Wedding fun - a London engagement shoot

A few weeks ago, our wedding photographer - the fantastically talented Neil Jarvie - was going to be in London, so we took advantage of the opportunity to meet up, get to know each other a bit, and mess around and take some shots.

I met Neil YEARS ago, but only a couple of times and though we'd been Facebook friends ever since, it wasn't until I spotted his lovely wedding photography on his website at the start of this year that I got back in touch. He very quickly emerged as our front runner and it didn't take us long to make the decision to book him.

Your wedding photographer is the only person that's with you from the start to the end of the day, so it's really important that you get on. As such, we were really keen to take him up on his offer of an engagement shoot. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't looking great for the day we were meeting up, so we decided to head for Leake Street, a really cool tunnel near our flat in London where graffiti artists get to go nuts with all the wallspace, venturing out onto the south bank once the weather had picked up a tad. It actually turned out to be perfect for us - the usual soppy pics in romantic locations wouldn't have suited us, and the area is very much "our" London, as we've lived around here for years, both separately and together. And as the wedding will be in my homeland, it was really lovely to have something to represent our London life.

Hope you like them!

Ax

Insanity diary days 103-105

IT'S OVER!!!

Ok, I didn't do it in the timescale I was meant to, but I did every last ruddy session, in the right order, and I threw a few extras (additional sessions when my body couldn't take what was prescribed, or going for runs before jumping back into it) for good measure.

The last few days went down something like this:

Day 103: Max Interval Plyo - everything's easier once you know it's the last time...

Day 104: Max Cardio Conditioning - I made this harder for myself by getting up really early (on a SUNDAY) because we were meeting friends for lunch at 12, but it was a whole lot easier because I knew we had this to look forward to, and it's probably my favourite session anyway.

Day 105: My final Fit Test. I'd love to say I beasted it because I'd been working so hard, but reality is this will never get easier because you're always pushing yourself to the max, whatever your "max" is. I had one slightly disappointing result in that my Globe Jumps went down by 1, but the results really do speak for themselves. See below for my results from each of the Fit Tests, with my starting and ending results in bold.

Switch kicks  90/45 -110/55 - 112/56 - 122/61 - 130/65

Power jacks   50 - 56 - 60 - 60 - 61

Power knees  85 - 104 - 118 - 120 - 126

Power jumps  0 (ankle injury) - 26 - 30 - 36 - 38

Globe jumps   5 - 8 - 10 - 11 - 10

Suicide jumps 8 - 12 - 14 - 15 - 16

Push up jacks  0 - 12 - 16 - 22 - 24

Low plank oblique  33 - 42 - 50 - 56 - 62

I was so desperate to have amazing final results that I finished the test feeling absolutely terrible. I blame the switch kicks for me not improving on my globe jumps - I could feel my form starting to suffer slightly and it took me a long time to recover afterwards. It would be impossible to work at that capacity for a full workout, but it shows you just how far you really can push yourself! If ever I think that I "don't have time" for something, I think of Insanity, how long 60 seconds really is, and just how many switch kicks you can fit into those seconds. It's more than you think!

As for the result on my body shape and weight, this has probably been less pronounced than I perhaps expected, but I really don't care. I never really saw Insanity as an option for drastic weight loss - it's about building strength and fitness levels, which I've definitely done. When you start working out so much, you need to eat more calories to function. You can't do this programme without the proper fuel in your body. That said, I've still lost roughly 7lbs and my torso has definitely toned up a bit. 

Day 1

Day 105. Excuse the toilet pic - it's the only large mirror in our tiny flat!

All in all, I'm chuffed with the results. Every time it comes up in conversation, people seem to know someone that's started it but didn't manage to complete it (or get through the first week), which makes me really proud for persevering and getting all the way to the end. I wouldn't recommend it if you don't already have a good base level of fitness, and definitely DON'T try it if you're harbouring an injury. But if you're fit and healthy and fancy a challenge, what are you waiting for?

Ax

Insanity diary days 71-102

Wow... where has the last month gone?! Well actually I know the answer to that. I went home to Scotland for a long weekend and bought a wedding dress, I ran a Festival up in the Lake District, and I didn't sleep nearly enough.

And along with all that stuff comes a real struggle to fit Insanity into my life. I think I've done alright, but the 60 day programme has now taken me nearly twice that long!

