Reebok RealFlex….more than just a sneaker

After doing some extensive research on my next pair of workout shoes, I finally decided to give the Reebok RealFlex sneakers a try.  I was trying to go for a shoe that was versatile and would be a good shoe no matter what type of exercise I would be embarking in. After researching minimalist shoes, barefoot shoes, weightlifting shoes, and cross fit shoes, almost all my research led back to the new Reebok RealFlex sneakers.
A little behind the Reebok RealFlex technology…

The Reebok RealFlex shoes are a very lightweight shoe. Their soles are made up of many little flex-friendly “nodes” that aid in your foots movement. The “nodes” flex and form to your foot as you train giving your foot free range of motion and preventing limitations that are common in other workout sneakers. There is minimal padding, which helps maintain stability and creates a natural balance.

Post workout #1 infront of Kansas City Bridge

The day I put these sneakers on for their first gym workout, I was skeptical because I have never had a good “first day” with any pair of sneakers. No matter how good of a sneaker I buy and no matter how good of a fit it is, I ALWAYS get blisters on some part of my foot. I always just figured that these blisters were necessary in order to break in the shoe. Little did I know, there has been a sneaker created that doesn’t need breaking in leaving my feet blister free! After putting in a strenuous workout and going a little above and beyond to see how much these shoes can handle, I have come to the conclusion that this is the best workout sneaker I have ever owned and possibly the best workout sneaker that has been created to date. The RealFlex are very agile and good for plyometrics and circuit training. They enhance your stability, making them excellent for weight lifting (including heavy lifting). They also have great flexibility which makes them perfect for running. If you are in the market for a new pair of workout shoes, I would give the Reebok Realflex a try!





The In-Between Stage: Workout Plan

When starting a structured workout plan, there are a few things to keep in mind when entering the gym. First off, start out with a purpose. Come in knowing exactly what you want to do and what you want to accomplish throughout your workout session. Second off, stay focused and only take 30-60 second breaks in between sets/exercises.  Third off, work out smarter, not harder. 

Now that might seem like an easy thing to do, I mean you already came in with a plan and a determined mind-set….isn’t that smart enough? What I mean when I say workout smarter is to know about how your body works.  On average, it takes around 10-15 minutes for your body to warm up and get into the fat-burning zone. If you walk into the gym and jump on a treadmill and start running for 20 minutes and are relieved because you got your cardio out of the way and can now move on to weights, you are actually being counter-productive and are only getting about 5 minutes of productive cardio. By taking this approach you will never see the results you want. The best approach to working out is warming up for 5 minutes which will increase your heart rate and get your blood pumping to your muscles which will prevent injury. Then move on to your 20-30 minutes of weight lifting. Keep in mind that in order to keep your heart rate up, it is suggested that you keep your rests to 30-60 seconds. Then finish with 30 minutes of cardio. By keeping your cardio at the end of your workout, you are already warmed up and are getting 30 solid minutes in the fat-burning zone.

Below I outlined a structured one week (5 day) workout plan.  This plan works on each part of the body and is timed to give your muscles adequate rest.  Remember to use enough weight that you are struggling on the last 2 reps, but not too much weight that you are giving up proper form. (Females: Don’t be afraid to lift heavy! DO NOT WORRY! You will not get big and bulky! The reason guys can put on massive amounts of muscle mass is due to their increased testosterone levels….we females are naturally chemically built to stay lean!)

Day 1: Shoulders/Back – Cardio

Warm-up: 5-10 minutes on treadmill

Superset: Lat pulldown close inside grip (3 sets, 12 reps)

                  Bent over dumbbell row (3 sets, 12 reps)

Exercise : Dumbbell shoulder press (3 sets, 10-12 reps)

Superset: Side lateral raise (3 sets, 10-12 reps)

                Front dumbbell raise (3 sets, 15 reps)

Exercise: lat pull down wide grip (3 sets, 12 reps)

Exercise: seated bent over rear delt raise (2 sets, 15 reps)

Exercise: Arnold dumbbell press (3 sets, 15 reps)

Cardio: 30 minutes sprint intervals (2 min jog, 1 min sprint)

