Week 7

Tip for Week 7
This is the home stretch - last 2 weeks.  You know the Max workouts now, so keep pushing.  Make every minute count.  You get into this what you put into it.  Your intensity could be the difference between meeting your goals and falling short.  Focus on your goals, and do what you need to do to reach them.  If you need to push harder on workouts, or if nutritionally you're not where you need to be, make the necessary adjustments.
You also may need to reevaluate your calorie level. Make sure you weigh-in this week, and recalculate your caloric needs based on your current weight and activity level.  It's possible you may need fewer calories than when you began, or if you have gained muscle, you may require more.


Day 50
Max Interval Circuit
60 minutes
W:  627 calories

I am tired.  I am really, really tired.  Remember two weeks ago when I said how important it is to get enough sleep, especially during these Max workouts?  Let me tell you, 5 hours is NOT enough sleep.  I had two "cups" of coffee (I use that term loosely, because really my mug fits 2 cups (16oz) at a time, and I had two of those).  Still not feeling up to the workout.  I took a 15-minute power nap, hoping that would help.  Still not feeling up to the workout.  But at 5pm I was looking at a "now or never" type of situation, so I pushed play.  Still not feeling up to the workout.  I felt like I was breathing heavier and just all out more tired than usual.  Perhaps feeling a little under the weather didn't help the situation, but one thing is certain:  I'm going to make a real concerted effort to get enough sleep from here on out.  I'm glad I pushed myself to do it, but I didn't have much fun, and if you're not enjoying your workout, what's the point?

Fit Test
Switch Kicks - 139           (Test 1- 149; 2- 143)
Power Jacks - 56              (Test 1- 52; 2- 53)
Power Knees - 97             (Test 1- 98; 2- 98)
Power Jumps - 52             (Test 1- 42; 2- 42)
Globe Jumps - 11              (Test1- 11; 2- 9 1/2)
Suicide Jumps - 20            (Test 1- 20; 2- 21)
Push-Up Jacks - 25           (Test1- 26; 2- 29)
Low Plank Oblique - 62    (Test 1- 74; 2- 85)

I was a little disappointed in my Fit Test this week.  For about half of the exercises I stayed the same, which is fine, but on 3 exercises I dropped, in some cases rather significantly.  I did 4 less push-ups jacks, and not so much because I ran out of time, but because I just couldn't do any more.  My low plank oblique number was lower than it's been in months.  Granted, I made a concerted effort to keep my hips down and really keep my form correct the entire time, so it's possible that on previous Fit Tests I let myself sacrifice form for the sake of increased reps.  On a positive note, I did 10 more Power Jumps!  This is by far the biggest increase I've had on any exercise in a while.  So, Yay!

Day 51  
Max Interval Plyo
55 minutes
W:  547 calories

These workouts take so much out of me, it's becoming harder for me to push play.  Ideally I prefer to fit my workout in before dinner, but it's not always possible to wrap up work and get dinner going in time to do that.  With a workout that's an hour long, being even 15 minutes behind schedule means I have to push my workout back until later in the evening, when I'm even less motivated to work out.  BUT, I'm pushing through, and trying to stay motivated through these next 2 weeks.  Keeping my own words in mind that I'm only going to get out of this what I put in, and phoning it in the last 2 weeks will not help me reach my goals.

Day 52 
Max Cardio Conditioning and Insane Abs
81 minutes
760 calories

Max Cardio Conditioning is my favorite of the Max workouts.  I look forward to it every time it comes on the schedule, so pushing play today was not an issue at all.  That being said, I found it extremely endearing that my little 4-year-old was so excited to work out with me again that she kept asking all morning, "When are you going to do your workout?"  She got her water bottle all ready, and even found a headband so she could match Mommy, and patiently waited for me to get my chores done.  She finally declared, "It's time for your workout!", and who was I to argue with her?  Took a small break in between Cardio Conditioning and Insane Abs to get some baking started, then started up again.  I must say, it's much harder to do Insane Abs after a break.  When you do them right after the other, your body just kind of views it as a longer workout.  But with the break, even though it was less than 30 minutes, once I started up again I realized that my muscles felt sore and tired.  I prefer to trick my body into doing it all at once and feeling sore later :)

Day 53 
Max Recovery
47 minutes
298 calories

Felt up for more than just Recovery today, but I know that my body needs it.  I think my daughter was disappointed with the slower pace of the video - she likes the jumping and running better.  She lost interest halfway through.  I'm beginning to wonder what I'm going to do next after Insanity.  I was planning to do something weight-related, but starting to think she might really miss our workouts together.  May end up doing a hybrid of two programs and keep the cardio from Insanity.  I have just a little over a week to decide!

Day 54 
Max Interval Circuit
55 minutes
W:  645 calories

Although this is probably my least favorite Insanity video, I tried to focus on giving it my all.  In the back of my mind was the thought that this video is only on the schedule one more time, so give it your all because you only have one more shot! Done!  Just one more time to go!

Day 55
Max Interval Sports Training (or Core Cardio & Balance)
55 minutes
W:  490 calories

Did really good today.  Picked up my pace on the Ladder sprints and ended the workout rather proud of how far I've come.  It feels good to go through a workout with such difficult moves, knowing that for the most part, you can handle it, and even excel.

Day 56 
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