To | Beachbody Coach at Pledge To Stay Fit

Simple Tips To Help You Stick To Insanity

One of the main reasons why workouts and exercise programs are unsuccessful is that people don’t have the motivation to stay with them. Instead, after trying the workout for few days or weeks, they get tired or frustrated, and give up. An exercise routine with the name “Insanity” could make many people assume they will fail before they even begin. It is a tough routine, but it is one that can give you a years worth of results in only 60 days if you can stick with it.

The most important thing to remember is that anyone can see results from the Insanity workout if they do stay the course and continue exercising. To help you stick with Insanity, here are some tips that you can implement or remember every day so that you can continue working and get the results you want.

Have the Right Mindset from the Beginning

If you begin the routine with the assumption that you will fail, then what else can you expect to happen? There is a quote going around that says “whether you think you can or you think you can’t, You’re right”. So much of your motivation comes from how you think. If you think you won’t succeed, then chances are, you will not make it very far toward your goals. If you have a positive mindset from the beginning, then you can more easily achieve your goals. When I started my most recent round of Insanity I know my mindset would make or break me. And you know what, I completed Insanity because I had the right mindset. Try thinking these things:

I know I can do this.
I have seen results in others. If they can do this, then so can I.
I have a goal and each day I am a little closer to it.

By reminding yourself regularly to keep in the right mindset, it can make a big difference in your ability to stick to Insanity.

Set Realistic Goals To Stick To Insanity

Some people set goals that are impossible to obtain. They think that somehow, the workout will be a “miracle cure” to their body condition. If you do stick with it, you will see results that could surprise you, but it isn’t a quick fix. Insanity is about getting your body into good shape and toned condition. That means it will take time.
You need goals because they give you something to work toward. However, you need to set goals that you can realistically attain. I went into Insanity with a goal of losing a few pounds but my main focus was dropping my body fat percentage. I set a goal to get to 10% body fat and I finished at 13%. Did I meet my goal of 10%, no, but I was making progress everyday to keep me going towards that goal. You need to challenge yourself, but don’t set a goal you will never be able to reach. If you do, then you will become frustrated and you may give up.

Make Sure You Are Eating Right

Some people think that if they exercise regularly, then they don’t have to worry about their diet. However, not eating right will sap energy, leaving you so drained that you don’t feel like working out. Not to mention it will be devastating on your overall results. I suggest tracking your nutrition with an online application like My Fitness Pal. Eating whatever you want will backfire in your goals. Learn how to set up My Fitness Pal here.

Getting the correct amount of calories is probably the most missed part of this equation that I see. I see many people either eat way too many or far too few calories with Insanity. It took me a few weeks to find the sweet spot for my body, but once I did the weight and body fat started to come off consistently. A simple way to calculate your Insanity calorie intake can be found here.

You need to follow the nutrition guide as closely as possible and make sure you are getting the types of foods that will fuel your body and boost your metabolism. For me I went through the nutrition guide and picked out every meal that sounded good and had it loaded in My Fitness Pal. So not only picking meals was easy, but knowing the calorie intake from those meals were already predetermined. This is extremely important to the overall success to the workout and is vital to your ability to stick to Insanity.

Don’t Get Frustrated

You may start the Insanity workout and you may not see the results you expected right away. You may get frustrated and you could give up and quit. Don’t let your weight loss get to you, though. Beginners have more trouble performing all of the moves right and following the proper diets. Try looking at your daily routine and see if you can pinpoint a reason why you aren’t losing weight as quickly as you thought you would.

Let’s be honest, there WILL be days that you don’t feel like pushing play, there WILL be days you want to have a cheat meal. That’s the reality and it’s OK. You have to live your life and just keep going and don’t focus on the negatives. I had good days and bad days during my round of Insanity, but I got it done.

You may not be eating the right diet to lose weight properly. Remember that the workout is only one portion of your fitness, and the foods you eat are important. Refer to the nutrition guide and determine if there are things you need to change. The most important thing to remember is to not give up out of frustration.

