FINISHED!

Finishedfinishedfinished!!

Round 1 - over and done. Lost 1in off everywhere, more toned, better posture and feeling healthier!

Thanks for all your support, I'm so glad I made it.

I should also note - thanks to Insanity I have beaten the last vestiges of bulimia - I discovered if I binged and took laxatives, I had no energy for a workout.

Round 2 begins on Friday...DIG DEEPER!!

Kim x

I can see the finish line!

Break out the champers, we're nearly there!

Into the last 2 weeks of Insanity, and pondering on the difference it has made to me.

I haven't lost any weight, really. What I have done is got into a routine of health - exercising each night, cooking properly and not snacking on junk.

I have started to see definition on my arms and legs, and my core is improving my posture. I feel 100% better in myself, and rather that than be skinny and feeling crap.

Let the final stretch commence...

Kim x

Did I really just do that!?

Well into month 2...and I'm feeling but not seeing results! Never mind - sheer bloody-mindedness will take me to Day 60.

I love the new workouts, especially the sports training (don't faceplant on those bronco jumps!) but I now have a new problem...my boobs and feet hurt!

I'm finding myself having to slow down or take quick breaks simply because my foot cramps or I bounce so much my back hurts :/ I think it might be time to spend some cash and have my feet and bra sized for proper workout gear.

Also...I MAY have just enquired about a place on the Great North Run next year. Argh! Couch to 5k programme here I come!

Kim x

Month 2 continues...

Hoo boy, what a difference a day makes between month 1 and 2! It's kind of fun though, as there's lots of new exercises, and even though I don't understand how they work first time it's still easy to get with it once I do.

The workouts are longer, tougher, and Shaun T is a bit meaner, but I'm still well-motivated and as my friend said "they ruin you and make you feel superhuman at the same time". Even Max Recovery made me sweat buckets!

Back on the healthy food now too after a pizza-and-Chinese binge at the weekend. DIG DEEPER!

Kim x

Back in the groove

Seem to have gotten back in okay after the obnoxious insect-bite illness last week, thankfully I was near recovery week!

That's not to say that Core Cardio and Balance is easy. It's not. Hell no. Cardio Recovery is a LOT easier! But somehow, because the exercises are quite simple and some of them are muscle isolations, they actually energise you.

Mind you, last night was a real struggle! I've ploughed through this week full of beans, and then had a crash last night. I ache so much today, and I've had a random nosebleed which sucks. :(

Is it wrong that I'm looking forward to Max Interval Training on Friday...watch this space!

Kim x

Well, that's annoying!

So I go away to my LARP weekend. I have a great time, I do 2 basic workouts (crib sheets aren't as inspiring as DVDs) and run up and down a lot of hills. It was amazing...

...right up until the time I got bitten by some sort of obnoxious insect! My arm swelled, rash, nausea, vomiting, fever and ultimately hospital...

...which means I have lost 4 DAYS OF INSANITY!!

Hoping to get back on it ASAP once I'm well.

Kim x

Energy crash!!

I did Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs last night, and disgustingly I had a huge energy crash and fell asleep on the sofa in my gym kit! Eww! Had a quick shower before bed though so I wasn't too minging,

I have a LARP event this weekend and I'm actually trying to work out a way I can not fall behind on the weekend...trying to convert the files for my iPod. Will keep you posted!

Ow, my head

Well, the motivation is really back up... I made myself a skirt for my LARP kit and I've had to tighten the elastic! Woo!! :)

However, I've had a nasty migraine leading to not much food today, plus I did 2 hours of cheerleading so I decided to swap Cardio Recovery and Pure Cardio/Cardio Abs today, so I'll have PC/CA to do tomorrow after a good night's sleep and some good food. Time to relax now. :)

Demotivational blindsiding

Did my first double set last night - Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs. Been giving everything to this workout, really enjoying the exercise, staying upbeat as much as I can and eating well but low-calorie - 1350 a day, according to the Myplate tool.

I have lost a little under an inch off my waist. And that could be water, I guess.

I'm sitting here feeling so low I could cry. I have been faithfully following the calorie budget for a month and Insanity for two weeks. What happened to getting results? I'm still a heifer.

Very glad it's my day off today, I don't think I could motivate myself to work out if I tried today. It's going to be hard to resist junk food too.

Kim x

So I'm well into my second week

Into the second week, and the enthusiasm hasn't really waned :) Had to shufty some things around so I could have Saturday off for a LARP event but got straight back on it!

Have noted that I have picked up some minor injuries as I'm going - putting them down to being old and a little unfit. It's been a reminder to concentrate on form - my losing weight should not be at the expense of my health.

Hope everyone is doing well and feeling as good as I am!

Kim x

Tears. There were tears.

So Day 7, and I've got back around to Plyometric Cardio Circuit. Feeling pretty good at the start of the routine, thinking "Yeah, I did this one right at the start, it's hard, but I know I'll get through it" then I got right near the end, last set before stretching, and random welled up and burst into tears!