Cool down and light stretching

Day 2: Hamstrings/Glutes - Cardio

Warm-up: 5-10 minutes on treadmill

Superset: Cable leg curls (3 sets, 15 reps)

                Crossover reverse lunges w/ weight (3 sets, 15 reps/leg)

Superset: Seated leg curl (3 sets, 15 reps)

                 Dumbbell Step Ups (3 sets, 15 reps/leg)

Superset: One-legged cable kickbacks (3 sets, 20 reps/leg)

                 Dumbbell side split squat (3 sets, 20 reps)

Exercise: Barbell Deadlift (3 sets, 20 reps)

Exercise: Dumbbell lunges (3 sets, 15 reps/leg)

Cardio: 30 minutes bike interval (3 resistance hills)

Cool down and light stretching

Day 3: Cardio – Abs

Warm-up: 5-10 minutes on treadmill

Cardio: 10 minutes inclined walk (fast enough that you can’t hold a steady conversation, but slow enough that you are still walking without holding on); 10 minutes jog at no incline…repeat for 60 minutes

Abs:

Triset: Stability Ball Sit-Ups (3 sets, 30 reps)

Back extensions (3 sets, 20 reps)

Hanging leg lifts (3 sets, 15 reps)

5 minute Ab Circuit (repeat twice)

                Reverse Crunch – 30 sec

                Oblique Crunch Left – 30 sec

                Oblique Crunch Right – 30 sec

                Vertical Toe-Touch Crunch – 30 sec

                Bicycle Crunch – 30 sec

Bosu ball Crunch with arms extended overhead and weight (3 sets, 15 reps)

Plank (60 sec hold, 30 sec rest, 45 sec hold, 15 sec rest, 30 sec hold)

Stretch

Day 4: Biceps/Triceps/Chest – Cardio

Superset: Dumbbell Press (3 sets, 12 reps)

                  Pec Flys (3 sets, 12 reps)

Superset: Dumbbell Bicep Curl (3 sets, 12 reps – alternating arms)

                  Tricep Cable Pushdowns (3 sets, 15, 12, 10 reps)

Superset: Close-grip Bar Curls (3 sets, 12 reps)

                  Tricep Kickbacks (3 sets, 12 reps/arm)

Exercise: Barbell Inclined Press (3 sets, 12 reps)

Superset: Reverse Plate Curls (4 sets, 12 reps)

                Bench dips (4 sets, 12 reps)

Cardio: 30 min, slow jog on incline

Cool down and light stretching

Day 5: Quads/Legs – Cardio

Dumbbell Lunges (3 sets, 15 reps/leg)

Squat Jumps (3 sets, 12 repetitive jumps)

Leg Extensions (5 sets, 12 reps)

Skinny Squats – Heavy Weight (5 sets, 8 reps)

Bulgarian Split Squats (4 sets, 12 reps/leg)
                Smith machine, feet placement like a lunge with back leg raised and foot resting on bench

Heavy Squats (5 sets, 12 reps)

Cardio: 10 min inclined walk, 10 min jog, 10 min inclined walk

Cool down and light stretching

The In-Between Stage: Supplements and Nutrition

Supplements:
Below are a few supplements that I suggest all people should use when doing a workout regime. The first two are essential to everyone’s diet whether you work out or not. Protein is extremely important after a workout to rebuild your muscles that you essentially just shredded. An example of a food alternative to this would be to eat high-protein low-fat food, such as Greek yogurt or a natural high-protein, low-fat smoothie. A recovery formula is also important throughout your workout because it helps reduce fatigue, increase endurance, and replenish essential nutrients your body loses during the workout.  An example of a beverage alternative would be a sports drink such as Gatorade or Vitamin Water.  Please keep in mind that the food alternatives will not produce the same results as these scientifically produced, high concentrated supplements. Below is a list of supplements I use and have experienced significant improvements with:

·         Multivitamin – taken with the first meal of the day. There are many good multivitamins out there and I don’t think that one is overly better than another.  When picking a multivitamin for myself, I make sure that there is a significant amount of Calcium and Iron (VERY important for females – men, no additional iron is necessary in your diet). Other than that I simply do a cost analysis and make sure I keep an eye out for dosage size. It is very likely that a serving size ends up being 2 or 3 multivitamins.