Don’t Do It Alone

This is probably my number one recommendation for sticking to Insanity. This is the hardest program ever put on DVD and that is not a clever slogan or title. It’s the truth. You will be pushed hard everyday and although through the beginning you may feel amazing there will come time when you just don’t feel like pushing play. I had a few days like this in my Insanity Journey. And you know what kept me going? My Insanity Challenge Group. Knowing everyday that everybody else was pushing play and was there to support each other was amazing. I ONLY missed one workout in the 63 day routine and that was due to injury and it was during the recovery week. Having someone to keep you accountable will be huge for your success in completing this program. If you are not really interested in joining an Insanity Challenge group you still need someone to keep you accountable. Find family members, loved ones, friends or anyone and ask them to help keep you accountable. If you would like to learn more about joining my Challenge Group click here.

Write It Down

What do I mean by that? Well I’m actually talking about blogging about your Insanity experience. This was the second biggest factor for me in helping me stick to Insanity. I blogged everyday about every workout. I even wrote about my nutrition. I did this for my readers but mostly for myself. It really helped me stay accountable to myself and my goals. I put it all out there too. If I had a bad day I wrote about it, if I hated a particular workout I wrote about it. I basically wrote about everything in my Insanity journey including my weight loss results and pics that I updated every 15 days or so. So I highly suggest you do the same.

It’s easy to do, blogging is free. You can create a free blog over at www.wordpress.org or www.blogger.com. It doesn’t have to be anything extreme. It’s just a place to empty your mind on how the day went for you. If you’d like to see my Day by Day Insanity Journey click here.

In Conclusion

Don’t walk into the Insanity workout thinking it will be a piece of cake. It’s designed to be a challenge and it will be tough. However, if you stay with the 60 day program, you will get results. Make sure to keep yourself in the right mindset before you begin the exercise routine and throughout, even if you aren’t seeing the results you expected right away.

Did you find this post helpful?? Do me a quick favor and share it with your friends! “Tweet it”, “Like it” or “Pin it” to help someone else who may be going through the same struggles as you! . Very much appreciated.

Yours In Success,

Work With Me - Join Us!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? LEAVE YOUR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, or ideas below in the comments!

How To Set Up My Fitness Pal & Team Beachbody For Maximum Results

by Rob Humphrey

We have previously discussed how tracking your nutrition can play a vital role in your results. There are many different ways we can track our nutrition. On one hand you can simply write it down in a journal, in another we could use an online application. For me I prefer to use and online application. Let’s face it, its all to common for just about everyone to be online. They say the average household has up to 4 wireless devices. The online and free application I use to track my nutrition is called My Fitness Pal, which can sync with your smart phone and tablets. I’m sure you have heard of it, but if not you can check it out here.

My Fitness Pal is an online calories counter, and so much more. Along with a calories counter it’s also an online community that provides you with the support and tools to help you maximize your results. Teaming up MyFitness Pal and Team Beachbody can be a powerful combination.

Aside from tracking our nutrition it is also key to track our exercise. You can accomplish this with a notebook or calendar. And again we can do this online. The online application I use to help track my workouts is part of Team Beachbody called the WOWY Supergym. It’s here that you can log your workouts (Not only Team Beachbody Workouts) and even invite buddies to workout with you from across the country. Team Beachbody also includes a Free Support Coach, access to message boards, and fitness tools and calculators. These are all great features and it’s all Free!

Now you can Lose weight the healthy way

Medical studies have shown that the best way to not only lose weight, but to keep it off is to keep track of the foods we put in our mouths and the exercise we perform. Diet fads and exercise gimmicks DO NOT work. So that’s where MyFitnessPal and Team Beachbody can fill the gap and all for FREE. And what’s better is they are both easy to use.

So let’s take a look into how to set up each one of these accounts to maximize our results.

First we need to get a Team Beachbody account, don’t worry it’s free and only takes a minute to sign up.

Step 1 – Get a Free Team Beachbody Account by clicking here.

This will take you to this screen:

Fill out the page with your information then click submit and you’re done.

Now let’s set it up.

Setting up Team Beachbody:

All of the below items comes included with your FREE Team Beachbody account. It’s important to get these items set up. You are more likely to stick to your goals with a completed profile. It only takes a few minutes so why skip it. Let’s get started.

NOTE – You’ll need to have a new account and be signed in for the links to work.

