Napa Valley Marathon - 100 days to go

 

Fitness - Phase 2

Ok. Been ages since I have written a post. Lot has changed since my last post - moved back to the US gained back all the weight I lost. Worked on another start-up, traveled a bunch - moved to Seattle - finally settled into a stable corporate job (or so I think). Got a dog, had a baby.

Anyway, the reason for this post is I finished 56 days of Insanity + 6 days of P90X and am back on the road to redemption hopefully.

Below are my fit test results in tabular form, as the images from my first insanity journey seem to be lost somewhere.

Move	Fit Test 1	Fit Test 2	Fit Test 3	Fit Test 4	Fit Test 5
Switch Kicks	30	40	45	41	45
Power Jacks	25	40	45	48	54
Power Knees	30	50	60	65	80
Power Jumps	7	15	20	20	25
Globe Jumps	4	6	6	7	8
Suicide Jumps	5	8	10	12	14
Push-up Jacks	10	15	20	22	28
Low Plank Oblique	12	18	22	23	27

Year-end review :)

Been nearly a year since I decided to improve my lifestyle and must confess I am pleasantly surprised and proud of what I have managed over the past year. Highlights:

Before

After

1. Lost 25 Kgs; Waist is down 6-8 inches!
2. Played soccer in an amateur league last year. Picked up racquetball and tennis. Playing badminton regularly these days.
3. Climbed Mt. Kenya
4. Completed Insanity

And to be honest, it has been surprisingly easy - all it took was one moment of saying let's do it. The first couple of weeks of Insanity were the only ones where it took a great amount of mental perseverance to keep going but after that it's really been fun.

Easy lifestyle changes that helped me (I didn't make all of them at once and have been slowly incorporating them):
1. Cut down on alcohol - Plan to completely quit drinking now. Have been completely sober for sometime now.
2. Dinner is evil - try to finish a light dinner before 1930 hrs most days.
3. Workout - Any type, any time that suits me. If I don't feel like working out, I don't but that rarely happens.
4. Try to avoid junk food - doesn't always happen but sometime during the year the cravings have vanished. I crave salads and fruits now... weird but true...

Next challenges - Devils Circuit (my upper body strength is still worse than a newborns but I am working on it) & the North Face Endurance Challenge :)

There is a LVG rant coming soon... he has killed the spirit of the team :(

Soccer interrupts insanity!

Signed for an amateur co-ed soccer league... and the matches start next weekend.. but we have been practicing for the last couple of weeks... and it's impossible for me to keep up both insanity and soccer practice.. so I have taken an ill-advised break from insanity.... but try to squeeze in a session if there is a break of more than 3-4 days between soccer practice.....

Good thing is soccer is also good for cardio & weight loss... so I don't feel as guilty.. :)

P.S. Max Interval Circuit today and I wasn't as exhausted as I should have been... so the levels haven't dropped much yet...

Insanity - Week '5'

Day 36 - Fit Test & Max Interval Circuit - Insane but somehow managed to do both of them back-to-back... as always felt like there is unfinished business after the workout and I could have done more...

Anyway fit test results have barely improved and I am not sure, I'll be able to beat these scores in the upcoming fit tests....

The only silver lining being the weight is under control even though I generally binge like crazy over the weekends...

Insanity - Recovery Week

Day 29 - Not tiring as such but some exercises that I don't think I'll ever manage...

Day 34 - Recovery week completed. It's not the typical Insanity effort but still enough to keep you on your toes... Tomorrow is the dreaded fit test and the beginning of Month 2 and Max exercises.. Hope I pull through the next 4 weeks...

Insanity Week 4

Day 22 - Neither body or mind was willing today but just went through the motions... Maybe just one rest day isn't sufficient for the amount of pain Insanity puts me through.... I am pretty sure today was the worst day effort wise... I seem to say that everyday... wonder if it's only going downhill :(

Day 23 - First time when midway through the workout, I actually felt I can get through the workout with enough left in the tank..

Day 27- Month 1 completed. Guess it was worth it... guess I need to start taking care of the diet too now that I am putting in so much effort... Recovery week to look forward to but I have a feeling it won't be that easy either...