Insanity is Insane!

Yes, it's true.  This program is a completely different animal than P90X.  Let me explain it this way - I do P90X Plyometrics wearing a 40-pound, weighted vest.  On Day 1 of Insanity, I put on the vest and pressed "Play."  About three minutes into the WARM-UP I said "screw that business" and dropped the vest into the corner.  Haha - yes, it's THAT intense (the warm-ups are THAT intense).

Is it harder than P90X?  That's hard to say - it's just a lot different and is geared towards obtaining a different result: extreme cardio-vascular fitness.

I lost 13.0 pounds in the first 25 days!  I started Day 1 (which was also Day 90 of my third round on P90X) at 193.0 pounds, and I weighed exactly 180.0 pounds on Day 25.  I spent my third round of P90X focusing solely on building muscle and gaining mass - I went from 178.5 pounds and 10.5% body fat to 193.0 pounds and about 11.0 - 11.5% body fat in 90 days.  I think, initially, much of that weight loss during the start of Insanity was water weight - I had taken creatine for the previous 90 days and my muscles were retaining water.  Insanity totally and completely "wringed" that water out!  However, after that, I continued to drop weight, which was definitely body fat (and honestly, probably some muscle as well) being scorched!

I did two P90X "weight" workouts per week in addition to Insanity, just to try and preserve some muscle mass and strength.  Other than that, I didn't do any extra work at all - just what Insanity called for.  I'm did between 2,000 - 2,200 calories per day, with 250 - 270 grams of protein and 125 carbs or less (tried to pare that down to 100 or less, but it was HARD!).  Every two weeks I did a "carb replenishment day," where I gorged myself with simple and complex carbs to, well, replenish.  I did my first one about at Day 14 and hit 411 carbs on that day mostly from potatoes, yams, english muffins and gummies!  My second "carb replenishment day was Day 28 and so and so forth.

As far as the workouts, I got a lot better as I progressed through the program.  In the beginning, and I'm only half-kidding, I was on "Death's doorstep" every workout, probably falling out 4-5 times per workout.  I progressed a lot - it was probably Day 40 or so before I did a workout where I only "fell out" once.

Here's a sample diet day for people who are interested - I had a little variety in my daily diet, but not too much.  When you're only doing 2,000 calories with less than 125 carbs, you're pretty limited in your selections!

0730:     (2) Oxy Elite Pro
0800:     (1) packet Chocolate Shakeology, (1) scoop Monster Milk, (1) tsbp Folger's instant coffee
             345 calories, 42 grams protein, 35 grams carbs, 10 grams fat
1100:     (1) Power Crunch bar, (1) OS Trim stick (ostrich jerky...sort-of)
             280 calories, 28 grams protein, 11 grams carbs, 13 grams fat
1400:     (1) Oxy Elite Pro, (1) Arimedex, (6) oz. Tyson brand steak strips, (1) cup Yoplait Greek yogurt
             440 calories, 50 grams protein, 22 gram carbs, 12 grams fat
1630:     (6) NO Bomb pills, (1) tube New Whey protein
             160 calories, 42 grams of protein, 0 grams carbs, 0 grams fat
1700:     Insanity workout (my daily, near-death experience!)
1800:     (2) scoops Aftershock by Myogenix in water
             280 calories, 34 grams protein, 30 grams carbs, 1 gram fat
1900:     (6) oz. chicken breast, (1) cup steamed broccoli and carrots
             340 calories, 38 grams protein, 10 grams carbs, 6 grams fat
2230:     (1) scoop Elite XT (casein protein)
             125 calories, 21 grams protein, 6 grams carbs, 1 gram fat

TOTALS:  1,970 calories, 255 grams protein, 114 grams carbs, 43 grams fat

It took me 70 days, rather than the typical 63, to finish the program because right in the middle I attended Beachbody's "Success Club Cruise" (for Beachbody coaches) in the Caribbean.  Although I DID workout with the man, Shaun T himself, 4 times, the diet was a little "off," lol.  So, when I returned I just picked up where I had left off when we departed.  I actually gained 7 pounds during that 7 day cruise, so although I AM happy with my results, I am left wondering what they could have been if I had been able to be really "tight" with my diet for 63 consecutive days.  

Nonetheless, here are my FINAL Insanity numbers and stats:  I started at 193.0 pounds and 11.0% body fat and finished at 170.0 pounds and 8.0% body fat (the lowest of my life!).  I'll writing a FULL review of Insanity in the next week or so, and I'll also be comparing it in detail to P90X.  Gonna take a little time off and then start the newest Insanity, Insanity Asylum, which was JUST released by Beachbody today!  If you wanna get your butt kicked WITH ME, order Insanity Asylum with THIS link.  Using that link will also get ME assigned as your Beachbody coach, and I'll see to it that you finish the program with the BEST results possible.  Cheers!