Insanity Review

After trying P90x for a bit, I decided to look into the Beachbody website for another workout program. I opted to give Insanity a go. I have to admit that I struggled with P90x, but Insanity was a step above even that; the two workout programs are designed very differently. While I enjoyed working out with Tony Horton and P90x, I really enjoyed the new style and energy that Shaun T brings with Insanity.

Insanity is categorized as a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). They call it Max Interval Training. The main idea behind this program is to push the body as hard as you can for 2 minutes and then take a short, 30 second, break before jumping back in. You repeat this cycle over and over until you've reached the end of the workout. The DVD involves great warm up and cool down instructions as well, although, the warm up workout is very much a workout in itself. It is ten minutes long and is nonstop!

The videos typically consist of several circuits. The circuits involve four different moves, each 30 seconds long, totaling 2 minutes. Then you get a 30 second break. Afterwards, you move on to a new circuit, with four new moves. Occasionally, there is a bonus move or two in between circuits.

There are a few videos that break this routine and instead consist of the warm up, followed by about 16 minutes of pure cardio moves, each 1 minute long, and then the cool down. These DVDs are a bit shorter at about 40 minutes long, but really pack a punch.

This DVD program comes with 10 DVDs:

1: Dig Deeper
& Fit Test
2: Plyometric Cardio Circuit
3: Cardio Power & Resistance
4: Cardio Recovery
5: Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs 
6: Core Cardio & Balance
7: Max Interval Circuit & Fit Test
8: Max Interval Plyo 
9: Max Cardio Conditioning & Cardio Abs
10: Max Recovery

Along with the 10 DVDs, you get:

• Elite Nutrition Plan

• Fitness Guide

• INSANITY Workout Calendar

• FREE Online Support Tools

 

Pros to Insanity:

Shaun T is a fun, high energy trainer
DVDs get to the point, no wasted time at all
Workout program lasts 60 days instead of 90
Workouts are shorter than P90x
Guaranteed to bring results

Cons to Insanity:

May be too extreme for many fitness levels
Some workouts are still a bit long
A little expensive at $120 but you can find it cheaper on other websites
Not recommended for people who have bad knees, as it involves a lot of jump training

This workout is definitely a great workout if you are already at a high level of fitness or athletic ability, but I wouldn't suggest it for a beginner. It's a very high intensity workout, so it may become easy to get burnt out. I always recommend trying everything once (within reason) though, so I would give it a shot. I typically use it now mixed in with a variety of other workout DVDs when I want a high calorie burn workout. So give it a shot!

Zumba Review

"Zumba Fitness^® is the only Latin-inspired dance-fitness program that blends red-hot international music, created by Grammy Award-winning producers, and contagious steps to form a "fitness-party" that is downright addictive. Since its inception in 2001, the Zumba program has grown to become the world's largest – and most successful – dance-fitness program with more than 14 million people of all shapes, sizes and ages taking weekly Zumba classes in over 140,000 locations across more than 150 countries." (Zumba.com/about)


Zumba was created by Alberto "Beto" Perez through what he considers a "happy accident". On his way to teach a fitness class, he forgot to bring his music and ended up using the music tapes that he had in his backpack (salsa and merengue). His students responded to it very positively and he turned it into what is now one of the most popular forms of dance fitness worldwide.

There are two ways to do Zumba. You can either take a class, Zumba Class (click to watch the video), held either in a gym or in their own locations, or you can buy the DVD and do it in your own home. I haven't tried any of the Zumba classes, although I have heard many positive reviews of them, but I received the Zumba DVDs a couple of years ago.

I quickly learned that I have 2 left feet, but even so, this workout is FUN! Fun AND challenging. You can choose between an introductory DVD which shows you how to do the dance moves one step at a time, then there are several different options between a long type of workout or a short type workout. They even have a DVD to dance along to a Zumba concert. Yes, they even hold concerts, where people gather to work out together, with Beto and his dancers on the stage. Pretty exciting huh?

The DVDs, no matter which length you choose, are so much fun that they go by very quickly. It is a great DVD if you love to dance, or even if you just enjoy it slightly. They go through a wide variety of different types of Latin dances, and even a few outside of that genre. They are constantly switching it up, so that you don't do a single version for too long and get bored. It moves along quickly, but if you do the introductory DVD you should have minimal trouble keeping up.

