Completely Insane.

 Well, I did it. I actually completed all 9 weeks of Insanity.

It was hard. I definitely became discouraged throughout the program and thought about giving up a few times when I was feeling particularly lazy, but by some miracle I actually stuck with it. And trust me, that's a huge miracle.

When I was a kid, I was very active and played soccer for about 12 years. As I became older, I guess I got lazy, and I stopped playing soccer so that I could do theater. Moving out didn't prove to be helpful in a physical sense because I took so much advantage of the fact that I had a card at BYU that allotted so much money a week to use for food on campus, and there just so happened to be Taco Bell. Mmmm.

After so long of not ever being motivated to truly be healthy or keep up with a good exercise program, my body had really decided to show me the fruits of those "labors". I became so distressed with how I looked and cried a few times when I'd look at old pictures of me from high school seeing how skinny I used to be. So I decided something drastic needed to happen, and I chose Insanity. I did the exercise part of the program, but didn't follow the nutrition guide. I actually eat pretty well now for the most part, and I don't eat a ton, but I do indulge in Taco Bell more often than I should.

Personally, I don't feel like I can see a difference in me physically (probably thanks to the Taco Bell). People have told me otherwise, but you know, it's hard to see on yourself because you are your own worst critic. But some very positive things have come out of this:

-I am strong. I am so much stronger than I have ever been in my life. This has been manifested in my climbing. Before I started Insanity, I felt as though I couldn't improve and I was in a rut. But now, I am starting to work on 5.11s and that's pretty incredible to me (even if I have a long way to go).
-I have more energy. Despite the fact that I will always have mono and therefore I will always be tired, I have noticed a significant improvement in my energy. I don't feel so sluggish anymore and I have noticed my body moves more easily.
-I am happier. For the past few years, I have been battling a lot with depression and anxiety, and couldn't figure out how to make it ease up. Since I started Insanity, I feel happier and less stressed than I was before. Which is pretty spectacular to me.

I have decided that I'm going to take a break this coming week by doing lighter exercises, but after that, I'm going to restart Insanity, and this time do it without eating any fast food. I'm also considering juicing (smoothies, not steroids). That way I can incorporate more veggies into my diet in an easy and tasty way.

Below is my before and after picture. Don't mind the fact that I'm in my underwear... And it is pretty embarrassing how much I let myself go before. But I'm just going to let this be even more motivation to continue improving and to continue in a healthier lifestyle.