Anyone else starting a Beachbody workout programme? (T25, insanity etc)

[yumyumpoppycat]

Ok so my Focus T25 box has arrived today! Costs a lot but it has 11 25 minute work outs and some stretchy exercise band things. Idea is that because I have spent a lot I will have to knuckle down and see it through for the next 2 months.

I will probably try it over the weekend and start properly on mon. I am 3 stone overweight so this is going to be a mega challenge! Has anyone else recently started something similar or a new workout dvd and want to help motivate each other?

Hi5s and holy craps all round I did ript circit last night - pushup spider plank things wtf!

Well done Jackson on new workouts! - ha so Tania is kicking ass - I wonder if they sprayed mister on her to look as if sweating in t25 I could never believe it was actually tricky for her?

Purple I have exactly the same dilema. I usually try and do a full pushup then drop to knees -tbh I totally couldn't keep up with all the weird planky jumpy moves last night but still loving it.

Boobz that is amazing commitment wow I hope I can be on a thread like this in ayears time still exercising. TBF you look amazing in both photos

Oh well done too Imwoodword!

Thanks Jacksertbear and yumy - I know I wasn't massive in the first photo but I am only 5'2 and was still carrying baby weight so wanted to get rid as I knew I wasn't going to have any more (have a 5,4 and 2 year old).

Well done to everyone keeping on keeping on! Do they say "Dig Deeper" and "BRING IT" in the T25 videos?

I find Tania in Insanity highly annoying. But I kicked her ass during the last Fit Test I did! I know, I am very sad.

With regards to press ups, I think the advice is to do the proper one until you fail and then go to your knees. When I started P90X I couldn't do one pull up without a chair, but after 90 days, I could do 10 pulls up completely unaided... I think this is because I always attempted to do it without the chair and that really builds the strength and muscles, and then one day you do one and you're like "YES!" and then they come from there. But it does take a while to get the upper body strength... when you move from Month 1 to Month 2 on Insanity, one the work outs (Max Cardio Intervals, I think) has 2 sets of 16 push ups (with floor springs inbetween) and you do 3 rounds of intervals, totalling 96 push ups in about 10 minutes (with 2 30 second breaks inbetween). I only managed to do all 96 without stopping/putting my knees down last week, and that was after 6 months of daily Insanity! So it does take a lot of time.

Purple I haven't done T25 but from the look of the infomercial, they do look similar, but I think in T25 you don't get any breaks! So harder work for shorter time. If you can fit in 45 mins, then you could just stay on Month 1 and not move to Month 2 - Month 1 is still pretty hardcore (and when I don't have an hour to spare, I do "Pure Cardio" from Month 1 and it's still nails.

Really pleased to have found you as a bunch of ladies on the same journey!

Boobz Pure Cardio is my favourite, I love that one!

Purple the moves are very similar, some are the same! But no breaks, and no prolonged warm up it stretch. I went to T25 from Insanity and found it easy, but certainly am not now after a few months exercise break!

Purple, Insanity has lots of the same moves as T25 with some new ones - but the overall feel of the workout is really different.

Re the length of Insanity - yes I will struggle to find time to do it multiple times a week. I try to work out 4-5 times a week, and plan to do at least one longer workout (Insanity or one of the longer JMs like NMTZ or BFBM); and then the rest will be shorter ones (T25, Shred, Ripped in 30 etc).

Boobz no I don't recall lots of "Dig Deeper!" etc stuff in T25 - in fact he is generally much calmer and less shouty and there's more of a soothing "you can do it" thing going on!

Boobz - that's amazing re the pull ups. I've never been able to do even one of them!
I never thought tania was annoying before but now you've all pointed it out I feel the same. She was smiling patronisingly all thru speed 1.0 this morning

staggers in ...no ...energy...left

switched abs for lower body workout yest and just did lowerbody followed by abs (might have been asleep on the mat for some of it)

2 back-to-back poppycat? Nice work! Have never managed to face the double, I must confess!

I used to have to bite my own fingers to get through that awful lunge hold in Lower focus! Which I then swapped for sucking a boiled sweet for that bit. (No joke, it works!)