·         Omega 3 fish oils (1000mg) – taken with the first meal of the day (some suggest adding to each meal of the day)

·         Whey Protein (protein shakes) – taken post work out. There are other forms of protein such as soy protein that many also take. When I pick my protein, I tend to look for a powder that has high protein content while keeping a low calorie and fat count.

·         Recovery formula – taken during workout. There are many different types of recovery formulas out there. I personally like ones that have the main ingredient of Amino Acids.  Amino Acids aid in increased performance, which is my ultimate goal throughout my workout. A popular one that I have used in the past is Scivation Xtend.

Nutrition:

As mentioned before, I want to tailor my diet without making any drastic changes, for I enjoy the social aspect of my life and indulging from time to time. Below are merely suggestions that I am going to follow and are healthy tips that can be found in most places online.  Obviously, the more drastic of a change you make, the faster you will achieve your results, however, drastic changes in diet are very hard to maintain. If even the below guidelines seem difficult to follow, remember that 70% of your physique is your nutrition and only 30% is your workout, so the more changes you make, the more you will see a difference.

·         At least one gallon of water/day

·         Focus on a high protein, low fat diet

·         Limit carbs to slow digestive carbs (yams, oatmeal, whole grains)

·         Focus on adding wholesome/natural foods (fruits, vegetables)

·         Reduce/Avoid:

o   Processed foods

o   Foods high in saturated fats

o   Sodium

o   Refined sugars

If you are looking for more of a structured diet plan, please refer to my blog posts about clean eating. Clean eating is a good guide for everyone to follow, though tends to be difficult at times. Just remember, as is with every lifestyle change (diet), if you fall off the horse, the sooner you get back on, the easier it is and the better you feel. The longer you wait, the more you risk sinking back into that rut.

The In-Between Stage: The workout rut that is slowly adding to your gut

Have you ever gotten to that in-between stage?  The stage where you are not currently training for anything, but you aren’t being a total waste of life at the same time? Are you sitting there asking yourself, how do I get out of this rut? What do I do next? If you are currently asking these questions or have asked these questions before, do not fret….I am right there with ya! For the first time in almost a year, I am not training for anything in particular and I am not sure what I should do next.

Over the past five weeks I have had a lot of big things happening in my personal life, which limited my gym sessions to sporadic at best. I continued to stay active and I maintained myself by watching my diet, however, I had no plan on when I would get a good workout in or what my workout might consist of.  Over the past two weeks, my life has gradually become more consistent and I have made it into the gym 4 times each of these weeks, and I am starting to get into a routine that allows me to carve out a chunk of my day for the gym.  But as I lay there last night thinking, I realized that am still walking into the gym without a structured plan. There has been no method to the type of workouts I am doing and I have no specific goals in which to accomplish.  This brought me to the realization that I am morphing into one of the rest of mankind…a mindless being pilling around the gym.

Since this is not an appealing image and I’m sure many people do not want to be in this category, I have been doing some research in hopes that I can come up with a structured in-between workout plan.  I am planning on posting my plan/results weekly and will be tailoring it as I go, however, here is a little insight as to where I got my inspiration…

There are many top female fitness professionals out there that have their own theories on working out.  The names reoccurring on most lists are Rachel Cosgrove, Neghar Fonooni, and Flavia Del Monte. What happened to Jillian Michaels you ask? Well this is a list of top female fitness professionals, not top GROSSING female fitness professionals, lol.

Why are these specific females on my list? Primarily because their stories and lifestyle is an inspiration to myself. Rachel Cosgrove is the author of the best selling book, The Female Body Breakthrough, and is dedicated to connecting with women of all ages and giving her professional advice to other fitness professionals. Neghar Fonooni is not only a performance training specialist, but she is also a mother and the founder of the movement, Girls Gone Strong, which focuses on both the benefits and the misconceptions of strength and power training. The next on the list, Flavia Del Monte, is someone who I really connected my personal story with.  She didn’t start focusing on working out until her early to mid twenties and really wasn’t dedicated until she started focusing on the nutrition aspect. She suggests many good books including How to Drink While Dieting and Metabolic Cooking; and has even created her own workout system, FULL-BODY-LICIOUS.

