After lap-band has anyone tried to do p90x or insanity? If so how did that work out for you?

I've done insanity as much as I can for an old fart. I love it. I have a small gym in the basement with soft mats, weights, other equipment and I do it twice a week in the mornings. The band does not affect my workouts at all other than making me thinner and more mobile.

tmf

I do Crossfit two to three times a week. The only issues I have is ab work outs partly because I have no core strength to begin with and partly because of scar tissue in the region. Sometimes my port feels pinched. If you're new to working out I don't know that I'd go straight to that kind of a work out since its pretty brutal. I did, but for being a fat kid I was in pretty decent shape so it's not been that big of a deal.

I did p90x and found it lacking in cardio. No band problems with it. I am getting insanity next. I did have problems running and had to wear spanx-like under shirts to hold the port down. As I got more fit I had less port issues. I now only have to wear something after a fill. I run almost daily.

P90x is more for strength training. I had trouble with the ab workout because I have tailbone issues. I can't speak to whether or not the port would be bothered with that part of the program. Everything else in P90x was no problem. I love the yoga and found that I got a great core workout from that (though some poses were just too difficult!!!).

I've always been a runner and it worked really well for me - for many years. I push myself pretty hard, ran a few half marathons, ran through cancer treatment, ran on every vacation I went on, I never miss days. I also love spin classes and do two or three a week.

I got the body I wanted, fit, toned, low body fat, never was interested in looking "muscular" - I even think a lot of the spin instructors look very bulky and masculine.

Its served me very well - until really recently. Through having cancer and the medical attention that it brings, I've discovered problems with renal function, Iron levels, testosterone levels. In past months I have been unable to maintain my exercise intensity. I also broke a rib earlier in the year doing nothing more than trying to undo the knob on my spin bike.

Moral of the story - dieting and exercising is great for your health but it can be done to extreme. I refused to listen to the demands placed on my body by illness, I continued to push it and make huge physical demands and in my refusal to gain some much needed weight i contined to keep my calories low (about 1300 a day on average).I just wanted to be the best that I could be, fit, slim and healthy and instead I really have overdone things. I've had my band seven years and whilst we all have years of fuel and good nutrition stores at first, they do deplete over time, especially when you make such big physical demands on yourselfr.

So do P90X or Insanity - what a great way to a really fit and healthy body - but you must fuel it. I've never seen the point of "eating back exercise calories" but the black hole I've fallen into this year has wisened me up. I still dont believe in low carb high Protein but I now know that you cant run miles a day for years on a piddly calorie intake, especially if its made up of processed foods (I always ate good quality food).

Honestly, a pound or two a week is enough for weight loss - fuel your body to make it really fit and get your metabolism up with great programs like these. But trying to lose super fast and exercise super hard is like two cars tied together pulling in opposite directions.

that would be the only real problem I've come across - and it took seven years to show up. Physically speaking - no restrictions!

Thank you for that post. I'm struggling to NOT dip too low in calories. I know that when I go too low my workouts suffer. I can feel that my body isn't fueled. It is hard being banded and seeing people eating less than 1200 calories and most people calling it good. I'm at around 1400/1500 a day but sometimes my band keeps me at around 1200. I know I need more than 1200 when I can easily burn over 600 at the gym. Calorie intake is a real battle ground with bandsters. I know that fueling your body for exercise is just as important as fueling a car for a drive! I've lost more than 80lbs so I must be doing something right.

Obviously to lose weight you must eat less than you need, but hard exercise places extra demands. I always did it so I could eat more and still lose but I have gotten my body into a fairly risky state by not eating enough more.

It's probably the reason why each of my half marathons took me two or three months to recover from. I just thought it was coz I was over 40 and marveled at the veterans out there,

I did crossfit for about a year before being banded. Hardest thing I've ever done. I took off two full months after the band, mostly out of fear. Back to it and I'm amazed at how much difference the little bit of weight I've lost has made. For one thing it was way easier to get back to it than it was when I first started (well the soreness was there for two weeks again but I could actually do some of the exercises even after a two month break where in the beginning I couldn't). I am really looking forward to the coming months and my workouts getting better and easier and my being stronger actually showing up as I lose more weight.

We can do ANYTHING. I'm convinced of it. And don't be afraid to modify until you can do it like they tell you - that's one of the things I love best about CrossFit.