Day 71: Max Cardio Conditioning - starting to enjoy this session now. It still hurts, but after about 20 minutes I seem to hit some sort of stride and though I'm a sweaty mess by the end, I don't feel completely ruined, and even feel like I could do a little more.

Day 72: Max Recovery. The recovery session in the first month did nothing to prepare me for this. Some serious stretching. Some serious pain the next day. But I loved it.

Day 73: Max Cardio Conditioning and Cardio Abs. I got through this and had a little left in me for the abs session. But I don't think finishing one session and then getting straight into another will ever get easier!

Day 74: Rest day. Yay!

Day 75: I failed to workout - as I was going home the next morning, I lost this evening to packing and other housekeeping bits.

Day 76-78: I went home. I went wedding dress shopping. I ate too much. Oops.

Day 79-81: Having had a few days off, I really didn't feel up to going straight into the max sessions, and didn't want to ruin myself right before my next Fit Test, so I opted for a few days of the Core Cardio & Balance session instead as a bit of a warm up.

Day 80: Fit test time!! I really wasn't expecting great things from this, but embarking on each exercise with my targets in mind, I managed to equal or better every result again. See below for the results of my initial, 2nd, 3rd and 4th tests:

Switch kicks  90/45 -110/55 - 112/56 - 122 / 61

Power jacks   50 - 56 - 60 - 60

Power knees  85 - 104 - 118 - 120

Power jumps  0 (ankle) - 26 - 30 - 36

Globe jumps   5 - 8 - 10 - 11

Suicide jumps 8 - 12 - 14 - 15

Push up jacks  0 - 12 - 16 - 22

Low plank oblique  33 - 42 - 50 - 56

Day 81: Max Interval Circuit - this one will always hurt. Esp when I first put it on and see the timer way up at 59 minutes.

Day 82: Max Interval Plyo - it does get easier. Slightly.

Day 83: Max Cardio Conditioning - this one's my new favourite. It's definitely not easy, but I feel like I'm making a good go of it!

Days 84-91: I got sent up to spend a week in the Lake District with work. I'd love to say I was out running in the hills every day, but in reality I was eating way too much white bread (festival food = burgers, pizzas etc) and working really long days with no chance of fitting in a workout - esp not Insanity given i was in the tiniest little box room with a low sloped ceiling. At least I walked a lot on site!

Day 92: Back in London, but truly exhausted after a week of 15 hour days and only sleeping 4 hours a night. I needed to ease myself back into the programme, so started with a nice 5k run. It felt good. REALLY good. Until the next day - my quads were killing me! I obviously don't use them so much doing Insanity. But it felt good to really succeed at a workout.

Day 93: Core Cardio & Balance - again, I needed to warm up to doing the crazy max sessions!

Day 94: I got home from work about 10pm. Insanity just wasn't happening.

Days 95-96: Core Cardio & Balance, though I did feel up to going for a run after doing the session one day and the abs session the next. Energy levels are back on the rise!

Day 97: Day off - I was probably just about due one, but I was staying away the night before so it was a no brainer to take one.

Day 98: So with a slightly less hectic fortnight ahead, I made the decision to really beast it and do the last week of the programme in as close to one week as possible. There will be one night I can't do it as I have plans, but with that exception I'll be done in a week. So with a new energy for the programme I started the countdown to "the end". Max Interval Plyo. It wasn't easier, but I think my form improved, particularly on the upper body work as my shoulders and biceps REALLY hurt the next day.

Day 99: Max Cardio Conditioning. My favourite. Again, it was no easier, but I felt like I was doing it all better and getting more out of it.

Day 100: Max Interval Circuit. Still hate it. No change there.

Day 101: Core Cardio & Balance. A very welcome rest day.

Day 102 (tomorrow): Will be a day off as I'm out in the evening and just won't be able to fit it in, but then it's the home stretch with just a few more sessions and a final Fit Test to go.

A little trimmer?!

But will it be the end? The problem with programmes like this is, as soon as you stop you lose your strength and stamina and start to undo all the good work. Six times a week isn't sustainable long term (hell I've struggled doing it just for a few weeks) but I'm thinking I'll devise my own programme that combines maybe 2-3 workouts a week with a couple of runs to maintain the progress I've made, but knowing I can always do the programme again (and perhaps manage it in 60(ish) days next time) if I ever feel my fitness needs a boost!

Ax

Insanity diary days 68-70

Day 68: Max Cardio Conditioning. Getting home from work at 7pm on a Friday night and choosing to work out rather than go for a drink will never get easier. But I did it.