Basic Information:

Before the fun begins we need to set up our basic information. Take a few minutes and let us know about you. You can choose a screen name and update a profile telling a little about yourself so other members can get to know you. Don’t forget to select your time zone and location so that we can set up your workout schedule properly.

Click here to fill in your Basic Information.

Progress and Goals:

This is where you can update your measurements on a regular basis to keep track of how close you are to reaching your goals. We also have a FREE Fitness Test so you can determine your current level of fitness. Retake the test at regular intervals and you’ll be amazed at your improvement.

Click here to update your Progress and Goals.

Programs and Activities:

This is your own personal fitness program library. Check off any Team Beachbody programs you own, as well as other fitness activities you participate in. Select the primary program you’re currently doing as your “one-click workout.” That way, you’ll be able to schedule workouts quickly and easily in your WOWY SuperGym® calendar.

Click here to update your Programs and Activities.

Photos:

Ready for your close-up? Show your online workout buddies and supporters who you are with your main profile picture. Upload a full-body shot as your “Before” picture and get ready to amaze yourself and the Beachbody community with your “After” pictures. You can upload up to 20 photos to the gallery. Check out our video for helpful tips on taking your “Before” and “Progress” photos.

Click here to Update your Photos.

WOWY SuperGym®

Here’s an awesome tool to schedule and track your workouts and connect with other people doing the same workouts. You can auto-populate your calendar with the workout schedule of your chosen program. Or you can customize your schedule with a variety of programs and activities.

Click here to start using the WOWY Supergym.

Connect:

Here’s where you can connect with others in the Team Beachbody community to stay on track. Use the Chat Room and Message Boards to talk to other members and participate in online chats with expert trainers. Check out the Success Stories to see thousands of people just like you who’ve transformed their bodies and lives. Submit your story for a chance to win prizes.

Click here to Connect with other members in the Team Beachbody.

Last But Most Important!

The Beachbody Challenge

Take the Beachbody Challenge for the ultimate motivation to get healthy and fit. Share your results for a FREE T-shirt and your chance to win over $100,000!

Click Here to Take The Beachbody Challenge

Team Beachbody gives you the tools you need to live a healthy lifestyle. Be sure to come back every day to log your workouts, follow your meal plan, and connect with others who share your commitment on this fitness journey.

Congratulations you have now completely set up your Team Beachbody Profile. Click here to view mine.

Let’s move onto MyFitnessPlal and get your account set up properly.

MyFitnessPal

Step 1 – Get a Free MyFitnessPal account by clicking here.

Complete the 3 steps and you are done with the sign up process!

Setting up MyFitnessPal

Once you created your account you’ll need to click the MY HOME Navigation located at the top. We are going to focus on 2 links from this page to get started. They are in the below image marked #1 and #2. #1 is the Goals links and #2 is the Settings link.

The Goals tab with take you to the custom set up page where we can customize your nutrition plan (protein, carbs and fat). The Settings tab is where we can make account setting changes like whether you want your diary public or private. Got to “My Diary” in the settings menu and select “Private” (only you can see), “Public” (everyone can see), or “Friends” (only buddy’s can see).

So let’s go ahead and click the Goals tab and set this up. After you click the “Goals” tab you’ll be brought to the following screen, this is where we need to click on the green “Change Goals” button at the bottom. We are now taken to the “Change Your Fitness Goals” screen. Select the “Custom” toggle and click the green “Change Goals” button. Myfitnesspal has these preset but they are NOT optimized for fat loss, this is why we must change these to match our Team Beachbody fitness program. (P90X, P90X2, Insanity). If you would like to learn more about nutrition macronutrients (protein, carbs, fat) and which to use with what Team Beachbody Program click here.

Once we are in the “Customize Your Fitness Goals” screen we can adjust these setting to meet our nutrition goals. You’ll need to know which plan you are going to follow to get the right numbers plugged in. Are you going to work with the “Fat Shredder” meal plan (50 Protein 30 Carbs 20 Fats) ? Do you have a calorie goal in mind? If you are looking to lose weight, do you have the right deficit? If you aren’t really sure where to start you may want to check out our Nutrition Hub to get a better idea. In the image below you can see my settings, currently I’m consuming 1800 calories and running a 50-30-20 (Fat Shredder) meal plan. You can check out my sample 1700 calorie diet here. Once you finish setting these up simply click on the green “Change Goals” button.

