New Year New Me, Final Insanity Workout Recap

I'm not sure that I could put into writing just how incredible this journey has been for me...so here are my words.

To sum up this journey in one word, I have a few.

Incredible
Life-changing
Difficult
Sweaty
Proud
Grateful

I am so grateful to all of you for your undying love and support. Getting through Insanity is absolutely the most difficult thing that I have ever done, but it was so incredibly worth it and has given me a new outlook on who I am.

Top - Insanity Week 1 (day3), Bottom - Insanity Day62

I am strong
I am fit
I am me

And I embrace it. Every inch lost, every inch remaining. I love it and I am so excited to continue on this journey, even bringing new elements into it by embracing my new outward image and bringing who I am on the inside {that funky creative artist that you know and love} to the outside.

Starting Weight: 171lbs
Ending Weight: 159lbs

Staring measurements:
Waist 34"
Hips 45"
Bust 40"
Thigh 26"
Bicep 15"

Ending measurements:
Waist 30.5"
Hips 40.5"
Bust 36"
Thigh 21"
Bicep 11.5"

That's a total of 20.5" LOST people!

High fives all around. We did it!

*This post contains affiliate links to my coach Dara's Beachbody website. I was not compensated for this, I just want to give her props for motivating me and keeping me on track.

New Year New Me, Final Week!

I am absolutely OVERJOYED to be on my final week of Insanity as I write out this recap. Today, I finished day57. I've taken to not taking the rest day when it is scheduled, mainly because I want to push and get through all of this.

What happens?

Well 7 days of constant Insanity is about all I can handle. I'm struggling to get through the 59minute routines, and am pretty gassed when I get to about 40minutes I push really hard and limit my breaks. When doing things like ski abs, jack push ups, in/out abs and oblique push ups I do them quickly. It's no wonder that after these routines I'm tired!

But, I continue to push. A few things that have given me motivation this week are seeing these types of quotes and reflecting on how far I have come.

I'm at the point of this journey that hearing excuses, even within myself, is just not acceptable anymore. If I can find time in my busy day to fit in a 32-59 minute workout, then anyone can It might take a while to get into a routine, but you can so completely do it and you will feel amazing about yourself once you do.

When I started Insanity, it was moreso to see if I could do it. I was pretty sure that my husband didn't think I would be able to stick with it, but look at me now! Day57 in the books, building muscle, leaning out, and having others notice the changes. It's really incredible, and I would encourage anyone who is thinking about doing a home fitness program to go for it.

My favourite exercise in month two is the One Two Three Jab. It's a nice break in the Max Interval Circuit when you are pushing your body really hard, and I find it alot of fun!

There's a little skip hop jump move and then a jab on one side. I just love it! And I love that I now have the coordination to do them!

Only a few days left and then I will be able to reveal my before and after, and results!

*Disclaimer: I am provided the Shakeology shakes by my Beachbody coach Dara Distel for the purposes of getting healthy, and blogging about the product.

New Year New Me: Renewed Determination

10 day rut be gone!! After meeting up for coffee with two of my fitness pals, Natasha and Michelle, last friday night, I took a look at my motivation.

What was happening to me!? I only had {then} 16 or so days left...why was I so stuck at Day47?

We chatted at length, and I talk to Dara, and we boiled it down to the fact that I was bored. Yep...I was finding Insanity boring {who says that!?}. But...I am determined to finish, so very much determined.

After spending last Saturday with so many empowering women, I took a long hard look at myself. I am so proud of what I have accomplished so far, and I know that I can finish! I absolutely can!

So what did I do? I worked. HARD.

See that determination? I write this today, after having completed Day50 and skipping the Day49 rest day. Yep! I didn't rest, that's just how determined I am. Instead of taking a rest day and risking falling into a slump, I did my first test.

Do you know what that means?? If you've done Insanity or heard about it, you probably know exactly who I'm talking about when I say the name Tanya. Well, on Wednesday I beat Ms. Tanya in Low Plank Obliques and PushUp Jacks, and matched her in Power Jumps.