Day 69: Max Interval Circuit. Only about 14 hours after doing the Max Cardio Conditioning session on Friday night, I find myself back in front of the telly in a pool of my own sweat. This felt particularly tough, and I struggled to catch my breath throughout. I put it down to tiredness, and just kept trying! This session is a full 59 minutes long, and it's a killer. One of the rules of Insanity is that you should keep moving between exercises so you keep your body going and between warm up and cool down and you don't cease up - physically or psychologically. I love this screengrab, complete with "don't stop moving" reminder - it shows you that even the mega fit types on the dvd are struggling:

At least I got to follow it up with afternoon tea and a night at the theatre.

Day 70: Max Interval Plyo. Definitely my least favourite workout. I put it off til late afternoon, and made it a condition on myself that I could only have the lovely hearty (but healthy) dinner we had planned if I worked out as I needed to "earn" some extra calories. It got me through, but I'm now sat on the sofa, watching a film, and wondering if 9pm is too early to go to bed.

Ax

Skincare empties

It's been a while since I did a skincare post - it's been a while since I posted anything other than Insanity! So it's time to get back on it, and what better way to do so than with all the products I've finished in the last few weeks?

Soap & Glory Supereyes Moisturising Gel

I've not been serious about eye treatments all that long, but since I've been losing a bit of weight I've noticed my eyes are looking a little more tired now there's less fat in my face to keep the skin plump. And when I do long hours at work and don't sleep enough, it REALLY shows. I've had this eye gel a little while, but not using it religiously until a few weeks ago, and I have to admit I'm not sure how effective it is. It has a lovely cool gel texture and is pretty wet for easy application (not too thick, doesn't drag the skin). If I've exfoliated, I get a slight tingle too, which makes me feel like it must be doing something. But I haven't really noticed any visible difference - though I'm aware I maybe didn't give it a fair trial. The jury's out.

Cost: I think this was around £10, but it appears to have been discontinued so I guess it doesn't really matter!

Repurchase? I might have given it another go, but if, as I suspect, it's no longer around, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.

Balance Me - Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm

I wanted to love this. I so wanted to love this.

I'm a huge fan of Balance Me's signature rose scent, their lip balm is one of my all time favourites, and I'd heard great things about this cleanser, but I just couldn't get on board with it. It's a really thick balm, and I struggled to get enough slip to really massage it into my skin. Then I had issues in removing it effectively even after going over my face 3 or 4 times with a warm wet flannel.

It smelled divine, and I'm sure it would be ok on a dryer skin (or perhaps in cold weather where it feels like it might do some good against cold air), but I just couldn't stop feeling like it had left a sticky residue. I did however use it up - mostly using it as a pre-exercise make up remover - so it wasn't a total waste.

Cost? £18 for 125ml
Repurchase? Sadly no

Bioeffect EGF Serum

I got a tester of this in my advent calendar, and having done a little research I was unsure as to whether I should use - there has been a lot of debate as to whether EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor) technology is safe to use on the skin, but having discovered that Bioeffect's EGF is plant-based (meaning it's copied from human DNA rather than cloned from it), my mind was suitably put at rest.

And then once I decided to use it, I discovered how much it cost and decided I REALLY didn't want to waste this stuff if it was going to be anywhere near as effective as the price would suggest. So, having read that's it's most effective when used on fine lines, I decided to use it in a targeted area, focusing on the fine lines around my eyes for as long as it lasted to give myself the best chance of seeing a difference. So did I? Not really... Maybe my lines aren't severe enough to see a marked difference. But at £83.33 per 10ml I wanted to see SOMETHING.

Cost? £125 for 15ml
Repurchase? I'd maybe give it another go sometime if I had any particular areas of concern, but only if I was feeling particularly flush. So probably not.

Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins night moisturiser

My last night cream - by my beloved Lancôme - was just a little too rich for me, so I did a lot of research before investing in this little beauty. And boy am I glad I did. My super oily skin still needs a big old moisture hit, but the traditional thick night creams leave my skin feeling smothered, and I wake up feeling greasy. I've used a cream-gel day moisturiser for a while, so I guess moving to a more gel textured night cream was an obvious move. And they do an oil-free version for greaseballs like me.

I LOVE this. It's a lovely cooling translucent gel which feels incredibly moisturising but also very light, and it has an amazing refreshing orange scent. In the evenings, when I layer up with toner, serum and moisturiser, this lets me enjoy the combination of different products without feeling like my skin is clogged and suffocating.