That’s it! You’re all set. I’m not going to go into the inner workings of how to add food, I’m pretty sure you know how to do that yourself. I just wanted to make sure you have your My Fitness Pal set up for best results. If you’d like, feel free to connect with me on MyFitnessPal, I’m always up to some extra motivation myself. Click here to connect with me.

We now have 2 very powerful FREE tools to work with and this is only the beginning. If you want even more motivation and support why not join our FREE Facebook Challenge group. We are a positive minded group all looking to maximize our efforts and results. It works wonders when you are involved with a group of people with like-minded goals. Hope to see you over there.

Yours In Success,

Work With Me - Join Us!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? LEAVE YOUR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, or ideas below in the comments!

What Are The Best Supplements To Take With Insanity

by Rob Humphrey

Taking on the Insanity Challenge can be an epic journey and I’m sure you already know the workouts are insane but it’s more about changing your life, right. Taking in the right nutrition and fueling your body are key components. What comes to mind many times for people is what supplements to take with Insanity to increase my overall results. The workouts are insane in themselves but that’s not enough. You’ll need to change your nutrition for the better, but what about taking some supplements.

Are Insanity Supplements Optional

Are the Insanity supplements optional, absolutely. Will need to take supplements to get amazing results, no. If you are able to follow the nutrition guide and workouts to a “t” you are going to see some amazing results with this program. The Insanity supplements can get you to that next level though. It’s hard to get all the essential nutrients from your diet alone. Supplements can help you get everything you body is missing from your diet. One example would be eating protein. It’s hard to get the amount of protein you need in a day from eating food, but supplements like whey protein can help you get the right amount of protein in the day much easier.

What are my Insanity Supplements options

Team Beachbody has a great list of supplements that complement the Insanity workout perfectly. Here are a few:

You should choose which supplements you need based on your own personal nutrition needs. Looking to lose weight with Insanity, I would suggest looking into Shakeology as a nutritional meal replacement. Replace one meal per day with this shake and get your body all the vitamins and minerals it may be lacking from the calories deficit you have created to lose weight. As we mentioned before, if you struggle to get enough protein through the day, then you may look into adding whey protein from a protein shake or protein bar. Take your time and click on the supplements above to read more about them and be more educated about them and how they can help enhance your results.

Will I be ok without taking Supplements

If you feel the Insanity supplements are out of your budget range you don’t need to worry about it too much. You will still be able to get amazing results with out them. Just be sure to follow the calendar and nutrition guide as closely as possible. The diet will be 70% of your results. Following the workouts and the nutrition guide there is no doubt you can achieve the results your are looking for. If you’re looking for a closer look into Insanity you should check out our Free Insanity Test Drive.

Yours In Success,

Work With Me - Join Us!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? LEAVE YOUR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, or ideas below in the comments!

Why Am I Not Losing Weight On The Insanity Workout?

by Rob Humphrey

Not losing weight with Insanity — Lose Weight With Insanity

Despite the fact that thousands of people have found Insanity Workout extremely effective, not everyone who bought the DVD package experience the same effects. This, however, does not mean that the workout program is ineffective. One of the most typical reasons why this particular workout program may sometimes not produce desired results is the inability of some individuals to follow instructions properly. Like any other fitness and weight loss programs, adhering to Insanity workout plan precisely as instructed is very crucial. To be able to perform the physical fitness drills is the core in making the program work for your best.

What is Insanity

A superb workout program with a curious name, the workout program is basically a comprehensive 60-day physical improvement package developed by Shaun T. Prior to the development of this particular workout program, Shaun T. has already became a household name due to Hip Hop Abs and Rockin Body which are two highly popular workout programs. Insanity is one of the most widespread home fitness programs offered in DVD format by Beachbody Fitness. For the uninitiated, Beachbody Fitness is recognized as a leading name in health and fitness. Probably, this comprehensive fitness package can be considered one of the best workout programs offered by the company. Designed by fitness experts as an effective interval cardio training program, the workout program can help you lose as much as a thousand calories in just one hour. The user just needs to perform high intensity aerobics workouts in long bursts followed by a series of short time rests.

What is In Store for You?