Upper focus (from the beta cycle) done today.

Poor Tania is getting some stick! I like her!

Hi Jackson yes together...tbh I think I was pretty half arsed about the second one, def would rather do them sep on the same day when possible but double hower is a turn off . My lower leg is already really hurting on one lside - I think I must have double calf hopped on the same leg -

Is everyone resting this weekend?

I am hoping to start next week off exercising 1st thing in the morning. Does anyone do these dvds on an empty tummy?

Happy weekend!

shower not hower!

I have breakfast with the kids, take them to school and then do the work out so it has time to go down. But yes have done on empty stomach too - it's not too bad.

No rest for me this weekend! Just weighed myself and am only 0.9kg away from target and I have a week before final weigh in day. Max Plyo and Insane Abs today - which in total takes about 1.5 hours - ugh!

V impressed with your double poppy! No way I could do that!

And, boobz - you're hardcore. Altho I think you Prob already knew that.

I did lower focus today and did all the moves unmodified (but still a bit wobbly) for the first time. It's definitely working. Was pleased to see that I'm now half way through alpha. It has gone fast. I'm pretty sick of high knees now though.

Thanks Purple! That's really brill that you are seeing progress. I don't mind high legs but technically my knees are prob not going as high as I think ...

Boobz good to know it was ok working out before eating. I am hoping to switch to mornings next week, maybe I should do a mix of getting up early and fitting in the workout before breakfast and when dc are at school or nursery dep on work etc. How did you go with your 1.5 work out ...wince?

Loved my rest day and needed it as my legs were aching today.

Purple - there is such a sense of achievement when you can do a section/work out all the way through isn't there? Well done on not doing the modified moves - I still haven't been able to do a WHOLE Insanity work out without taking a break (except for Cardio Abs but that is only 15 mins so workable). I really want to be able to do Pure Cardio or at least another one of the Month 1 videos with NO stops.

Yumy - good luck starting early morning work outs - best time of the day IMO. Double work out on Sat was fine, but ballsed it all up by not working out yesterday AND cheating on the diet (kids bday party followed by lunch with friends followed by movie session with kids on the sofa)... paid for it as well as now back up by 1kg! So 1.9kg to go by Friday. Super strict 5 days!

You can do it Boobz! {waves pom poms}

I did cardio exercise before breakfast - felt great to get it done and hopefully a good example to set the children, but it did mean I was rushing and tempers became frayed, so I need to either get up earlier still or wait until they are at school when pos. I think it was harder work doing the whole workout on an empty tummy but maybe that means I was burning fat {hopeful!}

I am finding it hard to diet and exercise at the same time tbh, but I was quite pleased last night as I didn't give into the midnight munchies. I am having leftover Christmas chocolate orange matchmakers with my cup of tea, 2 are about 35 cals, no biscuit inside and they are nice to nibble. Just have to leave the box in the fridge now...

Boobz that is actually quite encouraging to hear re stopping for breaks, as in, you are obviously very fit but still need to stop - at least, it makes me feel better!

poppycat well done on the restraint. I do similar re tiny amounts of treats to stop me going mad. I like the mini bags of choc buttons - 75 cals!

Just done the T25 abs intervals. Not a sweaty one, but there are parts where my hip flexors start to spasm and my quads shake! I am v conscious of form and have seen lots of experts saying it is vital to pin your back right down to the floor at all times even if that means not getting the full range of motion - so on those double arm/leg raises I don't get anything near the same range as they do.

well done jackster sounds like you were working hard on those abs- I am pretty useless at mat exercises where legs have to be raised up ... tbh I cant see myself ever getting close to the ones with arms and legs raised ... how do they do that?! Having said that I didn't think I could ever do a plank and I am getting closer with touching my toes too

Spasms and shakes are good - all your fast twitch muscle fibres strengthening!

I know this is an exercise thread, and don't want to get off topic, but are any of you doing a diet to go with the workouts? Are you all working out to get fit or lose weight/tone up? Changing your body shape is 20% exercise, 80% diet, annoyingly.

I did the total body circuit today -really hard work all those planks and push ups - I really want to to nail a proper boobs to the ground pushup!