Cost? £34.50 for 50ml (currently 10% off in Debenhams)

Repurchase? Already have :)

Ax

Insanity diary - days 64-67

It's been a tough week at work, so I'm very chuffed with myself for making it through and not skipping any further workouts!

Day 64: Max Recovery session. The recovery session from the first month did not prepare me for this. 47 minutes of serious stretching and strength exercises. I got through it - albeit with difficulty - but the next day I felt like I had serious bruising all round my ribcage! But the sadist in me liked it - I love feeling like I've earned my aches and pains.

Day 65: Max Interval Circuit - tough, working with the aches from the previous day, and I felt really sluggish. But I got through.

Day 66: Max Interval Plyo - this is (currently - it changes) my least favourite workout. It's a real split of upper body work and glutes - and by glutes I mean squats. My legs were shaking in no time. But again, I just had to keep pushing. It feels a lot like the first week of the first month, when I just needed to get through the first few sessions so I had a base level to improve upon.

Day 67: Rest day. I make no apologies for eating a steak and watching a film.

Ax

Insanity diary - days 59-63

I always said the biggest challenge with Insanity would be fitting it into a busy schedule, so its not really a surprise that I had to skip another session this week due to getting home from work so late (had I done it, I wouldn't have had time to cook and eat before bed). I did pretty well the first few weeks when work was quiet and I didn't have many weekend plans, but it's got a lot harder recently between longer hours at work and being away for a couple of weekends. Day 60 should have been the last day of the programme, but instead marked the start of the Max sessions.

In better news, I'm starting to see some real change in my body. Nothing drastic, but my waist is definitely smaller and I'm feeling a bit better about myself in general. More importantly, I feel strong.

Day 59: Another unplanned day off due to getting home from work really late.

Day 60: Max Interval Circuit. Wow. Ow. This session cranks the volume up to 11, and the duration up to nearly 60 minutes (all the sessions from the first month are 38-45 mins). It takes the same circuit format, but every exercise is done for 45 seconds instead of 30, and they're all a lot more intense - everything is faster and harder. Even the warm up. And lots more upper body work - my weakness. It definitely wasn't easy, but I'd say I found it about as difficult as the first time I did the first sessions, so I'm hoping that within a week or two it'll be tough but manageable.

Day 61: Another day off - and boy was it worth it to have a lovely catch up over some fab food at House of Ho with my bloomin' gorgeous chum (and chief bridesmaid).

Day 62: Max Interval Plyo. Again, ow. At least slightly shorter than Max Interval Circuit. Lots of legs, lots of upper body. Squat push ups were a personal favourite - genuinely enjoyed an upper body exercise. Level 3 drills nearly killed me. And don't start me on some of the combo exercises.

Day 63: Max Cardio Conditioning. This was like the Pure Cardio session from month 1 - individual exercises were performed for a minute with no repeats and no breaks, other than the 5-10 seconds you get while transitioning and Shaun T is demoing the next exercise.

Bring on tomorrow's recovery day of stretching :)



Ax

Insanity diary - days 57-58

A very quick post:

Day 57: day off - whoop!

Day 58: Fit test. I was really worried about this as I've not strictly been on the schedule (more's the pity, as if I'd stuck faithfully to it I'd be done in a couple of days!). But it was surprisingly ok and I made at least minor progress on every exercise - the below shows my starting scores, my 2 week progress scores, and today's scores for each exercise:

Switch kicks: 90/45 -110/55 - 112/56

Power jacks:   50 - 56 - 60

Power knees:  85 - 104 - 118

Power jumps:  0 (ankle) - 26 - 30 

Globe jumps:   5 - 8 - 10

Suicide jumps: 8 - 12 - 14

Push up jacks:  0 - 12 - 16

Low plank oblique:  33 - 42 - 50

I was meant to do my first Max session after this, but I just couldn't fit another hour of exercise in after it, so I did the abs session instead, and will get on with the Max session tomorrow.

Pray for me.

Ax

Insanity diary - days 43-56

So I'm pretty far behind now, but ready to get back on it!

Day 43: Day off - one I was meant to have

Day 44: An unexpected work celebration meant getting home about 1.30am and not working out...

Day 45: Day off. One I wasn't meant to have, but one which day 44 necessitated.

Day 46: Decided that as I was going on holiday, there was no point in doing one workout when I also had to work late then get home and pack etc... I did at least go for a run!

