The (un)Fit Test...

The Facts

Insanity day 1. Our bodies are in for a rude awakening.

His Side

I am a little overweight; I know that. I have never felt very out of shape, though. In college I would play racquetball a lot (which is a great cardio workout), participate in intramural sports, swim laps, and lift weights. I never was the picture of good health, but I worked out and tried to eat moderately well. Times have changed.

Since I got married, I haven’t worked out much. After getting up and seeing my wife off to work, then I have about an hour before I go into work; so, I usually spend this time to further my writing career. Then, after work, I get home and we eat dinner. After that, It’s close to 8 and I just want to relax with my wife. This usually involves a couch and the TV or a board game. Since the weather is getting nicer, we will probably go on walks occasionally, but that’s the extent of our physical activity in married life.

Well, we have decided to change those habits and do Insanity with Shaun T. I always get sick of people talking about how intense something like Crossfit, P90X, or Insanity is but, now that I’ve tried it, I understand. I’m still not going to go around telling everybody, “Oh man, I’m so sore! I started Insanity today. It’s rough!” but I was certainly surprised at how tough just the beginning fit test is.

I started out pushing extremely hard trying to get a good feel for what I could do since that’s the point of the fit test. I pushed too hard, though, because part way into the third exercise, I felt like I would puke. I had always heard about people saying they worked out so hard they almost puked, but I had never experienced it myself. Maybe I wasn’t as close as I thought I was to puking, but I didn’t want to get any closer.

I ended up recovering and finished strong but probably with poor form. It still wore me out, but I’m very proud of us for getting up in the morning and actually doing it. We’ll check back in at the two week mark and let you know how it’s going. Hopefully we can stick with it and be an encouragement to others who want to work out but are having a hard time getting motivated.

Her Side

Loathe (v.) - to dislike greatly and often with disgust or intolerance.

Yep, I loathe working out. It’s a strong word, but it’s a very real feeling. I have never been a fan of uncrossing my feet that are nicely propped up on the coffee table and dragging my lazy butt off of the couch only to put on uncomfortable workout clothes and tennis shoes that seem claustrophobic to a foot that just wants to be free.

I WANT to be healthy, and generally speaking I am a healthy person (at least that’s what my doctor tells me). I do find, however, that the metabolism of teenage Kristi is quickly reversing its once forgiving role. I used to be able to eat anything I wanted and I wouldn’t see or feel repercussions of the fried chicken and chocolate shake I would ingest. Now, I eat them and pray that I can still fit into my fat jeans when I put them on twenty minutes later (spoiler alert:  it generally doesn’t end well).

It seems like every other week I make a promise to myself to begin working out and leading a healthier lifestyle. In case you aren’t aware, the only day you can actually start a new workout regimen is a Monday. Why? Well, because that’s just how it has worked from the beginning of time. So, if a Monday passes without a newly implemented workout regimen, then it has to wait until the next week. You can see how this might be a time consuming process, because, after all, life happens and Monday’s aren’t always the best days to start working out. In particular, when you vow to work out in the morning.

Anyone who knows me is probably aware that I am not a morning person. It’s a struggle for me to get up, get ready, and get out of the door to be on time to work each day. So, having to carve out time to work out before the work day starts is a crazy concept. While it may seem crazy to me, it’s what I have decided I need to do. When clothes that fit a few weeks ago suddenly become too tight to comfortably breathe in, you know it’s time to do something about it. The way I see it, there are two actions that can be taken. You can either purchase new clothing that accommodates your newfound shape, or you can kick your butt in gear and get back into those skinny jeans that are gathering dust in the closet.

I’m a cheapskate, so I’m opting for the latter of the two options. I know going from being extremely sedentary to doing the crazy and intense workout plan called Insanity is quite a jump (literally); but, with the right motivation and, more importantly, with the right workout partner, anything is possible.

With that said, Nolan and I have started Insanity. So, if you come in contact with me within the next 60 days, I apologize if I’m crabby or grouchy. My body is going to be put through things it’s not used to, but I know it’s going to be worth it in the end. Look out world! The new, improved and healthier version of The Collins are on their way!