Funny you should mention diet Boobz, I spoke too soon yesterday and ate an inordinate amount - I was ravenous all day! I know exactly what I need to do and I do really well on gluten free/primal style eating, but I feel I should be able to have a sandwich or a piece of cake now and then without it all going pear shaped! I want to slim down by around 2 stone over the next 4 months, but also I want to keep up whatever I do and be healthier long term. I am on mfp at the mo but not sure its really working for me; happy to talk food on here or keep it strictly exercise what about everyone else?

It's definitely about losing baby weight for me. I've just had my 2nd (he's 3mths) and my first is 21mths. I didn't really lose the first lot of baby weight so I'm just aiming to get back to my pre baby weight and fitness. I used to run marathons ..... I literally cannot imagine that now so I've got a way to go! I did get back into a size 12 yesterday tho so that cheered me up!!

I did total body circuit this am too. Urgh it's awful. Am still crap at press ups.

I have the same problem as you poppy on the v sits in the abs workout. I think the modifier should show a smaller range of motion. At the moment its almost like me and Sean t aren't even doing the same exercise!

Well done poppycat and purple on the TBC! I dream of one day dong that one without modifying or stopping! (It's the only T25 workout I can't do that with.)

I am generally not aiming to lose weight - although every few months I find a few lbs has crept on and I do MFP for a few weeks to get rid of it. Nearly seen off the last of the Xmas weight. Obviously it would be better if I could just maintain a steady weight but I don't seem to have mastered that !

I exercise mainly for the energy boost, depression and anxiety-beating effects; also for the health, fitness, weight-maintenance, and toning. And the personal challenge!

Did T25 Speed 2.0 today. It's quite hard on the calved and soles-of-feet I find (even with decnt trainers), as it's 25 mins of completely non-stop bouncing. Fun though!

Does anyone else move around to different floor spots during workouts to avoid wearing out one patch of carpet?!

Stone floors here, thankfully.

My mum is staying. She says I look anorexic. Guess I can have some pudding tonight then!

Only managed to fit in Pure Cardio this morning as had to do double school run (smallest child goes to a different school from the girls) due to rain. Was so knackered doing it though - weird how some days it's so easy and then other days it's like hopping in and out of treacle.

Is everyone following the planner religiously?

yum - if you are planning 2 stone in 4 months that's going to be quite a change - are you taking before and after photos to motivate you? (Or is that just a P90X thing...?)

Gah! I have let the side down, no exercise today...I have lots of extremely valid reasons (dd in our bed last night I ended up sleeping by dp and dds feet; builders in house thought they would leave early but no such luck; out in the eve; totm started today so now having a bath instead!) Will have to catch up at the weekend.

Well done Jacksters on losing xmas weight - I am exercising on laminate so sounds like a herd of elephants stomping around but at least no wear and tear

Boobz i have taken a hideous before and will post if I manage the 2 stone eeek. Enjoy well earned pud.

I've heard that 80pc diet 20 pc exercise thing before on here. I'm not sure I really understand it - losing weight is just creating a calorie deficit so surely both diet and exercise can do that?

Anyway - rest day for me today. Lovely. My knees are tired!
I took before photos boobz. They were not good. Lost another 2 lbs this week so I'm pleased. I already look better than the before photos after 3 weeks which is motivational.

A day off isn't terrible - just don't let it turn into 2-3 is my rule.

Looking forward to before/after photos!

This video on YouTube was what motivated me to start with the Beachbody programmes (P90x)

And a quick google on the 80/20 thing:

Expert: Shawn M. Talbott, PhD, nutritional biochemist and former director of the University of Utah Nutrition Clinic

"As a rule of thumb, weight loss is generally 75 percent diet and 25 percent exercise. An analysis of more than 700 weight loss studies found that people see the biggest short-term results when they eat smart. On average, people who dieted without exercising for 15 weeks lost 23 pounds; the exercisers lost only six over about 21 weeks. It's much easier to cut calories than to burn them off. For example, if you eat a fast-food steak quesadilla, which can pack 500-plus calories, you need to run more than four miles to 'undo' it!