Days 47-50: 4 fab days in Copenhagen. Lots of food, but lots of walking meant I didn't feel atrocious!

Day 51: Time to get back on it. If I'd picked up where I left off, this would have been the Fit Test followed by the first of the Max sessions, so a full 90 mins of HEAVY going workout. But I decided that as I'd had over a week off, that would be the best idea. My Fit Test results would undoubtedly be depressingly poor, and the Max session might just kill me. So instead I embarked on a self-prescribed catch up week. Starting with Plyometric Cardio Circuit. Doing this session convinced me I'd done the right thing. Admittedly, I'd eaten very lightly that day which might have contributed to it, but I felt awful. I struggled to keep up, I felt sick and lightheaded, and I had to take a couple of breaks. I felt like I'd really let myself go just by having a few days off! But I got through it.

Day 52: Cardio Power and Resistance. Tough again. But no lightheadedness or nausea - progress!

Day 53: Pure Cardio. This was always my least favourite, though recently I've started to like it better. Still harder than it was, but again, felt my fitness coming back.

Day 54: Day off - should have been a rest day (cardio recovery) - but I had an awards do to go to which meant another late night.

Day 55: Core Cardio & Balance. Got through this reasonably easily and enjoyed it. Almost there!

Day 56: Repeated Core Cardio & Balance, and again I got through it without too much difficulty.

Which means I've finished my catch up week... got tomorrow off, then on Tuesday I'll be doing the Fit Test and attempting the first Max session. Oh dear. Oh dearie dearie me.

Ax

Turning 30

This cake was insane.

Turning 30 isn't the beginning of the end. It was a great birthday where I got to see LOADS of friends I hadn't seen in too long, and some lovely pressies to boot!

Special mention to Will. Who tried to make me a Guardians of the Galaxy Awesome Mix tape cake, spending hours and a fortune on it, failed, then bought me two AMAZING cakes to make up for it.

Can I do it all again?

Birthday breakfast

The work bit

Meatliquor and their Bingo Wings - I couldn't think of a better birthday treat

PRESENT HAUL!

Birthday part 2 - brunch at The Table - yum!

WINNING! This didn't last long...

One cake wasn't enough

Sing sing sing

Far Rockaway - my party venue - had the BEST decor.

So much love for this guy. All the way from Southampton with food poisoning just to wish me happy birthday.

More pressies!

Then this guy turned up

Party 2 - the Glasgow leg

Two of my favourite people in the world

Not to mention this guy, who came to both my London AND Glasgow parties

RAWK

Awww

Thanks everyone. You've all made 30 awesome so far.

Especially this guy.

Ax

Insanity diary - days 31-42

Now I'm pretty far off the 60 day schedule I should be on, but it's still going ok! Days 31-36 I was away, having an incredible long weekend back home trying on a thousand wedding dresses, dancing to classic rock and metal like I was 20 again, and eating far too much cheese.

Finally got home late on Monday evening, and picked up the routine again on Tuesday - day 37.

So it's recovery week - yay! That doesn't mean an easy life, but it means 6 consecutive days of Core Cardio & Balance, a 40 minute workout designed to give your muscles a bit of a rest - but not too much. You do every exercise for a minute, but the transitions between exercises are a little gentler and slower, and the emphasis is on strength and balance, doing each exercise well with perfect form, rather than going as fast as possible like the other workouts. So you feel everything working - esp in the hip flexor burners and shoulder burners - but you don't get that same exhaustion. It does have one other slightly odd side effect - all the deep breathing and core strength means I yawn EVERY TIME. Lots. For most of the last 20 minutes of the workout.

So I've done 6 days of this now, and got a day off tomorrow - yay! But then on Tuesday I have another Fit Test, followed by an hour long work out from the new Max set of workouts for the second month. the next 30 days are going to be TOUGH.

Ax

Insanity diary - days 26-30

Still going... just!

Day 26: my 30th birthday. Should have been a recovery day. I took it off. So sue me.

Day 27: Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs. Bizarrely I'm starting to enjoy this session. I feel like I've really earned my lunch on these days!

Day 28: The day after my birthday party. No hangover, but it made the Plyometric Cardio Circuit session that bit harder.

Day 29: Rest day. I had every intention of going for a run or something, but a late finish at work put paid to that. So I had a proper day off.