AMAZING.

For the first time if my entire life, I feel like me. I feel proud of what I have accomplished, and I see the end in sight. And I even took a video of part of my workout from today, Day50.

FIFTY.

If I can push through fifty days of this craziness, you can absolutely do something...30 Day Shred, Weight Watchers, MediFast, Les Mills, Shakeology, Hip Hop Abs.

Something. Anything. Let's set a positive and glowing example for our kids to get up and move!

*Disclaimer: I am provided the Shakeology shakes by my Beachbody coach Dara Distel for the purposes of getting healthy, and blogging about the product.

New Year New Me, Week 6

Ladies and gentlemen, the healthy weight loss challenge is back ON! I am not at 100% health just yet, but I have been working my tail off to eat clean, snack smart and train to the best of my ability with Insanity, while listening to my body.

Switch kicks, hi-low jabs, and diamond jumps

How am I feeling? Well...I am having a hard time getting through a workout right now without wheezing since I have been sick for the past week and a half, but at the end...holy endorphin rush. I have to say, the sense of achievement...the rush that I just kicked butt and even if I'm on the floor in a pile of sweat...I did it. It feels absolutely amazing and I am so much happier after I've done an Insanity circuit.

Insanity is hard. Eating clean {as clean as I can, while still allowing myself to have certain things here and there....I wouldn't be working this hard if I wasn't allowing myself a chunk of chocolate here and there!} is hard. But how I feel is awesome!

Week 1 Wednesday Challenge - planks

Yesterday, I met with Kristine Cook to finalize all of my clothes for BlogHer, and as soon as she saw me she said that we were going to have to remeasure and asked if I've had to go out get all new clothes. Do you know how great it is to see someone and have them notice your body changes immediately? Again...I feel awesome! It validates all of this hard work and shows me that it's not just me seeing these changes, it's the whole darn world!

Stretch it out, warrior

  My Beachbody Coach, Dara, shared with me an awesome app this week that you can use on your iPhone and it will take timed photos. Yay! Now I can share actual realtime photos of my working out with TimerCam and doing the moves!

She has also started a weekly Wednesday fitness challenge in my Facebook motivation and accountability group - this week was planks. Oh how I love me some planks! They're difficult {especially after having a baby!} but they are SO rewarding! Follow me on Instagram and get in on the challenges every week!

Stay tuned for next week when I share some yummy Shakeology snack recipes from Dara!

Beachbody Coach, Dara Distel, after Shakeology

*Disclaimer: I am provided the Shakeology shakes by my Beachbody coach Dara Distel for the purposes of getting healthy, and blogging about the product.

New Year New Me, Week 4

That's right friends...I've finished a full month (28days actually while I'm writing this) of my positive change, healthy living, Beachbody Insanity Shakeology challenge.

After last week's challenges, I have to say that this week was so much better, and largely in part due to having an amazingly supportive coach. Last week was a +2lb change on the scale, premenstruration, and just an overall feeling of being  failure. I hadn't taken stock in just how much I have accomplished, and how many of you I have inspired and changed just in being open and honest.

I chatted with Dara about the weight gain and she suggested that I start tracking my input and output in an app. I have Map My Run on my phone from a while back, and it's been a sanity saver over the past week. Each morning, I wake up and start fresh. I log in my Shakeology and whatever additions {more on that below!}, log in snacks, water in take, and then log in my workout and how long it took me to do it. Thankfully, it has Insanity in their system so it knows just how many calories I am burning, based on my weight, height and age.

It has given me so much peace of mind and power to log my foods into the app. It was such a fantastic coaching moment in my journey, and I am really thankful to have Dara right there at my finger tips on Facebook to connect with when I'm struggling.

Now that i know what my caloric expenditure is, I see that I was actually not fueling my body enough. Sure, I was putting amazingly healthy nutrition in with Shakeology every morning, but then I wasn't drinking enough water and I wasn't eating enough to burn all of the calories and keep my body going. Lesson learned! Eat more, but eat well!

