P90X vs. Insanity

How many of you have seen the Beach Body infomercials advertising the Insanity or the P90X fitness system? Have you ever wondered how and if these programs work? Have you wanted to try one of them, but you don't know which one? Well, lucky for you, I have tried them both! And I am here to give you a side-by-side comparison. 

Both programs boast serious results in as little as 90 (P90X) or 60 (Insanity) days.  But which one is right for you? Take a look, compare, and see which one suits you. 

P90X

Website: P90X Official Website

Length: 90 Days (You read it right! That’s 3 months!)

Equipment Needed: Dumbbells or Resistance Bands, Pull Up Bar, Yoga Mat, Yoga Blocks, a Sturdy Chair, Water, and a Towel

What You Get: 12 Workout DVDS, Fitness Guide, 3-Phase Nutrition Plan, and Workout Calendar

Cost: $119.85 (You can break it up into 3 monthly payments)

What’s All the Hype About?: The Power 90 Extreme Workout, affectionately called P90X, is a fitness program that combines cardiovascular and strength training, as well as yoga, plyometrics, and stretching to make a healthier and sexier you in 90 days. P90X focuses on the concept of “muscle confusion,” which prevents the body from adapting to any one activity, and reduces the chances of hitting a plateau. The program has 12 workout DVDs, each of which target a different muscle group. In order to get the full impact of the program, users are required to workout 6 days a week (with 1 day of rest) for 13 weeks. You would need anywhere from 60 to 105 minutes to complete the workout, depending on which DVD you are working on. P90X also gives the option of following the original or the Lean plan. The plan also urges users to follow the accompanying nutrition plan to achieve maximum results. Before beginning on this workout, be sure to mentally prepare yourself for the daily workouts. I suggest starting the plan with a workout buddy to keep you motivated. Also, be sure to strictly follow the fitness plan.

Insanity

Website: Insanity Workout Official Website

Length: 60 Days

Equipment Needed: A Mat, Water (lots of it), and 2 Towels (One for you, and one to clean up the pool of sweat on the floor)

What You Get: 10 Workout DVDs, Elite Nutrition Plan, Fitness Guide, and Insanity Calendar

Cost: $119.85 (You can break it up into 3 monthly payments)

What’s All the Hype About?: The Insanity Workout uses strenuous, cardiovascular training to improve one’s fitness in 60 days. Insanity focuses on the concept of “max interval training,” which requires users to workout strenuously for about 3 to 4 minutes, followed by a period of rest for about 30 seconds…and then repeat! The program has 10 workout DVDs that focus on plyometric drills, non-stop interval training, and ab/core training moves. The workouts average about 45 minutes per day (not too bad!). Like P90X, the Insanity workout requires users to workout 6 days a week (with 1 day of rest). Additionally, the plan urges users to follow a nutrition plan to achieve the best results. Again, having a workout buddy may help to keep you motivated. And following the fitness plan is key!

There you have it! Just a quick synopsis of these two popular fitness plans. For more information and to read reviews for each plan, please be sure to visit each website. 

Also, if you have done either of these fitness plans, please share with everyone by commenting below!

LEX

6 Easy Exercises You Can Do At Work!!!

Greetings Divas! And welcome to the end of what I hope was a fabulous and productive work week. I am so happy that you all have decided to join me on this blog. Please feel free to interact with other members. Here's a little something to think about this weekend...next week, why not challenge yourself to be more active at work? 

I recently became painfully aware of just how sedentary I am at work. I sit at my desk during the majority of the day, and my only source of exercise are my walks to and from conference rooms for meetings, my walks to and from the bathroom, and the walking I do when going to get my coffee, lunch, and snacks. Clearly, this is not enough exercise. Yes I work out almost daily at the gym, but according to several other articles I have read, this is not enough!

Well, a few weeks ago, I issued myself a challenge to be more active during work hours. How you ask? Check out this list of 6 Easy Exercises You Can Do At Work. I reasoned that doing at least 4 of these exercises per day will pump up my activity level at work. Check them out and let me know what you think!

1. Park Far Away - How many of us are guilty of circling the parking lot in search of a spot closest to the door? In an effort to keep active throughout the day, look for a spot in the section farthest away from the door. This will force you to walk a little more than usual.

2. Climb the Stairs - Whenever feasible, take the stairs instead of the elevator. If you work on a higher floor in a taller building, take the elevator to a lower floor and walk up to your floor. Does that make sense? I confused myself a little bit while writing that sentence!

3. Take a Walk - Step away from your computer 2 or 3 times a day, and take a 10 minute walk. If the weather is cool, walk around the inside of the office. If the weather is pleasant, take a walk outside of the building. Be sure to incorporate a couple of flights of stairs during your walk. Not only will a walk pump up your activity level, but it may enhance your mood...simply because you are taking a break from work.

4. Swap Your Chair For and Exercise Ball - If feasible, bring in an exercise ball and swap it for your chair. Sit on the ball in 20 minute increments throughout the day. Many say that doing so could improve your stability and posture, and strengthen your core. For more information on using the exercise ball as a chair, click here! 

5. Do a Few Tricep Dips - I recently came across an article posted on Forbes' website regarding tricep dips in the work place (see article here). This article gives the following instruction on how to properly perform tricep dips at your desk: "Place your butt on the edge of the desk, then place your palms on the edge of the desk on either side of you. Keeping your feet together, bend at the elbows and slide forward off of the desk and dip down a few inches, and then push back up. Dip to where your elbows are bent at 90 degrees. Do this 20 times." 

6. Lunge in the Stairwell - Head to the stairwell for this quick exercise. At the bottom of a landing, take the stairs up two steps at a time. In each step, slowly lunge your way to the top of the next landing. Do this up 5 flights of stairs, run back down, and repeat. Once you're back up to your floor, you're done! In only 10 minutes!

That's all I have on my list! Don't forget to drink plenty of water throughout the day, and don't forget your sneakers!

What other easy exercises are easy to do at work? Share please! And have a great weekend!

LEX

NYC RAGFitters! $5 Fitness Class Tomorrow In Harlem!

Hi Again! I wanted to alert you to a fitness class happening tomorrow in Harlem, New York. Here are the details:

When: Saturday, July 14th

Where: Black Dance River Dance Studio in Harlem on 127th Street and Lenox Avenue (345 Lenox Avenue)

What: 45 minutes of African and Soca and 15 minutes of abs/assets/cool down (to learn more about the dance workout portion visit kukuwadanceworkout.com)

Time: Class will be from 10:00am to 11:00am (please be on time)

Cost: $5

What to Bring: Don't forget to bring a yoga mat or towel for our abs/assets portion. Feel free to bring a friend!

Instructor's Information: Cassandra Nuamah, Health and Wellness Coach, wellnesswithcoachcass.com

Thank you Whitney for sending me the information!

If any of you know of any fun fitness classes in your city, send me the information in an email (theprodiva@gmail.com), and I will post on the blog for everyone!

LEX