effectively. After a few days, I'm ready to eat every 3 hours or so to keep the fire stoked. The workouts were also hard because the last two weeks of December were such a challenge for me with my schedule. It's amazing how easy it is to lose some conditioning or strength in a short time, but my body still is able to bounce back, thank goodness! One of my favorite parts about this program is that I still get to lift heavy but I get the energy boost and fat blast with the metabolic work!

Overall impression, Week 1

This program is a keeper. Highly recommend it as a jump start or a fat loss finisher. I think this will be good to use periodically as a solid program during a focused fat loss phase. The program comes with more resources this time to assist in making a transition when it's over because it truly can only be done for 4 weeks, then you will need to do something else. If you are new to resistance training, it's not for you. I would suggest getting with a trainer and developing a foundation of experience with personalized programming first. Then if you want a pre-designed program I would then suggest Afterburn I. If you already have a firm foundation, go for Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0. Also, anyone can benefit from this eating plan, but it might be a little too intense for people just beginning to clean up their eating. In that case I would suggest a program like Precision Nutrition first.

If you're doing this program, I'd love to hear about your experience!

This post contains affiliate links.

A Do-Over? (and a confession)

I'm clearly in the middle of a case of do as I say, not as I do. Not where I like to be!

As we enter the second week of December, people are asking me questions about what to do to not gain weight (or so much of it), or how to get their fat loss under control before the first of the year. Generally, my recommendation is to have a strategy without dieting and to not try to live under too much structure with eating and training. The very nature of the time period between Thanksgiving and the New Year sets us up for failure in terms of being able to adhere to unbending structure. Mind you, I'm not saying go hog wild (as my grandmother would say). I'm also not saying don't eat well and don't train so you can assess the damage at the new year and set another resolution that won't happen or will be short-lived. I'm just saying big ideas of grandiose structure during the holidays are sure to go straight down the drain.

This is where I find myself right now.

My first attempt at Week 1 of Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0 was downright lame on my scale of measuring myself. Day 1 was beautiful, then it was downhill from there. Last week I literally was traveling or in meetings from early Tuesday morning to Wednesday midnight. Then I had family events each evening on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Today I am sick with an unresolved sinus infection.

My purpose of starting and completing WSFL 2.0 at this time was twofold.

1. I wanted to complete the entire program right now and give you a good, solid review in case you were considering it or starting it in January or sooner.

2. I'm still on my own fat loss journey and have my own goals to meet. This is an awesome program that is going to help get me there.

What to do now that I am realizing my problem? Here are my options as I see them:

Option 1

A total do-over. Repeat Week 1 beginning today and push through the next 4 weeks, doing the best I can, knowing it will be a substandard execution of the program.

Option 2

Delay the start date of WSFL 2.0 until January 4, at a time when I'm much less likely to be sabotaged by my schedule every time I turn around. Wing it until then.

Option 3

Between now and Jan 4 do a WSFL 2.o workout at every opportunity, use the concepts on my adjusted days, follow the eating plans as much as possible and stick to 90% compliance. Re-evaluate my goals and start a new plan to meet them Jan 4.

Now I have to confess a serious, personal flaw to you. The part of the sentence that I hate about Optoin 1 is the word substandard. If you told me you could not do a program like WSFL 2.0 right now I would completely understand and help you figure out a strategy until you could handle it. But I am much harder on myself. My husband would tell you that for the length of time he's known me, I tend to be off or wide open. That coupled with a relatively unforgiving spirit toward myself is not a good combo. At 44 years old I still battle this. Although I am making strides in this area, I can look at my calendar and clearly imagine how irritated an attempt at this level of structure is going to make me. So Option 1 is out.

Option 2 is a good one, but it isn't the best help for me in the here and now. So that one is out.

Looks like Option 3 is the way to go. Why?

• It allows me to reap some benefit now from the program.
• It frees my mind from the stress of knowing I can't do the program to the letter.
• I can still share thoughts and ideas with you regarding the workouts and eating plan.
• It provides a plan for the rest of the month.
• My calendar is already full so I can strategize for the days ahead.

Am I giving up? Some might think so. It's highly likely WSFL 2.0 is still going to be the program for me starting Jan 4 based on my goals. The point is, this strategy is what works for me now.

Do you have a strategy that works for you right now? Are you waiting until Jan 4 to do anything at all about your weight, your fat or your fitness level? You don't have to. Even if you can't follow a structured program during the holidays, you can still make great progress and get a head start on your goals as the new year approaches.

Here are some really simple tips that may help you:

• Sit down with your calendar right now. Schedule your exercise.
• Step up the daily movement. Be mindful and get physical. Add some movement to everything you do.
• Keep your eating as tight as possible every single chance you get. If you have a party tomorrow night, don't just eat haphazard until then. Eat very structured until then. Don't arrive hungry, enjoy a little in moderation, then tighten back up.
• Keep your water intake up.
• Don't neglect your sleep.
• When you exercise, crank it up and keep it intense.
• If you are currently on a program or schedule that is working for you, don't let it slack up!

I am anxious to hear what some of you are doing right now!

If you'd like to learn more about Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0, click here.

This post includes an affiliate link. Please see my disclosure statement.