Another interesting note to the Zumba DVDs is that you have the option to work out in English or Spanish.

If you aren't into dancing, then this workout is probably not for you. Also, if you're looking to tone specific areas, then you probably should move towards a HIIT workout or a strength training workout. Zumba will slim you down, and is a great cardio workout, but it won't add much as far as tone to your upper body... or not as much as targeting those areas specifically.

Pros:

• Fun
• Workout goes by quickly
• Cardio workout to improve stamina
• Lots of variety in the workouts
• English or Spanish option
• Can do the workout in a class or on a DVD
• Price of the DVDs falls between the expensive Beach Body products and the more affordable Jillian Michael's or Body Rock workouts

Cons:

• Not going to get you as toned, specifically upper body
• Not great for the uncoordinated person
• Need a bit more space to do the workout than other DVDs

Overall, I say Zumba is a great addition to your other workout DVDs as a fun cardio workout when you want a good burn and/or you don't have a lot of time to get your heart rate up!
Buy Zumba.

Your Body Is Like An Iceberg

When I first started Weight Watchers, I heard a quote that has really stuck with me through the years. I don't remember now if it was a published quote or just something someone said to me once, but I think it's a great reminder of how our bodies work. The quote was more or less, "Your body is like an iceberg. You've got the small part that sticks above the water and the thick part that sinks below the surface. As much as you want to melt that thick part (i.e. hips), the smaller parts will always melt first (i.e. boobs, arms, etc.)."

I think everyone is guilty of wishing that they could lose weight in one particular area and maybe have even tried targeting one area to lose that weight first, for example, doing 100 crunches every day. But, unfortunately, that isn't possible. Our bodies are like the icebergs; the thinnest part of us is always the first to go. And unfortunately, it is often in our boobs!! How unfair is that?

So, how can we get rid of that stubborn belly fat or the jiggly under arms (which I like to call my "bat wings")? We've got to focus on the whole body rather than just that one spot. This goes back to my post on variety. And it includes fitness, but also nutrition. They say abs are built 80% in the kitchen, 20% in the gym... and it's true! In order to get the defined abs you always dreamed of, you've got to get rid of that layer of fat. You do that by watching what you eat, getting rid of the processed foods, the sugar, the hydrogenated ingredients. Instead, fill your body with fresh fruits and veggies, good protein, and yes, even healthy fats! You need them all to get a good balance. You will lose weight, and will be losing fat, not muscle.

Speaking of muscle, you need some of that to help you get rid of that belly or thigh jiggle too. It may seem a bit backwards to lift weights in order to get that toned tummy you're after, but muscle burns fat much more quickly, so the more you have it, the more tools you've got in your tool belt, so to speak, to get the job done. The Mayo Clinic states, "Research shows that 1 lb. of muscle burns seven to 10 calories per day, while 1 lb. of fat burns only 2 to 3 calories, according to the American Council on Exercise."

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/447243-is-it-a-myth-that-muscle-burns-more-calories-than-fat/#ixzz2K53dr2xw

Plus, with eating healthy, you'll be losing that protective layer of fat and you'd prefer to have a nice set of defined abs underneath rather than being thin, but having a squishy set, right? Same goes for thighs or any other area on your body. Building muscle as you lose the fat will give you that slender look you want, but will also create definition, which is much better than soft, squishy bodies. I'm not saying body builder stuff, unless that's what you prefer, but somewhere in the middle is nice!

And if you're like me, having lost a large amount of weight, you may have some excess skin once you're done losing weight. Building muscle helps fill in that gap between where the fat used to take up so much space, and makes your arms look nice instead of the bat wings. I haven't done as well in this respect as I could, but I'm working on it now. Those pushups will help get your chest back looking more full and even perkier too. That's always a plus! : )

So instead of torturing yourself with 100 squats every morning or 200 crunches before bed in hopes of trimming down the booty or tummy fat, stick to a healthy, balanced diet, get in a variety of workouts (cardio, strength training, stretching, and HIIT [high intensity interval training]) and you will lose it where you may feel you don't exactly need to first, but keep it up and your trouble areas will disappear too! Not only that, but you'll feel so much better for having eaten healthy and will be much stronger and fit too! Win/win, I'd say!