Though these fitness females are very inspirational, my research does not end there. There are many components that go into creating a complete fitness plan; Training, Motivation, Supplements, and Nutrition.  My goal (motivation) is to keep up my strength and physique so it is easy to spring back into training mode when I decide on my next challenge. My goal (training) is to keep my workout regime to 60-90 minutes, 4-5 days a week. My goal (supplements) is to aid my workout without breaking the bank and without establishing absolute dependence. My goal (nutrition) is to lean towards the healthy end of the spectrum while maintaining my social lifestyle and being able to indulge in scrumptious food from time to time. It is important to establish your fitness goals prior to starting or creating a fitness plan to maintain motivation and to prevent lapsing back into that workout rut.

Stay tuned for more to come…

Book Review: The Spectrum by Dean Ornish, M.D.

I am not one to walk through a book store, head towards the self-improvement section and randomly pick up a book, read the back cover, and deem a book worth reading.  Most of the books I read are based on recommendation from friends, family, or colleagues.  That being said, I am very glad that I ventured down to the cafeteria that one day while working at Mars to hear Dr. Dean Ornish talk about his book, “The Spectrum” and the positive impact one can make on their life by putting his preaching’s into practice.  I am also glad that I stuck around afterwards to talk with Dr. Dean Ornish and get a free signed copy of his book, which I promised him I would read and review, and as many of you have probably realized by now, I am good to my word.

The overall theme of this book is “what you chose to eat, and how you choose to live each day, may make a powerful difference in your health and well-being, and you have a spectrum of choices.” The three spectrums of choices that Dr. Dean Ornish focuses on are the Nutrition Spectrum, the Exercise Spectrum, and the Stress-Management Spectrum, all which are vital components in one’s overall wellness.

I particularly enjoyed this book because each spectrum is well researched and though I don’t understand all the medical terms and throwing fancy names out there means squat to me (for I have no clue who the big wigs are of the medical field), I appreciate in depth explanations that go beyond the fluff of layman’s terms.  I think the most interesting aspect of this book is that it is based around the joy of living and how to make improvements to aid in this joy as opposed to the fear of dying.  In my personal opinion, too many people forget that aspect of life.  People destroy their bodies and have the mindset that “I’m going to die anyways, might as well keep doing what I am doing and enjoy the life I’m living”, however, they don’t realize that the “thing” they are doing is not only killing them, but it is making their daily lives more difficult.  There are many testimonies in this book that epitomizes how a few small changes (or maybe drastic depending on your personal situation) can really change your quality of life.

Not only does this book talk about the importance of making these changes, but it also gives you an approach on how to do it.  The book highlights two different approaches, one focusing around making small gradual changes until you are at the level of health and wellness that you desire; the second approach focuses on making a comprehensive lifestyle change all at once.  The second approach seems a little drastic, but that’s why it is important to figure out what type of person you are; are you the type of person that can make gradual changes overtime and slowly see the effects of those changes; or are you the type of person that gets discouraged if you don’t see effects right away?  If you are the later type, then a complete comprehensive lifestyle change would be a more adequate choice.  There is one example in this book (p. 33) that really hits the point home that giving something up that initially seems painful is quickly forgotten when the benefits far exceed the sacrifice.  The example is from Dr. Dean Ornish’s lectures when he often takes a poll of the audience to see how many people have a child and how hard the lifestyle change was with having a child.  The typical response was that it was hard, there were many sleepless nights and personal sacrifice (putting money away for college as opposed to going on a lavish vacation).  Dr. Ornish than continues to ask how many people have more than one child and asks the question, “Did you forget? Or were you just careless? Or because it was worth it?”.  I find it interesting that people often forget the positives because they focus too much on the negatives, until they are gently reminded of why they made their choice in the first place.  When I read this example I related it to my decision to run a half marathon.  Throughout the training it was a drag.  I was giving up foods and adult beverages that I loved.  I was getting up early to get runs in before work and my Saturdays often focused on running for a majority of the morning.  I was literally running my summer away while the rest of the 20 something population was enjoying beer and BBQs and going on beach vacations.  The reoccurring thought that kept running through my head was “Is this really worth it?”  In one simple answer, YES! It was definitely worth it.  Though I had a lot of support and many people were proud of me, probably the most pride is what I had in myself.  Not only did I exceed my own expectations, but I far exceeded them.  As I crossed that finish line I felt like I was on top of the world and absolutely nothing could bring me down.  It’s when these benefits far exceed the sacrifices that it will keep someone going…just have to remember to keep it up until you can reap the benefits.