Day 30: I should have started recovery week today, doing the Core Cardio & Balance session every night, but I'm flying home tomorrow and realistically I'm not going to get to work out every day. So instead I went for a run (which felt easier than I expected - clearly all this cardio is doing me some good!) and will try to do so again as often as I can, before I start back next week with the recovery week.

It means I'll finish the programme a whole week after Will, but it also means I'll enjoy my trip home a whole lot more.

Ax

Dirty Thirty

So in about 15 minutes, I turn 30.

I've been getting asked, over and over, how I feel about it - and I'm absolutely fine with it. I've got a good job, which I genuinely enjoy and which pays decently, and challenges and excites me. I've got great friends, some of whom I don't see often enough, but we all try, and we all understand that we're busy. I've got a wonderful man, whom I'll be marrying later this year. Sure, I haven't managed to get on the property ladder yet, but living in London that's not a possibility for most people, and aside from that, I'm doing ok financially - I have savings, I can go on the odd holiday and indulge my passions for good beauty products, holidays and theatre. I'm healthier and fitter than I've been in years. I feel content and calm.

I LOVED uni - and many of my aforementioned friends were made there - but you couldn't pay me to be 20 again.

So what have I done with the last day of my twenties? I got up early. I went to work. I had a salad for lunch. I came home and worked out. I had a bath. Ate a healthy meal, featuring one of my absolute favourite foods - flower sprouts (yes really). I watched House of Cards. I wrote a few overdue blog posts. And I'll be in bed about midnight, in time to get a good 7 hours of beauty sleep.

I'm ready to be 30. But I'm not a total dullard - I'll get to eat, drink, and misbehave all weekend.

BRING IT ON!

Ax

Lancôme GWP

I've been meaning to post this for ages now, so I hope the GWP is still running for anyone who wants to take advantage!

Popped into Boots last week to stock up on my favourite day moisturiser (Lancôme Hydra Zen Neurocalm Extrême Soothing Moisurising Cream-Gel. Catchy name.) and was obviously a walking target as the second the girl on the counter mentioned the free gift I had a supersize bottle of their Galatéis Douceur in my hand.

But onto the gift. And what a gift!

Just look at how the bag bulges! *snigger*

Lancôme always do great gifts - this time last year I bought their Genifique and Visionnaire serums, and as it was geared up for Mother's Day I got both of them in gift sets, plus got an additional gift bag - which summed 3 x mini lipsticks, 3 x mini mascaras, 2 x mini Genifiques, 2 x mini Visionnaires, a full size Galatéis Douceur, mini Hydra Zen day and night creams, and 3 x mini bottles of their La Vie Est Belle perfume! But I digress.

And I think I love this year's offering event more.

The big box and bottle were my purchases, but the rest was all free free FREE!

That's:

• 125ml (full size) bottle of Bi-Facil eye make-up remover
• Mini lipstick in L'Absolu Rouge - a lovely nude pink
• Mini Hypnôse mascara
• Mini Le Crayon Kohl in Noir 
• 7ml bottle of Advanced Génifique serum
• 15ml pot of Hydra Zen Neurocalm day cream
• 5ml tube of Hydra Zen Neurocalm eye contour gel cream
• 2.5g Blush Subtil in Rose Paradis - a perky but subtle pink which would suit any skin tone

God I love Lancôme.

Ax

Insanity diary - day 25

Getting home late from work makes working out so much harder. I got back around 7.15, and everything was laboured from them. Took me ages to even get changed into my workout gear, and then I felt like giving up right from the word go.

But I didn't :)

Plyometric Cardio Circuit = done.

Insanity diary - days 21-24

Day 21: day off - yay! I went to a wedding event with my beautiful bridesmaids so I was walking around lots, but I was genuinely feeling antsy at not working out. What's happening to me?!

Day 22: a forced day off. Boo! I've got a weak lower back and I need to be careful with it - occasionally it just "goes" - usually doing something completely dull and not even strenuous, like loading the washing machine or drying my hair. And I'm so lucky, I've been blessed with sciatica, so when my back goes, I get delightful pains shooting down my legs too. Yay. So when I pulled my back (bending over to put an invoice in our accounts' team's drawer - glamorous!) I was forced to take a night off.

Day 23: back completely healed (amazing what a good night's restful sleep and some gentle walking can do), it was time for Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs. And it was ok - hard, because that goes without saying, but I got through both and felt like I was performing well.

Day 24: Cardio Power & Resistance. I think this might be my favourite workout. But I think that might just be because it's the one I've done the least and therefore it feels a little fresher!

