I suppose I can’t really call this a “final” review since there weren’t any previous reviews, but just go with me on it. I’m a little tired due to someone deciding to cry almost literally all night long…let’s just say his name starts with a “W” and rhymes with “Beston.”
Ahem.
Anyway, let’s start off with a little bullet point list just to shine a little background on this:
- March 8, 2012 Weston was born. As I’ve said before I only gained 17 pounds with my pregnancy (due in large part to a ridiculously healthy diet and lots of exercise to control my gestational diabetes), but I wasn’t in great shape prior to getting pregnant in the first place. So when it was time to start thinking about losing pregnancy weight, I knew needed to lose that and then some. I should also note that I don’t weigh myself – the only reason I know about the 17 pounds is because my doctor had me track that for the diabetes thing. Otherwise I never pay attention to that number.
- About 6 weeks after Wes was born I was cleared for exercise by my doctor. I started off pretty slow, going on walks with Wes daily and doing core exercises to (obviously) strengthen my core and make it easier to do future workouts.
- After a few weeks of that I started to amp up the cardio and strength training, doing workouts that I saw on blogs and/or making up my own as I went. The problem is that I wasn’t feeling as motivated because I wasn’t feeling super challenged – a lot of the workouts I saw on blogs I had to change the exercises since I don’t belong to a gym – and I knew that I needed to change something.
- One day I was watching infomercials (secret confession: I absolutely adore infomercials) when I watched the one for Insanity. I remembered my sister doing the program about a year before, so I called her up and asked if I could borrow it. She said yes!
- On our road trip to Texas over Memorial Day I got the DVDs from my sister; however, her old roommate ended up having the first month of Insanity DVDs, so all I had were the ones for the second half of the program. No big deal – I just figured I’d modify accordingly for the first month.
- I started Insanity 70 days ago – and that leads us to here and now!
Now that y’all know the background just let me state this: my review is going to be slightly skewed due to the fact that I didn’t buy the actual program brand-new. I didn’t follow any sort of diet plan other than oatmeal for breakfast, lots of raw veggies and protein in salads for lunch, a healthy dinner and pretty much have always had dessert of some kind. I didn’t have the first month’s worth of workouts, so that will sort of change this as well. And since I only had the second month’s workouts I started with the recovery week to just get used to what the workouts would look like.
So here’s my review via bullet points:
- Insanity was/is a great workout and I’m glad that I did it, but I am also really glad that it’s over. Part of it is because I was getting bored (since I was missing the first month’s workouts I had to repeat the second month program twice) but the other part is because I was really missing weight training.
- The advertisements say that the workouts take 45 minutes, but all of the ones I did were 50-60 minutes. I know that doesn’t seem like such a huge difference, but when I’m racing the clock during naptime it’s pretty much imperative that I don’t have crazy long workouts.
- I don’t know if I would recommend it for people who are just starting to work out, mainly because a lot of the moves require really great form. I say this because any/everyone should always check with a doctor before starting a new exercise program (ESPECIALLY if you’re new to exercise in general) and I would say that working with a professional trainer to obtain proper form first is important. I think the infomercials try to push that beginners to working out can do the program too, but I just don’t know if I agree.
- The workouts were HARD. I really enjoyed the intensity and I really liked that Shaun T. actually did the moves WITH everyone. One of my biggest pet peeves is when DVD trainers (Jillian Michaels, I’m talking to you!) don’t do the entire workout “with” you and just spend their time correcting everyone’s form. That’s important, but it’s also important to feel like the trainer can do the workout they’re “making” you do.
- I really liked that the program didn’t require equipment and used body weight for the workouts.
- I really liked that I could do the workouts at home, even if they were longer than I originally thought.
- Like I said before, I missed weight training because more than being thin it’s important for me to feel and BE strong and healthy. I think that Insanity definitely helped launch me into that after pregnancy, but I don’t know if it would be the right thing to do for the long-term.
I debated long and hard about putting these before and after photos up online, and honestly you’re going to just have to excuse the nipple cream bleeding through my sports bra in the before shots – it’s part of having a baby and nursing! If anyone has any questions about specifics of Insanity I’d be happy to answer them – just ask away in the comments section!
You did awesome! I love the before and after pictures!
Wow! Kudos to you for doing month 2 TWICE! That’s awesome. I can definitely see how you got bored easily with it though. Congrats on finishing, you pictures are inspiring 🙂
Great job, you look fantastic and I think that Insanity did your body good!!!! Fabulous!!! Thanks for posting.
Thank you Michelle!!!
Hey! I was just wondering, if people had the time to do it do you think that they could have the energy to go to the gym during this 60 day programme? Or is it too much already?
Hey Abigail! I think it all depends on what you feel you can handle and what your doctor thinks! When I started I couldn’t imagine doing more than that one workout!
I think I will still be weight training at least 3 times a week, because I love weights at the gym! I am so excited to start on April 1st !!!
Hi heather
first of all welldone and you look great. post baby weight is hard to shift and I am also inthe same boat. i started insanity and have just done week one. i am unable to do the pushups but am doing all the rest in my own pace. however i have not lost any weight in one week. i am also eating a blalanced diet 1500calories. is that normal?
I’m so glad you’re using Insanity and eating well! Honestly I don’t know if there’s any advice I can give – everyone is different, and our bodies all respond differently to exercise and diet. I would suggest talking to a doctor or dietitian about it if you’re concerned; they can give a better answer or recommendation!