The beauty of this book is that it gives you many outlets and starting ideas on how to move towards the healthier side of each of the previously listed spectrums.  This book also highlights many common health problems that the American population is suffering from (high cholesterol, obesity, high blood pressure, Type 2 Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease) and some specific examples on how to improve and even reverse these problems with making a few simple changes.  The second part of this book has recipes and cooking guide lines compiled by Art Smith, which helps with the hardest of the three, the nutrition spectrum.

Overall, I think that everyone who wants to improve the quality of their life should read this book.  I also think that everyone who thinks that they have a pretty darn good quality of life should also read this book because there are helpful tips that everyone can benefit from.  I am the type of person who constantly likes to challenge myself and generally thinks I have a pretty good quality of life.  I feel that of the books I have read thus far, this one has made the most impact and has gotten even me thinking of ways I can improve my “joy of living”.

Insanity/Clean Eating - Day 40!!!!!!

Time flies when you’re having fun!  And yes, I mean every word of it!  This challenge was nothing less than fun and exciting and I definitely have learned a lot about exercise, nutrition, and myself.  When I first started this challenge, I was a novice at both reverse interval training and clean eating but throughout the past 40 days, I am confident to say that I have a pretty good grasp on both.  I welcome anyone who is starting either one of these programs to read and learn about my experience and to reach out for advice at any time.

Clean Eating in Retrospect:

Clean Eating is more of a lifestyle change than a measurable diet.  When I first started this challenge, I believed that statement as much as I believed that walking in toning shoes will get you killer glutes (that’s a BIG fail to any of you out there that takes that statement as fact).  However, looking at the nutrition part of this challenge in retrospect, I strongly believe that this is more of a lifestyle change and have made a commitment to myself (which those of you who know me, know I am true to my word) to adapt my diet accordingly.

Overall, throughout the past 40 days, I have felt healthier.  I have not felt bloated; I have gotten more restful sleep; I have minimized cravings; I have more energy and motivation; and ultimately, I feel like my body is working internally stronger (psychological concept I know, but believe it or not, it’s true).

Insanity in Retrospect:

This is the first program or challenge that I have completed in which its definition equally signifies its title….Insanity is nothing less than INSANE!  For being someone who is very hard on themselves physically and constantly pushes through muscle soreness, weakness, and fatigue, I didn’t expect this program to be a challenge throughout it’s duration.  To my surprise, I was constantly fatigued, and even though the workouts became routine and my muscles started becoming used to the movements, I was able to continue to push myself and improve.  Out of all the different circuit trainings I have completed in the past, so far this has provided the most results in the shortest amount of time.  Now would I do it again? Eh…maybe for a week or two or maybe a month, but probably not a 40 or a 60 day challenge.  This workout is very hard on ones joints and tendons, which can limit speed, range of motion, and duration of the individual exercises.  After awhile, this pain adds up and it makes you start to dread the Insanity workout.  Would I suggest this program to others?  DEFINITELY!  This is a great program to really get someone into shape and there are constant tests that provide one with measurable results.  For the average individual, this will give them the drive to keep going and making efforts to improve their physical health.

Suggestions when doing a program like Insanity:

-          Find a good recovery formula to drink throughout the duration of your workout (I use Xtend by Scivation)
-          Have a snack that has a good balance of carbs, protein, and fat 30-60 minutes before your workout (I’ve made my own protein bars, recipes listed in previous blog posts)
-          Drink plenty of water throughout the day and at least 16-20 oz prior to and an additional 16-20 oz throughout the duration of the workout
-          Have a high protein snack within 15-30 minutes post workout (I normally bring a protein shake to the gym and drink it on my way home)
-          Insanity Specific: I did all the recovery exercises barefoot.  This helped me work on my balance, gave my feet a rest, and taught me the importance of being aware of where your feet are and to land softly.

