The end is near. But is it also smaller? Expectations vs reality weigh heavily on me in week 8.
This is my last week of Insanity! Can I get an amen? If you’re like me and discovered Insanity from the infomercial, you know the kind of amazing transformations people are reporting on this program. Did I see that kind of change in my own body? Mmm. Not exactly. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t get a lot out of the program. Here’s how reality measured up to my expectations:
Expectation: I’d drop major el-bees.
Reality: I didn’t have major el-bees to drop. But…
No matter how many times I assure myself that muscle weighs more than fat and that a bathroom scale doesn’t measure self-worth, I – like a lot of women – have a number in my head (and on my driver’s license) of what I’d like to weigh. Or more accurately what I should weigh.
After 8 weeks of Insanity, without missing a single workout, I do not weigh that number.
Admittedly I did not change my eating habits at all, except to eat a little more because I seemed to be hungry all the time. In general, my diet is very healthy – lots of veggies, high quality protein, not too much sugar. You know the drill. Still, I thought that by basically doubling the duration of my workouts, tripling the intensity and increasing the number of my workouts per week by two, I’d drop the 4-7 pounds I wanted to, and reach my goal weight.
Nope. There were days when I weighed three pounds less, but mostly the scale defaults to the same number it always has. Frustrating? Hell, yeah.
Does this mean that my current weight is a more reasonable weight instead of my arbitrary number? I guess. But I weighed that original number for a long time. Almost ten years. And before that, I weighed ten pounds less than that for ten years. So that’s 20 pounds gained. Is that supposed to go unchecked? What’s realistic? If this trend continues as my metabolism slows down with age… I don’t even want to think about it. (Just Googled average weight gain per year, and Prevention and Livestrong said I’m right on track … a pound a year… and that it’s a trend that shouldn’t go unchecked. Do I feel better or worse that I’m not just neurotic? Not sure yet.)
ANYway, I didn’t lose weight on Insanity but I did make huge gains (the good kind) in other areas. My aerobic endurance has vastly improved. I can now do 90-95% of each of the Max workouts and if you’d see me on Day One, you’d know this is no small thing. Really proud of that.
My clothes fit a lot better and I’m really proud of my muscle definition. I’m even rocking white jeans today (yes, with a pretty long shirt, but still. I feel good in them.) And my other goal… shorts without shame (there was even a song to the tune of America’s Horse with No Name), yeah, I’d say I reached that too…If they’re a little longer, I have a (sunless) tan, a small wedge heel and it’s between the hours of 4-6. Low lighting is your friend.
Expectation: There would be some exercises I’d never be able to do
Reality: Anything’s possible.
In the beginning, Power Jumps (see above) seemed impossible. As did Level 1, 2, and 3 Drills and Power Pushups. I’ve gotten so much better at Power Jumps! Yes, I could jump in the beginning, but not high and not several times in a row. Now, my fit test results show impressive gains. I still struggle with pushups – and those Level 1,2 and 3 drills contain pushups – but those have gotten stronger too. Yea, me!
It’s a lesson I have to learn over and over… stop saying “I can’t” or “there’s no way I’ll ever be able to …” Instead, I’m going to assure myself that I can, that if I keep working at it, I will. And then pat myself on the back when I actually do. Remind me of this when I attempt all those pull ups in P90X.
Expectations: I’d do the 60 days and that’s it.
Reality: I want to stick with it.
The reason I wanted to do Insanity in the first place is that it was so far out of my comfort zone. I love to lift weights, but full-throttle cardio? Just not my thang. On Day One, this goal really did seem insane. Now I have a new comfort zone. One in which side suicide jumps are the norm. I’ve even ordered the Insanity Fast and Furious 20 minute workout to do while I’m in the middle of a two-week writing challenge called Fast Draft. (Basically, you write 5000 words every day for two weeks and end up with a 70,000 first draft. More on the later.) I plan on starting P90 X in mid to late June. Till then, Fast and Furious, plus some of my other Insanity greatest hits workouts will keep me white jean ready.
How about you? Have you completed this or some other intense workout? Any thoughts your Insanity expectations versus reality or advice on P90X? Love to hear from you in the comments below.