I finished Insanity! Although admittedly it was a modified version, with an average of 3 Insanity workouts per week, I did make it through 9 weeks of HIGH intensity training!
How I Completed 9 Weeks of Insanity:
- Month 1 – Average of 4 Insanity workouts/week plus 1-2 weekday bike/runs and a long bike and long run on weekends
- Month 2- Average of 3 Insanity workouts/week plus 2 runs (including one speed workout), 1 bike ride and a long bike and long(er) run on weekends
- 4 Day break at the halfway point while I went on vacation
- Didn’t follow the diet plan – ate fairly healthy most days but indulged on vacations and a few meals every weekend. Ate 4 Thanksgiving dinners (over the course of 2 weeks) and didn’t hold back on desserts (my weakness!).
Unlike P90X, I actually took the fit test before AND after the program so I have something to compare it to. This was especially important for Insanity since my primary goal was to increase my endurance, rather than build muscle and lose weight like in P90X.
So here are the magical results (for descriptions of the moves, see my first fit test blog post here):
| Day 1 | Day 63 | Increase From Day 1 | |
| Switch Jacks | 102 | 134 | 32 |
| Power Jacks | 46 | 55 | 9 |
| Power Knees | 89 | 95 | 6 |
| Power Jumps | 27 | 35 | 8 |
| Globe Jumps | 9 | 11 | 2 |
| Suicide Jumps | 17 | 21 | 4 |
| Push-Up Jacks | 25 | 30 | 5 |
| Low Plank Oblique | 45 | 58 | 13 |
Despite my modified version, I was happy with my results. These moves were HARD and I was happy to improve in all areas across the board. I’m sure that if I were to complete the program exactly as prescribed (6 times a week), I would have seen some bigger jumps in the numbers, but I’m sure that my running and biking fitness has also seen some great boosts over these 9 weeks, which can’t be measured in the Insanity Fit Test.
Physical Results:
As for physical results:
- Pounds Lost: 5.2
- Inches Off Waist: 1.5
- Inches Off Hips: 0.5
- Inches Off Thighs: 0.5
Before
After:
I wouldn’t say my Insanity Before and After photos are dramatic as my P90X Before and Afters, but I still see a difference. I feel a difference for sure – my stomach and core feel tighter and my clothes fit looser. I highly recommend this program to anyone who is looking to shed some fat while strengthening their core and increasing their stamina. If you want to see some serious increases in muscle mass, I recommend that you use P90X. For me at this point in time, Insanity was perfect because I’d rather not add a lot of bulk to carry around during Ironman training. I wish that I had done a mile run test before and after this program because dropping time off my mile would have been the most valuable of all.
Please let me know if you have any specific questions about how I completed the program (it was definitely more of a blend of Insanity & triathlon training as I mentioned before). If you’d like to try Insanity for yourself, you can purchase it here: http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/fitnessfatale (Shop Team Beachbody)
I feel like you’ve totally convinced me. Great blog by the way! Love that you are in San Diego too!
quillandcouture.com
Thanks! Let me know if you have any questions about Insanity!
Great job! I love Insanity!
Hi there, just discovered your blog and I’ve been reading through it captivated! I’m on week 6 of my first round of p90x so I’ve got a long way to go to catch up to you. I was wondering though, was Mike doing Insanity with you by any chance? Although I have several weeks left in this program I’m looking ahead to whether, as a guy, I should put in a second round of p90x after this round finishes or move elsewhere to something like Insanity.
Mike started doing Insanity with me but he got sick twice while doing it and preferred P90X workouts to Insanity ones. Insanity is very high intensity with a lot of leg focus so it was hard to run and bike on top of it. If you are looking to get more muscle tone and bulk up, I’d go with P90X but if you are looking to slim down and get faster at running or better at basketball or a sport, I’d recommend Insanity. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Yay for San Diego! I am in my 4th week of insanity and I love it! I am a contemporary dancer who took a few years off dance to get a real job :/ lol but I put on weight and my stamina slowed a lot. In just the first 3 weeks, I have noticed changes in my body composition. Everything feels tighter and even though I have not lost many pounds (just 3 in 3 weeks which is still good) my legs feel less jiggly and my arms are getting a tiny bit of definition. I know most people said they saw the biggest change in month 2 so I am looking forward to that. I was thinking of doing a hybrid of insanity/BBL once I finish my first round, but also thought of p90x. I am so torn. I want nice arms for my wedding (June 2013) but most of my problem area is butt and thighs. Would you consider doing a p90x/insanity hybrid? or you think I should do insanity/bbl ?
I definitely think a mix of Insanity and P90X would be awesome! I think Insanity needs a bit more weight lifting to be most effective and P90X needs a bit more cardio, so it’d be a perfect match!
Thank you so much!
Congrats on your accomplishment!! You look great! I just did insanity fit test day one so I’m new with this. My main issue is my butt & thighs. Would you say this is a good program to loose pounds & inches in those areas?? It seems like it is. Thanks! 🙂
It’s a great program for weight loss! Just make sure to follow the diet. Even though Insanity is very high intensity, the workouts are fairly short so you won’t be burning more than 300-500 calories. You will definitely lose inches in the butt and thighs!
Hi,
I’m in week 2 of Insanity and I love it so far. I’m 24 yrs old and about 5’3″ and probably around 120lbs (haven’t weight myself in years). I’ve been a runner for the past 3 or so years. When I first started running I had GREAT results, lost about 10lbs and was able to maintain that through warmer months (when I can run outside!). Unfortunately, I hate running on the treadmill, so in the winter I tend to gain a little weight as I’m only running at the gym 4-5 times per week versus 6-7 during the summer. I’ve noticed in the last year as I get older and as my body gets more used to running, it’s been difficult for me to lose weight as quickly and to see positive changes in my body – that’s why I wanted to try Insanity.
So far, I love the results in my upper body. My arms are definitely becoming more toned and I feel stronger. However, I’m starting to feel bulky in my thighs. My jeans are actually tighter than they were two weeks ago, which is kind of discouraging. I don’t follow the nutrition guide completely, but I definitely eat healthy 6 days a week with one “cheat” day – I try to stay around 1500 calories per day. I’ve read a lot of message boards with other women with similar results in the first month (feeling bigger), so I’m wondering if you experienced the same thing? A lot of people have said that in the first month your muscles bulk a little, but then in the second month you really start to burn fat and your muscles become leaner and you become thinner. I so badly want to believe this will happen for me as well, but of course I’m hesitant to continue with the program since I feel like I’m getting bigger right now. Do you have any advice you could offer on this?
THANKS!
Hi Melissa! That is great that you are enjoying insanity. My advice would be to consider your overall health and the way you look more so than slightly more muscular thighs – I bet you look better in a bikini now even with slightly larger legs! Just my two cents. That’s also why I try not to focus on the scale (glad you don’t too much either) since it doesn’t distinguish between fat and muscle . I personally have a hard time bulking in my thighs/butt but have plenty of upper body muscle .
I am more than happy to answer any other questions as well!
Keep it up!
I only made it through 40 Days of P90X, and I just started Insanity. I didn’t modify P90X for my beginner level and started waking up tired. For the money, simplicity and effectiveness, the Original Power 90 by Tony gave me the best results. Every other day you do Sculpting Circuit, then Cardio & Abs for 90 Days with 1 day a week off. You increase the difficulty by adding weights the the Sculpting or doing the Cardio moves faster. As you progress, you switch from level 1,2 to level 3,4 when YOU are ready. Every beginner should try it!