Insanity: Final Results:

In order to get maximum visual results while still getting enough nutrition to complete the fit test, I tightened up the slow carb diet and cut out the majority of my spices (minimize sodium) and liquids.

Food Journal:  Breakfast (6:30am) – 1 egg, 4 egg whites, 28 oz coffee; Snack (10:30am) – 1/8 c almonds, 1/8 c sunflower seeds; Lunch (12:15) – 6 oz chicken, 2 sips of water; Snack (3pm) – Specimen Bar

Weigh in (4:15pm): 2% decrease in weight since last weigh in (1/30); 4% decrease in weight since first weigh in (1/2)

Fit Test (4:30pm):

1.       Switch Kicks – improve from 132 to 146 (11% increase)
                  First Fit test improvement 84 to 146 (74% increase)
2.       Power Jacks – improve from 64 to 70 (9% increase)
                            First Fit test Improvement 52 to 70 (35% increase)
3.       Power Knees – improve from 115 to 123 (7% increase)
                            First Fit test improvement 93 to 123 (32% increase)
4.       Power Jumps – improve from 48 to 58 (21% increase)
                            First Fit test improvement 35 to 58 (66% increase)
5.       Globe Jumps – improve from 13 to 14 (8% increase)
                            First Fit test improvement 10 to 14 (40% increase)
6.       Suicide Jumps – improve from 22 to 25 (14% increase)
                            First Fit test improvement 18 to 25 (39% increase)
7.       Push-Up Jacks – improve from 45 to 53 (18% increase)
                            First Fit test improvement 28 to 53 (89% increase)
8.       Low Plank Oblique – improve from 86 to 101 (17% increase)
                 First Fit test improvement 61 to 101 (66% increase)

Results Picture (5:30):

                         

                      Front Before                                                 Side Before

                     

                     Front After                                                      Side After

Insanity/Clean Eating - Day 39

Clean Eating: Slow Carb Diet

So Anamal and I made a few adaptations to our typical clean eating diet and are cutting the diet back to only slow carb foods.  The benefit of cutting out carbs to the diet is to expedite results and get as cut as possible, because let’s face it…from the mouth of Shaun T himself, “cause I wanna look good.”  I understand that “looking good”  is not necessarily the goal of this Insanity program, however, when that picture is taken on day 40…I don’t want a picture to say a thousand words, I want it to say just one…“WOW”.

Below is my food journal/Insanity program for the remaining 5 days of this program.  Critique as you may, however….it worked!

Day 36: Monday: Today was extremely hard to start the Slow Carb diet for I was eating a lot of fruits and naturally sweet foods over the weekend (including peanut butter which my ultimate weakness).  I think really cutting back today though will help curb a lot of cravings for the remainder of the week.  Insanity was a little tougher today.  I think it was due to the lack of carbs and mentally fatiguing myself because of it.  I still pulled through and gave top effort for this is the last Max Insanity workout.  After the workout I was exhausted, but felt extremely accomplished.  After the workout I figured I would be craving carbs, however, to my surprise, I didn’t have any cravings.  It’s amazing how much the human body is resilient when well disciplined.

Food Journal: Breakfast – 2 eggs, 32 oz coffee (I know, I’m an addict); Snack – 2 stalks celery; Lunch – 1.5 c lettuce, 1 can tuna, homemade balsamic dressing; Pre-Workout Snack – Specimen bar; Recovery formula with workout; Dinner – ¾ c black beans, ½ c broccoli, 10 oz steak

Day 37: Tuesday: Today I had to adapt my workout and do Insanity in the morning.  It was definitely a different feeling to work out right when I woke up, but I kind of liked the change of pace.  Today was Cardio Core & Balance which is more of a recovery workout.  I particularly like this workout because I feel like I am in the fat burning zone for most of the workout, which is the type of workout that will provide the most visual results.

Food Journal: Pre-Workout Snack – Specimen bar; Breakfast – 2 egg whites with peppers and onions, 16 oz coffee; Lunch – 1.5 c lettuce, 1 can tuna, homemade balsamic dressing; Snack – 6 oz chicken, 1/8 c almonds, 1/8 c sunflower seeds; Dinner – 6 oz chicken, ½ c black beans; Snack – 16 oz coffee, ½ c roasted chickpeas

Day 38: Wednesday: Today my body has finally gotten used to slow carb eating and I am no longer continuously hungry (stomach shrunk) and don’t have any particular cravings.  On today’s workout agenda was the Cardio Core & Balance which is easy in general because it is a recovery workout.  I understand the importance of recovery, but to tell you the truth, these days drive me crazy because I always want to work out harder and do more.