But overall, it's still going well!

Ax

Insanity diary - days 18-20

Another week down - woohoo!

Day 18: I was late back from work on Thursday - having had a long day running a press event in the morning and then an evening meeting - so I was NOT looking forward to this, but at least it was recovery day. I rather enjoyed the stretching as a way to wind down after a long day, but starting it at 9pm was tough as all I wanted to do was plonk my butt on the sofa. I did feel stronger though - was lasting well in the sustained squats and lunges which usually have me with legs shaking like a shitting dog.

Day 19: Doing a hard workout (namely Cardio Power & Resistance) on a Friday night will always be one of the hardest things about an intensive programme like Insanity. Though there is an innate smugness once you've done it. Not while you're doing it though. While you're doing it, you just want to destroy the world.

Day 20: This morning's workout was TOUGH. I imagine at least partly because midweek I workout after work, so doing it in the morning meant it had only been 14 hours since my last and my muscles hadn't had enough of a rest yet. But I did get to do the Plyometric Cardio Circuit alongside my beloved Will - and doing it with someone else in the room is good for motivating me to push that bit harder.

And it all means I get tomorrow off :)

Ax

Insanity diary - day 17

Tonight was pure cardio and cardio abs. Pure cardio still hurts. Lots.

But cardio abs was new to me as I had to skip the session on Saturday to get on with housework (yeah, really).

It's only 16 minutes long, but boy do they pack some serious work in to those minutes! There's a quick warm up - then down onto the floor for a solid ab session, without a single sit up or crunch. Instead it's all getting into position for a series of exercises that engage the core, using your arms and legs as weights, followed by some plankwork.

I've definitely got a few lbs to lose before I start seeing a real difference, but from just one session I can tell that if you already have a low body fat percentage, this session will sculpt your abs into shape quickly.

And once again... I ENJOYED IT!!

Ax

Insanity diary - days 13-16

Another quick run down before we get on to the good stuff:

Day 13: Cardio power & resistance. Genuinely enjoyed it. Even managed more press ups than usual.

Day 14: Pure cardio. Felt alright. However, I was meant to add a 16 minute abs session on the end of this workout, and I just couldn't as I was running out of time. We had a dinner party this night and had a shedload of cleaning, shopping, and cooking to do, so I gave it a miss in order to get the flat in order.

Day 15: Rest day - yaldi! And much needed after said dinner party.

Day 16: The Fit Test. I was really rather worried about this. When I looked at some of my scores from my initial test, I didn't think I'd be able to beat them, but I was pleasantly surprised. Having a number in mind to beat did make it easier to keep pushing, and having done all the exercises in the various workouts meant there was no real fear - I know it sounds silly to be scared of a workout, but if you've done Insanity, you'll understand!

My scores this time were:

Switch kicks:           110 individual (55 pairs) - up from 90/45 in the first test

Power jacks:            56 - up from 50 in the first test

Power knees:           104 - up from 85 in the first test

Power jumps:          26 - up from 0 in the first test 

Globe jumps:           8 (sets of 4) - up from 5 in the first test

Suicide jumps:        12 - up from 8 in the first test

Push up jacks:         12 - up from 0 in the first test

Low plank oblique: 42 - up from 33 in the first test

So scores were up on all counts. But more so, I was really aware that my form had improved. Not only was I doing more of each exercise, I was doing them better, and essentially working harder, getting more out of each exercise.

So this gets a happy face :)

Ax

Insanity diary - days 7-12

This week has been repeating the first week's classes, just in a different order - so just a quick rundown:

Day 7: Day off - woohoo!

Day 8: return to Cardio Power & Resistance. Slightly hungover. Painful. But I coped.

Day 9: Pure Cardio. I don't think this session will ever get easier.

Day 10: I had another day off here - I wasn't meant to, but work forced my hand by sending me to Keswick for the day, meaning a 5am rise, not getting home til after 9pm, and not eating well enough to sustain me through a heavy workout.

Day 11: back to Plyometric Cardio Circuit. For the first time, I felt like a session was getting easier. Though I still suck at press ups.

Day 12: Recovery day - lots of stretching. Actually, genuinely, feels good!

It's getting better, but also, it's getting addictive. On the train back from Keswick on Tuesday I was starting to think "ooh maybe I could squeeze in the workout when I get home..." even though I knew it was a bad idea on little sleep and not enough good healthy food.

Two more days til I get another day off!

