Insanity Complete

Well guys I did it, I completed the Insanity Workout challenge. Today is day 63 of the insanity calendar and is the last day. Working out 6 days a week for nine weeks has been very hard work and has taken it's toll on the old knees but it was so worth it. The sense of accomplishment is amazing.

This past year or so I have become more active thanks to my vestibular migraine medication, I spent the previous five years in hell not moving much  because of the intensity of the dizziness I was living daily with. I still live with an uncomfortable level of dizziness all day everyday and it still worsens some days or weeks for no reason but I have improved some of the time and so this past year has been about getting fitter and doing more in the hope I will improve my vestibular problem. I had been doing mild cardio workouts 3 times a week along with my Migraine diet and I managed to lose nearly 3 stone and get a bit fitter. I was hoping that in time the mild cardio workouts would improve my dizziness and vertigo, it did not and so I decided to go all out and really blast my mind and body and so insanity began.

Before I started Insanity I was not sure I could do it, I know I wanted to but I wasn't sure my dizziness and vertigo would allow me to exercise so extremely. I mean fit healthy people have a tough time taking the insanity challenge never mind Mr bloody vertigo here.

I won't lie, everyday has been tough. Waking up every morning feeling out of it being pushed and pulled in all directions having to psyche myself up to press play and workout. I am proud to say that is what I did regardless of how bad I felt. There have been days were I have felt completely exhausted which certainly ramped up all the vertigo and vision problems. I wondered at times if I was hurting myself rather than helping myself. Some of the exercise movements were damn hard and had me falling over, usually the balance exercises and turning exercises but I got straight back up and continued. After each workout I was in no state to talk or walk. The exercise massively increased my vertigo and balance issues and I had a job walking in a straight line to my sofa to sit down and recuperate after each workout.

I did this challenge to prove to myself that this damn vestibular issue cannot and will not hold me back anymore. I did it in the hope that all of the extreme exercise movements would kick start my brain in to gear and improve my vestibular condition. I thought it would be an extreme form of vestibular rehabilitation (I guess it is). Doctors have always said to keep moving, well I can honestly say I have never moved so much in all my life. After every workout I felt like I had stomped and defeated the vertigo and I felt very proud.

I can honestly say I have enjoyed the journey as difficult as it has been. I now have a six pack and a body that looks 15 years younger. Insanity pushed me physically and mentally to my limits everyday. Much more than this is that I now know I can dig deeper and can fight my vestibular dysfunction even if its for only 45-60min a day. For that hour I am in charge NOT the vertigo. The vertigo has been in total control of my life for 6.5 years, I won't have it anymore.

The dizziness and vertigo is still ever present,  Insanity did not get rid of my problem but it has given me confidence and health in other areas. I have often joked with friends and family that I am the healthiest looking ill person ever, this is certainly true now. We all  know this is an invisible condition and that we all look fine to other people. They have no idea what we go through living with vestibular dysfunction. My family and friends have seen me jumping up and down to Insanity and I know how ridiculous it must look to them, me complaining of unrelenting vertigo and ill well being yet completing the hardest workout put on DVD. If only they knew what it takes to push myself this hard, how truly difficult it is for me to function nevermind workout living with chronic vertigo. The thing is I KNOW and that is what counts and  I am very very proud of myself.

Swimmyhead