Today I want to share my review of the Insanity Workout Nutrition guide/plan with you. The basic concept behind the nutrition plan is very simple, which will hopefully agree with anyone who chooses to take on the Insanity workout program. Not only is it simple, but I think that users will find it that it really works.
The Insanity Workout Nutrition guide is broken down into Month One and Month Two (Insanity is a 2 month/60 day program). The guide encourages 5 meals a day, which would have you eating a meal every 2 1/2 – 3 hours. There is a section for each meal of the day. Within each meal section there are 10 choices/recipes to choose from. This is a total of 50 recipes provided in the guide.
Month #1: Each meal consists of approximately 300 calories, but there are directions as to how one might modify to increase their caloric intake to 400 or 500 calories per meal. This of course is subject to each individual’s daily calorie need. These modifications are referred to as “food blocks” in the nutritional guide. The “food blocks” are measured in 100 or 200 calorie increments, and can be used for snacks as well. So if you need 400 calories per meal. Add a food block. etc.
Month #2: Eat more! Your body’s metabolism has been ramped up and will burn more calories than before due to the insane workouts you’ve been doing. Also, the workouts are more intense during Month 2, so your body will need even more fuel to function. An easy fix for this increase in calories is to add 1-3 of the 100 calories complex carbohydrates that are found on page 59 of the guidebook. It also helps you to find out what your particular daily caloric needs are. You can find the formula in the guidebook, or go see our previous article “How to Get in Shape”. This article will help you determine the daily calories you need, even if you don’t have the Insanity Nutrition Guide.
Also, the Insanity nutrition guide provides nutrition fundamentals for beginners. The meaning and examples of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. They also include an extensive list of food substitutions that are broken down in the following categories: dairy, protein, breads/starches, fruits, and vegetables. A copy of Michi’s Ladder is also included. And, last but not least, a small nutrition trouble shooting section that gives answers to questions like: “What if I feel hungry” and “What if I’m not losing weight.” Overall, this is a great nutritional guide, and really could be used for just healthy eating.
This review will take part in 2 sections, the next and last section I will provide some examples of the recipes found in the nutritional guide. I hope that you have enjoyed this small, but hopefully informative review of the Insanity Workout Nutrition guide. Part 2 of this review will be available next week. 
Be sure to check out all of our Insanity Reviews.
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Hi Robert,
Just wanted to say thank you for the reviews. I’m 47 years old and wondered if I could do Insanity given all I was hearing. I bought it the first day it was available and started the workouts the same time as you and have been reading your reviews. Your reviews are spot on not only in describing the physical aspects but also the mental part. Good job.
One other thing others may find helpful… I travel a lot for work and I like P90X because I can at least take bands and do the workouts in my hotel room. Just pop the DVD’s in my laptop and get after it. Insanity also does not require a alot of space and there are no weights or bands so this routine is also great for people who want to stay in shape when they travel and not disrupt their routine. I went on a trip to China last week and had no problems doing the workouts. The hard part travelling is the diet….
Tomorrow is the last workout of the first four weeks of the program for me (Plyo). Next week should be interesting. Then into the second round…. I’m getting nervous and at the same time looking forward to it. Ha.
Respectfully,
Jim
Thanks Jim. I took a week off for vacation, so you are actually ahead of me now.
So true about the work out space. I have a 6′ x 8′ section that I use for Insanity, and it works great. So you are absolutely correct. No weights, no bands, no equipment….. Just a small workout area. Glad you enjoy the reviews!
Oh my. If you don’t hear from me in two weeks assume I did not survive.
Hope you enjoyed your vacation. And you’ll find next week to be easier because you know the routines. For me though I found my form was even better which resulted in working out even more strenously. Which in turn left me as much or more worn out and happily sore.
By the way… The arches of my flat feet were absolutely killing me the first week. In a good way. I can say I’ve never done anything that even made my arches sore. I’m on carpet with good shoes like you and still sore.
Love it!!
Take care,
Jim
Hi Robert, just wanted to say thanks for the reviews. They are spot on! And it’s good to be able to relate to what you are going through.
I’m currently on week 3, day 3 tonight (I think I’m at the same part you are??)
Still have 2 weeks to go and I’m already anxious about month 2. Will you be review the max portions as well?
Thanks for the compliments on the reviews. Please pass them on and share them with others.
I think we are on the same day, very cool. Yea, month 2 gets harder. Like month 1 wasn’t. lol. We’ll make it. I’m reviewing all the workouts including the max. Thanks again,
Great blog. I find myself reading a lot here. Keep up the good work!