Did your arms get any smaller?
I didn’t actually do measurements so I can’t tell for sure that they got smaller, but they did get quite a bit stronger and more toned!
Hi Heather,
This is a great review. Hats off to you for starting with the second month videos. That sounds crazy! I have just started the program myself. I did a lot of research before buying the program and I read that blogging about your daily workouts is a great way to stay motivated. I started on 01/12/2013 and so far I like it a lot. I have been and will continue to blog about my workout daily.
Also, I am not sure if someone had already said this, but the first month of DVDs is around 38 minutes each. The ones that you did, the “Max” versions of the workout, I think are just extended versions with a few different workouts. However, I cannot say as I haven’t watched them yet.
You can check out my blog by clicking my name. I could use viewers to keep me motivated!
I believe someone mentioned that to me somewhere down the road, but it’s good to know!
Good luck with it all – it will definitely whip you into shape!
Thanks! I sure hope so.
Wow! great results keep it going your doing great!
WOW! You kicked some booty and took names! Insanity is tough. I know how tedious it can be doing those level 2 tapes back to back. Hence why I’m mixing it up these days! Super awesome results, lady! you look great 😀
Sexy Mama! I have to say hats off, I just finished Insanity and while I got use to month 1 after about 2 weeks, month 2 just kept kicking my butt all the way through! Great job!
Wow you look amazing!! Nice work!! You only gained 17lbs! That is amazing. I gained 35 but then lost 20 in the first week and just now back to my ore weight after 6 months. But I am a runner and still can’t run long distance yet…only short distances. And the scale says I am back but my pants don’t really fit as before so have to run more!!! Good review I was thinking if trying p90x but just the workout price not diet. So curious why you don’t do it now?
thanks girl! and i know what you mean, the body is just different now than it was pre-baby 🙂 and the reason for not doing P90X right now are just time (I hear the workouts are on average 60-90 minutes) and I don’t want to spend $120 on it! if you do it you’ll have to let me know what you think!
Oh didn’t know they were so long wow! I will let you know how it goes. I am determined to get my pants back on NORMALLY 🙂
Awesome job! Keep it up!
Girrrrrrl….you rocked it. The changes in your body are amazing!!! I have seen so many friends do Insanity and P90X and always always always their major complaint is that it gets monotonous after a while and they start to get bored. But good for you for sticking with it and being so dedicated to be a hot mama! 🙂
One of my friends here raves about this workout, I need to borrow her DVDs. I can only imagine what’s it’s like to have to loose weight after a pregnancy… well you have done it really well and in a healthy way too 🙂 Way to go!!
WHAO ! You look great !
Even if I think you were great before too. In france we have a sentence who says : 9 months to take weights, 9 months to lose it.
It means that better lose weight slowly and without too many privations than too fast and without eating.
Good job, Heather. We’re all with you 😉
thanks axelle! i couldn’t agree more – slowly losing it means a better chance of keeping it off!
Wow, great job! You should be so proud of your accomplishment! And I love this review, I think it’s so helpful. My husband and I are having our first baby at the end of the year so I’m definitely looking for some at-home cardio workouts I can do when I get cleared for exercising – Insanity is at the top of my list!
You look great! We met up with some of the other English professors a few nights ago, and one of them was looking SUPER buff. I asked him what he’d been doing this summer, and he said, “Insanity!!!” I believe it! That workout definitely gets results. Good for you for sticking with it!
Keep working hard scissor! You look great!!! I am so proud of you 🙂
Way to go! You look awesome!
You look great! What program are you doing next?
thanks Lisa! i’m thinking i’m going to keep doing some at-home crossfit workouts that i’m finding online – and actually now that i think of it i’d love to start doing hot yoga again. if only it didn’t cost so much!
Hot damn! Good for you girl!
Lookin’ goooood mama!
Oh my god, Heather, you look AMAZING!!! Great job on all your hard work! What are your plans now that you’re done Insanity?
thanks Miranda!
right now i’m actually doing at-home crossfit workouts that i’m finding online – they’re a good fit for where i’m at physically and time-wise, although i’m hoping to start doing some more walking soon. i also thought about doing p90x, but it’s not realistic with a baby right now!
Look at your progress! Great job!
aw, thanks Kelli!
Wowow! So happy for you!! Glad you enjoyed doing the workouts too. 🙂
WHOOP! I loved reading your recap and thoughts! Especially since I have done the program myself. I got SOOO sick of it and bored, too. I was so glad when it was over. I also missed weights a lot. There is only so much cardio and body weight stuff I can take. You did an amazing job and you look phenomenal, Heather! Kudos to you.
thanks girl – your review was the first one i went to when i started thinking about doing Insanity! it was so boring at the end – just from doing the workouts over and over – but i’m definitely glad to have had the experience!
First of all- you look seriously amazing!
Second – I just finished week 6 of Insanity so I just did 1 week of the workouts you did the whole time and just so you know, they are longer and definitely harder than the other ones (which were still hard!). I love the way I feel after these workouts but don’t think that this absolute insane intensity is sustainable for 6 days a week forever. I think of it as a good 2-monthish kick in the butt and then I’ll go back to a slightly more reasonable routine with running/other cardio and strength training. I’m hoping to maybe keep doing 1 insanity video/week, though.
thanks Lauren 🙂
it’s good to know that the beginning workouts are a little easier – i wish i’d been to do those initially! i agree with you though…it’s not a sustainable workout program. definitely a kick in the pants though!