Food Journal:  Breakfast – 2 eggs, 32 oz coffee; Snack – 1/8 c almonds, 1/8 c sunflower seeds, 2 stalks of celery; Lunch – 1.5 c lettuce, 1 can tuna, homemade balsamic dressing; Pre-Workout Snack – Specimen Bar; Dinner – 8 oz chicken, ½ c black beans; Snack – 12 oz Skim Plus milk

Day 39: Thursday:  Today was a pretty motivating day because I couldn’t stop thinking about how bad I wanted those results tomorrow!  The diet was a cinch and eating was preconceived and meticulously scheduled.  Insanity was the same routine that I have been doing for the past two days, so it was very routine and a brainless task.

Food Journal: Breakfast – 2 eggs, 1 egg white, 32 oz coffee; Snack – 1/8 c almonds, 1/8 c sunflower seeds, 2 stalks celery; Lunch – 1 c lettuce, 1 can sardines, 1 cucumber, homemade balsamic dressing; Pre-Workout Snack – Specimen Bar; Dinner – 8 oz chicken, ½ c beans; Snack – 12 oz Skim Plus milk

Day 40: Friday: Tomorrow is a little different than the rest of the days of the week so far because tomorrow is the final day of Insanity where there is a final weigh in and final fit test.  Stay tuned for tomorrow’s blog post to find out my final prep and INSANE results!

Insanity/Clean Eating - Day 35

Clean Eating

After trying many different batches, I have finally tweaked my homemade energy bars into what I feel is the bar with the best taste, texture, and nutritional combination.

Specimen Bars

½ cup agave nectar

½ cup honey

2 Tbsp coconut oil

1 cup natural peanut butter

3 cups oatmeal

3 scoops vanilla whey protein

½ cup raisins

½ cup unsalted sunflower seeds

½ cup slivered almonds

1.  In a medium saucepan, heat honey, agave nectar, peanut butter, and coconut oil until ingredients are combined.

2.  Add in protein powder and mix well.

3.  Pour mixture into large bowl and stir in oatmeal.

4.  Fold in raisins, sunflower seeds, and almonds.

5.  Pour/press into a 13x9 baking pan.

6.  Store in the refrigerator.

Ingredient	Calories	Fat (grams)	carbs (grams)	protein (grams)	Fiber (grams)
Peanut butter	1530	131.7	49.8	65	15.2
Rolled Oats	789	6	176.4	27	28.8
Protein Powder	360	3	12	72	0
Honey	480	0	136	.5	.4
Agave Nectar	480	0	128	0	8
Coconut Oil	240	28	0	0	0
Raisins	217	0	57	2.3	2.7
Almonds	312	27.4	10.6	12	6.4
Sunflower seeds	380	36	8	14	4
Recipe Total (24 bars)	4788	232.1	577.8	191.8	65.5
Per Serving	200	9.7	24	8	2.7

Insanity

Day 29: Fit Test and Max Cardio & Conditioning:  Today I was still feeling under the weather, so my goal was to at least reach the number of reps I got during the last fit test and wasn’t too worried about improvement.  To my surprise, I met and exceeded all of my numbers.  One disappointment was during the weigh in.  I ended up weighing exactly the same as I did during the last weigh in, which is good that at least I didn’t increase in weight.  Though this is a slight disappointment, this is a typical result because as body fat is lost and muscle mass in gained, overall weight gain is common when someone doesn’t have a lot of mass to lose from the beginning.  After the fit test, a Max Cardio & Conditioning workout was also part of the schedule agenda.  Anamal and I decided that we would give it our best effort and realized that the Fit Test fatigued us more than expected.  Good thing we had our recovery formula today!  One realization we came to is that today would be the hardest and most fatiguing day of Insanity…so it’s all downhill from here!