Ax

Insanity diary - day 6

WOOHOO!!! I made it!

Day 6 HURT. I'm not sure if it's because it's the end of the week and I'm pushing myself further than I'm used to, or if it's because I have a stinking cold that's making my eyeballs ache, or a combination of the two, but it was tough.

Day 6 of week 1 is a repeat of the plyometric cardio circuit session that you do on day 2. So it hurts - no surprises there. Today it definitely hurt more even though my muscle ache has dissipated, but that could be due to my cold.

There's not much more to say, except I'm now settled in front of 30 Rock with a hot toddy.

Slàinte mhath!

Ax

Insanity diary - day 5

Almost there!!!

Today was Pure Cardio. And it's ruddy tough. The big difference with this one is that instead of repeating the same short sequences a few times, doing each exercise for 30 seconds with a 30 second water breaks between each sequence, the main section of this workout is 15 minutes of continuous hard cardio, no water breaks, and sustaining each exercise for a full minute. So yeah, it's tough. And sweaty. VERY sweaty.

It's really reassuring to watch the keen exercisers on screen struggling - I'm not the only one that had to take a few breaks! However, I can see that this is a workout where I'll probably notice a big difference week on week as my stamina builds.

Only one more workout to go then I get a well deserved day off - wish me luck!

Ax

Insanity diary - day 4

Whoop! Over half way through week 1!

Today's session was cardio recovery - and boy did I need it. Still worked up a sweat due to some deep stretching and working my muscles hard, but it's all about control, not speed.

And again, I really enjoyed it - I think my yoga (and maybe even some good habits and muscle memory gleaned from my years of dancing, albeit a LONG time ago) has really helped to prepare me for the stretching, particularly as Will struggled with the stretching a lot more than I did. Plus, it was only a half hour class so I was in a nice hot bath in no time.

Only two sessions left this week - I know they won't be easy, but I'm really psyched about completing a week. Only 7 more to go...

Ax

Haircare empties

I mentioned before that I basically ruined the lower half of my hair by bleaching it a few months back. Until then, my haircare was a pretty basic routine of drugstore brand shampoos and conditioners and pretty much anything would do as long as the conditioner wasn't too heavy to make my fine hair go flat.

But since bleachgate, I've been trialling some (affordable) products - the damaged ends are beyond repair, but I'm keen not to damage my hair further, and to at least improve the appearance of my frizzy locks.

Mark Hill MiracOILicious 2 Minute Intensive Treatment

This rich intensive conditioning treatment is super thick and just feels ultra nourishing - it has the texture of a Body Shop body butter. The smell is also delicious, rich with some spices in the fragrance. Two minutes leaves my hair feeling mega soft and tangle-free, and it comes in a huge tub which will last ages if you're using it as a once or twice weekly treat. I LOVE it.

Cost? £7.99 for 200ml (but ALWAYS on offer  - currently £5.33 in Boots)
Repurchase? Already have.

John Frieda Frizz Ease Go Curlier Curl Activation Spray
This spray is sprayed onto damp hair, and is heat activated, designed to make curls curlier and last longer. I hoped the longer lasting curls might let me style my hair less often to prevent further heat damage, but honestly, I couldn't see much difference. A real shame.

Cost? £6.99 for 100ml (but again always on offer - currently £4.66 in Superdrug)
Repurchase? No

OGX Thick and Full Biotin & Collagen Oil Mist

This oil spray can be applied either to damp hair before styling to add a shot of moisture, make hair more manageable and give a volume boost, or applied to the ends of dry hair to smooth and control flyaways. I can't say I noticed any difference to the volume when I used on damp hair, but it did make my hair softer and more manageable. Applied to the ends of my dry and damaged hair, it did smooth and help to control, but the upshot was that my style didn't last so long - the curls fell out of my hair by mid-morning. Which is fine for a relaxed look for work or if you don't have much planned, but worth bearing in mind if you've got your heart set on big curls for a special occasion. Also, the tube attached to the spray is too long, curling up and meaning you need to remove and trim it to get to the bottom of the bottle.

Cost? £6.99 for 118ml (again, often on offer - currently £4.66 in Boots)
Repurchase? Probably not this one given that I didn't find it helped on the "thick and full" claim, but there are others in the OGX range which I'll certainly give a shot, especially the kukui oil one designed to hydrate and defrizz, and the coconut water one designed for weightless hydration.

Any recommendations for me to try next?

Ax