Hey,
I am currentyl in Iraq and a group of us has just started the Insanity challenge! We are on day 4, and I’m already feeling pretty good. Us, soldiers can tend to gain weight on these deployments and i have fallen guilty of it my self. I’m hoping to see outstanding results by the end of this challenge! We are all keeping count of our calorie intake and everything. I will send a before and after pic, so I can get my shirt! lol
Great Work outs so far!
Respectfully,
SPC T’Liza Monique Garcia
Excellent! Good luck! As a former Vet from Desert Storm, I’m always willing to help the military any way I can! Let me know how/if I can ever help. Stay safe, Robert
Thanks, will do! Right now, we’re all just hangin in there! Today we completed day 6 of the program… Thank God tomorrows the rest day! lol
I just started phase 2 and lookout!! Your quick workout just became 1 hour!! That’s something they didn’t mention on the infomercial. Darn! Just as I had gotten used to mind over matter and telling myself, “It’s just a 40 minute workout” they went and changed it up!.
Also, am I the only person who’s weight has stayed exactly the same? I could really use a good 15-20 lbs off and find it difficult to believe it’s new muscle? Is it because I’m female? My body looks and feels different after 5 weeks of Insanity, but the scale says something different, I’m afraid.
Stacy, Don’t give up! How is your diet and nutrition? Are you following the nutrition manual carefully? It should help you figure up your daily caloric intake. Then use a free tool similar to myfitnesspal.com to help you keep track. Sometimes people eat more than they think, or are not eating enough. Double check your numbers and try tracking calories if not already, and see if that helps. Feel free to contact me at robert@extremely-fit.com, happy to help.
I really like the fresh perpective you did on the issue. Really was not expecting that when I started off studying. Your concepts were easy to understand that I wondered why I never looked at it before. Glad to know that there’s an individual out there that definitely understands what he’s discussing. Great job!
whats up guys just getting my videos today im ready for the intense work out but just wanted to realistically know figures that normal people are getting in terms to body fat loss not just numbers
Stacy you may not be showing weight loss because you could be gaining muscle and it does weight more then fat.(not that im calling you fat) You need to more then likely pay attention to how many inches you are losing. I actually gained weight because of muscle growth.
Been contemplating on starting with Insanity. But I’m not sure if I can do it on a daily basis. I have a full time job and a 10month old baby. Will the program work if its on a two-three time a week basis? Will it target building some bulk on my butt?
Some exercise is better than none. However, your best results will come from at least 4-6 times per week. Insanity has a lot of leg work, so I think you will get some muscle tone to your glutes.
I’ve decided to turn this into a family challenge at my Home! It is going to be a tough program and we can support each other the whole way. This will also be a good way to introduce a different level of “good eating” habits and exercising for life. We look forward to the challenge and especially the results!
Excellent! Be sure to come back and tell us how the family is doing!
I’m waiting for my workout to arrive. I am 43 yrs old and I’m starting to wonder if I’ve jumped in over my head, even before beginning. I read somewhere that this is a workout for “young people”. Other than being out of shape, I am in basically good health, so I hope I’ll be able to do this. My son plays high school football and is going to do it with me this summer. Wish me luck
Hi Pam, if you will allow yourself to “grow” with the program, you’ll get through it, if you are determined to. Just take as many breaks as you need to as often as you need to. Just do your best, whether that’s keeping up with the DVD or not. You’ll do fine! Good Luck.
I will starting the The Insanity Program on Sunday and I so excited. I am hoping that I can finish this and will not be discourage. Any tips on how to keep me motivated and not wanting to give up when it gets to hard????
Lesha, Insanity will test your physical and mental strength. But once you complete it, you will have successfully completed the hardest workout ever put on DVD.
Now I know that may not seem like encouragement, but it really is. Everyone needs to push themselves to the limit at least once in their life, and why not with Insanity. When it gets tough, reach out for support to friends or family, or come back here. Or email me if I can help. 
My workout arrived, and I just did the “test”. I gave it everything I had, and have set goals for the next test in two weeks. I was very disappointed in my upper body strength. I have strong legs, but my arms are pathetic. I could only do two pushups! I hope this improves. Other than that, I was able to hang in there. Not bad for a grandma!