The whole fitness package contains 10 (11 if purchased here) videos in DVD format. The videos may last from 20 to 80 minutes and each and every single one of them showcases at-home instructional materials on how to maintain a healthier and fitter physique minus the need for any expensive equipment. The question now, however, is does this workout program really work? Of course it does. Aside from this, there is also a 30-day hundred percent customer satisfaction guarantee offered by Team Beachbody to customers.

The Principle behind the Workout Program

Insanity was actually developed based on the particular premise that maximum interval training yields the best results when it comes to keeping the body healthier and fit. The focus of this program is to maintain a high heart rate level during the training. Recovery and rest periods are kept at a minimum. In effect, your body is forced to exert more energy in in short intervals. Compared to other traditional fitness methods designed to slowly build heart rate, this workout program aims to take your physical training to the highest level as quickly as possible.

What Can You Expect?

Insanity consists of the most effective physical training techniques known to man. These includes, among many others, pure cardiovascular workouts, pylometrics or jumping exercises, The Heisman, and an assortment of proven and tested athletic training programs. The idea is to move from one workout method to another whenever your body is capable of doing so. The key, however, is to rest just enough for your body to recover and start working out again. In short, the much-acclaimed workout program combines the best of the best so you can be sure that your road to a healthier lifestyle is fast and without any unnecessary obstacles.

Why Do Some People find it Difficult to Lose Weight?

Going back to the question on why there are individuals who find it quite hard to lose weight with Insanity, here might be some reasons. First, users need to watch their diet. According to Dr. Cedric Bryant, the head science officer of the American Council of Exercise, diet is very crucial in making the workout program produce maximum effects. In spite of the fact that the program does actually work, you really have to exert some effort in following the procedures that are necessary in making Insanity highly effective. For instance, if you fail to follow a good diet plan, you may still gain weight even if you adhere to the workout program. The entire DVD package includes useful tips on the best diet programs that one should follow to make the workout method more effective.

Maximize Your Potential

To maximize the potential of your body to lose weight as well as become more fit, it is very important to complete the entire workout routine in its precise order. The fitness program is designed and meant to be followed based on the particular order recommended by Shaun T. Failure to do it this way will definitely lead to poor results. In essence, self-motivation is an essential key that can help you transform your body into something better. Well, you will need a lot of that if you want to try a workout program as hardcore as Insanity.

Here are some of the top reason’s you may not be losing weight with Insanity:

Calorie Deficit – You need to create a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. It comes down to calories in, calories out. However if you are eating to little calories you can also create a negative effect on weight loss. To few calories will cause your body to hold onto fat as if you are starving. This is the biggest mistake I see people make, so make sure you are getting the correct amount of calories. Click here to learn more about eating more to lose weight. Click here to see the Insanity Diet Guide, Calorie Calculator and Calendar.
Intensity – Low Intensity is another reason you may not be losing weight. Just going through h movements will get you results but you need to work on progression and go harder each time. An easy way to tell if you are pushing hard enough is to look at your own shirt. Is it wet with sweat? Or do you finish and hardly work up a sweat? Try increasing the intensity.
Ratio’s – Your macronutrient levels maybe all out of whack. Following the diet guide is the best way to go but if you taking on the Insanity Challenge without following the diet guide and just “eating clean” you need to make sure you are getting the right amount of Proteins, Carbs and Fats. Insanity is set up to a 40-40-20 (40% Protein, 40% Carbs and 20% Fat). Track what you are eating and see where your numbers are falling. To much fat or to many carbs can have a negative effect. I know this takes a little effort but Insanity is to hard of a workout not to put any effort into the diet.
Proper Form – Make sure you are using proper form on every move. This may not play a big roll in weight loss but it can increase the speed quality and safety of your results, if you injury yourself or pull a muscle due to improper form you will have a set back which is something we want to avoid. Having good for will get you the most out of your Insanity workouts.
Eating – We talked about this already. It does matter what you put into your mouth. It’s easy to track it with some kind of software or website. I personally use My Fitness Pal. You can even customize it to the Macronutrient ratios you are trying to reach. And the have the free app for your smart phones. So now you can track everything on the go. Try this for one week and you’ll see exactly where your at…you maybe surprised.
H20 – Believe it or not water is a big contributor to the weight loss equation. Many people drink water but not nearly enough. You need to be drinking 2-3 liters per day (at a minimum with Insanity). Cut out all the other liquids like soda and sweet t. Don’t like water? Season it with a little himalayan salt or even some crystal light packs to add a little flavor. Even squeezing a little bit of lemon in will help.
Sore Muscles – Did you know sore muscles are retaining water? It’s a good idea not to weigh in while your muscles are sore. The extra water in you muscles will cause the scale to tip a bit. Also weighing in on the same day at the same time each week will give you a better idea. Don’t worry about weighing in every day. Pick a day and stick to it.
Measurements – Did you record all your measurement prior to beginning Insanity? If not go do it right now, here’s how. Sometime the scale may not move but you’re losing inches. Losing inches and not losing weight only means you are gaining muscle. Can’t complain about that!