I had pushed ridiculously hard, and the tears dried up during the cool-down, but I felt like a right arse especially as my bf works out with me...and yeah, I still felt as good as I normally do when the workout was finished.

Is crying after a harsh workout normal? Is it a response to the stress I put my body under? I hope it doesn't happen again but I suspect it might. Well I've had the sweat and tears now I guess, let's hope that I don't get the third to complete the set o_O

Kim x

And the first bit of demotivation hit...

Day 4, and Cardio Recovery wasn't so bad. My muscles burned a LOT, and I sweated more than anybody has a right to do while stretching, but it felt really good to get into some deep stretching. Hey, if I keep this up, I'll rediscover my splits ^_^ It's pretty hard to keep good form while still trying to watch Mr T - at one point I felt like an owl - but I guess it'll be easier once I know the workout.

First bit of proper demotivation hit on Day 5, which is Pure Cardio. Warmup, stretch, then 15 minutes with NO BREAK. It probably didn't help that I did a hula hoop fitness class for an hour just before doing Insanity, but hey ho.

Got through the warm up, stretches, then about 5 minutes into the actual workout my muscles started failing, and in the back of my mind the nasty little demon poked its head out and said "Told you you can't do this. You know you can't. You're meant to be fat. Give it up." I actually welled up with tears, but wiped my face, drank some water, and after that just got on with it without looking at the clock. Even if I could only do two or three sets of something - the level 2 drills spring to mind - I never stopped moving. It was almost a shock when he said to rest and get water.

I'm pretty proud of myself for pushing through this, as normally I quit when pushed this hard. But my partner says he believes in me, and if he does, then who am I to doubt myself? :)

Kim x

Sweaty, sweaty death. Day 2...

Day 2 has been a pool of sweat! Did about an hour of cheerleading earlier which maybe didn't help...lol.

My calves are amazingly sore from both today and yesterday, I'm not sure if all my dance training is making me do everything to my toes instead of full feet. Maybe I need to review foot form.

Favourite exercise so far has to be Heismanns and hurdle jumps...but really hoping the V-push-ups can sculpt the shoulders. More tomorrow, I'm still really motivated because I feel so good!

Kim x

Fitness test? More like unfitness test!

Well I knew I was heavy and not as fit as I could be...but just the Insanity fitness test was a workout in itself! As that wasn't done till about 8pm last night, I went for this morning as the ideal starting point for the real workouts.

Tough isn't the word. Hell would be more appropriate, and I found myself counting "not throwing up" as a bonus...but I got through it. What's more, after a shower, I actually felt really good...I'd forgotten how many endorphins training to failure actually releases.

Livestrong has given me a 1319-calorie-a-day target and I'm not finding it too hard to stick to. My beloved tok me for dinner last night and I had to make sensible choices, but sensible does not mean salad and the gnocchi bolognese bake was lovely.

Let's see how sore I am when I wake up tomorrow...I am getting old after all!

Kim x

And so it begins...

The DVDs are in my grubby little paws, and the fight starts tonight! I'm well motivated and ready to go.

I'm also using Livestrong's tool MyPlate to help cutting my calories, and have some protein supplements in case I need a bit more repair :) Although Livestrong says I eat too much protein already... *strokes chins and ponders*

Preparation for the Insanity program, or Hello, I'm Kim and I'm a fatty

Well, after reading "The Real Me is Thin" and getting drunk and crying my eyes out about what a fatty I am, I've finally had my lightbulb moment that there's nothing anyone can do about it except me.

Two of my friends have done the Insanity workout plan, and have said it's changed their lives. Well, yes, that's all well and good, but they're reasonably fit twentysomething men. Not a podgy thirtysomething woman.

As ever, I'm always up for a challenge, and am due to commence Shaun T's Insanity tomorrow evening.

In preparation, I have done the following:

• Cut right back on drinking and fatty food. These will be a once-a-week treat.
• Hit the gym for an hour a day so the exercise won't be so much of a shock.
• Got the bf on board by saying I'm doing this for me, not because I think he won't love me if I'm fat
• Watched some inspirational videos - if a woman who weighed 265lbs can do it, I can!

I'm feeling better already just for a week in the gym and no alcohol or fatty food. I've tried to make high-protein meals with good carbs for both me and the fella, and they seem to be going down OK. Still can't deal with vegetables, horrible things, but let's take this one step at a time.

Sooooo...the vital statistics, after all that burbling.

• Currently 13st 8lbs (yikes!) and hoping to get to 12st.
• Currently dress size 14/16. Hoping to get to a 12.
• Current self-esteem on floor. Hoping to get some.

I will track everything I do here, not only to get some ranting off my chest but also to try and help inspire other people to do this workout and reap the benefits. As soon as I can I will also add photos :)

Love,

Kim