Insanity Work Out DVD Results

At the end of each week that I had done the Insanity work out DVD, I had measured the circumference around my calves, thighs, hips, waist and arms.

I wanted to measure every factor, to see if I was losing any weight and fat. And, if I was, I wanted to know at what rate the fat and pounds were shedding. I also took before and after pictures so I could compare and visually see if this work out DVD was living up to its claims.

It makes a world of a difference to see visually with numbers throughout the work out, but you have to make sure you are not getting too neurotic and checking every day. Progress that is realistic is steady and consistent, and it does not happen overnight with any work out program.

I found that after three weeks, I began to shrink in numbers. The shrinkage was small but consistent every week, and as each week added up with each work out I did with each DVD every day, the loss was more obvious.

My clothes were feeling looser by this time, and my hunger was increasing throughout the day. My body became a cardio machine in and of itself, burning the entire day and craving fuel and energy. Every two to three hours my stomach would be growling and demanding something for me to feed it.

To compliment the set of cardio work out DVDs, the Insanity exercise program included a nutrition book. Complete with menus, recipes, and multiple substitution options I could choose for my 5-6 meals of the day.

Unlike many other work out DVD programs, this was one of the few that emphasized nutrition and actually supplemented a visual guide to make it even less stressful on the brain.

The nutrition guide actually encouraged eating carbs (as long as they were whole grain wheat carbs). The emphasis was on a balanced meal of carbs, proteins and fats because of the aggressive cardio and energy-burning. The body actually needs the carbs to fuel the fat burning since the exercise is that intense.

I was able to eat egg white omelettes with veggies, almond butter and jelly sandwiches, deli meats and cheeses with multigrain crackers. Yum!

Why I Love The Insanity Work Out DVD Program

So, why do I like the Insanity work out DVD so much? Why do I say that there is no other exercise program like this one?

What I love about this cardio exercise is that I don't have to use any equipment at all. None. Nada. Zilch! Just my cross-training shoes to work out in and me, myself, and I.

No dumb bells, no pull-up bars, no resistance bands, no bench press, nothing!

I can show up to my TV with my gym work out clothes on and a water bottle eagerly waiting at my coffee table for me, and I am good to do Insanity.

But, I didn't know if this was a good thing at first. I never found that jogging as a cardio exercise lost any weight for me. So, I did have some natural doubts about doing nothing but cardio in one room to achieve any results.

Either way, I popped in the first work out DVD: Plyometric Cardio Circuit. Also known as "jump training", where you jump and jump and jump and do more cardio before you jump some more.

For the first fifteen minutes, I was doing something I couldn't believe was just the "warm-up". I thought I was doing the heart of the cardio program already.

This is exactly how I felt for the first three weeks. There hadn't been a day where I found myself on the floor, crawling for my water bottle.

That is, until the warm-up was finally over. Then, we were able to stop and take a break. A stretch, it was called. They were pretty much yoga poses to help stretch. Along with deep breathing.

Whenever I took my own breaks, I always felt as though I couldn't keep up with the guys and girls in the work out DVD. But, neither could they! Throughout the hour, there are at least 2 people needing to stop and take a break. And, visibly seeing that made me feel very humble. These were normal people just like me who needed to give their muscles and lungs a break. Because the cardio drills were that hard, and we were that crazy to push ourselves that hard.

At the end of each cardio exercise, I would take a rewarding hot shower. And before (and after) each shower, I would see the same thing in the mirror. A deep shade all over my face and neck.

It was something I had never seen before. Never with any of the other work out DVD programs, and never with any other type of cardio exercise. This Insanity exercise was rightfully called Insanity. And it was rightfully the best program I have ever taken on.

Every time I have showed up to the work out, and popped in the next DVD, I have been challenged from beginning until end. I have broken the biggest sweat I ever have, and turned the deepest red I ever have turned. It has taken me to the depths of my fitness.

A Work Out DVD Called Insanity

In all of my years of testing and trying out work out DVDs, never had I been pushed to my fitness limits until this one. I never saw such steady and consistent measurable fat loss every week thus far. I thought I had a great work out using DVDs involving pilates, aerobics, yoga, and weight-lifting (like P90X), but since I stumbled upon the Insanity cardio program I have thought otherwise.

Now, I will not discount the value of doing pilates and aerobics, as I have gained a lot of stamina and energy from doing such exercise routines. I usually always break somewhat of a sweat and always take water breaks.

And, I always honor and respect the philosophy of yoga and all that it does beyond any work out program, as it has touched me spiritually inside and out. There is nothing more empowering than to touch every muscle of my body within the confines of my yoga mat that I have put the day-to-day stresses on (including doing these intense work out exercises in front of my TV).

But, in the world of fitness and the world of desiring muscle definition and fat loss within a short period of time, I myself have fallen victim to believing that I could magically achieve just that within a matter of weeks. Who hasn't thought or wished that they could shed their muffin top of body fat before the upcoming beach party?

Reality must kick in for us all, because it is not possible to shed even 2 inches of fat from any work out program in that short amount of time. However, it is a different story if you are aiming for 2-3 months. That's 8-12 weeks. And this work out DVD that I have tried for over 4 weeks has proven to me that the fat is going to go!

So, what is this "Insanity" work out DVD that I mentioned earlier in this post? If you have seen all of those P90X work out DVD infomercials on the TV, or Hip Hop Abs, or any other cardio and weight-lifting program from Beachbody, then Insanity would be one of the recent additions.

I had heard about the Insanity work out program by perusing some message board forums on the internet while reading up on P90X post-workout tips. I had just finished P90X a few months prior to and wanted to find a cardio type of program where I did not need any dumb bells, resistance bands, or pull-up bars. I just didn't want to keep lugging equipment into my living room, but I wanted results I hadn't really been seeing for a long time.

When I saw the preview, I had never seen pools of sweat on the floor before. I never even saw so many people in the DVD taking so many breaks. I was so accustomed to seeing everyone in the DVD gym with smiles permanently plastered on their faces. I was so used to seeing people on the screen somehow finishing the entire work out without crapping out.

The title of the Insanity work out DVD program is pretty self-explanatory!! It is genuinely insane, or requires you to be that crazy to finish the program. It isn't for everyone, really. But, the program is only 60 days long. The creator, Shaun T, declares that your body will reach a level of health, shape and fitness that would take you one entire year in the gym to get.

The work out DVD program consists of a set of 10 DVDs, with 10 different cardio exercises. The Insanity program incorporates a type of cardio training called "Max Interval Training", and each work out lasts from 50 to 80 minutes.

Work Out DVDs

Welcome to Work Out DVD Reviews by Beth Prager. Here, she will share with you her experiences of trying out (and completing til the very end) exercise programs in the comfort of her own home instead of having to go to a stinky gym. We hope you will find her information helpful so you can make the right choice in selecting your very own work out DVD program to better your fitness!