It has been a solid decade since I last did the Insanity workout program with Team Beachbody trainer Shaun T. My results back then were truly amazing and I thought I would be fit for life. Alas, fitness is a journey and requires constant commitment. You can’t expect your results to last a lifetime if you stop putting in the work. Not to mention that aging can do a number on your body, too. But that doesn’t meant that you should just give up and let yourself go. And if you have truly given up on your fitness, fret not, it’s never too late to get back on the ball.
As case in point, I just restarted my fitness journey after getting flatlined by Covid. With extremely low energy levels and almost constant chest pain I had to work on restoring my stamina in very small steps. Started with 10-15 minutes a day on my exercise bike and worked myself up to 30-45 minutes of daily cycling. Once again, the results, or rather the lack of results were truly frustrating. Sure, my energy levels improved and I felt better when performing physical activities. But the flab stayed put.
Then I remembered that my body had responded well to the high intensity workouts that the Insanity program is so famous for and I decided to give it another shot. Ready or not, I committed to it and completed my very first plyometric cardio circuit this morning. If you think I’m too old for this craziness, let me tell you that you are wrong. I mean, sure, I will be sore tomorrow. But today I feel like a million bucks. Remember, your mind is your strongest tool.
Since Insanity is a 60-day program with a recovery week after the first month, you may wonder if I am going to stick with it or let life derail me from my goals again. To be honest, I will have to rearrange my schedule to fit in the 45-50 minute daily workouts. That means getting up an hour earlier. But I know I can do this, and so can you! It’s about making time, not hoping that someone will knock on your door and invite you to work out. And if you think you should wait until you “feel like it,” think again– that’s just not going to happen. What I’m trying to say is that these workouts are hard, and they will push you to your limits and beyond. So you probably won’t wake up thinking:”Oh, I can’t wait to get my Insanity workout done.” But I promise you this: You will feel like this is the best thing you have ever done for yourself and that will keep you coming back for more. That’s the truth and I’m sticking to it.
Today I feel like I have come full circle. As frustrating as starting over can be, it feels good to know that change is possible at any time in your life. From good to bad, as well as from bad to good. Set a goal for yourself, make a plan and run with it! If you need help with your fitness goals, you know where to find me.