Thanks for the blog. It is very helpful to hear of other people’s experiences with Insantity. I got the DVDs a couple of weeks ago and loved the first couple of workouts. It is really the first workout that has challenged me to the point where I have to take breaks in the middle. I agree with the sore arches comments. I have high arches and find I have to take breaks because my arches are hurting. Anyway, I have had a hard time with consistency. I did slim in 6 a few years ago and was able to remain consistent with my workouts the same time each day. So usually I can commit and stick with it. This time, my schedule has been a bit crazy and something seems to come up no matter what time I schedule my workouts. If I do it in the morning, I am too tired and if I do it at night I am too tired. Maybe I need to change my nutrition a bit so I have more engergy and can get consistent with it. Once the ball is rolling for a couple of weeks, I think I will have more energy. My plan is to start over this week since I have been so inconsistent. Any suggestions?
It’s hard to get enough energy for Insanity.
I did Insanity first thing in the morning. It was hard to get up and around early, but it was the only time of day that would work. I woke up, took a fat burner for an energy boost, which kicked in about after the warmup. As far as being consistent, just plan on coming back here in 30 days with a half way through Insanity update. We’ll be waiting for it. 
Thanks for the ideas and the encouragement Robert. I agree, mornings are the best times. That is my plan of attack at this point. I will check back in 30 days and give you my update. Thanks again!
Hi I’m 20 years old and I LOVE to work out! I just ordered Insanity and I am expecting it in a couple days now. I am very excited but nervous at the same time! I don’t know what to expect but i appreciate the blogs because it gives me an idea of what I am getting myself into!
Good luck Hayley! Keep us posted on your progress!
Hey everyone! I’m on day 2 of phase 2 and I love insanity!!! I’ve found that nutrition is the biggest key to this workout and more importantly water!! If I drink anything else but water I will not be able to finish the workout or in some cases the warmup. I have also reduced as many carbs as I can. I havent seen many results yet but my body feels fantastic. I have so much more energy. I recommend insanity to everyone regardless of age. goodluck!!
Thanks Michelle for stopping by with your words of encouragement! Keep us posted on your progress as well! Good luck!
Hey guys, I just ordered my Insanity set, my best friend/roommate and I are doing it together, I seriously hope I can keep up, im not exactly in the best of shape. But here goes nothin!
Savvi, Just stick with it, take breaks, and do your best. You guys can do it! Keep us posted, we’re here to help!
So, I’m in my recovery period, Week 5. I would recommend to anyone to actually complete Week 5 before even starting the actual program. I don’t mean complete Week 5 and then skip it on actual week 5 either. This, I believe it would give your body a chance to strengthen and stretch itself, thus being more prepared for the serious INSANITY exercises ahead. INSANITY will be a shock to the system and I believe completing the Week 5 workout prior to, would help lessen the chance for injuries and also put you in the right mindset of what is up and coming. Just my thoughts from my experience. GO GET EM!! DIG DEEP!!
Hey i was just wondering which workout do you think is the hardest/burns the most calories?
Insanity, followed by P90X. Of course those are also the hardest, that’s why they burn calories.
You can find both in our store, and we have free coach support.
I’ve completed p90x and I am currently trying Insanity. I meant which of the Insanity workouts do you believe burns the most calories? I did the first month, currently doing the recovery week, and I start the Max workouts next week. I would like to get an idea from you which of those max ones is the hardest. I read your review of each workout before I do it. Your work is greatly appreciated, at least by me haha
Hi,
My best friend and I did day 5 of week one today. I am 5 ft 2 in and very overwieght at about 230 lbs I am 31 yrs old. She is about 5 ft 3 in and about the same wieght and 21 yrs old.
My question is, even though we feel like we are doing an awesome job considering we are only taking a few more breaks than the fit people on the video. There are some excercises we can not do like the push up ones, but we improvise and keep moving. After reading some reviews online, some other sites are actually telling people in my fitness range to start with something else to avoid injury. Should we stop attempting it? Or push through? We have also greatly altered our diets but are not fully following the diet guide. Since we have so much wieght to lose, is it ok to lessen the recomended calorie intake? Now I am concerned, we didnt consider the fact that it could be dangerous, I assumed my body would let me know if it was too much, am I wrong in thinking that?
Angela, I have some people that contact me and tell me that they are beginners, and that Insanity was too tough for them starting out. Which is not too hard to believe. Insanity is tough. Then I have others contact me that are beginners and tell me that it’s tough, but they are pushing through. Now I don’t believe there is a right and wrong here. I believe that if a person wants to push through and do so in a smart way, I ENCOURAGE them to do just that. They need to rest as needed, jump back in when they can, drink water, and watch their heart rate and stay in an acceptable zone. The ones that feel more comfortable going to a program that is not as intense, well, that’s okay too. I SUPPORT them 100%. Do a program they are comfortable with and jump in on Insanity when they’re ready. Exercise and fitness is about what works for the individual.