                Results as follows:

1.       Switch Kicks – improve from 129 to 132 (2% increase)

2.       Power Jacks – improve from 58 to 64 (10% increase)

3.       Power Knees – improve from 108 to 115 (6% increase)

4.       Power Jumps – improve from 42 to 48 (14% increase)

5.       Globe Jumps – improve from 12 to 13 (8% increase)

6.       Suicide Jumps – improve from 20 to 22 (10% increase)

7.       Push-Up Jacks – improve from 40 to 45 (13% increase)

8.       Low Plank Oblique – improve from 78 to 86 (10% increase)

Day 30: Max Interval Circuit:  Today I was very annoyed because I forgot the cropped spandex I typically work out in, so I was left to workout in heavy sweatpants.  I could definitely tell that my body temperature was increased throughout the duration of the workout and the pants limited my range of motion slightly.  I still pushed through the workout and learned a valuable lesson….it is ALWAYS important to have an extra workout outfit in your gym bag!  The Max workouts are starting to get routine and I have noticed that I am counting down the days until Insanity is over for the mere fact that I am sick of the routine and sick of hearing Shaun T’s voice.  I can definitely see why this is only a 60 day program….1 – it gets ridiculously routine and 2 – at some point you have hit a plateau and it is impossible to improve.  As a fitness professional, this is why I inform my clients of the importance of changing their exercise prescription every 8 weeks.  This will keep your body and muscles engaged and will help avoid reaching workout plateaus. 

Day 31: Max Interval Plyo:  Today’s circuit was definitely tough!  As mentioned previously, this is my least favorite circuit of the program, and honestly, the only way I got through it was by telling myself that this is the LAST time I will EVER have to do this disk again!  Let me tell you…that was ultimate motivation to hit hard, go strong, and grunt through the exhaustion (no joke…if you were in the gym with me today, you can attest to the excessive grunting).  The Xtend recovery formula definitely helped (at least mentally) and to my surprise, my performance was much better than when I did this circuit last week.  I moved a little slower to reduce the impact on my joints, but kept up the steady pace throughout the duration of the workout.  This workout is constantly engaging your muscles and really puts you in that fat burning zone for the entirety of the 55 minutes.  By the end of this workout, you could probably ring out my clothes I was sweating so hard!

Day 32: Max Recovery:  Today was the necessary recovery day in the workout.  As mentioned previously, the Max recovery is a little more active than the Cardio Recovery and uses more stabilizer muscles.  I thoroughly enjoy this recovery workout and am a little sad that this is the last time this workout is scheduled into the agenda (though with 8 days left, I am pretty excited this challenge is almost over).  After the Max Recovery, I did a back super set to add in a little extra muscle fatigue.  I am noticing more and more that my entire body is getting overall stronger.  When doing my back superset (which I rarely have done a back superset in the past) I could lift weights that I never imagined lifting before.  The reason for adding these periodic supersets is not only further fatigue my muscles, but to add in a different workout than the high intensity cardio workouts that this program is structured around.  By adding a different mode of fitness, this is breaking up the routine that your muscles remember and will spike blood flow and give an extra pump to the targeted area which will ultimately keep you from reaching a plateau.

Day 33: Cardio Core & Balance:  This is more of a recovery routine, which is a nice break up to the week and a nice prep for tomorrows Max Insanity workout.  This is the type of workout that is the majority of next week in prep for the final fit test.  Though this doesn’t have the increased cardio level that most of the other workouts have, this workout keeps you in the maximum fat burning zone for the duration of the workout.

Day 34: Max Interval Circuit:  Today I had a really good workout.  I felt like I was well rested and well recovered from the previous week of Max Insanity and was really able to give it my all!  The Xtend recovery formula definitely helped give me that extra boost I needed and for what feels like the first time, I was able to keep up with the Shaun T pace and was able to go hard throughout the entire workout.  I was definitely exhausted after the workout, as usual, but felt a huge sense of accomplishment.  After The Max Interval Circuit I did a 15 minute abdominal routine.  It felt good to really fatigue my abs for it has been awhile since I have worked them.  The perfect way to describe how I felt when I left the gym is….ripped.

…and on the 35^th day, the Specimen looked back at what she created and was pleased with the results…at this she took a day to rest and reflect…