Fit Villains: Selfish, Shameless, Sassy, Fitness.

Hey there, 

The sky’s the limit! 

Programs like Insanity and P90x are fabulous to boost your overall fitness level, and they can be done over and over, with a slight boost in difficulty to keep results/strength coming (heavier weights, boosting your PR’s etc). But there are infinite options to stay fit. 

Insanity is a lot of cardio, but includes neat bodyweight exercises that can offer a different kind of challenge to your muscles. Instead of weights you use plyometrics and endurance training, which can be equally beneficial to your arms, legs and core (sometimes more so in the case of the latter). But you can add a weighted program to it - there’s no need to follow ANY program to the letter. Afterall, it’s YOUR workout. Feel free to modify the calendar, or double up some days with strength training routines. You can even use the workouts willy nilly whenever you feel like a boost. Depends on your goals and fitness personality, but after completing both programs, now I simply swap in the workouts whenever I feel like it. 

As long as you’re fueling properly, you don’t have to worry about losing too much muscle with Insanity: it includes hardcore challenges for your body that will preserve and build muscle. However, because it’s more cardio intense, you need to adjust your eating to suit your training: failing to eat enough will result in your body requiring that extra energy FROM your muscles: no good. If you’re interested, I highly recommend trying the Beachbody supplement that comes with it (I’m not a coach, but I love the energy boost it gave me during and after my workouts). Training that intensely requires more calories and a smidge more protein. Stock up and you’ll be fine.

If you’re looking for a BIGGER challenge, INSANITY: The ASYLUM is a 30 day, sports specific, power, agility and strength program. It kicked my ass and took me to the next level after completing both Insanity and P90X. It never gets easier, lol. Plus, you get resistance training with dumbbells and/or a band, & a whackload of awesome exercises. It still challenges me a year later. My fitness skyrocketed in the 30 days I was doing the program. (See my Asylum results). 

Free yourself from the notion that you need to follow any one thing, or any one program. It’s nice every now and then, but there are hundreds of ways to stay fit and exploring new things is fun! The bonus is that as long as you’re challenging your body in new ways, you’ll always be getting fitter and stronger. And you’ll never get bored. I go through phases of being ‘all about’ one type of workout, then get bored and try something new. I have weeks where i do something different everyday, and I scour the web for new ideas constantly. Maybe you might like a Crossfit class? Or yoga? Maybe joining a sports team, taking up running or weight lifting? Maybe it’s time to hit the dance floor! The possibilities are endless. :)

(There’s also P90X2 if you liked the first one! To be honest, it wasn’t as crazy as the first one was (mostly because I was fitter than when I started P90X) but it offers new challenges and even a foam roller. )

Have fun with it no matter what you choose, but try to keep challenging yourself either way! If you do decide to tackle either insanity or P90X again, try boosting your weights or trying the harder exercises. 

xo