So if you are happy with Insanity, and want to continue, GO FOR IT. Just be smart, listen to your body, rest, take breaks, push yourself, but be smart. If you feel something that is something OTHER than just being sore, and it feels like a potential injury, monitor it closely and back off if necessary. Only you can tell when that time has come, so be safe.
I think you can also lower your calorie intake some also, but keep in mind, as you improve, you may need more calories to sustain your body as you workout. Don’t go too low, otherwise you will risk more harm than good. If you eat too low you go into starvation mode, weight loss stops and then your not doing whats best. So watch this closely too. I think you will be fine, stop back by and let me know how you are doing!
Hi I just today recieved my insanity workout. I was reviewing the meal plans and I’m having a problem with them because I work on the road and stay in hotels alot. So I eat out alot. Can I sub out meals with
some fast food like subway ect… As long as they’re under 300 calories and around the same nutritional value? Thanks for your advice.
John, You are likely going to need more calories than 300 per meal. There is a calorie formula in the elite nutrition guide. So once you determine your calories, you will divide those into 5 meals. So it may be around 400 per meal, etc. Once you get the total, you can figure that out. You can go to places to eat on the road, but be careful what you get. Even though they are low in calories, some are loaded with sodium, not ideal for all the time. However, you have to do your best with what you have to work with too. So just educate yourself on whats safe. Chicken and grilled veggies are always safe. Check our site and look at Shakeology too. Its easy to take with you on the road. Let me know how it goes!
Thanks for the advice. What should I try and keep under for the sodium intake? Also it would be helpful to know how many fat/carb grams I should stay under. Doing the math on my calories I should stay under 1500 calories a day to loose weight. I have been doing low carb for a while so it will take some getting use to. Thank you
Sorry I was mistaken. I didn’t do step 2 so my calorie intake is higher. More like 2300 or so
John, 2300 sounds a lot better than 1500!
make sure with Insanity that you use the moderately active or active when figuring total calories. I suspect in time you will need more calories, probably 2600 or so. The calories on the Insanity plan are approximately 40% protein, 40% carb, and 20% fat. Here is a great article on sodium, http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/medicaldepartments/foodandnutrition/sodiumsavvy/index.html
I am sorry for all the questions but I never could make sense out of the 40%20% formula. Can you explain how to figure it out or the amount of grams I should stay within. I do much better with boundries. Again sorry for the so many questions. I just really want it to work for me. Thanks again.
Hi again. Will insanity work with a low carb high protien diet? I’m having trouble with the meal plan. It is hard on the road to fallow. I do much better with low carb. But will it work? Thanks for you help
Hi,
I just picked up the insanity workout today and will be starting it this coming Monday. My concern here is that I am in college and staying on campus. While the dining hall here is very good about offering very balanced nutrition and a good variety of fruits and vegetables, I myself do not have the time or ability to prepare most of the meals given in the food plan. I already drink about a gallon of water a day at least and try to incorporate as many whole grain foods and grilled meats into what I eat. So what I’m asking is do any of you have any good alternatives to the food guide that might be a better fit for me? I took a look at the Michi’s ladder given in the back of the food guide and I feel like I can stay within the 1st two tiers but, I’m not so sure that I would know how to balance it properly to get the full effect of this workout.
From what I calculated, my daily caloric needs would be about 2,950. (I’m 20 y/o, 6’1″, and 189lbs.)
Thanks for all of your help!!
Stephen, I would go with michi’s ladder, and the campus dining hall. Use something like myfitnesspal.com (they also have an iphone app that I use), and that will keep track of your calories. If you eat in the top two of michi’s ladder, you will be just fine! The Insanity guide meal plans are about 40% protein, 40% carbs, and 20% healthy fat. If you stay close to this you should be okay! Keep us posted!
I just bought the Insanity workout. I tried P90X last year with some success but never finished the program. I did maintain the weight loss by working out at home and the gym. I did the fit test last night and I did as much as I could. I’m looking forward to the first workout tonight. After reading the reviews, I get the feeling that it will be intense.
It will be intense, but worth it! DO your best, take breaks, and push yourself. You can do it! Come back and let us know how you are doing!
I am considering ordering the insanity workout, but am not sure if it is something my body could handle at this point. I honestly havent worked out at all in the past 5 years. I’ve been a stay at home mom for the past 2 years and my body pretty much has no muscle strength at all. I weigh 110lbs and have to push myself to do 5 pushups. I really want to get back into shape and have strength and energy back again, but im worried that I wont be able to keep up with the workout. if it cant will getting this benefit me at all? also, im breastfeeding, so im suppossed to take in more calories than i usually would, so would i even be able to use the meal plan?
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