Now, I have two weeks of Shakeology under my belt and I have been experimenting with my recipes. I have to say, they're all pretty amazing!

Chocolate coconut - 1/2 cup almond milk, 1 cup water, 1 scoop Chocolate ShakeO, 2-3 drops coconut extract
Chocolate mint - 1/2 cup almond milk, 1 cup water, 1 scoop Chocolate ShakeO, 2 drops of peppermint extract
Chocolate covered strawberry - 1/2 cup almond milk, 1 cup water, 1 scoop Chocolate ShakeO, 1/2 to 1cup frozen strawberries
Chocolate covered cherry - 1/2 cup almond milk, 1 cup water, 1 scoop Chocolate ShakeO, 1/2 cup frozen cherries
Peanut Butter Cup - 1/2 cup almond milk, 1 cup water, 1 scoop Chocolate ShakeO, 1 heaping tbsp fat free peanut butter

I absolutely love starting my day and getting out of bed is now something I enjoy. Within about five minutes of drinking my shake, my energy level goes through the roof, I have more focus and I am actually feeling in control. Knowing that I'm starting my day with healthy nutrition give me alot of power to avoid overindulging later on the in the day; my cravings have dwindled to almost nothing, especially my carb craving.

Now...it's been a full month since I've been on this whole journey; I bet you're wondering what the results are.

No joke
Same mirror {and the one in our little condo that makes me look wider than I am}
Pure determination and results

Are you on your own journey? Link it up in the comments so I can give you a virtual high five!

Beachbody Coach, Dara Distel

*Disclaimer: I am provided the Shakeology shakes by my Beachbody coach Dara Distel for the purposes of getting healthy, and blogging about the product.

New Year New Me, Week 3

Well, this week was not without its challenges and I am so thankful for my coach Dara for being there to chat with when I was feeling down.

All in all, it went great. I've had more energy since starting Shakeology, and have definitely felt a difference in how my body functions after having a shake. I have alot more focus, and feel....strong and powerful. I'm not sure that will make sense, but truly after I have a shake for breakfast, I feel like I just poured so much good nutrition into my body that I feel strong and like anything is possible in that brand new day.

Top r - coffee cubes, banana-choco shake, enjoyment and fulfillment,  new ingredients!, choco-strawberry, cherry-choco

In tears on Day19

Then, mental and emotional exhaustion hit me on Day 19. Was I nuts for doing this? I'd noticed a few changes over the past week, like a lifted bum, less of a double chin, and slender shoulders...but was focusing on my flaws. It didn't help that it's that hormonal time of the month, but on Day 19, I found myself having to stop my workout twice, and sit and cry.

Then I wrote to Dara and her Beachbody support group that I was having a hard time with the mental aspect of things, and my team rallied to make me feel so much better.





In three weeks, I have improved my nutrition with Shakeology every day, have lost a crazy amount of inches, have size10 shorts that are too big, and have had to get new underwear and a new bathing suit. I know that the number on the scale doesn't matter a whole lot, so why was the mental game so difficult this week?

Slender shoulders and lifted bum, working out with a toddler,
Week1 to Week 3 comparison, exhaustion, heismans and
feeling accomplished

Post-Partum Depression. That's why. I am still struggling 2.5 years later since PPD from time to time, and having a  moment to cry and reflect on the past three weeks was actually a good thing for me. I was able to take stock in my accomplishments and look at my new coping strategies. Shakeology has provided so much mental clarity for me, alot more focus and I'm able to push through my very busy schedule without sacrificing my health. Insanity helps with the focus, and sense of achievement when I push through ever day and finish a workout.





How do you deal with the mental aspects of being a busy, exhausted and mentally drained mom? Shakeology and Insanity are my answer, along with the support of my awesome coach Dara.

Beachbody Coach, Dara Distel, after Shakeology - can you believe she has a 17month old!?

*Disclaimer: I am provided the Shakeology shakes by my Beachbody coach Dara Distel for the purposes of getting healthy, and blogging about the product.