Did you find anything you are doing wrong? Have you found somewhere you need to improve? I’m sure you’ll figure out why you are losing weight with Insanity. The reality is that Insanity is a hard workout causing you to burn a lot of calories so do yourself a favor and make sure you are doing everything else correctly. There’s nothing harder than doing a hard workout and not getting results, it will be that much harder to continue. Try some of these tips above and see if it helps. I hopeful this helped you out, feel free to leave a comment of you have anything to ask or add.

Yours In Success,

Work With Me - Join Us!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? LEAVE YOUR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, or ideas below in the comments!

Top 5 Reasons You Need Shakeology

by Rob Humphrey

Exhausted from my workout, I needed something to get me through the rest of the day. Something that would not only replenish the zapped energy, but provide a nutritious meal without a lot of effort and time on my part.

Does this sound familiar?

When you are training hard and your workout regime requires significant time and energy on your part, preparing healthy meals may not be something you have time to do.

If you are burning thousands of calories throughout the day, you may find yourself always hungry. When your time is limited, it is tempting to reach for the quickest snack or meal to fill your growling stomach.

Even if you enjoy cooking, what about the “in-between” meals? Finding healthy snacks that also provide energy, muscle building components, and suppress hungry can be difficult.

Whatever your circumstances, here is why I think Shakeology is the perfect addition to your workouts.

My Top 5 Reasons You Need Shakeology

1. Packed full of nutrition.

Drinking a Shakeology shake is like sitting down and eating your day’s worth of fruits and vegetables, mixed in with digestive enzymes, amino acids, prebotics, and essential vitamins and minerals. One shake contains over 70 natural ingredients.

If you had to consume all of that in food form every month, not only would you spend hundreds of dollars, but you would rack up a high amount of calories.

2. Convenient.

Let’s face it, a shake is much easier to prepare than a three course meal with the same amount of nutrients and muscle building ingredients.

If you add some yogurt or fruit to your shake, you have yourself a meal replacement for those people on the go, for a fraction of the cost. Plus, you can buy it online and have it delivered right to your doorstep!

3. Inexpensive meal.

At first glance, you may think the Shakeology meal replacement drink is expensive. Since you are paying in one lump sum, this may appear costly.

However, as I already mentioned to get the nutrition-packed meal that Shakeology provides, you would be spending more than $4 a serving! Plus, if you sign up for Home Direct, you get free shipping and hassle-free delivery each month. Become a Beachbody Coach and save 25% with Free Shipping!

4. Health benefits.

Besides all of the weight loss and muscle gain benefits, you will also get other perks by using Shakeology.

Shakeology contains antioxidants and also aids in digestive, helps lower cholesterol, increases energy, curbs your appetite, and even eliminates toxins from your body. What other drink or snack can provide all of that?

5. Complements Intense Workouts. Whether you are using the P90X programs, or the Insanity workouts, you know you need a balanced meal and healthy snacks to keep you going.

Even if you are not using Beachbody, but are instead a runner, a cyclist, or are participating actively in sports conditioning programs, Shakeology works well with any intense workout program.

My Shakeology Guarantee to You

I don’t have to convince you, try it out for one month. If you don’t notice the benefits of Shakeology just return it, even if the bag is empty. If you are not 100% satisfied, return it within 30 days for a full refund of the purchase price. That’s my promise to you. Click Here to learn more about Shakeology.

Yours In Success,

Work With Me - Join Us!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? LEAVE YOUR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, or ideas below in the comments!